Your Website Doesn't Close The Sale, You Do!
People send hundreds of thousands of dollars on fancy, feature rich, deep content websites, then wonder why they are poor. The truth is, while a website can do a lot of things, it can't close the sale.
People still prefer to deal with other people, and a website is no substitute for the human touch. Prompt follow up and follow through by live people still is what makes a business a success.
Use your website as one of the tools in your sales kit, but make sure you add the human touch. Prompt reply, good service, and great communications are what's needed to succeed today.
- Bob
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
Taking Better Action photos By Bob Hubbard
Taking Better Action photos
By Bob Hubbard
Ever been at a martial arts or other sporting event and taken pictures and not been happy with what you got? Were the eyes red and demonic looking, or did the subjects look like blurs or whispery ghosts? Here's a couple of suggestions to help you improve your shots.
1 - Know your camera settings.
Most people simply put their camera on "automatic" and hope for the best. This works in most cases, but action shots require a bit more knowledge to get right. Check and see if your camera has an "Action" or "Sports" mode. These settings use preset settings from the manufacturer to try and optimize your camera to capture fast moving action. While not perfect, it will usually improve what you do get.
2 - Use your Flash.
Yes, even in what to you looks like a nice and bright room, using your flash can help to "freeze" the action for your camera to catch it, and will add some pop to your shot.
3 - Enable Red Eye protection.
Many current pocket cameras today include a mode that ties to minimize those evil glowing demon eyes you get when using flash. Red eye is caused by the flash being too close to the lense, and the flash being "seen" in the eye. This is part of why professional photographers use those special grips and have the flash way up over the camera. If your flash is too harsh, try taping a little tissue paper over the light to soften it. Be aware that doing so will shorten the range and brightness of the light.
4 - Know what ISO your camera is set at.
Simply put, properly setting your camera's ISO will improve your pictures. A low ISO like 100-200 tends to be sharp, clear. High ISO's like 800-1600= ten to be on the fuzzy side, and grainy. So, why use a high ISO? The higher the number the more light sensitive your digital film is. Use a high ISO in low light situations.
5 - Take some test shots.
Digital cameras are great in that you can take as many shots as you want and not have to worry about bad ones. Before the event, take some test shots and preview them on the screen. Delete the ones that are really off, tweak your settings and try a few more.
Sports photography is a fun activity, but getting the best quality shots takes a little work. I hope that these tips help you enjoy your photography more.
====
Bob Hubbard is a professional photographer specializing in martial arts event, nature and portrait photography. He is also the CEO of SilverStar WebDesigns Inc, a web design and hosting company specializing in martial arts sites, as well as an administrator on the popular martial arts communities MartialTalk.com, Kenpotalk.com and FMATalk.com. His martial arts photography can be found there as well as at his martial arts photography web site, martialphotos.com. He may be reached through these sites.
Copyright © 2008 - Bob Hubbard - All Rights Reserved
Permission is granted to reprint this article on websites, blogs and ezines provided all text, links and authors bio is left intact.
By Bob Hubbard
Ever been at a martial arts or other sporting event and taken pictures and not been happy with what you got? Were the eyes red and demonic looking, or did the subjects look like blurs or whispery ghosts? Here's a couple of suggestions to help you improve your shots.
1 - Know your camera settings.
Most people simply put their camera on "automatic" and hope for the best. This works in most cases, but action shots require a bit more knowledge to get right. Check and see if your camera has an "Action" or "Sports" mode. These settings use preset settings from the manufacturer to try and optimize your camera to capture fast moving action. While not perfect, it will usually improve what you do get.
2 - Use your Flash.
Yes, even in what to you looks like a nice and bright room, using your flash can help to "freeze" the action for your camera to catch it, and will add some pop to your shot.
3 - Enable Red Eye protection.
