News targeted towards small businesses and organizations, written by Amsterdam Printing editors. http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Default.aspx?FocusId=news.ascx newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Marketing News Trade shows are a prime opportunity for businesses to advertise themselves to potential customers. There&#39;s a steady flow of attendees just waiting to be pitched your product or service, and you can gain valuable contacts through networking. Trade shows are also the perfect forum for <a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com">promotional products</a>. In fact, it could be argued that no trade show exhibition is complete without them. They could be as simple as a tote bag or more advanced like a USB drive. Promotional products do a great job at marketing the businesses, but like most things in business advertising, it takes planning to achieve the best results. Asking yourself these questions about a product is the first step to crafting the best one.<br/><br/><strong>Does it have use?</strong><br /> One of the most important parts of promotional products is functionality. The best way to market your business through products is by creating one that is in constant, or at least regular, use by the customer. This keeps the company, product and brand at the top of the consumer&#39;s mind, and every time they use it, they&#39;ll be reminded of your business. It only takes a little spark like that to spur a customer into action.<br/><br/>That being said, high-use items should be a priority in fashioning your promotional products. Pens are clearly a top product, because taking notes and signing up for lists at a trade show requires writing, which requires pens. Engraving your brand or name on writing tools is an effective way to accomplish company recognition. Coffee mugs, bags, mini-flashlights and clothing apparel also work.<br/><br/><strong>Is it goofy or fun?</strong><br /> Trade show attendees appreciate promotional products that are a bit quirky. Innovative products also help a company stand out and increase its visibility. If you create something new or different, it will pique consumer interest and improve chances they&#39;ll share it with friends and family. Silly stuff like squishy balls and light-up jewelry will definitely attract attention.<br/><br/><strong>Can it be used at the trade show?</strong><br /> Creating <a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com">promotional items</a> that can be used at the trade show itself can also provide a significant boost in marketing efforts. Travels mugs, pop can holders displaying a brand or logo, and bags that can be used to store brochures in are extremely useful to attendees. Similar promotional products also carry your advertising around the show and extend your reach from the booth. http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Questions+to+ask+before+creating+trade+show+promotional+products/800879780/Default.aspx Fri, 05 Oct 2012 14:53:15 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Business Leadership Business is a tough industry to enter. It&#39;s relentless, demanding and operates at a level of fluidity that requires rapid and precise adjustments to be competitive. A good business needs leadership to run the gauntlet - especially in sales. Taking the reigns and being a good leader necessitates an arsenal of skills: The ability to coach, strategize, motivate and sell. A couple sales leadership tips to live by will keep your skill set sharpened and refined.<br/><br/><strong>Cultivate a winning culture.</strong> How well a sales team fares will be reflected in the atmosphere around you, and if things start snowballing the other way, it can be tough to recover. So don&#39;t let the negatives get in the way. Easier said than done, perhaps, but keeping the sales atmosphere lively and positive will go a long way in boosting confidence. Advertising your business as having a winning culture, internally and externally, will have a big impact.<br/><br/><strong>Infuse old with the new.</strong> To stay ahead of the game, it&#39;s a must to get involved in social media. Email and phone will still be heavily involved in the sales process, but set the standard for the rest by foraying into social media. Show them how social platforms can enhance a customer relationship, which will help lead to a sale and open doors to new ones. The more you use it, the easier social media is, and the more it becomes a valuable tool.<br/><br/><strong>Develop and coach talent.</strong> One of the primary functions of leadership is developing and coaching talent. Chances are most salespeople in a leadership position weren&#39;t given the title straight away and had a mentor to help them along the way. Your representatives will look to the top for guidance and advice, and your job is to help them become the best. It doesn&#39;t mean holding their hand throughout the sales process, but connecting with them on a personal level and instilling confidence, while also showing them areas to improve.<br/><br/><strong>Be open and approachable.</strong> Having a narrow mindset and a bad attitude will be mirrored in your team and will impede the sales process. It can&#39;t be stressed enough, but the team will take their cue from you and model their behavior after yours, and it&#39;s crucial to set a good example. http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Tips+for+improving+sales+leadership/800879614/Default.aspx Fri, 05 Oct 2012 12:40:29 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Marketing News There&#39;s a lot of tradition involved in small businesses, whether a business has been passed down through the family, or owners have developed such a long-standing relationship with customers that the business has become an integral part of the local fiber. Considering this, it&#39;s no surprise to see a new survey shows most small businesses are sticking to traditional means of marketing while eschewing modern methods like social media.<br/><br/>The recent 2012 Small Business Marketing Survey released by Pitney Bowes found only 17 percent of the 750 respondents were engaged in social media. Small businesses are also ignoring other digital ways to market: A paltry 4 percent of owners responded they would use QR codes in the coming year.<br/><br/>Meanwhile, traditional avenues dominated most small business marketing strategies: 46 percent said email remains their primary channel; 22 percent favored phone; and 11 percent stuck to using direct mail as their preferred marketing choice.<br/><br/>Additionally, even though a number of businesses rely on traditional mail to deliver invoices and receipts to customers, many ignore the marketing potential of direct mail, possibly because of the recent focus on digital channels. Just 18 percent used mail for marketing purposes.<br/><br/>However, results also showed although small businesses were engaged in marketing, they were missing plenty of opportunities to advance and improve their strategy. Measuring a marketing campaign by way of response rates or click-through rates is central to optimizing a strategy, but an astonishingly high rate of small business marketers neglect the practice: 80 percent did not measure direct mail and 73 percent did not measure email.<br/><br/>Nearly half of the respondents - 49 percent - also indicated they stuck to a single-channel approach, despite the benefits of taking a multichannel approach.<br/><br/>&quot;This phenomenon suggests that businesses are failing to take advantage of the power of integrated marketing campaigns,&quot; the report said. &quot;If you are one of those small businesses, you have a real opportunity to increase response rates and steal a march on your competitors through a multichannel approach.&quot; http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Study+shows+common+small+businesses+marketing+practices/800878722/Default.aspx Thu, 04 Oct 2012 14:55:04 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Marketing News The small business marketing landscape has undergone a shift toward digital methods recently, and it continues to evolve alongside the rapid pace at which technology has developed in recent times. A product of this is the emerging power social media wields in marketing, which was unthinkable no more than a couple of years ago. It&#39;s especially helpful for small business owners who need to expand their marketing reach, but don&#39;t have the resources to commit to more traditional - and more expensive - methods. But be wary: There needs to be some fundamental things to consider before dropping right into social media.<br/><br/><strong>Begin by thinking about the end.</strong> There&#39;s nothing more likely to doom a social media strategy than by setting up profiles and pages with no clear intent or objectives in mind. Businesses need to formulate a plan for social media use, just like they would for any other function. What are you trying to achieve? Who do you want to reach? Do you foresee any complications? What will social media help you with? These are all relevant questions business need to ask themselves.<br/><br/><strong>Understand where your customer are.</strong> It won&#39;t do a business good to put all its stock in Twitter when their ideal customers are on LinkedIn. Prioritize which platforms to focus on in order to maximize return on investment. Don&#39;t end up spreading yourself too thin by trying to engage an interested audience that is just not there.<br/><br/><strong>What is the plan of action?</strong> It&#39;s important to develop a schedule of activity as best as possible. A regular flow of posting content two to three times a day is recommended to keep users interested, while not overwhelming them. Sharing is also a key function of social media, both sharing friend content and that of other companies. All are optimal ways to build the social community that businesses strive to create upon entering the social foray.<br/><br/><strong>Diffuse negative reactions.</strong> Negative reactions will happen on social media - this is the internet, after all - and small businesses need to know how to react when they happen. The first step is to document the negative feedback, with a screenshot or whatever means, and decide if it is vulgar or insulting enough to warrant further investigation. Always keep a level head: It&#39;s no use trying get back by responding in kind, because you risk damaging your reputation and alienating users who may already have tried speaking up on your behalf. http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Essential+tips+for+a+small+business+social+media+strategy/800878442/Default.aspx Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:48:36 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Marketing News Many small business owners have found themselves struggling to maintain an effective marketing strategy while going up against big corporations that dominate the airwaves and other media with bottomless resources. But in the fight to get ahead, more small businesses are experiencing the benefits of traditional marketing methods like <a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com">promotional products</a>, which can be used to complement modern approaches like social media and SEO.<br/><br/>Plain and simple, custom promotional products still very much matter despite misconceptions that the form of advertising has gone by the wayside. &quot;The opposite is, in fact, true, as promotional products are still an incredibly powerful marketing tool,&quot; wrote Elle-Rose Williams in a Huffington Post blog.<br/><br/>The main strength of promotional products is their ability to enforce the product or company brand in a creative medium that leaves a lasting effect on those who receive them. Brand recognition is one of the most important functions of marketing, so to help develop the best promotional products strategy, here are three of the most effective promotional products:<br/><br/><strong>Coffee mug.</strong> Coffee has become a staple of the American worker&#39;s morning, and what better way than to keep your company or product brand at the front of the customer&#39;s mind than giving away a product that will be one of the first things they see each morning? Oftentimes, people also bring the favorite mug to the workplace, which can expand your brand&#39;s reach.<br/><br/><strong>USB drive.</strong> They may be a tad more expensive than other products, but the payoff in furthering the brand is big. USB drives are now one of the most commonly used products in the business world. A promotional USB drive is extremely useful and is a perfect promotion for technology or software-minded businesses that can reinforce their technological credentials.<br/><br/><strong>Frisbees.</strong> Giving away a frisbee or mini-football is one of the more creative approaches in promotional product marketing. They get people active, and they also give personality to the company that customers will appreciate. And again, frisbees and similar sports objects will more often than not be used with friends, families and co-workers - another prime opportunity to increase the brand&#39;s influence. http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/The+three+most+effective+promotional+products+to+give+away/800877631/Default.aspx Wed, 03 Oct 2012 14:03:15 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Marketing News Yellow Pages were used in previous years by Americans who needed to find a business that supplied whatever service they were looking for. Since the emergence of the digital age, in which smartphones are used to search Google for nearby businesses, the Yellow Page have become obsolete, making advertising a business in the book a lost cause.