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Tuesday, February 19, 2008

The Power of EBay Store Newsletters

eBay Stores come with a very powerful feature: store newsletters. When buyers add your store to their favourites, you can offer them the chance to join your mailing list. You can then send highly targeted emails to people who you know were at least interested enough in your products to add the store to their favourites.

How Do I Send Them?

First, you need to get some people to sign up for your newsletter this will happen with time, as people buy from you and browse your store.

Once youve got a few subscribers, its worth sending out a newsletter. To send store newsletters, go to My eBay, click Manage My Store, and then click Email Marketing. Once youve done that, click the Create Email button, and youre away.

All you need to do now is write an email subject and a message, choose any items you want to include in the email, and specify who you want to receive it. The subject and message can be something relatively generic, like here are my latest deals its the targeting thats important, and eBays is powerful. You can choose to only send an email to people whove bought from you in the past, or only to people whove opened your email before.

It is important to note, though, that you can only send one email per week to a mailing list.

The Ups and Downs.

The downside of store newsletters is this: theyre expensive. A basic, $15.95 per month store only comes with 100 emails, while $49.95 comes with 1000. Even the $499.95 anchor store only comes with 4000! Extra emails for all stores cost 1 cent each. Thats $1 per hundred extra emails. If your mailing list has a significant number of people on it, then thatll get really expensive, really fast.

Surprisingly, though, it can often be worth it, despite the cost. Its very rare to send out a newsletter to a mailing list of a hundred and not get at least one sale, and youll often get three or four, even to small lists.

Measure Your Success.

Each time you send an email, eBay produces a report telling you how well that email did. You can view these reports on the Email Marketing page by clicking the subject line of an email you sent.

This report will show how many people received your email, how many opened it, the number of clicks it generated on your items and your store, and the number of bids and Buy it Now purchases that resulted from the email. Some of the numbers might be too low, though, as many people use email software that displays email in plain text format and so stops eBay from collecting statistics. Also, you will notice that youll have more success if you send out emails regularly, as people will start to expect them, and react in a more open way dont expect the Earth from your first email.

By now, youre probably getting pretty good at selling on eBay isnt it nice to have all those satisfied customers? Not to mention the money However well youre doing, though, theres always room for improvement.

Neil Harvey is the webmaster of http://www.justebooks.net/ offering ebooks and a free newsletter with hints and tips to help succeed online.



It's All About The Crust - Why We Love Pizza

Pizza is one of the most popular foods in America today with 93% of Americans eating at least 1 pizza a month. What's the secret behind this Italian specialty and why are Americans so in love with it? According to the experts, a perfect pizza begins with the perfect crust. The best pizza is only as good as its crust and a large number of Americans agree with this. In a recent poll, over 1/3 of Americans believe that the crust is the most important part of the pizza. Whether the pizza is thick or thin, cheese-stuffed or hand-tossed, deep-dish or gourmet, a good crust is the key.

A well-made pizza crust has the perfect combination of flavor and texture. It should never be bland or difficult to chew. Most pizza crusts contain only basic ingredients: water, flour, yeast, shortening, salt and sugar. What magic makes this simple combination so mouthwatering? Starting with the right kind of flour (usually an all-purpose unbleached flour) will help ensure the perfect pizza crust. Yeast that is still active is critical to making the dough rise. Water is the simplest and yet most important ingredient, because it blends the others together into perfect union.

The best pizza dough is smooth and elastic but never too sticky, resulting in an irresistible crust. Some people believe that refrigerating pizza dough gives it a more desirable flavor. Sometimes corn meal is added, especially to deep-dish pizza crust, giving it a yellowish hue. Adding whole wheat or rye flour contributes both flavor and nutrition to the pizza crust. Whole-wheat pizza crusts are becoming more common among health-conscious Americans.

Many people swear by a thin crust, but 40% prefer it crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. The secret to a deliciously thin crust is fresh ingredients; dough rolled no more than 1/4 inch thick and no chance to rise before baking. Traditional New York style pizza (thin crust) is currently the most popular and has a crust so pliable it can fold without splitting. Thin crusts are mixed until smooth and are often hand-tossed. On the other hand, some people prefer thick chewy crusts and this can be achieved with either fresh or chilled dough by simply letting it rise.

