Author : Roger Lewis
I've been asked should I use my camera flash when taking photos outside and under the following conditions the answer is YES.If you're shooting a portrait or close up where the subject fills the frame completely and your shooting in bright sunlight where the person is partly back-lit, the answer is most definitely yes!It will bring the image to life by making it stand out against the background, it will also light up the face helping to remove unwanted shadows and adding a sparkle to the eyes.You see, when you are shooting pictures of people where the majority of the light is from behind or where the sun is reflected off water, without your flash turned on their face will be too dark .The same applies when the sun is casting a shadow across the face but with the use of your flash, you can eliminate dark shadows from the eyes and nose and create a better result which will please the most discerning critic. In affect this also helps to soften the face and in some cases helping to hide wrinkles, but remember you cant please everyone.Which reminds me of the story of the wrinkled old Woman that had her picture taken by the local portrait photographer and even after the photographer spent hours retouching her picture he still couldn't remove all her wrinkles. When she saw the picture she complained saying to the photographer, "This picture doesn't do me justice," he said "Madam you don't need justice you need mercy."Why then, does you camera take a dark picture when the subject is back-lit, you see the camera will be fooled by the bright back-lit surroundings and set the exposure to cope with the bright conditions only allowing the face to appear dark, but with your flash turned on you end up with the perfect picture every time, so much so that your friends will ask how you did it. Also remember to use flash when bright sunlight is casting shadows over the subjects face, even if the conditions are not back-lit, it will also add a sparkle to the eyes.By using your flash or turning flash on, you will fill-in the shadow areas making your picture much more pleasing.Photographers please note, the best time of the day to shoot people is about two hours before sunset or two hours after sunrise, when the shadows are long and the light is soft and warm in color, especially by the ocean. It's no wonder that professional fashion photographers shoot around this time of day.Consider the days when I started out studying to be a young photographer at the age 13/14, the camera was a medium format size roll film camera, image size 6x6cm. and the film size was 120 black and white negative.There was NO built-in camera flash, in fact there was no electronic flash, period. I use to own a flash gun that used flash bulbs, which I attached to the camera with the flash sync cable plugged into the camera bulb flash socket. The flash bulb was like a light bulb in size which you screwed into the flash guns bulb holder directly in front of the large flash reflector. The bulb was filled with magnesium wire and when you fired the shutter the batteries in the flash gun would ignite the magnesium in the flash bulb and create a flash. The flash bulb was covered with a protective layer of plastic to prevent it from exploding and I seem to remember that most times it was successful in doing so, but on the odd occasion it would explode... quite an alarming experience. It was a good idea not to work too close to the subject!Back in the early fifties, it was quite an undertaking to shoot any event. But I was busy studying photography at school and in my spare time and was learning the basics.Soon the early electronic flash guns started to arrive on the market and I remember that they had huge power-packs that you carried on your shoulder via a shoulder strap. Also flash guns were starting to get popular with novice photographers, with smaller size flash bulbs and then later the smaller electronic flash guns.What does this mean to you, very little I expect but it may be of some interest to those of who might be of the same age as I was then, to know how far we have advanced. Just think for a moment and supposing you are 14 years of age now, how far things would have advanced when you get to be my age...But you know, the same conditions apply when shooting an image if your in a 'professional mode', I mean careful composition of you picture, correct exposure and lighting and although with the advance of digital cameras the technology has changed, the above mentioned facts apply and are still as relevant to day as they ever were, plus the added advantage of your computer and the ability of digital manipulation.To learn more about your Flash Photography go here: Flash Photography Pro Secrets
I'm from London. I started out in the days of the Swinging Sixties and London was quite a place to be. In those days we use to shoot catalog fashion shots with a 10X8 inch View camera, so the transparency images would be the same size as the image on the catalog page, I have to tell you right now that took quite some doing. Now I spent most of my time with my website: Pro SECRETS of Money Making PHOTOGRAPHY, writing about and teaching photography, occasionally shooting assignments.
