A very good friend of mine once asked me, "what are we really selling"? So many people say so many different things. If you visit a lot of different sites today on selling most of them if not all of them promote "benefit selling." If you have read my book or attended any of my sales seminars you would know that I do not use FAB (feature, advantage, benefit selling) techniques. I only use it as a base line from which I draw knowledge about what I am selling. Essentially, I dont use FAB to sell my customers or prospects.
Take a person who wants to buy a car. The salesman taught to use feature, advantage, benefit selling. Might say, have we got a beautiful car for you today, and its on special! Just look at this beautiful car, top comes down so you can enjoy a nice country ride with the wind blowing through your hair, soft leather interior for you to just relax into, especially after a hard days of work, its a beautiful candy apple red and it has a CD player so you can listen to your favorite music! The customer says great, I would love to have a convertible, with a leather interior, but I want it in black and I want it with satellite radio.
See the problem with feature, advantage, benefit selling is that people can always object to features and advantages. You run the risk of causing a "disconnect" between you and your customer, of being accused of not listening.
So what about benefits, theyre good arent they?
Well yes, they are
Have you ever had someone tell you how great something is, how great the features are, all the advantages to owning, the benefits they'll enjoy for years to come?
Have you ever found yourself drifting, your thoughts wandering aimlessly, as a salesperson starts telling you about features and benefits that you dont even care about? Youre just nodding your head, trying to be polite hoping the salesperson will get to their point or just stop talking?
There is a BIG difference between selling something based on benefits and selling something based on "desired results".
In regards to selling, the definition of benefit selling is: "In what way is it useful for me?"
While when you are selling "desired results" the definition is: "Is it going to do what I (the customer) want it to do?"
A very big difference.
You see the only way for you to know what your customer or prospects "desired results" are, is that you as a salesperson must:
1. Ask good questions
2. Be present
3. And LISTEN
Then you can sell. You take all of the information that your prospect has just given you, and then you "tailor" your presentation to give your prospect their "desired results".
The "desired results" then becomes an EXPECTATION on the part of your prospect due to your promise. A promise between you and your customer. A promise on which your relationship to do business rests.
Now you have accountability.
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Sunday, October 31, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Sales Manager Training: The Critical Advantage
Being a salesperson is one thing; managing a team of several sales professionals is entirely another. Sales management brings more people in perspective along with a completely different set of goals. Thus, sales manager training is a wholly separate tract in business management education. Be that as it may, sales manager training is something which cannot be overlooked for it is the pivotal point at where business proficiency and management acumen must be fully demonstrated by the person in charge -- that is, the sales manager.
Among all departments in a business, it is perhaps the sales department that has the highest turnover rate not just among the basic sales staff but also among sales managers. It is also the department that has the quickest rate of promotions and expansion. The sales manager position is therefore the most dynamic post in the business hierarchy and requires the most attention in terms of learning solutions and continuing education.
Hence, sales manager training is at a critical position. A good and sufficient training can provide an advantage for the company; however a training that is less than ideal may prove inadequate in helping sales managers excel in their businesses.
Focus on Managerial Skills
Most sales managers go up the ranks from being sales agents, to holding supervisory positions, until they get the managerial job either when the previous manager have gone further up the hierarchy, have left the company or when the business unit expands. Sales manager training should already be enacted at the supervisor level or even earlier among key sales personnel.
The primary learning requirement for upcoming sales managers involve augmenting their knowledge and skills to effectively perform their managerial duties. Most rookie managers have not been in a leadership position before. And the tools and know-how expected of seasoned managers are still all new to them. These include, planning skills, organizational skills, ability to motivate their respective teams, what to do during difficult situations -- all these and more go into the content of sales manager training to allow new managers to adjust accordingly to their new duties.
Through sales manager training, the trainer brings together the novice manager's new found skills and knowledge with his or her achievements and proficiency as sales professional. This brings about profound potentials that tend to improve performance of the manager and the sales team.
Discovering Strengths and Weaknesses
One additional benefit of training up sales managers is the opportunity to discover the strengths and weaknesses of the firm's sales managerial talent pool. This allows higher management to adjust accordingly either at the individual level or as a team. A sales manager with a weakness on a certain area may be given additional training to help the manager improve. Otherwise, at the team level, certain adjustments can be made to let managers and teams complement each other's respective strengths and weaknesses.
The importance of sales manager training cannot be watered down. A company that provides continuing sales manager training is sure to reap its benefits of a high-performance sales force.
Among all departments in a business, it is perhaps the sales department that has the highest turnover rate not just among the basic sales staff but also among sales managers. It is also the department that has the quickest rate of promotions and expansion. The sales manager position is therefore the most dynamic post in the business hierarchy and requires the most attention in terms of learning solutions and continuing education.
Hence, sales manager training is at a critical position. A good and sufficient training can provide an advantage for the company; however a training that is less than ideal may prove inadequate in helping sales managers excel in their businesses.
Focus on Managerial Skills
Most sales managers go up the ranks from being sales agents, to holding supervisory positions, until they get the managerial job either when the previous manager have gone further up the hierarchy, have left the company or when the business unit expands. Sales manager training should already be enacted at the supervisor level or even earlier among key sales personnel.
The primary learning requirement for upcoming sales managers involve augmenting their knowledge and skills to effectively perform their managerial duties. Most rookie managers have not been in a leadership position before. And the tools and know-how expected of seasoned managers are still all new to them. These include, planning skills, organizational skills, ability to motivate their respective teams, what to do during difficult situations -- all these and more go into the content of sales manager training to allow new managers to adjust accordingly to their new duties.
