Importance of Protecting Your Investments

Importance of Protecting Your Investments

By Team IWP! on December 23, 2011

http://www.investwithpassion.com/importance-of-protecting-your-investments/

In the face of tough economic times, it is not uncommon to look for savings and seek out ways to make economies of scale on everyday costs. Reducing fuel bills by turning down the thermostat on the central heating even by one degree can make a difference, as can reconsidering whether subscriptions for non-essential items are really necessary.

There is one area where savings are not often considered, and that is insurance, although insurance companies are competing for customers just like other businesses. This does not mean, however, that cancelling or deciding not to renew home insurance should be considered as a saving worth making – far from it. In fact the opposite is true as the risks considerably outweigh any apparent savings. Instead, the smartest option is to look around for the best deals available from reputable insurance companies.

Is Insurance Really Necessary?

Importance of Protecting Your Investments

Insurance is a vital form of protection and one that no one can afford to be without. In particular, those who own their own home or who are repaying a mortgage must be sure they have sufficient home insurance to cover both the property and the contents; in most cases those living in rented accommodation will find that the landlord has insured the building but, even so, contents insurance is important so that personal items are covered in the event of loss or damage.

 

Home insurance protects against a number of potential risks and, even though thinking about these is not pleasant, it is nevertheless essential to make sure that the level of cover is adequate for all eventualities. Property is vulnerable to burglary and to accidental damage by fire or water – electrical supplies, wiring and appliances can and do go wrong; pipes are known to burst and cause flooding. Then there are natural disasters that affect homes, where structural damage can result. With inadequate or, worst of all, no protection, householders and flat-dwellers are at the mercy of thieves, the elements and accidents. Not having insurance, or having too little, is undoubtedly a false economy.

What are the Benefits?

Luckily, home insurance at the right level goes a long way to help out in the event of an unfortunate occurrence. This is why, for example, mortgage lenders insist on building insurance – if an uninsured home burns down they will lose their investment in the property. With the right protection, there is some comfort in the fact that carpets and furniture can be replaced, and that the value of other stolen items can be recovered.

Policies vary according to a number of key factors and normally insurers will offer quotes for premiums based on individual circumstances. Some insurance policies will cover people who are visiting a property and suffer an accident – a trip or slip that results in them breaking an arm or a leg, perhaps. With contents insurance, significant items will have to be valued and the basis on which the insurance is arranged can vary according to the fine print. It always pays to ensure policy documents are completely understood and the level of insurance provided will not leave claimants out of pocket in the event of an unfortunate incident.

 

 

 

Top Five Direct Mail Formats

Top Five Direct Mail Formats

Direct mail continues to be a popular and versatile marketing strategy. Even in the age of technology, direct mail still comprises a critical component of any cohesive marketing campaign. With the numerous forms of direct mail available, a company can tailor each direct mail campaign specifically for each purpose and audience.

The key to a successful strategy is choosing the right format for each component of a marketing campaign. Different formats lend themselves to certain functions. Five types of direct mail can be used to address virtually any marketing need.

• Postcards: Cost-effective and simple, postcards are best for brief, clear messages. They work well for reminders, thank-you’s, and special offers. Postcards are an excellent way to contact current customers, who already know about a company’s products and services.
• Self-mailers: These are brochures that fold into themselves and stay shut with an adhesive tab. Self-mailers make excellent introductions for prospective customers, because they can be full-color and include thorough details about the company. Although they are more expensive than postcards, they carry much more information, and do not require an outer envelope.
• Letters: In situations where confidentiality or order forms are required, the traditional letter is often the best option. The letter can be part of a comprehensive mailing package that includes business cards, reply mail, or brochures, for a professional and polished presentation. Since letters require separate postage and envelopes, they are best for current customers or highly targeted prospects.
• Dimensional Mailers: A step up from letters or brochures, the dimensional mailer looks fresh and upscale. For high-level business-to-business contacts, dimensional mailers are a compelling option. Dimensional mailers can be used to give a unique and concise overview of a company.
• Catalogs: To showcase a wide range of products, catalogs are the clear choice. The higher cost of producing high-quality catalogs means that it is best to send them to current customers or highly targeted prospects. Catalogs offer a great cross-selling opportunity, since customers can see not only the kinds of products they originally purchased, but also related or new ones.

