Made Moon Blog

Though there may be several designs and flavors of motorhomes, they are technically classified as type A, type B, type C or bus conversions. All the types are motorised homes but each has different features and capacity to suit different purposes and budgets. A motohome can measure 21 to 45 feet.

The type A is the largest of all and comes loaded with facilities and high end equipment for long trips and can be used as permanet abode by any person. It is built on special chassis and may cost $57,000 to $1.4 m.

It has a gallery, living area, sleeping quarters, permanent sanitary facilities. There is power, back up batteries, water holding tanks and an onboard generator.

The class A is highly spacious and that allows it to have extra comforts like a refrigerator, washer-dryer, large-screen TV, computerized leveling system, satellite navigation system, satellite dish, slideout room extension and large storage bays.

One major disadvantage of the class a type is that it is not manoeverable due to its length and bulkiness. Again, it is too low and therefore unsuitable for rugged environments.

The type B is like a converted van and can be said to be the smallest in the range of self contained motorhomes. It is basically a truck which had been modified to have sleeping, living and dining rooms. The price range for this class is between $42,000 to $73,000 and measures 16 to 34 feet.

The class B is easy to drive and therefore manoeverable. If you need to do a lot of turning and visiting small communities on the trip, this is the ideal one as it can driven around any corner and also manage sharp turns. It is suitable for short stay camping and smaller groups of say 3.

The limitation is that you have less space, and a low ceiling which means you cannot transport objects that stand tall. You also have a small gas tank which will require refueling a lot.

Type C is a small motorhome mounted on the chassis of a van. It also offers a living room, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. Though they can offer all the comforts of class A motorhome, they look crammed. The type C cannot have full size beds but come with bunker types. They are easy to manoevre and can manage sharp turns or narrow roads.

It cost about $48,000 to $139,000 and measure 20 to 35 feet.

The bus conversions are full size buses converted to a motorhome. This type is most suitable for large group camping. Their large size enables them to have luxury sofas and most of the bulky comforts of a home.

They scost between $100,000 to $1m and measure 35 to 45 feet.

The choice of a motorhome will depend on so many factors including budget, your needs assessment and whether or not you ned manoeverability or not.

For more more information about types of motorhomes please visit http://www.motor-home-tips.com

It’s great news that research found a food that lowers blood pressure and is healthy for the heart and maybe more. The problem is that the chocolate most Americans consume is not the same kind. The more popular kinds of chocolate have little or no positive effect on your health. Only certain chocolate may be healthy.

Dark chocolate is the chocolate that was found to have positive effects on blood pressure. Participants given dark, milk, or white chocolate every day were evaluated in different studies. It turns out that dark chocolate contains important antioxidants called phenols. These natural compounds from the cocoa bean are known to increase nitric oxide, reduce platelet aggregation, and inhibit oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Cocoa can decrease blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, and increase your insulin sensitivity. Milk and white chocolate are low in these antioxidants and do not have the same effect.

The problem is how chocolate is processed in this country. White chocolate, regardless of where you get it, actually contains no cocoa at all and is made only from cocoa butter; just the fat from the cocoa beans. It also contains no phenols. Most of the other chocolate we eat is made with “dutched” cocoa. The cocoa beans are treated with an alkaline solution to make them dark in color and to reduce the natural bitterness from the plant. But, it also reduces almost 90% of the phenols and most of its healthy benefits. The other problem is that when made into milk chocolate, the milk seems to prevent the phenols from being absorbed and, thus, negating any possible benefit from the chocolate.

The best chocolate for your health appears to be dark chocolate. In the European studies done, they ate 100gm of chocolate a day (100 grams equals approx. 3.5 ounces). That’s the equivalent to 2 1/2 regular size Hershey’s bars. It also adds about 550 calories to the diet. They were instructed to substitute this amount of calories from other foods they normally ate each day. You would have to do the same or forego its healthy benefits by increasing your waistline. European chocolate in general is healthier than that found in America due to the fact that it is less processed than ours and contains more of the heart healthy antioxidants. Dark chocolate is an acquired taste for most Americans since it is much more bitter than its milky counterpart.

So why is this research being touted as the ‘best medical news in ages’? It appears to be one more way we look to justify the unhealthy diets we follow. When people hear that chocolate is now healthy, they don’t hear any of the other restrictions involved, and don’t want to. In fact, most people wouldn’t want to change to a more bitter tasting chocolate and also cut out over 500 calories from their diets. Our diets already have enough sweets and this type of news only fuels the diabetic and obesity epidemics. This kind of medical news will only make most people add extra calories to their diets and increase their health problems.

