Some translation entities, before recruiting any translation staff, set some questions for the candidate. These questions may not only relate to the capacity of the candidate, but also to gain knowledge of candidate’s personality, attitude, and other personal criteria, attributable to a successful translation.

Recently, before admitting to be a freelance translator for an Australian company, I was subject to some questions, and would hereby wish to share these questions with those wishing to be a translator or as an additional knowledge for all current translators.

Q: How responsive you are to email?

Tags: information, ethics, business, values

A: I am living in a world that uses email, even with a friend in an adjacent room. Actually, I do have great knowledge about email; signature, forward, respond, respond to all, delete, checking language mistakes. Actually, sometimes, I can’t count how many emails I send and receive per day. I have used emails for three years already. I translate for company in Indonesia, Malaysia and the U.S.A, so I use electronic mail for working in these foreign companies.

Q: How many times do you check email a day?

A: About three to four times.

Q: How often are you online per day?

A: Usually one time (I mean yahoo messenger), so we might need to set a consistent time that you and me can talk via “yahoo messenger.”

Q: How many days per week are you online?

A: Five days per week.

Q: Are you using yahoo messenger?

A: Yes, absolutely.

Q: What do you think are the qualities of a good translator?

A: A good translator shall have correlative qualifications/skills/experiences to the document being subject to be translated, speedy typing skills on both the target and original languages, nearly perfect or perfect terminology knowledge of both target and original languages, near native knowledge on the targeting language, patience and stamina, time sensitivity, professionalism-/dignity-oriented sentiment, knowledge in time/stress management and prioritization and finally, commitment to full understanding of the context of the target language.

Q: What does it need to be a good translator?

A: Understand at least 70 percent of the document being subject to be translated, translate with full understanding not just word by word, not accept any translation work beyond one’s knowledge/ability, must always be on time or before time, not assigning the work to any third person no matter how she/he qualified, always go beyond expectations, having all relevant credible resources, research tools and specialized person to refer to when stuck with the translation work.

Q: What are your specialization areas of translation?

A: Law, commerce, politics, international relations, philosophy, history, and other humanity and social science fields.

Q: Code of ethics for translator?

A: It is the complete set of rules that determine the morality, ways of work performance, and moral attitudes of work performance of a translator and translation entities. Countries rarely have codes of ethics for translator, but we have international code of ethics for translator.

Q: What does it consist of?

A: Code of ethics for translator is consisted of professional and moral responsibilities, norms, qualification, admission criteria and should-be penalty of a translator. It also determines the qualification and admission criteria, professional and moral responsibilities, as well as the penalty/dissolution of the translation entities.

Q: Why translator needs to adhere to code of ethics?

A: Because it is the tool that determines success of our clients and professional work performance of a translator. It is the methodology that leads translator to quality and professional translation works, and the set norms or maybe penalties that stick translator to corporate and professional responsibilities.

Vicheka Lay is the Assistant Managing Director of Cambodian War Amputees Rehabilitation Society [a Canadian NGO registered in the Province of Alberta, Canada], and a freelance translator for a company in Indonesia. Also, he is currently an LL.M candidate, with specialization in International Law. Vicheka Lay is also an “expert blogger” for the Center for International Governance Innovation, based in Ontario, Canada.

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Tags: information, ethics, business, values

“Just for a day, given endless possibilities to act without limit and control and with no rule and boundaries I could be!

I could be a chemist; I see water that provide us life, yet its abundances and importance still in trivial stage.

I could be an educator; I see myself, years from now reenacted once again as a reward for my service, yet it’s from the lives of other.

I could be a writer; I see event with no reference to time, a marriage of time and collaborative thinking to write without rules and boundaries, yet find aspiration from my readers.

I could be a doctor; I see lives in abundance; yet find it as unique in any aspect at any form.

I could be a Scientist; I see the nakedness of the atom, yet it is invisible in its natural state.

I could be a Leader; I see my self-alone, yet when I look back, others are walking to the trail of my path.

I could be a potter; I see clay as an object in its dynamic form, yet its unique and static when subjected to fire.

I could be an artist; I see changes of character without hesitation, yet retain the identity of their owner.

I could be a painter; I see color in my hand, yet find inspiration from my subject

I could be an explorer; I see the straightness of the horizon from the level ground and darkness of the deep sea, yet reaching the peek of the mountain reveal the curvature and at the deepest sea a life with light in unbelievable panorama.

I could be a coach; lifting the life of others, yet find inspiration from other world.

I could be a master key maker; opening the doors of opportunities for my self and others yet find simplicity through accessibility.

I could be a navigator; venturing to unfamiliar and yet to be discovered places and territories that other man will be willing to give the remainder of their lives just to conquest their search, yet the searched are with endless possibilities.

I could be a farmer; I see sand as a grain of rice and I could turn desert to a planting field, yet my tools are hands and shovel.

I could be a physicist; I see greatness at full magnitude from the bending of Starlight, yet am able to appreciate the color of the rainbow.

I could be a sword man; I see the outcome of my action through the sharpness of the blade, yet my action is only a focused collaboration of potential thought.

I could be a racecar driver; I see my soul driven apart from my body as I accelerate; yet my whole being is well intact.

I could be a Diamond miner; I see the stone in their rough fess form, yet it has an estimable value.

I could be a Pilot; I see path of line in the sky, I break speed and barrier; yet I have to plummet on ground to fly once again.

I could be a Tactician; I see result of the battle on hand in the core of my collaborative mind, yet everything is virtually and in the state perception and assumption.

I could be a child; I see and seek the warmth embrace of a mother’s arm, yet I will be ages up by time and seek no more, my childhood existence will be forgotten but the memories will still remain until I die.

I could be myself; I see life as dynamic changes with no direct pattern and reference to follows, yet were living as miraculous machines with embedded life instruction manual.

I could be an architect; I see the limitless design through my hand, yet its lay down with steel, concrete, glass, wood, marble and stone.

I could be a Bad Boy; I see and seek trouble through my roughness and arrogance; yet the warrior is just a boy, an oversize kid waiting to be accepted.

I could be a Monk; I see holiness through isolation and discipline in its outmost extend, yet my body is mortal to embrace the crown of life.

I could be a black smith; I see sharpness through reflection of the tough fess sword, yet find contentment through the result of the battle.

I could be a soldier; I see battle as an act of two methods of attack, the direct and indirect approached to win; yet its combination makes an endless maneuver.

Every one can reach their highest potential yet it resides in its normal stage in a kinetic form. The approach of thinking is somewhat define within the box. And outside the realm of possibility is not in the normal stage of recognition. Nor it has reached the view from business perspective and remains a Pandora’s box that no one had tried to open. Through my searched for the business phantom, it seems its identities might be in number that will exceed more than one.

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Tags: ethical, implications, moral, internet, information

“One common denominator for all successful business is that they discovered a way to earn profit by solving someone’s problem. Information products are developed by confronting an obstacle, finding a way to overcome it, then showing others how they did it.

There are three essentials for a business which comprise the factors of creating and maintaining an Extreme Competitive Advantage: You, Your Brand, and How Your Product/Service is a Solution.

You are The Star. You bring to your business what you have created, accomplished, or overcome. You are the reason your business exists, whether you are selling a service, information, or a gadget. If you aren’t in the equation, your business won’t exist.

Your brand is Your Story. Years ago, just out of college in my first writing job, a colleague was lamenting that she would never be able to write a book because all of the good ideas had already been written about. While there is some truth to that, everybody’s story is different, and how you present it will be different, too. Your story, your brand will be unique because you are unique. So when you start thinking about your brand, look at your story. What makes it different? What makes you different? Bring that to your business and you will see your brand develop.

