I have been fired/let go three times in the past. None of these transitions were easy at the time, but they all aided in my personal development. Now I’m famous and those who fired me are not. I grew, they did not. How did I go from anonymous to world-renowned leader, entrepreneur and packaging expert extraordinaire? Let me show you my method for packaging myself.

Promote yourself.
The old adage your mother told you about working hard and be good at what you do is a nice idea. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work when no one knows what it is you do. We had a program a couple of years ago and one thing stood out in my mind. That people who were considered for promotion was based upon 60% visibility (being noticed by the powers that be) 20% appearance, 20% performance and hard work. You do the math. Where is the equity unless you promote yourself and are recognized as a performer and hard worker? My tactics include writing regular press releases, making myself available for interviews 2-3 times a month, and speaking engagements everywhere including Internationally, with multi language translation (that’s another story).

Accept adventures.
Several years ago I was contacted with and opportunity to lead a two-week packaging trade delegation to China. After some serious thought and bouncing it off the WMPKG board members I said OK. They found me, (via the Internet). We were the first of ten professional women’s trade delegations chosen to participate and the “guinea pigs” of the program (but that’s another story too). You may read about the China Trip @ http://www.womeninpackaging.org/ph/w97phchina.html

Common sense prevails.
If nothing else I learned how to use my head. There is simply too much I need to accomplish to agonize over how to get it done. I use The KISS approach (Keep It Simple Stupid). If I can’t find it in a few seconds I’m dead. I deal with way too much information to remember something complex or to spend a lot of time looking up something.

Keep connected.
I always carry business cards. I give them to everyone, on the plane; at the store you name it. After all every one uses/needs packaging and I am continuing to package myself using this method. Make notes on the back of card about the people you meet so you can remember something special about them. I am always amazed when I go somewhere the number of people who don’t have cards, especially students. I always tell them the same thing: invest in a business card on say that you are on the front and say what you need (a job) on the back. (You never know).

Ask for help.
I’m always surprised how many people are really willing to give advice and work with me. I bargain and negotiate everything; you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Remember great alliances come from a win-win for both parties and many of my best deals came from simply asking to work together.

Give of yourself.
Help others when you can and stay in touch. The membership benefit programs of WMPKG were created by me to help (initially other women) to find the best jobs, increase their visibility and outreach to colleagues in the field. I got so many calls from men and women for assistance I needed to find a way to help every one in an efficient manner. I try my best to help everyone, but it is simply a matter of my time and resources. You help me I help you in return and you move to the top of my list. Become a mentor. I mentor a dozen or so individuals at any time. Not on a daily basis but when they have a problem they can always reach me. I have also participated in formalized programs as a mentor. This is a good way to interact with people outside your field of expertise and almost every major city has them.

Invest in yourself.
Keep tuned in to all the professional and career development opportunities out there. You should never be too busy to learn new tricks. Attend functions at which you can establish a peer group. But be choosy. Don’t just go for the sake of going. Have a clear goal in mind about what you intend to get from your participation and follow up. Remember the #1 rule in networking. You have to show up! When you get an opportunity presented to you, do something about it. Make the time.

Never give up on your dream.
I have had several “careers”. I had a very different one before I entered the packaging field. Have passion, for what you do, I’m always excited when I speak about my industry and could and do go for hours when I’m in front of an interested audience. I’m often advised that my talents are wasted in what used to be considered a pretty stagnant industry, but what can I do? Packaging is in my blood.

Get connected. (Very different from keep connected).
These are the people you want to be with. Create a special circle: I have a special circle of colleagues whom I bounce ideas off of. I don’t contact them all the time but when I need some advice that’s the first place I turn. Many times this has turned into additional opportunities to collaborate on projects also and build some great professional alliances.

You are Unique.
Be your own person. If any thing I am unique in my persona. This didn’t happen overnight. In my early career I read all the right books, even “Dress for Success” and was able to extract what was right for me. When the basic blue-black suit and white button down shirt was the mandate, it wasn’t me. That is not my persona. I’m a color person; wear cool funky earrings and dress with what I’m comfortable. I never wear heels, although I always carry a pair with me, despite all the advice to the contrary about women must wear heels. This is my persona, when I’m working I need to be comfortable so I can be and function at my very best.

