5 Top Travel Tips by Frequent Flyers

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In the movie, “Up in the Air,” George Clooney’s character Ryan Bingham was the ultimate example of an efficient traveler. With flight delays, baggage fees and lost luggage becoming more common, what can traveling executives learn from Bingham and real-life frequent flyers? Here are five expert travel tips to help you fly more efficiently and reduce stress when on the road.

Know the facts about your destination. The first step to increasing your flying efficiency is to know the facts about where you’re going and what you’ll be doing. Is the trip for work, pleasure or both? What will the weather be during your stay? How many meetings and formal and informal events will you be attending? This information will inform what you need to bring and how you pack.
Commit to carry-on only. With lost bags on the rise and airline luggage fees averaging $25 or more, now is the time to say goodbye to checking bags and embrace the carry-on culture. Before you start panicking about what you can’t bring, realize that, if you pack correctly, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much you can fit into a 22″ spinner carry-on. And once you experience the liberating feeling that comes with avoiding the checked-bag carousel, you’ll find carry-on fun and rewarding, too.
Roll, don’t fold. This tried and true packing technique has been used by flight attendants for decades. Rolling – not folding – the clothes in your luggage not allows you to pack more in less space, it does wonders to avoid wrinkles, too.
Know what to expect at security. How many times have you heard a Transportation Security Administration representative repeat this mantra as you worked your way through the security check-in line? Still, some people hold up the line as they fumble for their boarding pass and ID. Don’t be that guy-know what to expect as you pass through security. Have your boarding pass and ID out and ready. At the x-ray machine, remove your shoes, belt, coat, jewelry, phone, PDA and loose change and place them in a plastic bin to be scanned. Laptops must be removed from their bag and also placed on the conveyor belt to be scanned. All liquids, gels and aerosols, with some exceptions such as medicines, baby formula and breast milk, must be in 3.4 ounce (100ml) or smaller containers and placed in single, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bags. Finally, keep your boarding pass and ID handy until you’re through security. Once you’re at the gate, you will only need your boarding pass to board the plane.
Be on time, and be nice. This might seem obvious, but it’s true-when you’re well prepared for your trip and on time, your trip will go a lot easier and be much less stressful. Print out your boarding pass ahead of time if possible. Some airlines such as Delta now text an electronic boarding pass to your cell phone. Be at the airport on line to check in at least one hour before your boarding time. Also, be kind to the ticketing agents, flight attendants and other airline personnel. It’s their job to make your trip as pleasurable as possible. They’re working as quickly as possible, so cut them some slack if things get hectic. Remember they have to deal with people and deadlines all day long. Please and thank you goes a long way in the airport and on the plane.