<br/><br/>AT&amp;T recently sold the Yellow Pages, which caused many marketing experts to believe that print advertising in the 5-pound book that is usually dropped of at doorsteps was close to being completely obsolete.<br/><br/>Online advertising has become more popular in recent years, which is causing more business owners to look into targeting the online market instead of advertising their business in the Yellow Pages. St. Louis online marketing firm Leap Clixx recently surveyed the local market, which is where the Yellow Pages business unit was started. The survey showed that 90 percent of respondents felt that advertising in the Yellow Pages was ineffective, which shows business owners are making the right move by transitioning to advertising online.<br/><br/>In the survey, the marketing company asked consumers how often they use the print version of the Yellow Pages and only 3 percent admitted that they used the book everyday, while 67 percent said they never use it. With this discovery by Leap Clixx, more business owners might transition their funding from the Yellow Pages to online source, television or radio to increase their small business advertising efforts.<br/><br/>The survey also asked participants how often they use a search engine such as Google, Bing or Yahoo to search for products and services. More than 90 percent said they used the search engines daily, while billions of searches are being conducted on Google every month. With Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn also increasing in popularity, more Americans who own businesses are looking at the possibilities of their marketing strategies.<br/><br/>The final question of the survey asked participants what search result they typically click on when they are searching online, and 97 percent said that they click on the results at the top of their page, which shows how important search engine optimization is to business owners&#39; marketing strategies.<br/><br/>According to recent statistics from the Harvard Business School, the internet added $530 billion to the U.S. economy in 2011, which accounts for 3.7 percent of the country&#39;s GDP. http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Yellow+Pages+advertising+becoming+obsolete+/800877025/Default.aspx Tue, 02 Oct 2012 16:30:35 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Business Operations Foursquare has recently become one of the most popular apps available on smartphones, and it is proving to be an extremely valuable resource for small business owners who would like to increase the popularity of their company.<br/><br/>The popular app allows users to check in at different restaurants and stores to inform their friends and followers of their whereabouts. The company announced in April that it had reached a user base of 20 million people and more than 750,000 businesses had begun to use the platform already.<br/><br/>According to Search Engine Watch, Foursquare is split into two paths, consisting of those with physical locations where users can shop, eat and play, in addition to those without locations, which are usually large brands.<br/><br/>&quot;If applicable, building integration with Foursquare into your product makes checking in as easy as possible for your users,&quot; said Anthony Krumeich, CEO and co-founder of Bloodhound in San Francisco, to the Washington Post. &quot;Combining ease of use with some sort of incentive for checking in are the two best ways to leverage Foursquare to find and lure new customers. By greasing the wheels on these potential sticking points, you make checking in something that one wants to do instead of something one has to do.&rdquo;<br/><br/>Users of Foursquare who are trying to increase their small business marketing techniques have a plethora of assets at their disposal, which are mostly free. Companies can create their own pages on Foursquare that are similar to those on Facebook, allowing consumers to visit their company&#39;s page and tell their friends about their experience.<br/><br/>There is also a follow button on Foursquare that is similar to the Facebook &quot;Like&quot; button or Twitter &quot;Follow&quot; button, which could increase popularity of a company by the amount of users who have already showed interest in the company&#39;s page.<br/><br/>&ldquo;Obviously, Foursquare can be used to offer specials and discounts to your customers,&quot; said Matt Hunckler, founder and president of Verge in Indianapolis, to the Post. &quot;But picking the right benefit can make the difference between mediocre geo-marketing and a viral campaign that brings swarms of customers to your business.&quot;<br/><br/>According to BIA/Kelsey, 40 percent of small businesses are expected to increase digital spending in the next 12 months, which could better the economy that has been struggling since the economic downturn. http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Small+businesses+utilizing+Foursquare+/800875880/Default.aspx Mon, 01 Oct 2012 16:11:47 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Business Operations Engaging customers has been No. 1 on many entrepreneurs&#39; list of things to do to make their company more popular, but Business 2 Community recently recommended that entrepreneurs should think big, but write small content.<br/><br/>Content on blogs and websites should be engaging enough that it pulls the readers in and persuades them to continue coming back to the site for details on whatever the company might provide.<br/><br/>The source gave reason why marketing will produce better results if writing Quantum Content as opposed to thinking big and writing bigger.<br/><br/>Quantum Content is the smallest, self-contained and relevant story about a product or service. One of the most potent reasons that marketing will be successful if using Quantum Content is because the content is more searchable.<br/><br/>The content is also more easily found when business owners repurpose and reimagine their content, according to Business 2 Community. Quantum Content has also proven to get consumed more than other materials.<br/><br/>In a world in which 140 characters is expected to get the point across to target audiences, business owners should make sure to keep their messages short and to the point. Most blog posts and web content is expected to be short in order to keep the reader engaged. Longer messages often go unread and ignored by consumers.<br/><br/>Business owners should also make sure that they&#39;re engaging consumers through social media. The No. 1 rule of social websites is to engage with the people, according to Memeburn.com. With this considered and implemented into campaigns, small business marketing could become easier for entrepreneurs across the country who are looking to expand their companies marketing efforts. http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Companies+making+content+count+/800874930/Default.aspx Fri, 28 Sep 2012 17:20:03 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Business Operations Yelp has become one of the most popular sites on internet, allowing consumers to see rating of establishments that they are interested in attending before they step foot in the door. With the website being so popular, making sure your company leverages its local presence on Yelp may be helpful in small business marketing.<br/><br/>Yelp allows a company to be searched fast. The business page on the website lets users know the value proposition, giving entrepreneurs the option to create a Yelp deal, message customers and view business trends, which might be one of the most important features.<br/><br/>Setting up a page is free and easy for small businesses. Once all information is entered on a business, Yelp reviews the listing to make sure the person setting up the page is not a spammer or someone who doesn&#39;t really own the company. Once everything is verified, business owners can begin taking advantage of the website&#39;s benefits.<br/><br/>Business owners are also finding the value in marketing their companies on social media sites, such as Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and Twitter. Although setting up a webpage is free on each one of the sites, entrepreneurs will need to make sure they spend time developing the pages to make sure they will maximize a company&#39;s growth. YouTube has also proven to be a valuable outlet to market a business, allowing owners to upload videos that correlate with what the company offers. http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Advertising+a+small+business+on+Yelp/800874915/Default.aspx Fri, 28 Sep 2012 17:16:47 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Starting a Business According to a recently released poll conducted by Leger Marketing, new business owners might be too focused on issues that are outside of their control, such as the economy.<br/><br/>The poll also showed that many business owners agree that attracting clients is key to their company&#39;s success.<br/><br/>Contrary to the result of the poll, established business owners highlight cash flow management and financing as they best ways to get through the first years of small business marketing, which can be the most challenging.<br/><br/>&quot;When they look back, some successful business owners realize that they would have benefited from advice about how to manage their money in the early years of their business,&quot; said Jon Hountalas, executive vice president of Business Banking of CIBC. &quot;You can&#39;t be an expert in everything, but you can strengthen your business significantly by building a connection with a relationship manager who knows your business and can assist you with cash management advice or arrange the financing you need to move your business forward.&quot;<br/><br/>Statistics from established business owners show the three most challenging obstacles they faced when trying to get their business off the ground. Fifty-six percent of the respondents reported that attracting or retaining customers was the most challenging obstacle while 42 percent reported that it was fluctuations in cash flow and 40 percent said having access to adequate funding was an issue.<br/><br/>The poll also revealed that 19 percent of the established business owners surveyed said that a lack of expertise to draw on, including financial advice, was a difficult obstacle to overcome to be successful in the first few years of business.<br/><br/>Marketing experts suggest that businesses start a blog or website in order to attract more attention to their company, which could result in additional revenue and more customers. http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Small+business+owners+give+advice+to+startups/800874904/Default.aspx Fri, 28 Sep 2012 17:14:28 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Business Operations Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube have expanded over the past decade to more than a billion active users, which makes the websites prime marketing sites for small business owners who are looking to expand their company. With this considered, Memeburn.com gave six tips that could be useful for entrepreneurs who are looking to engage on social media sites.<br/><br/>Small businesses are making it a necessity to update their social media pages weekly, if not daily. Making sure content is fresh and engaging can attract more customers and improve the popularity of a company. The source recommends actively engaging in conversation with people on social websites to develop relationships, taking the time to build some credibility before selling their network.<br/><br/>The second tip is to be consistent. It&#39;s best to not post completely different subjects daily that aren&#39;t correlated at all to what your company offers. Creating an editorial calendar and schedule so you can keep up with different topics and allowing target audiences to know what to expect will result in more people remembering the company.<br/><br/>Another important tip to remember is that social media is not free. It may cost nothing to set up a page for a company, but the amount of time spent into acquiring customers and those interested in reading updates can be significant, but staying consistent can be beneficial to the success of the company.<br/><br/>Making sure comments that consumers make on your page are responded to can also be helpful in retaining customers. The same techniques can be used offline, which will allow entrepreneurs to be more appealing than those who don&#39;t respond to comments.<br/><br/>Searching for people to connect with and discovering what your voice is on social media pages is also encouraged by the source. Since you&#39;re representing your company at all times, businesses that use social web should determine how they want to be viewed by the public.This gives the business owner an easier method of developing an audience that looks forward to content from a business&#39; web page daily.<br/><br/>In order to make sure companies are reaching their maximum potential, an internet small business marketing seminar for small businesses will be held in Jacksonville, Florida, from November 9 to 11, giving small business owners a chance to master tips and techniques that will cause their companies to grow beyond expectations. http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Tips+for+social+media+marketing/800873370/Default.aspx Thu, 27 Sep 2012 17:26:18 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Business Operations Emerging from one of the worst economic collapses in American history, many businesses have found it difficult to bounce back.<br/><br/>According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, the No. 2 reason why companies fail is because of their inability to receive capital, which leaves many of them looking for loans that will allow them to continue their endeavors.