Uncover your hidden market

Uncover Your Hidden Markets

by Thod Ochie

Want a simple, low-cost way to boost your sales? Just uncover the narrowly defined sub-markets hidden in your main market. Then create special versions of your advertising to focus on the specific needs of prospects in these hidden market segments.

1. How to Find Your Hidden Markets
Start by evaluating your existing customers. Look for groups of customers with similar characteristics you do not currently cater to in your advertising. Then create new versions of your sales message appealing to their specific needs. You will attract a lot more customers just like them.

For example, the owner of an accounting service marketing to small businesses noticed that many of his new clients were landscapers or insurance brokers. Therefore he created separate web sites highlighting the unique benefits his service provided to clients in each of these businesses.

The two sites looked similar, but their sales content was customized to appeal to the specific needs of potential clients in each market. Visitors to either site probably assumed he specialized in working with companies in their industry. Within two months he was able to increase the number of new clients from each group by over 25 percent

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2. Adapt to Your Customers and Become a Specialist

As you work with a lot of customers and prospects in a narrowly defined market, you gain special insight into how they think and what they need. You will be able to communicate with them as in "insider" using their own special vocabulary and style.

Prospects and customers will think of you as being "one of us"... a specialist who caters to their unique needs. They will want to do business with you because you understand their special situation and know exactly what they need.

As a specialist you also eliminate much of your competition... even if their prices are lower. Most customers will pay a little more to buy from a specialist so they can avoid the risk of doing business with a competitor who has little or no understanding of their special needs.

Bonus: When you deliver results as a specialist you also establish yourself as an expert in your field. Customers will proudly refer other prospects to you. They appreciate what you did for them and are confident you will deliver the same results for others.

You can boost your sales significantly by using the two simple, low-cost steps revealed in this article. Just (1) identify the narrowly defined sub-markets hidden in your main market. Then (2) become a specialist catering to the unique needs of the customers in each of these sub-markets.

How to Make Your PC as Fast as the Day you Bought It

One of the most frustrating things in life is a slow computer.

Every few years, we buy an expensive new PC and love how fast it starts up, runs programs, and loads web sites. Inevitably, though it starts to slow down, until eventually we are pulling our hair out waiting for it to do routine tasks.

Why is this? It turns out the answer is actually quite simple and you don't even need to be "technical" to understand the causes and solutions.

The good news, it's not the computer hardware that's the problem. In most cases the hardware you have is perfectly capable of being restored to its original glory and kept in fast running condition with minimal effort.

Rather, the problem lies with changes that occur to the PC's software. The 2 most common causes of slowdown (along with easy solutions) are:

Registry errors - the most common problem

Every time you (or your kids) load a program, game or file, your PC's software registery is updated with new instructions needed to operate that item. However, when the item is removed, these instructions usually remain on your PC. Every time you run your computer it tries to execute these instructions but, because the related program can't be found, it causes a registry error. Your PC is doing a lot more work than it should be and the result is a significantly slower computer.

One of the best ways to manage this is with a neat little tool from a Seattle based company called the Advanced Registry Optimizer 2010 (ARO for short). This program scans, identifies and fixes registry errors - resulting in a computer that's a lot more like it was when you first bought it. On top of the amazing results it offers, it's so easy to install and use that it was recently awarded a coveted 4.5 star rating (out of 5) by CNET's editorial staff.

You can now get a free working version of the software which will quickly scan your entire PC and identify all of the registry errors that may be bogging it down. The free version eliminates the first 100 errors and if you have more errors that you want to clean-up or want to set the program to run on a regular basis (recommended) you can easily upgrade to the full version for just $29.95. After that registry errors will no longer be a problem.

To get the free version simply click here.

Spyware and viruses

Spyware and viruses are software programs that are loaded on your computer without your knowledge or permission. They have various purposes, including:

• Changing the default search engine in your browser
• Tracking your web surfing habits and showing you targeted advertising
• Using your email program to send out spam to other email addresses
• Stealing your personal information

Most spyware and viruses get onto our computers through files that we download from the internet or as attachments to emails. They tend to take up a lot of computing power and as a result will significantly slow down the computer.

The simple rule of thumb to follow is to never download any free software programs from companies you do not know and trust, especially screensavers, emoticons and the like. In addition, you should never open any attachment to an email unless you are 100% certain you know and trust the sender. In addition, make sure you have a good anti-virus / spyware removal software running at all times.

Follow the above advice and your PC should stay fast and safe.

BlackBerry, a security threat

The United Arab Emirates has declared BlackBerry smartphones as potential threat to national security, saying the devices operate beyond the jurisdiction of national laws and are open to misuse.

The move raises concerns of another attempt by the government to control the flow of information in the Arab Gulf nation, which actively censors websites and other forms of media seen as harming national security or conservative local values. At the same time, however, the UAE is trying to establish itself as an international business hub, the Associated Press reports.

This is the second major controversy over the Blackberry in the UAE. A year ago, the Middle East country’s biggest state-run mobile operator was caught encouraging unwitting BlackBerry users to install software on the devices that could allow outsiders to peer inside. The government has never made fully clear what happened in that case.

