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Career as Military Officer
If you are a hard worker, intelligent and disciplined perhaps a career as a military officer is for you. It will not be easy and you have to prove your worth before you will be accepted into an academy.You must be college bound, good GPA and exemplary citizenship. Perhaps student government classes and sports will be looked on favorably, but most of all you will need a little juice and being nominated by a Senator or Congressman in your district sure helps as well.Each year many kids wash out and cannot cut it and just because you get accepted is no guarantee you will graduate, many do not. It is challenging and competitive and they are looking for the best. Is being a military officer all it is cut out to be?Well they certainly have a tradition in the United States Military that is for sure and they take it very seriously if you choose that sort of career. For some families it is almost a tradition and so their offspring are groomed from very early ages to become military officers and of course you would be competing against them for those same honors.Do you think you have what it takes to make a career serving our country with such a great responsibility? If so perhaps a career as a military officer is for you? Consider all this in 2006.

ow (but you don't). When those people like your content, they will subscribe, giving you access to an entire pool of new prospects that you would never have access to otherwise.

# 4 Advertise in Other E-Zines

Once you have your own e-zine, look in online e-zine directories for other e-zines that your target customers likely read. Check to see if these e-zines accept advertising. If they do, you can purchase ads for your business in these e-zines, or offer to do an ad "swap" where you advertise in their e-zine in exchange for running an ad for their business in your e-zine. I recommend running at least 3 ads in a row so that you can get an accurate picture of how ads in that e-zine work for you.

How can you tell which customers visited your site as a result of an ad you ran, and which ad it was? I use the ad-tracking program that is a part of my shopping cart software (www.autowebbusiness.com). I can assign each ad a unique tracking code, so I can determine exactly how each ad in each publication performs for me.

# 5 Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Because so many people use search engines to find what they are looking for online, implementing a pay-per-click ad campaign for your small business is one of the easiest ways to put your websit

Fundraising Donation Request Letters Must Tell Great Stories (Three Samples)
If your fundraising letter doesn't tell a great story, it's not a fundraising letter. It's a memo. Direct mail fundraising is all about storytelling.If you want your direct mail donors to respond to your letters in greater numbers and with larger gifts, learn the craft of storytelling. Learn how to write human-interest stories that inspire, motivate and move your donors—to give.As a gospel preacher and one-time university instructor, I've learned over the years that the safest way to make your point stick is to tell a story. As UK fundraising consultant Ken Burnett observes in his book, The Zen of Fundraising, fundraisers should tell stories because "we have some of the best stories in the world and the best reasons of all for telling them."Jesus Christ revealed complicated truths about God's character, God's prophetic plan for the ages, and moral absolutes by telling parables. The Prodigal Son. The Good Samaritan. Turn the other cheek. Go the extra mile. These phrases are in common use today because the person who coined them 2,000 years ago told stories. Memorable stories. Stories that reached the hearts of His hearers.Your fundraising letters need to do the same. And the quickest way to a donor's heart is through the adrenal glands. Consider, for example, this opening paragraph from a fundraising letter mailed by Covenant House: "She stood on the curb looking scared and lonely in a skimpy halter top and bright red lip

In my consulting practice, the thing my clients ask me most often about marketing online is, "how do I get people to find my website?"

Generating traffic for your website is simple – but it's NOT easy. Let me explain what I mean…

There are multiple tactics that you can – and should – use to make people aware of your website and to encourage them to visit. Each one of these tactics is very simple to do – BUT you can’t just do one. That's where it gets tricky – and why I say that driving traffic is simple – but not easy.

You MUST take advantage of a variety of tactics available to you to drive traffic to your website because these tactics have a cumulative effect. Each one builds upon the other, helping to raise your ranking with the search engines, establishing you as THE "go to" expert in your field, and raising awareness with your potential customers so they come flooding to your website to buy your products or services.

While there are dozens of tactics that you can use to drive new traffic to your site, to be effective you need to focus on a few key items first. Become a master of those tactics, then move on and add additional tools to your toolbox. I've listed below the tactics that I recommend to my clients that they start with and master first.

Before you jump into the list though, remember – all traffic is NOT created equal. You don’t just want any visitors to your site – you want visitors who are interested in your products and services. I've seen far too many small business owners spending time – and money – getting traffic for the sake of traffic. Bad move. Sure, you get to see your site visitor count increase, but it's a waste of your time – and theirs – if the visitors you are driving to your site aren't interested in what you have to offer.

