Business

The perfectly formatted VITO card

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The following is a true story about the power of a perfectly formatted VITO card. Before you pick up that £3,000 phone to make a sales call to any member of the ‘C’ suite, including the CEO, read and remember this story.

Recently one of my salesmen had some car trouble, so I offered to drive him to work. Not wanting to pass up the opportunity to do a little one-on-one role play, I suggested we go over some phone skills for scheduling appointments. A well-proven statistic that you have just eight seconds to grab an executive’s attention. Daniel, I was a bit skeptical about the eight second rule. He looked at me and said, “Boss, eight seconds is too short a period of time! It’s barely enough time to take a deep breath, let alone make a meaningful opening statement!”

At the next red light, when it turned green, I kept my foot on the brake and started counting: ‘One thousand one, one thousand two…’ People started honking. By the time I got to “one thousand four,” Daniel was begging me to move. By the time we got to the sixth second, the guy behind us was starting to get out of his car and Daniel was looking for a place under the seat to hide. When I finally got to eight, the intersection was a symphony of honking horns, ‘finger pointing’ and screaming mouths. I stepped on the accelerator.

Now, if you’ve read any of my books, attended my live events, webinars, or read any of my articles, you’ll understand what motivates ‘C’ Suite members to buy; you know the real benefits of your product, service or solution; and you have a good idea about the VITO tactics at your disposal. When you find yourself preparing to pick up that £3,000 phone to call any ‘C’ level executive, including the CEO, what do you say?

Let’s also assume you’re calling a new lead:

You have decided to use the phone to do this, either as a follow-up call to a written communication (see my article on Correspondence to VITO), or as your first contact without sending a correspondence.

Your goal is to get a date or create the next step with VITO, who is the person who can actually buy whatever it is you’re selling and the person who has the ultimate veto power.

Three big goals:

1. Make it sound conversational.

2. Deliver it with confidence.

3. Get a favorable break as soon as possible…one that clearly keeps VITO in control.

The Five Key Ingredients of Your Phone Opening Statement

For now, assume VITO will grab your own phone and not your personal assistant… (for my epic tactics on working with VITO’s private assistant, check out my article titled ‘Guardians’). By the way, VITO will take its own phone about 25% of the time.

Key ingredient 1: the introduction

Usually when VITO picks up his own line, they say his name: “This is VITO” or “VITO Important speaking.” Your first step will be to repeat the name of VITO. Keep things formal for now, use Mr. or Mrs., then VITO’s last name.

Prospect: This is VITO.

You: Mrs. Important?

Prospect: Yes.

This first step will earn you Ms. Big’s full attention. Whatever she was doing before you said her name, she has now stopped doing it. She is paying attention to you and that is a good thing!

What most salespeople do now, despite ample and endlessly repeated evidence that they shouldn’t, is say something totally silly like this: “Hello, Mrs. Jones. I’m Will Perish from ABC Insurance Company.” .

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Unless your name is, say, James Bond, or your company affiliation is, say, the Publishers Clearing House Prize Disbursement Division, or the IRS, I can tell you what happens next in the vast majority of such cases. calls. The prospect will respond to this counterproductive “verbal handshake” by disconnecting, asking you to send written information, pretending the building just burned down, or disengaging from the call. In other words, it will only have been on the line for about a second and a half, and it will be over.

Key Ingredient 2: Pleasure

Here’s an alternative plan (one that works). What I am about to tell you will contradict what you have been taught. Do it anyway.

You are going to say something positive and enthusiastic, something that does not directly identify you, your company or the product or service you want to talk about. It’s too early in the call for that… Instead, you’re going to use a courtesy, something like this:

• “It’s an honor to finally talk to you!”

• “Thanks for answering the phone!”

•”Thanks for taking my call!”

• “What a surprise to put you on live!”

Get the idea? Any and all of these jokes will do a better job for you than your name and company affiliation at the start of the conversation. Or say something totally silly like, “How are you today?” or, “Do you have a minute?”

Key Ingredient 3: The Hook

Immediately after his prank, he will hook the intentional area of ​​VITO’s brain using a hook that is directly connected to something that is likely to be of interest to this VITO.