Gerald Meyer RPh, provides advice on weight loss. Information on the benefits of green tea and its antioxidant powers can be found at http://www.natural-weight-loss-programs.com Free trials of green tea patches are available. Find out the benefit of green tea for yourself today. Learn about the new superfood – the amazon super berry – acai. Acai may be the most nutritious food in the world. MonaVie is the next generation of health food.

Castle blueprint plans are becoming very popular among people who want to live in grand style. There are several companies that sell plans for castle homes that look like those of your childhood dreams. Castle homes generally have four or more bedrooms. One such castle is Glenough Castle. Entrance is through a grand foyer which leads into the great room. To the left of the foyer is a formal parlor. Behind the parlor is a huge master bedroom suite with walk in closets, a full bath and access to the private deck.

From the foyer, you can access the kitchen, breakfast nook and den. There is a powder room off the foyer. A utility room and toilet are behind the kitchen. You can access the keeping from and rear deck from the kitchen. Glenough Castle plan blueprints are left to right flip mirror image of another castle home Kildare Castle.

The second floor of Glenough Castle is magnificent. The blueprints show three full-sized bedrooms each with a separate private bath and walk-in closet. There is a spare room which can be used as an extra bedroom, library, media center, study or rec room. There are castle blueprint plans available but Castle Glenough and Castle Kildare are two of the most luxurious castle plans. Do a web search for castle floor plans or castle home blueprints.

The castle style home is luxurious, enchanting, and unique. Fulfill the fantasies of your childhood and build your very own castle. Home with all the amenities of today.

About the Author
Martin Smith is a successful freelance writer providing advice for home buyers and consumers on purchasing a variety of Dream Home which includes Cottage Plans, Beach House Plans, and more! His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information

Rental storage units, also known as self-storage and mini-storage units, are a booming business right now, as storage facilities seem to be cropping up everywhere. People collect more and more items, and their possessions grow out of their attics and basements, forcing them to rent monthly storage units. The appeal of storage units is having access to a clean, safe, well-lit and efficient area for storage. It also helps to get the clutter out of the house and into another place altogether, either for sorting through or keeping for a while.

Storage away from the home or business can be an easy and convenient solution to disorganization and lack of space. Over a lifetime of acquiring belongings, many people simply run out of room to keep it all, but do not want to give everything away because of the sentiment attached to the items.

In the past 45 or so years, tens of thousands of personal storage facilities have sprung up like wildflowers all over the world. The structures are usually made of metal and concrete with roll-up garage-type doors. They are found in all kinds of surroundings, from rural to suburban to urban. In modern times, outside storage units have become like an addition to the house for controlling the overflow of beloved material goods.

The increase in relocation in recent years has also contributed to the wider use of storage units. It is now common for people to live in ten or more different places during their lives. Since they are not staying in a homestead for much of their lives, the things they own have come to represent home to many modern families.

Some people who seek out storage units are retirees, looking to make their living space more manageable by moving to independent senior apartments and assisted living homes. They may be downgrading from a four-bedroom house filled with all their cherished belongings to a one-bedroom apartment. The storage unit becomes the solution to what to do with their possessions before they are ready to sell them or give them to relatives.

The high activity lifestyle of many people contributes to their reasons for having a storage unit. Seasonal sports equipment, such as camping gear, water skis, personal watercrafts, snow boards, tennis rackets, and golf clubs are some of the things people store when the time of year does not call for it. Small closets and lack of attics and basements are other reasons. Some people choose to store for a few months, while others maintain storage units for years. The cost of renting a storage unit is less for those who are willing to sign long-term leases.

Of course, businesses need extra storage too. Many offices rent storage spaces to keep track of old invoices, receipts, and statements. Not too long ago, businesses were using much more paper and less computer files. For a business that has been around a while, all that paper has to go somewhere, at least for the recommended seven years. Many companies also rent storage units to store supplies and equipment, such as those used for a painting and construction company.

Whether the reason for leasing a self-storage space is personal or business-related, here are some tips for maximizing the use of a storage unit:

- Put most used items in the front of the unit for easy access.

- Pack boxes so that they are easy to move and handle.

- Write the contents of the boxes on both top and sides of box for easier finding.

- When stacking boxes, put heavy boxes on the bottom and lighter ones on the top.