Many current pocket cameras today include a mode that ties to minimize those evil glowing demon eyes you get when using flash. Red eye is caused by the flash being too close to the lense, and the flash being "seen" in the eye. This is part of why professional photographers use those special grips and have the flash way up over the camera. If your flash is too harsh, try taping a little tissue paper over the light to soften it. Be aware that doing so will shorten the range and brightness of the light.
4 - Know what ISO your camera is set at.
Simply put, properly setting your camera's ISO will improve your pictures. A low ISO like 100-200 tends to be sharp, clear. High ISO's like 800-1600= ten to be on the fuzzy side, and grainy. So, why use a high ISO? The higher the number the more light sensitive your digital film is. Use a high ISO in low light situations.
5 - Take some test shots.
Digital cameras are great in that you can take as many shots as you want and not have to worry about bad ones. Before the event, take some test shots and preview them on the screen. Delete the ones that are really off, tweak your settings and try a few more.
Sports photography is a fun activity, but getting the best quality shots takes a little work. I hope that these tips help you enjoy your photography more.
====
Bob Hubbard is a professional photographer specializing in martial arts event, nature and portrait photography. He is also the CEO of SilverStar WebDesigns Inc, a web design and hosting company specializing in martial arts sites, as well as an administrator on the popular martial arts communities MartialTalk.com, Kenpotalk.com and FMATalk.com. His martial arts photography can be found there as well as at his martial arts photography web site, martialphotos.com. He may be reached through these sites.
Copyright © 2008 - Bob Hubbard - All Rights Reserved
Permission is granted to reprint this article on websites, blogs and ezines provided all text, links and authors bio is left intact.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Q&A: I was told I broke the Internet? Is that possible?
Q&A
Question:
I was told I broke the Internet? Is that possible?
Answer:
No. The Internet is made up of a huge number of connected networks of computers and servers. The Internet has been designed to be redundant to allow communications to go through in the event of an emergency. It is still possible for outages to occur in some areas that aren't as redundantly wired due to power outages, or the occasional cable being cut. But it's highly unlikely that you did it.
Question:
I was told I broke the Internet? Is that possible?
Answer:
No. The Internet is made up of a huge number of connected networks of computers and servers. The Internet has been designed to be redundant to allow communications to go through in the event of an emergency. It is still possible for outages to occur in some areas that aren't as redundantly wired due to power outages, or the occasional cable being cut. But it's highly unlikely that you did it.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Tip Of The Week : Follow Up and Close More Sales!
Poor Follow Up Leads to Poor You!
If you want to shock your prospects, follow up with them the same day, or better yet within an hour of receiving their inquiry! Doing so will put a very good impresion in place with them. When you do this, you'll often hear them proclaim you're the first to reply, and they'll be impressed.
Doing this can help you close 30-50% more sales than your competition who puts things off for days or weeks.
- Bob
If you want to shock your prospects, follow up with them the same day, or better yet within an hour of receiving their inquiry! Doing so will put a very good impresion in place with them. When you do this, you'll often hear them proclaim you're the first to reply, and they'll be impressed.
Doing this can help you close 30-50% more sales than your competition who puts things off for days or weeks.
- Bob
Monday, December 22, 2008
Why is it called "The Internet"?
Why is it called "The Internet"?
By Bob Hubbard
Ever wonder why this huge international maze of computers, servers, and sites is called "The Internet"?
Internet means inter-connected networks. Developed during the 1960's and 1970's, what we refer to today as "The Internet" grew from small localized networks running on colleges, universities and military bases, to larger networks connecting smaller ones, to a huge world wide network of networks.
Most people today only think of the Internet as email and websites, but in fact it is a combination of many different services.
Email consists of several different systems, including POP (Post Office Protocol) which is responsible for getting your email from your electrnic mail box, and SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) which is used to send email to the world.
Web sites run on Hypertext Transfer Protocol, or HTTP. When you type in a web address in your browser, that http:// you enter in tells the server on the other end to use the HTTP system to transfer the page to you. Modern browsers use it by default, but older browsers would fail to find a site if you forgot it.
FTP, or "File Transfer Protocol" is a means for transferring files between your system and a remote one.
