TODAY INDIA

Free Publicity – 5 Easy Ways to Promote Your Business

As a Guerrilla Marketing Coach, I’m a strong believer in implementing free or low cost strategies to publicize your business. As a start-up, with cash flow being slow or non-existent, it’s imperative to find ways where you can gain visibility without spending a lot of money. These tips and tricks are just a sampling of some of the creative ideas you can use to generate publicity now! Try a few to find out which ones work best for you.

1. Publicize With a Press Release

Cultivate a habit around issuing press releases about newsworthy items related to your business. Use them to announce new additions to your staff, a new book you’ve published, an upcoming workshop or seminar, or the availability of an e-course. Don’t let this wonderful and free opportunity pass you by. In fact, you should make an effort to create some sort of consistent buzz around your business which you can share through a regular press release campaign.

2. Write and Publish Articles Online

Write articles and submit them to article submission sites. These websites, in turn, offer your articles, for free or fee, to other online newsletters or ezines. As a result, your articles are spread throughout the internet. You can include a captivating byline, complete with your contact information so any inquiries will be directed back to you. If you don’t like to write, hire a ghostwriter. Publishing articles online is a fast, quick, and free way to spread your name everywhere. Writing is a wonderful way to increase your visibility and credibility with your target market.

3. Craft a Captivating Email Signature

Each time you send an email, you have an opportunity to generate free publicity. Make sure your email signature includes the basics such as your name, company, telephone number, fax number, and email address. Consider adding other information to capture the attention of readers — like a catchy slogan, a link to your blog, or your Skype address. Better yet, if you have a new seminar to offer or you’ve written a book, an e-book or an article, include a line about each of those as well. You might want to experiment with different typestyles and colors, but don’t go overboard. Your primary concern should be readability and to provide useful information. Dress up your email signature and make every email count!

4. Write a Newspaper Article or a Column for Your Local Paper

No matter what your niche, you can always find something interesting to write about. Newspapers editors regularly look for filler for their papers, so if you have something interesting to share, consider presenting your idea to your local paper. It’s best to have several examples of your writing on hand as most of them will request writing samples. You may even consider offering a proposal to write a regular column. Again, check with the editor about the types of stories or ideas he or she is looking to promote. Most likely, you won’t be paid for your contributions, but you’ll probably be supplied with a byline that includes your name and contact information. This is a great way to receive free publicity in your local community. If you write a weekly or monthly column, there’s always a chance you may end up in syndication, with your articles being picked up by newspapers nationwide. Also, don’t hesitate to contact papers outside your local geography. Papers across the nation and the world are always looking for high-quality, well-written content.

5. Contact your Local Talk Radio Station

Local talk radio stations are always looking for interesting people to invite as guests. In order to receive an invitation, you must have something captivating to talk about. Think about how you can relate your product or service to health, wealth, happiness or relationships — four primary areas heavily promoted on talk radio. What’s unique about your product or service? What interesting way can you position yourself as a guest? Keep your eyes and ears open to current events, celebrities in the news, and upcoming holidays to see how you might relate your business to what’s happening in the world around you. If you can find the right angle, rest assured that radio hosts will be eager to speak with you! Radio is a wonderful medium to publicize your company to the masses.

The Sexiest Hotel in World — Part 1

A real, new ‘Garden of Eden’?

The Adam & Eve Hotel — in the Belek region of Antalya, Turkey

This new hotel’s expansive press release claims…

“It’s Sexiest Hotel in the World!”

And it goes on to say that, “The Adam & Eve Hotel is the latest agent provocateur of pleasure in the Mediterranean — with soft white floors and floor-to-ceiling mirrors that reflect views of the surrounding pine forest and the turquoise waters of the Sea — which serve as a backdrop for whatever life guests want to lead…”

But, what’s the reality…?

What follows is not the company-line you’ll read if you visit the Adam and Eve Hotel website, but we think it’s a lot more interesting… It’s the first hand impression of human-interest columnist Onur Bastürk (Hürriyet Newspaper) — when he paid a visit to the Hotel (after its delayed opening) with his special Eve in early December.

Onur says…

There has been non-stop advertising for a year… the opening date was postponed… I’m talking about the Antalya ‘Adam and Eve Hotel’.

So what are the rumors, myths, and facts about this fabulous hotel?

Well, one of the rumors I had heard was that VIP customers upon arrival, besides their own room key, would be given another room key. That key would open a special door, right around midnight, to a surprise party, where all the carnal pleasures awaited.

Another rumor was that couples would find an extraordinary ‘sex box’ upon entering their rooms. When they’d open it they’d find every imaginable sex-toy they might need ‘for playing house’.

At this very moment, I’m seated in my large (64 square meter) standard-sized room at the Adam and Eve Hotel — together with my special ‘Eve’ right next to me. But on entry, neither a second key nor a ‘sex box’ did we receive.

In other words, those first two rumors are just hot air, probably (…unless you’re a very special guest).

But what are the facts? Let’s explore a few of the hotel’s features — to see if your eyes pop out (or not) about this sexy hotel legend…

In Part 2 — The ‘Top 6 Features’ of ‘The Sexiest Hotel in the World’…

[Click following to access a fully illustrated HTML version of The Sexiest Hotel in World — Part 1.]

Royal Gorge Railroad War

In the 1870’s a small section of narrow gage railroad line snaked its way down the cavernous walls of the Arkansas Canyon in the heart of Colorado. Control of this rail line would play out as a significant melodrama in the mining history of the state and would be later referred to as the “Royal Gorge War”. The incident took place in the Arkansas Canyon during the years 1878-1880.

Bat Masterson and Ben Thompson, two noted gunmen of the day, sided with one of the warring railroad companies – the Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe (AT&SF). The rail company was trying to lay claim to the tracks that their rival, the Denver and Rio Grande (D&RG) had built in 1872 as a lucrative link between Denver and Pueblo.

