7 Tips To Successful Event Planning

Planning an event can be a stressful time. With these helpful tips for event planning, hopefully it will make it less stressful and you can actually enjoy the event.

1. Plan In Advance. The sooner you begin to plan, the better. Think carefully about the event you would like to organise before you start and put an action plan together. Work out how long it will take you to complete it, who you could contact to help you out.

Here are some Planning Questions you can go through:

- Is the date suitable or does it clash with any major or national event in your area?

- Who can help?

- Do you need a committee?

- How much do you expect to make?

- Is it worth doing - will you bring in three times as much as you spend?

2. Pull Together A Team. The bigger the event, the more people you are going to need to help you plan. Once you have put together and written down the plan, go over it with your team. Delegate what you can and stress the importance of each person doing their job properly. The last thing you need, is an unreliable person to pull out on the day of the event and leave you hanging and even more stressed.

3. Work Out A Budget. Think about how much you or the organisation has to spend on the event. Costs include postage, printing, photocopying, equipment and hire charges. Try and see if you can get individuals or local businesses to donate some of the things you need, especially if it is a fundraising event. Your income might include ticket/entry fees, sponsorship, donations, raffles, auctions, advertising, sale of goods and refreshments.

4. Lists, Lists, Lists. Keep lists of what you need to do so that nothing gets overlooked. I find it handy to keep a notebook and pen beside my bed because when I am just about to fall asleep I begin to remember all the things I have yet to do. I write them down there and then so I will not forget them.

5. Marketing. The success of any public event rests how well it is marketed.

Here are a few questions to help you put together a good marketing plan

- Who are you trying to attract?

- Do you need any flyers or posters? How many? Who will design and print them?

- Where will you put them?

- Do you need to send a press release to local papers or local radio?

- Do you need to print invites?

6. Venue. The venue you choose is crucial in the success of your event. It effects who attends, the age range, how long they stay.

Here are a few tips when picking a venue for your event

- Is the venue available on the date and at the time required?

- Is it big enough?

- Does it have disabled access?

- Is a deposit required?

- Are there enough seats/tables etc?

- Do they provide catering facilities? How much, what choice, and is there a vegetarian option?

- Is there a cloakroom?

- What toilet facilities do they have and do they have disabled access?

- Do you need a TV, video, CD player, microphone?

- Do you have adequate insurance?

7.Finally, in organising an event, the worst thing that can happen, is all your hard work being flushed down the drain by bad weather. Add a wet weather contingency plan into your overall plan. And do not forget to have fun!

The Benefits of an Online Store

There are a handful of advantages of running an online store instead of selling through conventional methods, among them saving in setup and operational costs. There is a downside, too, like online fraud and having to beef up your security through telephone verification and other tools that will provide insight on site interaction. Overall, more and more merchants are opting to stay on the World Wide Web and to maximize its potential.

The numerous benefits of selling online include the following:

Reduced costs in order processing, where customer orders can automatically go to your database. A global reach, which translates to increased sales potential and opportunities (especially if you allow international shipping). Quicker payment for online transactions No need for a printed catalogue - your online store and its offering themselves give customers a peek into what you're offering, the prices, and the many other important particulars. Increased competitiveness. Who knew you can give larger businesses a run for their money because you're operating 24/7?

Selling online is best for those with well-defined products and services. This partly refers to those that can be sold without human involvement in the process of making sales. An online store is also ideal for those offering fixed prices for all kinds of customers, and with products or services that can be sent out within a predictable lead time.

While a fully automated online store designed to meet exact requirements is rather costly to open and maintain, many businesses nowadays run e-commerce sites without backbreaking investment. What they are armed with is not only their capital, time, and virtual space (free or hosted site), but also their strategy to make it big and get the traffic they need to make good profit.

As it is, running an online store carries both pros and cons. On the negative side, you have to heighten your level of security and closely monitor your transactions because of fraud, which is suffered by many merchants on a daily basis. But doing so need not be expensive; there are reasonably priced Web-based tools and services that you can get to know more about your site visitors and if they have the strong potential or positioning to commit fraud.

Telephone verification, for instance, integrates real-time phone verification into your online store, CRM application, or other Internet-based business system. It verifies each contact with a live phone call or SMS message, and also offers you the ability to gain further contact information to manage your customer lists better.

Askia Mohammed: Hero or Tyrant

Askia Mohammed is one of those giants of African history routinely referred as worthy of emulation and/or respect. Originally a general under Sonni Ali Ber, upon Ali's death, his chosen successor and son, Sunni Baru refused to declare he was Muslim. Using Baru's refusal as his opening, General Mohammed Toure, as he was then known, challenged Baru for the throne. Successful in his strive for power, Askia Mohammed, as he became known - Askia being his title, ascended the throne of the Songhai Empire in 1493 and ruled until 1528. Under his leadership, Songhai assumed the status of being the largest country in the history of West Africa. It was also under his rule that Timbuktu become the world-famous center of learning that it was.

