Anniversary Gifts & presents from find-me-a-gift

Anniversary Gifts & presents from find-me-a-gift

Find-me-a-gift have a fantastic range of unique anniversary gifts to suit everyone. From the traditional to the unique you will find something as they have over 1000 gift & gadget ideas. http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/wedding-anniversary-gifts/anniversary-presents-ideas.asp

Here are our top 10 Anniversary gift ideas

Personalised Champagne – A lovely bottle of J D Telmont Champagne with a personalised label of your choice (up to 28 words).

Champagne J. De Telmont is from Damery, a small village, 8km from Epernay on the banks of the River Marne. De Telmont was founded by the Lhopital family in the middle of the last century and is ranked amongst the thirty largest champagne houses. http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gifts-for-men/personal-gift/personalised-bottle-of-champagne.html

Become a Laird or Lady of the Glen – Please note this is a Scottish “Laird” title which is equivalent to the English “Lord” title Become a Lord (Laird) or Lady when you buy this gift and be the owner of a plot of land on the Kincavel Estate in Sonachan, Scotland, and have legal usage of the title “Laird” (meaning “land owner”). Laird is a title that can be used by men or women but the commonly accepted equivalent for women is “Lady”. http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gifts-for-men/unusual-gadgets/laird-lord-and-lady-of-the-glen.html

Name a Star – Name a Star is a wonderful present for anyone. Send someone special into orbit by Naming a Star after them with the Intergalactic Star Database. This thoughtful personalised gift will last 10 billion years, longer than anything else you could ever buy them. The Name a Star gift is perfect for your loved ones and will let them know how much you value them. Every time they want to see their present, they can just look up at night and see a beautiful shining reminder of you. http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gifts-for-men/personal-gift/name-a-star.html

Bouquet of flowers – Fast UK guaranteed delivery will ensure our range of fresh flowers arrives in perfect condition. Browse our collection by clicking on one of the orange buttons above and send flowers to a loved one today. Order your Mothers day or anniversary flowers today and we will ensure that they are delivered when you need them to be. http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/flowers/flowers-delivery.asp

Silver Rolo – My last Rolo – Do you love anyone enough to give them your last silver rolo? This fun yet thoughtful gift is perfect for all occasions and is sure to have them grinning with happiness. The Last Silver Rolo is a great way of letting someone know how much you care as well as giving someone the priceless gift of putting a smile on your face. http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gift-ideas-for-women/presents/silver-rolo-my-last-rolo.html

Wine Tasting Experience For Two – You’ll be amazed at the skill, effort and experience it takes to produce a quality wine. Enjoy a tour of an English vineyard and take home a complimentary bottle of wine per couple to drink at your leisure. http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gifts-for-men/men/wine-tasting-experience-for-two.html

Silver & Diamond Love Token – A sincere and lasting keepsake for someone very special. A real diamond is set within the centre of the disc and the words, “think of me when you look upon this” are inscribed around the outside of this diamond and silver love token. http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gifts-for-men/personal-gift/silver-and-diamond-love-token.html

Philips 7 & 9-Inch Digital Photo Frame – Philips 7″ and 9″ Digital Photo Frame Display Every picture tells a story…. How many digital pictures are hidden on your PC? See, share and relive your memories with Philips Digital Photo Display, the easiest way to display your digital photos in print quality – without a PC http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gifts-for-men/men/philips-7-inch-digital-photo-frame.html

Message in a bottle – The Message in a Bottle is one of the most important gifts we offer. You could buy someone a £1,000,000 diamond ring and still not make it clear what they meant to you. The Message in a Bottle gives you the chance to do exactly that. You’ve got plenty of space to let someone know exactly how you feel, whether it’s a heart-rending love letter or a simple thank you! http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gifts-for-men/men/message-in-a-bottle.html

Name a Rose – Name A Rose Gift Set. Name a Rose gift pack is a beautiful gift which is both touching and unique. Inside the gift box is a unique unnamed pack of rose seeds for recipient to nurture and grow. By filling in the enclosed registration card they can name their rose and have this information stored on the official “Name a Rose” database. http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gift-ideas-for-women/personal-gift/name-a-rose-gift-set.html

Tips Traditional and Modern Anniversary Gifts Guide Year: 1st Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Paper Modern Gift(s): Clocks Gemstone: Gold Jewelry

Year: 2nd Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Cotton Modern Gift(s): China Gemstone: Garnet

Year: 3rd Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Leather Modern Gift(s): Crystal, Glass Gemstone: Pearl

Year: 4th Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Fruit, Flowers Modern Gift(s): Appliances Gemstone: Topaz

Year: 5th Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Wood Modern Gift(s): Silverware Gemstone: Sapphire

Year: 6th – Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Candy, Iron Modern Gift(s): Candy, Iron Gemstone: Amethyst

Year: 7th Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Wool, Copper Modern Gift(s): Desk Sets Onyx

Year: 8th Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Bronze, Pottery Modern Gift(s): Bronze, Pottery Gemstone: Tourmaline

9th Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Pottery, Willow Modern Gift(s): Linen, Lace Gemstone: Lapis Lazuli

10th Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Tin, Aluminum Modern Gift(s): Leather Gemstone: Diamonds

11th Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Steel Modern Gift(s): Jewelry Gemstone: Turquiose

Year: 12th Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Silk, Linen Modern Gift(s): Pearls Gemstone: Jade

13th Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Lace Modern Gift(s): Textiles, Furs Gemstone: Citrine

14th Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Ivory Modern Gift(s): Gold Jewelry Gemstone: Opal

15th Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Crystal Modern Gift(s): Watches Gemstone: Ruby 20th Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): China Modern Gift(s): Platinum Gemstone: Emerald

25th Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Silver Modern Gift(s): Silver Gemstone: Silver

30th Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Pearl Modern Gift(s): Diamond Gemstone: Pearl

