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10 ways to market when cash is tight - Small Business: Insight - Money - MSN CA

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Now that you're feeling better, get out there and make sure that your customers will come to you rather than your competition when they are ready to buy.

Chances are you are a little tight for cash, so here are 10 low-cost ways to market better we've worked out with help from Joanna L. Krotz, co-author of the "Microsoft Small Business Kit".

Stop servicing break-even customers. By now you know this is a theme with us. Every second you spend with a customer who doesn't help you make money you are short-changing those who do.

Make every customer feel special. Always add something to the purchase, whether it's a hand-written note to a consumer or a recommendation on the latest greatest business book to a business customer.

Create business cards that prospects keep. How about a good-looking notepad with your contact info and tagline on every page? Or a free or low-cost trial offer on the back, real estate that's valuable and often wasted.

Develop an electronic mailing list and send old-fashioned letters too. E-newsletters are cheap to send, but you can quickly stand out by occasionally sending personal, surface mail letters to customers and prospects too. Just make sure the letter delivers something customers want to read.

Boost your profile at point of sale, trade shows and conferences. You can quickly create your own signage, glossy postcards with your contact information, product news inserts or an event mini web site even if you are not a software professional.

Combine business with pleasure - and charity. Spearhead an event, party or conference for a cause you care about. That puts you in the position of getting to know lots of people and shows off your small business leadership skills.

Create a destination. Indigo Books & Music has its coffee bars. IKEA offers child-care centers and cafeterias. Steal this idea. Add a free advisory service. Add customer loyalty services, such as free delivery for second-time buyers.

Become an online expert. This is the "free sample" approach to bringing in business. Research active e-mail discussion lists and online bulletin boards that is relevant to your business and audience. Join and start posting expert advice.

Court local media. Editorial features convey more credibility with prospective clients than paid advertising does.

Finally, don't let customers simply slip away. It costs a lot less to retain a disgruntled or inactive customer than to acquire a new one. Send a personalized e-mail (you can automate this process), inquiring whether all is well. For a customer who suffered a bad experience, pick up the phone, acknowledging the unpleasantness and ask if there's anything you can do. A discount can't hurt either.

Being kind to customers is the smartest low-cost marketing you can do.

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Subject: 100 Ways To Live To One Hundred

ONE HUNDRED WAYS TO LIVE TO ONE HUNDRED

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• 1. Enjoy yourself.

• 2. Stay young at heart.

• 3. Be honest and open.

• 4. Look for rainbows.

• 5. Walk to work.

• 6. Take the stairs.

• 7. Keep your curiosity.

• 8. Stop smoking.

• 9. Listen to your body.

• 10. Watch what you eat.

• 11. Watch what you say.

• 12. Make time for your children.

• 13. Don't rest on your laurels.

• 14. Drink lots of water.

• 15. Have faith in others.

• 16. Walk in the park.

• 17. Forgive.

• 18. Be an optimist.

• 19. Make love.

• 20. Cross-country ski.

• 21. Discover romance.

• 22. Exercise regularly.

• 23. Do Tai Chi.

• 24. Try Yoga.

• 25. Plant a garden.

• 26. Eat plenty of fruit.

• 27. Golf.

• 28. Adopt a pet.

• 29. Laugh often.

• 30. Be positive.

• 31. Give, don't take.

• 32. Marry your sweetheart.

• 33. Celebrate your marriage.

• 34. Enjoy being single.

• 35. Relax.

• 36. Eat your greens.

• 37. Take up lawn bowling.

• 38. Do nothing in excess.

• 39. Do everything in excess.

• 40. Serve chicken noodle soup.

• 41. Practice what you preach.

• 42. Look before you leap.

• 43. Make time for your friends.

• 44. Reduce your cholesterol.

• 45. Early to bed, early to rise.

• 46. Don't mope.

• 47. Try new things.

• 48. Skinny dip.

• 49. Write to a friend.

• 50. Play tennis.

• 51. Commune with nature.

• 52. Sing in the car.

• 53. Write a poem.

• 54. Whistle while you work.

• 55. Read a book.

• 56. Take your medicine as prescribed.