In the latest flap, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority voiced fears that the BlackBerry manages data in a way that could allow it to be misused. BlackBerry devices were singled out because they are the only phones operating in the country that automatically relay users’ information to privately managed data centers overseas, the regulator said.

“As a result of how Blackberry data is managed and stored, in their current form, certain Blackberry applications allow people to misuse the service, causing serious social, judicial and national security repercussions,” the regulator said in a statement carried on the state news agency on Sunday.

It said that BlackBerry devices operate “beyond the jurisdiction” of national laws because they immediately send data abroad to be “managed by a foreign, commercial organisation.”

Gmail - Fw: 9ja 4 U - Looting of Treasury! - thodochie@gmail.com

Gmail - Fw: 9ja 4 U - Looting of Treasury! - thodochie@gmail.com

Channels Television - Too Much Talk About Uti in the Big Brother All Stars House

Too Much Talk About Uti in the Big Brother All Stars House

Tiger Woods Still No. 1 Earning Athlete

Professional golfer Tiger Woods has been off his game since his extramarital affairs were exposed last year, but he is still the world's highest earning athlete, according to two lists released on Wednesday.


Woods claimed the top spot on a 2010 U.S. list of 50 athletes for the seventh consecutive year compiled by Sports Illustrated's SI.com, though his total earnings fell 10 percent to $90.5 million. His total is also down 40 percent from $127.9 million in 2008.


Woods also topped Forbes magazine's 2010 list of the top 50 earning athletes in the world at $105 million, down 4.5 percent from last year as the star golfer has lost such sponsors as Accenture Plc and AT&T Inc. It was the ninth consecutive year he topped the Forbes list.


Overall, the average earnings for the entire U.S. list at SI.com rose 11 percent to a record $26.2 million, and were up 1.7 percent to $30 million for 20 international stars.


Tennis star Roger Federer, at $61.8 million, bumped soccer player David Beckham from the top spot he had held the last two years on the international list, SI.com said.


Woods' earnings for the 2010 list are comprised of $20.5 million in earnings and $70 million in endorsements from such sponsors as Nike Inc and Electronic Arts Inc, SI.com said. Woods' endorsement earnings fell $22 million from last year's list.


Woods' personal life took center stage for fans after a car accident outside his Florida home last November brought to light extramarital affairs and led him to make a public apology. He has played several tournaments since his April return from a self-imposed, five-month exile but has yet to win.


Rival golfer Phil Mickelson came in second on the 2010 U.S. list at $61.7 million, and the top 10 included four players from the National Basketball Association, led by LeBron James at No. 4 ($45.8 million), SI.com said.


The top 10 also included boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr (No. 3 at $60.3 million), two Major League Baseball stars, including Alex Rodriguez at No. 5 ($37 million), and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning of the National Football League (No. 9 at $30.8 million), SI.com said.


On the international list, Federer jumped from No. 9 last year as his earnings doubled, while Beckham slipped to No. 3 at $40.5 million behind FIFA world soccer player of the year Lionel Messi at $44 million, according to SI.com.


Rounding out the international top five were soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo ($40 million) and boxer Manny Pacquiao ($38 million), SI.com said.


Basketball player Allen Iverson, No. 8 on last year's U.S. list, dropped entirely out of the top 50, SI.com said. Tennis player Maria Sharapova was the only female athlete to make either list, ranking No. 20 on the international list at $19.9 million.


Rounding out Forbes' top five were boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr ($65 million), NBA star Kobe Bryant ($48 million), Mickelson ($46 million) and Beckham ($43.7 million). Federer ($43 million), James ($42.8 million) and Pacquiao ($42 million) were next on the list, which previously ranked the top 20.

Goals at Work

Your Goals at Work
How can you be more effective to achieve what you want in life and work?
Personal effectiveness means making the most at all personal resources at our disposal - our personal talents, energy and time relative to what's most important to us.
It is like money management or investment - we want to get the best return on our resources.
As with managing money, we can either drift through life making ad hoc decisions or we can set time aside periodically to review our investments.
It's not about sacrificing spontaneity or opportunism to be super organized if this is not your style.
It's more a matter of taking whatever steps fit your style to help you are make the best use of your talents, energy and time.
Being successful is in the eyes of the beholder - for some it means having a satisfying personal life, for others it is some form of career success that drives them. The only right answer is the one that makes you happy.
Can you defiine what success means to you?
If not, how do you know what to strive for and how will you know whether you have achieved it?
To achieve success, it helps to set goals.
But you also need to be an opportunist, to take an exploratory approach so that you can discover what you really want.
Like one executive in career transition said: "I don't know what I want to do next, but I'll know it when I see it."
Your Goals and Values
What do you want to do with your life? What are your aspirations?
Here are some examples, but you could well have some different goals or values:
Goals
Values
Learn more about X by...
Reach a certain level by...
Change jobs by...
Retire by age...
Save X amount by...
Do less of A, more of B by...
Get in better shape by...
Manage my time better by...
Get an international job by...
Be fluent in French by...


