Increasing Activity in Automotive Recruitment

Increasing Activity in Automotive Recruitment

Increasing activity in automotive recruitment

We are recovering from the worst recession we have seen since the 1920s and this has had a considerable effect on the world automotive market. Some countries such as China and Brazil, and more recently India, recovered relatively quickly whereas others such as Russia have been slower to recover. The UK market was hit quite hard initially but the scrappage scheme promoted a recovery. Since the cessation of the scheme in March 2010 sales have declined in two consecutive months (July and August) but remain higher than in 2009 for the year.

The recession resulted in significantly reduced production and temporary plant stoppages by most of the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). The supply chain was unable to benefit from efficiencies of periodic stoppage and had to run inefficiently at levels significantly below capacity. This has been very painful for most companies leading to shop floor redundancies, although companies did try harder than in previous recessions to avoid a cull and retain as many people as possible using creative ways to reduce employment costs; such as shorter hours, sabbaticals, temporary wage/salary cuts and pension freezes. Whilst production was hit badly, R&D continued to operate with minimal reductions in staff albeit with a freeze on further recruitment.

The effect of all this was a massive reduction in the market for permanent staff. Whilst some industries such as defence and public sector were hardly affected, automotive recruitment levels dropped like a stone. The recovery was stalled by the general election and uncertainty about the policy direction of the incoming Conservative/Liberal coalition. There was also a reluctance to replace departing staff and nearly all recruitment needs were met by contractors.

This year we have seen some easing of cash availability in the market and while the need to re-stock and meet increased demand has put further pressures on cash flow, the availability of capital has improved slightly – although it’s nowhere near where it needs to be. This, coupled with increasing confidence and improved demand, has led companies to not only identify staff shortages, but begin to address them.

The need to increase product engineering activity has become a key factor in improving the automotive recruitment market’s prospects. This was driven by the increased legislative demands for cleaner vehicles and the increased need for model program change due to the demand for more and more advanced technology.

However, following recessions, companies tend to be very cautious about recruiting staff. When they identify a suitable candidate they may well expect them to come for a little less money than before or they expect better skills for the same salary. Candidates are also cautious – they may have had their salary pegged for some time and are looking for a sizeable salary increase to leave an employment and risk a new role. A worrying trend is that companies are often waiting until the offer stage before requesting clearance to recruit from Head Office. If it is not granted it can cause considerable disappointment and ill feeling, not to mention damage to the company’s employer brand.

Despite the recession, an old foe has already reared it head, the skills shortage. Only months into the recovery and we are already seeing significant shortages in several industries but in particular automotive. The main shortages are within product engineering where good project and programme management skills and technical specialists are widely sought after.

Traditional skills such as powertrain and calibration; chassis engineering; Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH); design analysis; and vehicle engineering are also in great demand. However, in the area of automotive product development we are seeing the biggest change we have seen for several decades, with the increasing need for low carbon technology leading to the introduction of hybrid and EV technology. There are simply not enough controls, electronics and high voltage electrical engineers for motor control and power delivery let alone the battery technologists and connector specialists needed to meet demand. A number of automotive systems suppliers are now replacing mechanical or hydraulic systems with electronic ones that require control and embedded software skills that are also in chronic supply.

With such a high demand for a relatively small group of engineers and technicians, companies are either having to train to develop these skills internally or pay premium salaries to attract them.

We are seeing an unprecedented and very welcome addition of some small specialist OEMs as well as changes to the supply chain. These include electric vehicle manufacturers, lithium-ion and other advanced battery manufacturers and specialist consultancies. They are nearly all recruiting and some of them are paying top whack to attract the right people – some with venture capitalist finance and no restrictive wage structure.

Good candidates often require considerable inducement to leave existing employers – particularly those with long service – during the recession. But with the improved market they are beginning to show interest in new roles, fueled by increasing demand and some exciting opportunities. Those considering a move are very selective and are largely holding out for significant salary increases before jumping ship. We are already seeing companies making counter offers to retain good people who tender their resignation. Meanwhile, some companies are trying to tempt their best contractors to accept permanent roles but are often unable to offer them good enough terms to succeed.