Through sales manager training, the trainer brings together the novice manager's new found skills and knowledge with his or her achievements and proficiency as sales professional. This brings about profound potentials that tend to improve performance of the manager and the sales team.
Discovering Strengths and Weaknesses
One additional benefit of training up sales managers is the opportunity to discover the strengths and weaknesses of the firm's sales managerial talent pool. This allows higher management to adjust accordingly either at the individual level or as a team. A sales manager with a weakness on a certain area may be given additional training to help the manager improve. Otherwise, at the team level, certain adjustments can be made to let managers and teams complement each other's respective strengths and weaknesses.
The importance of sales manager training cannot be watered down. A company that provides continuing sales manager training is sure to reap its benefits of a high-performance sales force.
Feature Advantage Benefit Selling
A very good friend of mine once asked me, "what are we really selling"? So many people say so many different things. If you visit a lot of different sites today on selling most of them if not all of them promote "benefit selling." If you have read my book or attended any of my sales seminars you would know that I do not use FAB (feature, advantage, benefit selling) techniques. I only use it as a base line from which I draw knowledge about what I am selling. Essentially, I dont use FAB to sell my customers or prospects.
Take a person who wants to buy a car. The salesman taught to use feature, advantage, benefit selling. Might say, have we got a beautiful car for you today, and its on special! Just look at this beautiful car, top comes down so you can enjoy a nice country ride with the wind blowing through your hair, soft leather interior for you to just relax into, especially after a hard days of work, its a beautiful candy apple red and it has a CD player so you can listen to your favorite music! The customer says great, I would love to have a convertible, with a leather interior, but I want it in black and I want it with satellite radio.
See the problem with feature, advantage, benefit selling is that people can always object to features and advantages. You run the risk of causing a "disconnect" between you and your customer, of being accused of not listening.
So what about benefits, theyre good arent they?
Well yes, they are
Have you ever had someone tell you how great something is, how great the features are, all the advantages to owning, the benefits they'll enjoy for years to come?
Have you ever found yourself drifting, your thoughts wandering aimlessly, as a salesperson starts telling you about features and benefits that you dont even care about? Youre just nodding your head, trying to be polite hoping the salesperson will get to their point or just stop talking?
There is a BIG difference between selling something based on benefits and selling something based on "desired results".
In regards to selling, the definition of benefit selling is: "In what way is it useful for me?"
While when you are selling "desired results" the definition is: "Is it going to do what I (the customer) want it to do?"
A very big difference.
You see the only way for you to know what your customer or prospects "desired results" are, is that you as a salesperson must:
1. Ask good questions
2. Be present
3. And LISTEN
Then you can sell. You take all of the information that your prospect has just given you, and then you "tailor" your presentation to give your prospect their "desired results".
The "desired results" then becomes an EXPECTATION on the part of your prospect due to your promise. A promise between you and your customer. A promise on which your relationship to do business rests.
Now you have accountability.
Take a person who wants to buy a car. The salesman taught to use feature, advantage, benefit selling. Might say, have we got a beautiful car for you today, and its on special! Just look at this beautiful car, top comes down so you can enjoy a nice country ride with the wind blowing through your hair, soft leather interior for you to just relax into, especially after a hard days of work, its a beautiful candy apple red and it has a CD player so you can listen to your favorite music! The customer says great, I would love to have a convertible, with a leather interior, but I want it in black and I want it with satellite radio.
See the problem with feature, advantage, benefit selling is that people can always object to features and advantages. You run the risk of causing a "disconnect" between you and your customer, of being accused of not listening.
So what about benefits, theyre good arent they?
Well yes, they are
Have you ever had someone tell you how great something is, how great the features are, all the advantages to owning, the benefits they'll enjoy for years to come?
Have you ever found yourself drifting, your thoughts wandering aimlessly, as a salesperson starts telling you about features and benefits that you dont even care about? Youre just nodding your head, trying to be polite hoping the salesperson will get to their point or just stop talking?
There is a BIG difference between selling something based on benefits and selling something based on "desired results".
In regards to selling, the definition of benefit selling is: "In what way is it useful for me?"
While when you are selling "desired results" the definition is: "Is it going to do what I (the customer) want it to do?"
A very big difference.
You see the only way for you to know what your customer or prospects "desired results" are, is that you as a salesperson must:
1. Ask good questions
2. Be present
3. And LISTEN
Then you can sell. You take all of the information that your prospect has just given you, and then you "tailor" your presentation to give your prospect their "desired results".
The "desired results" then becomes an EXPECTATION on the part of your prospect due to your promise. A promise between you and your customer. A promise on which your relationship to do business rests.
Now you have accountability.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
How To Achieve Success In Network Marketing
The network marketing world is like being in a jungle and survival tips will be shared so that you can be successful in guiding your trek through this jungle.
The network marketing business is not complicated, so don't make it complicated. Use what works. Resist the temptation to improve what already is a working format. If a system is working, plug into it and "milk it for what it's
worth." Your upline expects you to be teachable and you need to be willing to teach your downline members the same system. Using a proven method over and over is what will make you successful in network marketing. After
all, the kinks have been worked out and there are hundreds of testimonials that will guarantee a successful network marketing business if the system is followed faithfully.
Also, don't expect from your recruits what you're not willing to do. Don't give advice unless you yourself are willing to take it. Don't fall into the trap of getting your team members to do your "dirty work" unless you are willing to
climb into the "foxhole" and shovel "mud and grime" in order to create a successful working environment.
Train your downline team and then let them train their downline team. If they become too dependent on you, they will "suck you dry." Don't micromanage your downline members. Rapid burnout soon follows. Gaining
leadership experience in the network marketing business will let you pick up the slack for a colleague once in a while. This shouldn't be an ongoing for any colleague needing you. Effort is required on their part and if it isn't
put forth then support should not be forthcoming from you.
