Inflikt

If you are a regular user of prescription medications, you know that these drugs can be costly to purchase. Cutting back on drugs can be dangerous to your health, but if you are on a fixed income your choices can seem limited. Let’s look at some cost effective ways for you to slash your prescription costs.

1. Go generic. Many medications prescribed are for name brand drugs. Ask your doctor if he or she can substitute a generic drug which can lower your costs significantly.

2. Split the pill. If you have been prescribed 40 mg of a drug and only need 20 mg consider investing in a pill splitter. You can reduce your costs significantly especially if the price difference between the two strengths is minimal; check with your pharmacist to make sure that the drug will not lose effectiveness if it is split.

3. Shop in Canada. Regulated pharmacies based in Canada tout their lower prescription costs to American consumers via the internet. Not all drugs are lower, especially when including shipping and handling cost, however.

4. Assistance programs. Many pharmaceutical companies offer drug assistance programs for users of their products. Contact the maker of your medication directly for assistance.

5. Go big. Purchasing a two month supply can be much more cost effective than purchasing a one month supply. Check to see if your insurance company permits this practice.

6. Shop around. Compare prices between pharmacies including online providers.

7. Government assistance. You may be eligible for special assistance through government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.

8. Coupons. Occasionally, companies give away free samples of their products or will give you money saving coupons. Check with your doctor about getting free samples too.

You can save money on prescription drugs with a little bit of pluck and with plenty of determination. Shop wisely and you will be certain to save money in this day of ever spiraling health costs.

Matthew Keegan is The Article Writer who writes on just about any and every issue imaginable. You can preview samples from his high performing site at http://www.thearticlewriter.com

With many people looking for ways to eliminate ’sea sickness’ without needing to take motion sickness medication that can have sometimes serious side-effects, many industry insiders are expecting to see consumers look towards alternative means of eliminating or preventing nausea associated with boating and other activities.

“I’m a big fan of the motion sickness wristbands,” Joseph Melillo, 36, Island Heights, NJ said. “When I take the kids out on the boat, we all put them on. The pills used to give me a headache and I was afraid to give them to the kids,” he explained.

Normally, the symptoms of motion sickness do not depend on a person’s physical structure, because any person can experience symptoms of motion sickness under extreme conditions.

When the human balance centre, located in the inner ear, gets disturbed, the result is a sensory conflict. The disruption in the fluid balance causes confusion between perceived movement and actual movement.

Studies show that sudden jerking movements tend to be the worst cause of motion sickness. A first timer or a regular, while traveling through the air or by boat may experience the symptoms of motion sickness at any point of time.

The technology behind the wristbands that Joseph Melillo has been admiring is based on acupressure technology which helps disrupt the signals to your brain that would lead you to feeling nauseous.

These wristbands create pressure signals that travel faster through the median nerve to the brain than the neurological signals that activate motion sickness symptoms. These signals arriving first - effectively close the gate for motion sickness activating neurological pain signals and offers relief.

Many consumers find the adjustable bands, are more effective and more comfortable than similar products that cannot be adjusted.

“These motion sickness wristbands are great and much easier than wearing some motion sickness patch,” Lisa Custodio, 32, Brooklyn, NY said. “I wear them when I go to Coney Island to ride the rides and anytime I go on a boat or a cruise,” she continued.

These sort of safe and effective wristbands are becoming popular with men, women and children looking to prevent the feeling of sea-sickness while not being forced to take medications or wear unsightly or uncomfortable patches.

Thanks to these wristbands. Now one can have a comfortable and tension-free boating experience with motion sickness relief band.

Susan Gray is an independent investigative freelance feature writer who is in a self-employed mission to shed light on various happenings across the web. For more information regarding motion sickness medication or motion sickness wristbands she recommends you to visit www.biobands.com/ - BioBands, maker of the FDA cleared, patented adjustable wristbands.