- Maximize the space of the unit by disassembling furniture and stacking items strategically.

If you would like to know more about about storage related issues, visit the resource website at:
STORAGE RESOURCES AND INFORMATION

Blavatsky’s Baboon:

The Theosophical Society of Pasadena found this popular book addressing the Western Guru tradition to be entertaining but slanted deceit. They correctly have issue with the author (Peter Washington) who refused to correct or address many errors and omissions even in the second printing. Here is one issue they have.

“ERRORS AND OMISSIONS (sequentially listed):

Pages 34e-35b: “According to Blavatsky’s later description of the Brotherhood, this hierarchy is headed by the Lord of the World, who lives at Shamballa in the Gobi Desert.(11) The Lord of the World came originally from Venus with several helpers and now inhabits the body of a sixteen-year-old boy. In descending order of authority, his helpers are the Buddha, the Mahachohan, Manu and Maitreya. . . .

“Manu’s assistant is Blavatsky’s original visitor, Master Morya, often referred to as Master M or simply M. His special duty in the distribution of cosmic responsibilities is to preside over the qualities of Power and Strength, with particular regard to the guidance of nations. . . .

“Maitreya’s assistant is Master Koot Hoomi . . . whose past incarnations include Pythagoras. . . . He is a cultured fellow, a linguist and musician whose work takes in the supervision of Religion, Education and Art. . . . [etc., etc.]“

Comment: Misinformation; misattribution; evident reliance on secondary or tertiary sources; undocumented (Chapter note 11 is a reference to Shambhala by René Guenon and Marco Pallis). This misleading description is not to be found in Blavatsky’s writings, but may be traced to a divergent tradition which gained prominence among some theosophists many years after Blavatsky’s death in 1891. A careful scholar reasonably conversant with theosophic history and doctrine would not confuse the two. Peter Washington (PW) in fact gives very little description of theosophy as presented by HPB and her teachers, and what he does mention is often inaccurate or out of context (see Note on Page 406 below).” (1)

What Mr. Washington is saying may be factually incorrect in detail but his readers would find the Ascended Master concept fully ridiculous enough that he would not have deemed it necessary to address the Theosophical Society. But is he right not to quibble about what kind of hierarchy the Theosophists and their more ancient traditional roots are developing or saying exists?

In defense of Mr. Washington let me say that the matter of what name the Ascended Master is or who authored it – it does not matter except to a nit-picker addressing some agenda. Clearly the Theosophists do promote these hierarchies and so do many other cults or religions. But Mr. Washington goes too far if he dismisses the potential for people to benefit through contact with such knowledge. Blavatsky and her Akashic do have some real truth albeit heavily manipulated, I think. I most certainly agree with the Theosophical position that Mr. Washington engages in a witch-hunt and brands the whole guru tradition unfairly in that he does not understand the truth of these things being in all religions. But I think the Theosophist agenda is not ecumenical or forthcoming either. However, one thing Blavatsky was right about was the fact that all religions (modern ones called ‘absolute’ by Francis Fukayama who proudly states the social engineers like himself use them as tools) are from the same cadre of elite people – that includes the whole world. Yes, the people on earth have been intermingling, trading and traveling it since long before Hinduism existed.

According to Pricewaterhouse Coopers, investment by institutional venture capitalists in startups grew from less than $3.0 billion at the beginning of the 1990’s to over $106 billion in 2000. Although venture capital volume has retreated significantly since the economic “bubble” years of the late 1990’s, the present volume of around $ 19 billion per year still represents a substantial rate of growth. Venture capitalists will fund more than 2,500 high growth startups in the U.S. this year.

The growth in venture capital investing has given rise to a relatively new and expanding area of equipment leasing known as ‘venture leasing’. Exactly what is venture leasing and what has fueled its growth since the early 1990’s? Why has venture leasing become so attractive to venture capital-backed startups? To find answers, one must look at several important developments that have bolstered the growth of this important equipment leasing segment.

The term venture leasing describes equipment financing provided by equipment leasing firms to pre-profit, early stage companies funded by venture capital investors. These startups, like most growing businesses, need computers, networking equipment, furniture, telephone equipment, and equipment for production and R&D. They rely on outside investor support until they prove their business models or achieve profitability. Fueling the growth in venture leasing is a combination of several factors, including: renewed economic expansion, improvement in the IPO market, abundant entrepreneurial talent, promising new technologies, and government policies favoring venture capital formation.

