17 Website Design Mistakes That Kill Your Sales - Part one

Image via Wikipedia

I have assembled here a checklist of 17 mistakes to avoid when designing your website if your primary goal is to make money with your website.

Mistake #1 - Opening your website with a Flash page

Opening a website with Flash (a mini-movie) can be very cool looking. Website designers and graphic artists love them because they are so pretty and showcase their technical skill. But Internet surfers can’t stand them because they are searching for information.

A Flash page (which often takes a long time to load) stands between the surfer and the key information she’s looking for — also between your reader and your sales pitch.

When people type keywords into a search engine, they are looking for information. No one types “only show me sites with Flash page introductions.” In fact, if a searcher gets to your site and is greeted with an elaborate Flash presentation, half your visitors will leave your site before they ever get to your sales presentation. Search engines also hate Flash pages. Search engines are interested in content and in delivering information to searchers.

A Flash page is a big stop sign to both your readers and to search engines.

Mistake #2 - Requiring readers to click a link rather than scroll to finish reading the information or sales presentation.

The award-winning websites want all information on a page to fit on your screen because it looks neater and tighter — more award winning. But it’s easier for readers to scroll than to click a link.

Scrolling allows readers to hold their finger on a button and scan your headlines and subheads. If something grabs their interest, they can read (without clicking). Clicking and waiting for another page to load takes time. It’s annoying to a reader. It’s a stopper — kind of like intermission at a long movie or play. If the movie isn’t much good, the Intermission is often when I leave, for good.

The average time a surfer spends on a Website is about six seconds. Don’t waste time by making your reader click and wait to read. Put the entire article, your entire presentation on one page, even if your reader must scroll and scroll and scroll to read everything on the page.

Mistake #3 - Too many graphics, not enough attention to copy

Copy sells. Pictures and graphics are supporting exhibits for the copy. The award-winning websites are all graphics-heavy — and beautiful to look at.

Copy sells because copy is needed to provide your readers reasons and compelling arguments for why your readers should buy and buy now. And copy allows you to start building a relationship with your reader, essential for having any chance of closing a sale. The Bible has no pictures, no photos — just lots of text. And it’s the bestselling book of all time.

People search the internet for information (text), not graphics or pretty layouts. No one types “beautiful site” as a modifier to keywords describing their topic of interest. Plus, search engines can’t read graphics and so can’t index graphics. And graphics take time to load.

What you want for you site is a nice, clean professional layout that’s almost all text.

Mistake #4 - Lack of focus

So often I get to a website and can’t quite figure out what the website is selling or what I’m being asked to do. Websites should be dedicated to selling one thing or one service, or asking your reader to take one and only one action (even if the only action is to read the article).

If you sell many different products and services, you should have many different Websites dedicated to each product and service you sell. The reason is, when people search the internet with their keywords, they are looking for one and only one thing. They will buy from the website that is selling that one and only one thing — because it appears to visitors that this is your area of specialty.

If you have a plumbing problem, you want a plumber to fix it — not a jack of all trades handyman. If you have cancer, you want to see a cancer specialist, not a general practitioner. So if you fix roofs and pave driveways, have two websites, one dedicated to fixing roofs, the other paving driveways. Narrow has always been the gate to paradise in direct marketing. This is even truer in the age of the Internet, where people are looking for your service or product with highly focused keyword searches.

Mistake #5 - “Welcome to My Home Page”

This is a little like starting your sales letter with “Welcome to My Letter” or the book you are writing to “Welcome to My Book.”

I see “Welcome to My Home Page” all over the Internet. I guess these people think this sounds warm and friendly — like “Welcome to My Home.” Don’t do this.

Your home page should feature your main sales presentation. It should launch right in with an attention-getting headline. It should look exactly like a sales letter you might get in your mailbox — except, instead of an order form and reply envelope, you’ll have links or buttons that say “Click Here to Order” that will take readers right to the credit card form.

When the average surfer spends 6 seconds on a Web page, you don’t want to waste time with pleasantries. Launch right it to the performance — the sales pitch.

Mistake #6 - No attention-getting headlines or subheads.