IRC, or "Internet Relay Chat", also called "Chat Rooms" are the precursor to today's instant messaging and text message systems. Still in operation today, they aren't well known to most people. IRC requires special software to access.
A forgotten part of our net history is Gopher. Gopher is a combination web and ftp system for organized document retrieval. Text only, there are less than 200 Gopher servers currently online, with most neglected, however some universities still use them.
Then there is the Network News Transfer Protocol or NNTP which is an Internet application protocol used primarily for reading and posting Usenet articles, as well as transferring news among news servers. USENET is a huge world wide distributed electronic discussion system. What this means is, it is like having a global forum, spread over many systems. There are currently well over 100,000 different topics ranging from the boring to the profane. Accessing USENET requires special software called a NewsReader, as well as an account with a news provider.
As you can see, the Internet is a pretty complex thing, made simple and accessible by modern software, allowing us to communicate around the world at whim.
Additional Resources at Wikipedia
USENET http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usenet
NNTP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_News_Transfer_Protocol
FTP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRC
POP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_Office_Protocol
SMTP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smtp
Email http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-mail
IRC http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRC
HTTP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Http
Gopher http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gopher_(protocol)
=========
Bob Hubbard is an administrator of the popular martial arts portal site MartialTalk.com and president of SilverStar WebDesigns inc., a web site design and hosting company specializing in affordable solutions for martial artists. Bob can be reached at webmaster@martialtalk.com
Article Copyright © 2008 - Bob Hubbard - All Rights Reserved.
This article may be reproduced provided all text, the author bio and these terms are kept intact.
By Bob Hubbard
Ever wonder why this huge international maze of computers, servers, and sites is called "The Internet"?
Internet means inter-connected networks. Developed during the 1960's and 1970's, what we refer to today as "The Internet" grew from small localized networks running on colleges, universities and military bases, to larger networks connecting smaller ones, to a huge world wide network of networks.
Most people today only think of the Internet as email and websites, but in fact it is a combination of many different services.
Email consists of several different systems, including POP (Post Office Protocol) which is responsible for getting your email from your electrnic mail box, and SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) which is used to send email to the world.
Web sites run on Hypertext Transfer Protocol, or HTTP. When you type in a web address in your browser, that http:// you enter in tells the server on the other end to use the HTTP system to transfer the page to you. Modern browsers use it by default, but older browsers would fail to find a site if you forgot it.
FTP, or "File Transfer Protocol" is a means for transferring files between your system and a remote one.
IRC, or "Internet Relay Chat", also called "Chat Rooms" are the precursor to today's instant messaging and text message systems. Still in operation today, they aren't well known to most people. IRC requires special software to access.
A forgotten part of our net history is Gopher. Gopher is a combination web and ftp system for organized document retrieval. Text only, there are less than 200 Gopher servers currently online, with most neglected, however some universities still use them.
Then there is the Network News Transfer Protocol or NNTP which is an Internet application protocol used primarily for reading and posting Usenet articles, as well as transferring news among news servers. USENET is a huge world wide distributed electronic discussion system. What this means is, it is like having a global forum, spread over many systems. There are currently well over 100,000 different topics ranging from the boring to the profane. Accessing USENET requires special software called a NewsReader, as well as an account with a news provider.
As you can see, the Internet is a pretty complex thing, made simple and accessible by modern software, allowing us to communicate around the world at whim.
Additional Resources at Wikipedia
USENET http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usenet
NNTP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_News_Transfer_Protocol
FTP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRC
POP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_Office_Protocol
SMTP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smtp
Email http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-mail
IRC http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRC
HTTP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Http
Gopher http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gopher_(protocol)
=========
Bob Hubbard is an administrator of the popular martial arts portal site MartialTalk.com and president of SilverStar WebDesigns inc., a web site design and hosting company specializing in affordable solutions for martial artists. Bob can be reached at webmaster@martialtalk.com
Article Copyright © 2008 - Bob Hubbard - All Rights Reserved.
