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Sure, running a successful business takes Know-How. But growing an even more successful business takes Grow-How. In todays fast-paced world, the challenge to increase revenues takes more wit and wisdom than ever before. not only is technology changing at the speed of talk, but tastes and trends are changing at the blink of an eye. And consumers, well, theyre becoming more choosy and more demanding every day. The information Age is responsible for educating young children faster than their parents could ever think to learn. wireless is the buzz word of the times, and broadband is its closest kin. Even as quickly as I write this, technology is changing. The microchip inside this box was outdated before I even drove it home from the store.

Sowith all this bus-y-ness, how is bus-i-ness to compete? Todays business owners cannot afford to only think outside the box, they need to think ahead of the box maker. Wit and wisdom, remember?

Lets start with wit. Wit can be defined as keenness and quickness of perception. But lets take it a step farther. How about the ability to perceive and express in an ingeniously humorous manner the relationship between seemingly incongruous or disparate things1. Confused yet? Simply put, perception is the easy part. Sensing the customers reaction to a new flavor of ice cream, as you watch them take their first taste, tells you whether its a flavor you want to take to market. Of course perception can be incorrect, and hence we need the keen and quick part of the definition.

Take it farther again, and add the humorous expression to the relationship between the inconsistent, the disharmonious, and the incompatible. now the witty business owner sets himself apart from the crowd, and sets the trend rather than follow it. look at the success story of Ben & Jerrys Ice Cream. two guys start making ice cream in a gas station. they make it fresh and good, but they added a twist, they marketed their ice cream using outrageous names for seemingly incompatible flavor mixes and set themselves apart. They took the incompatible and made it work bigger and better. Wit is personified in this business model. And it took Ben & Jerrys from a $5 correspondence course in 1977 to stock sale for $43.60 a share in 2000 when company was bought out. 2

Todays application can and must go even farther than mixing nuts and cherries. Try mixing the two biggest inventions of modern times, television and the internet. Interaction and steaming video are sure-bets for advertising and marketing success in the next 10 years. video on demand, home shopping networks, virtual house tours, movie previews, and more have moved from the big screen to the computer monitor. wireless connectivity and increasingly affordable broadband are driving the technology even farther. Whats your connection as a business owner? simple, your product or service starring in its very own video, online and in the hands (literally) of consumers everywhere. Think of it as a virtual tour of your store.

Once you get the customer in and buying, service them with a smile. Heres an outrageous, but effective marketing tip. send them an email thanking them for a recent purchase, then link them back to your site and up-sell, cross-sell, any-sell but do it with wit. Perceive their response in store, and express the relationship of their experience and their purchase with humor, bringing seemingly incompatibles together. Heres an example, say you sell lawnmowers. now a customer named jack comes in and purchases a lawn mower on Saturday. Being a forward thinking business owner, you have jack fill out some personal information including name, address, email address, lot size, type of grass, maybe even hobbies. Armed with this information you send jack a personalized email after hes left your store on Saturday. It may read something like this:

Dear jack
I hope youve had a chance to try out the X595 mower you purchased today at Mower Depot. If not, respond to this email by 6pm tonight, and Ill come out and cut your grass tomorrow while you watch the game. But, if you have had a chance to take a spin on the mower, Im sorry I didnt get to service you further I know that baby purrs like a kitten, and cuts like a chefs knife. next time youre in town, come by the store and let me know how it worked out.
Thank you for your business.
Tom

now when you read that, it sounded pretty ridiculous, right? But consider the chances that Tom will have to go out and cut Jacks lawn 0-10%. But, consider Jacks amazement when he reads this email on Sunday night, after hes MISSED the game because he was using his new X595 mower. Jacks going to get a kick out of Toms offer, and more likely than not, stop by the Mower Depot next time hes in town. Hell also tell at least five of his friends about the offer he let get away. technology moving at the speed of talk is allowing marketing offers never before possible.

And what about wits partner wisdom? Defined as the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight, wisdom is also defined as a wise outlook, plan, or course of action. 3 So, we can perceive and express with wit. And we can discern or judge using wisdom, but only as we look ahead. business owners today cant afford to just look around them, they have to look ahead to growa wise outlook, plan or course of action.

