The Virtual Business Mixer

What Do Your Business Emails Reveal About You?

2006-01-23T15:38:00.000-06:00

Today, we are happy to have Tim Knox as our guest columnist. His article will touch on some important points about sending business email. We hope you find it helpful! - Michelle, Choice Promotional Products

I am a huge fan of email. In fact, if you do business with me the bulk of our communication will not be through the telephone, but via email. Email is quick. Email is convenient. Email takes less time than long-winded telephone conversations. Most importantly, email gives me an electronic record of my communications with clients, employees, partners, and vendors; which makes it easy for me to refresh my quickly-aging memory by easily referring back to our electronic conversations.

As someone who receives and sends a couple hundred emails a day I have to tell you that I am constantly amazed at how poorly written and unprofessional most business emails are. I receive emails every day from fellow entrepreneurs that don't even contain full sentences. They are often rife with spelling and grammatical errors or typed in all capital letters, and sometimes, are virtually illiterate.

One email I recently received from someone trying to sell me an expensive piece of equipment actually read, "tom-- what you think -- ready to buy?" First off, the name is "Tim" and secondly, what I think is: I will take my business elsewhere. Thank you, drive through.

Why should you worry about how your emails are reviewed by their recipients? Because in business, you are constantly being judged by your customers, your employees, your investors, your partners, and your peers. If your emails give the impression that you don't put much thought into the composing of the message or that you're too busy to be bothered or that you are a total idiot who can't even use a spell checker, what do you think that says to the person on the other end?

Email is quickly becoming the business correspondence medium of choice for the reasons I covered above, and if you don't take the time to learn how to effectively use email in a professional manner, it will come back to haunt you.

There are rules that should be followed when sending business emails. The website Email Replies gives 32 tips for email etiquette. Culling from that list and adding a few of my own, here are Tim's Top 10 Rules of Email Etiquette that every entrepreneur, executive, and employee should follow.

Make It Short And Sweet

An email isn’t a letter from camp, so don’t drone on any longer than necessary. Keep in mind that reading an email on a computer screen is harder than reading printed communications, so keep it brief and to the point.

Use Proper Spelling, Grammar & Punctuation

This is not only important because improper spelling, grammar and punctuation give a bad impression of you and your company, it is also important to make sure your message is not misconstrued. Emails with improper punctuation (a comma and a period every now and then would be nice) are difficult to read and can sometimes even change the meaning of the message. And, if your email program has a spell checker do everyone a favor and use it.

Include a Signature Block In Every Email

A signature block in an email is the same as the signature block you would use to end a letter. You should include your name, title, company name and address, telephone number, email address and website address.

Reply Quickly

This is my number one pet peeve: people who take forever to answer email. Fast response is especially important if the email is from a customer or contains time-sensitive information. Customers send an email because they wish to receive a quick response. If they did not want a quick response they would send a letter or a fax or talk to your voicemail. Each email should be replied to within at least 24-hours, and preferably within the same working day. If the email can't be answered in full immediately you should at least send a reply saying that you have received their email and that you will get back to them ASAP.

Read Every Email Before You Send It

There's no better way to embarrass yourself than through a hastily sent email. A lot of people don't even bother to read an email before they send it out, as evidenced by the many spelling and grammatical errors most emails contain. Apart from this, reading your email through the eyes of the recipient will help you send a more effective message and avoid misunderstandings and inappropriate comments.

Do Not Discuss Confidential Information

Sending an email is like sending a postcard. Once it leaves your computer, the end user can do whatever they want with it, so if you do not want a documented record of your comments or the information shared with others, don't send it. Moreover, never make any libelous, sexist or racially discriminating comments in emails, even if they are meant to be a joke. There have been court cases where email correspondence was used as evidence. That's a road you do not want to go down.

Don’t Use ALL CAPS

In email terms, IF YOU WRITE IN CAPITAL LETTERS IT SEEMS AS IF YOU ARE SHOUTING, so please tone it down. ALL CAPS are hard to read and can trigger an angry reply if the recipient mistakes the intention of your email. Emails should be written in standard sentence style. Turn the Caps Lock off and back away from the keyboard.

Avoid Abbreviations and Emoticons

In business emails, try not to use abbreviations such as BTW (by the way) and LOL (laugh out loud). The recipient might not be aware of the meanings of the abbreviations and in business emails these are generally not appropriate. The same goes for emoticons, such as the smiley :-) and his depressed pal :-( . If you are not sure whether your recipient knows what an acronym means, it is better not to use it.

Don’t Use Backgrounds or Silly Graphics

I actually received an email from a fellow entrepreneur that had an animated smiley face waving a gloved hand in his signature block. If the email had come from Walt Disney I wouldn’t have been shocked. Coming from a small technology company, I had to wince. Not much to smile about there.
Remember That Email Is A Formal Business Communication

You wouldn’t send a formal letter to a customer that lacked a salutation, a well-thought out body of text, and a signature. You should use email in the same manner. A proper business email should be structured like a short letter. It should have a salutation, the body of the message, a sign off, and a signature.

Next time we’ll discuss email issues that should be a concern to larger companies. If your company doesn’t have a formal email policy, you should. Tune in next week to find out why.

Here's to your success,
Tim Knox
Author, Speaker

http://www.prosperityandprofit.com
www.smallbusinessqa.com

Happy New Year!

2006-01-02T11:54:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year from Choice Promotional Products!

I am the New Year. I am an unspoiled page in your book of time.

I am your next chance at the art of living.

I am your opportunity to practice what you have learned about life during the last twelve months.

All that you sought and didn't find is hidden in me, waiting for you to search it out with more determination.

All the good that you tried for and didn't achieve is mine to grant when you have fewer conflicting desires.

All that you dreamed but didn't dare to do, all that you hoped but did not will, all the faith that you claimed but did not have - these slumber lightly, waiting to be awakened by the touch of a strong purpose.

I am your opportunity to renew your allegiance to Him who said, "Behold, I make all things new."

-Anonymous-

The History of Thanksgiving

2005-11-22T13:05:00.000-06:00

We welcome Angela Tyler as our guest columnist, and hope you enjoy her brief history. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving 2006!

Throughout history, the celebration of a bountiful harvest has been an annual occurrence. Harvest festivals have been a tradition among all nations and races. The Greeks, Egyptians, Romans, Chinese, and Hebrews have all had harvest celebrations, even before organized religion came to be. In America, the first Thanksgiving celebration took place in 1621. The Native Americans shared this event with the Pilgrims because the Pilgrims had learned to plant crops and hunt wild game in the New World according to Native American culture. Without the help of the Native Americans, the colonists would have not survived their first winter nor would they have harvested bountiful crops.

