Making-Money-Month Is Now!

Copyright 2006 Suzanne Falter-Barns

We recently got this query from a reader, T. T. “Mitch” Mitchell:

“… You mention that if a person provides more than one type of product or service they should have an additional website. However, if you’re trying to brand your name or your business name, aren’t you going to dilute the process by having an additional website for it?”

That’s a question I get a lot. What do you do if you have more than one brand?

Well, I have several - Get Known Now, howmuchjoy.com, Blog Your Way to a Bestseller, and Licensing Revenue Secrets. And actually, it was only in the past few months that I could seriously see how and why I should have more than one brand. Because, like Mitch I once thought having more than one brand was a problem.

In fact, having more than one brand can be good for business.

It all boils down to life purpose. Each brand needs to be assessed in terms of how it fits into your master plan. Does it serve an integral part or is it just a gratuitous addition that is kind of fun but doesn’t seriously move the ball forward?

Ideally, your brands should intersect right at the point of your ‘Soul Purpose’. Do they all support one common goal? They may simply be different ways to support that bigger, overriding vision for your company. And cumulatively, they add up to a much bigger Web presence, which is always good.

In other words, I connect with life coaches who want tools for creative breakthroughs over at How Much Joy. But then they and their clients get to the point where they really need to get known for this dream work they’re creating. So they get directed to my Get Known Now site for this kind of marketing help. The other brands give them specific tools to use to that end.

See how it all fits together?

Are you confused about your varying brands? Here is a specific list of guidelines you can use.

If any of your brands don’t fit the following criteria, be brave and consider abandoning them. It will only strengthen your more targeted, focused work.

Do they all serve the same audience? Critical for efficiency … and serving your purpose. There’s a little give for slightly differing audiences here. For instance, Get Known Now is more likely to attract small business owners than How Much Joy. But they both serve speakers, authors and coaches.

Is there a logical sequence or relationship among the brands? With mine, people move from general dream-creating, joy work towards leading joy workshops. Then they need publicity and branding, so Get Known Now steps in to serve them.

Are the sub-brands clearly identified with the ‘big’ brand? For instance, I recently re-branded the blog associated with my Get Known Now site as …. The Get Known Now Blog! Boring? Possibly. But still far more clear. And whenever someone drops in, they are more likely to remember my brand, tell others about it, etc.. Go ahead. Be boring. Keep on restating your brand in all of your related products. I have the Get Known Now home study course, Get Known Now Blast Off group coaching, even soon a Get Known Now Unplugged podcast. (If you want to live a little, you can throw in additional qualifying words like ‘Blast Off’, for instance.)

Does the brand solve a problem that your target market has? Seems like a simple question - but it’s deceptive. Be tough with yourself and your business here. And get some outside feedback from a coach or friend if you’re not sure. Does the brand serve your purpose … honestly and truly? Think hard, because Soul Purposes tend to be broad and general. (I define them as that service or gift you’re meant to give to other people, not a specific task, like writing or coaching.) Does the brand still excite you? I’m not talking about the set of words here, but the larger job of the brand. Is it still alive for you? Sometimes we lug along a brand for years without acknowledging that its usefulness has ended. It’s really OK to abandon brands that no longer work for you; think of them as having served their purpose. Then let them go and move on. Think about your brands … even write them all down and re-evaluate them one more time. Then I invite you to take anything off of your plate that simply no longer fits the scheme of what you’re up to.

Oh yes … and did I mention you’ll probably have lots of brands in life? Go forth and conquer!

Download Suzanne’s free list of 50 Top Publishing & Media contacts at www.getknownnow.com . Drop by her blog at www.getknownnowblog.com for almost daily tips on how to get known now … the easy way!

Six Sigma is a powerful business improvement strategy. It helps
your organization to identify, reduce, and eliminate defects
from any product, process, or transaction. More than a “quality”
program, Six Sigma is a flexible and dynamic continuous
improvement strategy and process initiative that helps your
organization uncover solutions.

