tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79165518221764005432024-02-20T05:27:08.415-08:00crystalkayonlineAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.comBlogger651125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-48485975464718824932013-09-14T02:00:00.000-07:002013-09-15T23:11:59.430-07:00Business events in Oakland CountySept. 18<br />SOUTHFIELD — Flagstar Bank presents the third annual ‘Speed Networking’ event, which will bring together more than sixty professionals in the business and legal arena for a chance to network, exchange business cards, and promote their services. It is 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18 at Regency Manor in Southfield.<br />Each person will have three minutes to introduce themselves to another professional, and provide a short ‘pitch’ for their products or services before they rotate to the next professional.<br />The event is co-sponsored by the Armenian- American Bar Association, the Chaldean American Bar Association, the Chaldean American Association for Health Professionals, the Hispanic Bar Association of Michigan, the Michigan Asian Pacific American Bar Association, and Steward Media. For more information, contact Derek Dickow at 248-702-5501 or email derekdickow@steward-media.com. To purchase tickets to the event, visit www.neptix.com/events/1449.<br /><br />Sept. 18<br />WATERFORD TWP. — Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) Certification Orientation is 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18. The cost is $25 per person. The workshop covers the benefits and process of becoming a Women's Business Enterprise (WBE). Benefits include certification to private sector WBE's and access to procurement opportunities with major national companies. It is held at the Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford Township. For registration, visit www.AdvantageOakland.com/expand or call 248-858-0783.<br /><br />Sept. 19<br />WATERFORD TWP. — Business Research: Feasibility to Expansion is 9 a.m. to noon Thursday, Sept. 19. This free workshop is for startup or existing small business looking to research their business idea or find research for their business plan. It is held at the Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford Township. For registration, visit www.AdvantageOakland.com/expand or call 248-858-0783.<br /><br />Sept. 19<br />BIRMINGHAM — Miller Canfield lawyer Michael P. Coakley along with Linda Cena, securities examination manager, and Jason Craft, securities examiner, will discuss the latest legal developments affecting the securities industry at an upcoming “Before the Bell,” 7:15-8:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept.19 at the Townsend Hotel in downtown Birmingham.<br />The presenters will discuss examination sweep results and best practices derived from them, IA switch firms’ most common violations and recent legislative developments in the industry.<br />There is no cost to attend. Reservations are required, contact Sandy Bera at 248-267-3345 or bera@millercanfield.com. This event is limited to investment officers, registered representatives or trust officers. For more information, visit www.millercanfield.com.<br /><br />Sept. 19<br />TROY — The Troy Chamber of Commerce will host the next luncheon in its CEO series on Thursday, Sept. 19, featuring Delphi Automotive President/CEO Rodney O’Neal. O’Neal will present a keynote address, “Reinvention and Remaining Relevant.” The event will begin with a mini business expo at 10:30 a.m. followed by lunch and O’Neal’s keynote address, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. The event will be held at San Marino Club, 1685 E. Big Beaver Rd., in Troy. The cost to attend is $27 for Troy Chamber members and $37 for non-members. An additional $5 will be charged the day of the event. The cost to exhibit at the event is $100 for Troy Chamber members and $150 for non-member (limited number), including one lunch.<br />To register, call 248-641-8151 or e-mail theteam@troychamber.com.<br /><br />Sept. 19<br />WEST BLOOMFIELD TWP. — The Greater West Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce is hosting Nancy Schlichting, Chief Executive Officer of Henry Ford Health System as the keynote speaker for the fall 2013 Leadership luncheon. The luncheon will be held at noon Thursday, Sept. 19 in the atrium of Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital. Schlichting was named the Crain’s 2013 Newsmaker of the Year and is recognized as a national leader in the health care industry. Dr. Frank McGeorge, WDIV-TV4 medical reporter and Henry Ford Hospital emergency medicine physician, is the master of ceremonies for the event.<br />Tickets are $45 for West Bloomfield Chamber members and $50 for non-members. To register or for more information, visit www.westbloomfieldchamber.com or call 248-626-3636.<br /><br />Sept. 19<br />DETROIT – Paul A. Glantz, founder and chairman of Emagine Entertainment Inc. and CEO of Proctor Financial Inc., this month will speak at Wayne State University about ways start-up businesses can attract investors and protect their financial investments.<br />Glantz will present “Valley of Death: Surviving the Financial Rut” from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, in the Spencer M. Partrich Auditorium at Wayne Law, 471 W. Palmer St. The free workshop is open to the public. Parking is available for $6.50 in the structure across West Palmer Street from the law school. For more information, contact Shawn Starkey at 313-577-4629 or sstarkey@wayne.edu.<br />The keynote talk will begin at 6:15 p.m., and hors d'oeuvres and networking are 7:15 to 8 p.m.<br /><br />Sept. 24<br />TROY — A Health Care Reform Connect Conference is 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24 at the MSU Management Education Center, 811 W. Square Lake Road, Troy. There will be a series of interactive sessions with experts discussing: what's new, exchange options and changes required for your benefit plan. A speaker from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, will discuss the latest updates to the Affordable Care Act and answer questions. The cost is $100 for Michigan Business & Professional Association members or $125 for nonmembers. Admission includes workshops and brunch. For more information or to register, call 586-393-8800 or visit www.michbusiness.org.<br /><br />Sept. 24-25<br />ANN ARBOR — The Center for Empowerment and Economic Development is hosting the annual Great Lakes Women’s Business Conference, Sept. 24-25. The 13th annual Women’s Business Enterprises Council Great Lakes (WBEC) conference will offer networking, silent auction, workshops and opportunities to speak with supplier diversity professionals. The event will include “Power Lunches.” The list of participants is at www.miceed.org. Tickets start at $150 and can be purchased at www.miceed.org or by calling CEED at 734-677-1400.<br /><br />Sept. 25<br />BIRMINGHAM — The 10th annual Vine & Dine gala benefitting Gleaner’s Community Food Bank of Southeast Michigan is 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25 at Neiman Marcus at the Somerset Collection in Troy. Hosted by the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber, the event will showcase the talents of students from Oakland Community College’s Culinary Institute.<br />The event includes a runway fashion show featuring Neiman Marcus Fall fashions, a chance to win a diamond necklace valued at $3,800 from Astrein’s Creative Jewelers and a luxury vehicle display from the Fred Lavery Company.<br />Food and wine participants include: 220 Restaurant, Beverly Hills Grill, Café ML, Cameron’s Steakhouse, Fox Grill, Hills Fine Wine & Spirits, Kuhnhenn Brewing Co., Maggiano’s Little Italy, Michigan Grape & Wine Industry Council, OCC Culinary Institute, Old World Olive Press, Peabody’s, Roadside B & G, Salvatore Scallopini, Schakolad Birmingham Chocolate, Streetside Seafood and Woodberry Wine.<br />Neiman Marcus is at Somerset Collection, 2705 W. Big Beaver Road, Troy. The event includes complimentary valet. Dress to impress. Tickets are $75 each. Special corporate pricing is available for groups of 12 or more. To purchase tickets, visit www.vinendine.com or call 248-430-7688.<br /><br />Sept. 25<br />TROY — L. Brooks Patterson, Oakland County Executive discusses what advanced manufacturers need to build a globally-competitive workforce, 7:30-9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25 at Troy Marriott, 200 W. Big Beaver Road, Troy. Breakfast is at 7:30 a.m. and the program is at 8 a.m. The event is free, but registration is required at AdvantageOakland.eventbrite.com.<br /><br />Sept. 25<br />WATERFORD TWP. — QuickBooks Essentials Part 1 and Part 2 is 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25. The cost is $40 each or $75 for both parts. This introduction to small business financial management provides an overview of accurate recordkeeping, report interpretation and utilization, and management of QuickBooks tools. It is held at the Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford Township. For registration, visit www.AdvantageOakland.com/expand or call 248-858-0783.<br /><br />Sept .25<br />WATERFORD TWP. — Health Care Reform and Small Business is 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Sept. 25. This free workshop discusses health care reform legislation and how it will affect all business owners. It is held at the Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford Township. For registration, visit www.AdvantageOakland.com/expand or call 248-858-0783.<br /><br />Sept. 25<br />WATERFORD TWP. — QuickBooks Essentials Part 1 and Part 2 is 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25. The cost is $40 each or $75 for both parts. This introduction to small business financial management provides an overview of accurate recordkeeping, report interpretation and utilization, and management of QuickBooks tools. It is held at the Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford Township. For registration, visit www.AdvantageOakland.com/expand or call 248-858-0783.<br /><br />Sept .25<br />WATERFORD TWP. — Health Care Reform and Small Business is 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Sept. 25. This free workshop discusses health care reform legislation and how it will affect all business owners. It is held at the Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford Township. For registration, visit www.AdvantageOakland.com/expand or call 248-858-0783.<br /><br />Sept. 25<br />PONTIAC — Buckner's Bakery, A Dessert Cafe is hosting a ribbon cutting is from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25. Located at 19 N. Saginaw St. in Pontiac, the cafe features cakes, pies, ice cream treats and hand-scooped ice cream. For more information, call 248-454-0445 or visit www.bucknerscafe.com.<br />Briggette of Petals and Gems<br /><br /><br />Sept. 26<br />TROY — Automation Alley Headquarters is hosting Technology on the Move, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 26. This presentation will provide business leaders with knowledge on what their mobile devices can do for them, and will provide a sampling of applications that exist that can benefit their business. Speakers include Suzanne Chartier, Director of Engineering Services, eyeWyre Software Studios and Jim Salter, Business Development Director, Persis Consulting Company. Lunch is included. The cost in advance is $20 for members and $40 for nonmembers. The cost at the door is $30 for members and 50 for nonmembers. Call 1-800-427-5100 or visit automationalley.com to register.<br /><br />Sept. 26<br />WATERFORD TWP. — Writing a Business Plan is 9 a.m. to noon Thursday, Sept. 26. The cost is $40 per person. This course covers business planning along with a demonstration of the MI-SBTDC online business plan tool. It is held at the Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford Township. For registration, visit www.AdvantageOakland.com/expand or call 248-858-0783.<br /><br />Sept. 26<br />SOUTHFIELD — Southfield-based Farbman Group, a leading full-service real estate company, is hosting a speed networking event titled Five Minute Farbman for its metro Detroit tenants and vendors. The event is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sept. 26 at the Southfield Office Centre, 18000 W. Nine Mile Road, Southfield.<br />Five Minute Farbman provides the real estate company’s tenants and vendors with the opportunity to meet and connect with potential new customers, clients and vendors, while learning and sharing best practices for conducting business from individuals across a broad spectrum of industries.<br />Lunch and refreshments will be provided. For more information, or to register, visit www.farbman.com.<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-57465386182436359122013-09-11T17:29:00.000-07:002013-09-15T23:11:59.452-07:00How to get ahead by showing weakness<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Submitted by Dottie DeHart, DeHart & Company Public Relations, DeHartandcompany.com</i></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>New York, NY — Do either of these scenarios sound familiar?</b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">A colleague sends you a snarky email, so you type a cutting response right back.</span><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">A Facebook “friend” insults your political beliefs in a post, so you write a scathing comment about their obvious cluelessness.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Nobody likes to back down, give in, knuckle under, or swallow an insult. And showing weakness isn’t likely to get you anything but disrespect and marginalization…right?</span><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Wrong. Communication consultant Geoffrey Tumlin says being what some would call a “wimp” is often an effective response. And in the right circumstances, it can even be a way to get ahead</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">“Weakness can be a very effective communication tool,” said Tumlin, author of the new book <i>Stop Talking, Start Communicating: Counterintuitive Secrets to Success in Business and in Life</i></span><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">“In many scenarios, allowing the other party to maintain what appears to be ‘the upper hand’ can help you successfully navigate volatile situations, protect important relationships, and get you what you want personally and professionally.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">So why do we feel it’s okay—even smart—to maintain a forceful presence? Some of it might be the vestiges of our caveman past, but Tumlin believes it’s also a consequence of the digital communication revolution. We’ve gotten in the habit of impulsive, expedient, and self-expressive communication. We can chat, tweet, text, and email to our hearts’ content. And because it’s all so quick and easy, we’ve come to believe that it’s our right, as citizens of the digital age, to say what we want, when we want.</span><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">“One consequence of this mistaken belief is that we often fight back too quickly and too forcefully whenever we’re annoyed,” Tumlin says. “But impulsive and unfiltered communication—whether it happens face-to-face or digitally—often costs us dearly. Because we aren’t willing to be seen as wimps, conflicts escalate and relationships deteriorate. We would do much better to hold our tongues, control our emotions, and focus on long-term goals instead of on short-term gratification.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Tumlin shares six ways to get ahead by showing weakness:</b><b> </b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Respond with weakness. </b>We all too often use more force than we need to accomplish our objectives. We yell when a measured response would work better, send a blistering e-mail when a more restrained reply would suffice, or issue an ultimatum when a firm but gentle statement of convictions would do. Conflicts that start or escalate with excessive force frequently cause a destructive cycle—attack, retaliation, escalated attack, and escalated retaliation, etc. No matter how justified you may feel, the bottom line is that using excessive force isn’t usually a winning strategy.