persignadf.com

When shopping for children’s furniture one has to take many things into account, the child’s personality being a big factor. Another is the item safe built for a child to use, no one wants to buy something that could accidentally hurt a child. Something else to consider is does this product have the potential to help my child learn as he/she plays and interacts with the item. Will it help in building a play full imagination is one way it can stimulate the mind. Another is will it help with motor skills also helping during development of your child. As your child grows and becomes more aware of he’s or her’s surroundings the things around them become more important to them. Try and surround your child with things that make them comfortable and happy.

Finding the right furniture to fit your child’s needs is a little tricky, but if you pay close enough attention to them they will lead you in the right direction. What do they focus on which colors draw their attention what do they play with? The answers to all these questions will lead you to the right types of furniture to buy for your child. Something else to keep in mind is they are a part of you so one can conclude that your child will share some of the same interest that you have. Try not to force any of these interest on your child but simple allow your child to grow. The older your child becomes the easier it is to fit a room around your child be patient and everything will work out. It can become a fun filled event for the whole family when designing a new room full of fun and bright furniture.

Make sure you check the furnishings you are going to buy for safety making your child’s new room is safe should be a top priority. Buying KidKraft products is one of the easiest ways to do this. Designed by engineers to be extremely safe all of KidKrafts products under go extreme measures insuring that they are very safe for all children.

Shopping for furniture and toys that are bright and fun will help them develop into great kids. Anything you can place around your child as he or she grows that stimulates their minds will help them develop. Toys that can stimulate their imagination help with an active mind the more they play and interact the more their minds grow. Its important to bring furniture and toys into their lives that help develop motor skills. Look at rockers in the shapes of animals motor bikes and others help in both mind and body. Leading your child to be active in mind and body should be an parents number one goal. We at Childrens Furniture Now have a great list of different KidKraft products that are designed just for kids. Stop by today and all childrens bedroom furniture ships free.

KidKraft childrens furniture is the leader in childrens bedroom furniture

Although all kids are different, I will share with you my views on sports and kids with special needs.

If your child is having difficulties socially in school, you may be tempted to sign him or her up for basketball or soccer with the other kids.

You know your child better than anyone. Just be sure that you’re setting your child up for a positive, rather than a negative experience.

The things I have heard from Coaches about kids on their team would make you spit nails.

“Oh, he’s an awful player. He’s got some kind of disorder or something.”

“I hope he doesn’t sign up next year.”

And, the parents in the stands are just as bad.

“What is wrong with that kid?!”

“Put him on the bench.”

And, that was all heard in reference to kids in the regular 3rd – 6th grade classes. I know. It made me sick, too.

Now, I’m not at all saying that team sports should be avoided. Just make sure you know who will be coaching your child, and make sure that he or she is someone who you want in charge of your child’s self-esteem for the next few months.

There ARE wonderful coaches. Coaches who understand the impact they have upon children and make sure that it is positive. And, of course, there are special camps and organization with coaches trained in encouraging and training special needs kids.

However, if team sports are not your child’s strong suit and he or she gets very stressed or has that “lost” look while participating, then here are some alternatives:

Camping as a family

Going on Long Walks with You

Bike Riding (go on bike trails if you are concerned about safety)

Playing Tag

Swimming

Going to the Park (just being a kid!)

Karate (again, make sure the people in charge of the facility are warm, loving, patient people, before signing on the dotted line)

Each of these activities will help strengthen your child physically and give him or her the benefits of self-confidence as well.

Yes, all kids need to be physically active, but at what cost? Surely not at the cost of feeling like they aren’t good enough. Don’t feel pressured into pushing your child into a team sport that may do more harm than good.

Alexa Simmons invites you on her journey to learn about Asperger’s Syndrome. Visit http://www.aspergerresources.com – where you’ll find a growing collection of information to help you and the child you love. For activities to spend time with your child, she recommends http://www.ShowKidstheFun.com

If your children are couch potatoes, it will be better for you to encourage them to participate in sport activities. However, being transfixed by video games, computers, or TV does not give good effect. It is better to get up and do some exercise to bring a positive effect to their body.

Having a physical activity routine since in the early age is very beneficial. It can help to increase the capacity of the heart and lung. It can also be helpful in keeping the weight down. Based on a research, it is found that regular physical activity can lower the blood pressure, lower the risk of heart disease, arthritis, and also cancer. Therefore, regular exercise means healthy life.

What are the Benefits of Sports?

Some studies revealed that children who take part in physical activity or sports achieve better in academic. Sport teaches them to be discipline which they bring to their studies activity. It will also teach them to manage their time efficiently to match the schedule of the group. They will be getting used to plan the right time for their projects, homework, and so on. Moreover, they will stay in school longer so that they can keep themselves away from drugs.

One of the effective sports your children can practice is soccer/foot ball. The rule of this sport is easy to understand even for the youngest children in the age of 5 to 7. They can easily kick the ball into the field for the goal. Although there are some strategies and subtleties to obey, they can learn it by themselves with their experience.

