It’s finally time to throw away your business cards and marketing materials and print new ones with QR or EZ codes on them. 2011 will be the age of the code as it is already sweeping through various industries it is only a matter of time before it becomes common knowledge and losses its marketing power.
A few years ago I received an interesting business card from a friend with a strange bar-code symbol on it. Curious about the design I asked my Japanese friend what the strange bar-code symbol translated in English meant. He laughed and said that is not a Japanese character or sentence it is actually a bar-code with all my contact information on it which my friends and business partners can scan into there phones. I was really surprised and he then took out his mobile phone and scanned the business card to demonstrate how it worked. It was incredibly fast and easy to scan and his contact information appeared instantly. I remember holding onto that business card with fascination. I even went around and showed it to everyone whom I came across as if I just found the secret mobile marketing technology.
Needless to say I was impressed and did some researched about QR Codes at that time, but In America we are always behind the curve in terms of brand new technology, so I left my fascination aside and didn’t implement the QR codes in my marketing. The United States wasn’t ready to implement the new technology and it wasn’t as easy to create and read the QR codes as it is today.
The time has come where the United States is implementing the technology and is doing it in a big way. I will assure you 2011 will be the year of QR and EZ Codes. If you don’t have one for your marketing you need to get one and start promoting it right away. The truth is you’re already late to the party, so get on before we move to the more desirable EZ codes. Actually I suggest you consider using EZ codes from ScanLife even though it comes with a price. If you have the budget and want to track your EZ code scans than ScanLife is the way to go. Imagine being able to track direct mail campaigns making it easier for consumers to take action instantly. As the technology improves one can only imagine the possibilities and opportunities.
Mobile marketing is the future in business and Internet mobile marketing will be the main platform. Even though we are a few years behind the eastern world we can still benefit in the marketing world as consumers become aware of this new mobile convenience. Everyone has their IPhones, Droids, and BlackBerrys and with a simple scan your business and contact information is instantly in this constant contact device. Implement this early and you could reap the rewards as a entrepreneur or business owner simply from the fascination factor as the rest of America becomes aware of these bar-codes know as QR codes or quick response codes.
A Few QR Code Generators: A little caveat here make sure you do your own research when selecting a generator because there are more and more generators popping up everyday, so you might find a gem I haven’t come across.
Kaywa: Probably the most popular right now and really simple to use. It only takes 5 seconds to create just lacks the tracking capabilities the trade off is it is simple and free.
ScanLife: I truly believe this is the best QR; EZ Code Generator on the market and the reason is simple Analytics. Using the EZ code from ScanLife provides the business owner with essential data. In Marketing you make decisions based off of the data well at least you should if your not we need to talk:) ScanLife has a 7-day free trial, which you simply need to put your contact information in to start testing. If you like it and feel it is worth the monthly fee then you select a plan, which is right for your marketing.
ZXing Project: Another simple and easy to use QR Generator the infrastructure of this one uses Google API Charts to create the code.
Readers for your Smartphone: There are a number of choices when it comes to QR code readers and more are being added everyday. As always do proper research before purchasing or using to ensure it is compatible with your phone model.
IPhone: Quick Mark $99; NeoReader(Free); QR Reader (Free); Google Goggles Free and works for IPhone. Search the App store on the IPhone for others.
Android Platform: Barcode Scanner (Free);Quick Mark for Android (Free); Google Goggles works for Android.
Blackberry: ScanLife Barcode Reader (Free); QR Code Scanner Pro (Free); NeoReader (Free)
Browser QR Code Extensions:
Google Chrome Extension: QR Code Generator Extension generates a QR Code from the current page, link or selected text through a quick and easy right-click menu.
Firefox Extension: QRLink Maker
QR Code (2D barcode) generator extension for quick data-to-smartphone transfer! Supports links, images & text selection codes
Internet Explorer: None I could find sorry about that IE users, but seriously if you are still using IE we need to talk.
If you have ever worked in an organization before, you know as well as I do that working in teams can be a real pain in the butt. Disagreements, lack of communication and sometimes lack of ownership causes people to slack when the projects are due. This often leaves people disappointed and dejected. Sometimes, it even creates animosity and arguments that stay for longer than the darned project itself.