Your product or service is The Solution. When you weave the star and the story together, you create and maintain extreme competitive advantage as a support for your solution; it requires looking at several levels of your business, from branding and marketing to product development and R&D, budgeting your resources and staying nimble in your decision-making—in short, developing your Extreme Competitive Advantage. Here are six things to consider as you bring your Star, Story, and Solution to life:

1. Have a profound reason for your business.

The fact is, like a book theme, there aren’t a lot of segments in business that need more offerings. As a result, you will need to look for either a trend-related reason to be in business or for a service advantage that you can provide. What do you know that someone might need or desire that they can’t find anywhere else? What service do you provide that sets you apart from anything that is currently available? How can you position yourself to be distinct in your market?

2. Create Strong Positioning.

Stand out from your competitors. Be clear and dramatic, dynamic and different. What sets you apart? What do you offer that makes people take notice of you and your business? What is the best way of making the presentation of your solution to the world? Everything you do establishes your brand. Look at companies with strong brand appeal. You notice them because they offer something different, or they say it in a way that the market notices.

3. The Continuous Development of Unique Assets is Key.

We’re all very familiar with the iPod. It’s revolutionized how we listen to music, added another tool to share information, and changed how people view Apple as an innovative technology company. For a short time, Apple relied heavily on this unique asset to give them a competitive advantage. However, within months, many mp3 players became available from other companies. So, they came out with other models to cover more of the market; they added new features; they continued to develop new products. Now they’ve developed the iPhone. What Apple knows is that although they have a unique asset, their competitive advantage will go away over time. They need to continually develop new ones to maintain their competitive advantage.

4. Maintain an Economic Advantage.

This is a key area that too many businesses lack. Wise use of budgetary funds will help you to maintain profitability over your competitors. Pricing is important, as is perceived value to the customer. The more unique your offering, whether it is service or a product, the more ability you’ll have to offer products for premium prices and bigger margins, ultimately attracting customers for whom price is not a factor.

5. Build Complex Business Systems.

Systems are very important for the flow of your business. Another way they are important is that the more complicated they are, the less likely it is that your competition will copy them, allowing you to maintain your competitive advantage.

6. Use Speed and Agility.

You must be mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially agile to maintain your competitive advantage. Staying a step ahead of your competition requires you to be at your best in all areas.

As you build your business, support The Star, Story, and Solution with these six aspects of creating and maintaining a competitive advantage and you will move ever closer to the Success Phenomenon.

Copyright 2007 © Marilyn Schwader

As a Writing and Life Coach, Marilyn uses humor, compassion, and a strong sense of a writer’s abilities to support and motivate her clients to become published authors. Her purpose in life is to give a voice to subjects that benefit others. Her mission is to provide truthful, clear, and motivating information to those who passionately desire more in their lives. Her vision is to use her two passions-coaching and storytelling-to convey this information to as many people as possible. Click here to contact Marilyn.

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Tags: information, maintain, ethics, business, competitive

“It used to be the stolen kisses in the cleaning closet and the joint business trips, but today’s tracking of illicit employee behavior has reached a new level of surveillance. Almost every communication and every message is tracked, recorded and cataloged by a company’s IT department. Here are three things to watch out for if you are personalizing your work communications:

Email – In the US, organizations own the email that their employees use to conduct work. They own all the communication, even email flagged as private. Routinely companies are being required to capture and store all electronic emails in the case of litigation and discovery.

This means that if you are using the company’s email system to send notes and messages to your lover while at work, there is an extremely high likelihood that it is being captured, stored, and indexed for later retrieval. There is third-party software on the market that is able to actively monitor internal email within a corporation.

Two examples are Mimesweeper for Microsoft Exchange from Clearswift and Reveal for Novell GroupWise from GWAVA. And don’t think you are being sneaky by deleting those emails right after you send them. Today, most email systems allow the employee to delete the email from their local storage, but retain a copy on the corporate email server that is later backed up.

A rule of thumb with email…life is short, email is forever.

Instant Messaging – Relatively new in the corporate space, IM has been around a long time amongst teens, now referred to as Chat. Instant messaging allows instantaneous communication between two computers. One person writes something which appears instantly on the other person’s computer. The other recipient is able to instantly respond back in real-time.

Instant Messaging used to be considered a fairly safe means of communicating something in secret, but today many companies track the ports through the company’s firewall that allows chat. This monitoring oftentimes includes capturing of all chat messages for storage as part of the electronic communication of the organization.

Chat also allows the sending of live video feed as well as documents. Chat messages oftentimes pass through a third-party server and can be captured and stored; also, most Chat software today has automatic archiving built in. Even if you believe it is being deleted on your side, the other side might be capturing everything.

Dateline’s To Catch a Predator is an excellent example of people who thought they were chatting in private only to have their secret messages read aloud on national television. A company delivering Instant Messaging Monitoring is Pearl Software with their IM Echo product.

Texting – With the advent of mobile devices, texting has gained popularity in the US, especially within companies deploying BlackBerry devices. Texting is the ability to send a text message between devices similar to the manner that Instant Messaging sends messages between computers.

Referred to as SMS, or Texting, these devices can send short or long messages straight to the recipient without using an email client or email server. More and more companies are now using software Retain for BlackBerry Enterprise Server from GWAVA to track the communication of their employees using texting devices.

One company deployed BlackBerry SMS and PIN tracking software with a sampling of their corporate log files. Within the first hour a Senior Executive was identified as having an affair with another employee simply from the content of the text messages.

In the good old days you could avoid getting caught at work having an affair by being discreet and not showing any outward signs, but today, a short email, an errant instant message, or a quick indiscreet text can get you tracked, caught, and exposed almost as fast as you sent the message in the first place. A word of advice, don’t leave an e-trail. Stick to love notes passed under the desk. Your career may just thank you.

Richard Bliss is VP of Marketing with with worldwide BlackBerry text monitoring software provider GWAVA. Visit them online for the latest in GroupWise email monitoring software and see why GWAVA is the #1 software provider to the Novell GroupWise community of users

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Tags: internet, ethical, ethics, business, information

“Summer Scams are the topic of discussion these days. The following information is provided by the San Diego Better Business Bureau and is very good reading! Just when you think you’ve heard them all, another scam strikes. It pays to keep on top of them and for that reason, I’ve devoted this to current scams.

Starting with Number 10:

* TRAVEL: You get a brochure or coupon saying that you could stay at a beach resort (or similar) at an unbelievable price, such as a 7-day stay for $199.

* HOME IMPROVEMENT: They knock on your door, saying things like “”We’re in the neighborhood and noticed your trees need trimming.”" Or worse yet, you may be informed that they have ‘extra’ materials left over from a roofing job and for a Killer Deal, they will fix your obviously degraded roof.

* CANDY: Children come to your home, saying that they need to sell candy so that they can win a trip to Disneyland. This is a very old cash-raising scheme where someone hires the kids in a neighborhood and makes these promises to them. Hoodlums can make a lot of money making empty promises to children.

* SLAM & CRAM: Telephone thieves don’t even have the courage to come to your door! Your Long Distance Provider can be changed without you knowing (Phone Slamming) when they call you and ask a simple question. They then claim that you authorized the changes during that phone call.

They can also add services to your account (Cramming) which is just as illegal. To find out who your Long Distance Provider is, call this phone number: 1-700-555-4141

* INTERNET FRAUD: Ahh, the Chain Letter. These days, it does not come in the Postal Mail…that’s too expensive! It will come via Email instead. You will get offers for everything from new Stocks to buy, to making some body part bigger, to Vitamins and Supplements. Incredible deals! All you need to do is send them money and these products come right to your door or your computer desktop. It’s easy!

* INVESTMENTS: They offer you Guaranteed Returns! All you need to do is BUY TODAY!

* FOREIGN LOTTO: “”All you need to do”" is send them the Sales Tax on your winnings! You have already won! WOW! What a crock that is! If you fall for this one, you certainly are not reading the newspapers or watching TV. By the way, did you know that even if you did win a foreign lottery or some such sweepstakes, you still could never collect? It’s against the law to participate in these things!