Don't just target anyone; target business minded people and other entrepreneurs. These people are already motivated and know what it takes to make a business successful. They are already networking their business and
can help influence your business by supplying people who are also professionals in their field. They know a large number of people and can boost what the organization needs. Business minded individuals are what makes
network marketing a success and as their leader, you will help them attain their financial freedom as well as yours with their recruitment of a downline team.
The secrets of network marketing is a tried and proven method by individuals who have made millions in this rapidly rising market enjoyed by countless of people as they strive towards their dreams for the future.
The network marketing business is not complicated, so don't make it complicated. Use what works. Resist the temptation to improve what already is a working format. If a system is working, plug into it and "milk it for what it's
worth." Your upline expects you to be teachable and you need to be willing to teach your downline members the same system. Using a proven method over and over is what will make you successful in network marketing. After
all, the kinks have been worked out and there are hundreds of testimonials that will guarantee a successful network marketing business if the system is followed faithfully.
Also, don't expect from your recruits what you're not willing to do. Don't give advice unless you yourself are willing to take it. Don't fall into the trap of getting your team members to do your "dirty work" unless you are willing to
climb into the "foxhole" and shovel "mud and grime" in order to create a successful working environment.
Train your downline team and then let them train their downline team. If they become too dependent on you, they will "suck you dry." Don't micromanage your downline members. Rapid burnout soon follows. Gaining
leadership experience in the network marketing business will let you pick up the slack for a colleague once in a while. This shouldn't be an ongoing for any colleague needing you. Effort is required on their part and if it isn't
put forth then support should not be forthcoming from you.
Don't just target anyone; target business minded people and other entrepreneurs. These people are already motivated and know what it takes to make a business successful. They are already networking their business and
can help influence your business by supplying people who are also professionals in their field. They know a large number of people and can boost what the organization needs. Business minded individuals are what makes
network marketing a success and as their leader, you will help them attain their financial freedom as well as yours with their recruitment of a downline team.
The secrets of network marketing is a tried and proven method by individuals who have made millions in this rapidly rising market enjoyed by countless of people as they strive towards their dreams for the future.
Buying a Triumph Spitfire
I suppose the first point to take into consideration before buying a Triumph Spitfire is that you are buying a hobby and not a car! You have to realise that the technology used to design and build a Triumph Spitfire is old just like the cars themselves and they do not have the reliability of today's hi-tech cars built by robots. Triumph Spitfires do and will break down so be prepared for this eventuality.
Once you understand the above you can have peace of mind that almost everything that can go wrong with a Triumph Spitfire can be easily fixed - with the exception of some aspects of the body work! An otherwise decent car can turn into a costly mess or even a death trap. A shiny paint job can hide major rust, it is wise to take a magnet when looking to buy a Triumph Spitfire (preferably from a refrigerator door seal) and use this on key areas of the bodywork such as the nose, under the doors (sills) and behind the wheels. If you find the magnet does not stick to the bodywork there could be body filler under the paint. This does not mean the car is a total wreck, it maybe the odd repair but at least you have highlighted it and you can discuss with the seller.
If you go through with buying a Triumph Spitfire then it's a good idea to give your new hobby a complete going over. Everything on the car that can wear out needs replacing to ensure your car starts with a new lease of life. Start by replacing the fluids including oil, brake fluid, gearbox fluid and coolant. Next oil/grease hinges, u-joints and trunnions. Give it a complete tune up and replace plugs, ignition wires, distribution cap and points and follow this by checking the timing etc. Replace all hoses, belts and brake pads and you could even consider rebuilding the carb. There is obviously a cost involved if you do this yourself or if you have someone do this for you - remember though that the difference in performance of the car will be huge.
If the car has not moved for sometime then the brakes and clutch will most probably have problems. Whilst these repairs are quite simple and straight forward they must be fixed as yours and other road users safety is critical.
Author Andrew Whitehead
Once you understand the above you can have peace of mind that almost everything that can go wrong with a Triumph Spitfire can be easily fixed - with the exception of some aspects of the body work! An otherwise decent car can turn into a costly mess or even a death trap. A shiny paint job can hide major rust, it is wise to take a magnet when looking to buy a Triumph Spitfire (preferably from a refrigerator door seal) and use this on key areas of the bodywork such as the nose, under the doors (sills) and behind the wheels. If you find the magnet does not stick to the bodywork there could be body filler under the paint. This does not mean the car is a total wreck, it maybe the odd repair but at least you have highlighted it and you can discuss with the seller.
If you go through with buying a Triumph Spitfire then it's a good idea to give your new hobby a complete going over. Everything on the car that can wear out needs replacing to ensure your car starts with a new lease of life. Start by replacing the fluids including oil, brake fluid, gearbox fluid and coolant. Next oil/grease hinges, u-joints and trunnions. Give it a complete tune up and replace plugs, ignition wires, distribution cap and points and follow this by checking the timing etc. Replace all hoses, belts and brake pads and you could even consider rebuilding the carb. There is obviously a cost involved if you do this yourself or if you have someone do this for you - remember though that the difference in performance of the car will be huge.
If the car has not moved for sometime then the brakes and clutch will most probably have problems. Whilst these repairs are quite simple and straight forward they must be fixed as yours and other road users safety is critical.
Author Andrew Whitehead
Monday, October 25, 2010
What Oil Change Franchise Owners and Managers Need to Know about Designing a Fast Lube Shop
Quick, convenient and low cost. This is what consumers want wherever they go. Have you noticed how many fast lube shops are available everywhere one goes? Some have oil changes with a carwash, a coffee house or
even a diner. Location is key to any business, especially an oil change franchise.
