Develop A Corporate Communication Strategy

Great leaders are great communicators.

Communication is key to successful leadership whether at the corporate level or in a small business. A strong communications strategy will ensure that your message is received and understood by your intended audience. According to Lee Froschheiser, the president and CEO of Map Consulting (MAP), the six basic functions of management are leading, planning, organizing, staffing, controlling and communicating. Froschheiser states that having a clear communication strategy ties these functions together and is the most important quality in great leadership. A written communication strategy is a document that states your objectives, your goals, identifies your audience, offers tools and a timetable, and plans evaluations. A communication strategy encompasses all forms of communication.

Instructions

1. Creating a successful corporate strategy .

Survey your audience to discover how current communication is received. You need to know what every branch of the corporate structure is doing about communication. Many firms hire outside assistance for this part of the process, but it is expensive. This is a detailed assessment that looks at communication from the top down to every department to discover the purpose and success of the current communication process. Gather the information you need from staff interviews, focus groups, surveys, brainstorming sessions and clients.

2. List your objectives and purpose. To create a broad corporate strategy you must define your objectives and clearly state the desired result. You may want to create an internal communication strategy as well as an external communication strategy. Internally your objectives may be to keep employee teams informed, optimize product delivery, and create an efficient communications center. Externally you may want to increase your client base, reach government clients, create visibility within your industry, etc.

3. Determine your audience. Your audience is made up of individuals and companies with whom you do business. Government contracts should be included as well as private clients. List every source with whom your business interacts. Each group may have different communication needs.

4. List and describe the tools your company will use to communicate. These tools may be software, email marketing, fliers, billboards, newsletters, video conferencing, Internet advertising and more. Every possible opportunity for communication must be considered during this process.

5. Establish a time line. Create a calendar with project deadlines for each project on your list. Objectives should be organized into weekly and monthly time periods.

6. Include a method for evaluating your communication strategy for measurable results. Create bi-weekly or monthly progress reports, formal reports for staff meetings, periodic briefings for department heads and corporate executives, and an end-of-the-year annual report.

Tags: communication strategy, your objectives, your audience, clients List, corporate strategy

Mass Mailing Ideas

Direct mail can be an effective form of advertising.

There are many types of direct mail pieces that can be used for mass mailing. You might send an elaborate four-color brochure, or you may opt for an inexpensive postcard or letter. Some businesses send out catalogues, and still others reach their audiences with a coupon. When you choose the mailing piece, make sure you send it to a targeted audience to get the best results for the least amount of money.

Target Your Audience

Create mailing lists targeted to who would be the most likely to respond to a direct mail piece from your company. One easy way to create such a list is to keep track of your customers. Build a targeted list of people who can turn into repeat customers. You may have a service or product that new home owners should know about, especially if your community brings in people from outside of the area. It is easy enough to find the names and addresses of people just moving in on the Internet or by paying a visit to the township clerk’s office. You can build or buy a list with particular demographics, such as people living in a particular area or people in a particular income range. You may want to reach people who have expressed interest in a product or service similar to yours.

Think Outside the Envelope

When you send out a promotional letter, don’t forget about the envelope. Customers need a reason to open the envelope and read the offer. Many people just glance at the envelope and toss in into the "circular file." With a catchy phrase like "Free Gift Inside," you will provide potential customers with an incentive to investigate further. The gift can be something as simple as a bookmark for a direct mail piece offering a discount for a book, newspaper or magazine subscription. For other products and services you might include a keychain or pen with your logo, a small toy, or a product sample.

Direct Mail Coupon Packets

Don’t overlook direct mail coupon packets to reach your audience and sell your product or service. According to Valpack, more and more consumers are looking for value. A coupon sent to the right customer can trigger a sale.

Effective Mailing Pieces

When you create your mailing piece, give some thought to creating eye-catching, creative graphics and compelling copy that calls for action on the part of the customer. Include your logo and tagline, and make sure your contact information is in a format that is convenient for the customer such as a tearoff sheet. There are companies that specialize in these services if you do not have the resources.

Tags: direct mail, direct mail piece, mail piece, mailing piece, make sure

Laws About Illegal Online Gambling In Maine

Online gambling is illegal in the state of Maine.

Maine defines gambling as risking something of value upon the outcome of a future event or chance under the agreement that something else of value will be received in the event of a certain outcome. Any gambling not expressly authorized by state statute is considered illegal in the state of Maine. Online gambling falls into the unauthorized category.

Illegal Gambling

The state of Maine prohibits the participation in unlawful gambling. A person is guilty of unlawful gambling if he intentionally or knowingly advances or earns a profit from unlawful gambling activity. A person convicted of unlawful gambling must forfeit all income earned from the illegal activity to the state. He also is subject to possible incarceration and fines.

Gambling Devices

A person may not possess gambling records in Maine. A person possesses a gambling record if he knowingly has any writing, paper, instrument or article that he intends to use for the purpose of an unlawful gambling activity. For the purpose of online gambling, this might include any printouts from the game.

Maine law also prohibits the possession of gambling devices. The state defines a gambling device as any machine, paraphernalia or equipment used to participate in a gambling activity excluding lottery tickets. Possessing a gambling device includes the manufacture, sale, transport or physical possession of a device. A person also possesses a device if he negotiates a transaction for the exchange of a device. This has direct implications for online gambling.

Out of State Gambling

The state of Maine also criminalizes participation in illegal gambling activities that take place outside the state. All people within the state are subject to Maine law. Accordingly, if a person within the state participates in a gambling activity that is illegal under Maine law, the state can prosecute the person for illegal gambling. The fact that the activity was outside of the state or legal within the state in which it took place is not a defense to prosecution. This particular prohibition allows the state to prosecute individuals who participate in online gambling activities that originate outside of the state.

Tags: unlawful gambling, gambling activity, state Maine, outside state, within state, activities that

Average Salary Of A Funeral Home Owner In Indiana

The Indiana Funeral Directors Association has 480 members as of December 2010.

Indiana funeral home owners are responsible for all aspects of running a funeral home. Common tasks involve embalming bodies, selling burial plans and complying with state regulations of funeral homes. Funeral home operators in Indiana must receive an individual license from the State Board of Funeral & Cemetery Service in addition to ensuring their funeral home complies with financial and sanitary requirements.

Average Salary For Funeral Home Owners in Indiana

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the average salary for funeral home operators in Indiana as $54,210 annually. The lowest 10 percent made $27,910 per year, while the highest 10 percent made $74,600 per year.

Pay Across Indiana Municipalities

Considerable variation existed for average pay for funeral operators across the state of Indiana. Listed with 2009 average salary, municipal areas throughout Indiana were: Cincinnati-Middletown ($69,200); Evansville ($40,390); Gary ($44,230); Indianapolis-Carmel ($47,880); Louisville-Jefferson County ($49,310); and Northwest Indiana ($56,980).

Indiana Funeral Operators Compared to Other States

Indiana funeral operators ranked 32nd in the country in terms of average annual salary by state. The top five states were: Massachusetts ($82,780); New Jersey ($79,830); Rhode Island ($78,220); Delaware ($75,850); and New York ($73,800). The bottom five states were: Montana ($43,900); Kentucky ($43,350); Mississippi ($41,540); Arkansas ($41,160); and Hawaii ($37,380).

Regulation of Funeral Homes in Indiana

Indiana Code 30-2-10 governs the regulation of funeral homes throughout the state. Funeral home owners must receive an individual license and ensure their funeral home passes periodic inspection to remain in business. Additional regulations govern the sale of pre-paid funeral policies and the handling of customer deposits for funeral services.

Tags: five states, five states were, funeral home, Funeral Home, funeral home

Culture Differences In The Workplace

A misunderstanding of cultures at work can lead to decreased productivity and a generally unhappy work environment for everyone involved. Taking the time to understand where other employees are coming from can make a positive difference in a multicultural team. Keep in mind the cultural lens through which each person views the world as you work with diverse cultures in the workplace.

Trust

Managers can create better multicultural teams if they encourage trust-building activities among team members. Trust plays an important role in building professional relationships. However, trust in certain cultures is built through nonprofessional chats and activities, while in others, it can be built by coming through in difficult circumstances for a colleague.

Talk

A few frank discussions about the way of life in the countries represented on a team with members from different countries can help clear up confusions about communication styles among colleagues. This can prevent miscommunication and frustration when, for example, an employee from a culture that values direct communication asks a question of an employee from a culture that values more subtle communication styles.