For example, you may know that a particular process at your
organization is not meeting customer specification or is
otherwise not performing adequately. However, the solution is
not apparent up front. There are many variables that could be
causing the defect in the process. How do you determine what
specific action you can take to improve your process and reduce
defects? Finding that unknown solution is what Six Sigma does
best. Six Sigma is not a pre-packaged one-fits-all solution. Six
Sigma is a process that doesn’t impose a particular outcome but
discovers the previously unknown solution to a problem. It uses
a structured systems approach to problem solving that achieves
strategic business results through an intelligent step-by-step
process. A structured thinking process helps solve problems
better than an ad hoc, blank page approach.

Six Sigma leads organizations through five-steps of realization:
1. We don’t know what we don’t know. 2. We can’t do what we
don’t know. 3. We won’t know until we measure. 4. We don’t
measure what we don’t value. 5. We don’t value what we don’t
measure.

By using Six Sigma to identify and correct major problems you
create real data that uncovers previously unknown solutions to
problems - solutions that you most likely would not be able to
discover except through the Six Sigma methodology. What drives
this process is the DMAIC method. DMAIC is an acronym for five
interconnected phases of a Six Sigma project: Define, Measure,
Analyze, Improve, Control. By going through the structured
phases you discover the unknown solution to your quality problem.

First you identify the problem you need to solve. At the Define
stage of a project, you should have a defined issue or problem
you wish to overcome and improve. Once a process is selected as
a candidate for improvement, a problem statement is developed
and the objective or desired outcome is defined. Progress
measures are established and a cost/benefit analysis is
performed. Also during the Define phase, you highlight what the
project is supposed to do and how it is supposed to do it and
what metrics apply. With a clear measurable set of indicators,
the Measure phase studies the process to determine the key
process steps and variables to determine the potential ways the
process could be going wrong.

After measurements are gathered, the data is analyzed to
discover what is causing process variation. Once problem causes
are determined in the Analyze phase, you find, evaluate through
testing, and decide on creative new improvement solutions. As
you move through the Analyze and Improve stages of the process
you will identify various process improvement scenarios, and
determine which solution has the best net benefit impact to the
company. Most likely, the variation is from a completely unknown
source. Without going through the Analyze and Improve stages you
would not have known what improvement was required, much less
what categories of variables were being affected!

Six Sigma is about tackling problems with an unknown solution.
Six Sigma experts know that there are no one-size-fits-all
solutions. Six Sigma training provides participants with
enhanced problem-solving skills, with an emphasis on the
methodology for identifying and creating solutions. As Six Sigma
practitioners, you need to be agnostic. Use the best tools from
all of the various methods and apply the right solution to the
right problem. Through being agnostic and open-minded you will
discover solutions through observation and data rather than just
impose solutions from the outside. This enables you to use the
best from all of the various methods and tools available and
apply the right solution to the right problem. You will be
amazed at how well THAT works!

Peter Peterka is a Master Six Sigma
Black Belt for Six
Sigma us and has implemented Six Sigma in a variety of
organizations. For additional information for Six
Sigma Online Training please contact Peter Peterka at http://www.6sigma.us

This article relates to the Coworkers competency, commonly evaluated in employee satisfaction surveys. It tells the story of a coworker whose performance consistently facilitated effective cooperation, collaboration, and communication between the employees within one organization. While the Team Dynamics competency focuses on relationships within a single group, this competency targets coworker topics spanning the entire organization over multiple work units. This competency investigates your organization’s ability to successfully work in partnership on projects with one another and between groups to reach the common goals of the organization.

This short story, Coworker and Caretaker, is part of AlphaMeasure’s compilation, Tales From the Corporate Frontlines. It illustrates how one coworker’s knowledge, compassion, and dedication to the common goals of her company made getting the job done a joy for her entire work team.

Anonymous Submission

Every workplace has one. The employee who keeps the operation moving, the “go to” person who can always be depended upon to know the answer to any question. The person who always has time to hear your thoughts, and everyone in the office feels comfortable talking to. In short, the exceptional coworker.

Mary Ann retired from our office last week after 40 years of faithful service. She knew every client, sales rep, contact and associate of the company and in particular, her manager. She knew her own job duties completely, and was acquainted with the responsibilities of every other employee in the office.