Outreach to colleagues regularly.
I write frequent personal notes when I see someone in the news. Either I email them or send them a copy of the information. I used to use Post It’s by my handwriting is so atrocious I designed a special card that says "I thought you might find the attached of interest", and has a special place for a hand written note and all my contact information.

Utilize your resources.
Use lateral thinking, my colleague Donna Messer actually named this attribute, I was doing it but didn’t even know it. I barter, negotiate everything. I operate under "quid-pro-quo". Every one likes to be recognized, when you write, call or thank me you go right to the top of my memory book. I believe and helping those who help me. Conversely, when you do something I consider a negative, I wont go out of my way to help you but more importantly I don’t burn my bridges (You never know).

Reputation is paramount.
Your integrity is critical. Don’t stab people in the back. If you don’t like something and can’t address it personally do what I do and move that person to the bottom of the list, but not gone (You never know) Respect other people too. Just because they don’t have a fancy title after their name doesn’t mean they are not of import. I always make it a point of listening to every ones opinion

Stay informed and current in your field.
I read a dozen of “packaging” magazines a week and am on countless email packaging news lists. Become more involved in you industry associations. I myself, am professional association junkie, when could find what needed with the existing association, I created own. Now I’m not advocating everyone to do this but it is important to participate within your industry groups. This includes going to trade shows. You gotta be there!

Economy is my middle name.
I have developed all kinds of business tools and short cuts to help handle the workload. I get hundreds of email inquiries a week. I use auto responders, set up master email lists and use a fax broadcast service. I try not to spend time on the phone; email is my communication tool of choice. I’m always trying to become more efficient with my resources.

Learn to live with out being liked but respected.
In my position I have to make some very tough decisions every day. Many times people are not happy with the outcome. I must remind myself constantly that it’s just business and not personal. (I have feelings too). When I founded Women in Packaging I was attributed with many not so complimentary descriptions but I didn’t let it stop me and now I am famous and those individuals saying those things are not. Never respond when you are angry or upset. This is a personal favorite. I have learned though the years to always wait a day before responding to something that upsets me; I’m a very frank, and honest person (The word blunt has been used to describe me more than once.) I also use a sounding board. Our excellent Communications Director, Michelle Nordlinger writes a superlative letter. She is very good at taking my ”blunt” copy and toning it down. Find someone with this skill: boyfriend, husband, colleague before you write your serious correspondence.

Find out your weakness.
You will never progress if you don’t except the fact that you have flaws. I have very big shoulders and have had many knock down drag out confrontations. But I listened to what they had to say and in many cases they were right. I always believe that there are two sides to a story.

So this is me, my special package, now go out and create a package for yourself.

Discover the easy way to make yourself stand out from others. How to become an expert in your field; How to write a better resume; How to write a personal press release; How to accomplish things no one else is doing and to get people to think about you in ways they have not thought before and much more including critical checklists for those important business meetings.

This indispensable workbook will show you specific ways to accomplish your personal branding goals and launch your career into the stratosphere. We have done all the work for you with guidelines, cheat sheets and easy-to-use templates to customize for your own use.

So don’t put off building your brand any longer. Don’t wait till your associates get your promotion or raise or even a better job.

Order Packaging Yourself now @ http://www.packaginguniversity.com/pkgustorefront.htm

If you find that the strategies and tactics in these materials don’t work for you or in your business, we don’t feel like we should keep your money. We want you to try them for 30 days with zero risk.

Sometimes it’s necessary to go back to the basics. I know many small businesses that do their own advertising and struggle to understand what they are doing and how to enact a marketing program. I’ll give you my take after thirty years on the job. Assuming you have a product or service, a basic logo and direction, we need to look at your market. Who are you customers? You can take that right from your business plan. Go grab it and I’ll wait. What, you don’t have a business plan? Shame on you!

Okay, it’s not the end of the world. But, you should develop one at the next break and keep it handy. But I’ll assume you have a pretty good idea of who your customers are and where they’re located. These are the “who” and “where” parts of the marketing equation. This is critical in determining your media and budget. Both should have been included in your business plan. Okay, I’ll stop beating a dead horse.