“We’ve helped (three of the top five device corporations) further increase shareholder value (increasing revenue by up to 4% annually) while keeping the bottom line (top line expenses).”

Now, there is a tangible benefit if ever there was one! Keep your hook focused and a sentence or two long, and you can’t go wrong.

the interruption

Most of the time, this is where you’ll get your favorable interrupt if your hook is doing its job. VITO is likely to step in and say something like:

“Interesting, tell me everything.”

Prayed:

“How did you do that in this economy?”

Prayed:

“I have absolutely no interest.”

Don’t worry. You’ll learn how to deal with any not-so-favorable interruptions in another of my high-value articles.

As I said, you will almost certainly be interrupted at this point. However, for the sake of completeness, you should complete the body of your opening statement, so that you know what to say in those cases where you are not interrupted at this point.

Key Ingredient 4: Naming Names

Once you’ve shared your hook, VITO knows why you’re calling. The cat is out of the bag. This is the perfect time to identify yourself and, if he wishes, to organize him. If you choose to identify your employer, give them a brief “commercial.” What you say fits in one sentence. It should sound like this:

“This is Will, Will Prosper, with ABC Insurance Company, the busiest company in the insurance industry today.”

Key Ingredient 5: Your Final Question

If you are not interrupted at this point, you will conclude your opening statement with a final question that incorporates some element of time.

“Ms. Important, does this touch on issues that concern you this (month/year/quarter)?”

Prayed,

“Mr. Benefito, do you want to accomplish something like this by the end of this (quarter/year)?”

Prayed,

“Ms. Important, what is the best way to explore this further?”

Prayed,

“Mr. Benefito, who on your team would you like to continue this conversation with between now and the end of this business (day, week)?”

Putting it all together:

Here is an example of an opening statement for VITO that works. Yours shouldn’t sound exactly like this, but it should be this long and should, like what follows, hit all the bases you’ve been reading about.

Prospect: This is VITO.

You: “Ms. Important?”

Prospect: Yes…

You: “(Pleasantly) It was a pleasure to read that your company has successfully expanded into the European market. By the way… (Hook) After studying another client’s operation, we suggested an idea that provided revenue gains of more than $25,000 per year. The real surprise is that we did this without taking an ounce of your hard-earned capital. (Your name) This is Will Prosper at Zenith. (Final question) Similar or greater results may be hard to duplicate. But, Would you be open to take the next step between now and the end of this work week?”

Again, you should not try to simply insert your company details into the message you see above. You should use all the ideas in this article and most importantly make sure you read all my articles and use what you read!

Home Kitchen

Home Office Feng Shui: Organize your workspace

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Practicing Feng Shui can be a great way to maintain a happy balance in your office space. The key elements of water, fire, wood and earth can help you find a calm balance and generate more energy and productivity.

In today’s fifth and final installment of our five-part series on Feng Shui Tips for Your Home Office Space, this week we’re talking about how to organize your workspace.

Part Five: Organize Your Workspace

Tidy up your desk

To reduce the amount of clutter and scattered piles of paper on your desk, find desk accessories that suit your needs. Wire baskets, trays, pencil holders, and small containers can be used on and in your desk to keep supplies in order. Use sustainable products like bamboo and avoid anything that is not good for the environment, like plastics, acrylics and disposable items.

use shelving

If you refer to manuals or books during your workday, place them on a shelf for easy access. When arranging the shelves, place the smallest books on the inside and the tallest books on the outside. This system looks more pleasing to the eye and will keep your books more upright.

Don’t you use book shelves solely for books? It’s fine, but keep it organized and neat. Review the contents of the shelves every six months and remove those items that are no longer relevant. When “removing” such items, consider selling the item on Craigslist, recycling, or posting the item on Freecycle.

have a filing system

If you don’t already have one, consider getting (again, Craigslist and Freecycle) a filing cabinet and some eco-friendly file folders. There’s no better way to keep track of your paperwork, and if you use lots of specifically labeled folders, you’ll find everything you need quickly.

If you want to go one step further, go paperless and scan everything into Evernote and/or Google Drive.

Take control of your cables

Chances are your work desk is covered in cables, especially if you have a desktop computer. Messy cables can be stressful, so make sure you find a way to keep them together and organized. There are many options available, from twist ties to more expensive clip packs.

