The golfer elbow is a rather annoying injury for many golfers and usually greatly disrupts their game. This is because doctors will always advice that you stay away completely from the game until the injury heals completely. This may take quite sometime. The elbow is a joint and most joint injuries take much longer to heal than other injuries because it is difficult to completely avoid using a joint in our day to day lives.

Golfer elbow is usually caused by either sudden movement or continued recurring strain on the tendons. A tendon in the body usually joins a muscle to a bone. Actually this injury occurs on the tendon around the elbow area.

Apart from medication and rest away from golf, another way of dealing with golf elbow is by carrying out certain stretch exercises.

To prevent the injury a golfer will have to introduce exercise into their golf training program. The exercises are mostly stretch exercises and strength exercises to improve the strength and endurance of key muscles in the body that are used in the golf game and especially during the golf swing.

The stretching exercises should be done before and after a game. Some sort of warm up needs to be done before embarking on the stretching exercises so as to avoid injury. This does not need to be very elaborate. You can for example walk very briskly from the car to the course as your warm up program. The ides is to avoid suddenly stretching your muscles when they are cold and stiff from inactivity.

A simple exercise program where some of the stretching exercises can even be done in the office on your desk when you have a moment will help any golfer avoid the golfer elbow. And those golfers who already have a nagging golfer elbow can also speed their way to complete recovery by taking some expert advice in the use of golf-specific exercises.

About The Author:
Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf fitness experts in the country, author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide, and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites. Visit his new golf fitness ? golf training site at Perform Better Golf.

You should fast for three days to quit smoking. Fast on brown rice and water or carrot juice three days in a row. If you can’t fast for three straight days fast one day a week for three weeks or as close together as possible. This method can be used cold turkey or with the method discussed in the last chapter of my book; although I recommend cold turkey with this method. This method will work for you, all you have to do is try.

There are other ways to quit smoking. For instance you could pray or meditate until the desire passes. The desire to smoke will pass.

Another tip I share to readers in my book Quit Smoking the Easy Way: A New and Revolutionary Way to Quit Smoking is to chew cinnamon gum.There is something about cinnamon that fights cravings for nicotine. We’ve all heard about the healing power of Aroma therapy. Well now you know cinnamon can be used to fight cravings!

I think one of the most important ways to prepare yourself for quitting smoking is the ritual of forgiveness. Smokers smoke when they are mad. This tends to bring the anger to the subconscious. Here’s an excerpt from my book on the chapter entitled The Ritual of Forgiveness: "This ritual frees your heart. First think about everyone who has ever wronged you. Make a list in your mind. Ask God or a saint in heaven to help you forgive each person and why you need to forgive them. Perform this ritual nightly until you have forgiven each individual.

You will find that your heart will become unburdened and you will forgive more easily. You will find that you are not only better off not smoking but that you are better off not holding resentment in your heart. Getting rid of any anger will help you to be a calmer person who is ready to quit smoking."

Sallie Stone is the author of Quit Smoking the Easy Way: A New and Revolutionary Way to Quit Smoking. She can be contacted at sallie_stone@msn.com

Sallie Stone is the author of Quit Smoking the Easy Way: A New and Revolutionary Way to Quit Smoking. She studied Art History and Museum Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. She holds a B.A. in Art History from that school. Her website is http://www.lulu.com/sallie_stone

First we need to understand that the definition of moderate intensity can be completely different from one individual to another. For example, a well-trained athlete may be in the moderate zone when running 5 miles in 30 minutes. Yet, for a novice exerciser who is very overweight, moderate means walking one mile in 30 minutes.

Don’t let this confuse you. While the intensity level is very critical in the overall guideline, fortunately it’s also fairly easily identified. The ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) defines moderate as an intensity of 40 percent to 60 percent VO2 maximum. But, since most of us don’t know how to determine our VO2 maximum, there are easier definitions to utilize.