Wise having common sense, but also being shrewd and crafty

plan a scheme worked out beforehand to accomplish an objective

Action moving, doing, accomplishing a deed

Wisdom puts the business owner looking ahead of the pack and of the norm. The Grow-How business owner will, without stepping outside the bounds of common sense, take action based on a plan, to grow his or her business. Whats the application for todays business owner?

first of all, develop a plan but for Heavens sake, dont set it in concrete, keep you planning fluid. A business plan, a marketing plan, a financial plan each has a specific task, includes specific material, involves specific players. Each has a format, a goal and a timeline. But stick to any of these plans legalistically and youre likely to be standing on the sidelines as your competitors pass right on by to cash their big checks. Think of each plan as alive, feed it, allow it room for growth, but always keep your forward momentum. Todays rapid business climate will tolerate nothing less.

Lets say you own a gift store and your marketing plan calls for display ads in the local section of the metro newspaper from October through December your peak season. You include a 10% off coupon to encourage traffic, and to track the response rate. You have your plan, youre moving forward, and your cost per response is within your expectations wise? Yes, but lets throw in some shrewd and crafty, and see what we can come up with to spice things up, feed the plan and watch it grow.

This year, instead of a 10% off coupon, place a 100% OFF coupon. Ever seen one? Probably not most folks just call it FREE. offer it as a free gift incentive, equal to the average cost of your 10% offer historically. next, change your placement plan. Instead of 2 months in the local, opt for the more expensive front/national section for a one or two time ad. Study your response rates first to see which weeks stand out historically. Always have your ads professionally designed, theres nothing quite as sad as good Advertising money being flushed down the drain with a bad ad.

Wisdom is key for every business decision you make. Be wise with the money you spend on Advertising. Know your target market, find their favorite reads, surf-spots and so on. Then research the numbers, do the math, make the wise choice. If that end of the marketing spectrum sounds too scary, hire a professional marketer. The right company can keep your witty marketing schemes confined to the top markets for your business and keep your roi high.

Once your customers are flowing, youre servicing always with a smile, and your plans move and shake a little, youre wit and wisdom savvy. without wisdom, wit moves blindly. without wit, wisdom is business know-how, not grow-how.

1 Dictionary.com. Accessed October 13, 2005
2 Benjerry.com. Accessed October 13, 2005
3 Dictionary.com. Accessed October 13, 2005

Linda Lullie is co-owner of Inspired 2 design, LLC a full service Advertising design & production company specializing in small business Marketing solutions. Free Consultation and special Value-Added Packages for Start-Up companies. Visit them at http://www.inspired2designllc.com

Article may be reprinted only with Author's bio and links intact.

Drum-Kickers, Soap Salesmen...they have been called many things. Water Treatment specialists (probably the name they prefer) are everywhere. As a mechanical contractor, we have had many knock on our door. With most large commercial buildings and industrial facilities in Memphis utilizing water cooling/heating mechanical equipment, this industry is highly competitive, but is water treatment really necessary? In this edition of Mechanical Matters I am going to answer that very question and discuss several other important facts about water treatment services.

In this edition I want to answer three questions regarding water treatment:
Exactly what is water treatment and is it necessary?
How does improper water treatment service effect mechanical equipment?
Are there energy savings with water treatment?

1. Exactly what is water treatment and is it necessary?

Water treatment describes a process used to make water more acceptable for a desired end-use. These can include use as drinking water, industrial processes, medical and many other uses. The goal of all water treatment process is to remove existing components in the water, improving it for subsequent utilization. (Wikipedia.org)

In the mechanical industry water treatment is a method used to optimize most water-based mechanical and industrial processes, such as: heating, cooling, processing, cleaning, and rinsing, so that operating costs and risks are reduced.

Most water treatment programs include water softeners, inhibitors and other chemicals needed to 'treat' the water in order to reach the desired conditions for mechanical use and heat transfer. Products used to maintain proper water conditions are often fed automatically by sophisticated equipment directly into a chiller or boiler's water. Water is used for both cooling and heating in large commercial building applications. In most industrial environments water is used for cooling production equipment or an ingredient to making a product. How the water is used will determine what type of treatment is necessary.

