As well as fighting time, you are fighting indifference. Customers who get great service are often reluctant to pass that information along, while customers who feel they have gotten poor service will tell everyone. Most of the time good customers need to be reminded of their experience. By following up with each customer on a regular basis you will not only stay in the front of their mind but you will also start to build a reputation as a solid and responsible business. So how do you get started? Below are a couple of the most frequently asked questions when starting a campaign to keep in touch with past clients.

What Type of Direct Mail Piece Works Best? There is a great debate amongst Mortgage Professionals about what type of direct mail will work best for getting new business. Many swear by letters for their appearance of professionalism, while others like the low cost and high visibility of postcards. Overall, both seem to work adequately for bringing in new business. You just need to find which works best for you personally. For keeping in contact with past customers, however, the way to go is postcards.

This is due to the fact that if your customers are not currently looking for a mortgage for themselves, they are far less likely to take the time to open a letter. That causes most of your "keep in touch" promo that is in envelopes to get thrown out before it ever gets read. Since the goal is recognition and not direct action you only need to get them to read the message. Postcards have the message visible when mailed, which means that while your customers are deciding what to read and what to throw out, they are already being exposed to your message. How Often Should I Send Promo? You will want to mail a piece to your database every 30-60 days.

Any longer than that and they may have already forgotten you when their friends are looking for a mortgage. Since you will want to send promo out often, you will need to keep your costs down. With postcards there are no envelope costs, no assembly costs and the postage is 30% less than letters. When using a mail house to send your postcards you can often get postage rates as low as 18? per piece. What Should Be On My Brand Recognition Pieces? There are some basic rules for the design of a brand recognition direct mail piece.

Rule #1: Keep color consistent. Many times people fall into the trap of changing the look of their promo for the seasons or for the holidays. The thought is that people are thinking about Christmas or St. Patrick's Day so they will respond better to promo with those colors. The truth is exactly opposite.

Their senses are so flooded by those images that they actually start to skip right over them. Pick a color for your company and stick with it. You will do much better in building recognition. Rule #2: Make a logo and use it on every piece. Having a clean, professional logo is best.

It may be a little pricey to have designed but in the end it is well worth the money. Experienced designers can often charge up to $2000 for a corporate identity package including logo, letterhead and business cards. If you aren't looking to make that type of investment simply pick a type style for your company name and use it every time. Consistency is key because your logo is your main identification point. Rule #3: Make it Informative.

Every piece should have something useful for your customers. Whether it is new information about the mortgage industry or even possible investment properties in their area, it can even be completely unrelated to the mortgage industry. A calendar or list of emergency numbers, even the old recipe card trick still works pretty well. Anything that is likely to be kept around will help to build recognition in the minds of your past customers. The mortgage industry has experienced a huge amount of growth over the past few years.

Unfortunately this growth cannot last forever. At some point it is going slow down and the only way to keep your income in the range that you have become accustomed to is to ensure that you retain as many past customers as you possibly can. A direct mail campaign is the best way to do this, but remember, this type of program is a long term process. Don't get discouraged if you can't directly calculate the amount of money that you bring in right off the bat. What you are doing is burning your name into the minds of your customers.

Eventually it will work out to you seeing less attrition and far more referrals..

Color is great, but not necessary. Make sure your colored book cover copies well in black and white. It's far cheaper to print in black and white.2. Hook your prospective buyers in the top line. For instance, read about SEX as it really is! Give your audience a reason to buy--Show those benefits! 3.

Include some juicy excerpts. Buyers want to see a sample of your writing.4. Include your picture with a brief biography near it. People want to see what the author looks like. Place it on the right side if possible.5.

Add praise from others. This is the most important way to market. The praise doesn't have to be from famous people. One author added a testimonial from a convict! 6. Put ordering information on a coupon at the flyer's bottom.

Include ISBN number, Web site URL, and discount information.7. Make it easy to buy. Say you accept credit cards, checks or money orders. Include your 800 number.8. Give your buyers all the ways to stay in touch with you-street address, e-mail, Web Site, local phone and fax number, and 800 number.9.