• 57. Challenge yourself.

• 58. Count your blessings.

• 59. Indulge yourself.

• 60. "Carpe diem" (Seize the day).

• 61. Take setbacks in stride.

• 62. If you want to stop taking a medication, ask your doctor.

• 63. Cuddle.

• 64. Use olive oil.

• 65. Eat your Brussels sprouts.

• 66. Lighten up.

• 67. Choose a career you love.

• 68. Be active in your community.

• 69. Read the paper every day.

• 70. Sit up straight.

• 71. Keep your mind active.

• 72. Travel.

• 73. Soak in the tub.

• 74. Don't be jealous.

• 75. Eat an apple a day.

• 76. Be generous with hugs.

• 77. Make time for your partner.

• 78. Keep in touch with family.

• 79. Bake a pie.

• 80. Eat plenty of fish.

• 81. Get plenty of fresh air.

• 82. Be yourself.

• 83. Swim.

• 84. Make time for your grandchildren.

• 85. Control your temper.

• 86. Share.

• 87. Take nothing for granted.

• 88. Ask questions when your doctor gives you new medications.

• 89. Power walk at the mall.

• 90. Don't procrastinate.

• 91. Accept those things which you cannot change.

• 92. Don't drink and drive.

• 93. Create solutions, not problems.

• 94. Be sociable.

• 95. Feed the birds.

• 96. Pamper yourself once a day.

• 97. Go fishing.

• 98. Smile.

• 99. Smell the flowers.

• 100. Listen to your doctor.

~~ Author Unknown ~~

Subject: Opposites and Alikes

We’ve all heard it over and over again. “If you want to find a great relationship, look for an opposite.” Is that the best approach? How can someone who has a different set of values, attitudes and hobbies be so attractive? People who are dramatically different from us are often the most attractive. This comes from a common sense approach to social relationships. Our lives are usually enriched by connections to others who have abilities that we don’t have. Unfortunately, applying this lesson to our romantic pursuits is often a recipe for disaster.

“If the qualities that attract you to someone are different from your own, be cautious, “ says clinical psychologist and author of How to Know If Someone is Worth Pursuing in Two Dates or Less, Dr. Neil Clark Warren. He points out that while opposites often attract, they also usually drive each other crazy over the long haul. Dr. Warren’s three decades of counseling married couples has led him to make “finding someone similar to you” one of the pillars of his relationship advice. “I don’t discount how hard it is to find someone who is a lot like you. It has always been difficult, and it’s become even more so, as diversity increases. But when two people come from similar backgrounds, they operate from a position of strength. Their relationship is made significantly easier by all the customs and practices they have in common.”

Forging a relationship with an opposite is so hard because every difference you have requires negotiation and adaptation. Accommodation and compromise will necessitate plenty of change. This change creates a kind of stress, and according to Dr. Warren, “If there are too many differences, you may not be able to survive all the strain involved in adapting to each other.”

What sort of differences cause the most trouble? When considering whether a particular person is a good relationship candidate for you look to four specific areas.

Energy Level – If she likes to go dancing three times a week and he loves to relax on the couch most nights…look out.

Personal Habits – This includes punctuality, cleanliness, weight management, and smoking.

Use of Money – When one person wants to save for the future and the other is eager to spend and enjoy life now; the conflict can be deadly to a relationship.

Verbal Skills and Interests – If one person is dying for more conversation and the other wants more piece and quiet, there is a lot of stress.

Having considered all these points there is one personality trait that can mitigate the danger of a relationship between opposites. Dr. Warren calls it flexibility. “This flexibility allows people to consider the differences, evaluate them, propose alternative solutions, and then resolve them. Of course, it is vital that two people be willing to compromise. When one partner bends and flexes every time, the relationship becomes unbalanced and ‘out of whack’.”

So next time you’re feeling that tug of attraction to someone you know is drastically different than you, take a second look. Professor J. Phillippe Rushton of The University of Western Ontario in his study on differences and marital happiness put it this way, “One of the most important principles to follow in choosing a mate revolves around a highly established reality: Stable and satisfying marriages usually involve two people who are very much alike.”

