The LuxMob Info Tags

When you finally realise that your pretty little web site is not performing the way you had expected (which needs to come sooner rather than later) you have some work to do and then some! First of all it’s worth pointing out that today’s top marketers and those of yesteryear also have one thing in common with those of us starting off right now and that is that they were newcomers once also.

They did not give up at the first hurdle or even the five hundredth! Remember Thomas Edison and his 10,000 experiments before the light finally switched on! Each generation of successful entrepreneurs became just that as a result of the Edison Factor; the never give up, keep going, the dark just before the dawn philosophy.

Believe me it works! And what ever works you better do more of …much much more!

Now that I have your attention let’s hone in on your pretty little web site that is dead in the water. At this point and with you tearing your hair out, you just have to pull something out of the bag or in this case for the purpose of this article, your Blog. What the hell has a Blog got to do with it (apologies to Tina Turner).Let me enlighten you and refer again to that dimly lit laboratory all those decades ago when all was finally revealed in a blinding flash so to speak? The Edison factor is waiting for each of us if we only give it a chance to switch on.

Clearly if you have not already joined the growing ranks of the Blogosphere than you should stop reading right now and just go set one up and then come back tomorrow or this afternoon if you really believe that you can get going in 15 minutes like Big Jim Edwards says you can (we are not all blessed with cyber kinetic chips in our little brains!)

Here’s the deal (real or otherwise!)Write a new and devastating page for your web site and hide it away in the murky depths of the “dead-in –the –water” real estate. You aren’t getting any traffic so it doesn’t matter where you put it? For the time being! You should put a reference to it on your home page since this is where your few visitors are mostly going to happen along anyway. This may get them curious, particularly if you have a really punchy headline and the content is going to shake them up a bit.

Now comes the Crunch…Post about it on your Blog (the new page that is); use the title of your blog post to reflect the nature of the Web Page…and in the post you can give a snippet of the page (not the whole page) with perhaps two hyper links. One at the beginning and one at the end of the post. Using some good keyword phrases to act as the Anchor text you link directly to your new page and Voila… visitors to your Blog are now going straight to your new page on the web site. Doesn’t matter how bad you feel about your current(!) illumination(web site presence) you are starting to get visitors into the centre of your site and who knows they may even stick around a while.

At this point you have now bought some time and you should be rewriting and improving your Web Site like there was no tomorrow because if visitors are going to return they have got to have something worthwhile to return to …Makes sense …Yes?
Next action is to check your web site stats every morning and look at the entry pages. You will be amazed that within a few days your most read page will be the one that you linked to from your Blog.

This is a technique that I have been using for only a short while and it has resulted in a massive increase in the daily traffic to the Web site. Still not anything like enough traffic and still pitiful, but it’s a principle that works well providing you post very regularly to your Blog and in each post you use anchor text to link to a specific page on your site which could be any page that you want to get further traffic.

Obviously until you build up traffic to your blog this will not break the bank but if it works and you can see actual results from your labours then you will gain the confidence and stamina to keep going until it all clicks together. Yesterday, or rather last night, I used this strategy to announce new changes to our web site and since the pages referred to in the blog post are not even live on the Web Site yet, since I am not yet the Webmaster, I linked to two separate pages in the two links.

This morning we have seen the best ever daily visitor numbers to our site and I have already rung the Bank and told them to crack open the Bubbly! No seriously this is a technique along with many others that will get you where you want to go eventually. The important thing to remember is:-

DO IT OFTEN —– SHARE IT OFTEN—-THEN YOU WILL DEFINITELY BE TAKING IT TO THE BANK.

Robin Piggott is a Professional Driving Instuctor in Limerick,Ireland since he was banished from his native land for speaking his mind!
He is enjoying his journey through Cyberspace and in sharing his experiences he hopes to make a difference both on the Road and on the Web. The Astral Driving School web site is having a much needed make over and the Blog is part of this on going process.

http://www.astralmotoring.ie
http://astralmotoring.blogspot.com

Today is Tuesday February 7 2006, the third day of my weight
loss program. Today I am nominating dairy products as the food
item that I will not touch. This means that I give up dairy
products for today only and will leave a space on my plate where
dairy products would go. You may recall that yesterday I decided
not to eat any bread.