Carry at least 25 flyers with you in a folder. Give one to every person you meet. Remember the "law of seven." After seven exposures, you have a buyer!10. Use the backside of the flyer. Multiply buying results with more testimonials on the back.

Include a longer excerpt from your book.Your flyer is an extension of your book, and one of the least expensive ways to market with print. Print hundreds, even thousands so your book buying public can easily purchase your book..

Your negative marks get permanently removed from the three credit bureaus within 45 to 120 days. You also receive a MasterCard Debit Card to pay your monthly bills, which will get reported to the credit bureaus and establish positive lines of credit while increasing your credit score.In addition, the Attorney General of New York, the United States Congress, and the Consumers Union/Consumer Affairs organization estimate that 50% to 80% of all personal credit reports contain inaccurate, outdated, and/or unreliable credit information. Unlike other credit repair systems that don't deliver on their promise to restore your credit, DreamLife, LLC first analyzes your three credit reports for Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) violations. The FCRA consists of 25 laws and 300 by-laws that govern the fairness and accuracy of credit reporting. DreamLife, LLC then puts the legally mandated based dispute system into action and submits applicable contentions on your behalf.

If the three credit bureau agencies don't comply with the areas that DreamLife, LLC addresses, they have to delete or amend the disputed items. For those of you with an entrepreneurial spirit, DreamLife, LLC has added a great business opportunity to their program. Their 70% payout is one of the highest pay plans by far. DreamLife, LLC is a complete financial solutions company providing personal financial services through a variety of products. More importantly however, is that after studying years of market research, DreamLife has created a business plan based on some incredible information.

To view the DreamLife, LLC website, log-on to: http://www.badcreditcure.com/go/yankee. To sign-up for these programs, contact David M. Rolle', Independent Associate at: e-mail protected from spam bots and type in Sign-Up as the Subject..

However, these are becoming rare. Once, the offer period expires then the outstanding balance reverts to the standard rate on purchases. This is very important, as at this point the credit card company will hope the consumer will not take any action and so the company can begin to earn money on the balance.A 0% purchase offer credit card (http://www.credit-cards-uk.eu.com/0CreditCards.html) has many similarities to the balance transfer offers. The introductory rate and period are usually 0% and 6 months in the same way as the balance transfer. Also, once the period expires the outstanding balance is subject to the standard rate on purchases.

It is an important point to note that the introductory rate does not apply indefinitely on purchases made in the period, but only applies for the duration of the introductory period. It is often the case that credit card companies will offer both the balance transfer and 0% on purchases on the same card. When this is not the case it is wise to keep balance transfers and purchases separate. This is because the balance transfer portion of an outstanding balance will be paid off quicker than the standard rate purchases. Therefore an increasing portion of the balance will be subject to the standard rate and the balance transfer portion will decrease at a faster rate.

There is nothing to stop a consumer obtaining a credit card with a balance transfer and a separate low interest credit card for any purchases to be made. That way the benefits of the offers are maximised.In summary the balance transfer and 0% purchase offers can be of great benefit to the consumer provided that the consumer understands how to use the offers to their advantage. A degree of discipline is required in managing repayments. Also, the cardholder should be aware of any penalties that may cause the offer to be cancelled. Armed with this knowledge then these cards can be made to work for the consumer, but remember that when comparing credit cards (http://www.credit-cards-uk.eu.com/ComparingCreditCards.html) to pay close attention to the typical APR, which is, always stated where UK credit cards are promoted..

Please don't make this mistake yourself.Are you able and willing to invest time and effort even when you don't see direct result for maybe some months? Are you the type to discipline yourself to work every day ? Are you willing to learn and to follow training? Can you motivate yourself every day for month and years to come ?SELF DETERMINATIONYou need to possess the ability to push yourself ahead. Your drive and determination will be reinforced with every new sale.To really succeed with your internet business you need to have clear goals and a business plan. You need to know where your business is going. You also need to put lot's of time and effort to excelerate your business growth.Running an internet business demand a lot of skills like computer knowledge of course. Marketing (copywriting, advertising).

