I.Online Coaching Can Make Your Business Profitable
Online coaching is in great demand theses days. Why is that? The simplest reason for that is the fact that it really works. Regardless of where you are in your business, online coaching can improve your results. If you are just starting and not making any money, it can teach the process necessary to start making profits. If you are making a few hundred a month, it can take your business to the next level. Regardless of how your online business is performing, an online coaching program can help you help you make more money.
When online coaching first began, it was expensive and few people could afford it. But as demand increased, prices came down and it has become one of the most sought after services in the industry.
So how can you benefit from online coaching? The answer lies in the return on your investment. On average, you can expect to get a 529% return on the cost of the coaching program. An online coaching program is the easiest, fastest, and shortest route to success.
Some time back, it was easy to make money using the Internet. But those days are gone. As competition has heated up, it has become more and more difficult to make money online. And that is the value of a good coaching program. It can point out the pitfalls and quickly show you how to make money.
But not all online coaching programs are created equal. Some are expensive and difficult to follow. Others require you to have a certain amount of experience. Some allow you to ask one question a week, while others give you the ability to have an unlimited number of questions answered. So, if you are just starting your online business, look for an affordable program that is easy to follow and allows you to ask an unlimited number of questions.
If you have an online business and you are not happy with your profits, get an Online Coach and make more money than ever before. Success is only a mouse click away!
II.Different types of coaching
Coaching draws on many different influences. For most people the word itself is connected with sporting activities and it is easy to understand how the relationship between performer and coach works in that setting. The sporting connection also offers some useful comparisons that can help make the case for coaching. Sports coaches are rarely better performers than the people whom they coach. In fact many top sports coaches these days were fairly average performers but recognize that good coaching is not about passing on skills but about being a catalyst to the development of the coachee(s). Coaching also draws on many principles from psychotherapy such as the need to establish the boundaries of the working relationship and the importance stressed on active listening. In coaching at work we can also wee many parallels with Organization Development and Management Training. Many of the structured psychological models such as Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) and Transactional Analysis (TA) have enjoyed something of a renaissance alongside the rising popularity of coaching.
I believe that it is these diverse influences that have led to the fragmentation of the coaching approach and the different branches of the profession that are emerging. For the purposes of this article I will concentrate on the main three. Firstly, we have Life Coaching. This normally takes place at the behest of an individual who wants some help in resolving issues in one or more parts of their personal life. This can often involve coaching around relationship difficulties, making a career change, retirement or any of life's significant turning points. Where the Life Coach uncovers some deep rooted, serious issue such as physical abuse or spiralling debt they will normally refer their client for more specialist help.
Then there's Executive Coaching which is normally brought in to help the senior team manage a piece of significant change such as a merger or acquisition. Many Executive coaches are accomplished business people themselves and probably need that credibility to get through the door and make a start. It follows that much of what they do can be thought of as more like consultancy than the coaching I've described here, but that is of little consequence to the executive who feels they've been helped. Finally we have what we might call manager-coaching (for want of a better term). This is coaching undertaken by the manager or team leader as part and parcel of their role and for the benefit of their team members. This is the most impactful type of coaching in my view and the one on which the rest of this book will concentrate.
Despite the variety of influences and the differing types of coaching now on offer, there appears to be a number of common elements that create a philosophy of coaching. Coaching adopts the same stance as humanistic psychology in its intention to bring about the release of potential. There is an acknowledgement of existentialism in the notion that people are not hapless victims but always have choice and that their behaviour is a result of the choices they make. There are a number of Eastern influences in coaching such as the emphasis placed on operating the present and the belief that people are equipped with all that they need to be productive. Finally, coaching adheres to the constructivist principle that there is no one single version of truth or reality.
My aim in writing this and my many other articles concerning how coaching compares has been to 'ring fence' coaching so that we can understand how it fits with the other things we do as part of people management. The purpose of managing people at work is to get the job done well and help our team members take advantage of any opportunities that doing the job well presents. Coaching encompasses both of these points because it is performance focused but person centred.
We know that coaching shares aspects of instructing, mentoring, counselling and so on but also has important distinctions. Coaching requires no background or expertise on the part of the coach. Whist instructing and training are effective at developing initial skills and abilities, coaching has proven the most effective way of developing higher skills once people have reached a point where they need to develop in their own unique way. In truth, a good coach - in the widest sense of the term - will probably move from 'tell' to 'coach' and back again within the course of any coaching arrangement. Their concern will be with developing people, not with labelling the type of development they're doing.
Coaching draws on a wide range of influences such as sport, management development and the helping professions. This has led to a fragmenting of the profession and the emergence of specialisms such as Life Coaching and Executive Coaching. However all coaching has unifying principles including recognizing different versions of reality, working in the present and seeing the individual as resourceful, with all the potential they need to achieve their goals.
Let me leave you with a tip...
Before you do anything else get together with the people you're going to coach and decide on a working definition for yourselves. It doesn't matter if your chosen version doesn't exactly match an official definition but it must provide a consistent approach that everyone can sign up to.
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Sunday, January 4, 2009
COACHING - 5
I.Discover Easy Secrets to Begin Making Online Profits
If you haven’t made any money online, you are probably doing something wrong. And a good online coach can help you begin to make money. Your particular situation determines the real value of an Internet Marketing Coach. If you have been putting a lot of work, effort, and time into your Internet business and you still make little or no money, then a coaching program can be an extremely valuable investment for you. It can turn your business around and start earning you profits in a very short time.
There are many people who earn thousands (or even hundreds of thousands) of dollars every month. But for every successful online business owner making big money, there are ten thousand who earn nothing or struggle to make just a few dollars. But a good coaching program can turn these failing online businesses into money making machines. So if you are not making money online, seek out a good coach. It really can make a big difference and teach you how to begin making online profits.
But unfortunately, many coaching programs are financially out of reach for the small business owner. Some of them charge $10,000 to participate. But, if you do some research (like reading this article), you can find reasonable priced coaching programs for as little as $100 a month. Coaching program in this price range are worth many times their cost.
A good coaching program should give you step by step instructions on how to make money. You should also get all the software, instructions and tools required to be successful. And, of course, it should be presented in an easy to understand format.
But the best coaching programs permits you to ask questions and interact with the coach. Look for a program that allows you to ask questions that are personally answered by the coach. By asking questions, you can begin making money online much quicker and turn your online business around.
To find a good coaching program, visit The Online Coaching Center. You will learn how to finally start making money online!
II.How To Find A Good Online Life Coach
Are you looking to find a good online life coach? Do you want coaching to take you to the next level of performance and achievement? An online life coach can make this happen, and for many reasons. As you read this article, you will discover more about online life coaching, and its many benefits.
As you read this article about online life coaching, you will discover more about:
* Benefits Of Online Life Coaching
* Ways To Find A Online Life Coach
* What To Look For In An Online Life Coach
* Benefits Of Online Life Coaching
There are several reasons why you would choose online life coaching over standard face to face coaching. The biggest being that it allows easy access to your personal life coach.