Another benefit they can experience is that they can develop their social sense. This is sensible since they take part in team sport. It will be easier for them to work in team which then can lead them to easily make friends. Moreover, team sport can teach them to think quickly, accept seatbacks, coordinate with others, as well as enjoy factories. His positive impact can last long even when they grow up.

It is now better to start introducing them to the sport, especially team sport. You can do it by giving them tools which can support them do it such as the ball, the shoes, the t-shirt, and so on. You can place them in a basket which is specially designed for sport. Find them on http://italiangiftbaskets.org/, which lists you the best sports gift baskets for your needs.

Political parties perform important roles in European societies. Parties are institutions in which citizens with similar political views organise, develop political programmes and actively participate in the political process. They are vital for democracy because parties offer the most clear-cut political choices that are put to the electorate. Parties are also recruitment organisations, through which parliamentarians and members of government are sourced. Even though the latter functions are important, the general effectiveness of parties is closely linked to the first characteristic: their societal embeddedness – the main channel between a party and citizens. And in this respect, political parties have been declining dramatically.

The demise of political parties is not a new phenomenon. Since at least the 1980s, parties in all established European democracies have suffered massive membership losses to the point where they only retain a very limited capacity to engage citizens. The societal anchor of political parties is seriously threatened. Vernon Bogdanor wrote in 2006 that ‘the story of the rise and fall of the mass political party is one of the great unwritten books of our time’. So why do I pick this rather old problem up again in 2009? Not because I want to write the obituary of the mass political party but because we can now see where the development of political parties might lead us. This potential new future became apparent during the US Presidential campaign.

Additionally to his remarkable personal qualities, Barack Obama – during the Democratic primaries, the Presidential campaign and now even as sitting President – has been extremely successful in using new communication technologies to connect directly with citizens. Through the use of social networking tools, online video messaging and almost real time updates on what was happening on the campaign trail – and by making many of these tools available to his supporters too – he was able to create a community that was not only prepared to vote for him but willing to organise and campaign on the local level. He was able to create a political movement he can now build upon.

The construction of this movement was above all possible because new communication techniques offered a way of being actively involved in the campaign for change. But if you look behind the technical tools you notice that Barack Obama’s campaign was able to recreate old – rather than create new – characteristics that traditional European parties, especially left-of-centre parties, have lost over the years: a sense of community and belonging.

Let us take the oldest social democratic party in the world as an example: the German SPD. When the party was founded in 1863, its backbone was educational leagues founded to educate workers. The cultural and community aspect was therefore not just a by-product but very much the founding principle of the party. Being a social democrat was not a question of membership in an organisation but rather a way of life. The identity of the party was reinforced by the large variety of social democratic newspapers and publications that contributed to this distinct culture. The cultural underpinnings of political parties were also evident elsewhere and it seems that it has been especially this attribute, that used to provide the closest link to society, that has declined most dramatically in recent decades.

It was argued that because of social and ideological changes in societies in the second half of the twentieth century, mass parties – rather homogenous constructs – developed into catch-all parties that attempted to integrate the diversifying political views and social backgrounds of citizens under the umbrella of the same party. Today, many parties look like what political scientists call ‘professional-electoral parties’. Such parties are organisations that have a highly centralised leadership and are focussed on winning votes and offices. They have largely abandoned the cultural heritage of traditional political parties. ‘Professional-electoral party’ is also the closest typology for US political parties, which are practically committees to fight elections without much activity between ballots. They are very candidate centred and lack organisational leadership.

So what is new that could show the way political parties could go from here? What has changed during the Obama campaign? In a nutshell, Barack Obama has managed to recreate the community aspects of old mass parties and integrate them into a professional-electoral party. In the contemporary context, however, culture does not mean a certain way of living but rather being part of a community based on a charismatic political leader, new political ideas and a desire for grassroots activism. The creation of this new culture in the Obama campaign has only been possible by the use of new media. So after it has transformed the economy and the way we communicate with each other, is the information, communication and technology (ICT) revolution now fundamentally changing the political process too? I think there are strong arguments in favour of this and Barack Obama’s success is evidence.

What does this mean for European parties? The socio-economic circumstances and ideological believes of citizens have indeed changed dramatically since the foundation of early European parties, political activism has however not disappeared. The success of single-issue movements such as Greenpeace, Amnesty International and the Globalisation critics of Attac clearly shows the enduring desire for political activism. Some of these movements have even grown into political parties in their own right, for instance the German Greens or – with a rather different political agenda – the UK Independence Party (UKIP).

So the first ingredient – desire for political activism – is still there. But how can it be used? European parties have tried for decades to open their structures to social movements and to use societal activism for their party purposes. They have all been largely unsuccessful so far because their strategies were unclear and their own structures often too rigid. Waking up to the potential of new technologies and the experience of the Obama campaign however makes it a necessity to try again – and to try harder. After all, the only alternative seems to be further decline. Initial steps to use new technologies have been taken but more needs to be done. Europe in general is clearly behind the US in terms of internet integration in everyday life including politics. But this can also be an opportunity for the party that comes up first with a successful mix of technologies for the European context.