Thinking about opening an oil change franchise? Start searching online or speak with a realtor. Location is the number one priority for a fast lube business. A shop should have easy access both in and out, be noticeable with
easy to see services and prices.
Another consideration is urban development. Will the oil change franchise receive adequate business? Will traffic be a problem? Is there a street hindrance such as a median or no U-turn nearby which prevents future
customers from entering your business or exiting into traffic patterns?
Once a site is established, the shop design is next. There are two ways to design, depending on the city's building codes and land development: basement or use mechanical lifts to access cars for servicing. Some owners say
a full basement is better because lifts slow services, and customers may choose another fast lube instead.
If a basement is used, the designer must decide how many bays the shop will include. Shop owners must research the building size before offering ideas to the building designer. More efficient oil change franchises have
multiple bays to service more than one car at a time, offering the ability to service more customers and offer more services. Full basements with catwalks also serve as storage for supplies, bulk oil, cleaning supplies and a
break room.
However, to minimize safety hazards, precautions must be installed. Since a basement has open pits, install easy-slide pit covers so customers and employees do not accidentally fall through. The sliding covers are four feet
long and slide over each other down to the pit so mechanics need only open the area they are working on. When the automotive service is completed, the covers slide back into place, closing the pit.
Floor type is another safety issue, and should be included in the planning of any oil change franchise. A floor should have rough resistance and have an abrasiveness texture to it. Keeping an organized and clean shop is
also just as important. Small spills should be mopped immediately, while a thorough cleaning of the shop should be done every day after business hours.
Convenience and efficiency work hand in hand for the most successful oil change franchises. The flow of traffic in and out of the shop should be an owner's next consideration. The design of the shop should be convenient for
the customer as well as the city traffic. The most efficient and convenient set up is the "one way in, one way out" design. Cars pull into the entrance of the bay and drive out the other side.
After the structure of the oil change franchise is finalized, the next consideration is organization of supplies. Air and oil filters, oil bins and transmission fluids, rags and cleaning supplies can all be stored so it maximizes time on
task. Utilizing a basement for all supplies is most efficient. Shelving installed near the mechanics work area will maximize time spent gathering oil and supplies to service the vehicles. Label all shelves with the specific air and oil
filter types. This will not only save time for mechanics, but also for restocking items and taking inventory.
Store bulk oil in overhead tanks to pump oil out using gravity; it helps to use all the oil in the tank. Buried tanks tend to waste more oil and need to be filled more often. Tanks that are above ground should have a secondary
containment area around it as well.
Although there are many ways to design oil change franchises, efficiency and convenience should be at the top of the list.
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even a diner. Location is key to any business, especially an oil change franchise.
Thinking about opening an oil change franchise? Start searching online or speak with a realtor. Location is the number one priority for a fast lube business. A shop should have easy access both in and out, be noticeable with
easy to see services and prices.
Another consideration is urban development. Will the oil change franchise receive adequate business? Will traffic be a problem? Is there a street hindrance such as a median or no U-turn nearby which prevents future
customers from entering your business or exiting into traffic patterns?
Once a site is established, the shop design is next. There are two ways to design, depending on the city's building codes and land development: basement or use mechanical lifts to access cars for servicing. Some owners say
a full basement is better because lifts slow services, and customers may choose another fast lube instead.
If a basement is used, the designer must decide how many bays the shop will include. Shop owners must research the building size before offering ideas to the building designer. More efficient oil change franchises have
multiple bays to service more than one car at a time, offering the ability to service more customers and offer more services. Full basements with catwalks also serve as storage for supplies, bulk oil, cleaning supplies and a
break room.
However, to minimize safety hazards, precautions must be installed. Since a basement has open pits, install easy-slide pit covers so customers and employees do not accidentally fall through. The sliding covers are four feet
long and slide over each other down to the pit so mechanics need only open the area they are working on. When the automotive service is completed, the covers slide back into place, closing the pit.
Floor type is another safety issue, and should be included in the planning of any oil change franchise. A floor should have rough resistance and have an abrasiveness texture to it. Keeping an organized and clean shop is
also just as important. Small spills should be mopped immediately, while a thorough cleaning of the shop should be done every day after business hours.
Convenience and efficiency work hand in hand for the most successful oil change franchises. The flow of traffic in and out of the shop should be an owner's next consideration. The design of the shop should be convenient for
the customer as well as the city traffic. The most efficient and convenient set up is the "one way in, one way out" design. Cars pull into the entrance of the bay and drive out the other side.
After the structure of the oil change franchise is finalized, the next consideration is organization of supplies. Air and oil filters, oil bins and transmission fluids, rags and cleaning supplies can all be stored so it maximizes time on
task. Utilizing a basement for all supplies is most efficient. Shelving installed near the mechanics work area will maximize time spent gathering oil and supplies to service the vehicles. Label all shelves with the specific air and oil
filter types. This will not only save time for mechanics, but also for restocking items and taking inventory.
Store bulk oil in overhead tanks to pump oil out using gravity; it helps to use all the oil in the tank. Buried tanks tend to waste more oil and need to be filled more often. Tanks that are above ground should have a secondary
containment area around it as well.
Although there are many ways to design oil change franchises, efficiency and convenience should be at the top of the list.
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Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Mens Silk Boxer Shorts Get Silkier
Can you remember when boxer shorts just use to be boxer shorts and all there was to chose from was white cotton ones and perhaps a few other colours. However, there is a huge range of colours and styles and they seem
to have got silkier without even contain an ounce of silk.