Overnight the first problem was detected and it concerned my
arthritic left ankle becoming extremely painful. So painful that
even after taking a fairly strong pain killer I slept for only
two to three hours. While I lay awake my mind went over the
previous day and I think the problem was self-inflicted. Because
I have zero sideways movement on that ankle I have been advised
not to walk on uneven surfaces. Where I live, in the Blue
Mountains National Park west of Sydney, there are few sidewalks
and the ground is very uneven. I think I created the problem by
walking on uneven surfaces. But that is no reason to give up,
the exercise program requires amending to suit conditions.

- Today started with a much slower walk to pick up my daily
paper. I added around and extra quarter mile by walking only
where there are sidewalks.

- Breakfast is a glass of orange juice, a toasted bacon sandwich
using whole grain bread. Yes, you read correctly, I had a bacon
sandwich followed by a banana and a cup of lemon green tea. The
great thing about this diet is that you only give up the food
that you love one day at a time.

- I didn’t feel hungry during the morning and managed to get
through to lunch, at 1pm, without thought of food.

- For lunch I had a sandwich of chili chicken, fresh beet
(beetroot) and lettuce. Beside it I had about six cherry
tomatoes halved and sprinkled with olive oil and chopped basil.
A glass of water with a Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
followed because I could feel indigestion starting.

- 3.30pm A cup of lemon green tea and a piece of cake.

- 5pm I started my amended exercise program as follows: First
check pulse rate before starting. 2 minutes of stretching
exercises until I can comfortably touch the floor with my
fingertips without straining hamstrings. 2 minutes of sit-ups.
20 push ups done in groups of five with stretching between.
Jogging on the spot on the flat surface of my patio until my
pulse increased by 50% from normal.

- 6pm. Dinner is pasta (Penne) in a tomato and vegetable sauce
with chunky cut bell peppers (capsicum), zucchini (courgettes),
mushrooms and broccoli, with a glass of red wine and a glass of
water. Followed by grapes and peach (fresh) for dessert.

- 7pm. About 4 ounces (110 grams) of peanuts because I’m greedy.

- 8.30pm another walk. It has cooled down now and I take a
steady ten-minute walk.

Today has been a very easy day, but for those that are doing
this with me be aware of serving sizes. Serving too much is the
biggest enemy of any weight loss or control program.

This article is copyright © David McCarthy 2006.

Starting a new business can seem like an overwhelming task when you first make the decision to be your own boss. We all have a tendency to look at the big picture and realize we have no idea how we’re going to do what we’re setting out to do. And we also seem to find that, along the way, more things come up, making the whole process more complicated than we ever anticipated.

Well, a little daily action – baby steps if you will – will help your big idea start small and grow. To get you going, there are seven steps that have been that starting point of many new business ventures. What’s more, you’ll find yourself referring to these seven steps as you progress to remind yourself how you started and where you plan to go.

1. Set a goal. It seems like a no-brainer, but many people only have a vague idea what they want to accomplish. Be specific and write it down.
2. Build capital. They say it takes money to make money and you’re going to have to come up with some to start your venture. If you have access to new business grants or loans – great. It’s less pressure to work with OPM – Other People’s Money.
3. Start part time. Keep your day job while you figure out the ins and outs of your new business. Work your new business like a second job – except one that you actually like.
4. Your own business school. You’re going to have to teach yourself the fundamentals of business if you don’t know them already. And if you do, you’ll find the more you know, the better. So take some time to educate yourself.
5. Be flexible. There are many ways to get from L.A. to New York. So remember there may be more than one way to meet your goal. Be flexible and adapt to changes. You may find a better route than you planned – or even a better goal.
6. Be persistent. Have a daily method of operation (DMO) and stick to it. Don’t let the nay-sayers detract you from your belief.
7. Never give up. People don’t succeed because they fail – they don’t succeed because they quit. It’s been said that the greatest risk is not taking one. Winners never quit and quitters never win. Keep going until you achieve your goal and you will meet with a success beyond what you ever imagined.

