The Marketers’ Senate

Christmas is coming - A time for decorations, songs, over-eating, gift giving, visiting the family, consumer spending and the increasing of personal debts. Bah humbug.

While most people see Christmas as a joyful period there are many who see it as a time of financial worry as they cannot afford to buy presents for everyone. For these people it is often the doorstep lenders who will be getting fatter rather than them and their family. The temptation is to simply put the expenses on the credit card or take out a loan to be paid back on the never-never. Unfortunately this can lead to disastrous results in the long-term, as the recent increase in the number of repossession order applications are testimony.

There are a few simple rules can help to prevent a post festive period financial hangover though.

Firstly, don’t ignore the problem. The longer you leave a debt problem, the worse it will become.

If things seem desperate then contacting a free organisation such as National Debtline (0808 808 4000) can help by giving debt advice over the phone, or by providing booklets and fact sheets, as well as helping to set up personalised debt management plans.

Next, maximise incomings and minimise outgoing expenditures. Look out for anywhere costs can be reduced. Online retailers don’t have to pay for expensive premises, and so buying presents online rather than in the shops is often a great money saver. Be alert for shop sales and make the most of them.

If you already have debts, then you need to be wary of borrowing more money without some serious consideration and qualified professional independent financial advice.

Taking out a low rate secured loan to cover previously unsecured debt may seem like a sensible idea, however, should you fail to meet the payments you could lose your house. If you have unsecured loans, your home may not be safe either. Debt counselling charities have recently become increasingly alarmed regarding a growing trend by some of the high street lenders to issue “charging orders” on borrowers’ homes in order to recover bad debts. This means that by going through the courts, the lender can change an unsecured loan agreement converting the debt to be secured on the borrower’s house, whilst still charging unsecured interest rates. A consolidation loan may seem sensible; however this will mean borrowing more money, over a longer period this will mean more interest to pay in the long run.

If you decide to take out a loan, then you need to ensure that you are getting the best rate that is available. The big banks like Barclays ( http://www.barclays.co.uk/loans-index/ ) have online facilities showing their current rates , and other online finance companies such as Moneynet ( http://www.moneynet.co.uk/loans/index.shtml ) provide free facilities to compare rates for hundreds of secured loans, unsecured loans and even adverse loans.
Never use a doorstep lender no matter how desperate things seem. Radio 4’s Money Box recently highlighted the plight of people in Southampton where the typical doorstep lender’s APR was a massive 177%. For people on low incomes trying to regain control of their finances, this will lead to further problems and cause existing debt to spiral out of all control. Recent initiatives for people who have had problems getting affordable credit, known as Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs), have started springing up around the country. These are funded by a collaboration of public and private money including some of the major banks, and specialise in providing personal adverse loans and small business loans to people who have previously been turned down by the banks. CDFIs usually charge an annual interest rate of up 24%, which is higher than many standard non-adverse high street loans due to the increased levels of risk and additional advice involved with this kind of lending but it is also much lower than the unregulated alternatives.

When you look at paying off existing debts, you need to decide which are the most important and deal with your priority debts first. Ensure mortgage and rent bills are covered first, next pay off essential utility bills and council tax, before trying to pay off any unsecured loans.

As well as reducing any monetary outgoings, it is also important to ensure that you are getting all the incoming money that you are due. Checking with the local Citizens Advice can be useful for help on debt, benefit, housing, legal, discrimination, employment, immigration and consumer issues. They will be able to advise you on most areas of concern, including whether there are any government payments to which you could be entitled.

Debt problems can seem insurmountable at the best of times, but over the Christmas period it can become completely overwhelming. Start by maximising your incomings, minimising your outgoings, and careful budgeting and purchasing. Ensure you are getting the best loan rates through free online information comparison at sites like Moneynet, and speak to free independent advice services like National Debtline and Citizens Advice; it is possible to retake control of your finances and have a happy Christmas.

Disclaimer:
All information contained in this article, is for general information purposes only and should not be construed as advice under the Financial Services Act 1986.

You are strongly advised to take appropriate professional and legal advice before entering into any binding contracts.