Arriving to the elder age is not a problem any more. Nowadays, in most civilized countries there are the retirement communities, which had been founded especially for those dears to us. Initially, it must not confuse those communities with those retirement homes. The retirement home is just a building or a flat specialized for elder to get suitable care, while the communities are wider and involved in special areas such as camps or villages. Those common destinations have great facilities along with facing all necessities of elder alike. Swimming pools, golf courses, healthy and medical care, all suitable media methods, along with clubs of convenient sporting are available in those communities.

Retirement communities are available in many places in the world. Thus, the concerned person may select between three basic types of them. The active communities, whereas he finds all residential units there, but healthcare and medical care are not lasted. Active/supportive communities, whereas this type is considered a mixture of medical care and residential as well, which provide continuous care for elder. Lastly, there are supportive communities, which refer to the long-term and continuous facilities of medical care and healthcare too. All those communities have a common purpose, is to provide great and incredible facilities for elder in a healthy climate areas, to be able to live in calmness and safety too.

No claim is made that the steps outlined would be successful for someone else. Each individual should obtain whatever professional advice may be
necessary for his particular operation.

INTRODUCTION

The following is designed to provide a check list for new entrants into the mail order field. Each mail order business is different, but there are common elements that apply to most mail order businesses, as well as some specific characteristics that may vary from business to business. The following suggestions were developed to assist you in avoiding costly mistakes. Apply the various points as they relate to your specific business.

COMPANY NAME

* Select a short, easily remembered name.
* Unless you are using your own name, it is required in most jurisdictions that a trade name is either registered with the county or the state.
* Before you spend money for printing material, make sure that the name you choose is not already registered to another company. You can usually conduct a name search with an office of the appropriate jurisdiction by telephone.
* You may consider using a name that describes your product.

COMPANY ADDRESS

* Most newly established mail order businesses will operate out of their home until the volume of the business requires larger space.
* Most mail order businesses prefer not to use their home address as their company address. If you do, you will advertise your home address in regional and national publications. You have two other choices, a Post Office Box(POB) or a postal box located in a commercial enterprise which rents out mail boxes.
* A POB is generally the least expensive, both to rent and for advertising purposes. (See below) Some mail order operators claim that it reduces business because people do not trust a POB address. Yet there are just as many mail order operators who disprove this notion. The decision is yours.
* If you rent a mail box in a commercial enterprise, your box number usually becomes a suite number in the address.
* Almost all publications will charge you a full word charge for each component of your address, except the Zip Code and State which is counted as one word, Example:
Information Books, 300 Main Street, Suite 611, Centerville,
Md 20910 Or:
Information Books, Box 1000, Centerville, Md 20910.

* The first address is counted as 9 words, the second one as 6 words. Since advertising costs anywhere from 50 cents to $10.00 per word (classified advertising) you could save a substantial amount of money at the end of the year if you use a post office box.

TELEPHONE

* Some mail order companies do not show their phone numbers on their stationery, others do. It gives the customer some comfort to see a telephone number, although he may never use it.
* You can show your residence phone number in the appropriate printed material, or you can obtain a business listing for your home.
* The residence phone is fine, for starters, if it is answered in a professional manner at all times.
* If you plan to sell higher priced ticket items, however,
(over $15.00) a business listing would be advantageous since a prospective customer may pick up the phone and check with the information operator whether “Company X” is listed.

BASIC SUPPLIES

* Be conservative and frugal in your acquisition of items that you feel are needed. It’s always wise to start small, and as inexpensively as possible, and as you build profits, you can
buy more and better items.
* The basics are a good quality computer, Business stationery, business envelopes (#10’s), and return envelopes, either #6 or #9 is fine. All items should have your business name and address
imprinted on them.
* You will also need some mailing labels and some miscellaneous office supplies.

