Starting a website is just the beginning of making it successful. If your site doesn’t get any hits, there are no repeat visitors. Regardless of whether or not your website is focused around online sales, your website simply needs visitors to grow. “Auto-surf” and “manual-surf” websites help in this area because they are a cheap, most of the time free, way to improve your Alexa ranking. A majority of the major search engines, including google, factor in your Alexa ranking - which could get you more visitors by improving your ranking.
Since over 70% of web servers run off Apache, it only makes sense to use PHP to serve dynamic web pages. Auto-surf websites are nearly 100% made from PHP. From the simple login authenticity page to viewing real-time account statistics, PHP is working behind the scenes to serve pages specifically for the visitor.
In order to keep traffic of client information, either a test file or database solution will be used. For the most part, Auto-surf websites use MySQL databases to store client information such as username, password, email, etc. and statistical information like number of sites visited, credits available, credits used, etc.
PHP works to credit a users account when the browser refreshes to display the next Auto-surf member’s website by incrementing the sites visited and credits available, by a value determined by the Auto-surf owner. PHP also removes a credit from the member’s account that it just displayed the website of. Both adding and subtracting credits in this manner is very simple, taking just a few lines of code.
When enough users are surfing each others’ websites, the Auto-surf owner can begin selling credits to its members, or at online auction sites. By making money in this manner, the owner can pay the cost of the hosting of his Auto-surf site, as bandwidth is relatively expensive.
Using a PHP admin area, the owner can add, edit, delete and view member accounts at the click of a button. For adding, PHP may be used to retrieve a list of required fields, or to make sure all fields are filled in. PHP can also validate email addresses. Just as simple as it is to add credits to a members account, new accounts can be added to the database.
To view account information, PHP retrieves it all from the database. The same goes with editing and deleting. Some Auto-surf websites also allow the owner to change the default ratio for credits. This is a very good feature to have, as it makes special sign-up offers a breeze to get going.
If you’re looking to make some cash on the side and decide an Auto-surf is the way to go, PHP is definitely what you want to use.
With the claims lifestyle increasing around the planet, having professional indemnity insurance is developing into being more & more important. If you don’t currently have liability insurance incorporated into your building cover, then now is possibly the moment in time to look into getting better cover. Here is some suggestions about why you need cover, and what to watch out for.
What is public liability cover: Professional Indemnity insurance is an insurance contract that protects you from claims that other people may perhaps make against you in the likelihood of an accident. If someone damages their possessions or harms themselves in or around your property or business then the professional indemnity insurance will protect you for any damages that could well happen. Insurance generally ranges from ?250,000 up to one million pounds.
What are you covered against: Insurance will insure protect for accidents or loss that other people might endure in or around your house or company premises. You are protected against claims from criminals and damages that might perhaps arise to any person from falling items or staff carrying out repairs. If an accident happens on your premises and somebody claims against you, your insurance policy will assist you to pay any costs. Buy public liability insurance from Insured Risk, Visit the Insured Risks website.
What’s included Countless contents or property insurance policies enclose integrated liability insurance. You should check with your insurance company if this is the case, & what degree of protection you have. Even if the insurance is already included, you should guarantee that you are correctly protected for any accidents that might take place.
Premiums: The payments that you are expected to have to pay depend on the type of protection you purchase. If you simply cover your house, then premiums are very likely to be much less than if you are protecting a business. Nonetheless, payments are relatively cheap inexpensive the amount of protection that you have to pay for, & it is as a result fundamental for anybody running a company.
The lowly groundhog, often called a woodchuck, is the only mammal to have a day named in his honor. The groundhog’s day is February 2. Granted, it’s not a federal holiday and nobody gets off work. However, we all know about it and most of us check the news to see if the groundhog has seen his shadow. Consider how many of you recognize the name Punxsutawney Phil. Amazing, isn’t it. That’s brand recognition at its finest — it’s not even for a human.
Regardless of whether Punxsutawney Phil goes back into his burrow for six more weeks of winter, he gets his day in the limelight. So how can such an innocuous creature as a groundhog become famous? It is in the publicity, of course.