It is difficult to say how long the investment in product engineering will continue as some countries have seen a recent dip in car sales. Increased recruitment on the production side is much slower to take off, however for the time being, the automotive recruitment market is looking much healthier than it was last year.

The original story can be found on our website at http://www.jonlee.co.uk/newsletter/autumn2010/automotive-recruitment.htm

Increasing Activity in Automotive Recruitment

Increasing Activity in Automotive Recruitment

Jonathan Lee Recruitment, formed in 1978, is a leading UK based recruitment consultancy, within the engineering, manufacturing industries. Their website can be found at http://www.jonlee.co.uk.

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Increasing Your Business with Product Reviews

Increasing Your Business with Product Reviews

A testimonial can be a wonderful thing for your business. Almost all successful companies use testimonials of some kind to show what they are saying about their business and products is the truth.

What good are product reviews?

- Give an unbiased review of a product

Sometimes we get so excited about our business, when we talk about our products it starts to sound like an ad. By giving the customer a chance to look at an unbiased review from someone that has nothing to gain from their recommendation, it gives the customer more faith.

- Better decision for the customer

Maybe they have questions or concerns about the product which they don’t want to bother contacting anyone about. Some people are very quiet, and like to see what others are saying about certain things. By allowing them to read a review, you are giving them the chance to see the product from a non-ad side. They may or may not buy, but the main point is you’ll have much more happy, valuable customers.

- Give suggestions to potential customers

Have you ever gone to a website and got lost in all the products? In an offline store, sales people can help point you in the direction of some interesting items. Online this isn’t the case. Product reviews can offer that “suggestion” and point customers in the direction of those interesting products.

- Show your personality

In bigger direct sales companies, the competition between reps can be unreal. Having a product review written about you and your products can help bring your personality out. If a potential customer sees you as a recommended rep with reasons why, the chances of them going to you for their needs with this company is greater.

How do I get a review?

There’s several different ways to have a product review written about you and your business. Some ideas include:

- Family or Friends

Most have tried your products, right? Ask them for some feedback, and what they think.

- Exchange Products

Find a rep for a non-competing business and swap products. You will need to find someone you trust to write a positive review.

- Freelancers

Some you may need to pay, but the rewards from a review can be much more that the cost of the article.

- Find Shopping Websites

Many websites online now offer to write reviews for you for free. It gives the website owner content, and you the chance to show off your best products. Mom’s Market is one of these sites, and details on how to send in your product can be found at:

http://www.momsmarketonline.com/review-info.html

Product reviews can help your business in many different ways. If you have a personal website verses a company site, the rewards are much greater.

Increasing Your Business with Product Reviews

Increasing Your Business with Product Reviews

About the Authors: Kara Kelso & Anita DeFrank are two busy wahms, and the owners of Direct Sales Helpers. For more Direct Sales Success Tips, visit: http://www.directsaleshelpers.com/newsletter.html

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Customer Finance Programs Key to Increasing Sales

Customer Finance Programs Key to Increasing Sales

While studies show that technology spending is once again on the rise, there’s a reason you haven’t heard a collective sigh of relief from the software industry. While many budgets are once again allowing for the purchase of enterprise software, hardware and peripherals, there’s no question that today’s purchasers are smarter, savvier and more selective than ever.

Even though the purse strings have loosened, competition is at an all-time high. It’s no longer enough to provide a software solution that meets the potential customer’s needs, or even to provide it at the best price. Today, smart vendors are constantly looking for ways to stay one step ahead of the competition.

While increasing sales is always part of a competitive business strategy, software development companies often overlook a simple method of accomplishing this objective – making it easier for customers to buy.

One option increasing in popularity among software vendors is to establish a customized finance program that provides no-hassle financing solutions for your prospective clients. In addition to “one-stop shopping,” your customers can reap the other benefits of financing that make it easier for them to commit to technology purchases, including:

100 percent financing — Many finance companies offer 100 percent financing for the cost of software and maintenance contracts, which requires no down payment. Because customers don’t have to come up with a down payment, they can make a purchase immediately, rather than hold up the sale with a “wait and see” mentality that often accompanies a dip into cash reserves. It also allows your customers to invest more capital in revenue-generating activities.