Most water treatment companies use test kits and chemical dispensing systems which have made the use of water treatment chemicals in chiller, boiler and cooling-tower systems much easier. But attention to details, such as how often systems are tested, is critical to system performance. The correct water treatment chemistry at the correct time is extraordinarily important because even minor problems can create major costs.

Last week I sat down to breakfast with Gary Reynolds and Bob Schubert of Garratt Callahan. They are water treatment 'specialists'. Gary and I have worked together with several mutual customers. Their attention to detail, customer service and vast knowledge of water treatment is why many buildings in the Mid-South are in good hands with Garratt Callahan. In our meeting they provided me with some great information about the importance of water treatment, the effects of poor service and things to look for in choosing a service provider

2. How does poor or no service effect mechanical equipment?

Improper Water Treatment or no treatment at all will increase your energy consumption and operating cost while decreasing your mechanical equipment's efficiencies and life expectancy. A well designed and implemented water treatment program is highly important to the operation of any steam boiler, centrifugal chiller and cooling tower. All three of the systems shown below utilize water for cooling and heating.

Poor water treatment lets water interact with the surfaces of pipes and vessels which contain it. Steam boilers can scale up or corrode, and these deposits will mean more fuel is needed to heat the same amount of water. Cooling towers can scale up and corrode, but left untreated, the warm, dirty water they can contain will encourage bacteria to grow, and Legionnaires' Disease can be the fatal consequence. The condenser tubes within a chiller and other water cooling equipment can also scale up and corrode thus preventing good heat transfer. Increased energy consumption and poor cooling performance is common result in inefficient water treatment.

Water treatment can often be categorized as 'low-tech' and unglamorous. However, the right chemicals, proper chemical feed equipment, and a dedicated service provider is essential to your mechanical equipment and should be 'treated' with top priority.

3. Are there energy savings with water treatment?

Treatment Value: Expert water treatment can cut your water, energy, and maintenance costs substantially. Perhaps most important of all, it can save you the cost of fixing or replacing equipment thats been damaged by inadequate water treatment including the downtime and lost revenue usually associated with solving such problems.

The examples of water treatment ROI (Return of Investment) shown below show how very thin layers of deposited material from poorly treated water can drive up energy costs.

Scale
System: 1,000 ton chiller
Operation: 12 hours/day, 365 days/year
Cost of electricity: $0.10/kWh
Scale thickness: 1/32 inch
Elimination of 1/32 inch of scale saved $15,018 per year.

Biological Fouling
System: 1,000 ton chiller
Operation: 12 hours/day, 365 days/year
Cost of electricity: $0.10/kWh
Bio-film thickness: 1/1000 inch
Elimination of 1/1000 inch of bio-film saved $26,834 per year.

"As little as 3/16-inch of scale can cause a boiler system to use 38 percent more fuel. The most miniscule amount of dissolved oxygen in the water also means a system could be headed for corrosion problems. And even a thin layer of bacterial slime in chiller tubes can significantly affect heat-transfer efficiency."

Wrap Up:
As mechanical contractors we are no strangers to the importance of water treatment. However, after researching and writing this article I can assure you that I am much more informed about the necessity and advantage to having a good water treatment program.

In this edition Mechanical Matters, I discussed three important facts about chemical water treatment. First we learned the definition of water treatment and its use in the mechanical industry. Second, we learned that water treatment is definitely necessary, and without it your mechanical equipment will suffer. Last we learned how proper water treatment will save energy, and ultimately increase your bottom line.

I of course didn't show all my cards at once. There is so much more to the mechanical water treatment industry...I haven't even scratched the surface. If you are not sure your mechanical equipment has a proper water treatment program or pleased with your current service provider, please give me a call. We at S.M. Lawrence Company partner with good water treatment specialists like Garratt Callahan and not 'drum-kickers'. For a definition of 'Drum-Kicker', go to my website, jimmyveteto.com and click on the glossary.

"Until next to please remember to leave the Mechanical Matters to us!"

Jimmy Veteto, 901.378.7655
http://www.mechanicalmatters.com
http://www.jimmyveteto.com

You were told that your golf swing needs improving? Well, it could need a complete makeover and change your game! But how about improving alignment and the short game? This could be the answer. This article will give some useful pointers on improving golf swing but at the same time revolutionizing your game dramatically by ,let us say, shaving seven strokes off your score in a few weeks !