Web surfers are scanners. A headline is like hand that taps your scanner on the shoulder and says “look here.” Headlines and subheads tell your scanners what all this text is about. And it’s good for your headlines to say something unusual — if possible “human interest.” Here’s a pretty good one: “How My 10-Year-Old Daughter Earned $750 Last Week with Her New Online Business.” Free offers make good headlines, i.e.: “Here’s Your Free . . .”

Headlines are what suck your readers into your copy. If your headlines are fascinating, your readers won’t mind reading a lot of small print to get the details.

Mistake #7 - Boring Writing

You can’t sell by boring your reader. Your headline is designed to get your scanner reading. But if your first sentence is boring, your reader will go on to the next site. The easiest next step for a reader to take is always to stop reading and go onto something else that’s more interesting. Each sentence must be so interesting that your reader reads the next sentence. Stephen King is a master of this.

He writes 800 page books packed with tiny print. But the stories are so interesting that people cannot get enough. They can’t wait for his next book to come out. What makes for good writing is the story you tell and the facts and details you include. There are no boring subjects, just boring writers. The great salesmen are great storytellers. Everyone wants to listen because they always have interesting things to say. Interesting writing makes for great salesmanship.

Mistake #8 - Failing to build copy around the keywords and phrases your customers and prospects are typing into search engines.

The search engines want to make sure your website is in line with the keywords you’ve selected to include in your Meta Tags and with the keywords people are typing into search engines. What makes a search engine valuable is that it does a good job of taking searchers to websites that are exactly in line with their keyword searches. You want your site high on the list of search results listed for the keywords you’re using to bring people to your site. www.MarketingRocketFuel.com

California Whale Watching - Grey Whale Migration 2008

Southern California Whale Watching at its finest. Welcome to Orange County Whale Watching Website. Newport Landing provides multiple whale watching trips daily departing from Newport Beach. Newport Landing is centrally located in Orange County and minutes from Los Angeles. Newport Landing offers whale watching tours from December 17th through April 30th, which coincides with the prime Grey Whale migration period. Newport Landing is ideally positioned to take advantage of the annual Grey whale migration, which brings hundreds of Grey Whales along the Laguna Beach coastline and within minutes of Newport Harbor. Along with viewing Grey Whales you can expect to see dolphins, sea lions, and marine birds. Killer whales, sharks, and many other marine creatures may also be observed. Newport Landing’s whale watching cruises are a great experience for families, churches, and companies with a universal appeal to all ages. Join Newport Landing on one of our open to the general public cruises or privately charter one of our boats for just your group/company.
Newport Landing Whale Watching has been providing trips for over 20 years servicing thousands of patrons annually.
Experience some of the best whale watching in Southern California with Newport Landing. Crew members provide full narration and are available for questions during your trip. Our boat the Nautilus has an indoor snack bar with beverages and munchies available for purchase. The Nautilus also has both indoor and outdoor seating. View the whales from the top observation deck for great photo opportunities. Spectacular views provide for the backdrop to a fun filled event for the whole family.
Sightings are guaranteed: you will get a free trip if we do not see whales or dolphin!
Call: 949-675-0551 for reservations. Newport Landing Sport fishing 309 Palm - Suite A - Balboa CA. 92661
To add your events or to view visit our Dreamcatcher online Event Calendars: http://dreamcatchercalendars.com

Seventeen reasons people buy - Part one

Image via Wikipedia

You won’t have much  1. Fear

People buy because they fear getting old, fear going broke, fear being left behind. They fear being left out. They fear death. They fear getting sick, fear going to Hell, fear being alone. They fear Republicans gaining power, or they fear Democrats gaining power.
They fear the Nazis or Communists gaining power. They fear life is meaningless. They fear failure. They fear their kids won’t amount to anything. They fear being insignificant, not leaving a mark. Fear comes in all shapes, sizes, and forms. Fear is a powerful motive causing people to buy.

2. Desire to be recognized

People buy because they want honor and prestige. They want recognition. They want to be set apart from the crowd. They want to be part of an exclusive, prestigious club. They want fame.

3. Greed

Just about everyone wants more money. No matter how rich someone is, they always want more. Even billionaires want more, not because they need it, just because they want it. They want more than the other billionaire has. Warren Buffet has not stopped trying to make more money even though he’s the second richest man in the world. Bill Gates still wants more because he wants to stay the richest.
Ten thousand pairs of shoes were not enough for Imelda Marcos. She always wanted more shoes.