Improved cash flow management – With software financing, your customers can conserve capital for reinvesting in their business and improve budgeting accuracy through fixed monthly payments. Financing also makes it easy for customers to access multiple-year budgets by paying for the benefit of your software over its useful life.

Flexible payment structures – Customers can optimize project budgets by taking advantage of the flexible payment structures available through financing to maximize the return on their investment. For example, with software financing, customers can ramp up payments to match the revenue generation of a new technology project that is utilizing the software being financed.

While financing provides a clear advantage for the buyer, when a program is well planned, the list of advantages for software developers, distributors and resellers can be even more beneficial.

Improved Customer Relations

As noted above, financing packages add value for the customer by enhancing their buying power, offering greater flexibility and providing convenience. It also increases their satisfaction through the ability to leverage their budget to acquire the total technology solution – which could include software, hardware, service, support, integration and training – rather than only the parts and pieces they could afford through an outright purchase.

Shorter Sales Cycles

On the sales side, any customer who expresses some interest in a product seems like a good lead. However, there are many times when the question of how to pay for the new software prevents the sale from happening. Time lost on dead-end deals can be eliminated when financing is part of the sale, as the ability to pay is immediately considered in the equation. In addition, many finance companies now offer fast, easy credit and documentation processes, so you can complete a sale quickly and avoid costly processing delays.

Another benefit is that as software needs are being discussed in the sales process, the finance specialist can work with the chief financial officer or accountant to determine which financing option and payment plan best suits business needs and cash flow.

Direct customer financing can also save software vendors millions of dollars each year by reducing the number of days a sale is outstanding. Consider a company with quarterly cash sales of $50 million. On average, it can take 45 days to collect payment. Assuming a borrowing rate of 6 percent, the 45-day lag in payment results in a carrying cost of $371,204. If the same numbers are run with a leasing finance program that generates payment within 2 days, the carrying cost drops $82,253, saving the company more than $288,951 in one business quarter.

The Big Picture

Overall, equipment financing programs can:

Generate larger, more profitable sales faster;

Increase account control;

Improve sales efficiency and productivity;

Lower days-sales-outstanding;

Improve cash flow;

Differentiate your company from its competition; and

Provide complete solutions for your customers.

Taking the Next Step

After identifying an interest in offering flexible financing as part of the sales process, the next step is to develop a finance program. By partnering with an experienced leasing company to develop a finance program for your customers, you can transfer all of the uncertainties of extending terms to your customer to the finance company.

Partnering with an experienced finance company also means you can concentrate on what your company does best – developing software – while letting a finance expert handle the intricacies of a finance program. Put simply, by working with a third party, your company will receive all of the benefits with none of the risk.

Whether you choose to refer your clients directly to your financing program partner or to work with a third-party finance partner to develop an in-house program, it is essential to choose an experienced equipment finance partner. During the sales process, the finance expert will be working closely with your customers, and it’s important that his or her actions and service levels reflect your company’s ability to meet your customers’ expectations. When searching for a finance partner, look for a company that:

Is flexible and willing to work with your management team to develop a program that will meet your financial objectives;

Is experienced in the IT and software finance world, since the sales process, client-decision criteria, and revenue recognition issues are different than that of capital asset sellers;

Provides marketing support and materials to help you promote your financing program

Is willing and able to provide your sales team with materials and training to ensure sales team members are comfortable and easily able to raise financing as an option with their clients; and Is a financially stable, long-term business partner.

Companies in search of a leasing partner can visit Choose Leasing (www.ChooseLeasing.org), a Web site developed by the Equipment Leasing Association, where you can find answers to commonly asked questions about leasing and search for an experienced leasing company specializing in vendor finance programs.

Customer Finance Programs Key to Increasing Sales

Customer Finance Programs Key to Increasing Sales

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The Increasing Demand for Biological Dentistry Directory

The Increasing Demand for Biological Dentistry Directory

Nowadays, there is an increasing demand for safety. People want foods that are safely produced, safely stored and safely cooked. People want homes that are safe from burglars and violence. People want workplaces that are safe from environmental hazards. People want a world that is safe from toxic substances that cause serious damage to one’s health. In fact, even the field of dentistry gave way to all-natural treatment methods that is safe for the body and the environment. The best part is that there are lots of biological dentistry directories that can help you with all your safe dentistry needs.