This article may be reproduced provided all text, the author bio and these terms are kept intact.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Q&A: Can you legally copy DVDs?
Question:
Can you legally copy DVDs?
Answer:
DVD copying is a controversial and highly sought-after process. Not sure if what you're doing is legal? CNET sets your mind at ease.
By Jon Jacobi, Don Labriola, and Justin Jaffe
(April 6, 2004)
http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-3513_7-5128652-1.html
The short answer is, you can, as long as you're not circumventing any copy protection.
Can you legally copy DVDs?
Answer:
DVD copying is a controversial and highly sought-after process. Not sure if what you're doing is legal? CNET sets your mind at ease.
By Jon Jacobi, Don Labriola, and Justin Jaffe
(April 6, 2004)
http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-3513_7-5128652-1.html
The short answer is, you can, as long as you're not circumventing any copy protection.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Tip Of The Week : Leave it to the Experts
Leave it to the Experts
I often hear from prospects and clients that they are considering doing it themselves, or handing it over to a student or junior family member. 'IT" is a lot of things. Design of their site, upkeep, marketing, etc.
The problem with this is, while it might be short-term cheaper, it can cost you more over the long haul.
For example, if the septic system in your back yard caves in, you could call your buddies, shore it up with plywood and cover it in dirt. Eventually however, you'll end up knee deep in, well, you know. For something serious like this you call the professionals.
Why would you trust the marketing of your business with someone who is just learning? Unless you have the experience and training, you should leave your website design and marketing to the experts. They can guide you around the pitfalls and traps, and free up your time to do what you are good at, which is the business.
Take off a few hats, and leave it to the experts.
- Bob
I often hear from prospects and clients that they are considering doing it themselves, or handing it over to a student or junior family member. 'IT" is a lot of things. Design of their site, upkeep, marketing, etc.
The problem with this is, while it might be short-term cheaper, it can cost you more over the long haul.
For example, if the septic system in your back yard caves in, you could call your buddies, shore it up with plywood and cover it in dirt. Eventually however, you'll end up knee deep in, well, you know. For something serious like this you call the professionals.
Why would you trust the marketing of your business with someone who is just learning? Unless you have the experience and training, you should leave your website design and marketing to the experts. They can guide you around the pitfalls and traps, and free up your time to do what you are good at, which is the business.
Take off a few hats, and leave it to the experts.
- Bob
Monday, December 15, 2008
Staying On Top of your Website for a Successful Site.
Staying On Top of your Website for a Successful Site.
By Bob Hubbard
Business websites can be both complex and simple. Managing one, is both easy and hard, depending on what you are doing with it.
A simple, flyer site requires little regular upkeep. Pop in every couple of months, make sure everything is up to date, and forget about it until next time. But treating your website like it's merely a big phone book ad, ignores the great potential and benefits it can provide your business. The ability to change it on the fly, to update it at will, offers you a great deal more potential and greater rewards than a "update once a year" solution like the phone book.
When I talk to my clients about keeping their websites updated, I often suggest they keep a running "to do" list on their computer, and add things to it as they think of them. This is sent to me monthly for me to schedule and perform. Other times, I recommend they simply email me their changes, and I'll queue them up for once a week or once a month to maximize my efficiency and minimize their costs.
You need to take time to look at your competitions web sites. After all, you check out their locations, their offerings, their phone book ads and other advertising. Be sure to look at what they are doing on the Internet as well. Take careful note of when they were last updated, what features they have, and how easy or hard it is to navigate through their site.
Schedule time each month, or week, to look at your own site. If you list contact information, is it current? Hours of Operation? Are they accurate? Do you list specials or events or other time-sensitive information? Be sure to update that as well. How many times do you come across a site that is listing things from years ago as happening in the future? Does that give you confidence that they are on the ball in other areas of their business?
To do this, you need a reliable web master to help keep you running at peak performance. All the plans, organization or ideas are useless if they never get to your website. Webmasters aren't created equally.There are good and there are bad ones.
