Speak Up for Success

By: Joan Curtis
Whether you run a small business or are a CEO in a major corporation, if you don't speak up, you will not reach your full potential. Susan RoAne, in her landmark book, How to Work the Room tells us that 93 percent of people report that they are shy. This number astounded me and tends to astound the groups I speak to. What it means is that only 7 percent of us believe ourselves not to be shy!

When I walk into a room full of people and see all those friendly faces, conversing freely with each other, I have to believe that more than 7 percent of them are confident, outgoing people. On the other hand, the 93 percent statistic comes from what people say about themselves. That means most of us consider ourselves shy, regardless of how we act in social and professional settings.

How can we learn to Speak up for Success? Many people decide they cannot do it. They decide to live in a quiet world in which they spend time with close friends and family. They decide not to Speak up for Success and remain on the back row.

But, others of us want more. Others of us are reading Oprah's books on how to become successful'how to set challenging goals for ourselves. Millions of people are spending time and money on coaching to become more than just average. Those are the people who want to learn how to Speak Up for Success in as painless a way as possible.

As a person who most people would call outgoing, as a person who has spent most of her life in front of groups, and as a person, who, yes, would say, if asked, she's shy, I have learned some ways to make Speaking Up for Success easier.

How to Speak Up for Success

*Start small. Look for places where you can speak up safely. You want to build your confidence. That means not volunteering to speak to the local Chamber of Commerce. It means speaking up at dinner when your son challenges you. It means telling your wife that you need some time to yourself. It means asking your boss for some time off.

*Join a coaching group. Coaching groups will give you both the support and the skills you need to Speak up for Success. Coaching in a group costs a fraction of one-on-one coaching. It is the first step you can take to build your confidence and to reach that goal. In a coaching group you can determine what speaking up means to you, you can set your own personal goals, you can learn tips from the coach, and you can get support from the group. Take a look at the virtual coaching group offered on my site.

*Deal with your "inner critic." The inner critic is that little voice inside your head that tells you things like, "You've got nothing important to say," or "No one wants to listen to you," or "Whatever you say will sound stupid," or "Everyone else is better educated than I am." This voice will put the brakes on anything you might want to say. Recognize that we all have an inner critic. We all hear the same voice you hear. Some of us have learned to turn that voice off. You can do it, too! *Research and study the blogs that deal with public speaking. You can find a lot of information on my blog. There you will see posts with tips about speaking out, not just public speaking. You will also see a list of other blogs (blogroll) that you can explore.

With over 18 years experience as a speaker and trainer, Dr. Joan Curtis brings energy and enthusiasm to her programs. You can, too! Join her active website. Get access to dozens of articles on communication and the free mini e-course, Say It . . . Just Right. http://www.TotalCommunicationsCoach.com

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The Million Dollar Skill That Makes You Money On Demand

By: Westly Lager
What if you learned and possessed a skill that you could earn a full time income for the rest of your life. How much would that be worth to you?

The skill I'm speaking of is copywriting and it's the most important thing any internet marketer could ever learn. Copywriting is an art form and is really just selling with written words. It's the simple art of persuasion. You're using your copywriting skills when you try to get someone to go see a movie with you, just not in the written form. "I heard Roper gave it two thumbs up, do you want to see it?"

What did you do there? You simply used an "expert" to justify what you were saying to provide credibility.

You can do the same thing in copywriting to back up your statements and messages.

How do you reach the million dollar copywriter status, you may ask?

People are exposed to tons of advertisements every single day and the number is only going to keep increasing.

So you're going to have to be very creative with what you say. The first big thing is to be yourself and don't try to change it for someone else.

A great quote I heard by Dan Kennedy is, "If you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one." So please just be yourself, people will take it or leave it.

The second step is to provide your prospect with some sort of proof. Simply put, if you're going to use numbers be specific. Don't say "15,000", say "15,678." It sounds simple but you'll be surprised at the increase in conversion you see. Plus the second one just sounds much more believable.

The next step is simple but vital to your success. You MUST position yourself as an expert. Back up everything you say and never make claims that are over the top. People aren't looking for hyped up sales letters, they look for genuine people. However, everyone trusts the expert and believes that they are credible. Think about it this way, do you trust your doctor for the most part? Would you take his advice if he told you how to avoid some sort of pain? Sure you would because he is an expert in his field.

The point in which most people fall off is not knowing their target audience deeply. You must know their fears, pains, problems and desires so deeply they feel like your own. Don't slack off on the research it will pay off in your copy and your prospects will know it.

So to start the actual copy you need to make a headline.

You must make a stunning headline that pulls people in by the neck. The head line is truly just the biggest benefit someone can get out of your product or service. Make sure that you are writing a benefit laden headline, not a feature laden one. What is the difference? Well a feature would be, "Our product has a silent v4 motor."

The benefit is what that ultimately does for the end consumer. How does that truly benefit them? What is the end result because of that feature? What pain did it solve or what pleasure did it provide?