Useful resources:
Moneynet loan comparisons ( http://www.moneynet.co.uk/loans/index.shtml )
Barclays loans ( http://www.barclays.co.uk/loans-index/ )

Richard lives in Edinburgh, occasionally writing for the personal finance blog Cashzilla ( cashzilla.blogspot.com/ ), and listens to music no one else likes.

In the first year of your baby’s life, you will be visiting your pediatrician about every other month, for well check ups and immunizations. Here’s a rundown of how those visits go, and approximately how often you’ll need to visit.

Two week visit
Some doctors schedule a visit earlier than two weeks, but most pediatricians begin at the two week mark. Your baby’s weight, length and head circumference will be measured, and you can expect this at every well baby checkup during this first year. They will also do a general exam and check the baby’s fontanel. One thing the doctor particularly interested in at this checkup is baby’s weight gain. Your baby will typically lose some weight right after birth, so at this checkup the doctor will want to ensure that baby is gaining back the lost weight. They will also ask about eating habits, how often the baby is producing wet and dirty diapers, and about how the baby is sleeping.

One month visit
This visit will be largely the same as the previous visit, focusing on baby’s development, and on yours and baby’s adjustment at home.

Two month visit
Baby will be checked again, and immunizations will usually start at the two month mark. The first dose of the DPT - (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) vaccine is usually administered at this visit. For more information about when immunizations are administered, see the chapter on this subject.

From this point on, you can expect well baby visits every other month, until your baby is a year old. There will routine physical exams, and questions about your baby’s development. For the first year of life, the baby will receive immunizations at nearly every visit. These visits are not only important opportunities for the doctor to check on your baby’s progress, but are also opportunities for you to ask questions and gain reassurance about how things are going, so take advantage. For instance, if you are concerned that your child has not reached a development milestone, these visits are a good time to discuss this with your doctor. Your doctor will also be looking for these development milestones, and will alert you if there is an issue. It’s helpful to write your questions down as you think of them, so you don’t forget.

In addition, be sure to discuss your doctor’s preferences on calling when your child is sick. For example, is there a 24 hour on-call nursing service for questions? Or, is the on call only for emergencies. Your relationship with your pediatrician is critical to maintaining your child’s health and your peace of mind. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, and call on your doctor as often as needed to ensure your comfort.

Sarah is a 41 year old wife and mother of two boys and one girl. She spent many years as a manager in the corporate world, and gave it up to be a stay at home mom. www.infantresources.com“> Click here now and get her incredible baby minicourse - absolutely free.

Minority Report the movie may not be far off if the Head of the SEC has anything to say about it. At a Senate Banking Committee hearing on CSPAN, William Donaldson said that the beloved SEC can no longer sit back and “mop-up” after scandals break. This idea of Mopping up is interesting, because if the SEC has anymore regulations then everyone will be reduced to cleaning homes for a living although even Service Master owner of Merry Maids is doing lots of legal insider trading of their stock options and that alone is telling us that maybe just maybe all that Form 4 Action is a sign of things to come?

Bill Donald-Duck as they call him at the yacht club in Long Island’s Oyster House, is working on ways to detect and prevent fraud before it happens. And yes that is his job to regulate, but what is he going to do, read everyone’s mind? Hire mind readers and psychics? The regulation now is hurting business and money flow to markets. What is so funny is that today they are using psychics to find corporate fraud when yesterday they were attacking the psychics? Go figure these crazy insane regulators;

http://www.weeklyplanet.com/2002-03-27/cover2.html

The SEC chairman is also forming a policy-planning group, which is another word for COMMITTEE, yah we need more committees with more juice to bring on more headlines? This NEW COMMITTEE, with ample power is designed to anticipate problems in the markets and aims to foster more collaboration, which means conspiracy theorist parties of openly homosexual regulators, among the agency’s five divisions, all of which have access to the mass media anytime they pick up the phone and want to crush another free enterprise job creating company. The SEC has now been upstaged by New York state prosecutors under Spitzer and his clan (looking to run for VP of the US on the Democratic or Governor of NY soon), and some liberals think it needs to be more aggressive. Yah, sure we had to destry free enterprise to save the village to raise a child?