* Charity: Somebody else’s distress causes scam artists to knock on your door. Hurricane victims, wildfire, floods, you name it. Scammers come to your door asking for donations. There is a very big RED FLAG here though; when they ask for cash. Yes, they are brazen enough to ask you to give them cash, no checks are allowed.

* WORK AT HOME: You’ve seen the ads, no doubt. You can work from your own home in your pajamas if you want. And you can make thousands of dollars a week PART TIME! Envelope Stuffing, hanging signs on trees, assembling kits. You name it, the scam artists will pay you to do it. Yea, right…

* IDENTITY THEFT: This is the top of the BBB list of current fraud complaints. Buy a shredder. Use it! Don’t throw ANYTHING away that has sensitive information displayed. The more vigilant you are the better. Remember that it’s YOUR identity that you are protecting! You cannot be careful enough.

They also are advising us to get regular credit reports on ourselves. If you learn how to read one there is a lot of data there. Protect yourself!

San Diego PC

News July, 2007

Top Ten Scams of Summer

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Today’s MLM or Direct Marketing carries the weight of many ill conceived notions and negative connotations. Much of this bad press in the MLM industry comes from within the industry itself.

How can that be? We all remember our parents telling us that our Actions speak louder than words and that is the main way that we have created this negative view from the general population in regard to direct marketing.

Perception

Perception is everything in our industry. How we portray ourselves and our industry is the key to everyone else’s perception of not only our products, but also the MLM industry.

When you promise the sun and moon and deliver an asteroid it tells a lot about who you are as an individual and it also delivers a message about the industry you are involved with.

Market your product line with honesty and integrity. Its easy to fall into the trap of misleading your site visitors into believing that what you offer is more than what it is.

This happens when you misrepresent what your product is and what it offers.

Certainly play up the qualities of your products, but do not exaggerate or be misleading about what you offer.

In addition when you are sharing information about your business opportunity, its important to be real. Provide accurate information about the history of the company as well as the residual structure set up by the company.

When you provide information in a clear and accurate way, your prospects and customers will be able to draw their own conclusions and make their decision based on facts not hype.

Deliver what you promise

Direct Marketing has huge potential to provide an affordable way for people from all walks of life to realize their dreams. It also has the one of the highest failure rates estimated at 95%! How can this be when we are supposed to be in control of our own future and success?

Many who sign up in an MLM quickly become disillusioned when the support and tools provided to them fail. This is also because of the lack of true leadership within our industry.

Our industry is filled with the empty promises of our sponsors and uplines. Its up to us to educate ourselves on what works and doesn’t work and then to pass that information and training along to our downline.

We promised to help them and we can’t do that when we don’t answer our phones or use double speak when answering their questions. Its important to make ourselves available to our downline and provide them with accurate information and usable tools.

Realizing that deviating from the standard tools is not a practice that is smiled upon in our industry, how can we continue to promote these tools knowing that they don’t work. I know I got pretty tired of hearing, don’t reinvent the wheel, but if the wheel is broken, someone needs to fix it.

Back to Basics

Somehow we have gotten away from the products in our business and started focusing only on the opportunity, and our dropout rate continues to climb.

You can combat this by teaching your team to build a strong foundation. Pay attention to keeping your training focused on the products. Allow your team members to develop their own individuality when it comes to marketing, remember they got into this because they didn’t want a JOB or a BOSS.

The ability to break down the different aspects of what we do in their simplest form and relay that information to our team will help us to help them start building their dream and ensure that we continue on the path to achieving our own dreams.

Its up to us to keep focused and consistently provide what we promise. Our ability to do this will do volumes in rebuilding the reputation of our fast growing industry. It will also do wonders in our own retention rates and start a trend of lowering the percentage of folks that quit out of frustration.

With a background in Human Resources and Retail, Cherrie Fishlowitz uses a common sense approach to internet marketing and training that comes from her personal experiences both online and offline.

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Tags: ethical, implications, moral, internet, information

“Everything is transparent these days” says Larry Hochman and he is also known to be one of the best advocates on corporate ethics and responsibility.

And yes, everything we do as companies and corporations is transparent to our consumers nowadays, since via the new media they can compare and discuss and figure out what we are all about! And that is why it is important to have our corporate blogs and forums and podcasts to be able to participate in the dialog consumers are having about us online, because with or without us – this discussion is happening anyway!

And what is also becoming very important is our proof to our consumers that we deserve for them to be loyal to us. To give them more and more reasons to be happy to be associated with us and our brands – reasons off-line and on-line.

And here is one – just as an example, but a brilliant one on how social media and networking, the “consumer unions” as Larry Hochman calls them, are starting to lead the dialogue with corporations. I came across this yesterday and if you decide to invest the time, do watch it and here is why:

• First of all because it is from TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) and TED is knows for inviting some of the most brilliant minds to present at their events.
• Second because about 10 of those 18 minutes of your time might be one of these rare moments when we stop and remember how beautiful life actually is.
• Thirdly because it is YouTube and one more way to enter where a lot of our consumers dwell.
• And then at the end …. you will see how consumers are starting to demand corporate responsibility and all for a very good reason.

YouTube

Makes you think – does not it: What are the good causes your company would like to be associated with?

Would like to show your consumers where your stand on corporate responsibility and why they should be proud to be loyal to you.

Christina Vlahova is the founder of “Intellecta Srl” – Strategic marketing consultancy. She is also a “CSA Celebrity Speakers” associate, working with conference organizers from around the world in providing the best key note speakers and experts for their events.

To get an expert advice for the best speakers for your conference or event visit this website

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Tags: corporate, ethical, ethics, information, responsibility

According to Finance professors Dave Yermack of NYU and Crocker Liu of Arizona State, there is a strong inverse correlation between the size of a CEO’s home and the share price performance of their company. By big, the authors were referring to homes over 10,000 square feet or on at least 10 acres. While quoting some anecdotes like the poor performance of Rich-Man complexes owned by the CEOs of Home Depot and Hilton Hotels, the broader data set showed that large home owners lagged the S&P by 25% for the 3 years following their purchase compared to 22% returns for those owning more measly homes under 10,000 square feet.

This is certainly an interesting finding and it’s backed up by relevant statiscally sound data. Although I’m sure it’s not inclusive of all homes of all S&P CEOs, any variability within one population would be expected to exist for the other population wrt sample omission, sample size, error in appraisal value/square footage reporting, etc. Based on the quirky findings from this study, there obviously isn’t an ETF or mutual fund out there to capitalize on this phenomena, but can serve as a red flag for investors moving forward.

What to do with this information? Presumably, purchases of this size say something about the fiscal responsibility, prudence, or or leadership style of these CEOs (think Enron, Tyco, Comcast). Next time you see your favorite company’s CEO on the news for the $12million dollar mansion in the hills, consider whether this is the type of leader you want to invest your money with.

Visit Everydayfinance Blog here

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Very simple: Be a source of integrity. Don’t be phony, people will know and not come to visit your site again. Even worse, they will post a bad review somewhere on the web and others will not even come to see for themselves. If you don’t know about something, don’t pretend that you do. Respect your customers, or prospective customers, and offer them something of value. Give good information that will draw your customers’ attention and this will help to build trust. It also gives them a reason to stay or come back again for more. Follow-up with your customers, but don’t be a pest. Basically, don’t spam, don’t steal, and don’t lie.

Just as in an offline business, there are ethics and standards that should be followed. If you are starting an online business, you’ve probably spent some time online already and can see that there are hundreds of thousands of businesses trying to sell their products and information and services to you. Study how they do it. Spend some time visiting the websites of your competitors, much like you would when preparing a business plan for an offline business. Look for and evaluate the following characteristics to determine the integrity of the business as a whole:

What are they selling? When you first come to their index page, can you quickly and easily figure out what they are selling? Is it a real product, an information product, a membership or a service? Do they offer something of real value right off the bat for free such as informative content or a related ebook? If you cannot determine within the first 30 seconds what they are selling or why they are in business, chances are that they are just a hodgepodge of links put together to make the owner affiliate revenue. However, if you do see something of value, stay a bit longer and evaluate further.