About the Author:
Dylan White has run three different and successful home based businesses and now operates the Home Business Headquarters which is updated regularly with information and links for home based business entrepreneurs.

Living with a highly contagious sexually transmitted disease can be difficult and stressful. It is imperative that you do not infect your spouse. If they are already infected, then you need to seek treatment together.

Over 25 million people in the USA have Genital Warts
(HPV). Most between the ages of 15 and 25. Multiple
sexual partners highly increase the risk of contagion. Staying
faithful is vital, as the only true preventative is to stay
with your spouse, or to abstain. Condoms can break.

Many women and men have unwittingly been infected with HPV (Human Papilloma virus) by a straying spouse. Apart from the emotional ramifications of a cheating husband or wife, the physical implications of contracting and living with Genital Warts compound the emotional stress, and can lead to various cancers.

There are also issues to consider if you are planning to have
a baby. Your Genital
Warts condition must be treated. For one thing, the disease
may be passed to the infant, and although resulting throat warts
are rare, they have life-threatening complications for a newborn. The throat warts can block the air passage, and multiple surgeries may be the only means to treat your baby’s condition.

Another reason to get treatment if pregnant or planning a
baby is that genital warts in the vagina
and birth canal limit the elasticity of the vagina, and you
may need to have a caesarean section. Also, genital
warts often grow during pregnancy and they can make
urinating very painful, they may also bleed.

Options available to treat genital warts include laser surgery, burning, cryosurgery (freezing), prescription medication… Or you can try a recommended all natural topical treatment (cream/oil) that has already effectively and gently cleared Genital Warts for hundreds of people across the world.

Remember, you and your partner must be treated together, and what better way than in the privacy of your own home.

This
particular Genital Warts Treatment has been specifically
developed to eliminate genital warts. Once treated, the
same warts do not grow back again. You cannot cure
genital warts once you have contracted the disease. But
you CAN treat it, and this method of naturally
treating the condition in privacy is not expensive,
and comes with a 60 day money back guarantee.

We have looked every which way in recent articles at protecting ourselves and our data from the outside. Now that we have our networks and connections locked down, filtered and alarmed, the question arises: Can e-mail still be an effective tool to reach our intended clients, members, associates, staff and prospects? Well luckily yes it can if we heed to common sense, and a few tips from the experts. E-mail still reigns as the most effective marketing and communications tool to come along since the telephone.

Few can argue the incredible power and cost effectiveness of e-mail. In just a few years it has grown to be the daily communication mode of choice for business, civic, social, academic and political organizations. In short we find it hard to live without e-mail’s convenience, it’s speed, it’s low cost, and it’s increasingly inherent multimedia capabilities; sending letters, orders, pictures, reports, invoices, manuscripts, coupons, and on and on.

Yet, as we increasingly find it necessary to protect ourselves from nuisance, so of course to others which make getting our messages out all the more susceptible to the same protection measures we are using. In addition, public, competitive, and even governmental pressure on our service providers have caused them to introduce an increasingly broad array of tools to monitor and manage the spam problem.

“Three or four years ago, [e-mail marketing] was quick, easy and cheap,” says Loren McDonald, vice president of marketing at e-mail service firm EmailLabs, speaking during the recent Internet Planet Conference and Expo in New York. “Now, it requires a lot more sophistication, knowledge, and dedication … CAN-SPAM took a lot of practitioners by surprise … some large companies actually put their e-mail projects on hold.”

Fortunately for those businesses and organizations that depend on e-mail as an efficient means of communicating with their targeted audiences, there are a few simple things that when kept in mind will increase your e-mail effectiveness.