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">“You should try to apply the least amount of interpersonal force and intensity necessary to accomplish your objective,” asserts Tumlin. “In other words, bring a stick to a knife fight. No, it’s not always easy when emotions are running high, but a ‘weak’ response can often stabilize a harsh conversation and prevent damage to the underlying relationship. Try to stay serious and focused and keep the conversation as brief as possible. Keep your words calm, controlled, and even boring—don’t add any new emotional material."<b> </b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Back down from challenges.</b> In our achievement-oriented society, backing down from a verbal challenge can be the equivalent of not accepting a triple-dog-dare on the playground. But that’s exactly what smart communicators do. They know that our quick, cheap, and easy digital devices allow us to have far too many unnecessary conversations, engage in way too much unnecessary chatter, and get our hands (and thumbs) on too many irrelevant issues. Smart communicators are willing to let some problems go unsolved so that they can focus on those that are truly important.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">“I recommend dividing challenges and problems into three categories: Now, Delay, and Avoid,” instructs Tumlin. “Problems in the Now category require an immediate, solution-based conversation. Don’t automatically assign too many issues to this category—this is the most frequent miscalculation of our ‘everything now’ digital age.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">“Delay is your default category,” he adds. “Many issues don’t need your active intervention, and others may disappear completely or resolve themselves without your participation. Finally, some issues reflect highly emotional, incredibly complicated, and other volatile feelings that reside deep inside the other person. Avoid them unless they are impairing the accomplishment of critical work.”<b> </b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Let difficult people win.</b> Jane talks too much. Jim is incredibly stubborn. Uncle Billy loves to argue. Whether they’re controlling, critical, or cranky, the behaviors that make someone a difficult person tend to spark frequent confrontations—even though we’re unlikely to influence these people. For example, we wrestle with Jane to get a word in edgewise. We struggle to change Jim’s mind. We fire a barrage of points and counterpoints into Uncle Billy’s arguments. It’s time to quit trying, insists Tumlin.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">“At the end of a conversation, the difficult person remains the same, but often you are in a weaker position,” he points out. “Only a commitment to let go of your desire to ‘win’ by imposing your will on the other person can realistically and consistently improve your communication with difficult people. When you find yourself with no choice but to interact with a difficult person, have modest expectations, avoid tangents, and stay focused on your end goal. It’s really all you can do.”<b> </b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Swallow your pride and say you’re sorry. </b>Apologizing to another person isn’t easy, even when you know you’re in the wrong. It’s even tougher when you think that the other person is being unreasonable. And, of course, it doesn’t help that certain people view apologies as a sign of weakness. Yet Tumlin believes you should apologize anyway.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">“In so many situations, a well-placed ‘I’m sorry’ can keep an incident from escalating and can prevent lasting harm,” he says. “Usually, salvaging a relationship and staying on track to accomplish your goals is worth a momentary blow to your pride.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">“Apologizing might seem weak, but in fact, it’s a powerful communication maneuver. Most people have a very hard time refusing a sincere and timely apology. ‘I’m sorry’ cures a wide variety of interpersonal ills.”<b> </b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Ignore insults.</b> When somebody offends you, your inner Neanderthal rushes to the front of your brain, urging you to club your foe over the head and show the other person that you won’t allow yourself to be treated that way. But guess what? Your inner Neanderthal isn’t known for restraint, civility, or strategic thinking. Sure, it might feel good to act on your emotions and indulge your impulses, but responding aggressively to insults can also result in a lot of long-term damage.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">“No, I’m not suggesting that feelings don’t matter. And I’m not suggesting that you should let anyone insult you consistently. But people say things they quickly come to regret all the time. Don’t let your inner Neanderthal lunge for the club; give the other person a chance to self-correct instead.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">“Even if you’re offended, try not to let the interaction escalate,” he adds. “Not allowing your feelings to dictate your words will impact your quality of life profoundly: You will get what you want more often. By focusing on what you want to accomplish instead of what you want to say, your goal—and the underlying relationship—can survive for another conversation.”<b> </b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Stop constantly defending your beliefs. </b>Standing up for your convictions has been the American way since the Founding Fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence in 1776. And yes, you should speak up when you feel your own or someone else’s well-being is being threatened. But even though others might label you a wimp for keeping your mouth shut, you don’t have to rise to every challenge. Even though your brother-in-law’s political rants on Facebook make your blood boil, you don’t have to comment on why you disagree with each and every post.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">“Too much impulsive disclosure and reflexive communication can upset the people who are most important to your work and personal life,” Tumlin says. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">“Ask yourself which is more important to you: throwing your two cents in or maintaining a decent relationship?” he continues. “And be especially careful on Facebook and Twitter because there are many more deeply held beliefs to consider. Play your cards closer to the vest. Failure to exercise caution around sensitive topics can lead to a relational explosion.”</span><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">“It’s like Kenny Rogers sang in ‘The Gambler’: ‘You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em, know when to walk away, and know when to run,’” Tumlin concludes.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>About the Author:</b> Geoffrey Tumlin is the author of Stop Talking, Start Communicating: Counterintuitive Secrets to Success in Business and in Life. He is the founder and CEO of Mouthpeace Consulting LLC, a communication consulting company; president of On-Demand Leadership, a leadership development company; and founder and board chair of Critical Skills Nonprofit, a 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to providing communication and leadership skills training to chronically underserved populations.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Tumlin holds a PhD and an MA in communication from the University of Texas at Austin and a BS from West Point.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">For more about Geoffrey Tumlin at www.tumlin.com, and you can reach him by e-mail at geoff@tumlin.com.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>About the Book: </b>Stop Talking, Start Communicating: Counterintuitive Secrets to Success in Business and in Life (McGraw-Hill, August 2013, ISBN: 978-0-0718130-4-4, $20.00, www.tumlin.com) is available at bookstores nationwide, from major online booksellers, and at www.tumlin.com.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-5853004843382471522013-09-09T12:37:00.000-07:002013-09-15T23:11:59.456-07:00Oakland County business events set for this weekSept. 10<br />WATERFORD TWP. — Davidson Family Dentistry is hosting an open house and ribbon cutting, 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 5574 Cooley Lake Road, Waterford Township. Reservations requested at 248-977-3006.<br /><br />Sept. 11<br />SOUTHFIELD — A seminar to assist franchise owners and operators in navigating union protests and strikes focused on quick serve restaurants and other franchises is being hosted by Maddin, Hauser, Wartell, Roth & Heller P.C., a Southfield-based law firm and Permanent Solutions Labor Consultants, of Brownstown Township. James M. Reid, IV, a Maddin Hauser employment attorney, and Ricardo Torres, a former high-level union official and president and CEO of Permanent Solutions Labor Consultants, will lead the seminar, which is scheduled for 8 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 11 at the Skyline Club, 2000 Town Center, #2800, Southfield. A complimentary continental breakfast will be available at 7:30 a.m. Register for the free conference by email to register@maddinhauser.com or call James Reid at 248-351-7060 or Bob Carroll at 734-536-7829.<br /><br />Sept. 11<br />PONTIAC — The Waterford Area Chamber of Commerce presents a healthcare reform luncheon, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 11 at Downtown 51 Grill, 51 N. Saginaw St. in Pontiac. Healthcare reform starts Oct. 1 and how it may impact business owners, will be discussed. The cost for chamber members is $18 and $35 for nonmembers.<br /><br />Sept. 11<br />BIRMINGHAM — The Community House continues its monthly “Bulletproof Your Success Business” Lecture Series, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11. This lecture, presented by Camille Jayne, President and CEO of of The Community House is titled, “Strategic Planning For Your Career & Your Work.” The Community House is at 380 South Bates Street, Birmingham.<br /><br />Sept. 12<br />WATERFORD TWP. — The Dance Place is hosting a ribbon cutting, noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12. The Dance Place is at 7544 Highland Road, Waterford Township. The event is a grand reopening and features snacks and give-a-ways.<br /><br />Sept. 12, 19, 26<br />WATERFORD TWP. — The Oakland County Business Center offers Walk In — Start-Up Thursdays Free Business Counseling every Thursday. The hours are 9:30 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.<br />Sessions will be limited to 15 minutes and are available on a first come, first-served basis.<br />The weekly business counseling is held at the Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford Township. For registration, visit www.AdvantageOakland.com/expand or call 248-858-0783.<br /><br />Sept. 13<br />NOVI — The Greater Detroit Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) is hosting “Steer Business Forward,” as the organization sponsors a General Motors “Ride & Drive” event, Friday, Sept. 13 in the parking lot of the Novi Sam’s Club, 27300 Wixom Road. Several General Motors vehicles such as the Chevrolet Impala, Buick Encore and Cadillac ATS, will be onsite and available to be test driven, 4 to 6 p.m. It’s free to drive, but it is recommended to arrive early to get one of the limited amount of drive tickets. All drivers must be 21 years or older and present a valid driver’s license. The event includes a BBQ provided by Sam’s Club, a dessert reception and guest speakers talking on the topic of “Steering Business Forward.”<br />The reception, which includes a raffle, is 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at NAWBOGDC.org. The cost is $10 for NAWBO members, $15 for non-members.<br /><br />Sept. 13<br />TROY — MI Biz Growth Expo and Workshop is Friday, Sept. 13 at Northwood University, 1500 W. Big Beaver Road, Troy. The event includes Expo and Networking, 9 to 10 a.m. and six speakers to choose from, 10 a.m. to noon. Register for the free event at www.mibizgrowth.com or call Minesh Baxi at 248-866-0063.<br /><br />Sept. 13<br />TROY — Automation Alley’s 13th Annual Awards Gala is 6 to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13 at The Henry Hotel in Dearborn. The categories and finalists for the awards include: Automation Alley Member of the Year: Rochelle A. Black, Oakland University; Tara Miceli, Walsh College and Karen Mitchell, DTE Energy.<br />Educational Program of the Year: Central Michigan University New Venture Competition; PTAC of Schoolcraft College and Wayne State University GO-GIRL: Gaining Options - Girls Investigate Real Life.<br />Entrepreneur of the Year: Bill Coughlin, Ford Global Technologies, LLC; Sarah Jacobs, The Robot Garage and Yan Ness, Online Tech, Inc.<br />Global Trader of the Year: Fluxtrol, Inc.; Fori Automation and Process Development Corporation.<br />Technology Company of the Year: Pratt & Miller Engineering; Secure-24 and Vectorform.<br />The cost is $175 per person for Automation Alley members and finalists and $200 per person for non-members. For more information, contact events@automationalley.com or call 800-427-5100.<br /><br />Sept. 16, 23, 30<br />STERLING HEIGHTS — The Macomb-Oakland University INCubator will host its Startup Lean program. Part of the OU Lean Diversification Program, this three-part series will run from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Mondays, Sept. 16, 23 and 30.<br />Startup Lean is targeted specifically toward startups, early-stage businesses and entrepreneurs. The Green Belt and Black Belt certificate programs, also part of the OU Lean Diversification Program, are more comprehensive and beneficial to companies at any stage.<br />"The Macomb-OU INCubator has successfully trained numerous existing companies in Lean through both the Green and Black Belt programs and decided that it made perfect sense to develop a course that was shorter in duration and focused primarily on startups," said Julie Gustafson, executive director at the Macomb-OU INCubator.<br />Tuition is $95, breakfast is included.<br />For more information and to register, visit oakland.edu/diversify or contact Joan Carleton at 586-884-9320 or macINC@oakland.edu.<br /><br />Sept. 16<br />WATERFORD TWP. — A ribbon cutting is at Leo's Coney. 11 a.m. to noon, Monday, Sept.16 at Leo's Coney, 5076 Highland Road, Waterford Township.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-16687868809267775592013-09-07T07:02:00.000-07:002013-09-15T23:11:59.399-07:00Birmingham publisher hosting celebration of local authorsGrey Wolfe Publishing of Birmingham is hosting a celebration of local authors, with readings, signings and networking, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17 at Troy Community Center, Room #304, 3179 Livernois, Troy.<br /><br />Local author and attorney, Michael Kitchen, will read from his debut novel, "The Y in Life." This is the story about the revelations and consequences of questioning life. Darryl Lawrence was a man who never questioned anything. On the cusp of his marriage proposal to college friend, Lisa Nelson, an event happens that changes his life, causing him to question the purpose of life. His journey takes him to Agra and Dharamsala in India, and to Jakarta, Indonesia.<br /> Other featured authors include Ralph Moore, Kevin Lucas, Diana Kathryn Plopa, Christopher Chagnon, Lisa M. Wolfe and the Grey Wolfe Pack Writers.