You can base VO2 loosely on your maximum target heart rate zone. A VO2 maximum of 40-60% equates to about 50 to 70 percent of maximum heart rate (MHR). And determining your MHR and the corresponding percent zones is relatively simple. Below is an easy calculation for determining your specific MHR and what 50-70 percent of equates to.

Target Heart Rate Zone

• Take 220 and subtract your age. This equals your MHR. (Example: For a 30 year old your MHR is 190)
• Next to determine your low range of 50 percent, simply take 190 and multiply it times 50 percent. (Example: For a 30 year old this would equal 95).
• Finally, to determine your high range of 70 percent, simply take 190 and multiply it times 70 percent. (Example: For a 30 year old this would equal 133).’

So, in this example the 30 year-old would want to exercise in a heart rate range of somewhere between 95 – 133 BPM. Keep in mind that this calculation is age-related. It does not take into consideration your fitness level. So, it is not completely accurate, but still a good guideline. For an even more accurate (and more complicated) method for determining your training intensity range, visit this link: http://www.workoutsforyou.com/intensity.htm

Also, some medications can raise or lower your heart rate and change the heart’s response to exercise. Beta-blockers are among those that alter the heart rate. This means that people taking these types of prescriptions should probably use another option for monitoring their intensity.

There are some other very good ways to measure intensity for both people taking medications or those just looking for a more convenient method. Two good options are the Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) method and the Talk Test.

RPE

This takes into account what the exerciser is perceiving in terms of exercise fatigue and it correlates well with cardiorespiratory and metabolic factors like heart rate and overall fatigue. The RPE scale starts with 0 and ends with 10. A rating of 0 equates to doing nothing, being at rest. A rating of 10 is equal to maximum effort, working very, very hard. For moderate intensity, an exerciser should strive for reaching somewhere between a 4-6, which the scale defines as a somewhat hard to a hard effort.

A great way to measure intensity (where appropriate), is utilizing both the RPE and Target Heart Rate Zone. The exerciser should identify where they fall on the RPE scale when their heart rate is between 50 ? 70% maximum. This will allow them to accurately use only the RPE scale for measuring intensity when it is not feasible to determine their THR.

Talk Test

The final method for measuring exercise intensity is the Talk Test. Like the RPE, the talk test is subjective. The exerciser simply ensures that he works out at a level where he can carry on a comfortable conversation. He should be able to breathe comfortably during exercise. In simple terms, the exerciser would be working out too hard if he has to take a breath between every word he says. On the flip side, he would be exercising at too easy of an intensity if he could sing several phrases of a song without breathing hard.

Now you know how to define "moderate" and that means you don’t have any more excuses. It’s time to get moving. Keep in mind that the ACSM guidelines are minimum recommendations. For more significant health improvements and/or weight loss or for more advanced exercises, consider increasing any part of the three recommendations found in their guideline.

About The Author

Lynn Bode, author and certified personal trainer, offers her services online through WorkoutsForYou.com. Workouts For You provides affordable online exercise programs to help even the busiest of people lose weight, tone-up, build muscles, increase stamina and more via the Internet. We’ll provide you with weekly customized exercise programs you can do at home or at the gym.

Visit our website for a free sample workout.

info@workoutsforyou.com

– Dif-fer-en-ti-ate v. tr. To perceive or show the difference in or between; discriminate. –

In business terms, to differentiate means to create a benefit that customers perceive as being of greater value to them than what they can get elsewhere. It’s not enough for you to be different–a potential customer has to take note of the difference and must feel that the difference somehow fits their need better. (Other words that mean virtually the same thing: Competitive Advantage; Unique Selling Proposition; or Value Proposition.)

As you are building your business, you can use differentiation to attract more customers. Once you have momentum, differentiation allows you to charge a higher price because you are delivering more value to your customers. Make a point to evaluate and adjust your differentiation methods at least annually.