In this environment, venture investors have formed a sizeable pool of venture capital to launch and support the development of many new technologies and business concepts. Additionally, an array of services is now available to support the development of startups and to promote their growth. CPA firms, banks, attorneys, investment banks, consultants, lessors, and even search firms have committed significant resources to this emerging market segment.

Where does equipment leasing fit into the venture financing mix? The relatively high cost of venture capital versus venture leasing tells the story. Financing new ventures is a high risk proposition. To compensate venture capitalists for this risk, they generally require a sizeable equity stake in the companies they finance. They typically seek investment returns of at least 35% on their investments over five to seven years. Their return is achieved via an IPO or other sale of their equity stake. In comparison, venture lessors seek a return in the 15% – 22% range. These transactions amortize in two to four years and are secured by the underlying equipment.

Although the risk to venture lessors is also high, venture lessors mitigate the risk by having a security interest in the leased equipment and structuring transactions that amortize. Appreciating the obvious cost advantage of venture leasing over venture capital, startup companies have turned to venture leasing as a significant source of funding to support their growth. Additional advantages to the startup of venture leasing include the traditional leasing strong points — conservation of cash for working capital, management of cash flow, flexibility, and serving as a supplement to other available capital.

What makes a ‘good’ venture lease transaction? Venture lessors look at several factors. Two of the main ingredients of a successful new venture are the caliber of its management team and the quality of its venture capital sponsors. In many cases the two groups seem to find one another. A good management team has usually demonstrated prior successes in the field in which the new venture is active. Additionally, they must have experience in the key business functionssales, marketing, R&D, production, engineering, and finance. Although there are many venture capitalists financing new ventures, there can be a significant difference in their abilities, staying power, and resources. The better venture capitalists have successful track records and direct experience with the type of companies they financed.

The best VCs have industry specialization and many are staffed by individuals with direct operating experience within the industries they finance. The amount of capital a venture capitalist allocates to the startup for future rounds is also important. An otherwise good VC group that has exhausted its allocated funding can be problematic.

After determining that the caliber of the management team and venture capitalists is high, a venture lessor looks at the startup’s business model and market potential. It is unrealistic to expect expert evaluation of the technology, market, business model and competitive climate by equipment leasing firms. Many leasing firms rely on experienced and reputable venture capitalists who have evaluated these factors during their ‘due diligence’ process. However, the lessor must still undertake significant independent evaluation. During this evaluation he considers questions such as: Does the business plan make sense? Is the product/ service necessary, who is the targeted customer and how large is the potential market? How are products and services priced and what are the projected revenues? What are the production costs and what are the other projected expenses? Do these projections seem reasonable? How much cash is on hand and how long will it last the startup according to the projections? When will the startup need the next equity round? These, and questions like these, help the lessor determine whether the business plan and model are reasonable

The most basic credit question facing the leasing company considering leasing equipment to a startup is whether there is sufficient cash on hand to support the startup through a significant part of the lease term. If no more venture capital is raised and the venture runs out of cash, the lessor is not likely to collect lease payments. To mitigate this risk, most experienced venture lessors require that the startup have at least nine months or more of cash on hand before proceeding. Usually, startups approved by venture lessors have raised $ 5 million or more in venture capital and have not yet exhausted a healthy portion of this amount.

Where do startups turn to get their leases funded? Part of the infrastructure supporting venture startups is a handful of national leasing companies that specialize in venture lease transactions. These firms have experience in structuring, pricing and documenting transactions, performing due diligence, and working with startup companies through their ups and downs. The better venture lessors respond quickly to lease proposal requests, expedite the credit review process, and work closely with startups to get documents executed and the equipment ordered. Most venture lessors provide leases to startups under lines of credit so that the lessee can schedule multiple takedowns during the year. These lease lines typically range from as little as $200,000 to over $ 5,000,000, depending on the start-up’s need, projected growth and the level of venture capital support.

The better venture lease providers also assist customers, directly or indirectly, in identifying other resources to support their growth. They help the startup acquire equipment at better prices, arrange takeouts of existing equipment, find additional working capital funding, locate temporary CFO’s, and provide introductions to potential strategic partners— these are all value-added services the best venture lessors bring to the table.