If you can never get in touch with them, if updates are always days or weeks late, never done, or regularly done wrong, you need to find a new webmaster.
A good webmaster will keep you posted on your sites update status, inform you of when updates are performed, notify you of any delays, as well as offer suggestions to improve the site and it's performance.
To ensure you are getting the best, you have to check your site. If you send in your updates on Monday, and the following Monday you have heard nothing and nothing has been done to the site, you may want to pick up the phone and call them. Reviewing the timelyess and qualty of your webmaster is vital. Provide them feedback so that they can help you better. Be clear in indicating when you need work done, if anything is a rush job, if certain things should be emphasized or changed. Clarity of communications is vital in having a successful working relationship with your web expert.
Regularly checking other sites an your own, working with your web master, and being clear on what you expect and when you expect it done is vital to success online today.
=========
Bob Hubbard is an administrator of the popular martial arts portal site MartialTalk.com and president of SilverStar WebDesigns inc., a web site design and hosting company specializing in affordable solutions for martial artists. Bob can be reached at webmaster@martialtalk.com
Article Copyright © 2008 - Bob Hubbard - All Rights Reserved.
This article may be reproduced provided all text, the author bio and these terms are kept intact.
By Bob Hubbard
Business websites can be both complex and simple. Managing one, is both easy and hard, depending on what you are doing with it.
A simple, flyer site requires little regular upkeep. Pop in every couple of months, make sure everything is up to date, and forget about it until next time. But treating your website like it's merely a big phone book ad, ignores the great potential and benefits it can provide your business. The ability to change it on the fly, to update it at will, offers you a great deal more potential and greater rewards than a "update once a year" solution like the phone book.
When I talk to my clients about keeping their websites updated, I often suggest they keep a running "to do" list on their computer, and add things to it as they think of them. This is sent to me monthly for me to schedule and perform. Other times, I recommend they simply email me their changes, and I'll queue them up for once a week or once a month to maximize my efficiency and minimize their costs.
You need to take time to look at your competitions web sites. After all, you check out their locations, their offerings, their phone book ads and other advertising. Be sure to look at what they are doing on the Internet as well. Take careful note of when they were last updated, what features they have, and how easy or hard it is to navigate through their site.
Schedule time each month, or week, to look at your own site. If you list contact information, is it current? Hours of Operation? Are they accurate? Do you list specials or events or other time-sensitive information? Be sure to update that as well. How many times do you come across a site that is listing things from years ago as happening in the future? Does that give you confidence that they are on the ball in other areas of their business?
To do this, you need a reliable web master to help keep you running at peak performance. All the plans, organization or ideas are useless if they never get to your website. Webmasters aren't created equally.There are good and there are bad ones.
If you can never get in touch with them, if updates are always days or weeks late, never done, or regularly done wrong, you need to find a new webmaster.
A good webmaster will keep you posted on your sites update status, inform you of when updates are performed, notify you of any delays, as well as offer suggestions to improve the site and it's performance.
To ensure you are getting the best, you have to check your site. If you send in your updates on Monday, and the following Monday you have heard nothing and nothing has been done to the site, you may want to pick up the phone and call them. Reviewing the timelyess and qualty of your webmaster is vital. Provide them feedback so that they can help you better. Be clear in indicating when you need work done, if anything is a rush job, if certain things should be emphasized or changed. Clarity of communications is vital in having a successful working relationship with your web expert.
Regularly checking other sites an your own, working with your web master, and being clear on what you expect and when you expect it done is vital to success online today.
=========
Bob Hubbard is an administrator of the popular martial arts portal site MartialTalk.com and president of SilverStar WebDesigns inc., a web site design and hosting company specializing in affordable solutions for martial artists. Bob can be reached at webmaster@martialtalk.com
Article Copyright © 2008 - Bob Hubbard - All Rights Reserved.
This article may be reproduced provided all text, the author bio and these terms are kept intact.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Q&A: Free MP3 editor?
