Five Signs that Your Local Marketing Needs a Tune-up
Local marketing is a powerful tool that can help any business generate leads and close new business at a local level. It is an unreasonable expectation to think that most business people will be highly skilled in the fine art of local marketing so here’s a quick snapshot of some pointers that may indicate that your local marketing could do with a tune up.
1.Your business is mono-tactical in its approach to generating leads and winning new business. This is quite common – especially amongst small businesses. For example a local plumber may advertise in the local classifieds to generate 100% of his leads and sales. Some companies may use a handful of local marketing tactics. The point here is that your business will go from strength to strength if it increases the actual number of local marketing tactics used.
2.Your company doesn’t have a local marketing budget allocated, but instead will look at opportunities as they arise. This is another popular approach amongst franchisees and small businesses. The key here is that there is no pro-activeness in funding and executing local marketing strategies on a regular basis. Imagine the possibilities that arise when you regularly allocate funds to local marketing programs.
3. Your firm is oblivious to peaks and troughs in your revenue cycle and schedules local marketing activities without thinking about the impact they may have at various times of the year. Just as you wouldn’t dare plant carrots in June because they won’t grow, there my be times during the year when local marketing will have a minimal impact on your target market whilst at other times clients will be falling all over themselves to do business with you. Identifying these cycles and making the most out of them is the key to being successful.
4.Your company doesn’t track the return on investment it gets from any local marketing activity that it implements. This is possibly the biggest local marketing sin a business can commit. Without a formal review of the success of local marketing activities undertaken a company can’t realistically make a well considered decision to replicate or reject a tactic that it has used.
5.Your business doesn’t have a formal, conscious plan that incorporates the use of other people’s people and other people’s money. Your suppliers, local business associations, sponsorship properties and even charitable organisations have much power in being able to assist you in successfully marketing your business throughout your local territory. By identifying ways to use other people’s people, money, resources, advertising, business relationships, time and capital a company can expand its local marketing capability and reach.
So there you have it – some common local marketing mistakes that franchisees and small businesses tend to make and some of the ways to overcome them. By addressing one or more of these five areas a company can positively impact the number of leads and new sales it can attract through local marketing activities.
For more information about local marketing and local area marketing planning, contact Greg Mullane, Marketing Manager, LAM Plan
Sphere: Related ContentBangkok – Amazing Blend of Cultures
If New York is the city that never sleeps then Bangkok, Thailand’s garish money city, comes a very close back place. The city was founded in 1782 by the first monarch of the give Chakri reign. nowadays it’s the country’s spiritual, commercial and educational hub, home to approximately ten million people or more than 10% of the Thai population.
Bangkok (or Krung Thep in Thai which means “city of angels”) is an exciting, high diverge melting pot of east meets west. It is a dynamic city that has embraced technology and fresh living with its hectic expressways, bold skyscrapers and designer name crammed shopping centres. Yet underneath it all, it cadaver a traditional retreat of urbanity, account and time-honored customs, where elders are respected and family always comes first.
As you journey from the airport you’ll see plenty of examples of recent architecture dotting the cityscape and between them all, durable proud, are glittering Buddhist temples such as Wat Phra Kaew and The fine Palace. zigzag through the specific jungle, you’ll spy remnants of the “old Bangkok” below you – outdated canals and waterways that are well merit exploring on a craft fall.
Every Thai household and structure, even the most present, has a traditional soul house built outside for good destiny and to honor the mood of the land. Each day, small offerings of fruit and water are laid out, often with arrangements of flora. If you’re an early riser, zealous to make the most of your holiday time in Bangkok, don’t be startled when you see Buddhist monks in saffron robes making their morning “alms” rounds accepting food and donations from local people, babyish and old.
Thailand has a humid climate with an yearly norm temperature of around 75 to 92 degrees Fahrenheit, so drove light clothing for your trip. natural fibers like strand and linen are regularly more comfortable when you’re walking and touring in hot withstand. Practically everywhere you go in Bangkok you’ll find you some relief from the reheat, with blasts of icy cold air conditioning in retail outlets and hotels.
From stalk to May it’s the newest time, with the record temperatures and moisture. From June to October is monsoon term, so recall to take an umbrella. November to February is cooler and minus clammy. recollect that the monsoon period varies throughout the country and can disturb the survive you experience.
You’ll find all types of accommodation in Bangkok – from wasteful 5 star international names to minor backpacker hostels, special by babyish tourists. Book online and see what special toll you can find to costume your mood and that all-important plan. You’ll determine everything from peaceful luxury escapes with spas to exciting hotels right in the mind of the action.
One of the first terms you’ll learn in Bangkok is “Rot tip” or “rot tit” which literally means “cars that stick”, in other words passage jam. But the everyday snarls and deadlock have been vastly superior by Bangkok’s cosmopolitan rapture method.
You can now cycle the subway, the Hua Lamphong – Bang Sue line has 18 stations along the 12 mile send. It’s gaining, peaceful and current.
Jump on a BTS Sky sequence. BTS sky trains ply along Sukhumvit, Silom and Phahonyothin roads. The routes connect Bangkok’s important hotels and main shopping areas such as Siam upright, Silom, Ratchaprasong and Chatuchak Weekend bazaar.
Of course, you can’t go to Bangkok without a ride in a tuk-tuk. These swift three-wheeled open-air motorized taxis are common for dumpy journeys. Fares must be bargained in expansion, it’s part of the fun.
The fine Palace: the number one attraction. Every visitor to Bangkok should see the magnificent buildings inside the revered Palace compound to get a mood of this complete architectural form. because the founding of Bangkok as the Nations capital by emperor Rama I, The grand Palace has been the main architectural sign of The Thai noble Family. The imperial Family actually resides at Chitralada Palace while The revered Palace is used for ceremonial purposes.
Wat Pho: maybe the most interesting temple in Thailand. It combines chronicle, checkup science and is a axis for meditation and traditional work teaching. Have a rubdown while you’re here, at a very fair value.
