Vol. 2, Issue 4

Increasing Business Through Print Media And The Internet

CONTENTS

NEWdezins

Article 1: Starting Small Business Promotional Campaigns

dezinNEWS

Article 2: Sticky Sites Rule The Internet BONUS ARTICLE 10 Ways To Recognize Fake Emails

dezinNOTES

dezinLOUNGE

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Starting Small Business Promotional Campaigns So you're starting a small business. You figured out what you wanted to sell or do and went out and got it all set up, had your DBA framed and on the wall and now all you need is for someone to buy your product or use your service. Right? How are you going to go about getting your public to know you even exist? Promote! Promote! Promote! Well that all sounds simple, but say you're a financial specialist, a boat builder or llama farmer. They probably didn't teach the basic principles of starting small business promotional campaigns in boat-builders' school. So what do you need to know, and how do you go about it? Let's start with the "Basic Principles" of promotion: What is Promotion? Promotion is making something known and well thought of. Why do you promote? The purpose of promotion is to bring in more business than the worst of your mistakes and the weakest points of your organization can drive away. Always try to bring in as much business as you can, and you will always win. Never allow yours or other people's objections like "our shipping department just isn't fast enough" or "the box supplies are getting low", to slow you down. Just keep everyone so busy that they won't even have time to worry about it. How do you promote? There are more ways than you would ever think. Have you ever heard someone say, "I never promote and I am always busy" OR "I don't have to promote, all my business comes from word-of-mouth"? They may not be aware of how they're doing it, but I promise you they are promoting somewhere. Maybe they just go around telling everyone they talk to, that they don't promote. (Sound funny? It's still promoting.) Maybe their larger-than-life running water faucet in front of their store attracts so much attention that they don't need to do anything else. Well here are some ideas you can do "knowingly" to drive in the business. Greeting your customers with a smile is a great place to start. Calling your customers after they have had a chance to use your product is a good way to promote that you care about their experience with your organization. It can also create an opportunity to make more sales. A neatly packaged product, the shipping label on straight, promotes that you take pride in what you do. Always keep up-to-date brochures or catalogs about your business in your reception area for people to see and take with them. If you have customers coming into your business, make sure they are greeted pleasantly, professionally, and immediately. By Joy Gendusa All rights reserved. www.smallbusinessnews.com Joy Gendusa founded PostcardMania in 1998, her only assets a computer and a phone. By 2004 the company did $9 million in sales and employed over 60 people. She attributes her explosive growth to her ability to choose incredible staff and her innate marketing savvy. As an Expert Author, she is always willing to share her marketing advice through articles, interviews and speaking engagements; visit www.postcardmania.com

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BACK TO SCHOOL WITH THE “GATOR” You’re invited to a back to school bash where the ‘largest toothpick sculptured alligator’ will be on display. Parents bring your K-5th graders to take pictures with the Gator, play games and participate in other hands-on activities. This is a community event and everyone is welcome. There’ll be motivational speakers, free school supplies, food and drinks. For more information about attending the event, participating in the event or sponsorship opportunities, please call 225-937-1761 or email vwm12257@aol.com. This event will take place Sunday, July 31, 2005 at the West Baton Rouge Community Center located at 899 S. Jefferson Avenue in Port Allen at 2:00 PM.

CHILDREN'S SUMMER ART CLASSES at Purple Turtle Studio More information and class schedule at www.purpleturtlestudio.com or email them at purpleturtle@eatel.net








NEW ADDRESS FOR FASHION You're all familiar with the hot new impact that Debbie Traylor is having at Debbie's Bridal - A Formal Affair. We'll don't miss a single design by visiting them at their new address... www.debbiesbridal.net





IT'S TIME TO PARTY and the selection of fun choices gets larger and larger at Party Time. With an expanded selection of bouncers, slides, water fun and interactive games, they've made choosing your fun a bit more of a challenge with all the choices that are available. See for yourself at www.partytimebr.com.