To learn more about the author go here: PhotoRog Secrets blog
Category : Affiliate Programs
วันจันทร์ที่ 29 กันยายน พ.ศ. 2551
วันจันทร์ที่ 22 กันยายน พ.ศ. 2551
Making money with Your Publications
Author : JOhn V. W. Howe
You can publish on the Internet in the form of an ezine, a blog, a website, or use RSS (really simple syndication) to spread the word. If you write for a hobby and publish for fun, then your reward is the joy of providing material for other people to enjoy. However, if you publish for profit, lets discuss how to make money for your efforts.One of the easiest ways to make money is to place Google AdSense advertising on your publication. You cannot put Adsense ads in a text newsletter, but you can put them in the archived pages on your eZine website or blog. If you are blogging, you can place them in the blog pages.Lets discuss Adsense a little more. It is a program from Google and is a very important part of Internet advertising. A good definition of AdSense is from Wikipedia.org.AdSense is an advertising program run by Google. Website owners can enroll in this program to enable text and image advertisements on their sites. These ads are administered by Google and generate revenue on a per-click basis. Google utilizes its search technology to serve ads based on website content, the user's geographical location, and other factors.AdSense works like this. When you sign up as an affiliate of the Adsense program, Adsense provides you with a snippet of HTML code that you insert in your web page where you want the Adsense ads to appear. Google reads the content of the page where the code is placed and it automatically places ads on the page that match the pages theme or content.When a reader clicks on an AdSense ad on your page and makes a purchase, you receive a commission for the sale. All you have to do is allow the AdSense program on your pages and Google does the rest. It is an ingenious system and is one that has revolutionized advertising on the Internet.It is very easy to join Adsense. If you are interested in learning more or if you want to join, click the link following link.https://www.google.com/adsenseAnother way to make money from your publications is to make recommendations to your readers to buy items from which you make a commission or referral fee. On the Internet, this is called an affiliate relationship.The affiliate program is probably the best return for your effort with the least demand on your time. This has an appeal to the Boomer Entrepreneur since we want to run the business and not have it run us. We want to have time to kick back and smell the roses. The attraction to this model is that it is virtually risk free except for your time. It costs you nothing to sign up as an affiliate. You recommend the product and send your visitors to the website where the product is sold. If the customer purchases the product, you are paid a commission.Amazon.com is credited with being the first businesses on the Net to fully develop the affiliate concept and now all the major companies have affiliate programs. How does it work? When you sign up as an affiliate, you will be given an affiliate number, and a special link to use for linking to the affiliate website. This link will send your visitor to the business site and at the same time tell the business that you sent the visitor so you will receive the commission in the case of a sale.Selling advertising is another way to profit from publishing. As your ezine, blog, or website gain popularity, you will be approached to include advertising in your publication. Plan ahead on this and do the market research to know what your reply should be the first time you are asked how much your advertising rates are.You can use your publication to indirectly make money by directing readers to other of your affiliated sites where you are selling a product or service. You will notice on many sites the signature block will have links to affiliated sites. This attracts people to click the links to check them out. For more detailed discussion about publishing or making money from your publication visit http://www.retirement-jobs-online.com/publishing.html.Good luck with all your future publishing projects. May they all be profitable.Copyright 2006 John Howe, Inc. John V. W. Howe is an entrepreneur, author, inventor, patent holder, husband, father, and grandfather. He has been involved in entrepreneurial activities for over 40 years. He founded www.boomer-ezine.com and www.retirement-jobs-online.com to help Boomers (baby boomers) become entrepreneurs when they retire.
Category : General Internet
วันศุกร์ที่ 19 กันยายน พ.ศ. 2551
Mothers Day Initiative Helps Ministry Distribute Five Millionth Book
Author :
Sandy Tally is excited about Mothers Day this year. But not because shes getting flowers or a bottle of perfume shes excited over a book. Sandys church, Faith Assembly in Orlando, FL, where Sandy is on staff, is handing almost 2000 free books to women in the church as part of the Mission Mothers Day campaign from Orlando-based Man in the Mirror.A major success in recent years, Mission Mothers Day was started to give churches a way to reach out and share Christs love and His message with women on Mothers Day by giving them a free book. Churches throughout the country have distributed over 5,000,000 books as part of Mission Mothers Day and Project Fathers Day. Patrick Morley, founder of Man in the Mirror, is amazed at the changes hes seen since the first book giveaway effort Project Fathers Day. When we began the campaign, we had no idea how many men and women would be reached, he says. The stories we hear about changed lives are overwhelming. David Delk, President of Man in the Mirror, says its a cooperative effort. Were so pleased with all of our friends whove helped make this possible. If it werent for the wonderful team at Women of Faith, Thomas Nelson Publishers, and Zondervan, we wouldnt be able to offer these titles at giveaway prices. God continues to work in ways we never dreamed possible.There are five titles offered for Mission Mothers Day: Irrepressible Hope and Boundless Love by the Women of Faith, Understanding Your Man in the Mirror by Patrick Morley, Loving God by Chuck Colson, and Halftime by Bob Buford. Each of the books are available in cases of 48 books for about $1 each.For 17 years, Man in the Mirror has focused on reaching men with practical messages of faith, priorities, and values. In the last five years, five million men and women have received a book from a church or a friend through programs like Mission Mothers Day and Project Fathers Day. More information is available at <a href="http://www.maninthemirror.org" target="_blank">www.maninthemirror.org</a> Contact: Corrie Cochran 800-929-2536<a href="http://www.maninthemirror.org" target="_blank">www.maninthemirror.org</a>
Category : Spare Parts
วันพุธที่ 17 กันยายน พ.ศ. 2551
Why Lovers Hurt Their Beloved Most?
Author : C D Mohatta
A lover, who claims to love, can never hurt his/her beloved. Love demands that you care utmost for your beloved. You are concerned about their feownload.php?format=HTM&articleid=25573&type=">Download as HTelings. You make them as comfortable as possible. You keep them as happy as possible. You help them fulfill their dreams. You encourage them during tough times and you are always there for them. If you don't do this, there will be nothing called as love. The definition of love includes the qualities I mentioned.This does happen. In many relationships it happens all through the life. Such couples need not worry to know about heaven. Their home is heaven. But in some relationships, if a lover wishes to break away for any reason including feelings of being treated unjust, the results will be harrowing.Let us look at what will happen. As the lover who wishes to break away remembers all the investments she/he did for the love, she will feel that all has gone waste. All my sacrifices are in vain. I did so much for many years, and now what is the result? This frustration and anger is directed towards the partner. At that time the lover who is breaking away forgets that worse will happen to one she /he will be leaving. Only selfish thoughts occupy the mind.This is the tragedy of such love. The one who is left behind might have made more sacrifices and given a lot more for love. He/she gets bewildered at why this break up is happening? It is like a sudden earthquake. That is why I asked, that if you love someone why hurt? You will find additional resources on this subject here - Love Articles & Advice, Relationships Articles & Advice and Destructive Relationships Writing for romantic greeting cards, screensavers and desktop wallpapers is the hobby of CD Mohatta. You can download romantic screensavers and also solve fun quizzes on love & dating.