Although now in OKC we are seeing other power grabs for potential mass media headlines. Some possible examples of the SEC’s new tone: its recent report on hedge funds and its ostensibly aggressive attempts to root out mutual fund fraud.

http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/030930/financial_sec_donaldson_5.html

But no one was actually damaged in the Mutual Fund trading issue? Destroying free enterprise, why are we doing this? Communism, then they will run for office once they have enough free media to insure a podium spot amongst other naysayers of this great country. Bill, Mr. William Donaldson THE CHAIRMAN of the S-E-C to YOU later, you won’t last long with that attitude, took forever to commit to any position about the NYSE self regulation, since he was worried to make a career death comment until Reed took over and got to the bottom of things and changed some of this insanity of 29 board members who are in fact the same people they regulate.

http://biz.yahoo.com/djus/030930/1303001122_3.html

What we need is some fixing and a little less destroying. Every time the headlines come out against any company people start losing jobs in those companies whose stocks take a hit and then the investor is worse off due to a hit in those share they own, whether it is in a mutual fund or individual stocks. And this was caused by the regulators who are suppose to protect the investor. Can anyone see the hypocrisy of the unending PR agenda of our regulatory bodies? They are the worst terrorists to your portfolio there ever could be. Osama is a nuisance compared to their worthless purported contribution to our civilization,

We need strong and stable markets, but these headline grabbers are not making for healthy investor confidence levels. Play it smart guys, walk slowly through the valley of death, because even if you are the biggest, bad-est TV podium story this evening, it will not matter if the valley is gone. We must take care of these gambling casino back door games but slowly and not at the expense of all we are and all we have built. The longest one-syllable word in the English language is “screeched.” And we ought to make sure that our financial markets do not come to a screeching halt.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

1. Look Over Your Shoulder - Of course, Punxsutawney Phil has to look over his to search for his shadow. You should, too, every so often, to check out your competition…and see whether they’re gaining on (or leading) you.

2. Be Unique - While groundhogs normally live six to eight years, legend says there is only one Phil, and he’s been making predictions for more than 118 years. Think about why your small business stands out, and let the world know your special (and truthful) story.

3. Create An Event - Folks gathering in Punxsutawney on Groundhog Day also enjoy the 2nd Annual Phil’s “Anything Goes” Chili and Wings Cook-off, 7th Annual Woodchuck Whittle and Crowning of Little Mr. and Miss Groundhog. Find opportunities to celebrate with your customers and community.

4. Expand Your Offerings - As you might guess, there are plenty of Phil collectibles for sale, including a Ty Beanie Red Tie version. Think of ways to capture more of your customers’/clients’ business by providing more high-value products/services for them.

5. Be Resourceful - The majority of “Groundhog Day” was shot 600 miles away in Woodstock, Illinois, because Punxsutawney didn’t have an appropriate town square. Look for creative ways to find answers to your business challenges.

6. Think Small - Punxsutawney is a community that maintains its small-town lifestyle. Remember to always treat your clients/customers like you live in their neighborhoods.

7. Act Big - Over the years, Phil met President Reagan, appeared on Oprah and gave his prediction on the big screen in Times Square. Just because you’re a small business doesn’t mean you have to act like one.

8. Spread The Word - In 1887, the editor of the local paper proclaimed Phil the one and only official weather prognosticating groundhog, and newspapers from around the globe soon began reporting his predictions. Be sure to let the media know what exciting things you’re doing.

9. Involve Your Whole Team - The Groundhog Club Inner Circle, which carries on the tradition of Phil - including taking care of him and planning events - consists of local dignitaries. Invite all of your employees to share with you in setting and achieving goals for your small business.

10. Have Fun - Think about it…all these people paying attention to a groundhog? Remember to find moments to celebrate, laugh and enjoy the good things in your life.

11. Get Plenty Of Rest - While hibernating in winter isn’t an option, take advantage of opportunities to rejuvenate. It will make you more effective in the long run.

Copyright © 2005 by Success Handler, LLC. All rights reserved.