Deep-dish pizza or Chicago-style pizza is another popular kind and is made with under-mixed dough that has a cake-like texture. The crust turns out biscuit-like because it is pre-baked before the toppings are added. Cracker-crust pizza is gaining acceptance and is made by under-mixing the dough, allowing it to ferment for a few hours, then sheeting it. Pan-style pizza utilizes thick dough and is cooked in oil, resulting in a light crunchy crust. Cheese-stuffed pizza crusts have unbeatable flavor and texture, while California style (gourmet pizza) relies on a typical thin crust and a variety of specialty toppings.

So what pizza crusts do people like best? The verdict is in and statistics show that thin crusts are by far the most popular. Approximately 61% of Americans prefer a thin crust pizza. Coming in second and tied at 14% are deep-dish crusts and thick crusts. Cheese-stuffed crusts are preferred by 4% of Americans and especially pleasing to children. Whatever the style, the crust is undeniably a major factor in good pizza. Good pizza crusts are essential to tasty pizza and have come a long way from the days when the crust was peeled off and discarded.

William Lockhart is Founder of HomePizzaChef.com. He is also a self proclaimed homemade pizza lover. HomePizzaChef.com delivers pizza recipes to subscribers email box. The slogan on the web site reads, "They'll Get Down On Their Knees And Beg You To Make Another". Visit William at http://www.homepizzachef.com



Dealing with Erectile Dysfunction Problems

Erectile dysfunction medication

Sometimes, however, even a healthy person may have to deal with erectile dysfunction or impotence. Medical drugs specifically targeting your condition can greatly reduce the problem, sometimes all the way to eliminating it. A well chosen erectile dysfunction treatment will improve blood flow in the penile area and increase the working capabilities of the muscles and nerves responsible for the erection. Some dysfunction erectile natural remedy treatments are known to work well, but you may also choose reputable medical drug manufacturers.

Erectile dysfunction and anxiety

The inability to perform normal sexual functions can turn into an advanced depression or anxiety condition. If you are suffering from such a problem, let all your inhibitions aside and search for a solution. You should talk to a specialized doctor and provide him with all the necessary information, even though you might feel uncomfortable doing it. This will, however, increase your chances of finding a fast and effective erectile dysfunction treatment. You also need to realize that male erectile dysfunction problems have been around forever and you are not a singular case.

How to get passed impotence and erectile dysfunctions

The best erectile dysfunction treatment is a combination of psychological and medical elements. There are several erectile dysfunction medication products that offer excellent results and most of them offer a positive experience without having to worry about side effects. Psychological counseling is also important, as a failure can develop into an overrated negative experience, causing continuous erectile dysfunction problems. Male erectile dysfunction is a serious condition, which should not be treated with indifference, but, which also has the potential of a fast end effective cure. Updated impotence and erectile dysfunction information can be found by visiting our website: Erectile Dysfunction Expert

* Depression Treatment Expert
* Platinum Design Free graphic and web design resources



Complimenting Your Marketing Budget-Using Other Avenues of Public Relations To Promote Your Company

Many companies face the same questions regarding how to positively market their business within a reasonable budget. Costs of marketing continue to increase and, as they do decisions are being made on what are the most effective methods of advertising and where you will get the best bang for your buck. One tool that many companies miss is the use of public relations avenues that cost little to nothing to promote their businesses and services. Most of these programs take mostly time and very few dollars. One of the most valuable advantages of positive PR is that often it is a third party promoting the company. When a third party promotes the company and its services the impact is more effective to the public. Another advantage is that an article written about a company can be 5 to 10 times more effective than an advertisement.

One of the easiest ways to reach the public is the use of press releases. Press releases can inform the public on a wide variety of topics. These can include company promotions, appointments to positions, company involvement in charitable contributions and sponsorships, and other notable accomplishments or benchmarks. You can find out how to create press releases via the internet and by comparing press releases used by other companies and media outlets. Make sure that all your company information is included to insure optimal exposure. Once the press release is completed you should e-mail or fax to media outlets. This information can be found on websites of television stations, newspapers, magazines, and other publications. Often these releases will be picked up by multiple outlets that reach potential customers. When positive PR reaches the public about your company the exposure you receive is hard to measure. One company in Southern New Jersey participated in a Clean Across America Campaign for the Power Washers of North America (PWNA) that cleaned the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. Prior to the event media outlets were contacted and television stations showed up to cover the task. That was not the end of it, the newspaper reporters showed up for interviews of the participating companies. The local newspaper carried a feature story of the company in their own backyard. The calls and response this company received would have cost thousands and thousands of dollars for the paid advertisements in the same outlets. The fact that in each case it was a third party reporting the event is more effective than paid advertisements because of the appearance of being less self serving and more like an endorsement. The next item that can happen from this exposure is instant credibility for your company. You now are viewed as a leader or even an expert in your area. Again, it is hard to measure this type of positive PR