With E-mail more than any other communication means, the customers have more control over the relationship than the sender; deleting e-mails without the guilt of hanging up the phone on someone. The single most effective tool with which organizations can see potential improvement in their e-mail marketing is through list segmentation. Many network providers have triggers that look for the number of addressees on a given message. Too many, and it blocks the transmission. The trigger can be set anywhere and is typically in the range of 200-500. Segmenting your list into sub-groups can easily cut through this filter. If you have a web-site that manages customer opt-in subscriptions and lists (highly recommended), make sure you demand the ability to segment the list. This provides the added benefit of more accurately serving individuals’ needs and personalizing the correspondence.

Additionally it is prudent to examine your e-mail copy itself to avoid being misidentified as spammers. There are several free tools available on the web, which are as simple to use as common spell checkers which evaluate your content for possible spam filters. Innocent words like “free” if used too many times in a piece can cause it to fail a spam blocker for example.
Let your subscribers know how often to expect your correspondence, and of course the courteous and professional thing to do is make sure that your list is 100% permission based. A properly thought out web-site is the most convenient way to manage a permission based or opt-in mailing list, but other ways can include simply asking them when you have their attention such as at point of purchase, registering for a free or discount offer, in your statements and so on.

Avoid renting lists, as these cause confusion, have extremely low conversion rates and can detract from the professionalism you hopefully have earned in other areas of your business or organization.

Yes, E-mail continues to provide fast, economical and increasingly flexible ways to communicate. Keeping this tips in mind along with a good dose of courtesy will allow it to continue to be increasingly effective for both business and personal uses.

John Geiger owns and operates the local affiliate of WSI Internet Consulting and Education, a Toronto based global network of consultants, developers and production centers providing turn-key internet business solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises to include web-site design, development and hosting; site maintenance and upgrades, full e-commerce solutions, on-line training and education, and other cutting-edge internet technology and solutions. For questions, comments, free consultation, or ideas for future articles contact John at (828) 328-5929 or http://www.webmasters-wsi.com

Being in tune with your mind, body, and soul and how they work is the
one most important thing you can do for yourself. We know now that,
the three work together. If the body is ill, the mind and soul are
affected as well. If the mind becomes ill the body and soul show the
stress of that. But, I think the strongest combination showing the
most illness is when the soul becomes stressed. That seems to make
the body and mind crumble the quickest. I, myself, have learned that
first hand! But, it also works in the reverse! When the body is healthy,
the mind is sound and the soul is happy. Keeping these three in
balance is a life long task. So, learning how to do it and then maintaining it with little effort is very important. We do have other things in life to accomplish! However, the other things we are accomplishing will be
enhanced and go much easier if we take the time to be in tune with
ourselves.

The first thing one must learn about being in tune with yourself, is to be
in tune with YOURSELF. When a person finds something that works
for them, they are so enthused that they want everyone else to do the
same thing. Someone loses weight using a specific diet, someone joins
a new religion, or someone tries a new vitamin. We also want to lose
weight, or find the happiness in joining a group, or want the benefits
that other person is enjoying from the vitamin, so we try it fully expecting the same results. My Dad used to say that if a person took mega doses
of Vitamin C they would never have a cold or the flu again. Thats
because that is the way it worked for him. What happens is sometimes
we get the same results and sometimes we don’t. Sometimes nothing
happens or we get bad results. The reality of this situation is that each
of us is unique. Yes, our bodies are alike in structure and the method
they operate, but there the sameness ends. Each of us have a
different balance. Because of that you can take one diet and try it out
on ten different people and some will lose weight, for some it won’t
make any difference, some may gain and some may lose too much
weight. Take ten different people, expose them to the same
religion or group and get ten different interpretations of what that
group is all about about. Some will embrace it entirely and find joy,
others may be left cold or violently disagree. Give ten people the same
diet regimen and there may be ten different results. Some it will affect
dramatically and others it may not. So, the key to getting in tune with
your body, mind and soul will include finding what works for you, useing
those things, and not being discouraged when something doesn’t work
for you that work for your spouse, best friend or neighbor. Remember,
you are unique!