PRODUCT

* If possible, choose a product or products that people need
on an ongoing basis.
* Be sure the product is of acceptable quality. Know the
product before you sell it.
* If feasible, choose an item that is not widely available
from retailers.
* Develop a line of merchandise. It is rarely possible to make money with just one or two items. The availability of a line of related products is paramount to mail order success.
* The more specialized your products are, the easier your marketing becomes.
* If you are selling books, for example, it would be impossible, except for a very large company, to sell all types of books. You may decide to specialize in books pertaining to sports, and may want to go even further by zeroing in on football or baseball.

SUPPLIERS

* Your suppliers should provide you with reliable, quality,
and reasonable pricing.
* Since you probably should provide some type of a money back
guarantee (30 days is standard) you should expect the same guarantee from your suppliers.
* When buying from out of town suppliers, be sure to include the shipping charge in comparing prices to local suppliers.

DROP-SHIPMENTS

* Under a drop-ship agreement which is available from many suppliers for a variety of products, the supplier ships your customers’ orders directly under your shipping label.
(Suggested reading: “American-Drop-Shippers Directory”.)
* It is customary that the supplier guarantees not to include any of his promotional materials with the shipment; or to use your customer’s name for any future mailings.
* Drop-shipping arrangements are suitable for people just getting started. It allows you not to have to carry a costly inventory.
* As your business increases and you develop a sense of what sells well, you can stock limited supplies of certain fast selling items, and continue utilizing drop-shipments for slower products. Eventually, as your business flourishes, you can carry an inventory of everything you sell.
* Handling your own shipments is advantageous for the following reasons: It cuts down on your shipping expenses, it decreases the shipping time, and it allows you to include promotional material directly with the shipment.
* When you do utilize drop-shipments, be sure to send your customer a note that his order is being processed and he can expect it by, or around a certain date.
* It is unnecessary to make your customer aware of the fact that the item is being drop-shipped. Include some promotional material with your letter or note.

PRICING

* Buy at a price that allows you an adequate mark-up. In setting your prices, allow for all costs:
* Cost of product, shipping cost and postage, bank charges including credit card charges, wrapping, bad debts, rejects, refunds, etc. In addition, the other normal overhead costs need to be considered,. Lastly, there is the substantial marketing cost for advertising, and for printing of
promotional items. (See following paragraphs)
* Your prices of course, have to be fair and in line with your competition.
* It is not necessary that you make a big profit on each and every item. the real profit in mail order comes from follow-up orders.
* THE 3 BIGGEST EXPENSE CATEGORIES IN MAIL ORDER ARE:
ADVERTISING, PRINTING COST, AND POSTAGE. Over 80% of your total expenses are in this area. Watch these expenses very carefully.

ADVERTISING EXPENSE

* Start with classified ads. As you test them and know what
is successful, you can switch to display ads.
* To test an offering and a specific ad, run it once in a specific publication and you should get a reading that could be very positive or very negative. It might also be inconclusive. If that is the case, simply run it again.
* It is best to test an ad by running it in different publications.
* Advertise in publications that advertise similar products.
* If you have a sure seller, buy larger space.
* Special interest products should be advertised in special interest publications.
* Keep on changing the ad and offering until you are satisfied
it is right.
* Examples of changes you can make are: size of ad, copy,appeal, special gimmicks such as discounts, free gifts or reports, etc.
* Remember that a given ad can be 20 or 30 times more successful than another ad advertising the same product. It pays, therefore, to continue testing until it is just right.
* Repeat a successful ad until you no longer get a satisfactory return.
* The conventional advertising cost is 15% of sales or more in
mail order.
* To evaluate your advertising cost, think in terms of cost per inquiry. This is calculated by dividing the number of inquiries into the cost of the ad. that cost may vary from about $$0.80 to $2.00 or more.
* Be careful when you allocate advertising funds to small mail order publications. The ad may appear to be very inexpensive. However, a $15.00 ad that gets no response is a lot more expensive than a $150.00 ad that gets over 100 inquiries.
* Stay away from those publications that have no news or editorial content, and also those that have poor printing quality.
* There are a number of quality mail order publications, but it takes time to find the right publication for your product.