The second ingredient is political ideas that can capture and motivate people. The current economic crisis has opened a window of opportunity for a new politics. There is a vacuum of ideas since the promise of prosperity facilitated by unfettered markets collapsed with the international banking sector. This void has not been filled yet. In Barack Obama’s case the simple promise for change was enough to create his movement. This was however only possible in the narrow window of opportunity at the beginning of the economic crisis and in the specific context of US politics. If his movement is to become sustainable he needs to bring in new positive ideas. President Obama has understood this and has kept the close link to his followers even after assuming office. The way in which he encouraged living room discussions about his economic stimulus package across the US was a remarkable move and combined the desire for activism with political content. The sense of belonging and potential for activism created by a ‘I received an email from the President’ moment should not be underestimated.

The last ingredient in the mix is charismatic leadership. Early attempts of online campaigning in Europe have shown that it is very difficult to build mass participation in a political online campaign if there is not an appealing political figure at the top. Parties as such seem to be rather inappropriate vehicles for such campaigns. Identification becomes much easier if people are involved. So if the European political culture develops in the direction set out in the United States, it is likely that politics becomes more personalised and centred around political ideas represented by certain politicians.

Political parties have been declining for decades without finding a way to stop their downfall. The ICT revolution is here to stay and has already transformed many areas of our lives. The Obama campaign in the US has broken new ground and is certainly an important example to watch. But the question is how these developments can be worked into European party politics. A simple ‘copy and paste’ will not work. But the revitalisation of political culture and activism using new technologies is the most promising opportunity on offer to change the fate of political parties. Given the alternative, it is certainly worth trying.

Discuss this article here: http://www.social-europe.eu/2009/04/where-now-for-european-political-parties

The need for high performance maneuverability of tractors is same in Japan and America. People of America have big farms compared to Japanese. Kubota Corporation is a top tractor-manufacturing unit that has origins in Japan. The firm established in 1890, and today it has become an international leader in tractor manufacturing. With a focused approach and dedicated hard work, Kubota has gained global recognition. The company is selling 130 different Kubota tractors in the market, through direct deals and affiliates

Kubota tractors built to meet demands of farmers in Japan, but soon they spread their roots to America. Even though American farms are bigger in size than farms in Japan, Kubota tractors deliver better performance in channelizing American soils. Kubota Corporation launched its tractor in USA, 1969. The tractor filled the empty space left by tractors of America, and became the most powerful product sold in USA. Kubota 21 horsepower L200 was the first product launched in USA. Soon with the success of its tractors, the Kubota Corporation built a complete manufacturing unit in USA in 1974 and launched wheel-drive based vehicles for farmers

Variants of Kubota tractors

BX Series, B Series, TLB Series, M series, and L Series tractors manufactured by Kubota. BX Series tractors have compact structure, offer better utility. These tractors blend with 4WD handling to provide convenience to people in cleaning gardens. BX Series engines have 18.0HP-25.5 HP and are suitable for gardening, home mowing, towing, and light material handling. L Series tractors power 3.0 HP-59.0 HP engines. Used in small farms, landscaping, equestrian operations, and estate maintenance.

B Series tractors power 18.0 HP-32.0 HP engines are suitable for landscaping, ground maintenance, vegetable gardens, home, and commercial use. TLB Series and M Series are used for common applications like landscaping, light construction etc

Environmental Friendly Kubota Tractors

Landscaping or livestock operations tractors of Kubota can do all jobs. People can choose any tractor according to their requirement. With changing trends in economy and pollution standards, these days’ people are looking for environmental friendly vehicles

Kubota Corporation is now manufacturing tractors that produce low emissions. Environmental friendly tractors are good at yielding best results in farming. These orange tractors are affordable and come with a warranty. Kubota Corporation offers damage replacement on its parts, during the warranty period

Comparing Kubota with Its Opponents

Kubota Corporation was the first tractor-manufacturing unit to receive prestigious “Deeming Award” for manufacturing environmental friendly, economical, and high performance tractors. The company competes with many leading tractor brands like John Deere, Ford tractor, Holland and Cub Cadet. People looking for small, compact and convenient tractors for their yard work, can have a look at landscaping BX Series tractors. All tractors of Kubota have best re-sale value

Economical Kubota Engines

Kubota tractors equipped with diesel or gasoline engines. To keep environmentally friendly, most of the tractors are fitted with gasoline engines. These engines cause less pollution. All Kubota engines have following features: compact, tough, lightweight, liquid-cooled, turbocharged options, low noise, and low vibration

Low Market Imports of Kubota Tractors have led to grey market imports of tractors from Japan to North America. Some of these tractors had problems with safety measures followed in USA, so in 1974 Kubota started its company in USA. There are nearly 1040 authorized Kubota dealers in USA, and all of them are supported by the company headquarters in California. Recently, Kubota Corporation has approved the use of Bio-diesel fuel for some its tractors. B20 bio diesel fuels comprise of 20% bio diesel and 80% petrol diesel

Kubota Safety Features

Kubota provide operator optimal safety and comfort, all B-series tractors of Kubota are equipped with multiple safety features. Some of the common safety features included: backlight dash panel to track vital functions, multi-reflective headlights for better visibility, standard metal hood for providing better front view visibility, ROPS (Roll over protection structure) standard for protecting driver from getting hurt during accident, wide step area, more legroom, high back seat, and large flat deck platform.