The early Thanksgiving celebrations in America were not known as "Thanksgiving". There were harvest celebrations that did not include what are staples in modern times such as cranberry sauce, turkey, and pumpkin pie. It is entirely possible that wild fowl including turkey and duck were served, but turkey did not hold the sacred place it holds now. It is thought that seafood was a major component of the harvest celebration due to the colonist's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. There could have been seasonal vegetables such as squash included in the festivities, but side dishes did play a major role in the feast. Also, desserts such as pies and cakes were most likely not included due to a lack of sugar and obviously, there were no ovens in which to bake them.

The Pilgrim's harvest festival is thought of as the first Thanksgiving, but in reality the term "Thanksgiving" was normally applied to a religious holiday until the 19th century. In 1817 Thanksgiving Day was officially adopted by New York State as an annual event. By 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared a national day of Thanksgiving, and since then every president has given a Thanksgiving Day proclamation. >From 1939 to 1941 Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed the third Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day, but in 1941 Congress passed a resolution declaring that Thanksgiving was to be held officially on the fourth Thursday of November. Since that time, the holiday has been celebrated on that day.

The traditional dishes that are served on Thanksgiving evolved over a hundred years or more. More than likely, the turkey is the only similarity modern celebrations have with the harvest festival celebrated by the Pilgrims. Our favorite desserts, such as pumpkin pie, were absent from the Thanksgiving festivities during WWII due to shortages of sugar. Side dishes like green bean casserole and stuffing have been the products of modern times and an abundance of food supplies.

We have many reasons to be thankful on Thanksgiving Day. Our friends and family, our easy access to food, and modern conveniences are things that we tend to take for granted. Early Thanksgiving celebrations were held to rejoice in the gift of a bountiful harvest and the very survival of the Pilgrims, a fact that we should remember each and every year.

About the Author: Are you a mom who’d rather play than cook? If so, you won’t want to miss http://www.freequickrecipes.com. And, if frugal cooking is your thing, then check out http://www.freequickrecipes.com/frugal-cooking.php.

Source: www.isnare.com

Words That Sell

2005-11-18T12:29:00.000-06:00

Today, we welcome Hamoon Arbabi as our guest columnist. He's got some great suggestions on which particular words will help your product or service sell. Be sure to visit our site for more information on custom imprinted wording that will help you further.

Words That Sell

Words That Sell
By Hamoon Arbabi

We all know the English language contains hundreds of thousands of words. But did you know that only 21 of them can easily sell your clients? Yes! It’s true. When you know what these proven words are and how to use them to your company’s benefit, you’ll save both time and money when selling to prospects. In fact, once you master the use of these 21 words, your business will quickly get the results it deserves. (Hint: this paragraph contains 10 of the 21 words. Did you spot them all?)

What’s in a Word?

The exact words you use in your company’s marketing materials can make the difference between success and failure. Choose the right words and your prospects will find you and your company irresistible. Choose the wrong words and you’ll spend most of your time convincing prospects to do business with you. Why waste your time selling prospects on your products or services when you can let strategically written marketing pieces do the work for you? When it comes to writing marketing pieces, your word choices do matter. Following are the top 10 of the 21 words that sell. Use them wisely and watch your marketing response rates soar.

The Top 10 Words that Sell

1. You/your – “You” is the most powerful word in the English language. It’s more powerful than the word “money;” it’s more powerful than the word “sex.” Prospects want to feel as if you’re talking to them directly, and the word “you” accomplishes just that. So instead of writing, “Our clients report increased productivity as a result of using the Widget 2100,” write, “You will experience increased productivity as a result of using the Widget 2100.” Keep every sentence in your prospect’s perspective.

2. Money – Ask people what they wish they had more of, and chances are they’ll say “money.” People love to save money just as much as the love to earn it. So if a benefit of your product or service is that it saves people money or helps them earn more money, state it along with a monetary figure people can grasp. For example: “Using the Widget 2100 saves you money – over $5000 per year!”

3. Health/healthy – The second thing people wish they had more of is good health. People want products and services that are going to either improve their health or not negatively impact it. For example: “Vitamin X improves your health and well being by…” or “Pesticide Y has no known health implications,” or “Product Z is part of a healthy diet.”

4. Guarantee/guaranteed – By nature, most people are not risk takers. They want assurance that they’re not wasting their money and that your product or service can live up to its claims. By giving some sort of guarantee, you put prospects at ease and make them trust you. For example: “We’re so confident the Widget 2100 will work for you that we offer a full money-back guarantee.”

5. Easy/easily – Between 40+ hour workweeks and increasing demands at home, people want things that are easy. They don’t want products or services that are going to make their life more difficult. So always state how easy your company makes things. For example: “The Widget 2100 makes it easy for you to…” Or, “With the Widget 2100, you can easily remove spots from your carpet once and for all.”

6. Free – Everyone loves getting something for nothing. That’s why the word “free” continues to be one of the top selling words of all time. Realize that the free offer doesn’t have to have a high monetary value, just a high perceived value. Some freebies that work include: “Free consultation,” “Free estimate,” “Free report,” “Free shipping,” and “Buy one get one free.”

7. Yes – Face it, you love being told “yes,” don’t you? “Yes” means you have permission, you were right, or you can get what you want. “Yes” is one of the most pleasing words to the human ear. So tell your prospects “yes” often. For example, in your marketing materials, you can ask a series of positive yes/no questions, and then write, “If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then the Widget 2100 is what you’ve been searching for.”

8. Quick/quickly – In today’s microwave age society, people want things quickly. They don’t want to wait weeks or even days for the results you promote. They want to know they’ll see a quick return for their investment now. So while the perception of quick results may vary from person to person, as long as you know that your product or service is quicker than something else, state it. For example: “Lose weight quickly,” “Make money quickly,” and “Quick and tasty meals from your own kitchen.”

9. Benefit – Most written marketing pieces do state the benefit of the product or service; however, they neglect to actually use the word “benefit.” When people read the word “benefit,” they subconsciously perk up. They know they’re about to learn something that will impact their life, so they want to know more. For example, “As an added benefit to this product, you get (state the benefit).”

10. Person’s name – People love to hear the sound of their own name and they love to read their name in print. That’s why so many souvenir shops sell personalized items—from magnets to coffee mugs. Including the prospect’s name in a marketing piece, especially in the middle of the sentence, boosts attention levels. For example, “As you can see, Steve, the Widget 2100 makes perfect sense for your needs.”

The Remaining 11

The other eleven words that sell are: 1) Love, 2) Results, 3) Safe/safely, 4) Proven, 5) Fun, 6) New, 7) Save, 8) Now, 9) How-to, 10) Solution, and 11) More. While synonyms to these 21 words are acceptable, synonyms are not as powerful as the actual word itself. So in order to not appear redundant in your marketing piece, use the appropriate word wisely, and don’t overdo it.

