Click Here 4 Cash!

Many new webmasters, and even seasoned web designers, create web sites that are very inefficient in regard to updates. Updating your site keeps visitors coming back day in and day out, while at the same time giving search engines plenty to index. Yet if the task of updating your web site is not an efficient one, hundreds and thousands of hours can be lost. Using simple solutions, such as content management systems, the efficiency of updating a web site can be improved dramatically.

The Trap of a “Simple” Web Site

When I first started learning web design, I learned enough to make a simple web page. “Cool! I made a web page!” I thought. Indeed. Then I proceeded to make an entire web site, several hundred pages deep. “Cool! I made a web site!” Then came time to update the site. This is what I call the trap of a “simple web site.”

An inexperienced webmaster makes a web site using HTML with no CMS (Content Management System), no Style Sheets, no includes, then finds things need to be updated and goes through and changes every single page on the site. Mean while, a Webmaster using includes or a CMS is able to update his or her site in a fraction of the time.

Fortunately, the trap is very easy to escape, and if the problem is addressed right away, not much time is lost at all. The downside is that if you get stuck in the trap, you can spend countless hours making changes to your site that otherwise could have taken minutes.

Getting Out of the “Simple” Web Site Trap

To get out of the “simple” site trap, simply transfer your site to a CMS or use includes and style sheets. There are huge numbers of CMS solutions available. Some are free, some charge a one-time fee and others charge a subscription fee. To get the best service, you will have to pay a little more. Having someone there to answer your questions when you need them answered is a huge plus. Spending the extra money to get the extra service is often well worth the investment. If your budget is tight, Open Source CMS solutions are available for free. A good programmer can do a basic installation of such a system in a few hours. PHP Nuke is an example of one popular Open Source CMS.

Conclusion

Many CMS solutions do much more than just allow your web site to be updated easily. A top-notch solution will include email marketing, web forms, e commerce, members’ areas, lead management, and more. If you’ve found yourself in the “simple” site trap, the best thing you can do is get out right now. Still, careful research will ensure that you will get the most for your money.

Halstatt Pires is with the Internet marketing firm – www.marketingtitan.com – a San Diego Internet marketing and advertising company offering automated web site systems through www.businesscreatorpro.com.

Many websites have an “About Us” page. However, when you click on the “about us” button and reach some of these pages, often you do not learn much about who is behind the website. This is a pity, for you, but it is also a loss for the person who owns the website, for she has missed a chance to convince you why you should do business with her.

If you have a website which is trying to convince your viewers to buy goods or services from you, here are some ways to use the “about us” section to back up and support your sales message.

1. Put your photo on the page. No one likes to deal with a faceless person. How would you feel if you went into a store and the sales people were hidden in shadows or had masks over their faces? You most certainly would find it odd. Similarly, when someone comes to your website and clicks on the “about us” button she wants to find out who she is dealing with. One of the best things you can do to answer this desire is to put your photograph or some of your staff photographs on this page. This immediately let’s your potential customer know that she is dealing with “real” people.

2. Explain your special features and why your visitor should do business with you. The Internet is crammed with websites selling almost the same goods and services, and in the case of affiliate sites, exactly the same products. Why should someone do business with you and not your competitor?

Suppose you have a site selling DVD rental plans. On your “About Us” page you could explain your passion, interest and knowledge of films and show how you have used this zeal to build a unique website. This information could make you stand out from the many other sites offering the same rental plans.

3. Don’t try to be what you are not. Anyone can build a slickly-designed corporate looking website and pretend that they have a huge organization, when in reality they are a home-based business working from one computer in their living room.

If you are a small business, don’t hide it. Often it works to your advantage because many people prefer to deal with one person or a few persons with whom they feel they will be able to communicate easily.

On the other hand, if you have a well-organized corporate structure, use the about us page to give some background on your set-up and to show how this organization serves the needs of its clients.

