The Smart Pounder

The 1650 has proved amazingly popular with customers and has been a real winner for Nokia. The 1650 is an entry level phone and, compared alongside more popular phones within this price band it is basic but functional. The Nokia 1650 has a very good feel to it, and we really liked its modern sleek styling.

The 1650 has support for 2G GSM 900 / 1800 . The Nokia 1650 is equipped with Polyphonic (32 channels) ring tones along with a vibrating alert . The display type on this mobile handset is a CSTN, 65K colors. The Nokia 1650 has a battery duration of 420 hrs standby time and talk time of 8:00. A Standard battery, Li-Ion 1020 mAh (BL-5C) battery cell is that is supplied with the Nokia 1650. The Nokia 1650 is small and easy to carry. In terms of colours the 1650 comes in, Red and Black. The Nokia 1650 weighs in at 80 g This mobile handset also has a few extra features, for example. , Calendar, FM radio, Built-in handsfree, Calculator, Voice memo, Flashlight, Personal budget manager and Currency converter

Although this is quite a new model, more advanced rivals have already been released. Because of this it is fairly easy to pick up a great deal on the 1650.

Although obtaining a great deal on the 1650 is relatively easy, it can time consuming. There are numerous of mobile phone sites each supplying a number of of products from the leading mobile network providers. To find the best deal quickly you should try taking advantage of a mobile comparison site to find the best deals on the Nokia 1650 .

2005 disappeared at a speed that quantum physics is yet unable to explain. Thank goodness I had a goal to achieve!

Let me start by saying I don’t do new years resolutions. I do however like to set goals that are practical, measurable, and achievable. I share them with others so I feel a sense of commitment. Last year I established a goal to run at least 5km (3 miles) every other day. I had just gotten back in to running after a “brief” 25 year absence and thought this would be a good challenge. I was successful. I averaged 6.18km (3.8 miles) per run over 182 outings last year. A resulting benefit – I dropped 39 unneeded pounds. I feel great, not just physically but mentally knowing I exceeded my goal. What did it take? Some good running shoes, a heart rate monitor to make sure my 50 year old ticker didn’t stop ticking – that would sort of defeat the whole purpose, a supportive and encouraging wife, and lastly, the tenacity to run in sometimes challenging conditions – every second day.

So what about 2006? What about you? Have you set your goals?

Congratulations if you already have! You get extra kudos if you have committed them to paper. You get the first place big blue rosette if you have also shared them with others.

If you haven’t established your 2006 goals, get at it!

I offer three tricks to setting your goals.

1. Make them personal. Set your goals for you, not someone else.

2. Make them practical. They can be personal or work related, or both.

3. Share them with others. This helps you commit to your success.

Actually there is no magic to this exercise. Just ask yourself, “What do I really want to accomplish in 2006 before it turns into 2007?”

I work with sales professionals; their livelihoods depend on their ability to generate sales. I still can’t believe the number of talented folks I speak with who have not taken the time to write down their goals, nor have they mapped out their supporting strategies to achieve their goals. I shutter to think how much more successful they would be if they set tangible goals, developed a plan to reach those goals, and shared their goals with their sales manager, a peer or their partner – or all three!

I had the pleasure of meeting Mark Victor Hansen a few years ago at a sales conference in Hawaii. Mark is co-creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul book series and is truly an inspirational and humorous speaker. Mark spoke about goal setting and I want to share one memorable suggestion he made. Mark had left small cards on the tables for us to complete. He asked us to write down one goal, the time frame for completion and then he asked us to have two or three others sign the card, not to agree or pass judgement on your goal, simply to acknowledge it. I have embraced this simple concept ever since, it really helps!

My last recommendation is to keep your goals visible. They do you no good tucked away in a binder or shoved in a drawer. Post them in your office, carry them on a small card in your wallet or purse, and put a copy on your closet door to look at every morning when you get dressed, or consider putting it on your computers screen saver. Subliminal reminders work. And don’t forget to track your progress. I found keeping my running log updated every second day was all I needed.

Plan to have a great year. I wish you success in exceeding your 2006 goals!