ADVERTISING COPY

* Write tight copy.
* Write as you speak. You are generally appealing to a mass market.
* Prepare your copy carefully. It must fit your specific medium.
* The emphasis should be on YOU rather than I, the company.
* Be sincere and don’t make unreasonable claims, but remember that you are selling.
* Try to convince the reader that you are reliable and
trustworthy.
* Give simple specific instruction.
* Key all ads to test their effectiveness.
* Check and double check, and have someone else check your ad to make sure everything is correct and easy to understand.
* Watch where your competitors are advertising.
* Experiment with new publications.
* It is generally considered impossible to sell something that costs more than $2.00 - $3.00 direct from either a classified ad or a small display ad. This is because there just is not enough space to convince someone to part with $10.00 or $20.00, for example. It takes a full page ad to do that.
* If you use an agency, use one that specializes in mail order, even if it is located out of town.

RESPONDING TO INQUIRIES

* Each inquiry you receive in response to an ad should be answered via First Class, if at all possible, within 24 hours.
* The contents of the envelope going to the prospective customer should contain: a circular, promotional flier, or mini-brochure, a sales letter, an order form (the order form can be part of the circular), a return envelope, and other appropriate information, such as a fact sheet, a free report, etc.
* In general, circulars should be limited to one 8 1/2 x 11 page.
* A sales letter, on the other hand, can be as long as it takes to say everything you need to say to a prospective customer in order to sell him the product.
* Sales letters should have an attention getting opening. The idea of the opening is to get him to read the rest of the letter.

POSTAGE AND SHIPPING COST

* Answer inquiries to your advertising immediately and via First Class Mail. Use Bulk Mail for future mailings.
* You can save a great deal of money by getting a Bulk Mail permit. Mail must be sorted by zip code. Get more specific information from your Post

Office.
* Keep your mailing lists clean - updated.
* Utilize all of the various mail classes, such as Printed Mail and Book rate.
* Compare costs of shippers other than the Post Office.
* Guarantee return postage.
* Watch your shipping weight. A fraction of an ounce can make a big difference in a large mailing.

PRINTING COST

* Very large printers will not be interested in your business. Very small ones, quick printers and instant printers although convenient, are generally too expensive. Their equipment is not large enough to be competitive.
* There are many medium sized printers that will give you good pricing and quality printing. Often they have the capability to help you with layout and design.
* Don’t hesitate to use out of town printers. If you live in a high cost-of -living area, you can probably save a substantial amount of money. Many of these printers advertise in mail order publications.
* Utilize the promotional material available from your supplier.
* Until you know what sells, print small quantities, even if it is more expensive.
* Use colored paper for your promotional flyers to spice up your offer. Use white paper, blue or black ink for everything else.

CUSTOMER PAYMENTS, REFUNDS AND COMPLAINTS

* Accept money orders and checks.
* Some mail order companies state in their material that they will not ship for 10 days to 2 weeks when payment is made with an out of town check. This may be an unwise practice because, it can create ill feelings with your customers. NSF checks are rare.
* An increasing number of mail order companies accept credit cards - Visa and MasterCard - for payment. It is generally felt that it does increase sales.
* If you cannot obtain a credit card merchant agreement with your bank work through a credit card clearing house. A number of these companies advertise in mail order publications. Since these companies generally charge between 6-9%, it may be wise to set a minimum amount such as $15.00 for credit card orders.
* Remember, “the customer” is always right. An argument won,is usually a customer lost.
* If you receive an order with an underpayment, ship the order and bill the customer for the difference.
* Make refunds on overpayments quickly.
* Most mail order companies offer a 30 day money back guarantee. Some offer 90 days and even more.
* It is unwise to offer money back guarantees on items priced very inexpensively, for example, a $3.00 report.

RECORD KEEPING

* As in any business, it is important to keep records.
* You need records to tell you what is going on in your business; to evaluate both your revenues and your expenses.
* It is also required by law that you keep certain records.
* Keep especially good records of your advertising expenses so you can evaluate your advertising on an ongoing basis.