5. Give as much information as you can. Trust is one of the most important factors in successful selling on the Internet. You are asking your customers to take a leap of faith and send money to you, a complete stranger. Make it easier for them to do so by providing accurate information, contact details and anything else that will give people confidence in you.

So, take a look at your website’s About Us section, and see if you can provide the kind of information that will improve your website’s ability to build trust and convert your visitors into buyers.

Copyright 2004

Donald Nelson is a web developer, editor, and social worker. He has been
working on the Internet since 1995 and is the proprietor of A1-Optimization,
http://www.a1-optimization.com, a firm providing search engine optimization,
copywriting, reciprocal linking, and other web promotion services. He
publishes a monthly ezine, A1-Web Promotion Tips, available at
http://www.a1-optimization.com/newsletter.html

LCD, which usually stands for Liquid Crystal Displays, is a specific sort of telly display which has these days grown to be massively well-liked. LCD screens very recently are repeatedly found in personal computer displays. Similar kinds of trendy TVs would take account of plasma.

For an extended amount of time tubed televisions were visibly cheaper than any specific brand of Liquid Crystal Display or Plasma. Shoppers trusted and felt secure with them & they knew just where they stood with them & for certain the apparent motive was because they were economical. Now it’s an absolutely different story as tubed tellies have been deleted & been swapped by bargain TVs in the model of Plasma and LCD’s, what had formally been incredibly expensive are at the moment surprisingly discounted and of tremendous value for cash paid. Find great offers on a variety of products. Buy high definition television online today at Digital Direct!

It is at the moment likely to buy hi-def tellies at an unexpectedly cheap retail price. This is the most modern style of technology in regards to televisions. HD products have allowed countless kids to benefit from its crystal clear picture and sound. Hi-Def has taken over analog broadcasting & switched it with an all digital system. To observe full High Definition you will require a source of Hi-def TV signals, a tuner to collect and makes sense of those signals and a high performance display screen that can mimic the extraordinary detail and vibrant colours of High-definition TV pictures. You will also have to buy a TV that is HD compatible, it is feasible at the moment to obtain an inexpensive digital flat screen whether it is an LCD or Plasma that will be able to aid you to accomplish this.

With a digital TV you are likely to receive a considerably better image & mechanical quality. As a result you can now observe anything within the comfort of your own home.

When electricity prices were low, it was often difficult to justify the upfront expense of money required to install photovoltaic equipment, solar water heaters and similar equipment. The reason was simple to understand – it would simply take too long to recoup the cost of the equipment in the form of lower energy bills.

But that was then. As energy prices continue to go up, the amount of time required to recoup the upfront cost goes down. In addition, a number of state and local tax incentives make it even easier for homeowners to go solar and save money right away.

Solar power has already proven itself and its ability to lower energy costs substantially, and more and more homeowners are taking a serious look at converting their residences to solar power. The costs of installing solar panels is still high, with a typical two kilowatt installation of OVR Solar solar panels costing about £10,000 / ($20, 000) in most cases, but special tax incentives and long term energy savings can help homeowners recoup those upfront costs faster than ever before.

Subsidies are also now available. This tax savings can help eligible homeowners recoup some of the costs of installing solar panels and solar water heating systems up front, in addition to the energy savings they will enjoy down the road.

Any homeowner considering the installation of a solar system should be sure to check with his or her state and city to determine what types of tax breaks are available. It’s sensible to look into what help your local authorities are willing to provide. Just Google it to find out what help is available to you.

Breakeven point for your outlay may seem far away at todays prices – but what about at tomorrows?. However, as the prices for heating oil, gas and other forms of traditional energy continue to soar, so too will the desire for energy freedom.

How often have you heard yourself say, “I’ve got so many balls in the air I don’t know how I can possibly keep track of them all”.

We may be managing to keep the balls in motion, but how good is our juggling performance really? Are our movements controlled and rhythmic? Or are we merely gritting our teeth and hoping to catch the next ball before it falls on the ground?

