Insurance Professional Tips - Sales Letter Writing Like an Insurance Pro

An insurance professional talks, acts, writes, and make sales like a pro. To elevate your level to insurance pro, these tips guide you to increase sales letter writing response by 30%. You will be shown, besides letter writing, how to motivate your prospects to transform them into buyers. Learn the insurance professional walk and talk.

Increasing replies for an insurance pro is more than a feather in their hat. When an insurance sales letter writing brings a great response the reward is a higher income. The entire progression of insurance direct marketing is to procure leads starting from receptive prospect replies. I am not chatting to you regarding cheap leads from prospects that counter a response to just about letter that converts to a flying paper airplane. It is pounding action verbs into your insurance sales letter writing that nails down favorable replies.

Writing a letter for your sales piece can be a grueling process. Rewrite it again by swapping words and phrases, so it sounds smoother. Presume a response rate of one half of a percent to one percent is normally respectable. Increasing this amount by 30% gives insurance brokers agents a great return on the money they are spending (investing on themselves). Also I am taking for granted that you, like an insurance professional, uses refined and carefully selected mailing list. This maximizes the ratio of prospects you can close. On a 5,000 piece insurance sales letter mailer, you should attain possession of 25 to 50 lead opportunities to close sales.

BOOST YOUR RESPONSE 30% TIPS

If rewriting your letter one final time could boost your response rate 30%, would you elect to execute a final letter draft.? The answer is "yes", then "but how"? I assure you, undertaking properly placed action verbs will sprout higher yielding results. You are cleverly combining emotional motivation while aiming the leads trigger directly at your prospect. Acquiring inspiring action verbs is rather simple. In fact, provided free at the end of this article are 100 action verbs. These are key verbs triggering your clients inner emotions and implementing responses to your letter.

An insurance pro can transform 50% to 90% of the lead responses into sales. In this instance, at least 14 additional money making leads could easily result in seven more profitable business dealings. The added replies alone compensate lead acquisition expenditures. Plus extra sales reap long term benefits. Inserting action verbs to your sales piece bears record breaking results. This in turn, escalates new sales volume to the top level.

All this, just by self-injecting action verbs, when rewriting your dynamic insurance sales letter. Your exceptional lead productive writing is led by adding action verbs. It's that simple.

Here is a list of the first action verbs.

Focus, forecast, stun, harvest, advance, surprise, grab, hustle, identify, gesture, evaluate, icy, appoint, approve, arouse, inherit, assume, attacking, automate, master, backtrack, bait, bang, blending, brag, kick, capitalize, capture, celebrate, certify, mobilize, reinvent, honor, cheer, interject, cinch, thrill, clench, cling, incite, coax, intervene, combine, impress, compare, flash, halt, jolt, help, illuminate, and shining.

The remainder of the action verbs list sample follows.

Launch, gallop, congratulate, jam, conserve, ignite, link, consult, investigate, contribute, leap, increase, convey, invade, howl, counseled, crunch, illustrate, decrease, deliver, delve, manipulate, design, mandate, detail, imagine, develop, magnify, diffuse, liberate, license, discover, leverage, display, dissected, gamble, diversify, manhandle, holler, dream, isolate. economize, echo, elaborate, knockout, humble, encourage, energize, hiss, enhance, and maximize.

Accomplishing the Mission

Now starts the challenge of professional champions. Take the initiative on elevating skyhigh the interest in your insurance sales letter. You must add startling eye-to eye headlines that will start your prospect's mind spinning. Ordinary and dull reading will instantly get your sales message pitched in the dirty disgusting trash. Everything should get a complete makeover. Your whole sales letter must come alive to force your reader into a trance to read on. This task involves enthralling sub-headlines, dreamful benefits, and a captivating call to action Then a final irresistible P.S. message to lock in replies for your sales letter writing.

Engagement Gift Ideas - Make a Statement With a Small But Meaningful Congratulations Gift

So your friends have just gotten engaged and of course you are delighted and happy for them. The wedding is still some time away but you have been invited to the engagement party and are wondering if and what you should give the happy couple as a present. Of course, for the wedding they will be using a gift registry but how about the engagement - are you really required to give a gift at all?

Although engagements have a long-standing tradition, the actual act of getting engaged has only recently seen a great revival, with engagement celebrations becoming more common place in the last few years. It is unsurprising therefore that there is uncertainty as to what constitutes a suitable engagement gift.

First of all, unless you are part of the family or belong to the closest circle of friends, you are not required to give an engagement gift at all, although you might still want to give at least a little something if you are invited to a party or dinner to celebrate the occasion.

Secondly, you really do not need to worry about getting something big: this is not the wedding yet and there might even be a bridal shower where you will be required to give another gift, so keeping it small is perfectly fine for this event. Most couples would rather have you spend more on their wedding gift, on something they have picked out for their new life together and really want, than to receive several smaller gifts. Also, there is no need to make it something practical, as this is what the wedding gift registry is for.

Keeping it simple and personal is the way to go and even the smallest token will be enough to congratulate the soon-to-be-weds. In this case, it really is the thought that counts and you giving a gift at all, however small, will suffice to show how happy you are for them.

So since you are not restricted to a gift registry or have to worry about buying useful gifts for the marital household, you are totally free in your gift choice. Nice packaging and a heartfelt card with some personal and meaningful words of congratulations will complement your gift nicely.

There are tons of great engagement gift ideas that are not costly but that will nevertheless communicate your sentiment of congratulations. You should still aim to make it personal if you can - wine, flowers and chocolates all make great gifts but if you are more than distant acquaintances, they might be too impersonal. If you want your gift to be remembered, put a little bit of thought into it before you choose something and it will be treasured by the couple for a long time.

Here are some great engagement gift ideas to inspire you but feel free to come up with your own creative ideas:

• Tell a story: How about writing down a few interesting stories or anecdotes about the couple in a beautiful notepad or even on some luxurious sheets of paper? Maybe the story of how they first met or how the fell in love?


• Photographs: Why not select several pictures of the happy couple in unusual or funny situations and print them on a gift of your choice (think mugs, fridge magnets or whatever else you can think of) or put them into frames or a pretty album?


• Gift baskets: Planning and organising a wedding is extremely stressful, so why not give the couple a relaxing gift hamper to help them unwind during the pre-wedding period? You can find fantastic gift baskets for couples online, with suitable bath products, massage oils and a relaxing CD.


• Flutes: Pick some elegant toasting flutes with the couple's names engraved on them.


• Matching key rings: His and Hers heart-shaped key rings engraved with their names and wedding or engagement date.


• Countdown clock: Why not give them a clock that counts down the days to their wedding? You can get it engraved with their names and the date of their big day.

Choosing Sexy Wedding Lingerie

So you have arranged every detail of your wedding day. Your wedding dress is chosen, your photographer is booked, the registry office is organized and the honeymoon vacation has been arranged, you now have to choose the lustful lingerie you are going to be wearing for your honeymoon night. Many brides spend a much time preparing the wedding day that they neglect about the honeymoon night. Remember the wedding night and honeymoon is just as extra special as the wedding day so you want to make it unforgettable. Wherever you are spending your honeymoon, at a country hotel, in the Mediterranean, on an adventure vacation or closer to home, make sure you put a small amount effort into choosing something stunning to wear with all the finishing touches such as stockings and suspenders. Some people spend around five thousand pounds on their honeymoon vacation. This cost includes the actual cost of the holiday and also takes into consideration the price of sexy new apparel you have bought specially for your honeymoon. When getting your nice beach wear and holiday dresses do not forget to get some lustful lingerie garments too! After all you will be hopefully spending most of your vacation in the bed chamber with your new husband! The honeymoon is the perfect excuse to purchase yourself a stunning brand-new initiate apparel range.

White is the long-standing colour for your wedding. Stockings, garters and bustiers are a definite must! Seduce your new husband in a gorgeous white satin corset complete with a small g- sting, with matching white hold ups. Silk or satin underwear is a very sexy choice. The contact of silk and satin against your skin will make you feel sexy. Buy a hot silk or satin gown. This type of cloth will cling and emphasis all your womanly curves. Or why not be a little bit more saucy than usual. It's your honeymoon and you can wear whatever colour or lingerie set that you want. Acquire a saucy black lace teddy set or be a little hornier with some Leather lingerie.

The honeymoon or wedding night is always a perfect excuse to try something hornier. Have you ever tried any fantasy role-play? Ask your husband to dress up as a sexy Navy officer or whatever you're into. You can also dress up and become his ultimate fantasy. Dress up as a hot sailor girl complete with stockings and a tiny thong. A night your husband will never forget!

After all the cost of the wedding and honeymoon you will be happy to learn that underwear and adult fancy dress costumes are very cheap garments. You can buy many adult fantasy costumes and lingerie garments online for less than fifteen pounds. Online shopping is not only cheaper but discreet too. Have your hot honeymoon lingerie goods discreetly shipped to your residence, no embarrassing shopping in a lingerie shop in town.

Wedding Insurance - Perfect For the Pregnant Horse and Stolen Carriage

Life can be remarkably unpredictable, which is why wedding insurance increasingly makes a very great deal of sense. Wedding cancellation insurance costs very little in comparison to the thousands of pounds spent on the average wedding these days, and yet can often prove to be worth its weight in gold.

