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Explaining Your Product or Service to Online Customers

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In The Beginning...For Webmasters Things To Consider When Developing A Website (Part 3)  - How can your product or service best be explained to the customer in a simple and concise manner?

Previously in this series on website development, we've

talked about selecting one message or theme to be

communicated to your customer as a means of defining your website, and considering the customer's perspective in terms of how the website is developed and presented. Now we'll discuss how your product or service can be explained to the customer simply and concisely.

Let's ask this question. When you're surfing the 'net, how

long do you want it to take at any particular website for you to figure out if the website has what you're searching for? Not long. When potential customers are surfing the Internet, you have a matter of seconds to get their attention and convince them that your website has something that's worth more than a cursory glance.

Some webmasters attempt to accomplish this objective by using a lot of "bells and whistles", flashy things or goodness forbid, sounds and music. Things like electronic greeting cards, screen-savers or free email services are just a few of the tools used to try and get potential customers to stay at a particular website for longer periods of time. It's affectionately called making your website "sticky".

And there's nothing inherently wrong with any of those methods, unless the purpose of your website is to sell vacuum widgets to your customers. If that's the case, your customer will be little interested in anything other than the smooth, efficient and economical operation of their vacuum equipment, and the products or services that will help them to accomplish that. But, back to our subject.

Your objective then, is to get your customer's attention and communicate to him simply and quickly what your product or service is and how its purchase will benefit him. This is best accomplished by utilizing the basic question model employed by journalists in developing a news story: Who, what, when, where, and why? For your purposes, you'll only need to answer three of these: Who, what, why?

"Who" explains who you are or who your company is. This gives you an opportunity to demonstrate either yours or your company's experience or expertise in the area of the

customer's interest or concern. "What" explains your product or service, and provides you with an opportunity to highlight for the customer its features. "Why" explains the benefits of using your product or service, and also offers an opportunity for you to distinguish yourself and your product from the competition.

By answering the above questions, you can completely but briefly give your customer enough information to determine whether or not they're interested in what you're offering.

Another thing that's important to remember when introducing your product or service, is to communicate with the customer as if you're sitting down and having a nice conversation. No one wants to feel as if they're reading a novel or trying to unravel Shakespeare. In fact, it shouldn't feel to them as if they're reading at all. It should feel as if they're involved in conversation.

Keep things simple, concise and uncomplicated. If you choose to use humor or wit, that's great because it can keep the interaction interesting and engaging for your customer. Just make sure that you have the talent to be humorous or witty. Otherwise, you may appear disingenuous and your customers may be turned off.

Next: How can the customer be guided to buy/buy now?

See you next time!

Limousine Service in Washington DC

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If you are looking for limousine services in the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area, then you can count on 007 Limousine Service.  007 is currently the driving force behind the entire Washington D.C. and surrounding areas for limousines, limos, luxury vans, stretch limousines, town cars, and limo buses.  We will provide any limousine service that you require at competitive and affordable rates.  007 Limousine Service drivers are on call to use their extensive knowledge of the Washington D.C. area to ensure that you have the best, most enjoyable limousine experience when you are in the nation’s capital and surrounding area.  007 Limousine Service provides point-to-point services from the moment you arrive in the Washington D.C. area, to the moment you are dropped off at your desired destination.

If you are a history or culture lover, you will enjoy the world class museums and art venues that the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virrginia area has to offer.  There is no better way to experience the ambience of this history mecca than through the experience of a town car, sedan, or stretch limousine to take you to any historical destination you desire.  Blend in with the history and culture of this area by enlisting a luxurious limousine or town car through 007 limousine services.  Attend live theater or musical performances at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and do so in style, with the convenience and elegance of a classic stretch limousine from 007 Limousine Service.