As your marketing writing prowess increases, consider combining words that sell in the same sentence. For example, maybe your product works “quickly, safely, and easily.” Or, perhaps your service makes cooking “easy and fun.” Or, are your “proven results guaranteed”? You get the idea. Since short marketing pieces are more powerful than long one, make sure every sentence packs a punch.

When you use these 21 words in every marketing piece, you quickly increase your prospect’s interest in what you write, which ultimately leads to more money for you. So master the use of these proven words now. Doing so, dear reader, gives you the easy solution to achieve high marketing response rates you’ve been waiting for.

Can you do it? Yes! And you’re going to love the results. Guaranteed!

About the Author: Hamoon Arbabi, Source: http://homebusiness.nexuswebs.net

Source: www.isnare.com

Merchant Credit Card Fraud

2005-11-08T09:32:00.000-06:00

Today's article has been reprinted with permission courtesy of Wisco Computing. We think you'll find it an excellent article in precautions, when processing credit cards for online transactions.

This article suggests preventative methods and post-order procedures that merchants can perform to minimize credit card fraud.
When a brick and mortar merchant accepts a credit card, and the charge is authorized, and assuming the merchant conforms to regulation, the merchant will get paid, even if a stolen card is used.

Liability for fraud shifts from the card issuer to the merchant for 'Card Not Present' sale (mail order, telephone/fax order, and internet sales). The merchant is generally liable for credit card charge backs, even when the bank has authorized the transaction. After a merchant is stung by a fraud, the credit card processors often hike their rates, citing increased risk. The merchant also risks losing their accounts with the card companies if their fraud rate gets too high.
Everyone points fingers at everyone else (processors, banks, VISA/MasterCard, and the merchants). Law enforcement and government agencies tend to only investigate big cases. No one takes the blame for credit card fraud.

Forbes claims most credit card numbers are still stolen the old-fashioned way. Unethical retail store clerks and restaurant employees steal card numbers often using hand-held skimmer devices. A scam artist can go through the trash of any merchant (brick and mortar or e-commerce) or customer garbage, get valid credit card numbers, and use them on the Internet.
Industry analysts and e-merchants claim the credit-card companies have yet to come to grips with the full scope of the problem. None of the credit-card associations disclose exact loss-rate figures for fraud - Visa, MasterCard and American Express claim to have a handle on the problem overall.

Credit card fraud is something that can never be completely eliminated, but rather something that must be managed. Merchants must develop a delicate balance between using safeguards to prevent fraud and not creating too many hoops for customers to jump through. This article concentrates on preventative methods and procedures that merchants can perform to limit credit card fraud.

After a credit card processor or registration service approves an order, the merchant needs to perform additional checks, as fraudulent orders sometimes are approved. The merchant should not depend on the credit card company, or the registration service, to stop all fraudulent orders.
Using a combination of the following methods and techniques can be the best defense against credit card fraud. Do not rely too much an any one technique or tool to prevent and detect credit card fraud.

FOLLOW THE MERCHANT RULES:Follow the procedures recommended by your payment processor and the credit card companies. You can loose your merchant account for failing to follow their rules.

If a merchant suspects a fraudulent order, contact the registration service, so they can cut reduce the total number of chargebacks. Registration services with a large number of chargebacks will likely be charged higher services fees, which will be passed on to merchants. Everyone wins when the registration service, the card issuing bank, and the card holder are notified of a fraudulent or suspected fraudulent order.

AUTHORIZATION:Authorization approval does not mean that the merchant is guaranteed payment. Approval only indicates that at the time the approval was issued, the card hasn't been reported stolen or lost, and that the card credit limit has not been exceeded. If someone else is using the credit card number illegally, the card holder has a right to dispute the 'approved' charges.

ADDRESS VERIFICATION SYSTEM (AVS):AVS is only available for the U.S. and partially available in four European countries. In the US, AVS checks if the cardholder's address and zip code matches the information at the card-issuing bank. AVS only uses the zip code and numeric portion of the billing street address. There are many reasons why AVS may fail (recent address change, AVS computers down, etc.). If the address verification fails on any level, the merchant may decline the transaction. If the AVS fails for any reason, the merchant should contact the customer for additional information (for example, the name of the issuing bank, the bank's toll-free telephone number, etc.).

If your current system of authorization approval can not provide AVS, then you can get address verification from the card holder's issuing bank for MasterCard and VISA. Discover and American Express purchases can be verified by calling them directly. Only American Express can verify all international credit cards. When you call, have your merchant number, your phone number, the customer's full name, address, and phone number ready. If you call MasterCard/Visa directly regarding a purchase, they can provide you with the issuing bank's phone number (foreign and domestic). It is up to the merchant to make the phone call to the issuing bank. With today's cheap phone rates from calling cards, and using the Internet to place phone calls, there is no excuse for not checking for possible fraud.
American Express 1-800-528-5200Discover Card 1-800-347-2000Visa/MasterCard 1-800-228-1122
Once a fraudster has a legitimate customer name and the stolen credit card number, they can use the Internet to look up their victim's telephone number, address, and zip code. This allows a software purchase to pass AVS, and the fraudster can download the software before the fraud is reported. With orders that are shipped, the thief can provide the correct billing address for AVS approval, but request a different ship to address.

CARD VERIFICATION METHODS (CVM):Card Verification Methods (VISA = CVV2, MasterCard = CVC2, and American Express = CID use a security code of 3 or 4 extra digits imprinted on the card, but not embedded or encrypted in the magnetic stripe. This verification code does not appear on credit card receipts. Since most fraudulent transactions result from stolen card numbers rather than the actual theft of the card, a customer that supplies this number is much more likely to be in possession of the credit card. VISA claims that the use of AVS with CVV2 validation for card-not-present transactions can reduce chargebacks by as much as 26%.

Merchants that accept Internet, mail-order, and telephone orders must be prepared to request the verification code when the cardholder is not present to help validate a transaction. Even if a merchant cannot confirm the CVV2 number, they can still ask for it, or provide a space for the number on their web order form. If the crook does not have the number, they could look somewhere else to commit their fraud. The merchant is not allowed to store the CVM numbers. The merchant should never keep the customer's credit card "on file". Each transaction should be treated as a new order. We've all seen too many reports of computer files being compromised by hackers.

PAYER AUTHENTIFICATION PROGRAMS:Authentification programs (Verified by Visa and MasterCard's SecureCode) use personal passwords to ensure the identity of the online card user. If merchants use this program, card issuers may occur some of the losses for online fraud that was previously entirely borne by the merchants. If merchants do not participate, they remain liable for the losses.