A Poor Man’s Guide to Real Estate Investing

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Real estate investing is not just for the wealthy! Sure you’ve heard the old saying “It takes money to make money”. Well I say to you that a person with no money and no credit equipped with the proper knowledge and know how can do this just the same. This article covers how YOU can do it and what steps to take to make it happen.Many people believe you need to be wealthy to invest in real estate, like the Hilton’s, or Donald Trump. Or they think you need to save thousands of dollars for a down payment like when purchasing your home. Both thoughts couldn’t be further from the truth. You don’t need to save thousands or come from a wealthy family. All you need is the knowledge, people and tools available to help you succeed.There are things that you need to have in place when investing in real estate. We will cover those things and they will only cost you a little money, time and possibly lunch.EDUCATION GROUPS YOUR TEAM A PLAN MARKETING ACTIONEDUCATION: Now this “Poor Man’s” Guide is not going to suggest that you spend tens of thousands of dollars like you would attending college, but be mindful that education is the key. Sticking with the theme of this article we understand that money isn’t a surplus so we suggest going to your local bookstore and getting a basic real estate investing book so you have a foundation to build upon. Don’t assume you already know all there is to know about investing in real estate, but be willing to learn. The web is a wellspring of knowledge and information from which you can pull information and expand your real estate investing education. I STRONGLY suggest a person spends a minimum of one year educating themselves before actually trying to conduct a transaction. Cost: $50 (a few books), 1 year (time studying)GROUPS: Groups cover many aspects but were going to focus on two groups. Group One, the groups of people you’re around in your daily life. These people are your family, friends, co-workers and neighbors. Anyone within these groups that tells you “you won’t succeed investing in real estate”, can kill your dream. I suggest not talking to the dream killers about investing. Get some new friends to be around. People who will be positive, encouraging, and supportive of your new found quest to make a dramatic change in you life personally and financially. Group Two, groups like your local Real Estate Investor’s Association (REIA) or any group locally investing in real estate that you can work with, network with, learn from, and build the relationships necessary for your business to succeed. Cost: friends (maybe), building relationships (time)YOUR TEAM: To build your team you need to develop yourself and your people skills. There are many members of your team who will be necessary to become truly successful and to avoid many of the pitfalls along the way. Their value vastly outweighs the time and money spent (possibly lunch), rather than trying to go at it alone. Starting out your team should include but not limited to.1.A Realtor (with experience working with investors) – realtor’s who have worked with investors have an understanding of what you’re looking for and what you’re trying to do. 2.Banker/Mortgage Broker (with experience working with investors) – develop relationships so in the future you may have a funding source for you buyers. 3.Contractor/Handyman – They can provide you with estimated repair cost for properties. 4.Title Company (with experience working with investors) – they are familiar with creative deals and can help you with the best way to close a deal. 5.Lawyer/Legal Advisor – preferably one specializing in real estate law, have them review all documents you will utilize in your business. 6.Mentor – learn from and model yourself from someone who has been down this road before, your mentor can be a possible investor for you. Cost: time, lunch (maybe)A PLAN: Your plan should be the basis for your investing. Your plan should consist of the niche of real estate investing your going to do, and how your going to accomplish your goals. Write down your investing goals from small to large and the steps you plan to take to get there. Your mentor should be able to assist you in laying out an investment plan for you. Cost: timeMarketing: As a “Poor Man’s” real estate investor it’s understood that you need to get the most bang for your buck. So I’ll touch on three marketing budgets to get you started, they’ll be the $100, $300, and FREE marketing budgets.1.$100 Marketing Plan – for $50 you can order a few bandit signs that say I/we buy houses with your phone number on it. In many cities these signs may be unlawful, so I suggest spending $50 on a pre-paid phone and list that number on the bandit signs so the authorities can’t trace them back to you. Go online to one of the many card companies where you can get 250 to 500 business cards for free. If possible get them in bright yellow, pink, or orange simply stating again I/we buy houses with your number.2.$300 Marketing Plan – it’s the same as the $100 plan but double the amount of bandit signs and in addition go to your local print shop and have them print you 1000 to 5000 1/4 page fliers in those bright attention getting colors, again stating that you buy houses. Place these fliers anywhere your allowed.3.FREE Marketing Plan – the best of all, visit an online business card site and order the business cards just like the $100 marketing. Place dummy ad’s on online sites that allow ad postings and other similar sites to build your list of potential sellers and buyers. Network, network, network, let any and everybody know what you are doing from your neighbors, hair stylist, friends, family, co-workers, bartender, waiters, and anybody whom may feel can use your services or place you in contact with someone that needs your services. Cost: $100, $300, or FREEACTION: This is the moment of truth and the most difficult for many who want to invest in real estate; taking action. I know and understand that when you get to this point you get cold feet, the negative thoughts start creeping into your head ( what if, what if, what if) and you need to stop them cold. Take what you spent a year learning from books, online, your mentor, your team members and your REIA group and put it into action, so you can see the potential in this business and more importantly the potential in yourself. When taking action many times I see new investors trying to make that great BIG killer deal right out the gate when they don’t even have a firm hold on how to get a deal done. May I suggest that you try to make some money not all the money at once. Theirs and old saying where I’m from……. A Fast Nickel Beats A Slow Dime.Get more insider investing tips from Toledo Investment Deals Blog
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How to Be Successful When You Buy Real Estate

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Today, real estate sector is expanding rapidly and you can buy real estate to earn money in little time. You must have been watching shows on real estate investment but you should know the real picture of the sector is different. When you are planning to start real-estate investing there are many things that need to be considered. If you have seen people earning fortune in real-estate in short span of time, then it is not out of sheer luck, but a result of hours of hard work that remain hidden. Like every other sector, it has many technicalities and hassles and to avoid each of them you must follow some steps.

Spend Time to Earn Name and Success

In order to achieve success in any sector, you need to put in time and the same applies when you want to invest in real-estate property. Before you buy real estate, it is advisable to spend some time thinking on your decision. Determine if you have enough time to invest in this venture. If you have a full time job already, make sure you can handle both. While it is possible, it could mean giving up on your leisure time.

Do Not Panic in Stressful Situations

Generally, when people deal with real estate sector along with their full time business or even all alone, they face to with stressful situations. If you are entering the industry for the first time then be prepared to face troubled situations. You might have to meet a lot of people like your lawyers, contractors, real-estate agents and potential buyers. Handling them all is not going to be an easy task. If you are capable of dealing with hassles without losing your temper success will be at your feet.

