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Weve already stated our belief that that 2007 will see Americans buying several hundred thousand less cars than they will purchase in 2006. We are looking for 16.8 million vehicle sales this year. Lets get into the numbers, and see what the implications are. When you, or I buy a car for our personal use, we pay on average about $25,000 per car. The car rental companies in the United States purchase more cars than any other group. They buy American cars, and pay an average of $15,000 per car. We dont see any big profits from this market segment.

Lets look at the dealerships, and sort out how the Japanese do against the Americans. A Chrysler dealer last year on average sold about 225 cars. If you were a Ford dealer, you averaged almost 700 cars per dealer. GMs Chevrolet dealerships came in under 650 cars per dealer. Would you be surprised to learn that Toyota sold more than 1600 cars per dealership last year?

Now you know why American car dealers are complaining and going out of business. In the last year GM lost 200 plus dealers while Ford lost 40, and Chrysler lost more than 110. This is happening on our home turf, folks. This is not the Japanese and the Americans slugging it out on European soil for control of European markets. This is the American consumer choosing to buy Japanese over American made products on American soil. People are voting with their feet.

Heres the next big question. If American car dealers are closing their doors at this rate, what kind of shape can the rest of them be in? Can the owners be putting big bucks into their dealerships while their friends dealerships are folding up? We think not. Will the friendly banker be willing to finance their car inventories when the bank sees other domestic dealers closing their doors? We dont see it. This means that American car dealers can only finance through the car manufacturers financing arm, and thats not good when the dealer has only one choice. We estimate that half of Fords dealers are not making a penny. We think for General Motors, it could be as high as 25% are unprofitable. Whats the customer experience going to be like in a dealer thats losing money on every car he sells? Is anybody listening in Detroit?

Every time GM loses a point of market share, they have to implement plans to dismiss 20,000 people from their jobs. We see the necessity for GM to cut another 60,000 jobs that they havent announced to establish break-even 12 to 18 months from today. With all the talk about GM in the news in the last 60 days, has anybody at GM or Ford uttered a word about their real problem, QUALITY? The American consumer does not want to buy American made cars in any quantity that would allow Detroit to make money.

We believe that GM will be unprofitable until 2008 at a minimum, and 08 can only be profitable if they maintain market share, and we see continued declining market share. The Chairman has verbalized nothing that deals with the issue of quality, and upgrading the consumers consciousness to consider GM cars when it comes to quality. Even Mercedes marvels at Japans ability to produce the quality they do for the dollar it costs. Mercedes doesnt understand how Japan does it at their price points.

We took a close look at Ford (where Quality is number 1, and Ford has a better idea), and found their restructuring plan isnt substantial enough to get the job done. They call it the Way Forward Plan. We call it the Lost in the Wind plan. They are taking total charges of $3.4 billion in 06. They expect to be profitable in 08, why, we ask? Whats going to change between now and 08? They believe they can save almost $6 billion in costs. We dont see it, and if they were able to do it, dont you think Japan would jump on the bandwagon and do whatever they have to do to drag their already low costs lower.

Did you know that when GM, or Ford produce an interesting car, Japan buys the car immediately, rips it apart, part by part in Japan, and than takes any interesting technology and applies it to their cars almost immediately. Japan can put out a car in one-third the time it takes GM, or Ford to design a car by committee. South Korea can go from design to showroom in even a shorter time span.

Fords restructuring efforts in our opinion are clearly overstating the bottom-line results. We see a headwind coming, where Ford thinks its got a tailwind at its back. Its going to get tougher for Ford, and this is being overlooked because GM and its troubles are getting the headlines. With the employees departing from both companies how do you think the guy down on the assembly line is feeling? Do you think hes a loyal, lets get it done type of individual? Do you think hes wondering if hes going to be there 2 or 3 years down the road? Will his pension benefits be safe? Will he ever get a pension? Will he even have a future at either of these two companies that were once the unquestioned leaders of American managerial know how?

Henry Ford wrote the book on manufacturing, and GMs Alfred P. Sloan wrote the book on building a company that is still studied at Harvard Business School, and MIT today. Somehow in the last 3 decades, the bean counters in Detroit forgot how to make cars. They literally forgot what business they were in. They instead thought only about the money. Labor became a cog in the wheel, not an integral meaningful partner in the process. To turn this American industry around will involve a different level of intelligence than the intelligence (used advisedly) that got them into trouble in the first place. Einstein was right.

Goodbye and good luck

Richard C. Stoyeck
http://www.stocksatbottom.com

Richard Stoyecks background includes being a limited partner at Bear Stearns, Senior VP at Lehman Brothers, Kuhn Loeb, Arthur Andersen, and KPMG. Educated at Pace University, NYU, and Harvard University, today he runs Rockefeller Capital Partners and StocksAtBottom.comLive Mortgage Leads
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You've probably heard the saying that good things don't always come to you the way you expect them to. That's why it's best not to get too focused on "how" something is going to come about, but more on what it is you want to create or achieve.

My goal, like yours, is to grow my business, so I constantly explore avenues and possibilities for expansion.

Sometimes acting on certain opportunities have brought me to dead ends.

And sometimes they've taken me miles away from where I thought I'd end up, but surprisingly, to a much better place than I ever imagined.

Here's one such example...

Because I conduct my business primarily over the telephone and Internet, I never made an effort to integrate into my own community. Coaching was, and still is, virtually unknown in these parts.

A year ago, I decided to open a chapter of a national women's business group in my city. The organization has a solid platform and is rapidly expanding across Canada and the U.S. It provides national exposure, training, networking opportunities, and support and resources for entrepreneurs and executives.

Through this alliance, I saw the potential to integrate myself into my local business community while providing my fellow business owners with the venue to learn, connect and grow their businesses on a much larger scale.

I envisioned a large gathering of passionate business owners who would embrace the concept and opportunity as heartily as I had.

Unfortunately, only a select few were able to think bigger and bolder than the masses. The majority of business owners were satisfied with their businesses remaining "as is". They were comfortable with where they were.

After almost a year of attempts to build the group from the small number I had enlisted, I decided to let it fold. The efforts were taking me away from focusing on my own business and the dismal results gave me the answers I needed.

This was something my city was not ready for. At least, not just yet.

When I first envisioned the dream of one hundred or more local business women embracing the concept and helping each other grow their businesses, I was excited and couldn't see how anyone wouldn't want to be a part of it.

And, based on the failure of this attempt, I could be frustrated and remorseful for taking the chance, but the experience brought me far more than I expected or hoped for.

Because I took a chance, I put myself in front of many highly respected and successful business women I may never have met. I've since formed business relationships with several of them that will bring me several thousand dollars in added revenue this year.

I was invited to join a local mastermind group made up of some of the brightest business minds I know with wide circles of influence.

I was invited into a "by invitation only" group of business owners who share leads and resources with each other. At the last meeting I received over 34 leads from just one person alone!

I receive regular phone calls from local business owners inviting me to lunch, to learn more about what I do, looking for help in expanding their thinking and businesses.

All because I took a chance and put myself in front of others.

I didn't fail. I just created an entirely different result than originally planned.

And I honestly have to say, I'm loving how everything has unfolded.

I'm sharing this because I want you to embrace the possibilities.

As you build your business and explore opportunities, by all means, do your due diligence to ensure you take responsible risks.

You may land on your butt from time to time, but that comes with the territory.

The important thing is - when you come across something that you think might have teeth, take action. Sometimes you will create the results you were hoping for and that's great, but don't let a detour break you.

Sometimes those detours will take you down a path that you never knew existed, one that is far better than you could have envisioned on your own.

Keep your eye on your vision, but always leave that back door open because oftentimes your greatest opportunity will slip through, waiting for you to turn around and notice it.