Consider for a moment, you could have a problem you need an answer to. It is not that urgent, but nonetheless it is important. So, you get on your email client, and quickly send an email. When your coach can respond he does.
This is not always as easy with a coach you have face to face. Also the benefit is in prices. An online life coach does not have to travel to meet you; they can work wherever they have an internet connection. The result is that it is much cheaper, and allows the coach to coach more people in the same time.
Another benefit is that you have a wider range of choice with personal life coaches. For example, you can choose a coach on the other side of the world, and because of the internet, you could have coaching which could have cost you thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars for a brief coaching session.
* Ways To Find A Online Life Coach
There are several ways to find an online life coach. Referrals from friends can be a good idea. If you don't have friends who have life coaches, then there are other methods.
There are many forums, and websites that deal in personal growth and development. Some of these personal development websites are dedicated to life coaching. Also the search engines can be a great way to find coaches online.
* What To Look For In An Online Life Coach
There are a few things to consider, when it comes to an online life coach. The biggest aspect to look at is if they can help you.
It is a good idea to consider why you want a life coach in the beginning. Also consider what you want out of coaching. Finding a good life coach is not that difficult, it requires research. But, when you know this, you can evaluate better if the online life coach can meet your needs.
If you haven’t made any money online, you are probably doing something wrong. And a good online coach can help you begin to make money. Your particular situation determines the real value of an Internet Marketing Coach. If you have been putting a lot of work, effort, and time into your Internet business and you still make little or no money, then a coaching program can be an extremely valuable investment for you. It can turn your business around and start earning you profits in a very short time.
There are many people who earn thousands (or even hundreds of thousands) of dollars every month. But for every successful online business owner making big money, there are ten thousand who earn nothing or struggle to make just a few dollars. But a good coaching program can turn these failing online businesses into money making machines. So if you are not making money online, seek out a good coach. It really can make a big difference and teach you how to begin making online profits.
But unfortunately, many coaching programs are financially out of reach for the small business owner. Some of them charge $10,000 to participate. But, if you do some research (like reading this article), you can find reasonable priced coaching programs for as little as $100 a month. Coaching program in this price range are worth many times their cost.
A good coaching program should give you step by step instructions on how to make money. You should also get all the software, instructions and tools required to be successful. And, of course, it should be presented in an easy to understand format.
But the best coaching programs permits you to ask questions and interact with the coach. Look for a program that allows you to ask questions that are personally answered by the coach. By asking questions, you can begin making money online much quicker and turn your online business around.
To find a good coaching program, visit The Online Coaching Center. You will learn how to finally start making money online!
II.How To Find A Good Online Life Coach
Are you looking to find a good online life coach? Do you want coaching to take you to the next level of performance and achievement? An online life coach can make this happen, and for many reasons. As you read this article, you will discover more about online life coaching, and its many benefits.
As you read this article about online life coaching, you will discover more about:
* Benefits Of Online Life Coaching
* Ways To Find A Online Life Coach
* What To Look For In An Online Life Coach
* Benefits Of Online Life Coaching
There are several reasons why you would choose online life coaching over standard face to face coaching. The biggest being that it allows easy access to your personal life coach.
Consider for a moment, you could have a problem you need an answer to. It is not that urgent, but nonetheless it is important. So, you get on your email client, and quickly send an email. When your coach can respond he does.
This is not always as easy with a coach you have face to face. Also the benefit is in prices. An online life coach does not have to travel to meet you; they can work wherever they have an internet connection. The result is that it is much cheaper, and allows the coach to coach more people in the same time.
Another benefit is that you have a wider range of choice with personal life coaches. For example, you can choose a coach on the other side of the world, and because of the internet, you could have coaching which could have cost you thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars for a brief coaching session.
* Ways To Find A Online Life Coach
There are several ways to find an online life coach. Referrals from friends can be a good idea. If you don't have friends who have life coaches, then there are other methods.
There are many forums, and websites that deal in personal growth and development. Some of these personal development websites are dedicated to life coaching. Also the search engines can be a great way to find coaches online.
* What To Look For In An Online Life Coach
There are a few things to consider, when it comes to an online life coach. The biggest aspect to look at is if they can help you.
It is a good idea to consider why you want a life coach in the beginning. Also consider what you want out of coaching. Finding a good life coach is not that difficult, it requires research. But, when you know this, you can evaluate better if the online life coach can meet your needs.
BUSINESS - 4
I.How to Ask Questions That Get The Results You Want
The quality of outcomes depends greatly on the quality of the questions asked.
Lack of personal accountability is plaguing organizations and preventing real solutions being found. In turn, our sense of accountability determines how we frame the questions we ask. Too often questions are framed in the context of blame or complaint. Questions beginning with 'why have' often end up in a pity party. Why only seeks to place blame elsewhere instead of taking ownership of a problem, and finding a solution. Inappropriate questions represented a lack of personal accountability.
In the culture of success, individuals are reluctant to admit failure, in spite of failure being the greatest opportunities for learning and growth. This lack of accountability is driven by the fear of reprimand and recrimination. The pathway to greater growth and transformation is in changing our thinking and asking more personally accountable questions. When we ask, and are asked better questions, our lives and our organizations are transformed. Personal accountability in the state of mind. It's about continually asking 'what can I do to help out?; and 'how can I provide value to you?'. These positive, action-based questions make the difference in the answers that appear. For instance, ask 'what more can we do with what we have?'; instead of asking for more to do what you already do.
In a negative culture, our first reactions to any question are often negative, and bring into mind further incorrect questions. In a positive culture, each decision we make helps us discipline our thoughts to look behind initial questions and answers to find even better ones, one that will ultimately lead us to better results. This is the principal of drill-down and drill-across capabilities in business intelligence tools. By applying the process used in technology to our personal habits we can transform the quality of our personal outcomes. It's a simple matter of - ask a better question, get a better answer.
Guidelines for better questions:
1. Begin with what or how; not Why, When or Who
2. Contain I; not They, Them, We or You
3. Focus on action
Instead of asking why something is so difficult or not working, ask 'what can I do to make things better?
II.5 Children's Businesses You Can Start For Under $10,000
Running your own small business can be a really enjoyable experience. That is of course if you like what you do. In this case if you like children then there are many opportunities to become an entrepreneur. Of course starting a business can be expensive but each of these five opportunities can be started for under $10,000. If you'd like to help people with their children and be your own boss as well then these businesses might be worth considering.
1. Baby Sitting Referral Service: This is a good business with low start-up costs. You set up business as the middleman between baby sitters looking for work and parents looking for baby sitters. Parents today want some flexibility to be able to go out and leave the kids at home. But hiring just anybody can cause some unease for parents. And trying to get friends or family to watch the kids can be inconvenient. The ability to have baby sitters pre-screened gives parents an incentive to use your services and providing steady work helps the baby sitters.