The various methods of differentiating your businesses fall into four general categories:

Price Differentiation

Focus Differentiation

Product/Service Differentiation

Customer Service Differentiation

Price Differentiation

Differentiating on price is probably the most common and easily understood method. HOWEVER, for Solo Entrepreneurs, caution is in order. On the one hand, potential customers might expect a lower price from you than from your larger competition because they perceive you as having less overhead, etc. On the other hand, cheaper prices can evoke perceptions of lower quality, a less-stable business, etc. And if you compete on price against competitors with deeper pockets, you can price yourself right into bankruptcy. Be creative with this differentiator by competing on something other than straight price. For example, you might offer:

- More value–offer more products or services for the same price.

- Freebies –accessories, companion products, free upgrades, and coupons for future purchases.

- Free shipping, etc.–convenience sells, especially when it is free!

- Discounts–includes offering regular sales, coupons, etc. (see cautions above)

Focus Differentiation

For Solo Entrepreneurs, this is the most important method of differentiation, and in many ways, the easiest. Why? Because as a Solo Entrepreneur, you simply can’t be everything to everybody, so you must pick a specific way to focus your business. Once you have done that, you have an automatic advantage over larger companies because you can become more of an expert in that one field –and you can build close relationships with key customers that will be hard to duplicate. For example, you might differentiate yourself through:

- Location–take advantage your closeness to prospective customers.

- Customer specialization–be very specific about what characteristics your customers will have-for example, racing bicycle enthusiasts or companies with a spiritual conscience.

- Customer relationships–know customers really well, form partnerships with them, and get them to speak for you!

- Affinity relationships–associate your product/service with a well-known person or organization.

- One-stop shopping–offer everything your target market needs, in your area of expertise.

- Wide selection (within your niche)-although this one may seem to be the opposite of focus–the key is to be very specific in one dimension and very broad in another.

Product/Service Offering Differentiation

How much you are able to differentiate your product or service offering will vary based on what type of business you are in. For instance, if you are in a highly regulated business, your options may be limited. Explore a totally new market or type of product or service, however, and the possibilities abound. The key to successful differentiation in this category, again, is to know your customers, really, really well. Talk to them often, and you will know what they need most and be able to offer it, long before your competitors know what is happening. For example, your product or service could stand out in one of these ways:

- Quality–create a product or service that is exceptional in one or more ways. Examples: Lasts longer

- Better

- Easier to use

- Safer

- New/First–be the first one to offer something in your location/field.

- Features/Options–offer lots of choices, unusual combinations, or solve a problem for a customer in a way no one else does.

- Customization–as a Solo Entrepreneur, you may be able to more easily handle special orders than big, mass-market competitors.

Customer Service Differentiation

Have you noticed how customer service seems to be out of vogue these days? This situation makes excellent customer service a great opportunity for differentiation and another natural advantage for Solo Entrepreneurs that already know what’s important to their customers. Build your reputation on making customers feel really good about doing business with you. Works great with referral marketing, too. Examples:

- Deliver fast–next day, or one-hour–make it faster than customers think possible.

- Unique channel–offer a service over the phone or Internet instead of in person or in their office rather than yours.

- Service-delight customers!–it may seem expensive to offer exceptional service–but it pays off in word-of-mouth advertising.

- Before/during/after-sales support–provide technical or other support to customers using your product. You might use joint ventures to provide that support–but customers will perceive it as being from you!

- Guarantee/warranty–offer 100% money-back, or free replacement parts.

- YOU–offer yourself, your unique blend of talents and skills, to attract customers. Make sure they get access to you, too!

Keys to Successful Differentiation:

- Know your customers, really, really well.

- Pick a blend of differentiation methods that, in the eyes of your customers, truly sets you apart.

- Talk about your differentiation in terms of customer benefits.

- Tell everyone about what differentiates you–often.

- Keep your differentiation fresh by listening for changing customer needs.

Copyright 2002-2003, Terri Zwierzynski, Accel Innovation, Inc.