Arrange for Plentiful Money

In generating real-estate leads, you will be required to put in huge sum of money. Not everyone is capable of paying all amounts on his own. Thus, before you take up any projects get in contact with some people who can lend money for your venture or seek financial assistance through loans. This will help you in grabbing the right projects at the right time. If you have not enough funds, then you might have to reconsider the option of real estate investment.

Learn before you invest

Before you initiate the process of real-estate investing, you should read about the laws associated with purchase of buildings. Many laws are present for property owners and you should get familiar with it in order to be successful in your venture. Many renowned people in real estate have published books dealing with estate investment strategy and you can go through them for getting an edge over others in the field.

Once you follow all the required steps then things will get easier when you buy real estate and success will be at your feet sooner. In the end, the strong will power and smart thinking will help in growing in this field.

Fitness Tips Part 1

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1) Sleeping is very important to achieve your new lifestyle/fitness goals. You really must sleep 7-9 hours a day to have a healthy body and controlled hormones. If you sleep less than this, the hormone “Ghrelin” will go out of control and you will feel more hungry than ever. Also stroke symptoms are highest for people who sleep less than six hours a night.

Remember this equation:

  • MORE Sleep = LESS Hungry/tired/annoyed

Clocking too little shuteye can impair how your body processes sugar, and increase your blood pressure. Your body creates more Ghrelin, a hormone that makes you hungry, and less Leptin, the hormone that tells you when you are full. Also sleep restriction revs up your sympathetic nervous system (the part associated with stress, and the fight-or-flight response.)

2) What to do to have a good sleep?

Take a hot shower before bed, your body’s core temperature should drop a bit around bedtime to signal your body that it’s time to sleep. Also, don’t eat at night, even eating just some protein will keep you awake, it converts itself indirectly into the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain and in high amounts can keep you awake. The final tip I can give you is to wake up at the same time every day and open the curtains as soon as you wake up

3) Water is very important. Sometimes you feel hungry, especially after exercise or at nights, but this is generally just dehydration, especially if you just ate, even more so if you ate protein (it dehydrates you more than the other macronutrients.) You have to drink a lot of water. You can try those waters with flavor, sweetened with sucralose or Stevia, remember no Aspartame! Avoid it like the plague.

You can prepare lemonade also, with some sweeteners instead of sugar.

Being well hydrated can make you increase your muscle contractile strength by 10-15% and increase your capacity for prolonged aerobic exercise by 20 to 30%. It also helps you to burn fat more efficiently and increase your muscular development.

4) Don’t drink sugar, it has tons of calories, instead use sweeteners. America is drinking itself to obesity. The high-fructose corn syrup in many soft drinks raises insulin levels, which can over time develop into diabetes. Studies also show that getting too much sugar lowers the body’s ability to produce endorphins. Low endorphins can lead to depression, and know that depression sucks the life out of our sex drive.

5 Affiliate Marketing Tips To Stick By To The End

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There is no question affiliate marketing has been and continues to be one of the top ways to make money online. Despite knowing this, far more end up failing than succeeding with this prime opportunity. To ensure you land on the positive side of the spectrum, here are five affiliate marketing tips to stick by to the end.

1. Select carefully

One of the great things about affiliate marketing is the fact that there are thousands of programs to choose from. Although it can be overwhelming selecting amidst such a large crowd, it is imperative you take the time to select carefully. Write a list of things you are looking for in a program and narrow the options down according to the list.

2. Do not dig yourself into a hole

While having no limit as to how many programs you can join is a perk, it can also be detrimental for some. Joining too many programs will simply lead to you taking on more than you can actually handle. Having 100 programs that you devote a minute amount of time to will result in failure. Having 5 to 10 programs that you can give your full attention to can result in success.

3. Know your audience

Next on the list of affiliate marketing tips is simply knowing your audience. A big part of this opportunity is the marketing aspect and knowing who to target and what they are looking for can lead to positive results. This entails researching, interacting with prospects, asking questions, and really listening to what people have to say. From there, you can better approach the right people.

4. Market! Market! Market!

Going off of the last tip, the primary concern has to be within your marketing. From article marketing to posting in forums to commenting in blogs to even paying for ad space from time to time, you have to promote non-stop. The more familiar people become with you and your programs name the better chance you have of creating traffic and generating sells.