<br /><br /> This is a casual, family-friendly, free event. RSVP is required by Sept. 12. Food and beverages will be served. RSVP to info@greywolfepublishing.com or call Diana Kathryn Plopa at 248-914-4027. For more information, visit <a href="http://greywolfepublishing.wordpress.com/">greywolfepublishing.com/</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-56677807494742910532013-09-05T01:00:00.000-07:002013-09-15T23:11:59.449-07:00Six personality types that can sabotage brainstorming<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>Submitted by Dottie DeHart, DeHart & Company Public Relations, <a href="http://dehartandcompany.com/home.html">dehartandcompany.com/</a></span></span></span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span></i><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><strong><span>New York, NY</span></strong><span> (September 2013)—Brainstorming <em>can</em> be a productive way to solve problems; generate new products, services, or processes; and capitalize on golden opportunities. But far too often, say creative problem solving experts Mitchell Rigie and Keith Harmeyer, the process is hijacked by disruptive individuals who undermine collaborative efforts.</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>“Have you ever found yourself in a brainstorming meeting that felt dominated and controlled by an attention-seeking personality?” asks Rigie, coauthor along with Harmeyer of <a href="https://email.journalregister.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=65QLk12z90KyDfT-wLNykJXggM9bfdAIJ2HjKuoN0oaZvt98AqQJZc3mphysK2jSA-P8CmZT2r4.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.mmsend2.com%2flink.cfm%3fr%3d995261746%26sid%3d26231228%26m%3d2877209%26u%3dRocksPR%26j%3d14975706%26s%3dhttp%3a%2f%2fsmartstorming.com%2fbook" target="_blank"><em>SmartStorming: The Game-Changing Process for Generating Bigger, Better Ideas</em></a> (Dog Ear Publishing, 2013, ISBN: 978-1457516634, $29.95, <a href="http://www.smartstorming.com/">www.smartstorming.com</a> </span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>“If so, you are not alone. It seems every company or organization has its share of those idea killers.”</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>“In fact, in our twenty years of brainstorming experience working with many of the top Fortune 500 companies, we’ve identified what we call a ‘rogue’s gallery’ of six disruptive personality types you might want to avoid inviting to your next brainstorming session," </span><span>said Harmeyer.</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>See how many of these troublesome types you recognize:</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><strong><span>Attention Vampires</span></strong><span>—They always want to stand out, be in the spotlight, and be the center of attention. It’s always about them. Attention Vampires can smother a brainstorming session by dominating the conversation, excessively pushing their ideas, and ultimately sucking the life out of the whole group.</span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><strong><span>Wet Blankets</span></strong><span>—These are the pessimists who see the flaws in everyone else’s ideas. Nothing goes unscathed. Wet Blankets have the unique ability to instantly dampen the enthusiasm level of a session. They are discouraging and depressing, and the majority of their comments don’t hold water.</span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><strong><span>Idea Assassins</span></strong><span>—These seasoned killers <em>love</em> to shoot down ideas…anyone’s and everyone’s. Under the pretense of being constructive, they will find flaws, poke holes, and pick apart promising ideas until they bleed to death.</span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><strong><span>Dictators</span></strong><span>—They love every idea—as long as it’s theirs. These totalitarians feel they are the only ones with good ideas, or good taste, for that matter. Everyone else’s contributions need to conform to theirs or risk being shot down. Many bosses unknowingly become Dictators in meetings (not on purpose, but their role in the company makes it too easy.) Such idea overlords are to be avoided at all costs. It’s not wise to let them dictate a negative outcome for your group.</span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><strong><span>Obstructionists</span></strong><span>—To them, nothing is simple or easy. They overcomplicate conversations and procedures and bring up extraneous facts or considerations that derail the flow of the group. Obstructionists overthink, overspeak, and singlehandedly dead-end otherwise promising sessions.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><strong><span> </span></strong></span></span></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><strong><span>Social Loafers</span></strong><span>—These are the people who show up for a brainstorm session, but rarely participate in the generation of new ideas in a meaningful way or contribute much of substance. They usually sit back, appearing bored or aloof, and let others do the heavy lifting.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>Any one of these problematic personalities can undermine the focus and collaborative efforts of a group. While it’s difficult to prescribe a simple, one-size-fits-all formula for handling all these different personality types, Rigie and Harmeyer say there are a number of practical steps you (or the session leader) can take to more effectively manage disruptive behaviors to keep your sessions on track and productive:</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><strong><span>Forget the Invitation</span></strong><span>—The simplest way to avoid problematic personalities in a session is not to invite them in the first place. If it’s the boss or a senior-ranking person, assure him or her that you will share any good ideas the group generates afterward. </span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>“Tell the boss that other session participants may be intimidated by her presence in the room,” suggests Rigie. “And since she certainly wants the ideation session to be as productive as possible, it may be best if she waits to join the group until the end, when ideas have been developed and selected.”</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><strong><span>Establish “Rules of the Game”</span></strong><span>—Introducing a few rules at the start of a session can help eliminate, or at least significantly minimize, disruptive behavior problems.</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>“Some popular and effective brainstorming rules are ‘Suspend all judgment,’ ‘There’s no such thing as a bad idea,’ ‘Go for quantity, not quality,’ and ‘Embrace wild, audacious ideas,’” shares Harmeyer. “It is also important to reinforce the fact that brainstorming is a collaborative group effort; so the origin of any idea is irrelevant.”</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><strong><span>Impose a Short Talking Moratorium</span></strong><span>—If a participant is dominating the session, being overly negative or judgmental, or being an attention hog, quickly shift gears and introduce a nonverbal brainstorming exercise. For example, ask everyone to silently write down five ideas and then read their favorite aloud.</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><strong><span>Segregate Strong Personalities</span></strong><span>—A great tactic for managing strong personalities is to divide the group into smaller teams of three. Deliberately assign any disruptive personality types to the same team…and watch the sparks fly.</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>“Surprisingly, strong personalities often get along with one another in a productive way,” says Rigie. “Have these teams develop ideas, and then take turns sharing the best ideas with the whole room.”</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><strong><span>Create a Self-Policing Group</span></strong><span>—Explain early in the session that if anyone exhibits any type of negative or judgmental behavior, he or she is to be bombarded mercilessly by the group with crumpled paper balls.</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>“Make a game out of it,” suggests Harmeyer. “Encourage everyone in the room to participate in order to create a self-policing environment. While it may seem silly, this technique is a playful, good-natured way to minimize transgressions and allow the group itself to enforce the ‘No Judgment’ rule.”</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><strong><span>Engage in Silent Idea Voting</span></strong><span>—Evaluating and selecting ideas can become problematic when strongly opinionated individuals assert their preferences or biases. Instead of ideas being selected based on merit, the evaluation process can devolve into a Darwinian contest for favorites. Using a silent voting technique can help eliminate coercion and level the playing field for everyone to vote.</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><strong><span>Invite a “Dream Team” vs. “The Usual Suspects”</span></strong><span>—When planning your next brainstorm, why not invite your dream team? This group would be made up of knowledgeable individuals who possess a collaborative, can-do attitude—even if they are typically far removed from the project at hand.</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>“Let the usual suspects, the mixed bag of colleagues or teammates you usually invite by default, sit the session out,” says Harmeyer. “Shaking things up can have a dramatic impact on a group’s ability to collaborate freely, share, discuss, and build upon one another’s ideas. This is how innovative solutions are born.”</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>"A brainstorm is only as good as a) the people in the room and b) the tactics you use to minimize bullying and self interest, stimulate creativity, and bring out the best ideas in everyone,” says Rigie. </span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><strong><span>About the Book:</span></strong><span><br /><a href="https://email.journalregister.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=65QLk12z90KyDfT-wLNykJXggM9bfdAIJ2HjKuoN0oaZvt98AqQJZc3mphysK2jSA-P8CmZT2r4.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.mmsend2.com%2flink.cfm%3fr%3d995261746%26sid%3d26231231%26m%3d2877209%26u%3dRocksPR%26j%3d14975706%26s%3dhttp%3a%2f%2fsmartstorming.com%2fbook" target="_blank"><em>SmartStorming: The Game-Changing Process for Generating Bigger, Better Ideas</em></a> (Dog Ear Publishing, 2013, ISBN: 978-1-4575166-3-4, $29.95, <a href="https://email.journalregister.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=65QLk12z90KyDfT-wLNykJXggM9bfdAIJ2HjKuoN0oaZvt98AqQJZc3mphysK2jSA-P8CmZT2r4.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.mmsend2.com%2flink.cfm%3fr%3d995261746%26sid%3d26231232%26m%3d2877209%26u%3dRocksPR%26j%3d14975706%26s%3dhttp%3a%2f%2fwww.smartstorming.com%2f" target="_blank">www.smartstorming.com</a>) will be available from all major online booksellers and at <a href="https://email.journalregister.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=65QLk12z90KyDfT-wLNykJXggM9bfdAIJ2HjKuoN0oaZvt98AqQJZc3mphysK2jSA-P8CmZT2r4.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.mmsend2.com%2flink.cfm%3fr%3d995261746%26sid%3d26231233%26m%3d2877209%26u%3dRocksPR%26j%3d14975706%26s%3dhttp%3a%2f%2fwww.smartstorming.com%2fbook" target="_blank">http://www.SmartStorming.com/book</a>.</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><strong><span>About the Authors:</span></strong><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span><strong>Mitchell Rigie is a </strong>creative professional with 25 years experience in the fields of art, design, communications, strategic marketing, and human development. As a vice president and award-winning creative supervisor for advertising agencies—including Saatchi & Saatchi and Foote, Cone & Belding—and as a consultant for Grey Worldwide, he has managed creative teams in the development of campaigns for Fortune 500 clients, including Johnson & Johnson, American Express, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, and General Electric.</span></span></span></div><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><strong><span>Keith Harmeyer</span></strong><span>'s background includes over 25 years in advertising and strategic marketing, sales and business coaching, and advanced presentation and communication skills training. As a marketing and creative executive at agencies in the Omnicom and Publicis networks, as well as founder and principal of his own marketing communications firm, Keith created successful brand-marketing programs and business presentations for companies such as American Express, JPMorgan Chase, Sony, Time Warner, ABC, Disney, Philips, Fujifilm, Condé Nast, <em>Sports Illustrated</em>, GlaxoSmithKline, Roche, McDonald’s, Foot Locker. </span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>Throughout their careers, Mitchell Rigie and Keith Harmeyer personally experienced thousands of brainstorming sessions and witnessed firsthand how frustrating and unproductive the process can be.</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>The SmartStorming methodology is based on their experience and expertise, their extensive research on the subjects of idea generation and creative problem solving, and practical application in the areas of innovation, peak creative performance, and interpersonal communication.</span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-68182444304624759032013-09-03T18:22:00.000-07:002013-09-15T23:11:59.471-07:00Women Tell All...Almost Luncheon features insight from local women leaders<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span>Achieving personal as well as career success with balance will be discussed during the "Women Tell All... Almost" event hosted by the Auburn Hills and Rochester Regional Chambers of Commerce. The Chambers, in collaboration with leaders from Crittenton Hospital Medical Center, FirstMerit Corporation and the 52nd District Court, will share insights into the professional and personal stories of the panelists that have lead to their advancement within their careers and the community. </span> </span><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Women Tell All...Almost panelists include Judge Lisa Asadoorian, 52nd District Court Division 3 serving within Oakland County, Michelle Hornberger, Chief Strategy Officer of Crittenton Hospital Medical Center in Rochester and Sandra Pierce, Vice Chairman of FirstMerit Corporation and President and CEO of FirstMerit Michigan. These business and community leaders will provide personal insight and encouragement for women of all ages and stages of their careers. </span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Women Tell All...Almost event, sponsored by Oakland University, and dbusiness Magazine, will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 18 at Great Oaks Country Club in Rochester. The event is open to the public. Tickets are $35 for members of the Auburn Hills or Rochester Regional Chambers of Commerce and $40 for nonmembers. Table sponsorships are also available. </span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For more information about the event contact:<span> Auburn Hills Chamber of Commerce: 248-853-7862, </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" shape="rect"><span>rjay@auburnhillschamber.com</span></a><span>, </span><a href="http://www.auburnhillschamber.com/"><span>www.auburnhillschamber.com</span><span></span></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Rochester<span> Regional Chamber of Commerce: (248) 651-6700, </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" shape="rect"><span>info@rrc-mi.com</span></a><span>, </span><a href="http://www.rrc-mi.com/"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: underline;"></span></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" shape="rect" style="color: black; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.rrc-mi.co</a>m</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-24878867490761585492013-08-30T06:16:00.000-07:002013-09-15T23:11:59.403-07:00Oakland County workshops help new businesses get startedThe Oakland County Business Center offers monthly workshops for business owners and entrepreneurs. The center also offers Walk In — Start-Up Thursdays Free Business Counseling every Thursday. <br />The hours are 9:30 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.