Archive for May, 2008
May 27, 2008 at 10:56 pm · Filed under Marketing + Selling
If you have to part with your hard-earned money for some goods or services, who would you rather trust: a novice provider or an expert one?
The answer to that question is what makes branding so much important. Branding is the process, nay, the art, of stamping a seal of professionalism and reliability on products or services that are related to you. It’s the core of every business and the heart of every successful trade.
Donald Trump has made a living out of branding. He has established for himself a reputation for producing quality goods. Since his name has been attached to this perception, he has extended the same to all his products. Today, people choose his offerings because of the Trump name.
The same principle can be applied online. Brand yourself as an expert in a certain field and people would go to you whenever they’ll have needs relevant to your specialization. It’s the best advertisement there is: a public perception of your indubitable expertise.
The Internet has taken this a step further with the formulation of a strategy called viral branding. The trick here is to allow the spread of your expertise is such a way that the number of people who would view you as a bankable provider would grow exponentially. Contrary to popular belief, this is quite easy to pull off.
Here are some ways to brand yourself and allow the word to spread like wildfire. Soon enough, your reputation would be synonymous with excellence.
1. Write about something you know by heart. Words convey your expertise, so you better use this avenue well. Write an e-book, or a special report, or an article even. Make sure it is informative and helpful for anyone who chances upon it.
2. If you don’t have the time to write, hire a ghostwriter. There are a lot of them on the net. Some charge high, while there are those who have reasonable rates. Find someone you could trust, and who would be able to present the topic you have in mind in the most interesting way possible.
3. If you have written, or have caused the writing, of an e-book or a special report, you have to distribute it with enough incentive for the reader to spread it in his network. Usually, a quality work would do the trick. But to be sure, give it away for free, or bundle it with other products. Explicitly state that the reader can give it away to his friends and family members. This would make your work go viral.
4. If you have written, or have caused the writing, of an article, submit it to as many free articles sites on the web, with your name and website prominently displayed in the resource box. Encourage the readers to republish the article for as long as they maintain the resource box.
5. Publish your own eZine. An eZine, or electronic magazine, would be a consistent venue you could use to show your subscribers your reliable business plan. Encourage them to ask questions, and answer these queries in your eZine. One person’s question would then become everyone’s concern, and broadcasting your answer to all of them could only reinforce your good reputation.
6. Provide excellent after purchase service. No matter how good your product is, the buyer won’t remember your name unless you give him something extra. A good post-purchase service, i.e. technical support, eligibility for freebies, etc., would assure you that your clients will remember you instead of merely remembering the product.
7. Establish relationships. Treat people well and chances are they will treat you just as nice. Every online acquaintance is one person more to your network, and that one person has a separate network of hundreds more. Having good relationships with the people you deal with is the best way of getting the word out that your name means good business.
Cedrick Reese is the webmaster of http://www.eclectic-info.com, Start an easy Home-Based Business through Affiliate Marketing and Adsense. Other sites include http://www.Your-RealEstateCourses.com and http://www.PremeirHosting.com
May 27, 2008 at 6:22 pm · Filed under PR
Nick Muskovac, PPSA Palm Harbor, FL wrote very interesting article about Canon`s D60 digital camera. His article is inspired by individual experience and observation.
Author is active user of canon digital cameras. First one he had was Canon D 30. Comparing the canon D30 with D60 Mr. Muskovac finds than, the major difference is that the D60 has much more pixles - 6.3 million pixels which beats the D30 with 3.25 million pixels.
He emphasis that D60 is using the CMOS which draws less power and therefore the camera can shoot more pictures on one battery than most Point-and-Shoot cameras without the loss of image quality.