Can you contact them directly? Look on the main page. Contact information could be in the top nav bar, on the side nav bar or at the bottom of the page. Also, look for a direct link such as Contact Us. Click this link and see where it takes you. Do they provide a physical address, a contact name or email, and a phone number? These three things are a must for a legitimate business. If an owner is not confident in his business enough to put an address and contact phone number on his site, he must be hiding something. The final test is to send an email to the company and see who responds and how long it takes to get a response. Most one-person web businesses should be able to answer your email within 1-2 business days.

Is the content valuable and correct? One of my biggest pet peeves is spelling and grammar. If the owner has done his research and knows what he is talking about, this should show in the quality of the information on his site. A professional image depends on attention to details. Presentation is everything. If you are going to put out information, it has to be presented in an organized fashion with no mistakes. When I see more than one misspelled word or grammar mistake on a website or page, I move on. If the owner has not proofread his own material or verified the information on his site is correct and presented professionally, I won’t be trusting that his products are much higher in quality.

Is there a free trial or guarantee on the products and services being offered? Those businesses that have developed a quality product or service and are confident in it will not hesitate to put a guarantee on it. They will stand behind it 100%. Even better are those companies that let you try the product or service for free. This way you can test it out to see if it is indeed what you need and meets the quality standards of a legitimate business.

How do they advertise? Look at the other links on the website. Visit some of them to see the quality of partners associated with the first business. Do the links take you somewhere valuable and helpful? Is the business partnered with other legitimate businesses? Also, how did you find out about the website in the first place and what in their ad drew you in? Did the ad lie to you? Make sure that when you advertise that you don’t misrepresent what you are offering. In addition, don’t be a spammer. Make sure to develop a double opt-in email list that you can use to send valuable follow up information to your customers. This will help to build loyalty as well as word of mouth referrals. Visit forums and pay-per-click sites to see the companies who are advertising the same products and services that you are to find out what promotion methods they are using. Use them as a starting point and try to set your standards of quality and honesty a step above when developing your ads.

The bottom line is, there is good karma and bad. Even though we all know those people in life whose bad karma hasn’t caught up with them yet, don’t join the crowd. Be a leader, be a source of integrity, and provide a quality product or service that you can stand behind. In the long run, this will help you build a profitable, long-standing business rather than a fly-by-night get rich quick scheme.

Ruth Harris is a real entrepreneur who has helped many others promote their business online. Visit his blog here to learn more about setting up your online business.

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Achieving focus is perhaps one of the hardest things to accomplish. From time to time, work distractions crop out. There is really nothing wrong in entertaining some activities. After all, the demands of the work are really stressful and having a time-out is indeed necessary. But sometimes, certain interruptions emanate from our very own working habits. Here are some of the commonly habituated work distractions:

Net surfing – The internet offers different information. Most of the time, we use the web for research purposes. But sometimes, we become too engrossed with all the facts and data that we acquire. Instant amnesia occurs and before you know it, three hours have already lapsed and you have not started anything. Yes it is nice to know the 10 most expensive cuisines. But it is much better to be aware that it is hard to come up with high quality work within 10 minutes.

Deleting spams – Spams are here, there and everywhere. You open your email and you are bombarded with spams. You ask yourself which of these messages are legitimate or not. As the organized person that you are, you delete all those unwanted mails. You carefully read each mail to avoid deleting the legitimate ones. Several hours later, the assignments that you need to finish within the day, pile up like spams. Get an effective anti-spam program to minimize those unwanted messages. Or you can create a new email account and immediately inform all your contacts.

Playing Games – Solitaire, Counter Strike and even that classic Super Mario Brothers are really addicting yet they are good stress relievers. You take a couple of minutes and decided to unwind. But you can’t just let the computer beat you. It would be such a shame on your part to let a machine outlast you. However, it is more embarrassing to ask for yet another extension to finish a project that has been given to you for several days.

Watching videos – True enough, David Cook is hot! Angelina Jolie is tempting and you just can’t get enough of Prison Break. All of a sudden you realize that your boss or one of your clients is already watching in intense rage as they wait for you to submit that report. The worst case scenario is you might end up in prison because of your irresponsible actions.

Chatting – You are so busy at work and you hardly have the time to enjoy the company of your friends. Chatting enables you to reconnect. Unfortunately, because of too much delay, the company is placed in uncompromising situations. Soon you transform into a professional bum and now you have all the time to chat with your friends. That is the only thing you can do as for the moment for you can hardly afford that occasional party night-outs.

Responding to phone calls and mobile messages – You cannot possibly ignore these things, most especially in life-threatening scenarios. But oftentimes, the calls and messages you receive are from your sweetie checking on you. Obviously, you cannot disregard the concerns of these people. You tell them that you’re fine and the romantic conversation continues. You hang up the phone when suddenly; your supervisor checks your assignments. You feel the pressure and to give assurance, you resort to making up stories and lies. Yes you beat the deadline, but the result is a mediocre one. Your client or superior is not satisfied and you have to start all over again. But here’s the rub, you have to finish it within a shorter time frame. Say hello to your sweetie and don’t be afraid to tell that you’re quite busy. Promise him or her to give a return call right after working hours. Complete your assignment first then fulfill that promise. The client is happy and your sweetie loves you even more because you still have the time for him or her despite of your hectic schedule.

Distractions are inevitable. But one should always remember that time is gold. At the end of the day, be sure that you finish everything rather than bring those works at home. Also, accomplishing something within a day provides a feeling of satisfaction and contentment. You can enjoy your personal activities without having to worry about your pending assignments.

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Tags: ethical, ethics, work, issues, information

You’re looking for a work at home job and you come across a webpage that tells you it is going to steer you away from the hundreds of scams straight toward the scant few legitimate sites out there. Sounds great, right?

Wrong! It’s the latest in work from home scams and simple to create: all you need is a website and a affiliate ID with ClickBank. I have looked at over a dozen of these sites. They were all designed with one basic principle in mind: steering you toward the three to five sites they wanted you to purchase through their ClickBank affiliate links.

One note about ClickBank. ClickBank is not a bank as its name implies. According to them, they are a “”digital marketplace”" that sells “”digitally delivered products.”" While many of the questionable products I have found are sold via ClickBank and Google Ads, and you might wonder about a company who is willing to profit off such schemes, you shouldn’t necessarily blame them. After all, would you blame Amazon or BooksaMillion for selling you a bad book? It’s a moral quandary, sure, but it is simpler to teach consumers to protect themselves, then to try to battle against consumerism.

When looking at these sites, ask yourself these questions:

1. Does the person give himself or herself a title without proving it? I’ve seen sites where the author was claiming to be an “”online fraud investigator,”" although he never stated for what company. Other sites claim they are “”protection”" agencies, but in reality, they just people trying to part you with your money.

2. Does the site claim to have been seen on well-known sites, newspapers, magazines, or TV shows but fail to give the dates, times and links to this information? As far as you know, they could have been profiled on those programs as being scams. Don’t assume that those sites lend creditability to what you are looking at until you see it for yourself.

3. Does it use strong words in its title that are designed to produce a strong response? They might claim to be “”scam free”" or the “”top site.”" They’ll claim to be a “”review”" site or a “”consumer protection”" site.