Category : General Other
วันจันทร์ที่ 8 กันยายน พ.ศ. 2551
Broadband Internet by Satellite and Bad Weather Issues
Author : Lance Winslow
One of the greatest inventions in Broadband Internet has to be the incredible service offered by Broadband Internet Satellite company Direct PC, which is part of the Direct TV Hughes Network. This allows you to get your Internet service via satellite. It is very high-speed although there is a half-second delay from the satellite for uploading which you need to get use to although it seems as fast as the fastest DCL line I have ever used.The only draw back is in severe storms or rain clouds you can often lose the signal, however with any electronics it is not always too awfully wise to be using lots of electrical stuff during thunder and lightning storms you know? Last year I fried my modem trying to stay online during one of those superstorm thunder cells? Dah, we have all seen enough storm stories to figure out that is a losing proposition indeed.However besides that one little problem of the Bad Weather Issues, I must say the service is good and the speed kicks everyone's butt and well I am a happy camper with mine. Although I do not always use it having several other options, it is my first choice for Broadband Internet Service and it makes so much sense for so many reasons. Maybe you might like this in 2006?Lance Winslow
Category : Computers-and-Technology:Broadband-Internet
One of the greatest inventions in Broadband Internet has to be the incredible service offered by Broadband Internet Satellite company Direct PC, which is part of the Direct TV Hughes Network. This allows you to get your Internet service via satellite. It is very high-speed although there is a half-second delay from the satellite for uploading which you need to get use to although it seems as fast as the fastest DCL line I have ever used.The only draw back is in severe storms or rain clouds you can often lose the signal, however with any electronics it is not always too awfully wise to be using lots of electrical stuff during thunder and lightning storms you know? Last year I fried my modem trying to stay online during one of those superstorm thunder cells? Dah, we have all seen enough storm stories to figure out that is a losing proposition indeed.However besides that one little problem of the Bad Weather Issues, I must say the service is good and the speed kicks everyone's butt and well I am a happy camper with mine. Although I do not always use it having several other options, it is my first choice for Broadband Internet Service and it makes so much sense for so many reasons. Maybe you might like this in 2006?Lance Winslow
Category : Computers-and-Technology:Broadband-Internet
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 7 กันยายน พ.ศ. 2551
Negotiating Technology Contracts
Author : Andy Quick
Have you ever tried to negotiate a deal for software, computer equipment, or consulting services with a technology company? The task can be daunting. Unfortunately, the sales forces of most IT companies are armed to the hilt with techniques to get the best deal for them, and not necessarily the best deal for you. And even worse, most of us computer folk (like myself) have never been trained in the art of negotiation, so it can be difficult to spot a snake in the grass. Before you begin negotiating a technology deal, know what you're getting in to.Solicit, Don't Be SolicitedI receive at least three calls each day from technology vendors interested in selling something: hardware equipment, software tools, consulting services, etc. Usually, these calls are "cold". My name somehow landed on a telemarketing list in the hands of some vendor who is calling me out of the clear blue sky hoping that what they sell somehow matches what I need. You can waste hours on the phone letting some non-technical, script-reading, telemarketer or sales representative chew your ear off about their latest and greatest gizmo. Very rarely do these types of calls ever translate into a real business opportunity.The most popular cold call opening is "Good morning. This is Joe from the XYZ software company. We offer break through whatever solutions to help you reduce your total cost of ownership for whatever. Let me ask you, are your responsible for managing your companies whatever investment?" I get so many of these calls that I can answer them in my sleep. Years ago, I used to engage in some level of discussion with these people and it always went nowhere. Unless you really think they've got something you might want to buy, cut them off immediately. And just like any telemarketer, they have a scripted response for anything. If you answer the above question with "No. I am not". The immediate response will be "Could you direct me to someone in the company that is responsible for whatever". If you hand out a name and number, you're just passing the buck to some other poor soul in your organization. My favorite response is "No. We don't respond to phone solicitations." Nine times out of ten, they will give up.Sometimes, the cold caller will make another run at it and re-state their purpose or as they close the call, sneak in another sales pitch. "Yes sir. I understand. We offer something really great for your company and would love to send you a free trial version at absolutely no cost. Its free to try." You could be tempted to say "Free? Tell me more." Again, this type of response will just open up the sales speech flood gates and you will be wasting your time trying to get a word in edge-wise. Stick to your guns: "As I said. We don't respond to phone solicitations." is the proper response. If they make yet one more run at it, the final blow would be "Not sure if you're deaf, but I said we don't respond to phone solicitations. Tell me your name and transfer me to your supervisor." You will either hear apologies or a dial tone. Either way, you've just gotten yourself off of a call list and will never be bothered again.If you're interested in buying something, you do the calling, not the other way around.Put The Horse Before The CartNever begin looking for technology solutions without knowing what you're looking for. Know the business problem you're trying to solve. If you know you need a software package that automates statistical analysis, flush out a more detailed set of statistics requirements (types of model, sample sizes, etc.) before you begin to shop around. Usually, software products have bells and whistles that, although look cool, are not absolutely needed. Before you begin comparison shopping, define your basic technology and business requirements. Knowing what you really need will give you confidence and leverage in a negotiation.Always Comparison ShopNo matter what, always evaluate multiple options. If you're looking for software, don't get excited and latch on to the first package that looks good. And certainly don't give a sales rep. the impression that you're overly interested in their solution. They will be less likely to move during a negotiation. The IT market is over abundant with hardware, software and services solutions. Probably, you will have many options to choose from. Be picky!Create Your Game PlanBefore you begin negotiating a deal with any technology vendor, plan your negotiation carefully. I have included some general planning questions that you should answer in preparation for a negotiation. The questions I have listed below may not make sense for your negotiation, so feel free to modify them for the occasion. The point here is to prepare in advance. You don't want to figure out the answers to these types of questions in the middle of a negotiation as it may give an inch to the sales person. I would even recommend writing the questions and answers on a sheet of paper for reference.