The major specifications in Mr. Muskovacx` are:
D60 Specifications:
Type: Single Lens Reflex; 36 bit full color; CMOS direct imaging sensor
Compatible lenses: All Canon EF lenses
Lens focal length: 1.6 X indicated lens focal length
Imaging element: High sensitivity high resolution large single plate CMOS sensor
Effective sensor size: 22.7 X 15.1mm
Effective pixels: 6.29 million pixels (3072 X 2048)
Aspect ratio: 3:2
LCD monitor: TFT type color LCD monitor
Picture size: 1.8 inch
Recording method: Media–CF card (type I or II)
Formats: JPEG, RAW
Auto focus type–AF
Focusing points: 3 point (1 + 1)
AF working range: EV0.5 to EV18 (ISO 100)–This is a big improvement over the D30 with a range of EV2 to EV 18.
Focusing modes:
(1) One shot AF: AF locks when focus is achieved
(2) A1 servo AF: Tracks subject movement until the actual start of metering
(3) A1 focus AF: Automatically switches between one-shot AF mode and A1 servo AF.
(4) Manual focus: Manual focusing can be used when focusing mode switch on lens is set to manual focus (M)
Exposure control: 35-zone SPC and TTL open Metering
(1) Evaluative metering
(2) Center partial metering (approx. 9.5% of viewfinder area)
(3) Center weighted average value metering
Exposure modes:
(1) tv (time value) Shutter speed priority
(2) av (aperture value) Aperture-priority
(3) Auto depth of field priority
(4) Full Auto mode
(5) Manual mode
ISO speed range: Equivalent to 100, 200, 400, 800, 1000
Exposure compensation:
(1) AEB +/- 2 stops in 1/2 or 1/3 stop increments.
(2) Manual compensation +/- 2 stops in 1/2 or 1/3 stop increments.
Shutter type: Vertical travel focal plane shutter with all speeds controlled electronically.
Speeds: 1/4000 to 30 seconds. Bulb, and X-sync at 1/200 second.
Self-Timer: Electronically controlled, 10-second delay.
Drive modes:
(1) Single shot
(2) Continuous
(3) Self-timer (10 sec)
Number of continuous images:
Approximately 3 images/second; In One Shot AF mode at 1/250 second or faster, to a maximum of 8 images.
Built-in flash type:
Retractable E-TTL autoflash and auto popup flash.
Guide No. 39 at ISO 100 (ft.)
Recycling time: approximately 3 seconds.
Power Supply: operates from one BP-511 Battery Pack (lithium ion battery)
Number of images that can be taken with a fully charged battery:
540 (50% flash, normal temp.)
Camera Body
Flash contacts:
(1) Accessory shoe: X-sync contacts
(2) Sync terminal (with locking thread) on lower corner of camera body.
External flash system compatibility: Compatible with E-TTL auto sync.
In my opinion, the D60 camera’s most valuable specification and feature is, that it will take all of Canon’s EF (auto focus) lenses.
This was a very important consideration for me since I already own Canon EOS equipment and the following EF lenses:
20mm 2.8 28-135 IS 4.5/5.6
100mm 2.8 macro 75-300 IS 5.6
70-200mm2.8 100-400 IS 5.6 300mm 2.8
Putting the camera in action he took few shots and analyzed the quality of the pictures. He used the Canon 100mm 2.8 macro lens. Then he explains “Its focal length is 160 mm when mounted on the D60, an ideal macro lens. I use a twin macro flash, which I have been using for years with my EOS 1N. I shoot in the manual mode with this flash, using the guide number to gauge the distance. The shutter speed of the camera is set to 1/200 sec. I vary the f-stop depending on the distance of the butterfly from the imaginary film plane. The f-stop is generally varied between f16 and f25. When the distance to the subject exceeds 1 1/2 feet, I change the ISO setting from ISO100 to ISO200 instead of opening up the aperture. In this manner I could still use a small aperture value and maintain a good depth of field. With the D60 and 6.3 million pixels, I was able to make a very good 10 X 15 inch print using the largest jpeg image storage mode. Figure 1 shows a Coolie Butterfly taken at ISO200, 1/200 sec, f22, and a distance of about 2 feet”.