_________

Terri Zwierzynski is a coach to small business owners and Solo Entrepreneurs. She is also the CEI (Conductor of Extraordinary Ideas) at Solo-E.com and the author of 136 Ways To Market Your Small Business. Terri is an MBA honors graduate from UNC-Chapel Hill. Terri has been coaching for over 10 years in a variety of settings, including 6 years as a senior-level coach and consultant for a Fortune 500 company. She opened her private coaching practice in 2001. You can reach Terri at http://www.TerriZ.com.

_________

***** Find more articles like this at http://www.Solo-E.com ? Keeping Solo Entrepreneurs Juiced in Business and in Life. Our team of Solo Entrepreneurs are comprised of small business experts who support others in finding business success with the flexibility and freedom to have a life, too. Network with other freelancers, self-employed and Solo Entrepreneurs in our forums, enjoy our articles and newsletter, and find other online training opportunities. *****

It’s still like this today – for the publishers that are getting it right. I believe newsletter publishers somewhere along the way forget WHY readers subscribe. On their websites we are promised all this wonderful information and instead we receive a sales pitch, email after email.

Bad newsletters far out number the effective ones. Here is a list of mistakes I find newsletter publisher religiously make?

1. Sell right off the auto responder

When I subscribe to a newsletter and get the sales pitch right off the auto responder, I know my subscription to this newsletter won’t last long.

The autoresponder is the ideal place to get your subscriber familiar with yourself and your business. It’s a great first step in building that relationship with your reader. Get them enthusiastic about receiving your newsletter. Tell them the wonderful things they will come to expect.

Welcome them and just leave it at that.

Something to take with you: "Don’t put the cart before the horse"

2. Talk about how much money you are making ? all the time

Hyping is old news. Are you still doing it?

The newbie internet marketers love to tell you how much they are supposedly making. They love referring to this time and time again in their newsletters. They haven’t yet realized that hype doesn’t sell. Information does.

If you are making all this money, then help someone who isn’t. Give them some intelligent information. Help them make an informed decision about buying your product.

Something to take with you: "Uh? Don’t hype?"

3. Instead of 80% content and 20% selling you are doing it the other way around

Your subscriber didn’t give you permission to sell to them. They gave you permission to give them more information. That’s what you promised when they signed up. Are you honoring that promise?

Subscribers know that you will be doing some selling in your newsletters. They are not stupid. So weave the selling process in with your great information. That way it won’t stick out like a sore thumb and your readers won’t feel pitched.

Something to take with you: "Always give before you ask to take. It rarely works the other way around"

4. Copy and paste an article in your newsletter and hey presto! You have a newsletter? Not

There is no double about it. Articles are very effective ? the ones that are well worded and give the reader insider information about a specific topic.

One publisher I subscribe to uses the power of articles very well. He is an affiliate and in his newsletter he publishers different people’s articles.

This is his technique:

• His newsletters begin by telling readers a little about his day.
• Then he introduces the article author, giving readers about a paragraph of information about him/her
• Next we read the article
• Then he gives us his thoughts/tips/stories/comments.
• Then he finishes by referring to the author and the information in the article.

I’ve bought from this affiliate time and time again. Know why? Because his technique works.

He puts effort into his newsletters. Readers see that. Through them, I’ve come to know him, trust him, like him. Not only does he provide me with good articles, he is also knowledgeable in the subject he’s involved him and his contributions really help reinforce the information of the article.

Unfortunately, most newsletter publishers don’t use the power of articles. You see, when you don’t put effort into it, I know you went to an article directory, selected an article, joined it’s affiliate program and just stuck it in your ‘newsletter’ with nothing else but your name and contact details.

Not good.

Something to take with you: "Go the extra mile. It’s not crowded."

5. Not telling people abit about yourself

Give readers a sense of you. We are curious creatures and want to know abit about people we associate with. You do want to bond with your readers, don’t you? Then your name and website address at the bottom of your email won’t accomplish much.

The best newsletters I subscribe to, without fail, always include a small paragraph in the beginning about themselves.

Tell readers something and keep it short and sweet. Don’t go to the other extreme and devote your newsletters to talk about yourself. Boring.

Something to take with you: "Balance is what we are looking for here."

