Learning from the best good advice for your e-biz

More and more people are realizing the potential that having an online business gives them to increase their income or free them from their nine-to-five jobs. But the unfortunate truth is that most new e-businesses fail. One of the biggest reasons is that, all too often, eCommerce newcomers dive right in, without first learning how to start and run a business right. Many Baby Boomers have lost their life savings because they didn’t invest the time and effort into studying the ropes of selling online.

Get Guidance Before You Begin

If you’re an aspiring Internet entrepreneur, you need to seek out the advice of those who have already succeeded in E-Biz. Experience may be the best teacher, but learning from other people’s experience can spare you a lot of problems.

You may not know any wildly successful ‘Netrepreneurs well enough to ask them to mentor you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get their guidance. Many experienced entrepreneurs have put out training resources that share the knowledge they’ve gained and the sound practices they’ve developed through trial-and-error. Explains education specialist Les Cowie, of VisualLearningSystems. com, “It’s so important to take the time to understand what you need to do before you do it. There’s a lot of educational material out there that people don’t take advantage of.”

Don’t wait until you make a mistake or run into trouble to educate yourself. Whether it’s getting licensed, legally structuring your business, or choosing a search-engine friendly URL, doing things right the first time can save you time and money, and even keep you out of legal hot water. You can give your business a solid foundation by investing in training classes (such as eBay University e-courses or Visual Learning Systems’ interactive, internet-based classes), CDs, books, videos, or seminars.

Know Your Sources

Unfortunately, you may not know where to go to find the advice you seek—the search engines are full of self-proclaimed "E-Biz experts." Before you simply hand over your money and take their advice, make sure they are reputable:

•Listen to what they’re telling you: If someone tells you their system can make you rich overnight, or with little to no work on your part, run—far and fast! Starting an E-Biz is not simple or easy—it takes time and a dedicated effort on your part. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling you a dream they can’t deliver.

•Look at the results: What kind of success have they achieved with their own advice? You want to listen to people who are already accomplished in the areas they’re advising you about.

•Listen to what others are telling you: Check with the Better Business Bureau for a complaint history (BBB. org), and search the Internet to find what other people are saying about them. If the majority of their customers have had positive experiences with them, you’ll feel comfortable knowing they’re legitimate. If not, you won't waste your resources.

While there are no Absolute Guarantees that your e-business will be a profitable venture, you can set yourself up to achieve your goals by knowing what you’re getting into. The more familiar you are with how E-Biz actually works, the better prepared you’ll be to deal with the issues that arise. Says Cowie, “It’s entirely possible for anyone to start an online business and do very well – it’s just a matter of equipping yourself to succeed.”

Tips on choosing a pediatrician for your child

Finding the right pediatrician is not always an easy task.

Many managed-care plans limit your choices. Furthermore, many families will live in several different towns before their children are grown up, making it necessary to choose a new pediatrician more than once.

But once you locate a pediatrician that makes both you and your children feel at ease, you'll know the effort was worth it.

Start by asking friends for names, checking with local hospitals or going to the American Academy of Pediatrics Web site, aap. org. If you are moving, ask your current pediatrician for a referral. Look for the letters "FAAP" after the pediatrician's name. This indicates that the pediatrician has passed the American Board of Pediatrics Exam and is now a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The next step is to conduct interviews with several pediatricians. Most pediatricians do not consider it an imposition on their time and do not charge for the visit.

"Interviewing potential pediatricians is absolutely essential to making sure you choose the right one for you and your children," says Dr. Carol Berkowitz, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. "Interviewing allows parents to get a sense of a pediatrician's accessibility, personality and philosophy of practice."

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents ask the following questions.

* Is the pediatrician accepting new patients? Is he or she covered by your insurance or managed-care plan?

* What are the office hours?

* Is emergency coverage available 24 hours a day, seven days a week?

* Is the pediatrician available by phone or e-mail? If so, when?

* Does the practice have an after-hours answering service? Is that service linked to a university or children's hospital?

* Where are patients referred after hours?

* Is there access to pediatric specialists, if needed?

* What hospital does the pediatrician prefer to use?

* How does the office handle billing and insurance claims? Is payment due at the time of the visit?

* If your child has special medical needs, ask about the practice's overall orientation and philosophy about caring for special-needs children. Can it provide the support you need to coordinate medical care for your child?