To create an effective team, there are several key elements that are required. I’ll cover them in turn and explain how nlp can be used in that context.
Team Building Tip #1 – Have strong leadership.
Most teams fail because there is a lack of buy in of team members to a single leader who sets the direction and vision of the organization, no matter whether it is a big or small one. It’s very common in my leadership training to see actual leaders abdicate responsibility to other members, causing them to fail miserably in the games we play there.
Why? Well it’s a question of competence. A strong team leader is able to inspire, motivate and set a direction. Without these elements a team is doomed for failure from the start. As a leader, you can use NLP by guiding them to hear what you have to say more clearly. Communication models in NLP enable a leader to communicate at multiple levels to different people at the same time, thereby increasing your ability to influence more effectively.
Team Building Tip #2 – Establish A Common Language
In the team development process, you will also find out that the beginning stages tend to be a little trying because you are in the process of establishing set protocols and communication. At this point of time, the team will need to be in rapport.
Create experiences. Build common knowledge through those experiences and that will encourage members to hang on and contribute because they are now no longer individuals but members of a team with a larger goal at hand. It’s about communicating and understanding each others’ individual differences early, rather than waiting until the critical moments in a project. In NLP, common language comes also from understanding their communication types. Do they prefer visual, auditory or kinesthetic communication processes? You can go even further in NLP to explore other communication strategies such as meta programs and TOTE strategies to create more power in your leadership approach.
Team Building Tip #3 – Connect With The Vision
I think everyone needs a higher cause to make them feel great about contributing. There’s no sense in contributing to something that you deem to be a waste of time. If this happens, its important to revisit the goals and vision because that’s what brought the team together in the first place. This is about being able to pain “high chunk” or abstract elements in the minds of your team members that connect with what is important to them – their values. In NLP, values form a significant pillar for communication. That’s because values sets are what drives and motivates people!
As you continue on your path to being an effective leader, always remember that NLP is a powerful application and should be learned by any leader who wishes to continue to climb to higher positions and better results in their organization.
It should be common knowledge for most advertisers on the net that they should not use any of the three advertising tricks of bad pop-ups, spamming or tons of sneaky ads that disable a computer screen. However, many advertisers do not take this advice. People that you are targeting with advertisements can get very annoyed, and even downright angry if you try these antics. Also, consider the financial cost if you are thinking about employing these tactics. In the end, it is not worth the headache and risk. Read on about why these forms of advertising will not work.
A good, well thought-out internet marketing approach it the best way to promote your business. Do not think for one second that you will gain customers by using spam. Sending out bulk emails taken from a spam list and then trying to forge where the email is sent from is tacky and deceitful. There are many state laws against spamming and people can take it very seriously. They take it so seriously, in fact, that some advertisers went to court and the courts forced the spammers to pay hefty fines. Shutting down someone’s email is not the way to gain business. Talk does fly at Internet speed, and your reputation will go down the tubes as word spreads about your annoying advertising.
The use of spamming software is very sophisticated today. If you want to take a chance with it, it would not be a very good idea though. The likelihood that you will even get a few good customers out of it is almost nonexistent. People enjoy your asking them to join your network or buy your product in a legitimate way. Financially opening up to involving a third party is certainly asking for trouble. By using some else’s email and causing a lot of heartache for them will open complex issues for you.
The next form of advertising that will turn off a customer in a heartbeat is pop-ups. Today, there is not only the traditional pop-up but pop-under too. A barrage of pop-ups or quick pop-ups from under the screen will leave your customer insulted and pissed. It does not matter how good your product is – do not do it. In addition, a new marketing software technique slides pop-ups across the customer’s screen. This might sound non-intrusive, but think about this: What if they are in the middle of reading some information about your site? That is not helpful to your cause. It can be especially bad if they were about to click on the order button. Lost profits are never good for your wallet. If you are going to use pop-ups – and I hope you don’t – learn the software, and more importantly learn a bit about the human psychology of advertising. Look around for information on how and why people buy on the Internet, and apply that to your advertising and marketing campaign use.