6. Giving subscribers info that is so basic, they can tell you are new to this

Your defense may be that you are catering to newbie internet marketers so your information has to be basic. Okay, let’s put it another way. Last time I checked there were 55,000 people looking for internet marketing. Do you believe all those are new to this?

There are many types of products to do with internet marketing like ebooks, newsletters, autoresponders etc. An internet marketer needs a variety of products to build and run their business.

Consider something else. Who else buys your products? Answer: Affiliates. So at most times you are dealing with people with a higher level of experience.

Let me give you an example of what I consider basic information. If you write an article telling me why I need an email service then this won’t make an impression on me. I already know this. And if I was a newbie, I would know this too because I would’ve come across it hundreds of times before from other people who rehash the same information.

On the other hand, I may not know what the best email services are and why. So tell me.

Something to take with you: "Do some research. It always pays off."

7. The biggest booboo of them all

I was stunned. Are people this dumb?

About a month ago, I subscribed to a bunch of internet marketing newsletters. I don’t remember now from where. Pity.

Well, I received the autoresponders, as all newsletters begin. All the same. I received the first newsletters, second newsletters, third newsletters. (then I unsubscribed from them all). All the same.

Word for word they were all the same. The only thing that changed was the contact details of these people.

I found out later that you can pay for a service and they will write your newsletters and send them off for you, with your name and contract details of course. You join their affiliate program and you make your money that way. Well, that’s the theory anyway.

Doesn’t work. Write your own newsletters.

Something to take with you: "Email is a powerful medium. Are you using or abusing its power?"

About The Author

Copyright © Gina Stathopoulos & Nick Vernon

Looking for a gift? Let Gina and Nick show you what we buy for friends/family and each other. At our site you will find popular gifts, gift information and stories from our readers. Come have a look http://www.we-recommend.com

1. Use a conversational writing tone. It makes a connection. Yet, don’t get lax on the grammar and spelling. Use personal pronouns (I, me, you and your). Limit the percentage of I’s to half or less of the yous.

2. Spread the knowledge even further by asking your readership to forward a copy of your ezine to family members, friends, colleagues, or co-workers. Create a “please forward this ezine to” line or two. Give them an incentive, offer a free but-not-free item. This can be challenging to design.

3. Do you give presentations with slides or a projection system? Add a paragraph about your ezine and how to get it on the test slide. A test slide is the slide you leave up there when they are seating themselves. Leave it displayed until a few minutes before your presentation and then turn it off. By turning it off, it creates a “loss feeling” and they will pay attention to it the next time you turn it on.

Turn the system on with the test slide displayed and then switch to the next slide. The next slide can explain how they can get your free but-not-for-free product and the directions on how to receive it. Return to this same slide at the end of your presentation.

4. At this same presentation, pass around a clipboard asking them if they want to register for ezine. Start passing at the beginning or even before you start. Use a short piece, different colored paper, with a note about the free but-not-free item. Give them three incentives to register at that time.

5. Send out a press release every time you have a new free but-not-free item available. Send whenever you have new context, new article published, or whenever anything else occurs. Since press releases require special writing, you might want to delegate this, especially if you are challenged with writing from another perspective. If you choose to learn the lingo, you can learn the how-tos with a Google search: Search example: “press release” and “how to”. Leave in the quote marks. Don’t be nervous about sending out too many, some are always missed. http://www.prweb.com/ is a great place to post your press releases.

6. Locate web sites that give out awards for outstanding ezines. Apply and keep applying. Keep tweaking. Look at previous winners and model. When you do win one, post it everywhere on your site and on every issue of your ezine for a year. Also, send out a press release when you do. If they create a press release as well, ask to use that one. Make copies of theirs and give it out at networking events. Remember, you can’t win the lotto unless you play. So, get in the game, and apply. Try: http://emailuniverse.com/bestezines/ or search on Google with: “ezine award”.