2. Childproofing Services: Kid's are the sneakiest little creatures. They seem to have the ability to get into everyplace they don't belong. You can help parents and of course their kid's by helping childproof their homes. The concept is simple enough. You go into a home and do an inspection. Then you help the parents by installing latches and other safeguards so that children can't go where they shouldn't. You also take the additional step of identifying and pointing out potential hazards for their children that cannot be childproofed.
3. Childcare Service: If you are a bit more hands on and want to actually work with children then you can provide child care services directly to parents. Of course this business comes with the rewards of watching children develop. And there are some headaches as well. Hearing them yell all day. For this business you can use your home although it should be spacious with a large fenced in yard preferably. There are licensing requirements that will vary depending on where you live but this can be a very lucrative business to be in as there is usually a shortage of day care centers.
4. Children's Party Service: If you love a good party then this might be the right business for you. Of course the parties are for children. With birthday's and other events happening every day helping parents organize that party to remember can be a great way to make a living. Often parents lack the time and know how to set up a good party for their kid. This makes parents willing to pay. Being paid to organize and set up that perfect party is what this business is all about.
5. Nanny Placement Service: Although similar to the baby sitter referral service it is actually more like operating an employment agency for nannies. Your first step is going to be to find qualified nannies. You'll have to do resume screening and some background checks. Next you need to find clients. The clients of course are going to be parents looking for someone to come into their home and care for their children. Often parents do not want to use a regular day care service for their kids. Finally you'll have to match qualified nannies with parents that need their services.
Each of these businesses has a few things in common. They each involve provide a solution to a typical parenting problem. And they each have low start-up costs which are perfect for someone that either lacks financial capital or are just looking for a second source of income. So if you would like to become your own boss while helping out parents in need and their children one of these businesses might be right for you.
The quality of outcomes depends greatly on the quality of the questions asked.
Lack of personal accountability is plaguing organizations and preventing real solutions being found. In turn, our sense of accountability determines how we frame the questions we ask. Too often questions are framed in the context of blame or complaint. Questions beginning with 'why have' often end up in a pity party. Why only seeks to place blame elsewhere instead of taking ownership of a problem, and finding a solution. Inappropriate questions represented a lack of personal accountability.
In the culture of success, individuals are reluctant to admit failure, in spite of failure being the greatest opportunities for learning and growth. This lack of accountability is driven by the fear of reprimand and recrimination. The pathway to greater growth and transformation is in changing our thinking and asking more personally accountable questions. When we ask, and are asked better questions, our lives and our organizations are transformed. Personal accountability in the state of mind. It's about continually asking 'what can I do to help out?; and 'how can I provide value to you?'. These positive, action-based questions make the difference in the answers that appear. For instance, ask 'what more can we do with what we have?'; instead of asking for more to do what you already do.
In a negative culture, our first reactions to any question are often negative, and bring into mind further incorrect questions. In a positive culture, each decision we make helps us discipline our thoughts to look behind initial questions and answers to find even better ones, one that will ultimately lead us to better results. This is the principal of drill-down and drill-across capabilities in business intelligence tools. By applying the process used in technology to our personal habits we can transform the quality of our personal outcomes. It's a simple matter of - ask a better question, get a better answer.
Guidelines for better questions:
1. Begin with what or how; not Why, When or Who
2. Contain I; not They, Them, We or You
3. Focus on action
Instead of asking why something is so difficult or not working, ask 'what can I do to make things better?
II.5 Children's Businesses You Can Start For Under $10,000
Running your own small business can be a really enjoyable experience. That is of course if you like what you do. In this case if you like children then there are many opportunities to become an entrepreneur. Of course starting a business can be expensive but each of these five opportunities can be started for under $10,000. If you'd like to help people with their children and be your own boss as well then these businesses might be worth considering.
1. Baby Sitting Referral Service: This is a good business with low start-up costs. You set up business as the middleman between baby sitters looking for work and parents looking for baby sitters. Parents today want some flexibility to be able to go out and leave the kids at home. But hiring just anybody can cause some unease for parents. And trying to get friends or family to watch the kids can be inconvenient. The ability to have baby sitters pre-screened gives parents an incentive to use your services and providing steady work helps the baby sitters.
2. Childproofing Services: Kid's are the sneakiest little creatures. They seem to have the ability to get into everyplace they don't belong. You can help parents and of course their kid's by helping childproof their homes. The concept is simple enough. You go into a home and do an inspection. Then you help the parents by installing latches and other safeguards so that children can't go where they shouldn't. You also take the additional step of identifying and pointing out potential hazards for their children that cannot be childproofed.
3. Childcare Service: If you are a bit more hands on and want to actually work with children then you can provide child care services directly to parents. Of course this business comes with the rewards of watching children develop. And there are some headaches as well. Hearing them yell all day. For this business you can use your home although it should be spacious with a large fenced in yard preferably. There are licensing requirements that will vary depending on where you live but this can be a very lucrative business to be in as there is usually a shortage of day care centers.
4. Children's Party Service: If you love a good party then this might be the right business for you. Of course the parties are for children. With birthday's and other events happening every day helping parents organize that party to remember can be a great way to make a living. Often parents lack the time and know how to set up a good party for their kid. This makes parents willing to pay. Being paid to organize and set up that perfect party is what this business is all about.
5. Nanny Placement Service: Although similar to the baby sitter referral service it is actually more like operating an employment agency for nannies. Your first step is going to be to find qualified nannies. You'll have to do resume screening and some background checks. Next you need to find clients. The clients of course are going to be parents looking for someone to come into their home and care for their children. Often parents do not want to use a regular day care service for their kids. Finally you'll have to match qualified nannies with parents that need their services.
Each of these businesses has a few things in common. They each involve provide a solution to a typical parenting problem. And they each have low start-up costs which are perfect for someone that either lacks financial capital or are just looking for a second source of income. So if you would like to become your own boss while helping out parents in need and their children one of these businesses might be right for you.
BUSINESS - 3
I.Small Business Advice on Getting Referrals
One of my subscribers recently asked the question of how to get a steady stream of referrals. Great question and one that more business owners should be asking as referrals are a powerful source of new business.
Referrals are powerful because when someone speaks positively about your business, it is far more powerful than any marketing the business owner can do. That's because it is unsolicited and comes from personal experience. The person speaking about your business has first-hand positive experience and they are sharing it.
The person hearing the referral is far more receptive to hearing a recount of an experience from a trusted friend, family member, or associate. And they almost instinctively want to share in the positive experience by showing up to do business with you.
All business owners want referrals and we often assume it is an organic process where the business owner is not actively involved. But there are ways in which you an stimulate referrals.
Here are 4 ways to generate referrals:
1) It may seem obvious, but first and foremost, create awesome products and deliver awesome services. Take a look at the product you sell and the service that supports that product. When people receive high quality products and, better yet, high quality service, they naturally tell others about it. A good question to ask is whether there are improvements or changes you can make to your product or service to earn an increased number of raving fans?