Chatuchak Weekend Market: with over 9,000 shops and stalls you’ll be tempted over and over. Close to everything that is for auction in Bangkok is here, counting antiques, Buddha amulets, handicrafts, clothes, flowers and furniture. (You’ll perceive that some maps spell it “Jatuchak”. Many English language have manifold spellings, so if you’re in question, ask the hotel janitor to write it in Thai for the taxi driver.)
Vimanmek mansion Museum: the world’s main golden teak building located in the compound of the Dusit Palace on Ratchawithi road. The three-storey stately mansion has 81 quarters, halls and ante-chambers containing single memorabilia.
Jim Thompson’s House: this wonderful Thai house and buildings viewpoint as a museum to the man who recharged the Thai silk activity after the minute World War. The party he founded, Jim Thompson Thai Silk, is recognized worldwide for its brilliant fabrics, home accessories and manner items. The gardens are equally impressive with a deluxe stifling jungle imitating nature’s chaotic beauty right in the spotlight of the city.
Shopping in Bangkok is not partial to one or two streets. You’ll find dozens of malls, markets and luxury retail outlets throughout the city. The most standard are located around the Ploenchit-Ratchaprasong region, Sukhumvit Rd and Silom-Surawong-Patpong, with the fantastic Patpong night bazaar where you can choose up your souvenirs, fashion and Thai handicrafts. Don’t be shy to bargain in the advertise (nicely) as your dough can go a long way.
Bangkok’s foremost river, the Chao Phraya is the place to be. invent a regal fleet stretching as far as your eyes can see. A convoy of superbly stamped regal barges leisurely sail into consider, manned by the regal Thai navy dressed in antique ceremonial uniforms. Each sailor rowing in complete unanimity, perfected through months of intense practice.
Thailand has a well deserved reputation as the “The Land of Smiles”. You’ll hear a welcoming meet and feel the real friendliness of the locals. One thing’s for steady, the memories of a vacation here will deferment with you for a period.
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If you are traveling overseas, it’s important to consider travel insurance. For the best value travel insurance and wonderful Fiji Holidays, talk to Flight Centre: http://www3.flightcentre.com.au/travel-extras/insurance/ STFC170309-2
Sphere: Related ContentFrustrated with Windows Vista?
Windows has dominated the personal computer operating system market for the last 14 years. And with every new version of Windows Microsoft releases, it seems there’s a higher price tag to go with it —just look at the retail prices for Windows Vista and you’ll see what I mean. New versions of Windows often means an expensive hardware upgrade just to run the operating system, especially a memory upgrade.
But if you thought your options ended with back-grading to XP, think again. There’s another operating system that’s growing in popularity around the world and it’s not Apple’s Mac OS X.
It’s called Linux and while it has had the reputation in the past of being the geek’s alternative, Linux is quickly becoming a viable alternative to Windows for everyday users.
It is already appearing in PCs and notebooks from Dell as well as the little Eee PC from ASUS, but best of all, Linux is absolutely free. Yes my friends, it’s fast, reliable and free.
There’s an investment in time required, but the actual operating system is free and there’s heaps of free support available via the Internet with Linux support forums offering world-class support and information springing up like weeds.
Welcome to Xubuntu Linux
There are dozens of different versions of Linux available and that’s because Linux is a bit like a Lego set set — you can pick and choose the bits you want and leave out those you don’t.
But if you’ve never tried Linux before, there are one or two versions, or distributions (that’s short for distribution), that are perfect for beginners — they mimic things that Windows does and in many cases, can actually do them better.
The one we’re going to look at is called Xubuntu. It’s a spin-off of Ubuntu, the most popular Linux distribution to date, but I think Xubuntu is ideal for beginners, because it’s almost the ‘Windows 98′ of the Linux world — it has a neat, user-friendly interface, but can happily run on older computers. So, if you have an older computer lying around, now’s the time to flash it up and give it a coat of paint.
Try before you install
Unlike Windows, many of the Linux distributions, including Xubuntu, allow you to use them on an almost try before you install basis, meaning you can actually use the operating system direct from the installation CD without having to install anything on your computer’s hard drive.
This special type of installation CD is known as a live CD, because the operating system is ready to go live on the CD — all you need to do is setup your PC to boot from the CD drive, load in the live CD, boot up and Xubuntu will start up.
It can take 2-3 minutes to finish booting. Not much longer than Windows Vista !
Your Windows hard drive remains intact. All you have to do to get back into Windows is to remove the CD, reboot and Windows will load as usual.
Some people always carry a Linux live CD with them so that if their Windows system breaks, they can at least boot into Linux and recover important files. In many cases they will be able to continue editing these files using applications like Open Office which comes bundled free with many Linux Live CD distributions.
However, Xubuntu is ideal if you have an old computer lying around and you’d like to learn and play around with Linux. It just needs a PC with a lO Gig hard drive and 256M of memory. If it has a 400MHz or faster processor, you’re good to go.
Download your new operating system
The first thing you need to do is download the operating system, which you can do directly from the Xubuntu Web site. Just go to Google and do a search on Xubuntu 8.04 download. Alternatively search on Xubuntu Live CD.
This software is a completely free operating system that you download as what’s called an ISO image, which just means the data of a CD stored as a single file. It’s about 590M of download, but that’s smaller than most similar versions. Your best bet is to set this up to download overnight if you’re on dialup or low-speed broadband.
Once you have your ISO you will need to burn it to a bootable CD. Programs like Nero or Burn4free can help you there.
Setting up your PC
The last thing you need to do before giving Linux a go is to make sure your PC or notebook is ready to boot up from your CD-ROM drive. For the vast majority of PCs this will be the default setting, so the best bet is to try and boot the Xubuntu disk.