Holistic dentists are known for their treatment methods wherein they take care of the overall health of a patient instead of focusing on the dental problems alone. Their views about dental health go by keeping the whole body healthy to ensure that the teeth and gums are healthy as well. They believe that if the body is healthy, the teeth will be more likely healthy and vice-versa. Holistic dentists use treatment methods that do not include fluoride and mercury. Instead, they utilize alternative treatment such as homeopathy, aromatherapy, hypnosis and acupuncture which have no known side effects and are all-natural.

Although holistic dentistry has lost its spark over the past few years, it has re-emerged and even surpassed the popularity of traditional dentistry. Reverting from traditional dentistry to holistic dentistry is easy. You can use a biological dentistry directory that lists available holistic dental clinics near your area to choose the perfect dentist.

A biological dentistry directory gives you the ability to choose holistic dentists that are close to your home. You are also able to choose the dentist that you are comfortable with and enjoy the advantages that holistic dentistry can give you. You can also use it to help you recommend holistic dentists to your friends and family. That way, you can help people acquire dental treatment methods that do not make use of fluoride, mercury and other harmful substances.

There are a lot of resources that provide a biological dentistry directory. You can check the yellow pages of your phone book for a holistic dental clinic near you. However, the best source is to check out the internet. Usually, they provide a wide array of biological dentistry directory where you can limit your search to the specific area of your choice. The important part in choosing a holistic dentist is to determine those who can provide high-quality services for a reasonable price.

The Increasing Demand for Biological Dentistry Directory

The Increasing Demand for Biological Dentistry Directory

To know more information about Biological Dentistry and Green Dentistry visit BioSafeDentistry.com

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Increasing Affiliate Revenue With Hair Products

Increasing Affiliate Revenue With Hair Products

Many online marketers have found affiliate revenue can be increased and diversified by adding ancillary products that compliment their current portfolio. If you have a marketing program that includes products for hair loss, hair growth or hair care in general, adding a hair products to your program can help round-out your offerings to your customer base and target market.

Why Hair Products for Affiliate Marketing?

Unlike many consumer products, hair products have residual revenue spurring from their consumable nature. Like paper towels, milk and eggs, hair care is used daily and is diverse in its product categories. Hair shampoo, conditioners, styling aids and styling tools – flat irons, hair dryers and curlers – are owned by almost everyone in western, Asian and European countries. Demand is high and segmentation is strong. Despite what looks like a dominant position by many of the major brands, there continues to be high online demand for niche products that are solution oriented. For affiliate revenue, this spells opportunity.

Recurring Revenue and Product Expansion

It is not uncommon for consumers to purchase add-on products when buying hair products. Shampoos and conditioners often go hand-in-hand…often formulated to compliment each other and provide added benefits. Product families are researched and developed to aid overall styling and improved health. Growth or hair loss products often require supplemental products or a multi-product regimen for maximum effectiveness – primarily due to additional products being needed to cover all the necessary benefits needed for increasing growth. The result? – added revenue and a higher per purchase dollars.

Target Market Size

As mentioned, hair products include a large majority of the population. As online purchases continue to increase and hit yearly records, the opportunity for even low-cost purchases are predicted to increase well into the future. Establishing a reputation for timely hair product and hair care information in the form of a blog, forum or a site dedicated to hairstyles can provide an excellent basis for improved sales. Going beyond the typical paid advertising code by adding well-considered sites for affiliate opportunities – hair loss, hair growth, hairstyles and products – can give you a well-rounded offering for your visitors and guests.

Increasing Affiliate Revenue With Hair Products

Increasing Affiliate Revenue With Hair Products

HealthyHairPlus provides a unique, high commission program for affiliate revenue. HealthyHairPlus carries a complete line major brand hair shampoo, conditioners, styling aids and styling tools. Increase and diversify your affiliate revenue with a site dedicated to consumer education and advanced hair products.