Mary Ann was not management material, it was said around the office. I don’t believe that statement was true. I think she could have done anything she wished, and quite successfully. But she didn’t want to lead. She seemed quite content to do her part to keep things running smoothly - behind the scenes. She was the office “mom” - the birthday celebration organizer, the office supplies coordinator, the interior decorator. Her work was always finished, flawlessly, and she made herself available to train new employees and help them fit into the office family. Mary Ann put together lunches when coworkers retired or moved on, and always did a major part of the holiday party planning.

Always even-tempered, even under stress, she consistently had a good word for everyone who stopped at her desk. She could be depended on for a dose of common sense and practical wisdom. Whenever a crisis came up, and there was mass panic or chaos in the office, Mary Ann would enter and bring calm to the situation with her mere presence. She’d assess the facts, make a few suggestions, and everyone would begin to get back to reality and set about making things right again. “The Voice of Reason” we called her, and rightly so.

She will be missed. It will be interesting to see how our office gets along without her, and if anyone will move into her position. Any volunteers?

————————————————————-
© 2005 AlphaMeasure, Inc. - All Rights Reserved
This article may be reprinted, provided it is published in its entirety, includes
the author bio information, and all links remain active.
————————————————————-

Measure. Report. Improve your organization with AlphaMeasure employee surveys.

Josh Greenberg is President of AlphaMeasure, Inc.

AlphaMeasure provides organizations of all sizes a powerful web based method for measuring employee satisfaction, determining employee engagement, and increasing employee retention.

Launch your employee engagement survey with AlphaMeasure.

If you look around a little on the web, you’ll no doubt come across people trying to sell you ebooks about eBay’s ’secrets’ for as much as $20. Here’s a sample:

“Along with 400,000 other excited eBay fanatics I now make a living using the Internet and eBay. I can go days without ever speaking to a single customer, but I have a world wide customer base. My online business runs like a well oiled machine with a part-time effort!”

You too can get such valuable tips as:

“All you need to do is write a list of questions other people would pay to get the answers to, give that list to a friend, have the friend call you on the phone and ask you those questions, record the call, have the recording transcribed, and edit the transcription! Presto - you’ve just created a ‘meaty’ ebook fast!”

So What Do These Books Contain?

Don’t be deceived by the slick sales copy and promises of ‘automatic sales machines’ and unique sales strategies. Most of these ‘winning money-making strategies’ boil down to the same thing. Follow their advice, and you’ll be writing long, old-fashioned sales copy in an effort to sell shoddily-written downloadable ebooks to gullible souls, either directly through eBay or by trying to redirect people through your About Me page to your website.

The theory is that the rubbish ebooks will sell themselves, and you won’t have to do a thing.

Here’s a question to ask yourself: if these ’secrets’ work so well, then why aren’t the ebooks authors spending every hour they have putting them into practice, instead of trying to sell you ebooks? If these secrets were so valuable, then why would they give them away for that price, or any price? Out of charity? Yeah, right.

Here’s the reality: trying to sell ebooks on eBay or anywhere else is very likely to get you nowhere, and fast. The bottom fell out of the ebook market a long time ago - in fact, it’s doubtful whether it ever had a bottom to begin with. The ebooks are an effort to get to you sign up for all sorts of services, making money for the ebooks’ writers each time. In short, the only way to profit from ’secrets of eBay’ ebooks is to be selling them, not buying them - and do you really want to become a con artist?

If you’d like to take a look at one of these ebooks, try searching for the name and picking through results. The chances are you’ll find an excerpt or review - and if it’s not by someone trying to sell you the ebook then it won’t be a favourable view. The fact that most ebooks you buy for $20 come with unlimited resale rights should tip you off if nothing else does.

It’s All Out There for Free.

You can almost any information that someone might be trying to sell you in an ebook for free using a search engine, if you take the time. Ebooks aren’t worth the paper they’re not printed on.

If you’d like a real way to make more money, look out for our next email: we’ll show you how and when to use eBay’s powerful ‘Second Chance Offer’ feature.

Kirsten Hawkins is an Ebay and internet auction enthusiast from Nashville, TN. Visit www.auctionseller411.com/ for more great tips on how to make the most from Ebay and other online auctions.

Selection of auspicious dates 看日子
Auspicious dates are required for the chinese wedding, the betrothal and installation of the bridal bed. A chinese monk, a temple official or a fortune teller are able to advice on a suitable date based on the couple’s birth dates and times. Some may also refer to the chinese calendar or almanac for good days. Usually, even numbered months and dates are preferred and the lunar seventh month is avoided as it is the month of the Hungry Ghost Festival.