Boxer shorts were once traditionally designed to be loose fitting cotton shorts worn as underwear. However, they seem to have taken on an entirely new shape and style, available in a range of super fine fabrics, which gives
then a super soft and silky second skin feel to them.
It seems that men are no longer content with any old fabric and underwear manufacturers are rising to the demand and are producing a much broader range of mens boxer shorts that incorporate the latest technical fabrics.
HOM fashion are even producing a range of underwear called Light Colours made from fabric that have an anti bacterial property to it and fit like a second skin with silk like feel.
So what is on offer and what is driving the demand? There are trunks, boxer shorts, maxis, boxer briefs and hipsters to name just a few. However, what does seem apparent is there is much less of what we regard as the
traditional boxer short. Much, if not 90% of what is marketed as boxer shorts nowadays is almost certainly going to incorporate a degree of lycra that produces a snug and close fitting pair of underpants. These seem to be
one of the most popular styles of underwear for men and it appears that this is largely because of the fantastic amount of support and control that they offer men in the giggleberries department.
Fabrics have evolved considerable and the choices available and used for ladies lingerie is now being used widely for mens underwear. There are some particularly great technical fabrics and micro fibres that have all the
properties that are idea for the active male and sportsman. These not only offer support and control, but have cooling qualities and an ability to wick sweat away from the skin.
What ever your preference there is a vast choice of underwear for men that are labelled as boxer shorts. Take a look at what HOM Fashion has to offer at to see how far styles have come. Men can choose from fitted trunks
that sit low on the hip, have a short square leg, are made from lycra, polymides, super soft next generation cottons that are almost as fine as silk and in a choice of colours as broad as the spectrum.
to have got silkier without even contain an ounce of silk.
Boxer shorts were once traditionally designed to be loose fitting cotton shorts worn as underwear. However, they seem to have taken on an entirely new shape and style, available in a range of super fine fabrics, which gives
then a super soft and silky second skin feel to them.
It seems that men are no longer content with any old fabric and underwear manufacturers are rising to the demand and are producing a much broader range of mens boxer shorts that incorporate the latest technical fabrics.
HOM fashion are even producing a range of underwear called Light Colours made from fabric that have an anti bacterial property to it and fit like a second skin with silk like feel.
So what is on offer and what is driving the demand? There are trunks, boxer shorts, maxis, boxer briefs and hipsters to name just a few. However, what does seem apparent is there is much less of what we regard as the
traditional boxer short. Much, if not 90% of what is marketed as boxer shorts nowadays is almost certainly going to incorporate a degree of lycra that produces a snug and close fitting pair of underpants. These seem to be
one of the most popular styles of underwear for men and it appears that this is largely because of the fantastic amount of support and control that they offer men in the giggleberries department.
Fabrics have evolved considerable and the choices available and used for ladies lingerie is now being used widely for mens underwear. There are some particularly great technical fabrics and micro fibres that have all the
properties that are idea for the active male and sportsman. These not only offer support and control, but have cooling qualities and an ability to wick sweat away from the skin.
What ever your preference there is a vast choice of underwear for men that are labelled as boxer shorts. Take a look at what HOM Fashion has to offer at to see how far styles have come. Men can choose from fitted trunks
that sit low on the hip, have a short square leg, are made from lycra, polymides, super soft next generation cottons that are almost as fine as silk and in a choice of colours as broad as the spectrum.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
What Are Prepaid College Tuition Plans
Given the costs of financing college studies, it is sometimes hard for students to pay for tuition. However, there are options for parents and family members to aid them in the process. Prepaid college tuition plans can be a
viable solution that lets parents purchase today or start saving at current prices for the costs of public in-state college fees and other costs related to college studies.
These plans are also known as prepaid education arrangements and provide the family members with the possibility of purchasing (today and at current prices) the future education of their children or teenagers. As usual,
these plans have advantages and disadvantages that need to bewholesale Nike shoes considered before deciding whether it is advisable to get into one of these programs or
resort to other sources of college funds.
Benefits Offered By Prepaid Tuition Plans
It is a low risk investment because as long as you know that your children will go to college, you can be sure that at that time you will not have to pay any more money and you will be able to dispose of all your income since
the amounts set aside in the prepaid tuition plan will cover for all the costs of college tuition.
Besides, the amounts invested are guaranteed by the state governments that will ensure and assure that the money saved will produce enough revenue to at least match the increase of the costs of college tuition. Thats why
this investment implies such a low risk: because it has a government guarantee. Moreover, prepaid tuition plans revenues usually do much better than certificate of deposits and other low risk investments.
Disadvantages Of Prepaid Tuition Plans
The limitations of prepaid tuition plans have to be consideredNike Air Yeezy definitely a disadvantage unless you know for sure that your children will not want
to attend to other colleges. The participation in these programs is limited to residents of the state where the colleges sit in and only for state universities, no private universities are included and other states universities are
also excluded. Therefore, the choices of the student will be limited to the public colleges that are located in that state.
The low risk that was considered a benefit can also be considered a disadvantage because the earnings produced by these prepaid tuition plans are not that significant when compared to other less conservative investments.
Therefore, for those who have enough time and are less conservative investors, it is wise to search for other options first as prepaid tuition plan savings will not produce much revenue when compared with stocks, bonds, etc.
These tuition finance plans can also limit your ability to obtain financial aid from the government. When being considered for government grants and loans for college, the fact that you have participated in a prepaid tuition
plan will show that you had saving capacity and will imply less advantageous terms on your subsidized loans and lower amounts (if approved) on government grants.