4. Does the site provide affiliate links and only link to sites you have to pay for? A ClickBank affiliate link is easy to spot. Right click on the link and select “”properties.”" If you read something that has “”hop.clickbank.net”" in it or if you click on the link and you wind up at a site that has “”hop=XXXX”" (XXXX= the person’s unique affiliate ID) in it, it’s an affiliate link. You may have to click on more one of the links as the sites are learning to cloak the links to try to seem more legitimate. You might also want to see who owns the site and any sites they are promoting. Sometimes, these sites end up being the same.

5. Read the small print on the site. What is it saying that the big, bold print doesn’t? With many of sites, it seems the smaller the print, the closer to the truth. You’ll find statements such as “”this site is not to be regarded as advice”" and “”it is our opinion that these programs have been featured on the programs.”"

Once you’ve finished evaluating the so-called expert’s site, start looking at the companies it’s recommending. I’d start with the Better Business Bureau. Then, I would contact the company directly and ask what their guarantee is and what their refund policy is. If you don’t get a response from them, do you really want to give them your money? Finally, I would put in the company’s name in Google or Yahoo along with the word “”fraud”" or “”scam”" and see what happens. You might find other people have already fallen victim to this scheme.

Remember, these are sites offering you a job, how many legitimate jobs do you have to pay for in order to obtain?

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Tags: ethics, IT, Information, training, corporate

The Locksmith Industry Suffers From Fraudulent Companies Across the Country

The locksmith industry is an industry based on trust. A home owner or business relies on that trust when they move into a new home or change employees. Recently, the sanctity of this trust is being broken. Companies across the country are charging outrageous prices to people who are in situations where they have no choice but to pay.

Most often, a locksmith services are needed when the situation is delicate. Someone is locked out or going through a divorce and these fraudulent companies are preying on the emotions that are involved in those situations. To take advantage of this is appalling to say the least. Stories of people paying up to $1,700 to get back into their home are broadcast on the internet and news, but the problem persists.

So what steps are being made to help rectify the situation? If a customer uses Google to search for local locksmiths in their area, there are numerous results. Yet, the locations of these locksmiths do not even exist. This means if someone calls for service, has the work done, and needs to speak to someone at an actual location, they will never be able to do so.

Also, chances are that the technician that did the work will not answer phone calls or offer any help after payment. Yet web searches continue to list these locations. In my opinion there is one simple solution to this problem. These search engines should be sending some kind of verification form to the locations via standard postal services. If they could just verify the addresses, some of this madness could end. It will never completely solve the problem. There is always going to be people claiming to be locksmiths who are completely unqualified, but it will help. And until there is licensing for this trade, the problem will never completely end, but until then steps need to be made to stop this scam.

I wrote this article because I am a third generation locksmith at The Flying Locksmiths in Randolph, Massachusetts and we spend a lot of time fixing what these so-called “locksmiths” have done. I see this problem on a daily basis, and it’s just not morally right. Something needs to be done and for now all I can do is spread the word. Buyers beware! Find a trustworthy locksmith before you actually need one. It might save you from suffering locksmith fraud.

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Tags: ethics, communication, information, global, business

With many internet users already clued up to the tricks of internet scammers and phishers (i.e. pretending to be from an official website such as eBay or PayPal to get you to reveal your password or other login information). Many internet scammers are now turning to ingenuous methods to get their victims to reveal their financial information.

One of these is pretending to offer employment which they place ads on various frequently visited online classifieds.

Recently, you replied to our job for a online Office Assistants. If you are in receipt of this email from us then it means you need more information. We are currently seeking a online Office Assistants who will serve as Customer Service Representatives for our Real Estate Firm. We manage various Real Estate Agencies and Management Companies throughout the World. As there were two listings posted which needed to be filled, this particular position is for a Customer Service Rep (CSR). Responsibilities will include posting new listings, taking occasional phone calls and routing them to the proper agents. Agents will take and schedule maintenance calls and occasionally deal with tenant Emergencies (leaks, major repairs, etc)

Candidates should have average to above average office skills, good comprehension, and should be able to type at a reasonable speed in order to take messages effectively. Your pay will be $16.25 per hour and you should be able to work a minimum of 15 hours each week with the maximum being 40 hours. Payments are made weekly via check or direct deposit. Calls will be routed to the phone number of your choice (this must be a valid phone number) during the time you are signed into our system. This will not prohibit you from taking personal calls as your screen will indicate when it is a call being routed from us. If calls are

not answered after 4 rings they will simply be rerouted to the next available agent.

All applicants need to have an account mandatory for web based work where you will be shown each aspect of the job in detail, and how to have any questions answered. Please set aside few minutes to complete this, after having an account to online software, a 3 page test will be emailed to you, which will serve to gauge your comprehension. All Documents, tests and orientation will need to be Completed no later than <25/04/2009>.

To the access to software you must have a free account to download the software

Please visit our website at:

(Removed to protect the vulnerable)

Simply create a username that consists of 1 your email 2 People in your Team: just type 1000 and next field 3 what do you want to use Central Desktop for? Type here for business purpose. If this is unavailable please make a comparable name. After we have received your username we will send you some manuals to look over, and a file containing fully functional copies of all necessary software that you will need to have installed and ready before orientation. It is NOT necessary for you to purchase any software or programs for this job. Please Note:

You are not guaranteed employment until you receive an email from us entitled “Welcome Aboard”. Prior to this, all tests,

orientation and paperwork must be completed, and the results of this will determine your eligibility for employment with us. Please let me know if there is anything I can

Help you with.

Warm Regards,

…

Human Resources Manager.

One of the many things about this email that should send alarm bells about this “Online Virtual Assistant” the mechanical and bad grammar (as if copied from a template) aside, is the sudden change to an “Office Assistant”, and regardless of where the job is advertised; curiously the pay is always in dollars. The website created for this specific purpose, is always just a few weeks if not a few days old, and ofcourse there is no phone number, just a free email address anyone can obtain, which a real business to be honest would steer clear as it is synonymous with scams.

If the potential victim is eager and gullible enough at this stage to visit the website, instead of what was advertised; a test to guage their suitability, they are instead met with a trial service that demands a credit card to possibly verify their identity.

Ofcourse this is the entire point of this elaborate scam as once these details are filled in, there is no need to communicate with the victim any longer.

Mr D Stevens is a reviewer at Email scams

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Tags: ethics, global, information, systems, person

Not everything that comes through the mail is valid. Most of the mail I receive–be it through US Post office or my e-mail–is just plain annoying. Still, there must be some people, even friends, who assume that I enjoy receiving so much garbage. They do not get it, even when I tell them, that the deletion of such stuff is an imposition on my time.

Why do they do it? I think, because someone else has sent it to them to be forwarded to a number of people, friends being the key word, and they don’t have the backbone to stop the chain. When this type of a chain e-mail comes from a friend, it is worse than getting it from a stranger, because I can’t block his e-mail since I want to keep my friends.

Chain letters, first in snail mail then in e-mails, started out as pranks or jokes or for circulating information, whether the receiver wanted to get such mail or not and whether he got the joke or the purpose of the mailer or not. In the beginning, I used to send the chain e-mail back to the sender to make him understand, but now I just delete it.

Then sometimes, I get another e-mail scolding me why I broke the chain. Some of the letters used to come with a warning such as: “If you break this chain and do not send this to seven other people, great misfortune will follow you and someone close to you will face adversity.” Nowadays, these types of warnings are passé. Still, the bulk mailing and chain letters remain as the preferred mode of communicating someone’s objectives that do not concern the receiver.

On the other hand, I enjoy receiving personal letters and e-mails from friends greatly and I love it when a friend e-mails me an article or a URL that he knows will interest me. I even like the bulk mail if the content is of concern to me and is sent by someone I know or work with in some capacity.