Integrity
Autonomy
Achievement
Work-life balance
Job security
Service to community
Helping others
Doing meaningful work
Relationships
Happy family life
Personal growth, learning
Variety and excitement
Free time for personal interests
Financial success
Travel
Time with friends
Not clear about your values? Try rank ordering them and see what that tells you.
No particular career or personal goals?
It's OK to be an opportunist if you push yourself to diversify by doing different things.
A drifter is someone who keeps busy with no thought of where he or she is going with no attempt to avoid getting into ruts.
We get embarrassed when asked about our goals if we have none.
There is no need to feel this way.
Try to strike a balance between having no direction at all and being 100% clear.
The easiest way to achieve this balance is to ensure that you are continually developing, learning new things.
You might not have clear goals, but you have a process that keeps you growing.
This section is about personal effectiveness. What does that mean to you?
It usually means something along the lines of ensuring that you get the best possible return on your investment of time and energy.
Your values might be such that this is just not important to you.
If personal effectiveness is of value to you, it might help to think of yourself using investment terminology.
To make the best use of all you have to offer, it is essential to formally allocate certain times of each year to stocktaking - a formal review of what you have accomplished, where you have failed, what you have learned and what you might do differently.
This is a time to weigh up how your achievements of late measure up in relation to your goals and values. There is no right answer, only what matters to you.

Personal effectiveness at work

Personal effectiveness means making the most at all personal resources at our disposal - our personal talents, energy and time relative to what's most important to us.
It is like money management or investment - we want to get the best return on our resources.
As with managing money, we can either drift through life making ad hoc decisions or we can set time aside periodically to review our investments.
It's not about sacrificing spontaneity or opportunism to be super organized if this is not your style.
It's more a matter of taking whatever steps fit your style to give you the feeling that you are making best use of your talents, energy and time.
Being successful is in the eyes of the beholder - for some it means having a satisfying personal life, for others it is some form of career success that drives them. The only right answer is the one that makes you happy.

12 WAYS TO REVERSE MIDDAY DROWSINESS

Work nap
Hey guys, it’s 3 pm and the lunch sleeping pill has started to take effect.
Your eyelids are heavy….again.
Every afternoon it happens. Why? It’s because your blood sugar has dropped. For people without diabetes, that is from the top of the ‘normal’ spectrum to the lower end (below 100).
For someone with out of control blood sugar (pre or full-blown diabetes) that’s from dangerously high to normal, or to dangerously low.
What can you do about it that is safe? Here is 12 things from AskMen.com:
1. Drink some water. A glass of water will activate your body and wake up your head as well.
2. Eat lunch every day. Your body dips into ready blood sugar reserves to keep you going when you don’t eat regularly. When you get sleepy with no lunch in you, this means you have run out of reserves.
3. Take a short break. Stand up and stretch – don’t need to be over the top, with yawn etc., just get up on your feet, shake out your toes and fingers, roll your head. If you can, walk for a couple of minutes. Getting circulation moving wakes you up.
4. Move. Work out a gym at lunch. The increased metabolic rate will keep you awake for the afternoon. Failing that, instead of an email to a co-worker, walk over, walk up some stairs – get your blood flowing!
5. Work on a different task. Routine leads to boredom. Boredom leads to sleepy. Change it up – do something creative or engaging.
6. Interact with coworkers. Strike up a conversation at the copy machine – to someone’s desk rather than email. It will break up the routine (see 5.) and get you moving.
7. Take a siesta. 15 minutes of power nap will clear your decks for action.
8. Have a snack. As part of your diabetes reversal, this should be raw almonds or raw vegetables, about a palm full will do it, when accompanied by water.
9. Splash your face with cold water. Just like a morning shower, this change of sensory input will snap you out of your lethargy.
10. Turn down the heat. Warmth brings on naps. If you can’t because of cubical mate complaints, dress lighter.
11. Get more natural light. More light keeps you alert. Work where you look out a window. Can’t do that? Use a desk lamp – the closer light source will brighten up colors and keep you engaged in your surroundings.
12. Focus on your plans after work. First, make a list of what you have left to accomplish before the end of the work day. Then you can consider what you are going to be up to after work – movie with your honey? Going out with the buds? Giving yourself a time you need to get out of work as well as a list of things to be done before that time will get you out of the sleepy rut you are in.
Is it more than a slump? Get to bed earlier – more sleep at night will give you reserves for the day.
Another issue may be that you don’t want to be at the thing you are doing for work, or it may be an ongoing issue like depression or relationship stress. Assess the situation with an honest eye. Find what you think it may be and take action to change it.
In any case, if you find your energy is leaking away after lunch regularly, you need to get over the reason why it’s happening. It may be that you need to make a lifestyle change – more exercise, or modify your diet to cut out simple carbohydrates that spike you blood sugar and then crash it as your body reacts with excess insulin.
Make the positive changes and you will find that you work better and enjoy what you are doing. Afterwards, you will have more energy for evening social activities