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Westly Lager can show you how to develop a successful internet business regardless of your prior experience. See how by checking out his websites at http://westlylager.net and http://myabunza.org

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The Power of Convenience

By: Anthony King
In this rapidly advancing world, it is not only the professionals and business people who are feeling the pressure of a fast-paced life. Students are also pressed to their limits inside the campus because educational institutions today feel that they should join the race of progress with the same pace by accomplishing various academic writings such as essays, term papers, book reports, research papers and short stories within a frame of time that is inadequate and unmanageable. But no matter how unreasonable their teachers or professionals may become, students are left with no choice. They have to abide by the requirements of the university if they want to get good grades. With long hours of reading and in-depth research compressed with other academic responsibilities, even the brightest college scholars can be overwhelmed by the workload an essay demands. Time, among other things, remains to be the biggest problem why students consider writing a piece of quality essay an impossible task.

Thankfully in this fast-paced world, this problem is also given due notice. Giving students and individuals the convenience of acquiring well-written essays or dissertations in the shortest possible time, custom essay writing services are increasingly becoming a big business on the Internet. The primary aim of companies offering such services is to provide high-quality essays to those who need assistance in their academic career. With a writing staff that comprises of essay professionals and experts holding doctorate degrees, custom essay companies are capable of taking any topic from students or even working people. It could be about history, philosophy, scientific research or current issues. Custom essay companies have a well skilled staff that is always ready to write affordable essays on any topic. The quality of work many of these custom essay companies produce cannot be questioned because thousands of customers around the globe keep on acquiring their services.

These companies are extremely strict in choosing the right writer for each client so the specifications of the project are followed thoroughly and that the finished product is original. The use of anti-plagiarism software is a common practice among custom essay companies to ensure the authenticity of their work. Aside from using fax, on-line chat and e-mail to have an open system of communication with clients, custom essay companies provide a 24/7 technical support team that will accommodate customer inquiries anywhere in the world.

About the Author: A literary writer by heart, Anthony do freelance essay writing for a living. He enjoys reading literary pieces and dreams of becoming a Nobel Prize winner in literature. He prefers genre that regards existentialism while poetry is his favorite literary form.

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How To Choose The Best Deals In Letterhead Printing

By: Bryant Anderson
In winning a client or in winning over colleagues, image is everything. And the first time you create an image is when you make a good impression. Image doesn't only pertain to how you look, how you act, what company you run. In order to be taken seriously with by other people, you must keep in mind that image also pertains to the most obvious part of written communication - your letterhead. Printing a well-crafted letterhead should be part of your deal.

A letterhead can be your front liner in communication. It's the first thing that your clients and colleagues will see when they receive a mail from you. Your letterhead will not only serve as an idea where you are located, but also affect how your clients will perceive you. A letterhead contains your everything about your company at a glance; a letterhead acquaints your company to your prospective clients, and indicates who you are, what products or services you are offering.

Design your letterhead with the good company image in mind. You should bear this in mind when you choose your printer too. So what should you put in your letterhead? In one word: information. And when we say information, we mean information that includes the company's name, address, contact person, phone number and fax number, e-mail address. Should your company own a website, indicate it on the letterhead too.

Your letterhead should also have your logo. Your logo is easily the most recognizable representation of your company. When you're designing the letterhead, resize the logo to fit proportionately to your letterhead. It should be at 5x2 inches or smaller.

In general, letterheads are written this way: the logo and company name are lumped together on the upper side of the paper. The company's address and other contact details are placed near the bottom page. Standard sizes for letterheads are at 8.5 x 11 inches, because at that size letterheads sent easily through mail or fax.

Printing Your Letterhead

You can print your letterhead in three color printing options: one color, two colors, and full color. In general, printing at full color gives your business letter more depth and breadth. They also make your logos more identifiable. Be ready for the cost of quality though, the more colors included in a letterhead, the more expensive it is to print.

Choose quality stock paper in your printing. For more effect, use textured paper rather than plain bond paper. In choosing a printer, your printing company should choose high-quality printing methods. But of course, quality customer service should also be a part of your consideration.

When you've printed your letterheads, make sure that there are matching envelopes. So you can create a clean and professional look, the paper of your letterhead must be compatible with your envelope's paper. Don't scrimp on the cost if you want to create a good impression. All the big companies you know make letterheads and their printing a part of their budgets.

LETTERHEAD PRINTING: My Print Shop Online provides full-printing services to clients across the United States and Canada. The company offers the best deals in print jobs including full color printing, commercial printing, and digital printing services for: brochures, letterheads, envelopes, postcards, newsletters, catalogs, and booklets. For more information, click http://www.myprintshoponline.com

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The Basics of Content Writing

By: Abir Roychowdhury
Content writing has an important role to play in the current scenario of web marketing and e-commerce. With search engine rankings playing a pivotal role in the business strategies, content writing and development has reached new heights. So it is quite distressing when a website fails to get short-listed in the topmost positions of search engine results. It is of the utmost importance to write content that sells. The content should contribute towards a high conversion rate.

Let’s check out how you can make your content writing more effective.