Advice: Save those bread ties and reuse them. Also, old-fashioned curly phone cords work wonders. Look in your “junk drawers”… you probably have one there. Always make sure to use a surge protector for safety and longevity of the equipment.

Advice: At the end of the workday, turn everything off and unplug the surge protector from the wall. They add up to 30% of your electricity bill.

you are not a library

Unless you’re using them, old manuals, guides, and magazines can quickly become an out-of-control mess. If you want to keep them for some reason, try hiding them from view but in an organized way. Wearing slippers or lockers can be quite effective. Again, spend some time getting organized and scanning the smaller items into Evernote and/or Google Drive.

Avoid food in your office

If you need to grab a snack or meal in your office, be sure to clean it up as quickly as possible. However, as a general rule, if you work from home, it is better to eat in your kitchen. Food creates clutter and trash, both of which you don’t want in your workspace.

Order mail immediately

When you retrieve your daily mail, be sure to sort through it before entering your office. Keep the recycling bin on the way from the mailbox to your office. Be sure to leave personal mail somewhere else and only bring business mail to your office. Have a designated place for it and try to order it at least once a week, but every day is much better. Recycle or archive items you no longer need.

End each day with a cleanse

It is important that you tidy your desk at the end of each day, and you should try to make it part of your daily work routine. This way, you can start each day with an organized office and be ready for whatever the day may bring. This means that every morning will start calm and relaxed, instead of being stressed about walking into a messy room. If you can’t do it every day, be sure to do it on Friday afternoons. This includes your to-do lists, collecting, organizing, and vacuuming. Personally, I do most of this on Thursdays, since Fridays are trash day.

make lists

The act of making a to-do list can help clear your mind and keep you organized. It’s important to keep track of what needs to be done in a day, and lists can prevent you from suddenly feeling overwhelmed or having a panic attack. If necessary, make a new list after lunch, or at the end of the afternoon, for the next morning’s tasks. Try using Asana or Evernote.

Create a “Only work” Area

After all the hard work you’ve put into creating a clutter-free space filled with good energy and Chi, the last thing you want is for clutter to take over and destroy everything. To avoid this, he should not use his work area for anything other than work. His office in his home has been designed for the purpose of work, so no one should be playing on his computer or leaving a mess in the room.

Following these 50 simple Feng Shui tips and best practices will help you create positive energy in your office and organize the movement of this energy. Remember:

  • balance the elements
  • Focus lights and use colors
  • Decorate with Constancy and Plants
  • Use sounds and scents
  • Organize your space

If you can do these things, then you will have a Feng Shui work environment that will not only be a productive place for you, but also a refuge.

Auto

Roush Stage 3 2009 Mustang

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The new 2009 Roush Mustang Stage 3 has arrived and we can’t wait to show you all it has to offer. It is an addition to the ‘pony-car’ lineup for the Ford Mustang. There are several versions now available and each showcases the design, style and power we all love from Roush.

The company’s Stage 3 models are important to the Mustang GT lineup. The new 2009 model adds improved handling, styling and, of course, more power for consumers’ pleasure.

It has been equipped with a supercharged 4.6-liter V8 engine that is capable of producing 430 horsepower. This is the same engine that can be found in the 427-R. It is available in 5-speed automatic transmission and 5-speed manual transmission. This 430-horsepower engine shows consumers just how fast and powerful it is through the power of acceleration. There is no lack of RPM and this makes it even more desirable. Although you may have to get used to the short throw shifter on manual transmission models.

Traveling in the new Roush Stage 3 can be rough, but not to the point where you have an uncomfortable ride. The suspension was tuned specifically for track use, but it seems to be more compliant on rough pavement.

The steering is sharp and light at the same time, making drivers want more feedback. The center is also slightly off and you may have to make corrections to keep the car in a straight line. But the brakes are good and strong, allowing for quick and easy stopping time.

For those who don’t know much about the company, Roush is an independent company that improves and modifies production cars so much that they become the manufacturer of record.