Language

Although a workplace's common language may be English, it's important to realize that speaking a language natively is quite different from learning it as a second language. The ability to pick up on figures of speech and subtle meanings in words can be difficult to learn. In addition, learning English in a place where British English, Australian English or Jamaican English is spoken is not the same thing as learning English in the United States. Vocabulary for the same objects is different; figures of speech are different; and what's funny in one country that speaks English isn't necessarily so in another.

Paraphrasing

An employee can briefly rephrase --- in simple and concise language --- and repeat what another team member says to ensure that he understands what someone communicated via email or in conversation. Taking this extra time to be sure the employee understands what's being communicated is vital to preventing misunderstandings about work-related topics.

Patience

Being patient as team members learn each other's ways of communicating is important. Mistakes in communication are bound to occur when people from different cultures work together. Someone forgetting that another team member lives in another time zone can happen --- the other team member may be woken up in the middle of the night. Identifying the causes of these problems as they occur and trying to prevent them are the keys to creating a more peaceful and productive workplace for employees from different countries.

Tags: from different, team member, another team, another team member, communication styles, culture that

Make A Brochure For A School Project

Once a school project is completed, it's important that all the work that went into the endeavor does not go unappreciated. The preparation of a brochure publicizing student work---whether it's an investigative science project or a collaborative mural--can serve as an additional learning tool for students, involving a variety of cross-curricular skills. Putting the brochure together can serve as the intermediate stage of the project--after its completion and before its display--giving students the opportunity to express pride in all the hard work they have done.

Instructions

1. Arrange students in small groups. Explain that although everyone will be following the same guidelines, each group will be free to come up with a brochure that they feel best reflects the work they have accomplished.

2. Show students make a trifold brochure by folding an 8½-by-11 inch piece of paper in thirds. Explain that they will need to work on the brochure in this form from the beginning, rather than just folding it afterward.

3. Brainstorm with the class all the information that will need to be included in the brochure: the name or title of the project, its purpose, when it was created, by whom it was created (for example: "Ms. Smith's sixth grade science class"), and any important facts about the project. All this information and any illustrations or photos the students wish to include will go on the inside of the brochure where they will be free to include the full 8 ½-by-11 inch size of the paper.

4. Explain that the cover of the brochure will serve only as a place to put the title of the project and a small graphic (such as a drawing or a photo or even clip art--see Resources section below), and that the foldover on the right side--which will appear just under the cover--will serve as an invitation to the display of the project; the invitation will tell when and where the project will be on display.

5. Tell students to use the back of the brochure to give themselves credit for designing the brochure. They might want to list their names alphabetically and include their signatures.

Tags: Explain that, -by-11 inch, that they, they have, they will, title project

Draft An Effective Pitch

A good sales pitch captures the attention of the listener immediately.

The perfect business model, the ideal product and a demanding market provide a great recipe for success, but you'll never sell your product without a good sales pitch. An effective sales pitch introduces a product to a customer and demonstrates why the customer has to be buy the product. When drafting the sales pitch, take into account the person to whom you're pitching the product, the best way to present the product and what type of reasonable goal you hope to achieve. With these in mind, you can deliver the perfect pitch to almost anyone.

Instructions

1. Think about the specific customer and consider what types of things make the customer unique. Tailoring your pitch to the specific customer will make it much more successful and less generic.

2. Speak in simple terms with passion. You want to be passionate about your product, but you don't want to overwhelm your listener. Simple words and clear phrases can drive home your product and allow the listener to gain a clear idea of what you're selling.

3. Add credibility to your pitch by supplementing your claims with examples or data. You can provide testimonials or personal stories that help convince the customer that your product is worthwhile.

4. Leave room for questions or concerns. Your listener might want to ask you to clarify something and you want to be sure to give her the opportunity to do so. This will help alleviate any reservations she might have about your product.

5. End your pitch with a good bottom line. You should have a clear goal in mind, such as what you want the customer to purchase or understand. Conclude your pitch with a brief statement that reinforces this goal.

Tags: your product, sales pitch, your pitch, about your, about your product, good sales

Calculate The Average Contribution Margin Per Unit

Getting familiar with the weighted-average contribution margin per unit helps business owners analyze profit, pricing and product offerings. Each product has its own contribution margin. Calculating the weighted average depends on percent of sales of each company product. Discovering that the margin is low can inspire a business owner to raise the price or eliminate the product altogether. High-average per unit margins indicate that costs are being adequately managed and the price point supports healthy revenues.

Instructions

1. Compute the contribution margin for each product. Contribution margin equals sales price minus the variable costs per unit. For example, your company sells still photo and video cameras. For the video cameras, the price is $400 and the variable costs are $200. The contribution margin is $200. The video price is $800 and its variable costs are $500. The contribution margin is $300. The company sells the cameras in equal ratio.

2. Multiply the contribution margin figure by the relevant percentage of sales figure. For the still camera, the calculation is $200 X 50% = $100. For the video camera, the equation is $300 X 50% = $150.

3. Add the two resulting figures together to attain the weighted average. In this example, add $100 plus $150 to get $250.

Tags: contribution margin, contribution margin, variable costs, company sells, costs contribution, costs contribution margin

Make Ice Milk Tea

Iced milk tea is a way of serving tea that originated in Southeast Asia. Creamy and sweet, thick with condensed or evaporated milk and served in tall, frosty glasses with crushed ice, it's about as far from English tea as you can get. In the West, it's popular as the base for bubble tea, and Thai restaurants serve their own delectable version of the drink as Thai iced tea. This recipe tells you make iced milk tea with ingredients you can find in any Western grocery store. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Instructions

1. Boil the water and steep the tea for three to five minutes. Use as much tea as you would use for a whole cup of tea, even though you are using only half as much water. If you're not sure how strong to make the tea, err on the stronger side. The cream and sugar will overwhelm weak tea.

2. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of ice. This will melt and bring the tea down to room temperature or colder.

3. Use condensed milk if you want a sweeter drink, and evaporated milk if you want a less sweet drink. Add the condensed or evaporated milk to taste. Traditionally, creamier is better--the milk in iced milk tea isn't a flavoring like it is in English tea, it's an essential ingredient.

4. Add as much crushed or regular ice as you like. Because ice waters down the flavor of milk tea, traditional milk tea is cooled in a refrigerator or served at room temperature, but if you want the chill of iced tea without waiting for your drink to cool, you'll need to add more ice and drink it rather quickly.

5. Adjust the sweetness with sugar or simple syrup to taste.

6. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator. Iced milk tea will keep for several days in the refrigerator.

7. Experiment. There's no one way to make iced milk tea, so play with the strength of the tea and the proportions of tea to milk and ice. Try using different types of tea, or add flavorings such as cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, rosewater, or hazelnut syrup.

Tags: evaporated milk, condensed evaporated, condensed evaporated milk, iced milk, make iced, make iced milk

Difference Between A Target & Niche Market

Understanding your target and niche markets could be the key to growing your business.

As a business owner, it's important to have an understanding of your consumers. That means having a good grasp of the characteristics of your key customers and how they respond to your marketing messages.

Target Market

Your target market represents the core group of consumers for whom your business works to create products and services. Your marketing and promotional efforts should be tailored to reach these individuals in media that they frequent, whether it's via television, the web, print, radio or mobile advertising.

Example of a Target Market

Your target market can be identified by their sex, age, income, marital status, educational level, whether they rent or buy their homes and even by their professions.

Niche Market

A niche market goes beyond simply targeting someone by age or income; it breaks its market into smaller segments, identifying a group of people by very specific identifying characteristics. And as a business owner, you take this small segment and market to it.

Example of a Niche Market

An example of a niche market is women over the age of 60 who have a median household income of $65,000 and like to give baskets as gifts to their family and friends.

How Target Markets and Niche Markets Work Together

Once you've identified your core target market and developed strategies for marketing to it, you can dig deeper and further segment your market to reach a core audience that has a specific set of needs you think you can reach with products and services tailored to meet those needs.

Tags: business owner, Market Your, Market Your target, Niche Market, niche market

Promote My Website To People

Help people find their way to your site.

Once you invest time, effort and resources into building a website, the next step is to make sure people actually have a chance to see it. You can't expect people to find your site on their own; you must lead them to it. There are many things you can do to promote your website, both online and off. The following are just a few methods to bolster daily traffic on your site.

Instructions

Make the Most of Search Engines

1. Use strong keywords in your website title, which will be the first thing people see in a web search. Use a title like "Custom Motorcycle Design - Al's Place" for example, instead of just calling your website "Al's Place."