2007 © Laurie Hayes - The HBB Source

Laurie Hayes, founder and Director of The HBB Source, helps freedom seekers cross the bridge from employee to home-based entrepreneur. Subscribe to her FREE e-zine for valuable tips and resources designed to create business success, at http://www.thehbbsource.comLive Mortgage Leads
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The best practices for a manager towards success...

Is it time to go franchise?

Is the time ripe for you to join a franchise? The answer depends on your needs and predilection. But whats certain is that youve never had more franchisors vying for your attention.

There are more than 20 regional and national franchises jockeying to offer the right mix of brand identity, broker services, and cost options to the small and midsize independent brokers who represent the bulk of real estate companies today.

Take Rich Motts, broker-owner of Motts, REALTORS. A few times a year the third-generation Ohio broker gets a visit from a franchise representative. So far, Motts hasnt bitten at affiliation, but hes considering it.

Although his company has name recognition and market shareits roots go back almost 55 years in Canton, Ohio, and the company consistently commands between 5 percent and 10 percent of local sales annuallyMotts is feeling the squeeze.

Like other small and midsized independent brokers, Motts bottom-line costs are going up while commission rates are shrinking. In the last couple of years, the company dollar has gotten smaller, he says.

Something for everyone?

To hear the franchises tell it, they have just what the Richard Mottses of the world need. (See page FM2 for information on services and costs of 21 of the countrys real estate franchises.)

We want to offer brokers something that makes sense no matter how they operate, says John Bearden, president and CEO of GMAC Home Services in Oak Brook, Ill.

Whats more, consumers, looking for ease and consistency in the services they consume, are driving a trend toward franchising, say franchising representatives, not just in real estate but in all industries.

Consumers are looking for a recognized level of quality and consistent experience, and thats hard for solo entrepreneurs to deliver, says Richard LaRue, director of franchise relations for Realty Executives in Phoenix.

Views are mixed on whether residential real estate is in fact trending toward franchised companies, but one thing is clear. The industry today remains primarily a business of small local companies. As of 2001, the last year national statistics were compiled, roughly two-thirds of brokers and 60 percent of sales associates were affiliated with an independent, non-franchised company, according to NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS data.

Those figures are up from 1996, when 63 percent of brokers and 57 percent of sales associates were affiliated with an independent company.

To be sure, therell always be brokerages for which affiliating with a franchise doesnt make sensein some cases, its simply because the owners resist any encroachment on their independence.

But, if youre open to the idea, how do you decide which franchise to affiliate with? Franchise executives say its key to know what part of your operationmarketing, technology, administrationneeds beefing up, how much you can afford, and whether the culture of the franchise makes a good match for you. That last point is something the franchise companies take seriously.

We make sure the brokers who franchise with us have the same desire for quality services and customer relations and know how to run their businesses in the same manner as the other 1,600 offices in our network, says Earl Lee, president of Prudential Real Estate Services in Irvine, Calif.

Coming in with money is essential, too, because affiliating with a franchise isnt cheap.

For me, the cost of becoming an affiliate is a major hurdle, says Mike Teer, CRS, broker-owner of Teer One Properties, a five-person brokerage in Riverside, Calif.

That cost entails more than just putting up the initial franchise fee, which can be as low as $4,500, or the ongoing royalty or per-transaction fee, which can total thousands of dollars a year. Many franchisors also require small brokers to show capital and liquidity strength to ensure that they have the wherewithal to survive in lean times.

For one company, I needed to show $100,000 in actual assets and up to $50,000 in cash, on top of the $15,000 to $20,000 in franchise costs, says Teer.

To help ease the cost constraint, many of the franchise companies offer financing arrangements to new affiliates. Details differ, but for many franchises, the assistance is limited to financing the initial franchise fee. Companies must still come to the table in a healthy capital position.

Show us the money

Given the amount of money thats needed, its crucial that franchises offer tangible benefits in return. And for independents with deep roots in a community, benefits have to mean more than just the ability to hitch their name to a nationally known company.

For Motts, it means the chance to earn ancillary, or noncommission, income. Franchises have to make a really clear case that the noncommission dollars I could get from ancillary serviceswhich is something my company hasnt focused onare worth what they would be taking from my gross commission income, he says.

For other independent brokers, the payoff theyre seeking from franchises could be entirely differenttechnology, training, a marketing planbut a payoff there must be.

RealtorMag Online

For a look at the benefits of franchises and independents, click here.

Compare residential real estate franchises

Thinking of joining a franchise? Use this chart to help you evaluate 21 of the countrys options.

Andrew Adams writes for http://www.magfranchise.org where you can find out more about franchising and other topics.Mortgage Lead Transfers
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Everyone sells for a living. Whether youre a sales rep, a parent, a leader, a manager or a coach, on a daily basis we all find ourselves in situations where we must sell others on our way of thinking. The more closing skills you have under your belt, the better equipped you will be to land a sale.

In sales, this process is referred to as closing. Since closing skills derive themselves directly from the sales industry, Im going to discuss them within a sales context, but bear in mind that these skills are universal in their application and value.

It is typical for a novice persuader to encounter resistance. There are as many different reasons for resistance as there are personalities, so the trick lies in knowing which closing skill to use for which person. A crucial closing concept to learn as soon as possible is that you should actually employ closing strategies throughout your entire presentation. Most people think of the close as the final wrap-up. While this is the sales point where the deal is formally and openly acknowledged as lets do it or thanks, but no thanks, the masterful persuader builds the close in stages throughout the entire sales process.

The last phase of the selling exchange is only the culminating step of several deliberate but less evident steps that have taken place beforehand. It is crucial, not only for your own good but also for your prospects good, to help them through this process. Incrementally moving them closer and closer to agreement is much more effective than springing it on them at the end. There is nothing worse than seeing a shocked prospect with her/his mouth wide open following the close. Waiting to lunge with your close until the very end of your sales presentation could be compared to plunging unprepared into the deep end of the pool versus wading comfortably from the shallow end to the deep end only as you feel well prepared, well informed and well instructed to do so.

The incremental close helps avoid the old hard-close approach of the past. Remember the hard close? Old tactics used such strategies as bullying, pressuring or forcing your prospect into a decision. Weve all experienced the hard close at one time or another. Unfortunately, some persuaders still employ the hard-close strategy, but when they do, theyre really not persuading at all. Even if a prospect succumbs to one of these sales tactics, it is likely with resentment, buyers remorse and discontinued business in the future. Whats more, you can rest assured that unbeknownst to the offending salesperson, a prospect who is bullied into a sale will deter all her/his friends and family from patronizing the business where s/he endured such treatment.

Since studies show that how you open a sale is more important than how you close it, think of starting your close earlier on in the persuasive process. Lets call this collecting yeses. Well discuss this concept more in-depth later on, but for the time being, what it basically means is that you concern yourself with drawing in your prospects early on. That is, you warm them up in stages until the ultimate conclusion is obvious to them and they decide for themselves exactly what you were hoping theyd decide in the first place.

Because youre going to focus on closing as a process that begins early on in your presentation, it is important to consider the messages you are broadcasting right from the beginning. Superficial or not, people are going to draw conclusions from their earliest interactions with you, and those first impressions tend to be the longest lasting, too. It is said that the first and most lasting impression is made in about the first four minutes of a first encounter. Hence, be sure those first four minutes are positive ones because the cement dries fast! It is extremely difficult to overcome a bad first impression.

Even if you try to make up for it later on, that first impression will linger. The most obvious advice is to be sure you look professional and well groomed in any persuasive situation. In other words, dress appropriately for the setting. Next, exude confidence that is not arrogant but rather is upbeat, positive and encouraging. This positivity in your demeanor will allow your prospects, who hardly know you, to take comfort in your ability to educate them about the product or service they are investigating. Direct eye contact and a sincere smile accompanied by a firm handshake and addressing your prospects by name always help.