4. Love

Love is a powerful motivator to buy. What other motive can there be for buying life insurance? People want to make sure their children have the best and that their loved ones are taken care of.
5. Self-improvement
People always want to improve themselves. They join a gym to get in shape. They sign up for a seminar to learn something that will help them get ahead. “How To” manuals are some of the best selling books on Amazon.

6. Desire to win

There’s a strong competitive instinct in most people. People just flat out want to win at games, sports, business, love, and in life. No one wants to be called a “Loser.”
People want to be the best. They want the recognition that goes with winning, or they just want the satisfaction of knowing they are the best at something. It’s not enough for Tiger Woods to be the best golfer in the world. He now wants to be the best golfer of all time. Does he want to win because he wants more fame or more money? Does winning make him feel superior to other people? I don’t think so. I think he is someone who sets a goal and then just wants to achieve it. He’s a perfectionist. He feels he can always do better.
The desire to win will cause people to buy the best equipment, get the best teacher, and buy the best books and videos on the subject. We want our kids to win. We want our teams to win. The innate desire most of us have to win fuels the sports industry and much of our economy.

7. Comfort

People want comfort. They want a comfortable bed, a comfortable chair, a comfortable car, comfortable shoes, and comfortable clothes. People want a Jacuzzi. We want pain relievers even for the most minor pains, just to make ourselves more comfortable. We want larger and more comfortable rooms. Americans, especially, seem to be on a never-ending quest for more and more comfort.

8. Laziness

Sure people want to improve themselves, and they want to win, and they want to make more money… but only if it’s easy.
People are lazy. That’s why you don’t see many sales pitches that highlight how hard you must work to achieve the results promised. You will see beautiful people sitting on the exercise equipment and talking more often than we see them actually using it. People want the results without the work. “Lose 10 pounds in 30 days with no dieting or exercise. Just take this pill.” That’s the basic pitch.

9. Quest for a great experience

People want great experiences they will remember for the rest of their lives. They want travel experiences, educational experiences, family outings, parties, vacations, barbecues, great food at great restaurants, and good movies to watch.
They want exciting experiences, relaxing experiences, social experiences, and entertainment experiences. People want shared experiences with loved ones. The travel and entertainment industry is all about creating and selling memorable experiences.

10. Sex

People want more sex and better sex. People want sex, period. People want to be more attractive and sexier. Sex is everywhere in advertising, movies, and entertainment. Sometimes it’s out in the open, sometimes implied. The mere mention of the word “sex” draws immediate and riveted attention.

11. The desire for relationships

People want friends. People want dates. People want romance. People want to get married. People want to be connected to other people. People want to be part of a community. Dating sites are among the most popular on the Internet. People want to improve their relationships with their children and with their spouse. When a relationship breaks up, it’s very painful. When a relationship starts, it’s exciting. Most people do not want to be alone in the world.

12. Anger

Anger can be a very strong motivator. People send money to the Republican Party because they are angry at the Democrats. People send money to the Democratic Party because they are angry at the Republicans. People hire a lawyer to sue someone because they are angry. Following the 9/11 terrorist attack on America; people bought flags and decals not just out of patriotism, but also to show their anger at the terrorists. That was certainly righteous anger. Anger makes people want to strike back and fight, even go to war.

13. Desire to make a difference

People want their lives to count for something, to make a difference.
People run for President and public office to make a difference, hopefully not just for recognition. People contribute to charities, political causes, and religious organizations to make a difference. People become teachers and religious leaders to make a difference. People write books and articles to make a difference. People volunteer to make a difference.
Very few people want their life to count for absolutely nothing, to have made no positive impact in the world. Most people want to leave a legacy of some kind.
The desire to have an impact, to leave a mark, to make the world a better place can be a powerful motivator to buy or contribute.

14. Desire for meaning in life

People want life to mean something.
Religious organizations rely on this motive to prosper. Most people believe in God. Most people do not want to believe their life is an accident. People buy Bibles, religious tracts, and philosophical discourses to find meaning in life. They join a church and attend seminars for the same reason.
Billions of dollars are spent every year by people wanting to find meaning in life.