2) Ask. Again, this may seem simple enough but my experience is that business owners could do more to ask for referrals. When someone raves about your product or service on their way out the door or upon completion of a project or task, ask if they can do you a favor by referring others to you. People are more than happy to fulfill that request.
3) Referral programs: This is where you set up programs for existing clients and customers where they receive a gift or prize or some other enticing benefit for referring clients and customers to you. Depending on the size of your business and customer base, this may be a good option.
4) Celebrate those who refer to you: When someone refers a customer to you, go overboard with thanking them for that referral and you're likely to see more people referring to you. If they take the time to refer someone and barely get a thank-you, it's unlikely that they'll bother referring in future.
II.10 Basic Components that Every Small Business Website Needs
10 REQUIRED WEBSITE COMPONENTS
Be sure that you have the basics covered prior to launching a new web site or implementing new features to your website. Below are 10 basic components that every business website should have. This will ensure that your website has a solid foundation to build upon.
1. PAGE TITLES
Every page on your website should include a title that describes the content on that page. This is important for search engine optimization, as one of the items that search engines considers when ranking your page is the page title. Also, having descriptive page titles will increase usability. Your visitors may have more than one web page open or decide to bookmark your page, therefore you want to ensure that your page title accurately reflects the content of the page.
2. META KEYWORDS
Your web pages should include a "meta keyword" area that provides a listing of keywords that accurately describe of the content on the page. TIP: Select the keywords that you want the web page to rank for in search engine results. Although several of the top search engines are increasingly placing less importance on this area, there are still some secondary search engines that will consider your keyword listing when determining your search engine placement. The meta keywords statement is placed in the header area of your website. If you are working with a designer or webmaster, speak with them about updating this area.
3. META DESCRIPTION
Your web pages should include a "meta description" area that provides search engines with an accurate description of the content on the page. Ensure that the meta description tags are descriptive, brief and contain your relative keywords. Some search engines will use the meta description tag to describe your site when it appears in search engine results.
4. PROFESSIONALLY DESIGNED WEB PAGES
Reputable small business websites have attractive, well designed and well functioning user interfaces. Compare your website to the top websites of competing companies in your industry. If you do not feel that your website is professional or portrays an accurate representation of your brand, you should consider a redesign. Businesses with poorly designed or ineffective websites are often judged as unprofessional or untrustworthy. A small business website does not need to be overly designed or display all of the latest, hot new technologies, but you should ensure that your website does not convey an unprofessional image. Also, remember that professional designed pages should be properly coded (validated) and not include errors or other issues that will prevent the page from displaying properly and functioning as intended.
5. CONTACT FORM
A contact link should be on every page of your website. You want to ensure that your visitors can contact you easily with their questions or comments. Keep the form simple. You will want to allow space for the visitor to input their feedback or question and you will also need a method for responding to them (their email address). If you include too many fields on the contact form, you may discourage the visitor from connecting with you. Only gather the information that you need to effectively answer their question or respond to their feedback.
6. EFFECTIVE NAVIGATION
Is your website navigation effective? Your visitors should be able to quickly find the information they need without effort. When reviewing your navigation, ensure that the link titles are obvious. Try not to be too creative with the website navigation. The link titles used should reflect the terms that your customers use when describing your product or service.
7. WEBSITE ANALYTICS
You should have access to your website statistics. I recommend that every small business website owner install Google Analytics on their website pages. The Google Analytics application provides detailed statistics on your website traffic. You will need this information as you monitor your website marketing efforts. Also, website analytics can reveal very helpful information about what's working and (most importantly) what's not working for people that visit your site.
8. CALL TO ACTION
The average new website visitor remains on a site for less than 10 seconds. If you main objective is to gain new subscribers, sell more widgets or register more event attendees, allocate a prominent area on your website to display your "call to action". This is the area where you are asking your visitors to "do something". Be sure to indicate the benefit of taking this action; don't simply demand that they "buy now", "subscribe now" or "attend this event". Indicate a few brief benefits to taking the action and also provide a link to provide more detail about the product, service or event.
9. CUSTOMER FOCUSED CONTENT
Ensure that you are providing the information that your customers want and need in a clear and concise manner. The average new website visitor remains on a site for less than 10 seconds. You don't have much time to convince visitors to buy a product or service, subscribe to a newsletter or attend an event. Visitors that are new to your site should be able to determine who you are and what's service/product or information you're providing in less than 10 seconds. If the navigation area is effective, they should be able to access all of the supporting information that they will need to make a decision on whether to continue a business relationship with you and your company.
10. A METHOD FOR STAYING CONNECTED
If you have a business website, you will need a method for staying connected to people that want to be notified of product/service specials, new company news, upcoming events and other changes relevant to your business. There are many methods for building a listing of people that want to stay informed about your business. Two popular options are RSS feeds and email newsletters. You can use either tool to build a listing of customers and potential customers that want to learn more about your service. This strategy also increases your repeat visitor rate, as you will have an opportunity to call previous visitors back to your website. Be sure to inform your visitors regarding how often they can expect to hear from you (ex: monthly, daily, weekly, or as new information comes in). Also be sure to explicitly indicate if you have any plans to redistribute their email addresses for other purposes or to other companies (NOT recommended).
One of my subscribers recently asked the question of how to get a steady stream of referrals. Great question and one that more business owners should be asking as referrals are a powerful source of new business.
Referrals are powerful because when someone speaks positively about your business, it is far more powerful than any marketing the business owner can do. That's because it is unsolicited and comes from personal experience. The person speaking about your business has first-hand positive experience and they are sharing it.
The person hearing the referral is far more receptive to hearing a recount of an experience from a trusted friend, family member, or associate. And they almost instinctively want to share in the positive experience by showing up to do business with you.
All business owners want referrals and we often assume it is an organic process where the business owner is not actively involved. But there are ways in which you an stimulate referrals.
Here are 4 ways to generate referrals:
1) It may seem obvious, but first and foremost, create awesome products and deliver awesome services. Take a look at the product you sell and the service that supports that product. When people receive high quality products and, better yet, high quality service, they naturally tell others about it. A good question to ask is whether there are improvements or changes you can make to your product or service to earn an increased number of raving fans?
2) Ask. Again, this may seem simple enough but my experience is that business owners could do more to ask for referrals. When someone raves about your product or service on their way out the door or upon completion of a project or task, ask if they can do you a favor by referring others to you. People are more than happy to fulfill that request.
3) Referral programs: This is where you set up programs for existing clients and customers where they receive a gift or prize or some other enticing benefit for referring clients and customers to you. Depending on the size of your business and customer base, this may be a good option.
4) Celebrate those who refer to you: When someone refers a customer to you, go overboard with thanking them for that referral and you're likely to see more people referring to you. If they take the time to refer someone and barely get a thank-you, it's unlikely that they'll bother referring in future.
