Special Speech

IBM Lotus Notes Domino and Microsoft CRM (Client Relation Management) from now on can work in tandem. Microsoft CRM Lotus Notes Domino connector from Alba Spectrum Technologies provides seamless messaging in MS CRM through Domino. Our customers suggest future direction for the connector. Considering our consulting practice experience in MS CRM and Lotus Notes customization, upgrade, integration - in this small article we’ll reveal our half year development plans

• Messaging Servers. Former idea was to have MS CRM SDK side standard and develop plug ins for all the other email server: CommuniGate Pro, Sendmail, PostFix, Exim, Oracle Collaboration Suite, GroupWise. Probing the market in earlier 2005 we realized that Lotus Domino is 90% of the requests and Novell GroupWise has the rest of the market responses, however in the case of GroupWise customers, realizing the connector development phase decided to switch to Microsoft Exchange. So at this moment we decided to stick to IBM Lotus Notes Domino and support other email platforms, if customer is willing to pay for the plug-ins development (abut $4k)

• MS CRM and Lotus events two-ways synchronization. This is out of question and will be done. Lotus Notes serves large corporations, investing into Lotus user licenses and the synchronization is the must

• INI file. Where you can select if you would like to store in Lotus outgoing email, sent from MS CRM

• Support Contracts. We do understand that our connector will work in the MS CRM environment with 30+ users, which means that it will be midsize or large corporate business. If MS CRM is business critical and Lotus investments should be protected - we recommend our customers Lotus Notes Domino support contract.

• Annual Maintenance Program. If you purchase Microsoft Great Plains, Oracle eBusiness Suite, PeopleSoft, or other ERP application - you will have to pay one or another type of annual fee to get new version and regular support from the software vendor. We’ll try to be more liberal to our clients, but considering large demand - we’ll have to implement the plan to improve the service to existing clients.

Andrew is Great Plains specialist in Alba Spectrum Technologies ( http://www.albaspectrum.com ) - Microsoft Great Plains, Navision, Microsoft CRM Partner, serving clients in California, Minnesota, Illinois, Washington, Florida, Arizona, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Canada, UK, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Russia. Alba Spectrum serves corporate clients in Aerospace & Defense, Oil & Gas, Chemicals, Manufacturing, Transportation & Logistics, Pharmaceutical, Food Processing, Placement, Healthcare & Medicine, Beverages, Agriculture, Non-profit, Distribution & Supply Chain Management, Financial Services, Furniture, Textile, Apparels, Conglomerates, Wholesale & Retail.

According to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration,
the East Pacific expects 15 to 16 tropical storms. Nine of these
end up becoming hurricanes with five becoming deadly major
hurricanes. If you live in the southeastern part of the U.S.
then you know that hurricane season started on June 1st. Are you
prepared for Hurricane season? Did you know that Hurricane
season lasts until the end of November? Have you gone out and
bought all the supplies that you may need? This article is
written to help you prepare for any kind of hurricane. It will
also provide you with a list of items that are essential for any
storm.

What do you need to do in order to prepare for a hurricane? If
you live near the coastline, and a hurricane with deadly winds
is going to make landfall, then you might consider evacuating
and going to a shelter. You need to keep watching the news to
see if the state has declared a state of emergency. If you are
in the path of a land-falling hurricane, then you should prepare
and have a list of supplies ready. List of supplies include: a
first aid kit with all the necessary medications, canned food
and an opener, plenty of water to last for at least 3 days,
flashlights, a battery powered radio and extra batteries. Other
supplies may include sandbags, tape, generator, raingear,
sleeping bags and lastly protective clothing. In order for one
to be on the safe side, you should prepare for the worst and
hope for the best. No one knows how deadly and destructive these
hurricane winds are going to be. Therefore, you should have all
your supplies next to you. According to Hurricanetips.com,
folding beach chairs make an excellent alternative to cots.
“They fold flat, double as a chair and allow you to store 16
gallon plastic storage tubs underneath to save space and secure
your belongings.” (www.hurricanetips.com) It is really important
that you prepare a checklist of items that you will need. It is
also important that you have a course of action ready along with
important phone numbers that you might need in case of an
emergency. Run through the checklist and make sure you have all
your items gathered. Once all your items are gathered, make sure
you have them put in a container that is small and portable.
This way if you are forced to leave your home, then all you have
to do is take your container with you. Now if you are forced to
leave your home, you will need something to sleep on. Folding
beach chairs make a good choice because they are light, they
fold fast for easy storage and lastly they are easily
transported. According to the Red Cross, shelters will usually
allow you to keep anything that will fit in 18 square feet,
slightly larger than the space for each beach chair.
(www.redcross.com) Beach chairs make a great choice for storms
that might require you to leave your home.