However, many people decide not to bother with wedding insurance, confident that all will be well. Perhaps they know the service providers personally, and are happy that very little can go wrong. However, there are many potential disasters just waiting to happen, and the words 'who would have thought' come leaping to mind all too easily when faced with an unexpected mishap.

Life can throw all sorts of curved balls, but they seem to be thrown more often when you're least prepared. Not having wedding insurance is a little like staking your life that the old rickety wooden bridge across the canyon is quite capable of supporting the weight of your four wheel drive truck, and demonstrating the fact.

Yes, you might just be lucky - but if you're not, then it may be a long way down. For the sake of a few pounds it makes good sense to protect yourself.

Although it is easy to lull yourself into a false sense of security, believing that everything is under control and nothing serious could go wrong, the truth is that wedding cancellation insurance exists solely because serious things do go wrong, and regularly.

For example, consider what you would do if you discovered that just a day or two before your wedding there was flooding in the area of the venue. Perhaps the venue is flooded, and has had to close, or perhaps the roads are impassable, and no one can even reach the venue. You have little control over the weather, the local drainage system or the ability of the sun to evaporate several million gallons of water by 3pm.

Neither can wedding insurance, but at least it will protect your considerable financial investment, allowing you to rearrange your wedding at no additional expense.

If you have organised transport for your wedding day - perhaps a limousine - then you may well be looking forward to arriving in style. That is, until you get a phone call from the limousine driver to explain that the car has broken down and won't be ready until the following week. Or you discover the driver has been stopped for drink driving and has had his license taken away.

Perhaps you'd played it safe and booked a horse and carriage, only to hear that the horse is pregnant and the carriage has been stolen. These might all seem bizarre and improbable circumstances, yet you could quite easily fill your reception venue with those couples who have experienced these very eventualities for themselves.

Wedding insurance is something you hope never to have to look at again once you've organised it, just as you hope not to look at a flooded wedding venue, a driverless limousine or a pregnant horse.

Humorous Wedding Invitations - You May Now Laugh At The Bride And Groom

Humorous wedding invitations relax even the most uptight person that can't stand the thought of putting on a suit and tie and stepping into a formal ceremony. Almost instantly, upon receiving your invitation, the recipient will appreciate your tongue-in-check approach to the big day. Humorous wedding invitations are a popular way to lighten up the sometimes stressful and serious moods associated with weddings and getting married. They are perfect for casual, somewhat informal, wedding ceremonies. People will appreciate knowing that the two of you are approaching this important day of eternal commitment with fun on the mind. Humorous wedding invitations come in a variety of forms. You can insert funny text or funny caricature artwork. Anything from funny illustrations of the groom carrying his bride, the bride pulling her panicked hesitant groom to the chapel, the newlyweds riding off on a motorcycle to the skiing bride and groom. Much to the horror of the red states, in an effort to be politically correct and also target a niche, there are groom & groom or bride & bride selections.

Humorous wedding invitations are often keepsakes for your wedding guests. Perhaps they will look back at your invitation to reminiscence about the night or just get some chuckles from the invitation itself. When wording your invitation it's important to not overlook important event details. People want to know the full names of the bride and grooms. Nobody likes to make out a wedding card only to discover that they wrote the names incorrectly. Regardless of the humorous tone to your invitation people still need to know the date, the time and location of the ceremony and reception. So, it's alright to be funny with humorous wedding invitations but don't forget that wedding invitations need to serve their function as well.

Discount Wedding Invitations provide humorous wedding invitations online where you can include your own wording so the invitation reflects your personal style. You are given significant input into the design of your invitation. It's just a matter of completing your order form and expressing exactly what you want from your wedding invitations. The site has a team of designers who communicate with you through the completion of your order. You are emailed proofs within 2-3 business days. You can either approve or decline these proofs and there is no limit to the number of adjustments you may request. The invitations must meet your exact criteria before they are shipped to you.

Digital Photography: Quality of Light

Categories of Light

All light can be divided into categories based on the type (source), the intensity, and the direction. One of the most basic divisions is between natural and artificial light. Another is hard versus diffuse (soft) light. A third set of categories distinguishes the direction from which the light is coming, which it also determines where highlights and shadows will appear in the image. Side, frontal, and back light are a few examples of direction. But, before diving into specifics, it's important to understand the relationship of these categories to one another.

Natural Light

Natural light is the best type of light for many photographic situations. In fact, the broader goal for many photographers using artificial light is simply to emulate the qualities of natural light. One positive note on natural light: no batteries needed. It's available anywhere you go and, apart from the subject matter, it's probably the quality of the natural light that drew you to the scene in the first place. In short, the one reason why natural light looks so good in images is that it is natural.

As previously noted, natural light comes from the Sun (or other "suns," in the case of starlight), and each type of natural light has its own qualities:

• Full, midday sunlight versus early-morning or late-afternoon


• Open shade


• Overcast skies


• Sunrise or sunset


• The deep blues of twilight


• Moonlight


• Starlight


• Window light


• Reflected sunlight, both soft and hard


• Daylight illumination from a frosted skylight


• Other natural sources not from the sun include firelight and lightning

Natural light can also be great for photos of people, though it may sometimes prove more difficult to use because it requires careful planning and observation. It takes more skill to find the ideal natural light for the idea, emotion, or mood you wish to convey.

Learning to evaluate and take advantage of natural light will dramatically improve your photographs.

Taking Advantage of Natural Light: Time of Day
Please review the following images closely. Pay close attention to the shadows, highlights and feeling of depth created in the photo of the woman at 7:45 a.m. as compared with the picture of her at 7:00 p.m. The light used in the earlier image (7:45 a.m.) helps create more depth in the scene, and it helps provide the perception of more space between foreground, middle ground, and background. In the later image (7:00 p.m.), the light is not helping to create more depth. Spatially, the scene is "flatter" in terms of contrast, and thus has less depth.

Landscape photographers are known to use the warm colors and long shadows of morning light. This can create more drama in the landscape, which may better represent the land itself. If you search for landscape images in magazines and calendars, you will find many examples of dramatic light achieved in early-morning hours. You will not see many landscape images made in midday light, because the increased contrast, lack of visual depth, and (unsaturated) colors are not what the photographer thought would best describe the scene.

Obviously, this is a generalization, but as you pay close attention to the thousands of images you encounter daily, you'll likely notice trends in terms of the type of light used for different situations.

Taking Advantage of Natural Light - Disabling Your Flash
The one thing that can kill the ambience of natural or existing light is the on-camera flash. Though this is not as big of an issue when shooting in manual mode, semi-automatic and fully automatic modes (such as aperture-priority and sports modes, respectively) can trigger the flash.

The best thing to do is to turn off the flash in these modes. The camera is programmed to make a good exposure, and often that includes adding in some of its own light if it feels there isn't enough available light for a good exposure. In some cases, the flash is triggered simply because it has been fooled by the presence of dark tones in the main subject or the background. This goes back, remember, to your understanding of how your in-camera (reflective) meter works.

Nothing can destroy the subtlety and character of natural light more than camera's built-in flash. If you want to take advantage of natural light, learn how to turn off your camera's built-in flash.

Artificial light is any light that is not natural and depends on an external source of power. This could be your on-camera flash, external flash units or studio strobes, tungsten photo floods, an overhead light fixture, fluorescent lights in an office environment, streetlights, stadium lights, stage lighting for a concert, the twinkling glow from Christmas-tree lights, neon, and so forth. Like natural light, artificial light can fall under the larger category of existing or available light (in other words, light you do not bring to or set up for your subject).

You might decide to use artificial light for a variety of reasons, including:

• When you need maximum control of your scene by using studio light sources, whether they are strobes or continuous hot lights.


• When there is not enough natural light to make an exposure.


• When you want to preserve the quality of the artificial light as an element in your image, such as the warm yellow light from a corner lamp, the harsh overhead from fluorescent lights, or the colorful glow of stage or club lights.

Experimenting with different types of artificial lighting will help you understand how they influence the image and how your camera records them. The more you know about the qualities of light, natural and artificial, the better you can visualize and control the effects they bring. Being able to identify different sources of artificial light and their inherent qualities will go a long way in helping you predict how they will affect your photography.

Tungsten Lights

These are also referred to as incandescent lights. They are most often found in homes, and they are among the cheapest bulbs to purchase. However, they are much less energy-efficient, and they give off a good amount of heat. Light from tungsten bulbs can vary quite a bit in terms of brightness (25-watt bulb versus a 500-watt photo flood, for example), but this light is generally softer and warmer than fluorescent light.

Halogen Light

This type of incandescent light is more energy-efficient and produces a brighter, whiter light source. It is used in projectors, household lamps, some streetlights, car headlights, and continuous studio lighting (also referred to as "hot lights").

Neon Light

A true neon light will have an orange-red color and is filled with neon gas, through which a small current is passed, causing it to glow. What we know as neon signs, which may be a number of different colors, rely on other types of gases for their color. Though neon lights don't really provide enough illumination to be a light source for a broader scene, they themselves can make for interesting subjects or background material

Streetlight (Sodium Vapor)

Like neon lights, sodium-vapor lights use pressurized gas to produce light. You can identify sodium-vapor lights by their yellow illumination. If you take a long night exposure using street lamps as your light source, you'll notice this same, somewhat eerie yellow-orange glow pervade your image.