Digital Marketing

Your Funny Videos and Entertainment

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Are you looking for funny videos and entertainment? There are many of these types of videos on online social networking sites. Social networking sites cater a lot to funny videos to attract more audience to sign up to their websites. So it’s no wonder this is the place to go if you’re looking for funny and humorous audio and video to watch. School humor and jokes that are captured on camera by classmates and friends are uploaded to their networking sites.

What other way is better to relax than to watch funny videos and entertainment? A healthy dose of funny videos for your entertainment can relieve stress and tension after a tiring day at work. Just relax and watch the funniest and funniest movie or video from online social networking site and you will feel better. You can watch this humor and funny stuff from network TV shows but you have to wait for a specific time when they broadcast.

But with social networking sites, you just log in to their site and you can start viewing them. You have to be a member of the networking site to be able to watch these funny videos. Once you’re a member, you can do pretty much anything you want. Not only see the funniest video they have on their site but you can also upload your funny videos. You can also read and receive humor and funny things that other members of the site have. They are simply sent through an instant message or you will receive them in your inbox. These things are very common today on the Internet.

Finding the best ways to entertain yourself is something you need to do to detour or distract yourself from your daily routine. It would be a shame if you don’t think of humor and funny things like funny videos as your best option. While there are many ways to relax, such as taking a walk in the park and singing, a good laugh is one of the best ways to relax. Relaxation through laughter and humor is actually one of the recommended therapies to relax and relive tensions.

Entertainment is probably most people’s favorite pastime. Even my classmates and friends always watch entertainment shows and videos. And especially those that are very easy to access. The easiest to access is fun and entertaining online videos. On the Internet, you will never have fun with sites that have funny and hilarious things to see. Some are free, some you need to be a member and some you need to pay as a member in order to watch these funny and humorous videos online.

Most people would prefer free sites where you can watch and be entertained. But the ones available on members’ social networks are more fun and hilarious. But still, that would largely depend on your personal taste. Each individual has their own preferences and tastes, so it will always depend on the type of laughter and humor that you see.

The bottom line is fun videos and entertainment is what can make you relax and ease the tensions of your tiring days. And whether you sign up for a social networking site or just watch them on TV, it really doesn’t matter. As long as you have your funny videos for your entertainment is the main thing. Just remember when you’re feeling up and out, watch some humor and fun stuff like funny videos online or on your favorite TV channel.

Relationship

Clear and present danger: running outdoors with headphones

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(Not the movie starring Harrison Ford as CIA agent Jack Ryan)

Safety

Headphones 2Running with headphones results in reduced awareness of your physical surroundings. If you’re running on the treadmill, press playlist. When you are outdoors, being less than fully aware of your physical surroundings compromises your personal safety. Like it or not, all runners (especially women) should run defensively at times. Hearing aid users range from being less attentive to completely ignoring other people, cars, and dogs, all of which are potential attackers that pose a real threat to a runner’s physical safety.

Last month, Runners World Online published a story about a teenager wearing headphones who was hit by a car and seriously injured. He was running a 10K night race and took a wrong turn, veering off course and onto an open road. He didn’t hear the runner behind him yelling a warning.

A little closer to home: Last year, my teenage daughter and I argued about wearing headphones while running. She insisted that she could hear what was going on around her, with or without headphones. I waited until she left the house to run. I put on my running shoes and went after her. I ran after her. She was absorbed in her music, unaware of my sudden presence. I tapped her on the shoulder, startling her away. She’s lucky; Dad is a confident guy.

What is my body telling me?

When you are in tune with the melodies, you are not in tune with your body. When we run, our bodies provide us with valuable information. We learn what a certain beat feels like, how our breathing, heart rate, and muscles respond, especially when the beat is pushed. We continually integrate this data, making the appropriate physical and mental adjustments in response as we run. When we run and receive the same cues that we experience during training, we can stay calm and in control because we know that we have previously experienced the discomfort of running faster and dealt with it. Headphone users can easily miss the subtle cues from their bodies and the race-day lessons that flow from them. It’s hard to listen to music and your body at the same time.

Am I missing a beautiful experience?

Last May, my wife and I volunteered as race stewards at the Toronto Women’s Half Marathon. The off-road course traversed a section of Toronto’s scenic park system. An old woman was walking past me. She stopped and slyly observed, “Those women (referring to some of the racers wearing headphones) are running through the beautiful nature but they won’t enjoy the song of the birds and the smell of the flowers.” Yes, she was right on her first point…and probably on her second point as well.