The Coach, David Handler, is the founder of Success Handler, (http://www.successhandler.com), and specializes in helping small business leaders find clarity and take action. He understands the challenges of running a business, because he’s been there - as a small business owner, franchisee, franchisor, corporate leader and trainer. Much like sports coaches, his coaching will show you how to compete on a level playing field in your industry.

It is safe to pronounce that the time of the video recorder is little by little on its approach out and drawing to a close, video recorder can still be all over the place for an extended time & it is sensational to find how many folk actually still have them & watch their detective programmes on them. The piece of small electronics that is key for everybody to have is the fantastic DVD player, which is steadily now branching out to the Digital Versatile Disc Recorder. When Digital Versatile Disc recorders were 1st brought out they were extraordinarily expensive. Prices reduced on Panasonic DVD Recorder at Sound and Vision!

It is currently possible to pick up a really cut price Digital Versatile Disc Recorder if you look hard enough and do a little research. Consumers get puzzled with the differentiation between a DVD recorders & Digital Versatile Disc burners; they are two completely different pieces of technology, although both do create DVD’s through burning via a laser to a blank DVD disk. Each and every one of the Digital Versatile Disc recorders can record from any analogue video source, most can record video from digital camcorders via firewire.

The good thing now is that Digital Versatile Disc recorders have under no circumstances been so low-cost consequently it is feasible for you to buy a top of the range system for a really cheap price. The electronics market is motivated by the newest equipment, new improvements & product quality, of which these are varying virtually every fortnight.

Some of the top brands for Digital Versatile Disc recorders at the moment are Sennheiser, Toshiba & Panasonic, but nevertheless, if you’re watching for the very best of the best and you do not mind spending a tiny bit more to get something very special then you will go for the Mission Digital Versatile Disc recorder, this really is best of the line & there can be found lots of different ones to choose from. Your next main decision after deciding what brand is whether you want one that has a fabulous hard drive installed in it like the Pioneer one.

I’ve recently taken the time to go back over my consulting client
files, subscriber feedback and tons of other experiences from the
last year - an noticed…

A constant theme of GIVING AWAY YOUR MARKET

So many times I speak with someone who has a strong unique selling
angle or one unique product within their market, but they fail
to really ATTACK their market.

Now I’ll be the first to admit it, as a group of product developers and
marketers, we’re a rather odd lot.

Some of us are great at generating ideas, but never quite seem to
realize 10% of the potential

Others of us are great at getting that first product out, but are
hopeless at building on initial success.

Still others are terrific marketers, but can’t seem to keep enough
products in the pipeline to generate consistent sales.

Then there’s the go-it-alone mentality.

After all, it’s our individual passion and gumption that got us
this far, why start sharing our profit and effort with others now?

Regardless of which group you belong to — success in your market
depends on generating an all-out, full-scale, no-holds-bar attack
on your market.

Here’s how.

ATTACK TECHNIQUE #1: Build Loyal Subscribers

If you are not already doing it - you need to communicate with
your subscribers at least once a week.

Could be an automated email campaign, newsletter, forum, blog,
mailouts, articles, or any other meothod.

If you can’t find something useful to say - even just a few
lines, to your market at least once per week, then you are
either not well plugged into your market or you are not
committed enough to really make BIG money in ANY business.

ATTACK TECHNIQUE #2: Develop More Than One Product

Many of you have frequent anxiety attacks about producing just
one hot-selling product.

I understand, the path to my first product seemed like climbing
Mount Everest.

Fact is, to really ATTACK and OWN your market, you need to be
much more aggressive, releasing several products over the course
of a year.

These could be special reports, ebooks, videos, membership sites,
co-authorships, resell licensed, public domain, hard-copy,
teleseminar or seminar products.

Think in terms of 3-4 products produced next year.

Use our Ultimate Information Entrepreneur’s Success Package to
help you discover hot topics and get your products developed
faster! (http://www.infoproductcreator.com)

Think in these terms, and your first one won’t seem as monumental
a task.

ATTACK TECHNIQUE #3: Pick The Brain Of Your Mentor

When I started out, I leaped light years ahead because I
invested in a terrific mentor - in my case that was Tony Blake
(http://www.ablake.net/forum)

You want to think BIG when you think mentors.