www.naturallivingbychoice.com

I am a health conscious individual that spends a lot of time researching
different ways of thinking. It is important to me to think outside the
box or the matrix if you will! I do not believe and accept everything I
see, read, or hear. Some things I have found to be truths for my own
life and those things I pass on to you. My maxims are “think for
yourself” and “listen to your whole self, body, mind and soul!” I have
found that if I do those two things I am always happy! The goal of my

web site is to supply those of you that have made the choice to go
natural with quality products! http://www.naturallivingbychoice.com

The genuinely poor, what about them? Did God make provisions for
them? If so, do we have a part in these provisions? Are there
blessings attached that will accrue to us if we fulfill our part
in what the Bible directs us to do concerning the poor?

Are there Scriptures to guide us here? Yes. Look at the
Scriptures below. They show the pattern for dealing with the
needs of the poor.

Deut 15:7-11 7 If there be among you a poor man of one of thy
brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy
God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut
thine hand from thy poor brother:

8 But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely
lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.

9 Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart,
saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and
thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him
nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin
unto thee.

10 Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be
grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing
the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works and in all
that thou puttest thine hand unto.

11 For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I
command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy
brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land. (KJV)

Helping the poor brings some of the greatest promises of
blessings in the entire Bible. Notice what the Scriptures above
say to us. Two outstanding promises are given us because we help
the poor.

(1) The LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, (2) and
in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. Think of it. Giving to
the poor guarantees blessings in “all our works.” Giving to the
poor guarantees blessings in “all we put our hands unto.”

Giving to the poor makes everything we touch prosper unlike
anything else we can do to trigger our blessing flow. Let us
take care of the poor.

Did you ever look to see how many Scriptures the Bible contains
that pertain to the poor? This will make an ideal Bible study.
Look up all of them you can find. Read them. Learn them. Study
them all. The poor is special with our Lord. Here are some that
will open our eyes.

Ps 34:6 6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved
him out of all his troubles. (KJV)

Ps 40:17 17 But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon
me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my
God. (KJV)

Prov 14:31 31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker:
but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor. (KJV)

Isa 3:14-15 14 The LORD will enter into judgment with the
ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have
eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses.

15 What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the
faces of the poor? saith the Lord GOD of hosts. (KJV)

Giving to the poor brings some of God’s greatest blessings. Let
us give to the poor.

There is positive momentum and negative momentum. Are you moving toward what you want…or away from it? Here are ten ideas (or reminders) that can help you create and maintain momentum towards what really matters.
1. Take some time to clarify your desired future outcome. Success is seeing what you want and moving toward what you see. What is important to you? Who are you becoming? How will your intention contribute to others?
2. Use visual reminders of your intention. Get some magazines and cut out pictures and words related to your goal. Put them where you’ll see them on a regular basis, like on your bathroom mirror, in your wallet, next to your computer screen, or on a poster board.
3. Set clear goals with clear timelines. Write down what the goal is, how you will know when you have achieved it, and a date when you will have achieved it.
4. Be action-oriented. When an opportunity presents itself that fits with your vision, respond to it immediately.
5. Ask yourself, “How much and what kind of fun will I have with this project?” This will help raise your energy. If you’re dreading the process there’s a good chance your momentum is going to get stifled.
6. Fill your mind with inspiration. Read books, listen to audio
programs, and watch videos that educate, uplift and inspire you. Go to seminars and attend conventions related to your goal. Read about and learn about people who have done what you want to do.
7. Take a Risk a Day. So often to move towards what we really want requires us to get out of our comfort zone. By getting into the habit of taking a risk a day you will strengthen your courage as you take those important actions that can lead to your greatest opportunities.
8. Create a support team. Ask a few of your friends to form a group to support each other on your goals. Hire a personal coach or a business coach. Find a mentor. Hire a financial planner, an accountant, a fitness trainer, a counselor - whoever you think would add input, support, advice, feedback, and/or accountability to help you keep your attention on your intention.
9. Consistently review your top three intentions. Write down your top three intentions and read them every day so they’re fresh in your mind. This will add fuel to your fire and will help you focus your attention on what matters during your day. It will also help you recognize the opportunities that might help you move toward your desired future outcome.
10. Clarify how your intention also helps others. The fuel that can come from helping others can inspire you to take action and stay focused on your goals. When you see your intention as a cause and you find the passion and nobleness in your actions, you will likely have more energy to get the momentum going - and keep it going - as you move forward
toward your intention.
When you take action and stay focused on what really matters, you create momentum…and momentum creates momentum.