If the disk doesn’t boot automatically when you restart, you’ll need to check either the notebook or desktop motherboard manual to locate how to make the CD drive the first priority boot device. This involves getting into the CMOS or BIOS setup of the computer. If you’re not sure about doing this, rope in a knowledgeable mate who can help you. At worst, your local computer shop should be able to set it up for you in about three minutes.
Linux is one of the best value downloads on the Internet. It can make an old PC useful again, help recover a Windows PC and comes with a bunch of powerful applications. You will find that for most Windows applications, there is a free Linux equivalent.
About the Author:
If your looking for affordable Brisbane web design, contact johnhacking.com For web design pricing, contact johnhacking.com.
Sales Training Book Review
I’ve just finished reading Ross Macmahon’s sales training manual
titled “40 Days to sales Excellence”.
Although not a light read, because is is so jam-packed full of vital information, there are some excellent strategies explored for seasoned professionals as well as people new to the profession.
Topics include:
* Do The 2% challenge to double your results
* Become the “Lucky Salesman” to easily lift results
* Create Questions that get you closer to the sale
* Investigating and developing company, product and personal USP’s (Unique Selling Points).
* Creating ‘radio adverts’ (elevator pitches) for all parts of the sales presentation.
* Learn the secrets of the Lazy Salesman “Free Accelerators” – power techniques to quickly and easily lift results.
* Learn the importance of creating personal measure to get continuous improvement
* Performing proposals and how to create them
* Personal PR – How and why
* Breaking the Procrastination cycle to put more time in your day
* Partnership to success
* Performance presentations for the professional salesperson
* Getting your momentum back
* Qualification to enhance your selling by up to 10% or more
* First impressions – we can all do better
* Referrals and creating a program to make it happen
* The internal sale – is it your most important sale?
For more information, please visit the sales training manual web site. You will be pleased you did. The accompanying sales training course is available here.
Sphere: Related ContentTropical Fiji – the Island previously Known for Cannibals
If you fly directly east from northern Queensland for 2500 kilometres, you will be over Fiji. Looking down, you would see more than 800 islands — some large enough to hold thousands of people, others are very small. Perhaps 100 of these island are inhabited. If you flew down to 1323 metres while over the island of Viti Levu, you might hit the top of Tomanivi, Fiji’s highest peak. South-east of Tomanivi is Suva, the capital of Fiji. Main cities include Nadi, Sigatoka and Lautoka on Viti Levu and Labasa and Savusavu on Vanua Levu.
Fiji was populated for more than 3000 years before contact with Europeans. Most people living in Fiji had come from other islands in Melanesia, although some came from Polynesia and Micronesia. Villages developed their own traditions and language. Although the Dutch visited Fiji in the 1600s, regular visits from Europeans did not begin until traders and missionaries made contact with the natives in the early 1800s. This delay was partly due to the reputation of Fijians as ruthless man-eaters.
In 1874, Fiji was declared a British colony. The British brought to Fiji many thousands of Indian labourers to work on the sugar farms. Native Fijians resented so many non-Fijians settling in their land, and the British government introduced laws that banned non-Fijians from owning land. Fiji became an independent country on 10 October 1970 with a system of government based on that of Britain.
About 800 000 people live in Fiji. The nearest Australian city in size is Adelaide, with a population of 1050 000 people. Three-quarters of the population live on the island of Viti Levu. Indigenous Fijians make up about 50 per cent of the population, with Indian Fijians accounting for 45 percent. The remaining five per cent are of European or Chinese or people from other Pacific Islands.
Most Fijians live in rural areas, but the number of people migrating to the cities has increased. Life for indigenous Fijians in rural areas revolves around their village. Each village has a chief, who is usually a man. The way of life in the villages is communal, with everybody helping everyone else. Indigenous Fijians speak Fijian and English.
Indian Fijians speak Fijian Hindi and English. Although most Indian Fijian families have lived in Fiji for many generations, their culture remains similar to families in India. Women wear saris, and most marriages are organised by parents when their children are young.
Fiji, like Australia, has a high literacy rate. About 90 per cent of Fijians can read and write (in Australia, it is 98 per cent). However, unlike Australia, education is not compulsory in Fiji, but it is encouraged. The government pays for children to attend, school until year nine, then fees must be paid by students’ families. Most schools are run by religious or community organisations. Fiji also has the University of the South Pacific and the Fiji School of Medicine.
Most Fijians work on the land, and the main crops are sugar and coconuts. Fishing is a large part of Fiji’s agricultural economy. Gold mines also provide work and much-needed income for the country. Fiji’s most important industry is tourism, and many of Fiji’s tourists are Australian. In 1987 and 2000, military coups discouraged foreigners from visiting Fiji, which resulted in economic hardship.
Fiji’s major attractions are its natural attributes: the sea, the highlands and the islands. Most visitors to Fiji go to enjoy the beaches, with diving and snorkelling being popular pastimes. The Mamanuca group of islands, off the west coast of Viti Levu, have some of the country’s most beautiful beaches. The Abaca Cultural and Recreational Park, north-east of Nadi, contains waterfalls, rainforests and walking tracks that guide visitors through unimaginable beauty.
In 2000, George Spejght, an indigenous Fijian, led a coup against the Fijian Government. Speight and his followers kept Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and other Politicians captive for more than three weeks before releasing them and forming their own government. Chaudhry is of Indian Fijian descent. Speight claimed he was representing indigenous Fijians who did not want Indian Fijians to have political rights. Speight was arrested, and power was given to a newly elected president.
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If you are looking for great value Fiji holidays visit escapetravel.com.au. Escape travel has an exciting selection of cheap holidays for all budgets and tastes. ET181208-5
Had it with Windows Vista ? – There is an Alternative
Windows has dominated the personal computer operating system market for the last 14 years. And with every new version of Windows Microsoft releases, it seems there’s a higher price tag to go with it —just look at the retail prices for Windows Vista and you’ll see what I mean. New versions of Windows often means an expensive hardware upgrade just to run the operating system, especially a memory upgrade.