Website design & development etc.By learning and experimenting you will gain lot's of experience. When you have a lot's of experience you become an expert in your field, wich is a great thing for your business.YOU ARE THE MASTER OF YOUR DESTINY NOW Isn't it great to be your own boss ? Working for yourself and taking all the decision. You are the master now. You have the drive, you have the determination. You have the patience to see your business grow day by day, month after month.If something bad happen, you have the humility to see what's wrong and learn from your error.

You are the only one now responsible for your self.Treat your business as a serious, full-time business, and it will become one. IN CONCLUSION...Think of your first six months primarily as a training period. Don't expect large earnings until after you've educated yourself. Don't be a negative thinker and don't let the negative attitudes of others (even if they're family members, friends, or peers) influence you. All the great men and women in history had to overcome the naysayers who said it couldn't be done?and then went out and did it.

Think for yourself! As long as you think positive and focused on your business target you're on the right way to a rich life, which is directed by you and it will lead you to tremendous success. PERMISSIONS TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in its entirety free of charge, electronically or in print, provided it appears with the included copyright and author's resource box with live website link..

He even called her "Carly Cash". The poor, misguided fool.If only he had known, there are a great many things he could have done to save her, indeed to help her thrive and fulfill her exciting promise. He could have:

• used business cards to promote his website. Probably the cheapest, most effective form of dirtside advertising is an attractive business card. He could carry them everywhere (alright, smartie, not in the shower).

  Post them on supermarket, community and college bulletin boards. Drop one in the envelope when he pays a bill. Leave one, or more, at the video store, dentist's office, doctor's office, library, county jail - wherever. Maybe not the jail.

• issued a press release to the world. Huh? He could have sent a press release to his local media, after determining the names of the appropriate editors and news directors.

  He could go to his favorite search engine, enter "press release", and doubtless be amazed at the result. He'd need to remember it's not called the World Wide Web for nothing. Getting a press release published ten thousand miles away can do him just as much good as appearing in a local paper.

• placed classified ads in "advertiser magazines", for lack of something better to call them. In this part of the world we have the Pennysaver, which carries announcements of local events, community activities, concerts, that sort of thing. But primarily it is classified ads for everything from aardvark toys to zebra-striped jammies.

  And it's very popular - it's a garage sale in print and delivered by the postal service.

• arranged to appear as a guest on a radio talk show. Many AM stations are devoted to talk, he should know, because they don't carry music as well as FM stereo. Our wired, wired world is a popular talk topic and all he has to do is find our which stations, or show hosts, are so inclined. Interesting guests are always welcome (at some time or another). The same is true of local television talk shows like "AM Akron" or "Missoula in the Morning" (maybe not).

  He should be aware that no show host, or station, is going to allow a prolonged commercial for his website. He will need to be able to speak intelligently about some aspect of the web,answer questions from the host/ess and perhaps the audience as well. The idea is to help brand him, create interest, instill trust, and get in a plug or two.

• thought creatively about publicity and likely come up with his own ideas. Had he been in his right mind (home of creativity and intuition) and fired up his imagination, maybe "Carly" wouldn't have died. Here's hoping her successor has a rich, rewarding life, and perhaps little bytes of her own.

ButlerButler Marketing Group.

The feel, weight or look of the cards often "speaks" to you. If you a feel a connection with the images on the cards or even how they feel in your hands, then that is probably the deck that you will relate to best. I also recommend a deck that comes with a small book inside the package or box so you will have something to quickly reference if you should get lost in the meaning of the cards. When I first read the Tarot, I typed myself up a one sheet that a resembled a chart on a computer so that all the meanings of each card right side up and upside down were apparent to me at a glance.Your next step would be to get acquainted with your cards. The best way to learn is to study the image on each card, one at a time, while memorizing it's meaning.

Be patient. There are usually 78 meanings to learn so this is not always a fast process. Some tarot teachers recommend that you put the deck of cards under your pillow at night so you can get better acquainted with them. The idea is that your subconscious will absorb the meaning. You can also meditate or dream upon the individual cards in the same way by placing them under your pillow.