When he used evaluative metering on the snowy egrets against a green background, the egrets were overexposed. Then he concludes that “the same is true to a lesser extent when using Center Partial Metering and Center Weighted Average. To get the proper exposure on the White Egrets, an exposure compensation of -2/3 to -1 stop was used in the evaluative metering mode. I shoot most all my pictures using the evaluative metering mode”.
He pays attention to file numbering systems. We may choose from: (1)Continuous. (2) Auto reset. In the Continuous mode the numbering is continuous between cards. Then he points that Canon software assigns the folder numbers. The image number in each successive folder picks up where the previous folder left off, thereby providing consecutive numbering of images. The time/date is also permanently stored with each image file. Convenient storage functions allows to place Images in folders in groups of 100.
In the Auto reset mode the number resets to 0001 each time you insert a new card.
The D60 image numbering system only goes to 9900. It would have been nice to allow for 100,000 images. Heavy shooters will shoot more than 10,000 images in a year.
Here is an example of how the folder and image numbers work:
Folder Image Range
CANON100 IMG_0001 to IMG_0100
CANON101 IMG_0101 to IMG_0200
CANON102 IMG_0201 to IMG_0300
CANON198 IMG_9801 to IMG_9900
CANON200 IMG_0001 to IMG_0100
CANON201 IMG_0101 to IMG_0200
By keeping images in different folders, duplicate image file names can be identified and then renamed if necessary.
The D60’s has nice 1.8 inch TFT color LCD monitor, It allows us to review your images right away.
Important is his comment about the battery life Usualy with 50% flash use and review mode on, he usually can perform between 350 and 400 images on one fully charged battery. He concludes “Reviewing the images does use a significant amount of battery power”.
According to the author following features of the D60 that I consider important:
1. D60 can use all Canon EF lenses.
2. Changing ISO settings in mid-roll.
3. Review your picture :immediately after making the exposure.
4. Having a built in 1.6 X extender.
5. Shooting 3 images per second and up to eight continuous images.
He gives the D60 a good grade. Most of all he is impressed with the image quality. According to him “the camera has interchangeable Electronic Focus lens capability, and multiplies your long lenses by a factor of 1.6X. Overall it looks that the D60 is a great camera
This article is courtesy of http://www.cannondigitalcamerainfosite.com.
May 27, 2008 at 3:44 pm · Filed under Stuff for Kids
A pregnancy test, as the name implies, is simply a test used to determine whether or not a woman is pregnant. Often used early in the form of a home pregnancy test, this process is helpful in making an early determination. An unborn child will require medical care even before they arrive and an early diagnosis is important so that the mom-to-be can learn the best types of food to consume, begin pregnancy classes and prepare for the family’s new addition.
The most popular type of pregnancy test, which is used for early detection, is a home pregnancy test. These can be found at most major retail and/or drug stores and can provide quick results. Because these are amateur tests, meaning they are not performed by a licensed medical doctor, there is always the possibility of a false reading. If the directions are followed correctly, however, the accuracy rate is quite respectable. Before seeing a doctor, many women want to have an idea as to whether or not they are pregnant, which is why an at home pregnancy test is very popular.
Depending on the results of a home pregnancy test, a woman may still wish to consult a physician to ensure certainty. During the visit, a physician will relay the determination of pregnancy or the absence thereof and, if necessary, will provide additional information for expectant moms.
It can be difficult to realize the symptoms of pregnancy for first-time moms-to-be, which is why it is important to learn about the possible signs of an early pregnancy. Among them, an increased sensitivity to certain foods and/or smells, recurring morning sickness, fatigue, exhaustion and mood swings. It is important to have a pregnancy test following the onset of any or all of these symptoms because a positive result means that a new change in lifestyle may be in order. Pregnant women will likely be instructed to avoid air travel, smoking or being near secondhand smoke and the consumption of alcohol. Any and all of these can be harmful to a child and should therefore be avoided. It is very important that pregnant women speak with their doctor about the best ways to ensure the development of a healthy child.