II.10 Basic Components that Every Small Business Website Needs
10 REQUIRED WEBSITE COMPONENTS
Be sure that you have the basics covered prior to launching a new web site or implementing new features to your website. Below are 10 basic components that every business website should have. This will ensure that your website has a solid foundation to build upon.
1. PAGE TITLES
Every page on your website should include a title that describes the content on that page. This is important for search engine optimization, as one of the items that search engines considers when ranking your page is the page title. Also, having descriptive page titles will increase usability. Your visitors may have more than one web page open or decide to bookmark your page, therefore you want to ensure that your page title accurately reflects the content of the page.
2. META KEYWORDS
Your web pages should include a "meta keyword" area that provides a listing of keywords that accurately describe of the content on the page. TIP: Select the keywords that you want the web page to rank for in search engine results. Although several of the top search engines are increasingly placing less importance on this area, there are still some secondary search engines that will consider your keyword listing when determining your search engine placement. The meta keywords statement is placed in the header area of your website. If you are working with a designer or webmaster, speak with them about updating this area.
3. META DESCRIPTION
Your web pages should include a "meta description" area that provides search engines with an accurate description of the content on the page. Ensure that the meta description tags are descriptive, brief and contain your relative keywords. Some search engines will use the meta description tag to describe your site when it appears in search engine results.
4. PROFESSIONALLY DESIGNED WEB PAGES
Reputable small business websites have attractive, well designed and well functioning user interfaces. Compare your website to the top websites of competing companies in your industry. If you do not feel that your website is professional or portrays an accurate representation of your brand, you should consider a redesign. Businesses with poorly designed or ineffective websites are often judged as unprofessional or untrustworthy. A small business website does not need to be overly designed or display all of the latest, hot new technologies, but you should ensure that your website does not convey an unprofessional image. Also, remember that professional designed pages should be properly coded (validated) and not include errors or other issues that will prevent the page from displaying properly and functioning as intended.
5. CONTACT FORM
A contact link should be on every page of your website. You want to ensure that your visitors can contact you easily with their questions or comments. Keep the form simple. You will want to allow space for the visitor to input their feedback or question and you will also need a method for responding to them (their email address). If you include too many fields on the contact form, you may discourage the visitor from connecting with you. Only gather the information that you need to effectively answer their question or respond to their feedback.
6. EFFECTIVE NAVIGATION
Is your website navigation effective? Your visitors should be able to quickly find the information they need without effort. When reviewing your navigation, ensure that the link titles are obvious. Try not to be too creative with the website navigation. The link titles used should reflect the terms that your customers use when describing your product or service.
7. WEBSITE ANALYTICS
You should have access to your website statistics. I recommend that every small business website owner install Google Analytics on their website pages. The Google Analytics application provides detailed statistics on your website traffic. You will need this information as you monitor your website marketing efforts. Also, website analytics can reveal very helpful information about what's working and (most importantly) what's not working for people that visit your site.
8. CALL TO ACTION
The average new website visitor remains on a site for less than 10 seconds. If you main objective is to gain new subscribers, sell more widgets or register more event attendees, allocate a prominent area on your website to display your "call to action". This is the area where you are asking your visitors to "do something". Be sure to indicate the benefit of taking this action; don't simply demand that they "buy now", "subscribe now" or "attend this event". Indicate a few brief benefits to taking the action and also provide a link to provide more detail about the product, service or event.
9. CUSTOMER FOCUSED CONTENT
Ensure that you are providing the information that your customers want and need in a clear and concise manner. The average new website visitor remains on a site for less than 10 seconds. You don't have much time to convince visitors to buy a product or service, subscribe to a newsletter or attend an event. Visitors that are new to your site should be able to determine who you are and what's service/product or information you're providing in less than 10 seconds. If the navigation area is effective, they should be able to access all of the supporting information that they will need to make a decision on whether to continue a business relationship with you and your company.
10. A METHOD FOR STAYING CONNECTED
If you have a business website, you will need a method for staying connected to people that want to be notified of product/service specials, new company news, upcoming events and other changes relevant to your business. There are many methods for building a listing of people that want to stay informed about your business. Two popular options are RSS feeds and email newsletters. You can use either tool to build a listing of customers and potential customers that want to learn more about your service. This strategy also increases your repeat visitor rate, as you will have an opportunity to call previous visitors back to your website. Be sure to inform your visitors regarding how often they can expect to hear from you (ex: monthly, daily, weekly, or as new information comes in). Also be sure to explicitly indicate if you have any plans to redistribute their email addresses for other purposes or to other companies (NOT recommended).
MUSIC - 2
I.Improvements In The iPod video
The improvements of the new iPod video concern not only the dimensions, but also the battery life, the quality sound and, above all, the possibility of watching the favorite music videos and TV shows.
As regarding the exterior aspect, one may say that this may be the most handsome model of an iPod even made – a bigger display, thinner, and about 45 percent less space than the original iPod. The main idea is less space and more features and if it wasn’t the case of a human made object, you may have said that the magic is called evolution. The two models of the video iPod – 30 and 60 GB – are thinner and look very fashionable, having an attractive exterior aspect.
The new iPod has other improvements, especially in the case of the battery life so that the enjoyment and satisfaction would be complete, having five hours life more than before. This means that the new iPod has 20 hours of battery life and taking into account the advantage of watching music videos, TV shows, cartoons, photos and other videos, this aspect is more than welcomed.
The improvements also concern the memory of the new iPod and the good news is that you may have 15,000 songs on it and even a full-color album up to 25,000 photos. The 2.5-inch color display is also of great help while watching either the photos or the videos. In this way, you may take all your favorite music with you and you may still have room for your favorite music videos, TV shows or cartoons. If you are a fan of the latest ABC hits like “Lost” and “Desperate Housewives”, you may also take them with you, as even this thing is possible with the new iPod video. There are also Pixar shorts and some Disney available for the new iPod for your children or for your childish tastes.
Some other improvements regard the quality of changing the options and the touch-sensitive surface is the great achievement for the new iPod video. In this way, you may access the music, video and photo memory easily and you may also create a rating for your favorites. The options of play and pause, fast-forward and rewind are not a problem anymore. You may even launch slideshows with your favorite photos.
You may also benefit from the iTunes Music Store with over 2 million songs available for all tastes and ages, 2,000 videos, ABC or Disney TV shows. You may downlowd them and then sync them into your iPod. Besides, with the help of special cables you may see the photos or the videos on your TV set. There is another option for all these activities - you may use the universal dock and the remote control.
These amazing improvements may be the source of endless joys and satisfaction for you on the road or in other situations when you need company. Besides, you may also look up an e-mail address, you may check the calendar of your activities, find out the time in another part of the country or particular city. These possibilities may conquer the heart of any person in this world and that is why the new iPod video may be a great choice for a gift for the beloved ones.