Wherever you go in the Virginia, Maryland, or Washington area, make sure that you book your ground transportation with 007limo.com.  When you are visiting a new area, the last thing you want to worry about is how to get to the places you want to go.  Our success is attributed to the fact that you, our customer, is our primary focus.  Our executive sedans, stretch limos, limo buses, airport buses, party bus, town cars, or limousines are suited to provide the elegant look and style that you deserve when you are visiting a new area.  Let 007 Limousine Service worry about how to get you there, while you sit back and arrive at your destination in the elegance, style and comfort you deserve.

The Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area is a hotbed of activities that can cater to your cultural sense, political motivations, or sporting activities.  Whether you are into culture, religion, academics, the arts, or politics, 007 Limousine Service can ensure you experience the area in style with their luxurious limousines, limos, limo buses, limo vans, party limos, SUV limos, or town cars.  Whatever you want to do in the Washington area can be accomplished in the high end style you deserve, at one of the most competitive prices in the area.

If dining and nightlife is what drew you to this beautiful area of the country, you will find you have almost too many options for things to do.  Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia all enjoy a thriving dining culture and diverse nightlife.  Take advantage of any of our limousine services at 007limo.com to experience the Washington area nightlife in both luxury and style. Our downtown and stretch limousines will take you to each club or venue of your choice to ensure you experience these sights as a local would.  If you have a large group, be sure to take advantage of a limo bus, party bus, limo van, or SUV limo.  There is no group too large or too intimate that 007 Limousine Service can not accommodate.

Logo Design for Non-Designers

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The main purpose of this article is to help non-designers understand the logo design process, general terms, requirements and things to remember when ordering a logo.

When you decided that your company needs a logo you need to think if you need a completely new logo or redesign the old one (of course, if you have it) before searching for a designer.  Redesign of the existing logo is often cheaper than design of a new logo.

There are a huge number of companies which offer logo design services. All of them have different prices, number of concepts and revisions offered. Some of them can design business stationery for you.  Let’s talk about every point in detail:

Price is important factor; it is very unusual to receive high quality at low price. But Internet is the place where designers work from all over the world and logos are going down in price. You can buy logo of satisfactory quality for $100 (yes, one hundred dollars). One of the very important factors affecting the price is whether design company uses clip-art (premade pictures or graphic elements) or creates unique logos. Be sure to find out this. Custom logos are much better because you will have exclusive logo nobody has.

Number of concepts is a number of ideas for logos which you will be offered after answering the logo design questionnaire. It is good to have more than one idea for logo because you will be able to choose. Usually, you will receive a couple of ideas in different styles. When you choose a concept for your logo you will be able to change it using revisions.

Number of revisions is a number of possible changes which you can request for a chosen logo design concept free of charge. You can change everything including color, font, graphic element, arrangement of the elements. The more revisions you have the more chances you receive a logo of your dream.

Turnaround time is an amount of time needed for work on your logo. Usually design process takes from 3 to 10 days. There are companies, which can do urgent orders but the cost of logo will be higher.

Number of designers – recently design companies started to indicate number of designers working on your project. Big number of designers should guarantee diversity of the concepts, but this factor is difficult to control and it is difficult to find out how many designers really worked on your project.

Stationery design – it is good if your logo design company will design business cards, letterhead and envelope for you. Usually, you will receive a couple of concepts of business stationery to choose from.

Things to remember during the communications with logo design company:

1. Number of colors of your logo. The more colors you have the more expensive will be cost of printing services.

2. Files optimized for print. Be sure to request files optimized for home and professional printing (tif, pdf, jpg, eps).

3. Source files of your logo (ai, cdr). Be sure to request source files of your logo; you may need them in future.

4. Use of photos in logo. It is very bad idea to use photos in your logo. Such logos are overloaded with graphic elements and have non-professional look.

5. Logotype with abbreviation or without company name. It is very difficult to advertise and promote your company with such logo. Logos with acronyms are good for very big companies which have a lot of money for marketing.

Logo is very important for each company and serves the crucial role of successful marketing. It is vitally important to have good logo from the beginning because redesign of logo will cost you a lot because of need to inform you clients about rebranding, change business stationery and logos on signs, cars, etc.