I have identified what I call the Three Rs for solid closing. After the first impression, your next focus is to effectively weave your close throughout the entire presentation. That is, the three Rs are at work throughout your presentation, aiding your prospect in becoming more and more inclined to buy. These three Rs are reason, resources and representative.

Lets look at the first R. Reason must be viewed from two different anglesfirst, from your prospects and then from your own. Early on in the persuasive setting, seek to understand exactly what your prospects needs are. That is, determine what their reason is for coming to you or listening to you in the first place. Then, you have to give them the reason to buy. Essentially, their problem and your solution match. Do not fall into the trap that many rookie salesmen do of spouting off a laundry list of features, benefits or all the reasons why you think they should buy. This sales strategy is useless because your prospects have come to you with their own reasons for buying already in mind. If you talk too much about what you think the reasons are to buy, youre going to talk your bewildered prospects right out of the sale. When the sales representative talks too much, s/he sucks the emotion right out of the sale. It is draining and frustrating for prospects to hear a salespersons incessant babble about all of a products bells and whistles when they just want their own key questions answered.

There is a great story that illustrates the importance of your reason to buy ringing true with your prospects reasons to buy. A gentleman by the name of Airman Jones was assigned to the induction center, where he advised new recruits about their governmental benefits, especially their GI insurance. It wasnt long before Captain Smith noticed that Airman Jones had an extremely high success rate, selling insurance to nearly 100 percent of the recruits he advised. Rather than asking him about his successful track record, the Captain stood at the back of the room during one of Joness presentations and listened to Joness sales pitch. As he presented, Jones explained the basics of GI insurance to the new recruits and then said, If you are killed in a battle and have GI insurance, the government has to pay $200,000 to your beneficiaries. But if you dont have GI insurance and get killed on the battlefield, the government only has to pay a maximum of $6,000. Now, he concluded, which group do you think they are going to send into battle first? The resounding secret to his sales success was that Airman Jones gave the new recruits a compelling reason to buy.

The second R of solid closing is resources. Resources cover all those things that factor in to whether or not your product is appropriate for your prospect. Resources would include time availability, financial backing, support from family, physical ability, etc. For example, investing vast amounts of time and energy into selling annual ski passes to nursing home residents would not really be giving wise consideration to such prospects resources.

The third R of solid closing is the representative. This is where you, as a person, factor into the selling equation. How readily can your prospect feel a strong rapport with you? Is there an instinctive sense of trust? Does your style rub this person the wrong way? Whether you realize it or not, you are a part of the selling package. There have been many times when a prospect walked away from a sale, not because of the productin fact, the product might have been just what s/he was looking forbut because of the rep s/he had to deal with. People buy from people they like. They dont buy from people they dont like. Its that simple. Be sure you conduct yourself in such a way that your prospect can like you.

Kurt Mortensens trademark is Magnetic Persuasion; you should attract customers, just like a magnet attracts metal filings. Claim your success and learn what only the ultra-prosperous know by going to http://prewealth.com/mistakestoavoid and get my free report "10 Mistakes that Cost You Thousands."Live Mortgage Leads
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Have you heard of the DVD called "the Secret"? Well it isn't such a secret anymore. The DVD was released in March 2006 and according to Time Magazine, the DVD has sold 500,000 units within the first 6 months. Today it sells well over 5,000 copies a day! It ranked in Amazon's Top-5 sellers during Christmas week; and a tie-in hardcover book just entered the Top 10 on the New York Times bestseller list.

The amazing thing about "the Secret" is that you won't find it in your local Blockbuster or Barnes and Noble, it is selling briskly through new-age bookstores, New Thought churches like Unity and AGape and the official website at www.thesecret.tv. "It's become the biggest selling item in the 30-year history of our store," says Harmony Rose Allor, a buyer at West Hollywood's popular metaphysical bookshop, The Bodhi Tree. It is "word-of-mouth" marketing at it best.

So what is the secret to "the Secret's" success? It's is a "transformational movie", where a person's view on life and the laws of life will no longer be the same after watching this movie. In a sense, it has created the same kind of effect as "The Da Vinci Code" and the 2004 hit cult movie "What the Bleep Do We Know". The movie has created such waves that it has already been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King Live and the Ellen DeGeneres show.

At the core of the movie is a central philosophy called "The Law of Attraction". In fact, the movie itself was inspired by this very same law when the producer read a book called "the Science of Getting Rich" by Wallace D. Wattles. This book was written in 1910!

This philosophy states that we create our reality, both good and bad! The message is delivered through 24 "teachers" which include prosperity preachers, chiropractic healers, relationship gurus, life coaches and motivational speakers into one clear, cohesive voice. The movie is a "must watch" for anyone interested in taking charge of their life and in creating the life of their dreams.

Following on the success of the Secret, 3 of the core teachers - namely Bob Proctor and Jack Canfield have collaborated to produce a wealth building program called "the Secret Science of Getting Rich Seminar". This program is based on the book that inspired the movie and is set to make history as the fastest selling personal development program in history.

What is the Science of Getting Rich about? Well in the words of Wallace D. Wattles, "The ownership of money and property comes as a result of doing things in a certain way. Those who do things in this certain way, whether on purpose or accidentally, get rich. Those who do not do things in this certain way, no matter how hard they work or how able they are, remain poor. It is a natural law that like causes always produce like effects. Therefore, any man or woman who learns to do things in this certain way will infallibly get rich." The Science of Getting Rich is all about teaching how to do things in this "certain" way to create wealth.

The success of this program is built on several rock solid foundations. These factors include: the phenomenal success of "the Secret", the timeless concepts from the Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles, the credibility of successful personal improvement teachers and New Thought leaders of our time, and the Internet as the distribution medium.

Copyright (c) 2007 Mene AsijeLive Mortgage Leads
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A wonderful way to diversify your investment portfolio is to learn forex trading. Many new investors have discovered the world of foreign exchange trading to be an exciting new challenge. One that is filled with rewards that are beyond what they were achieving as stock traders. Currency forex trading is a great way to branch out into new investments. Experience a completely new world of investing by stepping outside of the chaotic domestic economy.

The unique thing about the forex market is that it never closes, if you feel like trading at 2am it's not a problem. Unlike with other markets, such as the stock exchange, you can continue dealing with the currency trading market without worries over it closing at the end of the day. Websites give you 24-hour access to monitor what has been happening in the world currency markets at anytime. Through these sites you are able to learn all the basics about the market.

The websites will include tools and tips to guide you through the beginning steps of trading. This is a clear advantage because you can hone your trading skills before laying down your own money in the market.

When you think of it, the forex firms are training you to become skilled at trading for free by providing guidance, demos and news at no additonal cost. In a short while you will start feeling confident in trading and investing in forex. It only takes about $300 to start getting some good returns.

Learning forex does not require that you have a degree in economics or that you study the markets for years. The forex trading websites have made it easier for you to become successful. Forex brokers will give you access to the market for your currency trading.

Just like stock brokers, they can provide you accurate information and advice on how to deal with Forex trading strategies. Advice includes all the aspects of the Forex trading market which extends to research approaches and technical analysis to improve the member�s trading performance. Naturally, because this market has apparently been providing a great return on investment, large financial institutions have been proactively monopolizing the market.

However, with the trading firms, small-time individuals also have the opportunity to earn money through Forex trading brokers. As I mentioned earlier, the online firms have been providing powerful website tools to become familiar with the whole idea of the currency market.