<br />Sessions will be limited to 15 minutes and are available on a first come, first-served basis.<br />The weekly business counseling and the following events are held at the Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford Township. <br />For registration, visit www.AdvantageOakland.com/expand or call 248-858-0783. <br /><br />CEED (C.E.E.D. is Center for Empowerment and Economic Development) Microloan Orientation is 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11. This free workshop covers the requirements and process to apply and obtain a microloan. <br /><br />Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) Certification Orientation is 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18. The cost is $25 per person. The workshop covers the benefits and process of becoming a Women's Business Enterprise (WBE). Benefits include certification to private sector WBE's and access to procurement opportunities with major national companies. For additional information, visit www.miceed.org.<br /><br />Business Research: Feasibility to Expansion is 9 a.m. to noon Thursday, Sept. 19. This free workshop is for startup or existing small business looking to research their business idea or find research for their business plan.<br /><br />QuickBooks Essentials Part 1 and Part 2 is 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25. The cost is $40 each or $75 for both parts. This introduction to small business financial management provides an overview of accurate recordkeeping, report interpretation and utilization, and management of QuickBooks tools.<br /><br />Health Care Reform and Small Business, 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Sept. 25. This free workshop discusses health care reform legislation and how it will affect all business owners. <br /><br />Writing a Business Plan from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday, Sept. 26. The cost is $40 per person. This course covers business planning in detail along with a demonstration of the MI-SBTDC online business plan tool.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-15739080866488578782013-08-28T12:39:00.000-07:002013-08-30T10:39:20.100-07:00Nine Metrics Useful for Measuring Ecommerce Success<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In an article recently published on Mashable’s website, several successful ecommerce entrepreneurs were asked what data they rely on to develop and monitor strategies. The following is a list of the nine metrics these entrepreneurs deemed most valuable along with a brief summary of why.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1. User Acquisition Costs</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This metric can be used to determine the success rate of your PPC campaigns. How much does it cost you each time a user lands on a web page in relation to conversions?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2. Abandoned Carts</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Monitor this metric to ask customers who bailed on their shopping carts why they did not proceed through to checkout. Was it something with the checkout process itself? Were shipping costs too high? There are a number of reasons why shopping carts are abandoned. This is a good metric to watch in order to gain insight on possible improvements that could lead to a higher conversion rate.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3. Google Analytics Experiments</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is a tool accessible from your Google Analytics account. It can be used for split testing. Use experiments to test different web pages against each other to determine what is working and what is not. For more information on experiments, follow this <a href="https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1745147?hl=en" target="_blank">link</a>.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4. Visitor Value</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Determine how much revenue each one of your visitors generates. From here, you can come up with a strategy in regards to how much you want to spend to draw new traffic to your website.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">5. Lifetime Value</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yet another important metric to consider is the lifetime value of a customer. Consider why some customers return and spend more than others and then think about how to market old and new products to both new and return customers.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">6. Traffic</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Look at where your traffic is coming from and what the bounce rate is. Information like this can be viewed from your Google Analytics account. This entrepreneur suggests that the best money making opportunity comes from non-branded, organic traffic.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">7. Lead Source ROI</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Monitor the ROI of each different advertising method to determine which ones are most effective.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">8. Purchase Funnel</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Analyze the purchase funnel to understand where and when a customer drops off the sales process.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">9. Percentage of Mobile Visits</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With the use of mobile devices on the rise, having a site optimized for this type of shopper is crucial. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The original article post on Mashable can be viewed in its entirety <a href="http://mashable.com/2013/08/26/9-data-sets-every-e-commerce-company-should-measure/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-80043924872907061322013-08-26T12:25:00.000-07:002013-09-15T23:11:59.496-07:00Free mercury collection program for Michigan businesses and residents<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="Normal__Char" style="font-size: 11pt;">The Environmental Quality Company (EQ) has partnered with The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Mercury Collection Project. This is an on-going effort to collect and properly recycle mercury. Small and large business operations have traditionally been overlooked during mercury collection events. The project’s objective is to address this issue and promote a long-term solution for easily collecting and recycling of mercury. The program is free to anyone located in Michigan – residents included. </span></span><br /><div class="Normal" style="line-height: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> U<span class="Normal__Char" style="font-size: 11pt;">pon request, EQ will send a free collection bucket with a shipping box via common carrier. Each bucket will contain return instructions. Most mercury items can be returned through this mail-back program. Some examples are: thermometers, thermostats, gauges with silver colored liquid inside, dental amalgam, hydrometers, etc. </span></span></div><div class="Normal" style="line-height: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Th<span class="Normal__Char" style="font-size: 11pt;">e program ends Sept. 30. Call 734-547-2517 or e-mail mercurybucket@eqonline.com to order free collection container and instruction kit.</span></span></div><div class="Normal" style="line-height: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="Normal__Char" style="font-size: 11pt;">For more information, visit </span><a href="https://email.journalregister.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=e0hSS1WP2E6FzkAIaHHoY0GwMjJjadAIKVQiisLItJM8ozazInQkhbAKEUg39NMDLDbaeXpluII.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fgreatlakesrestoration.us%2f" target="_blank"><span class="Hyperlink__Char"><span class="Hyperlink__Char" style="font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">http://greatlakesrestoration.us/</span></span></a><span class="Normal__Char" style="font-size: 11pt;"> or </span><a href="https://email.journalregister.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=e0hSS1WP2E6FzkAIaHHoY0GwMjJjadAIKVQiisLItJM8ozazInQkhbAKEUg39NMDLDbaeXpluII.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.eqonline.com%2f" target="_blank"><span class="Hyperlink__Char"><span class="Hyperlink__Char" style="font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">www.eqonline.com</span></span></a><span class="Normal__Char" style="font-size: 11pt;">. </span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="Normal__Char" style="font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none;">The Environmental Quality Company </span><span class="Normal__Char" style="font-size: 11pt;">is a fully integrated environmental services and waste management organization based in Wayne. It implements innovative technology and service solutions that minimize waste volumes, reduce costs and protect the environment. EQ owns ISO certified treatment, disposal and recycling facilities and manages an extensive line of remediation, industrial cleaning and total waste management services throughout the United States.</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-48832914473306826582013-08-23T00:04:00.000-07:002013-09-15T23:11:59.435-07:00How To Get Your Website Across Smartphone Users in 2013<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ICnEO-gR_ZuJvUnBmqw-jO1VaKRO8VTyp9a8ZyYtQSVsQEZtXyoSfHLX4JB8HrdF2Cyw0TXIoOhNhnLtOud4C4-3QGMaa-lEVzueGd9li5BujjX4_jEEzCiuKzPdU09kGCMWg3k7Ez2g/s1600/smt.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ICnEO-gR_ZuJvUnBmqw-jO1VaKRO8VTyp9a8ZyYtQSVsQEZtXyoSfHLX4JB8HrdF2Cyw0TXIoOhNhnLtOud4C4-3QGMaa-lEVzueGd9li5BujjX4_jEEzCiuKzPdU09kGCMWg3k7Ez2g/s1600/smt.png" height="179" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First off, why would you even worry about Smartphone users? And weren't there plug-ins and stuff for all that? To answer the first question, there really is no reason to to worry about whether smartphone users browse your site or not. All you'll lose is about 73% of traffic from users between the ages of 18 and 44 who use their smartphones to browse. If your desired target audience does not fall into that age group, then, nope - you got nothing to worry about. If, on the other hand, you are like most other marketers or webmasters, you should be very, very worried. </span></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">As for the second question - plug-ins just don't cut it any more. Not if you want your site to appear the way you created it. Plug-ins render a mobile version of your site while you'd normally want it to appear the same across all devices and platforms because you optimized everything (presumably) on it for the most perfect browsing experience (and, therefore, possible sales). </div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Fortunately, the Web grows as a whole, and when there is a need, there is a way. There are ridiculously simple ways to make your website accessible to smartphone users in 2013. All you have to do is know about them - and the fact that you do actually need them.</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><b style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1. Get a 'smart' hosting service provider</b></div></b><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">To begin with, you can find a host that will provide you a convert to mobile (read, smartphone) option as part of the hosting features. Godaddy is currently advertising such a feature, and it looks good. You have to design the site - which is no big deal since everything is DYI - but that takes time. Also, it will still be a 'mobile version' of your site, somewhat like what the plug-ins do. You cannot use this feature on sub-domains - which means, if you have a blog with your main site (as in <a href="http://yoursite.com/blog" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">yoursite.com/blog</a>), the blog will not be accessible by smartphones. Still, in spite of its limitations, this could be the beginning of a great idea that others will soon take up and improve upon.</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><b style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>2. Get yourself a Responsive Theme</b></div></b><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">This is by far the easiest. If you are on Wordpress, find a theme that is Responsive - and that means, your blog / site will display similarly across all platforms, including smartphones. The HTML in a responsive theme remains constant, and the CSS3 responds to the queries for site display by offering the most compatible rules for the device (and screen size) the query originated from. In plain English, that means your theme will have separate CSS rules for a smartphone and a computer. A single URL (as opposed to the usual redirection to the mobile site with its own URL) is generated no matter the device being used, and that makes it easy for Google to index your site. No wonder this is Google's preferred method of making a site mobile friendly.</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><b style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>3. Get your own apps</b></div></b><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">If you've browsed Facebook on your mobile phone, you have probably also installed an app to make the browsing simpler. The pages load faster, and your overall experience is enhanced. Apps make downloading a site on mobile devices a less complicated job, and everything, from ads to content is displayed effortlessly. You can design apps for your site too. If you have a huge audience base, it makes sense to create and app and let all your subscribers know where to download it from, as well as advertise on social networks and anywhere else you can think of. Otherwise, your loyal visitors might eventually get tired of your site because it refused to keep up with the changing times. </div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">How do you create an app? On your own, if you know how - or with a few clicks from sites like Conduit.Com. </div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><b style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>4. The 30 second solution</b></div></b><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">If you are in a hurry, head over to bMobilized.Com, type in your site URL, click the 'Mobilize' button and you are done. Okay, this takes a little more than 30 seconds, and the customization can require more than just one click, but you have to admit, this is one of the simplest methods available anywhere. This method works on redirection, as we mentioned earlier in passing. It takes only $9 per month to keep the site running with the bMobilized support team behind you. If you think you can manage on your own, you pay just $5 (still per month, of course). The best part is that you get a full featured 7 day trial. So go ahead and try it!</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><b style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>5. The elaborate solution</b></div></b><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">For an elaborate business solution that claims to deliver a mobile experience as seamless as that which an app can provide, head over to Mobify.Com and check out the features and pricing. $495 is the starting price per month, and it goes to a negotiable price per requirement in the Enterprise Class. Don't back off yet if such a big budget solution is not for you: Mobify has a free alternative for smaller sites where you can access all the core features (in a limited way) for no charge whatever. This is suitable for sites that have no more than 10,000 page views on mobile devices per month. All features are activated by the inclusion of a small tag in the existing site header. Simple, huh?