Question:
Does anyone know of a (preferably) free or inexpensive program for editing MP3's?
Answer:
For simple recording and editing needs, you can try Audacity. It's free, easy to use and can export to good quality MP3's with an additional free add-in. Visit http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ for the program and see here for more discussion on this topic.
Does anyone know of a (preferably) free or inexpensive program for editing MP3's?
Answer:
For simple recording and editing needs, you can try Audacity. It's free, easy to use and can export to good quality MP3's with an additional free add-in. Visit http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ for the program and see here for more discussion on this topic.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Tip Of The Week : Don't Ask For Email if You're Not Going To Answer It!
Don't Ask For Email if You're Not Going To Answer It!
Has this ever happened to you? You visit a website, you click the "Contact Me" link and send in your inquiry, only to never get a reply? Have you ever then after a few days or weeks called them and gotten the "Oh I never check that" remark?
How'd that make you feel? Like maybe they didn't care? Or that they weren't really professional?
Why would you purposefully ignore contact from someone who is interested in putting cash into your pocket?
If you aren't going to read it, stop asking for it. All you do is hurt your business.
Take your email address off, and put up a phone number and ask them to call you instead. Don't ask for it and leave them in limbo wondering what's going on.
--Bob
Has this ever happened to you? You visit a website, you click the "Contact Me" link and send in your inquiry, only to never get a reply? Have you ever then after a few days or weeks called them and gotten the "Oh I never check that" remark?
How'd that make you feel? Like maybe they didn't care? Or that they weren't really professional?
Why would you purposefully ignore contact from someone who is interested in putting cash into your pocket?
If you aren't going to read it, stop asking for it. All you do is hurt your business.
Take your email address off, and put up a phone number and ask them to call you instead. Don't ask for it and leave them in limbo wondering what's going on.
--Bob
Monday, December 8, 2008
The Health Care Question
The Health Care Question
By Bob Hubbard
Recently, the following question came in to me at Martialtalk.
Question
"What are people doing for health insurance if they don't have coverage via a spouse? I know some people "go naked" which seems very unsafe. Can you get health insurance via NAPMA and the like? What's typical for a single martial artist with his or her own school?"
The answer unfortunately isn't a great one. Health insurance is a confusing mess right now unfortunately. There is no national system to connect to, so you are left to a maze of confusing offerings that vary from state to state. Plans for the self employed also tend to cost more than comparable plans offered to the employees.
Most insurance companies also refuse to cover "prior" conditions, the definition of 'prior' up to them.
Available plans, terms, rates and insurers vary by state as well.
Here are some resources to help you wade through the maze.
healthinsuranceinfo.net.
This site, maintained by the Georgetown Health Policy Institute, shows a map of the country and after clicking on a state, a document is downloaded that covers everything from what kinds of programs are available to small-business owners to whether there is a high-risk pool available for those who have been rejected by insurance providers.
ehealthinsurance.com
This site allows you to compare a variety of policies offered through about 70 insurance providers. One restriction: ehealthinsurance.com does not serve consumers in all states. Rhode Island, Vermont, Massachusetts, Maine and North Dakota are excluded.
Other starting points are local Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Service Bureau (sbsb.com), and local independent insurance agents.
You can also check with the Freelancers Union, however the union also has some limitations. It operates in only 30 states, and you have to work in one of the industries or occupations it serves.
Some martial arts organizations such as MATA look to offer varying programs, so contacing them is a good idea. They may have affiliate or group programs that you can tie into potentially saving a good deal of cash.
Regardless of who you end up with, several other steep obstacles await. Monthly premiums exceeding $500-1,000 for an individual seem to be common, and that is for people in good health. For those with health issues, you will face an uphill battle finding an insurer who will cover you.
=========
Bob Hubbard is an administrator of the popular martial arts portal site MartialTalk.com and president of SilverStar WebDesigns inc., a web site design and hosting company specializing in affordable solutions for martial artists. Bob can be reached at webmaster@martialtalk.com
Article Copyright © 2008 - Bob Hubbard - All Rights Reserved.