Your choice of Forex trading broker will largely depend on your need in the trading market. Many brokerage sites will provide trading simulators and expert advice as well as research and analysis designed for first time traders. Furthermore, these websites typically provide experienced online Forex traders who offer in-depth advice to forex traders of all levels. All of these tools are available to beginners to try out.

You really can earn money by taking the time to learn forex trading. The availability of investment simulators and 24-hour customer support enables new investors to learn quickly. Not only can you be trading in no time, you will also be showing a tidy profit. Start researching forex trading. You might be shocked to see how many large companies are involved.

Jim Wilson gives you more free information at Alternative Investing Try The Forex Market. Search other helpful articles at- Alternative Investing Try The Forex Market Articles. Click here http://www.forexminitrading.comMortgage Leads
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The First Kiss

It was a few days after Christmas, 1969. I was loaded down with cash from grandparents, uncles, aunts, and others who years before had given up trying to figure me out. Im talking about tens of dollars and it was burning a big hole in my pocket.

Little did I know, this gift of cash would be the first domino to fall in a chain of dominos that would lead to the gift of euphoria.

I received a call from my close girl-type friend, Shirley, completely out of the blue. She was going to Willowbrook Mall with a girlfriend, and wanted to know if I would like to join them. Reluctant at first, I felt that hole burning where the cash was pocketed. I wanted to buy the Crosby, Stills and Nash album released the prior June. After a little more thought, the first domino fell. I met them at the corner of Bloomfield and Ridgewood Avenues to pick up the bus that would drag us out to the Willowbrook Mall.

I didnt offer to drive them in the family car because I couldnt. I was only weeks from turning eighteen and I did not have my license yet. I was afflicted with Boring Oldest Brother Syndrome, BOBS), a disease that attacks the maturity system; for example rendering one to postpone getting ones drivers license for as long as one possibly can. Its quite crippling really.

Happily, I met them at the bus stop.

Shirley introduced me to Sue. It took, oh lets see, about 3.7 seconds. Nope, I think less. Im pretty sure it was when I heard the ue sound of her name that I instantly felt something deep inside my chest, a ping right below the top of the rib cage, like an electric shock only it didnt hurt; it felt really goofy, really exhilarating.

She was beautiful. Her hair smelled like the freshest Breck shampoo for color treated hair I had ever laid nose on. And she was awash in Shalimar perfume, sending my olfactory glands into nasal nirvana.

During the bus ride to the mall, surprisingly I was overcome by an eerie confidence that pushed me to new heights of flirtatious wit. I was on top of someone elses game and loving it! By the time we had arrived at the mall, I was hooked. Oh boy was I hooked. We had giggled our way into some kind of magic. And the very best part, as I would learn later from Shirley, who by then had been ordained the puppet master of Bobs love world, was that Sue didnt just like me, she LIKED meas in capital lettersLIKED me!

How quickly ones fortunes change when suddenly plunged into the throes of youthful romantic chase. We walked the long winding caverns formed by nameless boutiques and anchor stores, laughing and smiling and teasing and touching and laughing some more. To the casual observer, it was probably nauseating but I didnt care. I was dominoing into a wonderful new world. I bought the CS&N album. The girls replenished their perfume stock. Before we knew what hit us, it was time to go.

As the bus pulled away, my mind was dancing in heaven. But by the time we arrived back and disembarked where the adventure had all begun, heaven had turned to hell. It was all too good to be true. Rejection was moments away. Such was the fragile nature of my life.

The bus sputtered away from our stop, dumping an ominous black cloud of monoxide in its wake. But all I could immerse myself in was Sue, who by now was wearing a dazzling array of seventeen fragrances she had tested on her delicate soft wrists for me to blushingly critique. The air about her was a beautiful collage to the finely tuned nasal passages of a teen boy in fresh mushy pursuit. Unfortunately it was a wondrous moment that could not last. It was time to be noble in the face of her pleasant rejection with an empty smile, and cherish the fond memory of the mall.

I took the lead step in the dance of disengagement.

Well, I guess I have to get going. As clever a line as I had ever led with.

Yeah, its dinner time and my brother is picking me up at Shirleys in ten minutes.

Hey Shirls, can you give me a call later after din? I asked, trying not to tip my cards too much.

Yeah, no problem. I think we have something to talk about. She was so obvious.

Oh yeah? You think? I coyly replied.

Yeah, we need to talk too Shirls? Sue added.

My heart sank at the foreboding potential of their pending conversation. I reached deep inside to maintain the high road.

All right then, I guess thats that! Everyone needs to talk! Everyone is talkin! Not a very good job. I probably needed to reach deeper.

Unfortunately my old friend panic had made himself at home in my thoughts. Was this going to be as good as it gets? Was my breath killing her? Was she just now realizing the lowliness of her affection?

I had to say something but what? What could I possibly say to rescue this sweet moment from the clutches of rejection like all the others?

I found it.Okay then catcha! My rescue skills needed work.

It was really nice to meet you Bob. I had a really great time.

My inner voice wallowed, Yeah right. And I have a nice personality too. Isnt that what you want to say? Go on. I can take it!

Me too, Sue. Take care. I answered. Oh well, I was noble.

I turned to Shirley.

Hey Shirls, talk to ya later!

With shoulders drooped, I started my trek home in emotional upheaval, feeling exuberance and dread simultaneously. The days events played over and over in my head. I forced myself to think about something else, like hockey fights, but to no avail. The feel of her warm wrists kept interrupting. I was in bad shape.

I barely ate dinner that night, which set off all kinds of alarms at home. Moms inquisition began: was I feeling okay, did someone steal my money at the mall, was I depressed about school starting in a few short days?

Nope, I am just falling in love for the very first time. Thats all. There is nothing that can be done. My heart must travel this journey alone. It will find its waysomehow. Thank you though for inquiring. I indulged my inner self.

I excused myself from the table to retreat to my sanctuary, where I listened to Suite: Judy Blue Eyes about forty seven times, waiting for the puppet masters call. Finally, the phone rang.

Hello?

She really likes you. She got right to it, a trademark of her no nonsense style.

Oh God! Really?

Yeah. She thinks youre really cute and funny.

Suddenly another voice.

Oh my precious Bobby. My little lover boy.

Damn! It was my little brother Steve. He could become a real pitbull of pain if I didnt squelch this immediately.

Hold on Shirls.

I placed my hand over the phone.

Hey Stevey hang up or Ill chop up your GI Joe! I screamed at the top of my lungs. I didnt like playing the GI Joe mutilation card but I was desperate to stop him in his tracks.

I listened into the receiver.

Click.

I removed my hand and continued.

Sorry about that. So where were we? Oh yeah, cute? Cant I ever be rugged or athletic or something? I asked despondently.

To me cute was a notch above nice personality. Oh, hes so cute as in hes so cute to like me but I could care lessthat kind of cute.

Forget rugged. She said cute and meant it in a good way.

In a good way, I repeated.

Yes in a good way. Look she LIKES you!

Are you sure?

Yes, I just got off the phone with her! She wanted to know about your situation.

What situation? I have no situation. Ive never had a situation. Im situation free!

Thats what I told hernot in those words exactly. I smoothed it out for ya.

Smoothed what out? I dont need smoothing.

Dont make me laugh! You need plenty. I told her you were just coming around from a terrible break-up from over a year ago.

Oh thats smooth Shirls!

Yeah, I thought you might like it. She thinks you are sensitive and likes that.

I took a deep breath.

Wow now what?

I was a fish out of water, pathetically incompetent in such matters. Maybe I could get advice from my younger brothers. My mind was racing.

Listen! There is a get-together tomorrow night at Shnookys house. Sue is going and wants you to come over.