5. Patience

Last on the list of affiliate marketing tips is being patient. It can be easy to become uneasy with no results after a few weeks. But what you have to understand is it can take time. How much time you give it depends, but trying out a program for at least a couple of months is a must. Trying out different marketing techniques on new crowds should be an option before giving up on the program.

Above I have given you 5 tips for increasing your success with affiliate marketing. If you will be diligent when putting these tips into action, you will see increased results and finally success.

10 Essential Tricks in Using Video Effectively to Market Your Business

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Nearly all internet marketing professionals use video as one of the core methods for marketing their business. Video grabs people’s attention far more quickly and effectively than text, audio or photographs. Making a short video can capture a thousand words and pictures and helps to get across your personal brand and lifestyle.

Research your top keyword phrases and use these in your upload descriptions and titles. It’s important to stand out in the crowd on video channels and search engines. Aim your headlines at capturing the imagination regarding your topic. So don’t be dull – test out curiosity, shock or fun tactics for getting those download clicks.

These ten tips aim to help you create short, attractive, effective videos based on solid keywords that convert and that stand the test of time.

First of all, get set up.

When you’re starting out, it’s OK to just use your webcam. This is what I’ve used in this video for illustration. You can see it’s not great, but it does the job. It will give you the opportunity to practice while you’re honing your presentation skills before you fork out for a camcorder. When you’re ready, you can buy an inexpensive digital video recorder, like say the Flip and a tripod and you’ll be set up to rock and roll.

Make sure you take your videos in well-lit conditions. Inside your office you’ll need decent lighting, or you can whip out your camera when you’re out and about. It makes for a much more interesting back drop.

OK. So now let’s go through each of my TOP 10 TIPS for creating and using videos to market your business.

TIP 1: Keep your videos short

Whether you’re loading videos on YouTube or just putting them up on your website or blog, it’s really important to keep them short. Just 5 or 6 minutes is really all that’s needed. It’s just enough for introducing yourself to people that may not know you yet. In fact, YouTube.com will not accept videos over 10 minutes. I guess that’s a maximum for all kinds of reasons that make sense.

If needed, you can of course break longer topics up into a series of smaller videos, which you could market as a series – see tip 10.

TIP 2: Post videos on your sales pages

You can use video on your sales page to introduce the main benefits of your product or business opportunity. You might even put a very short video on your landing page or capture pages. It can help to orientate visitors and to highlight the main points of your regular, written sales letter. People often want to listen or watch an explanation rather than read a whole long story. And let’s face it, sales letter are becoming more and more alike these days, with everyone using what they think it ‘good sales copy’ to draw buyers in and provide proof and testimonials.

So you can use videos to introduce yourself and what you represent, to demonstrate your product or an explanation, and talk about how easy it is to get started and to get in touch with you personally. Often what we prefer is to hear it from the horse’s mouth.

TIP 3: Choose your keywords carefully

This is really important tip, because it will affect how your video gets picked up by the search engines and other internet ‘bots’ that seek out content. If you’re loading your videos onto YouTube then it’s really important that you allow people to find those videos. So if they are putting in words or phrases into a search box like Google, yahoo, MSN or on YouTube itself, you need to ensure your video shows up.

Pick keywords that will attract the right kind of traffic and leads – research like crazy to find out what your prospects are looking for – and then use a keyword tool to identify long tail keywords that you can really dominate. Make sure you headline and description includes your main keywords.

Getting this right is critical because it will help people again to find your video when they type in those keywords and over time will mean you get ranked higher. Doing this research and tracking click thrus (CTR) and conversions will help you secure your most cost-effective keywords and keyword phrases.

For example, if you pick a long tail keyword such as “find online marketing coach in uk” (use exact match or phrase match), there may not be many searches but when there are, you should find your video comes up high.

Once you find a set of keywords that are fit-for-purpose, make sure your video answers those questions, give visitors solutions to what they were searching for, make things crystal clear. (With the above example, you’d certainly want to introduce yourself as coming from the UK. Make a different video for any other countries you might want to target.)

TIP 4: Have a clear purpose & structure

Your keywords will help make sure you target your video on the right purpose before you start. Keep on topic and provide value – unique value if possible – and the videos will convert much better for you.

Write down a structure – a set of headings – for what you’re going to cover, so you don’t waffle on. Have a script if necessary (but be careful you don’t appear to be reading from it and not looking at the camera, see tip 5!) So be very clear what is the focus for each video and have a list in front you. It really does help you to stay on topic and to present things in a logical flow.