The right publicity can elevate even the simplest activity. In fact, the best publicity is actually very simple, clean, uncluttered and straightforward. Think about the messages that captures your attention or inspires you to do something (whether it is to buy a product, make a phone call, do some research or simply make a note about it for future reference).
The publicity made you think. That is what branding is all about. It creates awareness. Personal branding doesn’t need to be complicated. It needs to cut the clutter and get to your core message. What do you want people to remember when they think about you?
Last week when I wrote Bubble Wrap Branding, I got an incredible response from one reader about how my articles inspired. I’m sharing a portion of it with you as an example of how creating a brand can resonate with your audience (in my case, helping people improve their persona).
“I am so wowed by every newsletter from you! You always inspire me with your excellent content and message! When I get your newsletter, no matter how bad a day I’m in the middle of, it’s always a bright spot to read your message. I have been meaning to let you know that for a while, and always seem to let my busy day keep me from doing it, so today, right now, I am stopping to send you a reply and say thanks for your wonderful newsletter.”
Now, turn this concept internally. Wouldn’t you like to have someone respond to your efforts like this? Not only did it make me feel good, it reinforced the fact that I practice what I preach. My personal brand captures my audience’s attention and appreciation. Your brand can do the same with a little effort.
It takes time to position yourself as an expert in what you do. Your positioning statement will change as you evolve. Start by deciding how you want to be identified or recognized by your constituency. Write it down. Work and rework your core message until if feels right. Then, bounce it off a few people whose opinions you value and see how it sits with them.
Branding is always a work in progress so do not be afraid to change your core message if it’s not capturing your audience. The important thing is to get started now. So don’t be like Punxsutawney Phil and run back into your hole for six more weeks. The sooner you get started the sooner people can find out about you and what you have to offer.
These tips and more come from the extensive library of personal branding tools developed by JoAnn Hines the Chief People Packager available in the “Packaging Yourself Workbook.”
If you have a question or issue that needs an answer please let me know email packagingcoach@aol.com.
How to create an elevator speech; How to make most of those first 30 seconds or less; How to use networking to build your business; How to speak your way to fame and fortune; are all included in the Packaging Yourself Workbook Order now @ http://www.packaginguniversity.com/pkgustorefront.htm
To subscribe to the personal branding e-zine “Packaging Yourself” email me @ pkgcoach@aol.com
If you are an eBay store seller you can access additional listing format known as Store Inventory format. You can use this format to complement and extend your eBay listings beyond the ‘online auction’ or ‘fixed price’ formats. Though Store Inventory listings have a longer duration and lower Insertion Fees, they have limited visibility compared to the Online Auction and Fixed Price formats.
Anyhow, to save on time you have the option to edit multiple Store Inventory listings instantly. For instance if you intend to change the ‘Buy It Now price’ or any other feature, you simply have to follow a few steps. Click on the drop-down menu and select ’store inventory’ of ‘items I am selling’ view of My eBay. Click on the link ‘Go’. Here only your Store Inventory listings will be shown in the list. If you are using Selling Manager Pro then you can go to the Active Listings view and click the ’show store item’ button. Next, select the listings you want to edit by clicking the checkbox besides each listing. Now click on the ‘edit item’ at the top of the view. Edit item page will now be opened where you can edit fields for each of the listings as required and then click the ’submit’ button. Instantly your desired changes will take place.
If you want to make changes for bulk listings, you have to choose the same conditions for each item before sending. For instance, this editing will not work if some items are ‘new’ and ‘refurbished’ whereas a few are simply “new”. If your items are in the same category, same condition option is fulfilled and your work of editing bulk listings becomes easier.
Donny Lowy runs http://www.closeoutexplosion.com an online wholesale and closeout business that supplies eBay sellers, retailers, and flea market vendors.
Even if your investigation of eBook selling has just started, you are probably already knowledgeable about some of the basics. You have learned that there is a growing demand for information on a variety of topics and that eBooks are a great way to provide that information. There is, you have been told, a demand for eBooks.