<br/><br/>Considering the statistics, IOU Central is looking to help small business owners to increase their lending knowledge.<br/><br/>&quot;IOU Central is focused on giving small business owners the best bank alternative by offering clear and understandable terms, the lowest cost possible, and a quick and transparent application process,&quot; said Phil Marleau, CEO of IOU Financial.<br/><br/>Most small businesses look to their personal banks for funding because they feel that they&#39;d have a better chance of securing a loan, but if they aren&#39;t approved, they are often forced to turn to alternatives that offer low cost and understandable terms that they feel they can deal with.<br/><br/>&quot;We want to make the loan process easy for our customers so that they can take advantage of opportunities when they arise,&quot; added Marleau. &quot;We put our clients&#39; business interests on par with our own, which is why there are no hidden fees or arbitrary rate hikes, no games with interest rate quoting and ultimately no buyer&#39;s remorse.&quot;<br/><br/>With more funding, companies are able to expand on their small business marketing, which can become expensive if entrepreneurs don&#39;t use creativity and make sure they explore all options. Business 2 Community recently suggested that companies create a newsletter or blog to expand their consumer base and make them more appealing to potential customers. http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Lending+tips+for+small+businesses/800873298/Default.aspx Wed, 26 Sep 2012 16:54:05 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Starting a Business One of the first steps small business owners take when they are trying to build a business is starting their own website or a blog to attract more customers to their company.<br/><br/>According to NeighborhoodNotes.com, a blog is a tool that has many functions, meaning it can be extremely helpful depending on how it&#39;s used. A blog can be efficient and affordable for any business, but deciding how to use it can be the difference maker as to whether the company succeeds or fails.<br/><br/>The source recommends demonstrating a level of expertise on a blog and building authority on it. According to Ben Lloyd, president of Amplify Interactive, content is the most important aspect of a blog because it establishes the level of expertise that the business owner has on the subject. Since business owners can only talk about one subject for a limited amount of time, a blog allows creativity to become more natural to the entrepreneur.<br/><br/>Blogs can also establish credibility and provide value that websites wouldn&#39;t be able to since they are more structured.<br/><br/>&ldquo;Blogs can give businesses a lot of power to build the company&rsquo;s credibility,&rdquo; says John McPhee, vice president of Formic Media. &ldquo;Talking about the latest and greatest things happening within their company or industry can help turn the blogger or company into a pioneer or thought leader. Everyone wants to work with those people who provide value and are on the cutting edge.&rdquo;<br/><br/>McPhee added that it&#39;s extremely important to provide value when considering content creation. Creating a &quot;how-to&quot; section could attract more readers to the website when they are looking to try a do-it-yourself project and need guidance. With more consumers visiting the blog, revenue could also increase. Incorporating keywords in content can also be a helpful small business marketing tool to increase appeal.<br/><br/>&ldquo;If you do a bit of keyword research, then place your targeted keywords into the appropriate page elements (title tag, meta description tag, header tag, alt tag, etc.), it can have a very positive effect within search results,&rdquo; McPhee explains. &ldquo;Google loves fresh content. The more valuable, optimized content you&rsquo;re pumping out, the better chance you have at obtaining increased SEO rankings.&rdquo;<br/><br/>The Minneapolis Star Tribune recently announced a new digital unit that can be used by small businesses, and its services are expected to cost from $400 to $1,000 a month and will help startup companies increase their marketing efforts. http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Benefits+of+a+small+business+blog/800871662/Default.aspx Wed, 26 Sep 2012 16:04:11 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Business Leadership With the economy on an uptick and several different industries reporting growth in the past year, small business owners are optimistic about their companies expanding and being more profitable in the upcoming months.<br/><br/>According to the Western Union Small Business Barometer survey, 79 percent of small business owners believe their annual revenue will increase in the next 12 months, which will give them an opportunity to increase their small business marketing campaigns and attract a larger consumer base.<br/><br/>According to Western Union, a month before the presidential election reveals an election mindset. A small percentage of business owners believe that marketing their products is the only option, with 23 percent planning to increase their marketing expenses for growth and one in four participants in the survey said they plan on utilizing social media to expand their reach and increase customers.<br/><br/>The survey also revealed that 36 percent believe that offering their customers something new will increase their revenue and result in growth being seen in their business. Using the internet is seen as a necessity for small businesses, being the top source for knowledge or advice.<br/><br/>Seventeen percent of the respondents said they preferred using Facebook for marketing activities and word of mouth was seen as the best method for promoting products. Seventy-six percent of the participants said word of mouth is the most effective promotion method while 33 percent said they would use email for promotional activities.<br/><br/>Business 2 Community recently recommended that business owners create a newsletter or blog to make sure they are reaching a larger audience. All of the content that is created for a company&#39;s website can be utilized for the newsletter and repurposed for Facebook and Twitter. http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Small+business+owners+optimistic+/800870753/Default.aspx Tue, 25 Sep 2012 17:23:35 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Starting a Business Some small businesses have underestimated the impact that a strong public relations team can have on a company&#39;s success. PR departments in the past have boosted a company from being a small business to a large corporation, which makes PR a vital aspect of getting a company off the ground.<br/><br/>Public relations is usually provided by businesses to give consumers an update on what&#39;s going on with their company and how it plans to continue serving its currently customers.<br/><br/>According to Dave Manzer, founder of PR Over Coffee and MyLocalReporter.com, small businesses rarely believe they are newsworthy, which can be their first mistake and limit their advertising and marketing efforts.<br/><br/>The Austin Business Journal recently suggested that small business owners who consider public relations to be important to their efforts should become familiar with newsworthy events that can assist their company and learn how to write a quality pitch and deliver it to the right reporter.<br/><br/>Agencies are available to help companies accomplish this task, but they have been found to be pricey in the past, especially if a small business has a limited amount of cash available to spend on advertising. The source reported that there are less expensive options that could help a company improve their small business marketing campaign, such as learning how to self-generate PR, hiring a small business PR consultant to walk through the steps toward a more successful campaign and using do-it-yourself resources to economically pitch stories.<br/><br/>According to the source, there are ways to generate news about your small business. Among those include being covered frequently by the local news media. Entrepreneurs should make sure news outlets are aware of events they are holding or new products or services that they are releasing to the public. Allowing news media to cover your company could significantly increase the companies brand, giving the business an opportunity to expand beyond the local market if the publicity is successful.<br/><br/>Being nominated for prestigious awards that honor small businesses for being the fastest-growing, having the best customer service or being the best place to work can also help small businesses grow. These awards could be given by a local newspaper or magazine, which honor small businesses in order to also increase their readership.<br/><br/>A workshop is being held September 27 in Lodi, California, to help small business owners perfect their marketing campaign by taking advantage of social media to expand their company. More companies are seeing the benefits of investing in small business, which could also spark the economy. http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/The+use+of+public+relations+in+small+business/800869356/Default.aspx Mon, 24 Sep 2012 16:44:24 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Business Leadership Small business owners often spend every moment of their day trying to make improvements to the company to ensure success. Considering the lack of time to look at applicants who want to work for company, Business Insider recommended three places to find qualified hires.<br/><br/>According to a recently released study by The Wall Street Journal and Vistage International, most small business owners can&#39;t find anyone to hire. Despite the high unemployment numbers, 31 percent of small business owners said they couldn&#39;t find applicants who were qualified for the positions they were offering.<br/><br/>The number of business owners who couldn&#39;t find workers who were qualified increased to 41 percent in the manufacturing industry, while 30 percent of those in the service business and 29 percent in retail sector reported the same problem.<br/><br/>&quot;Any new hire is a major new investment and a major new risk for a small business,&quot; said Michael Marasco, director of the Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Northwestern University in Chicago. &quot;Your tendency is to be conservative and try to make do with the employees you currently have.&quot;<br/><br/>Kevin Madden, president of Group One, which installs alarms and video surveillance in homes and commercial properties, said companies could grow a lot faster if they had the right people in place who were qualified.<br/><br/>&quot;Based on present economic conditions, we have to be cautious. It&#39;s expensive to train someone,&quot; said Mike Pierdiluca, co-owner of Ad-Ex International.<br/><br/>Pierdiluca added that business owners could get hundreds of applications for a job opening but many of the younger applicants lack experience in the field that he is in and that other companies have openings in.<br/><br/>According to the Business Insider, if a small business is on a tight budget and trying to increase its business marketing efforts or has someone who can hit the ground running, it might be more cost-effective to get along with a position being unfilled as opposed to having someone at the company who will take time and money to train until they fully understand the gist of the job. http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Finding+qualified+workers+for+small+businesses/800854273/Default.aspx Fri, 31 Aug 2012 13:00:45 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Starting a Business Advertising is one of the most important components of small business marketing success. Considering the importance of advertising, Darrell Zahorsky, advertising expert, recently gave keys to advertising success.<br/><br/>According to Small Business Administration, 5 percent of a company&#39;s gross sales should be used for advertising, which could only help if the entrepreneur has a thorough understanding of the laws of advertising.<br/><br/>The first law is to use a consistent message in order to quickly catch the audience&#39;s attention and deliver a compelling message in three seconds or less. A confusing ad campaign can be detrimental to a company&#39;s success, so the ads should highlight a well-known phrase to keep it simple.<br/><br/>Another law of advertising success is to add credibility by giving statistics or testimonials that make whatever service or product your company is advertising believable. Consumers usually ignore products that they can&#39;t imagine to be helpful in their lives.<br/><br/>Testing ads and marketing tactics is also important to a business increasing its advertising efforts. Small businesses should use coupons, codes and specials in order to measure the placement, timing and headline of an ad, Zahorsky reported.<br/><br/>Being easy to contact can also increase a company&#39;s business. Nothing can be more frustrating than looking for contact information for a company and having to dissect the company&#39;s website to find information on its location, phone number or email address. Providing all of this information with the company&#39;s tagline can have a significant impact on the growth of the business.<br/><br/>Companies might also be interested in requesting the help of an advertising source such as Google Analytics or AdWords, which have been proven to be successful methods of monitoring the metrics of ads. http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Laws+of+advertising+success/800853033/Default.aspx Thu, 30 Aug 2012 14:04:29 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Business Leadership Time is one of the most common reasons many small businesses aren&#39;t able to reach their full potential. Companies can have all the resources necessary, but with time being against those who can&#39;t fully explore marketing possibilities, it can cost the business money.