Artificial Light (continued)

In addition to ambient or available artificial light, there are a number of options with which you can have more control: namely, flash or strobes. Many digital cameras come with built-in on-camera flash units that may automatically pop up, ready to fire in low-light situations (depending on your exposure mode and camera make). As alluded to earlier, these are generally the least appealing light sources in terms of effect..

Off-Camera Flash

An off-camera flash is more useful and offers many possibilities for positioning the flash, as well as for using accessories such as a mini flash-softbox or bounce cards to modify the quality of the light. In order to use an off-camera flash, your camera needs to have either a hot shoe or flash sync connection.

Club or Stage Light

Amazing effects can be achieved with these multicolored directional lights. Stage lights in particular are extremely powerful, making it easy to isolate separate beams of illumination. Concerts make liberal use of such effects

Studio Strobes
These are lighting systems that run from a power pack that is plugged into a standard power outlet. They connect to your camera via a sync cord, a slave unit (a device where an on-camera flash triggers the studio strobes), or a wireless connection. Studio strobes offer the most versatility and control in how the scene is lit. Their power output can be varied at the power pack, and they can accept a wide variety of light-modifying accessories.

As far as studio work goes, for the new user, the main disadvantage of a strobe system is that you cannot see the effect that the light will have on the subject. You have to use a flash meter to determine exposure and take test shots to determine how well the lighting setup is working. Fortunately, digital cameras provide instant feedback without the need for costly Polaroid tests.

Lightboxes and Studio StandsThere is a wide variety of stands and softbox types. If you plan to shoot on-location, size and weight might be an issue, and if you plan to keep lights only in the studio, maybe size is not such a big issue. More important, though, is the quality of light provided by the various light-modification tools. There are many different shapes of soft boxes and umbrellas, and they all produce a different quality of light.

Tungsten-Halogen Lamps

Some portrait studios still use hot lights for various reasons. There are advantages and disadvantage to both. In general, these are all terms with which you should be familiar, and this knowledge will help you choose the right lighting for any situation down the road.

Hard and Diffuse Light

We used the terms soft and hard light several times to describe characteristics of individual artificial light sources, and, in the case of natural light, qualities relating to specific times of day. Certainly, all light can be divided into one of these two categories, also referred to as specular and diffuse light.

Diffuse Light(or soft)

light is lower in contrast and more even. As a result, it is often easier to achieve a good exposure for both highlighted and shadowy areas, as the difference between the two is slight. Diffuse light can be very complementary for pictures of people where that person's likeness is the highest priority.

Diffuse light is either filtered through or bounced off another surface before hitting the subject. Open shade is one source of diffuse light. Other examples include: light filtered through a high canopy of leaves, the shady side of a building, or in the shelter of a doorway. Clouds, fog, dust, smoke, and smog are other environmental circumstances that can yield varying degrees of diffuse light, each serving to block or bounce the sun's rays. Window light may also provide very soft light, depending on the direction of the sun or how dirty the glass

Hard Light

Hard light is directional and generally more intense, thereby heightening contrast. It's great for building drama in a scene and emphasizing shape and dimension. Deep, defined shadows are characteristics of harsher light. Generally, hard light is used to illustrate an idea or concept, but it does not create a good likeness of a person.

Directional Light

The direction from which light hits your subject can have dramatic impact on your shot. Side lighting, for example, is quite effective at sculpting a subject, throwing long shadows, bringing out details, and adding a powerful flair. Backlit scenes can also be dramatic, with the light coming directly towards the camera, creating stark outlines of foreground elements or rendering a subject to complete silhouette. Frontal light tends to "flatten" a subject by minimizing the distance relationships between foreground and background and eliminating shadows that would otherwise give a sense of dimension.

The direction of light can also be used to slim a face or make a face look more full. For example, if your subject has a round face, you can use side lighting to give the perception that the subject's face is not as round. For a thin face you wanted to make a little fuller, you could use more frontal light. The best thing to do is try many different combinations to see what you like and in what situations.

Directional Light (continued)

Additional possibilities, though seldom used, as they are less flattering, include lighting a subject from above or below. Yet, even these have their uses. Lighting a subject from above may reference police questioning or interrogation, or even the sun at midday. Lighting from below may conjure the feeling of telling ghost stories around a campfire, with the story's narrator holding a flashlight under his chin for eerie effect.

In addition to the direction of light, you can also play with how this relationship changes when your subject is not facing the camera, but instead facing away, or into the light.

Personalized Wedding Invitations Are Truly One of a Kind

Personalized wedding invitations are the perfect way to create an invite that is as unique as the bridal couple themselves. They have the unmistakable stamp of the bridal couple all over them and leave a lasting impression on the recipients. If you are planning on having everything personalized for your wedding, why compromise on your wedding invitations? Sure they may be a little more expensive than regular wedding invitations but for the impact they create, they are well worth the money and the time spent over them.

An Invite is an Invite is an Invite... Or Is It?

With myriad other things to attend to does it make sense to spend endless hours poring over the details of your personalized wedding invite in an attempt to get it just right? Yes it does. Personalized wedding stationery tell your guests more than just the date, time and venue of the event. They are the first indication that your guests will have of the style and tone of your wedding. It is like an introduction to your wedding; a preview of what is yet to come. One look at the style, design and wording of your wedding stationery and all your guests will know what kind of wedding reception they can expect to look forward to.

Personalized wedding invitations in pure white with embossed letters and gold edges would be indicative of a traditional wedding whereas colored or dual toned personalized invitations would tell your guests that the day is going to be more modern.

How to Personalize Wedding Invitations

When personalizing your invitations it is best to choose something that reflects your personality as well as the style of your wedding. One of the most basic and simplest ways of personalizing your wedding invitation is by incorporating the wedding colors into the card. If you've designed a logo for the wedding, you could have that printed or embossed onto the wedding invitation too. If you are planning on having any one type of flower for the wedding; perhaps roses, you could have your wedding invites printed onto handmade paper with echoed rose motifs all over.

Monogramming is another brilliant idea for personalizing wedding invitations. A simple monogram with the bride and groom's initials intertwined can set your wedding invitations apart from anybody else's. One carefully chosen romantic phrase or just one line of a special love poem at the top of the card sets the tone for a romantic wedding.

Incorporating a photo of the bridal couple onto the invite is the ultimate way to personalize wedding invitations. By doing this you can be sure that your personalized wedding invitation is truly unique and one-of-a-kind. Personalized wedding invitations set the stage for a truly one of a kind wedding and are the perfect way of creating exclusive custom-made invites that reflect the unique personality of the bridal couple.

Along with the other wedding decor, personalized wedding stationery offers bridal couples yet another way to display their creativity. With beads, sequins, shells and an endless assortment of fonts and graphics, the possibilities are endless.

Christian Wedding Songs

People participating in Christian weddings have a whole lot of options to choose from regarding their music and songs. Usually the music is reflective, and suits of the time and mood of the wedding.

Since the early weddings of the sixteenth century, a Christian wedding held in the church has involved the bride walking down the aisle, being led by her father or alone. This walk is accompanied by slower, processional music tunes. After the marriage, she walks down the aisle again, this time with her husband, to a livelier recessional tune.

Many tunes have been popular for weddings, the most popular one being Wagner's Bridal Chorus, composed in 1850. This song is more commonly called "Here comes the bride". The other most popular recessional tune is Mendelssohn's Wedding March composed in 1826.

Following the wedding ceremony, the reception is where a wide variety of music is played, either by a live band or a DJ. Favorite Christian wedding songs include "Cherish the Treasure," "Flesh of My Flesh," "Household of Faith," "How Beautiful, I Will Be Here," "Love of the Lasting Kind," "Love Will Be Our Home," "Perfect Union" and "This Is the Day."

It is important when choosing musicians for a wedding to hire only those with experience and references. You can also request sample CDs of the music played by the musicians in earlier weddings, which most reputable performers will have. You can conduct an interview with the bandleader or the DJ and hire the person who inspires the greatest confidence and is sensitive to your needs. Another important factor is negotiating the price of the service and the deposit amount.

How To Choose A Catering Company

Catering usually plays an extremely important part in any special activities and the success of these events majorly depends upon the company that a man or women chooses. Food alternatively is very important in making events like wedding, birthday, company picnics and various family functions successful. It is therefore vital that you have some tips on how to choose a catering company for any functions that a man or women would likely wish to hold.

The first thing to consider in selecting a caterer must always be the type of event. The caterer needs to be handling the number of guests that are likely to attend the function. The type of dishes that the caterer specializes in should also be considered. It's usually vitally important to make sure that these companies are able to always meet the needs of the guests to guarantee their total satisfaction.

The next consideration should be the budget of the entire process. Perhaps it is important to obtain quotation from numerous caterers and find out the one that is affordable. The price must always be suitable for the proposed menu. It may be essential to select the most affordable caterer. Caution must always be taken with very cheap caterers as they may not have sufficient experience to successfully handle major functions.

Another way of acquiring reputable caterers is through recommendations by anyone who has used these services previously. Functions like weddings and picnics usually happen almost on a daily basis; it would therefore be a good idea to inquire from those who have used catering services in the past. When getting recommendations from friends, it is always important to ask for references where one can contact to verify the details of these companies.