What is the outlook for venture leasing? Venture leasing has really come into its own since the early 1990s. With venture investors pouring tens of billion of dollars into startups annually, this market segment has evolved into an attractive one for the equipment leasing industry. The most attractive industries for venture leasing include life sciences, software, telecommunications, information services, medical services and devices, and the Internet. As long as the factors supporting the formation of startups remain favorable, the outlook for venture leasing continues to look promising.

George Parker is a Director and Executive Vice President of Leasing Technologies International, Inc. (“LTI”), responsible for LTI’s marketing and financing efforts. A co-founder of LTI, Mr. Parker has been involved in secured lending and equipment financing for over twenty years. Mr. Parker is an industry leader, frequent panelist and author of several articles pertaining to equipment financing.

Headquartered in Wilton, CT, LTI is a leasing firm specializing nationally in direct equipment financing and vendor leasing programs for emerging growth and later-stage, venture capital backed companies. More information about LTI is available at: http://www.ltileasing.com.

For a food that seems so familiar, most of us know surprisingly little about the real origins and history of chocolate. I counted myself in this group until very recently when I picked up a copy of a book titled ‘The True History of Chocolate”, by Sophie D. Coe and Michael D. Coe. Published in 1996, it’s 268 pages of meticulously researched, fascinating facts and “speculation” about the origin and development of the food we call chocolate.

I wonder how many of us would even recognize a cacao pod if one happened to fall on our head? Of course, such an event is highly unlikely unless one happens to be in a very small number of places in certain regions of the world. The cacao tree simply refuses to grow outside of a very narrow range of latitudes and weather conditions. Another crucial factor in the successful cultivation of the tree is making sure that the right insects are around to pollinate the flowers, a fact that wasn’t known when some early attempts were made to transplant the trees.

As the authors mention, if you hold a cacao pod in one hand and a piece of chocolate in any form in the other, you would never suspect that the one was made from the other. In fact, for nine-tenths of its long history, chocolate was drunk, not eaten. Consumption of solid chocolate by the masses is a relatively recent development. So how did chocolate get from the forests of Central America, where it began as drink for the royal courts of the Maya in the Yucatan Peninsula, to your pantry in the form of a Hershey Bar? Seems like a long trip, doesn’t it? Furthermore, why is chocolate thought of a product of Switzerland? How did the Swiss manage to dominate the chocolate world? Can you think of two more different environments than the jungles of the Yucatan and the Swiss Alps?

The story is more fascinating than you can imagine and involves Columbus, the Conquistadors, the fall of the Aztec Empire, the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution, and last but not least, Milton Snavely Hershey.

When first introduced to Europe, chocolate was only for the nobles, who endlessly debated it nutritional and medicinal properties. In fact, because of the dominance of the Catholic Church, long debates were held as to whether or not chocolate was actually a food and whether, as such, eating it broke the fasting rules in place at the time.

The generally accepted first meeting between Europeans and the cacao bean took place in 1502 when Columbus anchored off the island of Guanaja, north of mainland Honduras. It was his fourth voyage, and he unfortunately died without ever tasting chocolate.

What followed was the Spanish conquest of Central America and the eventual return of cacao to Europe where it did not actually receive rave reviews. But the story is long one, and to get all the details, pick up a copy of the book. It’s a wonderful story, a great history lesson, and may leave you with the desire to sample not just Hershey Bars, but some of the other more “exotic” chocolate products that are available these days.

Note: You may freely publish the above article in any way you wish, as long as the author’s name and links are left intact.

Pete Cullen runs the website http://www.for-chocolate-lovers-only.com

Visit http://www.for-chocolate-lovers-only.com for more info.

Selling your home on your own, without a Realtor, is becoming less and less popular. This is surprising, considering that home values have skyrocketed and commissions have risen along with them.

The money to be saved can be significant enough to attempt to sell your home on your own. Especially when the market has historically low interest rates and high demand in most areas of the country.

To sell your home on your own however, you are missing the most significant marketing tool available to you. The Realtor’s Multiple Lisitngs Service (MLS).

70% of all home buyers start out on the web. So it is crucial for you to be in the MLS. But, the challenge has always been that to be in the MLS you have to sign with a Realtor at 6% of your sales price.

So if your home is worth $399,000. You would spend 6% on your sales commissions. Not to mention your title, escrow and other expenses.

So if you sell your house on your own you can save at least $23,940 ($399,000 x 6%).

But let’s get realistic. Most buyers work with a Realtor.
So you will be spending at least 2% to 3% for the buyers commission.