There are numerous kinds of unconstructive bulk mails and chain letters. A true list would fill volumes. A few examples to those are: addressing one’s soft side by imploring help to the poor, sick, missing, or dying people; political truths or falsehoods under the guise of news; matchmaking or meet-your-soulmate mail; online rumor against one institution, company or person; virus warning hoaxes; mail of advertisements with doctored photos or pictures; e-mail activist petitions that ask a person to add his name to a list; a prize for nothing frauds; and pyramid schemes hiding under false pretenses. Most of these are scams to get the receiver’s money, but even when they aren’t, they are just as leechlike because they take up your time and inbox space.

Although the Federal Trade Commission came up with a “Do Not Call List,” there are no laws I know of that forbid sending junk e-mail and chain letters, leaving spammers and swindlers free to gather e-mail addresses or personal information leading to identity theft and other harassments. FTC acts like a powerless waif against spamming and scamming mail and e-mail.

I believe, the best way to fight this trend is to not to forward any chain letter to anyone else, even when the content appeals to us and even if we think we know and trust a respectable company or business. Most scammers hide behind well-known names, associations and companies. The only weapon to fight this ill is to break the chain and just delete the e-mail from our inbox.

Joy Cagil is an author on a site for Writers. Her education is in foreign languages and linguistics. In her background are varied subjects such as psychology, humanities, and women’s issues. See her portfolio.

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Perfection eludes each of us. I know. I deal with the challenge to live a perfect life on a daily basis.

In all that I do, I try my very best to perform with honesty and integrity.

Even in my day job, I work hard to perform above reproach. As a commissioned salesman in a small retail establishment, the fear of cutthroat sales people is always in the air, especially in this the slowest season of the year. It is not as bad in my job as one might expect since there are only four of us to run the store year around.

All of us have made a commitment to one another to always play above board, and to give credit where credit is due. If a customer is working with one sales person and the customer returns when the sales person is absent, credit for the sale will go to the sales person who had been working with the customer from day one.

We have all agreed that this is the only fair way to work the business. For more than four months, this system has worked fine.

If a customer comes in and asks for someone who is not present, and the customer knows what he or she wants, then the full deal goes to the original sales person. If the customer has not made
their mind up as to what they wanted before coming into the store, then we are free to split the deal between the two of us.

The only time we experience problems is when a customer comes in that one of us does not recognize. To combat this problem, we take the time to remind the customer to ask for us when
they return to the store. We also make an effort to query the customer to learn whether they had talked to another sales person on a previous visit.

Let me tell you one thing that I have learned in this job. It is not enough to try to do everything right. Sometimes, a situation may arise that prevents the execution of a perfect job.

I now stand accused of breaking the trust we have spent four months building among the crew.

On a busy Sunday afternoon, only two of us were working so that the other two could attend special functions.

Upon completing one transaction, I rushed to the next customer. The customer asked immediately if I could help direct him to a television that would fit into a specific space. I pointed to three televisions that would meet his needs. We were able to work together to narrow the customers interest to one specific television and we closed the deal.

While I was getting a serial number for the set, the customer told the manager on duty that he needed to run to his office and would return shortly. I returned with a serial number and noticed the customer leaving. I asked him if he had changed his mind. He told me that he would return shortly and that I “will still get the sale.”

Upon the customer’s return to the store, I was helping another customer with his purchase. So, the store manager assisted the customer in doing the paperwork and loading his purchase into his vehicle.

All was well until two days later. Upon returning from my own day off, I was confronted by one of the other sales people. He told me that HIS customer had stopped by the store on my day off and told him that he — the customer — had asked about the missing sales person while he was in the store on Sunday.

I stood firm in my assertion that the sales persons name had never come up. I still stand firm in that assertion. I made a point to remind my co-worker that I have gone out of my way in times past to assure that he had gotten credit for his work.

Yet my co-worker wanted and still wants to believe I screwed him on the deal. Yes, the deal was made only under my number — it was not split with anyone.

I have reached the conclusion that I will not fret this situation. My co-worker has decided that he wants to believe the worst about me on that day.

Yet, in my heart, I know that I did no one wrong. As such, I refuse to feel guilt for this unfortunate situation. I stand firm in my belief that I have done absolutely nothing wrong, period.

My point in this article is? I don’t know. I just needed to get it off of my chest. One would think that my record of honesty and integrity should override any misgivings another might have. Unfortunately, in the real world, it is not always so simple.

Copyright Bill Platt – All Rights Reserved

Bill Platt is the owner of LinksAndTraffic.

* When you are tired of the struggle of the link building process, it might be time to consider our “Links And Traffic” services.
* When you are ready to employ more Natural Linking Strategies in increasing your link popularity, “Links And Traffic” can help.
* When you are ready for your links to actually generate click-through traffic, we are here.

This is not a link rental system or a reciprocal linking scam. We Guarantee our results.

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Tags: ethical, systems, information, issues, problems

To say that today’s business environment is becoming increasingly more global is to state the obvious. Meetings, phone calls and conferences are held all over the world and attendees can come from any point on the globe. On any given business day you can find yourself dealing face-to-face, over the phone, by e-mail and, on rare occasions, by postal letter with people whose customs and cultures differ your own. You may never have to leave home to interact on an international level.

While the old adage “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” still holds true, business clients and colleagues who are visiting this country should be treated with sensitivity and with an awareness of their unique culture. Not to do your homework and put your best international foot forward can cost you relationships and future business. One small misstep such as using first names inappropriately, not observing the rules of timing or sending the wrong color flower in the welcome bouquet can be costly.

There is no one set of rules that applies to all international visitors so do the research for each country that your clients represent. That may sound like a daunting task, but taken in small steps, it is manageable and the rewards are worth the effort. Keeping in mind that there are as many ways to do business as there are countries to do business with, here are a few tips for minding your global P’s and Q’s.

Building relationships: Few other people are as eager to get down to business as we Americans. So take time to get to know your international clients and build rapport before you rush to the bottom line. Business relationships are built on trust that is developed over time, especially with people from Asia and Latin America.

Dressing conservatively: Americans like to dress for fashion and comfort, but people from other parts of the world are generally more conservative. Your choice of business attire is a signal of your respect for the other person or organization. Leave your trendy clothes in the closet on the days that you meet with your foreign guests.

Observe the hierarchy: It is not always a simple matter to know who is the highest-ranking member when you are dealing with a group. To avoid embarrassment, err on the side of age and masculine gender, only if you are unable to discover the protocol with research. If you are interacting with the Japanese, it is important to understand that they make decisions by consensus, starting with the younger members of the group. By contrast, Latin people have a clear hierarchy that defers to age.

Understanding the handshake: With a few exceptions, business people around the world use the handshake for meeting and greeting. However, the American style handshake with a firm grip, two quick pumps, eye contact and a smile is not universal. Variations in handshakes are based on cultural differences, not on personality or values. The Japanese give a light handshake. Germans offer a firm shake with one pump, and the French grip is light with a quick pump. Middle Eastern people will continue shaking your hand throughout the greeting. Don’t be surprised if you are occasionally met with a kiss, a hug, or a bow somewhere along the way.

Using titles and correct forms of address: We are very informal in the United States and are quick to call people by their first name. Approach first names with caution when dealing with people from other cultures. Use titles and last names until you have been invited to use the person’s first name. In some cases, this may never occur. Use of first names is reserved for family and close friends in some cultures.

Titles are given more significance around the world than in the United States and are another important aspect of addressing business people. Earned academic degrees are acknowledged. For example, a German engineer is addressed as “Herr Ingenieur” and a professor as “Herr Professor”. Listen carefully when you are introduced to someone and pay attention to business cards when you receive them.

Exchanging business cards: The key to giving out business cards in any culture is to show respect for the other person. Present your card so that the other person does not have to turn it over to read your information. Use both hands to present your card to visitors from Japan, China, Singapore, or Hong Kong. When you receive someone else’s business card, always look at it and acknowledge it. When you put it away, place it carefully in your card case or with your business documents. Sticking it haphazardly in your pocket is demeaning to the giver. In most cases, wait until you have been introduced to give someone your card.