The design and layout of direct mail offer endless options, and an expert can help tailor mailing materials to meet each company’s needs and maximize the impact on mail recipients. Regardless of which direct mail format is used, it is important always to include two elements: a call to action and contact information. The call to action invites the mail recipients to act on the information they have just read, and the contact information gives them the tools they need to follow through on that call to action.

http://www.verifiedlabel.com/knowledgecenter/know_direct_mail_formats.aspx

 

Top Eight Benefits of Barcodes

Top Eight Benefits of Barcodes

Barcodes are often overlooked as a method for cutting costs and saving time. A valuable and viable choice for businesses looking to improve efficiency and reduce overhead, barcodes are both cost-effective and reliable.

1. Barcodes eliminate the possibility of human error. The occurrence of errors for manually entered data is significantly higher than that of barcodes.  A barcode scan is fast and reliable, and takes infinitely less time than entering data by hand.
2. Using a barcode system reduces employee training time. It takes only minutes to master the hand-held scanner for reading barcodes. Furthermore, employees do not have to gain familiarity with an entire inventory or pricing procedure. This also makes employee training less expensive, since they do not have to be paid for extra training time, and another employee does not have to be compensated for training them.
3. Barcodes are inexpensive to design and print. Generally they cost mere pennies, regardless of their purpose, or where they will be affixed.  They can be customized economically, in a variety of finishes and materials.
4. Barcodes are extremely versatile.  They can be used for any kind of necessary data collection.  This could include pricing or inventory information. Additionally, because barcodes can be attached to just about any surface, they can be used to track not only the products themselves, but also outgoing shipments and even equipment.
5. Inventory control improves.  Because barcodes make it possible to track inventory so precisely, inventory levels can be reduced.  This translates into a lower overheard.  The location of equipment can also be tracked, reducing the time spent searching for it, and the money spent replacing equipment that is presumed lost.
6. Barcodes provide better data.  Since one barcode can be used for inventory and pricing information, it is possible to quickly obtain data on both. Furthermore, barcodes can be customized to contain other relevant information as needed.  They provide fast, reliable data for a wide variety of applications.
7. Data obtained through barcodes is available rapidly.  Since the information is scanned directly into the central computer, it is ready almost instantaneously.  This quick turnaround ensures that time will not be wasted on data entry or retrieval.
8. Barcodes promote better decision making. Because data is obtained rapidly and accurately, it is possible to make more informed decisions.  Better decision making ultimately saves both time and money.

Both inexpensive and user-friendly, barcodes provide an indispensable tool for tracking a variety of data, from pricing to inventory.  The ultimate result of a comprehensive barcoding system is reduction in overhead.

friday night,sunday night

Why Should You Save Money?

Why Should You Save Money? – By Martin Lukac

We are always hearing save, save, save. But if you don’t have a reason
to save, it isn’t likely you will.

Most people live paycheck to paycheck. Many people simply do not have
the money to save. There just doesn’t seem to be enough money left
over after paying the necessities.

And I’m not just talking about the lower-income groups. Often, those
driving new cars, living in nice homes and wearing name brand clothes
are barely making it by financially. They often have a harder time
finding extra money than do those who make incomes below poverty level.

There are a lot of people that wear money well, yet they don’t really
have any. Is that you? Are you caught in an endless cycle of wanting
more and wanting better? Do you see that it just isn’t working for you?

Sit down and examine what your main goals are in life. I mean the
really important financial ones. You may want to retire someday. Have
you started saving? Do you want your children to go to college? Have
you started saving? You might just want to be able to pay all of your
bills? Have you started saving?

You get the hint — it’s all about the saving. I’m not going to go
into how to save, you can research that later. Let’s talk about why
you should save.

The number one reason to start saving right now is for emergencies.
Things happen. People pass away. People get hurt at work. People get
laid off. We have accidents. We have cars break down, washing machines
stop working and sometimes even disasters hit our homes.

With an emergency savings, you are cushioned from the financially
ruin. You can make ends meet until you are able to figure something
out. You are able to buy that new washer without hurting your monthly
budget. You are able to sleep without worrying where you will find the
money. It’s in your savings.