Farmers and people who wish to know more about safety can either request “Ten commandment of tractor safety” brochure from dealers, or check it online. Kubota tractors have warranty on all its models. The safety equipment of all tractors checked perfectly and provided without damage

Picture this. You are stuck at home knee deep in household

chores. Your mind wanders from taking out the trash to hiking

on a scenic trail with heart pumping terrain. You are an avid

hiker and yearn to strap on your hiking gear and hit the trails.

Unfortunately, a hiking trail adventure is not in the cards for

you today, but you can find the next best thing by logging onto

your computer.

The Internet is filled with interesting websites dedicated to

hiking and outdoor sports. Many hiking websites are packed with

information about hiking gear, trails, and hiking vacation.

However, you want more then just basic information. You desire

to connect with other hikers. You are hungry for more

information, experience, and the friendship of other hikers.

Seek no further than hiking discussion boards and forums on the

Internet. You can swap hiking stories with pals from around the

globe. Discussion boards and forums allow you to ask hiking

questions and receive many insightful answers and perspectives.

Most importantly, you will feel a part of the hiking community

even when you are unable to make it out to the trails.

There are a myriad of hiking discussion boards and forums to

participate in. New forums pop up everyday as more and more

people link up to the global community on the Internet. Some

discussion boards and forums are free while others require a

small fee. The key is to take advantage of the personalized

forums and learn from fellow hikers. Often times you will hear

the “true” story regarding hiking gear, trails, and vacations.

For example, you are interested in taking a hiking trip out

West. You’ve scanned through different websites for

information, but you want an insider’s guide to the trip. Read

through discussion boards as many forum members can provide an

unbiased account of their trip as opposed to a hiking

advertisement that depicts the hiking vacation as spectacular.

The “true” story may not always be negative, in fact it may be

better then advertisements claim. You can also garner tips from

the discussion board to make your hiking adventure the best it

can be.

Following are two hiking message boards to get you started.

Mountain Zone.com:

http://forums.mountainzone.com/mz_tools/forum/ This

information intensive website about hiking and other outdoor

sports has a great discussion board. The two main topics of the

discussion board are hiking and gear. If you go into the hiking

forum you will discover topics ranging from snowboarding to

hiking trails. You are allowed to post a message to the boards

once you create a free user name and password.

Trailplace.com:

[http://trailplace.com/portal/forum_display.php?id=6] This is an

Appalachian Trail resource site. Discuss everything you’ll need

when hiking the trail. They also present a forum for hiking in

general. The message boards are used frequently and will supply

you with ample information.

You can still feel connected to the hiking world even when you

are sitting in your living room. Keep yourself current on

hiking news, trails, and gear. The Internet brings hikers from

every region of the world together. Join in the fun and log on

to your computer right now.

Monica Marty is a hiking fan and the webmaster of http://hikingtrailfinder.com/ where you will find a directory and information on Hiking

Why Are YOU “Really” In Business?

“I wanted to be an editor or a journalist, I wasn’t really interested in being an entrepreneur, but I soon found I had to become an entrepreneur in order to keep my magazine going” – Richard Branson

If you are a true entrepreneur, you will know that to succeed, it helps that you enter a line of business that you naturally enjoy, and would gladly do even if you did not get paid(as tends to happen during start up). The truth however is that you are(I hope) in business to make money in a manner that is profitable – which will in turn enable you stay in THAT business you enjoy, for the long term. To achieve the foregoing purpose, you will need to do cost-effective and results-focused business marketing. One very important – but I believe grossly underutilised tool – for doing that is the Business Card.

I discuss in this article how you as a business owner, can better design your own business cards, to significantly improve your ability to market yourself to those who really need your services and/or products.

Marketing is about creating an impression – a positive impression – in the mind of your intended customer – that YOU or YOUR BUSINESS are more capable of meeting his/her perceived need or want than any others. The more successful you are in creating this impression about yourself/business in the mind of your target audience, the greater the chances that they will choose you over others who may offer the same products and/or services you do. This in effect means, you will be better able to achieve your major business goal of making MORE money, MORE profitably.

This Article Is Meant MAINLY For Non-Employees

Just before I continue, I wish to make the following clarification. The ideas I offer here are mainly for use by self-employed individuals (independent contractors, consultants, entrepreneurs/business owners) – i.e. people who are their own bosses and therefore take decisions that affect how their company is perceived or operates.

For those who work as employees in companies, it is likely that decisions about the type and design of business cards used will be taken with considerations relevant to the company’s preferred mode of operation and business vision. I will therefore only say that persons who fall into this latter category, if they find what I say here of potential usefulness to their organisation(e.g. sales/marketing personnel) explore the possibility of bringing it to the attention of appropriate decision makers for consideration.

Is There A Rule Book For Business Card Design?

I am not aware of any rule book that actually spells out what information or details should or should not be on a business card: But if you know of any, I would appreciate your sending me a note about where to find it.

It appears instead, that most people seem to have come to some tacit agreement on the most relevant pieces of information and features to adorn their cards with. Or maybe they just adopted what they found others doing when they entered into business for themselves. Either way, the point I’m making is that I believe each person needs to try and design a business card that works for him/her.