GOT TUMBLERS? We'll they have them at Starlite Espresso Cafe. Stop by either the Gonzales or Baton Rouge location to get your reusable coffee tumbler today. Complete with custom designed insert. Join their mailing list and be notified when new tumbler inserts are ready... because guess what? The inserts are removable. Leave it to Starlite to be Earth conscious and cool!



EXPANDED PORTRAIT STUDIO In order to serve you better, Studio S Portraits is proud and excited to announce their new, expanded studio located at 13086 Bluff Road in Geismar. They are now located off of Highway 74 and just 8 miles from Highland Road. Get directions at www.studiosportraits.com.



A NEW DAY FOR SUNSHINE The Sunshine Festival dates have changed from the first full weekend in November to the first full weekend in October. Spread the word! Dates for this year's festival are Sept. 30 - Oct 2.

VOTE FOR ASCENSION'S OWN CORRINE ZARAZUA-GRADINE Corrine has entered a National Duct Tape Contest where contestants made clothing out of duct tape. The winning couple will win a $5,000 college scholarship. Simply logon to www.ducktape.com, click on the "Stuck At Prom Icon", click on "2005 Entries" and Corrine is entry# 3339!

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Sticky Sites Rule The Internet

Read through the hundreds of forums and bulletin boards on the internet and you will find dozens of threads centering on the lack of web site traffïc. All the other remaining threads bemoan the difficulty of getting visitors to return long enough to buy something. Then there are the threads about the complexity of getting listed and ranked well in important search engines.

All of these dilemmas have the same cure - CONTENT. Content that is pertinent to the subject of a website and updated regularly makes a site "sticky." Sticky sites drive and keep occupied all the visitors you could possibly handle. Search engines drink from the fountain of fresh and interesting content provided by savvy webmasters who enjoy increased rankings and sales.

You too can enjoy these benefits with just a little effort and a small budget if you create or find content appropriate to your topic. Add some or all of the following types of content to your site and your traffïc will increase and visitors will return often.

Please remember that you need permission to use content created by someone else and at all times follow the rules of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998.

The internet was conceived as a method of sharing information with people around the world. If we all return to these roots by filling our websites with topic appropriate content then we will be rewarded by search engines. Forums complaining about the lack of website traffïc will disappear and be replaced by recommendations of interesting websites to visit.

By Bonnie Jo Davis
http://www.sitepronews.com

10 Ways To Recognize Fake (Spoof) Emails This article was sent out by PayPal and has some valuable information on recognizing unsafe emails and the information can pertain to emails not necessarily related to PayPal so read carefully. Generic greetings. Many spoof emails begin with a general greeting, such as: "Dear PayPal member." If you do not see your first and last name, be suspicious and do not click on any links or button. A fake sender's address. A spoof email may include a forged email address in the "From" field. This field is easily altered. A false sense of urgency. Many spoof emails try to deceive you with the threat that your account is in jeopardy if you don't update it ASAP. They may also state that an unauthorized transaction has recently occurred on your account, or claim PayPal is updating its accounts and needs information fast. Fake links. Always check where a link is going before you click. Move your mouse over it and look at the URL in your browser or email status bar. A fraudulent link is dangerous. If you click on one, it could: Direct you to a spoof website that tries to collect your personal data. Install spyware on your system. Spyware is an application that can enable a hacker to monitor your actions and steal any passwords or credit card numbers you type online. Cause you to download a virus that could disable your computer. Emails that appear to be websites. Some emails will look like a website in order to get you to enter personal information. PayPal never asks for personal information in an email. Deceptive URLs. Only enter your PayPal password on PayPal pages. These begin with https://www.paypal.com/ If you see an @ sign in the middle of a URL, there's a good chance this is a spoof. Legitimate companies use a domain name (e.g. https://www.company.com). Even if a URL contains the word "PayPal," it may not be a PayPal site. Examples of deceptive URLs include: www.paypalsecure.com, www.paypa1.com, www.secure-paypal.com, and www.paypalnet.com. Always log in to PayPal by opening a new web browser and typing in the following: https://www.paypal.com/ Never log in to PayPal from a link in an email Misspellings and bad grammar. Spoof emails often contain misspellings, incorrect grammar, missing words, and gaps in logic. Mistakes also help fraudsters avoid spam filters. Unsafe sites. The term "https" should always precede any website address where you enter personal information. The "s" stands for secure. If you don't see "https," you're not in a secure web session, and you should not enter data. Pop-up boxes. PayPal will never use a pop-up box in an email as pop-ups are not secure. Attachments. Like fake links, attachments are frequently used in spoof emails and are dangerous. Never click on an attachment. It could cause you to download spyware or a virus. PayPal will never email you an attachment or a software update to install on your computer.