This article is to be used for informational purposes only. It is not designed to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice and/or recommendations. A woman who believes that she may be pregnant should consult a licensed medical doctor for a pregnancy test and the best method of ensuring the health of her unborn child.
To find out more about pregnancy test, please visit our website at www.best-pregnancy-test-tips.info . It contains tons of free pregnancy test articles, resources and tips.
May 27, 2008 at 1:07 pm · Filed under Partisans
You expected, once the honeymoon was over, to consult your wife on a number of issues but not on this one. After all you’re a teacher Why should she explode when you tell her , on the honeymoon, you’re going to spend the first two years of your life together living and working in Saudi Arabia.
What you should know about a happy marriage is that it’s based on discussing everything with your wife.
In joining with her in marriage you’ve asked here to give up carefree culture of single life for the highly responsible culture of married life where she’s expected to put you first when making any decisions.
Now she has to deal with a whole new kind of culture shock as well. She has to swap the sandy dunes of Newport Beach California for desert dunes. In a land where she doesn’t speak the language she has to find new friends.
And she has the added trauma of facing the birth of her first child in a hospital system she knows nothing about.
Your defense is you “assumed” it would be OK because of all the huge pay increase coming your way.
Marriage Makeover Part 2 calls on you to check all assumptions.
How do you do that?
Simple. Ask your wife if what you’re planning is OK by her.
For now, all you can do is apologize and ask for her forgiveness.
And pray she will.
Copyright 2006 Kenneth Little
Kenneth Little is a writer, teacher, public speaker and the publisher of a re-released classic - in a revealing ebook- that will show you how to get the best of health and wealth out of all your future years. Find more on this at:
http://www.Young-at-Sixty.com
True success will be yours no matter what your age. Amazing “How I Became Young at Sixty” brings renewed strength to your body, hope to your mind and increased prosperity to your lifestyle.
You Can Get your Free ebook “How I Became Young at Sixty” by going to:
http://www.Young-at-Sixty.com/get-your-f-r-e-e-ebook.htm
May 27, 2008 at 12:14 pm · Filed under Medical
I just finished working my quads on a weight machine. My head races and my body hums all in an attempt to lose weight. Only moments ago, my legs worked so hard that they began to fail. They worked so hard that my muscle tissue cried out in pain and began to tear. Now having just finished, my body sweating with the effort, I can rest for a couple of minutes before doing it again.
Each day this week I will have targeted a different group of muscles. Each day I will work them, stretch them, and tear them. Each day, I will work so hard that my heart beats a new rhythm into my metabolism. Each day, my body will set to repair the damage I have done in such manner that it does not happen again. Each day doggedly break my body down and force it to improve itself. This is working out, this is getting fit, this is what it takes.
As I sit and stretch between sets, my quads still reeling, I scan around the gym. I take in those around me. At this hour, there are few people willing to brave the cold mornings to make the run to the gym. There are two people working with some free weights near by. They are within earshot and while I am resting I listen to them complain about, work, relationships, their bosses, clothes, their bodies and their friends. The conversation flows from one topic to the next seamlessly and it is clear by their candor that they know each other well; that they have been friends and work out buddies for a while. What grabs my attention however, is not the meandering topics of their conversation, but the fact that conversation is occurring at all.
I ponder this until I start on my second set. As my second set starts, all I can focus on is exercise; flexing my muscles against the weight. During the relatively short time it takes for me to run through my set and completely exhaust my quads, every action, every breath becomes an exercise in methodical control and economy. Every action I make is geared to the exercise at hand.
When I finish and I reengage with the world, I come back to the two people and their on-going conversation. As they chat, they work through a routine of exercises that look habitual and ritualized. When they work their muscles, they go through the motions; intent more on the conversation and company then their bodies.