For example, if your video is on the topic of using video to market your business… don’t go too far off on a tangent and start talking about blogging or SEO. If there’s a link (see tip 9), make the point and move on. Those links will provide you ideas for other topics and you can mention in your video that you have another video specifically on that related topic. So in my video about making videos, I would mention about putting your video or a link to it on your blog, and then tell them about my other video on using blogs to market your business.

TIP 5: Look at the camera

The aim here is to connect with your audience, both in the topic you choose and the content but also in your communication style. Remember you are talking to people – real live people. What are their needs and wants, hopes and fears.

With regards to presentation, stick your list of headings right next to the camera. This way, you’ll stay looking in the camera at all times, rather than looking away at a screen on down at your notes. This gives you a far better connection with your audience.

A video made from the heart can come across as far more authentic than a skillful, broadcast-like production. So don’t worry if you’re not up to TV presenter standards. Just be yourself and enjoy the opportunity to reach out to people in a different way than using text copy.

TIP 6: Create a clear call to action

You should create one very clear offer and call to action. It’s very important that people know exactly what to do as a result of watching your video. What is your most wanted response (MWR)? Don’t confuse visitors with lots of options and different offers. Focus on the single most wanted response.

So it might be you want them to visit your website. You can provide your domain link. For example, your can add your web address (URL) as a title on your video, so that’s it’s showing throughout or comes up at the start or at the end. Make sure it’s there for sufficient time for people to write it down or put it in their browser.

Alternatively, you can put your video up next to a sign up box – linked to your email marketing – and you clearly ask them to opt in, more than once. Provide an incentive, such as a free report or further video coaching resources. And clearly say “just put your information in the box on the right… and you’ll get instant access to…”.

TIP 7: Encourage comments on your video

One of the best things about video is that it’s very personal, social medium. So the more you can link into other social activities, the more exposure you’ll get. So if you’re posting your video on YouTube or your blog, make sure you enable comments. Allow visitors to enter comments about your video, add their own tips or advice. The more people that are talking about your video and passing it on, the more buzz you’ll create. Visitors may return to your page to see who has commented since their last comment. There may accumulate a whole list of tips that have been created by your niche community, prompted by your initial video post.

TIP 8: Write articles, forum posts and blog & emails about your video

Write a short article (500 words – like this one) on the same topic as your video. Then create a short blog post that links to your article and/or video. Have a link on your blog to your video, send people watching on your video back to your blog or capture page.

If you have a list of existing contacts and subscribers, send them an email with information about your new video you just posted up. Ask them to pass it on to their contacts and lists. This can help with the viral process and get your video out beyond your own marketing circle of influence. You may have joint venture (JV) partners and could send them a personal email asking for some feedback on your video and if they’d like to make any joint offers or provide a free report. They may even blog about your video or send out an email to their list or include it in their regular newsletter or digest.

This relates to tip 8 in many ways. It’s about linking different marketing on a single, focused topic and ultimately setting up many different entry routes into your marketing or sales funnel, using the linkages and relationships you have already built up.

TIP 9: Make linkages with other content, social sites

Use the social sites to jump start the viral effect. One of the mistakes newbie marketing make is they spend a lot of time creating videos, or writing articles and blog posts, even twittering and don’t make enough linkages between these. Yet they often don’t unleash the true power of social marketing and they totally lose out on getting more leads out of their efforts.

Creating links between other marketing you’re doing helps with the viral effect, and you’ll get more leads than just the sum from the individual components – they work in synergy. So you need to link to and embed your video into social media sites, like Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, etc. Integrate icons for sharing tools, like Digg, StumbleUpon etc to allow visitors to pass your link onto to their contacts.

Make those integrations really work and the momentum will really build up on your marketing activities.

TIP 10: Use time twice by re-purposing and repackaging your videos

Finally, following on from tips 8 & 9… put your videos on a DVD or CD and give it away for free in exchange for their contact details or other call to action (see tip 6). If you create 10 videos on different marketing topics, you would have a neat series of using internet strategies to market your business. For example, one video would be on using videos to market your business. A second might focus on using twitter, another on article marketing, using blogs, pay-per-click, and so on.

You can use your 10 video series in different ways. You can offer a ‘boot camp’ via email; subscribers receive an email explanation with a link to your video and/or full article each day or week. You could create a microcontinuity programme over 10 or more weeks; subscribers pay a monthly fee to get their package each week. You might simply create a webpage with links to the full set of videos on your opt-in thank you page.