Year: 35th Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Coral Modern Gift(s): Jade Gemstone: Emerald

40th Anniversary gifts 45th Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Sapphire Modern Gift(s): Sapphire Gemstone: Sapphire

50th Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Gold Modern Gift(s): Gold Gemstone: Gold

55th Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Emerald Modern Gift(s): Emerald Gemstone: Alexandrite 60th Anniversary gifts Traditional Gift(s): Diamond Modern Gift(s): Diamond Gemstone: Diamonds

To see our full range of gift ideas please click below http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/wedding-anniversary-gifts/anniversary-presents-ideas.asp

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Loneliness: 10 Help Strategies Anyone Can Use

Next to love, loneliness is probably the second most popular feeling that has inspired a million writers, artists and songwriters to create their masterpieces. Rosetti painted it through the face of his beloved, Van Gogh became a genius because of it and Poe became its poster boy. Yet, loneliness for all its superficial romanticism, is one of the most destructive of human feelings. Here are some ways on how to deal with it and find a happier, more meaningful and enjoyable life:

1. Embrace change. Change occurs in all of our lives and it is this fact that triggers many incidents of loneliness. Simple acts of moving to a new city or of changing jobs or life events like a divorce or separation can cause an overwhelming feeling that you have no one at your side but put it this way.

New cities, environments and status give way to new opportunities you can explore. Your new home may provide you an opportunity for further study, your new job can be your stepping stone to a better career and your new status may just help you improve yourself better. The possibilities are endless both ways; it’s just up to you where you want to take them.

2. Set goals. There is no way you can reach your destination if you don’t know where you’re going in the first place. By setting realistic goals, you will recognize which areas of your life need improvement and which ones to prioritize. Sometimes people isolate themselves by concentrating on too much work.

If this is your case, set small goals that you can complete. Focus on areas such as your own wellbeing, your personal, social and professional relationships and your community. This helps you decide which activities you‘ll enjoy more and where you’ll prosper.

3. Recognize your needs. Being negligent of one’s needs can cause a feeling of inadequacy. It also causes a feeling of not doing enough. Feelings of loneliness are occasionally caused when other’s needs take the forefront, pushing our own to a position of lesser importance. There they can remain stagnant and untended to. By recognizing your needs, you affirm your own self-esteem and importance.

4. Expand your horizon. Could it be that you feel stifled by your current environment? Do you need a change of scenery? Want to extend your circle of friends? If you feel you’re stuck in a glut and nothing seems to move, it’s probably time to push your bubble further.

Step out of your comfort zone for a while and explore new things. Do something you’ve always wanted to do. Keep putting off that trip to the museum? Do it now. Always wanted to sing in a choir? Why not be a joiner and sign up today? By putting your focus on exploring new opportunities and relationships, you discover more in terms of social contacts.

6. Get out and do something. Treat loneliness as a signal to do something for a change. Join a club or a group that promotes your favorite activities or volunteer for charity work that you enjoy. Share your talent with people who are willing to learn. When you’re preoccupied, you have no time to feel lonely and by doing what you love, you actually get to accomplish something, adding points for a good ego boost.

7. Take the initiative. How many times have we lost an opportunity because we were too preoccupied, shy or negligent to take advantage of it? Or maybe we waited for it to turn its head and notice us. Deal with loneliness by taking a step out of the shadows and allowing yourself to make the first move. Meet new people, go after a new hobby or take a chance to promote yourself. Remember that many years from now, the one thing you’ll regret is something you didn’t do and not something you did.

8. Accept the things that you can’t change. There will always be things that will remain out of reach from your influence or from your grasp. Learn to acknowledge these within reason and you’ll feel happier and more satisfied with the way the world is.

9. Improve your social skills. Communication is key to human relationships and learning how to effectively harness it can do wonders. Brush up on small talk, keep abreast of the latest news. Having something to say lets you penetrate circles you otherwise won’t have access to if you kept your mouth shut. Learn about etiquette and make a lasting impression on people as a smart, witty and wonderful individual to make friends with.

10. Be your own best friend. None of the tips above will help you overcome loneliness if you cannot stand to be on your own. If you can be alone and be quite happy and content, then loneliness has no place in your mind. Learn the art of making friends with yourself and enjoy your time alone.

Listen to music, read a good inspirational book, take care of a pet or a plant, write in your journal, cook your favorite food, little things like these help you build a feeling of contentment about yourself. By learning how to look inward and see a beautiful person worth spending time with, you’ll see that there really is no reason to be lonely.

About the Author

Free 88 page Resource Rolodex. Pick up tips and tricks to help and enhance your life. Join our growing community. The author, Bill Urell MA.CAAP-II, is an addictions therapist at a leading drug treatment center. He teaches healthy life styles and life skills. Visit us at: http://www.AddictionRecoveryBasics.com

Eldercare: Caregiving, Nursing Home, Medicaid, Living Wills

Elderly care is an event that most children do not wish to think about. No one wants to think about his or her parent growing old. We look to our parents for guidance and support, but there comes a time when the parenting roles reverse.

It is important to discuss future events with your loved ones and develop a long-term plan for their care for when they become unable to care for themselves. Developing an Eldercare checklist is a proactive way to ensure your loved ones whether parents or grandparents receive the level of care they need and services they want, or, in the case of artificial nutrition, they may not want.

There are several key points and strategies you will want to include on your Eldercare checklist:

1. What level of eldercare is needed, and where will this care be given?

2. How will you pay for the eldercare? The medical costs of eldercare.

3. What will be done with your parents’ or grandparents’ assets while they are receiving eldercare?

4. Are all legal documents including the Will and Living Will current? Have your parents’ or grandparents’ Wills and Living Wills been reviewed recently by an Attorney? What is an Advanced Financial Directive? What is an Advanced Medical Directive in eldercare estate planning?