The Truth About Computer Printers and Ink Cartridges

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Today's printers are heads and shoulders above their predecessors. Inkjet printers can produce stunning, photographic quality prints, while laser printers can spit out paper at a rate of 85 pages per minute or more. In fact, there are so many different kinds of printers on the market that's it's sometimes hard to keep track of them all. Here's a rundown of the major categories:

Color Inkjet Printers: While slower than laser printers, color inkjet printers are also a fraction of the price of a color laser printer. Inkjets can produce exquisite color documents and photos, as well as black and white prints.

Color LaserJet Printers: While more costly than color inkjet printers, laser printers are still a bargain, and often come with several paper trays to give you maximum printing flexibility.

Multifunction Printers: The latest trend is multifunction printers, which allow you to scan, copy, fax, and print with a single piece of equipment. This saves space, money, and time.

Photo Printers: Specialty photo printers give shutterbugs another great reason to snap pictures. These peripherals often allow you to print directly from your computer, digital camera, or mobile device.

Black and White Laser Printers: If you don't work with color, black and white lasers have never been more affordable. The emphasis is on speed, high print resolution, and multiple paper trays.

Mobile Printers: Mobile printers are gaining popularity among students and business people on the go. While they're slower than other types of printers, mobile printers have the advantage of printing from numerous sources and often have wireless connectivity capabilities.

What Manufacturers Don't Tell You

If you haven't browsed the printer aisle of your local office supply store recently, you'll be shocked to learn that you can buy high quality, brand name printers for as little as Ј38. Sound too good to be true? Well, in a sense, it is too good to be true. While the price of the printer is lower than the cost of manufacturing it, ink cartridges can cost as much or more than the purchase price. In other words, the manufacturers don't make money on the printers; they make money from the ink. It's as though every time you buy inkjet cartridges or toner cartridges, you're purchasing your printer all over again.

How do printer manufacturers get away with it? Most often by using scare tactics. They convince consumers that the only reliable printer cartridges are those made by the printer manufacturer. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

Alternatives to OEM Ink Cartridges

If you don't want to buy expensive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) ink cartridges, what are your options? There are two choices: Compatible print cartridges and remanufactured ink cartridges. Compatible cartridges are made from brand new parts and meet or exceed OEM standards, but are a fraction of the price. Buying compatible cartridges is similar to buying a store brand of peaches, rather than a name brand.

Remanufactured cartridges are recycled cartridges that are taken apart, inspected, reassembled, and filled with high quality ink. These are even less expensive than compatible print cartridges.

It the world of printing, you can have your cake and eat it too, simply by taking advantage of low printer prices and pairing them with inexpensive compatible or remanufactured ink cartridges.

Theory of Everything

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We have problems needing solutions.  We have people investigating these problems.  They research.  They investigate what other researchers have discovered.  They perform original research examining new views and new data.  They make hypothesis, perform experiments, and test the new information.   New processes and technology move from the laboratory and into practice; however, the new processes do not receive acceptance and enthusiastic implementation.  Our naive model is we learn, we apply knowledge, we improve, and we become more effective and more efficient.  The real life situation is far different from our naive model.  Rather than the smooth transition from concept to implementation, rejection is inevitable.  If outright denial is not apparent, then subtle subversion is almost certain.   Psychological and neurological research presents some insight into why people do not accept obvious improvements.  It shows why people work hard at keeping the status quo.

Our information transfer model starts with knowledge arising out of research, research develops into a useable technology, new technology becomes part of the curriculum in universities and schools, graduates carry their new technology into the workplace, then methods and processes face rejection in work life.   What causes the difficult entry into the work situation?   For example, why did statistical process control, developed by Dr. Walter Shewhart in May of 1924, have such a difficult time finding acceptance in modern American work?  It has considerable rejection even in 2007!   Most of us have the naпve notion we can learn new ideas, which are perfectly sound, then put those ideas into practice.   All we need is to present the concepts, prove its value, and enjoy the fruits.    The reality is a significant impediment exists between useful ideas and successful implementation.   Normal human behavior will revolt against productive transformation.   Individuals and groups relegate significant advances to the trash heap.   Understanding the rejection behavior is the key to negotiating the implementation hurdles successfully.   Understanding the behavior of people and groups is necessary to move Dr. Shewhart’s very simple ideas into broad practice.