15. Desire for power

People want to tell others what to do. They want to be in charge. They want power. They want to be like God. Sometimes they want power to do good things, sometimes evil things.
Elections are about deciding who will be in charge. Billions of dollars are spent to win elections, win power. People start their own businesses and organizations in part because they want to be the boss. People want to be in charge of their own lives and in charge of other people’s lives as well.
Serial killers are the way they are because they want power over others, their victims. The desire for power over others is at the root of every war. The obsession for power has caused enormous human misery: Hitler, Stalin, Mao Tse Tung, Pol Pot and countless dictators throughout history. Thank heavens, in America we have found a way to prevent anyone from getting too much power.
The desire for power is one of the most powerful human motives.

16. Necessity of life

People need food, water, soap, clothes, electricity, gas, transportation, haircuts, and phones. Maybe computers and Internet connections now fall under the category of a necessity of modern life. Businesses need paper, copiers, desks, chairs, fax machines, phones, and computers.
“Can’t do without it” is certainly a powerful reason to buy.

17. Addiction

People become addicted to drugs, alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, gambling, pornography, sex, and fast food. Some addictions are physical, others psychological. But the effect is the same, an ever-present compulsion to get more.
Marketers of these products see their job as feeding the addiction and creating more addicts to the substance, product, or activity. This is how the drug dealers, the tobacco and alcohol companies, the porn industry, sex traffickers, the casinos, and the fast food and junk food companies are raking in billions of dollars.
By Ben Hart - http://www.MarketingRocketFuel.com
To add your events or to view visit our Dreamcatcher online Event Calendars: http://dreamcatchercalendars.com

Invitation to an event for women entrepreneurs - Austin Texas

Make your dream of being a successful business owner a reality. Whether you’ve already launched your business or are thinking of starting one, join other enterprising women for this unique blend of high-impact sessions and networking opportunities to propel your business to the next level.

Wines of Santa Gruz Mountains - Passport Program

PRESENTS:

ONE TIME FEE: $30.00 - TIME: 11:00AM to 5:00PM LOCATION: Participating wineries. We invite you to explore our extraordinary viticultural region and become acquainted with the incredible diversity of the wines and winemakers therein. At each winery you visit, a page of your Passport will be given a unique commemorative stamp. Passports do not expire until completed. This is a special opportunity to visit many of the wineries that are not open to the public at other times! Call or check our website for list of participating wineries and other event information.

To join the SCMWA e-mail club please e-mail your address to: info@scmwa.com

PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS OFFERING PASSPORT HOLDERS - DISCOUNTS TO DINE WITH THEM ON PASSPORT DAY!

Aldo’s in Santa Cruz - Offering 10% off on breakfast or lunch on day of Passport!

Ma Maison Restaurant & Catering in Aptos - Offering free corkage on all bottles of Santa Cruz Mountains Wines on Passport Day.

Michaels on Main, in Soquel - Offering a special wine menu and waived corkage on SCMtn Wines on the day of Passport!

Sestri, in Santa Cruz - Offering 10% off on dinner on the day of Passport!

Vino Locale, in Palo Alto - Offering 10% discount on Passprt Day on any Menu items!

PARTICIPATING WINERIES! Some wineries may close due to bad weather. It is recommended to call ahead.

Winery Locations: Ahlgren Vineyard, Alfaro Family Vineyard, Bargetto Winery, Beauregard Vineyards, Black Ridge Vineyards New Winery*18550 Black Road, Los Gatos, Bonny Doon Vineyard, Burrell School Vineyards, Byington Winery, Cinnabar Vineyards & Winery, Clos LaChance, Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards, David Bruce Winery, Domenico Wines, Downhill Winery at Byington Winery, Equinox Wine Cellars & Vinos Bartolo Winery - 427 Swift Street, Santa Cruz, Fellom Ranch Vineyards, Fernwood Cellars, Fleming Jenkins Vineyards & Winery, Backyard Wineries - Closed for April - 45 West Main Street, Los Gatos - 408-399-5640, Hallcrest Vineyards - Hallcrest is unable to accommodate tour buses & limousines, Hunter Hill Vineyard & Winery - At Michaels on Main, McHenry Vineyard, La Honda Winery - New Winery* - 2645 Fair Oaks Ave., Redwood City, La Nebbia Winery (formerly Obester Winery), La Rusticana D’Orsa - New Winery* - 15700 Kennedy Rd., Los Gatos, Loma Prieta Winery, Martin Ranch Winery, McHenry Vineyard, Natal Vineyard, Naumann Vineyards, Nicholson Vineyards, Pelican Ranch Winery, Picchetti Winery, Pinder Winery, Pleasant Valley Vineyards, Ridge Vineyards, River Run Vintners, Roudon Smith Winery, Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard - at Osocalis Distillery, in Soquel, Sarah’s Vineyard, Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards, Silver Mountain Vineyards, Soquel Vineyards, Storrs Winery, Testarossa Vineyards, Thomas Fogarty, Trout Gulch Vineyards - at Equinox- 427 Swift Street, Santa Cruz, Windy Oaks Estate Winery & Vineyard - Closed until further notice, Zayante Vineyards

