Top 5 tips for effective email marketing

Over the past few years, research has continued to prove the benefits of e-mail marketing for business: low costs, high conversion rates and detailed tracking are all notable features. But e-mail marketing is becoming much more than just a tool for spammers and e-businesses. Consumers are becoming increasingly savvy on the differences between spam and permission-based emails, and more and more of them are accepting permission-based e-mail marketing as a positive replacement for direct mail.

The best news is that the majority of people who receive permission-based e-mails open, on average, 78% of them.

Jupiter Research reports effective email marketing campaigns can produce nine times the revenues and 18 times the profits of broadcast mailings. But crafting an effective business email is both an art and a science. Here is a list of factors, potential problems and effective solutions to keep in mind:

1. Spam! Spam! Spam! I don't need any Viagra!

The average consumer receives more than 300 emails a week, 62% of which are spam. No wonder there's such hostility towards the industry. But spam filters, bulk folders and "report spam" features are helping consumers become more at ease about the perils of spam. While 89% of users cited spam as a major concern in 2003, that number dropped to 85% in 2004, proportionally to an increase in the use of spam-fighting tools.

So as a permission-based business email marketer, what can you do? One tip is to remind your subscribers to add you to their "safe senders" list. The second, and most important, tactic is to make sure your email marketing service provider has a good relationship with ISPs. This will ensure that your email marketing campaigns go into your subscribers' inboxes, not their junk mail folders. When choosing an email marketing software, make sure the company has strict anti-spam policies and complies with the guidelines of Can-Spam.

2. Images and formatting: Why do my emails look broken?

Broken email campaigns are an increasing concern among email marketers, especially since several companies and web-based email providers now block graphics as a measure to combat spam. In fact, according to ClickZ, 40% of email marketing messages delivered to inboxes are "broken."

So what's the solution? Some email marketing programs publish all your sent email campaigns to a secure location on the web (a location only original recipients of the email can access, thanks to encrypted technology that automatically authenticates the user). In some programs, the technology also ensures you can track your users' behaviors, even if they are reading your email campaign at the secure web location.

3. Personalization and relevant content: In a business e-mail, one size does not fit all.

In a recent study by DoubleClick, email users were 72% more likely to respond to a business e-mail if its content was based on the interests they had specified. That number points out the absolute importance of allowing users to choose their own interest groups and have control over which business e-mails they receive. The most popular interest categories, according to the study, are coupons and household goods.

But you're coupon is no good unless the user opens the email. Users in the study said the most compelling reason for them to open a business email is the name in the "from" field. So it's a good idea to make sure your company name is clearly stated there. Another major factor is the "subject" line. Users cite discount offers and interesting news as the most compelling subject lines, followed by new product announcements and free shipping offers.

4. Click-through and conversion: Show me the money!

So the user has opened your email and read the content. Great. But where's the sale? There's good news here. For one, consumers are increasingly likely to make purchases as a direct result of a business email campaign. One-third of users in the DoubleClick study had purchased something by clicking a link on an email. Another 42% clicked on an email link for more information, then purchased the product at a later time. Second, online couponing is booming: 73% of consumers have redeemed an online coupon for an online purchase, and 59% have redeemed an online coupon offline.

In terms of industries, the top performers are travel, hardware/software, electronics, apparel, food, home furnishings, gifts/flowers and sporting goods. All companies sending business emails in those categories said between 71% and 80% of recipients have purchased their products because of an email campaign.

There's no need to fret if your company doesn't fit in to one of those industries. The overall landscape for email marketing conversions is looking brighter every day. The average click-to-purchase rate has increased nearly 30% since 2004 and the average orders-per-email-delivered rate has increased more than 18% since last year.

5. Stats tracking: Who are my real consumers?

E-mail marketing is an increasingly popular tool in effective CRM, and it's about time more businesses recognize that. First off, if your provider's email services for business do not include detailed, real-time tracking, you're getting a raw deal. Real-time tracking is now an industry standard, and it's highly valuable, as it allows you to see the exact moment a user opens your campaign, clicks on your link and makes that purchase. Studying your users can help you improve your communications efforts, so each campaign performs better than the last (several email service providers also let you compare the performance of your campaigns).