Another great item, are these new flashlights being sold over
the Internet. Every year (hurricane season) people rush to Home
Depot and Lowes to buy flashlights and batteries just in case
the storm knocks out power lines causing a power outage for
days. This way they are prepared. Who knows how long it will
take for Utility companies to restore power? Why spend money on
buying batteries and replacing bulbs when you can buy these new
flashlights that work without batteries or the need to replace
bulbs? You pick up one flashlight and your done. The flashlight
will last you forever. These new and innovative flashlights are
just what you need for hurricanes and other storms. They are
really cheap and compact. Should you lose power, these
flashlights will provide you with a guaranteed source of light.
And the best thing about these flashlights is that they are
stylish and light to carry. These new flashlights are the
shaking flashlights and the hand crank flashlights.

The shaking flashlights have an electric conductor that moves
through some magnetic field, to generate electric current. All
you need to do is shake the flashlight and electricity is
generated. The light that is produced is very visible allowing
you to see for a far distance. The hand crank flashlights are
just as easy as the shaking flashlights. All you need to do is
crank the flashlight for seconds and you will get a bright and
visible source of light. These new and innovative flashlights
are a far more, better choice than regular flashlights. These
flashlights will save you the hassle of running out to the
stores and looking to spend a lot of money on replacing
batteries and bulbs. Eliminate the need to replace your bulbs or
batteries. Another great product to keep around for hurricanes
is the hand crank flashlight with a radio. This flashlight just
like I mentioned above needs no batteries. Minutes of cranking,
provides you with a source of light. And the best thing about
this product is that it has a built in radio that has great
reception. So if you are indoors and you lose power during a
hurricane, you can still listen to the radio for the latest
weather updates. All these products mentioned above are great
for hurricane season.

Once these hurricanes make landfall, they can be really deadly.
The heavy rains, strong winds and gigantic waves can damage
buildings, trees and cars. They will even knock down power
lines, leaving you without power for days. A good example would
be the state of Florida last year. Hurricane Charley, Frances,
Ivan and Jeanne brought destructive winds and rain that knocked
down power lines leaving most of the state without power for
days. People rushed to the stores for flashlights, batteries,
generators and anything they could find. It was too late and
people were on top of each other fighting for what was left in
these stores. Hurricanes cannot be controlled but our
vulnerability can be reduced through preparedness. Be prepared
for this year! These new flashlights and the beach chairs
mentioned can be found at Coconutz Home and Garden. All you have
to do is visit the website and see for yourself. Should you be
interested in any of our products mentioned above, please enter
the code “Hurricane” when prompted at check out, and you will
receive 10% off of any of our products. A link for the web store
has been attached at the end of this article. Get your supplies
now!

http://www.coconutzhomeandgarden.com

Businesses spend too many dollars, however, on ads that simply will not result in increased sales and profits. These ads are poorly conceived, poorly written, poorly designed, poorly targeted, and poorly placed.

Sounds like a poor way to do business, doesn’t it?

I often ask clients (as tactfully as possible), why they have run a particular ad. I get a lot of blank stares. A few tense moments will pass while the client tries to think of a clever answer. “To get the company name out in front of the public so I can get more business.” they reply, with some relief.

This poor soul has just described a lack of a well defined goal, which leads almost inevitably to what I call an institutional ad. An institutional ad can best be described as one which identifies the advertiser and lists address, telephone number, hours of operation, and (maybe) the company logo. That’s it. What a terrible waste of money!