Shnooky lived in this weird world where her dad publicly called her my little Shnooky; hence the nickname. Visiting her house was like walking onto the set of Father Knows Best.

Are you positive? Really? She wants me to go?

Yes! Dont you get it ... she LIKES you.

Are you going?

Yeah but not until later. Gotta baby-sit till 9:30.

What should I do?

Well you could call her for starters and talk to her.

Talk to her? What would I say?

Shirley was losing patience with me.

You know Bob I dont have time for this right now. Just go. Just be there.

Just be

Gotta go. Catcha tomorrow night. Good Luck!

Click. Dialtone.

My life line was gone in an instant. I was swirling in a sea of uneasiness. I wondered what should I do now?

I immediately ditched the idea of calling her, why take the chance of saying something wrong. So I went to bed counting the hours to Shnookys instead.

After a long day of worry, 6 p.m. finally rolled around and time to get ready for the big get-together. After showering with my English Leather soap-on-a-rope, I toweled off and sprayed my arm pits with Right Guard, enlarging the ozone hole over Antarctica by about fourteen square miles. Next the goods were crowbarred into two of my cleanest, tightest fruit of the loom briefs for precautionary purposes, as the nights activities could easily trigger an embarrassing situation. After tucking the apparatus in real nice, I put on my favorite faded jeans, held nicely in place by my cool surfer belt. I threw on an undershirt, my best blue long-sleeve oxford shirt, tag still attached, thick matching crew socks, desert boots, topping it all off with an old washed out navy blue crewneck sweater. The sweater served a few purposes. Primarily, I was under the delusion that it was a look. It also might make a useful cover up should the double binding underpants fail to conceal things in the event of a situation.

Once dressed, I had to work on the face, no easy proposition. Apparently, during the prior night while sleeping, no less than four pimples showed up and five long wispy dark chin hairs. A quick buzz from my trusty rotary bladed Norelco and the chin hairs were history. A splash of British Sterling, well more like a dunking, and I was smelling pretty damn good. It was a skillful blend of the natural fruity notes from Prell, the woodsy undertones from the English Leather soap, the bold sporty scent from Right Guard, and the raw sexual energy of British Sterling, coming together in a circus of sensuality as harmonious as a Schoenberg symphonic poem.

This odor thing was very important because it was going to have to mask the pungent stench emitted by the two pounds of Clearasil I was about to cake on the pimples.

With pimples buried, hair combed, and lips glistening in Chapstick, I was ready to go out and conquer the night. I managed to get to the dinner table in time to down some grub, avoiding eye contact and communication with Steve the entire time. Successfully accomplished, I raced upstairs, gargled, brush my teeth and popped some Sen-Sen for added fresh breath insurance. I was as ready as I could be.

At arrival, I greeted Mrs. Shnooky, and made my way downstairs to the finished basement.

There she was. We made eye contact immediately and I smiled a grin so big that I could feel the plaster-like Clearasil on my zits cracking. She looked so beautiful.

We sat close and talked awhile, staring into each others eyes the entire time. I could smell her hair. I was melting. At one point she took my hand in her hand. It was like nothing I had ever felt before. Her hand was warm and soft; her fingers silky smooth to the touch. It wasnt just skin a felt. It was flesh; wonderful, living flesh. Instantly, alarms were set off from my brain to every nerve ending in my body. I began to shake uncontrollably. I had three thousand layers of clothing on and I was shivering like a chilled baby. I would learn later on in life that I got the shakes with every new hand I held.

Hey are you okay? she asked in the sweetest disarming voice I had ever heard. I inhaled her breath. Electricity instantly shot down to my toes.

Yeah, I just have these shakes for some reason. Im not even cold.

Thats weird.

Youre tellin me?

There was an awkward moment of silence. Then she spoke in a whisper.

Hey, I need to talk to you about something in private. Want to take a walk outside in the snow?

I stared blankly. I didnt hear a word she said.

We could walk over to the country club. Itll be fun. She stopped talking and studied me for some kind of response. I needed to say something but what? I played the tape back over in my mind until I found some key words to play off of.

You want to take a walk? I nervously repeated.

Oh God the touch of her hand was so nice, I pleaded internally please dont let go ... please dont let go please, oh please, oh please, dont let go.

I mean sure. We can walk and talk. I mean you can talk while we walk or I can she squeezed my hand, squinted at me with her bright blue eyes, and saved me from myself.

Come on lets go. She said calmly, leading me by the hand up the stairs.

We threw on our coats, gloves and hats, and exited out the back door. Once outside, she put her arm around my waste, and in a reflex reaction I put my arm around her shoulder. I had never hugged a girl before. I started to shake again. Even though it was about twenty degrees out, even though we were swollen from layers of thick heavy clothing, even though I was shaking spastically, and even though my Clearasil was flaking off in crusty chunks, I felt like we were one being.

We continued to make small talk, during which I was able to get her to laugh as we trudged through the snow, crossed the freshly plowed street and walked onto the country club golf course. I didnt want the moment or feeling to end. It was really dark out, although the dry white snow brighten the way by reflecting what little light passed on by. It was hard to tell from the drifting snow but I think we were walking across a green when she suddenly stopped and turned to face me.

Youre shaking. Poor baby. She lifted her arms up and grabbed the collar of my coat. I placed my arms around her waste.

Remember, I wanted to talk to you in private, she whispered, her minted breath filling the crisp night air, dancing into my soul.

Here it comes, the nice personality speech. I was so short on confidence of any kind. I decided to gallantly cut her off at the pass.

Yeah, I remember. Hey, look. You dont have to say But before I could be gallant, her glossed lips puckered and headed my way. I instinctively closed my eyes before contact. Then, as if swallowed by the Earth, she stepped off the lip of a giant sand trap we unknowingly had been standing precariously above.

In my effort to grab her as she slid down the slope, my feet went out from under me. I rolled down the hill in hot pursuit, crashing into her at the bottom, some eight feet below. We both began to laugh as she rolled over on top of me. And we laughed some more. Then we laughed a little less, and a little less until the only sounds one could hear were those of our silence and stare. And then she leaned down and kissed me.

What I remember most was that our teeth smacked into each other. I feared I had chipped one of her upper incisors. So I pulled back. She smiled. No blood. Nice whole teeth. Undaunted she tried again. This time we were fine.

For more hours than I wish to reveal, I have wrestled with capturing in words what I had felt at that precise instant. After many awkward, empty attempts, I realized I have neither the vocabulary nor the ability to do so. But thats okay. I think what I was attempting to do is akin to capturing the majesty of the Grand Canyon in a picture taken by a cell phone camera. It can not be done. And for those who have tried either, they understand what I mean.

I will leave it at thison Tuesday, December 30th, 1969 at 8:23 p.m. life for me had changed.

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Why do some speeches and presentations linger in
the mind while others pass from one ear, through
the brain and then out through the other ear,
generally without leaving a trace of anything?

Well, there are many reasons, but I'd always
begin the detective work with the structure.

Over the years I have tried several different
speech formats, a number of which I have found
effective and I will describe some of the more
advanced possibilities in subsequent articles.

However, without a structure, the speech is
doomed to become a shambolic ramble of random
thoughts.

Have you ever watched the news on TV? Well, of
course you have. But have you ever taken time
out to observe the structure? It's really simple
and effective.

It starts off with three news headlines:

1) The Bank of England announced interest rates
will rise by a point

2) A large manufacturer in the Midlands has shed
400 people because of falling demand

3) David Beckham is back in the England team
following a year in the footballing wilderness

These headlines essentially signpost what is to
come. Why do they do this? Well, if you have a
mortgage, another interest rate rise could cost
you more money than you had budgeted for. Or if
you work in the manufacturing industry, what
happens in the Midlands usually has an impact on
other aspects of industry. Or finally, anything
about David Beckham and football is newsworthy

The idea of the headlines is to give you a taster
of what is to come. TV networks are searching
for viewer ratings because most of their revenues
come through the sponsorship of corporate
advertisers. They are trying to hook you because
they want you to stay and watch.

