Archive for October, 2008

Domus Pisani in Palermo

Friday, October 31st, 2008

The Domus Pisani residence is a 120 sq.m. (planimetry),appartment located to the Atticfloor, served by a lift, in Corso Pietro Pisani in Palermo .
It is about 400 meters far from Piazza Indipendenza, residence of the chairmanship of the Sicilian Area, from San Giovanni degli eremiti and the Cappella Palatina
The residence has three bed rooms completely furnished with tv in the room,conditioned air,heating.
Two wide hygienic services with shower and bathroom, fully renovated.
A big kitchen-a living room are at disposal of the guests a panoramic terrace, where it is possible to have breakfast and dinner admiring the beauties of the town .
The historical centre is at 10 minute walking distance ( La Cattedrale ) – (Palazzo dei Normanni).
Walking It is possible to reach the university (Viale delle Scienze) .
The area is widely served by public services and commercial infrastructures.
The location of the flat is ideal for who must attend university or who decides to visit Palermo and its historical centre.

If you think that Domus Pisani is not exactly what you are looking for, click here to visit our catalogue for Hotels in Italy, and make a search for another hotel in Palermo: we are pretty sure that you can easy find the Palermo accommodation that can best fit your need for a perfect stay in Italy.

Using a Letter of Credit

Friday, October 31st, 2008

A letter of credit is a financial tool that streamlines the process of doing business both nationally and internationally. It provides a guaranteed (usually) form of payment to your suppliers while limiting your risks in the transaction. To better understand letters of credit, let’s look at an example.

Let’s say that you own a widget distribution company. Let’s also say that your good customer provides you with a very large purchase order for widgets. Since you distribute (rather than manufacture) widgets, you’ll need to place an order with your widget supplier to be able to fulfill the order. In this case, you want to use a new widget supplier that is located in Asia and does not know much about your company.

Your first step is to try to buy widgets from your Asian supplier. Now you have an interesting situation. Your supplier is very likely to ask for cash up front or some guaranteed form of payment before manufacturing and delivering the widgets. You, on the other hand, will want to pay upon receipt, or better yet, ask for 30-day payment terms (meaning, you pay 30 days after receipt). As you can see, both parties are trying to limit their risk.

To solve this situation you can go to the bank and ask them to create a letter of credit for this transaction. The letter of credit stipulates that your supplier will be paid by the bank, if they comply with the terms of the L/C. Usually, to comply with a letter of credit, documentary evidence that proves delivery of a quality product per the agreement needs to be provided.

Now your supplier can go ahead and deliver the widgets, knowing that he will be paid if he delivers according to the agreement.

As you can see, this protects your supplier, and the letter of credit also protects you, because it ensures that the supplier is paid only if he complies with the agreement. Although letters of credit come in a number of flavors, in general they tend to guarantee payment by the issuing bank, which gives suppliers a level of comfort.

Of course, once funds are paid to your supplier you will need to pay the bank. Usually, banks will ask that you have a line of credit (or similar financing) so that they can satisfy payment for the LC from that account. Unfortunately, this also means that to qualify for a letter of credit you almost always need to qualify for traditional bank financing. This is not easy for new, small or growing businesses. If you cannot qualify for a letter of credit, your best alternative is to secure trade financing use purchase order financing.

About Invoice Factoring Group
We are business financing specialists and can provide you with a letter of credit or purchase order financing. Marco Terry, the president, can be reached at 866 730 1922

Copyright (C) 2006. Commercial Capital LLC. Article may be reprinted if it is not modified.

The History of Cigars

Friday, October 31st, 2008

No doubt, cigar smoking is a pleasure. Over the period, it is considered as the symbol of status of wealth and class. But, do you wonder from where this fashion of cigar smoking came into limelight and who started this? According to research, cigars have been around for over 1,000 years. It was started by the original native population of the islands in the Caribbean as well as the rest of Mesoamerica in as early as 900 AD. In fact, a ceramic vessel at a Mayan dig site in Uaxactun, Guatemala have been found, which was painted with the likeness of a man smoking a cigar that’s says the glowing past of cigars.

Later Genoese explorer Christopher Columbus had introduced the smoking to Europe. With two of his colleagues Rodrigo de Jerez and Luis de Torres, Columbus had taken puffs of tobacco wrapped in maize husks, thus becoming the first European cigar smokers.