• The first thing to keep in mind is to keep your style of writing easy and concise. You must keep in mind the on line, impatient reader. They will have no time to read highly convoluted forms of writing. The easiest way to retain their attention is to write in simple sentences that convey your point effectively.
• Write in the active voice. Always make it a point to avoid the passive. You should involve the readers. They should not get the feeling that they are reading a sermon. Engage with them in a conversational tone. That’s the only way to turn potential buyers into dedicated customers.
• Using keywords and phrases is another trick of the trade. Effective use of keywords will ensure that your site gets listed in the topmost positions in search engine results.
• Alienating the reader will do no good. You should use words that are common or familiar to your readers. People visit a web site with a particular intent. To gather certain information or to buy something or to subscribe or enroll into a membership.
• Content writing is not about how well informed you are in the English language. It is about establishing a good rapport with your readers. You should have good communication skills. You should be able to communicate complex ideas to others in a simple language.
• Always write from a reader’s point of view. The customer (in this case the reader) plays an important part in on line advertising. So it would be good to step into his shoes. To address the issue from his viewpoint. Involve him. That’s the only way of increasing viewer retention.
• Using pompous words and phrases are a strict no-no. Use concise, objective language to communicate effectively. The reader should be able to understand your point. It should not go over his head.
• Write how your readers will be benefited by the services, which you are promoting. You should not only write about the features and services. The stress should lie on how your reader stands to be benefited by that particular service.
• You should write a well-researched content keeping in mind the current market trends.
• Before writing about the topic, you should have a clear idea about it. You should gather information about the particular topic from books, websites, CD-ROM’S.
• Your content should provide useful information. Keep out everything that is irrelevant or unnecessary. It won’t do to beat about the bush. Deviating from the subject in hand will confuse the reader. The only way to keep your reader’s interested is to provide him with the necessary information that he is looking for.
• The heading is the most imperative feature of content writing. Give a suitable heading that draws the attention of the reader. Heading should be within 8-10 words and should be the most significant piece of your writing. It must describe effectively what you are writing about.
• Divide your content into several paragraphs. It should consist of a well thought out introduction, a body and a conclusion.
• Keep your sentences short and descriptive. Lengthy sentences have a negative impact on viewer retention. Ideally your sentences should be within 15-20 words.
• The heading of the article or content should include keywords to ensure search engine optimization.
• Use subheadings to effectively highlight all the points. Subheadings also help readers to go directly to some point or information that they want to obtain. Readers will scroll through your article only when they are convinced that they will find something of interest in it.
• Another thing to keep in mind is not to make the paragraphs too long. Lengthy paragraphs will bore your readers. There should not be more than 40-70 words in a paragraph. Just make your point and keep it short.
• Use of bullets and numberings will make the content attractive and easier to read.
• Important words and quotes should be highlighted throughout.
• Use action oriented words for added emphasis.
• You must proofread in order to avoid redundant phrases and incorrect use of grammar and syntax.
• Edit again and again to see whether the content forms a well connected whole.

Following the points, you should invest your writing with a clarity and style that is irresistible to readers. Clearly state the point you are trying to make and influence your readers to take a decision.

Abir Roychowdhury is a professional Internet marketer. For Affordable Business website design 2.0 Custom Secure Ecommerce web development SEO Content writing Services Company or for Hire Real Estate Ecommerce Web 2.0 web Designers eCommerce Shopping Cart Web Developers dot .Net PHP Web Application Development Company SEO services India visit www.businessprodesigns.com.

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Tips on Writing Research Papers

By: Jonathan Smith
The benefit of a research paper is more than just having a ticket out of college. The mere process of writing it provides a training ground where one can develop the skills necessary for professional life. Life outside the university is more complex, so while inside, one should already prepare by facing the complexities of producing a respectable research paper.

Furthermore, writing a research paper will allow one to learn the infallible truth that the world outside has its own rules and borders. The following Do's and Dont's will show why:

Do think hard for a good topic. Only a few students will have a workable topic for their research paper at the beginning of their course. The majority will, most likely, remain oblivious of what they will write about until the formal start of their work.

Talking to the professor works well for those who simply doesn't have a clue of what could be a good topic. Reading books is also a good way to start. If one already has a general topic in mind, he should begin reading materials related to the field to narrow down his subject; after which, he should talk to his professor about it.

Deciding a topic should be done at the earliest possible time to give ample time for research.

Do not forget to have an engaging question. Usually a research paper answers why and how. Questions that begin with these two words are essential because they allow the author to make an argument. Why should we question the theory of evolution? Or How is it possible to alleviate poverty with education? Research papers that don't have an argument asks boring questions.

For example: Who started the civil war? An author who chooses questions that don't begin with why and how will most likely produce a work that merely lists facts and dates.

Do real research. Doing research involves more than just reading secondary books or taking information from the Internet. Real research, depending on the argument of the paper, means using primary sources like statistical data, foreign books, speeches or local newspapers.

One can also arrange an interview with a prominent leader or a scientist, anyone he thinks can provide expert advice for his research paper.

Do not fail to make an argument. A research paper is not a book report. One cannot just gather information from different sources, re-phrase paragraphs, and combine notes in order to produce an acceptable research paper. This kind of process will simply not work.

An excellent research paper has all the evidence and data woven together to form a thought-provoking argument that attempts to answer the research question.

Do write well. A well-written research paper presents all its powerful evidences and argument in a clear and coherent way. Footnotes and endnotes should accurately cite the sources, and tables and graphs should be properly presented in the body of the paper. An author should maintain a formal and serious tone if he wants his work to have an impact.

Though one can formulate his own tips in writing a research paper, he can be sure that the rules written above are proven by many writers to be effective in producing an exceptional work.

With great passion for writing, Jonathan Smith finds it fulfilling to do freelance writing although he already have a career in a marketing firm. He also work as a freelance editor for a custom research paper company. This 26-year-old’s enthusiasm in writing is deeply rooted in his parents, for his father was then a newspaper columnist and his mother a true-blooded novelist.