I suggest starting with three to six months worth of monthly expenses.
This gives you a pretty good cushion. Put as much in as you can. My
husband recently lost his job, and we found that three months fly by
fast. Before we knew it, the fund was gone. But it gave him valuable
time to find a good job — he didn’t have to take one just to make
ends meet.

Once you have this savings built up, you should start working on your
goals. You can work on several at a time. For example, if you are able
to put $100 from each paycheck into savings, yet have three goals you
are saving for, do a portion to each.

For example, your goals are for retirement, college for your child and
buy a home. Decide which is most important to you and what you need to
dedicate of that $100 to each goal. You might put the largest amount
to your retirement, the second largest to your home and the third to
the college education.

You should save money. I can’t tell you why. That is your decision.
There are goals that can only be fulfilled from savings. Think about
what you want in life. If you want out of debt, to own your own home
or to retire comfortably, you have to start saving now.

BOXES

Timeline

The computer screen is not very good at displaying a big historical timeline; the low typographic resolution of the screen forces viewers to scroll endlessly through century after century (and, even worse, horizontal scrolling). Perhaps, on the computer screen, time should flow vertically, with events described by lines of horizontal type at each date. On the other hand, it is nice to maintain the time-flowing-left-to-right convention used in excellent timelines (printed, lots of overlapping events, hundreds of events).
Edward Tufte, Ask ET, 2002

Here are the top 10 ways to use Facebook for business.

Top 10 Tips To Promote Your Business On Facebook
Navneet Kaushal July 18th, 2011
http://www.enterprisemarketingnews.com/2011/07/18/top-10-tips-to-promote-your-business-on-facebook/

With a user base of 750 million users, Facebook is like a huge-unexplored market for your business. There are millions of potential customers on Facebook that are waiting for you to reach them. So, in case you are wondering how to take your business to Facebook- the method is fairly simple. As, the social network allows you to put your business out there, and even provides multiple tools to aid you in spreading your business.

Here are the top 10 ways to use Facebook for business.

1. Create a Page- This goes without saying, that to have an impressive Facebook presence, you need to get there first, and create a ‘Page’ for your business. You have to choose the type of page you want to create. Your obvious choice here is the business page.

This has certain details to be ironed out-

Facebook vanity URL, which you have to claim for unique business identity. Initially when you create the page, Facebook offers each Page a “Vanity URL” once the page has 25 fans or more. When you set out to select one, be very careful as once you choose a name, you can’t change it. You will be guided step by step to sign up for the URL here- http://www.facebook.com/username
Static FBML- Make sure to like this page on Facebook. Then with HTML, you can create your own personalised tabs. For example, if you are a boutique- the tabs could be- Womes’ party Wear; Men’s Section, etc. This will make your page standout.

Source- Blog Design Studio

Landing page- With the Static FBML, you can design your own landing page- which will be first thing people will see, when they come to your page. Now making this page as attractive as possible must be your focus, only then can you be certain of getting a ‘LIKE’ from every visitor. Here are a few examples of exciting landing pages, that are in tune with products and their target audience too.
For any confusions about page creation, please go here: http://www.facebook.com/FacebookPages

2. Build Your Profile- Fill out the details about your business, location, contact details everything. Tell people what you are all about and what all services/products you offer. Fill the ‘About’ section completely. One thing that completes your profile information is a picture. The Profile Picture, has to be chosen smartly to fill in the more vertical space provided by Facebook. Here are some interesting examples.

For any confusions about page creation, please go here: http://www.facebook.com/FacebookPages

2. Build Your Profile- Fill out the details about your business, location, contact details everything. Tell people what you are all about and what all services/products you offer. Fill the ‘About’ section completely. One thing that completes your profile information is a picture. The Profile Picture, has to be chosen smartly to fill in the more vertical space provided by Facebook. Here are some interesting examples.

3. Linking Your Page- Explore the multiple Apps by Facebook to link your page to Twitter, blogs etc. Integrate your Business Website to Facebook too. Add a LIKE button, so that people can be directed to your FB page. This is essential so that initial traffic on your website is directed to your facebook page too.