Recently I was speaking with a colleague (we’ll call him Craig) who is a high achievement-oriented and well-regarded senior manager. He was overwhelmed by how much was on his plate. In addition to handling his high-pressure career, he had begun pursuing a post-graduate degree while he was already enrolled in another certificate program.

Furthermore, several projects at home also competed for his attention. In the midst of all this, Craig said that he was hoping to be able to continue to stick it out with the post-graduate degree, even though the workload was much more than he’d anticipated. To do anything other than persevere would be so out of character that it was inconceivable to him. In Craig’s words, “it would mean giving up”.

As we talked, I asked Craig whether there might be a more positive way of viewing the choices facing him. Rather than seeing the decision NOT to do something as GIVING UP…how could the decision be re-framed as CHOOSING TO FULFILL other important goals? Such a decision might mean choosing successful completion of a few key goals, rather than struggling to keep all the balls in motion.

In Craig’s situation, family commitments were at the top of his priority list. Instead of “giving up”, postponing the post-graduate degree meant that he could choose to successfully meet his family priorities, while completing his certificate program and performing effectively at work.

In trying to do it all right now, we can run the risk of not meeting our most critical goals and being out of synch with our core values.

As with many challenges in the business world, useful analogies can be drawn from nature. For example, a slowly meandering brook that enters a more narrow passage will eventually transform into a surging current. By narrowing the path, the energy of the water is channelled and results in greater momentum and power. Focus can provide the same effect for us in our work and our everyday lives.

Coach’s Question #1:
How are you diluting your focus and compromising your impact?

Somehow it can be easier for us to recognize this challenge at the organization level. When organizations stray too far from their core competencies, all too often they flounder and fail.

At the personal level this dynamic seems more difficult to acknowledge. There is something in our business culture than has difficulty with “less is more”. There seems to be an unwritten competition for the longest job description and most extensive “to do” list. We need to take a hard look at how this serves our effectiveness.

In my Coaching practice, I’ve noticed that the importance of focus is particularly critical when someone first moves into a new job or joins a new organization. It is tempting to want to immediately meet the needs of all stakeholders and attend to as much of the long-list of demands as possible. Yet, it has been observed that failure to generate a small list of early successes is a leading contributor to derailment of executives soon after they join a new organization. In fact, some enlightened companies dedicate resources to ensuring that new leaders determine these priorities quickly, establishing their list of 3 key wins as a formal action plan during an Onboarding Coaching process.

So how do you narrow down what you are going to address? Clearly determining the needs of your organization, your manager and your team is a critical step. Equally, if not more important, is doing an honest self-assessment of where it makes most sense for you, given your individual strengths, to spend your time.

Like many entrepreneurs, in running my own business I am constantly facing this Focus challenge. Being your own Finance, IT, Purchasing and Sales departments, as well as administrative assistant, can greatly dilute one’s efforts. Aligning myself with a team of individuals whom I can relay on for specific support is critical to ensuring I can keep my eye on my core business. It is very alluring to fall-back on the old adage “if I do it myself, I know it will get done”, but this of course can be a very limiting belief to growing your business.

I was recently challenged by my Coach (yes, conscientious coaches ensure that they also benefit from the power of coaching!) to look at ways I could enhance my focus by maximizing the time spent leveraging my strengths. Attending to detailed administration, for example, does not tap into my core passions to say the least. The outcome? I took the plunge and have hired a Virtual Assistant, Cindy, (her real name) who is a whiz at areas that are an inordinate burden for me. I can’t tell you how my shoulders lifted when I received my first email outlining all the tasks that Cindy would be handling for me. The momentum created by this decision is invaluable for me!

Coach’s Question #2:
How could your strengths guide your decisions as to what to focus on?

So, I leave you with an assignment…

OVER TO YOU…
What one thing could you stop doing today and in doing so, enhance your impact?