“I run from the feel of the textures of the earth beneath my feet. I know of no time when I am more alive or intimately connected to the physical world.” Roger Robinson, columnist and author.

The sounds and smells of running outdoors in a natural setting, one of the great joys of running, are no match for iPods.

Hopefully, some readers will think twice before reaching for their headphones when they’re out for a run.

Health Fitness

Riding a bike: how long until you lose weight?

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If you have chosen a bicycle as a means of becoming more active, fitter and healthier, then you have chosen well. Riding a bike is one of the most effective ways to lose weight, but it’s important to put in some work before you see any progress. But how much effort should one really put in before losing the pounds significantly?

Well-planned workouts will help you maximize your time on two wheels. Riding harder will make you lose weight faster, but like everyone else, gradual progress is important to consider. Start slowly, and as your health gradually improves, you can gradually intensify your exercises, also gradually.

Light workouts are the starting point. Intensity levels of physical activities can be measured in other ways, such as oxygen consumption; but heart rate is the most used method. Light or low intensity would mean that your heart is operating at approximately 40% – 54% of your maximum heart rate (MHR) or 200 beats less than your age. Your heart rate is 68 to 92 beats per minute (bpm), and other physical signs are no sweating unless it’s hot and humid and there’s no noticeable change in your breathing pattern. With the light bike, you’ll burn between 300 and 500 calories per hour, depending on your weight. One pound is lost for every 3,500 calories burned. So with light cycling you will tend to lose a pound in 7 to 10 hours.

Moderate bicycling is when your heart beats between 55 and 69 percent of your MHR or between 93 and 118 bpm. Here, you will notice that you will sweat for about 10 minutes after your workout and your breathing will become deeper and more frequent. This will help you burn about 400 to 600 calories or a pound in about 6 to 8 hours.

For vigorous or high-intensity cycling, your heart will beat at 70 to 80 percent of your MHR or more than 119 bpm, you’ll break a sweat after 5 minutes of training, and your breathing will become rapid and deep. With vigorous cycling, you will lose a pound in about 4 to 6 hours.

Know that whether your bike is light or vigorous, it will still burn energy and this will serve your purpose. The more intense and longer your workout, the more calories you burn and the more weight you lose.

Legal Law

Tips for buying new and used cars: questions that will make your car salesman squirm

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Preface: While these questions can be classified as “Car Buying Tips”, they are actually more suitable for your entertainment when shopping for a car. If you’re a die-hard negotiator, these questions will benefit you by putting your salesperson on his guard and off guard.

If you prefer a less confrontational approach to car buying, these questions can be fun, but they can create an atmosphere that won’t be beneficial.

Either way, your salesperson will remember you as the customer who “knew too much” about the car business.

General questions for new or used purchases

“How much is your dealer’s package?”

99 out of 100 dealers have a Pack. It is a value added to the cost of each vehicle that covers the general expenses of the dealer. They typically range from $500 to $1,200, but some dealers will package their cars at $2,000 or more.

Please note that this amount is non-negotiable (by law in most states). Not to be confused with dealer “retention” on new cars, which is often negotiable. If a car is traded in and is valued at $10,000 and the package is $1,000, the cost of the vehicle is $11,000 plus preparation, inspection, and reconditioning costs.

“Is this an old unit?”

Most dealers set a cutoff point when a vehicle is considered aged. Normally it is at 60, 90 or 120 days. These questions will make your seller wonder why he is asking and how his answer will affect his opinion of the vehicle, because answering either way can be positive or negative.

If it’s an older unit, the final price will likely be closer to cost with a slim markup for moving it. It’s okay. But then again, there’s a reason it’s been on the lot for such an extended period. A Chevy Tahoe on a Chevrolet lot in a big city should be sold before it gets old. A Chevy Tahoe on a Hyundai lot in a small town could be a great vehicle that didn’t have the right buyers to see it.

“How many heads have you knocked down this month?”

When a salesperson “raises their brains,” they have earned a large commission selling a vehicle for $3,000 or more over cost. These “very gross” offers put $500 or more in the seller’s pocket.