After the selection of the auspicious dates, wedding details such as types and quantities of betrothal gifts, return gifts, bride’s price 娉金, and number of tables at the wedding banquet provided by the groom’s parents for the bride’s parents’ guest are agreed.

Betrothal 过大礼/纳彩
Up to a month and at least three days before the wedding day, the groom and a friend or a matchmaker will deliver the betrothal gifts on the auspicious date chosen.

Western and chinese wedding cakes, peanut candies, together with two bottles of brandy, at least six tins of canned pork legs and even number of oranges are included in the wedding gift baskets. Two pairs of dragon and phoenix candles 龙凤烛are also included. Also included is gold jewellery from the groom’s parents to the bride such as the cantonese’s dragon and phoenix bangle 龙凤琢 or the teochew’s four items of gold四点金.

Some include the bride’s price with the betrothal gifts whereas some will only present it when the groom fetches the bride.

In the return gifts, the 2 bottles of brandy will be replaced with 2 bottles of orange syrup. An even numbered portion of all the other gifts are returned to the groom’s family together with the 2 phoenix candles. The bride’s side will light the 2 dragon candles and the groom’s side the phoenix candles on the morning of the wedding day.

Some hokkien family will also request for a bunch of bananas and red dates to be included in the return gifts. A red packet for the groom’s parents to buy shoes is required. The bride will also present towels to the parents, grandparents, aunt, uncles and groom’s siblings.

After the betrothal, the chinese wedding invitations are distributed.

Deliver the bride’s dowry 送嫁妆
The bride’s parents may include the bride’s dowry with the return gifts on the day of betrothal or deliver the dowry a few days before the wedding. The chinese dowry typically include

- beddings such as pillows, bolsters, comforter set, blankets, bed sheets, etc., all tied with red ribbons;
- new clothes in a suitcase for the bride (in the past, wardrobes or wooden wedding chests are used.);
- tea set for the wedding tea ceremony;
- baby bathtub, potty, face washbasin, tumblers, toothpaste and toothbrushes, mirror, comb;
- two pairs of red wooden clogs wedding slippers or bedroom slippers;
- sewing basket with even numbered rolls of colourful thread, needles, pincushion, scissors, and sewing wax with auspicious words on it;
- gold jewellery given by bride’s parents.

Install the bridal bed 按床
A good fortune woman will install the bridal bed in the bridal room up to 12 days before the wedding day on an auspicious date. New red or pink bedsheets are used and a plate of dried longans, lotus seeds, red dates, persimmons, sprig of pomegranate leaves together with 2 red packets are placed on the bed. A pair of bedside lamps is lit to symbolize adding sons to the family.

Hair combing ceremony 梳头
Good fortune women will conduct this ceremony for the bride and groom in their respective homes the night before the chinese wedding. After showering with water infused with pomelo or pomegranate leaves, the bride and groom will change into a new set of clothing and shoes. The good fortune women will bless them aloud as they sit in front of an open window with a visible moon or in front of the mirror.

The four blessings are:

一梳梳到尾，(First combing, together all your lives)
二梳百年好合，(Second combing, harmony in your marriage)
三梳子孙满堂，(Third combing, blessed with many children and grandchildren)
四梳白发齐眉。(Fourth combing, blessed with longevity.)

Sweet pink rice ball soup汤圆 will be served after the hair combing ceremony to wish the couple a complete and sweet marriage.

Chinese wedding decorations 大喜装饰
Double joy 双喜stickers will be placed on all wedding items such as the betrothal gifts, dowry, the couple’s toiletries and cosmetics. The bridal room furniture, especially the mirror and cupboards will also be decorated with the double joy or other wedding paper cutouts such as pairs of mandarin ducks, dragon and phoenix, etc. Such red wedding paper cutouts will also be put up on the main door, bridal room door and generally around the house.

A red banner 红彩帘 will be hung across the front doors of the two household to announce the joyous event.

Jina Boo is the editor of http://www.chinese-wedding-guide.com, a website dedicated to preserving chinese wedding customs and culture. The website features:

- significance of chinese wedding custom and traditions,
- the items and persons needed to perform them, and
- suggested timeframe for preparation of chinese wedding.