There is a point to this. There is a myth, an urban legend if you will, that says going to the gym will make you lose weight. It is a logical extension of the same myth that says I need to go to the gym, I am out of shape. These two ideas have become synonymous with healthy lifestyles and fitness. For the two people I observed, simply being at the gym was enough to assuage their concerns for their physical health. The bottom line is that this is an illusion. To make yourself fit, you need to break your body down and force it to rebuild. The idea being that after the rebuild, you will be stronger and fit. This cannot occur by merely being in a gym, or as in the case with the talking pair, this cannot occur by going through the motions of working out.
Before I get accused of being a fanatical meat head just understand that I carry an extra few pounds around my waist. All I know is that to really make progress, to have physical and visible results, you must have an impact on your body. The kicker is that they almost have it made. These people are at they gym early on a cold morning. They are committed to their weight loss goals. They go through the motions of their exercises like a well rehearsed dance routine. Clearly they want to achieve something with their bodies. If they just focused, and worked their bodies just a little more; enough, say, to deny them the ease of conversation, then the results would be tremendous.
The whole point is that you have to be clear about what it is you want to accomplish. I know with every fiber in my being, that I will burn off the extra weight around my waist and that I will firm up my desk loving muscles. But I won’t do it by talking.
The Icon Diet offers a step by step weight loss program to help people lose weight quickly, naturally and effectively. Visit the site by going to…
http://www.zizzoo.com/guides/loseweight/index.php
May 25, 2008 at 3:59 pm · Filed under Marketing + Selling
The amount of false information available about e-mail marketing
on the net is staggering. If you are advertising your affiliate
program through e-mail campaigns, make sure you know what your
responsibilities are.
The lawless days of spam e-mail are over, at least for U.S.A.
based advertisers. The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 (Controlling the
Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act) sets
forth specific requirements for advertising via e-mail. The law
has been tested numerous times since being passed and fines have
been levied, property seized, people have even been sentenced to
prison.
As an affiliate marketer obviously you don’t want to be on the
wrong side of this law. Luckily, complying with the provisions
in the law is fairly simple. Here is what it requires:
No misleading or fake header information. This includes the
“From:” and “To” fields.
No deceptive subject lines. You want your customer to know what
you’re selling anyway, so this should be no problem.
Messages must be labeled as advertising. Again, the moral is: no
sneaky stuff.
An “internet-based” opt-out method must be provided. You have 10
days to stop e-mailing a person once you have received their
remove request.
Messages must include your business (or home) physical address.
This provides accountability and a way for the customer to
verify that your business is real.
Breaking any of these rules could lead to a fine of up to
$11,000 per violation! Honesty is now truly the best policy. You
may be thinking: if this is such a big deal, why is my inbox
flooded with spam every day?
It’s not a perfect world, and the short answer is that many of
those advertisers are breaking the law. Commonly they are
outside the United States in areas where prosecution may be
unrealistic. You, on the other hand, would probably be quite
easy to catch.
Be sure to read the detailed requirements for yourself. You can
find more information at the Federal Trade Commission’s website,
http://www.ftc.gov/spam
May 24, 2008 at 5:24 am · Filed under Life Of Templates
One of the best ways to make sure that you’re buying the best treadmill for your fitness needs and at the best price possible is through looking at magazine ratings of treadmills. There are a great many different types of treadmills available and it can be very confusing when you are trying to choose the right one to buy. There are numerous levels of specifications and models and without doing some research on the subject, gathering information and expert opinion it can be a bit of a guessing game as to which machine it is appropriate for you to buy.
Magazine ratings of treadmills can be very helpful in helping you to make the right choice for your needs. They provide not only comparisons of different specifications and features, but also price comparisons of the different machines. This can give you a good overall view of what is available in your price range.
Of course magazine ratings of treadmills are not the only way to get information on which are the best indoor running machines to buy. There is plenty of information and reviews available at online sites of all the latest treadmills and exercise equipment. And when you combine this with the magazine reviews you can have a very good comprehensive guide to what is available and what the prices are. This can put you in a much stronger position when making your decision and allow you to make it based on what is really available and what the prices really are, as opposed to what is salesman in the exercise equipment store tells you.