While your answer is irrelevant (if you get an answer), it’s interesting to watch how they handle the question.

“Do the sellers here make spiffs or commissions on the final profits?”

Most or all of the money a seller makes comes from their initial commission. This is normally calculated as a percentage of the vehicle’s front gross profit.

Some dealers pay the seller a little money if their customer finances or buys products on the “back end” while they are in the finance department. If the customer finances through one of the dealership’s lenders, purchases a warranty, or contracts for any other finance-paid service, the seller may or may not receive a small compensation for planting the seed.

The best time to ask this question is if/when the seller asks if you plan to finance or recommend a warranty.

“Taboo” questions about buying a new car

“Do you negotiate part of your retention?”

The answer will almost always be “no.” If not, they will say “sometimes” or “rarely”. Either way, it’s a good way to set the tone for negotiations.

The retention is the amount of money the dealer receives from the manufacturer when they sell a new vehicle. It’s “advertising” or “overhead” or “cost of sale” money as described, but in reality, it’s a profit buffer that most dealers aren’t willing to part with. The market is so competitive, and profits are declining, so unless the hold is considerable, it’s often untouchable.

“Do you get a spin for selling this car?”

This is an empty question, but it will let your salesperson know that you know too much. Many manufacturers offer “spins” to salespeople and managers for selling particular new vehicles. This is bonus money offered to encourage sellers to sell new vehicles instead of trying to switch their customers to a more profitable used vehicle. Depending on the vehicle and manufacturer, spins typically cost $50 or more and are paid directly from the manufacturer.

Used Car Buying Questions That Will Drive Your Salesman Crazy

“Can we call the previous owner or have them contact me before I make up my mind?”

We use auto, it’s kind of a reasonable request. The problem is that the seller doesn’t want to get in trouble and the previous owner probably doesn’t want to talk to you. Still, it gets asked sometimes and sellers hate it.

If you can talk to the previous owner, find out if there were any recurring problems, any accidents, and any reasons why you shouldn’t buy the car.

“Can we get the vehicle history report?”

If he says no, go away, because he’s either lying or incompetent. Again, this is a minor annoyance that can get in the way of a car deal, which is why sellers generally don’t like it.

ultimate bread

“What’s your minimum dollar?”

Most people ask their salesperson this question at some point. Most salespeople can’t answer the question without their manager. It’s usually awkward for new sellers and annoying for experienced ones.

Don’t say “cash price.” At most reputable dealerships, they make more money if you finance with them than if you pay cash. It’s no longer attractive to get cash or a check for a vehicle because the lenders the dealer uses pay all the money up front anyway, plus a little more for using them. By saying “cash price” you are telling the dealer that they won’t be making any money on the back end, so they need to make as much as they can on the vehicle itself.

Again, let me emphasize that most of these questions will not help you buy a vehicle at a better price unless you are an adversarial negotiator. They can help you have a little fun shopping for a car, which many people rank just above “root canal” on their list of least favorite activities.

I hope that helps.

Lifestyle Fashion

Teardrop Piercing and How to Get One

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Are you ready to get pierced again? Well, why not try the teardrop piercing? If you’re feeling bold and want something different when it comes to body piercing, you may want to try the teardrop piercing. This piercing got its name because the pierced section is situated just above the apples of the cheeks, right where tears usually fall. Those who get the teardrop piercing use the same earrings that are used for the belly or forehead.

Before getting this type of piercing, here are some important things to keep in mind:

visibility – Teardrop piercing is highly visible, unless you remove your earrings. It’s right on your ears and the hole extends close to an inch, so you can’t really wear a normal earring to go through it.

bread tolerance – Most people say that this type of piercing does not hurt. But really, you can. It really depends on your own pain tolerance and also on the skin you have in that area. Remember that facial skin is softer and sometimes thinner than other parts of the body.

Sensitive skin – Teardrop-shaped piercing is done directly on the skin. So make sure that your face is not so sensitive because you will have to disinfect the piercing within two weeks, very regularly. Be sure to apply alcohol to the area without the risk of breakouts or facial allergies.