The stage was set in 1872 when the Denver and Rio Grande (D&RG) Railroad Company built a narrow gauge rail line from Denver to Pueblo, Colorado. Next they opened a line from Pueblo to Canon Coal Mines, which lay 37 miles to the west of Pueblo. Then building south of Pueblo, they ran a line through the mountains of southern Colorado and into the San Luis Valley until they reached El Moro in 1876. They extended the rail line to Fort Garland in 1877 and finally to Alamosa in June of 1878.

Around same time frame the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (AT&SF) Railroad Company was building west of Kansas City. The AT&SF reached the Colorado line by 1872, but due to delays did not reach Pueblo until 1876. During that same year, Leadville was booming as a center for the silver mines and a great deal of money was to be made freighting goods into and out of the city.

Realizing this potential, the AT&SF decided to run a rail line from Pueblo to Leadville. This required the line to pass through the Royal Gorge of the Arkansas River, which was situated fifty miles west of Pueblo. The narrow pass would allow only one rail line to be constructed. This was the crux of the conflict; the D&RG wanted the same thing.

By 1878, both railroad companies had rushed men and equipment to the area hoping to secure the right of way through the gorge while the company attorneys battled for court rulings in their favor. In April of that year, the AT&SF had stationed more than 300 men in the canyon to secure their line construction sites. The D&RG matched that number but had trouble keeping the men hired because their rival paid higher wages.

The AT&SF attorneys got a local court to issue a temporary injunction against the D&RG, halting any further work in the canyon. But, before the AT&SF could take advantage of this opportunity the D&RG got their court order blocking the Kansas company from doing any further work on their line. With both companies at a standstill, men were placed at critical spots in the canyon to ensure that they had control of the line and the equipment.

The D&RG built several stone forts under direction of their Chief Engineer, a man by the name of James R.DeRemer who had served in the Civil War and knew how to construct the rock breastwork needed for fighting a battle. These dry-laid masonry “DeRemer Forts” built at Texas Creek and Spikebuck featured gun ports and a commanding view of the track below.

Fortunately, for both sides, the rock forts were never used for ambushing each other. By November of 1878 the D&RG ran out of money and was forced to make a pact with their arch rival. On December 1 of that year, they issued a 30-year lease to the AT&SF, which gave them the use of all of the rail lines and all equipment – including the rolling stock.

Once the AT&SF had control of all the tracks and trains they quickly started squeezing in more business for Kansas City and less for Denver. Realizing their mistake, the D&RG started legal action to break the lease. Finally, in the early part of 1879 the case was brought before the Supreme Court in Washington. Anticipating a violet response, regardless of the court ruling, each company sent in armed men to defend their rights and property. The AT&SF hired Bat Masterson and a posse of 33 men he recruited in Dodge City to set up a camp in the canyon to defend their construction men and the company property. They arrived on a special train and after setting up the camp, dubbed “Dodge City”, Bat returned to Kansas.

On April 21, the Supreme Court ruled that the D&RG had the prior right to the Canyon, but did not have the exclusive rights. The decision, diluted as it was, did not please either party. In the latter part of May, the Colorado Attorney General entered a suit in the State court to halt the AT&SF from operating railroads within the state. Then on June 10, State Judge Thomas M. Bowen issued a writ stopping the AT&SF from using or operating any of the D&RG buildings, equipment or rolling stock – essentially nullifying their lease. With Judge Bowen’s writ in hand the officers of the D&RG went to the sheriffs of each county traversed by the railroad lines to take possession of all of their property.

Before the writs could be delivered to the county sheriffs, AT&SF instructed Bat Masterson to return to Colorado and concentrate their forces in Pueblo. He quickly recruited 50-armed men and brought them in on a special train. Included in this group were Ben Thompson and a dozen of his fellow Texans.

Initially, when approached with the offer, Ben was reluctant to sign on, fearing that if violence broke out he would be accused of murder. Finally, he agreed to hold the stone roundhouse at Pueblo until officers of the law presented him with legal papers to take possession. According to Walton’s book (Life and Adventures of Ben Thompson) Thompson agreed to do the work for $5,000 and was approached by the D&RG to surrender the roundhouse for $25,000. Ben turned down the offer saying: “I will die here, unless the law relieves me.”

On June 11, the sheriff of Denver and his posse of D&RG men seized the AT&SF office and roundhouse in Denver. Then a trainload of D&RG agents headed south to take possession of the property along the way. At the same time the ex-Governor of Colorado, A.C. Hunt, raised a posse of 200 men, captured a train and headed north seizing all the small stations and taking the agents as prisoners. At Cucharas, Hunt’s forces shot it out with twelve AT&SF men – killing a Mexican and wounding an Irishman named Dan Sullivan.

At Pueblo, Sheriff Henley R. Price backed two officials from the D&RG, J.A. McMurtie and R.F. Weitbrec, served copies of Judge Bowen’s writ to all of the AT&SF workers at dawn. After serving the writs, Sheriff Price and his posse marched down to the office of the train dispatcher at 8:30. The dispatcher refused to let him take possession of the building and the sheriff told him he had thirty minutes to think it over.

At 9:00, Price returned and found the office filled with a several dozen armed AT&SF men who refused to budge. Rebuffed, the sheriff trekked back to the Grand Central Hotel and recruited an additional 100 deputies – all heavily armed and primed with plenty of free liquor.

Returning to the depot at noon, Sheriff Price and his army of deputies demanded that those in the depot surrender. They refused and the posse moved on to the roundhouse where Ben Thompson and Texans were waiting. Confronted by the sheriff, Ben said he had been placed in charge of the company’s property and he could not give it up without being authorized to do so. The sheriff then stated that he had come to disperse an armed mob.

Ben replied that there was no armed mob in the roundhouse, only men from the construction crew who had been sent to guard the company’s property. Saying that some of the men did have arms Ben invited the sheriff to step inside the roundhouse and look over the men to see if any of them were guilty of violations of the law. Price was allowed to enter the roundhouse alone and after a brief search left without making any arrests.