7. I’m frequently asked, “How much information should I ask for?” My recommendation is to KISS your subscriber form — “keep it short and simple.” Ask for the e-mail address and/or their first name. If you ask for their first name, tell them why. Example: We like to personalize our correspondence with our subscribers.”

8. Set up section for past issues of your e-newsletters. I recommend just listing their main topic or name of the article and not by date. People don’t like to read things that they consider “old news”. If you use a pdf format to deliver past issues there are pros and cons. The pros are: pdf files are smaller to store and send. The con is that you loose the opportunity for tagging the item for search engine listing.

9. After you post your articles in the ezine, expand or submit as is to multi-media web sites. Possibility: http://www.goarticles.com. Locations where publishers and editors will pick up the article. Normally, there are no fees paid, just opportunity for visibility. When published send out a press release. Link their site, not yours, in the press release, Send them a copy of the release.

10. Readers are tired of not getting any value and are dropping off lists fast. faster than ever. To keep them there you MUST provide valuable information (their perception not yours). The 25/75% rule (you give them 25% and sell them the remaining 75%) is acceptable. After reading thousands of ezines, I found many publishers don’t come close to providing that percentage.

11. Add an invitation to all your automatic e-mail signatures. Also, mention the free but-not-free item of the month. Include an expiration date for that free but-not- free offer. Change the e-mail signatures weekly to maintain interest.

Copyright 2004, Catherine Franz. All rights reserved.

Catherine Franz is a Marketing & Writing Coach, niches, product development, Internet marketing, nonfiction writing and training. Additional Articles: http://www.abundancecenter.comblog: http://abundance.blogs.com

Not only did you do it, you liked it! Less than 7% of on-line shoppers reported a bad experience with 88% reporting they were satisfied or very satisfied [2]. It is clear that on-line shopping has come of age with such a high level of participation and satisfaction. It appears that past issues of trust, security, and bad ecommerce websites are replaced with good ecommerce sites, higher trust, better security, and just plain better execution and service by on-line retailers. Quick, easy, and convenient shopping overcomes the concerns people have had in the past.

With a whopping 35% increase in on-line holiday sales this year, up to $18 billion [3], one analyst calls it "a fantastic season for on-line retailers." [4] This is the third straight season of record growth for on-line shopping. This year, 2004, is expected to follow the trend. US on-line sales are expected to grow from $55 billion in 2003 to $73 billion in 2004 [5].

In searching for some bad news, it was hard to find. The worst news was that 3.6% of on-line shoppers had a very bad experience where either the merchandise was not delivered on time or was delivered in poor condition. This is a small fraction even compared to traditional retail sales.

Can the news and trends about ecommerce retailing really be that good? The answer seems to be a resounding YES! Some of the more popular on-line markets have double digit penetration now. That means some on-line retailers are reaping over 10% of total market share in their industries with a rising trend. In addition, more on-line retailers are showing profits. In 2002, about 50% of on-line retailers showed a profit from their on-line operations while 70% did in 2003 [5].

So, if you are one of those 70% of on-line retailers making profits in 2003, sit back, breathe a big sigh of relief, and relish the moment. There won’t be much time to relax and enjoy your successes. New business is right around the corner.

If you are a business and don’t yet have an on-line sales presense, then it’s never too early to get started. To get ready for the 2004 holiday season, it’s best to start now.

Create ecommerce plan ? 4/15/04

Select ecommerce software & consultant (NetSource can help) ? 5/15/04

Build the website ? 7/15/04

Put the website into operation, start selling- 8/15/04

Create on-line marketing plan ? 8/15/04

Execute the marketing plan – 9/15/04

Ready for holiday sales ? 11/15/04

It can be done quicker than the schedule suggested above, but, to do it right requires thought, planning, and time.