The pop up windows for authentification can be blocked if card holders have installed software to disable pop-ups. This also adds an extra step in the ordering process. There is also an additional processing fee incurred by the merchant. Another loophole is if the customer claims they never received the merchandise. I have seen information indicating Visa always trusts their card holders, so the customer gets their money back and the merchant gets stuck with a chargeback.
Even if Visa rules against the merchant, the merchant can still take the customer to small claims court. If the merchant can prove the customer did receive the product, the merchant is entitled to recover the value of the product plus all their costs when they win. Most licenses included with software includes a clause concerning court actions. This is one more reason to keep accurate records, document customer phone calls, keep copies of emails, delivery signatures, and web logs.

REAL-TIME AUTHORIZATION:Credit card information is sent to the processor for immediate approval (usually 5 seconds or less). This method ensures that the credit card has not been reported as lost or stolen and that the number is valid. The customer is still in contact with the merchant, and incorrect information can be corrected. There is an additional cost for real-time authorization. Authorization does not tell you if the person using the card is authorized to use the card.

BIN CHECK:The first 6 digits of the credit card are called the Bank Identification Number (BIN). You can determine if the credit card holder and the issuing bank for the credit card are located in the same country. Legitimate users sometimes use a credit card from another country. You can enter the BIN of a credit card number at http://all-nettools.com/toolbox.financial . The site provides the bank name, card type, and a 3 character code for the country.

CALLING THE CARD-ISSUING BANK:When you call the card-issuing bank, have your merchant number, your phone number, the customer's full name, address, and phone number ready. You can ask the card-issuing bank to make a courtesy call to your customer to verify the charge.

DIFFERENT BILL AND SHIP TO ADDRESSES:Use Google to search for the numeric street address, street name, and zip code. The web site at http://www.anywho.com integrates telephone numbers, maps, and email addresses. Check for bogus billing addresses like 123 Main Street. Use resources like http://maps.yahoo.com to see if the address can be verified. If the billing and shipping addresses are different, request telephone numbers for both addresses. You can also establish a company policy and charge an extra fee to recover your costs to require a delivery signature (UPS, Federal Express, post office) if the billing and shipping addresses are different. You could require advance payment with a cashiers check or money order when different ship to and bill to addresses are used.
Be careful of remailing services, such as Mailboxes, etc. Remailing services can remail your packages to overseas destinations.

NEGATIVE HISTORICAL FILE:Keep a database of prior fraud attempts, problem customers, charge back records, and customers receiving refunds. This file should include the customer name, shipping/billing addresses, phone numbers, credit card numbers, IP addresses, and email addresses, and merchant comments. Incoming orders can be searched for matches in this database. This method reduces the incidence of repeat offenders, has a relatively low cost, but does not stop new fraudsters.

SHARED NEGATIVE HISTORICAL FILE:Several merchants combine their negative historical database. Since this database has fraud data from several merchants, using this file should reduce fraudulent hits. Pattern-specific fraud should be reduced. One drawback is that a bad customer for one merchant may not be a bad customer for other merchants.

POSITIVE DATABASE FILE:This file contains a list of good customers, for example, customers eligible for upgrade purchases. Customers who purchased successfully in the past will more than likely not committing fraud. This file can contain the same types of information as the negative file. You must have some limits to people accessing the information in this file. This file should also be encrypted.

CREDIT SERVICE DATABASE:A credit database service, such as Equifax ( www.equfax.com ), Experian ( www.experian.com ), and Trans Union (www.tuc.com) are most appropriate for high-dollar value items, The customer would be asked to verify some very specific information such as the mother's maiden name or their social security number. This can be expensive and time consuming.

CUSTOMIZABLE MERCHANT RULES:Some E-commerce merchants feel this is the best method to catch fraud. The merchant sets up rules to stop or flag specific orders for review. For example, the merchant could set up rules to review all orders from a specific IP address, specific country or if a certain dollar amount is exceeded, or shipping to a specific address. This method may flag valid customers for review, but it will reduce repeat or pattern-specific types of fraud. If the IP address is dynamically assigned by an ISP, a legitimate order could be delayed or rejected.

FRAUD SCORING SYSTEMS:The merchant assigns points for different elements of a transaction (IP Address, free-email account, time of day, AVS results, amount of sale, type of products ordered, shipment method, different shipping/billing addresses, certain zip codes, etc) to generate a fraud score to indicate the likelihood of fraud. Points could also be added back for other factors such as previous orders, length of time as a customer, etc. The merchant decides what point levels should be used to approve, reject, or review the order. The merchant can adjust these values based on trends and time of the year.

Large merchants have built their own scoring model based on their historical data of fraud and charge backs. This very targeted model should catch more fraud, but requires additional time and/or money to implement the new software.

PATTERN DETECTION:Check if multiple orders are placed shipping to the same address, but different credit cards were used. Check orders for an unusually high quantity of a single item. Thieves may have access to several stolen card numbers. Check if multiple orders are being sent from the same IP address.
If the credit card numbers vary by only a few digits, it is very likely these numbers were generated by software.

Identify users who repeatedly submit the same credit card number with different expiration dates. Often the crooks have the credit card number, but not the expiration date, so they will just keep submitting that number with a different expiration date until they hit the right combination,"
Most fraudulent orders in the US are made between midnight and 2 a.m.

ALTERNATE THANK YOU PAGE:If an order is being shipped to a non-English speaking country, display an alternate thank you page. Explain that before you can ship the product, you need to have the customer fax either a photo of the credit card or a xerox of his/her credit card billing. For the customer's trouble, explain you will deduct $3 from his total amount.

CUSTOM BUILT SOFTWARE:Some merchants have branded their software, displaying the customer's name in the software. This could require a recompile of code before the software is made available to the customer. When reports are printed, the reports always include the customer's last name for an individual license or the name of the institution that purchased a site license.

PREVENTATIVE MEASURES:Check the data fields to determine if the buyer is a real person. Check if the ZIP Code the customer listed really exists. Check if the customer's e-mail address formatted properly. Check for incomplete names like Mr. Smith or bogus information like as Joe Smith or John Doe for the customer's name, or an address like 123 Main Street. Checking http://www.ussearch.com/consumer/index.jsp can give the merchant some idea of the customer's age. Your suspicions should be raised if the latest video game was ordered by an 80 year-old card holder.

FREE EMAIL ACCOUNTS:There is a much higher incidence of fraud from free email services. Many businesses refuse to accept orders from any free email accounts or any web-based, non-ISP email domains. (I've seen numbers indicating there are over 3000 available free email accounts.) Virtually everyone who has a free, web-based, or email forwarding address also has a traceable ISP address. Many legitimate customers use free email addresses. Many fraudsters use free email addresses to remain anonymous. Most businesses purchasing a business product would not use a free email address.