Moreover, this special toy may fit any age and any tastes and may be the perfect gift for any member of your family. The handy options, the nice design and great improvements may be the source of endless joys for any person who doesn’t like to spend time with no activity. The wide and bright screen, the touch-sensitive surface, the longer battery life, the great amount of options and possibilities make the new iPod video the best iPod ever made. And there is still room for other important and interesting changes, and that is why the designers are open to any useful suggestions.
II.Legendary Memphis Musician B. B. King
The great Memphis musician B.B. King was a blues guitarist and singer who is one of the most famous musicians ever to be associated with Memphis. He was born on September 16, 1925 as Riley B. King. He began his career as a Memphis musician in 1946, and quickly became a shining star of the citys music.
B.B. King worked in Memphis as a musician for only a few months in the beginning of his career. He struggled as a Memphis musician, however, and returned to Mississippi where he was from, figuring that it would be a better idea to remain there for a few years. The style of music from the other Memphis musicians at the time was very different than what his style was. Two years later, he felt he was ready to return to Memphis as a musician, and he got a job working as a singer for a local radio station.
By 1949, the Memphis musician began recording songs for the RPM record label that had been based out of Los Angeles. The Memphis musician had recorded most of his first early songs with a producer by the name of Sam Phillips, who later would become the founder of Sun Records, famous for signing Elvis Presley. As a Memphis musician, B.B. King had several side jobs, working as a disc jockey. He earned himself the nickname Beale Street Blues Boy, which was shortened to B.B. The Memphis musician had the name that the world would come to recognize for all time.
Throughout the 1950s, the great Memphis musician recorded hits such as Woke Up This Morning, Please Love Me, Bad Luck, You Upset Me Baby, and Every Day I Have The Blues. King became one of the greatest names in R&B music with these hits and many others. He soon landed a recording contract with ABC Paramount Records, which later became part of MCA Records. Currently, the Memphis musician works with his own label, Geffen Records. Geffen Records is what had become of MCA Records.
With all of the successes that this star Memphis musician has had over the last 60 years, it is no wonder that his name is now legendary, his music unmistakable, and his popularity is what people know always as B.B. King. The fact that the music that he brought to Memphis as a musician changed the face of Memphis blues forever is a fact that will always go down in history with the great Memphis musician himself.
The improvements of the new iPod video concern not only the dimensions, but also the battery life, the quality sound and, above all, the possibility of watching the favorite music videos and TV shows.
As regarding the exterior aspect, one may say that this may be the most handsome model of an iPod even made – a bigger display, thinner, and about 45 percent less space than the original iPod. The main idea is less space and more features and if it wasn’t the case of a human made object, you may have said that the magic is called evolution. The two models of the video iPod – 30 and 60 GB – are thinner and look very fashionable, having an attractive exterior aspect.
The new iPod has other improvements, especially in the case of the battery life so that the enjoyment and satisfaction would be complete, having five hours life more than before. This means that the new iPod has 20 hours of battery life and taking into account the advantage of watching music videos, TV shows, cartoons, photos and other videos, this aspect is more than welcomed.
The improvements also concern the memory of the new iPod and the good news is that you may have 15,000 songs on it and even a full-color album up to 25,000 photos. The 2.5-inch color display is also of great help while watching either the photos or the videos. In this way, you may take all your favorite music with you and you may still have room for your favorite music videos, TV shows or cartoons. If you are a fan of the latest ABC hits like “Lost” and “Desperate Housewives”, you may also take them with you, as even this thing is possible with the new iPod video. There are also Pixar shorts and some Disney available for the new iPod for your children or for your childish tastes.
Some other improvements regard the quality of changing the options and the touch-sensitive surface is the great achievement for the new iPod video. In this way, you may access the music, video and photo memory easily and you may also create a rating for your favorites. The options of play and pause, fast-forward and rewind are not a problem anymore. You may even launch slideshows with your favorite photos.
You may also benefit from the iTunes Music Store with over 2 million songs available for all tastes and ages, 2,000 videos, ABC or Disney TV shows. You may downlowd them and then sync them into your iPod. Besides, with the help of special cables you may see the photos or the videos on your TV set. There is another option for all these activities - you may use the universal dock and the remote control.
These amazing improvements may be the source of endless joys and satisfaction for you on the road or in other situations when you need company. Besides, you may also look up an e-mail address, you may check the calendar of your activities, find out the time in another part of the country or particular city. These possibilities may conquer the heart of any person in this world and that is why the new iPod video may be a great choice for a gift for the beloved ones.
Moreover, this special toy may fit any age and any tastes and may be the perfect gift for any member of your family. The handy options, the nice design and great improvements may be the source of endless joys for any person who doesn’t like to spend time with no activity. The wide and bright screen, the touch-sensitive surface, the longer battery life, the great amount of options and possibilities make the new iPod video the best iPod ever made. And there is still room for other important and interesting changes, and that is why the designers are open to any useful suggestions.
II.Legendary Memphis Musician B. B. King
The great Memphis musician B.B. King was a blues guitarist and singer who is one of the most famous musicians ever to be associated with Memphis. He was born on September 16, 1925 as Riley B. King. He began his career as a Memphis musician in 1946, and quickly became a shining star of the citys music.
B.B. King worked in Memphis as a musician for only a few months in the beginning of his career. He struggled as a Memphis musician, however, and returned to Mississippi where he was from, figuring that it would be a better idea to remain there for a few years. The style of music from the other Memphis musicians at the time was very different than what his style was. Two years later, he felt he was ready to return to Memphis as a musician, and he got a job working as a singer for a local radio station.
By 1949, the Memphis musician began recording songs for the RPM record label that had been based out of Los Angeles. The Memphis musician had recorded most of his first early songs with a producer by the name of Sam Phillips, who later would become the founder of Sun Records, famous for signing Elvis Presley. As a Memphis musician, B.B. King had several side jobs, working as a disc jockey. He earned himself the nickname Beale Street Blues Boy, which was shortened to B.B. The Memphis musician had the name that the world would come to recognize for all time.
Throughout the 1950s, the great Memphis musician recorded hits such as Woke Up This Morning, Please Love Me, Bad Luck, You Upset Me Baby, and Every Day I Have The Blues. King became one of the greatest names in R&B music with these hits and many others. He soon landed a recording contract with ABC Paramount Records, which later became part of MCA Records. Currently, the Memphis musician works with his own label, Geffen Records. Geffen Records is what had become of MCA Records.
With all of the successes that this star Memphis musician has had over the last 60 years, it is no wonder that his name is now legendary, his music unmistakable, and his popularity is what people know always as B.B. King. The fact that the music that he brought to Memphis as a musician changed the face of Memphis blues forever is a fact that will always go down in history with the great Memphis musician himself.
MUSIC - 1
I.Are You Looking For A Quality Music Download Site?