If I asked who your ideal customer was, the answer shouldn’t be everyone that’s breathing. Please be more specific. Women between 25 and 65. Young adult men. Seniors. That type of demographic data. And where would I find these people? Anywhere is not the answer. How far will your customers come from? Five or fifty square miles? This will narrow down the media and type. Does your typical customer read the paper, mailers, watch television or listen to the radio? Probably, but which ones and at which times?

Who is your competition? Don’t say you don’t have any. Be realistic and examine how they are reaching their customers. Then consider similar placements, You will catch the most fish where the other experienced anglers are dropping their lines. So now you have a fair idea of the “how,” or media, to use. Let’s look at the “when.”

Are you seasonal? If you’re an air conditioning repair business, the answer is obvious. But not so fast. Perhaps you need to do the most advertising when business is the slowest in the winter. In fact, during recessionary times, the businesses that increased their ads gained the most market share. So consider being counter-intuitive and promote yourself in ways you might not have considered.

Getting back to the a/c people, if everyone has full-page ads in the Yellow Pages and you have no chance of being in the front, consider a newspaper ad where there is far less competition. Or direct mailers for winter tune-ups. That would be the “when.”

The “why” question is the toughest of all. Why advertise when business is good and I get lots of word-of-mouth? Because even the best known companies like Coke and Microsoft need to keep the name out there. Do you live in a town where people move in and out? Are there newcomers in your neighborhood? How do you intend to reach them? If you said, “word-of-mouth,” that’s not advertising. That’s something beyond your control. Realize more people talk about their bad experiences than good. If you found a rusty nail in your onion soup you would tell far more people than if it was fine as usual. Right?

Plan your campaign by finding ways to reach your customers with a message that solves a problem. Every product or service does that very thing, so that’s the easy part. Then develop the approach, implement the strategy, and track the results. Ask your customers for feedback and tweak the ads as needed. And did I mention have a basic business plan?

Jeffrey Hauser was a sales consultant for the Bell System Yellow Pages for nearly 25 years. He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Advertising and has a Master’s Degree from Monmouth University. He had his own advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and ran a consulting and design firm, ABC Advertising. He has authored 6 books and a novel, "Pursuit of the Phoenix," available at amazon.com. His latest book is, "Inside the Yellow Pages."

All firms need to build a strong brand in order to effectively compete. A strong brand distinguishes one firm from another and allows individual messages that express the strength of the company, product and service offerings. A strong brand shows how your offering is different and should clearly express features and benefits that appeal to the marketplace. Those firms that make a clear statement about the strengths of their respective brands generally enjoy greater success in the marketplace.

A strong brand will achieve a number of results. The brand will identify the products or services offered and will define the quality of these offering in the marketplace. In addition the core values of the product and firm should be evident and the mission and specialty of the company should be clearly expressed. The net result of brand creation should be an expression of the personality and character of the firm and an expression of the quality of the product offering.

Branding includes Products and Services:

Branding is not limited to products alone and service firms are often aggressive branders. Successful service providers are those that identify a need in the market place and develop a message that appeals to the market. The successful message identifies how the firm is best able to add value to the market place.

The objectives that a good brand will deliver the message clearly and confirm credibility. The objective of the message is also target prospective customers on an emotional level. After successful transmission of the massage the prospect should be motivated to buy and, if the message is powerful enough brand loyalty should be created.

Sell on Quality Not on Price:

Studies have shown that those firms that compete solely on price are almost guaranteed to fail. No matter how much firms discount their prices in order to capture the sale, in a price cutting environment there will always be another player willing to reduce prices lower. The result is that all firms in the market run the risk of selling below cost and, if price cutting continues, bankruptcy is a frequent result.

Firms that prosper in a market are those that can clearly distinguish their offering from those of the competition. Most effective are those that develop a clear message of the benefits of their product/service offering. Development of a clear message requires an analysis of the strengths of the firm and strategic thinking as to that portion of a market that the firm wants to capture. Following the development of the branding message, decisions are required as to the nest way to promote the brand in the marketplace.

Broadcast the Message:

A brand message that is not properly delivered is a waste of time and resources. Even the best brand message fails if it goes unheard and unheeded in the market place. Nevertheless, care must be exercised when promoting a brand because promotion is expensive and bad decisions can result in a disaster for the small firm. The are many avenues to properly promoting a brand and some are more effective than others.