Every person has a personal "theory of everything".   We exist in a world where reality is only a perception.   From our birth, we intake data then try to make sense of it with respect to previous data we collected.  The Scientist in the Crib by Alison Gopnik et al., documents how this process begins at birth.  Eventually we individually fit all this data into a grand mosaic of the universe, our own personal "theory of everything".

So long as we are alive, we are inside a meteor storm of new data.   We have plenty of receptors to recognize new information.   Upon discovering a new idea, we have only three options:  We can accept the new data as accurate; we can examine the new data for relevance and applicability; or we can reject the new information.

If we accept new data as accurate on its face, then we are unable to form a concept of the universe around us.   New data would just replace old data.  Let us use the analogy of a large jigsaw puzzle.  By blindly accepting new data, we would never find a starting point.  The jigsaw pieces could never relate to each other.  Even though all the pieces would be on the card table, we would never be able to distinguish the edge pieces for the interior pieces.  We would not be able to group pieces by having a common relationship with an adjacent piece.  We would not even be able to determine if we had seen this particular piece before.

The most prudent action is to consider the new data in relationship to our existing data bank.  Again, the puzzle analogy, we try to find a relationship to the already investigated portion of the picture.   Is it the edge?  Does it have a color relationship with the photographic theme?  Does it have a shape relationship with other pieces?  Perhaps we do not understand the real significance of its different attributes. Perhaps we will assemble the whole puzzle only to determine this in an errant piece.  Perhaps it came from a puzzle on an adjacent table.  Perhaps it is a malformed aberration.   Perhaps we need to reconsider our "theory of everything" and adjust the theory to account for new information.

By far the most dominant option is to reject the new data as incongruous with our "theory of every thing".  The new information could not possibly be correct, other wise it would fit into our personal theory, "You must be wrong otherwise we would not be arguing!"  A fundamental truth is reordering our personal "theory of everything" causes considerable anxiety.  For a great share of the population, having a comprehensive view of the universe, which accounts for all the observed data, is much less important than being at peace.    Rejection of new data is a much-preferred option to the intellectual rigor of forming a new "theory of everything" and enduring the emotional distress of the task of reformulation.   Psychological experiments support the notion most people prefer to be on the firmness of the ship’s deck even though in just a few hours the Titanic will sink.

Technology is simple enough to understand.   Great bodies of knowledge exist in every field.  Significant study, experiment, and refinement have moved every expertise far forward.  The twentieth century was the age of enlightenment.  Yet, it seems to be the age of greatest superstition.   The resistance to productive improvement is the subject of its own study, experiment, and refinement.  Steady research into the process of resistance provides some illumination.

At the core of the acceptance and integration of new work methods is a theory of dissonance postulated by Leon Festinger in 1957.  In his Theory of Cognitive Dissonance, he shows by experiment that new information and new ideas cause cognitive dissonance in individual minds.   The serene position is consonance where all is tranquil, when all data fits the personal "theory of everything."  Cognitive dissonance raises anxiety and other disturbing emotions.  People will work obsessively to reduce dissonance and restore consonance.    Perhaps an individual’s tolerance of dissonance relates to McGregor’s X and Y theories.

The naпve notion is management can introduce all the Lean Six Sigma concepts then the work force will stand up and cheer like the French when the Allies liberated Paris.   The real world situation is methods such as: Measure Define Analyze Improve and Control (DMAIC); Visual Factory; Kaizen; Kanban; Poke Yoke; and Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) introduce significant dissonance.  Management has disrupted all the individual workers’ "theory of everything".  Substantial rebellion; some overt; some covert; and all real; will result from the dissonance.   This rebellion will have a considerable impact on the effectiveness of teams and Kaizen.   For Lean Six Sigma to work, we all need to understand the Festinger Theory of Cognitive Dissonance effect.  Understanding this psychological phenomenon will allow us to formulate strategies for successfully overcoming the rebellion.