</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><b style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>6. Promote</b></div></b><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Don't just create a smartphone friendly site and be done with it - promote it with paid advertisements. Your ads will flash across as many devices as you choose, and since this is a relatively new concept, now would be the time to cash in on it.</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><b style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>7. Facebook it</b></div></b><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">That 73% user base we talked about right at the beginning? Well, in the same age group of 18-44, about 70% access Facebook from their mobile devices. These stats are from a survey conducted by Facebook, and we are talking about a test group of 75,000 owners of smartphones. The percentage may go down a little if we refer to worldwide studies, but the actual number of users shoots way up. What does that mean for you? It means you've got to get your site 'out there'. In addition to paid promotions, get active on social networks and let people know about your site. On social media, you'll find a ready and waiting audience with smartphones in hand, and what sense does it make to waste such an opportunity?</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Apart from all this, you could create a strategy of promotion that would include super short videos (5 seconds sound good enough?) to consistently promote your mobile site. This is a very popular concept - has been, for a while now, and the more creative you are, the more popular you are likely to become in a very short while. Don't forget also to check the Net regularly for newer innovations in reaching out to the new generation of audience - everything is moving so fast these days that you sure can't afford to get left behind.</div></span></span><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Author Bio:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Jason Smith is an online manager for Foley, Incorporated - <a href="http://www.foleyinc.com/power/rentalpower/electric_power_generation_rentals" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Rent A Generator</a>. He likes blogging about online strategies that are related to SEO, Content, PPC & Lead generation.</div></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-48751818665669723112013-08-22T23:53:00.000-07:002013-09-15T23:11:59.433-07:006 HTML Validation Tools To Minimize The Errors On Your Sites<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK8wQ_dntIjLlzg-Abc_xBEf3OUTK20yc7SJk-Qpj-_Hg-W35bQH2XFWhQXVBzCJENgOzfkbiNsoWJh1iGlAJt0Nam2yP2EoSJc0_wAraxu8WxHQoWaluId7aH_cRm2pSFucgbqYtmUl8X/s1600/html.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK8wQ_dntIjLlzg-Abc_xBEf3OUTK20yc7SJk-Qpj-_Hg-W35bQH2XFWhQXVBzCJENgOzfkbiNsoWJh1iGlAJt0Nam2yP2EoSJc0_wAraxu8WxHQoWaluId7aH_cRm2pSFucgbqYtmUl8X/s1600/html.png" height="305" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is important to validate your blog's HTML code to ensure that is complies with the principles of the World Wide Web association. An authenticated HTML code makes it very easy to maintain your site. As well, it plays a huge role in reflecting the degree of your professionalism in the blogging industry. Besides that, it augments the compatibility of your site with future versions of HTML. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><div style="color: #222222; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is a review of some top tools for HTML validation</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><b style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How to validate your site HTML</span></b></div></b><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><b style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Firefox Add On</span></b></div></b><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="color: #222222; text-align: justify;">Firefox HTML validator is a small icon located on the status bar which validates the code as the page loads. The add-on was developed by W3C but has evolved over time in tandem with changing needs. The extension is embedded within Firefox and makes the validation on your machine without involving a third-party server. This is a superb option for those using FireFox. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></div><b style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Google Chrome Extensions</b></div></b></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="color: #222222; text-align: justify;">Google Chrome HTML validator resides as an icon just adjacent to the address field. When it is auto-run, it displays a green badge. Number 0 is an indication of no validation errors. A red badge with a count is an indication of validation errors. If you click on the icon, it'll pop-up a small window at the bottom of the browser displaying more information about the errors. It is available free of charge and is pretty easy to use.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></div><b style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>WDG Validator</b></div></b></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="color: #222222; text-align: justify;">This is one of the quickest ways to check the syntactical correctness of your HTML. The best thing about it is that it supports enormous pool of character encoding. W3C is highly accurate and even though it does not include a lot of extras it does provide useful links where you can easily find and run those tools on your site. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></div><b style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>HTML Toolbox</b></div></b></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="color: #222222; text-align: justify;">This is a subscription service (available online) that you can use to check your site for any bad links and HTML coding errors. It'll also check from browser compatibility. You pay an annual subscription fee of $60 for a maximum of 100 pages. You pay more for any more pages exceeding this number. The best thing about it is that it is compatible with literary all the major browsers. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></div><b style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>CSE Lite</b></div></b></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="color: #222222; text-align: justify;">CSE Lite is a fast, easy and reliable way to validate and edit your HTML code. The validator allows you to view the errors in your code without having to search for corresponding line numbers. This one is quite nice an option for casual HTML authors. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></div><b style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>HTML Power Tools </b></div></b></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="color: #222222; text-align: justify;">This is a comprehensive package of Windows applications that helps you to manage your website. The best thing about this tool is that it will validate your site even when you're offline. It also checks links, spelling as well as orphan files. You however have to pay for the entire kit which comprises: HTML Rulebase editor, PowerSpell, PowerAnalyzer, Image Scanner, PowerSearch, Metamanager, HTML to Text Convertor and Date Stampler. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Don't hesitate to give your blog that much needed breathe of life. Conduct a HTML code validation check soon and avoid errors that could hamper your future opportunities.</div></span></span><div style="color: #222222; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Author Bio:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Jason Smith is an online manager for Victorpest - <a href="http://www.victorpest.com/store/rat-control/electronic-rat-traps" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Electric Rat Trap</a>. He likes blogging about online strategies that are related to SEO, Content, PPC & Lead generation.</div></span></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-33522404512909752462013-08-22T23:40:00.000-07:002013-09-15T23:11:59.412-07:0010 Simple ways to improve your SEO<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_PpcUf2Ov6G2ClH-T1E5U-4rVLuy7RZ8fRkY_xGcJ2F50GLGnlrNy6XKtelTZK1W5_dGwqp0xaN9D9E6QxmRv1JQLE_b5WY2auRm0YuxwRuyugdBGbjXfFT2DO0Ftxd6xdwrrrHfw2PcN/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_PpcUf2Ov6G2ClH-T1E5U-4rVLuy7RZ8fRkY_xGcJ2F50GLGnlrNy6XKtelTZK1W5_dGwqp0xaN9D9E6QxmRv1JQLE_b5WY2auRm0YuxwRuyugdBGbjXfFT2DO0Ftxd6xdwrrrHfw2PcN/s1600/2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are a business owner, or otherwise, an individual trying to promote a certain product or service, you’ll most likely already know about a service called SEO. At first, you may find this service a little complicated to grasp, it is after all a very complex system. The traffic gained from this system is however phenomenal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With so many variables involved in the making of SEO services, it can sometimes be a little hard to understand the ins and outs of this system. However, regardless of this, there are several simple things you can do to boost your SEO and in turn, rank higher in today’s search engines.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SEO as an essential way to gain traffic<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SEO is one of the easiest ways to reach consumers today; this is mainly down to technology in the 21<sup>st</sup> century. More and more consumers are choosing to use their smartphones and tablets to shop, and with so many expensive technologies on the market today, surfing the Internet is a widespread pastime!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all however, it comes down to the content you choose to share – if it isn’t interesting and it doesn’t grab the attention of those surfing the net, excelling in this field is quite simply impossible!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;">SEO is constantly changing and as such, it’s often improving, which makes it an asset to most companies and a great business tool. On average, Google supposedly makes more than 500 alterations to their search algorithm on an annual basis. This in actual fact means that they alter their algorithm on a daily basis. Despite this, there are always certain things that stay the same and such factors comprise of how you upload, manage and update the content you choose to broadcast online. Listed below are ten of the easiest rules to follow when it comes to SEO and following these rules will allow you to use this particular system in a successful manner. This is regardless of the service or product you wish to promote, and regardless of whether you’re in the business sector or the creative industry. In fact, SEO within the finance industry is extremely effective. Due to its competitive nature, </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://www.fkinternational.com/" target="_blank"><b><span lang="EN-US">international recruitment</span></b></a></span><b><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"> </span></b><span style="color: #1d1d1d;">services benefit from this strategy hugely! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Conduct a full site on page SEO review/audit in order to determine the issues at stake.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. You should always write content that is tailored to your target audience and not just to the search engines. Quality content is a must. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Using bold lettering, anchor text and html coding will help you to enhance your on-page content structure. Don’t also forget to use interlinking which can also benefit your SEO. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Use sites with higher page rankings as opposed to low quality link sites.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;">5. Use social bookmarking sites and add new content to these on a regular basis.</span> <span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. Use the likes of social sharing buttons on your site in order to promote content further.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. Never duplicate content as this will put off users as opposed to draw them in. In order to keep the attention of existing consumers and attract new consumers, it’s important to keep content fresh and desirable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. In order to create successful content, use URLs that contain keywords and link these keywords to various sites and products that promote your own.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9. Add new content on a regular basis and at prime times when others are surfing the web.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10. Create effectual title tags and ones that encompass your target keywords.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-39348991033301178682013-08-22T23:17:00.000-07:002013-09-15T23:11:59.419-07:00Local SEO Experts Will Take Care Of The Negative Ratings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhomu014Ftxjc4Y9mKZw6Zz0qwIzkniBgP-QYQlZX19PXIdLnvBuQNVjZK-K9WgdosUwyZ4Nvuut8szAbbXFUqbxma2MOiQvz939tTtJTxx1o9-qHcLi_ipuOW38dBQIGEDcVbl917bdkZX/s1600/local.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhomu014Ftxjc4Y9mKZw6Zz0qwIzkniBgP-QYQlZX19PXIdLnvBuQNVjZK-K9WgdosUwyZ4Nvuut8szAbbXFUqbxma2MOiQvz939tTtJTxx1o9-qHcLi_ipuOW38dBQIGEDcVbl917bdkZX/s1600/local.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your web-page might have the best web-design and it has all the contents in it that are required for better rankings on Google. It’s a good thing, but it is more important to do the right things that will help you in retaining the position for long. This will help you in getting maximum customers for your business. There are many other websites that are offering services like you do, and there are chances that they might get better rankings than you do. Thus it is necessary to hire the best <a href="http://www.eseosolutions.com/local-seo-services.php" target="_blank">local SEO</a><b> </b><span style="font-size: small;">company that will cater to all your business needs in an effective manner. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are quite different things that need to be done for increasing in the ranking of your webpage. Some of the steps are quite simple, while others are complicated and needs proper steps and procedure that needs to be followed for becoming successful online vendor. It is necessary to choose the right type of keyword that will improve or fasten the search process for your potential client. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Keyword in Title <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A keyword in the title of your content will get direct the clients directly to your webpage, without consuming much time. Also, on the title you can mention the name of the place where you render such a business. This will narrow down the search and help the potential customers in getting better and quick solutions without wasting much time. So if you haven’t been very serious about your title tag until now, then it’s time to be careful and thoughtful about the same. It is necessary to discuss your needs with the service providers so that they can take the right step and help you in the best possible manner. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Other Details of your content: <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You need to ensure that your webpage also has services like Google and Bing maps as these features will help your clients in getting the right information. With the help of a professional, you can get these things properly integrated on your webpage. No matter whatever type of business you might have, such simple things will help you in accomplishing the task perfectly and satisfactorily. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The other thing that can be done here is listing your business with Google. It will give you a list of names, places, and other details then it will help you in improving the Google rankings. You can check the details and then claim for one as per your needs and requirements. All the listings are quite important and help you in different ways, to progress in your business. Also, you can easily cope with the competition in the best possible manner. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Give proper contact information: <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In order to become successful it is quite important that you provide the right contact information to your existing and future clients. Special attention has to be paid to NAP, which is nothing but name, address, and phone number. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Benefits of <i>Local SEO</i> are as follows – <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><br /><ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="a"><li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The experts will try and implement unique ideas to improve the listings on your webpage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They will take care of negative ratings, and solve any problem arising due to the same.</span></span></li></ol>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-44693564032054856242013-08-22T10:58:00.000-07:002013-08-30T10:39:20.114-07:00Updated Customer Web Stores from Azox<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The team at Azox has been busy updating current customer sites to the latest version of eSource, which is our ecommerce software. The latest completed update was for Dr. Hauschka. The Dr. Hauschka web store sells natural skin care products and makeup.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dr. Hauschka’s new website runs on eSource 3.4. The company also chose to add one page and guest checkout. This feature helps provide a better user experience in several ways. With the checkout process, users want to complete their transactions quickly and easily. By offering one page/guest checkout, users are able to make purchases without creating an account. Further, all the information required for the purchase can be entered on one screen. The upgraded web store can be viewed <a href="https://store.drhauschka.com/naturalskincare/default.aspx?store" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another one of our customers, Recreation Supply Company, has chosen to upgrade to eSource 3.4. This company sells swimming pool supplies on their ecommerce website. The upgraded version of their web store also includes one page/guest checkout in addition to dimension groups. Dimension groups is a tool that allows similar items in your database to be lumped together under one item. For example, a clothing retailer would use this feature to group together several pairs of denim that are all the same style, but are available in various sizes and washes. Recreation Supply Company’s upgraded web store can be viewed <a href="https://www.recsupply.com/eSource3/cmspages/shop.aspx?" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dental City, a provider of dental products, is also now running their web store using eSource 3.4. They too opted for one page/guest checkout and also added filters. The filters feature allows users to better refine their search results using specific attributes, such as color or size. Check out their updated web store <a href="https://www.dentalcity.com/DC/CMSPages/products.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you are a current customer and are interested in how an upgrade can benefit you, <a href="mailto:sales@azox.com" target="_blank">contact our sales team</a> to <a href="http://www.azox.com/ScheduleaDemo/tabid/465/Default.aspx" target="_blank">schedule a demo</a>.</span><br /><div><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-47596127142128633672013-08-22T02:00:00.000-07:002013-09-15T23:11:59.426-07:00Local entrepreneurs enter their products in Walmart's annual GetontheShelf contestJim and Carol Owens of Waterford have entered their Cat-Door in Walmart’s “GetOnTheShelf,” contest and Gary Jensen has entered his Krazy Grease in the contest.<br />Cat-Door is an easy-to-install cat-sized door that can be installed in a basement, laundry room, or spare closet door, to hide a cat's litter box behind a closed interior door. With the door closed, the cat will still be able to get in and out. Large dogs and toddlers will not.<br />The cat door also contains a removable brush in the arch-frame that grooms the cat. The frame is made of durable ABS plastic with a matte-white finish.<br />The couple’s granddaughter, Meghan, handles sales for the product.<br />All components of the product are made in the United States. The frames are made by a family-owned company in Lapeer. To vote for Cat-Door, visit www.CAT-DOOR.net or on the Facebook page CAT-DOOR or at <a href="http://getontheshelf.walmart.com/product/11c1">getontheshelf.walmart.com/product/11c1</a><a href="http://getontheshelf.walmart.com/product/11c1">getontheshelf.walmart.com/product/11c1</a><br /><br />Gary Jensen, owner of Cutting Edge Lubricants Inc., of Port Huron and Sarnia is a native of Southfield, where he lived before entering the U.S. Coast Guard in 1966-1976. He developed Krazy Grease lubricant 30 years ago to solve problems for difficult industrial applications. <br /> Jensen's Krazy Grease performs three functions: permanent; waterproofing and rustproofing.<br />The product has proved highly successful and he is now beginning to market it in the consumer market as a general purpose product for homeowners.boaters, farmers, truckers, sportsmen and golfers. To vote for Krazy Grease, visit <a href="http://getontheshelf.walmart.com/product/1a94/krazy-grease%e2%84%a2">getontheshelf.walmart.com/product/1a94/krazy-grease%e2%84%a2 </a><br /> Voting ends Sept. 2. For more information, visit getontheshelf.walmart.com.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-81234582420790989392013-08-18T06:48:00.000-07:002013-09-15T23:11:59.498-07:00Troy Restaurant Week is Aug. 18-23<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Nineteen of Troy’s restaurants will welcome diners to the 8<sup>th</sup> edition of Troy Restaurant Week, <b>Sunday to Friday, Aug. 18- 23</b>. The six-day dining celebration, sponsored by the Troy Chamber of Commerce, will feature special menus for each establishment, posted under the Restaurants tab at <a href="https://email.journalregister.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=KMWZ6HBB6kKoxSoZebq3yPqnQCavb9AImbNDShoOcl1k_smVVEzmqS769YIWoocmpvRSOP9t7mg.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.troyrestaurantweek.com" target="_blank">www.troyrestaurantweek.com</a>.</span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">“This summer, Troy Restaurant Week fans will find a few new places on the list as well as many of the dining favorites they have enjoyed previously,” explained Troy Chamber Event Director Jaimi Brook. “Each restaurant will showcase special dishes on Troy Restaurant Week menus.”</span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">The list of restaurants includes:</span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">Bahama Breeze—NEW </span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">Brio Tuscan Grille</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">Granite City Food & Brewery</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">Kona Grill</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">Kruse & Muer on Wilshire</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">Loccino Italian Grill & Bar</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">McCormick & Schmick's Seafood & Steaks</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">Mon Jin Lau</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">Morton's The Steakhouse</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">Muses Greek Cuisine & Spirits—NEW </span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">Ocean Prime</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">Papa Vino's Italian Kitchen—NEW</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">Picano's</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">Ruth's Chris Steak House</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">Shield's Restaurant Bar Pizzeria—NEW</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">Steelhouse Tavern—NEW</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">The Capital Grille</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">The Melting Pot</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">Tre Monti Ristorante</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">“We are thrilled to add Bahama Breeze, Muses, Papa Vino’s, Shield’s and Steelhouse to the roster. A few of these establishments are new to Troy, while others have been favorites for years,” said Brook.</span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">For more information, visit </span><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://email.journalregister.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=KMWZ6HBB6kKoxSoZebq3yPqnQCavb9AImbNDShoOcl1k_smVVEzmqS769YIWoocmpvRSOP9t7mg.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.troyrestaurantweek.com" target="_blank">www.troyrestaurantweek.com</a></span><span style="color: black;">. The site lists all of the participating </span><span style="color: black;">restaurants, featured menus, directions and reservation information. Like at </span><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://email.journalregister.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=KMWZ6HBB6kKoxSoZebq3yPqnQCavb9AImbNDShoOcl1k_smVVEzmqS769YIWoocmpvRSOP9t7mg.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.facebook%2ftroyrestaurantweek" target="_blank">www.facebook/troyrestaurantweek</a></span><span style="color: black;">, or follow on twitter at </span><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://email.journalregister.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=KMWZ6HBB6kKoxSoZebq3yPqnQCavb9AImbNDShoOcl1k_smVVEzmqS769YIWoocmpvRSOP9t7mg.&URL=http%3a%2f%2ftwitter.com%2ftroyrestweek" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/troyrestweek</a></span><span style="color: black;">. </span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-80474378234888862592013-08-15T12:04:00.000-07:002013-08-30T10:39:20.125-07:00August Webinars Hosted by AzoxEach month Azox hosts three webinars. Each highlights a different solution offered by Azox. These include ecommerce, payment processing and online bill pay, all of which are built on Microsoft Dynamics GP. These webinars are free to attend, all you need to do is follow the link to register.<br /><br /><i><a href="https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/300886617" target="_blank">Integrated Ecommerce for Microsoft Dynamics GP</a></i><br /><b>Tuesday, August 20, 2013</b><br /><b>1:00 – 1:30 p.m. EST</b><br /><br />Grow your business online with a web store that integrates with your Microsoft Dynamics GP back office solution. This includes the ability to offer customers real time inventory and pricing updates, shipping calculation from UPS, USPS, FedEx and Purolator, one-page guest checkout, advanced search capabilities including the ability to deeply refine results and much more. Signup for this webinar and learn more about the Azox ecommerce solution for Dynamics GP.<br /><br /><i><a href="https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/648542768" target="_blank">Secure Credit Card Processing in Microsoft Dynamics GP</a></i><br /><b>Wednesday, August 21, 2013</b><br /><b>1:00 – 1:30 p.m. EST</b><br /><br />Get the most out of your Microsoft Dynamics GP investment by adding the ability to process credit cards securely. With Azox Credit Card Extension, you will be able to accept payment via credit card, ACH or credit memo. This solution is PA-DSS Certified and allows you to pre-authorize, post-authorize, sale void and credit. It can also store multiple credit cards for each customer and keeps sensitive data offsite through use of tokenization. Join Azox for this online event by following the link to register.<br /><br /><i><a href="https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/286489465" target="_blank">Advantages of Online Bill Pay for Microsoft Dynamics GP</a></i><br /><b>Thursday, August 22, 2013</b><br /><b>1:00 – 1:30 p.m. EST</b><br /><br />Providing customers with the option to pay their bills online gives them greater convenience and allows you to get paid quicker. Customers can make payments that will be validated and processed 24/7/365. Those payments are captured and recognized in real time. All this is done by logging into an online portal. In addition to making payments, customers can also log in and view or print invoices. To learn more about this solution, follow the link and register.<br /><br />If these dates don’t fit your schedule, be sure to check back next month for webinars. Or, contact our sales team to setup your own personal demo.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-61165978946267850492013-08-15T02:00:00.000-07:002013-09-15T23:11:59.464-07:00Postal Service improves Priority Mail for eCommerce shipping<div class="articleBody"> <div>WASHINGTON — The United States Postal Service has launched changes to its Priority Mail line-up, including free insurance, improved USPS Tracking and day-specific delivery which are expected to generate more than a half a billion dollars in new revenue over the next year.<br /><br />While it won't match the rate of loss for the USPS, it's at least a step in the right direction. According the New York Times, the 3rd quarter loss was $740 million and the previous quarter loss was $1.9 billion. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/10/us/post-office-loss-declines-in-third-quarter.html</div><div> </div><div>“This major upgrade of our Priority Mail products is one of the most dramatic new offerings from the Postal Service that meets the strong marketplace demand for core shipping features at affordable pricing,” said Patrick R. Donahoe, Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer. “We believe this Priority Mail line-up positions the Postal Service very competitively in the shipping marketplace and gives small businesses and other frequent shippers a continued and compelling reason to do <a class="itxtnewhook itxthook" href="http://business-news.thestreet.com/the-oakland-press/story/postal-service-targets-ecommerce-priority-mail-improvements-0/1#" id="itxthook0" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border: 0px none transparent; display: inline; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap itxtnewhookspan" id="itxthook0w" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: transparent transparent rgb(0, 204, 0); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #009900; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; padding: 0px 0px 1px ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important;">business</span></a> with the Postal Service.” Priority Mail now provides scheduled delivery – 1-day, 2-day or 3-day based on the origin and destination of the package. The Postal Service also provides improved USPS Tracking for all Priority Mail products. Tracking and scheduled delivery information will be located on customer’s retail receipts and is also available online using Track and Confirm.