Unless your company grosses a billion dollars a year, you can’t afford to do institutional ads. If your company does gross over a billion dollars a year…you’re probably too smart to run institutional ads.

Every ad you run must result in increased sales and profits and an enhanced image for your company. Every ad should make the customer a solid offer and give the customer sound reasons to buy from you now. Remember, the customer is sitting back and asking, “What can you do for me?” If you’re careful to answer that question with a powerful offer and reasons to buy now, you’re on your way to advertising success…which results in increased sales and profits.

How can you improve your chances of increasing sales?

Let’s look at some profit-producing ideas…

SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP

Very few businesses are prepared or qualified to produce quality advertising. If you spend more than $2,000 per month in advertising, you should seriously consider hiring a qualified advertising professional. There are any number of skilled freelancers who can develop strategy, and create your marketing materials with a keen eye to using proven methods and techniques.

Good advertising talent always pays it’s own way through increased sales and profits, improved cost-effectiveness, reduced selling costs, and shortened selling cycles.

If your resources are limited, don’t feel lost. There’s no reason why you can’t learn to write an effective ad. That’s what the rest of this article is all about…how you can create advertising that sells.

FOLLOW A PROVEN FORMULA

One of the oldest and most useful formulas for ad design takes its name from the opera Aida by Giuseppe Verde. In this case the letters A-I-D-A stand for ATTENTION, INTEREST, DESIRE, AND ACTION.

In it’s simplest form this formula serves as a structural blueprint. It guides us to: (1) Get the prospect’s Attention, (2) Foster his or her Interest in your offer, (3) build Desire for your product or service and (4) Generate some type of Action on the part of the buyer.

As we expand on each of these elements individually, you’ll discover for yourself how to apply the formula to your specific situation.

ATTENTION (The Headline)

Hit your prospect right between the eyes with a magic wand. How? With a powerful benefit headline. The headline is the most important single element of your ad. You have two to three seconds to stop the reader as he or she passes by. You must stop the reader, and interest them in your benefit, if you expect them to read further.

A powerful headline will (1) stop the reader (2) isolate and qualify your best prospects, and (3) pull your reader into the sub-heads and body copy.

How do you write the attention-getting headline? First, carefully review all the benefits of-use of your product or service. Second, take your most important benefit and weave that benefit into your headline. Use action words to describe the benefit to one individual reader.

Here are some examples…

“Save 50% On Office Supplies…Send For Your Free Catalog Today !”

“How YOU Can Create Advertising That SELLS!”

“New! Amazing Techniques That You Can Use To Land A High-Paying Job…Today!”

“How To Design Profit-Producing Web Sites That SELL!”

APPEALING TO BUSINESS EXECUTIVES

When writing your ad to a business-to-business audience you should keep in mind the six key benefits most likely to get attention:

1.Save Money 2.Save Time 3.Increase Sales 4.Increase Profits 5.Enhance Image 6.Boost cash flow

Most other benefits are subordinate to these key six. I call them the”Business Benefit Six-Pack.” Show your customer how your product or service provides these benefits, and you will dramatically improve your results.

INTEREST AND DESIRE> (The Offer, Body Copy, Benefits-Benefits- Benefits)

You build interest in your product or service (and the desire to buy) by making the customer a compelling offer and by describing as many benefits as possible in simple and interesting terms.

Tip # 1: Top ad pros always write the ad first, then buy whatever space necessary to display the ad message with clarity and power.

Tip # 2: Words sell…graphic design displays the words in a visually appealing way. Don’t confuse the two. No amount of trendy design will make a poorly written ad sell for you. Good design reinforces good copy…it cannot take the place of it! The implication for internet marketers is that content is king. Avoid glitsy, moving graphics that only distract from your message and increase load times. Good design and good copy should work synergistically.

Tip #3: Long copy sells…as long as it’s good copy. I call it “greased slide” copy. You get the reader on the top of the slide when he reads a powerful headline, and he can’t get off until he has taken the action asked for (i.e., ordered the product, made the trip to the store, dialed the phone, clicked the order/inquiry button, filled out the on-line order, etc.).