Clayton Shold hangs his hat at SalesDialogue Systems Inc. a company committed to assisting sales professionals better understand how their internal conversations impact sales success. Learn more at http://www.salesdialogue.com.

The three keys to living without limits have always been the
same. They are clarity, competence, and concentration. Goal
setting will help you live without limits. Learning how to set
goals is an art. Learn why setting goals is a necessity. Here are
7 Must-have conditions to set goals.

1. State your goal in positive terms.

People often set a goal in terms of what they don’t want! “I
don’t want to smoke, to be angry…” It’s “what I want to do or
want to be” See the difference? Hear the nuance? Are you ready to
state positively every goal you want to achieve?

2. Make sure the goal can be self-initiated and maintained
The goal doesn’t depend on the attitude of your neighbor, on the
behavior of your wife or family. The success of your goal must
depend on you, and you alone.

3. Your goal must be sensory specific

Here comes the importance of clarity. The clearer the picture,
the more compelling and the more attractive it is, the greater
the drive to reach your final destination. Act as if the goal is
already achieved. Make a very clear image, in rich details, and
you will be so enthusiastic that you will automatically attract
the solution.

4. State the context of the goal.

“Where and when will my goal be achieved?” The answer can be
obvious for some goals but not at all for others. Try to be as
specific as possible.

5. Run a Quality Control check on the goal to ensure balance in
all areas of your home/work life.

Above all, you don’t want to lose your balance. When you run this
‘Quality Control Check”, you play a win-win strategy. Everything
is one system and the whole system must win. You will find peace
of mind in knowing that you are in harmony with the system. Step
back and look at all areas of your life. Is your goal worth it?

6. State the resources needed to achieve the goal: what is the
price to pay?

There is always a price to pay, for everything. There is always
some kind of sacrifice to make when you set a worthy goal. In
this step, you will define all that you will need, in terms of
time, money and energy.

7. State the value and the consistency of the goal.

Why do I want to reach this goal? Why is it important to me? Is
this goal in harmony with my vision, beliefs and values? Answer
these questions. If you don’t seem to be satisfied with the
answers, maybe you should change your goal. Set a new goal until
you feel it is in harmony with your passion, vision or mission.

When you properly set a goal with this model, two important
things occur. First, you are in total harmony with your vision,
belief and value systems because your entire “You” agrees and
offers no resistance. Second, you are programmed to succeed.
Indeed, your very (whole) neurology and physiology are both
instructed to drive you towards obtaining your desired goal.
You’re totally focused.

Again, The three keys to living without limits have always been
the same. They are clarity, competence, and concentration. When
you set crystal clear goals, and you respect the 7 must-have
conditions, you can literally live without limits, can’t you?

You can live your dreams. A lot of people already are. Learn the
ultimate secret to turn all your dreams into reality. “Moving
from Vision To Action” will teach you the 6 steps necessary to do
exactly that. And you will find peace of mind doing it. Believing
in your dreams and achieving them is a warm and great feeling,
isn’t it? Click here and move forward NOW =>
http://www.vision-to-action.com

There’s nothing like having satisfied customers, but if they’re satisfied, then let’s have ‘em tell us in their own words.

Ah…the beauty of testimonials.

Some window washers might be a bit shy or hesitant asking their customers to say good things about ‘em, so one of the easiest ways to secure plenty of testimonials is to send out a “testimonial request” letter to your customers.

Below, I’ve included the one I used over the years, but before getting to that, let me explain all the ways testimonials can be used to your advantage.

It’s ok when you say great stuff about you in your marketing materials but if you can include some additional 3rd party endorsements of you and your service, now you have a marketing piece that really stands out and is much more credible.

For example…If you have a display ad running in a subdivision’s newsletter, always make sure that there is at least one testimonial posted within the ad. And if you can post a testimonial from someone who lives in that subdivision, that’s even better.

This really, really works. In one subdivision I was advertising in, I happened to clean the windows of the newsletter’s editor. He loved the window cleaning job I did so he was glad to provide me a testimonial.

Everyone in the subdivision knew him and his wife, so as soon as I inserted that testimonial into the ad, believability went way up, and so did my phone calls. Which of course resulted in more business. That’s just one subdivision.