A family's relationship with its pediatrician can be a lasting and rewarding one. That's why it's worth taking the extra time to find a pediatrician that is a good fit for you and your children. - NU

Drive smoothly into summer

With summer rapidly approaching, it's time to get your vehicle in shape for hot weather travel. Take a moment to perform a few quick maintenance activities that will have you cruising the streets all summer long.

"Summer's hot temperatures combined with low antifreeze/ coolant concentration levels in your vehicle may lead to an aggravating episode of engine failure. To prevent this, perform a cooling system inspection and, if necessary, a flush and fill," advises Richard Courtney, director of Prestone Products Research & Development and Technical Services.

To perform a flush and fill, simply wait until the engine is cool, drain out old antifreeze/ coolant fluid and dispose of it properly. Flush out the system with water and fill with a fresh supply of antifreeze/coolant. Try Prestone® Extended Life Antifreeze/Coolant-this formula may be added to any make or model automobile or light-duty truck, foreign or domestic.

If you have recently performed a flush and fill, a top-off may be the only maintenance necessary for your cooling system. Top off with a pre-diluted formula that has the correct mix of antifreeze/coolant concentrate and water. Prestone® 50/50 Ready-to-Use Extended Life Antifreeze/ Coolant may be poured directly into the cooling system for premium quality protection.

Once your cooling system is protected, you'll be on the road in no time. But don't forget to keep your windshield clear with a summer-specific windshield washer fluid designed to combat seasonal grime. Help prevent bug buildup and other pesky road debris from collecting with Prestone® Bug Wash® Windshield Washer Fluid. The citrus-fresh formula removes bug residue, road grime, bird droppings and tree sap from windshields and leaves behind a streak-free shine for optimal visibility.

Cleaning trends and tips from the pros

According to a recent survey, spring-cleaning is not just done during March or April.

More than 50 percent of those who responded to a recent cleaning trends survey conducted by Levolor Window Fashions said spring-cleaning can be-and is-done all year long.

The survey also discovered that quite a few people will happily pay someone else to spring-clean their homes.

The job is so resented that 33 percent of respondents say they are willing to pay someone else $50 to $100 to do it for them.

Cleaning window treatments is a very unpopular part of the job. More than 30 percent said this is their least favorite cleaning job.

If you are among the 30 percent of people who don't like cleaning their window treatments, here are some tips to help make the job easier:

• If you don't have a brush attachment to clean blinds, try wearing a pair of cotton mittens or socks and running them over your blinds.

• By tilting slats down on window blinds, but not closing, you'll be able to clean most of the top surface of each slat.

• Cellular shades can be cleaned with a feather duster.

• Faux wood blinds can be cleaned with a slightly damp cloth.

• Make sure to test a small area when using water and detergent to clean fabric shades. Choose a spot that is not in main view.

• Wipe your blinds with a sheet of fabric softener after you've cleaned them. This will help prevent dust buildup for the next cleaning.

Your hard work will pay off when your blinds are dust-free and allergen-free and refreshed for another year.

Affordable search engine optimization within reach

A few years back businesses were throwing 20-30k a month on search engine optimization; at least the bigger businesses were. The small business was hard pressed to find search engine optimization for much less that actually worked.

As of today the landscape of search engine optimization has changed. Many of the once coveted secrets of seo are now common knowledge. More and more people know how to do search engine optimization and since supply increased the prices have dropped.

Another factor is that alot of the grunt work of seo that would have increased costs has been diminished via outsourcing to India and other countries who can now do this mind numbing work for much less thereby allowing seo firms to lower their costs even more.

As an seo with around 7 years of experience I find that most of my time these days is spent in research. Google is pretty good at keeping us all on our toes with each update they make to their search engine algorithm. Scouring forums, chatting with colleagues and investing time in experimentation seems to fill many of my days lately.

Having relegated much of my own firm’s grunt work to freelancers I am able to provide more and more value to my own clients for less dollars. In fact I find that my clients keep getting smarter and smarter and more confident about doing their own seo that I many times simply play the role of a consultant or seo coach.