<br/><br/>Businesses are beginning to explore crowdsourcing, which is proving to a be a great way to expand small business marketing when time is working against a company.<br/><br/>Crowdsourcing allows companies to jumpstart their social media and content marketing efforts while extending the reach of their brand and making their company more well-known through word-of-mouth marketing.<br/><br/>According to Terra.com, three distinct categories of crowdsourcing initiatives for marketing include content marketing, social media marketing and crowdsourcing for design. These three categories will help to spread a company&#39;s message while expanding the brand and increasing a business&#39; growth.<br/><br/>The source reported that one of the easiest ways to leverage the reach of a crowd is through content marketing, which brands like The Huffington Post and American Express OPEN Forum used to grow exponentially. Both companies extended invites to experts in the industry to produce content for the businesses for free, offering free links back to their own sites and the chance to have their company and name appear in front of a larger audience that it wouldn&#39;t normally reach.<br/><br/>Crowdsourcing for social media marketing is also thought to be a helpful resource in expanding a company&#39;s reach. Inviting customer to pin content on their Pinterest boards, share pictures and videos through Facebook pages and utilizing Twitter to send out mass messages are some of the social media marketing tools businesses are beginning to use increasingly.<br/><br/>Crowdsourcing for design has also become an important marketing tool. Entrepreneurs can use websites such as Crowdspring or 99designs to get submissions from artists on a variety of different expertise levels. Instead of paying thousands for a new logo, these websites and others seek out a variety of artists who will do the design based on the amount of success a business has following the release of the new logo.<br/><br/>Automaker Volvo recently launched a crowdsourcing initiative also in order to create new ideas for more personalized videos. The company introduced projects through Facebook by utilizing crowdsourcing for social media marketing. http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Tips+for+companies+without+time+for+marketing/800845100/Default.aspx Mon, 20 Aug 2012 17:04:51 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Business Leadership Companies are beginning to look at new and innovative ways to better their business promotions. Many companies are turning to social networks while some are still looking to increase its marketing efforts in TV, the internet and radio. Marketing experts recently introduced another method called guerilla marketing.<br/><br/>Many business are suffering from the same complications, which is mainly not having the capital to fully invest in a strong marketing campaign. With that in mind, guerilla marketing was introduced, which gives entrepreneurs a different method of communicating that consists of asymmetrical thinking that might appear unorthodox to some.<br/><br/>Large businesses have already implemented guerilla marketing into their company&#39;s advertising efforts, but according to Fox Business, small businesses that are low on finances can also employ the marketing method to increase their revenue and expand the company&#39;s reach.<br/><br/>The source recommended that business owners remain creative in their approach to marketing ideas and efforts. A creative idea can take a business&#39; marketing efforts to an entirely different level and provide a model for other companies to imitate in the future.<br/><br/>According to the Fox Business, a predator special that was planned to come on television was being advertised on a bus with a large shark image on it. The mouth of the shark was placed on the door of the bus so whenever a passenger boarded the bus and the doors closed, it appeared as if the shark had just swallowed the passenger. The idea received rave reviews on the internet and kept people talking about the company&#39;s creative marketing efforts for some time.<br/><br/>The source also suggests using the opportunity to meet other business owners in the area to gain ground on competitors within their particular market. Business owners are encouraged to visit businesses in the area and find out how they could possibly impact the transactions of the small company. Entrepreneurs should also research what new laws are possibly being implemented and what regulations in the area could impact their customers.<br/><br/>Contacting smaller, local magazines and newspapers is also encouraged in order to get the most out of business marketing. While pursuing expensive business marketing is the easy way out, thinking of more creative methods can be profitable and much less expensive.<br/><br/>According to Business 2 Community, small business owners should make sure they have an outlined business plan that makes it clear what their goal is and how they plan to accomplish it in order to get the most out of its marketing efforts. http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Small+businesses+use+guerilla+marketing+techniques/800843263/Default.aspx Thu, 16 Aug 2012 16:46:05 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Starting a Business More people are beginning to go into business for themselves as a result of the economy being stagnant over the past three or four years.<br/><br/>With more entrepreneurs looking to start their own company and expand its reach beyond local consumers, devising a business plan and sticking to it should be at the top of the owner&#39;s plan. Young entrepreneurs are especially encouraged by business owners to start their own business in order to get their career started on the right track.<br/><br/>The Huffington Post recently released tips for small business owners who are looking to start their own company but aren&#39;t sure how they can get the most out of small business marketing tactics.<br/><br/>&quot;Don&#39;t start unless you&#39;re passionate about the idea,&quot; said Chip Manning, director of the Babson Center for Global Commerce at the University of the South in Tennessee. &quot;If you want to be successful and break out of the pack, expect that your work will consume your life.&quot;<br/><br/>Manning also suggested three &quot;P&#39;s&quot; that entrepreneurs should live by, which include purpose, perseverance and patience.<br/><br/>The source recommends only starting a business if passionate about the mission of the possible company and starting with a business plan.<br/><br/>&quot;Everything should start with a business plan,&quot; said Rick Scott, assistant professor of finance at Saint Leo University in Saint Leo, Florida, to the Huffington Post. &quot;If the entrepreneur cannot clearly state in such a plan how the business will become profitable, it probably won&#39;t. A business plan is required by almost all lenders or potential outside investors.&quot;<br/><br/>Go to trusted friends and institutions for help, know the market, and be cautious and conservative in spending. According to Leann Mischel, assistant professor of management at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, there is no time like the present to conduct thorough market research. Conducting research will allow the business owner to see who their target audience is and what needs to be done to reach that audience.<br/><br/>Knowing that every penny counts when starting a business can also be important to a company making sure they have the resources necessary to continue conducting business.<br/><br/>Potential business owners could also invest in going through SCORE&#39;s Marketing Plan workshop, which provides a series called &quot;Simple Steps for Starting Your Business,&quot; or another company that advises new business owners. http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Devising+a+business+marketing+plan/800836335/Default.aspx Tue, 07 Aug 2012 16:54:02 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Starting a Business Exposing children and young learners to the art world can be a learning experience for everyone. Printmaking can spark a child&rsquo;s interest in art and is easy to do with a large group. Often overlooked in art classes, printmaking is an artistic process by which a number of different elements are used to create multiple and unique versions of a single piece of artwork. Printmaking processes include silk screening, made famous by the Pop artist Andy Warhol. Relief printing, lithography, serigraphy, and intaglio are also included in the printmaking genre. Simple, kid-friendly projects are available and most supplies are easily found in fine arts and crafts stores and supermarkets. Imagination is required; children can explore the world around them and incorporate many different elements into their projects to make that unique and creative!</p> <p><strong>What You&rsquo;ll Need </strong></p> <p>There are many different materials that can be used in printmaking, and each specific project has its own required materials. Textured objects, including wood, leaves, and sandpaper are typically incorporated into print making because they give the artwork a naturalistic quality that comes through beautifully. As with any messy art project, children should use aprons, old shirts, or other coverings to protect their clothing and newspaper or plastic should be used to cover the floor around the area in which the arts projects are being done. If possible, choose an area with linoleum flooring, it is the easiest to clean. The following items are typically used in most print making projects:</p> <ul> <li>Ink or paint, depending on the specific instructions of your project</li> <li>A printable surface, construction paper, fabric, and newsprint can all be used and each creates a different artistic effect on the end project</li> <li>Sponges can be used for creating different shapes, applying paint/inks, and provide another textural element to the artwork</li> <li>Small paint rollers are a great tool to incorporate; they apply media evenly and are easy for young children to use.</li> <li>A flat and even surface is needed to apply pressure to the prints, use a medium sized slab of Plexiglas or a heavy cookie sheet</li> </ul> <p>Children should be reminded that printmaking is a creative project; there is no right or wrong way for a project to look. Print making can be challenging, by encouraging creativity and exploration, young children can walk away with a feeling of accomplishment and be proud of their artwork, even if it does not turn out the way they imagined; encouragement is the key to cultivating artistic creativity and appreciation.</p> <p><strong>Print Making Can Be a Relief!</strong></p> <p>The method of relief printing uses raised surfaces to create special effects. Budding artists can draw or trace a picture onto a material that can be cut. After the image has been drawn/traced, the white space around the drawing can be cut away. Materials commonly used to make printing plates include Styrofoam, plastic, and wood. A paint roller can then be used to spread the media on the plate. Place the plate, ink-side down, on the printable surface, then evenly apply pressure and allow the media to dry. If using flimsier materials, consider laying the plate of materials on a flat surface, cover with the printable surface, and gently rub with a crayon or colored pencil, the textures will appear darker or lighter depending on the amount of pressure that is applied.</p> <p><a href="http://www.moma.org/interactives/projects/2001/whatisaprint/print.html" rel="nofollow">What Is a Print?-</a> Before you and your children start popping out prints, get a better understanding of the different method of printmaking that are available.</p> <p><a href="http://www.babble.com/kid/four-green-crafts-for-spring/spring-flower-stamping-with-corks/" rel="nofollow">Flower stamping project</a>- This project uses corks to apply the media to the printable surface for a fun springtime art project.</p> <p><a href="http://whipup.net/2006/09/18/veggie-prints/" rel="nofollow">Veggie Prints-</a> A great starting project for young artists, this project uses fruits and vegetables to give the project a unique organic feel.</p> <p><a href="http://kids.creativity-portal.com/d/projects/printmaking/" rel="nofollow">Make Your Own Rubber Stamp</a>- Young artists will gain a better understanding of printmaking and relief art when they are able to make their own stamp, which can then be applied in an activity on relief printmaking.</p> <p><strong>Incredible Intaglio!</strong></p> <p>The Intaglio print making process is done by cutting away at a surface. Plexiglas is commonly used in these projects. Artists carve lines and patterns into the surface with a burin, a v-shaped tool. Then ink/paint is lightly poured over the surface. After cleaning away excess media, leaving only the ink/pain that has sunk into the carved spaces, the printable surface is laid over the carved plate and pressure is applied. The printable surface, typically paper is used in intaglio projects, is pushed into the carved spaces and absorbs the ink/paint. This print making method is the basis for the etching method, which uses acid to manipulate a metal printing plate.</p> <p><a href="http://www.make-stuff.com/projects/styro_printing.html" rel="nofollow">Styrofoam Printing-</a> A beginner project, Styrofoam is used as the plate.</p> <p><a href="http://www.unitednow.com/projects/displayproject.asp?txtProjNbr=02" rel="nofollow">Soft-Kut Block Printing-</a> This step-by-step art project is classroom friendly, great for a larger group. Block printing is a great way to teach young artists about relief printing and shapes in one easy lesson!