Knowing who your target customers are, specifically, before you embark on any traffic-generating program, will dramatically increase the chances that the new visitors you drive to your site become new customers for you. The more you know about your target customer, the better your chances of driving those new customers to your website with these techniques below.

So now – the 10 Things You MUST Do to Drive Massive Traffic to Your Local Small Business Website:

# 1 List Your Website with Search Engines & Directories

Google alone attracts more than 250 million searchers every day. 3,000 people PER SECOND type something into the search box and visit someone's website. And that's just Google – it doesn't include all the searching done on Yahoo!, MSN, Ask and all the other smaller search engines. It only makes sense with this many people searching on the web, that you would want to list your website where the people are looking for what you sell.

Get your website listed in all the top search engines, including Google, Yahoo!, and MSN. Research directories on the web with listings for products and services your customers would be interested in. Some directories offer free listings, others require a fee; I've found paying the nominal fee that they charge is worth it, as your listing will get posted faster and more reliably than with the free directories.

# 2 Use Article Marketing to Your Advantage

This has been one of the most successful ways of driving traffic to my website that I've found – and the good news is, it's free! Don't worry – you don’t have to be the world's best writer to put together useful, readable articles that your potential customers will read. Whatever your industry, there are thousands of electronic newsletters (or e-zines) that are hungry for articles they can use to publish to their subscribers. There are also hundreds of directories where you can publish your articles – some of them are extremely popular and will result in your article being seen by hundreds or thousands of potential customers.

Unlike advertising, which people tend to be skeptical of, articles are more like "news," which people tend to trust. When your prospects read your article, they will also see your bio, which will include your website address. If they like what you have to say in your article, chances are they will click on your website link and purchase from your website.

# 3 Publish Your Own E-Zine

This is another way that I've found to be hugely successful in driving new prospects to my website. By publishing my own e-zine, I can stay in touch with my current customers easily (and cheaply!), and market my new products and services to them. A secret to using your e-zine to drive traffic to your site is to always be adding new content that your customers want to see. Things like free articles and reports, discount offers on your products or services or special"“subscriber-only"promotions are great ways to use your e-zine to drive visitors to your site.

Probably the best thing about publishing your own e-zine is that you will be able to reach new customers you never would have found. When your subscribers read your newsletter and find your content helpful, they will send it to people that they know (but you don't). When those people like your content, they will subscribe, giving you access to an entire pool of new prospects that you would never have access to otherwise.

# 4 Advertise in Other E-Zines

# 5 Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Because so many people use search engines to find what they are looking for online, implementing a pay-per-click ad campaign for your small business is one of the easiest ways to put your websit

What Color is Your Yellow Pages Ad?
In the beginning, Yellow Pages ads were, well, yellow. With black type. Then, in an effort to jump start sales, the clever people who invented Yellow Pages in 1886, the Reuben H. Donnelly Corporation, figured an inexpensive way to add red to the ads. Red borders, red type. Higher rates.With the monopoly broken all over the country there are now Yellow Books, Yellow Pages, McLeodUSA Books and a whole bunch of smaller start ups. Some use new printing techniques making 4- color ads available, in some books. The Yellow Book, the fastest growing independent, does not have any color as a selling point (cheaper). All black, like the old days.Does color work? Who's to say. The research by the yellow pages people says, yes, worth the money. Competitive media can show numbers that contradict those claims.What is boils down to is the same question you have to ask about all of your advertising. Do you have a plan and is this part of it. McDonald's does not have an ad in the Yellow Pages. People just don't let their fingers to the walking to Mickey Dees. Does your business belong in the Yellow Pages?Everyone with a business telephone is listed in there for free, alphabetically. Maybe that is enough. Research shows the Yellow Pages are used primarily as a reference tool.The majority of Yellow Pages use is because people have an immediate problem and need to fix it. The fattest part of the book is where the ads are for emergency services, like plumbers.Let's face it,

master first.

