Wise Observer

If you have long dreamed of getting your piece of the Internet business pie but have held off due to fear, lack of skills, shortage of money, or any other reason under the sun, now is the time to get going. There are four reasons why the time is right to get going on line: general acceptance of the Internet, maturity of on line resources, the abundance of resources on which to build a business and the fact that anyone can afford to start an Internet business now. Let’s take a look at why this is so.

First, overall use of the Internet continues to grow, not only in this country, but worldwide. Technology we may find confusing is taken for granted by our children, and even grandma and grandpa now get on line. Consumers across all demographics are shopping, and often buying, on the Internet. Statistics show growth rates in the number of Internet users at over 20 percent per year for the past ten years. Recent U.S. Department of Commerce statistics report on line consumer sales of $117 billion in 2004, just 3.3 per cent of total U.S. retail sales of $3.6 trillion dollars. But, while total consumer sales grew by 6.8 percent in 2004, on line sales grew by 26 per cent. By all indications, this growth rate will continue to increase as the ‘www’ generation becomes more comfortable with Internet buying due to improved customer service habits of on line vendors.

The second reason the time is ripe to get going with an Internet business is the maturity of the Internet. That is, businesses that survived the ‘dot com’ bubble or have come on line after that time tend to be more stable than their predecessors. More traditional business models, focusing on customer service, advertising, and reliability have been incorporated into web business practices. Serious business people value a good Internet reputation. This benefits everyone working on line.

The third reason to get your Internet based business started now is the ease at which the average Joe can now create a web presence. From purchasing a domain name to creating an actual website, getting a business on line has never been easier. There are web hosting businesses that will take you step by step through the entire process for a very reasonable price. If you prefer to ‘do it yourself’, there are software programs available, such as Microsoft Front Page or Web Studio to guide you through setting up your website.

And lastly, this is the time to start on Internet business because right now this is one of the least expensive ways to have a business of your own. With the cost of setting up a traditional storefront business in the thousands of dollars, and considering that about half of new small businesses fail in the first five years, the thought of risking it ‘all’ for a traditional business is only for the most hardy (or fool hardy, depending on how you look at it!). Franchises are somewhat safer, but not only can they also have huge startup costs, a significant portion of the business profits will be paid to the home office for the privilege of using their name, reputation and training.

Of course, once you decide to get your slice of the Internet pie, you still have to have a product to sell. And there are plenty of people who would like to offer their advice, often for a price. You see, that is what they do, make money from people who want to develop an Internet presence but haven’t a clue what to do. That is their product. A little research will show that just about any and everything is sold on line these days. Find you niche and a little creative thought will lead you towards the path to success.

If after all your research you still want ‘in’ this Internet thing, but don’t feel comfortable going it alone, consider joining a reputable recurrent income organization. Such a company rewards you for providing word of mouth advertising for its goods and services. The best companies are those in which potential customers are referred to a website so they can become members, purchase goods or services and even start a business of their own if they so desire. You stay in touch and provide human contact, the relationship building. Find a company that supplies not only the products to sell and ships that product directly to consumers, but which provides a web site, training and support to guide you in building a successful business.

There are other reasons to own an Internet business, such as the tax advantages offered to small businesses that employees never get. But those are just the icing on the cake. Despite all the advantages, you have to be willing to work hard and make sacrifices to be successful. The old saying, “You don’t get something for nothing”, still applies. It’s not for everyone. If hard work doesn’t appeal to you, plop yourself down on the couch, turn on your favorite show, open a bag of chips and just forget about it. But for those who seriously desire to develop a presence on the Internet, the time has never been better.

Bio:
Karen Walker is a wellness consultant and author. She works from her home in western Montana. She and her husband, Lynn McCormick, maintain websites to help those whose lives have been upset by catastrophic health events.
http://www.newamericanfamily.com; http://www.newamericanfamily.com/perfect_business.htm

Not too many years ago life insurance was considered to be the indispensable platform upon which all other estate planning efforts should be based. In fact, for those in the median and lower income ranges, it was often the only recognized method for protecting one’s heirs, particularly in the event of untimely death. However, over the past twenty or so years, the concept of financial planning has changed considerably. The proliferation of varied retirement plans available through work (IRAs, SEPs, SARSEPs, mutual funds, etc) has changed people’s perspectives about the need for life large life insurance policies.