Faced with a powder keg of a standoff, Sheriff Price withdrew his men and sought the advice of the local attorneys. After reviewing the judge’s writ he was advised that he was not authorized to use force to take over the AT&SF property. He chewed on this until about 3:00 and then decided that it was time to take action regardless of the legalities of the writ. He and fifty of his liquor-lubricated deputies met in front of the Victoria Hotel where they were supplied with rifles equipped with bayonets and a heavy ration of ammunition, courtesy of the D&RG. Marching down to the depot they formed a skirmish line in front of the building.

About that time, a cattleman by the name of W.F. Chumside staggered out of the ticket office. He was said to have been “a little under the influence of liquor” and wanted to argue the case for those inside the depot. He was quickly struck down by one of the deputies and kicked in the head.

The posse then headed to the telegraph office and shooting started as they were battering down the door. Most of the men inside the office quickly escaped through the back doors and made it to safety. Unfortunately, Harry Jenkings fell as he was running away and was shot through the chest with the bullet lodged in his spine. The posse pitched the wounded man in an express wagon and sent him for medical attention. He died a short time later.

After storming the telegraph office, the posse raced over to the roundhouse, the last stronghold of the AT&SF defenders. Thompson met them outside the roundhouse yelling: “Come on you sons of bitches; if you want a fight you can have one.” Before he could back up his challenge, he was overpowered by a dozen of the deputies and thrown in jail. Without their leader those inside wanted to parley. A short time later, they surrendered the building without firing a shot. All of them were disarmed and herded down the street to join Thompson in the crowded little jail on West Fifth Street.

Late that evening ex-Governor Hunt and his party arrived by train from the south and then continued on up the Arkansas River to Canon City. By midnight, the entire railroad had been captured. Sometime during that night Bat Masterson, Ben Thompson and the others hired by the AT&SF were released from jail and put on a special train bound for Dodge City. Arriving in the following morning, Ben collected his money from the AT&SF and headed for Texas by way of Kansas City and St. Louis.

The Royal Gorge affair did not end on June 11, but continued on in the courts for several more months. Finally, the “robber baron” Jay Gould bought fifty per cent of the stock in the D&RG and settled the litigation out of court. On March 27, 1880, both railroads agreed to sign the “Treaty of Boston” which returned the railroad and property back to the D&RG. The AT&SF was paid $1.8 million for the rail line it had built through the pass and the Royal Gorge War was finally over.

Getting Paid to Promote Yourself

We all know we can pay a magazine or a newspaper to run ads for us. Businesses do

it all the time. In many cases, you’re obliged to advertise to survive. But wouldn’t

you rather promote yourself and your company in a number of publications, and get

paid for it?

You can. Simply by writing magazine articles. When you write articles as a business

person, you gain on three levels: 1. You demonstrate your knowledge. 2. You help

other people. 3. If you write often, you develop a following.

Contrary to common belief, most articles in magazines are not written by

professional writing staff. They’re written by freelancers. Many of these people are

just like you, experts in their field, writing on the side. Many don’t even write their

own articles, they hire other writers to ghostwrite for them.

As a published author, you’re exposed to a wide audience, with whom you’ve gained

an authority and credibility you might not otherwise be able to achieve.

But how to get published? Study the magazines your target audience reads. Analyze

the type of articles that are in them. (i.e. anecdotal, how-to, case studies, etc.)

What’s the word count? It’s even a good idea to look at the titles and the subheads–

how many words in them?

Contact the publisher and ask them to send you their Submissions Guidelines. It will

be free, and it will tell you all you need to know about what the magazine is looking

for, and what they pay. Study it–follow it.

Consider the readers. What kind of people are they? What interests them? Even look

at the classified ads. They’ll tell you who the advertisers believe reads the magazine.

Review what’s been published in the magazine over the last couple of years. Don’t

try to submit something that’s been recently published. The editor won’t even look

at it. And he will dismiss you as an amateur, potentially ruining any future chances

of getting published.

Now, write your article based on all the profiles you’ve built of the readership. How-

to articles are the easiest to write and, usually, the most in demand. Readers can’t

seem to get enough of them.

Your article must give your readers valuable information. Doing so proves to the

editor and the readers that you’re an expert on the subject.

There are two ways to submit an article to a magazine. You can send the editor a

query letter, in which you tell the editor about your idea, why you think it will sell

magazines and how it will help the readers.

Or, a few magazines don’t mind you sending the finished manuscript directly to the

editor. Your choice depends largely upon which method the magazine prefers. The

guidelines will indicate what they prefer.

If you want a reply from the editor, enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope

(SASE) whenever you correspond with them.

Publications vary as to what they will allow you to put in your byline. Sometimes

they will allow a brief bio, such as: “Keith Thirgood, creative director of Capstone

Communications Group. Specializing in helping business get more business through

creative marketing design.” Some will even let you include your address, e-mail and

phone number.

If you do get published, you’ll get a cheque and more advertising than you could

ever pay for.

What stops many business people from writing is that, try though they might, they

feel they can’t write an entertaining article. They may be able to write fantastic

proposals, but magazine writing is a different kind of activity. Anyone who fits the

above description, may hire a professional ghostwriter. It’s not cheap. But it’s still a

lot less expensive than buying ad space.

Many writers charge from $1200 to $3500 to ghostwrite an article. Sometimes, this

includes advice on how to sell the article. The client gets the byline and all the

publicity it generates. The ghostwriter remains invisible.

The value of your article is more than just its initial publication. It has a life beyond.

Include copies of it in all your promotions. Post it on your website. Show it to

prospective clients. (Even after you have sold your article to a publisher, as the

creator, you own the copyright on the article. Even if the publisher asks you to sell

all rights, you are usually allowed to retain the right to use the work, with proper

credit, in your own self-promotion.)

Does free advertising, getting published, and being regarded as an expert in your

field sound good to you? Seriously consider writing for magazines; you may discover

a whole new creative outlet in the process.

Need and Importance of Business Ethics

Business ethics seek to proscribe behavior that businesses, firm managers, and workers should not engage in. Ethics is a source of guidance beyond enforceable law. It is clear and uncontroversial that firms and their workers should not engage in unlawful acts, such as selling harmful or defective products, and ignorance of the law cannot be used as a justification for unlawful actions. Business and management ethics goes beyond the law lo provide guidelines as to what is acceptable behavior in business transactions. Being based on values, however, it is often not clear what ethical behavior is and what it is not, since different people may have different values.