ACTION(Ask For The Order)

Now comes the moment of truth. You must ask for the order. Give reasons for the customer to buy now…and make it easy for him to do so. In direct response marketing, this will involve a coupon for mail orders, a toll-free order line, an e-mail address, an on-line order form, a fax order line..any means to make it easy and simple to order!

Take the fear out of the purchase. Give solid guarantees. Offer secure ordering for on-line customers. Show testimonials from satisfied customers.

Show what the customer is going to lose if he doesn’t order now.

If you are a retailer, include a map to your store(s) (newcomers love them). Show the credit cards you accept, list the hours of operation, tell them about your friendly staff, include a special coupon or other incentive. In other words, “Roll out the red carpet.”

INVEST IN FUTURE PROFITS

So there you have it. A primer on good advertising. If I’ve piqued your interest to learn more, then check out the other articles available at this resource.

Remember, bad advertising…no matter what the media…is an unproductive expense.

Good advertising is an investment in future profits!

Good advertising and good management go together. You can’t have a successful business on-line or off-line—without both.

About the Author

Thom Reece is the CEO of On-Line Marketing Group, a direct response marketing agency with headquarters in Hawaii. He is the creator of the Online Marketing Resource Center [ http://www.e-comprofits.com ] .Thom can be reached by email at: thomATe-comprofits.com

With all the talks of obesity and America’s race for thin bodies, cholesterol has suffered a beating. It is even one of the main figures in the development of hypertension, that contribute much to coronary heart disease. Often seen as the culprit in “fattening” America, cholesterol has become a food taboo, something that must be avoided at all costs.

What people do not know though is that there are two kinds of cholesterol and one kind is actually beneficial to the body. In fact, it is one of the essential substances that our bodies need to maintain balance.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a substance that can be found in fats or in lipids. Lipids are important because it is used to form cell membrane, used to balance hormones and help in other bodily functions. Too much cholesterol though tends to clog the bloodstream, eventually leading to heart disease. And because cholesterol cannot easily dissolved, only transported, the risk of build-up is great. As mentioned earlier, there two kinds of cholesterol, the LDL and the HDL cholesterol.

The bad cholesterol

The LDL cholesterol is frequently referred to as the “bad cholesterol” because too much of these can accumulate in the walls of the arteries and clog the blood stream that leads to the heart and the brain. This build up, called atherosclerosis, which can eventually lead to a heart attack or a stroke (brain attack) depending on where the arteries are leading to.

High LDL increases the risk for heart disease so it important that it is kept at normal range, which is below 100 mg/dL.

The good cholesterol

The HDL cholesterol on the other hand is referred to as the good cholesterol as high levels seem to protect a person from heart disease and hear attacks. According to some experts, instead of staying at the arteries like the LDL, HDL leaves the arteries and instead goes to the liver. In contrast with LDL levels, a low HDL increases the risk for heart attack. Levels of HDL should not be below 40 mg/dL for men and 50 mg/dL for women. Regular exercise has been found to increase the levels of HDL.

Cholesterol in food

Foods that come from animals contain cholesterol levels. Just how much depends on the kind of animal food. vegetables however do not contain any cholesterol.

In addition to the cholesterol that we get from food, the body is also capable of producing its own cholesterol. This creates a problem in overproduction since we also take in cholesterol through the foods that we eat. Average individuals or those who do not have any heart problems should only take in about 300 milligrams.

For people who are already at risk for coronary heart disease and heart attack, physicians recommend the reduction in the intake of cholesterol. They should only take in less than 200 milligrams. Everyone is also advised to keep their consumption of saturated fats to a minimum, as these can significantly help in lowering the risk for heart disease.

People, who have severe high blood pressure, are however advised to take in no more than six ounces of lean meat and fish daily. They should also choose the products thatv they buy and ensure that they are fat free or low-fat.

Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides cholesterol resources on http://www.your-cholesterol-resource.info