But if you thought your options ended with back-grading to XP, think again. There’s another operating system that’s growing in popularity around the world and it’s not Apple’s Mac OS X.
It’s called Linux and while it has had the reputation in the past of being the geek’s alternative, Linux is quickly becoming a viable alternative to Windows for everyday users.
It is already appearing in PCs and notebooks from Dell as well as the little Eee PC from ASUS, but best of all, Linux is absolutely free. Yes my friends, it’s fast, reliable and free.
There’s an investment in time required, but the actual operating system is free and there’s heaps of free support available via the Internet with Linux support forumns offering world-class support and information springing up like weeds.
Welcome to Xubuntu Linux
There are dozens of different versions of Linux available and that’s because Linux is a bit like a Lego set set — you can pick and choose the bits you want and leave out those you don’t.
But if you’ve never tried Linux before, there are one or two versions, or distributions (that’s short for distribution), that are perfect for beginners — they mimic things that Windows does and in many cases, can actually do them better.
The one we’re going to look at is called Xubuntu. It’s a spin-off of Ubuntu, the most popular Linux distribution to date, but I think Xubuntu is ideal for beginners, because it’s almost the ‘Windows 98′ of the Linux world — it has a neat, user-friendly interface, but can happily run on older computers. So, if you have an older computer lying around, now’s the time to flash it up and give it a coat of paint.
Try before you install
Unlike Windows, many of the Linux distributions, including Xubuntu, allow you to use them on an almost try before you install basis, meaning you can actually use the operating system direct from the installation CD without having to install anything on your computer’s hard drive.
This special type of installation CD is known as a live CD, because the operating system is ready to go live on the CD — all you need to do is setup your PC to boot from the CD drive, load in the live CD, boot up and Xubuntu will start up.
It can take 2-3 minutes to finish booting. Not much longer than Windows Vista !
Your Windows hard drive remains intact. All you have to do to get back into Windows is to remove the CD, reboot and Windows will load as usual.
Some people always carry a Linux live CD with them so that if their Windows system breaks, they can at least boot into Linux and recover important files. In many cases they will be able to continue editing these files using applications like Open Office which comes bundled free with many Linux Live CD distributions.
However, Xubuntu is ideal if you have an old computer lying around and you’d like to learn and play around with Linux. It just needs a PC with a lO Gig hard drive and 256M of memory. If it has a 400MHz or faster processor, you’re good to go.
Download your new operating system
The first thing you need to do is download the operating system, which you can do directly from the Xubuntu Web site. Just go to Google and do a search on Xubuntu 8.04 download. Alternatively search on Xubuntu Live CD.
This software is a completely free operating system that you download as what’s called an ISO image, which just means the data of a CD stored as a single file. It’s about 590M of download, but that’s smaller than most similar versions. Your best bet is to set this up to download overnight if you’re on dial-up or low-speed broadband.
Once you have your ISO you will need to burn it to a bootable CD. Programs like Nero or Burn4free can help you there.
Setting up your PC
The last thing you need to do before giving Linux a go is to make sure your PC or notebook is ready to boot up from your CD-ROM drive. For the vast majority of PCs this will be the default setting, so the best bet is to try and boot the Xubuntu disk.
If the disk doesn’t boot automatically when you restart, you’ll need to check either the notebook or desktop motherboard manual to locate how to make the CD drive the first priority boot device. This involves getting into the CMOS or BIOS setup of the computer. If you’re not sure about doing this, rope in a knowledgeable mate who can help you. At worst, your local computer shop should be able to set it up for you in about three minutes.
Linux is one of the best value downloads on the Internet. It can make an old PC useful again, help recover a Windows PC and comes with a bunch of powerful applications. You will find that for most Windows applications, there is a free Linux equivalent.
About Author
If your looking for a Brisbane web designer, contact johnhacking.com For corporate and group SEO Training, contact Search Tempo.
Sphere: Related ContentIs every stainless steel bottle created equal? Protecting your health and the planet
There are two stainless steel mixing bowls in my kitchen cupboard. One seems more solid and has aged gracefully with use, the scratches are almost absorbed into the worn smooth metal surface, and it remains a grayish stainless steel colour. The second, purchased at a discount store, has taken a distinct yellow tinge and is showing tarnish, its surface seeming artificially glossy.
I understand now that there are different grades of stainless steel and the quality will affect how it wears and what toxins it may impart to food or liquids stored in it. How will this quality affect my choice of a stainless steel drink bottle? There are important features to think about when choosing a reusable stainless steel bottle
Stainless steel is always made using chromium, because it is what makes steel “stainless”. Other elements are also used including nickel, nitrogen and molybdenum. These elements can leech into liquids, so it is very important that the bottle is made from high quality, 18/8 food-grade stainless steel – but also that you trust the manufacturer is telling the truth when they state what the bottle is made from. Some will claim to make the bottle from the thinnest and cheapest stainless steel they can in order to cut manufacturing costs and hence pump up profits.
Other features are also important:
- Are the lids made from a BPA free plastic?
- Can you see sharp corners or joins inside where dirt and bacteria can build up?
- Is the thread around the screw top easily cleaned?
- Will the lid leak and can you buy a replacement lid without buying a whole new bottle?
- Does the manufacturer provide a guarantee?
Consider who the manufacturer is. Do they have a long history of quality, who are the real people behind the company and what is their story? In 2004, Klean Kanteen was the first company to make a water bottle from stainless steel. They have continued to lead the way with innovative stainless steel products. Another leading sports hydration company making high quality stainless steel bottles is Nathan, using a clever straw drinking mechanism. Perhaps the grandparent of all stainless steel is Thermos, whose name has become synonymous with insulated bottles for hot water. Many of us grew up taking “the thermos” on a picnic.