But many marketers are still in the dark. According to a recent WebTrends research, only 5% of marketers are very confident in the measurement of their online marketing efforts, while 26% admit they're "flying blind." WebTrends says the low confidence comes from a lack of knowledge when it comes to measurement, which means there's still a lot of work to be done.

In email marketing, a blind shot won't take you very far. But if you aim properly by following these essential rules of play, you should soon be reaping the same major results as so many online and offline businesses.

Chemically improving your gas mileage in your car

What if you could actually improve your gas mileage significantly (5-20%)? Not have to alter your driving habits? Not have to install any extra questionable parts on your car? What if it were as easy to do as 1-2-3?

Well, it is.

For years Big Oil has offered three or so different grades of gas octane 87 regular, 89-90 premium and 91-94 super. These grades are actually based upon a 100 octane scale where the cleanest burning, most ideal fuel was propane (clean burn fuel). But the scale never took into account arromatic petrol compounds and derivatives which can actually surpass the 100 octane mark, some as high as 115-130 octane.

So the object here is to get the engine running the cleanest burning fuel possible, leave less soot and deposits in the combustion chamber and on the valves, clean the injection system, or in older cars the carburetor, not hurt emmisions systems, not void our warranty, and, in the end, get increased gas mileage and increased engine life. Wow, thats a lot. It really isn't, though.

In recent tests it has been proven that arromatic petroleum distillates, alcohol (methyl alcohol), ether, acetone, and toluene can and will do all of these. That is to a point. If you make the fuel mixture too rich you can actually do the opposite. The ideal mixture found that was easiest to obtain and handle was 1-2 ounces of acetone per full tank (acetone can be found at your local hardware store or paint supply shop). This was tested on everything from 4-8 cylinder gas engines to big Cummings diesel engines. The range in increase of fuel efficincy was 5-20% and the average being 9%. It was found if you used 3 or more ounces per tank ful results were the same or worse than without the acetone - the mixture was too rich.

The effects of the acetone were then tested on the fuel line components themselves for resilience and it was found that unlike methyl alcohol (racing fuel) it did not have a caustic effect. Acetone will have a etching effect on paint, plastic headlight lenses, etc... Spills should be wiped up immediately.

So, to make the story short and get straight to the point, if you wanted to add an average of 9% fuel efficiency to your vehicle and do it for less than $.50 per fillup - its as easy as adding 1-2 ounces acetone per tankfull. Thats it - the only problems are Big Oil doesn't want you to know how to save on gas and you may still void you warranty as they now test for gas additives like acetone.

Also, one last note, acetone or any additive that makes your engine more efficient and burn cleaner is better for the environment - less emmissions.

Super glue vs miracle glue

For the last half century or so the conventional wisdom for gluing something together when you really needed it glued now was to go out and buy a small tube of superglue.

Super glue or Krazy glue have been used for repairing a thousand different things - From broken toys, to fingernails, to skin.

But it has had its problems. I’ve heard just about every complaint out there about superglue or krazy glue. Often, it just doesn’t work or, the biggest complaint seems to be that when you are ready to use it there is nothing to use – it has dried up. My unsubstantiated theory is that is why the containers have gotten smaller over the years. One never gets more than one use out of a tube of super glue because the cap glues shut and you can’t get at the rest of it. So, the manufacturers have now made the tubes a one shot deal.

Approximately ten years ago another product hit the market on this side of the Atlantic - an industrial version of this type of glue that has been marketed mainly through trade shows and events. The main ones available are Miracle Glue, The Last Glue, Pasco Fix and Lighting Bond. You can invariably find these glues being demonstrated at Home Shows and Boat Shows around the country. Most can now be found more easily on the internet.

Technically, the difference is this: The base of all of these adhesives is something called cyanoacrylate. If you move in the hobby circles, it is commonly referred to as CA. The latter, newer glues are far superior. The main difference is in the distillation process – the number of times the product is distilled. Super Glue and Krazy Glue can be considered your raw form. They are your “crude oil”. The newer products: Miracle Glue, The Last Glue and the others are the “refined oil”. They are distilled several times. The solvents are distilled out. Solvents make super glue dry out too quickly and get brittle and discolor once cured.