I say you will be spending because even if the buyer is paying the agent as a buyers broker, that will still reflect a lower offer to that takes into consideration the commission. So you are paying for the commission indirectly-yes?

Additionally, you will find that you will have a much better reach into your marketplace by being in the MLS.

So how do you do this? Well depending on your State you can list your home for a flat fee as low as $500. But, you get listed in the MLS with zero service.

But, you get the reach of all the buyers brokers that subscribe to the MLS and you still save 2% – 3% of the price.

Estate Sale By Owner Listings
List on the MLS for less than $500.

If a visitor comes to your web site looking for information and doesn’t sign up to receive your e-mails, you have missed an opportunity to turn that browser into a customer. This month we will be concentrating on how to build your subscriber list using the tips and techniques below. Increasing your newsletter subscription list with new subscribers will therefore increase your potential new customer database.

More detailed information about how to establish yourself and your business as an expert in your field, including how to set up and maintain an electronic newsletter, can be found in our downloadable guide “Building Online Relationships” which can be found here: http://www.enable-uk.co.uk/html/book_4.html

If you would like help with how to write content for your newsletter, why not read last months article on “Newsletters – Keeping Your Customers Informed” which can be found in our newsletter archives here: http://www.enable-uk.co.uk/html/internet_marketing_newsletter_.html

For more detailed information on how to write an effective sales proposition you need a copy of our guide “Writing Text That Sells” available for download here: http://www.enable-uk.co.uk/html/book_3.html

1. Streamline subscriber registration. Streamline the sign up process by asking for as little information upfront as possible. You can always give customers an incentive to provide more information after they have experienced your newsletter. A simple sign up box that requests only an email address works best as it’s quick and not off putting to potential subscribers who often have the perception that companies are just trying to extract personal information from them.

For a simple sign up process, I would recommend Vertical Response whom we have used for several years to manage our lists. They can be found here: http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=EavljUFQjXk&offerid=52409.10000007&type=1&subid=0

2. Giveaways. Put together a genuinely useful giveaway item that you know your audience wants and needs. For instance, you could give away discount vouchers for your products or services or you could offer a free downloadable report or guide related to the products or services you offer. Downloadable information products like these work very well for most businesses, as once written, delivery costs are minimal. The practical freebie really works for your potential customers too, provided that it is relevant and useful to them.

3. Put a subscribe box on every page of the site. If possible add a simple sign up box in the top left hand corner of every page of your web site, as that’s where the eye naturally travels first. Don’t bury the registration form on a page deep within your site and make it is as obvious and easy as possible for your potential customers to see it and sign up. Don’t forget to mention the giveaway you are offering here too.

4. Advert swaps. Exchange adverts for your newsletter with other newsletter writers and web site owners and run them in each other’s newsletters and on your web sites. Don’t forget to mention those free giveaways! Doing this on a regular basis with a wide selection of web partners will keep your subscription page busy.

5. Cross-registration. Subscribers can also be found by having an advert for my newsletter on the thank you page of a comparable (but not directly competitive) website. This offer is made to subscribers who have just signed up for another newsletter and are therefore deemed ‘in the mood for more.’ Offer a swap with an advert on your sites thank you page, but try not to list no more than one or two other newsletters and make sure they are quality, reliable publications that interest your target market.

Keep the copy brief and simple, i.e.: “If you like our newsletter, you may be interested in one on a similar topic provided by our partner….”

6. Create a bonus product for other web sites to use. Similar to the giveaway point above, why not put together a selection of your previous newsletter articles and package them as a free ebook. Let other web sites give this ebook away as a bonus with sales of their products or services. Make sure you include sensational descriptive copy about your newsletter, and a subscribe link at the end of your ebook.

7. Allow reprints. Allow any newsletter that wants to reprint your articles do so. You can end each article with the line: You may reprint this article in your own magazine or website provided that it is reproduced in its entirety and all links are left intact. You may want to keep track of who is reproducing your newsletter so that you can email them future issues for publication. In this case, simply ask them to email you for permission. Alternatively, you can submit your newsletters to syndication agents and let anyone who wants to use it pick it up from there.

8. Add a registration button or link to all e-mail correspondence. Make sure you add an advert for your newsletter to your email signature. Don’t forget to include it on all responses to enquiries, customer service correspondence, confirmations, and invoices, etc. More broadly, request e-mail addresses at every customer touch point. The aim is to broaden customers’ view of your firm. Integrating e-mail addresses acquired offline may be a manual process, but research shows customer purchases increase with the number of channels used.