For example, should you report to your supervisor an affair between two of your co-workers? Some people would say yes, but others would think that it is none of their business. What about selling a product abroad that has been found to be harmful to health and is not allowed lo be sold in the United States? Or buying foreign products made with child labor? Or polluting abroad in a way that is not allowed at home? These issues are important to the firm because, independent of its ethical stand, they could seriously affect its bottom line if, for example, they lead angry consumers to boycott the firm.

Today, most large companies have established codes of ethical behavior for the firm’s personnel and have created “ethics officers” or guardians of corporate rectitude with the mission of keeping employees conduct more upright than the law requires. A company with such a code of behavior and an ethics officer is more likely to hear of unethical behavior in the firm before it becomes a legal problem or before it leads to consumer reaction, both of which can harm the image and profitability of the firm. There have been many such cases, such as when it became known that Nestle (the Swiss multinational and largest food company in the world) pushed infant formula in many poor countries when the mother’s milk would have been healthier for the infant, or when Nike was exposed for paying poverty wages in many developing countries to workers making its high-priced sneakers.

An important additional incentive for many firms establishing codes of conduct for their employees and creating ethics officers was the establishment of sentencing guidelines by the courts in 1991 that reduced fines for white-collar crimes committed by employees of companies that had established comprehensive ethics programs. Such ethics programs attempt to indicate as clearly as possible behavior that the firm regards as unethical and that employees are asked to avoid. These include using the company’s telephone for personal use, taking office supplies home, lying about being sick for missing work, reporting illegal behavior by other employees, giving or accepting gifts, and many others.

Since it is practically impossible to list all types of hypothetical behavior that a company would regard as unethical and come up with a universally accepted code of conduct, after listing many such examples, some companies provide the broad guideline of “don’t do it if it doesn’t feel right or if you would be embarrassed reading about it in the local newspaper or hearing about it on the local evening news.” Today, professions such as medicine, law, and accounting have professional codes of ethics. Despite this, a number of spectacular financial frauds were exposed.

Better would be to change the structure or architecture of the corporation so as to foster ethical behavior. This might include rewarding the company’s CEO more with stock options that tie rewards to the company’s long-run profitability than with salary ties to current profits; requiring founders of the company to retain a large position in the stock of the company to ensure that their interests are consistent with those of new investors; rewarding production workers for both quality and quantity and not just for quantity; providing bonuses for the sales force for having satisfied customers and not just for maximizing-sales; and rewarding rather than punishing employees exposing illegal behavior at the firm.

Many consumer groups would like corporations to go further and have a social conscience and use some of their resources to redress social ills, for example, by aiding the poor, promoting education, funding crime-prevention programs, reducing general environmental pollution, financing public projects, and so on. Some of these actions can directly benefit the bottom line of the firm; by helping local schools, for example, the firm gets better trained worker than otherwise (thus saving on its training expenses), or it can benefit the firm indirectly by establishing a reputation for the firm as a “good citizen” (thus attracting more customers and leading to more sales).

Starting an Aquarium Maintenance Business

Getting Started…the Necessities

Note: Use this information at your own Risk! Lantz Enterprises Inc ( http://www.walltanks.com ) assumes no responsibility whatsoever.

Business Licenses

The cost of a business license is minuscule. Unless you plan to sell from a retail store, the common price in most areas is approximately $25 per year. In addition, you will also need to obtain a special tax identification number for sales tax. In order to acquire a tax ID you must contact local and state governments to set up an account.

2. Business Essentials

o Business cards

One of the most important steps when starting a new service is the purchase of business cards. Generally, for $75 it is possible to print 5000 cards in multiple colors. Keep in mind that in order to gain a potential customer’s attention a more professional looking card will reflect on your business.

o Letterhead

It is very important to maintain professionalism at all times. One of the ways to do this is through your letterhead. Letterhead is commonly used for sales letters, business correspondence, sales promotions etc. First impressions are crucial to draw in potential customers. When targeting high-end customers they will expect a certain level of professionalism.

Other marketing tools such as brochures and advertisements are essential in getting your product out to your potential clients however they are not always necessary. Normally, depending on the quality of brochure or advertisements you decide on, these can generally range in price from $50- $500. There are many print shops and graphic designers in your area that will take care of this.

o Invoice book

o Appearance

The personal appearance of you and your employees is a very important detail. Formal business attire is not necessary, either a golf shirt or a regular t-shirt with your company name and logo should be worn. T-shirts with simple pocket embroidery will cost between $10 and $12 per shirt. Embroidered golf shirts will cost around $15 to $19 per shirt.

o Insurance

Do not step in the door without some type of liability or damaged property insurance. No matter how careful one can be while servicing an aquarium, accidents will happen. Nothing will end your business endeavor quicker than a lawsuit for damaged property. Normally running around $90 per month with some variation of types of policies that are available, it is truly better to be safe than sorry.

o Liability

It is good business practice to have some type of basic liability insurance. It gives the customer and you a sense of security and adds credibility to your business. A liability disclaimer against fish and livestock deaths as well as aquarium leaks and other collateral damage caused by leaks is included in the “Sales Section”.

3. Marketing

The greatest challenge in starting an aquarium maintenance service is finding your base clientele. By allowing a local pet store and friends to pass out your business cards, you essentially turn them into free sales representatives. Positive contact made between a potential customer and others that recommend your service is truly a priceless commodity.

o Newspaper ads

Advertising in a newspaper is deemed ineffective and can become costly. A better approach would be to develop a catalogue or brochure, which you can personally drop off at potential businesses.

o Display your name on the tank

Always display your name and number somewhere on the tank. Always ask your client’s permission first then offer a free month’s service or free fish. Invest in some business cards or stickers that you can leave on or around your tanks.

o Radio / TV Advertising

o Keep it spotless

Most people associate a spotless tank with a healthy environment. Don’t try to argue this point. You will be doing yourself a favor and promoting your business as a clean running service.