During 19th century, the popularity of cigars was on its heights. In fact, all the states of United States had a cigar factory. Cigars were more popular than cigarettes making almost everyone a smoker, or lived with one. Later, in the early part of the 20th century, cigar sales were at its peak. According to a report, the weight of tobacco sold in the United States alone in one year would equal the weight of the entire population of 10 states combined. Found everywhere in the united states, cigars were priced as per the size of the pocket of the general population as earlier Americans were not allowed to buy the Cuban cigars.

Online Cigars Market
The passion of smoking cigars increased with the time. There has been a tremendous rise in the number of cigar smokers now in comparison of past years. Order whether an oscuro cigar, the black one or choose the claro, light brown cigar, make sure you get the right cigar to enjoy that unforgettable experience that lasts forever. By buying cigars online, you can also protect yourself from the duplicate cigars that are common these days. In fact, it also gives you the facility to get cigars at your doorsteps too, no matters you are the resident of any corner of the world.

Cigars are the ultimate experience of smoking. From last 1000 years, the fashion of cigar smoking is in practice and still alluring many aficionados to carry on this great passion.

For more information on buy cigars online visit http://www.selective-cigars.com.

Author is a cigar industry expert.

The Worth for Opting for Public Liability Insurance

Thursday, October 30th, 2008

Public liability cover is key as all businesses are at threat to some degree. Even though nothing very bad has ever happened to your corporations premises, doesn’t promise that it won’t someday in the not too distant future. If a group of people are injured, or their belongings missing, it’s your contractual obligation to suitably repay them. This expenditure could be horrifically high, depending on each & every case.

Yet, you do have a number of methods to take care of yourself for this probability. Picking public liability cover allows you to breathe significantly easier. Even if a particular claim is very pricey, the insurance business will be on hand to present a security net. It is their contractual responsibility to keep you safeguarded from any claims & legal payments. This leaves you available to focus on actually doing business, instead of worrying about what may perhaps happen. The following are numerous case studies of times when public liability indemnity can come in handy.

CEOs of plumbing organisations regularly get the job finished fast and easy. Nonetheless, occasionally something may go badly wrong. Should you inadvertently smash up a client’s gas pipes while on the job, destroying possessions such as work stations and flooring, public liability insurance will be there to pick-up the bill.

Another example is that of a marketing agency. If a customer were to break an ankle in your office, even if it is not your fault, you would be held legally accountable. Though, with public liability insurance you wouldn’t have to resolve the claim whatsoever.

In a comparable example, physical injury caused to a bystander by a worker on a construction site is the legal responsibility of the company’s manager. This type of claim can turn dreadfully costly in fact, unless you buy the suitable cover. Protect yourself and your business with a Public Liability Insurance quote from Insured Risks.

Sales Trainer, Mentor, Leader, And Counselor Says Focus On Change – It Can Happen Fast

Thursday, October 30th, 2008

Part 3 ‘Your Abundant Life’

There are so many of the finer things in life that you would love to possess. A new house, a new car, a summer home, vacation hideaway, the list is endless. They are nothing but dreams right now because you don’t have the means, the money, the opportunity, or the time. Your life is passing by. Many of us are living life like we are on the 200-year plan. We think we have plenty of time, but before you know it, see ya! It’s all over. Now you are stuck in your misery. Just picture yourself for a moment uttering those words, “If I only had done this, or that, or the other thing.” The saddest part is that you were in control the whole time, and you didn’t take a chance or make a decision to change. Has this struck a nerve yet? I hope so!

You are, for the most part, sick and tired of being sick and tired, you don’t know when or how it’s going to end. The worst part of it all is that you know that there are people out there making real good money and having a ball, and you want to be one of those people, but you don’t really have a clue how. Is this your autobiography? I guarantee I am close: if not right on. With over 90% of the population stressing over the areas that I am covering, there is a real good chance that you are one of them. If not, congratulations, and I mean that. You are a rare breed, and I know that you earned every ounce of your freedom, (unless you inherited it!), and you truly deserve a round of applause. I hope you are helping others achieve their goals and dreams. For those of you that haven’t made it, read on.