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Should You Take a Course in 'Creative Writing' to Make Sales From Your Words?

By: Nick James
I'm going to address something that may rub some people up the wrong way.

You see, I more than occasionally get a number of people asking me whether they should spend a pile of money to get 'good at writing'.

And, the place where they're thinking about parking their cash is with a college, institution or place where they teach 'creative writing' or however you want to describe it.

I do a little deep breathing, and then I tell them something similar to the following.

"I personally have never taken a course in creative writing, or know of anyone who has done so either. And, I'm talking about those people, friends and colleagues who want to write their own sales messages that sell products and services."

Of course, that's just a handful of people whom I know and hang out with. And let me quickly say that I know people who routine sell tens of thousands of pounds, some hundreds of thousands of pounds, PER MONTH, all from conveying their sales messages in 'non creative writing' methods.

Now, I do know people who have taken these kinds of creative courses who then want to write heart affecting poetry, or, have this notion of being a famous fiction author, or anything other than using it to write messages that sell.

Let me speedily say that a lot of people get hung up about the application of the word 'creative'.

I'm all for applying creative marketing to a product or service, but then grounding it in basic, solid, direct response copywriting techniques and strategies.

I'm against using flowery, meaningless, airy fairy language to convey a message. I'm against using silly riddles, rhymes and annoying clownishness to get across a concept, idea or thought.

If you want to know a simple truth and, what is really a powerful secret, because many just don't GET it, is that when you can 'write like you talk', you'll be way ahead of those who call themselves COPYWRITERS.

You'll know more than what's in any course; be it copywriting, creative writing, journalism, or any other.

But, there's a little disclaimer to this: If your talk, your normal conversation, is lacklustre, minimal and simply dull, then, writing like you talk won't help you. Unless...

... Unless... you tune in to how everyday people are actually talking. To how your customers are talking. And then, capture that use of language and then weave it in your communications.

Let me tell you that there's no easier, quicker or cheaper way to help you on your way to becoming a more proficient and effective ad, website, email or sales letter writer, than most of the PROFESSIONALS out there.

But... if you're hell bent on putting your money into a creative writing course in order to help you better your sales messages, if I were given the choice, I'd choose a scriptwriting or screenwriting course.

And there's a very good reason for choosing those.

You see, a really good sales message, is essentially, a story. Good copywriting is closer to the great fiction novels than you'd believe.

Not only will you learn effective ways of creating an 'opening' for a sales message, you'll learn about plots, characters, curiosity, suspense, drama...

... all essential ingredients for a compelling sales message.

I hope I haven't put too many noses out of joint in this article and sincerely wish your money is wisely invested.

Nick James is a UK based direct marketer and product developer. During the last 5 years Nick has sold in excess of £1.6 Million Pounds worth of products and services online. Subscribe to his Free Tip Of The Week email at: http://www.Nick-James.com

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Beyond Public Speaking 101

By: Silvana Clark
It happens to all of us sooner or later. You have been selected to give a speech to the board, a conference or even all your employees. Most managers know the basics of public speaking: don't jingle coins in your pocket, make eye contact, have a great opening, don't read your notes.....etc. But what if you need to make an important speech where you need to go beyond Public Speaking 101? The following are some ways to present your material in a professional manner. Rather than simply reading your PowerPoint notes, try some of these ideas:

- Check the room out ahead of time. Even if you are speaking in your company conference room, arrive a few minutes early to make sure everything is in order. Do you have a fresh glass of water? Did a previous group leave a candy wrapper on the floor? This is the time to check your microphone to avoid the amateur act of blowing and tapping the mic and saying "Is this on?"

- Have a dynamic opening. Yes, I know, in Speech 101 you were taught to open with a joke or talk about the weather. Why not open with a dramatic statement that gets everyone focused on your presentation? How about starting with, "Last week my neighbor called our reservation desk.... The group will immediately be wondering about the type of service your neighbor received. The dynamic opening conveys you have important material to present.

- Vary the length of your sentences. Instead of rambling on about the need to implement new ways of doing business, simply state, "These changes start today." Then pause so the words have time to sink in. Look at the success of Nike's "Just Do It" campaign. People around the world recognize those three words.

- While talking about short sentences, remember to keep the speech as short as possible. Yes, you have deep words of wisdom to share, but most people have 8-10 minute attention spans. Plan to add an additional point of interest every 8-10 minutes of your presentation. Use a prop, tell a story, or give the group a subject to discuss for 2-3 minutes. If I get to a point in my speech where I see the audience needs a change of pace, I ask, "Who has been in the hospitality industry for over 20 years?" A few people raise their hands so I invite 3 of them to come on stage with me. As they arrive, I hang large signs around their neck saying, "Wise One". This always gets a laugh and I tell the audience they are fortunate to have over 60 years of experience in front of them. Each of the Wise Ones shares a few thoughts on what the hospitality industry was like 20 years ago. Then I ask them for insight on a point I made in my speech such as, "We were talking about motivating staff. What do you do to motivate staff?" This activity provides useful information yet also breaks up the monotony of one person talking continuously.

- Use humor appropriately. If you've never told a joke before a group, this is not the time to start. Some people are naturally funny. Some people are not funny. It's as simple as that. You don't have to do a stand-up comedy routine to be a successful speaker. Telling a light-hearted story that pertains to your speech has just as much impact as a string of one-liners.