And surely, should we not be doing this with the
introduction of a speech or presentation? Of
course, we want to grab their attention. We tell
them what is to come and whet their appetites.
It's designed to keep them listening.

When the headlines end, in comes the main body of
the news which builds on the headlines.

It tells us that the Bank of England meeting
lasted an hour longer than scheduled because
further analytical information was required with
regards to interest rate trends in Europe. The
British rate trend was discussed with the last
two years data described by graphs and so on.
The theme is expanded to cover the day's
potential angles and then moves on to job losses
in the Midlands. If the presenter is quick on
his/her thoughts, they will somehow try to link
the first story with the second.

Now we hear about the details of the company and
its history of achievement. The decision to axe
jobs will have a major impact on other aspects of
the local economy. And so the story unfolds with
interviews of managers and workers alike. This
personalisation of the news has increased viewer
ratings because a lot of the comment is from
regular people in the street. People like you
and me.

So they work their way through the three stories
and usually try to end on a high. People like to
be informed and entertained and lots of news
channels will include a human interest story
where for example, a young child demonstrates
great character by overcoming a medical or
physical problem.

And finally, the news is coming to an end and the
presenters recap the main points which
unremarkably are the same points as the headlines.
But now that the item has been examined there
is room for further comment.

We know this as Winston Churchill's, tell em
what you're going to tell em - tell em - tell
em what you've told em.

With good linking and interesting development of
the main themes, anybody can achieve a successful
speech structure. Next time you plan a speech or
presentation, why don't you give this advice a
try?

Vince Stevenson is one of England's greatest speaking enthusiasts, having competed for and won many prestigious competitions. Vince is a founder and lead trainer at the College of Public Speaking. Please visit us at => http://www.collegeofpublicspeaking.co.ukExclusive Mortgage Leads
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Making the most of your IT seminars is integral to your business success. Here are a few important tips for getting everything you can from these seminars.

Registration

Most of your seminars should be free, but you still want to require some type of registration. Have participants fill out surveys at the door with all their contact information and basic questions about why they came, what they're looking for, how their business works, etc. In exchange for this information, you can draw for a door prize at the end of the night. Now that you have all the information you need to contact prospects from the seminar, what should you do?

After the Seminar

Before letting everyone go for the night, hand out a flyer with your contact and business information on it. Also, add a section with a limited time offer. Remember to add some highlights from the presentation or later mail these attendees a short article from the seminar.

For best results, use this same article and try to get it published in the local business journal and other organization newsletters. Make sure you always include contact information so that people can contact you with further questions or request for your services.

You could also use the article as a free report that you can send to companies. Advertising this free report on y our direct mail postcards can be a great way to get responses. Remember to have a deadline on any offer, though, so that you'll get more responses.

A Traveling Seminar

You can also consider conducting a traveling seminar for organizations. Perhaps you could speak at the Kiwanis luncheon or chamber of commerce breakfast. You may also want to talk to some business partners about referring you to potential clients.

Learn more about making the most of your seminars to make your business successful in the complete article (link above).

Copyright MMI-MMVII, Computer Consulting 101 Blog. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

Joshua Feinberg of Computer Consulting 101 helps computer consultants get more steady, high-paying clients. Sign-up now for free access Joshua's field-tested, proven Computer Consulting 101 strategies at http://ComputerConsulting101.blogspot.comLive Mortgage Leads
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Pepper spray or a stun gun should be your new best friend with the holiday shopping season upon us.

It's a well documented fact that crime and theft rise during the Christmas Season. Along with getting dark outside sooner, the darkness provides cover for the criminals making it very risky to go christmas shopping alone, especially for a woman at a large shopping mall that has a large parking lot. It does not take a brain surgeon to figure out that a 130 pound woman fighting off a 200 pound criminal what the out come would be. If your family is like my family, the women do at least 75% of the shopping. With all the families out there in the world, that's a lot of easy targets for criminals. Even for men to shop alone, it's just as risky. Most of our ordinary law abiding people do not have the skills to fight off a criminal that probably has some streetwise experience at fighting.

The good thing is there are some very good products available to protect us and our families. I will go over a few of these items so you will have some knowledge about the different products out there in the marketplace today.

1) PEPPER SPRAY:

Pepper spray is probably the simplest and cheapest of the self-defense products. There are several different types of pepper sprays used today. 17% pepper spray, 10% pepper spray, pepper foam, pepper gel, tear gas, Michigan approved pepper spray. There are even sprays to be used on bears and dogs. They also come disguised in different ways such as lipstick, pagers, ink pens, key chains, rings, jogging weights and more. Here is a list of differences between a few of the sprays.

A)OC PEPPER SPRAY:

Contains the ingredient called Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) which is a derivative of Hot Cayenne Peppers. OC causes the eyes to slam shut, with uncontrollable coughing and choking. It creates anintense burning sensation and disorients him for several minutes. Lasts 30-45 minutes. No long term effects.

B)TEAR GAS PEPPER SPRAY:

Causes coughing, irritation and watery eyes. This leads to profuse tearing, an intense burning sensation and disorientation. Some products like MACE Triple Action Pepper Spray, combine the benefits of tear gas with the "burning" effect of Pepper Spray to disorient an attacker.

C)PEPPER SPRAY FOAM:

Acts to "blindfold" and disorient an attacker and cause the same "burning" and closing of the eyes as traditional liquid pepper spray.

D)UV DYE ... PEPPER SPRAY:

Is used in combination with OC pepper spray, Tear Gas pepper spray, or Pepper Spray Foam for easy identification by police of an attacker. UV (ultraviolet dye)is effective for a minimum of 72 hours.

2)STUN GUNS:

Stun guns are a very affordable electronic device that produces up to 1 million volts but very low amps making it non-lethal.

Just like pepper spray, stun guns come in several different types and volts. They also come disguised as cell phones, flashlights, batons and large pens. The size varies from fitting in the palm of your hand to large stun batons.

Some models have very useful features such as having a strap that you put around your wrist that is attached to a safety pen. In case a criminal should take it from you, the strap pulls the pen out making it useless, therefore the criminal cannot use it against you. Another model has a loud piercing built-in alarm.

It is foolish for people "large or small, men or women" not to have some form of defense. With the prices so affordable today, there is no excuse not to have it.

P.S. Happy Shopping!

Mitch McMillin of World Security Products suppliers of Surveillance and hidden cameras as well as non-lethal Weapons such as stun guns and pepper sprays. For more Information visit http://www.worldsecurityproducts.com.Live Mortgage Leads
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In the United States there are many surnames of great prominence: Washington, Jefferson of the revolutionary days, Lincoln & Grant of the 1800s, and Roosevelt & Kennedy in the 1900s. One great surname that has always been present behind the scenes is the surname of Lathrop.

Approximately 95% of the people in the U.S. that have the surname Lathrop are descended from John Lathrop. He himself spelled his name Lothropp. It is estimated that 70% of his descendants use the derivation of Lathrop, while the other 30% use Lothrop. Surname spelling changes were common before the middle part of the 19th century - for example the German surname Maier being changed to Myer, Meyer, and the plurals thereof. Another example is the Von Bran surname changing to Brown. Because of this surname change many people can be related to John Lathrop without realizing it.