2. Use META tags to provide search engines with additional keywords. Place the META tag within the HEAD section of the HTML code (see Tips).

3. Position strong keywords in the first paragraph of text on each page, which is the text search engines check.

4. Use descriptive names for the images on your site, such as "custom_motorcycle_green_skull_flames.jpg" instead of generic names like "image1.jpg."

5. Add HTML links to other pages on your site, even if most of the site runs on Flash or JavaScript (see Tips).

6. Post your address on every page if your site is for a local business, increasing the chances your website will pop up if someone does a general search on your street or town.

7. Purchase Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising on search engine sites (see Tips).

Social Networking

8. Create pages for your business on social networking sites, with links to your website (see Tips).

9. Promote your site in Internet forums and discussion groups. Take part in the conversation; don't just barge in with announcements about your site or you may cause resentment.

10. Post articles and videos related to your site that people will want to view and share.

Old School Marketing

11. Include your URL on pens, stationary, cards, T-Shirts and anything else that comes to mind. Think outside the box on this one. Give away a keyring with the URL, for example, if your site is designed to sell cars.

12. Advertise your website in newspapers, yellow pages, trade journals and other publications.

13. Create television and radio commercials for your business that include the URL (see Tips).

Tags: your site, your website, pages your, people find, Place META, search engines, strong keywords

Read More Html In Tumblr

Tumblr offers a "Read More" feature for text posts, sometimes called a "cut," which gives you the option of hiding text underneath a link. Uses for this link include shortening long posts so that they don't overtake your followers' dashboard, hiding spoilers and hiding content that can be considered not safe for work (NSFW) to keep followers from being offended or upset by your post.

Instructions

1. Open a new text post from your Tumblr dashboard, or by visiting tumblr.com/new/text. You cannot add "Read More" cuts to any posts other than Text posts; while the "Read More" line will appear in the rich text editor after you add the code, it will not appear properly on your blog or dashboard.

2. Enter the body of text that you want to appear before the "Read More" link. This text is best used to entice the reader to click the "Read More" link, and give some indication of the contents of the post beneath the link.

3. Insert "" below the text that you want to appear before the "Read More" link. This is code specific to Tumblr; it does not work on other websites. If you were viewing the "Read More" feature in the rich text editor it displays as a grey dotted line that's labeled "Read More."

4. Enter the text that you want hidden below the "Read More" link. In order to see this text visitors will have to click the "Read More" link, which will take them to the full body of the post on your blog.

5. Click "Create Post" to finish your text post.

Tags: Read More, More link, Read More link, text that, text that want

Print Church Programs

A church program can tell churchgoers what to expect from mass.

Church programs can serve a variety of purposes -- such as outlining the mass, offering a preview of upcoming events and housing advertisements for local businesses -- but they can only be effective if enough programs are printed and distributed. After they are printed, church programs may also need to be assembled and bound or stapled.

Instructions

1. Open a word-processing program on your computer. Set your page layout of choice, including paper size and orientation. Choose "Portrait" orientation for a page that is vertically long and "Landscape" for a page that is longer horizontally.

2. Set your font size, taking into consideration the average age of your congregation. If there are many older churchgoers, set the font size to 12 or larger to aid in legibility.

3. Include all pertinent information, such as the church name, the time and topic of the mass, the priest's or pastor's name and any important events that will take place during or immediately after the mass.

4. Insert appropriately sized paper into the printer. The standard paper size is 8 1/2-by-11 inches, which will work well for most church programs.

5. Navigate to the file menu in your word-processing program, press "Print" and then "Print preview" to evaluate your church program before printing. Make any necessary changes and print one copy.

6. Proofread the printed program to ensure all pertinent information is included and correct. If necessary, make changes and print another copy to proofread. If your program includes multiple pages, assemble them as if you were going to hand this copy to a churchgoer. Start by assembling the pages in order, then with a stapler insert one staple into the upper left corner.

7. Check church records to see how many people attend mass on average. Print about five percent more programs than you think you may need so that extra copies are available if necessary.

Tags: changes print, church program, font size, page that, paper size, pertinent information, word-processing program

Starting A Health Resort Business

Starting a Health Resort Business

Health resort services such as massages and aromatherapy have been around since 400 B.C. Today, individuals seek the services of health resorts for relaxation, to treat painful conditions and to decompress from living an overstressed lifestyle. Many aspiring health resort business owners aren't sure where to begin when launching their business. Here's go about it.

Instructions

1. Determine what types of services to offer. Many health resorts offer massage, facials, pedicures and aromatherapy. You may also consider offering activities such as yoga, pilates and nature hikes. Shop the competition in your area to determine pricing structure.

2. Before launching your health resort business, develop a strong business plan, especially if you're planning on securing financing. This document should contain information on marketing, operations and financial forecasts. If you haven't written a business plan before, consider using a free template. Bplans offers free health resort business plan templates.

3. You will need a business license from your city or county business office. The cost is approximately $50 to $100. In addition, you may need licenses from your state health department if you serve food. All of your employees who perform such services as massage will also need to have licenses.

4. After you have your business plan in place, you should have an idea of how many employees are needed. Generally, when starting out, fewer employees is better. Once your resort becomes busier, you can ramp up the staff to meet demand.

5. Build relationships with complementary businesses in your area. Network with natural food stores and special interest groups. Offering a discount on services can be a good marketing strategy.

Tags: business plan, from your, health resort business, Health Resort Business, health resorts, resort business, Starting Health

Make Money With Affiliate Websites

Make money online with affiliate marketing.

Affiliate marketing is a system by which you can make money from a website. In this system, you advertise a company or product by placing a link or banner on your website. If a visitor visits the merchant through your link and purchases a product, you earn a commission. It is possible to earn a healthy income from affiliate websites, but the industry is extremely competitive. Give your affiliate website the best chance of success by setting it up for long-term strength rather than short-term gains.

Instructions

1. Register a domain name, and create an account with a Web host. Many people select domain names from which the website's subject matter can be easily ascertained, such as "computerreviews.com." However, some of the best-known online brands do not follow this formula; Google and Twitter are two prominent examples.

2. Install a Content Management System such as WordPress, Drupal or Joomla on your Web server. Many Web hosts can do this automatically. While it is also possible to program a website using code such as HTML and PHP, learning to code a website from scratch can take a great deal of time.

3. Decide on the type of affiliate website you want to run. Some common types include single-product mini-sites, review and comparison websites and incentive programs. Some types may be more difficult to set up and maintain than others.

4. Find a website theme designed for the type of affiliate website you want to operate. For example, if you elected to use WordPress and want to operate a product review website, the search term "WordPress review theme" can help you find themes to consider.

5. Join an affiliate network such as Commission Junction, ShareASale or LinkShare. A network gives you access to many merchants whose products you can promote. Some merchants such as Amazon.com do not use networks. Instead, they manage their own affiliate programs.

6. Write content for your website. Content is the most important part of any affiliate website because it provides the value that readers expect and guides them toward purchasing the products that generate commissions for you. In addition, your website's content contains the keywords required for people to find your website through search engines. When you mention a product, link to it using the code provided by the affiliate network you joined.

7. Refine your content as you learn what your readers want. If your readers are looking for detailed product reviews, you may be able to improve your content by asking merchants for product samples. It's generally wise to create some content that is purely informational in nature, as readers may have difficulty trusting a website that is overly promotional. Providing valuable information can help your website become recognized as an authority on its topic.

8. Build links to your website to increase its search engine ranking. Google values natural links that result from one webmaster finding another webmaster's content valuable. Therefore, your affiliate website will have the best chance of attracting links if you write content that readers enjoy. You can also gain links by asking owners of related websites to link to yours and by writing guest blog posts. As your website's search engine ranking increases, the website's traffic will increase and more income will be generated.

Tags: your website, affiliate website, affiliate network, affiliate website want, best chance

Law Firm Marketing Director Job Description

One of the most significant measures of a law firm's marketing director is business development.

For more than 30 years, law firms have had the right to market their services in a manner similar to other businesses. This has led to the growing recognition of the power of marketing to improve referrals, business development and sales. Legal marketing directors wear many hats, but central to their role is elevating the firm's brand in the marketplace, driving traffic to the firm and delivering a measurable return on the marketing investment.