</p> <p><strong>Serious Serigraphy!</strong></p> <p>Serigraphy is a type of silk screening and is much easier than it sounds. This method uses stencils, usually plastic or metal material with designs cut away. The media is applied to a bottom surface with a stencil layered on top of it, and then a third layer, the printable surface, is placed on top of that. Then pressure is applied to force the media through the stencil and onto the printable surface. In silk screening, silk is stretched tightly onto a wooden frame with a stencil adhered to it. Then force is applied to move the ink/paint through onto the material below. This is a great project to incorporate into a lesson on modern or Pop art.</p> <p><a href="http://faculty.maryvillecollege.edu/theprint/lesson.htm" rel="nofollow">Fine Art Print-</a> Lessons and activities for beginning, intermediate, and advanced artists.</p> <p><a href="http://www.allcrafts.net/f.php?url=www.imagitek.com/xmas/crafts/silk.html" rel="nofollow">Silk Screen Cards-</a> Learn how to make a unique silk screen card for the holidays.</p> <p><a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Silk-Screen/" rel="nofollow">DYI Silk Screen T-shirts-</a> Advanced artists can learn how to make their own silk screen t-shirts with this easy to follow lesson with pictures showing the silk screening process.</p> <p><strong>Magnificent Monoprinting!</strong></p> <p>Monoprinting, as the word describes, is a method of print making that results in only one unique image. Artists can not recreate multiple copies of the artwork; instead, it is a one time deal. Similar to relief printing, monoprinting includes collage art. Traceable materials are laid flat, then a printable surface is placed on top, and then drawn on, transferring the media to the printable surface through the application of pressure. Monoprints have also been shown to include typography or type.</p> <p><a href="http://www.childcarequarterly.com/spring04_story2a.html" rel="nofollow">Art Through the Ages-</a> This informative article and projects are great for a variety of audiences, including toddler and preschool aged children.</p> <p><a href="http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/Teachers/jean-print.htm" rel="nofollow">Printmaking Challenge-</a> A lesson plan with step-by-step directions for teaching young students about monoprinting. This project targets intermediate learners.</p> <p><a href="http://www.carearts.org/lessons/printmaking.html" rel="nofollow">Easy Printmaking-</a> A simple printmaking activity for young children to explore shapes and textures.</p> <p><strong>Lasting Lithography</strong></p> <p>Also called planography, lithography is a bit more challenging than the previous methods. Working with the fact that grease and water do not mix, lithography uses flat stone or metal plates as bases. Media, such as crayons or pencil are used to draw a pattern on the stone or metal surface. Then, water and printing ink are added. The greasiness of the crayon or pencil helps to absorb the grease from the ink, separating it from the water. These projects are great to incorporate both principles of science and art! More advanced lithography projects use acid to stop the ink from settling in unwanted places.</p> <p><a href="http://fun.familyeducation.com/childrens-art-activities/drawing/40237.html" rel="nofollow">Candle-Wax Painting</a>- This project uses the greasiness of the candle wax and the watercolor paint to make a lithograph artwork.</p> <p><a href="http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/3436/" rel="nofollow">ArtEdge-</a> An advanced printmaking lesson that focuses on Japanese culture and the important role of printmaking.</p> <p><a href="http://www.haringkids.com/lessons/envs/live/htdocs/lesson50.htm" rel="nofollow">Pop Shop Printing-</a> Intermediate to advanced printmakers will appreciate this activity and walk away with a one of a kind t-shirt.</p> <p>Printmaking is a versatile art form that allows students to explore different media and techniques. Art education would not be complete without these age old print making processes that continue to be popular today. 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Poetry has been around since ancient Greek times and was designed as a way to help remember history and retell events. The oldest poems are records of cultural information of their era. With the development of literacy, poetry became much more personal and more lyrical. Today's most famous poets are singer-songwriters and rappers. <br /><br /> <strong>Famous Poets </strong></p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/g_l/hughes/hughes.htm">Langston Hughes</a> - This website produced by the University of Illinois' Department of English features a wealth of information on this modern American poet. Explanations and criticisms of many of his poems are included.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.math.buffalo.edu/~sww/angelou/poems-ma.html">Maya Angelou</a>- Produced by the University at Buffalo, this website explores a variety of poems by Maya Angelou. Many of her best representative works have been published here.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.internal.org/Edgar_Allen_Poe">Edgar Allen Poe</a> - This website features a short biography of Edgar Allen Poe and reprints of some of his best poems. Poe's little-known poetry is published here.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.mith2.umd.edu/WomensStudies/ReadingRoom/Poetry/Dickinson/">Emily Dickinson</a> - This website lists many of Emily Dickinson's poems in alphabetical order. Clicking on the title of the poem will display the entire poem.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.shelsilverstein.com/indexSite.html">Shel Silverstein</a>- The poet's official website gives a biography of Silverstein and lists much of his work. It also has sections specifically for teachers, parents, and children.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/ebb/browningov.html">Elizabeth Barrett Browning</a> - Sponsored by The Victorian Web, this site features all kinds of information on the poet, including biography, themes, her history, characterization, and of course, her poetry.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://englishhistory.net/byron/poetry.html">Lord Byron</a> - This website features a representative sample of Lord Byron's poetry. Poems listed here include "Prometheus" and "Fare Thee Well."</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.gvsu.edu/english/cummings/issue9/Alfand9.htm">E.E. Cummings</a>- This website explores the concepts of voice and silence in cummings' poetry. It examines a few specific poems in reference to silence and voice expressed in them.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/whitman/">Walt Whitman</a>- Sponsored by the Library of Congress, this website provides access to four of Whitman's once lost notebooks. It also features some of his most famous essays.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.sylviaplath.de/">Sylvia Plath</a>- This website dedicated to Plath features information on her life, samples of many of her essays and poems, and critical articles on her work.</p> </li> </ul> <p><strong>Types of Poetry</strong></p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="http://volweb.utk.edu/school/bedford/harrisms/haiku.htm">Haiku</a> - Produced by Harris Middle School, this website explains what a haiku is and how it is written. It gives the reader a chance to create his or her own haiku.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://library.thinkquest.org/3721/poems/forms/ballad.html">Ballad</a> - This website provides a detailed explanation of what a ballad is and how to write one. Links to other sites about ballads are also provided.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.sonnets.org/">Sonnet</a> - This website presents an archive of English and Canadian sonnets. Sonnets may be explored via author alphabetically.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://edhelper.com/ReadingComprehension_31_14.html">Free Verse</a>- This website explains how free verse is written and its purpose. Examples of free verse are provided.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.uni.edu/~gotera/CraftOfPoetry/blankverse.html">Blank Verse</a> - Produced by the University of Northern Iowa, this website explains the concept of blank verse in detail. It offers information on how to write blank verse and examples.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.dltk-holidays.com/patrick/m-limerick.htm">Limerick</a>- This website which is primarily directed at teachers and students explains what a limerick is. Activities on writing limericks are included.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.webexhibits.org/poetry/explore_classic_ode_background.html">Ode</a>- This website explores the history of the ode, from ancient Greek times until modern day. Examples of poets who wrote odes are offered.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.blackcatpoems.com/n/narrative_poems.html">Narrative</a> - This website presents a long list of narrative poems by a variety of authors. Clicking on each link will take the reader directly to the narrative poem.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.k-state.edu/english/baker/english320/cc-dramatic_monologue.htm">Dramatic monologue</a>- Produced by the English department at Kansas State University, this site explains in detail the literary concept of the dramatic monologue. Examples are provided, as well as a dramatic monologue game in which readers identify the situation and what the speaker wants in a given dramatic monologue.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.writing-world.com/poetry/villanelle.shtml">Villanelle</a>- This site explains the villanelle in great detail. It explores how a villanelle is written and provides examples. <br /><br /></p> </li> </ul> <p><br /> <strong>Poetry Collection</strong></p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="http://poetry.eserver.org/">e-server Poetry Collection</a> - This extensive database provides a variety of poems of various kinds. Popular poets such as T.S. Eliot, William Blake and William Wordsworth are represented.</p> </li> </ul> <ul> <li> <p><a href="http://www.emule.com/poetry/">eMule Poetry Archives</a> - This database contains 5048 classical poems by 153 classical poets. Those represented include Robert Frost, Sara Teasdale and John Keats.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://poetryintranslation.com/">Poetry in Translation</a> - This site presents a poetry archive of the poet A.S. Kline and other Chinese and English poets. The site is organized by type of poem, title of poem, and whether it's offered in Chinese or English.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.spl.org.uk/">Scottish Poetry Library</a> - This site presents a variety of Scottish poets, with a database searchable by last name. Clicking on the poet's name will bring up many of his or her poems.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://repo2.lib.virginia.edu/cocoon/fedora/tei/getDynamicResults.html?style=http://text.lib.virginia.edu/xsl/tei/tei.xsl&amp;behav=getResults&amp;all-any=all&amp;scope=CH-EnglPoetry&amp;snum=25&amp;submit=submit/">University of Virginia English Poetry Database</a> - This digital database from the University of Virginia Library offers an abundance of poets and works which can be accessed online.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetryarchive/poemsHome.do">The Poems: Poetry Archive</a> - This website features a database which can be browsed by poet's last name and one which can be browsed by the title of the poem.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/59">The Poems: Poets.org</a> -Sponsored by the Academy of American Poets, this site offers thousands of poems by American poets categorized by title, first line, or author's last name.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://capa.conncoll.edu/">Contemporary American Poetry Archive</a> - This extensive online archive of American poems is categorized alphabetically by author's last name. It features many poems which are out of print.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/">First World War Poetry Digital Archive</a> - This site presents poetry from the time of World War I organized by poet. Many of these poems are hard to find elsewhere.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.ibiblio.org/dykki/poetry/">The Internet Poetry Archive</a> - Sponsored by the University of North Carolina Press and the North Carolina Arts Council, this site presents poetry by a variety of contemporary poets from around the world.</p> </li> </ul> <p><br /> <strong>Teacher Resources </strong></p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="http://www.kristinegeorge.com/">Celebrate Children's Poetry</a> - The website of children's poet Kristine O'Connell George, this site offers some of her poems, teacher's guides and information for students on her various poetry books and her inspiration.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/">Poetry 180 - A Poem a Day for American High Schools</a> - Presented by the Library of Congress, this site by former Poet Laureate Billy Collins offers a different poem for every school day of the year. It is targeted at high school students and teachers.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.favoritepoem.org/">Favorite Poem Project</a> - This project showcases a variety of Americans reading poems they love.