A guide for drafting your own chinese wedding invitation is also included.

Click on http://www.chinese-wedding-guide.com/ezinearticles to visit the site to learn more about chinese weddings.

River Birch Trees are fairly easy to plant because they are
fairly rugged and durable. Yet to plant or transplant them you
do need to follow some basic guidelines. Two of the best
cultivars or River Birch trees are Dura Heat and Heritage River
Birches. We have been growing River Birch Trees for a number of
years and offer these suggestions for planting in and around
Dublin Pa..

All people handling Dura Heat and Heritage River Birches
seedlings and small trees need to help with the life support of
your plants. Seedlings are like fish out of water and need care
which is often overlooked between the time the seedlings are
lifted and transplanted. Improper care means higher mortality.
Do not try and reinvent the wheel. You must protect seedling
from moisture and temperature extremes, as well as physical
damage. Seedlings are living and should be handled carefully.
For a higher survival rate, treat trees carefully and plant them
immediately. I like to have a backup plan for planting if the
weather turns bad. I will sometimes switch from lining out the
seedlings to potting them up if I realize that the soil
conditions will not be right for an extended lenght of time. If
planting must be delayed a few days, keep the plants in a cold,
protected place with air circulation between the trees. Keep the
Dura Heat and Heritage River Birches trees out of the rain and
wind. To check if the trees need water, feel the media at the
roots.. If it isn’t damp, water the trees and allow the excess
water to drain. In cool, damp weather, the biggest threat to
these trees is from mold. Try to keep out of soil seedlings
moist by either restricting water loss with a water vapor
barrier or by wetting the roots at regular intervals. While
handling or planting try to reduce temperature and air movement
around the seedlings. Windy days can dry out seedlings so
consider waiting for calmer weather. Once your soil conditions
are correct OUR FREE USE PLANTERS will make planting a snap so
its will be worth waiting for good planting conditions.

HOW TO PLANT

Ideal planting days are cool and cloudy with little or no wind.
If possible, avoid planting on warm, windy days. The soil should
be moist not wet. Care in planting is more important than speed.
Make sure the roots are never allowed to become dry. Bare root
seedlings should be carried in a waterproof bag or bucket with
plenty of moist material packed around the roots to keep them
damp. Ideally, bare root boxes should be kept refrigerated or
packed in ice or snow. Don’t freeze the trees. Competition from
weeds, grass, brush or other trees is very detrimental to
survival and growth of seedlings. Choose areas free from this
competition or clear at least a three-foot square bare spot
before planting. Seedlings should not be planted under the crown
of existing trees, or closer than 6 feet to existing brush.
Avoid areas near walnut trees. Brush aside loose organic
material such as leaves, grass, etc., from the planting spot to
expose mineral soil. If organic matter gets into the planting
hole, it can decompose and leave air spaces. Roots will dry out
when they grow into these spaces. Open up the hole, making sure
the hole is deep enough for the roots to be fully extended. If
roots are curled or bunched up, the tree will not be able to
take up water correctly, will often weaken and die, or may blow
down later due to poor root structure. Take a tree out of your
planting bag or bucket only after a hole is ready. When exposed,
the fine roots can dry out in as little as 30 seconds. Seedling
shoots and roots lose water to air, roots require more
protecting.Unlike leaves ,they do not have stomata (closeable
openings on the surface of the leaves) or any waxy coatings to
help reduce water loss. If the Dura Heat and Heritage River
Birches roots apear dry they are probably dead. Now I know you
are thinking,”I will place them in a buckect of water and store
them there until planting”. This will not work. Submerge plants
for no longer that a couple of minutes. Placing them in water
cuts them off from oxygen. Remember to remove the container
before planting a containerized tree. A helpful hint to all
those new gardeners just starting is to remember to always plant
green side up. Hold the seedling in place in the hole, making
sure the roots are straight, fully extended and that the tree is
neither too shallow or too deep in the hole. Fill hole, allowing
soil to fall in around the roots. Tamp with hands or with your
heel. Don’t crush the roots by jumping up and down around the
seedling like there is a snake curled up around the seedling. It
is delicate. Fill with more soil, if necessary, and tamp.
Tamping is important. If soil is not firmly packed around the
roots, there will be air pockets that can dry out the roots, and
the seedlings may be weakly anchored. It is far easier to plant
the tree strait up then have the tree leaning and have to adjust
the tree later. (Addition of fertilizer and plant vitamins at
the time of planting is not generally necessary.) Take your time
in planting. Proper spacing will help you grow a more valuable
crop. I have tried to get more production from a limited area by
over planting and then thinning, but I always have had trouble
in harvesting …. digging is slower and poor quality usually
results for a portion of the crop. Avoid these tree planting
errors:

Tangled roots Planting too shallow Planting too deep Air pockets
Turned up roots (this is called J rooting) Planting trees that
are not tolerant of wet soils in poorly drained areas Planting
over rocks, septic tanks and leach fields, on sand mounds

CARE OF TREES FOLLOWING PLANTING Check periodically to be sure
that brush, grass and other vegetation is kept under control by
mowing, mulching, spraying or a combination of these treatments.
Always obtain advice from a licensed pest control advisor before
using chemicals. You ag extension agency may offer courses in
application of chemicals. Monitoring the appearance of your
trees will help you to detect signs of insects, diseases or
other problems. Apperances also help sell your product. Look for
foliage turning yellow, new foliage drooping or other signs of
poor health. It is easier to take successful corrective action
if the problem is detected early.

Over watering is a common problem in irrigated plantations. You
probably won’t need to water more frequently than every 7-10
days. Give your trees a thorough, deep soak and then let the
soil dry out before the next watering. This encourages the roots
to grow down in search of water. Frequent, shallow watering
encourages root growth near the surface and the trees are more
dependent on irrigation and are less windfirm. Animals can be a
major cause of damage to young trees. Porcupines, gophers, mice,
rabbits, deer and cattle are the most frequent source of damage.
In many states you may have to call your game commission and get
their recomendations on legal methods to protect your crop. In
our state, you can get help from the Pa. Game Commission to kill
deer that are a threat to your seedlings or obtain a free fence
to keep deer away from your seedlings. Over the years we have
lost more trees to mice than any other animal. Put rat baits out
on a regular basis. Over the years we have lost more seedlings
and plants to mice than any other culprit including deer and
rabbitts combined. You can see other articles written by Bill
Hirst about trees, plants, and shrubs at
http://www.zone5trees.com
http://seedlingsrus.com/Arborvitae.html
http://seedlingsrus.com/FreeFencing.html
http://seedlingsrus.com/Winter http://zone5trees.com/Hedges
http://zone5trees.com/PlantingInstructions.html
http://zone5trees.com/ProfitsGrowingTrees.html com

When you run a brick and mortar business, you can’t be all things to all people. You’re confined by geography, time, space, and labor. Until the age of the Internet, it was rare to find a competent one-stop shop. Even then, most of those were run by retail giants with millions of dollars and thousands of employees backing it up.

Then, along came the Internet, and with it the World Wide Web, and eventually e-commerce. This made it possible to provide a customer with more services, since goods could be shipped from nearly anywhere. It negated the need for hands-on inventory, and any basic storefront could be the middleman for any number of suppliers.

What does this mean for the average small Internet business owner? You have an expansive power over your local retail and service providers in that you have the ability to connect customers with goods that you’ve never seen, don’t supply, and aren’t near you.

How can you leverage this? Online there are three major ways you can accomplish this.

1. Outsourcing
If you do web design or copywriting, or another related service, you can outsource some of your work by finding someone to do a portion for you. This could be a service you don’t usually offer or don’t wish to offer. You can add the charge right to your clients’ bills as per your billing policy. This is a simple way to complete a project and wow your client without creating a long-term commitment or adding a service to your list.

2. Partnerships
Many small Internet-business owners create an agreement through which they serve each others’ clients. One will provide coaching services, for example, and if their clients need any goal achievement training, the other person will automatically be contracted to provide it. Likewise, if one has goal achievement class clients that want to expand their training, they will automatically be referred to the coach. Partnerships allow you to provide an additional service AND receive qualified prospects.