In 1496, Askia went on pilgrimage to Mecca. The journey, which took two years, resulted in Askia being declared the caliph [leader of a given Islamic community]; effectively making him both the political and religious leader of the area.

Most of the above history is based on traditional sources such as books. However there is another source - the orature of the jeseré [griot] class. I chose this as my main method of understanding - or coming to a conclusion about Askia Mohammed being that it is a method of recounting history indigenous to the area under discussion. The Epic of Askia Mohammed, edited and translated by Thomas A. Hale, is a word for word translation of an oral rendition of the Songhai Empire under the Askia. In his preface, Hale states

[...] the goal is to make available to the public another example of African epic from an authentic source in a format that conveys as much as possible the aura of the original performance.

In this format, from a modern perspective, the behavior of Askia Mohammed as he went about consolidating the Songhai Empire into the largest country in West Africa's history becomes questionable. There is repeated mention of

Every village that follows his orders, that accepts his wishes, he conquers them, he moves on. Every village that refuses his demand, he conquers it, he burns it, he moves on. Until the day-Mamar [Askia] did that until, until, until, until the day he arrived at the Red Sea.

It is repeated so regularly it becomes a chorus and leads me to interpret the consecutive "untils" as representing an event which happened repeatedly over not just an extended period of time but also over a great expanse of land. Considering that Askia Mohammed was a pious Muslim whose climb to power had as its foundation a disagreement with a previous ruler's refusal to declare religious affiliation to Islam, one has to wonder whether the acceptance of Islam throughout the Songhai Empire was based on violence and coercion. Wonderings such as these are the reason I question whether he was a hero or a tyrant. Consolidating different forms of presenting of historical data makes it seems the truth might be somewhere in the middle.

Different Bathroom Tile Materials

If you are planning on adding tiles to your bathroom, it is important to follow some basic steps in order to ensure that they give your bathroom the most stylish appearance possible. Remember to consider the colour, shape, size and material of your tiles. When you have decided on this, you can transform your bathroom into the oasis of your dreams.

In terms of the material of tiles, ceramic is by far the most popular. They are strong and durable, as well as being hygienic and easy to clean. Ceramic tiles come in a wide variety of styles so there really is the right tile for every bathroom, no matter what your taste may be. Although ceramic tiles are great value, they do vary from box to box so it's important to ensure that they are all identical and each box has the same tile number.

If you want to opt for tiles that are more luxurious and truly beautiful, natural tiles made from marble, granite, slate and terrazzo are perfect although they are considerably more expensive. The other downfall of these tiles is that unlike ceramic, they can be porous and may need to be sealed to stop them absorbing water. Other materials such as glass, metal and porcelain also are extremely aesthetically pleasing. They are also more expensive that ceramic tiles and also are trickier to fit. Employing a trained professional to carry out this task if important if you have no previous experience of tiling yourself should be done to avoid any bathroom nightmares, especially if you are investing in expensive tiles. To avoid accidents, ensure that you have an anti-slip tile on your bathroom floor. This is critical if you have a family bathroom or if elderly people are using it. Travertine gives a really luxurious look to any bathroom without costing a fortune.

For a comfortable, affordable tile, opt for vinyl tiling. It comes in a wide variety of finishes to suit any bathroom, looking incredibly realistic as well as comfortable flooring. Vinyl is thick and resistant to wearing and also has a range of anti slip surfaces for added safety. Vinyl tiles provide a really hygienic flooring solution and can fit perfectly into any home.

When choosing what material you are going to invest in, don't forget to bear your overall budget in mind. Tiling can become expensive when it needs to cover a large area and if you want to purchase a natural material such as marble or granite.

Webhosting Reseller Programs - Look Before You Leap!

So, you're considering reselling and you need the straight scoop on it?

There are so many hosting companies, all claiming to be the best deal, and all telling you that you'll make more money reselling their services. Who's to trust? Which is best?

Hopefully you have questions about the business itself. How does this all work? How do I set my prices? How do I market the product? What works? What doesn't? Who is my competition?

My name is Larry Dozier, and I am part owner of a primary web presence provider business. In real English, that means I partially own and operate a web hosting company. I started out in the Hosting Industry by reselling accounts for another company. Today, we operate our own servers and have a reseller program of our own.

This has given me a unique view of both sides of the reselling coin.

How you choose to run your reselling business will depend, primarily, on how you answer the following 3 questions:

1. Will reselling be your primary or secondary focus?

2. Once you sell a hosting account, will you retain control of the website it houses? I.e., you are the designer and will maintain the site.

3. Will you be marketing online, or to your current clients?

How you determine your pricing structure will hinge on how you answered these three questions.

If you will be offering hosting to existing clients as an added service, you can, generally, charge more than if you were marketing exclusively online.