How about creating a physical DVD product as a “free plus shipping” offer for subscribing members or as a ClickBank product for affiliates to market. You’d need to create or buy some attractive graphics. You could even include an upgrade for the set of associated articles you have written. People like to get a physical product in the post. You can follow up subscribers whose addresses you have with postcard marketing, sendoutcards.com/jayd for a free gift account, and start bringing in offline methods to complement your online marketing.

To summarise… your video marketing checklist: Short – Focused – Clear offer – Complemented – Linked – Viral – Repurposed

Should You Buy A Surfboard Online Or At Your Local Surf Shop?

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With the growth of the internet, the ease and availability of ordering surfing products and buying surfboards of all types online has become an acceptable way to shop and purchase a new board. However, buying a surfboard at your local surf shop may be preferable because you can touch it, pick it up and feel it, and talk to a sales representative face to face.

One disadvantage may be that your local surf shop may have a limited supply of surfboards because inventory requires large cash outlays. Most retail surf shops concentrate on clothing as their main product emphasis thus reducing their surfboard inventory to few types and designs. This is also true with most online surf shops, but normally they do not have to carry inventory and drop ship their surfboards from a variety of surfboard shapers and manufacturers. There a probably a number of retail surf shops within 10 to 20 miles of your surfing community, which can give you more of a chance to purchase the surfboard you are looking for.

Online you have a very wide selection of surfboards, probably more than you will have from your local surf area. You can search for surfboards by type and design and also by “online surfboard shops” and you will most likely be able to find several one-stop surf shops with a wide selections of good surfboards.

Over the years, many people have become too busy to go shopping for a surfboard, bodyboard, or SUP at the local surf shops. It takes a lot of investigating and time. Once you take the time and go to your local surf shop, more often than not, the surf shop will have a very limited selection, which means that you will have to drive to another shop in hopes of finding what you want. Another disadvantage is that the sales staff will put pressure on you and try to push you to buy one of their surfboards even if it doesn’t fit your needs. This is especially true for the beginners and novice surfboard riders.

If you go to the local surf shop, try to hook up with a senior member of the sales staff with lots of surfing experience. You need someone with experience to guide you. Many of the surf shop sales staff are young kids with not too much surfing experience and not much knowledge about surfboards and what should be good for you the individual buyer.

Most of the surf shops sell surfboards and other surfboard types and designs that are produced by their local shapers so choices for the buyer are limited. Some of these shapers make very good surfboards, but be careful because you may end up with a surfboard that is not suited for you. Typically, these shops are limited by available funds and keep a minimum inventory of surfboards on hand. They have wide selections of t-shirts, board shorts, sweatshirts, tank tops and other clothing items, which are their mainstream of revenue. Surf shops today are mainly clothing stores, not surfboard shops like they were in the past.

Since the advent of the internet, online surfboard shops have come into vogue. It has taken a long time for this to happen, but slowly the public has become comfortable going online and searching for a surfboard of their choosing. There are also many online surfboard stores that will give you a wide selection of surfboard types and designs.

You may also find a local surf shop that carries the surfboard you are looking for, which will allow you to save on shipping costs and actually see the board you are buying. Sometimes you can find a local surf shop that carries the surfboard you are looking for, so many buyers go online to find out what is available in their local shops.

If you know what you want and don’t need to see or feel the surfboard, go online where more often than not you can get a custom surfboard of the size, design, and colors of your choice. You will be in a virtual surf shop and the nice thing is that, while you are shopping for your surfboard, you can shop for the surfboard fins, leash, wax, and the clothing items you might need like a new pair of board shorts.

Since security of payments on the internet has become safe and not a problem, you can pay with your credit card when you make the purchase. It has taken many years for most people to trust the internet when ordering products, especially the baby boomers who didn’t grow up with the internet. Now, it seems that just about everyone is ordering products online ranging from vitamins to automobiles. Somewhere in between are the surfboards and other surfing products.

Just as there are retail local surf shops, there are online surfboard companies offering a wide selection for surfboard types including soft and hard surfboards, standup paddleboards (SUPs), bodyboards, skimboards, and custom surfboards. The excellent companies have a cross section of designer boards made by the better known companies and top of the line surfboard designers and shapers. They offer these surfboards in various sizes and the product lines to meet the requests for most surfboard buyers. If you want a shortboard, you can find it in any size you desire. The same is true for bodyboards, skimboards and SUPs. If you want a custom surfboard, you can get it.

If you live in a remote area and are looking for any of the above mentioned surfboard types or designs, shopping online can be a big advantage. Most of the companies offer a window where you can return their products if they do not suit your needs or if there is any shipping damage.