Leadership

Legal marketing directors lead and inspire a marketing team fulfilling the marketing function through many areas, including creative services, events, proposal/pitch processes and business development. They must conceptualize, develop and execute a firm's marketing plan and oversee its activities. Their main job is working with all teams and using methods that reach internal and external audiences, articulate the firm's brand strategy, drive business, and create collateral material, tools and systems needed to support their efforts. They must also plan and administer a marketing budget and successfully demonstrate the money a firm puts into marketing is worth it.

Collaboration

Marketing directors are essentially principals of an internal consultancy within a legal firm. They must work closely with each practice group as well as other divisions to understand their business processes and offer strategic guidance for developing and executing marketing and promotional plans.

Outreach

Core responsibilities include developing marketing materials for the firm and individual teams, recommending outreach strategies, coordinating media and speaking opportunities, managing media relationships, writing and editing marketing materials, maintaining the firm's website content, facilitating marketing training, assisting practice area leaders in the RFP process, performing market research, planning special events and assisting in seminar and conference preparation.

Marketing directors must also communicate with external sources, including previous clients. They must "stay in front" of these potential referrers by developing and distributing educational material to them, showing them newspaper articles about the firm, developing and inviting them to seminars and talks that may be of interest to them, and keeping them on any regular communication (like a newsletter) the firm regularly issues.

Educational and Professional Requirements

Marketing directors must have four-year degrees, although an MBA in marketing is a plus. They need at least five to 10 years' professional marketing experience, with the bulk of it coming from management-level positions in the legal field. Proven business development experience almost certainly will be a selling point, as will know-how in new media technology. They must be excellent project managers and planners and superior communicators.

Soft Skills

This is not an easy job. Legal marketing directors must be strategic thinkers and be able to work with different groups of people to fulfill their goals. In addition, they must be highly creative and work with high energy on a regular basis. To be realistic and successful in this type of position, you must be able to stay highly positive, easily manage multiple priorities and be flexible in working out a customized marketing approach for each group in a firm.

Tags: business development, They must, directors must, Legal marketing, Legal marketing directors, firm brand, Marketing directors

Put A Website On A Cd

If you create or manage your own Web site, saving its files onto a CD is smart way to periodically back up your site. The CD could also serve as a hard copy of your work to be placed in a portfolio. Whatever your motive, putting a Web site onto a CD can be painstaking, but if you're careful, it's not terribly difficult. However, it can only work if you have access to that Web site's files and databases; there's no way to save a Web site unless you have access to the files on the Web server.

Instructions

1. Create a new folder and name it "website". You can change the name of the folder later, if necessary.

2. Download and install an FTP client. FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol, and allows for the rapid exchange of files across the Internet. Many free options exist: two of the most popular ones, FileZilla and Classic FTP (see Resources below), work on both Windows and Macintosh computers.

3. Open the FTP client. There will be a "Connect" or "Quick Connect" option at the top through which you can connect to a Web server, a section showing the file directories of your computer, and a section that will show the file directories of any server you connect to. Navigate to the empty "website" folder on your computer and double-click it.

4. Access your Web site's files with the connection form. Under "host", type "ftp://yoursitename.com" (in general, replace the "http://" command you would use with a Web browser with the "ftp://" command). In the "Username" and "Password" boxes, type the login information you use to log in to your web host's control panel. If there's a "Port" option, leave it blank and press Enter. The file directory of your Web site will soon show up in the right boxes.

5. Highlight everything in the large box on the right by clicking once anywhere inside it and pressing CTRL+A (or Command+A on a Mac), which will "Select All." Drag the selection to the box to the left, which should have your "website" folder open. Your files will queue up and begin to transfer one at a time; wait until everything finishes.

6. If your Web site uses a database, you also have to copy that information. Log in to your web host's control panel and access the "Databases" or "MySQL" option. Select any database that appears, or select an "edit database" option until a phpMyAdmin window pops up.

7. Select a database folder on the left, then click the "Export" tab on the top. Scroll to the bottom. Check off the "Save as File" box, then press "Go." The database will be downloaded to your computer. Repeat this step for every database you have on your site.

8. Insert a blank CD into your CD drive. Open a "Computer" or "My Computer" window on a PC, or a new Finder window on a Mac, and then select your CD drive. Drag your "website" folder and your database downloads into the window, then select the "Write" or "Burn" option.

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Event Specialist Job Description

Events specialists plan all aspects of a special ocassion.

Many people hire an event specialist or event planner to save themselves time, energy and money. If you have a flair for planning memorable events, you might consider a career as an event specialist. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, those who planned meetings and events earned a median annual salary of $44,000 in 2008.

Types

As an event specialist, you will plan events that are social or businesses related. You may have interest in planning events for celebrations, such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries or reunions. If you specialize in education-related events, you will plan conferences, meetings or graduations. A specialty in corporate events means you'll plan conventions or meetings. You may work for a corporation, hotel, banquet facility or event-planning firm. Once you gain enough experience, you may consider starting your own event planning business.

Duties

A job as an event specialist requires a lot of research. You will consult with clients to find out what overall look and feel they would like for their event. You may need to make yourself familiar with different customs and etiquette to do appropriate planning. When visiting different venues, you will judge the overall attractiveness and suitability. You will be responsible for coordinating arrangements for food, beverages, decorations, musicians, serving staff, speakers and photographers. You may have to present a proposal to a superior or a client for final approval before putting all of the plans in motion.

Environment

As an event specialist, you will spend a great deal of time in an office making phone calls and planning the logistics of an event. Travel may be necessary, especially if you specialize in planning conventions or destination weddings. Your job will require that you coordinate several tasks at one time and meet deadlines. At times you'll encounter clients who are difficult and demanding. Work hours can be long, especially during the period leading up to an event. During an event, you may have to work long days and weekends. Some aspects of the job require physical stamina, since you may have to walk or stand for long periods or carry supplies to the venue.

Background

Event specialists may have education or work experience in many different fields. Some have backgrounds as administrative assistants and may have planned smaller events before moving into larger events as a specialist. Others accumulate experience working in sales and marketing in a hotel. Some employees look for candidates who have a bachelor's degree in marketing, public relations, communications, business or hospitality. If you are in college and plan a career as an event specialist, gain work experience by volunteering to plan events for clubs and organizations.

Considerations

Meeting Professional International's website provides a list of colleges and universities that offer certificate or degree programs for event planning or management. MPI and the International Special Events Society offer certification as a special events professional or certified meeting planner. These designations may indicate to employers and clients that you have the training and knowledge to plan their meetings and events successfully.

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Department Of Treasury Duties

One of the U.S. Treasury's most important duties is making and distributing currency throughout the country.

The United States Department of the Treasury is the executive agency directly responsible for the prosperity and financial security of the country, according to the agency's web site. The agency's main goal is to preserve stability and maintain the wellness of the economy through several different duties. The Department of Treasury is composed of two major sections--the operating bureaus and departmental offices. The bureaus carry out specific plans set in motion by the administrators, and the departmental offices formulate policy and manage the Treasury holistically.

Manage Federal Finances

The Department of Treasury manages the finances of the entire country, from managing the budget to serving as an intermediary between Congress and the citizens of the United States. Part of this duty is managing and maintaining technology and systems crucial to the infrastructure of the country's finances, protecting it from possible crashes, attacks or disasters.

Collecting Taxes

Collecting taxes is one of the Department of Treasury's most high-profile duties. Carried out by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the tax collecting process takes a portion of citizens' incomes, purchases and business revenue to put back into the national coffers and pay for things like roads, bridges and education. This duty includes prosecuting tax evaders, supervising banks and settling public debt. Part of this responsibility is collecting all money owed to the United States by other countries and paying all bills for the country.

Manufacturing Currency

The Department of Treasury is responsible for the creation and distribution of all U.S. currency, both bills and coins. With two locations, called mints--one in Philadelphia and one in Denver--the Treasury has a secretive and hard-to-replicate system for the process. Bootleg money manufacturing, known as counterfeiting, is highly illegal and the Treasury has made it as difficult as possible for people to do it, by taking such measures as placing barely visible markings on bills to distinguish them from their counterfeit counterparts.

Adviser to the President

The Department of Treasury is present at meetings with the president pertaining to money and federal finances. Serving as an adviser, informant and financial expert, the Secretary of the Treasury is the president's top financial adviser and is an apppointed member of his cabinet, who is heavily relied upon for advice on any issues relating to money. The Secretary of the Treasury also serves as a liaison between the Department and the White House, filling each side in on any crucial issues affecting them both.

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How The Promotional Products Industry Is Impacted Seasonally

The demand for promotional products is driven by seasonal events.