When an individual purchases web hosting online, they take a risk. Perhaps their newfound host will be a top-notch outfit with superb tech support, reliable servers and excellent prices. On the other hand, perhaps they will find themselves in the middle of a horrendous tale of inadequacy.

But, if this same individual already has an existing business relationship with you, a person they already trust, much of the fear is removed. This reduction of risk, worry and stress is worth a premium. Ask any website owner if they would rather pay a little more for reliability, or stay up at night worrying about their website.

Another factor in deciding your prices is cost. Your number one cost will not be the wholesale price you pay your provider. Your number one cost will be your time. What is it worth, and how much time is involved?

If you answered yes to question number 2, your time investment will be minimal. Customer support is a huge time expenditure, especially if you do it right. By being both the host and the site administrator, you come out way ahead.

Finally, you must look at your competition. In order to do this properly, you must determine which market you will be competing in.

In general, there are two markets for web hosting services. These are the online market and the local market.

If you choose to market online, you will be forced to keep prices extremely low. You will also incur some fairly heavy customer support costs. Because your prices will be lower, so will your profit margin. This means one thing - VOLUME.

For the online operator, automation is crucial. The more streamlined your system, the higher your profits and the lower your blood pressure.

Let me interject one thing here, while we're talking about marketing. Streamlined does not mean neglecting your customers. A little consideration goes a long ways in this business. If you answer your customers emails, return their calls, take time to listen to them, you'll build a large base of loyal customers in no time at all.

Regardless of your marketing approach, there is one more huge question to answer before you begin.

Who will you be reselling for?

When choosing an upstream provider, pay particular attention to the three R's:

* Reliability

* Resalability

* Relationship

The company you resell for should, above all else, be impeccably reliable.

Consider this scenario:

It's 2 A.M. on a Wednesday morning. Your phone rings. It's your most valued client, and his website is down. You quickly check your email, and find several more pleas for help. You dash off a quick email to your upstream provider.

It's 6 A.M. No answer from your provider.

It's 2 P.M. You receive a garbled email from your provider. Something about a relay that went down in Kentucky, and it's completely beyond their control.

It's 6 P.M. The server is still down. You seriously consider taking your own telephone off the hook. You wonder if you'll be able to keep half your clients. You realize, with a sick feeling in your gut, that there is nothing you can do. You have placed your credibility in the hands of a company that is not returning your calls.

Hopefully, this scenario drives home the fact that when problems occur, you can do little more than call your provider. It's crucial that your provider be reliable.

Resalability comes next on the list. Take a good look at the product. Can you sell it? Would you buy it yourself? Are there plenty of features and selling points?

Finally, consider the relationship you have with your provider. Can you call the company and talk to a real person? The same person each time? Do they remember your name? Do they answer your emails promptly? Remember that your upstream provider is the only link between you and the server. Having a strong working relationship is vital to the success of your business.

Reselling web services can be an extremely profitable solution, but, like any other business, you will do best if you do your homework before jumping in.

Good Luck!

Oregano Oil Uses and Announcements

There is a lot of interest regarding oregano oil uses and the way it benefits human health. But while organizations like the U.S Department of Health and Human Services or the Public Health Service may not officially recognize it, oregano oil uses and health benefits are changing the life of a lot of people.

Using oil of oregano externally and internally is safe.

In fact, this herb was discovered and used by people in the Mediterranean a long time ago. Actually, oregano oil is the most beneficial herb discovered, and it serves as an antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-parasite agent. It contains antioxidants, and it greatly boosts the immune system. Health conditions like asthma, cold, flu, toenail fungus, pain, inflammation, athlete's foot, bronchitis, bacterial infections, arthritis, rheumatism, sore throat, muscle pain, digestive problems, high cholesterol, allergies and much more can be treated with oil of oregano. It is like an all in one solution, and most importantly, a natural solution that is working far beyond antibiotics and over the counter medications.

Oregano oil uses are also seen in the kitchen. It is common to use it in Italian recipes to add a special taste to certain foods like pizza, pasta and salads. Since it is a very potent antioxidant, anticancer and antimicrobial agent it can be used to hinder the development of over 75% of molecules that causes cancer. This is the reason why it can be used in houses and industries as a natural preservative rather than an artificial preservative, because it can extend the shelf life of milk, eggs, meats, and other foods.

People also take advantage of this natural herb to clean and disinfect their homes, since it is a very powerful germs and bacteria killing agent, which can be mixed with water. As well, many people have begun using it on their pets to remove infections and cure diseases. In fact, there are companies that are conducting studies to verify the efficacy it has over specific diseases in horses.

This natural, but powerful herb is becoming the next great health remedy that many will turn to. Doctors have already acknowledged the benefits from it, and are gradually presenting it as an option to their patients. In that, more and more people are realizing their antibiotic addiction and while it is true that it kills bad bacteria, it also kills good bacteria that the body needs. This opens up the door to bacterial and fungal infections as the immune system is no longer able to fight against them.