What Does The Conventional Business Card “Say”?

What I would call the conventional business card typically contains information that “says” the following(in addition to some graphics such as a logo, or artistic effects for aestetic appeal):

1. Who you are: Your name/title/business name, and possible qualifications that lend credence to your claims.

2. Contact Info: Phone numbers, postal/physical address, web URL/email(you do have these don’t you?).

3. A Tag Line: Punchy phrase about your biz. BUT will these help achieve your purpose?

But the question could be asked: Does the conventionally designed business card work as well as it could be made to? I say NO. I say NO. In fact, after thinking about this issue, I have come to the conclusion that one word best describes the conventional business card – and that’s “Passive”. It’s contents are not designed to be response-generating or action-inducing. I however believe one can adopt a card design that is more “Active” — hence my efforts at finding an alternative that works, which eventually led to this article being written.

I have always been a bit of a non-conformist – with a penchant for “playing devil’s advocate”, “rocking the boat”, “stirring things up” etc in a bid to challenge others to re-evaluate accepted norms for possible refinement – or total replacement. If I find that the status quo does not offer me what I consider optimal returns towards achievement of a set goal(s), I immediately begin exploring alternative options to adopt, till I find something that gives me the results I want.

Based on the above, the question, for me – as a performance enhancement advocate – on the issue of business cards and how to get the most value from them is: What information do business persons NEED to put on their business cards, to help them MORE successfully achieve their intended purpose for handing such cards out to prospects ?

By the way, with a few possible exceptions, I assume here that the reader – like most people who give out business cards – does so because s/he expects that the cards will further impress(or remind) the recipients to make contact at a later date in relation to the product or service discussed. In my view the business cards many business persons give out are not properly equipped to achieve the full marketing impact potential they possess. Business cards, I believe, can be designed to play a more active – even though silent – role in the marketing and/or selling process.

Think about it this way. Someone you speak with about your work could say “Can I have your card?”, possibly because your conversation is interesting enough to them, that they want to be able to contact you at a later date to take it further. However, whether or not you do end up closing a sale with that person could depend on what your card “says”(if at all it has anything to say) to him/her AFTER you’ve parted ways.

Now, if s/he runs into ANOTHER person who “appears” to offer something similar to what you told him/her you could, s/he might just give that OTHER person the job. But if your card is THE type that “tells”(or reminds) her about specific unique benefits you provide that the OTHER person may not be able to match, s/he is likely to tell the other seller “NO”, and come back to you. I say the foregoing here on the assumption that you do actually have a Unique Selling Proposition(USP).

In essence, my argument is that business owners can do a little more thinking to MAKE MORE OBVIOUS, the TANGIBLE BENEFITS they offer, which prospective – and existing – clients would find attractive, and therefore be willing to take ACTION to get. The business owners can then highlight those benefits in form of keywords and phrases on their business cards. Such business cards would subsequently have a greater marketing “impact” on those who receive them, increasing the chances of the prospects making contact at a later date.

A Comparative Analysis Of Two Similar Restaurants With Different “Sales Pitches”

Let’s do a little comparative analysis. Say it’s 12.30pm and you are driving on a major highway to the next city to do a presentation scheduled for 2.00pm. If you keep driving at the same speed, you estimate you should get into the city in another thirty minutes, leaving you just enough time to check into “Clear View International Hotel”, take a shower, change clothes and move into the conference hall on the ground hall of the hotel where the presentation will hold. But you are feeling a bit thirsty and hungry, and worry that there might not be enough time to quickly order something to eat at the hotel(Please bear with me: for some reason, I could not think up a better “excuse” ).

Suddenly you get to a junction and notice road signs for two different fast food outlets poisitioned next to each other. For the purpose of this example, we assume that both places actually offer equally quick services and more or less the same variety of foods and drinks. The difference is in the way they describe – on their road signs – what they offer the prospect(traveller), who needs to make up his/her mind.

One sign says “Quik-Caterers! Get Our Quik Travel Meals & Drinks Pack(TM). Wait Max 15 Mins – Or We Pay!“. The other says “Welcome To Jazzy Jaff’s Fast Foods Restaurant And Bar“.

You will agree with me that if many travellers – who are in a hurry – had to decide which fast food restaurant to stop at, they would pick “Quik Caterers” – not because the name sounds better, or more appropriate, but most likely because their road sign offers MORE information – using catchy keywords/phrases – about TANGIBLE BENEFITS the prospective customers can relate to.

Customers are likely to PERCEIVE that “Quik-Catering” is more capable of meeting their NEEDS than “Jazzy Jaff’s”. Now, imagine the information said to be on the road signs(or some of it) is used on business cards given out by the respective owners of the two restaurants. Chances are that Quik-Catering MD’s business card would raise more eyebrows, and probably result in one or two additional queries or comments to him/her(regarding the service described) – creating “openings” for sales conversations to take place.