What you might not yet know is that there are basically two groups of consumers who have an interest in eBooks. Deciding on the group you want to market will have a profound effect on your eBook business.
The first group is the one most of us initially thought of when the idea of eBook sales was first introduced to us. These are the people who have an interest in specific information, products, hobbies or other matters. Dog fans, for instance, may have an interest in an eBook on dog training. Fans of a best-selling author will have an interest in purchasing that writer’s eBooks. We can refer to this as the consumer market.
The consumer market is a rapidly growing segment for eBook sales. As people become more and more acquainted with nontraditional methods of information delivery and grow increasingly comfortable with technology, the eBook will continue to grow in popularity. If you have the right titles, put them in front of the right consumers, and offer the right prices you can generate impressive sales numbers with eBooks.
There is, however, a second market. That market is composed of people just like you–those who are interested in pursuing eBook sales as a means of generating income. You probably have less of an interest in what an eBook is about. Your concern, instead, is wisely placed on your ability to obtain resell rights and then to sell the book profitably.
As a member of this market, you are probably keenly aware of what is being pitched to it! People are offering you the rights to large bundles of eBooks inexpensively, maintaining that you can sell them separately again and again to generate huge profits. Others are offering you a single eBook at a very high price, arguing that it is a quality product with a huge potential readership that warrants your attention.
These two market segments, in essence, point someone who is considering eBook sales in one of two directions. Either they can focus attentions on finding books for end-users or they can concentrate on making sales to those who will eventually move the books on to end-users. For all of the technological and strategic advances of online enterprise, it seems the online eBook world mimics the traditional brick and mortar world in that one is usually either a retailer or a wholesaler. Of course, it is possible to perform both functions, but one will naturally tend to gravitate toward one option as a byproduct of the inevitable efficiency of specialization.
The approach one chooses toward the eBook marketplace will dictate which direction suits them best. Whether as a retailer or a wholesaler, there is great potential in selling eBooks online (particularly via eBay).
John Thornhill is an eBay powerseller who trades on eBay under the username planetsms. For more advice on how to succeed on eBay with information products visit http://www.planetsms.co.uk
It’s surprisingly easy to kill your eBay business, if you’re not careful - sure, you can start over from scratch without it costing you anything, but do you really want to? Still, if you want your business to end up dead in the water, here are some simple ways to do it.
Lie about an item: Say it works fine when it sometimes doesn’t work. Say it’s in perfect condition when it has a scratch. Your customers will hate you!
Post whenever you feel like it: Make sure to leave your customers hanging around, wondering when their item is going to turn up. This makes sure they buy from someone else next time.
Let items end anytime: Few people will be around to care about your auction if it ends in the middle of the night. Why go to the trouble of working out whether auctions will end at a good time?
Don’t bother with email: Customers are just timewasters anyway. eBay businesses are supposed to run themselves! Never give informed responses to questions about your item.
Sell rubbish: Really, it’s just eBay. You can just sell any old tat from the market for a 200% profit. Let quality be someone else’s concern - I mean, really, what do they expect for that price?
Refuse to give discounts: You know what your items cost, you know what your profit margin is going to be, and you’re not going to negotiate. Remember that giving customers special deals might make them feel good and come back to you again.
Make your listings ugly: As many colours, flashing lights and animations as possible will really give those customers a headache. Write as much in CAPITALS!!!! as you can. Preferably big, red capitals. Be sure to use the fonts Impact and Comic Sans. For an extra special touch, see if you can figure out a way to add some music.
Don’t take photos: It’s such trouble, after all. If buyers are picky enough to actually want to see items before they bid on them, then screw ‘em, that’s what I say.
Write short descriptions: Be as brief as possible, and use lots of mysterious abbreviations. This obviously makes you look very cool. You can even just write the title again in the description box. Think of the effort you’ll save!
Use reserve auctions: Now, this is a fairly controversial final choice, but it really is one of the best ways to scare away your customers. They’ll see ‘reserve not yet met’, and click that ‘back’ button before you know it. Luckily, they can always bid in a normal auction for the item somewhere else.