Promotional products can be effective advertising tools. When a company's name and logo are printed on a product, everyday items such as tee-shirts, mugs, pens and tote bags become mini billboards. These items not only encourage potential customers, they reward existing customers---and often employees. Throughout the year, each season has its own factors that impact the promotional products industry, including weather, holidays and most importantly, events.

Winter

The first quarter of the year (January through March) is the slowest time of year for promotional products companies. These months tend to be colder and plagued by bad weather, causing customer visibility to be lower. Often, businesses are reflecting on their spending from the year before and choose to be more conservative.

Toward the end of the winter, trade shows and other sponsored events such as Fashion Week in New York can increase sales.

Spring

Golf tournaments can boost promotional products sales.

The promotional products industry sees a boom in sales in the spring (April through Memorial Day). Warmer weather brings people out and about and it's the season for outdoor sports. Charity galas and other fundraisers--especially golf tournaments--are good promotional opportunities because of the continued use of the products after the event is over. Sports apparel and equipment are popular promotional items.

College students on Spring Break are a lucrative market for businesses looking for new customers.

Summer

Many couples order custom wedding favors.

Summer (June through Labor Day) is when the travel industry promotes tourist destinations and accommodations. Outdoor events such as festivals and concerts offer opportunities for businesses to get their names out to prospective customers. Clients with weddings or company picnics often order promotional items as mementos of the special day.

Summer can have its downfalls. Company decision makers who place orders are often away on vacation. Or, companies might choose to postpone their orders for the holidays.

Fall

Back-to-school items are popular in the fall.

After Labor Day, companies start to think about their budgets. Sometimes, the expense of promotional products has to wait.

However, the fall (Labor Day through November) is a busy time for parents and teachers. Pens, notebooks and tote bags welcome children back to school. The fall is also the time for the World Series and the kickoff of football season. Sports events have large captive audiences who appreciate free give-aways like caps and mugs.

Holidays

Employees and customers look forward to promotional items as holiday gifts.

The holiday season (Thanksgiving through New Years) is the time for giving and being thankful. Companies seek to thank their customers for their business as well as reward their employees at the annual holiday party. Food items---gourmet baskets, baked goods and candy---are a delicious way to say "thank you."

In the last quarter, companies often discover funds that they must spend by the year end and may choose to invest in promotional products.

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Get A Promotional Code For Airline Tickets

Airline tickets vary in price based on factors such as the time you book the tickets and number of stops on the flight. Planning and buying tickets in advance can help you get the best price. You can also save money using promotional codes for airline tickets, which are available from numerous sources.

Instructions

1. Find codes on airline websites. An airline's promotions website page may include promotional codes for airline tickets and for costs such as hotel stays. Some airlines, such as Southwest Airlines, provide special software that you can download to your computer. The software notifies you of promotions directly from the airline. Bookmark your preferred airline's promotions page to make code-searching easier.

2. Find codes on travel booking websites. Third-party travel booking websites perform many of the same functions as travel agents. In particular, travel-booking websites can work directly with airlines and related travel vendors to have access to current promotional codes and information about future offers.

3. Find codes from card companies. Credit and charge-card companies offer their customers various benefits. Depending on the card company, the benefits may include discount offers and promotional codes exclusively for the company's cardholders. Check your card company's website or call your card company's customer service line to find out about promotional codes it may offer.

4. Find codes on travel-coupon websites. These are websites whose sole purpose is to aggregate promotional-code and discount information that they find on primary source sites. Some provide content exclusively from their own search tools. Others allow site users or visitors to provide information about, and links to, promotions. Because these sites generally provide second-hand promotional links, pay close attention to expiration dates.

5. Find codes on coupon websites. Some popular general-coupon websites have sections for airline-ticket codes. Although these sites may have a smaller and more sporadic selection of codes, it is nevertheless worthwhile to check whenever you are hunting for discounts.

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Magazine Advertising Techniques

Magazine advertising should be targeted toward a specific buyer.

Magazine advertising can be highly effective in pulling in leads or sales for your business. There are many types of magazine ads, including classified, business card or small display ads, and half- and- full-page ads. Many magazine advertisers use color and pictures in their ads. However, the key is to keep the advertising message simple and clutter-free. Too many illustrations or words can confuse the reader and cause her to lose interest.

Target Your Reader

The most effective magazine display ads target specific readers through the heading. For example, if you're trying to reach diet-conscious people, lead with a heading, such as "Lose Up To Five Pounds Per Week!" Include before and after pictures of people who have used your diet products in the ad. Focus on benefits in the body of the ad; not the details of your product. Tell the reader how your product can help her lose weight or fit into her favorite pair of jeans. Paint a picture for the reader. You can also phrase the heading in form of a question, such as "Want to Lose 20 lbs. Before Beach Season?" Always be truthful when making certain claims.

AIDA Principle

A magazine ad should follow the AIDA (attention, interest, desire, action) principle in attracting people's interest, according to advertising expert Dave Dolak at Davedolak.com. Grab the reader's attention with an illustration, humorous photo or bold and enlarged headings. Build the reader's interest with compelling ad copy. The objective is to increase the reader's desire by matching product benefits with the reader's needs. Ultimately, the goal of your ad is to prompt the reader or consumer to visit the store and purchase your product.

Keying Magazine Ads

Key your magazine ads because you'll likely be running them on a consistent basis. Keying an ad entails placing a code name or designation inside your magazine ad. For example, you could use "Department 110" after your street address to represent a January 2010 magazine advertisement. Include the initials of the magazine before the 110 if you're advertising in multiple publications.

The purpose of keying an ad is to track its effectiveness. For example, if you spent $300 on a quarter-page ad, you'll want to know how many leads that ad generated. Your overall objective is to determine whether the ad was profitable. There are several ways to track keys in ads. You can have callers tell you the department or code number, or create a coupon for potential customers. A beauty salon, for example, could track the results of a two-week ad by counting the number of coupons redeemed.

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Start A Seminar Business

Starting a seminar business is easier than you think. Even though public speaking is one of our greatest fears, if you can overcome your fear, you have the opportunity to promote your product or service through informational seminars. All you need is a great topic, resources, determination and practice. Once you've established your seminar business you can sell residual products or sign people up for additional services. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

1. Create a great topic. Your seminar should inform, inspire, motivate and cause people to take action. Usually, the action you'd like them to take is to purchase your product or service. Tailor the presentation to meet the needs of your audience. How can you help them to reach their goals?

2. Determine a course of action. The first step, obviously, is to create your seminar. Then, you'll need to start contacting various groups offering your service.

3. Create any residual products. Seminars offer the opportunity to share your expertise as well as promote your products/services. Have brochures explaining your services and any workbooks or books you've written on-hand to sell after the seminar.

4. Decide if you want to charge for the seminar. If you're selling a residual product or service, you may want to offer free mini "educational" workshops to generate interest. They're a great way to build a customer base and market your business. Civic groups, church groups, networking groups all need speakers at their monthly meetings. Call these groups and offer a free lecture. Afterwards, you can speak with individuals and offer your residual products/services.

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Fresh Food For Kids Grants

In recent years, the rise of childhood obesity has brought increased attention to possible methods of improving the quality of school lunch food. Among these efforts are grant programs that help schools bring fresh food into their cafeterias and encourage students to eat healthier. Grants are available from the federal government to support community food projects and school nutrition awareness. Private foundations provide assistance as well, and some programs come in the form of materials like vegetable seeds and salad bars.

Community Food Projects Grant

The Department of Agriculture offers a federal funding program called the Community Food Projects Grant, which helps expand the availability of fresh food in low-income communities. This program is fairly flexible in terms of how funds can be used, but generally, eligible projects support comprehensive approaches to address local food needs. Projects might involve urban gardening or the development of local agriculture. They could also fund efforts to connect low-income schools and communities with sources of fresh food.

Team Nutrition Grants

The Department of Agriculture also funds training grants for state agencies to help improve school lunch options. This funding opportunity is available to assist schools served by the National School Lunch Program. The USDA seeks to provide state agencies with the ability to improve training for school food service employees, to reach out to parents and teachers, and to build community support for healthier school food options. As of February 2011, $5.5 million in funding is available through this program. A sum of $2.5 million will be awarded to the states as noncompetitive grants.