Look at it this way: Wouldn’t you be curious to know(and test?) if Quick-Catering could really deliver on its Wait Max 15 Mins – Or We Pay! promise? It’s an attractive – though unusual – offer, but if Quik-Catering only put it on flyers placed on the drinks counter in the restaurant(and not on the road sign or on business cards), less people would get to know about it and stop over.

What Does Your Business Card “Need To Say”?

A business card that keeps “selling” you to your prospect long after you’re gone, needs to say what you do in a way that makes those fitting your customer/client profile more likely to realize they actually NEED your product(s) and/or service(s).

You can design your business cards such that they cut down the amount of “work” you need to do to generate potentially valuable sales leads. This is particularly important because many times we come across people who qualify to be our “perfect customers or clients” in first time meeting situations that do not permit lengthy discussions or interactions. So, often times we end up using an elevator speech, answering one or two questions that arise from it, then exchanging business cards.

Some days later, the executive you gave your card to(and who at the same event went on to receive not less than four additional ones from “others like you”), sits in his/her office staring at your card. Among other things, s/he may struggle to recall where/when during that cocktail dinner s/he met you, and what again it was you said you could do for him/her that sounded so good!

This kind of dilemma faces many people who receive the conventional cards I earlier described. Of course s/he sees on the card that you are a CPA, or Certified Coach etc. What s/he does not see on THAT type of card is something(keywords, phrase etc) to help him/her see or recall the “slant” in your offering that sets you apart from others who may offer anything like you do. The result? S/he puts the card back in the desk drawer(or worse: the round filing cabinet – aka “Waste Paper Bin”) and (probably) forgets it. Why? Because s/he cannot find a compelling enough reason to take the relationship further by giving you a call.

Think back to the two fast food restaurant signs comparison I did earlier and imagine you are a decision maker for a large company that’s trying to choose a caterer to supply snacks to be served at their Annual General Meeting. Looking at the business cards given to you by the MD of Quik-Catering and that of Jazzy Jaff’s, all other factors being fairly constant, you are likely to get the “impression” that Quik-Catering will be able to meet your needs more readily, because they sound (from what they say on their road signs and business cards) that they’re already thinking along the lines of proving the value YOU seek.

What It Could Look Like: A business card that “sells” you looks different from any your prospect has seen, and creates a lasting impression that sets you apart from the crowd. You can print your information on the front – and leave the back blank, or print on both sides. From testing various designs, I have found that it is useful to leave some blank space on the back for writing answers to “Date We Met?”, “Where We Met?”, “Notes/Comments” etc prompts that are printed on it.

Actually Jeffery Meyer([http://www.succeedinginbusiness.com]) suggests that you write answers to the earlier listed prompts on the back of cards you get from others – so YOU can remember them, and what they are about. I have taken it a step further and designed cards that let me, “the giver”, write that information on the back of cards(which I take with me, as Meyer advises, to important meetings/events) I’m giving out, so as to “help” my prospects remember ME.

Click here to view a web page showing images of sample business card designs that incorporate the features I have discussed in this article(I also offer a FREE downloadable copy of the Corel Draw template I used to create them). Incidentally, my business cards have sort of “evolved” over time as I played around with the ideas I had – until I settled for a particular design/layout. You may also find it useful to let your creativity loose so as to arrive at the best design for your work.

A Business Card That Works Will Help You Market More Effectively & Efficiently

Jeffery Meyer once wrote that to avoid the “feast-famine” syndrome that can plague a business which fails to ensure steady inflow of new work, one must continually search for new customers – and “weed out” hopeless prospects who cost you marketing effort, time and expense, but give you no jobs. For instance, he advises that you take the repeated non-return of your phone calls by a prospect as a sign that s/he does not feel a compelling need for your product or service. Instead, divert that marketing energy and expense towards recruiting NEW prospects.

I believe a business card with the right balance of USP information and aesthetic appeal, can help a business owner use his/her business marketing time/effort more effectively and efficiently. This is because s/he will be able to use the card to create opportunities for discussions about useful benefits of the products and services s/he sells, in a way that will impress a prospective client or customer who happens to be looking for such returns.

It is true that “buyers” tend to be undecided when considering a purchase, but when the “seller” points out the USP s/he offers, AND IF they coincide with the buyer’s felt needs, the buyer can become quite “sure” of what s/he wants, to the point that other “sellers” would be unable to influence him/her. Think about some products or services that many people use year in and year out(inspite of the presence of many competing brands), and you will find that they do so because certain needs they consider important are being met through the continued use of those products and services.

Designing your business card the way I describe is more likely to result in the card continuing to “sell” you to a prospect, even after you’ve parted ways with him/her. The card – each time s/he looks at it – will through its contents remind him/her that you offer THAT unique benefit s/he wants or needs. Of course not everyone you give your card to, will call you back to give you work! Life itself is about percentages. So, what I am saying is that a higher percentage of those you give out your cards to, are likely to get a better understanding of what you can do for them(or for someone they know), and so call(or recommend you). You’ll consequently get more sales leads, and/or opportunities to close more sales.

Your Cards Cost Money – Aim To Get A Return On Your Investment In Each!