This article may be reproduced provided all text, the author bio and these terms are kept intact.
By Bob Hubbard
Recently, the following question came in to me at Martialtalk.
Question
"What are people doing for health insurance if they don't have coverage via a spouse? I know some people "go naked" which seems very unsafe. Can you get health insurance via NAPMA and the like? What's typical for a single martial artist with his or her own school?"
The answer unfortunately isn't a great one. Health insurance is a confusing mess right now unfortunately. There is no national system to connect to, so you are left to a maze of confusing offerings that vary from state to state. Plans for the self employed also tend to cost more than comparable plans offered to the employees.
Most insurance companies also refuse to cover "prior" conditions, the definition of 'prior' up to them.
Available plans, terms, rates and insurers vary by state as well.
Here are some resources to help you wade through the maze.
healthinsuranceinfo.net.
This site, maintained by the Georgetown Health Policy Institute, shows a map of the country and after clicking on a state, a document is downloaded that covers everything from what kinds of programs are available to small-business owners to whether there is a high-risk pool available for those who have been rejected by insurance providers.
ehealthinsurance.com
This site allows you to compare a variety of policies offered through about 70 insurance providers. One restriction: ehealthinsurance.com does not serve consumers in all states. Rhode Island, Vermont, Massachusetts, Maine and North Dakota are excluded.
Other starting points are local Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Service Bureau (sbsb.com), and local independent insurance agents.
You can also check with the Freelancers Union, however the union also has some limitations. It operates in only 30 states, and you have to work in one of the industries or occupations it serves.
Some martial arts organizations such as MATA look to offer varying programs, so contacing them is a good idea. They may have affiliate or group programs that you can tie into potentially saving a good deal of cash.
Regardless of who you end up with, several other steep obstacles await. Monthly premiums exceeding $500-1,000 for an individual seem to be common, and that is for people in good health. For those with health issues, you will face an uphill battle finding an insurer who will cover you.
=========
Bob Hubbard is an administrator of the popular martial arts portal site MartialTalk.com and president of SilverStar WebDesigns inc., a web site design and hosting company specializing in affordable solutions for martial artists. Bob can be reached at webmaster@martialtalk.com
Article Copyright © 2008 - Bob Hubbard - All Rights Reserved.
This article may be reproduced provided all text, the author bio and these terms are kept intact.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Q&A: what are the best spywear and anti virus downloads on the market?
Question:
what are the best spywear and anti virus downloads on the market?
Answer:
The answer to this is often a matter of opinion. I've used a number of different programs over the years and in my opinion, the best are these:
Antivirus
http://free.grisoft.com/
Spyware
http://www.lavasoft.us/
Make sure you follow the free options, not the trial options
See also this discussion
what are the best spywear and anti virus downloads on the market?
Answer:
The answer to this is often a matter of opinion. I've used a number of different programs over the years and in my opinion, the best are these:
Antivirus
http://free.grisoft.com/
Spyware
http://www.lavasoft.us/
Make sure you follow the free options, not the trial options
See also this discussion
Monday, December 1, 2008
Benefits of Computers For The Martial Arts Industry - Part 3 of 3 By Bob Hubbard
Benefits of Computers For The Martial Arts Industry - Part 3 of 3
By Bob Hubbard
Shopping for Computer Training
The last few years have seen an explosion in the number of training centers catering to both novices and experts. The options can seem overwhelming. Before spending the time and money on computer training, research your options. Here are several questions to ask and consider:
#How big are the classes?
Just as in martial arts training, smaller classes mean more personal attention from the instructor.
# Are the computers up to date?
All computers should be up to date running modern software. It does you little good to learn on old outdated equipment that won’t be much like the system in your school.
# Do students have to share computers or does everyone get their own?
Each student should have their own computer to work on. This allows you to do more hands on training, rather than watching someone else do the exercises.