5. Have your parents or grandparents designated a Durable Power of Attorney?

Making sure you have answers to these questions for your parents or grandparents eldercare early on will avoid confusion and distress later. Don’t wait until there is a tragedy to make plans that will affect how your loved one spends the rest of their life. For the purposes of this article we will assume “loved one” to mean a parent or grandparent.

Where will eldercare be given, and by whom?

1. CAREGIVING AND ELDERCARE

INFORMAL CAREGIVER

There are two types of caregivers: informal and formal. An informal caregiver might be a spouse or child, and these caregivers do not receive direct payment for their services. Usually payment is made through services exchanged such as food or housing at no charge while caring for your parent.

FORMAL CAREGIVER

A formal caregiver is usually employed by an agency to provide quality care in the comfort of your home. If the formal caregiver is not associated with an agency, it is important to conduct a thorough check of references to ensure you are hiring a quality professional.

It is important to inform all formal caregivers of the responsibilities associated with your parent’s needs. If your parent needs assistance in and out of a wheelchair, a hired caregiver should be able to perform this task without harm to your parent or to him/herself. To avoid injury to all persons involved, informal and formal caregivers should receive training on proper techniques for lifting and moving, proper use of bedpans, and how to maintain good hygiene for a parent confined to bed.

LOCATION OF ELDERCARE FOR YOUR PARENTS

There are many options for the location of care provided. Most people would agree that living our their remaining years in the comfort of home is more appealing than living in a state facility. If your parent wishes to receive care in their home you can make home modifications, such as a wheelchair ramp or seat in the shower, to accommodate their changing needs. You can also hire a formal caregiver to come and assist your parent with daily activities such as bathing, eating, taking medications, or regular exercise.

CONSIDERATIONS OF ASSISTED LIVING HOUSES OR NURSING HOMES

If it is not possible for your parent to remain at home, you can choose to place them in assisted living houses or a nursing home. Before placing your loved one in a facility, you should thoroughly check both the location and the staff. Make yourself familiar with required paperwork ahead of time to prevent delays when it comes time to move in, and, if possible, make several unannounced visits to oversee daily activities.

You should check if the facility is regulated by the state, and request to see any licenses they have for providing eldercare. Find out how the staff is trained and if they are required to have certification to work there. You should consider the cost of the facility and the living accommodations your parent will be provided.

Additional considerations when choosing a facility might be types of activities offered to residents and the quality and type of food provided. While no place will be perfect, you should choose a facility that makes your parent feel as comfortable as possible away from home.

2. MEDICAL COSTS OF ELDERCARE AND MEDICAID

Not many insurance companies are willing to pay for long-term care. It is important to check the details of your parent’s policy and read the fine print for restrictions. For example, Medicare will not pay for long-term care but it will pay a very short-term benefit. However, Medicaid will pay for long-term care but only if your parent receives care in a Medicaid facility.

If you plan far enough ahead, you can begin setting aside money so you can afford to provide long-term care to your parent at home. You should consult a financial advisor or estate planner to go over your parent’s bank statements and assets to determine how long their current funds will be able to provide medical care, and based on this assessment you can establish a savings plan to make up the difference needed for long-term eldercare. When figuring in additional savings you need, keep in mind that you will also need to continue paying any current bills your parent might have.

3. WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR PARENTS’ ASSETS DURING ELDERCARE

Before you rush off and put your parent’s house on the market, make sure you have discussed where they want to receive their long-term care. It would be quite devastating for your parent to come home from a hospital stay to discover you had sold the house and moved their belongings into a nursing home.

You should also ask your estate planner or financial advisor which of your parent’s accounts you should withdraw money from to help offset costs. Some accounts, such as annuities, carry penalties for early withdrawal and may require you to pay taxes on income earned through these accounts. Also, once you begin withdrawing money from an annuity you cannot stop payments.

LEGAL ISSUES OF ELDERCARE

Hopefully, your parent has written a will and made you aware of its location. A Will should be reassessed by an Attorney every few years to make sure all the people listed as beneficiaries are still alive, and that your parent still wants them to receive a portion of their estate.

Moreover, your parents should have an irrevocable trust as part of their estate planning eldercare needs which will avoid the high expenses of probate, reduce estate taxes and possibly eliminate some earned income and your parents will gain the benefits of asset protection. Speak with a qualified and good estate planner such as Estate Street Partners who can guide you through this complex process.

4. IMPORTANCE OF LIVING WILL, ADVANCED FINANCIAL DIRECTIVE AND MEDICAL DIRECTIVE IN ELDERCARE ESTATE PLANNING

You should also council your parents on drafting a Living Will in the event they are unable to speak for themselves. Learn more about Living Wills and Advanced Financial Directives and Advanced Medical Directives by going to our website. The Advanced Financial Directives and Advanced Medical Directives are extremely important in eldercare estate planning when your parents cannot speak for themselves and will protect their financial and medical wishes.

5. DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY (DPOA) AND ELDERCARE ESTATE PLANNING

You should know ahead of time where these documents are before an emergency arises to ensure that your parent’s wishes are followed. Having a DPOA allows someone your parents trust to act on their behalf and make legal and financial decisions for them, including the transfer of valuable assets, if they become incapacitated.

About the Author

Rocco Beatrice, CPA, MST, MBA, award-winning trust and estate-planning expert. 71 Commercial Street #150 Boston, MA 02109 tel: 888-938-5872
Sign up for a FREE newsletter to learn how you can reduce taxes legally, protect assets, secure privacy & preserve money for an accelerated, successful financial roadmap.Irrevocable Trust Asset Protection, Offshore Asset Protection

Proving Patent Infringement has Occurred

Proving that patent infringement has occurred is not quite as cut and dry as it should seem. Lawyers are of course well versed in patent infringement law, but the average individual will have a very difficult time deciphering laws on their own.