4. Explore Similar-Related Businesses- To make your presence known, search for similar pages, and LIKE them. Comment on relative posts there. Like what other people have written. The concerned parties will get a notification, that you have arrived. They will no doubt come to your page.
For example, if you are a Book Publisher Page, then go and LIKE the pages of authors you publish, interact with their fans.

5. Status Updates- What do you put up on your Facebook Page is of utmost importance. The key here is to be interesting-interactive and innovative. Do not brag about your services all the time. Involve people. Ask them a question. Invite them to share. For example, if you are a Chocolate Manufacturer- you could put up a status update like: “When was the first time someone gifted you a box of chocolates?” People will surely respond to that. This section also includes ‘Polls’ and ‘Questions’ and ‘Notes’. Facebook has an excellent application for creating them.

6. Post interesting videos. They may be related to your business, or may be something interesting you came across. The idea here is again- to generate curiosity, encourage audience participation and involvement. This also involves creating albums of your top/latest products or staff. For example, if you are a Shoe Retailer- Create an album of the latest shoes that have come in. Ask people to share them.

. Keep Your Wall Open- Allow people to interact with you. Put out a status update, inviting them to clear all their queries. For example, if you are a Clothes Retailer, you can say, “Anything you wanted to know about our products and their warranty/exchange policies. Please feel free to ask. We will sort every query”. Allow people to interact with you, the admin, as well as each other.

8. Events- Organize events, and then promote them on Facebook with the ‘Events’ App. Put up pictures of these events. Spread the link as much as you can.

9. Facebook Ads- Facebook places your ads on relevant profiles. They promote it through various ways. For example, they show it as a page to someone as liked by a friend, in other ways recommending on basis of familiarity.

10. Incentives- Providing users with a reason to like your page by offering a free gift or a discount coupons works miracles. This will shoot up the LIKES on your page pretty steadily. A little investment can go a long way in creating a fan base.

Source: sincerelyfido.com

These are the basics that you must follow. However, you must base your strategy according to your target audience. Study their preferences on Facebook and work accordingly. Remember the mantra:

Interesting- Innovative-Interactive- is how your you Facebook business Page must be.

Check out Page Traffic Buzz for more articles by Navneet Kaushal

About The Author
Nav is the founder and CEO of Page Traffic, a premier search engine company known for its assured SEO service, web design and development, copywriting and full time SEO professionals. Navneet has wide experience in natural search engine optimization, internet marketing and PPC campaigns. He is a prolific writer and his articles can be found in the “Best Articles” section of many websites and article banks. As a search engine analyst , he has over 9 years of experience and his knowledge is in application here.

October 2011 Gatherings by Camelia

October 2011 Gatherings by Camelia

October 2011 Gatherings by Camelia
“Came” means Business Networking (referral business/business gathering)
welcome to Camelia gatherings

Came 390
7 October 2011 (friday)
Time: 3pm to 5pm
Venue: Old Town White Coffee,Ampang Park,Jalan Ampang,Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia.

Came 391
7 October 2011 (friday)
Time: 8pm to 10pm
Venue: Island Cafe, Jalan SS2/61,Petaling Jaya,Selangor,Malaysia.

Came 392
8 October 2011 (saturday)
Time: 10am to 12pm
Venue: Sri Melaka, Amcorp Mall,Jalan Timur,Petaling Jaya,Selangor,Malaysia.
Came 393
9 October 2011 (sunday)
Time: 3pm to 5pm
Venue: Old Town White Coffee,Berjaya Times Square (3rd floor),Jalan Imbi,Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia.

Came 394
12 October 2011 (wednesday)
Time: 8pm to 10pm
Venue: Teh Chawan,Jalan Telawi,Bangsar,Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia.

Came 395
13 October 2011 (thursday)
Time: 6pm to 8pm
Venue: Old Town White Coffee,Jalan Raja Laut,Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia. (opposite SOGO mall)

Came 396
17 October 2011 (monday)
Time: 3pm to 5pm
Venue: Pappa Rich,Sunway Pyramid Mall,Petaling Jaya,Selangor,Malaysia.