(Price) How much do you think you should pay for this software or service? What is the market rate or street price? What are you prepared to spend? What is the highest price you would be willing to pay?(Features) What key features and capabilities are you looking for? Force rank the features. What does the prioritized list look like? Of the features you need, categorize them into two categories: "must have" and "nice to have".(Service Levels) Do you expect some level of performance from the equipment, software, or service? Are there up-time requirements? Do you need 24x7 technical support? Do you expect the vendor to incur a penalty if they don't perform up to your service levels?(Trades) What is most important to you: price, features, or service level? Force rank these in order of importance. Would you be willing to trade items between categories? For example, would you be willing to give up a certain service level for a lower price?(Suppliers) Which vendors offer something that you think could meet your needs? How long have these companies been in business? Are you doing business with them already? Do you have a good business relationship with them?(Gravy) If you had your druthers, what extras would you like the vendor to throw in for free? Would you like training or extra manuals? Would you like special reporting?You will probably have more questions in addition to the ones listed above. Take the time to write them down and create the answers. Once you have established your position, you will save a great deal of time evaluating your potential vendors and negotiations will be less painful.Lead The DanceWhen you are ready to face off with a vendor, do your best to drive the discussion. Get as much information about the vendor and their product and service before price enters into the discussion. Just like car buying, pick out your car (or choice of cars) before you negotiate a price. If you find that the discussion is prematurely heading toward pricing, bring the conversation back to understanding the product or service itself. If you're not ready to talk price, say something like "Right now, I am just evaluating your product (or service). Unless I think there's a real opportunity, I'm not prepared to negotiate price right now."Pricing for hardware, software, and services follow very different models. Hardware prices are fairly standard unless the product is new. Usually, the mark-up on hardware is very small (1-15%). On the flip- side, the mark-up for software is huge (100%+). Software is priced based on value, not the cost to the vendor so you can usually negotiate software prices down substantially. Services are usually based on labor rates and are marked up based on the demand for those skills (15-50%).When you are ready to discuss pricing, take the lead in the dance. Here are the steps to follow (in this order):Make the vendor throw out the first offer. Never be the first one to suggest a price. Although rare, you could hear the question "how much would you be willing to pay for our product?" A good response would be "As little as possible. What's your offer?" This response puts the ball firmly in the vendor's court. Remember, if you've done your planning, you really do have the answer to this question, but your job is get a price far below your maximum, so don't tell the vendor up front!Express concern. Never get excited about the first offer no matter what. If you're considering other alternatives, you may be able to get a better price. My favorite tactic is to say nothing and simply make a non-verbal expression of concern. Usually, the vendor will come back with either "but I'm sure we could sharpen our pencil", or "we could probably come down lower if that price is too high", or the ever popular "but we're willing to work with you". You may also be prodded with "You don't seem to like that price. I seem to be out of the ball park. What price would you be comfortable with?" Here's where the dance gets interesting.Make the vendor throw out the second offer. This can be difficult, but by making the vendor throw out more prices, you are lowering the ceiling of the negotiation going forward. If, in step 2, the vendor says "we could probably come down lower if that price is too high.", immediately respond with "How much could you come down?" or "It seems you didn't give me your best price to begin with. What's your best price?". Latch on to what a vendor is saying and keep asking questions. Stay on this step as long as possible and try and keep the vendor to continue to provide better pricing.Counter offer. Propose a different price than what's on the table. Be reasonable. If you've done your homework and checked the going price for the product or service, you know what the range is. If you throw out a price that you know is ridiculous, it will look like you don't know what you're doing. However, if you counter with a price that demonstrates that you've done your homework, the vendor will know you are serious. Justify for your counter offer. For example, you may want to reveal that you've done some market analysis by saying "I've researched the market a little and think my offer is more in line with market prices." Obviously, the vendor may disagree, but at least you're backing up your counter price.Trade. Unless you can land on a price outright, there will likely be gives and takes on both sides. Go back to your to plan and begin proposing trades. Always make trades that bring you little to no value but may be perceived as valuable by the vendor. This can be very difficult, but can pay huge dividends. Here is a perfect example. Let's say you want a service contract to outsource your help desk (technical support phone service). Let's say you really want the help desk to answer your calls within 1 minute (you've already figured out this requirement in your plan) but the vendor's first offer is to answer your calls within 30 seconds. Let's also assume that price is more important to you than having your calls answered 30 seconds faster (remember- the vendor doesn't know this). And let's say the offer on the table is $5 per call. A great trade proposal would be "Your price is too high for me. I can recognize that you need enough people to answer those calls within 30 seconds and that has value. I would be willing to sacrifice an extra 30 seconds on each call if you could bring your price down." If the vendor responds with a counter-offer, circle back to steps 4 and 5. Try and keep the counter offer / trade cycle going as long as possible.Nibble. Just as you and the vendor are about to agree to terms and everyone starts smiling and shaking hands, start asking for the gravy. Let's say you've just negotiated a software deal and you would really like some training. Just when you think the vendor believes the negotiation is at its very end, you could say "I am really glad we could work this out. I'm looking forward to using your software. One more thing- would you mind spending a couple days showing me how to use your product. A little training could be useful. Is that ok with you?" You run the risk of opening up the negotiation, but you stand a better chance of getting a few extras free of