Reputation of the caterer is also very important. Nowadays events caterers will often have their own websites. He or she can always look for relevant information from these websites to be sure of the reputations of the caterer. A number of them even include the client's testimonials on their websites. These testimonials may also help him or her acquiring some of the best caterers. Through the website, he or she can also receive contact information on these companies.

The first impression is also very important when choosing caterers. The first impression given by the caterer to the client will always enable the client to know the right service providers. The responsibility of the caterer should be to offer quality services to their clients. If the company just isn't willing to properly explain to their client about types of services they offer, then the client will most likely always look for other alternatives.

The taste of food is another factor that should always be considered. Reputable caterers will always be willing to invite their clients to have a taste of their meals. This will assist the client make decision depending on the taste of the food.

The very best catering company will not only ensure that great menu to their clients but will also offer unmatchable services. This will always make any special activity a memorable one. You can always learn how to choose a catering company by registering for online courses.

What Should You Pack for Your Honeymoon?

Trying to finish all those last minute jobs that need doing a couple of days before your wedding? Got the wedding jitters? AND you need to pack for your honeymoon. Some brides don't even know where they are going, as a surprising number of grooms will book a honeymoon without telling his bride to be.

It's a tricky one, particularly if you are not sure of what the weather will be like, yet this isn't an ordinary holiday and you want to take something a bit special too. Following is just a few useful suggestions which can make your packing easier and ensure that your honeymoon luggage will not be an excess luggage charge disaster.

Cargo pants with zip-off legs are versatile and very useful for changing weather or travelling. Layers of strappy tops and T-shirts can be worn underneath a light jumper or cardigan for cool weather and over skirts and shorts for hot weather. Skirts are cool and flexible - perfect for a romantic evening or sightseeing. There are lots of long dresses around that you can dumb down for daytime and glam up in the evening with accessories and strappy sandals. Bring one pair of your favourite jeans, but no more! Hot weather and jeans do not make a match in heaven.

A backpack is really useful for taking on as hand-baggage on the aircraft, and doubles up as a shopping bag or beach bag. Zipped up securely, you are not prone to pickpockets or anything falling out.

To stop you packing everything but the kitchen sink we have some up with a list of "Don't Forget" and "Really Useful to Have" leaving you free to kick back and enjoy the romance

Don't Forget

• Your Passport (with marriage certificate if tickets are in your married name and your passport isn't)


• Visa documents/driving licence/airline tickets


• Holiday insurance


• Mobile phone & charger


• Money/credit cards (don't bring everything with you - just what you need)


• Camera (you need evidence of the amazing time you are having)


• Essential medication including contraceptives (would be nice to enjoy the honeymoon period for a little bit longer)


• Walking shoes or sandals


• Lingerie


• Light make-up

Really useful to have

• Cargo Pants with zip off legs


• Cardigan/light jumper/pashmina


• Waterproof jacket (I bring a Jack in the Sack)


• Socks (to keep feet warm on night flights)


• Mosquito repellent/Imodium/Paracetamol


• Sunhat


• Suitcase Lock


• Sunscreen


• Tampons/Pads


• Books/Cards


• Backpack/Beach bag


• EReader (for instant downloading of books)


• Plug converter


• Sunglasses


• Scissors

It is no disaster if you forget to bring a washbag - everything is readily available wherever you may be in the world and sometimes even cheaper.

Quick Tips Guide to Planning a Destination Wedding

Planning a wedding in the town where you live in or grew up in can be nerve-wracking. But planning a wedding somewhere you've never been (or only visited briefly) can cause a total breakdown! Our clients often ask what they need to remember when they plan a destination wedding, especially one on an island. Below are some of our top tips for planning a destination wedding.

1. Budget - this is probably the first thing for any wedding to start with when planning. If you get realistic about your budget, then you can consider the most important things for your ceremony: is it having all of your friends and family? Is it having the wedding in a specific place? Is it having the dress of your dreams? Knowing what you want to invest in as your top priority helps you to evaluate where to pour most of your money. Then you can figure out where you can compromise if needed after that.

2. Airfare - whether traveling as a group or just you and your partner, contact the airlines before you book your trip. Ask about rates on different locations and/or group rates. It might also help to contact a travel agent to help with coordinating flights and hotels. Travelocity.com, Priceline.com and other airline websites often have deals on hotels to compliment flights as well. It's good to make some calls and evaluate options. You can also contact the wedding planners in the destination location, as they can often tell you the best airline to use and offer suggestions for best deals for accommodations.

3. Dress - pick up a few bridal magazines and look at what features appeal to you most. Take them with you to dress stores. Look at the length of sleeves (or no sleeves), the type of material and trim, the length, the accessories and then the availability. Some dresses need altering, and some take months to arrive. Plan on another month after the arrival to try on the dress, get it fitted and altered and then shipped back to you. Also, if you're traveling by plane for your destination wedding, be sure to bring your dress as a carry on. We have had several clients arrive before their dresses do when they had checked their dresses in with the main luggage.

4. Flowers - check with your local florists in the destination location or your wedding planner to find out what types of flowers are available locally. You can spend a lot of money shipping in a specific type of flower if you have your heart set on a certain kind. If your wedding is on an island and on the beach, you might consider eliminating buying flowers and letting the natural setting decorate your ceremony instead.

5. Wedding Insurance - especially for outdoor weddings and destination weddings, it is a good idea to purchase wedding insurance to protect your investment. This can save you a lot of stress in the event of cancellations or delays. Check with your wedding planner for several different insurance options so you can see if there is one that suits you at a low cost.

6. Legalities - in the cases of weddings out of your country, check with local laws to see what the rules are for marriage licenses. Sometimes you can only get a license a certain amount of time after you have purchased it. It can be a better idea to obtain a license before you leave for your destination wedding ceremony.

7. Photography - good wedding photographers can be worth every penny of the investment. They are often booked well in advance if they are known for their excellence. Shop around to the local photographers at your destination, as they are often more experienced with photographs in that specific location (i.e. they know special places for the best sunset shots, they know how to photograph in bright sunlight next to the ocean waters, etc.). Different photographers have different styles, too. Ask to see their portfolios to get a sense of the style you like.

8. Day of the week - many vendors are less expensive when you pick a day other than Saturday, especially in off-peak seasons. See if you can play with your date to save money.

9. Afterward - plan to allow a couple days to unwind after your wedding. Planning the event, traveling to the venue and going through the ceremony can be exhausting. Having a few days with no plans to share quiet time with your new spouse can be a great gift.

10. Extras - especially when traveling for your wedding, pack extras of items in case of emergencies: tissues, makeup, bandaids, scissors, sunblock, hairspray, earrings, pantyhose or any other items you might need. Ask your wedding planner if they have an emergency kit with items (like scissors) so you won't need to pack them.

Gift Baskets for Baby Shower

A gift basket is always a welcome present in a baby shower. The expectant mother will always be delighted with one, whether she's having her first or third baby. Your basket can be a small one with just three basic items inside or it can be a grand surprise of luxury stuff. When you're looking for baby gifts, consider giving gift baskets. They are interesting to give and to receive.

One kind of gift basket you can give in a baby shower would be a collection of bath items. Most parents would just buy soap and other basic toiletries. You can make the mom and her baby feel special by a set of luxury baby bath, shampoo, and lotion. You can also throw in a bath towel set, including a wash cloth and a squeaky toy.

Ask any parent and they'll agree that babies grow very quickly. So you shouldn't just think about things for the newborn when looking for baby shower gifts. You can choose to give a spoon and fork set, a training cup, plates or bowls, and other things he or she would need for meal time. You can also add a couple of bibs and some baby wipes.

You can also give a cuddly bear together with clothes and other things the baby would need for a good night's sleep. You can include a couple of pajamas and a blanket. If you wish, you can have a teddy bear, a blanket, and a bedtime book, instead.

An all-toy gift basket, of course, would also be nice. You can give an assortment of stuffed animals. Another option would be to give different brightly colored toys that would help practice the baby's senses like rattles and squeaky toys.

But you shouldn't forget about the mom. Maybe you can still go for one of the basket themes mentioned above and put in an item for the mother. If you wish to give a bath time basket, you can include a moisturizing shower gel to keep mom's skin soft and hydrated after giving birth. You can also take the meal time theme and throw in some healthy snacks and chamomile infusion tea for mommy so she can have a treat for herself once baby's sleeping. You can also add a nice pillow for the mother if you're choosing the bedtime gift basket.

Ideas for gift baskets for baby showers are almost endless. You can arrange a gift basket on your own. Or you can buy a pre-packaged basket from an online store or a brick-and-mortar gift shop.

How to Increase Website Traffic - Simple But Important SEO Tricks

Search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing help people find companies and services online. For businesses it's an excellent opportunity for free marketing. But if your website shows up on Google page three or higher, chances are that companies with better ranking will snatch potential customers from you.

This article talks about how to improve search engine optimization (SEO), how to get the most out of your keywords, and how to make your website more visible to Internet users.

Choose your keywords carefully

When coming up with keywords for your web copy and SEO strategy, find a balance between words that are specific for your business and words that people actually type in the search window. For example, if you specialize in wedding flowers arrangements, the keyword "flowers" is too general and wouldn't do much for you. "Wedding bouquets" is a better choice. "Yellow chrysanthemum", on the other hand, is too narrow.