References:

[1] Nashville Business Journal, 12/4/03

[2] ASD/AMD Marketwatch E-Newsletter, 12/24/03

[3] eSpending Report, Goldman Sachs, Harris Interactive, Nielsen/Netratings, 1/5/04

[4] Abha Bhagat, Nielsen/NetRating, COMPUTERWORLD, 1/6/04

[5] ASD/AMD MarketWatch E-Newsletter, 10/16/03

About The Author

Craig Neidel has worked for NetSource Communications Inc. for 6 years and has experience in web development, e-commerce solutions and web marketing. NetSource Communications creates custom e-commerce solutions and web applications. http://www.ntsource.com.

Ms. Wright found herself in the predicament that hundreds of thousands of Americans are suddenly finding themselves stuck in: more debt than they can handle, a sinking credit score, and all of their financial dreams slipping away. With no chance of getting approved for a loan, more bills than a paycheck can manage, and collection agencies hounding delinquent borrowers with phone calls, it is no wonder that financial problems are a top cause for anxiety, stress-related insomnia, and even divorce. Many American consumers don’t know where to turn when their financial problems get out of hand, and don’t know how to battle such corporate giants as major credit card companies or credit bureaus to start making their credit wrongs right. To make matters worse, all kinds of internet scams, fraudulent credit repair companies, and money-hungry "debt relief" programs have made consumers wary of turning anywhere for help.

Amidst all of these truly leery companies, however, there are a select few that can genuinely assist their customers in climbing out of debt, and directing them towards the financial solutions they desperately need. One such company is Credit MD, a company that has earned its reputation by handling its customers with honesty, sincerity, and expertise. You can immediately distinguish Credit MD from the many illegitimate credit repair companies out there because they never make false promises that hey cannot keep. The credit specialists at Credit MD have been trained to be clear and distinct about exactly what options are available to their clients, and what kind of success they can expect.

Credit MD, a credit specialist will assist customers in selecting an appropriate financial option, even if the customer has no idea where to start. After a thorough consultation, the credit specialist works with the customer to come up with a uniquely tailored financial solution that will help restore the customer’s credit. As an affiliate company with many other lenders and credit services, Credit MD, offers a full array of credit options for customers that are in desperate need of financial relief. Among these options are sub-prime personal and business loans, credit cards, credit repair services, and debt consolidation and settlement plans.

The loans and credit cards Credit MD offers are specifically designed for customers with less than perfect credit. Getting approved through these lenders presents customers with the opportunity to start rebuilding good credit. Many customers can get approvals through Credit MD’s affiliate lenders even if they were denied by other companies on the internet.

A recent study found that more than 3 in 5 consumers have negative information in their credit report, and nearly half of the studied reports contained errors. Many of the errors were serious enough to prevent the individual from qualifying for credit! To further entrap customers suffering from such erroneous credit reporting, dozens of highly dishonest "credit repair" agencies have reared their heads across the country. Dan Walsh was one their victims. "They told me they would make my credit perfect, and take all of the negative items off", he said. Instead, he got charged almost $5,000 with very little change to his report. Many of these credit agencies employ inexperienced associates and charge exorbitant fees to desperate customers. Credit MD has a fully experienced attorney that works on their credit repair cases. All of this is done at an astonishingly low cost, and absolutely free in some cases. There is never an up front cost to the customer, a feature that few, if any other credit repair companies can match. In fact, Credit MD refuses to even take cases unless they genuinely feel that they can significantly help the customer. Now that’s credibility.

For customers sinking in debt, bankruptcy often seems like the only resort. But sometimes a last minute debt consolidation or debt settlement can save the deep impact the damages from a bankruptcy can cause. Credit MD assists customer in exploring these options, as well as several others, such as home improvement loans and home equity lines. Although there are many other companies on the web offering similar services, beware of internet scams and companies that ask for upfront payments or credit card information.