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.english.emory.edu/classes/Handbook/Handbook.html">Handbook of Terms for Discussing Poetry</a> - Compiled by students and teachers at Emory University, this site features a glossary of poetic terms, directed mainly at high school and post-secondary students.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/index.htm">Modern American Poetry </a>- This website by the University of Illinois presents a variety of modern American poets and their poetry. Information for teachers and course syllabi for using the site is included.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.poetryclass.net/">Poetry Class</a> - This website by The Poetry Society includes poetry lessons for teachers to use in teaching poetry.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.pbs.org/wnet/foolingwithwords/">Fooling With Words</a> - This website by PBS.org features a teacher's guide and lesson plans on contemporary poets and their poetry.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.lessonplanet.com/directory/Language_Arts/Poetry">Lesson Planet - Poetry</a> - This website presents over 5500 lesson plans to teach poetry for teachers to use at various levels from kindergarten to high school.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.bornmagazine.org/projects/storyproblem/sproblem.html">Story Problem</a> - This website which requires Adobe Shockwave to work presents an interactive adaptation of a poem. Readers control the rhythm, melody, volume and other poetic elements simply by moving their mouse.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.gigglepoetry.com/">Giggle Poetry</a> - Targeted primarily at elementary and middle-school students, this website presents funny poems for them to read and rate. Poetic word games and learning activities are also included.</p> </li> </ul> <p><br /> <strong>Poetry Reference Resources</strong></p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="http://quod.lib.umich.edu/a/amverse/">American Verse Project </a> - Sponsored by the University of Michigan Humanities Text Initiative, this site allows users to search American poems prior to 1920 using word searches and word index.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://epc.buffalo.edu/">Electronic Poetry Center</a> - Sponsored by the University of Buffalo, this site presents a variety of electronic information and links to be used by poets and those studying poetry.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.gale.cengage.com/free_resources/poets/">Gale Resources </a>- This site provides free resources for poets and those studying poetry. These include activities, poems, a time line and a quiz.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.writeexpress.com/online2.html">Online Rhyming Dictionary</a> - This is a unique online rhyming dictionary, in which the user simply types in a word and determines what kind of rhyme he or she wants to find (end rhyme, beginning rhyme, etc.) and a variety of rhyming words are displayed.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.theotherpages.org/poems/">Poet's Corner</a> - This site provides a vast resource of poetic information, including poems listed by subject index, biographies of poets and some poets' favorite poems.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/display/index.cfm">Representative Poetry Online</a> - This site by the University of Toronto Dept. of English presents poems by title, first line, keyword, time line, glossary and more for those studying poetry.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.rhymezone.com/">Rhyme Zone</a> - This is another rhyming site in which the user types in a word and a rhyming word is produced.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.poetrytranslation.org/">Poetry Translation Centre </a>- This website presents poems in their traditional language and translates them into 20 different languages.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.poeticbyway.com/glossary.html">Glossary of Poetic Terms</a> - This site presents a vast glossary of poetic terms, each featuring examples. The glossary is organized as a searchable database.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/044106.html">Against National Poetry Month as Such</a> - This satirical website by poet Charles Bernstein presents a humorous essay on why National Poetry Month is a bad idea. It provides a brief amusing reprieve for those studying poetry.</p> </li> </ul> <p><br /> <strong>Poetry &amp; Literary Organizations</strong></p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="http://www.poets.org/">Academy of American Poets</a> - This website represents the Academy of American Poets which has been active since 1934. It is an organization that supports American poets and provides programs and recognition for contemporary American poets.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.awpwriter.org/">The Association of Writers and Writing Programs</a> - This organization, which was established in 1967, provides writing programs around the world at over 500 colleges and universities.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.lannan.org/">Lannan Foundation</a> - This organization promotes cultural diversity and freedom in literary works. It also gives awards and fellowships to writers and poets.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.pw.org/">Poets &amp; Writers</a> - This organization is the largest non-profit organization in the United States serving poets and writers. Established in 1970, its goal is to help connect writers with tools, conferences, and to network with each other.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.poetrysociety.org/psa/">Poetry Society of America</a> - The oldest poetry organization in the United States, the Poetry Society of America is designed to help people enjoy and understand poetry.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.poetshouse.org/">Poet's House</a> - A national poetry library and literary center in New York City, Poet's House provides poetry resources, readings, and stimulates discussion on modern poetry.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.poetrytherapy.org/">National Association for Poetry Therapy </a>- This organization promotes growth and healing through poetry, working in the mental health, geriatric, educational and community settings.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://www.eliterature.org/">Electronic Literature Organization</a> - This organization promotes the writing, publishing and reading of literature through electronic media.</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="http://artistsandwritersallianceinternationale.org/default.aspx">Artists &amp; Writers Alliance Internationale</a> - 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Desktop publishing businesses also need to have reliable sources for fonts, typographic services and clip art. Here is a collection of resources no desktop publishing professional should be without.</p><p><b>Software</b></p><ul><li><a href="http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/publisher/default.aspx">Microsoft Office Publisher</a></li><li><a href="http://www.adobe.com/products/pagemaker/">Adobe PageMaker</a></li><li><a href="http://www.adobe.com/products/indesign/">Adobe InDesign</a></li><li><a href="http://www.adobe.com/products/framemaker/">Adobe FrameMaker</a></li><li><a href="http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/us/en/Product/1191272117978">CorelDRAW</a></li><li><a href="http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/us/en/Product/1152105061811">Corel Ventura</a></li><li><a href="http://8.quark.com/">QuarkXPress</a></li><li><a href="http://www.serif.com/">Serif PagePlus</a></li><li><a href="http://www.istudiopublisher.com/">iStudio Publisher</a></li></ul><ul></ul><p><br/><b>Tips And Resources</b></p><ul></ul><ul><li><a href="http://www.computerarts.co.uk/tutorials/2d__and__photoshop">Computer Arts</a>: The tutorials section for one of the world's largest design and desktop publishing magazines.</li><li><a href="http://www.lynda.com/?AWKeyword=Tutorials&amp;gclid=CJ7Bl6DUjaECFWde4wod0SqchQ">Lynda.com Training</a>: One of the leading providers of online desktop publishing tutorials and training courses.</li><li><a href="http://www.creativepro.com/articles/topic/print/design-layout">CreativePro</a>: Website for creative professionals with a large tutorial section on print design and layout.</li><li><a href="http://www.vtc.com/graphics.htm">VTC</a>: Provider of comprehensive creative software training, with free video lessons available on their site.</li><li><a href="http://www.designertoday.com/Tutorials/InDesign.aspx">Designer Today</a>: Large selection of tutorials for Adobe InDesign.</li><li><a href="http://internetbrothers.com/desktoppub.htm">Desktop Publishing Tips and Tutorials</a>: Resources and tutorials for those interested in desktop publishing.</li><li><a href="http://www.layersmagazine.com/category/tutorials/indesign">Layers Magazine</a>: Website of the graphics and design magazine, with wide selection of tutorials for Adobe InDesign.</li><li><a href="http://www.designtalkboard.com/">Design Talkboard</a>: A design website featuring tutorials, listings, reviews, and other resources for desktop publishing.</li><li><a href="http://www.senecadesign.com/designgeek/">DesignGeek Central</a>: Home of DesignGeek ezine, with lots of advice for desktop publishing professionals.</li><li><a href="http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/documents/desktop_publishing/">Guide to Desktop Publishing</a>: Tutorial on layout and design elements of desktop publishing.</li><li><a href="http://www.bamagazine.com/">Before &amp; After</a>: Graphic design magazine with tutorials and tips on style and layout.</li><li><a href="http://www.desktoppublishing.com/tips.html">Desktop Publishing Tips</a>: Comprehensive collection of tips and techniques for all the major desktop publishing software.</li><li><a href="http://www.graphic-design.com/">Graphic Design &amp; Publishing Center</a>: News, reviews and tips for the world of design, layout and publishing.</li><li><a href="http://www.designdump.com/">Design Dump</a>: Graphic design and layout resource for professional designers.</li><li><a href="http://www.peachpit.com/topics/topic.aspx?st=61437">Peachpit Press</a>: A leading publisher of training materials for creative professionals, with large article and tutorial sections.</li><li><a href="http://www.jumpola.com/">The Designer's Jumpola</a>: A comprehensive collection of links for all aspects of desktop publishing.</li><li><a href="http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/inside/computer_resources/manual/printing/tips.htm">Special Printing Issues for Desktop Publishing Applications</a>: Outlines printing issues and quirks of some desktop publishing software programs.</li><li><a href="http://nashlinks.com/dtp.htm">Desktop Publishing Tips</a>: Contains advice on how to make desktop publishing stress-free.</li></ul><p><b>Fonts</b></p><ul><li><a href="http://www.adobe.com/type/index.html">Adobe Fonts</a>: One of world's largest suppliers of fonts and typefaces.</li><li><a href="http://www.fontshop.com/fonts/foundry/">Fontshop</a>: Provides a search engine to find fonts from major vendors and independents.</li><li><a href="http://www.p22.com/">P22 Online</a>: Font foundry which creates fonts inspired by Art, History and Science.</li><li><a href="http://www.linotype.com/">Linotype</a>: A leading online portal for fonts and type.</li><li><a href="http://www.emigre.com/">Emigre</a>: Font foundry with a Modernist slant.</li><li><a href="http://www.fontsearchengine.com/">Font Search Engine</a>: A simple search engine that collates results from all the leading font websites.</li><li><a href="http://www.delvefonts.com/design_services.html">Delve Fonts</a>: Provider of a complete customizable typeface library.</li><li><a href="http://www.boutrosfonts.com/">Boutros</a>: Resource for Arabic typography and fonts.</li><li><a href="http://www.aptaracorp.com/index.php?/solutions/typographic-services-art-of-printing.html">Aptara</a>: An online supplier of typographic services.</li><li><a href="http://www.gateseven.net/typography-services.html">Gateseven</a>: A typography development company.</li><li><a href="http://www.tekntype.com/TNTServices.htm">Tekntype</a>: A provider of typography services and custom font and art creation.</li><li><a href="http://www.typotheque.com/fonts/consulting">Typotheque</a>: Font foundry that also provides a typography consultation service.</li><li><a href="http://www.dmargulis.com/typography.asp">Dick Margulis</a>: A website providing typography services.</li></ul><p><b>Clip Art</b></p><ul><li><a href="http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/FX101321031033.aspx">Microsoft Office Online</a>: A massive collection of commercial clip art and stock photographs.</li><li><a href="http://www.istockphoto.com/index.php">iStockphoto</a>: Online portal for royalty-free stock photography. Subscription plans are available or buy single images.</li><li><a href="http://www.qesign.com/partnership/professional-clipart-3d-images-illustrations-icons.shtml">Qesign</a>: A premium subscription professional clip art and graphic illustration site.</li><li><a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/index.php?stock=photos">Dreamstime</a>: A searchable database of stock images and illustrations.</li><li><a href="http://www.jupiterimages.com/">Jupiter Images</a>: Royalty-free and rights-managed images available to download or order on CD.</li><li><a href="http://www.proclipart.com/">Pro ClipArt</a>: Clip art and other graphic resources accessed by a monthly subscription.</li><li><a href="http://www.canstockphoto.com/">Can Stock Photo</a>: Over two million stock images available to buy individually.</li><li><a href="http://www.graphicsfactory.com/">Graphics Factory</a>: A download site with over one million clip art images available for commercial use.