From an environmental point of view, is a stainless steel bottle more eco friendly than a plastic bottle? A Life Cycle assessment study published in the New York Times in 2009, considered the environmental and health impact of stainless steel bottle from the extraction and processing of its ingredients, to its manufacture, distribution, use and final disposal. It found that if your stainless steel bottle takes the place of 50 plastic bottles, the climate is better off.
From a human point of view, who made the bottle and was that person treated fairly and compensated for their time. This is the hardest criteria to judge because few of us can actually visit the factories in China where most of the bottles are made. We can at least always go to the manufacturer’s website and ensure they have published a statement about their factory and worker conditions. Again, as with most things in life, we have to make a judgement call on whether we trust the company and what they are saying.
Written by Tracey Bailey, Founder of Biome eco friendly retail stores.
Sphere: Related ContentWhat is Polished Concrete ?
Concrete floor polishing was initially used for a matter of function in commercial buildings and warehouses as it increases lighting using the natural reflection off the floor, eliminates dusting and is extremely low maintenance saving time and money. Polished concrete techniques have advanced and technology now allows a qualified contractor to add colour and different finishes to the concrete making each floor unique which has made polished concrete floors the ideal after flooring solution for residential, retail and office buildings as it is functional and visually appealing.
Concrete is made from natural materials and can also be mixed with some recycled materials; the concrete itself can also be recycled. Concrete is so versatile as its durable, the materials are readily available and it can absorb then release heat better than other floor coverings as concrete polishing doesn’t alter the thermal mass of the floor which is a property that enables materials to absorb, store than release heat.
The materials in concrete absorb the energy slowly and hold it for a long period of time which can help to reduce heating and cooling requirements. Concrete floor polishing eliminates any need for additional floor coverings, all of which would require manufacturing and transportation so polished concrete reduces the effects on the environment. Depending of the quality and condition of the concrete, polished concrete has a longer life cycle than traditional floor coverings and if correctly installed by a qualified specialist in concrete floor polishing it can last forever which reduces the environmental waste which would be caused by replacing carpet, vinyl and tiles.
A polished concrete floor will resemble a polished stone floor; with a high-gloss finish the floor will have a mirror like effect. Polished concrete floors also improve the air quality, unlike carpet it doesn’t trap pollutants or bacteria and the surface is reflective which will reduce the need for unnatural lighting. Polished concrete has many more benefits which cannot be achieved from any other traditional floor covering. The concrete floor polishing process uses non-toxic chemicals, and no sealers or solvents are required.
Concrete floor polishing is created by processing the concrete surface by means of a mechanical process which involves grinding and refining the surface using diamonds till a desired finish is achieved, this process takes some time and only a qualified specialist in concrete floor polishing should be appointed to install a polished concrete floor. Polished concrete enhances the new or existing concrete which reduces the use of energy draining manufacturing processes and fossil fuels used for traditional floor coverings.
There are many different results that come from polished concrete floors by using multiple abrasives which are measured in grits which are generally applied from roughest to finest and each density will refine the surface in preparation for the desired finish. A specialist in concrete floor polishing may use up to nine different grits to achieve the durability, reflection and clarity of polished concrete and will apply a densifier which has a chemical reaction in the concrete resulting in a hard crystalline structure making the concrete floor more durable and resistant to stains, offers extra protection to the floor and prevents water from penetrating the surface. These reasons and more are why polished concrete is the eco-friendly and sustainable flooring solution which cannot be compared to any other flooring option available.
Concrete flooring is a great option. If you are considering polished concrete in Brisbane or concrete polishing in Brisbane , and would like a free onsite evaluation call (07) 5549 3573 now. We have offer our unique high-gloss finished backed with a 10 year warranty in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.
Sphere: Related ContentGet Married in Paradise? So many choices for your and your wedding party!
When you get married, it is all about the love, sharing that special day with your partner, family and friends. However, as air fares get cheaper and destinations more accessible, it is becoming more and more common for couples to take their weddings off-shore, or off-state to a new and romantic location.
Why is this becoming popular? Firstly, it allows you tailor your wedding around a favourite holiday destination or place of significance. Did you dream of getting married on the beach, frangipanis in your hair and a golden sunset, but you are stuck in the city? Dream no more, tropical weddings are affordable and professional with many tropical destinations offering specialist wedding and honeymoon packages.
Destinational wedding packages can be tailored to suit your dreams. From romantic couple only escapes to complete family and friends getaways.
When thinking of taking your wedding away, beachside nuptials appear to be the preferred escape and Cairns, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia is the perfect destination. Cairns offers happy couples a variety of options. A ceremony on the beach, with the sand between your toes, or something more formal in a seaside chapel, followed by a beach reception with tables set up in the sand. Arrive by car, or for something different, you can kayak or even sky dive into your nuptials. Many couples have experienced the thrill of this in Cairns, Australia and it brings a whole new meaning to pre-wedding jitters or nerves.
Is this not close enough to the water for you? In Cairns, you can even get married underwater, while diving the Great Barrier Reef. Don’t believe me! ~ It has been done, underwater photographers are available to capture your special moment with nemo and a graceful sea turtle as your witness.
If that is too extreme, but you want to include a visit to the Reef in your destinational wedding, then simply plan a half day or full day trip around your nuptials. There are plenty of combinations available in Cairns Australia, from a helicopter trip to an isolated coral cay, to an exclusive charter taking you to a remote, pristine coral reef.
What about your guests? Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia are considered a must visit destination for many people. Everyone wants to go there, most just need an excuse. Make your wedding a trip of a lifetime for you and your guests by bringing them to Cairns.
As well as being a part of your special day, this tropical paradise offers a range of exciting activities. Reef trips, rainforest excursions, beach horse riding, tropical taste tours and some of the world’s leading spa retreats are all found here.
If you lean more green than blue in your wedding choices, Cairns is the only place on earth where World Heritage tropical rainforest slides down to meet the golden beaches and fringes of the Great Barrier Reef.