Apart from these things, you also need take note of the person who is going to get the piercing. Hygiene is very important. Make sure it is only drilled by a specialist who actually uses clean tools. Here are some tips you can use to find the best piercing artist to do this job for you:

Ask friends for recommendations – Get in touch with your own network of friends. Ask them for their own recommendations. They may be able to provide you with the contact details of a good artist for the job.

Take a trip to the location – Before you get pierced, take the time to go on site and see how the artist will actually do the job on you. Does the place look clean? Do they use sanitized tools there? Are you comfortable with the person who is going to do the work on you? It’s also good to find a store that’s close to home so you don’t have to travel too far with your new piercing on.

talk to your artist – Tell your artist what you like and if you have pain problems, be honest about it. Ask questions about your teardrop piercing, especially how to clean it. They will be the best people to ask about it anyway. You can also ask if they could provide you with the earring because some stores may be willing to do the work alone, but will trust you for the earrings.

Pets

How to get rid of fleas naturally

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Pet owners are scared of fleas and if presented with a flea infestation they can be terribly confused. The biggest question these days is how to get rid of fleas naturally.

Pet supply stores will sell various flea collars. It is virtually impossible to know which one to use and nearly impossible to know all of the active chemicals in these collars. When I was young, our pets used to wear an off-white plastic flea collar. We had no idea what the active flea ingredients were! These days we would not consider hanging a “chemical belt” around the neck of our beloved pets nor would we consider letting children near such a thing. Today, the chemicals used in many of these top popular brands may be poisoning our pets while marginalizing our own health. So what kind of home remedies for fleas are there?

More and more people are looking for natural or homeopathic alternatives to the problem of fleas in dogs. In many cases, you can create homemade flea remedies with ingredients you already have around the house. Listed below are some of the most commonly used natural dog flea remedies:

  1. For adult dogs, you can try an olive oil bath. Anecdotal evidence suggests that fleas will drown in olive oil. Start from the head and work your way back so the fleas don’t move to the face, where they’re very hard to pull off. Then you simply wash the oil off with shampoo and the dog fleas are washed down the drain. It will take a few shampoos before your dog’s coat feels oil free.
  2. Other people say that garlic works wonders for preventing fleas on dogs. Some users of this solution suggest using a garlic supplement, while others use a fresh clove of garlic and mix it into their food. Garlic is controversial, so check with your vet.
  3. Another solution is the use of household salt. Sprinkle it all over the house and let it sit for a week or more. Apparently fleas don’t seem to like salt. Your dog will lay on the carpet and in the process the salt will stain his fur. This seems to keep the fleas away, as proponents claim that the fleas will be gone soon after.
  4. Talcum powder has long been known as a natural remedy for treating fleas on dogs. Using baby powder for fleas is a simple process…just cover your dog or cat with baby powder and it will suffocate the fleas. This remedy is often recommended for puppies or kittens who are too young to be treated with any flea chemicals. A similar remedy uses baking soda. As before, start at the head so the fleas will move to the rear of your pet and eventually leave.

There are many natural alternatives to treat/prevent fleas on dogs. However, with all matters related to the health of our dogs and cats, consult with your doctor about possible side effects.

This article was abridged from an article previously written by the author and can be found at: How To Get Rid Of Fleas On Dogs Naturally, where you can find more information on pet flea solutions as well as other pet flea problems. pet health.

Real Estate

How to make your house look bigger from the street

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As an architect, when designing new houses for clients, they first come to me with standard tastes that you would see in any house in any neighborhood. What I’m trying to do is expand their architectural vocabulary and be bold in what they’re trying to do, without spending a lot more money. Part of that is making your house look bigger from the street and living more inside. You can get a lot of “wow” factor if you try a few simple things in your home design.

1. Make your house longer, not square. Most people want to make their houses more boxy in design, with the preconceived notion of saving costs. While this may be true in general, it also makes your house look very small (and boring). For a 2500 square foot house instead of designing it 50 feet by 50 feet make your house longer like 75 feet long by 33 feet wide. You’d be surprised how much fancier and more expensive it looks for not much more money. It also gives you the advantage of putting windows in almost every room in your home, giving them light and visual space.