</li><li><a href="http://www.nvtech.com/">NVTech</a>: A comprehensive series of clip art collections available on CD and to download.</li><li><a href="http://www.clipart.com/en/">Clipart</a>: One of the biggest subscription clip art websites, with a catalog of over 10 million images.</li><li><a href="http://www.bygones.com/">Bygone Designs</a>: A clip art resource focused on vintage imagery and Americana.</li><li><a href="http://www.clipartconnection.com/en/">Clipart Connection</a>: A subscription clip art online store, with free samples to download.</li></ul><br><p><strong>Promotional Products - Tag Cloud</strong><br/><span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Carabiner+Calculator/35435/Default.aspx">butter mints</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Step-By-Step+Warning/40037/Default.aspx">guy pen</a></span> - <span style="font-size:12px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Colorama+Rainbow+Pencil/30828/Default.aspx">choking sign</a></span> - <span style="font-size:12px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Technology/1670/Default.aspx">customized usb flash drives</a></span> - <span style="font-size:20px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Poem+Cards/1553/Default.aspx">weekly pocket planners</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Bic+Round+Stic+Ice/33879/Default.aspx">bic round stic</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Vinyl+Badge+Pouch+2+1-2+X+4/41540/Default.aspx">very important piece</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Nurses+Lunch+Sacks/1597/Default.aspx">blue nurses</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Bic+Round+Stic+Ice/33879/Default.aspx">round pencils</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Beauty+Appointment+Cards/33453/Default.aspx">success posters</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Business+Supplies/227/Default.aspx">hr supplies</a></span> - <span style="font-size:15px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Attendance/112/Default.aspx">employee attendance forms</a></span> - <span style="font-size:12px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/2011+Attendance+Calendar+Form+25-Pk/40161-1/Default.aspx">Business Cards 25PK</a></span> - <span style="font-size:13px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Nurses+Bags-Totes/646/Default.aspx">nurse tote bag</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/American+Pride/86/Default.aspx">patriotic promotional items</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Delane+Pen+And+Key+Tag+Gift+Set/42434/Default.aspx">promotional gift item</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Service+Awards/1552/Default.aspx">employee separation forms</a></span> - <span style="font-size:20px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/">promotional items printing</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Plastic+Pens/15/Default.aspx">pewter pins</a></span> - <span style="font-size:13px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Religious+Planners/43/Default.aspx">inspirational promotional items</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Medical+Information+File/30242/Default.aspx">confidential medical records</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Wyoming/179/Default.aspx">employee warning forms</a></span> - <span style="font-size:13px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Highlighters/17/Default.aspx">highlighter</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Enterprise+Mug+15+Oz+White/40775/Default.aspx">white mug</a></span> - <span style="font-size:14px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Jerzees+100+Cotton+Pique+Shirt/34333/Default.aspx">cotton pique shirts</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Be+Proactive+-+Print/PGQ2460/Default.aspx">ncr repair</a></span> - <span style="font-size:13px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Post-It+Notes/221/Default.aspx">post it pads</a></span> - <span style="font-size:13px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Beauty+Appointment+Cards/33453/Default.aspx">appointment business cards</a></span> - <span style="font-size:13px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Employee+Self-Appraisal+Form/09830/Default.aspx">self appraisal form</a></span> - <span style="font-size:13px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Personalized+Ceramic+Mugs/1780/Default.aspx">performance review forms</a></span> - <span style="font-size:12px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Dental/93/Default.aspx">dental promotional items</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Bic+Clic+Stic+Color+Grip+Pen/32430/Default.aspx">gold pens</a></span> - <span style="font-size:12px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Academic/87/Default.aspx">academic products</a></span> - <span style="font-size:15px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Stick+Pens/16/Default.aspx">stick pen</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Positive+Inspirations+Cal+Monthly/41214/Default.aspx">poem about service</a></span> http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Desktop+Publishing+Guide/6801/Default.aspx Tue, 30 Mar 2010 07:56:00 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Starting a Business <strong>Essay Writing<br></strong><p></p> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.roanestate.edu/owl&amp;writingcenter/OWL/Types.html">Types of Essays</a>: Several types of essays with samples written by students.</li> <li><a href="http://www2.ivcc.edu/rambo/eng1001/gettingstarted.htm" rel="nofollow">Getting Started on Essays</a>: Nine steps to beginning an essay. </li> <li><a href="http://www.kean.edu/%7Eroneilfi/How%20to%20write%20a%20thesis%20statement.htm" rel="nofollow">What is a Thesis?</a> Provides detailed instruction for creating a good thesis statement.</li> <li><a href="http://projects.uwc.utexas.edu/virgil/?q=node/267" rel="nofollow">Problems</a>: Explains common problems that effect clarity that can be avoided in the process of writing.</li> <li><a href="http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/organization.htm" rel="nofollow">Organization</a>: Lists and describes the principles of organization.</li> </ul> <p> <strong>Developing &amp; Ordering Paragraphs<br></strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="http://faculty.palomar.edu/lrobertson/eng10/Eng10p18-21.pdf" rel="nofollow">Paragraph Development</a>: Develop a paragraph using these three basic examples.</li> <li><a href="http://depts.washington.edu/pswrite/parafunct.html" rel="nofollow">Paragraph Function</a>: A list of defined terms to assist in writing a clear and specific paragraph. </li> <li><a href="http://www.jccc.edu/home/download.php/17184/The_Paragraph.pdf" rel="nofollow">Paragraph</a>: This paper from the Johnson County Community College focuses on the unity, order, and coherence of a paragraph.</li> <li><a href="http://www.writing.ucsb.edu/faculty/donelan/para.html" rel="nofollow">Paragraph Transitions</a>: Details how to transition paragraphs.</li> <li><a href="http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/fwalters/para.html" rel="nofollow">Basic Paragraph Structure</a>: This concentrates on five aspects of a paragraphs structure.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Writing Clear Sentences<br></strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.esc.edu/esconline/across_esc/writerscomplex.nsf/0/e42f0742452027ba852569f5005c1c0d?opendocument" rel="nofollow">Compound Sentences</a>: States four characteristics of compound sentences.</li> <li><a href="http://www2.gsu.edu/%7Eeslhpb/grammar/lecture_10/complex.html" rel="nofollow">Complex Sentences</a>: Examples of finite and non-infinite clauses.</li> <li><a href="http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/599/01/" rel="nofollow">Subject and Verb Agreement</a>: 10 examples for creating subject and verb agreement.</li> <li><a href="http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/passivevoice.html" rel="nofollow">Passive Voice</a>: An in-depth description of the passive voice.</li> <li><a href="http://mendota.english.wisc.edu/%7EWAC/page.jsp?id=132&amp;c_type=categry&amp;c_id=19" rel="nofollow">Common Errors</a>: A checklist of 12 common errors students make in sentence structure.</li> </ul> <p> <strong>Choosing and Using Words<br></strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.uah.edu/colleges/liberal/english/shared/word_usage_guide.htm" rel="nofollow">Word Usage</a>: A guide to common misused words.</li> <li><a href="http://depts.washington.edu/engl/askbetty/word_usage.php">Word Use</a>: Three useful tips for choosing the right word.</li> <li><a href="http://www.english.upenn.edu/%7Ecjacobso/gender.html" rel="nofollow">Gender Neutral Language</a>: A look at the history of using masculine gender as identification for neutral expressions.</li> <li><a href="http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/AS/803.htm" rel="nofollow">Spelling Rules</a>: Eight important rules for spelling words correctly.</li> <li><a href="http://www.etsu.edu/scitech/langskil/com-err.htm#slang" rel="nofollow">What to Avoid</a>: Describes what types of words to avoid and how you can properly replace them. </li> </ul> <p><br> <strong>Acknowledging Your Sources </strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/library/workshop/citation.htm" rel="nofollow">What Style to Use</a>: Describes fives types of citation styles and which academic discipline each one is used for.</li> <li><a href="http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/Acknowledging_Sources.pdf" rel="nofollow">Acknowledging Sources</a>: A writer’s guidebook on quoting and paraphrasing.</li> <li><a href="http://www.indiana.edu/%7Ewts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml" rel="nofollow">Plagiarism</a>: How to recognize and avoid plagiarism.&nbsp;</li> <li><a href="http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/skill28.htm" rel="nofollow">Bibliography</a>: Guideline to preparing annotated bibliographies.</li> <li><a href="http://writing.colostate.edu/demos/mla_intext/intext2.cfm" rel="nofollow">Parenthetical Documentation</a>: An explicit guide to understanding and correctly using parenthetical citations.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Literary &amp; Rhetoric Terms<br></strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/lit_terms.html" rel="nofollow">Literary Vocabulary</a>: A to Z definition of literary terms.</li> <li><a href="http://www.uncp.edu/home/canada/work/allam/general/glossary.htm" rel="nofollow">Glossary of Literary Terms</a>: Dictionary of literary vocabulary.</li> <li><a href="http://personal.georgiasouthern.edu/%7Edougt/goth.html">Literary Terms</a>: A list of defined gothic literary words.</li> <li><a href="http://english.ucumberlands.edu/litcritweb/glossary.htm" rel="nofollow">Literary Criticism</a>: Glossary of vocabulary terms affiliated with literary criticism.</li> <li><a href="http://eagle.northwestu.edu/academic/education/faculty/lgarrett/GLOSSARY%20OF%20LIT%20TERMS.htm" rel="nofollow">Literary Terms Defined</a>: 57 literary words defined. </li> </ul> <p><br> <strong>Grammar Basics<br></strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/%7Ejlynch/Writing/c.html" rel="nofollow">Grammar</a>: An extensive guide to correct grammar. </li> <li><a href="http://www.astro.umd.edu/%7Eavondale/extra/Humor/SchoolHumor/WritingRules.html" rel="nofollow">Writing Rules</a>: A list of bulleted grammar rules.</li> <li><a href="http://esl.fis.edu/grammar/rules/relative.htm" rel="nofollow">Relative Clauses</a>: Explanation of relative clauses.</li> <li><a href="http://www.meredith.edu/grammar/subject-.htm" rel="nofollow">Verb Agreement</a>: An incredible verb agreement resource in outline form. </li> <li><a href="http://cms.skidmore.edu/writing" rel="nofollow">Skidmore College Guide to Grammar</a>: A refresher guide&nbsp;that helps writers abstain from common grammar&nbsp;errors.