# Are the class times convenient?
In order to learn, you need to be able to attend the classes. Many places offer day, night and weekend classes. The more flexibility they offer, the easier you can schedule the time to attend.
#How long has the school been in business?
Older schools will have established track records. Talk to other people, especially those in professional fields for recommendations.
# What are the instructors credentials?
Computer certifications are a dime a dozen today. There are however a few names that will hold credibility. Do the instructors hold certifications from Microsoft, Adobe or other makers of the software you want to learn? For example, if you are going to learn Microsoft Word, looking for someone holding a certification from Microsoft is a good idea.
# Does this instructor regularly teach this class?
Many training centers rotate instructors with each one teaching various topics. You want someone who regularly teaches the class you are interested in as their skills will be sharpest, and they will be most likely to be properly prepared.
Some questions to ask:
# Can you observe a class before enrolling?
# What are all the fees involved?
# Can you talk to existing students for their opinions?
# How long will the classes run?
Some other advice:
# Don’t sign anything on your first visit.
# Don’t make a hasty decision, even if they tell you that seats are limited and going fast.
# Review all paperwork carefully before signing.
# Be certain to get a receipt for all payments.
With some planning and an investment of both time and money, computers and the flexibility and benefits they offer can be a great boon to your business, improving efficiency, cutting costs, and boosting your bottom line.
=========
Bob Hubbard is an administrator of the popular martial arts portal site MartialTalk.com and president of SilverStar WebDesigns inc., a web site design and hosting company specializing in affordable solutions for martial artists. Bob can be reached at webmaster@martialtalk.com
Article Copyright © 2008 - Bob Hubbard - All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction Without Written Permission of Author.
By Bob Hubbard
Shopping for Computer Training
The last few years have seen an explosion in the number of training centers catering to both novices and experts. The options can seem overwhelming. Before spending the time and money on computer training, research your options. Here are several questions to ask and consider:
#How big are the classes?
Just as in martial arts training, smaller classes mean more personal attention from the instructor.
# Are the computers up to date?
All computers should be up to date running modern software. It does you little good to learn on old outdated equipment that won’t be much like the system in your school.
# Do students have to share computers or does everyone get their own?
Each student should have their own computer to work on. This allows you to do more hands on training, rather than watching someone else do the exercises.
# Are the class times convenient?
In order to learn, you need to be able to attend the classes. Many places offer day, night and weekend classes. The more flexibility they offer, the easier you can schedule the time to attend.
#How long has the school been in business?
Older schools will have established track records. Talk to other people, especially those in professional fields for recommendations.
# What are the instructors credentials?
Computer certifications are a dime a dozen today. There are however a few names that will hold credibility. Do the instructors hold certifications from Microsoft, Adobe or other makers of the software you want to learn? For example, if you are going to learn Microsoft Word, looking for someone holding a certification from Microsoft is a good idea.
# Does this instructor regularly teach this class?
Many training centers rotate instructors with each one teaching various topics. You want someone who regularly teaches the class you are interested in as their skills will be sharpest, and they will be most likely to be properly prepared.
Some questions to ask:
# Can you observe a class before enrolling?
# What are all the fees involved?
# Can you talk to existing students for their opinions?
# How long will the classes run?
Some other advice:
# Don’t sign anything on your first visit.
# Don’t make a hasty decision, even if they tell you that seats are limited and going fast.
# Review all paperwork carefully before signing.
# Be certain to get a receipt for all payments.
With some planning and an investment of both time and money, computers and the flexibility and benefits they offer can be a great boon to your business, improving efficiency, cutting costs, and boosting your bottom line.
=========
Bob Hubbard is an administrator of the popular martial arts portal site MartialTalk.com and president of SilverStar WebDesigns inc., a web site design and hosting company specializing in affordable solutions for martial artists. Bob can be reached at webmaster@martialtalk.com
Article Copyright © 2008 - Bob Hubbard - All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction Without Written Permission of Author.
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