The one thing we can always count on is luck. Yeah, right! One thing most people don’t know is that you can create you own luck. Have you heard that before? It’s not about luck, it is about timing! Being in the right place at the right time is vital. But you have to be out there looking in order for anything to happen or to cretae a change in your life. Sitting at home watching TV or playing on your computer, or ‘chatting’ won’t cut it. You need to talk to people, research, investigate, learn, and then do it all over again. There is a whole lot of garbage out there, so I do caution you. But there are some very sweet businesses out there, just not a whole lot of them. If you have no knowledge about what to look for, at least find a mentor who can coach you and help you decide what is right for you. There are many people willing to help you, but again, a word of extreme caution. Beware of the wolf in sheep’s clothing. Ahh shoot!

This is it in a nutshell. Things can change, circumstances can change, and you can change your circumstances. Sounds pretty simple, and yes it is. The greatest thing about life is that we have the ability to change, the ability to make changes, and the ability to cause changes. What a concept! The best news is that it can happen rather quickly as well. The power behind our decision-making can create change very rapidly. Shall we discuss your attitude when approaching the game of life? Not yet.

Copyright 2005/2006

I have earned my education, what it took me to compile the amount of information that I have ready to unload on you is extensive. I have a PhD in the school of Hardknocks, and after 30 years in the sales and marketing arena, I am quite an expert in the industry. A true professional knows people, and what makes them tick. My forte’ is people. I mentor, train, teach and mold people into leaders on a daily basis. It’s old school, the main focus is honor, integrity, and the sheer determination for success through the ‘work smart, not hard’ principle. I train and mentor people to be leaders in life, and if they happen to join me in business, all the more better, because I know where they came from and what to expect. Making money is my specialty. You can go to http://www.danspy.com, and have a look at what I do as my main business. If it sounds intriguing, let me know. There is a place on the website for your contact information, or simply just give me a call on my toll-free line. I give you my word, I will not try to convince you of anything that you can’t convince yourself of.

Sales Success and the Power of Why

Tuesday, October 28th, 2008

Obviously, it goes without saying that your goals must be written. Once you have accomplished this, the second part of the goal setting process must be for you to determine WHY you want to achieve your goals. Now here is where you need to turn your own sales skills upon yourself. You cannot simply state that you want to achieve your goals to make money, or to keep your job. You have to go deeper. Why do you want more money…? You want more money so you can ______. Why is _______ so important to you? What will having _______ ultimately mean to me? Remember, drill down just like you would with a prospect. Don’t let yourself get away crappy, off the cuff, answers. Drill down to what moves you, what motivates you every day. This is where you will find your passion and it will help you to attach that passion to achieving your goals.

After you’ve written down your goals, gotten specific about what you want and why you want it and developed a clear mental image of your goal, then and only then, move on.

When those steps are completed, it’s time to take action.

There are two types of action, physical and mental. Let’s start with the physical.

Taking Action to Move Towards your Goal

Start the first part of this goal setting technique by thinking of all the things you can do to make your goals a reality. Write them down and keep adding to the list. Then start working on the list. Take the action necessary to achieve your goals. While this will definitely include the items on your list, make that list even more detailed. For instance, to get more hot referrals, call 3 centers of influence today…to add to your credibility, get a testimonial from _______ today, then call on his/her circle of contacts.

It’s important to do something every day, even little things to create momentum. Take steps every day. If you want to get in good physical condition you would exercise daily, not at random now and then. The same holds true with your goals. Take consistent action and you will make it a daily habit.

Ask yourself this question: “What can I do today that will move me closer to achieving my goal? Then guess what? Do it!

Don’t spend too much time analyzing your actions. If you’re going to fail, then fail fast. Thomas Edison tried thousands of theories before successfully inventing the light bulb. However, it was the way he looked at failure that made the difference. Edison didn’t consider those thousands of failed theories as failures. Each one showed him another way that wouldn’t work. Each failure brought his team one step closer to success. This is where documenting your results and doing post mortems on your calls will benefit you more than you could ever imagine! Simply beating your head against the wall doing the same thing over and over again will only lead to frustration.

Notice the results you are getting from your actions and make adjustments along the way. As always, keep moving forward.

To Your Success!

Greg Beverly is a sales coach dedicated to helping create abundance for all who seek it. Find out how YOU can become a sales champion and live the life of your dreams by visiting http://www.salessuccess.yougethelp.com today.

BEAT YOUR COMPETITION WITHOUT CUTTING YOUR PRICE

Monday, October 27th, 2008

One way to beat your competition is to charge less for a similar product or service. But you can also beat your competition when your price is higher. One of the best ways to avoid price competition is to become a specialist in a narrowly defined targeted market.