Does that mean that you don’t need life insurance? No. Most people, perhaps with the exception of the very wealthy, do need some sort of life insurance, although even the very wealthy may opt for a life insurance policy (generally whole life) to defray the costs of burial and estate taxes.

In general, the options are whole life (also called permanent insurance) and term life, with variations like universal life or variable life that combine some of the benefits of each. Different companies offer different options, but which you need and how much you need are matters for heated debate. Those who sell one and make most of their commissions from it will vehemently try to convince you that the other is not a good investment. Here are some facts for your consideration.

Whole Life Insurance Advantages:

•	Offers a guaranteed death benefit no matter how long you live
 •	Is generally not subject to rising premiums; rates stay the same
 •	Many policies become "paid up" at some point (15 years, age 65, etc.) after which no more premiums are paid
 •	Has investment value which can be cashed out after some specified interval
 •	Can be borrowed against in case of financial emergency
 •	Can, in many cases, occasionally earn dividends depending on the company's solvency and accuracy in predicting actual costs
 •	The income from a whole life policy is tax deferred
 •	Can be cashed out after age 65 and used for retirement

Whole Life Insurance Disadvantages:
 •	Costs more than term life insurance
 •	Generally returns a fairly low rate of interest
 •	Does not begin to accumulate any real value for the first 10-15 years
 •	If the policy is surrendered within the first few years, money paid into it is lost
 •	Does not provide the investment value of a mutual fund or other investment

Term Life Advantages:
 •	Premiums are generally very inexpensive
 •	Lower premiums allow the buyer to purchase more insurance with higher death benefits
 •	Can be quite useful if the buyer only needs coverage for a specified period (while paying off the mortgage or while kids are in college, etc.)
 •	Leaves the buyer with more money to purchase other investment vehicles like mutual funds, stocks, bonds, etc. that provide higher rates of return than whole life
 •	Often beneficial for younger families who can’t afford whole life rates, but need to insure the primary income earner

Term Life Disadvantages:
 •	Only pays if and when you die; you can never personally recoup any of the money spent on term life insurance
 •	While premiums are lower than whole life, they also tend to go up and can become unaffordable
 •	Term life is only available for a specific term (up to 30 years), and then goes away; if you don’t die within the term, your premiums are lost

Almost everyone needs life insurance of one variety or the other. The type of insurance and the amount to purchase depend entirely upon you, your family and your mutual goals and needs. In any case, make sure the company you purchase insurance from is reputable and financially solvent. Don’t be convinced by a fast-talking sales person without doing your homework first. There are few remedies if your life insurance company dies before you do.

About Ronald E. Hudkins;
Ronald Hudkins is a retired U.S. Army Military Police member that was assigned as a staff researcher. He has coordinated with military and criminal investigators, set on court marshals and worked closely with the Staff Judge Advocate Generals Office (JAG). He has a keen sense of legal matters - their interpretation, initiatives and guidelines. For imperative financial planning needs he suggests his book “Asset Protection and Estate Planning for All Ages.” Additionally, he offers a Free Newsletter at his web site: http://www.AssetProtectNow.com

For sometime now, you’ve been hearing about the Milk Diet and it’s benefit in helping you lose weight. I recently searched on Google for the Milk Diet and could only find vague references to milk as a supplement to help you lose weight.

To date, there is no actual Milk Diet. Instead, supporters of milk as a supplement to losing weight suggest adding milk to any diet. They claim the amount of weight loss will increase simply by adding more whole milk to your diet.

So, does milk help to increase the amount of weight loss? If so, how does it work? First, here are some surprising facts about milk…

1. It’s normal to be lactose intolerant. That’s right, about 85% of the world’s population is lactose intolerant. As an adult, the enzyme that breaks down lactose, the main sugar in milk, no longer functions.

   Milk fat, the main benefit of drinking milk, is only necessary for newborns. Once you’re old enough to eat solid food, there’s no need for milk fat and the lactose enzyme becomes non-functional.