Recently I was online searching for some sites I could use in order to download unlimited music, and to be honest; there are tons upon tons. But how do you know which ones work and which ones don't, or which ones are quality and which ones aren't? The site I found is really cool because it's actually a review site that lets you read information about music downloads and music download sites. This is nice because it gives you the user a good idea of what you can expect and what features the site offers beforehand. The worst thing you can do is go and join a site only to realize it's not what you wanted in the first place or that it's of low quality. By low quality I mean that it doesn't have a very big database or that it will install spyware and ad ware on your computer. A few years ago I used to use this one website but then they started doing updates and actually began embedding ads into the program so every time you opened the site or the player you would receive annoying pop up after annoying pop up. I like websites that allow you to download unlimited music because then you can just pay a one time fee and then voila, you have as many songs available to you that you want. Some sites like iTunes are annoying because you have to pay $1 for each song. That means if you want 100 songs it's going to be a $100 and I don't know about you but, I'm just not willing to spend $100 on music! Here are a few sites you could possibly turn to if you want to download unlimited music!
Unlimited Download Center
It's so easy to sign up, and credit card charges are pretty cheap for membership to this website. Find music, movies, games, and burn your own CD or DVD with just a click of a mouse. What's great about this site is the unlimited music downloads, movie downloads, and game downloads because they allow no bandwidth or content limits.
Music PlatiNum
With membership comes easy access to unlimited music downloads from over three million songs. MusicPlatinum has a total of nine billion files from which you can choose and download anything that you want, with no extra charge. They also have unlimited DVD and HD movie downloads, TV shows, live concerts, music videos, and more which you can download at ultra fast speed. Free sports events and games of all platforms can also be downloaded at this site. The site is so remarkable that NBS, CNN, CNet, MSN, Google and Yahoo! and more review sites than its competitors, have rated MusicPlatinum as the #1 music service site on the web today. It was also declared "Hacker Free" by ScanAlert which does daily tests on the website to make sure that it is always secure for users. The site also supports iPod and other mp3 player compatibility with its Music2Go section. Users may fill and refill their mp3 players without paying any extra fees per track. All files have mp3 extensions that way synchronizing will be fast and easy.
K-Lite -
File sharing has never been this fun and easy, thanks to K-Lite.TK. K-Lite.TK allows you to enjoy unlimited music downloads by simply searching for that particular song or movie, and simply download away. The K-Lite.TK support group will teach you how to download and play music on your computer, portable players, MP3 player, CD or DVD player, and even backup your DVD files. Create and mix CD's and DVD's by having access to around 800,000,000 free music and movie files online. That's a lot of download selections and it would be impossible not to find what you are looking for. His is certainly the best place to download on the Internet, with its massive array of music files, MP3's and MPEGs, and even hot unreleased DVD movie titles to date.
MP3 Audio Station
Downloading has never been this phenomenal, thanks to unlimited music downloads only at MP3AudioStation. When you first enter the site, you will be astonished at the site's massive collection of mp3's and movie downloads. Once you become a member, you will enjoy privileges that the website has to offer, including high quality audio, video, and software downloads, fast download speeds, an option to create or burn your own CD's and DVD's, and access to over 800 million songs, videos, TV shows, and applications.
Obviously there are a lot more than the ones listed above but the ones aforementioned are a few of the top rated and top quality sites available. In fact, the four listed above all got rated 5 stars! These sites also might include extras as well if you buy a membership such as software programs, free music and movie players software, free online step-by-step video tutorials to get you started, antivirus software, adware removal software, pop-up blocker, firewall software and a whole lot more! Take a look at some of these websites the next time your online so you can see the full advantage of what you get with each program/membership! Have fun!
II.The Five Best Albums By Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd is a legendary band for a reason. From 1967 to 1977 they recorded five of the greatest albums in rock history and these are those five albums. If you are a fan of rock music (in particular psychedelic rock music) then you must have these five albums in your collection. Until you do, your collection is not complete.
1967 - Piper at the Gates of Dawn
Pink Floyd's debut album was their only album with original lead singer/songwriter/guitarist Syd Barrett at the helm and because of it that it sounds unlike anything else the band ever recorded. If you don't know Barrett's story then I recommend that you look into it as it is truly fascinating.
But you don't have to know his life story to enjoy this incredibly creative music that was extremely influential not only on the future incarnation of Pink Floyd (which would enjoy far greater commercial success) but also many other musical artists. To this day many are inspired by the unique music contained on this psychedelic masterpiece.
From bizarre eccentric "pop music" (I use that phrase in the most loose way imaginable) like "Bike" to the incredible psychedelic freak-out "Interstellar Overdrive" this is an album that truly takes it's listener on a ride. If you are a Pink Floyd fan but haven't heard their origins then you must give this album a listen.
1971 - Meddle
After Barrett was kicked out of the group up until The Dark Side of the Moon album the band seemed to be searching for an identity somewhat. During this period I believe that Meddle was their best album. It's most well known for epic space rock classic "Echoes." Echoes was the title of the band's recent "best of" collection to give you an idea of what the song represents in the band's career (and it's also well known for supposedly syncing up with the last segment of 2001: A Space Odyssey.) "Echoes"actually makes up the entire second half of the album. But the first half of the album is great too. Particularly the awesome opening track "One of These Days" and the beautiful "Fearless."
1973 - The Dark Side of the Moon
Some love to claim that this album is "overrated." They are wrong. Some things are just great and this is one of those things. Just because a lot of people like something doesn't mean there's necessarily something lacking in the artistry (although admittedly that is usually the case.)
This album is about as perfect as an album can get. Every second of it seems to be perfectly placed within the whole. And yet it doesn't have a labored sound to it. It manages to remain fresh and alive despite it's overwhelming perfection.
1975 - Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd was certainly at the top of their game during this period. If you do enjoy the longer instrumentals then this album's opening and closing cuts ("Shine On You Crazy Diamond") will certainly have you enjoying yourself.
But then there's the three songs in between and they are all fantastic as well. "Welcome to the Machine," "Have A Cigar," & "Wish You Were Here" are each among the band's greatest songs.
1977 - Animals
Animals, to me, isn't quite as easy to get into as the other four albums I've listed here but it definitely has it's rewards once you are able to "get it." It's got a dirtier, noisier sound than we hear on the previous three albums listed here (Piper at the Gates can't even really be compared as it's from a different world.)
Where's The Wall?
You may be asking where's The Wall? I'm not a big fan of the album actually. It's got some great songs but overall it sounds very overproduced to me. You know how I said Dark Side of the Moon doesn't sound labored to me? This does. This sounds like there was almost too much thought put into it (that's not exactly what I mean but it's hard to convey in words sometimes why something doesn't get you the way it should.)
The band's '80s output I find pretty disappointing compared to what they were doing in the '70s. I don't really listen to The Final Cut, A Momentary Lapse of Reason, or 1994's The Division Bell. They just do not hold my interest. But the five albums listed here certainly do. I highly recommend them.