Do you need some inspiration? Here's a trick: go to the website of a competitor that ranks well. In the web browser menu, go to View and View source. A new window will open up with all the information about that page. Look for meta keywords and you might get ideas for keywords to use, or not to use, on your company site. We don't recommend being a copycat, hopefully your website has something very unique to offer, but it doesn't hurt to check out what the competitors are up to.

When you incorporate your keywords in the website copy, make sure to include the most important words in the first paragraph of each page. Finally, keep in mind that you write for humans, not for machines, so don't overstuff your copy with keywords.

Understand the use of meta keywords

It's important to point out that meta keywords won't do wonders to SEO and website traffic. In fact, many search engine algorithms don't care much about meta keywords. However, as long as you do it right, it doesn't hurt to have them. In my opinion, having 5-15 carefully chosen meta keywords per page is better than having no keywords at all.

While general meta keywords won't have a great impact on ranking, putting keywords in page titles (or meta titles) can make quite a difference. Instead of having ordinary page titles like "Welcome to Company X" or "About", make sure you have descriptive page titles, for example "Welcome to Company X, Specialist in Y, City State" and "About Company X, experts in Y products".

Alt tags and alt titles are text that describes images. It shows when the mouse hover over an image, or when a picture doesn't load properly. Again, they don't do wonders to SEO but it doesn't hurt to have them.

In the end, the most important place for keywords is in your website copy.

Avoid competing with the whole World Wide Web

It's extremely tough for a small business, or a start-up company with a brand new website, to compete online with literally thousands of companies in the same industry with bigger marketing budgets. If you own a local business that only serves a certain city, state, or even country, zoning in on your geographical area can improve your ranking. If applicable for your business, include geographical areas in page titles, meta tags, website copy, and in other content elements of the website.

For example, if you own a small florist shop in Tampa Florida, the keyword "flowers" is like a needle in a haystack. Google it and you will get about 150 million hits. "Floral services Tampa Florida" on the other hand reduces the search engine competition significantly.

Images and videos make crawlers blind

Search engine spiders don't see images, flash videos, slide shows, etc. If your homepage is nothing but pictures and banners, search engines won't be able to crawl the page and take information from it. It's just as if the page were empty. So make sure you have at least one or two paragraphs of copy (text) on your pages, especially on the homepage.

Be inviting - Have control over Meta Descriptions

Meta descriptions are one or two short sentences of what a webpage is about, and on search engine sites they show up as preview snippets underneath the page title. They are important because people read them and determine if the site is of interest. If you haven't entered any meta descriptions, the search engine will take whatever it can grab from the page, and it's not always what you want Internet users to see. Also, if your homepage has a lot of images, the crawler can't read the page, and it will grab the few random word it can see on the site. Google sometimes ignores the meta descriptions and grabs text directly from the site, so again, make sure to have at least one paragraph of quality copy on each page.

When you write your meta descriptions (or web copy paragraphs) you want them to be descriptive, informative, and inviting. Have a look at your ranking competitors and ensure your preview snippets are the best.

Link building - A way to increase popularity

Popularity is important for search engine ranking, and links are a way to measure it. The more web pages that refer to your site, the higher the likelihood to rank well. The higher you rank, the more people see your site, and the higher the odds are people will talk about it on the web. And around and around it goes. In other words, external linking is good. Contact companies you trust about exchanging links, write a blog, and share your links in respectable and appropriate forums. But be careful not to overdo it, nobody likes an annoying spammer.

A word of caution: there are companies out there offering linking services or link exchange programs. Don't end up in so-called bad neighborhoods, a.k.a. websites with questionable content. It could sabotage your ranking. Do your homework before you buy any link building services.

When it comes to internal linking (links within your own site), avoid the generic "click here". Instead, create link text that describes the link well, e.g. "information on server virtualization".

How do I know if my efforts are paying off?

After you've put all this hard work into choosing keywords and putting them in various places, you want to find out if it's actually working. The obvious step is to enter your keywords on different search engine sites, and see if your website shows up on the first page. You may also notice a rise in inquiries about your company, or even better, an increase in sales. But in case you don't get the ranking results you were hoping for (keep in mind it can take time), you need black on white website data in order to analyze and improve your web traffic.

Google Analytics and Google Webmaster Tools offer great free online devices for accessing information about your website visitors and their behaviors. And remember, whether your results are fantastic or you get a bit disappointed, nothing on the web is static. There's always room for changes and improvements!

Next step - Attractive and persuasive website copy

Once your website attracts more and more visitors, you need to keep them interested and inspire them to come back for more. In my article "What makes for great web content " I talk about important factors for successful website copywriting, such as attract visitors with compelling text, easy-on-the-eyes website structure, and how to convert visitors to customers.

Wedding Invitation Ideas: Trends and Styles

Well, it is time to invite! That means you have 3-4 months left to go before your wedding, time and place are known, guest list is already accomplished and you are almost sure about the chosen outfit. Invitations should be sent out no later than 2 months before the wedding. However it is recommended to invite earlier before as soon as guests have not planned their trips somewhere to ski resort or to the Maldives.

Take an advantage of web shopping and find your perfect wedding invites in Internet. Stop your choice on the online wedding stationery store offering wedding cards with personalised printed text ready for mailing. If you prefer to touch and scrutinize them before buying - order samples by post to be sure they really meet your expectations.

Contemporary weddings don't follow etiquette as strictly as 50 years ago and there is an enormous range of wedding stationery in an amazing array of styles and colours. The question is what to choose from the ocean of beautiful cards and their manufacturers. First of all you should realize what matches your style most of all, taking into account your preferences and format of reception. There is a helpful scheme of wedding receptions and relevant styles of stationery at your service:

• Black tie reception: white/ecru/ivory cardstock with black, gold, silver, red, purple, royal blue, burgundy accents. The most popular trends are Damask style, Antique style, Peacock theme, Monogrammed Classic style with elements of calligraphy. The hottest trend of 2011 considered to be a Fairytale look inspired by stories from childhood.


• Vintage inspired wedding: white/ecru/ivory cardstock decorated with lace, ribbons and pearls. Colour palette: candy pink, dusky rose, mocha, teal, mint, light blue, poppy red. The brightest example of vintage is polka dot pattern and retro vignettes.


• Romantic Garden reception: white/ivory/colour cardstock with botanical graphics. Colour palette: sage green, grey green, fuchsia, yellow, orange. The most popular symbols are silhouettes of grass, cherry blossom, flowers, stylized birds, butterflies and other insects - everything what we can find in the garden.


• Seashore wedding: white/ivory/turquoise background decorated with seashells, seahorses, corals and other sea attributes. Nowadays you can find even unusual solutions like scrolls tied with seaweeds or a message in the bottle.


• Destination wedding implies an accent on the place of wedding. After you had your pick of exotic locales around the world stress the essence of this idea with unusual invitations. Airplane tickets, geographical maps, tropical foliage, mountains, pyramids, symbols of cities such as Eiffel tower, statue of Liberty etc. - all these could be in use in the design of your wedding stationery.


• Casual weddings could be featured with informal wedding stationery. Some modern couples tend to ignore the established rules and choose invitations with funny cartoon pictures of bride and groom, calendar-invites or invitations printed on napkins or even issued as a multimedia CD.

All you have to do is to choose your style and colours. Don't be afraid to be different - it is your day. Like peacocks? You may have them on your wedding invitations as much as you want. Mad about adventures? Treasure-map invitation will mirror your passionate nature. Don't care about invitations? All right - take white traditional card and be happy.

Wedding Websites Save Brides & Grooms Time and Money

For the past few years, the Internet has served to assist many brides and grooms in planning their wedding day, finding wedding site locations and wedding vendors, but now more and more couples are seeking to publish their wedding details online, too. A wedding website is a great way for couples to express their personalities, share their stories, and eliminate a lot of time and money doing extra leg work like making phone calls and paying for expensive invitation inserts for additional details like registry information, pre-wedding parties, and location maps or directions.

Many modern brides and grooms are turning to wedding web sites as a way to share information on how they met, provide special announcements to the wedding party and guests, and supply details and information about their wedding day and pre-wedding day celebrations including directions to the wedding site and rehearsal dinner location, bridal shower and bachelor party details, gift registry information and links, local hotel and airline recommendations, and top tourist sites for their out of town guests.

Best of all, with so many new wedding web communities now online you don't need to be a web developer to create your own wedding website. There are many web sites out there that can help you easily create and update your own wedding website or affordable wedding profile with the simple click of a mouse. Surveys have shown that 70 percent of today's brides want to incorporate a wedding website into their wedding planning. Of those who wanted a wedding site, 80 percent were interested in using the website primarily for event details, about 70 percent were interested in publishing their gift registry information, and 25 percent showed an interest in an online RSVP system.

Here are some links to the most popular online resources for building your own wedding website: http://www.theknot.com, http://www.findmywedding.com, http://www.ewedding.com, and http://www.weddingwindow.com.

Whatever type of wedding website you choose, from a simple information site to a full narration of your entire wedding event process, a wedding website can save you time, money and valuable energy that you will be grateful to have once you step up to the altar.

Wedding Shower Invitation Basics And Proper Etiquette

Just as a wedding takes a lot of preparation and a number of decisions need to be made to make it perfect, so too does a wedding shower take a lot of work. You need to pick a location that will make the couple feel comfortable, decide on food to serve that the couple will enjoy, select an appropriate color scheme and theme, create and send out wedding shower invitations, etc. Fortunately, by taking care of the wedding shower invitation early, it can really lighten the load.