RELATING IS MORE IMPORTANT THEN PRICING

I recently spoke with the creator of a marketing program for new business owners. He could have confronted the established competition and competed with a lower price. Instead he decided to target prospects in 2 types of businesses he had worked with before — insurance sales and MLM marketing. He knew a lot about the operation of each business and the people who worked in them.

He created a separate web site for each type of business and customized the content to appeal specifically to prospects in that business. The site for insurance sales people looked the same as the site for MLM marketers. But the content was totally different.

His plan worked. Sales are running almost 50 percent ahead of projection …even with a price that’s 15 percent higher than similar programs. He built a successful business in a highly competitive market by becoming a specialist.

CUSTOMERS LIKE TO BUY FROM A SPECIALIST

People like to do business with a specialist who has a unique insight into their situation. They feel confident about getting what they expect from a product or service when it is proposed by somebody who understands them and their unique needs.

Most customers or clients will even pay a little more to buy from somebody who thinks like them. It’s worth it to avoid the risk of being disappointed because they bought from somebody who didn’t know anything about their special situation.

YOU’LL SELL MORE AS A SPECIALIST

Targeting a niche market enables you to design your sales messages with great precision. You can cater to specifically defined interests of prospects and communicate with them in their own style. More people will buy when they feel you are talking directly to them about their individual needs.

SPECIAL BENEFIT: When you deliver results as a specialist you also establish yourself as an expert in your field. Customers will automatically refer other prospects to you. They value what you did for them and they’re confident you can deliver the same results for others.

3 SIMPLE STEPS TO BECOMING A SPECIALIST

Becoming a specialist is easier than you may think. You can accomplish it in 3 simple steps:

1. Divide your primary market into several narrowly defined markets.

2. Take each market, one at a time, and learn everything you can about the prospects in it.

3. Revise your marketing approach and selling materials to appeal to the specific needs of prospects in each new market. Use their own unique language and style of communication.

TIP: Existing customers who match the profile of prospects in a market you’ve targeted can help you develop your sales approach for that market. Contact some of them and ask why they bought your product or service. What do they like best about it? Why did they choose you instead of a competitor? They’ll give you a lot of information you can use to develop your appeal to other prospects who are like them.

You’ll always have competitors. But you don’t have to lower your price to compete with them. Instead, become a specialist and cater to prospects in a narrowly defined targeted market. Your understanding and insight into their unique situation will establish you as the expert in your field. They’ll want to do business with YOU even if you don’t offer the lowest price.

Psychology Sells

Friday, October 24th, 2008

It’s no secret. The more you know about the psychology of selling, the more sales you will make. If you do business on the internet, it is extremely important that you know how to effectively communicate to your audience using the written word. The problem is, your audience isn’t one massive, homogonous blob made up of all the same stuff. Each person in your audience is different and responds to different messages in different ways.

Luckily, psychologists have narrowed the blob down to six personality traits with specific hot buttons. When you push as many of these hot buttons as you can, using perfectly polished copy, you increase your profits. And that’s the whole point, isn’t it?

Take a look at the list of personalities and their Hot buttons. See where you fit in and then incorporate as many hot buttons as you can into the copy of your sales letters, email, website and any other promotional material that you produce.

Fact Finders These people are obsessed with specifics. The more specifics and hard numbers that you can use, the more likely you are to turn these people into customers. HOTBUTTONS: Facts, numbers, statistics

Scratch-My-Backers This group of people are motivated to action when you display a willingness to do something for them in return for their action. HOTBUTTONS: Rewards, incentives

Tried and Truers Some ‘Tried and Truers’ are actually scared to try new things. These people need to know that they are not the first ones to try out this new idea. They need to know that what ever you are offering has been tried before and has proven successful. HOTBUTTONS: Examples of other’s success, testimonials

Feelers These are emotional people, often making spur of the moment purchases. By creating the right mood and stirring the right feelings, these people are motivated buyers. HOTBUTTONS: Positive reinforcement, vivid and picturesque copy

Benefiters Exactly like their title, benefiters want to know about the benefits of what you are selling. You need to show these people how your product or service will help them reach their goals. HOTBUTTONS: Wants and needs focused copy

Sense of Priders These people respond to offers that give them a sense of pride, meaning and visualization. HOTBUTTONS: Strong symbols and positive images: vision, dreams, goals, the big picture.