Operation Green Plant Seed Grant

Some grants helping to provide fresh food for kids come in the form of materials rather than financial assistance. The America the Beautiful Fund provides grants in the form of free seeds to schools and community gardens for the development of vegetable plots. Since 1980, their Operation Green Plant program has awarded seeds to 80,000 communities across America. The fund has also helped schools reclaim seeds from landfills by providing a new use for waste seed.

Let's Move Salad Bars to Schools Grant

Another grant program for materials is the Let's Move Salad Bars to Schools Grant, funded by a consortium of private partners that includes the National Fruit and Vegetable Alliance. The grant is intended to provide more schools with salad bar facilities, which have been shown to greatly increase kids' consumption of fresh food. Schools selected for assistance from Salad Bars to Schools receive a fully-funded salad bar to install and use in their cafeterias.

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Alternative Strategies For Marketing Agencies

Alternative marketing strategies differ from standard marketing in their audience and cost. These strategies are intended to be tailored toward a particular group, increasing your product or service visibility with these specific potential customers in mind. Because these marketing strategies aren't intended to reach as many consumers as traditional marketing, they often cost less and have a more confined release space. Marketing agency use of these strategies is most effective when the company for whom the marketing plan was crafted is eager to improve its visibility with only a small portion of their buying audience.

Community Communications

To capture the attention of intended buyers, marketing agencies can place advertisements in these individuals' community communication bulletins. Advertisements placed in church fliers, for example, can effectively reach church goers in a small area. Companies can also take out advertisements in community newsletters, limiting their reach to only those who actually reside in that community. Using these low-cost, small-audience advertising options is particularly wise if the product being advertised is something that is still in the testing phase, or if the items have limited applications and, therefore, are only useful to a small circle of people.

Useful Handout

Agencies can increase the likelihood that advertisement recipients hang on to the ads they were given by placing these ads on useful items. The agency could, for example, place advertisements on bookmarks and hand these out at a local library. To reach parents, the agency could craft a calendar featuring advertisements and hand these date-related tools out at an area parent-teacher organization meeting.

Sponsorship Benefits

Reach members of the community in question, and give back at the same time by engaging in sponsorship. By setting their clients up as sponsors for area activities or events, marketing agencies can make their clients more visible in the desired areas. Sponsors generally receive the right to advertise at sponsored events, so sponsoring a local school football game could earn the company a place on the field fence to hang a banner or the opportunity to place their advertisements on the cups that thirsty fans will receive at the concession stand.

Current Customers Help

Instead of going it alone, companies can put their current customers to work as advertisers. Advertising agencies can craft displayable advertisements, such as bumper stickers, house-front signs or even T-shirts featuring information about the company in question. The company can then give these advertising items to their most valued customers, allowing these individuals to show their allegiance to the company and encourage others within the local community to become patrons of the company as well.

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Good Sales Techniques For Selling Home Improvements

You can't persuade someone to buy a product if you don't believe in the value of what you're selling. Having the right sales approach depends largely on what it is that you are trying to sell. Home improvement sales are on the rise in any economy, since home improvements such as carpeting, paints, and furniture are sold to furnish new homes as well as to fix up existing homes. Whether a person is preparing their home for sale on the market, improving an existing home, or furnishing a new home, they are shopping at home improvement centers. There are many important sales techniques to consider when facing such a vast target audience of consumers. Does this Spark an idea?

Ask questions

Asking good questions can go a long way. To ask the right questions you need to research your audience and know what it is that is important to them. What does your audience consider a good deal and how do they decipher that? If you are selling home improvements in the way of carpeting, you might ask consumers if they are tired of their dirt-ridden and stain-filled carpets. Good questions are the foundation of good sales since questions like the carpet one set the stage for how your product or service can solve that problem.

Rapport

Establish rapport with your target audience. Rapport is a level of trust that must be maintained between your product and the consumers you are trying to reach. This will allow for the consumers to be responsive to advertising techniques and open to making the purchase.

Internet search tools

Internet search tools are a great resource for selling home improvement products or services to a broad market. Free search engine tools such as Google Places allow you to create listings that target potential customers locally or from around the world. These days more people use online resources to find local product information than any other medium. Create a listing for free that will attract customers searching the web.

Radio advertising

Radio programming is an ideal outlet for getting your home improvement product or services out to a large audience. Radio recommends products and services to consumers on a 24-hour basis. Radio is extremely sales-friendly since it is a targeted format. It is a familiar medium that is listened to in cars during commute traffic, homes, and offices.

Index your website

Add your business or website to web maps such as Google Maps. Use the Google mapmaker service to add your local business or website to a specific area on search engine guided maps. You can add detailed information about the services you offer and include features like pictures, product listings, and printable coupons. All of these options increase your selling potential and help get your home improvement products to the end user.

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Fda Laws For Imports

The FDA regulates imported shipments of food, drugs and supplies.

Under the U.S. Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) regulates international importers who import food, drugs, cosmetics, electronic devices and medical equipment into the U.S. to ensure safety and proper labeling according to U.S. standards. The FDA is authorized to detain shipments that do not meet U.S. standards.

FDA Regulations for Importing Drugs

Drugs that have not been previously approved by the FDA are illegal to import. Unapproved drugs include new drugs or foreign versions of existing U.S. drugs. The FDA has authority to enforce actions against companies that fraudulently import drugs into the U.S. or drug companies that manufacture products which contain significant health risks. In situations where the drug was being used to treat individuals internationally, but there is no existing FDA-approved drug treatment in the U.S., the FDA should not pursue any enforcement actions against the manufacturer. The FDA may work with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to ensure drugs are not being fraudulently introduced into U.S. commerce. Congress, recognizing it could be cost-effective to use foreign-made drug equivalents of already approved U.S. pharmaceutical products, does not allow drugs to be imported without prior approval in these situations. The drugs may consist of unknown quantities of unknown chemicals without any proof of efficacy, and the drugs may be improperly labeled.

FDA Regulations for Importing Medical and Electronic Devices

The FDA does not honor foreign countries' approvals for devices imported into the U.S., and the imported medical devices must meet U.S. standards. The FDA requires premarket notification if the foreign importer is importing a medical device that has never been shipped before or the device has previously been imported but is intended for a different use. Additionally, the notification is required for devices that already exist in the U.S. market, but there are changes to the marketing which may affect its use or safety. Electronic devices that emit radiation must be registered using Form FDA 2877 (Radiation Standard Declaration) prior to being shipped into the U.S.

FDA Regulations for Importing Food: The Bioterrorism Act of 2002

The FDA must take affirmative steps to safeguard the public from imminent or actual bio-terrorist attacks on our country's food supplies. Foreign importers must provide advance notice of food shipments and register their business facilities with the FDA. The FDA and the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection will work together to target inspections from potential bio-terrorist attacks on our supplies. The FDA does not regulate poultry or meat products (USDA's responsibility).

FDA Regulations for Importing Milk: The Federal Import Milk Act

The Federal Import Milk Act requires importers to obtain permits for importing milk and cream into the U.S., according to Title 21 of the United States Code, Sections 141 through 149.

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Principles Of Corporate Communication

Corporate communications create a strong company reputation.

Companies that have strong corporate communication strategies, plans and programs are usually better recognized, well run and have a better capacity to react to various crisis and changes. Because the way in which an organization communicates with its employees, stakeholders, the media and clients affects its reputation, companies of all sizes should consider corporate communications an essential component of their business.

Role

The role of corporate communications is to manage perceptions through a positive corporate brand, effective and timely dissemination of information and a transparent relationship with all stakeholders. Corporate communications have evolved to become increasingly professional in nature and are now considered the intersection between the science and art of perception.

Responsibilities

Corporate communication groups can be responsible for all aspects related to corporate branding, media and public relations, marketing, internal and employee communications, promotional materials and events, crisis communications and change management.

Types of Corporate Communications

There are three main types of corporate communication. Management communication involves communications that take place between management and internal and external audiences. Marketing communications include advertising, promotions and sponsorship activities. Organizational communications involves plans and strategies behind the companies' main programs and initiatives. Put together, these three types of corporate communications help organizations develop a coherent approach to allow for their specialists to streamline all communications activities from a central strategic framework.

Tools

Because of the various types of corporate communications, the tools in use vary greatly. They include but are not limited to plans and strategies; press releases; speeches; events and promotions; print, television and online advertising; information products; emails; newsletters; magazines; newspapers articles, and websites.

Benefits

A well-established corporate communications program allows for the development of a coherent corporate identity, a socially responsible corporate philosophy as well as a genuine and transparent corporate responsibility program. It allows for better brand recognition, employee engagement and customer support.