It is amazing how the sport of surfing has grown to the interiors of our country and those overseas. People are surfing on manmade wave machines at surf parks, on lakes and rivers and just about anywhere there is water. As the sport has grown, there are a growing number of inland retail surf shops, many included in the local sporting goods stores. If these stores are not available, go to the internet and find an online store.

If you choose not to purchase your new surfboard from a retail surf shop, you will find that the online surf companies offer their product with a comprehensive explanation of each of their surfboards and surfing products, which gives the buyer a great feel for the board. Typically their pricing is fair and consistent with industry standards and sometimes better for the online shopper. Shipping is easy and your new surfboard comes with a limited warranty just as it would at your local retail outlet.

One thing that is very important when ordering from an online surfboard company is to ask questions if you have any. You should also be able to talk to an expert. Every good internet online company should have an expert on their staff for you to consult. Before you contact an online surf company, do your homework before placing your order.

Wherever you purchase your new surfboard, get yourself a great surfboard, bodyboard, skimboard or SUP and go surfing. Have fun and always remember to Surf Life!

Keep Your Job: What Employed Students Need to Know and Do

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When ‘keeping their jobs’ is a critical necessity for financially strapped college students with part-time, co-op and summer jobs, there are things they can do to improve their chances for continued employment. Working students who are concerned about their job stability should:1. Get a good grasp on the basics of their jobs.a. Understand exactly ‘what’ has to be done and ‘how’ to do itb. Identify the people they serve: Supervisors, Internal & External Customersc. Become an expert in the technical and most difficult aspects of their jobsd. Strive to improve their relationship with co-workers and customerse. Learn what their customers want and how they want itf. Learn the job-ending No-No’s that must be avoidedg. Identify the people above them with the most influence over their futureh. Be willing to make some sacrifices for their employersI. Understand their Supervisor’s needs, wants, quirks and hot buttonsj. Make everyone around them look good2. Do the job to the best of their ability (Be an asset to the employer)a. Meet or exceed quality requirementsb. Meet or exceed the amount or volume expectedc. Meet or exceed the level of service customers need and expectd. Anticipate problems and suggest fixes or ways to prevent theme. Communicate effectively. Keep people informed. Warn them of problemsf. Adhere to time and on-time requirementsg. Maintain a positive, willing to try attitudeh. Help others when they need itI. Enhance the employer’s image and reputation3. To impress others with their work ethic and desire to contribute, employed students should ask these questions, when appropriate.a. What’s next?b. What more can I do?c. How can I help?d. How can I do this aspect of the job better?e. How can I better serve my customers?f. How can I learn more about that?g. Who has the information I need?4. Serve their Internal and External Customersa. Identify their primary and secondary customersb. Learn each customer’s preferences, needs, wants and expectationsc. Learn each customer’s idiosyncrasiesd. Give customers more, better, faster, when and where they want it5. Generate ideas for:a. Improving product and service quality and speedb. New products and servicesc. Attracting new customersd. Improving profit marginse. Increasing sales6. Build good relationships with other employees and other departments.a. Exchange pleasantries with everyone. Be friendly and smileb. Listen to and learn from the best employeesc. Be there when others need helpd. Be willing to share informatione. Offer encouragementf. Learn who can be trusted and who can’t7. Accept the fact that there are things beyond personal control.a. Regardless of job performance and likability, bad thingssometimes happen to employees, through no fault of their ownb. Create a back-up plan that can be implemented if somethinghappens to their employment stability8. The back-up plan for finding another job should include these actions:a. Obtain written references and recommendations from the mostimpressive people they have worked withb. Ask these same people for ideas, suggestions and contacts thatmay help them obtain useful job hunting informationc. Visit the Career Services Officed. Speak with Professors to see if they have contacts and suggestionse. Update their résumé – Emphasize contributions, accomplishments,successes and areas of exceptional performancef. Identify and contact every employer that is of interestg. Identify and participate in Professional Associations and LocalBusiness Organizationsh. Make a list of potential networking contacts. Use their Network toidentify employment opportunities and additional contacts.I. Develop a few positive, work-related examples and stories that can beused during networking meetings and interviewsj. Create and follow a script when speaking to Network contactsk. Be flexible regarding the new job they accept. In tough times, jobs are fewRecognize that employed students should be performing well before things drastically sour for their current employers. They must do everything they can to be an employee their employer wants to keep. Exceptional job performance will sometimes positively affect the hard decisions that distressed employers may be required to make. However, when keeping the current job is not possible or does not look to be possible, wise students take the early steps that will put them in the best position to obtain another job.