Even if you just want to know what your credit report has to say about you, Credit MD is an excellent financial resource for any customer seeking to explore their financial options or seek debt relief. Credit MD outshines its competition with premier customer service. They don’t have annoying automated telephone systems, or lengthy hold times. It is easy to get in touch with an enthusiastic credit specialist promptly-a huge relief in today’s busy world. With so many online scams, it’s important to know a company that has qualifications and a reputation you can trust. For more information, call Credit MD at 1-877-512-7334 or visit their website at www.creditmd.com

About The Author

Sakina Walsh has several years’ experience in the financial sector. Having worked in banking, investments, mortgages, and sub-prime lending, she is now combining her experience in the credit counseling industry.

sakina@creditmd.com

Do you dread the prospect of coming into work every day? Do you look back on your work day as you travel home and cannot seem to find a fulfilling moment? If you answered yes, read on.

You could be unhappy with your supervisor; you may not like the politics or corporate culture; or you may not like the industry you are in. You may also feel that you are underpaid, underutilized, undervalued or unappreciated. You may not have sufficient opportunities for career advancement; or perhaps you are feeling overworked. These are all common experiences among employees.

What are your choices?

If you love what you do, if you get motivated and excited in a particular field of interest, if you can put your arms around a career with enthusiasm and gusto, then you have found your passion and you will experience fulfillment and joy daily.

You will look forward to work each day. On your drive home, you will find yourself looking back on your day and smiling.

Give yourself the opportunity to create something better for yourself. Explore your options fully. There is no need to settle or go through a process of elimination to end up with only one career choice. Why limit yourself?

A good place to start could be in the areas you have delved in the past. If you engaged briefly in a particular project that you thoroughly enjoyed, then you have a skill and experience that can be leveraged into an entirely new career.

You can also avail yourself of the many career assessment programs and free personality tests found on the Internet. One such assessment tool is MAPP. It’s free and takes about fifteen minutes to complete. The results are quite revealing. Their website is http://www.assessment.com

Many people have gone through career transitions. These are successful people, happy with their new careers, and enjoying and loving what they are doing. They made a choice to become a career builder and make a better life for themselves. So can you.

Give yourself the gift of a career you can get enthusiastic about which utilizes your special talents and unique gifts. Follow your passion; you will thank yourself over and over again.

Copyright © 2005 TopDog Group All rights reserved.

David Richter is a recognized authority in career coaching and job search support. He has spent many years in recruitment, staffing, outplacement, counseling psychology and career management spanning most industries and professions. David founded TopDog Group in response to the needs of job candidates to have a higher quality of career coaching and support available on the Internet. David understands the mechanisms for success. He has formulated specific strategies anyone can use to secure interviews and receive offers. His extensive knowledge and experience sets David apart in this field, allowing him to offer a wealth of information and a vast array of tools, resources and strategies not found anywhere else. He has shown countless job seekers how to differentiate themselves and leverage their potential to the highest possible level, making a real difference in their careers. David holds both a Bachelors and Masters degree in Electrical Engineering and a Masters of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology. David’s website address is: http://www.procareercoach.com

• Using your scenarios make just three key points about what you’ve been asked. Make them relevant and the right ‘weight’. Not too long or too short.
• After that, leave space for them to ask more – that’s what they are listening for.
• Say ‘I’ a lot – they want to know what your personal involvement and experience was, not ‘the team’ or ‘they’.
• Have fun – whilst not contrived, smile and make some simple jokes, if you feel comfortable with that – they want to employ happy as well as capable people.
• Can’t answer? That’s fine. Make sure that you reflect on your shortcomings by saying things like, ‘It’s one of the first things I want to develop in my next job – if you did your stuff on your scenarios and your competencies well enough, you will have covered 90% of the bases well and you’ll be forgiven for not being ‘perfect’. If you are really stumped – say so!
• Ask questions – relevant, about their culture, focus on developing you, opportunities – the positive ‘peopley’ things (remember it’s your chance to see if you want to work with them!).
• Also ask about current issues they may be facing – you did do your homework on them, didn’t you?

Remember that competencies are there to help you and they provide a guide-map for your competency based interview success!

© 2005 Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach. He works worldwide, mainly by phone, with small business owners, managers and corporate leaders. He has hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website, http://www.coaching-businesses-to-success.com. (Note to editors. Feel free to use this article, wherever you think it might be of value – it would be good if you could include a live link)

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