If you are able to secure testimonials within a subdivision you’re advertising in and use them on your marketing pieces (postcards, flyers, ads, etc, obviously not everyone will be familiar with the person who gave you the testimonial so it’s important that you place the subdivision’s name under the person’s name who provided you the testimonial.

At least this way if the testimonial giver’s name isn’t recognized, the subdivision’s name will be. Anything you can do to lower a prospect’s wall of resistance is a definite plus.

Some marketers debate whether an unsolicited testimonial is better than a solicited one.

I personally believe as long as it’s a true representation of how your customer feels, what difference does it make? Who cares whether they voluntarily sent you a testimonial or you asked for it?

But…even though your customers will be all excited after the window washing job is done because they have clean windows, chances of them taking the time and going out of their way to send you anything is slim to none. They’re busy folks. So you HAVE to ask. And you also need to make it as easy as pie for them.

That brings me to my testimonial request letter I always used when asking for testimonials from customers. Here it is:

Dear Mark and Julie:

Name:___________________________

Let’s talk about how best to present this and some other things you need to know in order to make this process work effectively.

When requesting a testimonial, it shouldn’t be mixed up with the thank you letter (talked about in my manual How to Start Your Own Residential Window Washing Business) you’re supposed to send when the job is completed. I mean you don’t want to send out the thank you letter and then within that letter say “Oh, by the way…would you mind providing me a testimonial?” No.

Here’s how it should go:

You’ve done the job and the customer is pleased. You go home and send her the thank you letter. About 2 to 3 days after you’ve sent off the thank you letter, send her a request to write you a
little blurb about your service. Use the wording above or use your own wording.

Make sure it’s on your letterhead, and enclose a folded up, self addressed, stamped envelope for them to use so they can easily jot their comments down and send ‘em back to you.

Again…you have to make it easy and hassle free or no one is going to bother to take the time. They may like you and your window washing service, but they’re generally not going to work that hard at making sure you have a testimonial if they have to run through too many hoops. Lastly, include your business card within your “testimonial request” mailing.

Personalize the letter. Also, notice in the request above how I ask for their opinion? That’s the key. People love to give opinions. So don’t ask for a “testimonial”. Ask for their “opinion”. And always ask for permission to use their comments also.

If you do this regularly for each and every customer you clean windows for, you’ll have a steady stream of testimonials coming to your mailbox all the time.

One thing you may even consider doing is compiling your testimonials together and providing them to prospects along with your estimate package you give them after you do your window washing estimate. I talk more about how to properly set up your estimate package/proposal in my manual, but imagine how powerful that would be when your prospect is rifling through your estimate proposal and they see numerous references with phone numbers along with 20, 30, 40, or more testimonials. Do you think your competitors are doing this? No Way.

And whenever you use a testimonial, make sure you don’t ruin it by placing only the customer’s initials underneath it. That’s as good as worthless so you may as well not use it. If a customer wants to remain anonymous, then throw their comments away because they won’t do you any good at all.

If you have the room within the ad where testimonials are being used (like on a web page), it’s a good idea to have a statement under all testimonials that says something like this:
“All the customer statements above are on file at the offices of xxxxxx Window Washing Service.”

People are pretty cynical these days so by posting a customer’s full name along with the subdivision where they live, in addition to the above statement (if you’re able to), you can squash the prospect’s doubts whether the testimonials are real or not.

That’s it. A very non-threatening process and letter simply asking for a customer’s opinion. If they liked your window washing service and are overjoyed with having clean windows, you should receive many, many testimonials. The more the merrier. And don’t hesitate to use ‘em to bring in more business.

Happy Cleaning,

Steve Wright is the author of How to Start Your Own Residential Window Washing Business, and has started hundreds of individuals on the path to success in their own window washing business as evidenced by reading what some of his students have said here. Mr. Wright has also developed a revolutionary online web-based system called The Customer Factor to assist all window washing business owners in maintaining and growing a successful business. Using both of these resources provides the one-two punch needed to catapult anyone from zero to six figures per year in the window washing business. For more information, give Mr. Wright a call at 256-546-2446 or visit either of the websites posted.