</li> </ul><br/><p><br/><h4>Tag Cloud for Promotional Products</h4><span style="font-size:12px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Pens-Pencils/3/Default.aspx">Promotional Pens</a></span> - <span style="font-size:12px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Breast+Cancer+Awareness+Merchandise/615/Default.aspx">Breast Cancer Merchandise</a></span> - <span style="font-size:12px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Wall+Calendars/109/Default.aspx">Personalized Wall Calendars</a></span> - <span style="font-size:12px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Bags+And+Totes/47/Default.aspx">Custom Totes</a></span> - <span style="font-size:12px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Bic+Pens/24/Default.aspx">BIC Pens</a></span> - <span style="font-size:12px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Desk+Calendars/36/Default.aspx">Desk Calendars</a></span> - <span style="font-size:12px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Plastic+Pens/15/Default.aspx">plastic pens</a></span> - <span style="font-size:18px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Tax+Forms/68/Default.aspx">i 9 tax form</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Weekly+Time+Sheet/10740/Default.aspx">volunteer lapel pins</a></span> - <span style="font-size:15px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Employer+Record+Keeping/241/Default.aspx">employer recordkeeping</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Auto+Body+Repair+Order/33405/Default.aspx">attendance cards</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Counterbalance+Monthly+Planner/34327/Default.aspx">contractor change order</a></span> - <span style="font-size:14px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Food+-+Drink/48/Default.aspx">custom imprinted candy</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Sunglass+Visor+Clip-Translucent/34047/Default.aspx">sticky notes custom</a></span> - <span style="font-size:12px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Overtime+Authorization+Form/11410/Default.aspx">overtime authorization</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Purchase+Order+Ncr+3+Part+85+X+11/33407/Default.aspx">ncr 4</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Custom+Desk+Coaster/40947/Default.aspx">cpr posters</a></span> - <span style="font-size:20px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Drinkware/52/Default.aspx">custom printed coffee mugs</a></span> - <span style="font-size:13px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Laser+Flip+Top+Mirror/35488/Default.aspx">top mirror</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Medical+Information+File/30242/Default.aspx">medallion watch</a></span> - <span style="font-size:14px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Vip+Puzzle+Piece+Pin+Poem+Card/PGQ3423/Default.aspx">puzzle pin lapel</a></span> - <span style="font-size:12px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Motivational+Tools/494/Default.aspx">motivational item</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Positive+Inspirations+Cal+Monthly/41214/Default.aspx">poem about service</a></span> - <span style="font-size:20px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/">promotional business items</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Great+Job+Poem+Card/PGQ3293/Default.aspx">golf gift sets</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Ultimate+Screen+Sweep/36488/Default.aspx">promotion logo</a></span> - <span style="font-size:20px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Labor+Law/236/Default.aspx">alabama labor law posters</a></span> - <span style="font-size:12px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Pilot+G2+Retractable+Pen/33389/Default.aspx">g2 pen</a></span> - <span style="font-size:12px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Daily+Time+Sheet/10750/Default.aspx">daily sheets</a></span> - <span style="font-size:18px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Bags+And+Totes/47/Default.aspx">custom printed tote bags</a></span> - <span style="font-size:20px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Bic+Pens/24/Default.aspx">bicpens</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Key+Tags/54/Default.aspx">jerzee shirts</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Glossy+Mail+Labels+Flat/16110F/Default.aspx">postings required by the state of georgia</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Triangle+Compass+Key+Chain/41708/Default.aspx">titliest nxt</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Motivational+Tools/494/Default.aspx">promotional planners</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Taper+Calculator/34949/Default.aspx">taper calculations</a></span> - <span style="font-size:12px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Counterbalance+Monthly+Planner/34327/Default.aspx">monthly planner calendars</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Calendars/1334/Default.aspx">custom wall calendars</a></span> - <span style="font-size:13px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Address+Books/44/Default.aspx">adress books</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Item/Counterbalance+Monthly+Planner/34327/Default.aspx">contractor change order</a></span> - <span style="font-size:11px"><a href="http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Category/Silver+-+Gold+Pins/406/Default.aspx">lapel pin star</a></span> http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/The+Ultimate+Writers+Guide/6842/Default.aspx Mon, 29 Mar 2010 11:44:00 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Business Operations Many employees commute to work each day, and for some the trip can be tedious. To make the travel time feel as if it will fly by, people like to listen to music or read. To brighten up your workers' commutes, it might be a wonderful idea to print up bookmarks to hand out as promotional items.<br/><br/>Bookmarks are a great promotional item and gift for your staff. It is possible to print up or etch your company name and logo on a thin, flexible piece of plastic. Commuters will be less likely to drop a more durable bookmark, and they will certainly value this gesture.<br/><br/>If money isn't an object, some employers may consider handing out leather bookmarks to staff. The company name and logo can be prominently featured at the top of the bookmark, and it may prove to be a great conversation starter. Too often, people see one another on public transport each day, yet fail to interact. An interesting promotional item, such as a bookmark, may spark dialogue, making everyone's commute a little more pleasant.<br/><br/><img alt="ADNFCR-2478-ID-19687939-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=2478&itemid=19687939" /> http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Promotional+bookmarks+make+great+corporate+gifts/19687939/Default.aspx Wed, 24 Mar 2010 22:18:49 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Business Operations Business owners sometimes never know from where their next opportunity may arise, so it's a good idea to always be prepared with some promotional items on hand. However, what happens when entrepreneurs attend a hip, edgy event like South by Southwest (SXSW) currently taking place in Austin, Texas?<br/><br/>Promotional pens are an employees best friend when it comes to networking events like SXSW. Here, people are often moving around a wide range of locations over the course of a day. Clunky promotional items like promotional mugs may be a great gimmick, but a savvy entrepreneur doesn't want to be loaded down with a heavy bag particularly in a warm climate like Austin. Promotional pens, on the other hand, are lightweight and can easily slip into a potential client's pocket or purse.<br/><br/>At an event that has plenty of stars milling about, promotional pens can be a handy tool to get your company name into some famous hands. For example, those attending SXSW or similar conferences may find themselves keeping company with a record label executive, social networking guru or high-profile musician. Not only can you perhaps exchange business information, but you can also offer the individual a promotional pen as a fun keepsake - and you might just get a very exciting telephone call one day.<img alt="ADNFCR-2478-ID-19677171-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=2478&itemid=19677171" /> http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Encourage+company+recognition+with+promotional+pens/19677171/Default.aspx Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:36:58 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Business Operations Though there are certainly standbys and favorites among promotional products, by no means has innovation ceased in the industry. The Advertising Specialty Institute's San Diego expo features hundreds of vendors showcasing the newest promotional products to members of the advertising and marketing industry.<br/><br/>One company was displaying what it called &quot;the world's thinnest wallet&quot; - made of nylon, the wallet is said to help reduce back problems that can result from sitting on a thick wallet, the San Diego News Network reported. Another company offered a plastic grip for soda and beer cans, aimed at keeping drinks cold for longer.<br/><br/>The push towards green products was also represented in San Diego, with dinnerware made of bamboo. Promotional pens - the most popular promotional product - are readily available in bamboo as well.<br/><br/>Slinkys were also present, the news service reported, demonstrating a connection to the earlier history of promotional products.<br/><br/>The San Deigo Expo also featured a keynote address by motivational speaker Tony Robbins. Educational sessions focused on marketing techniques and best practices for using promotional products.<img alt="ADNFCR-2478-ID-19641556-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=2478&itemid=19641556" /> http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Promotional+products+on+display+at+San+Diego+expo/19641556/Default.aspx Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:29:52 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Starting a Business Promotional products may not have as wide a reach as television or internet ads, but unlike those media, they have the potential to become parts of recipients' everyday lives. A new study shows that as a result, they may be an even more effective form of advertising than other media.<br/><br/>Promotional Products Association International recently published the results of research it conducted with the aid of independent research company MarketTools, based on a survey of more than 1,000 consumers who had received a promotional product in the past two years. The results show that consumers were much more likely to remember companies, brands, products or services from promotional products than from television, print and online advertising.<br/><br/>Of respondents, 94 percent could recall a promotional product they were given in the past two years and 89 percent could recall the advertiser. Though television commercials and other ads are often considered a nuisance, 83 percent of promotional product recipients said they liked getting them, and nearly half of respondents wanted to get them more often. Nearly 70 percent keep the products, and 60 percent reported using the promotional product several times.<br/><br/>Consumers made a purchase after getting a promotional product 21 percent of the time, more often than after viewing a print ad at 13 percent, a TV commercial at 7 percent, or an online ad at 5 percent.<br/><br/>The Advertising Specialty Institute estimates the average cost-per-impression of a promotional product at $0.004, suggesting a significant return on investment.<img alt="ADNFCR-2478-ID-19638566-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=2478&itemid=19638566" /> http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Customers+remember+promotional+products+better+than+any+other+advertisement/19638566/Default.aspx Thu, 25 Feb 2010 20:51:09 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Business Operations Elvis Presley is as famous as an icon as he is a musician, with myriad items - including the famous &quot;velvet Elvises&quot; - emblazoned with the face and figure of the King of Rock and Roll. Scholar Greil Marcus has even written a book, Dead Elvis, about Presley's symbolic status in global culture. It is no surprise, then, that the Collingwood Elvis Festival extensively features promotional products made in the King's image.<br/><br/>At its Let's Talk About Elvis forum last week, participants outlined plans and considerations for the festival to take place in July, the Collingwood Connection reported. General manager Rosemarie O'Brien shared information about the festival's licensing agreement with Elvis Presley Enterprises, which handles uses of Presley's image. The Festival pays an annual $8,000 fee to EPE to ensure their rights to manufacture and distribute promotional products that represent Elvis.<br/><br/>O'Brien emphasized that businesses should be careful to align their products with the festival, to avoid any potential licensing violations. &quot;Ultimately if we lose our license, we lose the festival,&quot; Collingwood Connection quoted her as saying to vendors. &quot;We want to see you succeed and the festival to succeed.&quot;<br/><br/>According to Brunswick News, the Collingwood festival is the largest gathering in the world devoted to celebrating Elvis.<img alt="ADNFCR-2478-ID-19624845-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=2478&itemid=19624845" /> http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Promotional+products+a+highlight+of+Elvis+Festival/19624845/Default.aspx Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:36:44 GMT newscenter@amsterdamprinting.com Business Operations This Sunday, New York will host its annual Toy Fair, and the star attractions will be familiar to any moviegoer. As with any business, promotional products in entertainment help build interest in the main attractions. Characters from Toy Story 3, Iron Man 2, Dora the Explorer, Twilight, Avatar and other hit movies and shows will be appearing in toy form at the event.<br/><br/>Reuters quotes Toy Industry Association spokeswoman Reyne Rice as saying that this year will include &quot;a lot of sequel or legacy film product,&quot; which usually sell better than first runs. Rice expects, for example, that retailers &quot;will support Iron Man 2 more, because they know how well product for the first one did.&quot;<br/><br/>The value of branding is clear. Shrek, for example, may have seemed strange at the release of the first movie in the franchise. But now, thanks to the green ogre's presence in many homes through Hasbro promotional products, it is a recognized and beloved brand.<br/><br/>Approximately 25 percent of money spent on toys in an average year goes toward promotional products associated with a licensed or entertainment property, says Reuters. In 2009, sales of licensed toys totaled $5.4 billion.<br/><br/>MarketWatch reports that Hasbro expects sales this year to increase 7 percent.<br/><img alt="ADNFCR-2478-ID-19611911-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=2478&itemid=19611911" /> http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/Article/Annual+Toy+Fair+introduces+this+years+entertainment+promotional+products/19611911/Default.aspx Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:41:51 GMT