charge.Walk The Talk. If you've set your maximum price and you can't seem to negotiate what you want even with trades, walk away. Be firm and truly be prepared to walk away. Be blunt. "It seems we're not getting anywhere. I think I'll take my business elsewhere. Thanks for your time." Shutting the discussion down can sometimes break the log jam. If a vendor really thinks they're going to loose the business, they may suddenly move.Patience is a Virtue. Negotiations take time. Before you begin, know what your timeframe to make a decision is. Never act hurried or anxious. Come across to the vendor as relaxed and confident (but not cocky). The message you want to send to the vendor is "I've got all the time in the world."Never Lie. Although this happens in many negotiations, telling lies will hurt your reputation and could poison vendor relationships. I am not a proponent of outright fibbing. Be honest but don't give away your hand.Follow these steps, and you will strike better deals and build confidence in your ability to negotiate. What I have left out in the steps above are standard questions that vendors love to ask. Let me leave you with these questions, their underlying motive, and what you should say. The trick is to always put the ball back in the vendor's court to better your position:Question: "What's your budget for this project?"Motive: Setting the price floorAnswer: "That's confidential. Why do you need to know that?"Question: "What's most important to you? Price or service levels?"Motive : Prioritizing your tradesAnswer : "They're both important to me. I'm looking for the best package"Question: "How soon do you need to make a decision?"Motive: Setting the timeframeAnswer : "I will make a decision when I can get the overall best deal"Question: "Can you make decision quickly. I've got to make my sales quota and our quarter is ending soon. I can't guarantee I give you the same discount"Motive : Apply pressureAnswer : "I'm not going to rush my decision because of your company's business calendar. We may need to re-think things..." There are others, but always maintain your control, patience and poise and always take the lead in the negotiating dance!About The AuthorAndy Quick is co-founder of Findmyhosting.com (http://www.findmyhosting.com), a free web hosting directory offering businesses and consumers a hassle free way to find the right hosting plan for their needs. Feel free to contact Andy at andy@findmyhosting.com in case you have any questions or comments regarding this article.
Category : Mesothelioma
Have you ever tried to negotiate a deal for software, computer equipment, or consulting services with a technology company? The task can be daunting. Unfortunately, the sales forces of most IT companies are armed to the hilt with techniques to get the best deal for them, and not necessarily the best deal for you. And even worse, most of us computer folk (like myself) have never been trained in the art of negotiation, so it can be difficult to spot a snake in the grass. Before you begin negotiating a technology deal, know what you're getting in to.Solicit, Don't Be SolicitedI receive at least three calls each day from technology vendors interested in selling something: hardware equipment, software tools, consulting services, etc. Usually, these calls are "cold". My name somehow landed on a telemarketing list in the hands of some vendor who is calling me out of the clear blue sky hoping that what they sell somehow matches what I need. You can waste hours on the phone letting some non-technical, script-reading, telemarketer or sales representative chew your ear off about their latest and greatest gizmo. Very rarely do these types of calls ever translate into a real business opportunity.The most popular cold call opening is "Good morning. This is Joe from the XYZ software company. We offer break through whatever solutions to help you reduce your total cost of ownership for whatever. Let me ask you, are your responsible for managing your companies whatever investment?" I get so many of these calls that I can answer them in my sleep. Years ago, I used to engage in some level of discussion with these people and it always went nowhere. Unless you really think they've got something you might want to buy, cut them off immediately. And just like any telemarketer, they have a scripted response for anything. If you answer the above question with "No. I am not". The immediate response will be "Could you direct me to someone in the company that is responsible for whatever". If you hand out a name and number, you're just passing the buck to some other poor soul in your organization. My favorite response is "No. We don't respond to phone solicitations." Nine times out of ten, they will give up.Sometimes, the cold caller will make another run at it and re-state their purpose or as they close the call, sneak in another sales pitch. "Yes sir. I understand. We offer something really great for your company and would love to send you a free trial version at absolutely no cost. Its free to try." You could be tempted to say "Free? Tell me more." Again, this type of response will just open up the sales speech flood gates and you will be wasting your time trying to get a word in edge-wise. Stick to your guns: "As I said. We don't respond to phone solicitations." is the proper response. If they make yet one more run at it, the final blow would be "Not sure if you're deaf, but I said we don't respond to phone solicitations. Tell me your name and transfer me to your supervisor." You will either hear apologies or a dial tone. Either way, you've just gotten yourself off of a call list and will never be bothered again.If you're interested in buying something, you do the calling, not the other way around.Put The Horse Before The CartNever begin looking for technology solutions without knowing what you're looking for. Know the business problem you're trying to solve. If you know you need a software package that automates statistical analysis, flush out a more detailed set of statistics requirements (types of model, sample sizes, etc.) before you begin to shop around. Usually, software products have bells and whistles that, although look cool, are not absolutely needed. Before you begin comparison shopping, define your basic technology and business requirements. Knowing what you really need will give you confidence and leverage in a negotiation.Always Comparison ShopNo matter what, always evaluate multiple options. If you're looking for software, don't get excited and latch on to the first package that looks good. And certainly don't give a sales rep. the impression that you're overly interested in their solution. They will be less likely to move during a negotiation. The IT market is over abundant with hardware, software and services solutions. Probably, you will have many options to choose from. Be picky!Create Your Game PlanBefore you begin negotiating a deal with any technology vendor, plan your negotiation carefully. I have included some general planning questions that you should answer in preparation for a negotiation. The questions I have listed below may not make sense for your negotiation, so feel free to modify them for the occasion. The point here is to prepare in advance. You don't want to figure out the answers to these types of questions in the middle of a negotiation as it may give an inch to the sales person. I would even recommend writing the questions and answers on a sheet of paper for reference.