Learn from the best. I help quite a few people out with online
product development and marketing - it’s a market I know very
well and can bring first-hand experience.

Dan Kennedy is a master of all things business, time management,
offline business and marketing.

Yanik Silver is solid as a copywriter and affiliate management
expert.

Whoever you decide on, pick the best - it will pay off in the end.

ATTACK TECHNIQUE #4: Learn Copywriting

The most valuable skill you can learn when ATTACKING your market.

Get your hands on material from the masters - Gary Halbert (
http://www.thegaryhalbertletters.com), Michel Fortin, John Carleton,
Gary Bencivenga.

Next - start collecting your own personal “swipe” file containing
some of the best ads you come across.

Finally, commmit to writing a sales letter per month, testing and
re-writing at least 4-5 sales letters each month to improve
your conversion.

ATTACK TECHNIQUE #5: Beef Up Your Affiliate Program

What’s that? You don’t run an affiliate program?

Get serious about adding 30-40 new affiliate every month. To do
that, you will have to actively pursue joint venture partners and
super affiliates - don’t expect them to just come to you.

Support your affiliates with regular updates and trainings as well
as a constant supply of new tools such as graphics, text ads,
headlines, articles, branded reports and minicourses.

Offer to record an interview with your super affiliates, allowing
them to offer the interview to draw customers into more sales.

ATTACK TECHNIQUE #6: Dramatically Increase Your Price Per Customer

By walking in your customer’s shoes, you will get to know what
he or she wants, then offer it to them - again and again.

Instead of one sale, you want to be the PRIMARY provider of
information to your market in your subject area.

To accomplish all of this, you need to GET INVOLVED with your
market.

Run regular surveys, teleseminars, coaching sessions, where you
can interact with your market.

Oddly enough, by becoming more involved, helping people more,
you will set the groundwork for ATTACKING your market.

Discover how to create your own best-selling eBooks,
Special reports or books to sell online …AND keep
100% of the profits. Limited time complimentary access to
7-Part Minicourse will get you started quickly and
easily. Visit:
http://www.highertrustmarketing.com/

Whether you are considering the purchase of banking software for your personal use or for your business use, there are many reasons to consider this type of software. For one, you will reap many rewards. For another, it will relieve much work from your shoulders. But, do you need a banking software? You probably do not need a banking software if you maintain your checkbook accurately. You probably do not need it if you know how much you are spending on your various expenses each month. You also probably do not need it if you know how much of your income is going towards savings. But, then again, are any of us good at this type of organization?

Banking software really can help you manage your everyday and monthly expenses. It can help you to know what is happening in each function of your business as well. Who are you paying and how much are you paying them? What is your income to spending ratio? Are you saving enough? Are you investing well? These things are all things that a banking software can help you to manage.

Many banking software options allow you to connect right to the web so that your daily information can be downloaded and managed. No more balancing a check book when you can use the software instead. In fact, it will do that for you.

Another nice feature about a banking software is that it will allow you never miss another deadline for bills again. This is a great option because it allows you to know when you need to send out a payment so that you don?t have to deal with missing payments, late fees or even worse, bad credit reporting.

Banking software is exceptional when it comes to business use as well. It can organize just about any type of solution that you need it to and allow you to excel in your businesses’ overall plans. Consider a banking software for all of your needs.

For more information please see www.banking-software-help.co.uk

Books and programs on food combining have been on and off the best-seller lists for years. They should be in the fiction section. The authors claim that eating protein and carbohydrates, or fat and carbohydrates together causes problems because they require different enzymes for digestion, and either acid or alkaline conditions. They give you elaborate lists of foods that you can or cannot eat at the same meal. If any of this were true, the human race would be extinct. Few foods are “pure” protein, carbohydrate or fat. Your digestive system has evolved to deal with mixed foods, and the enzymes secreted by your pancreas can digest them all in any combination.

Your stomach is strongly acidic, no matter what food you eat. Stomach acid is much stronger than lemon juice, tomatoes or any other acid food. Nothing you eat escapes this acid “soup” while it is in your stomach, so it makes no difference whether you combine acid and alkaline foods.