<br /> Free insurance is designed to close competitive gaps in the shipping market place and meet the growing needs of small <a class="itxtnewhook itxthook" href="http://business-news.thestreet.com/the-oakland-press/story/postal-service-targets-ecommerce-priority-mail-improvements-0/1#" id="itxthook1" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border: 0px none transparent; display: inline; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap itxtnewhookspan" id="itxthook1w" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: transparent transparent rgb(0, 204, 0); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #009900; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; padding: 0px 0px 1px ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important;">businesses</span></a> and other frequent shippers. Priority Mail 1-day, 2-day and 3-day will include $50 or $100 of insurance coverage depending on the payment method, such as whether a customer brought it to a retail counter or it was paid for online.<br /> “Our revamped Priority Mail product line should be a game changer in the shipping marketplace,” said Nagisa Manabe, Newly redesigned Priority Mail boxes and envelopes are available in Post Offices and online at usps.com with many Priority Mail Flat Rate sizes and <a class="itxtnewhook itxthook" href="http://business-news.thestreet.com/the-oakland-press/story/postal-service-targets-ecommerce-priority-mail-improvements-0/1#" id="itxthook2" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border: 0px none transparent; display: inline; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap itxtnewhookspan" id="itxthook2w" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: transparent transparent rgb(0, 204, 0); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #009900; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; padding: 0px 0px 1px ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important;">pricing</span></a>. Express Mail services will continue as Priority Mail Express, providing next day service with a money-back guarantee and up to $100 of free insurance.<br /> The Postal Service has seen strong growth in its package business, which grew more than 14 percent over the last two years. This e-commerce-fueled growth trend is projected to continue for the next decade. Online consumers are expected to increase their spending by 62 percent by 2016 and U.S.<br /> E-commerce retail sales are expected to grow by 41 percent to $370 billion annually by 2017.<br /> </div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-55321898872693812952013-08-14T06:43:00.000-07:002013-08-30T10:38:50.859-07:00Mistakes to be avoided by businesses for their websites<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Xxvn08f-eRfjdUgq7SNRT-tQz-Rc0aO0_fqWxniPpJoPTrMfKzEXYX-tRK_6pRYJtTKPkBSD9gCG4dTC4VcWxj4rKcrF1aKbEOSYcFHa5b7xrObO_MSW96sfDIpz645hxn7imN-O0_Ec/s1600/common+mistakes+to+be+avoided+by+businesses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Xxvn08f-eRfjdUgq7SNRT-tQz-Rc0aO0_fqWxniPpJoPTrMfKzEXYX-tRK_6pRYJtTKPkBSD9gCG4dTC4VcWxj4rKcrF1aKbEOSYcFHa5b7xrObO_MSW96sfDIpz645hxn7imN-O0_Ec/s320/common+mistakes+to+be+avoided+by+businesses.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Many small and large retailers rely on their websites heavily for marketing and selling. Particularly small businesses seek exceptional response to promote products and spreading awareness of brand to wider audience. It’s quite evident that websites play major role and businesses are facing increasing competition. Website is like a business show room for which you need to spend time and money branding it, building it, promoting it and maintaining it. It’s literally a showcase of your services and products. It’s damn important to keep your websites up to the mark or else you’re going to end up being a loser in front of the fierce competition. We’ve piled up few points below which are sort of mistakes most small businesses make taking a casual attitude and not realizing how important a website is for business.<br /><br /><u>Grow your business by avoiding few common mistakes: </u><br /><br /><b>Understand the target audience and build website based on user behavior</b><br /><br />A website just for the sake of having one is useless unless you have thoroughly researched and put together a plan to build website after studying your potential audience behavior. Everything ranging from logo design, web page layout structure, color selection, functionality, content, products images, marketing and many other aspects needs to be systematically thought of and strategy needs to be defined with a primary aim that your potential website visitor finds your website attractive, clean and easy to use.<br /><br />So undoubtedly a user experience analysis is extremely important before building a website. <br /><br /><b>Avoid outdated designs and flashy advertisements</b><br /><br />Modern generation has got used to clean, elegant and userfriendly designs. Web technology has evolved considerably fast particularly front end development has experienced exceptional revolution in the past few years. A typical HTML page with ugly photographs and advertisements flashing in bold colours are likely to be ignored. Instead modern designs for web and <a href="http://www.kgntechnologies.com/ecommerce-website-development/" target="_blank"><u><b>eCommerce development</b></u></a> these days are highly creative, responsive so that they can be viewed nicely in various devices and browsers without a glitch, include stunning images, having very easy functional navigation and well optimized for search engine and fast loading. Check and try to follow these parameters and it’s definitely worth investing if you need to redesign your website with modern techniques.<br /><br /><b>Displaying old information about products, services and company </b><br /><br />Customers expect your website to display updated and accurate information about products, services and company details. If you display outdated products and description then customer will assume that you are no longer in business or you aren’t more invocative in business. <br /><br />Website content and product list must be updated. Suppose if your site contains blog section then keep it updated regularly since blogs help to drive more visitors and make search engine happy. <br /><br />Allow you customer to contact you if they face any issues with your website or any services. Display accurate contact details, like your phone number and email address. <br /><br /><b>No clear call to action</b><br /><br />Let’s assume what happens when someone visits your site? Do you want them to contact you, subscribe to your business newsletter or to buy your products? If your website has all the fundamentals right, it will definitely help in hitting the goal.<br /><br />It’s like talking straight to the point. Your website must have a clear message. It should guide them to have easy navigation and help visitors contacting you, successfully buying products, subscribing to newsletter or at least they must be easily able to get the information they have been looking for.<br /><br /><b>Trying to target whole world</b><br /><br />If you are trying to house almost every kind of visitors then your website sort of loses the plot.<br /><br />Instead of targeting everyone, your primary focus should be to figure out your most frequent users and focus on creating the best possible experience for your potential customers. If you try to please the masses, then most probably you will end up not pleasing anyone. Consider factors such as age, education, region, language etc.<br /><br /><b>Not giving importance to website look and feel</b><br /><br />Simplicity in design is often appreciated by people. Your website design is the first experience with your brand. Remember first impression is everything. You should approach a professional web design and development company who can build attractive and well functional websites. Don’t take DIY route, and don’t allow your customers to make assumptions about your services due to poor functional and designed website.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-75513361408991402492013-08-14T06:09:00.000-07:002013-09-15T23:11:59.487-07:00Internet Marketing - Tool for new economy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitnCfr3ThMmjgCKOENwMKcr34joKHKfnTCoBBSgG42TxY5xIvPLRSECAqga73XxZ5euentpF5XabR6WbHrwc27RWcOv3sontajQnwK2uR4D8pGugjDlByw4lHLGCPv_EWEgEk6xrdAn86h/s1600/choose-right-marketing-tools.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitnCfr3ThMmjgCKOENwMKcr34joKHKfnTCoBBSgG42TxY5xIvPLRSECAqga73XxZ5euentpF5XabR6WbHrwc27RWcOv3sontajQnwK2uR4D8pGugjDlByw4lHLGCPv_EWEgEk6xrdAn86h/s1600/choose-right-marketing-tools.jpg" height="229" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tom: Hey Dick, check out my profile pic on this amazing social networking site.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dick: Yah, did you read my blog on profile pics. Wait, I will send you the link.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Harry: Hey guys, I just booked three movie tickets on this amazing app.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every tom dick and harry today is surrounded by internet. So why not use it as a tool for marketing in the new economy, the e-commerce. The giants and even the small businessmen have started promoting their product on internet. In past who would have imagined that a whole shopping mall can be built on internet and sell the products just by marketing them effectively. Today in this ever changing scenario more and more people business persons are using internet as a tool to promote their products ranging from a book to I-pads.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s the power of internet marketing that 2012 witnessed a business of 60,000 billion dollars. And 2013 is to witness even more. The reason behind this huge success is that the internet marketing is cost effective and reaches to majority of people. It doesn’t require salesmen, brochures, printers, employees, etc. All which needs to be done is to create a website and make it reach people or display the products/services on popular websites. Even social networking sites have created a huge <a href="http://www.emailmonks.com/email-updates-lab.html" target="_blank">platform for email marketing companies</a>. Place the products on the page which is hit most or sponsor to make your product visible to all the users.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another very important aspect of internet marketing is that it is quick. Things are done at the speed of light. It makes purchasing easier, just a click away. And the delivery of the products also occurs in acceptable durations. This planet loves speed that is why it revolves and rotates at such a high rate. The faster the things happen the happier the beings get. Gone are the days when salesman went door to door to Market Company’s product. Today the tool called Internet marketing has solved the purpose. Before internet everybody demanded quality. When businessman realised that thing, quality was not the issue anymore. The requirement now was the facility to avail the services right from a desk. Today people from various backgrounds, uneducated business persons have taken help of internet marketing to promote their product/services at lightning speed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This amazing tool of internet marketing is not only limited to business. People use it to promote their talent, their work. Some of them get noticed and get lucrative offers. If someone is good at singing he or she can record something and upload it on internet. People hit, like it, the singer gets noticed, again at a lightning speed. It has minimized the duration of success. Gone are the days when millionaires happened at a fifty plus age. Today people are accumulating wealth as early as possible just because of this brilliant tool. There is an endless list of successful people to name them as examples.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One more benefit of internet marketing is that it creates a world in miniature. Today it is not needed to travel to another country to market the product. Internet does that for people who want to market. Someone in Australia can just send an email all over the world to tell about his products or services. All that needs to be done is to build a trust. Once a person buys product from a particular website and if he finds it of good quality he will definitely come over again. He may even refer it to friends and relatives. So internet marketing generates word of mouth marketing automatically. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Movie tickets, travel tickets, vacation trips, everything can be booked in one go. No need to stand in queue to get your jobs done. Even the bills can be paid online. What made this possible? Internet marketing! The business honchos tech and market, people use it the platform to make life simpler, better and easier. Internet marketing is definitely the best tool one can get for promotion. The future can only be imagined from now. The internet marketing was also imagined by someone, someday. Clearer the imagination, more the joy of freedom and wisdom will spread. Keep imagining!!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-IN">About Allyson Steffey :</span></b><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-IN">Allyson Steffey </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #2f3236; line-height: 150%;">is professional web designer and content editor in E</span><span lang="EN-IN">mailmonks.com </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #2f3236; line-height: 150%;">which is specialized in Email Design backed with years of experience. Email monks, offering </span><span lang="EN-IN">creative Email Templates </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #2f3236; line-height: 150%;">and superfast Design to Email HTML conversion services with </span><span lang="EN-IN"><a href="http://www.emailmonks.com/email-updates-lab.html"></a></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #2f3236; line-height: 150%;"> in merely 8 Hours. </span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: #2f3236; line-height: 150%;">You can get me on </span></span><span lang="EN-IN"><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/115698676514928481403" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google+</a></span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: #2f3236; line-height: 150%;"> and </span></span><span lang="EN-IN"><a href="http://twitter.com/allysonsteffey" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: #2f3236; line-height: 150%;">.</span></span></span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-9207086307242443052013-08-11T03:00:00.000-07:002013-09-15T23:11:59.503-07:00Business trend: Focusing on employee and family well-being<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><em></em></span> <i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong><em><br /></em></strong></span></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Submitted by Ginny Grimsley,National Print Campaign Manager,News and Experts</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Wesley Chapel, FL, </span><a href="https://email.journalregister.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=56uS3EepO0eSjAfIgpXAKpBHuuzKadAImK7Xq1aZ8pTw126Y80GFSwAxq1wSTl1uLt3FEoMDUbE.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.newsandexperts.com" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial;">www.newsandexperts.com</span></a></i></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">When a successful formula is discovered in the business world, it’s copied and becomes part of standard operating procedure throughout entire industries. </span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial;">The newest SOP trend among leading businesses? – Focusing on employee and family well-being, said Gary Kunath, who was honored nationally as Businessman of the Year and recognized with a dinner hosted by the President of the United States.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial;">“Many think that professional well-being drives personal well-being, but it’s the exact opposite,” says Kunath, a speaker at top business schools and businesses including Lockheed and Marriott, and author of “Life...Don't Miss It. I Almost Did: How I Learned To Live Life to Its Fullest,” (</span><a href="https://email.journalregister.