   This is why a majority of the world’s population is lactose intolerant. You don’t need to drink milk as an adult. But why are some people lactose tolerant? Cultures that live at the most Northern regions of each hemisphere don’t receive enough sunlight to convert chemicals near the skin surface to vitamin D. To provide themselves with vitamin D, they have retained the function of the lactose enzyme. This accounts for only about 15% of the world’s population.

2. There are many other sources of vitamin D and Calcium. As a matter of fact, milk ranks some where in the middle as a good source of calcium. Here is a quick list of good sources of calcium…

   -Bean sprouts

   -Spinach, cooked

   -Collard greens, cooked

   -Mustard greens, cooked

   -Almonds

   -Chestnuts

   -Walnuts

   -Raw oysters

   -Shrimp

   -Salmon with bones

   -Garbanzo beans, cooked

   -Soybeans, cooked

   -Tofu, firm

The Milk Diet

The evidence that milk can help you lose weight is inconsistent at best. A few poorly designed studies show a benefit and a few poorly designed studies show no benefit and may even reverse your weight loss efforts.

These studies are poorly designed because they are not rigorously controlled and compared to a group not taking milk. There are a few studies about to finish and report their findings within the next couple of months.

I have decided to wait and not make any conclusions until the proper studies release their results. Until then, follow a more traditional method of losing weight. Restrict calories gradually and moderately. Reducing your caloric intake about 250-550 calories from your baseline per day and exercising will result in about 2-3 pounds of weight loss per week.

For more on the Milk Diet, visit…The Milk Diet

To Healthy Living!

Michael A. Smith, MD
Chief Medical Consultant
Diet Basics Website

Dr. Smith is the Chief Medical Consultant for the Diet Basics web site. It’s a content rich weight loss site dedicated to all dieters. Please visit his site at…

Diet Basics

ach person is different and their experience with acne is different. I had a good amount of acne growing up, but I was lucky to not have any scars later on. It’s definitely disappointing for people to finally get rid of their acne only to find deep acne scars left on their faces. Unfortunately, no treatment of scars can begin until the acne itself is completely gone.

People with acne scars all end up with a different looking facial topography so many combine different treatments to get the best results. For people with shallower scarring there are options to try dermabrasion, laser resurfacing, saline injections or chemical peels. These are all fairly expensive processes, but may be worth the cost if they completely eliminate unsightly scars. For the deeper ice pick type scarring people can try punch techniques, subcision, or augmentation. Many who suffer from acne scars will end up with a combination of deep and shallow scars so they may have to try several of these treatments together to end up with the best result. For this reason, no one acne scar treatment is right for everyone. It’s best to consult with your physician or dermatologist and ask to see pictures of their former patients to determine if they can give you the results you want.

What can be more infuriating to a potential purchaser of a non-fiction book than chapter headings which give no clue as to their contents? After all, if someone is looking in the non-fiction section of a book store, it implies they want facts, not a fancy and “clever” table of contents! Here are 4 sure-fire ways to make your text grab the reader’s attention:

1. Make sure the text on the front and back covers is compelling. It should state plainly and simply what the book is about. For example: “Buy this book, and learn how to master the craft of teaching in 15 lessons”.

2. Why should anyone buy the book from YOU? Don’t waste limited space on the back cover telling the potential reader about your 3 cats - unless it’s a book about cats, of course! Write something like: “The author has been a practising teacher for 13 years, and writes regularly for the Teaching Times.”

3. Organise the table of contents so that the chapters fall into easily-identifiable sections. For example: “Section 1: Before you face your first class; Section 2: The first year” and so on.

4. Make sure that the chapter headings actually MEAN something. You may think it’s great to have chapters like “All that glitters” and “Every cloud has a silver lining”, but I’ have news for you: nobody else is impressed! When people are browsing they want to know right away what they will get for their money if they buy the book. They don’t have time to look at each chapter to find out what it’s about. The chapter headings should tell them everything they need to know. For example, have chapters like: “Chapter 3: Maintaining order in your classroom; Chapter 4: Where to find excellent resources for your lessons”, and so on.