These are the world’s oldest continually surviving tropical rainforests and you can get married here, celebrating your love in this pristine nature’s paradise. Let towering cathedral figs be your altar, mossy pavers your aisle and falling leaves your confetti. Rainforest weddings can be as formal or informal as you like. A range of chapels are nestled amongst the greenery for more traditional ceremonies, or slip off your shoes and take your celebrant somewhere remote for a memorable ceremony.
Your guests will thank you for bringing them to this amazing tropical paradise. When they are not at your wedding, they can enjoy luxurious accommodation, explore the reef and rainforest, cuddle a koala or even take an outback tour.
There are many activities to choose from that the wedding party and guests can enjoy. There could be activities such as shopping, snorkeling, boat rides, guided tours or even wine tasting. Just keep in mind that it is typically the bride or groom or their families footing the bill so be sure not to tell your guests the cost of the bill because they more than likely would feel uncomfortable having someone else paying for them.
The great part of destination weddings is that it is usually more intimate and typically only the close family and friends come. So you could have more personal activities. You could have a sleepover the night before the wedding and have everyone over to the hotel for movies, drinks, and popcorn.
Just remember that for many of your guests your destination wedding may double as their vacation. So be sure to find out their plans so that you don’t over book. Some guests may choose to plan their own activities.
Any activities you choose, your destination wedding will be sure to be special and a long lasting memory for many years to come.
When planning your destinational wedding, make sure you use a professional Cairns wedding photographer, because you will want to capture your Cairns Wedding Photography in the best possible light. Photographers can also capture amazing images of you, whilst scuba diving in Cairns
Sphere: Related ContentCommunicating a Service Offering in Cairns
Because services are intangible, marketing communications for services do more than sell services. Communications make services more tangible, and offer prospects something firm to evaluate.
As a result, marketing communications for most services drag around a heavier burden than communications for products. A bright red Porsche 911 convertible, for example, shouts loudly and beautifully for itself. Very few services speak for themselves at all.
We implicitly trust most products. We trust that our new tyres won’t blow out, our brown sugar will taste sweet, and our aspirin will reduce our headaches without bad side effects. But we are far less trusting and certain about most services.
We fret that our solicitors and auto mechanics will do more than necessary, and charge more than is warranted. We worry that the latest weight loss service will fail, just like the five before it. We worry that our home renovators will extend their budget and complete the job weeks after they promised. We worry that the collection agency we engage for our service will badger our customers worth keeping and collect only a small part of our outstanding receivables.
So unlike communicating about products, talking about services must make the service more tangible and real, and must soothe the worried prospect. It’s not like selling Porsche automobiles.
For more information about services marketing and making services more concrete, visit Rob Johnson’s Twitter page. Sponsored by Rob Johnson of http://seocairns.seovoodoo.com.au/
Sphere: Related ContentRaising Donations Using Direct Mail
A direct mail campaign is often the most practical way to reach many donors. Sending letters also is a simple way to raise money. There is no need to recruit, train, manage and motivate a large team. A few talented individuals can run the entire operation. And you will find you will get a lot more volunteers to fold and stuff envelopes than to cold-call potential contributors. That’s not to say all one must do is write a letter, post or e-mail it, and wait for the returns.
What makes mail solicitations difficult is that they are one-sided. No allowance exists for a campaign worker to personally motivate prospects. The most enthusiastic letter simply cannot match the conversation between a skilled solicitor and an open-minded potential supporter. Lacking aggressive salesmanship, only minimum gifts can be expected, no matter how well written the solicitation letter and enclosures may be.
Here’s another angle to ponder. Assume that I’m a small-gift prospect with some interest in your charity. There’s a good chance that I’ll donate generously to your appeal if you knock on my door or phone because your enthusiasm and presentation will be hard to resist. And how many other organisations will solicit me in these ways? Very few. But send me a solicitation letter and you place your request in the midst of enormous competition for my same gift dollar. And because it’s a letter, I have little problem withstanding its impersonal nature. If your organisation is not among my very favorites, you won’t receive a contribution of any consequence.
You see, although I think highly of your organisation, I have a table covered with fundraising letters, from the best known national charities to all sorts of noteworthy school and local groups. I am overwhelmed with mail appeals. After sorting through them and making my top-ranked selections, I find my charitable budget is about depleted. But I still care about your cause, so here’s ten bucks to show you my heart’s in the right place.
With these factors as a downside, letter solicitations produce highly profitable income derived from small-gifts for organizations that plan and carry out meticulous programs. However, first-class mailing programs get extremely involved, both creatively and from a marketing standpoint. There are six elements to understand before considering a direct mail campaign:
1. Fundraising by mail is an ongoing component of annual fundraising programs. In capital campaigning, letter writing is a tool for wrapping up an appeal and giving thanks.
2. Ongoing mail appeals focus equally on retaining and upgrading present contributors while discovering and cultivating new prospects to make up for donors lost to attrition and to enlarge the group of donors. Present givers won’t always be an available source of funding.
3. Donors via mail don’t come free. Depending on the package, to obtain a new contributor, you can spend from $1.30 to $1.60 (or more) for each initial dollar raised from that person.
4. Mail programs are long-term propositions and instant financial rewards are unusual.
5. Be clear who you designate as a donor and who you label a prospect. Donors are people currently contributing to your campaign. Someone who gave you a gift two years ago or a person who once contributed a painting to your auction are prospects, not donors. Get used to thinking of three distinct groups: current donors, past donor prospects, and new prospects.
6. Some prospects have more interest in and knowledge about an organisation than others. Cultivated potential donors are first approached because they represent the highest rate of return. For instance, a past donor prospect is a better bet to send you a new donation than someone who once came to a special event that you held. The person who came to the special event is more likely to fund you than someone who never heard of your group.
In planning a full scale mail campaign, don’t lose sight of the fundamental fundraising requirements. Make sure your project has compelling goals, high visibility, specific, attractive, and timely needs.