2. Use the split level home concept. The split-level house was more prevalent in the 1960s than it is today, but it has many advantages if you modernize it. The Split Level lifts the base off the ground. In most of the northern part of the country (I’m from Indiana), you need a footing at least 30″ or deeper to get below the local frost line. Well, let that be the starting point of your basement (or as I like to call it, the lower level.) That means the lower level is 2 feet below ground level, which means you can have full size concrete windows (either 8′ or 9′ high) which saves cost. If you use a lower level 8′ high (to reduce costs), there is a design I like to use to eliminate the bulkheads for HVAC;…incorporate the ductwork into a system I love using floor trusses that are 16″ high, 24″ on center, and keep the trusses in the same orientation throughout the house. Provides plenty of room for the HVAC ductwork in the floor frame system and no bulkheads which means less cost as you have flat roofs and no extra frame for those bulkheads. If you need room for the HVAC to “run through” each other, do it in the engine room.

3. With the split level home, the second floor (or the “main level” as I like to call it) is 7-9 feet above ground level, not only giving you a commanding view of the property, but which also looks like a 2 story building, for the price of 1 story. You can leave the windows open at night because the window frames are 10 feet above ground level. You have a lot of visual privacy because people on the street don’t have a direct view of the house. When you sit they can’t see you, even if you have many windows. On the main level, I love using vaulted ceiling beams on the main level to give the rooms more visual height.

4. Use wide overhangs. Wide overhangs were more prevalent during the Prairie Style period This may seem strange, but wide overhangs (like 4 feet wide) make your home look bigger both inside and out. Like I said earlier, I love vaulted ceiling trusses. I start with an 8′ high wall (instead of 9′). With a 4 foot overhang and vaulted ceiling joists, the interior wall height is now 10′ (8′ wall, 2′ at roof truss), with the roof peak at 15′. This is because the roof began to “rise” further from the outer wall. I am getting 10-15 foot ceilings for a price of 8 foot high wall. The wide overhangs also help in summer, protecting the windows from shade, keeping direct sunlight outside.

5. Incorporate screened decks and porches into the design. Don’t make decks and porches an afterthought, but incorporate them into the design, i.e. lay brick or siding over them, put a roof over them, and make the openings look like windows, but don’t put in the glass. . And consider putting them in the front of the house, not the back. I designed a house for my parents that was 1300 square feet on the main level, but added the screened in porch to the front of the house. The house was 72 feet long in the front (24′ porch, 16′ great room, 8′ driveway, 24′ garage) and looks huge. (if you’d like to see it, go to my website (web address below), home page, about halfway down the page, “Click here for more house photos,” and it’s the first photo. the screen is to the left) The interior of the Screen Porch is finished with moisture-resistant drywall, so the interior feels like any other room in the house (it also has vaulted ceilings), but it is not heated no air conditioning. It is the most lived space of the home. Having the screened porch or deck in the front of the house gives you more community with your neighbors, while it can give you more privacy. In my home, the deck has a solid wall from level to 42″ above the deck floor. This provides visual privacy when I sit, but when I stand up, I can converse with neighbors (42″ is also a good height). bent for the elbows). As a bonus, with the house on two levels, the space below the deck (since it has siding and the floor is 7 feet above ground level), and the roof above the deck, I have a shed that is 18 feet wide and 28 feet high. long under deck for lawn mowers, bikes, tools, which I don’t have to store in the garage.

6. Minimize the garage. There is nothing visually pleasing about a garage. The most important rooms in the house (Great Room, Dining Room, maybe the Screen Porch) should have the most visual presence in your home. Having a monstrous 24-foot-by-36-foot garage jutting out from the front of your house is not attractive. Position it backwards from the front of the house and, if you can, position it towards the back of the house. Use side entry garage doors if you can. And put many normal windows like the rest of the house. Try to make it look like any other room on the street. By playing with the garage and making it look like another room in your house, you will make your house look bigger when it really isn’t. If you are one of the homeowners who eventually converts their garage into a living space, making the garage look like a regular room from the outside makes these conversions easier. Simply remove the garage doors and install window sizes like the rest of your home.

7. Use a lot of repetitive windows. By using the same size window over and over again in a long pattern, it will make the house appear longer. And these do not need to be operable windows. Fixed windows are less expensive than operable windows.