These authors tell you that the undigested food will ferment and putrify, causing you to accumulate toxins in your intestines. This just doesn’t happen. Your intestines do a very efficient job of breaking down carbohydrates, fats and proteins into their building blocks, which are then absorbed into your bloodstream. As long as you are not constantly constipated, your colon does an excellent job of removing the waste products of digestion. If you have a problem with constipation, the answer lies not which foods you combine, but in adding fiber and water to your diet.

They even claim that the undigested food makes you fat, which is impossible. To be stored as fat, a food must be broken down into its building blocks and pass from the intestines into the bloodstream. Any undigested food would be excreted, making you thinner, not fatter.

People who lose weight following these nonsensical rules do so simply because they are forced to limit their food choices and therefore consume fewer calories.

Do not confuse these ridiculous diets with serious “combination” recommendations that are made in two special situations:

Diabetics and others who are concerned about sharp rises in blood sugar are advised to eat fruits and root vegetables only in combination with other foods. Fruits and root vegetables contain lots of sugar or quickly digested starches which can cause blood sugar to rise after eating. However, a healthy diet does not eliminate these foods because they also contain lots of vitamins, minerals and other phytochemicals that your body uses to keep you healthy and prevent diseases. When you eat these foods WITH other foods, particularly proteins or fats, they are digested more slowly. Diabetics should include a variety of fruits and root vegetables in their diet, but eat them with meals, not alone.

Strict Vegetarians who eat no animal products are often advised to COMBINE beans and grains so they will get complete proteins. This is true, but you do not need to eat the foods together at the same meal. The proteins found in meat and dairy products contain all nine essential amino acids (the ones your body needs and cannot make), and so they are called complete proteins. Most plant sources of protein, such as beans and grains, contain only two to seven of the essential amino acids, so you must eat a variety of these foods to assure that you get them all. However, you can do this over the course of the day or week. Amino acids circulate constantly in your bloodstream and are used as needed. You do not need to eat the foods simultaneously to supply your body with the different amino acids you need.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

Free weekly newsletter on fitness, health, and nutrition.

In this article, I have an intriguing discussion about cardio training, which will hopefully get you thinking differently, and trying new things.

You may know I’ve been called the anti-cardio guy before, but this week I’m back posing the question to you…Do you really need cardio training to get lean and in great shape? By the way, you’ll see in a minute that I’m not really “anti-cardio”, just “anti traditional cardio”.

Most fitness buffs, weekend warriors, or anyone trying to get in shape or lose body fat, consider it a fact that they need “cardio” exercise to accomplish these goals. They would never even question it. However, I’m not only questioning it, I’m going to refute it! In fact, you may be surprised to know that some of the leanest and meanest people I know (men and women), NEVER do any type of normal or traditional cardio. And I’ve spent over 15 years working out in various gyms, and hanging out with athletes of all sorts, so I’ve seen it all. I will say that there can be a place for low-moderate level cardio for really overweight or deconditioned people, but even in those cases, there can be more effective methods.

But what exactly is “cardio”? Most people would consider cardio to be pumping away mindlessly on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike, or coasting on an elliptical machine, while watching the TV screen at their state of the art gym. This is what I call “traditional cardio”. Hmmm, no wonder the majority of people get bored with their workouts and give up after a couple months without seeing results.

But if you look closer, “cardio” can be considered any type of exercise or activity that strengthens the cardiovascular system. I’m not going to get into anything technical like increasing your VO2 max or anything like that. To keep it simple, if it gets your heart pumpin, and gets you huffin and puffin, it’s cardio. I don’t care if you’re holding dumbbells or a barbell and everyone calls it a weight training exercise…it’s still conditioning your heart.

Let’s take a look at a couple examples. Take a barbell (or dumbbell, or kettlebell) clean & press for example, which involves lifting a barbell from the floor up to shoulders, then push pressing overhead. And listen up ladies, because even though this is usually seen as a manly exercise, it doesn’t matter if you’re not lifting 250 lbs; if 45 lbs is challenging to you, then you will still benefit just as much. At first glance, most people think of the barbell C&P only as a weight training exercise or strength exercise. However, I challenge you to do a hard set of around 10-15 reps on the C&P. If you used a challenging enough weight, what you’ll find is that your heart rate is probably up to about 80-90% of your recommended max, and you are huffing and puffing like you just ran a 100-meter sprint (which by the way, sprinting kicks the crap out of jogging any day if you want the easiest way to lose the flab).