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2005 RACIAL JUSTICE AWARD It is my distinct and honored pleasure to congratulate my friend, Maxine Crump, on her recent award for the 2005 Racial Justice Award given by the Baton Rouge YWCA. Because of her life-long dedication to racial justice, she was given this award in May 2005. As my personal friend, I’ve always known of Maxine’s ability to impact those around her. But not until after attending this award breakfast did I truly get the full meaning of a life of dedication. Among her noted accomplishments, Maxine served as President of the Board of Directors for four terms for the YWCA whose mission is to empower women and eliminate racism. Maxine was the first African American female to live on the campus of LSU. Maxine was the first African American female anchor on Baton Rouge’s oldest television station, WAFB. In 1992, Maxine was called by the Baton Rouge Mayor’s Office and asked to help create Baton Rouge’s first town meeting on racism, called “What Color is Community: Baton Rouge Talks About Race.” Maxine’s commitment to ending racism has continued as she is now a professional trainer and continuing volunteer facilitator of Dialogue on Race, a program she led in developing for the YWCA. Dialogue on Race is a YWCA initiative, which transforms community members in their understanding of institutional racism by participation in a 6-week course that empowers its participants to understand and change institutional racism in our community. Maxine, I am truly honored and blessed to know you, to share friendship with you and to be on this path with you. Congratulations from the bottom of my heart.


PROTECT YOUR FREEDOMS If you are interested in monitoring the actions of our government and voicing your opinion to those that can make a difference... your elected officials, then The Action Network is for you. All you have to do is sign-up. You will receive notices via email relating to actions taken by our senators and representatives. You then have the CHOICE to decide what you want to do. This is not a Democratic thing or a Republican thing... it is a Freedom thing. Sign-up today!


REFERRALS EARN CASH In appreciation for web referrals, Dezins is now offering a cash thank you for those who refer us and whose referrals end in signed contracts. Just think of it... cash rewards with no interest.








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RESIGNATION

I am hereby officially tendering my resignation as an adult. I have decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of an 8 year-old again.

I want to go to McDonald's and think that it's a four star restaurant.

I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle and make a sidewalk with rocks.

I want to think M&Msare better than money because you can eat them.

I want to lie under a big oak tree and run a lemonade stand with my friends on a hotsummer's day.

I want to return to a time when life was simple, when all you knew were colors, multiplication tables, and nursery rhymes,but that didn't bother you, because you didn't know what you didn't know and you didn't care. All you knew was to be happy because you were blissfully unaware of all the things that should make you worried or upset.

I want to think the world is fair.

That everyone is honest and good.

I want to believe that anything is possible.

I want to be oblivious to the complexities of life and be overly excited by the little things again.

I want to live simple again.

I don't want my day to consist of computer crashes,mountains of paperwork, depressing news, how to survive more days in the month than there is money in the bank, doctor bills, gossip, illness, and loss of loved ones.

I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth, justice, peace, dreams, the imagination, mankind, and making angels in the snow.

So . . . here's my checkbook and my car keys, my credit card bills and my 401K statements. I am officially resigning from adulthood.

And if you want to discuss this further, you'll have to catch me first, cause........

....."Tag! You're it."

Thanks to Maxine Crump for this submission.

dezinSOURCE is a dezins publication - 2005 All Rights Reserved