Depending on the value of the purchase, the merchant may want to request additional information from the customer either by phone or email. The merchant can ask the customer for their business or local email address (not a free email account such as Hotmail), the name and phone number of the bank that issued the credit card (located on the back of the card), the CVM code imprinted on the card, the exact name with middle initial on the credit card, and the exact billing address (nine digit zip code instead of five digits in the US), and the customer phone number. If you get a reply to your email request, you should be able to verify the additional information. A fraudster most likely will not reply to your request for more information.
Your customer will not have a local ISP if they do not have a computer. This customer could be required to telephone the merchant or fax the order. The fax order should also have a photocopy of the customer's credit card. The merchant should also have caller ID.

DOMAIN NAME RECORDS:Manually review the domain name of the email address on the order form. Look at the web site to determine if it is legitimate. Check if the web site offers free or low cost email accounts. A web site that doesn't exist or is under construction should raise your suspicions. Check if the delivery address on your order form matches the contact information displayed on the web site.

Use the Network Solutions database at http://www.networksolutions.com/cgi-bin/whois/whois to search for domain ownership information. The information may not match exactly (business versus a home address). If the customer uses their own domain name, the city or state should at least match the information in the database.

Unfortunately, Network Solutions has allowed fake contact names, telephone numbers of 000-000-0000, and contact addresses of 123 Main Street, Anytown, USA 00000. They also provide a service to 'hide' the owners from a search. Be suspicious if the whois information indicates registration in a country (such as Indonesia or Malaysia) with a high fraud rate.
A reverse email lookup tool is at http://www.freeality.com/finde.htm

REVERSE IP ADDRESS CHECKS:A unique IP (Internet Protocol) address is issued by an Internet Service Provider every time a user is logged on to the Internet. Your server logs can be analyzed to match information on order forms. On your order forms, add a tracking code with a hidden field called the Environment Report field. The syntax used by the different form handlers (FormMail, sendmail, blat.exe, etc,) varies. One example is . The IP information will be included when the order is submitted.

Check if the IP address matches the email address and physical billing address of the customer. The IP address identifies the location of the server where the order was placed. Numerical IP addresses can be checked through programs such as WsPing32. The IP address database is constantly being updated, so it is sometimes incomplete and inaccurate. Matches may not occur if the card holder is traveling, or using a business card from a company branch located in a different city or country. The merchant should be concerned if a server address is located in one country, and the card holder's address is in another country. Check if the billing address, for example, findme@aol.com, matches the IP address from the block of IP numbers owned by AOL. If the fraudster is using an AOL address, the merchant can call the fraud department at AOL directly at 1-800-265-8003

There is a high correlation between IP addresses labeled as spam sources and credit card fraud.
The web site http://www.all-nettools.com/ can be used to check IP addresses. SmartWhois finds information about an IP address or hostname, including country, state or province, city, name of the network provider, administrator, etc. Traceroute determines the path between your website and the person placing the order. It matches each machine along the path to a destination host and displays the corresponding name and IP address for that hop.

ANONYMOUS AND OPEN PROXY IP ADDRESSES:Unfortunately, IP addresses can also be forged. These forged IP addresses hide the true location of the fraudster. Organized credit card fraud rings often use anonymous proxies. When a computer is infected by a virus, it can be used by spammers and credit card thieves to place fraudulent orders. A legitimate order could come from from an infected computer. The IP address sent by the infected computer can be an open proxy IP address instead of their real IP address. The customer can visit the web site http://www.all-nettools.com or www.openrbl.org to check if the IP address their computer is sending to the Internet is an open proxy IP address.

CHECKING TELEPHONE NUMBERS:The web site at http://www.freeality.com/finde.htm and http://www.theultimates.com/ provides plenty of tools to match the telephone area code to a postal zip code, reverse telephone directories, search for email addresses, maps, directions, etc. The web site at http://www.anywho.com integrates telephone numbers, maps, and email addresses. The web site http://nt.jcsm.com/ziproundacx.asp also provides zip code and telephone area code matching. Any telephone book is out of date as soon as it is sent to the printer. The Baby Bells update as many as 500,000 records every day.
For under $10, the merchant can purchase a Rand McNally book each year titled the ZIP Code Finder, which includes telephone area code maps and ZIP codes for more than 120,000 places. You can also purchase a set of CD-ROMS which have address and telephone numbers. Use caller-ID to match names and telephone numbers. The merchant can call directory assistance to determine if the number on the order phone matches their number.

FAX ORDERS:When a credit card order is received by fax, require the customer to also fax copies of both sides of the credit card. This at least provides proof that the customer has possession of the credit card at the time of the order. You could also require a copy of their state-issued ID, or drivers license. It also provides additional proof the person authorized the purchase, preventing a chargeback.

INTERNATIONAL ORDERS:The merchant must weigh the financial benefits of accepting international orders against the possibility of fraud. Merchants who always refuse any foreign orders could be missing potential good sales. The merchant also needs to perform their checks before orders are shipped. It is very difficult to apprehend fraudsters or retrieve goods after they have left the country.

Some countries have very bad reputations for fraud. Your bank or credit card processor can provide a list of high-risk countries. Different sources will likely have different lists of high-risk countries. High risk countries include developing nations like Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Israel, Egypt, and Eastern European countries. Placing an international phone call to the issuing bank may make sense for large orders.
Another strategy to use with international orders is to ask the customer to contact you by phone or email for shipping costs. A fraudster may consider this too much contact, and decide to go elsewhere.

Yellow and white page telephone directories for 30 countries can be located http://www.anywho.com/international.html Net2Phone allows anyone to call any phone in the world from their Internet connection at a fraction of the cost of a conventional long-distance distance phone call. Non-US business can use Net2Phone to verify US purchases. There are also many phone calling cards that offer extremely low rates for overseas calls. Contacting your foreign customers, and the card issuing banks is not that expensive, compared to the financial risks of delivering a fraudulent order. When contacting the card-issuing bank, keep a record of the name of the person you talked to.

CALLING THE CUSTOMER:Calling customers is not only an excellent way to detect fraud, but it can also be a valuable part of your customer service. The telephone call also gives the merchant the opportunity to welcome the customer, answer their questions, and build a solid relationship.

Sometimes the fraudster will submit the actual phone number of the person whose card was stolen. If the card holder did not authorize the charge, suggest that they call their credit card company to report their card as stolen.
I have personally called telephone numbers on the same day I received approved orders from registration services, and been told that the telephone number had been disconnected, or the number had been changed. This certainly sent up some red flags for filling an order that was approved by a registration service.