Information to be included on the Wedding Shower Invitation

After you have talked with the couple about any preferences they might have for the wedding shower, you should have a good idea of what the couple wants. If the couple has not specified certain information, try to base it on what they typically like. For example, for color scheme try to include their favorite colors in the decorations. If the couple loves Italian food, than make sure that you either have the wedding shower at an Italian restaurant or include some Italian food in what you will be serving.

Once you have gathered all the information you need for the wedding shower itself, you need to decide what to include on the wedding shower invitation. Typically you want to include the location, have some indication as to what the attire is, registry information, etc. When you pick out the wedding shower invitation paper, you will want to choose it to match the wedding shower color scheme and theme. If the theme is not obvious from the look of the invitation paper, you will want to mention the theme on the invitation.

Wedding showers can be held nearly anywhere. Often people like to have them at restaurants or have them catered so that there is less stress on the host/hostess. If not held at restaurants, you can have them at the home of someone or if they are nature-lovers, you may want to have it at a nice park. Make sure to include a map or directions in with the wedding shower invitation, so that everyone will be able to find the place without calling. Also be sure to add R.S.V.P. information. That way you know how much food to have available.

Proper etiquette says that the wedding shower invitation should be sent out six weeks before the shower date. Showers can be held as far as six months prior to the wedding date. Make sure that you never invite someone that is not invited to the wedding. It is best to get a guest list from the celebrated couple to make sure that no one is left out. If the shower is a surprise, ask a couple of the closest relatives of the bride for a guest list.

Buying Insurance Online Can Offer Many Benefits

It is now possible to meet all of your insurance needs when you buy insurance online. Online sources of insurance are quickly becoming an excellent addition to the insurance industry. Buyers looking to get new coverage or add to existing insurance policies can now find excellent insurance products over the internet with a simple mouse click!

An easy place to start when planning to buy online insurance is to check any coverage you or your family or friends currently have. Those existing policies will usually have references to their website where you can see other deals offered. This will be a matter of creating an account online so you are able to do business over the Internet. You can pay your bills online instead of through the mail.

If you do not have insurance another excellent place to begin when seeking insurance online is to start with the well-known companies. Ask friends and family the companies they use and start from there. You are able to search through there website and price different packages. Typically these sites have a customer support desk you can either chat over the internet or call the number provided for any questions.

You can also find new insurance online by searching by coverage type. Check under topics such as life insurance, property insurance, health insurance and car insurance. More specialized types of insurance coverage such as pet insurance, travel insurance and even wedding insurance also may now be purchased to cover almost any situation! Once you find insurance coverage offered on the internet, you will want to begin comparing coverage.

Coverage benefits may be compared by the price of the coverage, what event is covered, the cost of any coverage and any limitations on coverage or liability. You can also compare what acts, if any, will invalidate coverage or reduce the allowed benefit. You should also keep your eyes open for any discounts available to you because of age, status, affiliation, group membership, and occupation.

Often, membership in a professional organization entitles you to come within its insurable group. School alumni organizations, professional trade organizations, and membership in certain unions entitles members to take advantage of certain types of insurance plans.

When you decide to locate and buy insurance online, you open yourself up to an enormous list of excellent choices which must then be studied and compared to ensure that you are receiving the maximum coverage for your paid amount. Regardless of the currency you are using to pay for the coverage, you must be sure that the unit of money you are using is buying the best available value for your spending power!

How Much Should I Charge For My Commercial Cleaning Services?

You've bought all your cleaning supplies and equipment, told everyone you know that you have started a cleaning business and now you are ready to start bidding on jobs and getting down to work. So your next step is to meet with potential clients and put together a bid for their cleaning services. But how do you know what to charge for cleaning your potential client's building?

Start off by remembering that you are in business to make a profit and earn a living. Sometimes the tendency is to price our services low in order to get our foot in the door. Pricing your services too low may mean you will end up working for very little per hour. And more importantly, will have little left over to reinvest in the growth of your company. There are cleaning companies that charge more than others and have all the work they can handle and there are companies that have lower fees yet are struggling to find work! Don't sell yourself short or you will not be able to earn a living off your cleaning business.

The rates for commercial cleaning vary widely depending upon the area you live. Hourly rates are anywhere from $15 to $40 per hour depending on the type of services that you provide, whether or not you're doing the work yourself, and your company's overhead and expenses. Monthly square footage rates could run anywhere from $.05 to $.20 per square foot depending on the type of building you are cleaning and the frequency of cleaning. You'll be able to bid a higher square footage price for medical facilities versus office buildings due to more specialized cleaning needs. You'll likely bid a lower square footage price for large buildings versus small buildings. For example, you may bid $.08 per square foot for a 50,000 square foot building versus $.12 per square foot for an 8,000 square foot building.

You will most likely be charging your customers a monthly price and you will need to figure that price by estimating how long it will take to perform the services that your client has requested. The more productive you or your employees are, the higher the hourly production rate. If you're able to clean 3,500 square feet per hour, your profit will be higher than if you're only able to clean 2,500 square feet per hour, so adjust your price accordingly.

It's also a good idea to find out what the "going rates" are in your area. A few phone calls to competitors may be necessary to get an idea of the basic charges in your area. Use a script when you call so you can compare apples to apples. So what do you say when you call? Try something like, "Hi, I have a small business office that I would like cleaned once a week. It is 3000 square feet and has two small restrooms. Can you give me a rough estimate of what you what you charge per month?" The person may or may not give you an estimate. Most contractors will insist on walking through the building, but it is worth a few phone calls so you have a ballpark figure on what cleaning companies in the area are charging.

To estimate what you should charge for cleaning a building, start by doing a walk-through with the building owner or manager. Keep track of the following:

* Frequency of cleaning (once a week, three times a week, five times a week). If frequency is one or two times per week, it's best to estimate your time and multiply by your hourly rate. If cleaning 3 or more times per week you can estimate your time by the square foot.

* Overall square feet

* Types of floor surfaces and square footage of each (carpet, vinyl flooring, ceramic tile)

* Types of rooms - general office, break room, restrooms. Also note the number of toilets/stalls and fixtures in each restroom, as well as the types of restroom supplies used.

* Any special considerations - heavy traffic areas, elevators, unusual requests, etc.

* Make note of the specific services the client is seeking such as emptying trash, dusting, restroom cleaning, mopping and vacuuming.

The following services are specialized services and you should bid them separately, and list a per-service charge on your bid:

* Stripping and Waxing (.25¢ - .50¢ per square foot)

* Buffing/Burnishing (.03¢ - .07¢ per square foot)

* Machine Cleaning of Ceramic Tile floors (.12¢ - .21¢ per square foot)

* Carpet Cleaning (.12¢ - .25¢ per square foot)

* Carpet Spotting ($20 - $40 per hour)

* Cleaning appliances (microwave, refrigerator) - $10 - $35 per appliance

* Window Washing ($1.00 - $5.00 per pane)

Make sure you take enough notes so you can put together a realistic price that is fair to the client and one in which you will make a profit. After your first meeting with the client, go back to your office look through your notes and decide what it will cost you to clean the building. You may have to consult a production cleaning rate chart to determine how long it will take you and your staff to clean the building. Once you have an idea of how long it will take to clean the building you can put your cost estimate together:

* Estimate the time it will take by using a production cleaning rate chart or calculator.

* Determine your labor cost for cleaning the building one time.

* Determine your monthly labor cost to clean the building.

* Estimate a monthly cost for supplies. This will be a fairly low figure, perhaps 1 or 2% of monthly sales.

* Be sure to add in a profit margin!

Add up the figures and you will come up with your monthly cost. If you have access to a bidding calculator you will be able to put in a series of numbers and come up with a price. A bidding calculator will also show what profit you can expect to make. It is also advisable to add a first time cleaning charge. This is usually an hourly rate of perhaps $20 - $25 an hour. The first time you go through a building it will take longer and you may find the previous cleaning service may have left dirt in cracks and crevices that you will have to clean the first time through.

Once you have your price established, put your bid packet together. Your bid packet should specify what you are responsible for and what the client is responsible for (buying their own trash can liners, restrooms supplies, etc.). It should also include the monthly charge for cleaning services, how long the agreement is for, and the procedure to cancel the contract if either party is unhappy.

It is important to learn how to price your cleaning services so your customers know you are providing a professional service at a realistic price and so that you make a profit. After all, if you do not make a profit you won't stay in business very long!

Copyright (c) 2006 The Janitorial Store

How to Throw Baby Shower for Twins with Awesome Baby Shower Favors

A baby shower is an immensely joyous occasion not just for the parents to be, but also the guests who won't be unmoved by all the joy and warmth that welcoming a new life presents. Unlike a wedding where you can't really be sure the couple's marriage will last longer than the flowers, a baby shower is a promise of new beginnings that will last a lifetime.

A shower for twins is well...double the fun, and double the joy. There are some special factors that you'll need to include while planning a shower for your friend or relative who's having twins.

A woman carrying twins is going to be under increased strain during the last months of her pregnancy, so make sure you ask her about her preference for the guest list. If she doesn't want a too large gathering of friends, relatives, neighbors and their dog, don't pressure her to. If she's looking forward to a big blast however, don't disappoint her. Remember, she's suffering double the hormonal surges, and needs some time to relax!