One interesting thing about John Lathrop is that many leaders & innovators are descended from him:

Marjorie Meriwether Post, Founder of General Foods

Benjamin M. Spock, Physician, Educator

Sir Robert Laird Borden, Prime Minister of Canada

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32nd US President

Willard Mitt Romney, current Governor of Massachusetts

Eli Whitney, Inventor of Cotton Gin

Ulysses Simpson Grant, 18th US President

George W. Romney, Governor of Michigan

George Herbert Walker Bush, US President

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Poet

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Supreme Court Justice

Terrel H. Bell, US Secretary of Education

Joseph Smith - Founder of the LDS Religion

Thomas E. Dewey, Governor of New York

Allen Welsh Dulles, Director of CIA

John Lathrop was born in the late 14th century in Yorkshire England. He received a masters from Queens College, Cambridge in 1609. After receiving his masters he was placed in charge of a region of the Church of England. During this period of John Lathrop’s ministry King James I was the monarch of England. The king was sick of the influence of the puritans and instead preferred more sanctimonious, ornate rituals. John Lathrop tolerated these rituals for as long as possible until 1623 he left the Church of England and became a minister for an independent church.

Leaving the Church of England was not only seen as a great offense, it was also illegal. Soon John Lathrop’s entire congregation was arrested for practicing another religion, including his wife and children. Soon most of the congregation was allowed to leave prison, with the exception of John Lathrop, who remained under lock & key until 1634. Even then he was only allowed to leave after promising to depart from England for the American colonies.

The congregation of John Lathrop sailed with him to the new world. 6 of his children also went with him. Unfortunately his wife, Hanna Howse, had passed away while he was in prison.

John Lathrop and his congregation took residence near the area of Plymouth. Having strict religious notions, he would not even partake of communion with the Puritans.

Because of the strong religious situation in the American colonies at the time, John Lathrop and his followers were soon given land near the modern area of Barnstable, Massachusetts. While there John Lathrop raised more descendants with his second wife Ann. All of John’s children founded families of great importance in shaping America’s future.

400 years later there is a good chance that many modern people on the American Continent are related to John Lathrop. If his children each just had 4 children, and those children had 4 children down to modern times, there would be over a million people descended from the Lathrop family today. So it is entirely possible that you are as well.

Christian Farmer is a web content specialist at 10x Marketing, and as such has performed research on a wide variety of topics. For more information on John Lathrop, the Lathrop Surname, or other famous immigrant families, visit http://www.pricegen.com. Live Mortgage Leads
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All too often sales people assume that buyers use the same criteria to make a purchase as they would. This can lead to frustration and indeed some serious self doubt on a sales person's behalf. "They just don't get it", you may think to yourself. The reality is that not everyone thinks the same way. This is the first in a series of articles that looks at how you make choices, your customer makes choices, and how to realign your sales strategy, should they be different to you.

Without knowing a person's strategy, you could be emphasising all the wrong points.

What does moving towards or away from mean?

With all of us, two things matter. The first is engaging activities that please us. The second is avoiding activities that cause us pain. So when I say people are moving towards, I mean that they tend to spend most of their time trying to move towards pleasure.

On the other hand, some people predominantly spend their time avoiding pain. In NLP, this is often referred to as one of their strategies. I say predominantly, because most people will do both; however one of them figures more in their life than the other.

So what has this to do with selling, you may ask. Lots! Because if you are a moving towards type person, who is selling cars, you may wish to emphasize the looks, time from 0-60, the power of the engine etc. But what if the person is looking for reliability, a car that is safe, and has low fuel consumption? They would be a person who wants to avoid the pain of breakdowns, the danger in a collision and the high cost of fuel!

Without knowing a person's strategy, you could be emphasising all the wrong points. It is therefore vital to ask the person some questions, so as to elicit their strategy, so that you can emphasise points that match their way of thinking.

What questions to ask, to elicit someone's strategy?

In the above example, the obvious question to ask is; "what do you look for in a car?" Interestingly enough that question can work in a most situations, along with "what do you look for in a house" and "what do you look for in a relationship.

The answers will give you a very good idea as to whether they are a, "moving towards" or "moving away from", type person.

There are many questions that you can ask, indeed you should ask questions relevant to your business or offerings, so that not only do you get a clue as to a person's strategy, you also help in the sales process.

A question that I might use in my business would be as follows; "What do you look for in a sales coach?"

While there are many different answers, why don't you see which of these answers is most appropriate to you?

I want someone to help me achieve my targets, so that I can buy that Lexus I have had my eye on.

I don't believe I am reaching my true potential, and I want to ensure I don't miss my targets again.

Can you see how the addition of "because my current car keeps breaking down" to the first response changes the emphasis from moving towards to moving away from?

What to do if their strategy is different to yours?

One of my clients had two partners who were selling the benefits of managed services for small to medium sized companies. One of the partners seemed to have the most success with clients who were looking for these types of services to avoid downtime and save costs.

While the other guy, found most success with customers who wanted someone to look after their IT systems, so that they could focus on what they were good at.

Given that most people can relate well to people who think the way that they do, it is not surprising that without this understanding, which they will often fail to convince someone who thinks differently.

The mere fact that you now understand one of the ways that people make decisions, and that it could be different to yours, in my opinion, you should find it a lot easier to sell your offerings.

Conclusion

First understand your own strategy. Then try out these simple questions with a few of your friends, to get an understanding of how they think. There is a good chance that you will be amazed at the insights these simple questions give you into people.

Translating these insights into questions that you can then use to move buyers closer to your products can still seem a challenge to some people, maybe then you could do with some help.

This series of articles will explore the different psychological buying patterns or your customers, and help you to identify how they make decisions.

This article was written by Peter Lawless, founder of 3R Sales and Marketing http://www.3r.ie. For previous articles like this, visit 3R's Articles. Alternatively, subscribe to Success our free monthly Information Bulletin with sales and marketing articles.Live Mortgage Leads
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Secured loans are also known by another name that is, homeowner loans. If you are in need of finance and you are a homeowner, then secured loan can be the best option for finance. Secured loan enables you to determine the value of your house in times of difficulty.

Secured loan provides the lender a form of security that in case if the borrower makes defaults, still he can recover his money by means of collateral placed. In secured loan the lender allows the borrower to borrow large amount and with comparatively low rate of interest. Usually, the amount which gets approved for the secured loan is less than or equals to equity in the collateral. Usually, in secured loans you can borrow more than ₤25000. This is the reason as to why secured loans are more popular than unsecured loans.

Secured loan, being a most common loan is provided by almost all the lenders. Even, an online lender also provides secured loan as per the need of the borrower. And, it is seen that the online lenders provide secured loan on competitive rate of interest as compared to the lenders in the physical market.

Commonly it is said that the secured loans are risky as they carry risk of repossession. Such risk arises on the occasion of non payment of any monthly instalment. But if the borrower manages secured loan properly and meet all the repayments on time then, they are considered as the best and cheap source of finance.

Needs of every borrower varies, so they uses a secured loan amount as per their need. But most commonly, it is used for either of the purposes such as home improvement, purchasing house, purchasing car, consolidating debts and many more. And, also for each specific purpose a financial market offers different loans such as secured home improvement loans, secured car loan, etc.

Secured loan is best suited to:

If you have stable income

If you are able to justify all your repayments

You are a homeowner

Another advantage which a secured loan offers is that whether you are good credit scorer or bad credit scorer still you can avail secured loans. It is true that poor credit scorer can avail but lender offers them a bit high rate of interest. Through secured loan you can improve your credit score by making timely payments. And, then improved credit score will help you to procure funds in future and on same rate as offered to the good credit scorer.