(Price) How much do you think you should pay for this software or service? What is the market rate or street price? What are you prepared to spend? What is the highest price you would be willing to pay?(Features) What key features and capabilities are you looking for? Force rank the features. What does the prioritized list look like? Of the features you need, categorize them into two categories: "must have" and "nice to have".(Service Levels) Do you expect some level of performance from the equipment, software, or service? Are there up-time requirements? Do you need 24x7 technical support? Do you expect the vendor to incur a penalty if they don't perform up to your service levels?(Trades) What is most important to you: price, features, or service level? Force rank these in order of importance. Would you be willing to trade items between categories? For example, would you be willing to give up a certain service level for a lower price?(Suppliers) Which vendors offer something that you think could meet your needs? How long have these companies been in business? Are you doing business with them already? Do you have a good business relationship with them?(Gravy) If you had your druthers, what extras would you like the vendor to throw in for free? Would you like training or extra manuals? Would you like special reporting?You will probably have more questions in addition to the ones listed above. Take the time to write them down and create the answers. Once you have established your position, you will save a great deal of time evaluating your potential vendors and negotiations will be less painful.Lead The DanceWhen you are ready to face off with a vendor, do your best to drive the discussion. Get as much information about the vendor and their product and service before price enters into the discussion. Just like car buying, pick out your car (or choice of cars) before you negotiate a price. If you find that the discussion is prematurely heading toward pricing, bring the conversation back to understanding the product or service itself. If you're not ready to talk price, say something like "Right now, I am just evaluating your product (or service). Unless I think there's a real opportunity, I'm not prepared to negotiate price right now."Pricing for hardware, software, and services follow very different models. Hardware prices are fairly standard unless the product is new. Usually, the mark-up on hardware is very small (1-15%). On the flip- side, the mark-up for software is huge (100%+). Software is priced based on value, not the cost to the vendor so you can usually negotiate software prices down substantially. Services are usually based on labor rates and are marked up based on the demand for those skills (15-50%).When you are ready to discuss pricing, take the lead in the dance. Here are the steps to follow (in this order):Make the vendor throw out the first offer. Never be the first one to suggest a price. Although rare, you could hear the question "how much would you be willing to pay for our product?" A good response would be "As little as possible. What's your offer?" This response puts the ball firmly in the vendor's court. Remember, if you've done your planning, you really do have the answer to this question, but your job is get a price far below your maximum, so don't tell the vendor up front!Express concern. Never get excited about the first offer no matter what. If you're considering other alternatives, you may be able to get a better price. My favorite tactic is to say nothing and simply make a non-verbal expression of concern. Usually, the vendor will come back with either "but I'm sure we could sharpen our pencil", or "we could probably come down lower if that price is too high", or the ever popular "but we're willing to work with you". You may also be prodded with "You don't seem to like that price. I seem to be out of the ball park. What price would you be comfortable with?" Here's where the dance gets interesting.Make the vendor throw out the second offer. This can be difficult, but by making the vendor throw out more prices, you are lowering the ceiling of the negotiation going forward. If, in step 2, the vendor says "we could probably come down lower if that price is too high.", immediately respond with "How much could you come down?" or "It seems you didn't give me your best price to begin with. What's your best price?". Latch on to what a vendor is saying and keep asking questions. Stay on this step as long as possible and try and keep the vendor to continue to provide better pricing.Counter offer. Propose a different price than what's on the table. Be reasonable. If you've done your homework and checked the going price for the product or service, you know what the range is. If you throw out a price that you know is ridiculous, it will look like you don't know what you're doing. However, if you counter with a price that demonstrates that you've done your homework, the vendor will know you are serious. Justify for your counter offer. For example, you may want to reveal that you've done some market analysis by saying "I've researched the market a little and think my offer is more in line with market prices." Obviously, the vendor may disagree, but at least you're backing up your counter price.Trade. Unless you can land on a price outright, there will likely be gives and takes on both sides. Go back to your to plan and begin proposing trades. Always make trades that bring you little to no value but may be perceived as valuable by the vendor. This can be very difficult, but can pay huge dividends. Here is a perfect example. Let's say you want a service contract to outsource your help desk (technical support phone service). Let's say you really want the help desk to answer your calls within 1 minute (you've already figured out this requirement in your plan) but the vendor's first offer is to answer your calls within 30 seconds. Let's also assume that price is more important to you than having your calls answered 30 seconds faster (remember- the vendor doesn't know this). And let's say the offer on the table is $5 per call. A great trade proposal would be "Your price is too high for me. I can recognize that you need enough people to answer those calls within 30 seconds and that has value. I would be willing to sacrifice an extra 30 seconds on each call if you could bring your price down." If the vendor responds with a counter-offer, circle back to steps 4 and 5. Try and keep the counter offer / trade cycle going as long as possible.Nibble. Just as you and the vendor are about to agree to terms and everyone starts smiling and shaking hands, start asking for the gravy. Let's say you've just negotiated a software deal and you would really like some training. Just when you think the vendor believes the negotiation is at its very end, you could say "I am really glad we could work this out. I'm looking forward to using your software. One more thing- would you mind spending a couple days showing me how to use your product. A little training could be useful. Is that ok with you?" You run the risk of opening up the negotiation, but you stand a better chance of getting a few extras free of charge.Walk The Talk. If you've set your maximum price and you can't seem to negotiate what you want even with trades, walk away. Be firm and truly be prepared to walk away. Be blunt. "It seems we're not getting anywhere. I think I'll take my business elsewhere. Thanks for your time." Shutting the discussion