The spiritual connection to the physical world is about harnessing the positive energy that surrounds us through the ancient Chinese art of placement, arrangement and connectivity known as Feng shui (pronounced “fung schwee”). Feng shui literally means “wind and water” in Chinese. The connective flux or the constant state of change between all five elementsfire, earth, water, wood, and metalurges us to be in balance and in harmony with nature. There is no greater pathway of least resistance to this invisible energy that is constantly circulating, or ch’i (pronounced chee) than through flowing water. To begin by incorporating water into your environment in a harmonious way, it can bring balance into your life.

The placement of water and other elemental materials attracts ch’i. While ch’i does tend to gather in certain places, the proper circulation of ch’i may become obstructed or unbalanced in the places where we live, or the areas of a home or office. Then we may experience the adverse effects in many ways. For instance, relationships with other people may be unfulfilling, health may become impaired, or our finances may suffer. There are many different ways to improve ch’i, and one of the best and easiest ways to introduce the principles of Feng shui into your life is with the addition of water.

Generally speaking, water features are used to stimulate or create wealth or prosperity. Beyond the financial representation itself, richness in the value of life itself is also considered prosperous. Water is represented by several elements in the home such as the colors of black (in the West, black symbolizes seriousness, formality, and wisdom; is also used to increase mental activity and communication) and dark blue (reminds us of nature and conveys a sense of serenity; symbolizes seriousness and dignity). Also representative of water are glass materials, wavy and irregular shapes (symbolizes flexibility, interaction, and adaptability), as well as some household objects: sinks, tubs, toilets, faucets, aquariums, pools, glass items, and plumbing. These colors, materials, and shapes all can be linked with one element or another. It’s important to stress that one element should not dominate over the others. For example, too much fire in a room can cause tension and instability.

In order to understand how water may create prosperity, it’s important to understand the cycles of how the five elements interact to bring balance and harmony. The first cycle is the productive cycle, which is the nurturing cycle where one element produces the next one. The help of this cycle is taken to enhance the positive areas of your home. For instance, fire burns and produces ash (earth) then earth produces metal in its bowels. Metal when heated flows like water and water nourishes wood then wood is the fuel for fire. In the next cycle, the controlling cycle, one element controls the next element. For instance, fire melts metal and metal (axe) cuts wood. Wood then controls earth with its roots and earth restricts the flow of water then water extinguishes fire. Finally, in the weakening cycle, it is exactly the reverse of the productive cycle. If an element produces another element, the former gets weakened in the process. For instance, fire burns wood and wood soaks up all the water. Then water takes strength from metal and metal is extracted from the earth in which earth (ash) is produced from fire.

Since water is both the literal and symbolic source of life, it improves the ch’i more than most other elements. Slow moving water allows ch’i to accumulate, or even be formed. This is where water fountains become essential to balance life’s energies. Depending on the placement of water fountains, they can enhance different aspects of your life and improve mental health.

Water fountains bring the soothing sounds of water into your life and are a good way to bring positive energy into the home. For indoors, place a wall fountain in your office or work area. The soothing effect of running water helps reduce tension, while providing symbolic nourishment to increase your income. The stones in the fountain help stabilize your finances so you don’t spend more as you earn more. For outdoors, garden fountains can be used. Like wall fountains, garden fountains are available in materials that are also appropriate for Feng shui such as glass(again, symbolizes water), stone, ceramic, wood, and metal. These Feng shui material elements go hand-in-hand with the balance you wish to create in your home.

Birdbaths are also a great addition to your front- or back-yard. Feng shui connects water, which nurtures all life, with money. Birds are also considered lucky, so this cure combines both symbols to increase prosperity.

Here are some additional Feng shui tips to include more water and the cycle of life into your home or office:

* Position a mirror to reflect a body of water. This cure is for people who live near a body of watera lake, the ocean, a river, or a stream. Water, which nourishes all life, can also symbolically nourish your finances and help increase your income. Hang a mirror so that it reflects the view of water and “draws” its wealth-producing energy to you.

* Install an aquarium in your living room. Aquariums grace many Chinese restaurants and are considered good luck. Because fish are living creatures, they are apt symbols of life, health, and growth, and water nourishes all living things. An aquarium also makes a colorful, calming addition to your interior environment.