So now – the 10 Things You MUST Do to Drive Massive Traffic to Your Local Small Business Website:

# 1 List Your Website with Search Engines & Directories

# 2 Use Article Marketing to Your Advantage

# 3 Publish Your Own E-Zine

# 4 Advertise in Other E-Zines

# 5 Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Because so many people use search engines to find what they are looking for online, implementing a pay-per-click ad campaign for your small business is one of the easiest ways to put your websit

Lack of Discipline with Executive Management
We sure seem to see a sense of entitlement of the graduating classes of MBA Students. You know they just think they know everything. Having done much public speaking on the subject of business, management and marketing I was always completely under whelmed at the questions that these business students would ask me.I use to think to myself what an idiot under my breath, but of course I was cordial. Much in the same way that many executive managers are condescending to their middle managers. And much in the same way as the President of the Company or even the Board of Directors are to their underlings. But in the end someone really needs to take these young hot shot know it alls and shake them silly, as they lack discipline, have too much arrogance for their britches and way too much lack or knowledge and experience for their outrageous attitudes.Okay in continuing on this premise everyone has to start somewhere and these youth just don’t get it, but it does not stop there you see. Once they get into a company they also lack discipline and it is scary. It takes so many people to do such little work and although some claim their companies are efficient, they really are not, as they waste money on really dumb things because the Executive Management has taken their attitudes and inexperience into the workforce?So should we shoot them? No, probably not, but we really need to knock some sense into these folks, as they can ruin a company faster than any one. Consider all this in 2006. And screw you if you want

e searching done on Yahoo!, MSN, Ask and all the other smaller search engines. It only makes sense with this many people searching on the web, that you would want to list your website where the people are looking for what you sell.

# 2 Use Article Marketing to Your Advantage

# 3 Publish Your Own E-Zine

# 4 Advertise in Other E-Zines

# 5 Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Because so many people use search engines to find what they are looking for online, implementing a pay-per-click ad campaign for your small business is one of the easiest ways to put your websit

21st Century Job Search Alternative!
The 21st Century job search marketplace is constantly shifting. So are job-seekers. And so are the rules for how you can land a great employment opportunity.In fact, today there are two marketplaces. One is the old-fashioned traditional marketplace of resumes, classified ads, website postings, agencies and recruiters, interviews and rejection letters.The other is the hot fast-track job search marketplace of career partners, contact banks, automated interviews, professional introductions, interactive dialogs, on-the-spot employment creation and savvy negotiations.Let me show you what I mean.In a traditional job search, you start by putting together a resume. Your resume follows a prescribed format that includes an objective statement and your job history in a reverse chronological order. You add educational and personal data.You take a look in the Sunday paper and comb through job openings and you check out some online job sites. You send out a few resumes and/or post them on some popular websites.Maybe you approach a couple agencies or recruiters. If all goes well you get called in for an interview, maybe two, maybe none. The procedure is pretty straightforward.The job you’re applying for is clear-cut, too. The interviewer knows what’s desirable in a candidate. At the interview you dress well, behave pleasantly, do your best to answer the questions.If there is a match between your background and the employer’s needs you may advance to the next level in the

being seen by hundreds or thousands of potential customers.

# 3 Publish Your Own E-Zine

# 4 Advertise in Other E-Zines

# 5 Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Because so many people use search engines to find what they are looking for online, implementing a pay-per-click ad campaign for your small business is one of the easiest ways to put your websit

Logos - 3 Benefits a Logo Gives to your Brand
Whether you're just starting your business or your business is well underway, this question has more than likely popped into your head:Should I have a logo?The answer to this is really internal. You know your market, your customers and your plans for your business better than anyone. So before deciding whether or not to get a logo created, ask yourself these questions:Would the addition of a logo benefit my brand? In other words, would a logo amplify, enhance or highlight my overall purpose?Does it make sense for me to have a logo? For example, if you have a clothing line, a logo could make brand recognition that much easier and thereby customers could recognize you just on your image alone. The reverse would be, for instance, if you ran a small accounting company out of your home & and are not interested in recruiting new clients…well, investing in a logo might not make a whole lot of sense.What do my competitors do? Now, of course, you want to set yourself apart from your competitors but you also want to be consistent within your industry.If after answering these questions, you're still not sure, consider these three benefits a logo offers to your business:Helps make a generic name unique: If your name is merely descriptive and/or geographic, the addition of a logo could add to the uniqueness factor of your entire brand. That uniqueness factor is what most every busine

ow (but you don't). When those people like your content, they will subscribe, giving you access to an entire pool of new prospects that you would never have access to otherwise.