I’m interested in hearing about your reactions and learning pertaining to Focus. What have you recently stopped doing at work and how has this impacted how you are viewed by others? Send me an email with your feedback or questions to the info@development-by-design.com

Susan Edwards is President of Development by Design, a Business & Leadership Coaching and Human Resources Consulting form. Her Coaching clients are high potential leaders and profitable business owners who are redefining the terms of their success and taking their impact to a new level. She consults to Fortune 500 companies and smaller entrepreneurial organizations who are also committed to creating extraordinary impact with their customers, employees and shareholders. One of the niches of her practice is supporting new leaders and senior professionals in successfully transitioning into new organizations and “clearing the 90-day hurdle”. She is authoring a self-coaching workbook to support people in effectively navigating this transition. Visit Sue at http://www.development-by-design.com

When Panasonic first began developing a new leading range of televisions more or less around the year two thousand, their plan was:

(+) To deliver film performance so realistically, in order that TV viewers would believe that they are not purely viewing but in reality taking part in the action.

(+) To reinforce the belief of “actually being there” by absorbing the TV audiences in amazing audio. Visit www.soundandvisiononline.com for huge savings on many Panasonic Viera TVs.

(+) To develop the viewers experience by creating a glossy, chic, but entirely unobtrusive TV that wouldn’t distract the audience for more than a second from what’s happening on screen.

(+) To make using the television as effortless as practically possibly while also capitalising on its networking capacity.

(+) To imitate this aspiration, the newest range was decided to be advertised as VIERA: representing a new VIsion ERA. The end result became the biggest selling and prize-winning VIERA group of Plasma and Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) TVs that are available at this time, awarding you the following improvements:

Picture performance: Equipped with Panasonic’s developed V.Real II / V.Real Pro II technology – the upshot of years and years of dedicated study and improvement that has covered the extent of the television chain from beginning television cameras all the through to TVs in our kitchens – each and every VIERA brings pictures of mesmerising realism & beauty & puts you firmly at the central part of the live action.

Unparallel sound: Featuring the most current digital tuners & some super-slim inconspicuous loudspeakers all enclosed inside the glossy and lean casing of the VIERA itself, V.Audio sound immerses you within the on-screen action.

Sleek but unobtrusive design: From the TV to the cabinet stand, VIERA has attractive smooth lines that are nearly organic in look. This fresh approach has been the characteristic of VIERA TV’s ever since the early days and offers the sensation of roughly a “floating” screen – that doesn’t divert you from the on-screen action. Furthermore, VIERA TVs have been created from the ground up with the environmental surroundings carefully in mind & feature replenishable bamboo speakers, lead free building, & best practice manufacturing.

I think that people who are unfamiliar with mermaid stories will be surprised by them. Most probably think that the mermaid is a passive, vulnerable creature like the mermaid in the movie “Splash”. Nothing could be further from the truth. These are powerful beings with strong personalities. In various legends they cause storms, sink ships and drown the crews, cure illness, foretell the future and, of course, bewitch men.

The origin of the mermaid reveals the source of their strength: they were goddesses – and important ones at that. In the oldest religions the creator god is usually a goddess. Later goddesses are often associated with fertility which is another form of the power of creation. Long before the theory of evolution, the ancient philosophers believed that life came from the sea. From the intersection of these two ideas we have Aphrodite and Venus. Goddesses of love, and therefore fertility and creation, they are also associated with the sea. ‘Aphrodite’ means foam-born (born from the foam of the ocean waves). Venus is often associated with the sea as in Botticelli’s famous picture “The Birth of Venus” which shows the goddess riding in a scalloped seashell. Do not let the title “goddess of love” fool you. Aphrodite was also called the goddess of Life-in-Death, and was said to be the oldest of the Fates and punisher of the sinful. She was frequently cruel, jealous and proud.

I am using Aphrodite and Venus as examples of the fertility goddess but there are many others that share some or all of their attributes. From these goddesses come the legends of the mermaid. Mermaids are beautiful and Aphrodite and Venus are known for their beauty. There is a popular image of a mermaid combing her hair while she holds a mirror in her hand – the mirror and comb are symbols of Venus. Raising storms and dominion over the creatures of the sea are common attributes of sea gods.