* Replace a washer in a leaky kitchen faucet. A dripping faucet in the kitchen, where wealth is generated, can cause money to slowly leak away.

* Close toilet lids. Ch’i flows away from your home via drains, especially the toilet. Closing the toilet lid keeps money from “going down the drain.”

* Close the bathroom door and the shower curtain. By keeping these closed, you prevent ch’iand prosperity-from slipping away down the drain.

* Hang a glass wind chime in the window of your office or work space. Glass facilitates mental activity and communication, so this is good for people who work in communication fields, computers, or sales.

Feng shui reminds us that we’re living with rather than against nature and it benefits both human beings and our environment. Our lives are affected by our physical and emotional environments. Instead of surrounding ourselves with destruction and obstruction, we surround ourselves with openness, cleanliness, and the understanding of life’s essential elements; we are harmonizing ourselves and balancing our lives.

This article was written by Peggy Davis sponsored by www.garden-fountains.com/. Enhance the tranquility and peacefulness of any area with a beautiful wall fountain or garden fountain. Reproductions of this article are encouraged but must include a link pointing to www.garden-fountains.com/.

When working with sand stone to build your fire pit you will need to pay a lot of attention to the stone itself. You want to stay away from stone that has been exposed to salty ocean water and over exposure to weather. This being because they tend to explode when gets hot. It’s better to purchase your stone to ensure your fire pit longevity and the safety of your family. It would be a big disappointment to complete your stone fire pit and start to fire it up and when it reaches a high temperature the stone begins to explode one by one. Even though your children might like the sight because it would appear to be fireworks, but it would mean back to the old drawing board again for you.

Fire brick is used to line the internal part of your stone fire pit because it is high temperature resistant. Meaning it can sustain temperature up to four hundred degrees when temperature the temperature rises slowly. Be sure to budge enough money for the fire bricks because they are quiet expensive. Be sure to purchase extra fire bricks because they tend to break easily. No matter how much money you put into your fire pit you will definitely enjoy for many years to come, if you did your research and did not skimp on anything that was important in the efficiency and effectiveness of your stone fire pit. Another good thing is when your electricity goes out you will never have to worry about cooking for your family. Just go out in your backyard and fire up your stoneor gas fire pit.

Most people are not aware that everyday books, maybe even
books you have in your house right now, are actually worth
a lot of money! Not all books are valuable, but how would
you know the difference? Until now, there was no easy way
to tell.

I’ll give you the ‘inside’ story on how to setup your own
business buying and selling certain used books that could
earn you more now than you ever thought you could working
from home!

I’ve been an information junkie, avid book reader and lover
of books since I was very young. A few years ago I
discovered that certain books are highly valued by
collectors worldwide and that you could make a living, even
$100,000 or more each year buying and selling …used
books! I couldn’t believe it, until I discovered this
‘hidden market’ for used books in my local library.

I was in my local, public library one day looking for any
information that I could use to make some money. I came
across a book called, “Collected Books, A Guide To Values”.

Since I loved books I was curious about this book and what
it was all about. I picked it up and started reading it.

I almost dropped the book on the ground, when I read that a
certain book, in my own collection, was worth almost $3,500
and I NEVER knew it!

I decided to purchase a copy of this Guide and when I got
it I went through my entire library of books to see if any
of my other books were ‘valuable’….

It took me several days, but when I was done I realized had
a Gold Mine on my hands. I had 22 books that were valued at
$200 or more, and the total value of my ‘collection’ was
$6,275!

The scary part was I didn’t even know how valuable some of
the books in my collection was. Well, let me state that
another way- I didn’t have a ‘collection’ at least I didn’t
think they were a ‘collection’. I bought books because I
liked them… I didn’t even know they could be VALUABLE. I
had NO CLUE.

Over the next several months I read as much as I could
about used and rare books. I also picked the brains’ every
well known and respected book dealer in my area that I
could get to talk. I tried speaking anyone and everyone in
this business, but most weren’t willing to give up any of
their secrets… except one old-time dealer.

Maybe he was ready to retire, or he just wanted to help me
get started in this business. I don’t know. But he told me
enough to get me started in this business and even make a
small fortune.