MAILING LISTS

* It is recommended that you do no direct mailings, except to your own list of customers and inquirers, until you have
thoroughly tested a specific product through advertising.
* Stay away from inexpensive mailing lists, under $40.00 -$50.00 per 1000.
* Avoid mailing lists whose owners make unrealistic claims.
* Work with a list broker who wants to see your product before he will rent you a list. Lists are rented for one time use.
* Lists from professional list brokers rent from $60.00 and
up, per thousand names.
* The general consensus is that you need to mail a minimum of 1000 names to get a fair reading. 5000 names would give you a more accurate test.
* Buyer’ names are better than names of inquiries.
* The best mailing list is your own list of buyers. Second best is your own list of inquirers.

FOLLOW UP

* The most important factor in mail order is FOLLOW-UP
Substantial profits can be generated from this segment, if it is properly handled.
* You can generate a lot of sales by including promotional material when filling orders for customers. Other orders are generated from mailings that are made to former customers, as well as individuals who inquired about an offer in the past.
* Send out regular mailings to your customers. At a minimum,
four times per year. However, you can send out mailings as often as every 6 weeks or so, if you have a new product to offer.
* As you build your mailing lists and you send out regular
mailings, your orders will start flowing in.

RESEARCH AND EDUCATION

* Whether you are new to this field or not, to stay on top, you must continue your education by reading books and reports on mail order and subscribing to mail order publications.
* Always be on the lookout for new products you can offer your customers.
* Study the advertising of your competitors. Request their
material and study it.
* Study all mailings you receive.

Continue to learn about mail order by reading, experimenting, and talking with other mail order operators. Have patience. Success will not come overnight. It takes time to build a successful business. Start slowly and expand your business from your profits.

Good Luck!

Copyright 2004 by DeAnna Spencer

Are you content with your advertising budget?
Schedule a coaching session with Frugal Solutions Expert, DeAnna Spencer.
She will design an affordable online advertising plan for you.
Contact her by sending an email to deanna.spencer(at)gmail.com
Visit this small business resource for more information.

Part #2

6) Food safety is becoming paramount.

What this means to you: No longer are the words tampering and bio
terrorism buzz phrases. They are facts of life. Product integrity
will become increasingly important to consumers. New packaging
ideas have been developed in response to growing food
manufacturer fears about food safety and tampering. Packaging is
likely to perform a key role in establishing and maintaining
consumer confidence.

7) Environmentally friendly biodegradable packaging is another
growth area, reflecting consumer and retailer awareness of the
issue of waste disposal.

What this means to you: A large number of packaging firms are
launching products made of 100 per cent recycled materials. There
is increasing evidence of biodegradable inks on the market. All
it takes is a few early adapters to make huge swings in the use
of environmentally friendly materials. Remember how quickly the
market changed when McDonalds switched from an EPS clamshell to a
paperboard product? Literally overnight, the entire packaging
climate changed.

Niche markets for products are being created. Niches that are
large enough to be very profitable.

What this means to you: New products are being introduced for
specific target markets. No longer can one product capture the
majority of a consumer segment. Many of these markets are obscure
but very lucrative. Innovation is continuing at a rampant pace.
Look for new and previously untapped markets. Two growing areas
are products marketed to women and boomers.

Important Info:

The over 50 market is the hottest market for prestige products.
With 76 million U.S. boomers born between 1946 and 1964, the
potential for profit and growth are enormous. Every seven
seconds, someone is turning 50 years old. Baby boomers will push
the number of 50-and-over adults to more than 108 million by
2015.

9) Look for the continued growth of dual purpose products.

What this means to you: Growth can come from unlikely areas.
Markets that were once strong have become so diluted they have
become unprofitable. Whether you call if “phood” or
pharmaceutically engineered and enhanced food, this category is
hot. Explore all of the new product introductions that fall under
these parameters.