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=56uS3EepO0eSjAfIgpXAKpBHuuzKadAImK7Xq1aZ8pTw126Y80GFSwAxq1wSTl1uLt3FEoMDUbE.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.lifedontmissitbook.com" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial;">www.lifedontmissitbook.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">). </span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial;">“The top companies know focusing on employee well-being is critical and serves as the conduit to increasing innovation, emotional loyalty, natural productivity and overall profitability, but they have exhausted the traditional vehicles inside their companies to do this, so they are focusing on impacting their employees lives ‘outside’ of the company.” </span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial;">Employee well-being is very smart business and everyone wins, he says; it’s the key to elevating associate engagement. According to the Aspen Institute, more than 70 percent of employees today would sacrifice promotions and pay increases for family well-being. Yet only 40 percent of employees feel their employers demonstrate that they care about them, says the American Psychology Association.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial;">Several major corporations have approached Kunath and asked him to build a program that shows their people how to master life balance and maximize the joy and contentment in their lives, he says. </span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial;">“The results have been tremendous,” he says. “People love that they are cared for just as much when leaving the building as they are when arriving.” </span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial;">Kunath’s newest three hour seminar for businesses centers on employee life balance and well-being; here he offers five things business owners and employees should consider in achieving life balance:</span><br /> <blockquote dir="ltr" style="margin-right: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>• Bring humanity back to the workplace:</strong> There are simple truths about what motivates employees today and what they want and need from their employers. Employee well-being drives profits and is good for business, he points out. Employers need to allow employees to completely disconnect from work in their off hours – for instance, not expecting them to respond to emails or conference calls after hours. He also points out the “Life Balance Dilemmas” people face, including his own; a former workaholic lifestyle nearly ruined his family relationships before he learned how to develop balance.</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>• The “Life … Don’t Miss It” approach:</strong> According to a Harvard study, we all have the capability to maximize our happiness regardless of the situation we find ourselves in. A large part of how happy you are is determined through intentional activity. There are things you can do to maximize happiness in your life even in the worst of adversities. Giving people a way to elevate their family well-being is critical to top performance on the job.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>• Applying Life-Balance secrets:</strong> Kunath targets 10 points for Mastering Life Balance. Some of those points are: Money doesn’t make you rich; Express gratitude to others; the power of perspective; relationship refinement (thinning the herd); and Good goes around. “All of these points go to the overall perspective of total life balance and focusing on the areas, and the people, that really matter,” he says.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>• Power of Perspective:</strong> Why is it that people who have faced death often live the most? Why must we wait for adversity to teach us to get the most out of life? The answer is that you don’t. Kunath emphasizes various perspectives on how you can live life to the fullest every day and what the keys are to maximizing employee and family well-being. </span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>• The three greatest gifts you can give your family:</strong> For all the importance and effort involved in mastering a worklife to fund a family’s well-being, the three greatest gifts you have to offer are actually free! They are time, memories and traditions. Time is our greatest resource, and it’s also our most scarce, which makes memories all the more important. They give you a place to go for all of your life. Traditions live on after you’re gone; they’re a legacy you leave for your loved ones.</span></blockquote><strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">Gary Kunath is the founder of The Summit Group, which is ranked among the top sales-training companies in the world by Selling Power magazine. His value-creation approach received the “Innovative Practice of the Year Award” by 3M worldwide. </span><br /> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-69528536179539727082013-08-08T02:00:00.000-07:002013-09-15T23:11:59.474-07:00Health-driven trips mix fun with wellness<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: navy;"><i>Submitted by Suejin Kim on behalf of </i></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: navy;"><i><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.pritikin.com/"><b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Pritikin Longevity Center + Spa</span></i></b></a><b><i><u><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></u></i></b></span></span></i></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: navy;"> </span>Imagine if you’re suffering from Type 2 diabetes, obesity, or heart disease and you’re able to address your health concern—<i>not by checking into a hospital</i>—but going on vacation? This is a possibility. A growing trend in the travel industry is health-driven trips— that can change people's lives for the better.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.pritikin.com/"><b><i><u><span style="line-height: 115%;">Pritikin Longevity Center + Spa</span></u></i></b></a><b><i><u><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></u><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> of Miami. Fl., </span></i></b>is a premier health and wellness resort. It is recognized for its successful weight loss and health programs, where guests have benefited from long-term weight loss, lowering of blood pressure to normal levels and dramatic improvements in heart disease risk factors<b>.</b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In addition to access to exceptional fitness trainers, award-winning chefs, nutritionists and a matchless spa, guests can participate in an array of activities, accommodations and programs during their stays including: </span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Gourmet yet waist-slimming dining served by award-winning-chefs </span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Customized exercise classes </span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Family Immersion Program – get the entire family’s health on track while spending quality time together</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Healthy Living Workshops – from nutrition to weight-loss planning to stress management and cooking</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">MedCheck Program – guests who are on a high number or medications can enroll in a program where all medications/drugs are evaluated and a healthy regimen is developed</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A Luxury Spa featuring 100 of the newest, most exquisite treatments and state-of-the-art experiences like aqua-thermal bathing, Finnish saunas and thermal-heated loungers</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Private indoor and outdoor salt-water pools</span></span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><u><span style="line-height: 115%;">P</span></u></i></b><span style="line-height: 115%;">ritikin Longevity Center + Spa is a new, 650-acre </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">fully renovated private wellness spa and weight loss health program, complete with fitness trainers, award winning chefs, nutritionists and renowned spa treatments. T</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">he center has experts from health to nutrition and fitness to spa and wellness. For more information, visit <a href="https://email.journalregister.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=FyLlRcWDXUCuD9Jx_Epba8wsfHhkZ9AIG47PSp8OKIodJcct1DFW9i_zfzIfSgI5qYr0KPTEntU.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.pritikin.com%2f" target="_blank">www.pritikin.com</a>. </span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-86741032391038248612013-08-07T11:35:00.000-07:002013-08-30T10:39:20.131-07:00Tips to Improve the Performance of Landing Pages for E-Commerce Websites<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Landing pages can be used to help increase the conversion rate of different items on your <a href="http://www.azox.com/Products/ECommerce/tabid/397/Default.aspx" target="_blank">ecommerce website</a>. In order for this to happen, it is important to create strong landing pages. A landing page that lacks a clear message may only draw a consumer to your site briefly. The point of a landing page is not only to get a consumer to your site, but also to get them to make a purchase. In order to ensure this happens, try these tips that will help you develop strong landing pages that drive conversions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Make the Call to Action (CTA) Standout<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Whatever it is that you want the consumer do should be clearly expressed on the landing page. This may be to “shop now” or to “watch a video” to try to drive them to your site and to ultimately make a purchase. The CTA needs to standout in a distinct way. It should be in a centralized location on the landing page in order for consumers to know what they are supposed to click on. The use of visual cues can help with this as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Offer Incentives<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Consumers are not interested in only benefiting your web store. They also want something for themselves. With that said, offer consumers something for engaging in the CTA designated on the landing page. This could be a free demo, coupon or other gift.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Keep the Landing Page Simple<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Your landing pages should focus on one thing. The more clutter you add to the page, the less likely it is that a consumer will get the message.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Concise, Relevant Headline<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Avoid puns or other fluff copy when it comes to the headline used on your landing page. Compose a headline that is concise and relevant. If you can, write a headline that sums up what the landing page is about in no more than 17 words.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Strong Design</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The layout of your landing page must flow well. It should be easy to read and devoid of distracting, unnecessary images. Use readable fonts, consider bulleted lists to display information and appropriate use of white space.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Landing pages are a great way to increase conversions on an ecommerce website. Try implementing these tips to improve the performance of your landing pages.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-59917121316884475612013-08-07T10:51:00.000-07:002013-09-15T23:11:59.462-07:00A Web Designer Should Know SEO Techniques<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2EDFxM6OCHNiiwl5p6cO3B8VHO7R5TRs_-rVvTRDLjM5iVkOsg91p7k_5OF4baiOSqcTrHLo-SB5ibOLaHGVhzJeY5lgwVgBXakfSnsO90YaeFnxgqN15B0CuAEdFOXOyIjNGSOJHTtm/s1600/atom_WebDesigner.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2EDFxM6OCHNiiwl5p6cO3B8VHO7R5TRs_-rVvTRDLjM5iVkOsg91p7k_5OF4baiOSqcTrHLo-SB5ibOLaHGVhzJeY5lgwVgBXakfSnsO90YaeFnxgqN15B0CuAEdFOXOyIjNGSOJHTtm/s1600/atom_WebDesigner.png" height="320" width="313" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A web designer’s primary job is making things look great. Bring the beauty, let someone else deal with the code. But if you are fortunate enough to have worked with someone who has both the designer and developer skill sets, you know what a striking difference it can make to the finished product. The ability to incorporate SEO concepts into the very design of the page is priceless.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since the days of hand-coded HTML sites, we generally have dealt with SEO by applying it on the back-end, once the site was aesthetically developed. However, with the advent of CMS solutions and other development platforms, we have the opportunity to make or break the SEO of a page at the template stage, and with the placement of every piece of content thereafter. The design of a site needs to incorporate the philosophy that SEO is the end-game of the project, not a bolt-on to be dealt with later.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Consider the scenario where a CMS template is employed. Perhaps it’s a sleek design, it has customizations based on the organization’s vertical, and it’s Responsive. Those are great functionalities that mean nothing without tight CSS, good use of header tags, and image layouts that are functional and don’t overburden the image/html ratio.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Speaking of tags, it’s within the typography portion of the design phase that a developer can make or break a site. Especially in a template scenario, a designer might elect to make the H1 tag flaming yellow, to discourage its use, when that could cause SEO problems for the rest of the site’s existence.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s a rare venture that has both a developer and a designer in one person, but if you can find that individual, you will pay yourself back one hundred times with a site that performs beyond expectations. If you are working with a design house and hiring your own developer or SEO consultant, make sure the entire web team gels well and have strong communication skills.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="mailto:kate.hurley@fidelity-partners.com" target="_blank">Kathleen Hurley</a>, COO at <a href="http://www.fidelity-partners.com/" target="_blank">Fidelity Networks</a>, has over 15 years’ experience as a business services CIO, a background as a small business owner, and more than a decade as a web developer. Kathleen says that her MBA in IT from the University of Wales and her BA in English allow her to do two things really well: read the directions and speak to fellow humans.</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916551822176400543.post-59473062430325524592013-08-01T02:00:00.000-07:002013-09-15T23:11:59.460-07:00'Make Work Great' workshop set for Aug. 21 in Southfield<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) Michigan Chapter invites you to join them for an all-day session of “Make Work Great.”</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The w<span style="line-height: 115%;">orkshop is Wednesday, Aug. 21 at Lawrence Technological University, Room M336 Buell Management Building, 21000 W. 10 Mile Road, Southfield.</span> The workshop is based on Ed Muzio’s award winning book about </span><span style="font-size: small;">improved accountability, enhanced culture, increased output and reduced stress. The workshop features a g</span><span style="font-size: small;">roup learning sequence developed by Muzio and presented by Group Harmonics.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">The cost is $169 for ISPI members and $189 for nonmembers. Seating is limited to 45 participants. Register at www.ispimi.org.</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13369262665778002341noreply@blogger.com0