Additionally, make sure your group has start-up funds on hand for what can become a relatively large investment to get the program rolling. For example, depending on the scale of your operation, you might want to engage a letter shop or mail house to provide the many functions necessary to get your direct mail package to recipients. This is an expensive proposition.
Or you might opt to subscribe to an online software provider to help drive your mail program. Since the highest percentage of return comes from current contributors, they are the first group to target. If a goal is reachable by only contacting these people, expenses will be minimal and your problems will be solved. If that’s not realistic, additional prospects who might fund your project would need to be reached. That’s fine so long as you realize that their percentage of return will be far less than supporters.
For instance, you send a letter to current donors and perhaps {30|40|50} percent of them respond with {donations|gifts}. A letter sent to brand-new {potential donors|prospects} typically yields responses of around 0.5 percent to 2 percent. Until you’ve won over a new potential {donor|giver}, don’t expect relatively large {donations|contributions}. A return of 5 percent to 12 percent can be expected from present donors.
If your group, school or {sports club|club} is looking for fundraising ideas and easy fundraisers, have a look at Goldstar Gifts and Stationery’s easy to manage ideas for fundraising.
Sphere: Related ContentPostcard from Manila
Manila is the political and economic focal point of the Philippines, and it serves as a honey-pot for residents from all over the Philippines. For most visitors from North America or Australia, this metropolis does not seem to merit more than a few days’ visit, after which the tranquility of the provinces may seem all that much more attractive. Although a visit to Manila can be taxing, it nevertheless gives the tourist important insights into the culture, history and politics of this island republic, insights that stem from its very wealth of contradictions.
In the sights of foreign conquerors
Natives who settled at the mouth of the Pasig River in Manila have seen a great many rulers come and leave. The first to come were the Malaysians, who arrived in the Philippines during the pre-Christian era. Hindu and Buddhist leaders from Indonesia followed. Islam got to Manila at the end of the fifteenth century. The Muslim reign established in the mid-sixteenth century had been in existence for barely a decade when Spanish Catholic seafarers appeared on the horizon.
Colonial Manila
Miguel de Legaspi conquered Manila in 1571, declaring it to be the capital of the Spanish colony of the Philippines. Despite the ravages of World War II, when Manila was heavily bombed, traces of the city’s colonial past are still in evidence, particularly in the Intramuros district. Intramuros, literally “within the walls”, meaning within the wall enclosure of the city/fortress. The city centre, with its partially restored wall , is the site of a number of sixteenth-century buildings including Fort Santiago, Manila Cathedral and the church of San Augustin, the oldest in the city.
At the centre of power
The heart of Manila is now elsewhere, in Makati, the modern commercial and banking quarter. Elegant high rises, gorgeous residential groves, super-modern shopping centres and numerous international hotels can be seen. The modern development of this quarter began in the mid-twentieth century. Like much of the development in Manila, Makati is closely connected to the politically powerful Zobel de Ayala family. The family name is found throughout the city, on streets, buildings and public monuments.
They come here not only to pray
Pasay City is located in the south-west of Manila across the superhighway from high-class Makati. On Wednesdays, Pasay is overrun with people. In Baclaran, the faithful crowd into Redemption Church, where weekly services are held in honour of the Virgin Mary. But one suspects that even more Manilans make their way to Pasay in order to patronize the neighbourhood’s famous lech6n stands, known to be the best source of that quintessential Philippine specialty, roast suckling pig.
A bit of folk culture
Throughout Manila, a light rail station is never far away. If your stomach is complaining after a feast of suckling pig, a gentle ride on this elevated railway is highly recommended. The trip back to town can also be made by Jeepney, of course, though it will be slower and more crowded.
Jeepneys were originally former US Army surplus jeeps that had been made into passenger vehicles with as many as fourteen covered seats. These days, however, most Jeepneys come fresh from the factory. Beautiful painting and ornamentation are a prerequisite for genuine Jeepney status. Most have Catholic religious figures as their central theme, but they may include lighthearted comic strip images.
Many Jeepneys are so thoroughly covered in advertising that they resemble moving billboards, while others looks like temples on wheels. What’s important for visitors to remember, however, is that Jeepneys follow specific routes, just like buses. It is always best to inquire about the route before getting on board.
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Sphere: Related ContentWorking from Home
Working from home is becoming more and more fashionable. I work from home and I love it. I don’t think I could ever toil at an office again, but I must face the possibility that I may have to move my business into business premises if it keeps growing like it has in the last few years. Even if parts of my enterprise move out of home, I’ll try to stay there myself as much as I can.
Times are changing and working from home, particularly for the self-employed or contract employees is becoming more common. It is pointless paying rent for commercial premises if it isn’t necessary. Working from home has many advantages.
You can work back late without getting into strife with your family. You can “drop into the office” anytime you like. You can get up really early if the mood takes you and put in a few hours work then go back to bed. But as a massage therapist, there is one feature I really like, all the tax benefits!
You can claim some of your home-running expenses on your tax return. Based on the floor area used for business purposes, you can claim a portion of your mortgage interest, insurance, rates, water, electricity, maintenance and the bulk of your telephone bill as well as depreciation on the carpets, curtains, computer equipment and so on. At the end of the financial year you will be surprised by the list of deductions.
You will also save on travel costs, wear and tear on your car and more importantly wear and tear on you, having not to deal with peak hour or public transport. Not to mention picking up approximately an extra one to two hours per day of work when you don’t have to travel.
There is a downside to working from home. The first problem is family distractions. Kids home from school at three o’clock, a friend at the front door, phone calls for other members of the family.
You also may not have the perfect workspace, or space may be limited. Work space is vitally important, you must have an area set aside purely for business, nothing else, just business. I have found that it’s best also if you can close the door on the weekends and at the end of the day so you can “leave work”.