The options available range from print, radio, and television advertising to private mailers and public relations. Each of these techniques varies in price and effectiveness and generally requires multiple exposures to be effective. Many companies dedicate substantial resources to brand promotion using traditional techniques and advertising and public promotion budgets often represent a substantial portion of a company’s operating budget. For smaller firms traditional promotion can be a tremendous burden often producing limited or long term results.

Private Label Drinking Water as a Powerful Brand Builder:

A new and effective method of brand promotion is becoming very popular, particularly for small to medium firms with limited advertising and public relations budgets. Private label drinking water has captured the imagination of those companies wishing to convey their message in clear and lasting terms. Private label drinking water is bottled water that includes a custom label designed to specifications that conveys a clear message. Private label drinking water has many uses and applications:

• High quality drinking water with custom designed labels conveys a long lasting message without the need for multiple costly exposures. Prospects and clients often keep individual bottles for future use and the image can be viewed repeatedly.

• Private labeled drinking water can be best described as consumable advertising that is cost effective and imparts a sustainable message.

• Custom labels can be easily modified for specific occasions.

• Additional supplies of water can be ordered for meeting, events and public displays.

• Cost is low and water offerings can be coupled with sales opportunities at sporting and other public events.

Quality is Critical:

Any type of brand message requires a quality effort. A low quality, substandard presentation coupled with the most powerful message will fail if it is perceived to be low quality. This is particularly true with private label water.

The first level of quality involves the quality of the water in the bottle. Low quality, impure water will often result in dissatisfaction and impairment of the message, The best way to ensure high quality water is to use ultra pure water that is distilled and oxygenated for highest quality and the best taste. Next, the label design must be of professional quality, address all aspects of the desired message and be configured in an attractive, eye catching design. Lastly the label must be printed using a high quality, high resolution printer on laminated water proof label stock. During the creation and printing process, quality control checks are required in order to ensure the presentation of the most effective branding message.

Creating a powerful brand is critical to the success of any firm in the marketplace and the creation process is only as effective as the expression of the brand message. Many firms succeed or fail as a result of the perception of their brand in the marketplace. Use of private label water is an attractive tool for brand success.

Jon M. Stout has over 30 years experience founding, growing and managing entrepreneurial firms. During this time Jon developed a focused, disciplined approach to creating profitability, liquidity and wealth. He is a partner in Element H2O, an Ultra Pure drinking water company located in Chantilly, Virginia. Element H2O can be reached on the internet at http://www.elementh2o.com

In my thirty years as an advertising consultant, I ran into many businesses that could have benefited from an in-house advertising agency. Instead, they spent fortunes on various agencies that were more concerned with making money than helping the client. So perhaps it’s time to set the record straight and offer some advise to anyone that fits the following criteria. There are several types of businesses that could be better off if they created a small division to handle their marketing needs.

If you have a product you manufacture, you are tops on my list. It’s your product and you should be controlling every aspect of the promotions. That includes: product development, packaging, logo design, national media placement along with trade publications, public relations and press releases, trade show booths, annual report publication and any supplemental support materials like brochures, spec sheets, and documentation.

It sounds like a daunting task, but any company that requires any or all of these marketing tools should consider doing it in-house. Why? Because of two things: control and self-interest. The business gets to control every aspect of the things the public sees regarding the image of the company and it’s in the businesse’s best interest to make the right decisions that will affect them most. In other words, would any advertising agency give them all the time and effort it takes to produce the work they desire? Perhaps they might, but at what cost?

Which brings up another issue: expense. Hiring a marketing director, copywriter and artist will be cheaper in the long run if the company can support the investment. It will prove more advantageous down the road to build this department and have a say in the personnel that runs it. You will have to provide the technology needed for the department to function, but having the ability to create internal collateral material is a time and cost saving luxury even a medium-sized business can appreciate.

Another point raised: business size. At what point in a business’s life can they begin to contemplate hiring a staff for an in-house team? Review your current advertising expenses. What would a staff cost in comparison, realizing the control you are achieving? Look at the media costs. Most media allow fifteen percent agency commissions that you gain through your own in-house marketing. What is that worth?