# 4 Advertise in Other E-Zines

# 5 Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Because so many people use search engines to find what they are looking for online, implementing a pay-per-click ad campaign for your small business is one of the easiest ways to put your website in front of those searchers. With pay-per-click, you bid on keywords that are associated with your business that your customers would likely use to find your products or services. And, you don’t pay for your ad until someone actual clicks on it to visit your site.

All the major search engines offer pay-per-click programs – the most popular being Google’s AdWords. Your pay-per-click ad will appear on a search engine results page above the other listings – where your ad appears exactly is determined by a combination of factors, and it's slightly different for each search engine. Google uses a combination of how relevant your ad is to the keyword you’ve bid on, and the dollar value of your bid, for example.

Another advantage of pay-per-click advertising is that you can customize your campaign to run just to the geographic area you specify. Say you have a carpet cleaning business, and your service area is within a 50-mile radius of your store location. It doesn't make much sense to be running advertising outside of that radius, as you will be paying to reach people who aren't potential customers for you. Specifying the area you want your ads to reach is one of the great benefits of PPC advertising for a local small business.

With pay-per-click advertising, you have the ability to put your ad for your website right in front of your prospects who are looking for your products and services. Your new customers are just a click away!

# 6 Internet Word of Mouth - Recommendations

Before the Internet, people would ask their friends and associates for recommendations when they were looking for a particular product or service. Known as "word of mouth," this form of advertising has been around as long as commerce itself.

Today's Internet equivalent of word of mouth advertising is being placed in a recommended resources section of a website that your target customers already visit. Find websites that offer products and services that are complementary to your own, and then contact the Webmaster or owner of the site to ask them to recommend you to their customers. Or, ask businesses in other industries in your local area to exchange links with you. A good way to do this is to put a link to their site on your website before you ask for their recommendation – people are more likely to recommend you if you’ve already shown that you are willing to recommend them to your customers.

# 7 Advertise on Other Websites

Do some web surfing and find out what websites your target customers visit online. What websites have content that would appeal to your potential customers? Check with other businesses in your local community to see if they accept advertising on their sites. Place a series of ads with them or ask if they would be interested in doing an "ad swap" with your website.

# 8 Help the Media Find You

Another method I've had great success with in driving traffic is by writing and sending press releases to the local media, and releasing them on the many free PR sites online. By tactfully following up with local media personalities after you’ve sent your release, you'll build a relationship with them as someone knowledgeable in your industry that they can call for an interview or a quote on a subject when needed. Consistency is the key with media releases – don’t expect to be booked on your local nightly news with your first press release.

Even if you aren't booked for a radio, TV or newspaper interview after your release, one of the great things about press releases is that when you post them online, other sites and bloggers will pick up your release and put your business and website in front of thousands of prospects you wouldn’t have otherwise reached.

Press releases can help you drive traffic to your site in so many ways, it's hard to overlook them as a key tactic you should use to find new customers.

# 9 Direct Mail

A terrific way to break through the on-line clutter is to take the old-fashioned route and go off-line – using direct mail post cards. Post cards are an overlooked tool in driving traffic to your site – and they are effective and inexpensive too. Remember that you don't have to tell your prospect everything about your business in one post card (space is at a premium with this tool)! Just tell them enough to "tease" them into wanting to know more, and then feature your web address prominently on the card. Post cards are a great way of reaching customers who need your products and services, but may not be savvy online shoppers.

#10 Recruit Your Own Sales Force

Imagine having an entire team of people actively working to sell your products and services for you that you didn’t have to pay a penny for until they actually made a sale. That's the beauty of what's known as an "affiliate program."

By starting your own affiliate program, you offer people a commission when they sell one of your products or services. Once they send a new customer to you, you can market to that new customer again and again – so while you may not make as much profit o

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One of the most difficult tasks of management is to find the right person for the job. Bob Selden suggests some proven methods for improving your hit rate.

The old image of the accountant might be best illustrated by Bob Cratchit sitting on his stool in the money changing firm of Ebeneezer Scrooge. He sits in front of his massive ledger book painstakingly entering figures with a stubby pencil. This does not reflect the current profession of Accounting. While the principles of Accounting might have remained much the same, the computer has revolutionized the way that these principles are applied. Computer training is essential to the accountant of today.

IT marketing is well-served by mailing targeted postcards. Don’t expect a huge return on your investment by just sending out a few hundred cards for your IT marketing.

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