Recently I was online searching for some sites I could use in order to download unlimited music, and to be honest; there are tons upon tons. But how do you know which ones work and which ones don't, or which ones are quality and which ones aren't? The site I found is really cool because it's actually a review site that lets you read information about music downloads and music download sites. This is nice because it gives you the user a good idea of what you can expect and what features the site offers beforehand. The worst thing you can do is go and join a site only to realize it's not what you wanted in the first place or that it's of low quality. By low quality I mean that it doesn't have a very big database or that it will install spyware and ad ware on your computer. A few years ago I used to use this one website but then they started doing updates and actually began embedding ads into the program so every time you opened the site or the player you would receive annoying pop up after annoying pop up. I like websites that allow you to download unlimited music because then you can just pay a one time fee and then voila, you have as many songs available to you that you want. Some sites like iTunes are annoying because you have to pay $1 for each song. That means if you want 100 songs it's going to be a $100 and I don't know about you but, I'm just not willing to spend $100 on music! Here are a few sites you could possibly turn to if you want to download unlimited music!
Unlimited Download Center
It's so easy to sign up, and credit card charges are pretty cheap for membership to this website. Find music, movies, games, and burn your own CD or DVD with just a click of a mouse. What's great about this site is the unlimited music downloads, movie downloads, and game downloads because they allow no bandwidth or content limits.
Music PlatiNum
With membership comes easy access to unlimited music downloads from over three million songs. MusicPlatinum has a total of nine billion files from which you can choose and download anything that you want, with no extra charge. They also have unlimited DVD and HD movie downloads, TV shows, live concerts, music videos, and more which you can download at ultra fast speed. Free sports events and games of all platforms can also be downloaded at this site. The site is so remarkable that NBS, CNN, CNet, MSN, Google and Yahoo! and more review sites than its competitors, have rated MusicPlatinum as the #1 music service site on the web today. It was also declared "Hacker Free" by ScanAlert which does daily tests on the website to make sure that it is always secure for users. The site also supports iPod and other mp3 player compatibility with its Music2Go section. Users may fill and refill their mp3 players without paying any extra fees per track. All files have mp3 extensions that way synchronizing will be fast and easy.
K-Lite -
File sharing has never been this fun and easy, thanks to K-Lite.TK. K-Lite.TK allows you to enjoy unlimited music downloads by simply searching for that particular song or movie, and simply download away. The K-Lite.TK support group will teach you how to download and play music on your computer, portable players, MP3 player, CD or DVD player, and even backup your DVD files. Create and mix CD's and DVD's by having access to around 800,000,000 free music and movie files online. That's a lot of download selections and it would be impossible not to find what you are looking for. His is certainly the best place to download on the Internet, with its massive array of music files, MP3's and MPEGs, and even hot unreleased DVD movie titles to date.
MP3 Audio Station
Downloading has never been this phenomenal, thanks to unlimited music downloads only at MP3AudioStation. When you first enter the site, you will be astonished at the site's massive collection of mp3's and movie downloads. Once you become a member, you will enjoy privileges that the website has to offer, including high quality audio, video, and software downloads, fast download speeds, an option to create or burn your own CD's and DVD's, and access to over 800 million songs, videos, TV shows, and applications.
Obviously there are a lot more than the ones listed above but the ones aforementioned are a few of the top rated and top quality sites available. In fact, the four listed above all got rated 5 stars! These sites also might include extras as well if you buy a membership such as software programs, free music and movie players software, free online step-by-step video tutorials to get you started, antivirus software, adware removal software, pop-up blocker, firewall software and a whole lot more! Take a look at some of these websites the next time your online so you can see the full advantage of what you get with each program/membership! Have fun!
II.The Five Best Albums By Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd is a legendary band for a reason. From 1967 to 1977 they recorded five of the greatest albums in rock history and these are those five albums. If you are a fan of rock music (in particular psychedelic rock music) then you must have these five albums in your collection. Until you do, your collection is not complete.
1967 - Piper at the Gates of Dawn
Pink Floyd's debut album was their only album with original lead singer/songwriter/guitarist Syd Barrett at the helm and because of it that it sounds unlike anything else the band ever recorded. If you don't know Barrett's story then I recommend that you look into it as it is truly fascinating.
But you don't have to know his life story to enjoy this incredibly creative music that was extremely influential not only on the future incarnation of Pink Floyd (which would enjoy far greater commercial success) but also many other musical artists. To this day many are inspired by the unique music contained on this psychedelic masterpiece.
From bizarre eccentric "pop music" (I use that phrase in the most loose way imaginable) like "Bike" to the incredible psychedelic freak-out "Interstellar Overdrive" this is an album that truly takes it's listener on a ride. If you are a Pink Floyd fan but haven't heard their origins then you must give this album a listen.
1971 - Meddle
After Barrett was kicked out of the group up until The Dark Side of the Moon album the band seemed to be searching for an identity somewhat. During this period I believe that Meddle was their best album. It's most well known for epic space rock classic "Echoes." Echoes was the title of the band's recent "best of" collection to give you an idea of what the song represents in the band's career (and it's also well known for supposedly syncing up with the last segment of 2001: A Space Odyssey.) "Echoes"actually makes up the entire second half of the album. But the first half of the album is great too. Particularly the awesome opening track "One of These Days" and the beautiful "Fearless."
1973 - The Dark Side of the Moon
Some love to claim that this album is "overrated." They are wrong. Some things are just great and this is one of those things. Just because a lot of people like something doesn't mean there's necessarily something lacking in the artistry (although admittedly that is usually the case.)
This album is about as perfect as an album can get. Every second of it seems to be perfectly placed within the whole. And yet it doesn't have a labored sound to it. It manages to remain fresh and alive despite it's overwhelming perfection.
1975 - Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd was certainly at the top of their game during this period. If you do enjoy the longer instrumentals then this album's opening and closing cuts ("Shine On You Crazy Diamond") will certainly have you enjoying yourself.
But then there's the three songs in between and they are all fantastic as well. "Welcome to the Machine," "Have A Cigar," & "Wish You Were Here" are each among the band's greatest songs.
1977 - Animals
Animals, to me, isn't quite as easy to get into as the other four albums I've listed here but it definitely has it's rewards once you are able to "get it." It's got a dirtier, noisier sound than we hear on the previous three albums listed here (Piper at the Gates can't even really be compared as it's from a different world.)
Where's The Wall?
You may be asking where's The Wall? I'm not a big fan of the album actually. It's got some great songs but overall it sounds very overproduced to me. You know how I said Dark Side of the Moon doesn't sound labored to me? This does. This sounds like there was almost too much thought put into it (that's not exactly what I mean but it's hard to convey in words sometimes why something doesn't get you the way it should.)
The band's '80s output I find pretty disappointing compared to what they were doing in the '70s. I don't really listen to The Final Cut, A Momentary Lapse of Reason, or 1994's The Division Bell. They just do not hold my interest. But the five albums listed here certainly do. I highly recommend them.
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