4. Customer Service

If finding new clients will be the most challenging aspect of this business, keeping them is a close second. Depending on your local area, business can become very competitive if you are not the only service provider. Keeping your clients happy involves much more than simply cleaning their aquariums. It is important to go “that extra mile” and maintaining a top-notch service. Having flexible service hours and “on call” availability is vital for success. For example, restaurants and other businesses often close at extremely late hours. During their business hours clients will not want their patrons viewing a cleaning service. Offering late or “off hours” times to your clients will keep them happy and put you above your competitors.

On call availability is important. Customers can and will call at the strangest times so it may be important to give them access to a pager number. Not only to schedule appointments but to ask questions or report some type of emergency. From leaking tanks to major fish kills, you will be the first one your customers will call when there is a problem with their aquarium. If you are not available, they will seek out somebody else.

5. Aquarium Location

When examining the best possibilities for a tank location keeping a few factors in mind is crucial. You will want the tank to be in a high traffic area with maximum exposure where it is easy to maintain, has an abundance of natural light and no direct sunlight. More specifically, “Wall Aquariums” can only be installed in inside non-supportive walls.

Ask the client to choose three areas they want to consider and do a checklist. Make sure the final location has access to power and educate the client on why some areas may need further prepping.

6. Working with Contractors

You will need to work closely with a contractor unless you are licensed. Contractors can be found in the Yellow Pages and range from $50 – $70/hour on average. Average installation in an existing wall takes 12 hours, from nothing to fish.

7. Financing Services

If your customer wishes to finance the installation, payment plans are available from Finance Companies. You will be paid 100% of the cost upfront from the service and your customer owes them the balance. These businesses can be found in the Yellow Pages under “Finance Companies”.

8. Fish Selection

Most “non” fish hobbyists struggle with fish selection and compatibility. You must educate the client on understanding why some fish can cohabitate and some cannot. Listen to your customer and get a general idea of size and colors they want. Suggesting species will help guide them through fish selection and your professional opinion will be appreciated.

Once you have a good idea of what they want, do some homework. Put together a list of compatible and available fish for the tank. Listing an estimated price per fish will aid the customer.

9. Service Equipment

Gathering all of the necessary equipment needed to run your service is simple and easy. Most of the tools required may be found in your personal equipment that you have acquired through the years.

You will need:

o Bucket

o Aquarium cleaning siphon (battery operated ones work nice)

o Algae scraper (acrylic friendly)

o Fresh & Saltwater test kits

o Filter media

o Fish medication (Melafix, Pemafix, Kich-Ich, Salt)

o Instant Ocean Bio-Spira (instant tank start)

o Fish food

o 100% Cotton towel

In addition to these items, a canister filter that can be taken from site to site would be a good investment. You may also consider purchasing a portable diatom filter for ‘polishing’ your client’s aquarium water. If you do not already have these tools you may be looking at an equipment start up cost of $100 to $200.

10. Aquarium Set-up

o Water

1. Fill the aquarium with pure water. Culligan works great or you may want to invest in a R/O unit (reverse osmosis).

2. Add the appropriate amount of water conditioner to neutralize chlorine.

3. Add a starter fish or two.

4. Test the ammonia and nitrate levels.

5. Anywhere from 2-5 days later pending the results of your tests you can introduce more fish.

o Test the ammonia and nitrate levels every time the tank is serviced so that you will be well aware of any unseen problems.

o In the case of a sudden fish fatality, test the water to see if anything has changed.

o Lighting

Depending on your client’s tank the ideal ‘photoperiod’ (the length of time the aquarium is lit) ranges from two to four hours for saltwater and six to eight hours for freshwater.

If algae is a problem in the tank, a contributing factor is usually too much light. Reducing the artificial lighting time to eight hours, or a bit less may be necessary.

Plugging the light into a timer is essential in creating a controlled environment.

o Temperature

Most aquarium inhabitants prefer water temperatures around 77°F. Typically, if water temperature increases above 80°F, or below 72°F, disaster is imminent. Secure the heater as directed and place a thermometer as far away from the heater as possible in an easily readable area.

o Filtration

Follow the instructions included with your filter for proper system set up. The filter cleans the tank water and provides vital oxygen for the fish so it must be left on 24 hours a day.

There are three types of filtration that you must educate yourself on: mechanical, chemical and biological.

o Mechanical filtration (the removal of pieces of debris from the water) works by passing water through a screen, a thin piece of sponge, or through a floss material.

o Chemical filtration works by passing water through small pieces of carbon. The carbon removes molecules such as ammonia from the water.

o Biological filtration works by certain types of bacteria that live on gravel and in your filter. These bacteria remove ammonia and nitrites from the water (see next section).

Most filters will clean mechanically and biologically if not all three.

11.Understanding the Nitrogen cycle (Fish make Waste – Bacteria get rid of Waste).

o The Biological filter process:

1. Starter fish are introduced to aquarium.

2. Ammonia from the waste starts to build up (toxic).

3. Bacteria start growing that use Ammonia.

4. Ammonia level starts to drop as Nitrite level builds (toxic).

5. Bacteria start growing that use Nitrite.

6. Nitrite level starts to drop as Nitrate level slowly rise (much less toxic).

7. Water is changed and Nitrate level drops.

8. More fish are introduced.

o These bacteria are called Aerobic Bacteria because they need oxygen. The best way to fuel them is to have well-aerated water and plenty of places to grow.

o A new tank isn’t ready for a full load of fish because the biological filter hasn’t built up yet. Slowly adding fish during scheduled visits will aid in water quality.

12. Water Changes

o Cleaning frequency

You will want to do a 20% water change every two weeks. This would be a partial cleaning. If your customer prefers less frequent visits, a 30% water change can be done every three weeks but will cost more. A major water change is only necessary if tank has not been cleaned in a long time.