Valuing time. Not everyone in the world is as time conscious as Americans. Don’t take it personally if someone from a more relaxed culture keeps you waiting or spends more of that commodity than you normally would in meetings or over meals. Stick to the rules of punctuality, but be understanding when your contact from another country seems unconcerned.

Honoring space issues: Americans have a particular value for their own physical space and are uncomfortable when other people get in their realm. If the international visitor seems to want to be close, accept it. Backing away can send the wrong message. So can touching. You shouldn’t risk violating someone else’s space by touching them in any way other than with a handshake.

Whether the world comes to you or you go out to it, the greatest compliment you can pay your international clients is to learn about their country and their customs. Understand differences in behavior and honor them with your actions. Don’t take offense when visitors behave according to their norms. People from other cultures will appreciate your efforts to accommodate them and you will find yourself building your international clientele.

(c)2005, Lydia Ramsey. All rights in all media reserved. Reprint rights granted so long as the article and by-line are reproduced intact and all links are made live.

Lydia Ramsey is a business etiquette expert, professional speaker, corporate trainer and author of MANNERS THAT SELL – ADDING THE POLISH THAT BUILDS PROFITS. She has been quoted or featured in The New York Times, Investors’ Business Daily, Entrepreneur, Inc., Real Simple and Woman’s Day. For more information about her programs, products and services, visit her website.

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“Everything is transparent these days” says Larry Hochman and he is also known to be one of the best advocates on corporate ethics and responsibility.

And yes, everything we do as companies and corporations is transparent to our consumers nowadays, since via the new media they can compare and discuss and figure out what we are all about! And that is why it is important to have our corporate blogs and forums and podcasts to be able to participate in the dialog consumers are having about us online, because with or without us – this discussion is happening anyway!

And what is also becoming very important is our proof to our consumers that we deserve for them to be loyal to us. To give them more and more reasons to be happy to be associated with us and our brands – reasons off-line and on-line.

And here is one – just as an example, but a brilliant one on how social media and networking, the “consumer unions” as Larry Hochman calls them, are starting to lead the dialogue with corporations. I came across this yesterday and if you decide to invest the time, do watch it and here is why:

• First of all because it is from TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) and TED is knows for inviting some of the most brilliant minds to present at their events.
• Second because about 10 of those 18 minutes of your time might be one of these rare moments when we stop and remember how beautiful life actually is.
• Thirdly because it is YouTube and one more way to enter where a lot of our consumers dwell.
• And then at the end …. you will see how consumers are starting to demand corporate responsibility and all for a very good reason.

YouTube

Makes you think – does not it: What are the good causes your company would like to be associated with?

Would like to show your consumers where your stand on corporate responsibility and why they should be proud to be loyal to you.

Christina Vlahova is the founder of “Intellecta Srl” – Strategic marketing consultancy. She is also a “CSA Celebrity Speakers” associate, working with conference organizers from around the world in providing the best key note speakers and experts for their events.

To get an expert advice for the best speakers for your conference or event visit this website

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“Everything is transparent these days” says Larry Hochman and he is also known to be one of the best advocates on corporate ethics and responsibility.

And yes, everything we do as companies and corporations is transparent to our consumers nowadays, since via the new media they can compare and discuss and figure out what we are all about! And that is why it is important to have our corporate blogs and forums and podcasts to be able to participate in the dialog consumers are having about us online, because with or without us – this discussion is happening anyway!

And what is also becoming very important is our proof to our consumers that we deserve for them to be loyal to us. To give them more and more reasons to be happy to be associated with us and our brands – reasons off-line and on-line.

And here is one – just as an example, but a brilliant one on how social media and networking, the “”consumer unions”" as Larry Hochman calls them, are starting to lead the dialogue with corporations. I came across this yesterday and if you decide to invest the time, do watch it and here is why:

- First of all because it is from TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) and TED is knows for inviting some of the most brilliant minds to present at their events.
- Second because about 10 of those 18 minutes of your time might be one of these rare moments when we stop and remember how beautiful life actually is.
- Thirdly because it is YouTube and one more way to enter where a lot of our consumers dwell.
- And then at the end …. you will see how consumers are starting to demand corporate responsibility and all for a very good reason.

YouTube

Makes you think – does not it: What are the good causes your company would like to be associated with?

Would like to show your consumers where your stand on corporate responsibility and why they should be proud to be loyal to you.

Christina Vlahova is the founder of “”Intellecta Srl”" – Strategic marketing consultancy. She is also a “”CSA Celebrity Speakers”" associate, working with conference organizers from around the world in providing the best key note speakers and experts for their events.

To get an expert advice for the best speakers for your conference or event visit this Source

In 2004, IDC estimated that each day there are more than 30 billion E-Mail messages crossing the Internet. The Radicati Group estimated that in 2004 there were nearly 900 million active mailboxes on the Internet with approximately half of these being used for business purposes.

Bearing in mind that these statistics were taken 2 years ago, it is certain that the numbers are much higher today. Clearly, E-Mail communication has become extremely pervasive in Internet business environments as a result of the ease with which information can quickly and easily be delivered to one or many people anywhere in the world. 74 percent of business people surveyed recently believed that losing E-Mail service presents more of a hardship than losing telephone service.

Unfortunately, the standard method of E-Mail communication over the Internet uses the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). This protocol was designed to transmit 7-bit ASCII character data between two IP hosts using the simplest and most efficient method possible. Security was an afterthought and security systems are almost never implemented by default in an SMTP-based mail system. Threats against an E-Mail system and its users have emerged just as quickly as the growth of the number of mailboxes. That brings us to a well-known E-Mail topic called “Phishing”.

Phishing schemes have emerged as one of the biggest threats to users personally. Phishing comes from the idea that you toss out a line and see who will grab it. The messages usually look reasonably legitimate and may actually appear to come from an organization from which you do business.

Often, phishing schemes can be exposed because you will receive a message from a bank or organization with which you do not do business with, or there could be typographical errors in the message. Depending on circumstances, one could believe that such a message is legitimate. However, since we know that no bank or payment processor will ask you for personal account data via an E-Mail, that is the final clue that the message is a fraud.

One good way to tell is that several good E-Mail programs will allow you to view the HTML code in the E-Mail. If it does not point to the intended URL, simply don’t use it. Another way is that some E-Mail programs reveal the URL by just placing your mouse cursor over the link. When you do this in Outlook, the true link will appear in a yellow balloon. One look at the URL will tell you if it is legitimate.

In any event, the general rule of thumb is this. If you receive an E-Mail from ANY bank or payment processor asking you to log in and validate your account information, you must assume it is a fraud…period! If your situation leads you to believe that there may be some legitimacy to the message, do not log in using the URL provided in the E-Mail. Go directly to the bank or payment processors website using your bookmark or their known URL. Practicing this rule may save you from falling victim to a phishing scheme.

The I-Scam Report is a regular installment that appears in the Dakota E-Times ezine. The information contained is designed to assist online marketers in avoiding scams before they fall victim. If you feel you have been scammed, or would like us to investigate a particular situation, or would just like to read more, please visit the Dakota E-Times here.

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Tags:ethical, implications, moral, internet, information

In the Information Age, a good public relations campaign will include a solid strategic communications plan. This plan should include information about all of the ways that your business interacts with the public. When your company reaches out to your customers, you want to make sure that you are creating, strengthening or preserving a positive impression with them.

To do this, it is important that you relay a consistent message that is in sync with your public image. Your website, your radio spots, your mission statement all should have a consistent feel to them. If the public perceives that your business says one thing, yet does another, they will not believe either thing fully. This sort of inconsistency can ultimately wind up costing you business.