But what about the little guy? If you’re a small business that places ads on a regular basis, consider a single marketing person with the ability to design and place ads. It’s the beginning of an agency with a much lower cost. It’s how I began in the business. I was a designer for a small firm during college. I worked part-time and they used me as they saw fit. The investment doesn’t have to be large or long- term. But you’ll find more loyalty and cost benefits, for the most part.

That’s not to say that using a quality, advertising agency or consultant on occasion, wouldn’t pay off. They may still be needed for a special project or second opinion. But consider the value of an in-house person dedicated to your business. You may find that it was the best investment you ever made.

Jeffrey Hauser was a sales consultant for the Bell System Yellow Pages for nearly 25 years. He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Advertising and has a Master’s Degree from Monmouth University. He had his own advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and ran a consulting and design firm, ABC Advertising. He has authored 6 books and a novel, "Pursuit of the Phoenix," available at amazon.com. His latest book is, "Inside the Yellow Pages."

Do you ever stop and wonder why women are leaving your company? Are you unsure how to stem the tide of women leaving corporate America? The simple fact behind the answer is senior management and employees are not on the same wave length. The appropriate policies are in place and every one uses the politically correct rhetoric yet the implementation of policies never seems to trickle down to those who are affected the most. The women employees know that policies, for the most part, are a joke and not taken seriously by the employer. There is a serious discrepancy in getting the "true" message to the right people. Here are some reasons why.

1) Lack of legitimate support for women at work

The Party Line: The company has developed a strong platform of supporting women in the workforce. The Reality: Women have not attained parity with in the organization.

The Solution: The company needs more than rhetoric. A legitimate plan of understanding the real issues and implementation of solutions needs to be devised.

Start by assembling a team that is representative of the women within the company. Collect a good balance between the most senior women executives (if there are any), those who are on a management track and women who are considered 9-5 employees (not serious career plans) yet are an integral component of the companies success.

This task force should address the following: What are the real issues that concern the women within the company? These issues should go beyond the obvious equal pay problems. Prioritize the list and understand that this is not a quick fix program. If the company has more than one location, representatives from different facilities should be included. This is not just a corporate headquarters problem.

The task force should also look outside the organization for examples of companies that have what are considered "best practices" in supporting women within the workforce. It’s important for the team to understand that this is not a finger pointing exercise but an opportunity to establish parameters for what policies they would like to see implemented within their organization. Seeing examples of other companies’ policies in action and the successful outcomes will go a long way toward establishing a benchmark for beginning a program Outside experts and resources should be called in to share their experiences and progress in implementing similar programs

2) Employees are a resource.

The Party Line: Our employees are our best asset.

The Reality: The employees come last in a series of current economic issues. This reflects the belief that employees can be easily replaced or are overlooked while other financial issues are addressed. This is so commonplace that companies feel like they can resolve the employee issue at a later date. The reality is their reputation is already damaged. Women simply don’t want to work for them no matter how attractive the job offer.

The Solution: Invest in employees as an asset vs. a revolving door policy. Do that by supporting continuing education and training. Note: This does not mean telling every woman who wants to go into management that they need to go back to school to get a MBA (an all too prevalent practice as an excuse for not bringing women into the managerial pipeline).

Encourage active participation in professional associations. Paying dues, supporting meeting attendance and training programs should be carried out. I find many women end up paying their own expenses to industry events just to keep their skill sets current. Provide external development opportunities where women can be among peers and role models outside their industry, i.e., leadership conferences, training. Encourage women to expand their skill sets such as writing articles and professional speaking. Have a mentoring program within the organization where women can learn from each other and help younger women grow within the organization.

3) The Company reputation

The Party Line: Parading glowing reports and statements in the annual report and literature about happy employees and so forth. Trotting out the "poster child" a senior woman at the top (usually there is only one) that is supposed to be representative of the entire female workforce.

The Reality: The company can’t get talented women to come to work for it or stay employed by it.

The Solution: Once a reputation is damaged it’s very difficult for a company to overcome.

It’s a process that needs to be attacked on many fronts. Just offering jobs to women is not enough. You need to be where the women are and advertise in the appropriate women’s publications, sponsor the appropriate conferences, use job boards that target and seek out women applicants endorsing women’s organization that are affiliated with the industry.