Clean your aquariums in the following order:

1. Inside aquarium walls

2. Decorations (rocks, plants, etc)

3. Gravel

4. Filter

5. Outside and fixtures

Cleaning the inside walls will cause particles of debris to fall on the plants, decorations, and gravel, so it’s best to clean them first. Removing the plants and decorations will cause debris to fall to the bottom, so hold off cleaning the gravel until the plants and decorations have been taken out. Also, the gravel is much easier to clean once the plants and rocks have been removed. Cleaning the inside of the tank will cause the outside to get dirty, so clean the outside last.

Algae pads

Start your cleaning process by giving the acrylic a good cleaning on the inside. All you need for that is an acrylic algae scraper or sponge. There are a wide variety of algae scrapers on the market, from long handled scrubbers to magnetic scrubbers. Buy your algae scrapper at a pet shop instead of the house wares department at a regular store. Although the pads may look the same, they may have a soap or chemical residue in them from the manufacturing process. A residue will not affect your kitchen sink, but it can leave a lethal film in your aquarium.

For particularly stubborn residue on the sides, use a special plastic razor blade, as standard razors will scratch acrylic.

Bleach

Once the inside walls are clean, remove any rocks, artificial plants, or decorations that have significant algae growth, or are noticeably dirty. Do not clean them with soap or detergents. It is very difficult to completely remove soap, and even the smallest trace can be lethal to fish. Usually a good scrub with an algae scraper will remove the algae and dirt from rocks and plants. For particularly stubborn cleaning problems, prepare a 10% bleach solution (1 part household bleach to 9 parts water) and soak the items for 15 minutes. Scrub any remaining residue off, rinse well in running water, and let air dry to eliminate any residual bleach. Leave the rocks, decorations and plants out of the tank while you vacuum the gravel. That way none of the debris stirred up from the gravel will settle on them.

Get a new bucket and designate it for aquarium use only. Using a bucket that has already been contaminated with other household chemicals could result in the loss of your fish.

Siphon

Clean the gravel next by using an aquarium siphon to vacuum away the debris into a bucket. There are several types of siphons available, all of which work essentially the same. Be sure to vacuum all of the gravel thoroughly so that all debris is removed.

Glass and Lime cleaners

Once the inside of the aquarium is cleaned, the hood, light, tank top, and outside glass can be cleaned. Only use cleaners designated as aquarium safe. Regular glass cleaners contain ammonia, which is toxic to fish. Standard lime cleaners are even more toxic. Use aquarium safe cleansers and rinse. Do not scrub the acrylic with paper towels or any wood by-product. Use a 100% cotton shirt or towel.

Filter cleaning

After doing a partial cleaning and it has been 4 weeks since you last cleaned the filter, it is time to clean it again. If you did a major water change you may want to wait until the next visit to clean the filter. The reason for this is not visible to the naked eye. The major cleaning you just performed has disturbed the bacterial colonies on the plants, rocks, and in the gravel. Fortunately a significant number of the beneficial bacteria reside within the filter media meaning you haven’t completely upset the eco-system. However if you changed the filter at the same time, you could end up with a significant spike in ammonia levels due to the lack of beneficial bacteria. For that reason, it’s wise to give the tank a rest before removing the filter and cleaning it.

In most cases your filter has media containing carbon, ammonia absorbers, or ion-exchange resins, and should be replaced if it’s more than four weeks old. After a couple of weeks the absorbing qualities in the media have been exhausted, and there are enough bacterial colonies elsewhere to offset its removal. If you are using two filters, clean one per visit.

Your package prices should include installation, aquascaping, filling the tank with water, fish and cleaning the aquarium for the 1st month. You should offer a 5 – 10% discount with a 6-month service contract as listed on the example “Sales Contract”.

o Service charges

Your service charges will be based on competition and target demographic. The charges below are suggested and should be adjusted to your area.

Service programs include:

o Scheduled bi-monthly visits (can be adjusted to meet clients needs)

o Water change (see Water Changes)

o Delivery of equipment, supplies and environment as requested by client

o Free consultation for

o Fish tank makeovers

o Fish stocking

o Equipment replacement/upgrades

o Water quality improvement

o Medical treatment of fish illness

16.Sales Procedure

Set aside specific hours or days a week for sales and stick to the schedule. During this time you will approach businesses and introduce yourself and product line.

If the client wishes to finance a package or service, contact your “Finance Company” (see Finance Company) and you will need to complete work before you receive your payment.

17. Customer’s concerns and frequently asked questions

Concern: I don’t have enough money right now to cover the package prices.

Reply: No problem, the entire amount can be financed and it’s also a tax write off for commercial clients.

Concern: I don’t want you to clean the aquarium in front of my customers.

Reply: No problem, We can come by after business hours for commercial clients.

Question: How do I access the tank for cleaning if it’s in the wall?

Answer: Access will be hidden under a picture-frame style border or an access panel where the top piece swings open.

Question: How will electricity be supplied to an in-wall aquarium?

Answer: An outlet will be mounted inside the wall facing the aquarium.

Question: How will the fish be fed when I’m on vacation?

Answer: An automatic fish feeder will feed the fish for up to two weeks for freshwater fish. We also offer a vacation feeding service.

Question: What if the tank leaks?

Answer: It is extremely rare however it is under manufacturers warranty for one year.

18. Tips

These are a few handy tips and suggestions that may make things a little easier.

1. If you have a computer, make use of it. Most of your customers will have a computer and it makes for a great way to communicate. E-mail is a wonderful way to contact your customers, send them invoices, and allow them to ask questions when you’re not in their area.

2. Teach your clients and their employees about feeding and the filter system. Show them what to do in an emergency and teach them to recognize problems before they get out of hand. Always train at least two employees on feeding methods.

3. Keep your customers up to date on the system and any changes you make. Never allow things to become a surprise. Clients tend to frown on sudden changes made without their consent.

4. Invest in maintenance tools that are easy to use and which do not create a mess. Water changes with a 5-gallon bucket are an accident waiting to happen. Find methods that are user friendly and clean.