As a consumer though I advise that people still be very careful about what they purchase even if it is cheap. Money is money and after all you still want results. The old rules apply here when searching for affordable search engine optimization and are as follows…

Get case studies from any prospective seo you might hire

Get testimonials

Check references

Look for a proven track record and at least 3 years of online history in the industry

Always make sure they have a money back guarantee

Try dealing with a local firm based in the U. S. whether or not they use outsourcing is no matter as long as the actual company itself has a U. S. base. The reason being is that if something goes wrong it’s very difficult legally if you were dealing with a company based somewhere like Bulgaria.

Honestly a lot of seo really isn’t that hard but it does require an attentive eye and a lot of patience. There are tried and true strategies to achieve top rankings but they don’t happen over night.

We actually just created a mentoring package for folks who just want to do it themselves and save money and do it the right way. It seems to be working well and I encourage those who are not happy with their current website traffic or search engine rankings to consider such a program as a viable alternative.

Pick me up

Chevrolet Silverado from Chevrolet is the last and latest findings of full-size pickup trucks launched from General Motors. General Motors introduced its first pick up truck in 1930. The term ‘Silverado’ is a designation used only to feature the highest level trim for Chevrolet pick up trucks from 1975 and 1999.

This is a creased sheet metal that gives the truck a controlled robustness. It hearkens back to the earlier Bowtie classics. The Chevrolet Silverado is the first and foremost car-like pickup truck ever made. This pickup truck has been the main stay of American byways and highways. It was originally used and respected by farmers, construction owners and some business owners. As you can see, this is a wide variety of user base. It is known for its reliability and longevity. However, the Chevrolet Silverado key chains can be used by anyone and not limited to the above-mentioned section of people.

Chevrolet Silverado is known for its strong performance, sophistication and quiet ride. So are the key chains with this name. The vehicle’s robust and well finished cabins remain a solid pick of the day, no matter what the purpose of use is. Customers are more interested in the function and performance than in flash of the vehicle. However, it is the other way round when it is about choosing a key chain. Each year, the car company strives to bring in new designs and models, which keep this brand in the vanguard of the automotive industries. Similarly, Chevrolet Silverado key chains are known for their sophistication and uniqueness.

Furthermore, it is world class in manufacturing its own accessories. The key chain is one such accessory that is made of improved quality. Chevrolet Silverado key chains have a striking appearance and are crafted from superior materials. They are unique and durable, and are backed by the manufacturer’s lifetime warranty against any defect in the material or workmanship.

Chevrolet Silverado has many years of experience in the design and manufacture of automotive goods especially key chains. These key chains are made from extreme engineering, research, professional graphic design and cutting edge manufacturing techniques. This brand’s key chains are designed with quality and excellence in mind. It helps keep the keys secure and safe.

You can get them in a variety of models depending on their varied tastes and likes. It comes in light weighted, colored, plastic, engraved and molded key chains.

Plasticolor key chains are the highest quality molded ones available today. Its attention to color and the world class logo are some of the features and characteristics of this very likeable piece of metal. It is made of pliable rubberized vinyl. All these key chains come with a standard key ring with a zipper hook, which allows it to become a zipper pull on a back pack, brief case or a jacket. Very versatile!

Chevrolet Silverado key chains are durable and attractive and it outlasts even your keys. This elegant keychain would make a great addition to any set of keys.

Last will and testament considerations

Interest in a Last Will and Testament and other end of life planning documents skyrocketed during the coverage of Terri Schiavo's case, but interest didn't always lead to action. It isn't that people laugh at the importance of preparing for the unexpected; they blame procrastination and laziness.

DO YOU HAVE A LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT?

Out of half a dozen randomly selected people interviewed, none had a Living Will, and only one had a Last Will and Testament, though every person said they believed the documents are essential. All said they believed that proper tax planning in Wills can save one's heirs certain estate taxes.

ESTATE PLANNING STARTS WITH A LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT

People believe in the importance of estate planning because of dependents and not wanting to be hooked up on a machine at the end of life. However while some call lawyers or buy a Last Will and Testament kit, not all people get around to signing them.

Only one person interviewed had completed estate planning documents. With a power of attorney, which names a friend or relative to manage your finances if you become incompetent, you may also have a health care proxy. A health care proxy is the same thing as a power of attorney, except it applies to medical conditions instead of financial ones.

People trying to figure out what you would want can lead to some big arguments and family quarrels. There should be no questions about what you wanted.