Came 397
17 October 2011 (monday)
Time: 8pm to 10pm
Venue: Teh Tarik Place, The Curve Mall,Petaling Jaya,Selangor,Malaysia.

Came 398
18 October 2011 (tuesday)
Time: 8pm to 10pm
Venue: KFC, Ampang Park Mall, Jalan Ampang,Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia.

Came 399
21 October 2011 (friday)
Time: 3pm to 5pm
Venue: Old Town White Coffee,Opposite Taman Midah,Cheras,Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia.

Came 400
21 October 2011 (friday)
Time: 8pm to 10pm
Venue: Mc Donalds,Masjid Jamek,Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia.(PUTRA and STAR line stations)

Came 401
25 October 2011 (tuesday)
Time: 8pm to 10pm
Venue: Old Town White Coffee,Kelana Street mall,Petaling Jaya,Selangor,Malaysia.(LDP Kelana Jaya Giant)

Came 402
27 October 2011 (thursday)
Time: 3pm to 5pm
Venue: Old Town White Coffee,Pavillion Mall,Jalan Bukit Bintang,Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia.

Came 403
27 October 2011 (thursday)
Time: 8pm to 10pm
Venue: Starbuck,KL SENTRAL station,Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia.

Pls Call /SMS to confirm the date/place/time.
Please give me time to reserve a seat for you.
Do not be LAST MINUTE.I will not entertain you.
You may bring your friends or bosses or spouse.
PLEASE BE PUNCTUAL, Thank you!!
Mobile : 6-016-9795515
Love Camelia
Malaysian Chinese lady

*Venue and time subject to change
*Please pay your drinks / meals
*No entrance fee and no membership

5 Ways to Make Extra Money From Your Home… Literally

5 Ways to Make Extra Money From Your Home… Literally
February 15, 2011

If you own a house and need a bit of extra cash there are several options that you could consider to make money. Here are 5 ways to make extra money from your home… literally!

Rent Your Parking Spot – If you live in a dense urban area you can rent out your parking spot. When I lived in Hawaii parking was at such a premium that people could fetch several hundred dollars for their parking stall, especially towards the downtown area. There are several sites which offer parking spot arrangements which include parkingspots.com and parkatmyhouse.com.

Swap Your House – This isn’t necessarily making money from your home, but you can save money on your next vacation by eliminating the costs associated with hotels or staying in a different state or even country. You may have watched the movie the movie, The Holiday, which was a great, yet romantic, version of a housing swap in action. Although it may seem weird to have strangers in your house, by using Skype to communicate, getting references first, and making sure any valuables and important paperwork are locked up, you should be good to go.

Get a Roommate – Ah roommates, they’re not glamorous, but they do provide you with some extra rent money if times get tight (that is, if they pay their bills). I’ve used roommates as a living arrangement the majority of my adult life and find that it’s a great way to significantly lower my living expenses. I even have a few single dad friends who live together so that they can better handle raising their kids because of their schedules. Roommates could also entail living in a communal arrangement, but you might have to move homes in order to accomplish that.

Power up Your House – Use your roof and power grid as a way to shoot power back to the grid. Although solar is still an expensive alternative, it is possible for those who are handy to build their own solar panels and place them on their roof. You can even used damaged solar cells from ebay and save a ton of money. If you’ve got the time you could tinker around and build your own by following some simple instructions on the internet.

Convert Your Backyard to an Edible Paradise – If you’ve got a lawn in your backyard, you’re not using your land for the highest and best use. There’s a family in Pasadena California that uses their yard on a quarter of an acre lot to raise all their own food and also sell some for the extra produce for tens of thousands of dollars each year. Local restaurants in the upscale market are demanding fresh organic produce which this family offers. Sure they may work a bit harder than all of us, but they do it in a beautiful environment that allows them to stay at home. Check out the video below to see how they do it.

If you need some extra cash and have a house with some extra space that isn’t being utilized there are many options for you. Your creativity and willingness to work to save some money will be the factors in which you can make money from your home, literally!

Ryan is a personal finance blogger who writes about financial freedom at plantingdollars.com. He also builds niche websites ranging from travel, to technology, to Roth IRA information.

http://www.budgetinginthefunstuff.com/5-ways-to-make-extra-money-from-your-home/