WEB SITE INFORMATION:If your order form includes places to enter the CVV2 verification code imprinted on the credit card, the name of the card-issuing bank, and the bank's toll-free telephone number printed on the card, and the customer's telephone number and email address, your additional verification can be quicker, and you may scare potential fraudsters away. Indicate incomplete information will delay their order. State you may need to contact the customer if there are any problems with their order. A fraudster will not reveal their telephone number as he/she can be traced, and the number would most likely not match one of the on-line phone directories.

Signs and camera in brick and mortar stores help prevent shoplifting to some degree. Place prominent warnings on your site indicating that all orders are screened for fraud before processing. Web page graphics are available from www.merchant911.org to use on your site.
State on your website that you have anti-fraud safeguards in place, and will pursue prosecution for all fraudulent orders. Indicate that you will report all fraud to the FBI Internet Fraud Complaint Center at www.ifccfbi.gov Even though federal investigators usually pursue larger fraud cases, knowledge of smaller frauds can reveal patterns to possibly break up larger fraud rings.

PROCESSING ORDERS:The merchant should have a policy of not shipping any order until the charge can be verified by their additional checks. The merchant can send an immediate email confirmation of the order, and explain additional checks are being performed to reduce fraudulent orders. The additional checks may take 30 minutes, or can take days if telephone and email exchanges are necessary. The processing delay may cause the fraudster to go elsewhere. Many fraudsters want instant gratification, and wish to remain anonymous, so they will not reply to your emails requesting additional information. These extra steps create an extra step for the customer and merchant, so it can also lead to lost sales.

Possibly establish a "holdover policy" for large orders. The dollar amount of the large order can vary depending if the order is domestic or international. Most credit card thefts are reported within 24 hours. Even after a phony card number is discovered by a retailer, it can take up to 24 hours for that number to be included in the databases that card processors use.
Fraudsters need to have their transactions approved, and take delivery of the goods before the fraud is discovered. Be wary of orders with immediate or overnight delivery. Crooks don't care about the increased costs, since they aren't planning on paying for it anyway. If the order is being shipped overnight, require a delivery signature (UPS, Federal Express, post office). The fraudster may be using an innocent person's house as a drop-off point.

USE TEMPORARY ACTIVATION CODES:If the merchant wants to process orders immediately, issue thirty-day temporary validation keys for downloaded software. The permanent validation key can be emailed to the customer weeks later when all fraud checks have been completed. Emailing the permanent key could be automated to save time. If a customer is upgrading, there is less likelihood of fraud, so they could be sent the permanent key immediately.

ANTI-FRAUD GROUPS:Educate yourself by attending a seminar offered by credit card companies and card processors.
Some merchants are joining fraud-screening organizations and beginning to use extra security software that determines the risk assessment. The merchant can decide to accept the card number or not based on that fraud rate value. Some organizations such as www.antifraud.com offer less expensive help ($10 per month). These groups also offer tips, databases of stolen credit cards, and web look up tools.

Article courtesy of www.wiscocomputing.com

Engage Your Customer - Write About Benefits

2005-11-04T08:59:00.000-06:00

Engage Your Customer

Benefits or Features?

We welcome this great article on identifying your business benefits as opposed to features. We hope you'll find it helpful! Thanks to our guest writer, Glenn Murray

By Glenn Murray

Think quick. In 10 seconds, can you list the 5 key benefits you offer your customers?

I bet you said “Yes”. But are you sure you listed benefits? If you’ll bear with me for another 10 seconds, I’d like to test out a theory on you.

Recap your answers – maybe even write them down. Now list the 5 main things your business does. In other words, what are your 5 core services? What are the 5 core features of your product?

If your first list looks anything like your second, chances are you’re mistaking features for benefits. As a result, it’s likely that your marketing materials aren’t engaging your customer. Customers don’t want to know what you can do. They want to know what you can do FOR THEM.

Don’t talk features – talk benefits.

Don’t be alarmed. You’re not alone. Most business owners and marketing managers are so close to their product or service that they have a lot of trouble distinguishing benefits from the features of their offering. Ask a web host “what are the benefits of your service?”, and you’ll likely hear something along the lines of, “we offer load-balanced server clusters.” But that’s not a benefit… that’s what they do. The benefit is superior uptime and performance.

In fact, so many people think features instead of benefits that it can work in your favour – to dramatic effect. If you can accurately identify your benefits, and convey those benefits to your market, you’ll be light-years ahead of most of your competition. You’ll be converting leads into sales while they’re still bogged down trying to promote features.

So if you’ve ever sat down to write a sales letter and wondered how you’re going to grab your reader’s attention, or you’ve ever gone ‘round in circles writing draft after draft of web copy without ever hitting the mark, now you know where you were going wrong.

The only question remaining is, how do you do it right? Advertising copywriters and website copywriters do it all the time – and most of the time, they do it with benefits. Benefits are the copywriter’s holy grail. But if you’re not a seasoned copywriter, how do you identify the benefits you offer your customers?

There are any number of ways to identify the benefits you offer. This article discusses just three:

1) Customer Research

2) Speak to Your Sales Team

3) Make it Easy for Your Customer to Get Buy-In

The method you choose depends on your time constraints, budget, and level of customer interaction.

1) Customer Research

The most obvious way to identify benefits is to ask your existing customers. They’re spending a lot of money on your offering, so you can be sure they know what benefit they’re getting from it. (In many cases, it can be handy to ask them what benefits they’d like to be getting from you too!) Unfortunately, like everyone else, your customers are busy people. In most cases, you won’t get useful feedback by simply sending an email enquiry. You have to make it easy for them to respond, and you have to make it worth their while. Think about questionnaires and surveys for quantitative data, and interviews and focus groups for qualitative data. These are the simplest techniques, but you still have to make sure you interpret the results appropriately. And always remember that they’re self-report methods. People will sometimes tell you what they think you want to hear. (That’s also why you have to word your questions very carefully – try not to ask leading questions.) Of course, there are plenty of other research techniques around. Do a bit of homework and find the methods which best suit your business requirements. But don’t get carried away by the possibilities. All the research data in the world is pointless if you’re not talking the language of your customer.

2) Speak to Your Sales Team

Sadly, not every business can afford to invest in market research. If your budget doesn’t stretch far enough, try talking to your sales people. They’re out in the field every day, talking to customers. And because their livelihood depends on their success in engaging customers, chances are they’ll be able to tell you what your customers want to know. (A word of warning, though… Be careful not to make lofty promises. Unlike your sales team, written collateral doesn’t generate a rapport with your customers. Customers won’t make as many allowances, so you can only stretch the truth so far in writing before your credibility suffers. What’s more, if you do push the boundaries, you’re more likely to be held to your word!)