One thing that you should be careful of while you’re looking at magazine ratings of treadmills is that if the magazine carries a lot of advertising for a particular treadmill than they are unlikely to give it a very bad review. That said, most magazines have a very good level of ethics in regard to this and will not tell you that a machine is the best in the class if it is actually not a good buy. Although they may not be as critical as they otherwise might be, it clearly is not in their best interest to promote poor machinery as their reputation is of paramount importance to them when it comes to keeping their readership levels for fitness related products and equipment. When you look at the many magazine ratings of treadmills it is best to try to find more than one set to go by since this will give you a better overall view and allow you to make the best decision possible so the can buy the best treadmill for your fitness needs and goals.
Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Treadmill-Solutions.com He provides more treadmill ratings, recommendations and information on finding the best treadmills to include epic treadmills that you can research in your pajamas on his website.
May 24, 2008 at 3:09 am · Filed under Online Real Estate Resources
Why without asking your boss?
Two reasons, one, he or she will most likely say no; and second,
he or she will probably have you committed for asking.
So what do you do. Give the raise to yourself.
Impossible you say. Chuck and Sue are crazy. Not at all. Here’s
how.
You know we love the Creative Real Estate niche of Lease
Purchasing and you know we believe it to be the perfect
home-based business.
But, did you know you can use these same methods in your spare
time to give yourself that big raise.
Ask yourself, “What would I be willing to do to earn an extra
$20,000 in a year”.
The answer may surprise you. And no, you don’t have to become a
hit man (or woman) to earn this.
You just have to be willing to take a look at Lease Purchasing.
Some background before you think we’ve completely lost it.
For every 100 calls Sue makes on For Sale By Owner property, she
either speaks with or leaves messages for about 60%. That’s
about 60 people she puts the concept of Lease Purchasing in
front of.
Out of that 60, approximately 10 will develop into true
prospects. From these 10, 2 or 3 will develop into property we
are willing to take on. The others may become consultations or
manual sales.
(Please keep in mind, these numbers will vary a bit depending
upon your particular area and current market conditions).
Gee, you say, that sounds like a lot of work. Not really.
Consider making those calls over a 3 month period. That’s the
equivalent of a call per day. Why a 3 month period. Because
you’re only looking to do one deal a quarter.
Next question. How does this translate into a $20,000/yr. raise?
Simple.
On a typical single family house, we look for a $5000 assignment
fee on average. Well, let’s do the math. 4 x $5,000 = $20,000.
Yup, a $20,000 raise on 4 deals per year.
Is this realistic? Absolutely.
In fact, we may be conservative on that raise for you. You may
well decide to do five or six or more deals in a year.
All it takes is knowing how to structure your deals, having the
proper contracts and a willingness to want to give yourself a
raise. You can find all this information at our website at:
www.homebusinesssolutions.com/products
You’re right. Chuck and Sue are crazy. Crazy like a fox.
Copyright 2005, DeFiore Enterprises
May 23, 2008 at 11:10 pm · Filed under Travel Tips
Are you an adventurer and all you can think about is that next
great adventure or perhaps this will be the very first time you
are about to venture out into the big world and leaving the
comfort of your own country for a short while? If so your
expectations are probably huge and all you can think about is
the day of your departure.
In all reality, planning your vacation can in it self be a great
adventure and you don’t really have to leave the country in
order to experience a great time. If you are one who maybe feel
a little nervous about going too far on your first trip why not
do some research on what can be explored where you feel
comfortable. Taking the leap out in the world can be kind of
frightening for many.
Traveling with a friend can be the best experience ever but at
times it can turn out not so positive because your interests may
not be the same. Even though you may agree on where to go, the
things you would want to see and experience when you get there
can be completely different. What might just be a smart thing to
do before you leave is to agree on what you are going to do when
you get there. This way any potential arguments can be avoided.