Try the same thing for a set of 20 reps of one-arm snatches or swings with each arm with a kettlebell or dumbbell, and tell me your legs aren’t burning, heart racing, and you’re gasping for breath. How about trying 5 minutes straight of bodyweight squats, lunges, and pushups with very little rest. Again, notice your heart pounding, sweat pouring off of you, and chest heaving for breaths!

Try and tell me you’re not conditioning your heart with this style of training! Conventional thinking says that these are weight training or strength training exercises. However, they are fullfilling your cardio needs as well.

Not only do you save time, but you strengthen and condition almost every muscle in your entire body with these full body exercises if you do them with enough intensity…something that can’t be said for that boring stationary bike ride or treadmill jaunt while reading or watching TV. Seriously, if you can read or watch TV while doing any exercise, you’re not concentrating enough on what you’re doing, plus you’re probably not working out hard enough to see any real results.

I challenge you to give the “traditional cardio” a rest for a month or two, and start training the way I explain in my internationally-selling Truth about Six pack Abs Program, and see how you start getting leaner, more defined, and your six pack starting to show through what used to be stubborn stomach fat deposits.

Visit http://truthaboutabs.com/freenewsletter.html to receive a free copy of the innovative ebook, Training & Nutrition Secrets for a Lean-Body, as well as your own free personalized metabolic rate calculator.

Michael Geary is a nationally dual certified personal trainer (NCSF-CPT, AFAA-CPT), and author of the internationally-selling The Truth about Six Pack Abs ©2004-2006. More Lean-Body training and nutrition tips can be found at my blog at http://truthaboutabs.blogspot.com/

If you have a website, you want your visitors to stay longer on your website and get more sales. Here are 10 ways you can do to improve it.

1. Give people a free subscription to your e-zine. Almost everyone is publishing a e-zine nowadays so it’s important to give something extra with the free subscription. You could offer a free gift or advertising when people subscribe.

2. Provide your visitors with free content. Your content will be more attractive to your visitors if it’s up-to-date or original. You could also offer people the option to reprint the content in their e-zine or web site.

3. Offer a free online directory. The directory could be full of interesting ebooks, e-zines, web sites etc. If people find your directory to be a valuable resource they will visit it over and over.

4. Give your visitors a free ebook. You could also include your own ad in the ebook and allow other people to give it away. If you don’t want to take the time to write one, you could ask other writers permission to use their articles.

5. Hold free online classes or seminars. They could be held in your web site’s chat room. The idea of “live” information will definitely entice people to visit your web site. You will become known as an expert on the topic.

6. Give visitors a free entry into your contest or sweepstakes. The prizes should be something of interest or value to your visitors. Most people who enter will continually revisit your web site to get the results.

7. Let visitors download free software. It could be freeware, shareware, demos etc. You could even turn part of your site into a free software directory. If you created the software, include your ad inside and let other people give it away.

8. Offer free online services or utilities from your web site. They could be search engine submitting, copy writing proofreading etc. The service or utility should be helpful to your target audience.

9. Give free consulting to people who visit your web site. You could offer your knowledge via e-mail or by telephone. People will consider this a huge value because consulting fees can be very expensive.

10. Give your visitors a free membership to your online club. People want to belong to something, why not your online club. You could also give away a free e-zine for club members only.

The smart way is to get your visitors’s name and email address even they do not buy anything from you at first visit. You can put a form on your front page and offer some valuable freebies to let them sign in. Then you can follow up with them with more emails about your product and your company.

Julia Tang publishes “Smart Online Business Tips” Newsletter which helps people to start, run and grow Internet businesses. To get tips, tactics, reliable business opportunities and promotional tools, plus over $200 free bonuses, you can visit http://www.best-internet-businesses.com