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Manufacturing Is Not THE Answer to Increasing US Economic Competitiveness for Reducing the US Debt

Manufacturing Is Not THE Answer to Increasing US Economic Competitiveness for Reducing the US Debt

There is an old an adage in the halls of the Pentagon that goes “Defense is always fighting the last war”. In other words, after a military engagement is finished DoD attempts to restructure itself so that its capabilities are more effective for the last engagement. This is an adage that is very true in the history of DoD and today many in DoD work very diligently to ensure that it is no longer true.

In many ways when it comes to rebuilding America’s economic competitiveness, many have fallen prey to this time old adage. And as DoD has found on repeated occasions, fighting the last war can be very deadly for the military and the country.

The US has divested itself, both by design and by default, of its manufacturing base creating a weakness that China and others have exploited for a competitive advantage. This weakness has now been exploited to the level that its adverse impact on the economic health of the US is so pronounced, that it can no longer be denied by anyone except the most nave or out of touch pundits.

In response, there is a growing call-to-arms across the US private and public sector to rebuild the US manufacturing base to its past glory. The strongly inferred, but not always stated premise is that rebuilding the US manufacturing base is guaranteed to rebuild America’s economic health– in other words the manufacturing base of a country is the foundation of a country’s economic competitiveness.

It is the case that the Chinese saw and exploited the weakness presented by America’s declining manufacturing base but by just removing this US weakness does not equate to a US strength–it just eliminates a US weakness that could be exploited by China and others for a competitive advantage. In effect, removing the US weakness by rebuilding the US manufacturing base is just fighting the last war.

With this US weakness eliminated, China and others will just shift the fight to another battlefield.

To rebuild the economic health of the US we must acquire and maintain a competitive advantage, not just eliminate a US weakness that provides China with the opportunity to acquire a competitive advantage relative to the US. Rebuilding the US manufacturing base can eliminate the US weaknesses so that it can no longer be exploited by China or others to the detriment of the economic health of the US, and it is the case that the US manufacturing base could be rebuilt in a manner that provides the US with a competitive advantage and thereby increase the economic health of the US. But, contrary to what is being maintained in the press and by a growing number of experts, the US manufacturing base is not the foundation of America’s economic competitiveness–the exploitation of technology is the foundation of America’s economic competitiveness as well as the foundation of all of our competitors’ economic competitiveness.

To rebuild America’s economic competitiveness, and thereby the country’s economic health, and not just eliminate a weakness or build a limited fleeting competitive advantage in one area, we must out maneuver our competitors in the exploitation of the worldwide technology which is the foundation of all competitive advantage.

The problem is that at the end of World War II, decision-making in the US for the most part, abandoned technology-based planning and adopted economic-based planning. In economic-based planning the foundation of all decision-making is the effective utilization of the funds to accomplish a function where, within a company in most cases, the function is to maximize profits. In other words, the funds are what are being manipulated and the measure of success is how efficiently the funds have been manipulated. Adoption of economic-based planning is the root cause of America’s loss of its manufacturing base.

In contrast, in technology-based planning the foundation of all decision-making is the effective acquisition and utilization of the technology to generate a competitive advantage. It is the technology not the funds that are being manipulated as the foundation of decisions. Keeping in mind that technology is correctly defined as any application of science to accomplish a function.

The problem is that after the US adopted economic-based planning after WWII, the rest of the world continued using and refining technology-based planning. China and India have been using highly refined, very aggressive technology-based planning to rapidly transform their perspective countries into economic superpowers.

Within the US intelligence community under the Reagan administration, I directed a program the Socrates Project, that determined that the underlying cause of America’s declining economic competitiveness was the country’s switch from technology-based planning to economic-based planning. The Socrates Project also developed a highly advanced form of tech-based planning–automated innovation–that would enable the US and all its private and public organizations to consistently out maneuver all competitors worldwide in the acquisition and utilization of technology to acquire and maintain the maximum competitive advantage.

So instead of the US just eliminating the present weakness caused by the country’s waning manufacturing base, the US and its organizations would be in a position to be the dominant competitor in all present and future industries—to include manufacturing.