Folk tales about mermaids incorporated these ideas. In folklore, mermaids are usually the aggressors. They are strong and willful and sometimes murderous. In some folk tales mermaids go on land to search for lovers. Lovers they will destroy when they are finished with them. If the local population gives them trouble they will call down on them monsters and foul weather. They have used their magical powers to curse individuals and entire families.

Mermaids, like the goddesses they evolved from, have a sunnier side, too, especially if they are treated with respect. They can be kind, generous, affectionate and loving. There is a family in Ireland that claims descent from a mermaid. She taught them the secrets of healing and made many of them famous physicians. Mermaids have given men the boons of wealth and knowledge, and sometimes their own love. It should be noted that having the love of a mermaid is a dicey affair. The men involved have come to bad ends more often than not. It is the same for men who have had the love of goddesses like Aphrodite or Venus.

To read a selection of mermaid tales and the myths of various sea gods and goddesses visit my site http://www.beautiful-mermaid-art.com I also have some of the best mermaid images on the net.

PropertyIndex.com make it easy to find property in Portugal, whether you are looking for a villa or an apartment, they can help you find the right property.

Despite the fact that the Property Index service is only a new kid on the block organization, established only in March 2007, they have established expert status very quickly. In actuality they are a fairly incomplex organization specialised in offering informed instructions to any person designing to buy, sell, rent etc. property in a global environment. Their guarantee: to help you discover smack what you need swiftly and, furthermore, without hassle. Realty can easily be purchased all over the place today, undoubtedly the most called for area being real estate on the market in Portugal. It’s dead easy to list a slew of the good property on the market in Portugal, the reason for looking for property here is the houses and apartments for sale and the possibility of being able to live between this vibrant populace.

It is one of the truly fashionable countries today, and considering the gorgeous landscape and great sunshine that surrounds you all year long, how could you say no! Realty in Portugal is steeped in history, this country has always been home to a fair number of sophisticated cultures. Around twenty years ago you would find merely a tiny number of Britons who are looking for property in Portugal. Just ask anyone who has emigrated to Portugal and they’re likely to tell you the same. Plenty of people would will call it a plain fashion and others will call it a near to a fixation. People interested in moving to this place will range from young families keen on a challenge to retirees looking to loosen up and enjoy themselves.

Note, though, that you might encounter some obstructions when looking to purchase property abroad — you’ll learn that there are hundreds of differentiated actions be it when strategising, sightseeing or finalizing the deal. If you miss out on but a single action it is liable to definitely create insurmountable obstructions not to forget, critically, a financial trouncing. Obviously, as can be supposed with this trendy destination, property may well be rather expensive in this region and this, of course, is unquestionably a consequence of the steep market pressure. Notwithstanding the client definitely is spoilt in terms of choice in such a location so determined by superb terrain. Certainly it’s able to offer most everything any of us might desire etc.

Profit in any business comes from your business turnover multiplied by your margins. In simple term,

Profits = Turnover x Margins

Turnover, in turns, is determined by the number of customers you have, multiplied by the number of transactions each customer had with you and the average dollar sale. Thus,

Turnover = Number of Customers x Number of Transactions x Average Dollar Sale

The number of customers you have depends on your lead generation and conversation rate of these leads. Thus,

Number of Customers = Lead Generation x Conversion Rate

By breaking down the process into small chunks, you will see that your business profit is governed by 5 variables, namely

1. lead generation
2. conversion rate
3. number of transaction
4. average dollar sale
5. margins

These experts worked out the formula and found that by doubling each of these factors, you can boost your business profits by an incredible 67%.

Putting Theory into Practice

When I first learned this formula, it seemed so simple that it was incredulous no one has taught me this before. Yet when I put the theory into practice, the result was truly remarkable. I started by making minor changes and adjustments to my normal practice and within 6 months saw a 20% increase in my turnover.

Summary

How much increased profit you can generate for your business depends on your ingenuity and creativity in improving your lead generation,conversion rate of your lead, the number of tansaction per customer,the average dollar sale and your margins. Only these 5 factors,nothing else.