Important Info:

The New U.S. “Phood” Market: Functional, Fortified, and
Inherently Healthy Foods and Beverages

What You’ll Get in this Report

The New U.S. “Phood” Market–Functional, Fortified, and
Inherently Healthy Foods and Beverages makes important
predictions and recommendations regarding the future of this
market, and pinpoints ways current and prospective marketers can
capitalize on current trends and spearhead new ones. No other
market research report provides both the comprehensive analysis
and extensive data that The New U.S. “Phood” Market–Functional,
Fortified, and Inherently Healthy Foods and Beverages offers.
http://www.packagedfacts.com/pub/1020433.html

10) Competition will continue unabated.

What this means to you: Today’s market leader may be tomorrow’s
out of business company. Keep abreast of changing technology and
innovation is the key.

Got packaging problems? I can help. I teach people how to package products consumers will buy. I make it easy to answer your problems with email and voice consultation. Get advice from the top expert in consumer packaging. Email the Packaging Diva at packagingdiva@aol.com

Laptop computers seem to be the current in thing this year. So astronomical demand but little supply according to what manufacturers are expecting. Laptops have just been an amazing industry to check up on. There has been no decline in sales. The technology is progressing in all directions at once as well.

With all the recent advances in technology gaming notebooks have capitalised a great extent in my opinion. You can actually get a high specification for your cash these days because even the high end technology is falling into the mass market area very quickly. The speed of gaming notebooks has vastly enhanced and its really a reasonable means of gaming. With the newly discovered power also came along more sleeker chassis. Hardcore game players will always prefer their desktop gaming rigs for power and rightly so but it’s the versatility notebooks provide that influences people settle on frame rates. The evolution of gaming notebooks suggest that they will become slicker and weightless in the years to come.

For the niche people using notebook computers] for a specific reason, custom notebooks provide the functionality required. The foremost benefits here are the fact that you can commonly get advanced aftermarket parts in custom notebooks. It just allows the purchaser more flexibility at the end of the day. Mass market notebooks aren’t manufactured with niche consumers in mind and this could raise an issue. You get over this by getting a laptop built to . There are a lot of small system builders around that offer excellent service. This is also an additional major selling point.

The upcoming laptop technology will be amazing. Apart from what has already been said UMPC’s are another large thing witnessing an increase this year. I don’t feel anyone thought they would be so popular. People need slim, amazingly weightless laptops but they also want them to have enormous screens. I believe getting an attractive price point is a giant barrier in all this. For sure the technology is there. I’m wondering how long before we come across gaming ultra portables. All the manufacturers are looking to come out with the next best product so it’ll be exciting to see.

I’d personally recommend gaming laptop from rizeon.

Most people online are very familiar with the Nigerian Email Letter Scams. They’ve victimized thousands over the years and continue to do so. I am certain you’ve received many in your inbox over the course of your online experience. They are easy to recognize to the experienced. But if you are new online check out the following signs. These words are usually included (IN BOLD CAPITAL LETTERS) in the subject line.

DEAR SIR/MADAM

YOUR SOLICITATION

YOUR HELP IS NEEDED

IMPORTANT

PLEASE SIR/MADAM

I BEG YOUR ASSISTANCE

YOUR ASSISTANCE

URGENT

FROM MR…..

FROM MRS…..

A REQUEST FROM MR (FILL IN THE BLANK)

Did you know, according to online resources, these emails also originate in Ghana, Togo, Benin.

Even more surprising, according to online resources, is that many of these swindlers are not even staying in the country the solicitations originate from. Their home base might be in Europe, Canada, even the United States!

What can the average online business person do to avoid these scammers?

Plenty!

Read On!

How The Scam Works!

The scam artist proclaims he is an exiled leader or person connected with a former regime. The scammer tries to convince you he was forced to leave his/her home country by new government officials.