You have just a few seconds to impress a potential buyer. Don’t waste them!

Terry Freedman has nearly thirty years experience in education, and nearly 20 years experience as a writer. A member of the UK’s Society of Authors, Terry has had around a dozen books published, and over 800 specialist articles in leading newspapers and magazines. His website provides free access to many of his articles, a free newsletter and more, or visit his blog.

Power boating as a sport, hobby or used as a business tool is usually pleasing. There are also special sailing & powerboat events which make it equally exciting & can be something that the entire family equipped to go & get pleasure from at the same time. One of the most interesting weeks of the sailing agenda is the Cowes Regatta Week; this yachting event takes place year on year & has been operating since eighteen twenty-six that makes it the longest running regatta in the world. With more than 800 ocean racing boats & 6,000 rivals participating, being scrutinised by 100,000 viewers every day Skandia Cowes week has realised the class as one of the main yachting corporate hospitality and social event of the entire year. Check out Ondeck’s website for the all the latest info on the 2008 Cowes Regatta.

The eight thousand five-hundred contestants cover Olympic and world class practised sailors to senior sailors. Nonetheless, if you’re not participating yourself, watching the yachting, taking pleasure in the gatherings and live activities, & to experience the unique ambience, makes it a one of a sort yachting event.

With Ondeck, two-thousands & eight starts the opening of their most-up-to-date Regatta Division. Building on their good position within the yachting and sailing charter marketplace, this has seen Ondeck Sailing and Powerboat School, run quite a few admired sailing events for organisations, they have just joined-up with Britannia Events, the leading organisers of industry sailing events within the United Kingdom.

The path of the sailing event itself will diverge each time as features like that of the weather circumstances, tidal forces and relative speed of each set of yacht is taken into thought. A typical Skandia Cowes Event has over thirty-five commences each day for participates of cruiser racers, one designs & keelboats; adding to a sum total of over a 1000 powerboats. For the period of this moment the Solent which is a considerably busy merchant waterway, is overflowed with boats of all makes and is especially rich in colour owing to the boats spinnakers. As cited previously in addition to the power boating performances the week incorporates a great number of onshore activities which include live music & cocktail parties. From private or commercial residential parties & nominally private sailing organisations and boats, there are full-sized marquees setup in the docks offering food & drink.

The struggle of visiting a betting room makes it advisable to forget about it unless you have to. Ultimately traffic congestion, the struggle, and tasks at hand aren’t worth the distress solely for the possibility of laying your bets at betting room, all the same, in case you’re the kind that craves gambling casinos then going online should be the way to go.

It’s not necessary to leave house to try online poker or other games of choice as it’s easily accessed from your living room if you have access to a servicable computer with an internet connection. But, remember that there are many recommendations which you’ll need to twig concerning online poker or other games of choice, the more so if you are still still inexperienced in this department. Got it? Great. So go easy on that anticipation and analyze what comes next. Here is a to the point layout which explains what to focus on if you’re tracking down a reputable online poker or other games of choice address. The topmost thing which a cool Internet punter like yours truly will take care to pursue is an online poker or other games of choice Web page of the kind that is prepared to offer high odds. Furthermore, here are a few select other tips concerning determining your virtual gaming Web page.

You must be sure to make certain the virtual gaming Web page is actually licensed, e.g. by checking up on the licensing information onsite. If you are unable to unearth any licensing information on a chosen virtual gaming Web page, don’t think of laying on that site. In the next step, you will want to read and absorb very charily the choice of special deals that the virtual gaming Web page presents their clientele with.

Mixed Feelings About WTO Online Gambling Ruling

Moreover, further essential advice would be to wager at first with smallish amounts instead of throwing away large amounts of money straight off. Check first the integrity and status of the virtual gaming operation before triggering some serious menace, the more so that of losing your money! And here’s another cue concerning virtual poker. It can only be to always call to mind that online betting is chiefly about recreation rather than big bucks. Gambling in online casinos isn’t a profession, on the contrary - it’s a hobby which can make you glad and your life as a whole gratifying.