Print Them Cost-Effectively: I believe most individuals who work for themselves might find it more useful to design and print their own business cards in the quantities they require them. Due to the unpredictability of business generally, one or more bits of information on the card you use may change in a way that will make it necessary for you to re-print another set. If you already have thousands of cards printed, and suddenly discover a need to re-print, all the money spent producing the obsolete set would effectively go down the drain.

You can avoid this. If you have a template setup in Corel Draw to print ten standard size business cards on an A4 sized embossed card paper, for instance(and have used colors economically in the design) your home/office printer should be able to generate a set of cards for your use over a few weeks at a time. As your business operations grow, and you become more certain for the long term about the information you have to put on the cards, you may be able to more safely produce larger quantities of cards.

Think Before Giving Them Out: Considering that you would want the cards you give out to have a pleasing appearance, that complements the USP information printed on them, one expects they will not be “cheap” to produce. That’s why you may want to make sure every one you give out counts.

If you can form the habit of thinking of your business card units in monetary terms(each of mine costs approximately $0.143 US Dollars equivalent), it might help you decide whether or not to put it in an envelope to just about anyone you’re mailing something to, even when you don’t know who they are or what they do. That would be like shooting in the dark – only this time you would be doing so, with MONEY!

If I send out twenty five letters in envelopes to different prospects for instance, and put a card in each, I know it implies I have spent at least $3.575 US Dollars(aside from the cost of envelopes, paper, stamps etc).

Business marketing yields better results when properly targetted at the right audience. You could for instance staple your business cards, to letters you are sending out to CEOs of certain organisations you hope will find your products and services potentially useful. Every time I want to give out a card, I ask myself: Am I sure this is going to help me get increased marketing exposure for my work, that could lead to more business? You might want to ask yourself a similar question periodically.

ONE LAST THING: Read Michel Fortin’s Ten Commandments E-book

What I have proposed in this article will require anyone who wishes to try out my ideas to re-visit his/her business concepts and philosophies with a view to distilling the “value” s/he is truly capable of delivering to customers. To do this successfully, I want to seriously suggest you download and READ Michel Fortin’s “Ten Commandments of Power Positioning” e-book.

Visit his website at http://www.successdoctor.com and learn how you can get a copy of his excellent e-book(I got mine about 4 years ago). It offers many very practical and tested ideas about how you can market yourself or business more effectively to customers, so that they see you as their preferred provider of your product and/or service range.

To accurately define keywords and phrases that best capture the VALUE you can deliver to your customers, the “Divide and Conquer” concept described by Fortin in his e-book, when properly applied, will help you arrive at the most appropriate ones. Fortin also provides practical real-world relevant tips for crafting YOUR OWN tag lines and elevator speeches; developing press kits etc.

Read that e-book(I actually printed mine out and had it sprial bound) from first to last page as many times as you need to fully understand it, and try applying what you learn to your business through the exercises suggested. By the time you are done, you will know what to say about your business(and also HOW to say it) in your speech, and on any of your business marketing media such as business cards, signs, flyers, letterheads, website etc.

Question: How will you judge whether it’s working or not?

Answer: (1). If more prospects make contact with you as a result of your re-vamped business marketing – which incorporates your re-designed business cards – THAT will be evidence that it’s working. (2). When your newly acquired clients/customers continue to patronise you and DO NOT express any regrets for doing so(by way of product returns or unwillingness to give referrals/repeat business), THAT would reasonably suggest they are satisfied you deliver the value you “promise”.

Self-Development/Performance Enhancement Specialist – Tayo Solagbade – works as a Multipreneur, helping individuals/businesses develop and implement strategies to achieve their goals, faster and more profitably. Download your copy of his 25 Articles Ebook from http://www.lulu.com/content/268555. You get full reprint rights for each article.

Visit Tayo’s Creative Business Solutions(CB Solutions) mini-site – http://www.cbsolutions.v27.net – to learn how you can get affordable Freelance Writing, Rapid Website Design/CGI Automation, Website Marketing Strategy Development and Custom MS Excel VB Spreadsheet Automation Services.

For years I have read the popular business magazines, all having so called experts write articles for entrepreneurs on how to finance their business. “The top 10 strategies for financing your start-up”, “How the SBA can help your small business”, “Personal credit is the key for entrepreneurs” and so on. In most cases I’m willing to bet those writing these articles are journalists that have never had a successful start-up. How can I come to that conclusion you may ask? Because of the bad advice they give.

Going to the SBA for a loan, using your retirement funds, tapping all your personal credit cards or giving up 75% of your idea to an investor are all ideas I have read from the popular magazines. The thing is, in every one of these cases you are using your personal credit and not separating you from your business. You are putting 100% of your credit and assets at risk.

I have worked with thousands of small business owners who have been very successful without the need to use their personal credit cards, retirement funds or fill out stacks of paperwork and wait months for a response from SBA backed banks. In fact I have seen entrepreneurs with access to hundreds of thousands of dollars without giving up a percentage of their company or having any of the money show up on a personal credit report. Sounds good right? Well, there is one catch. You will need to go through the evolution of financing your business. You can’t start at the end. This is the problem with most entrepreneurs. They want fast results and aren’t willing to wait. By taking the quick fix they give up ownership and put their personal credit at risk.