A lawyer has much more investigative ability than a business or an individual. Through the use of the court system, a lawyer has the ability to request the violating company’s records as well as subpoena information related to a pending case. Businesses and individuals are not capable of gaining access to this vital information.

Lawyers are looking for research documentation, or any documentation that points to any foreseen knowledge that there was even the possibility of a patent infraction. Patent infringement is a serious offense and most companies are very careful with their documentation if they believe they are even the slightest bit close to violating a patent law. However, a high quality lawyer is typically able to pull out one or two documents that point to evidence of knowledge of impending patent infringement.

While lawyers are not miracle workers or mind readers, they are quiet capable of proving, with the help of the governmental patent agencies, that the patent was already in existence and that a simple search of patent records would have enable to the company or individual in question to perform an adequate patent search which would have in effect, thwarted any impending patent infringement.

In most cases, proving it could have been avoided simply by performing a reasonable patent search, lawyers can realistically prove that the company did not perform its due diligence in an attempt to avoid it in the first place.

Proving induced patent infringement can be a little more difficult than proving direct patent infringement. Induced patent infringement, just like direct patent infringement, can be a result of either accidental or intentional actions.

Induced patent infringement can involve third parties, packaging issues, or even selling a product under the guise of a function that can only be reasonably utilized under a protected patent. A skilled lawyer can prove that the induced patent infringement either could have been prevented or should have been preventable through either research in the production of the product or through marketing research.

Patent infringement is a larger problem than many companies, businesses, and organizations realize. Lawyers try numerous cases per year. Considering the population of lawyers, this totals into the thousands of cases annually. It is not always obvious, as in indirect patent infringement.

When cases of it do occur, proof tends to lie within the accused company whether there was previous knowledge of the patent prior to release of the product or invention. Proving intent can be a very difficult procedure unless the company documented that they were predisposed to the information and went ahead with the project despite the likelihood of a patent infringement. Lawyers state that they typically do not struggle to prove the infringement, but often have great difficulty proving intent or prior knowledge.

Because there are various avenues which a company can be the victim of a patent infringement and because these intentions can be difficult to prove, the absolute first step in protecting patent rights is calling a high quality lawyer. This step allows for legal proceedings to begin and allows for evidence and proof to be sought. Without retaining a lawyer, the chances of ever recouping lost profits is beyond minimal.

It is a silent crime, one which in the technology of yesterday allowed for many companies to get away with until post production and profit loss. Fortunately today many companies are able to head off profit loss when patent infringement is caught before production and sales. Lawyers are being able to prove it that are only in the design and modeling stages in a few cases.

If you believe that you, your company, or your business is in jeopardy of being the victim of paten infringement, it is wise to call a quality lawyer immediately. Waiting can cost you, and often cost you more than you can really afford to lose. Playing it safe even if your suspicions are just that, don‘t hesitate to contact a competent lawyer. Patent infringement is too costly to wait.

About the Author

Nick Johnson, lead counsel and founding partner of Johnson Law Group, represents individuals or companies with cases involving patent infringement. Find more information at: http://www.toppatentinfringementlawyers.com or call 1-888-311-5522

10 Step-by-Step Business Startup Guide: Step 1

STEP 1: Determine My Ultimate Plan

I never take this preliminary step lightly. I always start off with thorough planning. As we always say, plan your life, and then plan your business. Once you know where to go, you can then have a pleasant journey.

I have noticed that there are many successful business people who are not happy in many ways even though they have all the money to last them for generations. On the other hand, I also found out that business people who are successful, joyful and happy are entrepreneurs who created a business that’s in perfect synchronization with what they want out of life. They do what they love, the kind of things that fit into their personality, their life purpose and their lifestyle.

Therefore, before I lunge into a new business venture, I would run though a personal checklist to ensure that I am aware of what I am doing and where I want to be ultimately.

Here is what I’ll do:

1. Review my area of importance – I would review thoroughly my current job or business, my physical being, my lifestyle, my relationship, my family, my hobby, my finance, my spiritual aspect and my emotional state. Next, I would grade each area of my life on a scale of 1-100 (1 means not important at all; 100 means utmost important; 50 means in between). When certain areas of life (at different phases of life) do not concern me much, they are usually not important to me. However, aspect of life that I want to elevate desperately or thing that bother me most of the time, are usually aspect that I perceive as utmost important.

For instance, if my life is motivated solely by relationship with my loved ones, I would rate it 100. And if my top priorities in life are making money and being happy (simultaneously), I would rate my business at 90 and my emotional state at 90. Let say currently I am obese, and that doesn’t bother my conscious, so my physical being would get somewhere around 10!

2. Perform goal setting – Then, I would review (or maybe redo) my personal life goals for the short and long term. My goals in life would be referring to the “ideal life” that I want to live in. Factor in things like family time, hobbies, charity work, and early retirement – anything that gets me really excited or motivated.

3. Identify my skills, expertise or interest – Next, I will list down my highest abilities, strengths or area of interest, that I can build on to attain “commercial value”. I would finalize what are my skills, expertise or interest that could be an asset to my business.

4. Identify what kind of business is most ideal – I would list down several kinds of businesses I want to venture into; that meet my life’s purpose, my skills, expertise or area of interest. Ultimately, I need to choose the kind of business that I can be enthusiastic about during the startup and daily management. One pointer, I must be 100% certain that the business I’ve chosen must present a “hungry market” or else I’ll be a sitting duck.

5. Discover my ideal work style – Finally I would discover how I want to run my new venture; full time or part time, mobile office or home office, one-man show or with a team of people, online or brick and mortar business.

Once I have completed the above five steps, all the above elements will get consolidated into a very brief document called “MY ULTIMATE PLAN”

It’s very important for me to have MY ULTIMATE PLAN printed out and kept in plain view. The reason for doing so… to constantly remind me of what I want, what’s important, and what to do next (especially when things get tough).