After having gone with all these prompts, go ahead and succumb to the magic of virtual gaming…

Enlightened AIDA Marketing for Photographers

By Chuck Groot

AIDA = tried but true, the famous formula that makes your ads, your advertising literature, your marketing work.

Attention - you must get your reader or listeners attention. We forget that we are not dealing with a captive audience; people are allowing us in to their heads. So in order to get them to pay attention to what we have to say, we need to get their attention. The best way to do this is with a snappy, hard-hitting, headline. One way I work on getting headlines is by writing at least twenty down on a piece of paper. After the first five or six it gets really hard but eventually, the cream will rise to the top and by the twentieth I have a winner.

Are you walls picture poor?
Is your house crying out to be made a home?
Pictures so crisp you can smell the bacon
Art directors will never forget your face

Interest - once the prospective client has been enticed by the bait so to speak, we need to keep their interest. Tell a story about your product, you should mention every benefit, every detail that sets you apart, everything that would entice you to buy from you. Often you have only one chance with this particular customer.

“The house may not have been crying but Mrs. Schmidt certainly was. Her one and only son just got married and now that he had moved with his beautiful bride to his new posting she spends hours gazing at the pictures we took.

Hildegard Schmidt”

Desire - Make it irresistible for a customer to patronize you by offering such risk free trial propositions - along with such generous guarantees and bonuses - that the customer has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Give the trial propositions as an inducement as well as a free “gift” for their trouble.

” We are only as good as our last portrait session. Each and every wedding that we photograph gets our total undivided care and attention, to that end we only photograph 40 weddings a year and usually get booked up to two years in advance. Your wedding is important to us, so in order for us to deserve your friendship we would like to offer you an:

At that time we will be glad to present to you, at no cost or obligation, our array of wedding services. We have prices and payment plans to fit every budget. With a guarantee that if you are not 100% happy with your photographs we will give you all of your money back - 100% - no hassles, no questions. “

Action - Lead your customer to action. People are silently begging to be led. Tell them exactly how to buy.

” Call 592-7707 right now to book your first consultation. If you wait, your wedding date might be booked. Can you afford to take that chance with the single most important day of your life? Why wait, you have nothing to lose?
Call 595-7707
Old Masters Studio
1234 Your Drive
Weddingsville, BC, V8V 2S2
250 595-7707
www.oldmastersstudio.com“

Bring this note with you when you come and you will receive a special bonus gift.

Easy to do marketing activity; create a letter like the one above and bring it to five (5) complimentary businesses (florist, jeweler, hotel, church etc) and ask them to hand it out to the next couple that comes to them to talk about their wedding. Make sure that when you printout the letters somewhere on the bottom of the page in little letters or a code you identify where the letter came from. (i.e. St. Josephs Parish might be 10-18-04-1 the date you brought the letter and St. Joes is number one on your business tracking guide) and explain that for each customer that comes to you with this letter you will give them $50 to do whatever they wish with it. (This is important if you go to a church, because the clergy may have a problem taking the money for them selves but will gladly give out the letter and use the money for the poor box).

Marketing does work. You must market yourself everyday by way of an ad in the newspaper, a magazine, a direct mail piece, your website, your email list, your telephone directory, or your business card etc. You must have your name, address, phone number, and web address on every piece of literature you hand out.

If you have any questions email Chuck at chuckgroot@shaw.ca

© Chuck Groot writer, teacher, lecturer, photographer, consultant.
Email chuckgroot@shaw.ca http://www.chuckgroot.com, http://www.successfulphotography.com

Chuck Groot’s credentials as a professional photographer, teacher and entrepreneur are noteworthy. His work demonstrates both artistic composition and rapport with people.

Chuck guarantees the help needed to access individual potential so that students will appreciably increase their understanding of the profession and their own businesses. As an entrepreneur, his enthusiasm and innovative approach have garnered him both professional success and the recognition of his peers.
Chuck’s greatest delight is being able to share these skills with others.

Second mortgages are important real estate tools that have been used for many years. A particular type of second mortgage is called a commercial second mortgage. These are used in combination with a first loan and as a main difference a second commercial mortgage will have a term much less than the first one (usually this new one is a 5 year loan).