Restaurant Locations: Pouring at Michael’s on Main, Soquel: Aptos Creek Vineyard, Clos Tita, Cordon Creek, Glenwood Oaks, Heart O’ The Mountain Estate Vineyards, Sones Cellars, Wines of Vine Hill, Pouring at The Mountain Terrace, Woodside, Aptos Creek Vineyard, Kings Mountain Winery, Michael Martella Wines

The list of participating wineries may change over time. It is advisable to phone the wineries you are planning to visit in advance.

To add your events or to view visit our Dreamcatcher online Event Calendars: http://dreamcatchercalendars.com

The 32nd Annual Home Remodeling & Decorating Show

Fri. - Sun. April 11-13 Fri. - Sun. April 25-27 Pasadena Conference Center Pasadena, CA Hours Fri.: Noon-8pm Sat: 10am-8pm Sun: 10am-6pm click here for FREE coupons/passes South Towne Expo Center Sandy, UT Hours Fri.: Noon-10pm Sat: 10am-10pm Sun: 10am-6pm click here for FREE coupons/passes THE ONLY HOME SHOWS EXCLUSIVELY ENDORSED AND APPROVED By The LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA HOMEOWNERS

HOME IMPROVEMENT HIGHWAY TO:

To add your events or to view visit our Dreamcatcher online Event Calendars: http://dreamcatchercalendars.com

James Caprell Gallery

The Work

The Artist

James Caprell’s art career began at the age of five. He painted pennies silver and sold them to the neighborhood kids for nickels. The problem was, he claimed they were dimes.

Caprell’s interest in art and instinctive business sense drove him in distinctly different directions. At DePauw University, his study of Economics prepared him for the business world, while his art developed through drawing classes, cartooning for the local paper, and painting for recreation. He felt the gnawing of his artistic desire, but ultimately sequestered it to follow the course of financial success. In the fall of 1998, Caprell moved to New York City to accept a position with acclaimed investment bank J.P. Morgan.

Within two years, Caprell contributed to the execution of several billion-dollar transactions, securing his reputation as one of the top young bankers at the firm. In the summer of 2000, he was presented an offer that would guarantee him a lifetime of financial security and put him on course to become one of the youngest vice-presidents at J.P. Morgan.

Caprell declined. At 4 a.m. in the men’s room stall, as he tried to steal the only hour of sleep in three consecutive nights, a realization dawned, causing Caprell to consider his priorities. He was shaken by the selfish ambition that had engulfed him, and yearned to start impacting the lives of others in a meaningful way. His long suppressed artistic desire came to mind. Perhaps the joy of painting those pennies outweighed the delight of selling them.

Once unleashed, Caprell’s desire to paint transformed into a vigorous passion. In addition to visual art, he began to avidly pursue the performance art of acting. He was now painting by day and training as an actor by night. Exactly one year from the day he left Wall Street, Caprell made his off-Broadway debut on the Atlantic Theatre stage.

Inspired by his newfound freedom in the arts, Caprell dedicated this period of painting solely to discovery. Only eleven paintings survived as he worked and re-worked hundreds of canvases to the point of destruction. The last of these paintings came shortly after Caprell stood at his bedroom window and watched the second plane crash into the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

Caprell left for Los Angeles in 2002. After two years of training at New York’s accredited conservatories and performing on the New York stage, Caprell recognized the broader impact of working in front of the camera. Once in Los Angeles, he found the atmosphere was highly conducive to both artistic pursuits, and his technique flourished. Caprell’s personal life didn’t.