Now that you know the ten ways to kill your eBay business, how about we explore what to do if you want to do the opposite, and make a success of it? The next email will give you ten steps to successful selling on eBay.
Kirsten Hawkins is an Ebay and internet auction enthusiast from Nashville, TN. Visit www.auctionseller411.com/ for more great tips on how to make the most from Ebay and other online auctions.
Do you love coffee? Most of us do. In this article we will provide you with 6 recipes to enjoy your coffee a different way. We hope you enjoy it.
Irish Coffee
* 1 teapsoon of suger
* 1 jigger of Bushmills Irish Whiskey
* 2/3 cup of coffee or flavored Irish Creme coffee
* 1/4 cup of heavy cream, lightly whipped
Prehead the glass with hot water. Dump the water out and add the hot coffee with the teaspoon of suger and stir. Add the jigger of whiskey, and top with the whipping cream. Dark coffee’s are best for this recipe.
Spiced Orange Coffee
* 1 teaspoon fresh, grated orange peel
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
* 5 whole cloves
* Regular amount of your usual coffee or try Swiss Chocolate Orange flavored coffee
Add the above ingredients together and brew as normal. Place a slice of orange at the bottom or your cup. Pour in coffee and add suger and cream to taste. Top with whipping cream and sprinkle with a dash of nutmeg and cinnamon if so desired.
Mint Cocoa Coffee
* 1 ounce of chocolate mint liquear
* Dash of shaved chocolate
* Whipping cream (optional)
* Regular coffee or try Dutch Chocolate Decaf flavored coffee
Brew your regular coffee, add the 1 ounce of liquear into your cup. Add some whipping cream if desired and sprinkle with shaved chocolate.
Coffee Milkshakes
* 1 pint of coffee ice cream
* 2 teaspoons finely ground coffee
* 1/2 cup light rum (optional)
* 4 to 6 scoops vanilla ice cream
* Instant coffee powder
Spoon coffee ice cream into blender. Add rum and finely ground coffee. Blend on high until creamy smooth. Pour into tall glasses, adding a scoop of the vanilla ice cream to each glass. Sprinkle lightly with instant coffee powder.
Frosty Mochas
* 1 cup of freshly brewed coffee
* 1 pint of vanilla ice cream, softenend
* 6 tablespoons of chocolate syrup
* 1 cup prepared cold coffee
Blend hot coffee and chocolate syrup in blender. Blend until smooth. Cool the mixture to room temperature. Pour the mixture into a medium bowl. Add the softened ice cream and cold coffee. With a rotary beater, beat until smooth. Spoon into tall glasses and serve immediately.
Nogged Coffee
* 1 cup of coffee or try Pumpkin Spice flavored coffee
* 1 egg yoke
* 1/2 cup of cream
* Dash of nutmeg
Beat the suger and egg yoke together. Place cream in a saucepan and heat over low setting, do not burn. Wisk the egg mixture into the warmed cream, heat until hot. Add coffee to mugs and top with the cream mixture. Garnish the coffee with nutmeg.
About the Author
Feel free to use this article, please leave this resource box attached.
This article was created for Beans and Bears offering some of the finest coffee available.