5. Control algae. It is your clients’ number one concern. A dirty tank delivers the wrong message to your clients’ customers. Use fish species, lighting control, feeding programs and good removal tools. Just remember these tanks are acrylic and will scratch if rubbed with an abrasive material. Use 100% cotton towel instead of paper towels. Paper towels are a wood by-product and can scratch acrylic.

6. Great customer service means being patient. Not everyone will have the understanding of aquatics that you do. Things that are simple to you may be more difficult for others to understand. Try to become well versed in basic principles; you will be explaining them over and over. Treat everyone with respect; you may be talking to one of your client’s valued customers.

7. Fish deaths are a part of this business. Learn to be sympathetic but firm. Some fish deaths are unforeseeable, while others are preventable. Work out a fish replacement system and stick to it. Replacing a few fish for free is no big deal, replacing a whole tank is.

8. Try to keep up to date on new products and fish species. Don’t be afraid to try new things, it’s the only way you will advance your skills. Invest in some good books and magazines; they will become useful for reference.

Why Weird Words Make Great Brand Names

When creating a truly great company name, the number one consideration should be the level of “engagement.”

“Engagement?” you ask incredulously.

Yes… engagement.

While there are all sorts of naming strategies… metaphors, acronyms, coined/invented, key attributes, positive connotations, etc., the one common denominator that separates the mediocre from the memorable, is the degree to which the name engages the mind of the consumer. Most new business owners opt for company names that inform and describe, leaving nothing to the imagination. They often fail to realize that the context surrounding the name (the ad, the store sign, the proposal, the brochure copy, etc.) will define what they do, so the name can be free to describe how they do it. In other words, no customer will hear or see the name in a mental vacuum. Yet this is the way we often judge names when “brainstorming”. And it’s why focus groups are such notoriously bad judges of good names. It’s not the people that are flawed, it’s the process itself. Most of the feedback takes the form of free associations, all in an effort to determine if a name is “good” or “bad.” It goes something like this…

Interviewer: “What do you think of the name Monster?” Respondent: “Ew! They’re scary and dangerous!”

Interviewer: “What about Amazon?” Respondent: “Jungle… drowning… snakes… piranhas…”

Interviewer: “Apple?” Respondent: “A bad apple spoils the whole bunch.”

Interviewer: “Caterpillar?” Respondent: “Squishy, soft, and squirmy.”

Interviewer to new business owner: “I think we can safely assume these would be bad brand names…”

So if it’s not a matter of free associations, then what determines a good name? Again, it’s that all important element known as “engagement.” Engagement is what causes you to lean forward, ask twice, invite more information and pursue the conversation. A good name should invite a discussion, start a conversation and “engage” the other person’s interest and attention. That’s why Amazon, even though it says nothing about what it does, works better than Books-A-Million. Amazon is open and inviting and Books-A-Million is literal and descriptive. Amazon speaks to the process…flowing, easy, abundant. Books-A-Million speaks to the products… books. And while Amazon leaves room for the company to grow in any number of directions, Books-A-Million leaves the company in a bind. I once heard an ad for a company called Just Brakes. Since they had outgrown this narrow niche, they adopted a new tag line… “We’re more than just brakes.”

Let’s take another example. Linens & Things is needlessly redundant since most people, after seeing a newspaper ad, or walking by the store window, will know the company sells linens and things. It would be better to use the name to capture some key strategic position or advantage, or to evoke a feeling or emotion. Is Linen & Things the best, the fastest, the biggest, the most service oriented, the trendiest? We simply don’t know. They have described but they haven’t evoked. They’ve explained but they haven’t engaged.

The objection I routinely hear is “But with names like these, no one will know what I do!” And that’s when I explain that trust is needed… trust in the power of context to fill in the blanks. That way the name is freed to paint a picture, engage the senses and position the brand to reflect not what you do, but how you do it.

So will any weird word work?

No.

Weird for weird sake will just leave the customer scratching his or her head in bewilderment of moving on in indifference. Bold, engaging names will create the desire to know more, and that’s where you need to be ready to tell the story. The name then becomes a segue to a larger story. It starts with the name and tagline and then continues to the:15 second elevator speech and beyond.

One of our clients we named was TKO Surgical. When asked if that’s a boxing reference, our client gives an emphatic “yes,” explaining that they have a mission to both defend and fight for their clients’ needs. They’ll champion their cause and remain in their corner until the last bell sounds. Their tag line? “Technically Superior.”

So whether a name is based on a metaphor, a key attribute, an acronym, or a positive connotation, the overarching goal is to create a name that engages. Perhaps that’s why Albert Einstein asserted that “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” If given the choice of engaging vs. informing, opt for a name that begs for more. It may seem weird, but the results can be wonderful.

Driving Customers to You – Your Car as a Marketing Vehicle

You can turn your vehicle into a rolling advertisement. Costs start at just a few dollars, and you can put your business name, slogan, phone number and web site URL in front of thousands of potential customers while you are driving along the freeway, stuck in traffic or even while you are parked. Here are some of the best ways to use your vehicle as a marketing tool.

Bumper stickers are so inexpensive that you may want to print enough for employees, friends, family members, customers and others. Publisher Susan Sabo of Small Dogs Press made bumper stickers saying, “I do bad things for love,” along with the Small Dogs web site URL. The line is from one of their books, and everyone who sees the bumper sticker wants one. Sabo sells them at her web site, and gives them away at book fairs. Of course, she has one on her car, and says she has given them to all of her friends, too.

License plate frames are a favorite of car dealers and auto repair shops, but they can work for any business. You can have them custom made with your business name or slogan, along with a phone number or URL.

Magnetic signs are an easy and low-cost way to put a lot of information on your car. Put them on both sides of the car, and make sure the lettering is large enough to read, even from a distance and when the vehicle is in motion. Personal chef Sue Gaughenbaugh added an effective twist to this idea. She bought a supply of magnetic business cards and placed them around the sign on her truck. When customers see her truck in a parking lot, they can pick up a card to take with them. Gaughenbaugh started getting calls from new customers within days of putting the take-away magnetic cards on her truck.