3) Make it Easy for Your Customer to Get Buy-In

If you don’t have the budget for in-depth customer research, and you don’t have a sales team, a good tip is to imagine how your customer gets buy-in from their boss. Quite often, the decision maker is someone higher up the food chain than your direct audience. Your audience will probably be the key stakeholder – they’ll be the user of your product, or the recipient of your service. But when they find an offering they like, there’s a good chance they’ll have to sell it to someone further up the line. If you can make this sale easier, you’ll have a foot in the door. Don’t just appeal to the sensibilities of the direct audience. You also need to ask yourself what they need to know to convince the decision maker. If the decision maker is a CFO, think Return on Investment (ROI) and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). If the decision maker is a CIO or MIS, think performance, technological sustainability, availability, manageability, and ease of integration. If the decision maker is a CEO, think liability, risk management, and ROI. And only use jargon to prove you know your stuff. Remember… jargon will probably have the ultimate decision maker scratching their head, not reaching for their cheque book.

There are many many more ways to identify benefits. This is just a very superficial snapshot of some techniques you might like to try. At the very least they’ll get you thinking benefits.

In the end, the message is simple. Forget all the fancy talk about complicated revolutionary marketing principles. Forget new-age hard-sell advertising quick-fixes. Forget looking to so-called “experts” for solutions. Just think benefits. And if you can accurately do that, the rest is just mechanics. Once you know what you want to write about, you just need to put pen to paper. And that’s a whole ‘nother story!

Happy writing!

About the Author: * Glenn Murray is an SEO copywriter and article submission and article PR specialist. He is a director of article PR company, Article PR, and also of copywriting studio Divine Write. He can be contacted on Sydney +612 4334 6222 or at glenn@divinewrite.com. Visit http://www.DivineWrite.com or http://www.ArticlePR.com for further details.

Our note: One great use of custom promotional products is as an incentive for customers, when doing the type of research described above. Offer them a complimentary planner or mug for taking part in your project. Not only will you get their input, but they will have a product in front of them with your business name on it. It's a win-win option for you.

The Benefits of Branding

2005-10-31T11:23:00.000-06:00

Our guest columnist today is Marcia Yudkin. We think you'll pick up some great insight into the importance of branding with her article below. Visit her site for assistance in creating the perfect brand for your business. We hope you'll visit us for great ideas on products to launch your new brand.

Now, for the article...

The Benefits Of Branding
By: Marcia Yudkin

Branding is the process of creating distinctive and durable perceptions in the minds of consumers. A brand is a persistent, unique business identity intertwined with associations of personality, quality, origin, liking and more. Here’s why the effort to brand your company or yourself pays off.

1. Memorability. A brand serves as a convenient container for a reputation and good will. It's hard for customers to go back to "that whatsitsname store" or to refer business to "the plumber from the Yellow Pages." In addition to an effective company name, it helps when people have material reminders reinforcing the identity of companies they will want to do repeat business with: refrigerator magnets, tote bags, datebooks, coasters, key rings, first aid kits, etc.

Memorability can come from using and sticking with an unusual color combination (FedEx's purple and orange), distinctive behavior (the gas station whose attendants literally run to clean your windshield), or with an individual, even a style of clothing (Author Tom Wolfe's white suits). Develop your own identifiers and nail them to your company name in the minds of your public.

2. Loyalty. When people have a positive experience with a memorable brand, they're more likely to buy that product or service again than competing brands. People who closely bond with a brand identity are not only more likely to repurchase what they bought, but also to buy related items of the same brand, to recommend the brand to others and to resist the lure of a competitor's price cut. The brand identity helps to create and to anchor such loyalty.

Consider the legions of car owners who travel up to 2,000 miles at their own expense to attend a Saturn celebration at the company's plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee. That's loyalty. And supposedly, more people have the motorcycle brand "Harley-Davidson" tattooed on their body than any other brand name. That's out-of-this-world loyalty.

3. Familiarity. Branding has a big effect on non-customers too. Psychologists have shown that familiarity induces liking. Consequently, people who have never done business with you but have encountered your company identity sufficient times may become willing to recommend you even when they have no personal knowledge of your products or services. Seeing your ads on local buses, having your pen on their desk, reading about you in the Hometown News, they spread the word for you when a friend or colleague asks if they know a ____ and that's what you do.

4. Premium image, premium price. Branding can lift what you sell out of the realm of a commodity, so that instead of dealing with price-shoppers you have buyers eager to pay more for your goods than for those of competitors. Think of some people's willingness to buy the currently "in" brand of bottled water, versus toting along an unlabeled bottle of the same stuff filled from the office water cooler.

The distinctive value inherent in a brand can even lead people to dismiss evidence they would normally use to make buying decisions. I once saw one middle-aged Cambridge, Massachusetts, intellectual argue to several colleagues that Dunkin' Donuts' coffee tastes better than Starbucks'. So contradictory was this claim to the two companies' reputations for this demographic group that the colleagues refused to put the matter to a taste test.

5. Extensions. With a well-established brand, you can spread the respect you've earned to a related new product, service or location and more easily win acceptance of the newcomer. For instance, when a winery with a good reputation starts up regional winery tours, then adds foreign ones, each business introduction benefits from the positive perceptions already in place.

6. Greater company equity. Making your company into a brand usually means that you can get more money for the company when you decide to sell it. A Coca-Cola executive once said that if all the company's facilities and inventory vanished all around the world, he could walk into any bank and take out a loan based only on the right to the Coca-Cola name and formula.

7. Lower marketing expenses. Although you must invest money to create a brand, once it's created you can maintain it without having to tell the whole story about the brand every time you market it. For instance, a jingle people in your area have heard a zillion times continues to promote the company when it's played without any words.

8. For consumers, less risk. When someone feels under pressure to make a wise decision, he or she tends to choose the brand-name supplier over the no-name one. As the saying goes, "You'll never be fired for buying IBM." By building a brand, you fatten your bottom line.

About the Author: Marcia Yudkin is the author of 6 Steps to Free Publicity and ten other books hailed for outstanding creativity. Find out more about her new discount naming company, Named At Last, which brainstorms new company names, new product names, tag lines and more for cost-conscious organizations, at http://www.NamedAtLast.com .

10 Sizzling Offers That Sell Like Crazy

2005-10-25T14:51:00.000-05:00

Guest author Eugene Sakalauskus is featured today with some great ideas to perk up your sales. In fact, our site, Choice Promotional Products, plans to implement a few of these ideas in the upcoming months.

10 Sizzling Offers That Sell Like CrazyBy:Eugenijus Sakalauskas

One of the best way to increase your sales is to offer your potential customers a special offer. It could be trial offers, discounts, purchase awards, etc. Below are ten sizzling offers you could use to sell yourproducts like crazy.