Rich Fettke, MCC, is known for helping people take action and stay focused on what really matters. He is the author EXTREME SUCCESS (Simon & Schuster, 2002) and was one of the first business coaches to receive the Master Certified Coach designation from the International Coach Federation. As a professional speaker, Rich delivers entertaining and educational programs to associations and corporations. Visit Rich on the web at www.Fettke.com

The Resume/Curriculum Vitae market place is both a crowded and competitive one. I know this because it is a market of which I am a part.

As a consumer, you may have observed the torrents of conflicting advice about how you should or should not proceed with your own Resume or Curriculum Vitae. I would not be surprised if you had either taken the decision to ignore all the advice and forge ahead with your own resources or conversely, found yourself paralysed by too much [mis]information.

Reading the range of views it is clear that writers begin from a variety of perspectives, which may include;

- Employers revile the use of Resume/CV templates as an inditement on the creativity of applicants

- Employers despair on receiving Resumes and CV’s that exceed 2 pages (or whatever number is the current fashion).

- The average job seeker does not have the competence to write their own Resume/CV and should hire a Consultant

- Job seekers should use their own intuition and common-sense and don’t need any further guidance

- The average job seeker needs a little help to stay up to date with current recruitment trends and terminology

These are but a small sample of opinions available to you. Let’s take the first two perspectives on employer’s needs.

An employer wants, first and foremost, a Resume that matches, as clearly and concisely as possible, an applicant’s training, knowledge, skills and experience to the requirements of the position for which they are recruiting. Do they really care whether you have paid a consultant hundreds of dollars, or used a professional and flexible Resume template that can be adapted to your needs? I think NOT! What the employer does not want is a flimsy and irrelevant document that is produced to “fit” recruitment fashions.

Not exactly rocket-science, is it? Why then do professional Resume consultants/writers insist on the “one right way” approach to YOUR Resume or CV? Perhaps the reason is nothing more complicated than these same consultants and writers have only one way to offer. This perspective does not make sense, of course, given that the job market is a huge and infinitely variable beast. Your two-page Resume may be perfect for the retail position you seek, but grossly inadequate for the medical, science or teaching position you would love to win.

Let us now consider the last 3 perspectives on job seekers. Are you a hopeless “career wreck” that cannot be trusted to write your own Resume or CV? Or are you a highly experienced and skilled writer that needs no further input? The fact that you are reading materials about Resume and CV development suggests to me that you are more likely to see yourself as competent and skilled, but in search of some refinements that will give you the edge. This is true of most aspiring applicants. One thing is certain - YOU will know far more about your profession or industry than 99% of the consultants wanting your business (including me!).

This is where professional and flexible Resume/CV templates are invaluable. You don’t want a consultant to be making assumptions about the requirements of your industry or profession. You might however need a bit of helpful advice on the;

- types of information that a good Resume/CV would include

- use of positive language and appropriate self promotion techniques

- layout and presentation of your Resume/CV to maximise the relevance and ease of reading

This is why I offer my customers a guide book (“Write Yourself A Job!”) as well as a variety of Resume/CV templates and Covering Letters that can be adapted according to individual needs. They have served job seekers from many different sectors.