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Fda Training

The FDA trains regulators on food-borne illness and other topics.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration conducts classroom and computer-based training programs on multiple topics related to food and drug safety. It trains its own employees and serves as a leading educator for state, local and international regulatory officials throughout the year.

ORAU

ORAU is the Office of Regulatory Affairs online university. This is the FDA's educational arm. It provides classroom training and web conferences, satellite broadcasts and video conferences. ORA personnel and national and international officials benefit from these courses.

Classroom Training

The FDA conducts courses at locations across the country at no cost. In 2010, for example, the administration offered "Foodborne Illness Investigations" in four locations. Courses carry continuing education credits and can last up to three days. Enrollment is limited.

FDA Employee Training

FDA employees, who have special educational opportunities, access training through the administration's intranet. Employees increase their technological skills through a special project called EduNeering. These courses include segments such as "Principles of Good Documentation" and "Principles of Auditing."

FDA Courses On Loan

Trained state or federal facilitators can borrow courses from the FDA library and present them locally. Facilitators use materials and answer keys then return them after completion. Topics include "The Seafood HACCP Regulatory Training Course" and "The Food Macrobiological Control Course."

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Factors Affecting Marketing In Travel & Tourism

Several factors affect marketing to travelers.

Weather, finances and special events are all things travelers consider when making their travel plans. How you advertise to them is based on several factors that may complicate or complement your marketing strategies. Depending on how these issues affect your destination, you may have to choose whether to take advantage of those factors such as hot sunny days for beach excursions or troubleshoot, such as anticipating hesitant visitors after a hurricane.

Seasonal Changes

Changes in season are common angles to modify your marketing message. The shift from winter to spring brings a different type of audience to certain destinations. Ski-bound travelers looking for snow in the winter should be marketed to cabin leisure and toasty campfires. Alternatively, promote hiking trips and lakeside recreation for spring ad campaigns. School seasons that end before the summer affect how many travelers are in and out of your destination during family travel months. Groups also tend to travel more on holidays, especially three-day vacations to visit family and friends.

Tough Economy

When the population is going through a tough economy, this will affect how far, when and how long travelers will take trips. A Public Opinion Strategies and Momentum Analysis reported in a May 2010 survey on Walmart mom shoppers that 80 percent of them travel less or plan to travel less as a result of a struggling economy. This downturn in spending will affect how you market your destinations based on them being economical, in close driving distance to local residents and value-driven.

Political Aspects

As a result of higher security enforcements, bear in mind travel restrictions or increased sensitivity as directed by political clearance. If there is a threat to your destination, your marketing efforts need to shift to a public awareness campaign asking for support and comforting guests that travel is satisfactory.

Special Events

Popular special events such as sporting events, major concerts or film festivals are reasons travelers visit a destination and often plan an entire trip around the main event. This is an opportune time for you to market months in advance state and region-wide to get a boost in visitors. Even for tourists who are not attending the headlining festivities, supplemental events will attract them to be among the adventures.

Inclement Weather/Natural Disasters

Often last minute or unexpected weather conditions will heavily influence your marketing plans. Hurricane affects may require your marketing strategies to focus on discounts during the season or heavy promotion after the season. Snowbirds will flock down south for the winter and should see advertising inviting them to enjoy fun in the warm sun to avoid winter blizzards.

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South Dakota Tobacco Laws

South Dakota adheres to the federally mandated minimum smoking age of 18.

Tobacco laws in South Dakota are controlled by the state government. By and large, tobacco laws in the state pertain to the manufacture and sale of tobacco products. House Bill 1240, which supports a smoking ban, was created with large support from the American Cancer Society.

House Bill 1240

Enacted by the 84th session of the legislative assembly of South Dakota in 2009, House Bill 1240 prohibits smoking tobacco in any public place or place of employment. The law also prohibits the carrying of lighted tobacco products in like places. Anyone in violation of this law will be charged with a Class 2 misdemeanor. HB1240 stipulates that persons who own, operate, manage, maintain or otherwise control a space falling under the jurisdiction of this law must inform both a person in violation and a law enforcement agent or agency of the violation. The bill faced strong opposition when it was revealed that restaurants, casinos and bars would be included in the "work place" provision of the bill. In November of 2010, residents of South Dakota were expected to vote on the law.

Manufacture, Distribution, and Wholesale Laws

The Special Taxes Division of South Dakota is in charge of controlling the sale, manufacture of tobacco in the state, from retail to wholesale and Internet distributors. All distributors, wholesalers, and manufacturers of tobacco products are required to purchase tax stamp credits from the state government. A tax stamp for tobacco products includes both a standard retail tax as well as a health impact fee for the adverse affects of both first- and secondhand smoke.

Tobacco Laws

Laws governing tobacco retailers in South Dakota are maintained and enforced by the Special Taxes Division. The division keeps a list of all approved tobacco products and brands that may be sold in the state. The sale of any brand or product not on this list is illegal. The list can be found on the division's website. The division enforces tax laws on cigarettes bought from online sources by South Dakota residents and requires that all tobacco retailers in the state be officially registered and licensed.

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Market Diet Products

Nearly two out of three Americans are either overweight or obese. That means that diet products are always popular, and selling them can be a potentially lucrative business venture. To succeed, you'll need a solid marketing plan that will help you reach a target audience made up of interested prospects. Even more importantly, you'll need to establish connections with your prospects and customers so that you can make repeat sales and leverage your marketing investments into a higher return.

A well-rounded marketing plan will have strategies to land new customers and to generate repeat business from existing customers.

Instructions

1. Determine your marketing message. Because diet products are popular, you'll have a lot of competition. Your marketing message needs to be powerful, memorable and honest. Consider the factors that set you apart from other companies offering similar products and emphasize them. Focus on benefits over features in your marketing message. For example, if your product contains green tea, say so, but also say that green tea gives the metabolism a natural boost. Green tea is a feature; an improved metabolism is the benefit of that feature.

2. Launch a website so people can purchase your diet product online. A website should be the lynchpin of your marketing strategy. It provides you with a low-cost way to reach a broad audience. With a website, you don't have to limit your marketing to your region---you can reach people nationwide or even around the world.

3. Launch an e-letter so you can maintain contact with your interested prospects and existing customers. (Make sure you include a subscription field on your website so visitors can sign up for your e-letter.) Send your e-letter out on a regular basis--once or twice a month or once a week. Focus on providing your users with useful, relevant information--you represent a diet product, so keep the content of your e-letter focused on diet, weight loss and fitness topics. You can send promotions to this list, too, but make sure you send more useful information than sales material.

4. Use a variety of strategies to bring traffic to your website. Write articles and press releases that contain keywords you think your audience will use on search engines. Post these on your site. Visit weight loss, natural health, fitness and beauty sites, and comment on forums and blogs---include a link back to your site in your signature or profile. Contribute articles to these sites as well. Consider placing pay-per-click ads on related websites or on search engines. These ads bring traffic to your site, and you pay only for visitors.

5. Familiarize yourself with FCC regulations regarding marketing diet plans and online marketing. The FCC recently updated the regulations for using endorsements and testimonials. It's important to take steps to comply with these regulations; otherwise, you could get hit with hefty fines.

6. Practice good follow-up, and provide your customers with superior service. These two steps help ensure repeat sales, which are key to becoming profitable.

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List Of Different Kinds Of Sales Jobs

Sales jobs are diverse and rewarding.

Sales jobs are diverse and rewarding. They allow individuals to use their excellent communication skills to help people, but are highly competitive with little guarantee of job security. However, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), an individual may work more than 40 hours a week to make sales goals. An individual may work as a sales engineer, advertising sales agent, insurance sales agent or many other kinds of sales jobs.

Sales Engineer

A sales engineer, also called a technical sales support worker, advises customers and decides the designs and modifications of services and products. The sales engineer explains the benefits of technical or scientific products and services to customers by showing how the products work and why they're better than competitors' brands. The engineer persuades customers to buy products, negotiates sell price and accepts payments. Then the sales engineer sets up or modifies products to suit customers' desires. The engineer may work with customers after the sale by fixing any problems with the service or selling additional products to them.

The sales engineer must have detailed knowledge of products' functions and parts. According to the BLS, working in the sales engineering field requires a bachelor's in engineering or previous sales or technical experience or training. In 2008, according to the BLS, the sales engineer made a median income $83,100 a year.