- Planning to close your speech with a question and answer session? That's fine as long as you have a closing anecdote or statement after the last question. So often speakers answer questions and then say, "Well, if there are no more questions, I guess I'm done." That is weak!! (Notice the short sentence.) Instead, close by saying, "Thank you for your questions. I'll close this afternoon by telling you what one of our employees told me over lunch last week...." That way there is a definite conclusion to your presentation rather a feeble, "Thank you".

Silvana Clark is a professional speaker, presenting keynotes and workshops on business-related topics.The author of 11 books, she gained her marketing experience by getting her "ordinary" dog to star in TV commercials. Oh yes, she also appeared on the Fox reality show, Trading Spouses.http://www.silvanaclark.com

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A partner conducive to smart communication process

he intense world of mobile communication can be seen revolutionising the economic and social lives of the mobile users in a significant manner. While many of us make use of the mobile phones for enhanced communication convenience, others are simply satisfied with its productivity besides feeling a heightened sense of style, security and status which is associated with them.

Let us have a look at the prevailing mobile phones' market and find out the reasons behind its unparalleled popularity.

The world's present mobile phone users' base is past 3 billion as per an eminent market survey and the trends are likely to continue in the coming few decades. In addition to that, this base is larger than the strength of Internet users or fixed telephone line subscribers. The usage of mobile phone is attaining exemplary penetration rates in developed as well as developing nations.

The modern day mobile manufacturers are ready to give due emphasis to the identification of user demands besides implementing innovative ways for the purpose of users' satisfaction. This is imperative to cater to the increasingly fragmented and diverse market, which is shaped in equation to the prevailing differing needs, expectations and values. Since, the modern day mobile users are ready to pay a justified price for stylish and innovative mobile phones, more and more manufacturers are jumping into the mobiles market. The entry of these manufacturers brings more competition and this eventually leads to the availability of cheap mobile phones. These are the reasons that are prompting the mobile manufacturers to go for the technological innovations and creative marketing programs. All these positive trends are highly suitable for the mobiles market since both the manufacturer and mobile user feel elated to be a part of this intense race.

If you are looking for some high-quality yet cheap mobile phone, then you need to take some steps before putting your hands on a mobile phone. A clear understanding of the prevailing market trends can be attained by making a detailed market survey; you can also seek the advice of your friends, relatives and colleagues before getting a cheap mobile phone.

Let us now have a look at some of the highly promising, new and established mobile names and products to get the complete insight. Some of the most promising and reliable names in the world of mobile phones are Fly, Spice and Samsung. The Fly mobile phones such as Fly MX300, Fly MP600 and Fly T2060 have been able to live up to the expectations of the mobile user community on the sheer basis of their performance, affordability and reliability. These Fly mobile phones are highly advanced when it comes to seamless delivery of mobile solutions.

Get a high-quality and cheap mobile phone for yourself and feel the difference.

The author is a specialist in retail writing. Her writing skills reflect the outcome of years of exposure to the retail industry. Working with retail giants as a consultant has enriched her knowledge base and her passion for writing got fire. She can be read regularly on RetailsDirect.com. For details please visit: www.retailsdirect.com Cheap LCD TV

Writing as a Work at Home Job

Writing as a work at home career is one of the biggest area in the work at home categories. Traditionally, being a freelance writer has been a work at home job, and now that working at home is becoming more widespread, there has been more writers in the industry than ever before. If writing is your forte and you have a good grasp of the English language, you will always find yourself busy with work at home writing job opportunities.

There are many ways to embark on the writing field, even if you have no previous experience. These days, online opportunities abound, and there are still many writers who stay exclusively in the print market. Starting your career as a work at home writer is as easy as doing some Internet research and applying for the job.

Most writers are very realistic in knowing that they are going to have to do some other types of writing to get paid on a regular basis. Writing for pay is mostly, if not exclusively, done in the non-fiction genre. While every so often you will be able to find contests for fiction writing or for poetry, these prospects are few and far between when compared to the non-fiction opportunities.

Many work at home writers find success with ghostwriting. Work as a freelance ghost writer means that you provide writing services for clients who will then use your work as their own. Ghostwriting is quite a lucrative opportunity, especially, when you concentrate on web writing.

You see, the Internet is a text and image based platform. Companies, business owners and individuals who own websites constantly need content to make their websites attractive to visitors. Since web writing is something that not a lot of people do, this leaves a plethora of opportunities for people who love to write.

Writing from home as a work at home career requires that you have a reliable Internet connection, good written communication skills and the ability to be a go-getter. As a writer, you will be in charge of your time and your projects. You will always have deadlines to meet and varied writing opportunities to undertake. You must have the skill to research a wide variety of topics and must be open to accept writing assignments where you will be challenged to learn. At certain times, you will have to write about topics that you may have very little experience in.

Once you've gathered a few web writing assignments under your wing, you will be able to decide what category of web writing suits you best. You can find work on web-blogging, writing on forums or message boards, freelance writing job sites, classified ad sites and many more.

Always remember that whenever you apply for a job opportunity, make sure that you include your contact information and a few well-selected writing samples.