Given that you are the expert on your own capacities and abilities, the use of a Resume/CV template may be ideal for your circumstance. Should you decide to proceed in this way what should you be looking for in Resume/CV templates? Ideally you will want

- several templates from which to choose

- templates which include plain text formats, capable of being uploaded onto web-based recruitment sites

- template formats that have the flexibility to add or delete sections and headings

- a final Resume/CV product that is well laid out, providing consistent and orderly information for the benefit of the reader

- templates based on commonly-used software (for example, Microsoft Word, which can also be edited in the standard Windows “Wordpad” application)

Don’t take the advice of any consultant or writer as gospel. Think about your own situation and needs. If a selection of templates will make your task simpler and enhance the presentation of your Resume or CV, why not use them?

In summary, no one approach to Resume/CV writing will suit all job seekers or circumstances. Go with your instincts on the level of support you need. Why pay anyone for any level of service if you are highly skilled in marketing your own abilities? Don’t be afraid of using high-quality templates if you simply need to enhance your presentation. Or if you really do feel that you don’t have the competence to develop a winning Resume or CV, then by all means retain a Consultant to frame your Resume for you. Just make sure they understand the critical elements of your profession, industry and your own background before undertaking the task.

Once you have an approach that is appropriate to your needs, build on it. Keep a “running record” of training, skills, knowledge, experience, research and other projects, memberships etc. This forms a database from which future Resumes or CV’s can be easily extracted.

More useful articles and information can be found on http://www.progressenterprise.com. In the meantime, happy job hunting!

Microsoft… IBM… Wal-Mart… Nike… Adidas… Time Magazine

Six of the largest public companies in the world…leaders of their respective industries… innovators and creators of products, services, and information…

You know who they are. You study their growth, their balance sheets, their risks, their failures. You even go out and buy their respective entrepreneur’s biographies hoping to discover that one secret strategy that put his or her company over the top.

Well I’m here to tell you that there’s one thing all of these companies have in common that is so blatantly obvious it’s often overlooked.

I’ll make a bet with you. Even if you were the finest linguist in the world I’m challenging that you couldn’t write more than a few sentences to describe the logo of each of the companies I listed above. I mean how much can you write about a logo that’s one color, one symbol, without shadows, embossing or flashy graphics?

I’m often amazed when I’m contacted by a potential client who is starting a business and asks me to design a logo for them that is flashy, multi-colored, layered, spinning, exploding… “that stands out.” I mean doesn’t anybody conduct basic research anymore? You think Bill Gates called in a graphic design team and said, “Hey guys I’m thinking Microsoft should have a logo that spins and flashes with 15 colors that shows how bold and crazy we are…” Do you really think Jack Welch called for a multi-colored General Electric logo?

The Face of Your Company

What will be the face of your company? When you grow it won’t be the owner, the employees, or even the product or service you provide. It will be the logo. So how do you want to project your company to the world? In the case of each business above the chosen logo is one that is bold, clean, and simple.
What that achieves is fairly straightforward, but as I mentioned, is often overlooked. A clean and bold logo projects stability and reliability, the two keys to success for any business. Time Magazine Inc. is recognized as a leader in the journalism industry, an industry that relies on credible information and trustworthy reporting. The strong and crisp logo emits such a sentiment.

The same goes for computers. IBM Thinkpad laptops have long been regarded as some of the most reliable and durable portable computers. The all-capital-letter IBM gives off a sense of strength and persistence.

The bottom line is that your logo, above all else, has to reflect a sense of strength, stability, and trustworthiness. If it’s just a pretty graphic it’s useless. So when you’re in search of a graphic designer for the perfect logo to represent your soon to be “world-conquering corporation” make sure to remember who came before you. I say if it’s good enough for Microsoft, Nike, and Time Magazine… it’s probably good enough for you.

Derek Falvey is the owner of Acuvar Web Design and Creative Development http://www.acuvar.com . He has helped numerous small businesses from lawyers to home builders and even a small farm create internet business strategies that guarantee success. Specializing in graphic design, web site development and creative e-marketing strategies.