Visit the website today at http://www.beansandbears.com
Writer: Merrie Schonbach http://www.merriesintent.com 7/03
1. Before purchasing new clothing items, ask yourself if you really need it!
2. If you charge clothing, pay your bills before “due date”.
3. Consider shopping at discount stores.
4. Can you get along without it until a sale comes along at season’s end?
5. Is it a new “fad” that may be out of style in a short time?
6. Shop for clothing at rummage sales, garage sales, flea markets, etc.
7. Shop for used clothing at “like new” shops - see your Yellow Pages.
8. Watch newspaper ads for store sales, clearances, close-outs, etc.
9. Consider buying or renting a sewing machine and making it yourself.
10. Save by shining your own shoes.
11. Keep care costs in mind. Buy washables and save on dry cleaning bills.
12. Shop for clothing at thrift shops.
13. Always keep your clothes clean and in good repair. They’ll last longer.
14. Raise cash by selling discarded clothing at garage sales, flea markets, etc.
15. Alter adult’s clothing for your children.
16. Make minor clothing repairs yourself.
17. Get old shoes repaired for longer wear: resoled, new heels added, etc.
18. Buy only clothing items that are well made and will wear well.
19. Stick to basic styles, colors, fabrics.
20. Trade clothing items with friends & neighbors (especially children’s).
21. Carry a plastic raincoat to protect clothing from unexpected showers.
22. Look for clothing bargains in newspaper classified ads.
23. Buy versatile clothes that can be used for different occasions.
24. Buy coordinated clothing so you can mix and match and have more outfits.
25. Donate used clothing to charities for tax deductions.
26. Save older children’s clothing for hand-me-downs for the younger ones.
27. Hand clothes properly for longer life.
28. Change into old (washable) clothes for dirty at-home tasks.
29. Before storing, shoes should be cleaned, polished & shoe trees inserted.
30. Take extra special care of leather clothing items for lifetime wear.
31. Avoid dry cleaning bills. Many spots can be removed with cleaning fluids.
32. Buy dual-purpose clothing, such as reversible, topcoat/raincoats, etc.
33. If bored with a pair of shoes, consider dying them a different color.
34. Use worn-out clothing for cleaning, household wipes, and “nose blowers”.
35. Consider saving by ordering clothing items from mail order houses.
36. Buy children’s clothing items a size or two larger for longer wear.
37. During sales, stock up on basics: sleep wear, underwear, socks, etc.
38. Teach children to care for their clothing.
39. Don’t “kill time” in clothing stores or you may buy things you don’t need.
40. Get to know where to go for the best buys for certain items.
41. Practice sales resistance if you can’t find exactly what you want.
42. Remember that high price does not necessarily mean good quality.
43. When shopping, have a definite plan and stick to it.
44. If you cannot find what you want, go home without it.
45. Never buy anything just because “everyone else is wearing it”!
46. Buy men’s suits & coats in February, April, and November & before Christmas.
47. Stock up on children’s clothes after back-to-school sales in October.
48. Buy men’s shirts, socks and underwear before Father’s Day in June.
49. Buy women’s winter coats & suits in November.
50. Buy summer clothing, swimsuits, shoes & sandals during sales in July.
51. Buy cocktail dresses, winter boots and furs during January sales.
52. Shop “After Easter” sales for children’s clothes, dresses, spring coats and fabrics
53. Look for spring sportswear sales during May.
54. Buy ski clothing during August; other sports clothing during July sales.
55. Shop on the internet at http://www.worldcrownmall.com to save $$$$$.
About the Author
I am an avid shopper. I have saved 1000’s of dollars by creating a shopping mall website. I would like to share my saving with you visit http://www.worldcrownmall.com and start saving $$$ today
Countless snowboarders will soon be trying to find their ski pants and scooting forth trying to find the greatest snow conditions.
And without doubt the results from our carbon footprint will be almost as far down the list of holiday to dos as a xmas cracker after xmas.
But last Christmas, a late snow hit the tabloids and tourists were terrified about the flecks of snow disappearing nearly as soon as they settled.
Skiing holiday business Chalet1802, based at the foot of Monte Bianco in Chamonix Mont Blanc in the French Alps, is one of the only independent firms to go carbon neutral and afford snowboarders an environmentally friendly choice when reserving their ski trip.
Chalet1802 proprietor Natanael stated: Last season was quite a surprise with the most warm wintertime in 55 yrs in the French Alps. Mountain resorts for example Auron, Meribel and Tignes lacked clients.It was balmy and the snow did not settle so a lot of the early winter skiing season in the Alps was patchy. We decided to go carbon negative to help preserve the snowboarding resort.
Natanael said: We’re not trying to dictate to guests but I consider it’s all important to afford them the choice without increasing the cost of the skiing holiday. If the client book with us and holidays in our Chamonix chalet they can further off set their carbon output and we soak up the added costs. Of course we still have a sauna and a hot tub - clients desire luxury but not at the expense of the environs, so we looked at means of decreasing the impact of someone driving over here for a holiday.”