I would utilize MY ULTIMATE PLAN to provide a context for most strategic decisions I’ll make – including what niche business I choose to venture, what business model to employ, who to employ, where to operate, how much capital to raise, product pricing factor, how to automate my daily operations, home based, or a one-man operation.

Most importantly, MY ULTIMATE PLAN will position me to do what I LOVE MOST and that will always bring out the best in me as an entrepreneur – unleashing the untapped potential within me!

*Note: Unproven teories to not be shown to my readers! If you need any small business startup help, feel free to visit my Website

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Disclaimer – This article may be freely reprinted in its entirety in any e-zine, newsletter, blog or website. The author’s name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction.

About the Author

Dave J, is an E-preneur, NLP-Certified Business Coach and Author. Within a decade, Dave J has served as an advisor to countless small-level to high-level business leaders around the world. Despite such a short span, Dave J has becoming a highly-respected authority on the psychology of business leadership, business startup, management and marketing. His forte is coaching ordinary people to attain professional and financial breakthrough.

How to achieve a success in Runet? Invest in Search Engine Marketing!

Many people say that search engines are the future of the business. If your company is not present on search engine ranking pages, most probably this will have a major influence on the profits, awareness and competitiveness. We search for business partners, suppliers and services in different ways and languages all over the world. These who are interested in the Eastern Europe market should have necessary pieces of information how to effectively reach through Internet their potential customers e.g. in Russia.

This article presents a summary of how the Russian (the fastest growing population of internauts all over the world according to comScore World Metrix, Jan 2007) look for information. It also explains the advantages of a good exposure in search engine listings in the Russian search engines.

Searching activity in the Russian Internet (known also as Runet) is concentrated in 4 major search engines. These are:

• Yandex.ru – with 48,4% of market share;
• Google – 28,6%;
• Rambler.ru – 15,9%;
• Mail.ru – 4,7%;

The other players (Yahoo, MSN, Aport, Meta Bot, Alta Vista and others) take the rest of the market, according to SpyLOG Feb / Mar 2007 stats – http://gs.spylog.ru/r/?reportId=7&categoryId=1. Business promotes itself in Russia

As a result of intense development of Runet, not only the local SMBs spend money on PPC campaigns but also both international companies of the same size as well as big multinational businesses like General Motors, Nissan, Peugeot, Honda and Sony. In case of these companies, yearly advertising budget is between $1.5 mln – $3.5 mln with up to 50% of it being spent on search engine advertising in Yandex.ru.

Search Engine Marketing on the top

Due to the great interest among advertisers, 2006 expenses on search engine promotion in the Russian Internet grew by 150% comparing to year 2005 and reached $110 million. Thus, search engine advertising has beaten banner advertising (with $100 million spendings) first time ever. This should be a very important signal for all the companies which promote themselves online, that SEM activity (a mix of technology and words which allows to reach now more than 90% of internet users) is an optimum way of the promotion (Lenta.ru – http://lenta.ru/news/2007/02/12/advert/).

Optimum costs of promotion

The minimum price for a single click (CPC) in Yandex.ru varies from (depending on the industry) $0.50 (”stickers”) to $5.00 (”refridgerators”). In Begun.ru one can pay $4.00 (”cash terminals”), $5.70 (”sight correction”), $5.90 (”companies registration”) and even $6.20 for “company closure”. The highest prices ($9.99) are paid for targeted campaigns which take into account very precise parameters, geolocation and time restrictions. You can compare this to $1550 – $5000 prices of one week banner campaign on popular Russian portals (according to http://www.context.1ps.ru).

Investing money in paid listings should be then cheaper and undoubtedly more efficient. When talking about banners, one pays for impressions, not users’ interest measured by clicks and actions taken on the advertiser’s website. The opposite payment model is assigned to sponsored links – payment is made only for users interested in products and services who click and visit the website.

Competition among advertisers

The highest prices in Yandex.Direct (http://www.direct.yandex.ru) are related to B2B activity, where just one transaction (no matter if it is selling a drilling rig or Boeing) per year make a single click with CPC of $48.00 affordable. Apart from above-mentioned B2B examples, the most competitive areas of interest are flats’ sale in the modern block of flats, airplane rentals, Forex stock exchange and building industry services.

Why Yandex?

Coming back to the most important search engine in Russia… Yandex – not very well organized in late ’90s, now is the leader of search engines in Runet. The company put an emphasis on contextual advertising and doubled its revenues last year, becoming even stronger player at the market. The management estimates that this year’ income from search-related advertising should be close to $100 million. At present, 25 million people use Yandex with 5 million of unique users every day. On the contrary, tens of thousands of companies conduct their promotional activity through this search engine. The constantly growing audience of Yandex makes more advertisers interested in both search engine optimization (being well exposed in organic listings) and PPC marketing (paid listings). They seem to make the right decision as the results come very quickly because of modern character of Yandex. Since 2005 it has had two advertising systems, comparable to Google AdWords and AdSense (according to Yandex official blog – http://company.yandex.ru/blog/).

Cheap listing better than expensive banner impression

Lew Glejzer, the director of AdWatsh advertising agency predicts that expenses on search engine marketing in 2007 will go over $200 million in total. All innovative companies that think about future take seriously into account paid listings – adds Dmitrij Wasiljew, Link.ru director. The banners are becoming more expensive and will probably be exclusively used by large companies while search engine marketing is affordable for SMBs as well.