down can sometimes break the log jam. If a vendor really thinks they're going to loose the business, they may suddenly move.Patience is a Virtue. Negotiations take time. Before you begin, know what your timeframe to make a decision is. Never act hurried or anxious. Come across to the vendor as relaxed and confident (but not cocky). The message you want to send to the vendor is "I've got all the time in the world."Never Lie. Although this happens in many negotiations, telling lies will hurt your reputation and could poison vendor relationships. I am not a proponent of outright fibbing. Be honest but don't give away your hand.Follow these steps, and you will strike better deals and build confidence in your ability to negotiate. What I have left out in the steps above are standard questions that vendors love to ask. Let me leave you with these questions, their underlying motive, and what you should say. The trick is to always put the ball back in the vendor's court to better your position:Question: "What's your budget for this project?"Motive: Setting the price floorAnswer: "That's confidential. Why do you need to know that?"Question: "What's most important to you? Price or service levels?"Motive : Prioritizing your tradesAnswer : "They're both important to me. I'm looking for the best package"Question: "How soon do you need to make a decision?"Motive: Setting the timeframeAnswer : "I will make a decision when I can get the overall best deal"Question: "Can you make decision quickly. I've got to make my sales quota and our quarter is ending soon. I can't guarantee I give you the same discount"Motive : Apply pressureAnswer : "I'm not going to rush my decision because of your company's business calendar. We may need to re-think things..." There are others, but always maintain your control, patience and poise and always take the lead in the negotiating dance!About The AuthorAndy Quick is co-founder of Findmyhosting.com (http://www.findmyhosting.com), a free web hosting directory offering businesses and consumers a hassle free way to find the right hosting plan for their needs. Feel free to contact Andy at andy@findmyhosting.com in case you have any questions or comments regarding this article.
Category : Mesothelioma
วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 4 กันยายน พ.ศ. 2551
Where Are You Going To Put Your Energy?
Author : Melissa Harvey
When I first started going through the divorce process, I think that I probably wasted an extraordinary amount of time and energy stressing about those things that I could not control. Things like whether or not my ex would be made to pay adequate child support. We had originally agreed on a number, but unbeknownst to me, he had been hoarding cash, a fact that I didn't discover until later on.He works for a corporation that bears his name. He is its sole employee, and it's a corporation that at that time, made an unusual amount of money for being a one man operation. I had previously done his books, I had worked for this company, and I knew that he made a lot more than he was admitting.You all know that a corporation is its own separate entity, so he had the company paying him X amount per year (on paper), and he was the only one who had access to its bank accounts, books, etc. He controlled everything that that company did with its money. The court did not check as to just whether or not what he had on paper was in fact accurate, and if any checking was to be done, the court let me know that it was I who had to foot the bill to get it done.While we were in the court process, he had purchased a Porche 911 (that he hid from myself and our children for two years), and a Mercedes ML350 (he's since moved up to the G500). That being said, I learned after a mere two times in court, that he actually could hide the details of his finances from a judge, I learned that no one would make him disclose those details unless I brought up the specifics, and that I had absolutely no control over what was going to happen in court with regard to how it would see his finances. I learned that he could submit his financial statements to the court the morning of our court date instead of submitting them within 30 days of his being served, and there would be no penalty for his doing so. I learned that although I played by the rules as relayed to me by the system, that same system taught him that he didn't have to abide by any rules but his own, and I learned that there would be no penalty to him for doing so.Between paying a lawyer to twiddle her thumbs and make idiotic comments in the chair beside me and having enough nerve to charge me for her complete incompetence, and the court not recognizing that a man on his "salary" couldn't possibly afford the things that my ex now owned (which, besides the cars, included a million dollar penthouse), I decided that enough was enough.I felt like a pawn. I felt as though I was on some kind of TV show, in which everyone knew the objective of this surreal game, but me. I felt as though the judge and the lawyers were actually actors, hired to play their roles to the extreme, and someone was eventually going to jump out of a closet somewhere and tell me that I'd been punked. No such luck. This was crazy, and this was real.So I opted out. I decided that this was causing way too much stress in my life, and in the lives of my children, and I couldn't control it. If the money was that important to him, he could keep it. I had to spend that energy and that time on something that I could control. Few things are worse than finding yourself in a situation where someone else has a hand on your emotional compass, your mental well being, and your destiny...your financial destiny in particular.If you're going to go through the process, realize this; you MUST behave as though no one has the best interests of yourself and your children in mind. You must realize that this process is going to dictate your every thought, your every move, your every mood, and ultimately, the very well-being of your children for as long as you let it, and you must decide for yourself...is it worth it?Do you know what IS worth it? Working on getting your act together. Working on getting something for yourself that only you control is worth it. Here's the lesson that I learned; regardless of what we think is right, society teaches us that money (and having it) is important. I've learned that as a divorced woman it is especially important to have my own money. I learned that I had to put all of my immediate energy into making my own money.Do whatever it takes to have something of your own. Don't make the mistake that I made in thinking "He would never do that to his children." Granted, he might not. And if he doesn't...great. But even if he proves himself to be an honorable man, you still need to be self-reliant. I know that what I'm saying makes sense to you, or you wouldn't have made it to the bottom of this article. Believe me, no one else is going to do it for you. From the depths of my heart, I can't stress it enough.Thanks for reading.To Your Success!Melissa.Copyright 2006 Melissa Harvey All Rights ReservedMelissa Harvey is a divorced mother of two. She believes that "as divorced women, we must consider first and foremost, our own emotional, mental, and financial well-being. If we don't have those things, we don't have much." Start considering your own financial well-being at http://reallifeafterdivorce.blogspot.com. Email Melissa at lifeafterdivorce@mail.com.