A good, solid strategic communications plan will provide your business with the opportunity to portray itself in the best possible light, which will in turn attract further business. Your plan should include information about what type of public image you want your business to have. Once you have developed this plan and image, it is important that all of your public relations activities are consistent. If they are not, you risk losing credibility with your current and potential customers. A company that promotes itself as being family friendly would lose consumer confidence if they suddenly started marketing on only dating websites!

Developing a strategic communications plan may require enlisting the help of a public relations firm. A good firm can properly advise your business on how to translate what you do and who you aim to do it for into a public image that will help sell consumers on your company. The plan can include everything from what the graphics in your logo should look like, to what kind of music hold music your customers should hear when they call your business. Though these things may not seem important by themselves, when put together, they are important components of your public image.

Consumers today try to be much more aware of the corporate culture of the companies with whom they do business. They want to do business with companies that have the same ideals as they do. Consumers want to be able to relate to the businesses that they use. Having a strategic communications plan in place can only help ensure that you are portraying a consistently positive public image, one that will inspire confidence and loyalty in your customers.

Virgil W. Magee is the Deputy Director of Media Analysis for Strategic Communications for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s International Security Assistance Force in Kabul, Afghanistan. In his position he is responsible for the identification and analysis of local, regional and global media trends pertaining to multinational ISAF and North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) alliance missions and strategic objectives for 42 partner nation defense and foreign affairs ministerial-level organizations, NATO and United Nations mandated missions.

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Tags: communications, information, public relations, pr, strategic

Although some companies have an in-house PR department to manage Press Releases, for many companies, it may not be possible to distribute the Press Release or Press Statement to all media channels due to resource and manpower constraints. This is where companies providing Professional Press Release Distribution Service become essential.

A Press Release is generally used to inform the public through news and print media of an event or issue, or information for the general public, which concerns the company. Press releases are also a useful tool to create visibility about a company and its activities. In the present day and times, with the whole world connected to the Internet and most Internet savvy individuals spending many hours every day searching and browsing for information, knowledge, services, products, etc, an Online Press Release Service is extremely crucial for a company, to create online visibility on the internet, through proper and affordable Press Release Distribution Services and gain widespread media coverage.

Some Press Release Distribution Services companies specializing in offering Online Press Release Service also combine Search Engine Optimization (SEO) with very high quality news distribution, thus making the press releases more visible to the top search engines like Google, Yahoo, and MSN. These Press Releases come up in searches when users search with a search term related to the client company and the Press Release, thus creating visibility for the company. These Press Release Service companies ensure widespread coverage of the Press Release, drawing the attention of bloggers, journalists, and general public alike. Press Release Distribution Services companies also ensure that the Press Releases and announcements reach the people interested in the client company and its activities, company news and information, etc, and provide links in the Press Release content for the interested individuals to follow back to the companies website, thus ensuring targeted traffic.

To increase a client company’s online Internet presence, and thus the potential for increasing sales and revenue, the Press Release Distribution Services employ teams of experienced professionals with years of experience in writing and optimizing Press Releases in many diverse areas for many companies involved in many different fields like Real Estate, entertainment, etc. This does not mean that these companies offer Press Release Service only for big companies or large Multinational corporations only. Press Release Services are very affordable and are also available for individuals like members of the legal and medical profession, small business professionals, and small companies too, with different packages and services available according to requirement.

In the modern world today, as in the good old days, it is important to remember that – “Out of sight is Out of Mind”, which simply means that if a company or an individual is not visible continuously and regularly in the print, news, and online Internet media, the world will soon forget they exist, and move on to something more interesting. Everyone wants fresh and interesting news and information on a regular basis and abhors stale news and soon forgets an individual or company, which is not in the news on a regular basis. As a company or individual, aspiring to be visible on the Internet, it is important and crucial to hire the services of a company providing Professional and experienced Press Release Distribution Services.

For more information on Press Release Distribution Services and a Professional and experienced Press Release Service, please do visit our site or write to us for services and packages.

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Tags: public relations, news, company, credibility, information

If you use it correctly, media begets media. Use your TV and radio appearances and magazine and newspaper articles to interest other media. Copy the article, video, or audio tape and send it out when the media requests further information on you. Update your biography to include your most recent media appearances (unless you’re pitching a direct competitor).

When writing or talking to the media, let them know about other segments or articles you have appeared in. Be prudent in the media you send. If a feature story or interview has certain quotes you are unhappy with, you may want to copy only the parts of the interview you want highlighted. If you have a recently taped interview from a particular TV program and are now being considered by their direct competitor, you may want to think twice before sending that particular tape for viewing.

Keep copies of articles displayed in your office or framed on your walls. Mention your media in your ads, flyers, newsletters and brochures. If you have a staff or employees, teach them to use the media you have been featured in, in their pitches or conversations to both clients and prospective clients. Send out copies of your media tear sheets to your current and prospective clients.

If you give seminars, speeches, or lectures, use copies of your print tear sheets and video-taped interviews in your presentations. Consider hiring a graphic artist to help professionally display your articles and interviews. These are just some examples of ways to utilize your press. With a little thought and ingenuity, you’ll come up with several more. Make your press work as hard as you do.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2007

Anthony Mora
President & CEO

For further information visit this site.

Anthony Mora began his media career as a freelance journalist for such publications as Us, Rolling Stone and other local and national publications. He also served as editor-in-chief of two Los Angeles-based entertainment and lifestyle-oriented publications. In 1990, Anthony formed Anthony Mora Communications, Inc. a Los Angeles-based media relations company that specializes in media placement, image development, and media training. AMC Inc. has placed clients in: Time, Newsweek, 60 Minutes, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and other local, national, and international media outlets. ! Anthony has been featured in: USA Today, Newsweek, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, The BBC, CNN, Entrepreneur, Fox News, MSNBC, and other media. He has written three books. The most recent, “Spin to Win,” is a step-by-step guide on how to define goals and utilize the power of the media to achieve success in any field.

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Tags: utilize, media, public relations, information, news

When it comes to promoting your film, you’ll want to have a press kit to give to media contacts and investors. Just what is a press kit? It’s a package, focused towards media, that gives background information about your company, your film(s), and other important information about you or your works you wish to share. It’s the ‘who’, ‘what’ and ‘why’ of your business and can be a first impression on the masses.

When creating a press kit, you’ll need three basic essentials. First, you’ll need a cover letter addressed to your intended recipient. It’s a short letter that explains why you’re sending the kit and why they should be interested in it. Always get the name of the recipient so you can personalize this letter. It will make a big difference.

Next, you’ll want to include a brochure or a fact sheet that gives a rundown of information about your company. It’s the core of your kit, and it should clearly describe your business, your film and its premise. Accomplishments, testimonials, ratings, reviews or other highlights should be included to build a good impression.

Finally, always include your contact information in some form. This can be as simple as a few business cards or elaborate with the inclusion of flyers, posters, or other graphic materials. Just make sure your contact information is clear and up-to-date on these items.

Now that you have your basic press kit, you may wish to enhance it depending on the situation. Some companies add press releases, especially when the destination of the kit is the news media. If your film has acquired distribution, or is having its premiere, these are all newsworthy “angles” to use for press releases. You can also add a corporate history if you are going after investors to help with the cost of the film. As well, remember that your people provide value. Include bios on key producers, crew and featured actors that will stand out and get attention. Finally, if you’ve already had press coverage in the past, include those clippings as well!

With everything ready, you need to make sure that you present your kit in a way that gives a great impression. Don’t staple everything together and call it a press kit! Spring for the nice two-pocket folders with business card inserts so that your materials will be packaged nicely. Coordinate colors in your materials with the colors of your folders for that extra cohesive touch.

With press kits, the old saying always applies. You never get a second chance to make a first impression!

Ryan Vinson is the founder of VersusMedia, a marketplace that links independent filmmakers with musicians with the common goal of obtaining music for films. The company has a strong following in the independent film industry, and has assisted over 900 films to date. For more information, visit this site.

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Tags: press, media, effective, kit, information