The evolution of business financing starts with a solid foundation for your business. A solid foundation is comprised of several parts. The first of which is structuring your business entity appropriately. I recommend to every entrepreneur that you use a Sub Chapter S-Corporation, C-Corporation or Limited Liability Company to operate the business. This is the first step in separating the business owner from the business. The next phase of building the solid foundation is to ensure the business is in compliance with the lending markets. Several business owners are surprised when I tell them most lenders we work with when reviewing a credit application will first call directory assistance to see if your phone number is listed. It’s a simple check, but it’s the first flag that will be raised for them if the business isn’t listed. Why would a lender finance a company that doesn’t want anyone to find them?

There are hundreds of other due diligence phases that a company must go through in order to ensure the owner and business are not considered “high-risk” for obtaining credit and financing. The more a business has in place to show that it is a real business the more likely a lender will grant credit to that company.

The second step in the evolution of small business financing is to define what the business does, what makes it unique and why it will be successful. The business owner must create a one-page “sales pitch” for the business, also referred to as an executive summary. The executive summary can be used when applying for credit, seeking investors and developing marketing campaigns.

Business owners need to keep in mind when seeking financing that the most important thing for a business is to produce a profit. Without revenue there will be no profit. Marketing the business will help produce the revenue and the executive summary will help create the marketing.

Third, a company must build a business credit report separate from the owner’s personal credit. By working with trade credit, the single largest source of lending in the entire world, a small business can tap into limitless leverage for buying goods and services they need to start, run and grow the company. The beautiful thing about trade credit is in many cases it’s free money. If a vendor grants terms of net 30, a business owner has the ability to use the vendors goods or services for 30 days without interest before they need to pay the vendor. The other wonderful part of trade credit is that there are companies offering products and services small business owners need who will report the credit to a business credit bureau. The reporting of the trade line will create a business credit profile separate from the personal credit of the business owner. Eventually the business will be able to access more and more credit under the business name only if it maintains a positive business credit score.

The more credit received under the business name the more likely other companies will grant that business credit. No one wants to be the first in line to grant a business $50,000 in credit, but if others already have they will be more inclined.

Fourth, is to use the owner’s positive personal credit score in combination with a positive business credit score as leverage for obtaining hundreds of thousands of dollars in unsecured lines of credit for the business. The key is to do this with lenders that don’t report the accounts to the personal credit bureaus but rather the business credit bureaus. Many banks offer business lines of credit and loans, however finding the right type of product from these banks can be tricky. A business owner needs to make sure the loan or credit line they apply for reports only to the business bureau.

By keeping business debt separated from the personal credit report, a business owner has the ability to keep their personal credit score high. The more a business owner uses their personal credit in the business, the lower the score will drop. Credit scores determine the ability to buy homes, rates on car insurance, and several other factors. Keeping a personal credit score above 720 is extremely helpful in the business owner’s personal and business life.

The fifth stage of the business financing evolution is to look at other alternative financing the business may be able to obtain. Leasing is one key area. Why use precious cash reserves to buy equipment or software when you can make a small monthly payment? In addition 100% of the payment on the lease is expensed.

The final stage deals with investors. The majority of investors don’t want to look at companies unless they have already progressed through the business evolution stages outlined above. Keep in mind that an investor is not just investing in a business they are investing in the business owner as well. If the business owner has tapped every available resource for credit and cash personally and never taken the time to establish business credit, financing or lease arrangements an investor will toss that company’s proposal in the garbage quickly.

Not every business owner will find themselves at the stage they need an investor. They may have a combination of enough cash-flow, credit and financing in place from the early stages that they won’t need additional capital. However, if a business needs to grow with the help of additional capital or financing there are two typical ways an investor will look at the deal.

The first is through debt financing and the second equity financing. Debt financing with an investor is where they provide a loan to the business in exchange for a pre-determined amount of interest. Equity financing is where an investor puts money into a business in exchange for ownership. There can also be a combination of debt and equity.

The majority of small business owners believe this is where they should start, with the investor. In reality this is the last place a business owner should look. Investors want to use their money to grow a business by having the money spent on revenue generating activities. The typical small business owner that goes to an investor says “I need a million dollars to start my business.” When asked what they’re going to use the money for they say, “start-up costs and payroll”. This is where the investor walks away. No investor wants to fund a project so the business owner can make payroll, buy office furniture, equipment or office supplies.

This is the perfect example of the evolution of business financing. The company starts out as an idea, then structure is put in place. Next, the business becomes real with licenses and a sign outside the building. Next, the business creates an identity with the right message. Then the business obtains trade credit that separates the personal and business credit in order to obtain larger lines of unsecured credit. All of which is used to build the infrastructure of the business without maxing out all the available credit for the business or business owner. Last, the business has the ability to seek investors because it has done everything required to create the solid foundation.

Receive the booklet How to Build Business Credit by David Gass – President and Founder of Business Credit Services. It will share with you how more than 10,000 businesses across the nation have achieved over $175 million in combined financing in their business name only, all using his patent-pending system to build corporate credit separate from your personal credit.

You will also learn the first steps required to getting a business loan, lease, and other lines of credit without the use of a personal credit check or guarantee.