3. Affiliates
Affiliate programs are the least seamless for your client, and there aren’t any guarantees that they will follow through with the sale, but the good news is that by now, most Internet users are used to purchasing items through affiliate programs, so they at least understand the concept. Affiliate programs are an entire beast of their own, and you can find a plethora of information online that will teach you how to set them up, how to track traffic and sales, and how to effectively promote them.

Basically, you refer your clients to another business or website and they make their purchase independently of their order and relationship with you. The business they purchase from then pays you a commission - either a percentage of sales or flat rate per sale. Affiliate programs have the potential to be highly profitable with the right quantity and quality of traffic. They do often require a lot of work to set up and maintain.

While as an independent small business owner you will still be somewhat limited as to how many services you can actually offer, the Internet opens up numerous possibilities that allow you to expand well beyond the capacities of a brick and mortar business. Take advantage of those opportunities, and maintain them wisely, and you’ll “build” a successful, profitable business.

Kimberly is a freelance writer and author of several non-fiction works about business and personal development.

For more great articles like this, or to submit yours, visit www.K23Enterprises.com/articles.

1. SOUP is a liquid food that is prepared by boiling meat or
vegetables, or both, in water and then seasoning and sometimes
thickening the liquid that is produced. It is usually served as
the first course of a dinner, but it is often included in a
light meal, such as luncheon. While some persons regard the
making of soup as difficult, nothing is easier when one knows
just what is required and how to proceed. The purpose of this
article, therefore, is to acquaint the housewife with the
details of soup making, so that she may provide her family with
appetizing and nutritious soups that make for both economy and
healthfulness.

2. It is interesting to note the advancement that has been made
with this food. The origin of soup, like that of many foods,
dates back to practically the beginning of history. However, the
first soup known was probably not made with meat. For instance,
the mess of pottage for which Esau sold his birthright was soup
made of red lentils. Later on meat came to be used as the basis
for soup because of the agreeable and appetizing flavor it
provides. Then, at one time in France a scarcity of butter and
other fats that had been used to produce moistness and richness
in foods, brought about such clear soups as bouillon and
consommé. These, as well as other liquid foods, found much
favor, for about the time they were devised it came to be
considered vulgar to chew food. Thus, at various periods, and
because of different emergencies, particular kinds of soup have
been introduced, until now there are many kinds from which the
housewife may choose when she desires a dish that will start a
meal in the right way and at the same time appeal to the
appetite.

3. VALUE OF SOUP IN THE MEAL.–Not all persons have the same
idea regarding the value of soup as a part of a meal. Some
consider it to be of no more value than so much water, claiming
that it should be fed to none but children or sick persons who
are unable to take solid food. On the other hand, many persons
believe that soup contains the very essence of all that is
nourishing and sustaining in the foods of which it is made. This
difference of opinion is well demonstrated by the ideas that
have been advanced concerning this food. Some one has said that
soup is to a meal what a portico is to a palace or an overture
to an opera, while another person, who evidently does not
appreciate this food, has said that soup is the preface to a
dinner and that any work really worth while is sufficient in
itself and needs no preface. Such opinions, however, must be
reconciled if the true value of this food is to be appreciated.

4. Probably the best way in which to come to a definite
conclusion as to the importance of soup is to consider the
purposes it serves in a meal. When its variety and the
ingredients of which it is composed are thought of, soup serves
two purposes: first, as an appetizer taken at the beginning of a
meal to stimulate the appetite and aid in the flow of digestive
juices in the stomach; and, secondly, as an actual part of the
meal, when it must contain sufficient nutritive material to
permit it to be considered as a part of the meal instead of
merely an addition. Even in its first and minor purpose, the
important part that soup plays in many meals is not hard to
realize, for it is just what is needed to arouse the flagging
appetite and create a desire for nourishing food. But in its
second purpose, the real value of soup is evident. Whenever soup
contains enough nutritive material for it to take the place of
some dish that would otherwise be necessary, its value cannot be
overestimated.

If soup is thought of in this way, the prejudice that exists
against it in many households will be entirely overcome. But
since much of this prejudice is due to the fact that the soup
served is often unappetizing in both flavor and appearance,
sufficient attention should be given to the making of soup to
have this food attractive enough to appeal to the appetite
rather than discourage it. Soup should not be greasy nor insipid
in flavor, neither should it be served in large quantities nor
without the proper accompaniment. A small quantity of
well-flavored, attractively served soup cannot fail to meet the
approval of any family when it is served as the first course of
the meal.