That was over 10 years ago…

Today the market for used and rare books is HUGE and
growing each year. The Internet has made it so much easier
to buy and sell books. The market is huge and many are
making a small fortune in this pleasant “gentleman’s”
business.

It’s also a FUN business to be in, especially if you love
books! I think it’s one of the easiest businesses to start,
one of the most profitable and one of the most pleasant.

Richard Fenn

Richard Fenn – Owner of

http://old-rare-books.blogspot.com/

All of us want our homes to be places of comfort and beauty. Some of us enjoy decorating and furnishing our homes and some of us don’t. How do we decide if we need an interior designer or not?

Not everyone needs a designer. If you enjoy creating your own home and you are confident in what your are doing, it is possible that what you really need is a professional shopper. You know what you want, you just don’t have the time or the expertise to find it. This is where the personal shopper comes in-to help you find a specific item or list of items. They know where the stores are and where the bargains are-and don’t we all love a bargain? These hardworking folks can find you just the right table or those elusive accessories that give your home an individual look while you’re at work earning money to pay for all of this style and elegance.

If you enjoy the shopping experience and just need an item or two (a new sofa, a club chair, or a table to put beside your recliner), you can find the help you need right at the furniture store. Better furniture stores usually have trained staff on hand to help you choose a style and a fabric. Take along pictures, fabric samples, anything you need to match the new piece. Above all, don’t forget measurements. At the furniture store find a salesperson who is attuned to the look you are trying to achieve and with whom you feel comfortable. Don’t hesitate to ask for a different salesperson if you feel that you are being pushed to buy something just because that is the flavor of the week. A good salesperson will work to help you find the exact look you are aiming for and you will be quite happy with your purchase.

However, a word of warning-if you are putty in the hands of an expert salesperson, or undecided what you want, or unsure of yourself, don’t go this route. You will end up with a room that is never quite what you wanted.

So when do you absolutely need a design team? Here are 10 reasons to hire a professional:

1. You have a difficult room. If the room is oddly shaped, has too many focal points, or architectural details that are in the wrong places, you need professional help.

2. You have ideas, but don’t know how to implement them or don’t know where to start changing things.

3. You just don’t have the time, energy, or the desire to do designing.

4. You need a major make-over, but you are on a budget. I know this sounds contradictory, but decorating mistakes are expensive, and a good designer will make sure they don’t happen.

5. You have major work to be done, but it needs to be done in stages due to budget considerations or a growing family. A designer can set you up with a list of things to do and buy which is prioritized, and on a time-line.

6. You think you know what you want, but are insecure about whether or not your ideas will work.

7. You want to update a room without throwing everything out and starting over. This is a challenge , but it can be done. It generally requires quite a high level of skill. If you don’t have a talent for this, get someone who does.

8. You have a piece or pieces of furniture, paintings, and accessories which don’t seem to fit your rooms or style, but which you can’t eliminate because they are family heirlooms or simply because you can’t afford to replace them. After all, you may not want to get rid of great-grandpa’s desk even if it is Victorian and you like contemporary.

9. You are trying to achieve a specific style or period such as French Country, Scandinavian,18th century, 50’s Retro, etc.

10. You are unsure about color combinations, proportions, mixing patterns, composition and styles.

If you fall into any of these categories, or if you simply want a professional touch, an interior designer is probably the solution to your decorating problems. Your home is too important to your happiness and lifestyle not to have the comfort you desire. If you don’t love decorating or you have a decorating challenge, then hire an expert and use your time and energy for things you really enjoy.

Content for this article has been contributed by ON THE GO 4 U, Design Consultant, Suzanne Copenhaver. Indra A Books, author of this and many other lifestyle articles, is the owner and founder of ON THE GO 4 U, Personal Shoppers & Concierge Service in the Washington DC metropolitan area. The company’s creed is to provide its clients with the ultimate life management experience.

In addition to its services, ON THE GO 4 U also publishes a monthly e-zine and conducts workshops on wardrobe, entertaining and decorating. For more information about the author and ON THE GO 4 U, please visit http://www.onthego4u.net

© 2005 Indra A Books for ON THE GO 4 U. All rights reserved.