I think many of the perceptions of people that working from home is “unprofessional” have lapsed into history. The number of major companies that allow their workers to work from home via the internet has increased dramatically in recent times. “Outsourcing” has become a commonly used term and this has brought about a spate of self-employed former employees, most of them working from home.
The other problem that many people working from home suffer is motivation and discipline. You must start work everyday just as you would if you were employed by someone else.
Want to work from home in your own home based business for women? You can learn more about starting your own profitable and flexible home business.
Sphere: Related ContentExciting Hong Kong
Hong Kong greets visitors from all over the world with a wide smile. The urban embodiment of the compromise between Chinese and European cultures, Hong Kong has long been one of the most exciting business centres on earth.
Few travel to Hong Kong for the sights; they come for business and excitement. Hong Kong is so lively it sizzles like the oil in the woks of its ubiquitous street vendors. Little has changed since the 1997 return of the British colony of Hong Kong to China. The city that flourished through co-operation between the Chinese and British societies is, if anything, more fascinating and colourful than ever before.
Opium highs and wars.
In the early eighteenth century, the first British traders to arrive at what would become Hong Kong, found only a few fishing huts. The region had no importance at all within the Chinese Empire and had been ignored for centuries.
The British built a trade port here in 1711, and it thrived during the early nineteenth century when goods from China were in fashion in Europe.
As the fashion for things Chinese declined the British began to deal in opium instead, harvesting it in India and importing it illegally into China, where the Qing dynasty emperor had banned its sale. When the Chinese tried to halt the imports, the British responded with military force.
The resulting Opium Wars (1838-1856) were devastating for China. In 1842, the British took control of the city of Hong Kong and it became a British colony. A 1898 pact with China made Hong Kong and 234 nearby islands a British protectorate for ninety-nine years. The treaty expired in 1997.
Negotiations took place in 1982 to modify the original agreement in order to protect Hong Kong’s special status. China had originally demanded control not only of the so-called “New Territories” around the city, but also of Hong Kong itself. Through a series of agreements and concessions, Great Britain was able to prevent Hong Kong from being directly absorbed into mainland China. Instead, on 1 July 1997, Hong Kong was declared a Chinese Special Administrative Region.
Office Blocks and feng shui.
Hong Kong’s special status has allowed it to remain a modern economic city. Despite its visible modernity, traditional ways of life are never far beneath the surface. The ancient Chinese art of feng shui is still applied to new constructions, where measurements are configured according to lucky numbers and windows positioned so as to let good luck in and bad luck out.
Skyscrapers loom where splendid colonial buildings once stood, only a few of which have remained. In the central district, the Cathedral of St. John, the former French Residence and the Legislative Council Building are among the few pre-modern buildings that remain.
Omnipresent Buddha.
Traditional life has a strong influence in the New Territories than in the city itself. Stunning temple complexes abound, built in traditional style in tranquil settings. 10,000 Buddhas Monastery is one of the most visited. This number represents “very many” or “countless” in Chinese, rather than a specific number of Buddhas.
In fact, there are more than 10,000, perhaps as many as 13,000. The enormous bronze Buddha towering above Lo Pin Monastery on the island of Lantau is the largest Buddha in the world, measuring 26 metres tall. Visitors can climb a steep path of 260 steps to reach it. The panoramic view from the top definitely rewards the effort, as does the spiritual enlightenment achieved along the way.
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Sphere: Related ContentSelling Your Vehicle
Unless you are considering keeping your old vehicle and passing it on to someone else, you will eventually need to sell it. There’s many ways to sell it, but first let’s discuss the preparation of your vehicle prior to advertising or trading.
Presentation is the key factor
The first thing one should consider when selling an old vehicle is how you can sell it for more money. The technique, which most people seem to overlook, is to simply make it look absolutely beautiful!
This does not mean just washing and vacuuming it, although that’s a good start. It is the overall preparation and detailing that counts. This is a well-known secret of most used car dealers.
You would be surprised to see the condition of some of the vehicles they purchase, but after a few hours in the detailing shop you wouldn’t think it was the same vehicle! The best advice to anyone selling his or her car, is to have a professional car detail carried out. This will cost you around the $200 mark and it will be money well invested.
It will, in effect, save you hours of hard work trying to do it yourself with nowhere near the same result. This alone will add hundreds of dollars to your vehicle, particularly when selling online.
I know of people who have had their vehicle detailed and fallen back in love with their car deciding not to go ahead with the sale.
Once the detailing has been completed you should make sure any small defects are fixed. It is also important that you have the service books and any relative mechanical history at the ready, as this is now becoming a critical factor when buying or selling a used vehicle. If a service is due or near due, make sure you have it done prior to selling. This will give a prospective customer a good idea of how well you have kept your vehicle.
What is your car worth?
Before you start selling your vehicle, either privately or to a dealer, you must know its market value. There is nothing worse than advertising your vehicle with a highly inflated price.
One way to find out the approximate value of your vehicle is by studying the used car section of your local newspapers, which will give you a reasonable guide. Another way is to look in dealership yards to see what price similar vehicles are being sold for, but you must remember these vehicles have profit margins built into them to cover the dealer’s operating costs and over-stock.
Alternatively, the internet can provide a wealth of information on vehicle valuations. This is only web-based information and is generalised, so it does not give you accurate pricing on your own vehicle because of the specific condition and accessories fitted.
Web sites where you can gather this type of information are the individual dealership web sites and vehicle pricing-guide sites such as www.redbook.com.au and www.glassguide.com.au
This data is only to assist you in making a qualified and rational decision when buying or selling your vehicle. Remember, these sites are to be used only as a guideline, they are not entirely accurate as they do not take into consideration the individual buying or selling parameters within the different states.
There are always variations to the rules about pricing, so you should follow your intuition when setting a price and be sure to leave room for negotiating in your asking price. Your starting price should be higher than the price for which you really want to sell your vehicle.
For classic car rental and vintage car rental, check out http://egocars.com.au
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