Donating services for certain causes and efforts can not only be beneficial to your marketing campaign but be personally rewarding. A common way many companies perform these services is through churches and local community groups. These groups take on any projects that rely on volunteer efforts. These efforts cost only time and the result is a long lasting impact in community PR and support. These projects can range from a community clean up day to contractor services donated to needy families in a community. The perception is that your company shows integrity and cares about the local community. These activities set your company apart from others as leaders in your particular industry. There are also opportunities to take some pictures to use in your company portfolio. This participation can also be promoted when you go to bid a job. When a potential customer is viewing your photo album or website and sees these examples it will again give you a leg up on the competition in perceived perception.

Another way is to be creative like one restaurant company did. They had a country western theme with a famous singer attached to the concept so they cooked up some meals and delivered them to the local country western radio station. Now the company and their products were broadcast to the masses for nothing more than time and effort. For anyone who has bought airtime on the radio realizes the cost of this form of advertisement. Many companies donate efforts during the holidays through donated meals, gift and food collections, and many other low cost creative efforts that get media attention. It is not uncommon to hear stories where a company promoted itself by thinking out of the box and being creative. When these efforts reach the media it will make your phones ring.

Many of us have an expertise or an idea that would be of interest to others. Put these ideas in writing and create articles for stories to be submitted to newspapers, magazines, or internet sources. These will help to further establish you has a leader and expert in your field. One printed story in a newspaper is worth many times more than a paid advertisement in the same newspaper. A copy of this article should be saved and incorporated in your company portfolio and promotions.

These efforts are mostly time consuming and cost little in actual dollars. We do not want to forget that time is money but, when there is opportunity explore some of these options. Do not be discouraged if your first press release is not picked up. Continue these efforts as they usually score eventual results that impact you and your company in a more rewarding fashion than actual spent dollars on other marketing campaigns.

Everett Abrams is on the Executive Board of Directors of the Power Washers of North America (PWNA) as President-Elect, Instructor for the Wood Certification Class of the PWNA, and co-author of the "Exterior Wood Restoration" manual that is used to teach professionals across the country. Everett also participates on the Joint Coatings Committee of the Forest Products Laboratory. Everett Abrams is also President of Deck Restoration Plus, a franchise company that specializes in wood restoration.



Olive Leaf Extract - Your Body Will Thank You!

Natural ingredients, such as olive leaf extract, are very beneficial to the human body. Every day scientists and researchers are discovering reasons why you should choose to use olive leaf extract daily as a preventative measure, and as an active measure to cure illness. Olive leaf extract can be used to prevent illness and help aid in illness you may already have been diagnosed with.

Why Should I Use the Olive Leaf Extract?

The benefits of the olive leaf and its extract have been studied for many years. In fact, the ancient Egyptians used extract in their mummification and preservation rituals. The olive tree, its branch, leaf, and extract are often referenced throughout the Bible.

Extract Is:

Did you know the first substance to be extracted from the olive is called oleuropein? It was discovered in 1843. Oleuropein is described as a bitter substance found throughout the entire olive tree. This extract is a part of the olive tree that makes it durable. This olive leaf extract is also extremely resistant to bacteria and insects. Olive leaf extract went through extensive laboratory experimentation and was found to be a safe, non-toxic substance. Olive leaf extract was immediately found to be helpful in fighting viruses. Different pharmaceutical companies and scientists used a variety of compounds and measurement compositions of the olive leaf extract in tests. The extract is a true anti-viral substance because it appears to selectively block an entire virus-specific system in the infected hose. It thus appears to offer healing affects not addressed by pharmaceutical antibiotics (James R. Priviteria, M.D.).

It's Beneficial!

As a supplement, olive leaf extract, was first used by health care professionals in the 1990s. The following is a brief list of illnesses olive leaf extract benefits.

HIV/ARC/AIDS

Hepatitis

Chronic fatigue

Urinary tract infections

Shingles

Blood poisoning

Diarrhea

Common cold

Pneumonia

And more!

You can find a wide array of books, holistic practitioners, and other online resources for the olive leaf for you to utilize in your lifestyle change.

Margarette Tustle writes tips for family and the home. Enjoy more olive resources at lolives.com