Baby gifts for a twin baby shower will have to be for both babies. That includes strollers, car seats and carriages for two etc. Obviously, not too many guests will be able to afford two of everything. This is where your planning genius comes in. Make sure that all guests are informed beforehand that gifts that have been bought by a group of people are best. For instance, friends could get together to pool in money for a large twin stroller, office workers, if they are invited could pool in for two car seats and so on.

Baby gift baskets for a twin shower work best if they are created around a theme. One set of people could have a safety themed gift basket with a thermometer, cotton swaps, baby Tylenol etc. A bed time basket could contain bedding, a nursery monitor, lullaby CDs, and comfy nightclothes for the twins. Two sets of everything will be required, so dividing the baby gift baskets by theme like this will ensure that the parents, who will have double the expenses after their bundles of joy arrive, can have some of their financial burden taken off of them.

Make sure the baby shower favors you choose are twin themed. Online stores these days have favors for just about every kind of baby and situation, and you'll have no trouble finding a baby shower favor that's double the giving pleasure!

Why Buy Wholesale Wedding Flowers Online?

Buying wedding flowers from a wholesale dealer can be much more inexpensive than purchasing them from a traditional florist. You'll find a lower cost per flower when you're buying wholesale. Not to mention that they are freshly cut and packaged when they arrive to the factory, a florist may only receive product that's been sitting for quite some time. And since these flowers are shipped directly to the factory they have seen minimal handling and are in great shape.

Wholesale wedding flowers will also last longer than flowers you purchase from a florist. Since they're low in price to begin with and you can buy them direct from the import factory you'll cut out any middle man, extra retail charges, and of course cost of shipping. Who can argue with fresher, cheaper flowers that are going to last nearly twice as long as a florists' stock!?

Wholesale wedding flowers can be shipped to you from the source, just days after they were cut and prepared, they haven't been set to wilt in a florists' window for days or even weeks at a time. Wholesale wedding flowers are great for a wedding on the budget or a DIY bride, or even if you're a wedding planner who needs fresh flowers but has to keep the costs down. Fresh flowers can spruce up even the dullest table at your event.

When buying wholesale flowers you're going to have to be responsible for the flower arrangement yourself, you'll want to order your flowers far enough in advance to give yourself time to design and create these arrangements. In fact, you'll want to place your order a month or even more in advance. Many bridges like to see their wedding flowers delivered a few days before the wedding date.

You'll want to have knowledge of how to properly care for the fresh flowers as well as have an individual on staff who can take care of the arrangements, most bridges are too busy with other last-minute details to help out with this. Once you know how to keep the flowers fresh and beautiful you'll need a team of people to help with the arrangements.

you'll need to unpack the wholesale wedding flowers as soon as they arrive. Make sure that you cut a few inches from the bottom of the stems and immediately place them in water, however make sure that the buds and blossoms are still all safely wrapped. Some flowers need certain temperatures to survive, and others need specific lightning, make sure that you research the types of flowers you're ordering before making that final purchase.

4 Steps To Planning A Baby Shower

If you've never organized an event like a baby shower, the idea might seem a little intimidating at first. In reality, planning a baby shower is easy if you just relax and remember a few basic things. In this article I'll cover the basic steps that will help make your experience with planning a shower a good one.

The very first step in planning a baby shower is to decide on a location. If possible, choose a comfortable location where the mom-to-be and the guests can relax and be comfortable. Community buildings such as your local library or bank, churches, or even the home of a friend or family member are all common location choices.

The next step in planning a baby shower is to get the guests invited. In general, you'll need a list of the names and addresses of friends and family of the expectant mom, baby shower invitations, and postage stamps to mail the shower invitations. Usually you'll want to decide on the theme before sending the invitations as you'll probably want the invitations to reflect the theme.

The third step to planning a shower or any occasion for that matter is deciding what you're going to do for food. People love snacks and nicely put together food trays. You'll want to plan carefully what "comfort foods" and "guilty pleasures" you want to include for the baby shower menu. Whether its simple or elegant, you are sure to please your guests with whatever menu you decide. Be sure to consider what the likes and dislikes of the mom-to-be are!

The fourth and final step in planning a shower is to decide on what (if any) baby shower games you will play. Games don't have to be participation based (sometimes people don't care for that). Depending on the mom-to-be and the crowd, even silly hand outs, skits, or jokes can be fun and appropriate. Be sure to find out what the preferences are of the expectant mother (even if you do it through family and friends).

These four simple steps are really the main points to planning a shower. Sure, there will be various details that come up, but if you can do the four things above then you can certainly handle any other issues or obstacles that may arise while planning her special day. The only other thing left to do is to have FUN! Make the most of it, relax and have a good time, and everyone else will too!

Care for Engagement Rings

I was so upset last night. I looked down at my ring and realized a small diamond fell out! It was one of the small ones on the band. I told my FH and he got upset with himself for buying the ring. He got it from Zales so hopefully they can fix it. Ive only had it for a month! I hope this doesn't happen often. I just hope Im not too rough on it.

My ring is from Zales too. My came with a garentee that if the stone should fall out it would be replaced. You should check that out. Zales is a reputable company so it shouldn't be a problem.

I got a better one. MY WHOLE DIAMOND FELL OUT. I had it for a couple months and one morning I woke up and I had a big whole in the middle of my ring. (My fiancee was out of town and I was so scared to tell him about it). I tore my whole house apart for the next week looking for it, retraced my steps from the day before with some friends, and we had no luck in finding it. It really sucks because he had saved up for 1 1/2 to be able to buy me that. It's not just about the money we lost, he designed that with the jeweler and I will never be able to get that back. We didn't have the ring insured yet (I didn't know this) and the jeweler said he can put in another diamond but it would cost us $2500; so needless to say, I am without a ring.

We dont have insurance either, but Zales covers the diamonds regardless having insurance or not. We plan on getting insurance but just havent got around to it yet.

Depending on your homeowners insurance company, they may cover it. My parents policy covers damage to our items as well as extra for the jewelry we own. You might want to see what yours covers.

I wear it all the time except for when I shower. I get it cleaned once a month though. Plus I clean it myself everyday after I shower. My ring gets loose in the winter when the weather is cold, but it never slips past my knuckle. It spins a lot, but doesn't come off. If your scared it might fall off, they have these new plastic, flexible wraps that you can put around the bottom of your ring. Kinda like a rubber grip to stop it from coming off. Then at least you don't have to have it sized.

Make sure whoever your FH buys your ring from, sizes it right. It should feel a little tight going over your knuckle and should not be easy to come off. You should have to push your ring up to go over your knuckle. I have had mine for a year and have had no problems losing it or sliding off my finger.

Do not wear your ring in hot tubs.

Ways to Create a Keepsake of Your Wedding Invitation

Your wedding invitation is truly a one-of-a-kind remembrance of your special day since it provides a record of some of the most important details. It is always recommended that a few extra invitations be ordered to save as souvenirs of your wedding, but chances are they will be placed in your wedding album and eventually packed away.

Why not create a memento of your wedding invitation that is more permanent and can be easily displayed in your home as a special remembrance.

Especially since all the formal details of your wedding day appear within your invitation text - date, time of ceremony, time of dinner/reception, name and address of ceremony location, name and address of dinner/reception locale - as well as maybe a special verse or quote chosen by you and your fiance. The invitation design itself may also be symbolic of the colors or theme of your wedding.

Having your invitation wording permanently imprinted on a keepsake item is a wonderful way to uniquely commemorate your wedding day. Here are some suggested items that can be engraved with your wedding invitation verse:

• Photo Album - A great way to personalize a wedding album is to have your invitation wording elegantly engraved on the front cover. This way every time you look through your cherished wedding pictures you will be able to see your invitation verse too.


• Wedding Invitation Frame - Create a lasting souvenir by using a beautiful glass frame to display your favorite wedding photo as well as feature your invitation verse delicately etched on it.


• Glass Block - A simple, but elegant, glass or lucite sculpture piece can be engraved with your wedding invitation text to create an exquisite remembrance of your special day.


• Commemorative Plate - Easily hung on a wall or placed on an easel for table-top display, a decorative plate engraved or etched with your invitation verse will make a wonderful memento for years to come.

With all of your planning and preparations, creating a wedding invitation keepsake may not be a high priority before your wedding, but this is easily something you can have designed later since you may even receive one of these personalized items as a wedding gift.

Your wedding is without a doubt one of the most important days of your life so give some thought to creating a lasting souvenir of your wedding invitation to preserve all the details of your special day. As the years go by, you will undoubtedly be glad you did.

Personalized Bobbleheads, What's the Buzz All About?

The most unlikely gift in this digital era we live in seems to be getting more popular every day: personalized bobbleheads made by hand to resemble their owners. This seems something that's highly unlikely to happen, and yet it is happening. Thought we'd write a few words to explore what the buzz is all about (even Groupon seems to think its worth to run daily deals for them), what the product actually is, and why people can't get enough of it these days.

Bobbleheads themselves have been around for a really long time. There are records of ancient China and Japan producing them in bamboo, and in case you were wondering, yes, their heads bobbled already back then. The entry of bobbleheads into popular culture took place during the 1960s when sports leagues in the United States created series of them, especially around baseball and American football. The style and material of these bobbleheads was significantly different from the ones we'll be referring to in a moment. Back then they had cherub-like faces, simple blocks for a body and they were made of paper-mache.