1. You could offer your potential customers a free sample of your product. If the sample proves what you claim, there is a high chance they will buy it.
2. You could give your potential customers a freetrial of your product or service. Tell them you won't bill them for 30 days.
3. You could offer your potential customers a rebate after they buy your product or service. They will feel they are getting a good deal.
4. You could offer your potential customers a monthly payment plan. Tell them they can pay for your product or service with three easy monthly payments.
5. You could reward your potential customers if they buy a specific number of products. Tell them if they buy 3 or more products, they will get one free.
6. You could reward your potential customers if they spend over a specific dollar amount. Tell them if they spend over $100, they get a 10% discount.
7. You could hold a holiday sale for your potential customers. Tell them everything on your web site is discounted up to 50% on Thanksgiving Day.
8. You could hold a buy one get one free sale for your potential customers. Tell them if they buy one product,they get another product for free at the same value.
9. You could hold a special $1 sale for your potential customers. They'll come to your web site to buy your product for only a dollar, but may buy other products.
10. You could offer your potential customers a bonus coupon when they buy one of your products. It could be a coupon for another product you sell.

Eugenijus Sakalauskas is an established ezine publisher and direct marketer who specializes in developing new ideas and methods on E-Ezine - Free marketing recourses,articles,website promotion tips.

DIY: Do It Yourself for Your PC

2005-09-26T14:25:00.000-05:00

I was just having a conversation with someone about the poor quality of tech support with a lot of companies these days. I told her that we now take care of most of those problems ourselves, as we got totally frustrated with tech support.

It really gives you a feeling of satisfaction to be able to do some of these things yourself and it is a lot easier than it looks. There are a lot of wonderful tutorials and informative sites to walk you through computer maintenance, memory upgrades and more.

We've also found some excellent sources for quality components as well, such as www.newegg.com and www.computergeeks.com . Both offer great pricing and very fast shipping. We have not been disappointed yet.

Here are some of our favorite links for do-it-yourself:

This site is a treasure trove of information, including the latest on Windows Updates, doing backups, doing maintenance tasks, and even replacing a motherboard (can't say that we've tried that one yet!):
www.theeldergeek.com

How to select the correct memory to upgrade your system. You can buy it here, or just use the site to identify what you need:
www.crucial.com

Basic tips, beginner friendly, from Kim Komando:
http://www.komando.com/tip_catlist.asp

Fantastic directions for tweaking Windows XP to speed up your system:
http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Guides/winxptweak/

Now, go ahead and take those first baby steps....

Hurricane Trickle Down Effect

2005-09-21T10:44:00.000-05:00

If you don't live in the southern coastal states, you may not realize just how many "trickle down" effects Katrina will have, not to mention the potential damage of Hurricane Rita.
We all know that oil and gas will be strongly effected, but there is much more to it that that. Already, many groceries have been out of stock on Folger's coffee, due to damage to Proctor & Gamble's plant in New Orleans. Lumber prices are going sky high with so much being shipped to Louisiana. Many of our own promotional product suppliers are having to raise prices on plastic products as a result of oil prices effecting the manufacturing process.
For more information on the many trickle down economic effects of Katrina, visit this Washington Post article.
In the meantime, at the very least, we can try to conserve as much as possible. Business Weekly has posted an article here, offering ideas on saving energy.
On a final note, lets' all encourage our elected representatives to take care of business on this issue, and let them know we expect them to be good stewards of our tax dollars in doing so. The last few weeks look like re-election campaign season. We should not tolerate this kind of posturing at the expense of the entire country.

News, Views and Blogs

2005-09-20T17:30:00.000-05:00

Strongly influencing the election last fall, bloggers are now the big competition in reporting and commentating on the news. Finally, the armchair quarterback has an international playground with no limit. Katrina is just another example of the power of blogs, not only in reporting but in a wide variety of commentary.

Reaching the all-important young adult demographic, will the blogging world be able to take a chunk out of the traditional news revenue? http://www.editorsweblog.org/2005/03/bloggers_future.htm l

You gotta love it. Do a blog search and find everything from political barbs to theological articles to what-Bubba-in-South-Texas put on the grill last night....it's all there.

There has to be a hidden writer in you, so if you're not already blogging, go forth and create! Get your free "corner of the world" right here:
www.blogger.com

Relocating

2005-08-12T16:33:00.000-05:00

AUGUST 12, 2005
SCHOOL DAYS
Summer seemed to fly by, and the school year is already starting.
Now is the ideal time to purchase effective products for school fundraising and clubs. We offer a wide array of products that are practical and affordable. This year, let us help you choose something people can keep and use, instead of the usual overpriced fundraising catalog fare.
Some of our most popular fundrasing items include sport bottles, insulated lunch bags and bookmarks.
We're sure to have the perfect item for you.
APRIL 20, 2005
TAX SEASON FINALLY OVER!
Well, I'm sure you are all glad to have the annual tax season behind you, as we are. Every year, I promise myself we will have everything caught up, but every year it doesn't seem to end up that way.
One thing we are good about is keeping all of our receipts and paperwork together in one place. We also try to be sure we have covered all bases as far as legitimate business deductions.
Are you confident that you are taking all the deductions you are entitled to? Here is a great list to review.
Small Business Tax Deduction Checklist
Now is the time to be sure you are keeping track of everything for 2005.
Have a great week!
FEBRUARY 21, 2005
FREE FONTS HAVE MANY USES
Your computer programs have a fair variety of fonts, but for creating a logo, clip art, a great flyer and many other things, why limit yourself?
We have found many wonderful online resources for free fonts and would like to share a few of our top picks with you. Pay special attention to the "dingbat" fonts they offer as well. These make excellent "vector" clip art that can be sized up and down without losing resolution.
http://www.dafont.com
http://www.dingbatdepot.com
Programs will open much slower if you get too many fonts on your system, so keep an eye on the number of fonts you add. You may want to get rid of some you are no longer using, but be sure they are not needed by any of your programs, such as Word or a graphics application.
You can even create your own fonts. Here's how:
http://www.chank.com/howto/
Get creative!
JANUARY 18, 2005
WHAT IS YOUR USP?
Happy New Year! We hope you had a fantastic holiday season.
Now that 2005 is here, it's time to evaluate your business from all aspects. How about starting with what is unique and special about your business?
Take a look at your competitors. Are they offering anything special that makes them stand out? How can you do it better?
Put yourself in your customer's shoes. How could you become a better problem solver for them? Would it be by offering the widest selection available? Or by guaranteeing the fastest service?
When you have determined what you can do to make your business unique, that is called a Unique Selling Proposition (USP). Be sure your customers are aware of it. Place it everywhere....on your business cards, web site, print ads....everywhere.
When your customers learn what you can do for them that no one else is doing...you can be sure your business will grow!
(Do we practice what we preach? Yes! Visit our main page to learn about our unique "Speedy Choice" and "No Surprises" programs.)
Have a great week!