In many situations, such a second mortgage is required, but the possibility to repay it must be taken into account and assessed properly. Borrowers must be sure that the money acquired will make a good investment for their commercial business or that they can pay their first loan and second loans at the same time.

Several qualified people are able to help borrowers find a good second mortgage. Also, whenever people apply for a commercial second mortgage a free assessment of their financials will be done. This is routine and is very helpful, as the borrower will then know exactly what they can afford, and their picture about their business and financial power will be up to date. With this information in hand, borrowers can then decide if taking the loan is a good solution or not.

People who are not approved will at least know their exact financial state and can risk it by applying somewhere else where they will be approved. The risks are higher but the rewards can be high if the borrower is careful in choosing the amount borrowed and the terms of the loan.

Taking a commercial second mortgage is a very big step and should be very well thought out. The repayment rates are higher than with a first loan and they must be paid on a shorter term. It is advisable to consult a financial professional before taking a commercial second mortgage in order to fully know and understand all of the available options.

Second Mortgages provides detailed information about second mortgages, second home mortgages, second mortgage brokers and more. Second Mortgages is affiliated with Mortgage Loans Dallas.

Having an ‘Internet’ presence is like having a shop front in every corner of the world. Your online presence helps you find customers from every location on this planet.

Take some time to compare the benefits to having an online presence: once upon a time the idea would have been regarded as impossible unless you were a Global concern, with millions to spend on research, office resources, staff, presence building, and merchandise stocking. The whole process can take a few weeks to a few years and thousands of dollars.

Getting a website on the Internet is a lot easier, immediate and a lot less expensive. The learning curve and hence ‘first step’ is steep, but short. Matching the simplicity and the low expense is the highlight for any businessman, because the result is incomparable.

The first step to getting an online presence is to think up a unique name, called a “domain name” then to register your domain name, which should not cost you more then US$15 per year. For example: if your company name is ‘XYZ Exports’, you may consider registering a domain name like ‘xyz.com’, or ‘xyzexports.com’ or even ‘xyz-exports.com’.

Now you have to decide what type of website (online shop front) you want. You can have a website, which will provide information about your products, company, and contact details. Or you may decide upon a website that will not only provide useful business and product information to your prospective customers, but will ‘collect’ valuable marketing information and even take orders from ready-to-pay customers, in effect, making the sale for you. These days there are many reasonably well priced local web designers who will be able to make your website ‘glow’ at a reasonable cost.

Once your website pages and images are ready you will need ‘web space’ so your site can be seen on the Internet. It is just like renting shop-space in any market place. You rent web space on Internet, which is the ‘world wide’ marketplace. You get this web space from a Web Hosting company like M6.net. There are few web hosting companies that can compare services and prices favorably to M6.net, offering real value for money and hosting your website shop front for as little as US$8 per month. M6.net not only allows you to host your website but to offer your visitors other useful services, usually with little or no extra cost, these services can be essential for your business to grow online.

The usual services on offer are email accounts (sales@yourwebsite.com, info@yourwebsite.com etc.) for you, your staff, your website and perhaps friends; there are automated forwarders and auto-responders, for when you are not around to answer your emails. Advanced services are: Web mail interface, which allows you to check your email on the Internet just like Hotmail offers; a Stats server, offered for you to see who and how many visit your website, this is great for marketing value.

Compatibility is offered for tools such as FrontPage, imperative for use by website builders and designers. Security in the form of SSL (Secure Socket Layers) also helps you to get sensitive information (credit card details, etc.) securely from your customer over the Internet giving you the edge on the competition.

Companies like M6.net offer shared SSL certificate security services for free. But, on top of everything else, M6.net is unique in offering a web based Control Panel built purely in-house by qualified developers, which allows you to maintain your website with only few clicks and without any technical knowledge or experience.

So, don’t just trade locally with your competition, surpass them, have your shop front on the Internet and let your business expand across the boundaries of regions, states or countries.

About the Author

M6.net - http://www.m6.net
Contact sanjay@m6.net for any query regarding this article.