Some people like to charge their cards after they first get them, either by praying or meditating over them, passing them through the smoke of incense or placing them in the light of the full or new moon for a night. Finicky readers believe the power of the cards is enhanced if they are placed inside a special box, pouch or wrapped in a silk pouch. I personally don't think this makes much of a difference but pomp and circumstance is supposed to add to the power of all ritual and magic, so if storing your cards in a special way or in a special place helps you read them better than by all means do so.Also many readers protect their cards by not letting anyone touch them. There is a belief that others can "infect" the cards with their beliefs, fears or anxieties. The cards do act as a portal through to the other side, so keeping them away from other people may be a good way of preventing people from accidentally "touching" you through the cards and passing along possibly toxic energy.This however brings up issues when it is time to decide who is actually going to shuffle the cards.

Some readers hand the cards over to the questioner and others prefer to always do the shuffling and never let the cards be tainted by another's hands. My personal take on this is that if you don't like the person's energy, shuffle them yourself or even -- don't do the reading at all!Most Tarot decks consist of 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana, and 56 Minor Arcana cards. The Minor Arcana consist of four "suits", just like a deck of regular playing cards... The four suits are, Pentacles or Coins, which deal with work/money/success issues, the Wands, or Staffs, which deal with more spiritual issues, the Cups, which deal with emotional issues, and the Swords, which some see as representing negative experiences and loss.When starting out, I highly recommend making your life easy, and getting the person to ask you a question out loud. Both parties should focus on the question while you shuffle the cards.

As you get more experienced or confident with the cards, you won't care if they ask a question, but repeating the questioner's question out loud yourself does seem to assist the divination process. Shuffle the cards until the person you are reading for feels it is "right" to stop or until you feel it is right to "stop". After you are done cutting, you need to cut the deck. Most readers divide the deck into three piles. At this point you can either have the person you are reading for pick which pile to pick up as the top of the deck, or you can pick them up in an order that feels right to you.

Another option, is to fan the cards out face down, and have the person you are reading for pick out the cards they want you to readTwo Simple Spreads: The Three-Card Spread:This spread is good for yes or no questions. After you are done cutting the deck lay the cards out from left to right. The first card to the left represents the past/issues affecting the problem.The second card in the center represents the present/problem.The third card to the right represents the future/outcome.The Celtic-Cross Spread Lay out the cards on the table in the following order:4 105 1/2 6 983 7The first card represents the person asking the question and the foundation of the matter.The second card is placed across the first sideways and represents obstacles or issues dealt with the person in the present.The third card represents what is on the subconscious mind of the questioner and everything he or she has been through with regards to the matter.The fourth card represents the potential and the best that can be accomplished given the choices the questioner has made so far in his life regarding that matter.The fifth card represents what has transpired in the past.The sixth card represents what will take place in the immediate future.The seventh card represents the fears of the person. Generally, this card will show you what is inside of them that is blocking him or her from reaching their desired outcome. It can also represent the atmosphere or influences that strongly affect the questioner.The eighth card represents how others see the person or the situation.The ninth card represents the hopes and fears that the questioner might have for the future.The tenth card represents the predicted outcome of the situation or the actual answer to the question.Some individuals like to keep pulling an addition six to ten cards after this cross is laid down to determine what will happen in the future.It is important to remember, that no matter what maps or directions you are given, Tarot reading is an intuitive art and after you do it enough you will begin to develop an intuitive sense of what the cards mean when they are placed in relationship to each other.

Happy Reads!.

Do this and you will form a solid foundation on which your online business is built on. Writing a business plan for your business could be the most important step in getting your business to where you want it to be. If you are already running an online business and want to increase profits or starting an online business is still an idea in your head, here is a tip: Start Planning! A good business plan would contain the following main categories:1)Layout of your Business This section would contain a detailed description of your online business and would cover the entire layout of your business. You might want to list down all details that form the entire system of your business such as the product, website hosting, sequential autoresponders, follow up emails, mode of accepting credit cards etc? and how they are integrated.2)MarketingThis is where you research, decide and write down who your target market is, what strategies you plan to use and how much is your monthly budget so you can formulate a good marketing plan. Do a quick search and you will find many kinds of marketing strategies that you can choose for your business.