Word travels fast and women will tell other women about female unfriendly policies. One of the tips I always suggest before considering any company is to go to the website and using the search button. Type the words women, diversity, leadership, etc. The results will give you the real picture of how supportive the company is toward these issues. Chances are you won’t get a single response to any query. This tells you very quickly how important this issue really is to the company philosophy.

If you do get a "hit," read the article thoroughly. Ascertain if it’s it legitimate information or pure fluff. Check though all the corporate officers, executive committee and board of directors too. See how many women are represented. This will give you an insight into the "real" company beliefs and how supportive the company is of women at senior levels.

4) The company in action.

The Party Line: We actively seek and recruit women and minorities.

The Reality: The company places a few ads and advertises once or twice. When they don’t get hordes of women knocking at their door they give up entirely.

The Solution: It takes time to change a corporate culture. One of the worst tribulations in the transition is management hierarchy. One CEO may be very supportive, but his successor couldn’t care less. "Succession planning" is imperative to continue the message. This means that plans and policies that have been implemented by one leader are so firmly entrenched in the company philosophy that efforts to support and encourage women in the workforce continue unabated regardless who is at the helm.

Discover the easy way to make yourself stand out from others. How to become an expert in your field; How to write a better resume; How to write a personal press release; How to accomplish things no one else is doing and to get people to think about you in ways they have not thought before and much more including critical checklists for those important business meetings.

This indispensable workbook will show you specific ways to accomplish your personal branding goals and launch your career into the stratosphere. We have done all the work for you with guidelines, cheat sheets and easy-to-use templates to customize for your own use.

So don’t put off building your brand any longer. Don’t wait till your associates get your promotion or raise or even a better job.

Order Packaging Yourself now @ http://www.packaginguniversity.com/pkgustorefront.htm

If you find that the strategies and tactics in these materials don’t work for you or in your business, we don’t feel like we should keep your money. We want you to try them for 30 days with zero risk.

A radio station saleswoman, hair pulled back, suit well tailored, portfolio carried with a PDA peeking out, walks in and greets the store owner with a firm handshake, and announces that she wants to talk about his advertising. She is polite and on his side.

The shopkeep says there is no point. Advertising doesn’t work. He tried it. It failed. We don’t do ads here.

She is sympathetic and points out the ways in which advertising does work. He is steadfast. He tried and failed. No more advertising here. End of story.

The saleswoman, in an attempt to show the store owner another perspective, agrees to give him a free commercial. It will cost him nothing. He’s intrigued. The word free holds some intrigue, sometimes. The spot will begin running tomorrow morning and will make the following offer: Everything in the store, Free. All service calls, Free. The businessman protests immediately. He’ll be ruined. Hundreds, if not thousands of people will flock to his store and pick it clean. The radio lady wonders how this can be, because they have clearly established that advertising doesn’t work.

After some discussion, it is agreed that advertising does work, but the message has to be just right and delivered to the right audience at the right time.

Brian Grinonneau is the general manager of McMann & Tate Advertising a midwest agency that insists its clients tell their story like it has never been told before. http://www.mcmannandtatesite.com

As IT specialists, a big way to differentiate yourself is to make sure that you’re branding your company. Focus on selling your company name with its new industry twist. In this article, you’ll learn why branding your company is so important for IT specialists.

Don’t go in flashing the certifications and vendor logos because that reduces you to a commodity. Sure, they can be part of your background information and something you can talk about, but don’t lead with that-you are IT specialists. Concentrate on marketing and selling YOUR brand and the unique industry-specific value that your firm brings to the table.

Filling Unfulfilled Needs

Another great way to differentiate yourself is to find an underserved local niche and dominate it. How do you find these local niches and dominate them? It’s a matter of just asking around.

Where to Find Your Industry Twist

When you’re out at chamber meetings or the Rotary, talking to prospects, or going to B2B expos, look around for a big problem that’s going unfulfilled. All of a sudden, a light bulb will go off one day and you say wow, I can’t believe no one thought of that first! So if you can think of a solution and there are enough people in the area who need it, it’s a really easy way to differentiate yourself as IT specialists.

IT Specialists: You and Your Clients May Not Agree on Problems

Be sure, however, that you’re not selling solutions to problems that people don’t think they have. Do you really want to talk someone into data security if they don’t understand why data security is important? That is not to say that you shouldn’t spend some time educating your prospects and your future clients about IT security.