Next, they will claim to have a large sum of money, usually millions of dollars, which needs to be transferred to a “safe bank” outside of their country. They must do this before the money is confiscated by greedy government officials.

They would like to transfer this huge sum of money to your personal bank account (lucky you?) You as the owner of the bank account are promised a large percentage of their millions!

Next, they might request you send them your bank account info, a copy of your business letterhead, your business card. Many will then ask the victim to send good old American Dollars to cover transfer taxes in advance!

These Internet Fraud Artist are very adept at baiting a hook, tossing out a line, and reeling in potential victims. If you receive one of their fraudulent email pleas for help contact your local authorities or email provider immediately.

Signs Of An Email Scam Follow:

1. Any deal too good to be true.

2. Email originates from Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Europe.

3. Letters claiming ties to high ranking government officials.

4. Request for advance payment in US dollars for transfer fees.

5. Request for personal banking information.

6. Statements you have a undisclosed mutual friend.

People Most susceptible To Scams:

1. People looking to get rich quick.

2. Naive types.

3. Newbs online.

4. The Elderly.

Take the time to pass the information on to defeat Internet fraud artist. Only through education, awareness, and taking responsibility will these fraud artist be stopped.

by BB Lee (C)2004

About The Author

BB Lee is editor/publisher of SmallBizBits Business Newsletter.

Subscribe Now for information on starting a business at home.

mailto:Smallbiz-subscribe@topica.com

http://www.smallbizbitsnews.com

smallbizbits@yahoo.com

Whether you are selling a $60,000 BMW on your site or a $6.00 hosting package the person buying either product will have to first build confidence in you and learn to trust your company. This is because no matter the amount of money, throwing it away is never an option, so we want to make sure we are getting what we paid for. This is where trust comes into play as what I feel in my gut is usually the only way I know if I can trust you right? Well yes, but you can make it a little easier on all of your clients.

Once a possible client comes to your website, whether they know it or not they are judging your company to see if it can be trusted. It doesn’t matter if you are an computer store, online fruit stand or candy shop. We need to know that our money is being put in good hands and that we will get exactly what we are after. So you might ask “How can I create confidence in my customers?”. While this can be complex at times and you are not going to win everyone over, there are some things that you can do. Here are some tips that will help you out.

1. The first tip is to offer an faq section on your website. This will allow users to address any concerns they might have and see what problems might be faced when using your product(or better yet what solutions you offer to help them).

2. The next tip is to offer testimonials so that potential customers can see that others have used your product and that it has worked for them. It also shows that people were happy with your service and instills belief in them.

3. Another tip is to offer online support and make sure someone is there for them. Whether it be support via online chat, forum or email, make sure someone is there to help them. This will make them feel that you care and that someone is truly there to help them out.

4. Now the next tip is maybe the most important. To all of your customers offer a money back guarantee. Whether it be 7 days, 14 days or 30 days, let them know that they won’t be stuck with something they don’t like. This may not be possible for every business such as a fruit stand but, if you can offer it you should. It will give them a free will to try you out.

Finally make sure they know that you are willing to go the extra mile for them. Show them even before they purchase anything from you that they are important. Talk to them and calm their fears so that they can begin to trust you. If you offer great help before they purchase from you then they will believe you will offer even greater help after they go with your company!

Anthony Jewell has over 6 Years experience in the Web & Graphics World. You can visit my business at http://www.logo2d.com

©Copyright 2005 Logo2D.com : Feel free to use this article freely but please keep in the copyright

As a lean bread, foccacia basically consists of flour, water, yeast, and salt. What is so great about this Italian flatbread is that you determine and control the extra amount of calories and fat to include as toppings.

Ingredients for a 17″ x 12″ foccacia are:

5 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 cups of water
1 teaspoon of salt
Olive oil, as needed
Sautee onions, mushrooms, red or green peppers, as much as desired
Cooked ground meat, as much as desired
Grated parmesan, or Romano, or mozzarella, or even cheddar cheese, as much as desired

• Coat a 17″ x 12″ baking pan with olive oil and sprinkle with cornmeal.