In application here are some of the differences. The newer glues come in larger bottles which generally last much longer – a year or two if kept refrigerated or in the freezer. You can get literally hundreds of uses if you take care of a bottle. Because there are no solvents, they will not dry out quickly when exposed to the air. If you forget to put the lid back on for even a couple of hours it isn’t a problem – as long as you don’t knock it over. They bond extremely quickly depending on the material being adhered. And for the most part once glued the item will stay glued. The better ones dry both clear and flexible. For all the fishermen out there – you can mend your waders with these types of glue as well. Because there are no solvents, you won’t melt the neoprene. Super glue or krazy glue will eat a nasty hole right through your waders or wetsuit.

So, the next time your are visiting a Home Show, Boat Show and sometimes the state fair, have a look for the person demonstrating the “miracle glue”. Quite a show! You will be impressed, I’m sure.

Praxis testing what to expect and what you should do

If you're embarking on a career as a teacher, then you will encounter the Praxis Series tests. Praxis testing is standard procedure for the majority of the states in the U. S. and many colleges, universities and licensing agencies for teaching professionals also require these tests. Basically, Praxis testing evaluates a beginning teacher's basic skills, pedagogic skills and knowledge in content-specific areas. Here are some things you might want to know about Praxis testing:

Praxis testing involves three major categories: Praxis I (Academic Skills Assessment Tests), Praxis II (Subject Assessment Tests) and Praxis III (Classroom Performance Assessment Tests). Each of these areas correspond to a level in a teacher's development and is designed to evaluate in what areas a beginning teacher has strengths and weaknesses.

For Praxis I, testing involves multiple-choice questions and essay questions that will test your basic teaching knowledge and skills in reading, writing and mathematics. Praxis II testing involves subject assessment to measure your knowledge and skills in teaching subjects specific to K-12. Like Praxis I, Praxis II testing involves multiple-choice and essay questions. Testing may either be paper-based or computer-based.

Praxis III testing involves classroom practice to measure a teacher's knowledge and skills within a classroom setting. Testing involves essay, listening and oral response tasks, prepared documentation reviews, class practice observations and interview. Praxis III testing is often required by professional licensing agencies to make teacher licensing decisions.

Praxis testing will measure your ability as a teacher but it will not measure your individual skills regarding teaching disposition or your potential for teaching success.

Preparing for Praxis testing

Since passing a Praxis test means taking one step further in your teaching career, it's important that you take the tests seriously. As such, preparation is key to taking the Praxis tests successfully.

Begin with finding the right information on Praxis testing by knowing which Praxis test category you should get. Go to your local Department of Education office or visit their website to learn more. You will also find information on how and when to register and where to find testing centers. Find out about the testing schedules to make sure you meet the deadline and get a reserved seat.

Once you have this information, prepare for the testing itself. Review your student notes, especially those that deal with educational and psychological methodologies and techniques. If you can, join a study group or find resources for practice testing online. Focus on the areas where you need the most improvement. Since you will be taking each section of Praxis tests separately, you might want to focus your review instead of studying just a general outline.

It will help a great deal if you are familiar with how the testing will look and feel like, so get a hold of materials such as testing booklets and answer sheets that can approximate the actual testing materials. This helps save you time when you're taking the actual test.

You can also find resources online that provide sample question types (not the actual test questions themselves) to familiarize yourself with how questions are phrased and constructed. Getting study guides to help you with your preparation may also be beneficial.

Praxis testing is necessary in order to help prepare and evaluate beginning teachers for their tasks as educators. Once you've passed, the hours of study and work you've put into will be worth it so make sure to get the right information, use the right resources and be prepared.

Surgery as treatment option for obesity

There has been an overall increase in the number of people who have been diagnosed with being overweight and obese. These

two weight problems are generally the result of a person's inability to use or expend energy that is gained through food

consumption. Specifically, the number of calories consumed by a person is not used up and are stored in the body as fat.