Aldrich Chappel has been associated with GetSecuredLoans, since its inception. Having completed his Masters in Finance from Lancaster University Management School, he undertook to provide useful advice through his articles that have been found very useful by the residents of the UK. To find Secured loan, Secured consolidation loan, Low cost secured loan, Online secured loan, Homeowner loan personal secured visit http://www.get-secured-loans.co.ukMortgage Leads
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Carlisle returned to the top of League Two after thumping basement club Rushden & Diamonds 5-0 at Brunton Park. Derek Holmes put the Cumbrians ahead after 42 seconds and it was one-way traffic thereafter with two goals each from Karl Hawley and Simon Hackney. Paul Simpsons side were 8/15 favourites on the day and 4/1 to win the division outright.

Second placed Wycombe were held to a 1-1 draw at Boston. Julian Joachim gave the home side a 56th minute lead but Kevin Betsy levelled matters 15 minutes later. This was John Gormans sides seventeenth draw of the season, something noted by shrewd punters backing at 9/4.

Veteran Ian Taylors goal nine minutes from time propelled 8/15 Northampton into the third automatic promotion spot with a victory against Torquay United on Friday night.

Fifth placed Leyton Orient kept up their promotion dreams and plunged Chester into further relegation trouble with a 2-0 win. A Matthew Lockwood penalty 10 minutes before the break and Paul Connor after 72 minutes secured a 13/10 win.

Play-off chasing Peterborough chalked up their fourth win in five matches with a 2-1 victory at Notts County. Danny Crow and James Quinn put the 9/5 Posh in the driving seat before Eugene Dadi netted a late penalty for the Magpies.

Wrexham looked set to earn victory at 9/5 after on-loan Blackburn striker gave them a 2-0 lead at Mansfield, only for Richie Barker to hit back with two goals in three minutes to secure a point at Field Mill.

Stockport kept their heads above water after coming from two goals behind to draw 2-2 at Bristol Rovers. Two goals from Richard Walker looked enough for an 8/11 home win, but the Hatters fought back through Adam Le Fondre and a Mark Hughes equaliser two minutes from time.

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Gymnastics, as an activity, has been around for more thantwo thousand years in one form or another, from the ancientGreek Olympics, to Roman ceremony, to todays modern meets.

As an organized and truly competitive sport, gymnasticshas existed for a little more than a century. It wasintroduced in the mid 1800s to the United States, where itinexorably gained in popularity within school systems.

Amateur associations gathered together by the latenineteenth century, offering classes and opportunities foryoung people to join in on the fun. Eventually, theseassociations began to have their own championships.

In 1896, at the first international Olympic games in Athens,Greece, the sport we all know and love enjoyed its firstlarge-scale debut. Included in the Olympic tournament werevaulting, parallel bars, pommel horse, and rings events formen. The first womens Olympic gymnastics events were heldin 1928. After the Olympics began to officially hostgymnastics, the World Championship gymnastics meet emergedin the early 1900s, and it is still held to this very day.

Thus began a noble tradition that continues even in modernOlympic games and in local, regional, national, and worldmeets all over.

If youre the parent of a young gymnast, odds are, peopleare going to ask you, Why did you choose gymnastics overswimming, ballet, football, baseball, or soccer? It is aneasy question to offer, but not a simple one to answer.

Their curiosity is entirely understandable--to theuninitiated, may have a lower profile than others.However, if you are indeed very serious about your childparticipating in the sport, you can tell those people, withgreat authority, that gymnastics is an excellent way tospend time. Not only does it have a long and illustrioushistory, but it also requires attention and discipline onthe part of a child--more so, perhaps, than one involved inany other sport.

In order to become successful at the sport of gymnastics,your child will have to get into a routine of practice.

This type of routine is different from, say, soccerpractice or hockey practice, in that it does not involvethe concept of physical rivalry with other individuals. Agymnast is not typically seen chasing after anothergymnastics youth with a set of rings as one might see ahockey player attacking another person on an opposing team.

Gymnastics does not encourage violence in the same waycontact sports do -- indeed, when one is part of agymnastics team, one has to work in synchronicity with andhave a certain trust for the other members, a valuablelesson in this individualism-driven social environment.This can certainly help in any future employment,especially if your child is interested in professions thatinvolve lots of interpersonal communication.

Beyond practice, gymnastics also requires physicaldiscipline. For instance, if you do not move in the waythat you are taught to move when on parallel bars, you willhave falls and disappointment--and then, of course, youlearn from the mistake, pick up, and try it again. Playingat gymnastics braces a person for the future in that way:it prepares them for the inevitable necessity ofdetermination and endurance in any of lifes endeavors,whether in business or in education. In conjunction withschool study habits, practice for gymnastics can indeedlead a young person into a level and graceful confidence.In fact, for as physically driven as gymnastics happens tobe, it is also an extremely intellectual sport: everymotion requires forethought, for in the game, if you do notthink of what you are going to do before you do it, youllend up on the mat.

Finally, and perhaps most obviously of all, there is thefact that gymnastics will keep your child busy, as anyother sport might. This means that he or she wont be aslikely to slip into a pattern of slacking or of hanging outwith the wrong crowd. Quite literally, when your child isat practice, you will know where they are -- you will nothave to worry if they have wandered off somewhere or areunintentionally getting into trouble. This can lead topeace of mind for you and yours, most assuredly, which,like the skills they will learn, are absolutely invaluable.

By Murray Hughes
Gymnastics Secrets RevealedThe book EVERY gymnastics parent should read

http://www.gymnasticssecretsrevealed.com/gymnastics-articles/gymnastics-history.htm

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Directories are best way to get one way links. Especially for new sites.

There are hundreds of directories but there are also a lot of directories out there where submission is worthless. Avoid your site from submitting spammy directories to stay away from devaluation of your site in search engines. There are certain factors that when combines makes a directory a quality directory. Here are fewer

[1] Age of directory/Domain:-

It is said that Google give more weight or consider those directories as trusted directories which are older. So if your site is linked from older directories it will help you in ranking better in SERPs.

[2] Page Rank and incoming links:-

Page rank on Google toolbar and incoming links for other search engines. Especially when unique IP links that point to directory It has better value than if it has No. of back links from one IP. Also quality of those links is important. Page rank should consider for both for home page and from sub page which link to you,

[3] Cost:-

If it is paid directory than you must consider cost. It is not advisable to pay for $$ for 0 PR Directory. Also consider that for what are you paying? Is it cost for one year or for lifetime listings?

[4] No. of links/Category and No. of categories:-

It is not recommended to submit site which has no of links (say hundreds)/category.

It will not help you to get a boost in search engines. If directory having enough and all major category available, it will create relevant results.

[5] No. of page indexed in search engines and SE Rankings:-

Suppose any directory is banned by Google than it is worthless to submit there. (Why you are submitting to directories?) Search engine rankings and No. of pages indexed by search engines may decide how quality back link it will give to your site.

[6] Traffic:-

Generally directories are for search engine ranking but if it can provide you a little traffic it is better deal.

[7] Type of links:-

Before you submit you can check weather directory is SEO friendly or not. What type of URL it has. Directories that can not provide you direct HTML Links may be worthless to submit.

[8] Category of directory:-

Niche directories are better for getting more relevant links. Example, if your site is related to real estate than you can submit to specific real estate top directories.

[9] Time for review:-

Most of paid directories review any listing within 24 hours. You can expect faster review time when you are paying.

[10] Other factors:-

Like weather directory allow anchor text or not, content of directory (linking from duplicate may adversely affect), No of Scrap listings or quality of outbound links, No. of dead links, editors and quality of editing, type of sites accepted by directory, Submission process, should not be loaded heavily with banners and ads.

Manish Mathukiya is President of Inetzeal SEO Services ( http://www.inetzeal.com/ ). He offers Quality Directory Submission Service ( http://www.directory-submission.inetzeal.com/ ) to SEO Friendly Directories.Exclusive Mortgage Leads
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