Depression has long been considered a character flaw indicative of morally weak minded individuals. However, new research clearly shows that depression has distinct biochemical roots that affect the way nerve cells work. It is an illness which can be accurately diagnosed and treated successfully in the vast majority of cases. Through the recognition of causes and knowledge of the treatments, those suffering from depression are able to preserver and overcome their illness.
Depression can be described in terms of a physical imbalance in the brain which may cause, or be caused by various psychological conditions. The physical imbalance refers to an abnormally high or low level of hormones in the brain. These hormones may include, but are not limited to, the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. The unusual levels of these chemicals may be inherited, which is part of the reason why depression tends to run in families.
A psychological condition is basically the emotional state of a person which leads them into depression. A few common conditions are guilt, loneliness, anxiety, and sadness. Guilt can be experienced by all age groups, but is especially common among the elderly who have the so-called “survivors guilt” for outliving their loved ones. Loneliness is also a common emotional problem of the elderly, and adults in general. According to Dr. Robert Butler MD, author of Aging and Mental Health 1991, “children tend to fear being left alone in a threatening and uncertain world, while adults fear emotional isolation.”
Depressive psychological conditions can also be a result of traumatic emotional loses and low self esteem. Profound trauma in early childhood such as physical or sexual abuse, a bitter divorce, the death of a parent, or other deeply disturbing experiences can set the emotional stage for depression later in life. Low self esteem can arise in childhood and last into adulthood. Usually caused by unpleasant experiences, such as taunting by peers, which gradually lowers the feeling of self worth.
Depression may be treated using a variety of different methods which are divided into two main divisions: antidepressant medications, and non-drug therapies. Antidepressant medications work by rebalancing the offset chemicals in the brain, thus improving emotional well being. As reported in Drug Facts and Comparisons 1999, all antidepressants are equally effective; elevating mood in 60% to 80% of people who use them as directed. (statistics) MAO inhibitors are among the oldest antidepressants currently in use. They work by interfering with the enzyme monoamine oxidase, which helps clear serotonin and dopamine from the spaces between nerve endings in the brain. SSRI’s are drugs such as Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil. In addition to treating depression they may also help treat anxiety, panic, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and bulimia. As stated in the Medical Tribune 1996, SSRI’s work by selectively keeping nerve cells from eliminating the neurotransmitter serotonin.
Non-drug therapies offer many alternatives to antidepressant medication. Cognitive therapy - also called cognitive restructuring - teaches people to first identify and then correct depressive thinking. Many people tend to distort and over magnify small mistakes, and cognitive therapy helps them downplay these minor problems. “You can’t talk yourself out of depression, but you can stop talking yourself deeper into it.” Quote by Dr. Michael Castleman, author of Cognitive Therapy 1979. One of the most common non-drug therapies is exercise. Research indicates that exercise can improve mood, relieve anxiety, improve appetite, and increase self esteem. “Exercise helps normalize the chemical imbalances in the brain linked to depression”, says Dr. Steven Zarit in book Mental Disorders in Adults 1998. Another popular treatment is Psychotherapy. Long-term Freudian psychoanalysis has been largely replaced by shorter-term “talk therapies.” In the NIMH study, nearly half of those patients with mild to moderate depression reported significant improvement after 16 weeks.
In cases of severe depression where antidepressants prove ineffective, ETC, or Electroconvulsive therapy, is an option. ETC involves the brief application of electric stimulus used to produce a generalized seizure. Despite the controversy over this treatment, it has been shown to improve the condition of 85% of patients with severe depression. Stuart Yudofsky, M.D., says: “When used properly, ECT is safe and effective. Unfortunately, because of fear of electricity, and the inaccurate ways ECT has been portrayed in movies and on television, many people who could benefit from it don’t consider it.”
People are very complicated physically and emotionally. Whether the conditions which lead to depression involve deep emotional scares from the past or a form of disillusionment in the present, there are treatments that can offer relief and ultimately a cure.
Bradley James is a senior editor at SciNet.cc, a website containing many helpful consumer electronics review articles. For more information on depression, please visit our depression causes and treatments webpage.