Marie Castell is a free lance writer who loves to educate people in different topics. She also writes for The Work at Home Jobs Website and The Work at Home Jobs Blog Site. If you want to read more about working at home job topics visit www.theworkathomejobs.com.

What's Your Communication Style?

Technology has come a long way in helping us to communicate with customers. Between teleconferences, the Internet, and other advancements, we can communicate with people halfway around the world. But, the message we convey is still up to us. We have to make sure we send messages that are clear to the recipient.

If we don't send clear messages, we have misunderstanding and conflict. Our productivity and profitability goes down. Communicating is much more than just writing the correct words and saying grammatically correct sentences. Our communication style is shaped by our emotional state, our current situation, frame of reference and our preferred style of communication.

People communicate and interact with the world through senses--mainly visual, auditory and tactile (movement, touch, taste and smell). Everyone uses these three modes, but most people use one mode as their primary. According to research, most people are visually-oriented, while the fewest number of people use hearing as their primary mode.

To guarantee that messages are communicated correctly, we must learn how to communicate in another's particular style, or mode. To find out someone's primary mode, you must: 1. Listen to the verbs they use 2. Watch their eye movements during conversations 3. Observe their behavior 4. Ask in which style they like to get new information 5. Be aware of your own style

Let's take a closer look at each mode.

Visual. Visually-oriented people create mental pictures when they communicate with people. They'll often express themselves by saying ""I just don't see it the same way you do"" or ""It looks good to me."" They will use verbs such as look, see, picture, and imagine. When they are thinking, their eyes will look faraway, so that they can form a mental picture. They also may blink to clear the picture in their mind, or they may look directly at you in response to your questions. To effectively communicate with them, use colorful and vibrant pictures, displays or charts. Flyer or poster printing works well with this group.

Auditory. People that communicate by listening and talking will express themselves by saying ""I hear what you're trying to say"" or ""That doesn't sound right to me."" They learn better by listening to recorded information and music. They might use words such as hear, listen and talk when explaining something. When they are thinking, their eyes will go over to the side, often repeating in their mind's ear the question or statement just made. To effectively communicate with them, make sure to fully discuss the topic and answer all of their questions. You can't just say "Read the brochure," you need to tell them what's in the brochure.

Tactile. These people like to take action. They prefer movement in their interactions. They might say ""I feel this situation is getting tough"" or ""I can't grasp the idea."" They will use action-oriented verbs such as feel, touch, hold and move. When they are thinking, their eyes will go down to get in touch with their emotions and any motion involved in the statement or question. To effectively communicate with them, you need to be hands-on, such as letting them use or handle your product.

These days your message can get lost in the shuffle since people are exposed to so many messages throughout the day from varying technology. Look at the world from another's point of view--especially from your customers' or vendors', and make them feel like you're really listening to them by communicating in their preferred style. By communicating in their style, you'll enhance performance, increase productivity and improve relationships, which will all enhance your bottom line.

Visit this site for more information on poster printing.

Effective Communication

The bare knuckled fight for the democratic nominee has me hooked! Not only am I fascinated by the race but I am also floored by the poor level of communication displayed by some of the candidates' communication staff. With a mixture of um's, err's, mumbled words, poor eye contact and closed body language I can only imagine the success they could achieve if they chose to communicate effectively.

Whether it is a job interview, a salary negotiation with your boss or the race for the White House - choosing to communicate effectively will ensure you are heard the way you want to be heard. Effective communication is not a reflex response so can be difficult to use but luckily it can be learned, practiced and mastered. This article aims to explain what effective communication is, why it is so important and also to provide you with 10 tips to effective communication.

I encourage you to read on, to continue to communicate effectively and to start to notice the difference.

What is effective communication?

On average, about 70% of our time is spent communicating, whether it is verbal, nonverbal or through listening, reading or writing.

In basic terms, communication is the transmitting of an idea or an opinion from one person or group to another person or group; an exchange of ideas. Effective communication is required to ensure the message is delivered, received, interpreted and acted upon in the way it was intended. Whoever you are office junior, CEO or stay at home dad, effective communication is key to achieving both your personal and professional goals.

There are two main elements to Effective Communication, assertive speaking and active listening.

Assertive speaking - To project yourself (verbally and non verbally) in a direct, confident and relaxed way, in order to be able to deliver your message, image or idea in the way that you meant it to be heard, whilst at the same time encouraging the audience to do the same.

Active listening - Utilizing empathy and respect to listen to both the content (verbal) and the emotional (non-verbal) elements of the message, idea or image being delivered in order to hear the message as it was meant to be heard.

Effective communication requires more than just words, it needs positive, direct and confident body language, facial expressions, pace, and tone of your voice to all add weight to what you want to say.

Professor Mehrabian of the University of California looked at how face to face communication is received by any listener. The research discovered effective communication is based around 3 main areas, with the content or words used only accounting for 7% of the whole message.

Impact of communication Facial expressions / gestures / body language55% Tone of voice38% Content / words7%

Achieving Effective Communication

At school we are taught to read, write and speak appropriately. I am sure we can all remember a teacher telling us to 'be quiet' or the ever popular 'shut up and (listen)'. But the lack of formal training to listen, coupled with stress, deadlines and tension at work it is not surprising that we can go through our work and home life without properly listening.