Advertising Sales Agent

An advertising sales agent, also called advertising account executive, acquires new clients, works with existing clients and sells advertising space to clients. Typically, an advertising sales agent contacts potential clients through cold-calling techniques or by calling or going to companies without an appointment. The agent talks to individuals about promoting their businesses in print publications, websites, direct mail or radio advertisements. If the potential client wants to proceed, the advertising sales agent provides a formal proposal that includes details such as cost, sample advertisements, and how long the advertisement will run in the particular media. The agent also works with existing clients to sell more advertising space and answers any questions or concerns.

An individual only needs a bachelor's degree to enter the field, according to Careers State University. In 2008, the median wage for an advertising sales agent, according to the BLS, was $43,480 a year.

Insurance Sales Agent

An insurance sales agent seeks new clients, sells insurance products and offers advice to clients on insurance needs. The sales agent sells different types of policies such as life, disability, health or automobile insurance. Typically, the agent contacts prospective clients--whether individuals or businesses with employees--about their needs. These needs may be protecting employees' health, providing retirement money or covering property loss. The insurance sales agent also writes reports and keeps records about clients and their policies. Employers prefer applicants with a college degree. The agent must be licensed to practice. According to the BLS, in 2008 the median income for an insurance sales agent was $45,430 a year.

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The Importance Of Marketing Training & Development

Companies that commit to comprehensive training are almost always the companies that make it to the top.

Training and development are part of any discipline and marketing is no exception. A strong commitment to leading-edge training often defines success. The best marketing teams are well-versed in the latest research, tactical techniques and return-on-investment measurement strategies.

Definition

Marketing training encompasses multiple areas that might not be obvious. Educating employees about the many areas marketing touches, and that therefore require adequate training, is often the first step. For example, every time an employee interacts with a customer it is a marketing event, commonly called a "touch point." Employee training focused on the marketing aspect of these interactions is helpful in advancing customer satisfaction. Other marketing areas that may benefit from training include advertising, public relations, promotions, and marketing research and analysis.

Customer Service Training

If customer needs are not met, a business is doomed to failure. Customer service training and development takes many forms. From scripting customer-employee interactions to empowering employees to solve customer problems on-the-spot, a customer service program that includes regularly scheduled, marketing-focused training opportunities will enhance a company's sales and reputation.

Tactical Training

Advertising, promotions and public relations all play a significant role in the marketing mix. Each requires a different training approach to maximize impact. Educate employees about current advertising and promotional efforts so they are able to speak with customers intelligently. Public relations, the often overlooked but perhaps highest-impact tool in the marketing arsenal, is everyone's job in many ways. Training employees to present a positive public image throughout their day-to-day interactions -- inside and outside the compan -- improves perception.

Market Research Training

Although technology allows marketing professionals to track and analyze marketing data more deeply, the tools used to do so require training in use them. Learning measure marketing return on investment through directed training programs pays dividends in at least two ways. Accurately tracking marketing initiatives means the data collected is clean and useful. Learning analyze data to make strategic decisions allows a company to extract the most value from dollars spent on marketing.

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Types Of Web Advertising

Businesses and individuals have a number of ways to promote their products and services online through Web advertising. Advertising on the Internet can be more cost-effective than many traditional types of advertising such as TV, newspaper and direct mail.

Significance

The Internet offers a huge potential audience for companies that market online. According to BusinessInsider.com, from 2006 to 2007, online advertising grew from 28 percent from $14 to $18 billion at 17 major media companies, versus only 3 percent for offline advertising.

Types

Cost per click is one form of Web advertising where advertisers pay a certain amount when someone clicks on their website, according to TheIndependentPublisher.com.

Other Types

Some companies use banner advertisements when promoting their products or services. Banner ads are usually run on other websites, or even in articles that are related to their particular type of product.

Features

Some companies use pop-up and pop-under ads that appear as soon as someone visits a website. These ads can be used as a self-promotion on a company's site or as paid advertising on another site. For example, a person searching for an article about dog food may get a pop-up for a special deal by a pet food manufacturer.

Considerations

Instead of using specific advertisements, a company may choose to send emails in bulk to potential consumers or users of their product or service. This list may be an in-house list or one that they purchase through a mailing or email list vendor.

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Staff Development Goals & Objectives

Staff development should be integral, not an add-on.

Arguably, the greatest resource of any organization is its staff. However, staff development can often be sidelined or overlooked altogether as an organization faces challenges that appear more pressing. A rigorous staff development program takes into account the ambitions of personnel, while focusing the organization's methods and practices and looking to the future with a renewed sense of purpose.

Address Staff Aspirations

Good staff development should take account of the aspirations of staff, according to Christine M. Nimmo, senior editor at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Inc. Indeed, these aspirations often help define the starting point of the staff development process. Staff may desire to have more job responsibilities, may seek ways in which their remuneration can be enhanced, or may wish to propose changes to established working practices. A goal of any staff development process should be at least to consider such aspirations.

Formalize Roles

People working together, especially in small, tight knit teams, sometimes experience role slippage or responsibility blurring. This can lead to people not being sure who should be doing what. While there are some advantages to having a modus operandi encompassing a degree of task flexibility amongst colleagues, California State University's Montgomery Van Wart sounds a note of caution. He refers to role theory, which emphasizes the importance of accountability and the consistency of expectations. Staff development processes can have as one of their objectives, the formalizing of roles.

Address Training Needs

Staff development should be ongoing. While there are limitations to what can be achieved within the working day because of time pressures, ideally there will be an ongoing commitment to training. This is especially important where jobs are changing in response to new technology, reformed working practices and global economic shifts. Making training opportunities available for staff should be an objective of staff development. According to American Management Association's John H. McConnell, fulfilling the individual's training needs also hugely benefits the organization, sometimes in ways not predicted.

Identify Management Potential

Organizations need to be led in order to make progress. Staff development processes should aim to identify individuals with leadership skills who have the potential to become managers. In contrast to the way it is often portrayed in television dramas, as ruthless self promotion, in reality leadership is about improving the performance of others, in tandem with improving personal performance. Would-be leaders will already be showing an awareness of the needs of colleagues. Effective staff development processes will harness this raw talent.

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What Are The Dairy Queen Blizzard Choices

Introduced in 1985, Dairy Queen's "Blizzard" has become a mainstay of the restaurant chain's menu. Consisting of a mix of soft-serve ice cream with a combination of candies, chocolates, cookies or fruit, more than 25 varieties of Blizzards appeared on the DQ menu as of June 2011. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Candy Cravers

Candy Cravers are the most popular Blizzards sold at Dairy Queen. Vanilla or chocolate ice cream is combined with candy pieces from Heath bars, M&Ms, Snickers, Butterfingers or Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. A sixth option combines Heath bar pieces with Cappuccino-flavored ice cream.

Chocoholics

The six Blizzard selections composing the Chocoholics category combine soft-serve ice cream with a variety of cocoa-based ingredients. Georgia Mud Fudge mixes vanilla ice cream with baked brownie pieces and pecans, while Midnight Truffle adds in chunks of chocolate truffle. Other flavors offered in this category are Chocolate Xtreme, Mocha Chip, Turtle Pecan Cluster and French Silk Pie, which is the only Chocoholics Blizzard topped with whipped cream.

Cookie Lovers

Of the six selections in the Cookie Lovers category, four are made with a combination of ice cream and Oreo cookie pieces. There's the traditional cookies-and-cream combination with vanilla ice cream, then there are the Mint Oreo, the Oreo CheeseQuake, featuring pieces of cheesecake, and the Oreo Cookie Jar. The remaining Blizzards in this category are Cookie Dough and Double Fudge Cookie Dough.

Fruit Fans

Blizzards within the Fruit Fans group combine fruit and ice cream with a variety of other toppings. Chocolate is combined with fruit in Choco Cherry Love, Chocolate Covered Strawberry and Raspberry Truffle, while cheesecake is used in Strawberry CheeseQuake. Bananas are combined with other ingredients in the Banana Cream Pie and Banana Split Blizzards. The Hawaiian mixes bananas with pineapple chunks and toasted coconut.

Blizzard Cakes

Blizzard Cakes feature layers of soft-serve chocolate and vanilla ice cream topped with a Blizzard-style creation, such as Strawberry CheeseQuake or Chocolate Xtreme. There are also Blizzard Cakes such as Pumpkin Pie or Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookie that do not have a corresponding Blizzard category.

Considerations

Dairy Queen is a national franchise, so selections at Dairy Queens in your area may not feature all Blizzard types. Check your local Dairy Queen menu for more information on Blizzard and Blizzard Cake offerings.

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