“Key” keywords

In order to be completely successful one need to use precisely defined keywords – the ones which are both relevant to company business profile and are frequently used by people in queries made in search engines. The most popular queries between Dec 2006 and Feb 2007 were: papers (proceedings), desktop wallpapers, horoscope, postcards, weather, games, news, mp3, proverbs, dates, mobile phones, recipes, friendships, music, anecdotes, jobs, cars, predictions, sex, erotics, map of Moscow, chat, samsung d500, kamasutra, flats, photos, nokia, football, russian radio, lyrics, motorization, porno, pregnancy, Aeroflot (according to SpyLOG stats – http://gs.spylog.ru/r/?reportId=8&categoryId=1). Maybe this will be an inspiration for somebody when planning a PPC campaign on, let’s say, Yandex…

Who can see the advertisement?

Most of them are the Russian people – 44.4%, but the advertisement can be also presented to the Americans (14.5%), Ukrainians (4.7%) and Germans (3.5%) not to mention others. That is why search engine marketing in Russia gives the opportunities to reach people from different parts of the world. When talking about the Russian cities, there is one strong leader – the capital (Moscow) with 44% and other cities like Sankt-Petersburg (10.1%) or Jekaterynburg (2.6%), according to SpyLOG stats (http://gs.spylog.ru/rsu/?categoryId=1).

What are the benefits of search engine marketing?

Search engines are responsible for a significant traffic share on Russian websites. This is the result of good exposure in organic listings as well as paid listings activity conducted by Russian companies. The examples below present some traffic statistics on different sectors in the Runet in Nov 2006 (SpyLog stats http://gs.spylog.ru/tcu/5/preView/274.html).

Finance

• Users monthly: 1 200 000
• Traffic share:
  • 57% – direct visits
  • 32% – search engines
  • 11% – other sources
• The most commonly used keyphrases in this sector:
  • credits, banks, mortgage, consumer credits, car credits, credit calculator, credit card

Computers

• Users monthly: 1 801 000
• Traffic share:
  • 64% – direct visits
  • 29% – search engines
  • 7% – other sources
• The most commonly used keyphrases in this sector:
  • notebooks, computers, driver, computer sale, notebook sale, notebook review, Asus, laptop installment, Dell inspiron 1300, Dell inspiron 6400

Mobile phones

• Users monthly: 1 115 500
• Traffic share:
  • 47% – search engines
  • 46% – direct visits
  • 7% – other sources
• The most commonly used keyphrases in this sector:
  • mobile phones, cellphones, nokia, mobile phones catalogue, sony ericsson, nokia 8800, mobile phones online sellers, mobile phone sale, nokia n72

Cars

• Users monthly: 1 923 000
• Traffic share:
  • 44% – search engines
  • 38% – direct visits
  • 18%- other sources
• The most commonly used keyphrases in this sector:
  • Mazda, Ford, Nissan, Citroen, Honda, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Renault, Ford Focus

Travel

• Users monthly: 2 484 900
• Traffic share:
  • 58% – direct visits
  • 33% – search engines
  • 9% – other sources
• The most commonly used keyphrases in this sector:
  • Turkey, warm countries trips, hotels in Turkey, Egypt, holidays in Turkey, holidays in Egypt, hotels in Egypt, New Year trips, Greece, Tunis, Creta.

Runet + SEM = SUCCESS

By spending money on search engine marketing in Runet one can create new opportunities, particularly in the commerce area. The advertising activity in Russian search engines gives the possibility for all companies focused on the international trade (both exporters and importers) to be present on this big market in order to make new business contacts, agreements and increase the revenues. As usually, the first ones will be the winners – that is why we strongly recommend taking into consideration SEM activity in Russia as it may bring significant profits for almost every company.

About the AuthorAuthor (LinkedIn profile) is the owner of Bluerank – Polish SEM agency specializing in search engine optimization and paid listings campaigns for worldwide customers concentrating on the activity in the Eastern Europe.

Conference Exhibition UK

The UK is one of the top industrial and commercial nations in the European Union and indeed the world, being one of only four trillion dollar economies in the EU. With the capital, London, a dominant global player in financial and professional services for global clients, it should come as no surprise that the UK has a mature and sophisticated industry catering for events, conference, and exhibition organisation with the infrastructure to match.

The UK also has a history of hosting exhibitions and conferences going back at least to the Industrial Revolution with the Empire Exhibitions and Alexandra Palace hosting the World Fair. Such large, international events are merely representative of a service sector that has been catering for exhibitions and conferences for a very wide range of commercial and other non-profit activities that have been spurred by the heritage of commerce, industrial innovation, and scientific excellence found in the UK.

Demand in the UK for venues to accommodate small, medium, and large business and social events has generated the growth of a wide range of conference and exhibition centres. Further growth is being stimulated by the award of the 2012 Olympic games to London, and additional infrastructure is being developed with a current budget of £9 billion, a substantial part of which will benefit the commercial sector and increase international recognition for the UK as a whole as a place to transact business.

The UK has and continues to spend billions on developing infrastructure to meet the demand for conference and exhibition venues handling the needs of business and non-profit users of all sizes. Every city in the UK has sizeable conference and exhibition facilities ranging from large-scale complexes such as Olympia and Excel in London, the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, the Cardiff International Arena, and the Gmex, Manchester. Not only are these venues well served to accommodate exhibitions and conferences, but also the transport infrastructure whether by air, rail, or road, enables attendance easily and cost effectively for national and international attendees.

As a world leading developer of new technology and commercial innovation, UK conference and exhibition venues are able to utilise the latest in effective presentation and communication tools, coupled with an highly experienced and dedicated service sector to provide accommodations, transport, and publicity to attract and maintain visitor levels and interest.

Conference and exhibition centres in the UK are currently hosting some of the largest events in the world such as The Ideal Homes Exhibition at Earls Court in London, the largest such home exhibition in the world. Other national and international exhibitions such as the Motor Show at the NEC, Birmingham and the Boat Show at ExCel, London provide highly effective platforms for product launches and are huge events covering acres of space where sales generating hundreds of millions are earned.