Manufacturing Is Not THE Answer to Increasing US Economic Competitiveness for Reducing the US Debt

Manufacturing Is Not THE Answer to Increasing US Economic Competitiveness for Reducing the US Debt

Michael Sekora

Past Director of Socrates Project under President Reagan where sources of US declining competitiveness were determined and required solutions developed.

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How Article Marketing is Significantly Increasing My Income (Part 3 of 5)

How Article Marketing is Significantly Increasing My Income (Part 3 of 5)

The never-ending question: article marketing – does it work, or not? Wanting to create more passive income, I decided to give article marketing a REAL try. The following are results so far (this is Part 3 of a 5-part series).

Following are more of the sites I’m consistently submitting articles to. I chose them because they had good PR and Alexa rankings.

What are PR and Alexa rankings? For explanations of these, as well as details on the beginning of the study, see the 10/26/06 post on InkwellEditorial.blogspot.com.

11. SubmitYourNewArticle.com: This directory has a PR rank of 4 and an Alexa rank of 62,309.

You must create an author account to submit. They approve your account pretty much immediately.

The submission process is a breeze and the site offers article stats, primarily, how many times the article has been downloaded, how many times it has been sent to friends, and how many articles you’ve submitted (a tracking feature).

12. Amazines.com: This directory has a PR rank of 4 and an Alexa rank of 16,710.

I love the ease of this site. Once you create an author account, you can start submitting. They also have a bulk submission feature, which allows you to submit more than one article at a time. This site also has a tracking feature, so you know what you submitted, and when.

One of the coolest features of this site is that it shows you how many articles are in each category. For example, as of this writing, the WRITING category had 1,090 articles, while EZINES has only 25.

If it’s a toss-up as to what category to submit to, this can be a handy guideline.

13. GoArticles.com: This directory has a PR rank of 6 and an Alexa rank of 2,407.

You must create an author account to submit here. A really progressive feature of this site is the feed they set up for authors (many directory sites now offer this). This makes it easy for readers to get your content.

This site also has a tracking feature so you can keep track of what you’ve submitted. And, it provides individual article stats (how many words the article is and how many times it’s been downloaded), but you have to click on the author’s name to get this information.

In my opinion, this is a bit odd because it took me a few minutes to figure out how to find the article stats.

But hey, with its Alexa and PR ranking and the sheer number of articles (almost 300,000!), it’s a site you can’t afford to overlook.

14. Isnare.com: This directory has a PR rank of 5 and an Alexa rank of 5,323.

I love the ease of submission of this site – once you create an author account. BUT, it takes a while for them to approve your article for publishing – unless you use their paid submission feature (Platinum account).

Eg, I submitted an article on 10/19, and as of today (11/1), I’m still waiting for that article, and subsequent ones, to be published.

What does their Platinum account include? Among other things, article distribution to over 40,000+ publishers and hundreds of article directory sites for a fixed amount per month ($59.95). I have to say, it seems like a good deal – especially when I consider the amount of time I’m spending each day just submitting to 25 sites manually (about two hours).

If you’re busy, this is a huuugggeee chunk of time (see what I do for you guys?!). Once I finish my little case study (on 11/18), I will be looking into paid submission software/services, and this is one I’m seriously considering.

Besides the absolute horror of manual submission, I’m considering using this site’s submission service because it has a testimonial from a name I recognize and trust, Jenna Glatzer, Editor-in-Chief of Absolutewrite.com.

15. NetpreneurNow.com: This directory has a PR rank of 4 and an Alexa rank of 49,423.

This site can be a bit confusing when you log on, eg, where is the “Submit Article” button? You have to click on Article Directory (left hand side of home page) and then you see a link that reads “Post a new article.”

You don’t have to create an author account to use this site – tres cool! BUT, it also doesn’t offer any tracking features or article stats. So, you’re on your own here (eg, get out your article tracking pad and resign yourself to submitting and forgetting).

You’ll have to check your server logs to see if any incoming traffic was generated from articles posted here.

What are server logs? Basically, they are reports you can get from your web host that tells you where visitors from your site came from, eg, a click from an ad on Google, a link from an article on IdeaMarketers.com, etc.

Again though, as this site has good rankings, it’s worth it to submit.