Use of stored energy or calories is often done through normal physical activity, normal metabolism, or exercise. To provide

contrast, obesity is defined as being overweight and fat in such a way that these condition already pose a health risk.

Being overweight, on the other hand, means that a person is above the generally accepted weight measurement for a certain

age, sex, and height.

Obesity can also derive from the genes of the person, his metabolism, behavior, environment, culture, lifestyle, and economic

status. All these factors contribute to being overweight and obese. This condition does not only affect the person's self

confidence, but is at risk of other hazardous health illnesses such as Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, heart disease, and

hypertension, among others.

Due to this, a number of weight loss programs have been established to help and support overweight patients in decreasing

their overall body weight. These programs ensure weight loss through dietary plans suited according to the person's lifestyle

and eating habits, together with dietary supplements and regular exercises. Today, these weight loss programs are now more

flexible than before. Meals are attractive and can often be prepared in a matter of minutes. Low-fat and low-calorie foods

are now available in supermarkets, which is very convenient.

Unfortunately for some, their body weight can be already reach a very alarming rate that such weight loss programs would be

of no help at all. This occurs when a person seems to be very overweight and could not lose pounds by having a healthy diet

and exercise. If this is the case, then surgery might be an option for that person. Weight loss surgery is usually for men

who are at least one hundred pounds overweight and women who are at least eighty pounds heavier than that which is allowed or

within “healthy limits.” If the person has diabetes, heart disease, or sleep apnea but is not excessively overweight,

surgery can still be an option. By having weight loss surgery, a person would already have a physical limits to the amount of

food he or she can consume.

Gathering all the necessary information about the various surgical options would be the most important step in weight loss

surgery. Researching through the Internet, and asking previous patients who have done surgery can also help a person in

knowing what to expect before, during, and after surgery. Although the results of the surgery can be drastic, there are also

potential risks and complications that go with the procedure. This includes bleeding, infections, deep vein thrombosis,

marginal ulcers, spleen injury, and stenosis, among others. It is critical that these factors are thoroughly discussed with

the doctor, to make sure that the weight loss surgery would not harm the patient.

The effectiveness of the surgery will depend on several factors including the patient's age, the weight before surgery, the

overall condition of the patient's health, the surgical procedure itself, the patient's ability to exercise, the commitment

in maintaining dietary guidelines and other follow-up care, and the motivation of the patient and cooperation of their family

members, friends and associates as well. By talking to other people who have experienced this kind of surgery, one can fully

understand what one needs to know and make the right decision that one can be comfortable with.

Zermatt a must-see in the swiss alps

Winding, cobbled alleys lead visitors through the small, scenic village of Zermatt. Old, sturdy, wooden chalets line streets and lend a cozy feel to the car-free medieval village filled with pedestrians breathing in the fresh, alpine air. As pretty as this traditional Swiss village is, the visitor’s eye is drawn upward to the majestic peak of the famed Matterhorn, which soars up to 4,478 meters (14,692 feet).

The Matterhorn is not the only peak in town, though. There are 29 mountains surrounding Zermatt that rise over 4,000 meters (13,200 feet). The Matterhorn Ski Paradise covers three ski areas: the Sunnegga-Rothorn, the Gornergrat, and the Klein Matterhorn. There are 250 kilometers (155 miles) of trails with 22 percent designated for beginners, 50 percent for intermediates, and 28 percent for advanced skiers. The intermediates have the advantage in Zermatt with miles of scenic runs but there is excellent off-trail skiing, as well as special heli-skiing trips for advanced skiers.

Zermatt welcomes snowboarders as well. Boarders are allowed on most of the resort’s slopes and there are two snow parks with two half-pipes. There are also good schools for snowboarders including the Swiss Ski & Snowboarding School and the Stoked Snowboard School.

The terrain for cross-country skiers is somewhat limited and is located near the bottom of the mountains and requires natural snowfall. However, skiers enjoy several loops and trails sheltered by trees. There are 30 kilometers (18 miles) of hiking trails. Snowshoers can follow these trails, as well. The trails provide magnificent views of the surrounding mountains including the Matterhorn and there are cozy huts along the way to warm up in. For hikers that prefer more of a challenge there are local guides available to lead the way. There are also other winter activities to enjoy in the area, including tobogganing, ice skating, and ice climbing.