Learning golf is done gradually rather than all at once and that is why it is not as easy as any other sport. With the essence of the game being to use a club to send a ball to a target, the essence of learning golf is to learn how the club must swing to the target if the ball is to go to the target.

Your Swing

Your swing is natural and everything will depend on using the spine as an axis to keep you on the correct swing plane so alignment is crucial. How about concentrating on alignment? What about the importance of understanding ball flight to understand your swing. ?. Some golf gurus point out how swings can differ markedly in their mechanical aspects; the only thing important is that the club contacts the ball the way you want it to. And what about the short game maybe we should be giving more attention to that. golf tips are nothing more than the thought you hold in your head as you swing your golf club. Your golf swing is like your signature, it is unique. The reason finding the right golf club is so hard is because there are so many types, designs, and features you have to consider in correlation to your skill, swing and needs.

Your golf Handicap

Handicap statistics compiled by the national golf Foundation and United States golf Association show that most golfers establish their level of competency after a few years. Well, which category are you in ? High handicap golfer : Someone who has played a while, knows his or her way about the golf course, but can't seem to break 100 consistently. Mid to low handicap golfer: reserved for small percentage of people who shoot below 100 consistently, and want to get even better.

Whatever your handicap, you can improve it by following the advice of famous golfer who will tell you how to improve your swing but give you loads of great advice in getting your score down and reducing your golf handicap.

Robert Locke is an Internet Marketer specializing in Health, Wellness and Fitness. If you would like to dramatically improve your game, play the best golf of your life and lower your golf handicap, click on the link below:- http://www.usfreeads.com/888256-cls.html

While some may consider a golf degree to be uncommon, in all reality it is gradually emerging as one of the most sought after certifications around. The booming business that is the golf industry has branched off into a number of reliable professions. Many find getting into and moving forward in a golf career very much depends on having the right qualifications.

This type of degree offers all the essential management and operations skills that would be found at any other college; however, the skills are taught specifically as they would apply to the golf industry. A curriculum with this type of focus makes a student especially desirable upon graduation.

No matter what profession one chooses, those with a golf degree will always know exactly what is required by the industry. It is one of the things that have made the business as strong and dynamic as it is. golf professionals are of a certain breed, having certain standards and values that can be very different than other types of industries.

A career in golf offers the unique opportunity to earn a living involving a sport that has captured the hearts of many. It does not matter if one is directly involved or playing a supporting role. Those who opt for a career that entails using their best skills combined with their passion typically keep their jobs much longer and have a better outlook on life.

Getting this type of qualification can be quite easy and there are a number of conveniently placed campuses to choose from. Another bonus is that the curriculum can take as little as two years to learn. Earning this type of degree requires no entrance exams and, compared to other types of education, is rather affordable.

Some schools do offer a simple assessment test but this is only to ensure that the prospective student is cut out for a career in the golf industry. The evaluation takes little or no time to fill out. Students read the matter of fact statements and check to what degree the declaration applies to them.

Many are pleased to find that the services offered at a golf school are no different than a conventional college. Those out of the immediate vicinity of a golf school can make use of handy relocation services. Students who qualify for housing assistance programs will be given a number of options to choose from to make their time at the school as comfortable as possible.

A number of schools also provide tuition planning and assistance for prospective students. This can make the decision to pursue a golf degree much easier. With the help of a professional, one can find a number of loans, grant or scholarships that can ease the financial burden of getting an education.

With a golf school, students can look forward to smaller classes. This allows more time with an instructor, which in turn means students get the best out of their education. golf school, like any other school, will require classroom time; however, a golf school curriculum is punctuated with time out on the course.

If one is not working in the golf industry already, students are often placed in jobs upon graduation. With the golf industry being so widespread, there is hardly anywhere in the entire world where a golf job is not available. Those with this type of degree will never find their prospects limited.

Those who graduate with a golf degree often find that their investment pays for itself in a very short amount of time. Anymore, companies rarely offer positions to individuals with little or no experience in a given profession. This makes getting the right education a matter of necessity.

Andy West is a freelance writer for SDGA. san diego golf Academy is a premier golf school with five locations across the United States. To learn how to obtain your golf degree, please visit http://www.sdgagolf.com Article marketing & quality link building services by Vertical Measures.