And there you have the six personality traits that we all share as human beings. Try to use as many of the hot buttons as you can to increase your sales and profits exponentially.

To find out approximately what percentage of your market belongs to each category, try this simple test. Write six ads. Formulate each ad to appeal to a specific group of personality traits. Run each ad once in your regular advertising spots and track the results of each ad. Try this approach with different publications. You’ll be surprised, different publications appeal to different segments of the personality trait scale.

Good luck with your marketing, have fun and I’ll see you on the beaches of the world.

Some Logical Thoughts for Graduation Parties

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

In all the chaos of getting a party set up, things ordered and helping your future graduate to continue down the graduation road by supporting them. Teen years can be as confusing for the one going through it as it is for us parents. The phrase “Back when we were in school…”comes up frequently when we talk to our children and sometimes it isn’t what they need to hear. After all to them what we did is ancient history to them, teens live in the moment most of the time with little regard for learning from our mistakes or applying our past triumphs. childrens basketball shorts

Children have to learn on their own no matter what we do to guide them. They also learn by example so if you are the type to exercise moderation in your lifestyle, chances are they will to or at least have the common sense to think about consequences . If your child has decided not to have their own party and is attending one of a friend’s or several you can be sure that alcohol will be involved at least a couple of the stops.

It is no different in that respect than we were, there were always the kids with the booze, furnished by an older sibling or friend at most parties, but this one is special it is the end of an era and the beginning of a new life for your child. They are going to whoop it up big time. The best approach would be to advise him or her that no matter where he or she are or what time it is if they are drinking to call you for a ride home – you in turn need to promise no berating or punishment if they will call you. It can make the difference in the rest of their lives.

Now the big day has arrived and your child is coming down the hall with his classmates all dressed in their caps and gowns looking so sharp and ready to take on the world. You applaud with the other parents as one by one these seniors receive their diplomas and look forward to the rest of their lives. Then it is back to the house, hall or wherever you are having the party for the celebration. If your child is not having a party, but going to one offer them the option above, it just may save their life or someone else’s.

Is Cold Calling Dead?

Monday, October 20th, 2008

Is cold calling dead? And if laws are being passed to put it to rest once and for all, how do we generate business from now on?

Opinions on the subject vary greatly depending on the background of the individual. For example, most of the old-timers are vigilant in preaching their belief that the only possible way to succeed in the world of selling is to make no less than fifty calls each and every day. On the other hand, younger salespeople tend to become frustrated with this rather quickly and begin looking for more innovative ways to generate business.

I was just reminded of how ingrained this cold calling belief is. I spoke with a friend who left a sales position with a major merchant processing bank only a few weeks after starting. The reason? He was required to make a minimum of 400 cold calls each and every week and to document his activity with business cards. He is highly experienced and knows how to generate business without knocking on 400 doors per week and decided to discuss the strategies that have worked for him in the past with his managers. Their response? This is how we’ve done it for forty years and we’re not about to change.

That response, in my opinion, is the reason we’re seeing record business bankruptcies today. The world and our economy have changed and are breaking into bold, unchartered territory. But the management of most business organizations insists on doing things the old way, even though the old way produces less and less results as time goes on.

The concept of “Permission Marketing” is slowly but surely gaining popularity as the old idea of “Interruption Marketing” becomes less efficient and more wasteful. There are several reasons why cold calling in particular has become less effective as we move further into the Information Age. It destroys your status as a business equal. It forces you to spend time with unqualified prospects while the qualified ones are buying from your competition. It annoys people and is increasingly considered to be rude and disrespectful. Moreover, it may now be illegal (and in several states it’s been illegal for quite some time). But, most importantly, it destroys sales peoples attitudes.

Where is the good news in all of this? Well, the great news is that if you begin using new, innovative, “Information Age” methods for prospecting, you’ll be miles ahead of your competitors who are wasting their time annoying people with cold calls. In this age of the Internet and vast communication networks, why on earth would anyone knock on doors or make cold phone calls to look for business?

Think of the power at your fingertips: there are literally dozens of ways to use the Web and e-mail to let the idea of Permission Marketing do its magic. Allow customers to raise their hands and let you know they’re interested. Begin finding, implementing and reaping the benefits of this bold, new Information Age we are in. Your competitors will be the ones standing in bankruptcy court and explaining their “do-not-call” violations to the government while you are happily taking orders.