Another downside that is important to note is that you have to be convinced that you want to participate on these programs otherwise, cancellation and refund of these prepaid tuition plans imply high penalty fees and other
costs that would turn such decision too onerous.
viable solution that lets parents purchase today or start saving at current prices for the costs of public in-state college fees and other costs related to college studies.
These plans are also known as prepaid education arrangements and provide the family members with the possibility of purchasing (today and at current prices) the future education of their children or teenagers. As usual,
these plans have advantages and disadvantages that need to bewholesale Nike shoes considered before deciding whether it is advisable to get into one of these programs or
resort to other sources of college funds.
Benefits Offered By Prepaid Tuition Plans
It is a low risk investment because as long as you know that your children will go to college, you can be sure that at that time you will not have to pay any more money and you will be able to dispose of all your income since
the amounts set aside in the prepaid tuition plan will cover for all the costs of college tuition.
Besides, the amounts invested are guaranteed by the state governments that will ensure and assure that the money saved will produce enough revenue to at least match the increase of the costs of college tuition. Thats why
this investment implies such a low risk: because it has a government guarantee. Moreover, prepaid tuition plans revenues usually do much better than certificate of deposits and other low risk investments.
Disadvantages Of Prepaid Tuition Plans
The limitations of prepaid tuition plans have to be consideredNike Air Yeezy definitely a disadvantage unless you know for sure that your children will not want
to attend to other colleges. The participation in these programs is limited to residents of the state where the colleges sit in and only for state universities, no private universities are included and other states universities are
also excluded. Therefore, the choices of the student will be limited to the public colleges that are located in that state.
The low risk that was considered a benefit can also be considered a disadvantage because the earnings produced by these prepaid tuition plans are not that significant when compared to other less conservative investments.
Therefore, for those who have enough time and are less conservative investors, it is wise to search for other options first as prepaid tuition plan savings will not produce much revenue when compared with stocks, bonds, etc.
These tuition finance plans can also limit your ability to obtain financial aid from the government. When being considered for government grants and loans for college, the fact that you have participated in a prepaid tuition
plan will show that you had saving capacity and will imply less advantageous terms on your subsidized loans and lower amounts (if approved) on government grants.
Another downside that is important to note is that you have to be convinced that you want to participate on these programs otherwise, cancellation and refund of these prepaid tuition plans imply high penalty fees and other
costs that would turn such decision too onerous.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Van Halen Guitar Solos The Fantastic Music World of Stevie Wonder
Eddie Van Halen is the lead guitarist with a one of the iconic seventies loud and uncouth metal bands. The personalities of the group's members have always been too individualistic to make for harmonious music, and the world thanks them for that. The personnel changes in the group have always tended to overshadow the music but in this article we will look at what isnike shoes special about the guitar solos of Eddie Van Halen. Some of his most well-known solos are on the tracks "Eruption", "Hot For Teacher", "Mean Street" and on the Michael Jackson track, "Beat It".
"Eruption" is an instrumental track that features tapping on the guitar fretboard using both the left and right hands. This technique has always been surrounded by controversy because the fans of many guitar players want guitar tapping to be attributed to their idol. Eddie Van Halen himself is credited by many people to be the inventor of guitar tapping technique but Steve Hackett from Genesis was using the technique in the early seventies and two handed guitar tapping can be traced back to Jimmy Webster in the early nineteen fifties. Nevertheless the guitar tapping on "Eruption" helped make Eddie Van Halen a guitar legend, and Eddie himself says he simply got the idea from Jimmy Page's "Heartbreaker".
"Hot For Teacher" opens with Alex and Eddie Van Halen competing for our attention like little boys doing handstands for their parents. The video of this track was a babefest directed by David Lee Roth, the group's vocalist at the time, and was enormously popular with MTV audiences. On this highly theatrical number Eddie played Gibson Flying V, switching pickups as the dynamics of the song changed.
"Mean Street" is a showpiece for a Eddie Van Halen riff. This track also contains drama as the volume of the solo guitar, featuring Eddie simply showing off, starts low and increases menacingly. The riff on "Mean Street" is a classic seventies riff that old men will still be humming fifty years from now.
Michael Jackson got himself two Grammy Awards with the album "Thriller" featuring the song "Beat It". Eddie Van Halen was asked to play the solo on this song by Quincy Jones, the co-producer
air max of the album. The lyrics feature violence between gangs and Eddie's guitar solo matched the theme perfectly. The simplicity of the song's main riff provides a stunning backdrop for Eddie's pyrotechnics.
It is Eddie Van Halen's instinctive ability to contrast virtuosity with simplicity that makes him a guitar genius. His unerring use of tremolo in his picking and his penchant for guitar tapping have made him a legend. Eddie used a cheap guitar body fitted with a humbucker pickup, thus proving that the music is in the guitar player, not the guitar. We need to also acknowledge Floyd Rose's fulcrum vibrato that endowed electric
nike dunk guitar vibrato with a flexibility that the guitarists of the sixties would have envied and which has been a crucial element in Eddie Van Halen's playing style.
2.
Born May 13, 1950, in Saginaw, Michigan, Steveland Hardaway Judkins grew up to become yet another icon of the music world in the late 1900s. Apparently, he was blind since he was a baby because cataracts had developed in his eyes when he was an infant, but like Ray Charesl, Steveland did not let his blindness get in the way of his music. chanel outletHe would later come to be known as Stevie Wonder and would be known as a record producer, song-writer and multi-instrumentalist because he could play so many different instruments. He has also often been referred to as a great musical genius.