Business Documenting – The must for all companies

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Surprisingly many businesses fail to create such an essential item; the reality is that these types of businesses and entrepreneurs who don't create a documented system usually spend lots of time training and supervising employees. Often they forget that the reason an employee or

other person was brought into the business was to help it grow yet spending time on re-training or needing to quality check work constantly is not growing the business and it is a huge waste of time.

The standardized procedures do not need to be extravagant, often times the simpler the better. Get a piece of paper or type up each step involved in performing a specific task or process. Employees, contractors, temps and so on should also be involved in this process. Take the completed

documents, print them up in binders or other media and hand them out to all the people in the organization.

Once the business has been thoroughly documented and the work standards created make sure that they are regularly followed, no exceptions. If there are any problems with a document simply get feedback from the employees, then go back and revise the standards.

Once an area or process has been formally documented begin continuous improvement efforts, go out and look for simple commonsense ways to improve each and every process to become more efficient. Greater efficiency ultimately leads to the business becoming more profitable.

Car Reviews

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The decision to buy a new or even used car can be quite overwhelming. There are so many things to take into consideration that one can become quite easily confused and not know where to start. The best place to start is to decide which type of car you are most interested in. This can be determined by taking into consideration what you will be using the car for, what you are willing to pay for a car, and what features you want in or on the car. Even just these factors can be overwhelming. That’s why it’s a great idea to look at car reviews before you make any final decision.

Car reviews are a wonderful way to become more familiar with different makes and models of cars. They will offer great insight as to what the car entails and what options are available with a particular make and model. This is very important when deciding how you are going to be using the car most. For instance, you might really like the looks and the space included with a sports utility vehicle. However, if you don’t actually need all that room and you are going to be doing a lot of travelling with the vehicle, a car review may let you know that these vehicles take up a lot of fuel. This will mean that it’s going to be quite expensive to drive the vehicle all over the place and you may want to look at other car reviews to find one that’s going to be easier on the petrol, and your pocket.

Car reviews will also often give a brief history and description of the company. This can help the car buyer become more familiar with not only the cars but the company that manufacturers them. This can often make the buyer feel more secure in deciding to go with a certain make of car. One may find through a car review for instance that although a car looks nice, the company actually specializes in high-end cars and although they may have originally wanted to get a certain type of car, they may decide that the cars that company makes simply does not fit into their budget.

Car reviews can often also include the experiences of other drivers who have driven that particular car. There is sometimes nothing more valuable than word of mouth and hearing about what other people thought of the car, this can offer valuable insight. A potential buyer may find through a third party, that even though a car looks and runs nicely, the seats are not very comfortable at all. For a lot of people, that can make a huge difference when buying a car. These comments can often be about small, personal preferences or be based on pure facts such as fuel consumption. Through a car review, a person may find out that they will only get ninety miles out of a full tank. On the other hand, they may find out that although they thought it was expensive to fill that sports utility vehicle, it actually uses gas quite a bit more slowly than other vehicles on the market.

Car reviews are a great tool for anyone interested in buying a new or used car. They allow the consumer to have more information at their fingertips and being informed is always a great first step in buying a new car!

First to Invent vs. First to Patent

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First to Invent vs. First to Patent

Introduction:

In this article I would like to clarify the difference between two very important Patent rules - First to Invent and First to Patent. Understanding these rules is extremely important and every novice inventor should know the difference between them.

First to Invent Rule

First to Invent Rule states that the Unites States Patent Office (USPTO) will grant patent on an invention to an inventor who first invented the product. Please notice the word 'first' - and this is crucial because the original inventor might not be the first who submitted his invention to Patent Office! First To Invent Rule, which is obeyed in Canada and United States, helps in determining who is the rightful owner of an invention and rewards an inventor with proper patent.