A combination of private conflict, the overwhelming struggles of an emerging artist, and the loneliness that comes with living in a new environment, sent him into a period of deep sadness, accompanied by anxiety, resentment and vacancy. His life was haunted by these emotions for two years.

Then, on February 22, 2004, Caprell experienced an epiphany he describes as being filled with God’s spirit – his eyes were opened to the love that God had for him, and that love replaced the destructive powers consuming his life. From that day forward, his highest aspiration became sharing this newfound love and compassion he had experienced with everyone around him. Caprell was saved from himself.

Three months later, his sense of security was tested while learning to surf in the fierce waters off Newport Beach. Caprell was caught in a vicious rip-tide, picked up by a ten-foot swell, and sent crashing into a nearby rock jetty. He became trapped underwater, turning head over heels in a relentless “washing machine” against the rocks. Exhausted and near drowning, Caprell surrendered to death.  In that moment, he experienced a serene reconciliation with mortality, confirming his faith. Only after this did his hand catch a chance boulder on the jetty, pulling him out of the raging current. Caprell was saved from a tragic demise.

Free from the confines of a financially-driven profession, the darker side of the human condition, and ultimately the fear of his own death, Caprell now lives with a fuller purpose. His drive comes from gratitude and compassion. His motivation stems from his love for God, for others, and a heightened awareness of the beauty in life. From this, he paints. In the summer of 2004, Caprell began to compose the Collection, sharing his work with the public for the first time.

To add your events or to view visit our Dreamcatcher online Event Calendars: http://dreamcatchercalendars.com

History of Winemaking in the Santa Cruz Mountains

The Santa Cruz Mountains has been recognized as a premium wine producing region since the late 1800’s when local winegrowers first began to win acclaim for their wines in national and international competitions. Few of these original wineries survived prohibition, but many new wineries have developed since the 1940’s.In 1981 the Santa Cruz Mountains Viticultural Appellation became federally recognized, one of the first American viticultural areas to be defined by geophysical and climatic factors. The appellation encompasses the Santa Cruz Mountain range, from Half Moon Bay in the north, to Mount Madonna in the south. The east and west boundaries are defined by elevation, extending down to 800 feet in the east and 400 feet in the west. The number of wineries and the acreage planted in the Santa Cruz Mountains has increased dramatically in recent years as the area has become recognized as a unique grape-growing region. The individual microclimates, marine influence, mountain terrain, distinctive soils, and low crop levels, all contribute to the production of intensely concentrated fruit. There are now over seventy, small, family-owned wineries in the region. The small size of these operations allows the winemakers the opportunity to handcraft their wines and to maximize the potential of the grapes. The same spirit of innovation, independence, and determination that distinguished the great winemakers of the 19th century lives on today. We invite you to explore our extraordinary viticultural region and become acquainted with the incredible diversity of the wines and winemakers therein.

To add your events or to view visit our Dreamcatcher online Event Calendars: http://dreamcatchercalendars.com

S’kool Music

Music programs in our schools have suffered dramatic cutbacks. Children are being denied the opportunity to pursue a musical education and experience an introduction to the wonders of music. Many well-documented studies have shown a relationship between the study of music and students performance in general academics. We need to increase public awareness of the value of a musical education and will achieve this by hosting quarterly events around Orange County featuring selected music program performances from various schools and with our recycling program.

We are very pleased to welcome, you and to have the opportunity to acquaint you with our foundation. You will learn of our formation, our aims and goals, as well as the means we are employing to attain them. Let us begin with our background.

S’kool Music is a non-profit organization formed in 2003 for the purpose of helping to preserve the musical instruction programs in our public school system. When budget shortfalls occur, it is often the school music programs that are the hardest hit. As a result, many schools are forced to curtail some of the music programs for lack of funding. This deprives students of the opportunity to participate in a music class and receive that all-important introduction to music, and through music, an introduction to the arts. A small group of dedicated citizens, alarmed at this turn of events, joined together to determine how best to stop this devastating trend. Over the course of several months, S’kool Music was created, and is fast becoming a voice in the community for stability in the field of musical education in our schools.