Stevie Wonder began playing music and singing as early as four years of age. Impressed by Stevie's talent, Berry Gordy signed the young boy up under the Tamla label. It was soon after this, in 1963, when Stevie had his first big hit, called 'Fingertips'. This hit was what was responsible for bringing Stevie Wonder out into the public eye. He continued to have more hits throughout the '60s and '70s.
Due to the lack of creative control over what he could do, Stevie decided to leave the Motown label when he was twenty-one so that he could go out on his own and be more creative. He then created two albums on his own and used these to his advantage when Motown was trying to negotiate with him. They wanted his talent back, but he wanted to own the rights to his own songs and also wanted to have more creative control over his own work.
In 1972, Motown agreed to his demands and he decided that he would return. It was not long after his return that he released yet another album that was such a hit it was regarded as a classic at the time. His career continued to grow and he released more successful albums, appeared on television and won a number of awards.
Throughout his career, things went relatively smoothly and he later won a total of three Grammy Awards. He suffered a bit of a setback when he was involved in a vehicle accident that left him in a coma for about four days, which cost him his sense of smell, but luckily this did not injure him seriously enough to impede his career. He continued to put out a few more albums, toured a bit and played at a number of concerts.
As time went on, some of his music was a nike outlet storelittle hard to accept by some people because it was so different and perhaps not so easy to understand. In fact, in 1976 he released an album that was considered to be one of Stevie's biggest achievements, even though it was not readily accepted by the audience. This particular album is still seen as one of the most accomplished in the history of pop music.
His music may not have always been understandable, but it was relatively influential in the sense that he showed how one can always improve or change the music of the time. There are no real boundaries unless a musician wants boundaries. There is always something new to try and one should never set the bar too low in their musical goals in life.
3.Bluegrass Guitar Scales
Bluegrass music is an offshoot of the country and western musical genre. As with country music, bluegrass has its foundation in the music of Ireland, Scotland and England. If bluegrass is centered on one area of the USA, it is Appalachia. The people are of Irish and Scottish descent and in their music instrumental virtuosity is not a poor relation of chanel handbagssinging. In most forms of popular music the instruments back up the vocalist, but in bluegrass the vocals and the instruments are all just members of the team. In a bluegrass band everybody is expected to take a solo just as they do in a jazz band. The instruments associated with bluegrass music are acoustic guitar, banjo, fiddle and bass.
The main thing to remember if you want to learn to play bluegrass scales is to learn some tunes. That is what music is made of. The scales are just the foundation of melodies and you need to be able to break out of the confinement of your scale as soon as possible. The other thing learning tunes is good for is developing right hand speed. As you can tell from listening to bluegrass music, speed flatpicking is essential.
If you are interested in learning bluegrass music and you would like to start by learning scales, start with the major scales in the open position. Do not bother with going up the neck of the guitar yet becausenike outlet store learning your scales in the open position is crucial for playing bluegrass solos. Learn the scale in the key of G first, then C, D, F, A and E. Learn the keys one at a time so that you are comfortable with one before you go onto the next key. As with all musical learning, the more work you put into it at the beginning, the greater the rewards and the quicker your progress.
When you sit down each day to practice your scales, spend five or ten minutes going up and down the scale alternately. Then experiment a little. Try playing the scale by skipping some notes or playing the notes randomly. You need to become very familiar with the major scale because bluegrass solos rely on major keys. To get further into bluegrass guitar scales, find examples of the major pentatonic and the major diatonic scale.
Another basic scale that is important in bluegrass, blues, country and rock music is the minor pentatonic scale. It has five notes, should be learned in all positions on the guitar neck in all keys, and has
nike shoes been used for lead solos by every guitar player known to man. It is also popularly known as the blues scale. If you do not know much about modes, do an internet search to get some idea of the difference between a scale and a mode. If you have trouble understanding the theory, do not worry, just try playing.
The mixolydian mode is a good "scale" to practice on also:
E----------------------------------------------------------------0-----1-----3
B-------------------------------------------------0-----1-----3---------------
G----------------------------------------0----2-------------------------------
D------------------------0-----2-----3----------------------------------------
A--------0-----2----3---------------------------------------------------------
E--3--------------------------------------------------------------------------
To get more in-depth knowledge of bluegrass guitar scales, some great bluegrass guitar players to listen to are Vassar Clements, Doc Watson, Darol Anger, Clarence White, Norman Blake and Sam Bush.
"Eruption" is an instrumental track that features tapping on the guitar fretboard using both the left and right hands. This technique has always been surrounded by controversy because the fans of many guitar players want guitar tapping to be attributed to their idol. Eddie Van Halen himself is credited by many people to be the inventor of guitar tapping technique but Steve Hackett from Genesis was using the technique in the early seventies and two handed guitar tapping can be traced back to Jimmy Webster in the early nineteen fifties. Nevertheless the guitar tapping on "Eruption" helped make Eddie Van Halen a guitar legend, and Eddie himself says he simply got the idea from Jimmy Page's "Heartbreaker".
"Hot For Teacher" opens with Alex and Eddie Van Halen competing for our attention like little boys doing handstands for their parents. The video of this track was a babefest directed by David Lee Roth, the group's vocalist at the time, and was enormously popular with MTV audiences. On this highly theatrical number Eddie played Gibson Flying V, switching pickups as the dynamics of the song changed.
"Mean Street" is a showpiece for a Eddie Van Halen riff. This track also contains drama as the volume of the solo guitar, featuring Eddie simply showing off, starts low and increases menacingly. The riff on "Mean Street" is a classic seventies riff that old men will still be humming fifty years from now.