• Using an electric mixer, mix flour, instant yeast, water, and salt with a dough hook. Do this at medium speed for about 5 minutes. Dough should be smooth and sticky. It should clear sides of bowl, but still stick to the bottom.

• Coat another bowl with olive oil and transfer dough there. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow dough to rise until doubled, about an hour.

• Gently turn dough out onto prepared baking pan. Using your knuckles, stretch and press it to evenly cover baking pan. Dimple dough with your fingertips.

• Top with sautee onions, mushrooms, red or green peppers. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow it to rise again until nearly doubled, about 30 - 40 minutes.

• Fifteen minutes before dough is ready, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Place a generous topping of cooked ground meat and bake for 20 minutes or until foccacia is lightly golden brown, especially around the edges.

• At this point, sprinkle grated parmesan cheese, Romano, mozzarella, or even Cheddar and continue baking for another 5 minutes.

• Remove foccacia from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting and serving.

• Your finished foccacia should be golden brown, very light and springy. It pairs perfectly well with spaghetti sauce.

As with most lean breads, foccacia is best the day it is made. Do not refrigerate leftover because the bread will dry out. Freeze foccacia for longer keeping.

The author of this article enjoys baking, especially breads and cookies. She creates a Web site, Baking Perfect Homemade Cookies With Five Essential Rules, to share her cookie baking experience.

Copyright 2006 by Trinh Lieu

Web browsers, word processors, icons and windows and email programs are just some of the applications used successfully by screen reader users. This interpretation is then represented to the user with text-to-speech, sound icons, or a braille output. The console-based Oralux Linux distribution ships with three screen-reading environments: Emacspeak, Yasr and Speakup. The latter developed in part by Knopper who has a visual impairment.

Comming year Anthony Loeff nonprofit worker is testing screen readers for people suffering from blindness Screen readers can be assumed to be able to access all display content that is not intrinsically inaccessible.

Increasingly, screen readers are being bundled with operating system distributions. Nevertheless, using a screen reader is, according to some users, considerably more difficult than using a GUI and many applications have specific problems resulting from the nature of the application. A screen reader is a software application that attempts to identify and interpret what is being displayed on the screen. Access technology such as screen readers and Screen magnifiers enable the blind to use mainstream computer applications. The Macintosh OS also comes with a built-in screen reader, called VoiceOver. Later versions of Microsoft Windows include an Accessibility Wizard & Magnifier for those with partial vision, and Microsoft Narrator, a simple screen reader. Screen reader choice is contentious: differing priorities and strong preferences are common. Experimental approaches in sensory substitution are beginning to provide access to arbitrary live views from a camera.

While Apple Mac OS X includes VoiceOver, a more feature-rich screen reader. Most legally blind people 85 percent do not use computers. Screen readers are a form of assistive technology potentially useful to people who are blind, visually impaired, or learning disabled, often in combination with other AT such as screen magnifiers. A persons choice of screen reader is dictated by many factors, including platform and the role of organizations like charities, schools, and employers.

There are also open source screen readers, such as the Linux Screen Reader for GNOME and NonVisual Desktop Access for Windows.

The rest have some vision, from light perception alone to relatively good acuity. Linux distributions for the blind include Oralux and Adriane Knoppix. Recent versions of Microsoft Windows come with the rather basic Narrator. The open source GNOME desktop environment long included Gnopernicus and now includes Orca. Near 20 percent of those deemed legally blind, by any measure, have no vision.

The movement towards greater web accessibility is opening a far wider number of websites to adaptive technology, making the web a more inviting place for visually impaired surfers. The primary audience for such applications is those who have difficulty reading because of learning disabilities or language barriers. Therefore functionality remains limited compared to equivalent desktop applications, the major benefit is to increase the accessibility of said websites. Only a small fraction of this population, when compared to the sighted community, have Internet access.