5. GENERAL CLASSES OF SOUP.–Soups are named in various ways,
according to material, quality, etc.; but the two purposes for
which soup is used have led to the placing of the numerous kinds
into two general classes. In the first class are grouped those
which serve as appetizers, such as bouillon, consommé, and some
other broths and clear soups. In the second class are included
those eaten for their nutritive effect, such as cream soups,
purées, and bisques. From these two classes of soup, the one
that will correspond with the rest of the meal and make it
balance properly is the one to choose. For instance, a light
soup that is merely an appetizer should be served with a heavy
dinner, whereas a heavy, highly nutritious soup should be used
with a luncheon or a light meal.

6. ECONOMIC VALUE OF SOUP.–Besides having an important place in
the meal of which it forms a part, soup is very often an
economy, for it affords the housewife a splendid opportunity to
utilize many left-overs. With the French people, who excel in
the art of soup making chiefly because of their clever
adaptation of seasoning to foods, their _pot-au-feu_ is a
national institution and every kitchen has its stock pot.
Persons who believe in the strictest food economy use a stock
pot, since it permits left-overs to be utilized in an attractive
and palatable way. In fact, there is scarcely anything in the
way of fish, meat, fowl, vegetables, and cereals that cannot be
used in soup making, provided such ingredients are cared for in
the proper way. Very often the first glance at the large number
of ingredients listed in a soup recipe creates the impression
that soup must be a very complicated thing. Such, however, is
not the case. In reality, most of the soup ingredients are small
quantities of things used for flavoring, and it is by the proper
blending of these that appetizing soups are secured.

Flowers represent joy and happiness, desirability and fertility and vigor and life force. Ideal gifts to present to anyone on any occasion, flowers are also tokens of sympathy and gratitude. Over the past few years, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of flower shops that offer flowers and floral arrangements. The flower suppliers are now providing various attractive offers such as discount rates; discount flower delivery schemes and free shipping.

Discounted flower delivery is one popular scheme offered by florists. These schemes vary from one another depending on the shop. Some offer discounted delivers in certain areas, while others offer shipping at discounted rates overseas. Most flower shops provide same day discount flower delivery services; but this is applicable only within a specified distance of the stores. Discount flower delivery services are offered to a wide selection of floral arrangements that include birthday flowers, mother’s day flowers, Valentine’s Day flowers, Christmas flowers, get well flowers, baby congratulation flowers, friendship flowers and anniversary flowers.

Almost every flower shop assures the freshness and quality of the flowers they deliver. When selecting an established flower supplier so with an established company who will guarantee their services. Be aware that ordering ahead of time may not give you an additional discount on flowers, since the flowers have a shelf life and are grown fresh all of the time. However, some companies do offer discounts for wholesale purchases and sometimes advance purchases, just to secure your business. This can begin a valuable relationship for both customer and business.

You probably don’t think much about the hard hat, but if you didn’t know, it can be a life saving device. While many areas of construction use these hats, it should be something that more people use. Think about all the times that you are in risk of falling off a ladder or having something fall on you. There are many reasons to wear a hard hat, but did you realize the various types that are out there?

You would be quite surprised to realize just how many are out there. From designer versions to those made for people of all sizes, hard hats are by far one of the most versatile tools that any person can purchase. Protecting your head is quite important. In fact, more injuries that happen to the head are life threatening than you think. Not only are they life threatening, but they will put you out of business for a long time while you heal. It is simply not worth the risk.

So, if you are a construction foreman looking to purchase a hard hat for every guy on your crew or if you are simply looking for an option for your own use, purchase the hard hats that you need on the web. You will find a wide range of choices including some that will provide specific protection for the eyes, neck, head and even the face. Find what you need in huge selections on the web. Believe it or not you can even save yourself some money by purchasing your hard hat needs on the web. For those who are looking to purchase more than one, consider purchasing through wholesale web merchants who are likely to give you a large discount. Or, you can find a wide range of opportunities for sale products that are just the hard hats that you need and want.

For more information please see www.hard-hat-shack.co.uk