Most people who have not traveled a lot in their life normally
have a dream of somewhere they want to go and what they want to
experience there. This is normally a place they have read about
or perhaps seen on TV along time ago and is the place they have
dreamt of ever since. A good advice for you before making an
impulsive decision to go there is to do some investigating
because a lot can have changed since you read about it years ago.
Are you one of those who year after year pack up and head for
the same destination, maybe it finally is time to break the
norm. Maybe you should make your next trip a real adventure, one
of a life time. Instead of lying on the beach day after day why
not try something more exhilarating or wild like a safari or
perhaps a trip in the mountains for some rock climbing? These
are only suggestions but wouldn’t it be kind of exiting to break
that old habit for once.
What ever you do, don’t be afraid to take the chance on the
great adventure you have been dreaming of for so long because
when the opportunity has past you by it may never come again and
you will regret it for the rest of your life. There is nothing
like being apart of a great adventure and it is a memory you
will have with you and cherish forever. Not to mention the
friendships and bonds you will develop with other people on your
future adventures.
No matter which direction you decide to go it is bound to be
something you will never forget so when you go make sure to
enjoy it to the fullest and just be sure to have a great time.
May 23, 2008 at 5:21 am · Filed under Marketing + Selling
No matter how high tech the world becomes, there are still many old-fashioned problems regarding communication. With email, you face the same challenge as you do with regular mail — convincing the recipient to open the message (or envelope).
Many email recipients delete messages without ever opening them. How do you avoid ending up in the electronic equivalent of “File Thirteen”? The answer is: by using a good subject line.
A subject line allows the reader to see at a glance what the message is regarding. It serves as gatekeeper, determining whether the message will be opened. Here are three methods for writing an effective subject line.
1. Say Something Useful
Leaving the subject line blank isn’t an option. People don’t open messages when they don’t know what they’re about. For one reason, they don’t have time to be bothered. For another, the threat of email viruses makes people nervous.
Almost as useless as leaving the subject line blank is typing the word “Hi” or “Greetings.” Those are fine for messages to your best friend or mom. But, in the professional world, it tells the recipient absolutely nothing.
2. Be Specific
People receive lots of email. To cut through the clutter and get your message read, be specific about the topic. The more information you provide in the subject line, the better chance you have of getting the person’s attention.
For example, instead of typing “Question,” try, “Question about ABC event.” Instead of typing “Proposal,” try, “Proposal for event on 7/5.”
3. Be Creative
Using a specific subject line is most appropriate when corresponding with people you know or who are expecting your message. How do you get the attention of someone who does not know you? Be creative.
In this instance, the subject line isn’t used to describe the contents of the message. Instead, it conveys some other type of information. The exact content will vary, based on the message and recipient. The key question is - what can you tell the recipient that will convince him/her to open the message and read it?
Here are a few examples that demonstrate various goals.
• To identify yourself, try “Local Meeting Planner.”
• To tell how you met the person, try “Chamber Networking B’fast.”
• To explain why you’re contacting him/her, try “MPI Fundraiser.”
• To exploit a common bond with recipient, try “Fellow IU grad.”
• To distinguish yourself from others, try “Spanish Speaking Realtor.”
There is one more challenge to overcome when crafting an effective subject line - length. Although your screen will allow you to type as many words as you want, most recipients can only view 25-35 characters of a subject line. A “character” is defined as a letter, space, or punctuation. Whenever your cursor moves a space, that is considered a character.
Since space is limited, don’t type a complete sentence. Use a phrase or series of words. Even abbreviations are acceptable, if you are certain the recipient will understand them.
Don’t leave your email messages naked. Use an effective subject line.
By Kelly J. Watkins, MBA, Louisville, KY. Visit: http://www.keepcustomers.com to order, “Email Etiquette Made Easy” (a comprehensive guide filled with exercises and examples) or for tips on communication & customer service! (812) 246-2424 or kelly@keepcustomers.com.
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