S’kool Music is a true grass-roots organization in that we draw our support from the community in which we reside. This support comes from parents, relatives, friends and neighbors who have students in their school music programs, as well as the local community organizations such as the PTA, Chamber of Commerce, local civic groups, and businesses. In this way we promote a broad base of support from the community, and a greater degree of participation in our community events.

With such broad based support, we are looking forward to an increasing role in the effort to retain and expand music education in our schools. To do this we need to continually increase our support base so that we can reach more of the population in the community, and have our efforts make a bigger

Image via Wikipedia

impact. We hope that, as you read on you will become inspired by our efforts, and want to join us in the advancement of our children’s musical education. We look forward to hearing from you, meeting you, and seeing you at some of our future events. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to introduce ourselves.

Our vision is to ensure that “no child is denied the opportunity of a musical education in our school system.”

If a child desires to participate in the music program of his or her school, we believe that they should be offered that option, and not be denied the opportunity due to lack of funding. S’kool Music will do whatever it can to assist the schools to maintain their programs for your attention and consideration. This shows a true desire to take action to help keep the music programs in our schools.

S’kool Music has a wide variety of goals that we continuously strive to attain. Among them are; education of the general public on the necessity of maintaining the musical education in our schools; assistance to schools that require either financial assistance, or assistance regarding musical instruments or the maintenance of those instruments; scholarships for talented children; financial assistance for talented but needy students; and presenting musical events featuring talented young performers for the entertainment of the general public, and the exposure of the participants as well.

By working directly with the music teachers of the schools we can determine what that schools needs are, and respond accordingly. Financial assistance comes from the proceeds of our musical events and other fundraising ventures. Musical instruments come from our many alliances with other non-profit organizations. Musical instrument maintenance and repair comes from our alliances with music stores and repair facilities in the community.

Scholarships will be offered to those outstanding students identified by the school music teachers in the community schools.

When a talented but needy student is identified to S’kool Music, we will make every effort to see that student is provided with financial assistance for the purchase or rental of an instrument.

The evening events staged by S’kool Music showcase some of the talented youngsters in the format of a variety show. These are not competitions, but opportunities for students to perform, and for the audience to be entertained by the young musical stars of tomorrow.

Thank you for your attention and consideration. This shows a true desire to take action to help keep the music programs in our schools.

We are doing all we can to bring awareness to the public concerning the plight of the music programs. We are going one step further in setting the process in motion to raise and distribute funds to the schools in need. We also need your help! Please take a moment to speak with your families, friends and colleagues to join us in this very important venture.

Together we will make a difference! Our children will benefit!

To add your events or to view visit our Dreamcatcher online Event Calendars: http://dreamcatchercalendars.com

Google Initiates Paid Search Bidding War

Google is set to spark a bidding war for paid-for search terms, unveiling a controversial policy allowing competitors to bid on rival trademarked names in the UK. The move follows two months of weak paid search clicks.
The change could see a brand such as Barclays bidding against the trademark terms Lloyds TSB or HSBC, so its sponsored listing comes up when consumers search for a rival company.
The new policy that will come into force after May 5 and allow companies to bid for their competitors trademarked name. Google has been using this policy in the US since 2004 but has previously resisted introducing it in the UK until now.
Gavin Sinden, digital strategy director at Equimedia, says that Google is attempting to bolster its paid search business.
“It’s a little bit coincidental that paid clicks have been falling,” he says. “Now we see this. The two events cannot be disconnected. It goes very much against what Google has been saying about search relevancy.”
He believes the change in policy could spark a bidding war for UK and Ireland trademarked terms.
“What if people start bidding crazy money to go above you for your own brand,” adds Sinden. “How are they going to police that? They have basically have said that they aren’t going to do that. The numbers Google get paid for branded terms could go through the roof.”
Data from Comscore showed a 3% year-on-year increase in Google’s paid clicks during February. The number was an improvement on zero growth in January, although a sharp drop compared to monthly increases of between 25% and 40% last year.
Author: Rufus Jay Publisher: Marketing Week

To add your events or to view visit our Dreamcatcher online Event Calendars: http://dreamcatchercalendars.com

Next Page »