Comment:

Actually, opposites no NOT attract. Likes attract, its cosmic law. When two people share the same basic beliefs, a connection is made. A key component is communication. When two people can share and exchange as if they have been friends since childhood, then that is a good sign. When two people can be awake at all hours of the night sharing childhood stories, dreams, and even hopes and aspirations, then you know you have a good foundation for a relationship.

Also, the couple has to be of a similar philosophical place. Do they feel the same way on the big issues, can they talk about inner desires and motivations, are they on tract with each other.

Finally, like in "Lord of the Rings" the one to rule them all, do they have the same goals and ambitions? If two people who have a good foundation have the same goal, or can get motivated by the same goals and are willing to commit to something that is bigger than either person as individuals, indeed, this is a winning combination.

Even the fastest most powerful car goes nowhere without the right fuel, and a relationship needs love, commitment, and open, safe and calm communication. With the commitment to something higher, it is easy to overcome everyday stumbling blocks, just like a cart with big wheels pulled can easily get over the smaller stones that can stall a push cart will smaller wheels. It's all leverage and the higher common purpose that allows the relationship to rise above the stumbling blocks.

Read more: http://advice.eharmony.com/?page=articles/view&AID=1799&start=2#ixzz0SPmwkHPh

 

Happy Marriage by the Numbers

Pamela C. Regan, PhD

California State University

hen 4,000 couples in the UK who had been married for more than 16 years, on average, were polled on the keys to a long-lasting relationship, some interesting facts were discovered. On average, these married couples wanted four cuddles a day... romantic gestures from their partners every 10 days... unsolicited helpful gestures three times a month... and seven cozy nights in and two dinner dates out a month.

We can make our own marriages happier by incorporating these "happy marriage behaviors" into our lives. Striving to give your spouse, say, four cuddles a day might start out feeling artificial but eventually will become a rich part of the fabric of your relationship. Because kindness reaps kindness in relationships, you will encourage your spouse to reciprocate.

ROMANTIC GESTURES EVERY 10 DAYS

In a long-term relationship, we tend to think romantic gestures are no longer necessary. But surprising your spouse with flowers or a romantic dinner reminds your partner that you still are in love with him/her. If you decide to run a bath for your wife because she had a bad day, it shows that you are thinking specifically about what would please her, and that thoughtfulness is far more important than even the action itself. To be truly romantic, don’t ask your partner what he might want. Instead come up with your own idea -- something that shows great attention to your partner’s unique likes and dislikes.

4 CUDDLES A DAY

Make sure to hug or affectionately touch your partner at least four times a day. The happiest couples touch a lot. Try a slight squeeze on the shoulder at breakfast or a hug before you run off to work.

3 HELPFUL ACTIONS A MONTH

Thoughtful actions that lighten a partner’s load are perceived as tender and caring -- especially when done without anyone asking. Taking the initiative to do the dishes or make your spouse coffee in the morning shows that you are paying attention and makes your partner realize how central he/she is in your thoughts. You even can come right out and tell your partner, "I’m doing this because I love you and I want to make sure you know that."

7 COZY NIGHTS IN AND
2 DINNER DATES OUT A MONTH

Your "cozy nights in" should be different from your everyday routine -- make sure you aren’t parked in front of the television. Instead, have dinner together, talk about your week, make plans, check in about upcoming activities. Also, reserve special nights two times a month. Making the effort to dress up and go outside the family home together reinforces your "coupleness" and adds vitality to a relationship.

Bottom Line/Personal interviewed Pamela C. Regan, PhD, a professor of psychology at California State University, Los Angeles. Her work with thousands of couples over the years led her to write the book The Mating Game (Sage).

  It felt like the end of summer yesterday.   This series of photos of the best bikinis in movies warmed my morning this am.  Yes I'm still a guy, and I'm aging, but I can at last remember when the bikini wave began.   An invention that changed the world....aaah I exaggerate, but I and others I daresay, have certainly enjoyed the last 40 years of so of going to the beach or watching beach scenes in movies.   Now when will they bring back the speedo for guys?

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2009 Summer Movie Guide on MSN Movies
2009 Summer Movie Guide on MSN Movies