We are often caught in a 'tug of war' scenario where more than one person is trying to speak at the same time, struggling for control of the conversation resulting in no-one receiving the right message. Tension is created, the conversation takes an adversarial tone and ineffective communication takes over. Effective communicators are aiming to achieve a 'see-saw' style interaction, where one person is the speaker and the other person is listener. This usually switches between the people involved as they aim to achieve the same goal - mutual understanding and collaborative working.

10 Tips to Effective Communication

Here are 10 tips for active listening and assertive speaking taken from my Effective Communication Toolkit.

1 Eye contact and body language - There is no need to stare the speaker out but do retain an appropriate amount of eye contact so that the speaker can tell that you are listening. Without eye contact they might assume that you have switched off. As the speaker you want your audience to be focused on what you are saying and not on the fact that you are playing with something in your pocket or glancing nervously toward the exit. As a listener ensure you display a positive set of body language - an open posture, make encouraging non verbal gestures - such as nodding or smiling.

2 Tone and pace of your voice - Change the pace and tone of your voice to match the words you are saying. When you want to emphasize a specific point - speak with more urgency - maybe varying the pace and increasing the volume of your voice. This encourages people to listen to what you are saying as oppose to a monotone which might just send your audience to sleep!

3 Responsibility - Take ownership of your message and show you believe in what you are saying. Ensure you know your subject so you retain your confidence throughout - especially at question time. Speak in the positive - be relaxed, confident and direct - emphasize what you CAN do.

4 Direct and confident - The listener will be more open to any message being delivered if it being done so in a direct and confident manner. The message will be believable and the audience will be confident in what you are saying.

5 Solution focused - Your message will more likely be heard if it is positive with clear thought through solutions. Avoid apportioning blame or pulling up past challenges but focus on what can be done now.

6 Do your homework - Do some research before presenting or speaking to an individual or group you are unfamiliar with. This will ensure that your message is delivered in a way that is appropriate to your audience. 7 The full message - As a listener note taking can help so you can keep up with what is being said and easily refer back for clarification. Take in the full message and remember that the words are only 7% of the overall message.

8 Probing and open questions - If you are in anyway unclear as to what is being said, ask open ended questions. They start with when, where, what, why, who and how. These types of questions generate dialogue. Closed questions (questions that elicit a yes/no answer) are best used at the end of a funnel of open questions to gain agreement or acceptance of an issue or to lead to the end of a conversation.

9 Non-judgmental - Although the message you are listening to might not have your agenda at its centre, there are more positive ways of adding to this than casting your own judgment. Avoid judgmental statements in your feedback and caution the use of questions starting with 'why' as they can often carry a judgmental tone. As an alternative to 'why' use ' perhaps you could walk me through your thinking around...'. This invites the speaker to be more open.

10 Sharing relevant examples - Sharing a relevant example will encourage the speaker and might give weight to their message. Ensure you do not detract away from the speaker by putting your agenda first.

Lou Clark is a Life & Career Coach and founder of Être Coaching based in NYC. With a successful background in Human Resource Management, formal coach training & accreditation with the ICF, Lou is experienced in providing support and coaching through change. Visit Etre Coaching!

Improving Family Communication through Vocabulary

There are certain things that are unique to each species on our planet. Just as hive making is unique to the bee, an intricate language built on signs is unique to the human. We are very complex creatures. We have the capacity for abstract thoughts and emotions and, despite our natural predisposition toward language, we often find communicating these thoughts and emotions highly problematic. Let’s face it, expressing what is in our heads is difficult enough, throw in relationship dramas, tensions, and moments of heated exchange, and it can be darn near impossible to articulate your ideas.

There are several ways to improve how you communicate with your loved ones. The first thing you might want to do is to observe the thirty-second rule. If someone in your family says something that really seems to dig at you and your first response is to fire back with something hurtful or retaliate with an inappropriate outburst of emotion, wait thirty seconds to allow yourself time to cool down and think objectively. In communication, we are trying to build bridges to understanding and we cannot do this if both parties are not willing to meet in the middle. Sometimes it pays to take the higher road.

Another way to improve communications with your family is to improve your vocabulary. Cultivating a broad word bank can help you focus and allow you to find precise words. Precision is key to helping you better articulate your abstract thoughts and emotions. When you have a better variety of words, you will find that you can communicate more effectively with people. Building a larger vocabulary can take quite a bit of time and effort, so your best bet might be to invest in a program that helps you learn words on your own schedule. Companies like Verbal Advantage have several packages that are catered for the individual who has a need for a stronger vocabulary but who might not have the time to enroll in costly courses. These companies have spent countless research and development hours to bring you a versatile and solid product.

The third way you might improve your communications with your family is through setting agreements about what you will and will not discuss. It may sound silly to you to plan a meeting with your loved ones; however, in very difficult situations, you will find that boundaries are very helpful. When people begin to argue through emotion rather than through the desire to achieve a common goal, things get messy and often end in shouting matches. Before the conversation begins, make sure that all parties understand what the common goal is. Here is an example. Your family goes to your mother in law’s house for the holidays every year and you want to go to the beach this year. You know that your husband will resist because he loves spending the holiday with his mother. You can set boundaries to keep the conversation from going into an argument about the relationship between you and your mother in law. The common goal of this discussion would be that you both want to have a holiday that the entire family will enjoy. With the agreement and understanding of the goal in place, you can talk objectively and build a bridge to understanding together.

Donovan Mansfield has a PhD in English and writes in New York.