While all this took place, the tradition in Asia of making bobbleheads of actual people, was never really lost and lay dormant for a few decades. Then the love for popular sports increased and bobbleheads were revived and with it, the idea was expanded to reproduce famous TV stars, politicians and the odd brand mascot (the Taco Bell bobblehead and Churchill dog from the American insurance firm being the most heavily advertised in the media).

This laid the ground for personalized bobbleheads to enter into popular culture. Nobody knows exactly how it happened. Most likely a personalized wedding cake topper maker or wedding couple thought it would be an idea to make the heads of their personalized cake toppers to bobble around. Whatever the actual story, there is now a myriad of companies that for around 100 USD will create a personalized bobblehead of pretty much anyone. The product itself seems quite simple at first glance, but the devil lies in the details.

What is common across all custom bobbleheads out there is they are somewhere between 5 and 7 inches, the head is somewhat cartoonish and oversized in nature and they're not the cheapest thing in the world.

From there on the differences begin, with some bobbleheads having a base as a standard and others standing on their own feet, some being only carved in polymer clay and others molded in resin. Believe it or not, some producers are starting to create their bobbleheads by machine instead of the hand-made industry standard. To make matters more complex, the style of the artist that makes them is imprinted in each of them and so comparing is a task on its own.

How to tell which the good ones are? Well, there's a few tips and tricks that will help a newby navigate the bobble head choices with confidence.

First and foremost you must look beyond marketing blah blah. Every single custom bobblehead site will argue they sell the 'real ones' or 'the original', a big pile of lies, since we've established that they were well known way before any of our forefathers walked the earth. They will all say they have been around forever, been on major TV channels, created bobble heads of extremely famous people, etc, etc, etc.

Try not to read, and instead follow your gut feel. How reputable does the website look? Is it providing you with rich, accurate information about the product, or is it full of hype? Have they invested in a clean, excellent looking shop or is it a guy in his garage who cannot give you guarantees about quality, timing and customer service? Secondly have a close look at the bobbleheads they show, how well are details like fingers and clothes made? Does the paint job look accurate or amateuristic? How many examples do they have to showcase the resemblance they can offer you? Too few examples could mean some serious cherry picking has taken place and you're likely looking at what retailers call 'halo models' shown only to create excitement at the side of the buyer, but never accurate representations of what you will really get.

Then there is the all important satisfaction guarantee. If you do nothing else, do not purchase a personalized bobblehead from a site that does not guarantee your satisfaction. Remember, this is a hand made product, made in 3D, based on nothing but photos you send. The margin for error is large and the price is not cheap, so take no risks on the purchase of your bobble head. Beware of vendors who claim 100% likeliness (resemblance) because the figurine is made by machine. This only guarantees that the machine will make a bobblehead that is identical to the digital file it is fed. However there is still human intervention and technical interpretation between the photo you send, and the file that the machine reads. The results can sometimes be a figurine that looks rather.....well, lets be kind.... awkward.

Personalized bobbleheads are here to stay, that much is clear. Their popularity as wedding cake toppers is unprecedented and they are immensely versatile. We attribute their popularity to the fact that they are so very personal. They speak directly of the person being made, their life, hobbies, things they love or experiences they have shared. The hand made element may not be their most exciting aspect, but it brings a special feeling to the bobble heads, in a time when even greeting cards are digital. It represents time, personal dedication and uniqueness embedded in them.

Finally there's the surprise element these bobbleheads bring. We often struggle to find a gift that will please, and we're surrounded by friends and family who seem to have it all.

Personalized bobble heads provide a personal, funny and tasteful solution to the age old question: "What should I get?"

How To Make Wedding Invitations at Home

Hosting a wedding can be an expensive affair and cutting costs and corners whenever you can is a smart and economical idea. You can cut your costs and have more money in your budget for such things as decorations, an extra course at the reception or a more luxurious display of flowers, when you make your wedding invitations yourself.

When you think of do it yourself wedding invitations, you probably think that it will look tacky or cheap. This is simply not true when you have arts and crafts stores and scrap booking supply outlets that can help you create a professional looking wedding invitation that has your unique touch upon it.

The first step is to choose the wedding invitation wording. Once you have figured out what you will say you can choose the background card. There are many choices that are elegant and formal or more casual and relaxed. Once you have chosen your background you can then choose the overlay. The overlay is where you will have your invitation wording printed. It is then up to you to choose matching envelopes and embellishments like bows, silk flowers and buttons. You can find many nice choices at good prices when you do comparison shopping.

When you want to make your own wedding invitations you need only have supplies such as a laser or inkjet printer, software for your invitation layout and a template. If you already have these things you are ready to go out and choose your papers, embellishments and have fun.

Homemade wedding invitations aren't just for those who are on a tight budget, but also for those people who have a creative side that needs to be expressed. Many people are talented enough to make wedding invitations that look like they are store bought and many of the guests won't know the difference unless you tell them.

You can perfectly express the theme and mood of your wedding when you design your own invitations. It is not as hard as you imagined it would be in light of all the available supplies that you can easily find whether you look in a dollar store, an arts and crafts shop or you do your browsing online. You are sure to find a wide variety of ideas and inspirations to make a unique wedding invitation that you will cherish forever.

Elegant Silver and Gold Receptions

Silver and gold are two of the most elegant colors that you can use to decorate your wedding. Instead of feeling like you have to pick one or the other, why not use both in combination? The effect is incredibly timeless and elegant.

Metallics have always been popular for weddings, but brides have always thought that it had to be either silver or gold, that they couldn't be mixed. That old rule is out the window, sort of like the one that said that you can't combine brown and black or red and pink. In fact, those are some of the hottest color combinations for weddings right now, which just goes to show how much styles have changed.

The silver and gold combination can be used in many ways throughout your wedding. A great place to start is with the bride's ensemble. A truly glamorous look would be a wedding gown that is intricately embroidered with gold and silver metallic thread. It will give you a lusher effect than limiting yourself to just one of the metallic colors. (After all, you're the bride - why should you limit yourself, right?)

The rich gold nicely offsets the cooler silver, and together they are simply opulent. To continue the look, order custom bridal jewelry that combines both colors. One idea would be to select a bridal jewelry set that is custom made using sterling silver and gold colored Swarovksi crystals or pearls. Another idea is to have your bridal jewelry handcrafted using mixed metals; the combination of gold with silver or white gold is a classic look that will never go out of style.

Because the mixture of silver and gold creates such an elegant look, it is the perfect color palette for a formal wedding, in either the afternoon or the evening. The colors are pale enough that they will look great in the light of day, but are certainly rich enough for even the most grand of evening affairs. For your flowers, stick to all white or ivory, so that they do not overpower your main colors.

Table linens are a great place to incorporate the silver and gold. Ornate brocades would be ideal, either for the tablecloths, napkins, or both. You could use a very fancy brocade napkin to dress up a simple ivory tablecloth. If you prefer a more opulent table setting, then layer up the metallic accents: a gold dupioni tablecloth with a silver and gold brocade napkin, topped with china that features a metallic border around the edges. Your guests are sure to be impressed!

For a table this rich looking, consider the added elegance of renting spectacular crystal chandeliers to hang above it. This would be a particularly nice way to light an evening reception. The twinkle of the crystal looks incredible with the glow of the candles on the tables. If you have a strong element like chandeliers above the tables, choose centerpieces that are low to create balance.

Remember the old song,"Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold."? Just like in the song, silver and gold can sit side by side very harmoniously. The effect that you create for your reception will be nothing short of breathtaking.

A Guide to Luxury Wedding Invitations

A wedding can be an occasion that many people most look forward to in their lives. Many little girls play out these dreams and then finally their dream comes true and the day arrives where they have to search for their wedding invitations that they are to send far and wide.

Understandably they will want a unique card that stands out. Some people will already have their own ideas that are to be included along with the graphics. If this is the case they only need to find a printer who is willing to print a custom design as the customer wishes. Meanwhile other couples will seek help and advice as they will not always understand the different print processes involved and options available. They may not understand the availability of designs and if they want the invitations to match their other wedding stationary.

Many printers will be able to provide templates for customers to choose from, print any number of quantities, will offer different card designs and weight. Card design is often restricted by what the budget available is, but luxury wedding invitations can be affordable for all with some adjustments to the design.

Inside the invitation the words can be written by the customer, or obtained from the internet and the same again for any illustrations to be used. A couple may like to add a photo of themselves as it makes the invited person feel as if it has a personal touch.

One of the main factors in the cost can be the type of printing used. Thermography printing is a cheaper alternative to engraving and can help reduce the cost of an order. If money is not an issue, letterpress printing has made a revival in the past few years and gives a distinguished look to the print.

Even though home printers are now more common place and templates can be found on the internet, many people still opt to use professional printers who specialise in wedding stationary. Deciding factors for this can be; the expense, time, the wording, the actual design process and/or the quality of the work they want to achieve.

The invitations should set the standard for the rest of the wedding stationary and the overall day. As a wedding is a day to be looked forward to, choosing a professional printer will help relieve some of the workload when planning the big day - and provide the couple to be with some fantastic looking wedding invitations!