Focus your energy on these 5 factors and you WILL definitely improve your business income.

Tim Ong is a medical doctor, speaker and trainer. He is the webmaster of KlinikOng.com and TheSelfImprovementSite.com.

Mountain biking for a woman does present some gender-specific issues. These range from the practical pain-in-the-butt riding, to the broader concerns of women in the sport.

One of the first questions that is asked, is whether a women-specific bike is necessary in mountain biking for a woman.

The answer will depend entirely on your build, your preferences, and your riding style. Finding the right bike for you, involves test-riding as many types as possible. This will give you the best indication of your body’s fit on a non-gender specific bike, compared to a women-specific bike.

Looking at mountain biking for a woman, a regular bike is fine, but your hip structure may necessitate choosing a more suitable saddle. If you are narrow-hipped, you probably won’t have a problem. If this is not the case, you will be more comfortable on the wider structure of a women-specific saddle.

As for the bike itself, unless you are quite small, with a short upper body and short arms, there is a good chance that you won’t need a women-specific bike. In most cases a normal frame type with the straight bar, holds up better for mountain bikes, and is commonly used in mountain biking for a woman.

This type of frame encourages a position where the weight of your body is more evenly distributed between the two wheels. On the typical ‘women’s’ bike with a sloping top tube, the weight is placed back on the saddle. This position is not very effective in mountain biking for a woman.

Also keep in mind that, in mountain biking for a woman, an elastomer fork may be your most comfortable choice. Lighter riders perform better with these.

Find a specialized bike shop with a reputation for good mechanics and service, as well as knowledgeable salespeople. If you are a novice, you will need some guidance at first. It is important to make sure that they have experience in mountain biking for a woman.

Mountain biking for a woman involves more of a distinction when it comes to clothing. The main difference is in the shorts, so to speak!

You will need a good pair of cycling shorts, with a chamois, specifically made for use in mountain biking for a woman. You don’t want the chafing center seam present in men’s shorts – riding isn’t supposed to be torture! The secure-fitting Triple S Short by Shebeest is an example. The aerodynamic cut, with eliminated inseams and flatlock center seam, is a dream to wear. DriStyle fabric ensures superb wicking.

Padded baggie shorts are gaining in popularity. Look for names such as Sugoi and Pearl Izumo.

In warmer weather, your top can be a cap sleeve base in Silkweight Micro Polyester with Spandex, by Shebeest. This offers the lightness you need in mountain biking for a woman. In cold weather, you can add the Full Zip Velocity Jersey in DriStyle. The zippered pockets come in handy, and the full zip front gives a variety of cooling options.

Fox Racing protective gear has a great range aimed at mountain biking for a woman. Their elbow/arm pads and knee/shin guards in size small seem to fit most small women well.

Mountain biking for a woman, is no longer limited to the sidelines. Many strong-voiced advocates are emerging to promote the sport among women. Finding ways of making entry-level racing more open to women, are often on the agenda at conferences.

Bike shops, clinics, and clubs also play an important role in opening up the sport. Bike shops are no longer seen as intimidating and over-technical. They are constantly trying to come up with ways to make the store inviting enough to support mountain biking for woman.

Many articles and books have been written about mountain biking for a woman. These offer how-to advice, bike buying tips, basic riding know-how, and trail advice. One of these is ‘Mountain Biking For Women’ by Robin Stuart and Cathy Jensen. It is clear from their writing that they are experienced riders.

Watching the ‘Wildflower Mountain Biking for Women’ video, is a great way to start mountain biking for a woman. It features topics such as bike selection, bike maintenance, finding riding companions, practice drills, and more.

It will be difficult to find a more entertaining, mind-and-body building sport than mountain biking for a woman.

For more information visit Best-Mountain-Biking.com

Rika Susan of Article-Alert.com researches, writes, and publishes full-time on the Web. Copyright of this article: 2006 Rika Susan. This article may be reprinted if the resource box and hyperlinks are left intact.