Zermatt runs a highly efficient lift system that includes 74 transport facilities with high-speed cableways, mountain railways, and ski lifts moving 17,188 people per hour. This system also provides access to Cervinia, Italy, where visitors can ski down the slopes and enjoy a tasty Italian meal.

Great restaurants are easy to find in Zermatt. The village is home to over 100 restaurants. Many are located along the Bahnhofstrasse, Zermatt’s main street. Food served ranges from traditional regional dishes of Raclette and fondue to Chinese, Italian, and Japanese dishes, among others. The restaurant Le Mazot offers high-class dining while Tony’s Grotto is a great place to enjoy a pizza. There are 38 mountain restaurants, as well. Many diners move on to a bar or nightclub with entertainment ranging from jazz to disco.

Skiing is not the only way to spend a day in Zermatt. Fun excursions include the Glacier Grotto, the world’s highest ice museum with its blue, frozen sculptures. A cable car lifts visitors to the top of the Klein Matternhorn to explore the unique glacial caves. Air Zermatt offers helicopter rides with stunning views of the Matterhorn and other nearby peaks. The Alpine Museum in Zermatt is also fun for winter sports lovers and details the history of mountaineering and skiing in the area. Shoppers are happy in Zermatt, as well. More than 300 shops sell products ranging from Swiss army knives to cuckoo clocks. Some shops sell touristy souvenirs while others offer designer fashions, ski wear, and expensive jewelry. For those who aren’t shoppers, there’s a very popular casino in Zermatt.

Zermatt provides everything needed for the ultimate alpine vacation. From a thrilling ski run to a cozy dinner in an old chalet, a Zermatt winter vacation is what dreams are made of.

Egypt casinos

Egypt is a country in Africa that permits gambling and visitors of Egypt will find that there are plenty of casinos in Egypt to enjoy. Each year residents and tourists flock to the Egyptian casinos in search of exciting gambling entertainment. There are over 24 Egypt casinos in existence today. The majority of Egypt casinos can be found in three cities: Alexandria, Cairo, Sharm el Sheikh, with a good deal of casinos situated particularly in Cairo. Casino cruises are available in Egypt as well, and gambling is quite popular in the country.

At present, Cairo is home to some twenty Egypt Casinos: the Al Andalous Casino, Al Karnak Casino, Cairo Marriot Hotel and Omar El Salam Hotel, the Casino Midway, the Casino Panorama, the Casino Semiramis, the Cedars Casino, the Cleopatra Casino, the Conrad Cairo Casino, the El Gerzirah Sheraton Hotel, El Mamoura Tours Casino, the Sayeda Zeinab, the Felfala Casino, the Inter Casino and the Nile Hilton are among them. In the meantime, one casino can be found in the city of Alexandria: The El Salamlek Palace and two casinos are established in Sharm el Sheikh: the Hilton Sharms Dream Resort and the Casino Royale.

Popular games in Egypt casinos consist of American Roulette, Blackjack, Poker, Punto Banco, Stud Poker and Roulette. Many of the casinos in Egypt offer slot machine access, and a select few offer pull tabs or video casino games. Of course, after a day or evening of gambling, visitors in Egypt casinos may want to dine at the restaurants located within most casino environments, and some guests actually stay at the hotels adjacent to some of the Egyptian casinos. Finally, Egypt casinos, especially those in Cairo, are often established near shopping centers and cultural attractions, making the act of touring Egypt and all it has to offer a simple task.

Of course, the best way to enjoy the excitement that a casino has to offer is to combine such excitement with one of Egypt's popular attractions - cruises down the Nile do just that. The Shehrayar and Shehrazad are cruise ships that offer spacious accommodations and splendid gambling opportunities. The ships can be docked in Cairo and passengers can enjoy the elegant dining, swimming pool, the gym, and the extraordinary view of the Nile Valley. Passengers can book one of 69 cabins available and choose from a 3, 4 and 7 night stay on board either ship.