From publicly open events to private ones, London in particular plays host to the shareholders meetings of some of the world’s largest corporations. London in particular is an ideal choice for commercial exhibitions and conferences, as there is a very large pool of talented professionals and specialist service providers providing access to banking, legal, technology, and accounting assistance.

The UK also has a rich history of academic and professional excellence, being a leader in research and pharmaceutical sciences generating billions in home and international sales and fostering a large demand for academic conference facilities which are catered for by hundreds of university and research establishments across the country.

A key feature of the conference and exhibition service sector in the UK is the widespread access to these events, not only by large budget players, but also by small and medium sized companies looking to break into markets and bring public attention to their commercial efforts. There are hundreds of exhibition and conference organisers providing access to a large variety of events suitable for their needs and requirements.

Not only does the conference and exhibition market cater for companies and participants in the UK, but also the geographical location of the UK and the effective air and transport infrastructure makes the UK the ideal location for trans-European and international exhibitors and conference attendees. London in particular is served by three international airports, among the largest and busiest in the world, as well as a dedicated business airport 20 minutes from the commercial centre of the city. European visitors are able to attend a conference or exhibition and make the round trip in the same day, minimising disruption to their busy business schedules. For attendees looking to remain longer, the UK boasts a very wide range of hotels and business diversions to cater for all tastes and budgets.

In summary, the long commercial history of the UK has generated a dedicated and highly skilled conference and exhibition service sector, satisfying the demands for all types of event, large or small, public or private, together with the organisational skills and experience to ensure a successful event.

About the Author

Free Venue Finding Service UK & Worldwide visit http://www.jigsawconferences.co.uk + 44 (0)8700 490000 FREE call back service Free Hotel Accommodation Booking Service UK & Worldwide visit http://www.jigsawconferences.com + 44 (0)8707 520433 FREE call back service

Four Brand Identity Myths That Will Hurt A Small Business

Having a brand identity is extremely important to your business’s success. However, many business owners have misconceptions about brand identities that can damage their businesses.

“Brand identity” is the result of the combination of consistent visual elements that are used in your marketing materials. A basic brand identity consists of a logo, business card, letterhead, and envelope. It can be extended to include a website, brochure, folder, flyer, or any other professionally designed pieces.

I’m not a big company: I can’t have/create/build a brand.

Just because your company’s not huge doesn’t mean that you can’t benefit from creating a brand identity. Even for the smallest company, a brand identity will make you look bigger than you are, will make you appear more professional, and will make your sales process easier. You’ll also have a starting point for designing all of your marketing pieces, and your brand identity will make your marketing a breeze as well.

You might not be able to create a branding program that is as comprehensive and self-sustaining as those of some of the big companies, because you won’t be able to educate your clients like they can. Big companies with immediately recognizable logos and brand materials have made those logos and materials recognizable by spending a lot of time, money, and effort on educating the public about their brands. This is mainly done through advertising.

But this isn’t to say that you should jump out there once you have built a brand and start advertising; for many small businesses, advertising is expensive and doesn’t offer a good return on investment.

I run my business in a personalized, one-on-one way: building a brand would make my business impersonal.

Building a brand identity isn‘t necessarily a depersonalizing tactic. You can build a brand that’s very personalized, and even centered on you and the way that you work with your clients. You can even use the personalized way that you run your business as a differentiation tool. That personalization can be one of the pieces of your business that makes you different.

Some major brands are built with this personalization. For example, Mrs. Field’s Cookies is built all around her story, techniques, and recipes.

Having a brand identity shouldn’t change the way that your business works. There might be some slight changes when you start working on the inner layers of your brand, but brand identity just changes the face of your business to the public, making it look cleaner and more organized and professional. You can even design your brand identity to look personalized by using a signature, initials, or even your photo in your logo or Visual Vocabulary.

Creating a brand is too much work.

There is a lot of work involved in creating a brand identity and then creating the rest of the brand to match it. But it’s all part of the overall work that you should do when you begin your business: determining your differentiators, creating your brand foundation and creating some of your brand basics, and positioning your brand.

Doing this work will give your business a clear path, and will make all aspects of your business easier. You will have the groundwork for your business laid out, and you’ll be able to build on that groundwork to create success.

Beyond this groundwork, you shouldn’t have to do much work; if you pick a good designer, you should be able to take more of an advisory role. Beyond answering some initial questions about your business and brand, you should be able to sit back and make the choices between options presented to you by that hired specialist, throughout the development of your logo and brand identity.

Your level of involvement in the design process will also vary depending on the amount of personalization that you have in your business. If you’re running a very personalized business, then you will probably want to guide the design process closely, since in a personalized business your logo should reflect your tastes and style. If you’re building a bigger business, then the style of your logo should reflect the industry and what’s best for your business; often, a designer will guide those choices.

I can’t use a symbol that’s been used before: I have to be entirely unique.

By using a variation of a symbol that’s been used before, you’re leveraging the recognition and meaning that the symbol already has. This is often the best course of action for small businesses, because you won’t have a large budget to spend on educating your audience on the meaning of a new symbol.

What should be unique about your brand identity is the way that you use these symbols. You can develop new combinations of symbols to communicate your message. Or you can arrange the symbols in a different way, or use them in place of letters in your logo to make it more unique.

Another way that you can make your symbols unique is to draw them using different techniques or effects, such as calligraphy or paint strokes, or using different proportions. These techniques make your symbols unique and interesting, and can also communicate more of your brand’s personality.

About the Author

Erin Ferree is a brand identity designer who creates big visibility for small businesses. As the owner of elf design, Erin is passionate about helping her clients stand out in front of their competition and attract more clients. Her “Define Your Difference Branding Workbook” will help you with your brand definition – the most important step in the brand identity design process. http://www.elf-design.com/products-define.html

7 Creative Ideas for Digital Picture Frames

Digital Picture Frames come in a variety of styles, but many of them look like your traditional photo frames. The digital frames allow you to load your digital pictures – and even music – into them for interactive photo frames!