COMMON PROBLEMS WITH ONLINE ARTICLE MARKETING

Delayed Publishing: Many article directories take days, even weeks, to publish your content. This is a double-edged sword. On the positive side, ostensibly, it means that articles are being reviewed and there is more quality content out there; eg, less garbage on the web as a whole.

The negative is that it takes longer to get the word out about your product/service. So, figure this into your marketing timetable if you are rolling out a new product/service.

Tracking the Effectiveness of a Directory: It is highly unlikely that you will have time to do this with any degree of detail, unless you have major chunks of time on your hands. As noted throughout this series, some directories have tracking features and provide article stats, some do not.

In my opinion, time would be better spent targeting highly trafficked directories, submitting to them, and judging the “overall progress” of your article marketing campaign “over a period of time – eg, a month, a quarter, half-year, etc.”

BE IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL

I once read an article that said, especially with Internet marketing, it’s not the immediate results you’re after (although I have been pleased with this aspect of my little campaign so far), but the long-term benefits of establishing yourself as an expert.

Once you establish your abilities and your trustworthiness — and this comes from prospects seeing you in many different places across a period of time – it will be that much easier to make the sale.

As with any business venture, article marketing can garner profound results, but it takes time and effort, effort and time, to get the long-term rewards.

WHAT’S GOING ON WITH THE MONEY?

Holding steady at about 2.5 times what I was making (per day) before I started this experiment.

READER QUESTIONS

As I’ve been getting quite a few inquiries from readers, I will devote Monday’s (11/06) issue to answering all of them. So, send in yours.

In the meantime, be sure to catch the rest of the case study. I’ve been an online marketer for a while and am learning a lot! As a matter of fact, I will be conducting a similar study with online groups/forums/message boards next (details coming after 11/18).

Stay tuned for Part IV.

How Article Marketing is Significantly Increasing My Income (Part 3 of 5)

How Article Marketing is Significantly Increasing My Income (Part 3 of 5)

May be reprinted with the following, in full: Yuwanda Black is the publisher of www.InkwellEditorial.com: THE business portal for and about the editorial and creative industries. First-hand freelance success stories, e-courses, job postings, resume tips, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Launch a Profitable Freelance Writing Career in 30 Days or Less — Guaranteed! Log on to InkwellEditorial.com to learn how.

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Creative Writing: How Increasing Self Belief Can Improve Your Creative Writing

Creative Writing: How Increasing Self Belief Can Improve Your Creative Writing

As a creative writer, I’m sure you’re always keen to find new ways to enhance and improve your creative writing.

There are two main ways this can be done.

The first way to improve your creative writing is simply to practice writing in as many different creative ways as you can.

Start with all the ways and types you already know, then add to this range one technique at a time.

There are many different sources of creative writing exercises and prompts available that can give you the starting point and that initial kick of inspiration needed to head off in a new undiscovered direction with your writing.

The other way to improve your creative writing is less obvious. But in fact over the long term it’s the one that is most powerful.

Without it, you’re writing will always have a glass ceiling, a limit to how sophisticated, rewarding, inspiring and wonderful it can be.

Now sometimes a few limitations can be good when we create, it gives us something to push against, a boundary to stretch, a fence to leap over…

But in this case we want to smash through that glass ceiling. Then we can really start to soar…

The key to what sets your limitations, and what literally decides how high (or low) that glass ceiling will be is simply how good a creative writer you BELIEVE you are.

Or, taking this a little wider in scope, HOW CREATIVE YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE.

It doesn’t take long to realise that someone who’s riddled with self-doubt, whose confidence is shot to pieces and wonders if they can ever write their name again, let alone a poem, story, or novel, is not in the best shape to create.

Most of us have been in this position and it’s not a pleasant place to be.

There’s no guarantee too that we’ll never return there. But if you invest some regular significant time and energy into building your creative self-belief, your times of doubt will be less severe and less often.

One of the best techniques to increase your self-belief in your own creativity is to take time each day to write out and speak out loud some affirmations.

An affirmation is simply a positive statement that, said often enough, and regularly enough, can help us reprogram our thinking, away from negative and destructive patterns of thought, to more positive, uplifting and powerful ones.