Michael Jackson got himself two Grammy Awards with the album "Thriller" featuring the song "Beat It". Eddie Van Halen was asked to play the solo on this song by Quincy Jones, the co-producer
air max of the album. The lyrics feature violence between gangs and Eddie's guitar solo matched the theme perfectly. The simplicity of the song's main riff provides a stunning backdrop for Eddie's pyrotechnics.
It is Eddie Van Halen's instinctive ability to contrast virtuosity with simplicity that makes him a guitar genius. His unerring use of tremolo in his picking and his penchant for guitar tapping have made him a legend. Eddie used a cheap guitar body fitted with a humbucker pickup, thus proving that the music is in the guitar player, not the guitar. We need to also acknowledge Floyd Rose's fulcrum vibrato that endowed electric
nike dunk guitar vibrato with a flexibility that the guitarists of the sixties would have envied and which has been a crucial element in Eddie Van Halen's playing style.
2.
Born May 13, 1950, in Saginaw, Michigan, Steveland Hardaway Judkins grew up to become yet another icon of the music world in the late 1900s. Apparently, he was blind since he was a baby because cataracts had developed in his eyes when he was an infant, but like Ray Charesl, Steveland did not let his blindness get in the way of his music. chanel outletHe would later come to be known as Stevie Wonder and would be known as a record producer, song-writer and multi-instrumentalist because he could play so many different instruments. He has also often been referred to as a great musical genius.
Stevie Wonder began playing music and singing as early as four years of age. Impressed by Stevie's talent, Berry Gordy signed the young boy up under the Tamla label. It was soon after this, in 1963, when Stevie had his first big hit, called 'Fingertips'. This hit was what was responsible for bringing Stevie Wonder out into the public eye. He continued to have more hits throughout the '60s and '70s.
Due to the lack of creative control over what he could do, Stevie decided to leave the Motown label when he was twenty-one so that he could go out on his own and be more creative. He then created two albums on his own and used these to his advantage when Motown was trying to negotiate with him. They wanted his talent back, but he wanted to own the rights to his own songs and also wanted to have more creative control over his own work.
In 1972, Motown agreed to his demands and he decided that he would return. It was not long after his return that he released yet another album that was such a hit it was regarded as a classic at the time. His career continued to grow and he released more successful albums, appeared on television and won a number of awards.
Throughout his career, things went relatively smoothly and he later won a total of three Grammy Awards. He suffered a bit of a setback when he was involved in a vehicle accident that left him in a coma for about four days, which cost him his sense of smell, but luckily this did not injure him seriously enough to impede his career. He continued to put out a few more albums, toured a bit and played at a number of concerts.
As time went on, some of his music was a nike outlet storelittle hard to accept by some people because it was so different and perhaps not so easy to understand. In fact, in 1976 he released an album that was considered to be one of Stevie's biggest achievements, even though it was not readily accepted by the audience. This particular album is still seen as one of the most accomplished in the history of pop music.
His music may not have always been understandable, but it was relatively influential in the sense that he showed how one can always improve or change the music of the time. There are no real boundaries unless a musician wants boundaries. There is always something new to try and one should never set the bar too low in their musical goals in life.
3.Bluegrass Guitar Scales
Bluegrass music is an offshoot of the country and western musical genre. As with country music, bluegrass has its foundation in the music of Ireland, Scotland and England. If bluegrass is centered on one area of the USA, it is Appalachia. The people are of Irish and Scottish descent and in their music instrumental virtuosity is not a poor relation of chanel handbagssinging. In most forms of popular music the instruments back up the vocalist, but in bluegrass the vocals and the instruments are all just members of the team. In a bluegrass band everybody is expected to take a solo just as they do in a jazz band. The instruments associated with bluegrass music are acoustic guitar, banjo, fiddle and bass.
The main thing to remember if you want to learn to play bluegrass scales is to learn some tunes. That is what music is made of. The scales are just the foundation of melodies and you need to be able to break out of the confinement of your scale as soon as possible. The other thing learning tunes is good for is developing right hand speed. As you can tell from listening to bluegrass music, speed flatpicking is essential.
If you are interested in learning bluegrass music and you would like to start by learning scales, start with the major scales in the open position. Do not bother with going up the neck of the guitar yet becausenike outlet store learning your scales in the open position is crucial for playing bluegrass solos. Learn the scale in the key of G first, then C, D, F, A and E. Learn the keys one at a time so that you are comfortable with one before you go onto the next key. As with all musical learning, the more work you put into it at the beginning, the greater the rewards and the quicker your progress.
When you sit down each day to practice your scales, spend five or ten minutes going up and down the scale alternately. Then experiment a little. Try playing the scale by skipping some notes or playing the notes randomly. You need to become very familiar with the major scale because bluegrass solos rely on major keys. To get further into bluegrass guitar scales, find examples of the major pentatonic and the major diatonic scale.
Another basic scale that is important in bluegrass, blues, country and rock music is the minor pentatonic scale. It has five notes, should be learned in all positions on the guitar neck in all keys, and has
nike shoes been used for lead solos by every guitar player known to man. It is also popularly known as the blues scale. If you do not know much about modes, do an internet search to get some idea of the difference between a scale and a mode. If you have trouble understanding the theory, do not worry, just try playing.
The mixolydian mode is a good "scale" to practice on also:
E----------------------------------------------------------------0-----1-----3
B-------------------------------------------------0-----1-----3---------------
G----------------------------------------0----2-------------------------------
D------------------------0-----2-----3----------------------------------------
A--------0-----2----3---------------------------------------------------------
E--3--------------------------------------------------------------------------
To get more in-depth knowledge of bluegrass guitar scales, some great bluegrass guitar players to listen to are Vassar Clements, Doc Watson, Darol Anger, Clarence White, Norman Blake and Sam Bush.
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