But if you’re there for a half hour and they just don’t seem to get it, or they’re really stubborn, or they’re just throwing up all these kinds of barriers, don’t you think that there’s someone down the street, or someone else that you ought to be talking to who does get it? Don’t try to sell solutions to problems that people don’t think they have.

IT Specialists: Know Your Competition

Make sure you also know your local competition reasonably well. Look around; study the four or five big competitors of yours. It’s as simple as looking at their Web sites and brochures to see what other competitors are doing. Figure out if they all look the same, then you have a pretty good idea of what you need to do differently as an IT specialist.

Copyright MMI-MMVI, Computer Consultants Secrets. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

Joshua Feinberg helps computer consultants get more steady, high-paying clients. Learn how you can too. Sign-up now for Joshua’s free Computer Consultants Secrets audio training.

People advertise in many different ways to attract specific audience. Some of them use TV and radio broadcasts, some- newspapers, others- billboards and neon lights. But advertising inflatables are gaining up speed in the business world. Advertising using inflatables can be cheaper than any other way to show to the world. Many small firms with thin advertising budget prefer using advertising inflatables, as they are inexpensive and quite affordable…and, what is more, they WORK!

The basic advantage of using advertising inflatables is that ALL PEOPLE will see your advertisement. People passing by and people in their cars may like your advertising balloon and eventually get interested in your firm or in the service that you offer. So, you had better try it. In addition, you had better try with the most attractive advertising balloon that you come to think of. Before starting to advertise using inflatables, you should consider the appearance of your advertising balloon. How big should it be? Where should you put it? Should it emit light or be unlit? How about its colour? And the shape? What kind of artwork to put on the balloon? After you have answered these questions about the design of the advertising inflatable, it is time to start searching for the most suitable one. If you have specific requirements, your advertising inflatable can be custom-made for you. Remember, it is important to be as detailed as possible, so that your advertising balloon really becomes a symbol of your business.

Here are the answers to some specific questions about advertising inflatables so that you can decide upon what kind of cold air inflatable you want.

1) How can the advertising inflatable be displayed? They are inflated with a cold air fan. The fan needs to be on as long as the inflatable is displayed.

2) Where should advertising inflatables be displayed? Virtually in every place where people are walking to see them: in supermarkets, on the streets, on beaches, on rooftops, on cartops, in parks and so on.

3) What are the maintenance costs? They are considerably small. There is a negligible amount of electricity used by the cold air blowers per day.

4) Which materials are advertising inflatables made from? They are made from a nylon fabric, coated in long-lasting silicon. This material is extremely resistant to bad weather conditions.

5) Anyway, if they damage, how do we repair them? Advertising inflatables can be displayed even if minor punctures or cuts are detected on the surface. If the damages are extensive, factory repair services are available at low prices.

6) What do we get except the advertising inflatable itself? As extra accessories, you can find an electric blower, tie-down ropes, tarpaulin sheet and repairing material in a carry bag.

7) How long do advertising inflatables last? That basically depends on you and on the maintenance that you offer to your advertising balloon. If you strictly follow the rules in the manual, you may extend the life of your inflatables to the utmost.

8) Can the advertising inflatables be raised in the sky? Hoisting the inflatables is not an option as they are made for a steady base to stand on. You cannot hoist them either by inflating them with helium gas.

Article by Robbie Darmona - an article writer who writes on a wide variety of subjects. For more information click Advertising Inflatables.

Whether you’re just starting your business or your business is well underway, this question has more than likely popped into your head:

Should I have a logo?

The answer to this is really internal. You know your market, your customers and your plans for your business better than anyone. So before deciding whether or not to get a logo created, ask yourself these questions:

If after answering these questions, you’re still not sure, consider these three benefits a logo offers to your business:

1. Helps make a generic name unique: If your name is merely descriptive and/or geographic, the addition of a logo could add to the uniqueness factor of your entire brand. That uniqueness factor is what most every business should strive for – setting yourself apart from others in your industry.
2. Gives your product or service a "personality": How can a product line or service have "personality?" Think of virtually any famous name and what it would lose if their logo did not exist. Imagine if McDonald’s didn’t have the ‘golden arches’ or Nike’s ubiquitous ’swoosh’ never existed? Would their brands be as strong today if that image wasn’t imprinted on the minds of most consumers? Would those brands have the same "personality" based on name alone?
3. Establishes brand identity: One of the goals of establishing brand identity is to get customers to remember who you are and to come back to you time and time again. Hopefully, customers will remember you by name alone. But, without a doubt, images stick in people’s minds a lot easier than mere words. By integrating a name and logo together, you’re that much closer to getting that customer to remember you and to call you again.