They are both affordable and easy to use, making them ideal for any family. They also make great gifts as a stand-alone item, or pre-loaded with digital pictures and music.

A digital picture frame will display streaming slide shows, play music, and even show video files. As easy as they are to load with digital content, you can keep your picture frame current with recent photos from vacation, graduation, family events, your growing children – or practically anything you want to show off!

Below are 7 super creative ways that you can use digital picture frames:

1. Set up a comforting slide show of family photos, accompanied by lullabies, and place it in the nursery for your baby or small child to enjoy. You might include pictures of Mommy, Daddy, grandparents and even the favorite teddy bear. Not only will they enjoy their personalized show, but it makes a great night light as well!

2. Create a slideshow of family photos that spans several across decades for your parents wedding anniversary. It will make the perfect gift! Let them watch their children grow up all over again while they enjoy highlights from their life together. This is sure to be a big hit at the anniversary party.

3. Give the grandparents something to show off! Preload the digital picture frame with current pictures of their grandchildren before you give it to them. You can update it with new pictures each time you go for a visit. This would make a great holiday or birthday gift, and its something they would truly treasure.

4. Use your digital picture frame to encourage fun family time. Let everyone, even the children, take fun pictures during family outings. It may be a trip to the park, a hike in the woods, or a day at the pool. You can update your digital frame together afterwards. The children will really enjoy being involved in the “production” for your ever-changing photo frame!

5. Digital frames are perfect for business counters or office desks. You can display current specials or new products. Imagine a real estate agent showcasing the latest homes. A photographer showing off their line of prints. An interior decorator displaying a slideshow of before and after shots from recent contracts. A web designer could even showcase screen shots of their best work. The ideas are endless!

6. Let your digital picture frame tell a story with a musical slideshow. It may be the building of your new home. You can showcase your children from birth to their current age. Or you might make a mini-movie of your life as a couple – from dating to wedding to children. It will keep people captivated to the very end, and be an incredible conversation piece!

7. Use your digital frame as a mobile presentation tool. Small and easy to carry, you can display almost any type of images you like. Most have a remote control and are compatible with various file formats, allowing you to offer an intriguing visual presentation on almost any topic!

If you have hundreds of pictures on your hard drive, or try to show off pictures with the display screen on your digital camera, these new frames would be perfect for you.

They are easy to use, and don’t need to be hooked up to a computer to work. You can simply download pictures from your digital camera, or use common memory cards to create your digital slideshows.

Imagine all of the fun ways you could display your digital images! Your digital frame is sure to light up any room, and spark great conversations.

About the Author

Written by Lynn Terry, all rights reserved. Digital Picture Frames come in a wide variety of styles, with various specs. To see 8 stylish models that are affordable for family and home use, visit: http://www.clicknewz.com/digital-picture-frame.htm

Phishmonger’s Catch of the Day – An Imaginuity Web Site

Phishmonger’s Catch of the Day – An Imaginuity Web Site

Iconix, the leading provider of visual email identification solutions that thwart phishing attacks, has reeled in a new web site from Imaginuity Interactive, a Web services firm providing creative technology solutions for commercial, retail, and civic clients since 1996. See Iconix cast their Net presence at http://www.iconix.com.

The Iconix Truemark™ solution fights email fraud. Businesses at risk for phishing and man-in-the-middle attacks send their marketing emails through the Truemark system. Their customers who have downloaded the free Iconix email ID software to enhance their email client will see a Truemark icon – a gold lock with a checkmark – in the sender column for those emails. This simple visual indicator confirms that the email is real.

To be successful, Iconix has to impel both end users and business to use their solution. The Imaginuity-built web site initially focuses on the end user with a Flash-enabled Home Page that succinctly, yet effectively, imparts the message with supporting testimonials from satisfied customers. The clean, colorful design does not distract, and interior navigation is minimized. The goal is to convert end users from the Home Page, so the “Download for Free” link is prominently featured. A second end-user focused page is linked from a “Learn More” icon and displays a Truemark-enabled Inbox screen shot above a basic description of the technology. Again, the visitor is asked to download the software.

The remaining Interior pages are accessed only from a pair of links on the bottom nav of the Home Page. Those pages market to Inconix’s corporate clients with detailed information about the core technology behind Truemark™ and its value proposition. From those pages, additional nav branches lead to standard corporate information and news.

The decentralized navigation of the Iconix site is a unique Information Architecture that effectively separates two marketing initiatives. End users receive the hard pitch and are pushed to convert, while corporate clients are given the basic information and encouraged to contact the company for a sales presentation. Though not a technically complex site, for instance the site did not need Imaginuity’s Elementum Content Management System, it does reveal the agency’s primary talent – brand marketing and traffic conversion.

With Imaginuity’s help, Iconix users can hang the “Phishin’ Gone” sign on their Inbox and relax knowing their bait won’t be stolen. Before your clients say “Sorry, Charlie,” contact Imaginuity for a web site with good taste, not one that tastes good to con artists.

Imaginuity Interactive, Inc., founded in 1996, is a professional web services firm providing the latest in Web Technology and World-class Creative backed by site management and search engine solutions that give clients control of their web site and its visibility to the world. Imaginuity’s clients include Hines Las Colinas (www.hineslascolinas.com), Nasher Sculpture Center (www.nashersculpturecenter.org), The Staubach Company (www.staubach.com), The Retail Connection (www.theretailconnection.net), Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages (www.brandspeoplelove.com), Cadbury Adams (www.cadburyadams.com), and Freeman company (www.freemanco.com), just to name a few.

For more information, press only:

Gary Hooker

Partner and Vice President Business Development Email: gary_hooker@imaginuity.com

Imaginuity Interactive, Inc.

About the Author

Jim Catanich Dallas Texas