Category : News-and-Society:Divorce
When I first started going through the divorce process, I think that I probably wasted an extraordinary amount of time and energy stressing about those things that I could not control. Things like whether or not my ex would be made to pay adequate child support. We had originally agreed on a number, but unbeknownst to me, he had been hoarding cash, a fact that I didn't discover until later on.He works for a corporation that bears his name. He is its sole employee, and it's a corporation that at that time, made an unusual amount of money for being a one man operation. I had previously done his books, I had worked for this company, and I knew that he made a lot more than he was admitting.You all know that a corporation is its own separate entity, so he had the company paying him X amount per year (on paper), and he was the only one who had access to its bank accounts, books, etc. He controlled everything that that company did with its money. The court did not check as to just whether or not what he had on paper was in fact accurate, and if any checking was to be done, the court let me know that it was I who had to foot the bill to get it done.While we were in the court process, he had purchased a Porche 911 (that he hid from myself and our children for two years), and a Mercedes ML350 (he's since moved up to the G500). That being said, I learned after a mere two times in court, that he actually could hide the details of his finances from a judge, I learned that no one would make him disclose those details unless I brought up the specifics, and that I had absolutely no control over what was going to happen in court with regard to how it would see his finances. I learned that he could submit his financial statements to the court the morning of our court date instead of submitting them within 30 days of his being served, and there would be no penalty for his doing so. I learned that although I played by the rules as relayed to me by the system, that same system taught him that he didn't have to abide by any rules but his own, and I learned that there would be no penalty to him for doing so.Between paying a lawyer to twiddle her thumbs and make idiotic comments in the chair beside me and having enough nerve to charge me for her complete incompetence, and the court not recognizing that a man on his "salary" couldn't possibly afford the things that my ex now owned (which, besides the cars, included a million dollar penthouse), I decided that enough was enough.I felt like a pawn. I felt as though I was on some kind of TV show, in which everyone knew the objective of this surreal game, but me. I felt as though the judge and the lawyers were actually actors, hired to play their roles to the extreme, and someone was eventually going to jump out of a closet somewhere and tell me that I'd been punked. No such luck. This was crazy, and this was real.So I opted out. I decided that this was causing way too much stress in my life, and in the lives of my children, and I couldn't control it. If the money was that important to him, he could keep it. I had to spend that energy and that time on something that I could control. Few things are worse than finding yourself in a situation where someone else has a hand on your emotional compass, your mental well being, and your destiny...your financial destiny in particular.If you're going to go through the process, realize this; you MUST behave as though no one has the best interests of yourself and your children in mind. You must realize that this process is going to dictate your every thought, your every move, your every mood, and ultimately, the very well-being of your children for as long as you let it, and you must decide for yourself...is it worth it?Do you know what IS worth it? Working on getting your act together. Working on getting something for yourself that only you control is worth it. Here's the lesson that I learned; regardless of what we think is right, society teaches us that money (and having it) is important. I've learned that as a divorced woman it is especially important to have my own money. I learned that I had to put all of my immediate energy into making my own money.Do whatever it takes to have something of your own. Don't make the mistake that I made in thinking "He would never do that to his children." Granted, he might not. And if he doesn't...great. But even if he proves himself to be an honorable man, you still need to be self-reliant. I know that what I'm saying makes sense to you, or you wouldn't have made it to the bottom of this article. Believe me, no one else is going to do it for you. From the depths of my heart, I can't stress it enough.Thanks for reading.To Your Success!Melissa.Copyright 2006 Melissa Harvey All Rights ReservedMelissa Harvey is a divorced mother of two. She believes that "as divorced women, we must consider first and foremost, our own emotional, mental, and financial well-being. If we don't have those things, we don't have much." Start considering your own financial well-being at http://reallifeafterdivorce.blogspot.com. Email Melissa at lifeafterdivorce@mail.com.
Category : News-and-Society:Divorce
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