9. Include a “forward to a friend” button. Put a forward option on every newsletter. This way your current subscribers, often trusted sources that wouldn’t steer friends wrong, act as your spokespeople.

10. Add a registration box or link to all e-newsletters. Add the box or link to the top and bottom of the newsletter. Although this may sound redundant as the recipient is already receiving your e-mail, consider the pass-along effect.

Building an e-mail list is an ongoing process and the possibilities for expansion are endless. Always try new initiatives to improve results, and if you try even half of these techniques on a regular basis you should find your subscriber rates improve dramatically.

Don’t forget, as your list grows you will find it easier to outsource the management of it. I would recommend Vertical Response whom we have used for several years to manage our lists. Using your browser you can build your opt-in mailing lists, publish your online newsletters and manage your direct email advertising campaigns.

Click the link for a free trail: http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=EavljUFQjXk&offerid=52409.10000007&type=1&subid=0

For a complete guide to marketing on the Internet, including:

The General Principles of Internet Marketing
Start at the Beginning
Writing Text that Sells
Building Online Relationships
Maximising Your Pay Per Click Campaign
Measuring Success

Why not purchase the whole series of downloadable guides for the discounted price of £64.95. Click for more information:
http://www.enable-uk.co.uk/html/promo_ebooks.html

To catch up with previous issues of this newsletter, visit: http://www.enable-uk.co.uk/html/internet_marketing_newsletter_.html

Coming up next month, “How to Write Your Newsletter”.

If you have any questions about any of the topics raised or any other Internet Marketing issues, feel free to email me at Justine@enable-uk.co.uk. I do my best to answer all emails or to cover the issues in future editions of this newsletter.

Justine Curtis
Enable UK
Internet Marketing Information and Resources
Make your web site work smarter!
Web: http://www.enable-uk.co.uk
Email: info@enable-uk.co.uk

Feel free to forward this newsletter provided that it is sent in its entirety with all links intact. To use this newsletter in any other format, please email for permission to Justine@enable-uk.co.uk

Internet Marketing Tips Newsletter is a monthly publication of Enable-UK

Copyright © 2004 Enable-UK

Traveling by train, in itself, is fun. The continuous jostling of the compartments, screeching of train brakes and the loud horns make train traveling a real fun. However you need to take care of certain things while traveling, so that the journey remains hassle-free and fine.

Rail travel is a lengthy journey, so you should try to relax as much as possible. Relaxation does not mean that you simply sleep as board the train or remain quite throughout your journey. It means that you should spend your time comfortably. For this purpose you can bring along a disk man or walk man to listen to your favorite music and enjoy the views via window pane.

If you are traveling alone, you can seek advice from the rail crew. If you are not able to get something or you are not able to understand something, you can definitely ask the well-trained and friendly crew members.

To prevent yourself from getting bored throughout the journey, try interacting with the people around. Try to strike a conversation with them. This way, you can explore them and share your opinion and rail experiences with them. You can even make the other travelers as your friends. Interaction is always good to explore the dimensions of rail travel.

Always carry light luggage, while traveling via railways. You should only carry useful stuff along with you. You can carry a good book, a light blanket, a pillow, bathing items, grooming items, clothes, sunglasses, mineral water, some fruits and snacks.

You should pack comfortable and light clothes, avoid carrying heavy jewelry, but you should carry enough cash to meet all the needs of the trip. Carrying a first aid kit is a must. You should include all the important medicines which you might need during the trip.

You should never leave your luggage on the train or station unguarded. Always keep an eye on your luggage and keep it close to you. If the rail journey is lengthy, you should keep your baggage to the rack securely and put on a small bicycle lock to prevent any possibility of theft or stealing. As far as possible, try to keep your money concealed, don’t flaunt it on the train.

Do your packing in advance. Ideally you should pack your bags one day before your travel. This would give you ample time to think about all the necessary items you need to carry along. So packing should be done ideally a day before you leave. If you plan to pack your bags at the last moment, you would probably end up missing things.

Before you leave your home, always confirm that you have all the necessary things required. You should check the railway ticket, your wallet and other things. You should always check that all your bags and attach© are locked. Double check them and place their keys with you. Always have duplicate keys. The duplicate keys are great relief, incase you lose your original keys.

Following these tips can surely make your rail travel hassle free and comfortable.

Matt Garrett, www.AllArticles.org www.Pop5.net