Most of these strategies work but some will always work better than others, so it would be wise to evaluate all possibilities and then focus on two or three of these marketing techniques that will produce the biggest return for your investment. Some marketing techniques do require you to spend some money. Be it pay per click or ezine advertising, it would be a good idea to spend a little money to test that marketing strategy before paying good money on a full campaign. 3)Development This is where you will write down how you want your business to be in the future. Regardless of what stage you are at, you should include a vision of what you want your business to be.

This could be done by setting up a series of goals which you intend to accomplish over time to achieve that vision.4)Financials Your internet business would certainly incur expenses. Keeping and recording a set of accounts of your business is important as it tracks all your income and expenditures in detail. It can tell you if a certain marketing strategy is giving low returns or making high profits, helps you determine your monthly budget and net cash flows and also helps you decide if you should cut costs or to find a way to increase income. All these would go a long way in helping you manage your cash flows. Once you have written down your business plan in detail, you will be amazed at how often you refer to it.

It helps you stay focus on what you are doing as new business opportunities will always appear at your doorstep may tend to distract you. It helps you make best decisions when faced with problems or choosing where you should spend your money in the process of expanding your business..

You know what I'm talking about? Don't you?So we hope for a pay raise because liabilities are piling up.How can we get out of that? Get out of the rat race ?The answer is very easy.... YOU HAVE TO OWN ASSETS. How do I get assets, you might ask ? You have tools ? You can rent them to someone. They become an assets. You have a spare room in your appartment ? You rent it to someone, there it goes...

another asset. You buy stocks from whatever companies of the futur and they rise to the roof ? You have another asset. You have capital to buy a franchise of the best coffee shop in your area ? there you go... another asset.Most of assets comes under 3 categories.1) REAL ESTATE2) STOCKS, MUTUAL FUNDS, INVESTING PLANS3) BUSINESSESIn most cases, to own some assets we need capital. Here we go again with the old adage that says ''We need money to make money'' You know what ? It is not true anymore.

Especially since the Internet age. It has been easier than ever to create assets, create businesses, create money... One of the easiest way to own an asset is through Network Marketing. It has been easier than ever to get your own business. You can have thousands of products for sale, you can own an online store without buying any inventories.

Network Marketing gives you the possibilities to own your business without the hundreds of tasks you need to accomplish when you start a traditional business.Network Marketing gives you a business with a working and proven system already in place.It provides you with a team of people willing to help and guide you every step you make.It provides you with all kind of ready-to-use tools that you would have to create or pay if you started a traditional business.It provides you with a way to start YOUR business WITHOUT THE BIG COSTS of a franchise or traditional business.Owning a business is something possible and affordable. You can own a business for less than $100 a month. In most cases you can even test drive companies for free.Network Marketing has terrific potential tax and inheritance benefits. Your family can work with you... allowing you tax deductions on help from your children.

Plus deductions for travel, seminars, publications, phone, gas, electricity bills, internet connection, computer, etc.You can have billions of potential customers thanks to the internet.The Network Marketing Industry will soar in the coming years. It is the BEST time to learn more about it. Now you have no more reason not to own an asset.... Or maybe you're too busy working for someone else....

Officially, in excess of one third of the workforce is unemployed. Small wonder that people do not pay their bills, employers do not pay salaries, the banking system has a marked tendency to crash every now and then and the average real default rate is 50%. Illiquidity erodes the trust between the economic players. Such trust is a precondition to the existence of a thriving, modern economy. We all postpone the gratification of our desires: we save now and consume later, for instance or we sell goods or services and get paid a month later.

Such postponement of gratification is at the heart of the economic machine of the new age. It cannot be achieved, however, if the players do not trust each other to fulfil their promises (to pay, for example). Alternatively, the state can instate an efficient court system, aided by active law enforcement agencies. Keeping promises can be imposed to counter the natural tendency to ignore them. The countries in transition lack both: liquidity necessary to keep one's monetary word and the legal system to force him to do so if he reneges.

Small wonder that solutions are actively being sought by all involved: the business community, the state, the courts and even by consumers. In this article, we will describe a few of the global trends. The trends are global, the reaction is world-wide because the problem is global. Bouncing checks have become a household reality in places as rich as Israel, for instance. The mounting crisis in Southeast Asia foreshadows bankruptcies and delinquencies on a chilling scale.