A good tip for writing affirmations is to use the three Ps:

Positive: Make sure your affirmation is written in a positive way. For example: If you feel you lack self-confidence when creating, then turn this around and write “I have all the confidence I need.”

Personal: Make your affirmation personal, always start it with “I”. Just saying positive words may help in some way, but associating them with yourself is far more powerful and beneficial.

Present Tense: Your affirmation should be in the present tense, as if you already have the positive quality. So even if you don’t have loads of self-belief right now, don’t say “I’d like to believe in myself more.” Instead use the present tense: “I strongly believe in my creative writing ability.”

This is just one way to increase your self-belief and therefore improve your creative writing.

Practice affirmations at least twice a day for 14 days and notice the difference it makes to your creative writing.

Creative Writing: How Increasing Self Belief Can Improve Your Creative Writing

Creative Writing: How Increasing Self Belief Can Improve Your Creative Writing

Discover more about how you can improve your creative writing, and sign up for your FREE 5 part creative writing taster ecourse right away at http://www.YouAreACreativeWriter.Com.

Creativity Coach and keen creative writer Dan Goodwin helps people who are frustrated they’re not making the best of their unique creative abilities. See more at his website: http://www.CoachCreative.com

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Growing Prosperity – How Can You Be Prosperity Minded and Live in Increasing Abundance?

Growing Prosperity – How Can You Be Prosperity Minded and Live in Increasing Abundance?

Growing prosperity is within your reach. Even if your current circumstances are weighing you down with financial lack, debt, and no seemingly visible way out; there is hope. The truth is, we are surrounded by abundance and we can tap into it by becoming prosperity minded.

A Technique to Start Attracting Abundance

One of the reasons that wealthy people have money is that they have learned to be prosperity minded. They have wealth because they feel comfortable about it.

How do you go about developing a prosperous mindset yourself? Here is a simple technique you can begin using right away to start attracting wealth or any other form of abundance you desire.

To develop a prosperous mindset, start seeing yourself in your mind’s eye, already in possession of the abundance you desire. Take time daily to visualize your life as you would have it to be. Close your eyes and envision and feel yourself there.

By gaining a prosperous mindset you’ll soon become much more comfortable with the thought of wealth and abundance in your life. As a result, you will start attracting it to you.

Just a Game, or a Technique for Increasing Abundance?

Does this just sound like a silly game of playing pretend? Let me assure you, getting control of your thought life is one of the wisest things you can do.

“People that think wrong believe wrong, and when they believe wrong, they act wrong.” — Kenneth E. Hagin

There is power in moving your visualizations into your subconscious. Why? Because the subconscious does not distinguish between the mere visualization and the actual possession.

What does this mean? Once you succeed in planting abundant thoughts into your subconscious mind, and it feels comfortable to prosper, your subconscious mind will automatically seek ways to make those thoughts and feelings of abundance manifest themselves in a material form.

If becoming prosperity minded seems like a silly ‘head’ game, it’s not. Go ahead and put this technique into action for awhile and it will start to make a lot more sense to you. Once you succeed at becoming comfortable seeing yourself living in increasing abundance, don’t be surprised to see it also start manifesting in your life.

“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” — Romans 12:2

God wants to see His children prosper and He tells us how to do it in His Word. Take time to renew your mind to line up with the Word of God so that your desires and circumstances can also change and line up with His will for your life.

Believe me. Once you put this technique into action and choose to be prosperity minded, you can expect to start seeing a growing transformation in your life. If you are ready to move from lack to overflow, then now is the time to begin to foster a prosperous mindset and tap into the surrounding flow of abundance.

May you be prosperity minded and live in growing prosperity!

Growing Prosperity – How Can You Be Prosperity Minded and Live in Increasing Abundance?

Growing Prosperity - How Can You Be Prosperity Minded and Live in Increasing Abundance?

And now, get a Free life changing “How to Attract Prosperity” download. Plus enjoy Christian and Self-Improvement Resources along with Motivational Videos and a Meditation Podcast.

Check this out: http://www.GrowingProsperity.com.

B.K. Smith seeks to provide resources to help you prosper in all areas of life – including your spirit, soul, body, finances, and relationships.

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