Not only are spam emails, pop-ups and pop-under ads bad marketing techniques to use, but the tactic of high speed spawning is hideous and more than irritating to your potential customer. If you have ever thought about using it on a customer and have experienced it yourself, then go back and experience it again. You may have forgotten what it was like, although that is hard to see how you could forget it. A vicious attack on your customer’s browser button will not let the customer leave your site. Worse yet, they are forced to do an emergency shut down of their computer. Let us hope they have saved all information they were working on because ad after ad will over take their screen. Please do not use this junk to try to increase your profits.
I hope that you will avoid using any of these three tactics in your marketing campaign. Using them will not bring the money in at a faster rate; in fact, just the opposite will occur. Take the time to use good marketing strategies. Learn what people appreciate in the way of business practices. Also, use manners and courtesy along with a little shrewdness in your marketing strategy. There are many ways to do it. By exercising patience and learning your way around the Internet, you can bring in many very happy customers and a lot of money for you.
You want to meet Nigerian girls online. This is a great idea. Nigerian girls are regarded as one of the most beautiful nationalities. You need only watch the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant to see why this is the case. Now, on top of their beauty, it is also common knowledge that Nigerian females are loving and faithful. One last factor makes them practically perfect girls for you to meet.
These women come from a poor country. The standard of living in the Federal Republic of Nigeria is low and per capita income is a meager $1,401. What this means is that many women in Nigeria are in search of “good men” in other countries for serious relationships. This is all good news and I am sure you already know most of it. The big question, though: how do “you” find them on the internet, chat to them, and email them?
You must, please, avoid expensive Nigerian dating sites and bride sites. These are, on the whole, full of fake profiles and their prices are very high. What I suggest you do is find a free dating community. Nigerian girls join these sites in order to find men like yourself. What you must do is join a reputable site and make a nice profile with a photograph of your face. Nigerian women prefer men who are good providers.
Write, in your profile, about your work or what you did for work (if you are now retired). What you then do is use the site search engine to select women seeking men in Nigeria. You will usually find several thousand girls online at any one time. You can now choose if you want to email them or send them an instant chat message.
Perhaps you may have already heard already that synthetic, or man made diamonds are now being produced and you may have wondered what they are being used for. Maybe jewelry? The simple answer to that question, is “not at all”. Rather, they are now being used to manufacture diamond blades in the construction industry.
So then what actually is a diamond blade, and how does it cut? For instance, it’s pretty much common knowledge that they can cut stone and cement, but what else can they cut? Perhaps metal? The fact is that these types of specialty cutting tools can cut pretty much any type of stone, or concrete but they can’t cut metal.
It’s not that the diamonds themselves aren’t hard enough to cut metal, it’s just that that the actual metal binding agent that holds them to the blade will be quickly degraded by trying to cut metal.
In fact the biggest enemy of diamond blades in the construction industry is heat, and this is why most diamond cutting tools use water to cool them as they cut.
These cutting tools come in several grades, and in a wide range of prices as well, so you can find larger blades for commercial jobs that carry price tags of 0 and up. Yet at the same time if you check the tool isle down at your local hardware store, chances are that they’re carrying smaller personal sized blades for that fit on a circular saw just like a standard saw blade.
These smaller blades are the perfect choice for cutting things like roof tiles, or nipping off a small flaw in a concrete job that didn’t get noticed until after the cement cured. Also don’t forget to pick up a nice set of safety goggles, and heavy duty dust mask because these cutting implements do throw off a good deal of dust.
Polished stone and granite counter tops have become the #1 choice for homes and businesses today, yet have you ever stopped to wonder how the massive slices of stone are cut away from a giant block? You guessed it.
They use a special type of diamond cutting tool that you would really have to see in operation to be fully appreciated.
It’s long, thin, hardened steel cable that’s embedded with commercial grade diamonds that’s used, and it’s often as long as ¼ mile or more. Typically it’s strung on wheels overhead at a quarry and powered by a small motor and this cable is simply set on top of a marble, or granite block, and gradually works its way through while it’s continually cooled with water.
Then perhaps at some point you may have seen workers cutting a thin trench in a street or sidewalk to install a cable, or some other type of utility. Once again it was diamond blades in the construction industry performing a necessary task, only this time it was attached to a petrol powered machine on wheels that’s pushed along as the cutting progresses.