Vinyl decals and window stickers are a highly visible way to promote your web site. Put the URL in large letters across the width of your rear windshield. After all, you never know who might be behind you in traffic. This is most effective if you have a catchy and descriptive domain name. Custom stickers are available at prices starting under $20.

You can order many of these items from local printers and sign shops. Or, do an online search for companies that can create bumper stickers, magnetic signs, decals and other promotional items.

And when you are ready to go all-out, consider a vehicle wrap. These vinyl decals look like a custom paint job and cover your entire vehicle with bright, high-quality graphics. This is not a do-it-yourself project, but you can hire companies such as http://www.coloredink.com to design and install the graphics. At an estimated cost of $3,500, this option is much more expensive than the others described here, but it will certainly make an impression on the other drivers you encounter.

When your car is a traveling billboard, the time you spend in traffic will become more productive.

8:07 AM – Beer, Hot Girls And Hot Tubs – What More Could A Guy Ask For?

The city of Longview, Texas, is a Located off Interstate 20, a little over a hundred miles east of Dallas. It’s a town of about 70,000 people, and lately a lot of them have been talking about what is going on at a local business called Don’s Fly Thru Beer Barn.

You see, Don had a problem. His business requires folks to sit in their car and drive through a long garage-like building where customers can buy beer without getting out of their car. But when traffic got backed up a bit, people were getting impatient and driving off – and not buying any of Don’s beer.

Don must have sat down and thought about what he learned at Disney World. Now those folks have a system. If you’ve been there you know that stagnant lines for rides and other attractions are made more bearable by TV monitors with things to watch, and even sketch artists and other acts that distract the people in crowds while they are in line. Disney rule: if you provide entertainment for people in line they aren’t quite as ornery about the time it is taking.

So Don put in a hot tub. A real nice one, by the look of the pictures. Then he stuck some girls in the tub so now the folks waiting in line would have somebody to talk to. Or at least look at, if they were shy about that type of thing.

Now this is strictly a G-rated hot tub, there are no naked women, just very attractive ladies in bathing suits, straw hats, and big, friendly smiles. The ladies are known as “Don’s Darlings”, and they are causing quite a stir around town, as well as improving Don’s business. He says the hot tub gimmick is making him a lot of money.

A local TV station even ran a video feature on the Fly Thru Beer Barn, and of course the local paper is happy to provide some pictures.

If you’re interested in seeing Don’s new marketing idea in action, we have links to the hot tub video and pictures on our website.

Don Talley is the very creative owner of the Beer Barn. He says that most of the women are single moms, and he’s helping them out by offering them honest work. A local newspaper ad said he was offering health benefits and even cosmetic surgery. They work for eight hours a day, and Don seems to have no problem finding women who are willing to staff the tub. And no wonder – how many jobs can you find where you get paid to sit all day in a hot tub in the sun, working on your tan and and flirting with men?

As it turns out, sex does sell — or at least it keeps male customers around long enough to buy some beer. But this is not a hot party tub, nobody is nude, and most folks in the area consider it pretty harmless. You’d probably see more skin at a swimming pool.

Ever the entrepreneur, Don says that sometimes his female Fly Thru Beer Barn customers will also get a treat — once a week he’ll give the women a day off and staff the tub with hunky men.

Inbound Vs Outbound Marketing for Your Business

Perhaps the single most important step you can take as an entrepreneur is to effectively market your goods and services. You can have the best products in the world, but if no one knows about them, your business will fail! When it comes to successfully promoting your business, you can choose from a variety of inbound and outbound marketing techniques.

Outbound marketing is the proactive process of finding potential customers and motivating them to buy your products and services. It is a traditional form of marketing that involves the promotion of your goods to people who are not actively seeking them. Common outbound marketing techniques include television and radio advertising, newspaper and magazine advertising, telemarketing, trade shows, direct mail (both electronic and paper), e-mail blasts and public relations activities.

Outbound marketing has a long history of success and it typically provides quicker results than inbound marketing. Unfortunately, it has its weaknesses as well. Advertising, trade shows, telemarketing and the like can be prohibitively expensive. In addition, outbound marketing is intrusive. In many cases, you are trying to sell your goods and services to people who have no interest in them. This has led to many attempts to block outbound marketing efforts such as caller ID, call blocking, spam filters and pop-up blockers, which makes it harder to get through to your market niche.

Conversely, inbound marketing consists of promotional efforts that focus on getting found by customers. The idea is to take proactive steps to bring potential customers to you, and motivate them to buy your goods and services because of the quality content you provide in various formats. Inbound marketing techniques include blogging, articles, white papers, search engine optimization, video, and social media such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Inbound marketing has the advantage of being far less expensive to implement than outbound marketing. In fact, you can facilitate a successful inbound marketing campaign without spending a dime. You are also able to provide valuable content for potential customers and to distribute information about your business in a non-intrusive fashion. This is one of the great benefits of inbound marketing. It tends to be a more welcome form of promotion on part of consumers because you are providing valuable content as opposed to offering a sales pitch.

Of course, inbound marketing has its weaknesses as well. While there is little monetary cost, there is a tremendous cost when it comes to time. Developing and maintaining a blog, writing articles, creating video and maintaining a consistent presence through social media requires a significant amount of your time, especially when compared to the time required for most outbound marketing campaigns. Another weakness of inbound marketing is that it can take a long time to achieve success.

So, what’s the bottom-line when it comes to inbound vs. outbound marketing? My recommendation is to incorporate elements of each. Both marketing approaches can be successful when used properly and each offers unique benefits. Think about how you can incorporate both approaches in a marketing strategy that will provide you with the greatest possible return. For example, an experienced business coach might decide to use e-mail marketing (outbound) because she has a long client list she can use for the distribution of her product information. She could also use blogging (inbound) as a way of disseminating useful business information and demonstrating her expertise to potential clients.

Likewise, an engineering consultant can effectively use print advertising as an outbound marketing technique while simultaneously using social media to position himself as an expert, network with a diverse array of individuals, and become a respected member of social communities devoted to engineering. The key is to be clear about what you want to accomplish with your marketing strategy and to select techniques that allow you to achieve your goals.