10 Best Tips to Write Effective Emails

Hello Reader,

Nowadays, we communicate more and more through email. We use Email communication to write something to friends, relatives, colleagues or clients. Whoever the recipient of your email, it is becoming very important that you write email effectively. As you know, by writing effective email, you can save your time, other person’s time and you can win more trust & confidence from the other end.

Give Reply of Email As soon as Possible

More and more people contact each other through email. Even if they mention directly or not, they expect prompt responses. One of the study by Jupiter Research indicates that 35% of customers expect a reply within six hours, an additional 55% expect a response within 24 hours. Though many people focus on response time, content is just as important. The same study indicated that lack of a thorough response (45%) will cause on-line customers to view a company negatively when considering future purchases.

Learn the art of writing Email

Poorly crafted emails will generate additional emails back & forth, which potentially eating up more of your time. Worse, they can drive unnecessary calls to your most costly channel �" your phone. And at that point, customers are bound to be angry and frustrated.

Here are some tips for writing email responses that are both thorough and appropriate:

1. Format your response so that it’s easy to read on a screen. Do not write email using very long sentences, which are lengthy horizontally. Each line must be short. Ideally, write 5-6 words in each line only and not more than that.

2. Make sure the subject line is concise and meaningful to the recipient…not just a generic “Response from Marketing Team” But also be careful that it doesn’t look like spam.

3. Have one subject per paragraph. Mention this separately by blank lines, so that its easy to read and understand.

4. Be brief. Use as few words as possible to convey your message. More is not better when it comes to email. An email is not perceived as an electronic letter.

5. Use simple, declarative sentences. Write for a third or fourth grade audience, particularly if you’re creating templates that are sent automatically. You do not know the education level of your sender or the sender’s level of comfort with the English language.

6. Be sensitive to the tone of the original email. If the sender is upset because of an error on your part, acknowledge the error. Clearly state what you are doing to correct the situation.

7. Make sure you answer all the questions posed in the original inquiry. A partial answer frustrates the sender and results in additional contacts. It also makes the company sending the response look inept.

8. Make it clear what actions you will be taking next and when the writer can expect the next contact from you.

9. Don’t ask for an order number/case number or any old information which you remember out of your mind only when one is included in the original email…sounds pretty basic, but sometimes people miss very obvious info in email.

10. Don’t just tell the sender to go to your web site. In many cases, they have already been to the web site and couldn’t find the answers they were looking for. If you want them to go back to the web site, provide a direct link to the exact information the reader needs.

For More Information: http://www.infotrex.com/

Author Biography: I'm your host-Ankur Patel-your outsourcing partner based in India. For my day job, I run Infotrex Services(Managing Information 4 U) - http://www.infotrex.com and work with a small team of smart developers for supporting clients based in USA, Canada, UK, Italy, Ireland, Australia etc. We help all clients to succeed in their online business by SEO(Inter

How To talk To Each Other

Previous generations told children what to do, how to do it, when to do it and the only answer to the "But, why?" was, "Because I said so." Although some of that is still okay, depending on the issue, parenting skills have changed.

Parents are more likely to explain why expectations are what they are. However, with explanations can also come debates. Most parents still resort to "because I said so" when the argument becomes tiresome. Parents are busy these days. So are kids. Time is limited and very few parents want to spend that time arguing about rules, expectations, behavior or anything else for that matter. However, when parents let too many issues slide, typically the behavior of the child becomes a significant concern. It is time to fine-tune your communication skills.

Parenting tip that rarely needs further explanation: Listen to yourself. How are your communicating with your child? The Golden Rule applies. Speak to your child and request your child to speak to you in ways that are respectful. Abrupt and un-thought-out responses tend to be regretful. When you catch yourself speaking in a manner that is less than kind; stop. Take a deep breath and start over. Walk away if you must but stop the disrespectful talk, from either side. Then use a loving but firm voice, give eye contact and speak your peace.

Results often vary depending on the message sent. How many times have we said, "I want you to clean up your room, okay?" Of course it isn't okay with the child. If they would have wanted to clean the room, they would have already done it. The more direct and clear statement would be "It is time to clean your room." The message and directive is clear, no further explanations are needed.

Some directions need no further explanations. Phrasing the statement in specific terms avoids any possibility of conflict. A perfect example would be safety issues: When you say, "Put that knife down, you can cut yourself," you want the child to comply immediately. That is a clear direction with the explanation built into the command. If you were to say, "Put the knife down," you have left the child an opening for the "But why?" Listen to the message you are sending. Make it clear and self explanatory.

Other issues can and should be discussed with the parent making the final decision. Sometimes, on a limited basis, the decision can be that you allow the child to make the decision. Those decisions are important to the healthy development of your child. The children need to learn how to make decisions and the only way to do that is to allow the children to make the decision and be rewarded or suffer the consequences. So, when appropriate, discuss decisions that the child can make. Help them weigh the pros and cons. Then, let them make the decision and reap the reward/consequence. Remember, with every choice comes a consequence. When applicable, let the child make the choice. Let them learn from those choices. But, along the way, set the example as to how to make appropriate decisions.

Author and Editor of Family Time Charm A truly unique family magazine. Family Time Charm is designed for the entire family. For more parenting articles, fun games for kids and educational activities for all, visit our website: www.familytimecharm.com