First to Patent Rule

First to Patent Rule, on the other hand, grants patent to people who submitted Patent paperwork first! The rule is recognized by most European countries and is not very friendly to an inventor because the first person to publish an invention might not be an original inventor! First to Patent Rule encourages people to 'borrow' ideas from others and rewards them with new and shiny patents.

What can one submit as a proof that he is the original and rightful owner of the patent?  Two excellent choices are Provisional Patent Application and Inventor Journal.

Provisional Patent Application

Provisional Patent Application may be the only source of proof that you are the original inventor and entitled to reaping the benefits of the patent. It is very possible that since the time you have submitted your Provisional Patent Application, someone else filled out paperwork for regular patent. The only thing that might substantiate your claim that you are the rightful owner of the invention is your Provisional Patent Application. One note of caution - Provisional Application is good for one year only and cannot be renewed. In fact, these applications were meant to be temporary solution until the inventor submits regular Patent Application Paperwork.

Inventor Journal

Inventor Notes or Journal is another popular method of keeping records regarding the time-line of your invention. In your journal you should write down every important date related to your invention with detailed explanation of your invention. Be as detailed as possible because the Journal might be the only proof that you are the original owner of an invention. It is a good idea to date every page and include diagrams and graphs that are pertinent to your invention. Ask your friends to read your Journal (your friends may not be as technical as you are, so be patient and explain your invention to them in plain language staying away from technical jargon). Ask your friends to date and sign your Notes - again, your friends are your witnesses and Patent Office will consider them.

Summary

As one can see, United States and Canada abides the First to Invent Rule and protects original owners of invention. Inventor Journal and USPTO Disclosure Documents are two excellent methods of documenting your invention and serve as a stepping stone towards filing Patent Application.

If you are interesting in reading more, please visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.ideajets.com/inventor_resources.asp-IdeaJets website) that is dedicated in bringing quality information to the inventors all over the globe!

Robert P. Stewart

<a target="_new" href="www.ideajets.com-IdeaJets) - (mailto:support@ideajets.com-IdeaJets Support)

E-Government in China Soon to Be a Reality

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Without question, the world is a big place. However, with the constant development of information technology, the world seems to get smaller all the time.

One example is the work of China Expert Technology Inc. (OTC BB:CXTI.OB), a company that builds network infrastructure and provides e-government services for community and municipal governments in China and Hong Kong.

Analysts predict that China's e-government systems market will reach $6.6 billion this year.

Recently, China Expert was awarded contracts worth $52.2 million to build e-government infrastructure for three cities in Fujian province: Jinjiang, Nanan and Dehua, with the final project to be completed by 2006. In fact, China Expert is the only company that has been awarded such exclusive contracts in China.

These contracts allow the company to create unified e-platforms for each of the three cities.

There are some important implications in the creation of these e-government platforms. First, they enable the government to reduce red tape and become more efficient. Currently, most of the government business in China is done face-to-face or via written communication. This makes it difficult for the average person to get information in a timely manner.

A unified e-platform will allow the public to access, on one site, information for any issues or questions about local government. Users will be able to find information on topics ranging from social security and taxes to water and agriculture. Furthermore, the e-platforms will contain databases that will allow the government to administer data regarding population, geography and economics.

These sites will also lead to more Internet use by the residents of Jinjiang, Nanan and Dehua. A recent study found that currently, only 5.2 percent of government Web sites in China are frequently used. By the end of 2005, an estimated 150 million people in China - 11 percent of the population - will use the Internet. Therefore, both the government and people of China will benefit from these centralized sites.

Finally, because the e-platforms will enable the governments of these three cities to easily exchange information, they give China Expert the potential to do new e-government projects in other cities in the Fujian province.

If such platforms can be built for 150 million users in China, could the same thing be done for cities in the United States? Imagine going to one site for all your information about everything from taxes to environmental concerns. Also, governments around the world could benefit from such technology because it allows more efficient communication from one government to another, which in turn could lead to more profitable trade and other benefits.