The simplest method is to revert to a cash economy. Payments are accepted only in cash. This, naturally, slows the velocity of money-like products and diminishes their preponderance, obstructing the expansion of economic activity. An even more malignant variant is the barter economy. Goods and services are swapped on a no-cash basis.

It is money that generates new value added (by facilitating the introduction of new technology, to mention but one function). In the absence of money, the economy stagnates, degenerates and, finally, collapses because of massive mismatches of supply and demand aggregates and of the types of goods and services on offer and demanded. Still, this system has the advantages of keeping the economic patient alive even following a massive liquidity haemorrhage. In the absence of barter economy, the economy might have ground to a complete halt and deteriorated to subsistence agriculture. But barter is like chemotherapy: it is good for a limited period of time and the side effects are, at times, worse than the disease.

In many countries (Georgia, to mention one) defaults are prevented by demanding prepayment for projected consumption. Let us take the consumption of electricity as an example: many heavy users and numerous households do not pay their bills at all. To disconnect the electricity is an effective punitive measure but it costs the electricity company a lot of money. The solution? Programmable Electronic Meters. The consumers buys a smart card (very similar to phone-cards).

The card allows the buyer to use a certain amount of prepaid electricity and is rechargeable. The consumer pays in advance, electricity is not wasted, the electricity company is happy, the tariffs go down for all the users. Prepayment does have a contracting effect on the demand and usage of electricity - but this is welcome. It just means that people use electricity more efficiently. A totally different tack is the verification approach.

The person making the payment carries with him a card which confirms that he is creditworthy and will honour his obligations. Otherwise, the card also serves as an insurance policy: an entity, not connected to the transaction, guarantees the payment for a fee. This entity is financially viable and strong enough to be fully trusted by the recipient of the payment. This market in credit guarantees is more developed in the USA (where credit cards have overtaken cash and personal checks as a mode of payment) than in Western Europe. But even in Europe there are credit card equivalents which are very widespread: the Eurocheck card, for instance, is really a credit card, though it usually comes with physical checks and guarantees only a limited amount.

One must differentiate the functions of a debit card (with direct and immediate billing of a bank account following a transaction) from those of a credit card. The latter allows for the billing of the account to take place in a given day during the month following the month in which the transaction was effected or converts the payment into a series of instalments (within the credit limits of the cardholder as approved by his bank). But in both cases, the guarantee is there and is the most predominant feature of the system. Such cards seem like a perfect solution but they are not: the commissions charged by the card issuers are outrageous. Between 2 and 10 percent of the payment made go to the pockets of the card issuers.

Cards get stolen, forged, lost, abused by their owners, expire. But with the advent of new technologies all these problems should be solved. Electronic POS (point of sale) cash registers, connected through networks of communication, check the card and verify its data: is it valid, is it presented by the lawful owner, was it stolen or lost, is the purchase within the limits of the approved credit and so on. Then, the billing proceeds automatically. Such devices will virtually eliminate fraud.

The credit card companies will guarantee the payments which will be subject to residual crime. Another fast developing solution is the smart card. These are cards similar to phone cards and they can be charged with money in the bank or through automatic teller machines. These cards (in wide use in Belgium, Austria, Germany and many other countries) contain an amount of money which is deducted from the cardholders account. The account is billed for every recharge.

The card is the electronic (and smart) equivalent of cash and it can be read (=debited) by special teller machines in numerous businesses. When payment is made, the money stored in the card is reduced and the recipient of the payment stores the payment on magnetic media for later delivery to his bank (and crediting of his account). A more primitive version exists in many countries in Eastern Europe: depositors receive checks exactly corresponding to the amount of money deposited in their account. These checks are as safe as the banks that issued them because they are fully convertible to cash. They are, really, paper "smart cards".

Credit cards and (more cheaply) smart cards are a way to restore confidence to a shattered, illiquid economy. Macedonia should consider them both seriously and encourage them through the appropriate legislation and assistance of the state. For Macedonia, the choice is to be liquid or, God forbid, to economically self-liquidate..