Consider all of the above when it comes time to make a decision about a logo. If you do decide to use a logo, you’ll want to ensure that no other party already owns rights to the same or similar logo. Then if research proves clear, you can decide if filing for a trademark is the next step.

Logos - the addition of one can become a valuable asset to your business!

Shannon Moore is the General Manager, East Coast for TradeMark Express. Since 1992, TradeMark Express has met the needs of their clients with comprehensive research, application preparation, attorney referrals and trademark consultation. For further details, please visit us on the web at http://www.tmexpress.com or call Shannon directly at 800.340.2010.

A flyer is an inexpensive and highly effective way to grab attention in a very busy marketplace. How do you make your flyer stand out in the crowd? Here are some techniques that professional designers use to make flyers "pop."

1. Write a snappy headline or title.

Make it memorable, unusual or provocative using a few carefully chosen powerful words. Popular titles contain one or more of these words: Easy, The Secrets to, Unlock, Finally, Insider, Time Sensitive, How to, Free Bonuses, Now You Can, Discover, Proven.

2. Use colorful or striking graphics.

One large image will have more impact than many smaller images. A stunning photo or illustration grabs attention, creates a mood, and supports your story. This image is your "focal point" and will draw your readers in. You can purchase inexpensive but quality stock photos on the Internet. Download individual photos or purchase a CD with hundreds of images.

3. Focus on the benefits of your product or service.

Your prospects will ask the question, "What’s in it for me?" Write from the their perspective using the words "you" and "your." Avoid using the following words: we, us, I and our. Be sure to keep your text short and to the point. Some of the most powerful words to use are: free, save, love, new, results, and guarantee. Break up long paragraphs with bullet points and place them in a separate box.

4. Use compelling testimonials and case studies.

Nothing strikes a chord like an endorsement from a happy customer, especially if it demonstrates the results they’ve had with your product or service. Be sure to include the first and last name, company name and location of the person providing the endorsement.

5. Organize your page with boxes, borders and areas of contrasting colors.

You don’t need to fill your flyer with wall-to-wall text and graphics. Incorporate some white space to make certain elements stand out and to make the flyer easy to read.

6. Make your points easily identifiable.

Highlight titles and subtitles in bold, but avoid using ALL CAPS because they are more difficult to read.

7. Don’t get too complicated.

Make it simple with two typefaces, and align items to a grid. Your page layout program will provide non-printing guidelines. Use the "snap to guidelines" function to align items easily to the grid. Be aware of printing margins. I suggest you create your layout with 1/2" margins on all sides, or add 1/8" for bleeds on items that print off the edge of the page.

8. Don’t forget to proofread.

Have someone else proofread your work. Check your contact information. Dial the phone numbers on the flyer to make sure they are correct, and type in the URL of your website to make sure it is correct, too.

9. If you are on a tight budget, try this.

Select bright-colored or unique paper, and print with black ink. Use shades of grey to provide tones and contrasting background areas.

10. Offer a discount or special limited-time price.

Design a coupon on the bottom quarter of the flyer. Be sure to clearly state the deadlines and limitations of the offer. If it is a mail-in coupon, be sure to include the payment specifications with areas for filling out credit card information, mailing address, etc.

You don’t need to re-invent the wheel when creating your flyer. Use these proven techniques and you will see big results in your marketing efforts.

Copyright 2006 Karen Saunders

Karen Saunders is the author of "Turn Eye Appeal into Buy Appeal: How to easily transform your marketing pieces into dazzling, persuasive sales tools!" Hundreds of business owners have used her simple do-it-yourself design system to create stunning marketing materials that really SELL their products and services! FREE audio classes, articles, an eCourse, and ezines on marketing tips are available at http://www.macgraphics.net.