The Evolution Of Health And Fitness

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The caring of ones health and fitness has already been a primary objective, even during the prehistoric times. Although during those times, it was more of an instinct for survival that governs their concept of taking care of their health and fitness instead of being aware that they had to do it. All that they knew before on health and fitness was to be able to look for food that will fill their stomachs and stop it from rumbling. That is prehistoric health care.As man evolved and developed to more intelligent beings, it wasn’t only the concept of survival that ruled over their minds but also their need to nurture and have those people around them survive along with the whole group or tribe. Fitness was now in the hands of a few people, who were responsible in keeping the health of the group by providing for their basic necessities. When one got sick, they tried what they could with their little knowledge to help. Those with more resourceful minds probably gave more substantial suggestions on what to do and if successful, the sick would live. If not, they will be left behind to die.When people began to be more civilized with their actions and speech, being healthy and fit now became part of their major concerns. They needed to take care of each other to keep the group or community intact. The rudimentary of medicines learned from other practices were put into motion. Their primary objective is to make sure that each person was healthy. To be able to accomplish this, they tried to learn more on what was being done by other groups. Some practices are also based on instinct and a bit of knowledge and experimentation on what they have seen done and the positive results that they have gotten from it.From these roots, people have made several discoveries as to what health and fitness was all about. Everything was on a trial and error basis and yet, they succeeded into realizing the various possible treatments for the myriad of sicknesses being encountered. A lot of people had to sacrifice themselves just for the sake of the advancement of medicine since during those times, with having no cure equivalent to dying. But because of these sacrifices and the willingness to succeed, several cures have come out to eradicate those illnesses totally and cause no more deaths.Health and fitness has come a long way since those primitive practices. Thousands, if not millions of diseases and ailments are being discovered, and yet, the cure to all of them still remains elusive. People in the health care industry now have more advanced means of finding a treatment to a certain disease. But one thing still remains the same. The pursuit of caring for the health and fitness of humankind still remains their primary objective. Everything possible is being done in finding a specific cure to several diseases, sometimes venturing to the impossible, hoping against hope that this time, they would be successful in conquering another milestone for the health care industry.

10 Tips for Hiring Children Entertainers

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1. The single most important tip we can offer is to check that the entertainer is CRB checked, and that they can prove that it’s up to date. Although a CRB check is not currently a compulsory requirement for any self-employed entertainer, most local authorities and schools now insist that all entertainers they hire must supply the relevant documentation beforehand.2. Do they have public liability insurance? Accidents can happen at anytime, and a room full of excited children bouncing around can be one of the biggest accidents waiting to happen. Regardless of whether you are holding a party in a hall, outdoors or in your home, you should check if the children entertainer holds public liability insurance.3. Check if the entertainer is a member of any magic societies or Equity. (Equity is the Union of Performers and Artists) Being a member of a society does not mean that you are guaranteed a high quality performance, but it may prove their dedication to their job, and it means you can book the entertainer with peace of mind.4. What games do you play? All children want to be involved as much as possible with the entertainment, check if the games played require children to remain out for a long time, you want to avoid bored or upset children stood watching whilst others still compete.5. How varied is the entertainment? If you’re planning on booking someone who is predominantly a magician, then a full hour’s performance is quite hard to keep a small child’s attention. However, if the entertainer breaks it up with use of balloon modelling, some party music or some puppets then even a two-hour show will fly by for the kids.6. Speak to the entertainer, don’t just rely on emails. If you speak to them first, you’ll be able to judge their communication skills and they should install confidence in you that their performance will be great.
If the entertainer sounds hesitant on the phone, imagine what they’ll be like in front of a room of children.7. Find out if they have a website. If they do, then you should find plenty of photos online, hopefully with the children entertainer looking well presented and fun, and even some actual photos from some other kids parties they have performed at.8. How much do they cost? Don’t focus on price too much, you get what you pay for in this world, and a saving of a few quid may end up to be the worst decision you make. Professional children entertainers have costs to pay, insurance and high quality equipment doesn’t come cheap, so shop around and get a good idea of what people are charging.9. Ask for recommendations. A professional children entertainer will have acquired a thank you letter or two if they have been working for a while, testimonials can say an awful lot about the quality of performance.10. Pay a deposit and ask for a booking confirmation, always check with the children entertainers what would happen if they are taken ill. Maybe they have a few friends in the industry who could stand in for them at short notice.