Technology

Ethical Search Engine Optimization for Small Businesses

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The big push online is for small business owners to embrace the program and start marketing their local businesses instead of using many of the old traditional marketing techniques.

1. Claim and optimize your Google listing

Google was kind enough to “give” local business owners around the world free web pages to display their business information.

Google and local businesses, in numbers:

Over 4 million business listings on Google claimed by business owners (using Local Business Center, now Google Places)

Nearly 2 million listings have been claimed in the United States

20% of Google searches are related to location

There are 50 million pages of places

These cover all kinds of places, from businesses like tailors, restaurants, and optometrists to places like dog parks, transit stations, and baseball fields.

Places pages are viewed millions of times a day.

This is taken from Google’s press release and what does it mean to you as a local small business owner?

MORE POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS!

Claiming your local business page is not difficult. Optimization takes more time.

2. How to optimize the Google Places page

Add all the information they are looking for.

NAP = Name, Address, Phone Number is a very important step when optimizing your page. Make sure this information is correct.

Categories: Google will allow you to have up to 5 different categories. Use them to your advantage and as close as possible to your company’s services/products.

DO NOT use local words in the category area. If you are a plumber in Toledo, Ohio, please do not include Toledo or any other city you serve in the categories.

This is against the Google Places guidelines. Sooner or later you will get “Google Slapped” and could get your page banned from Google Places.

If you’re looking for an SEO company to handle your online marketing, take a look at their places page and see if they’ve added location-based information. If they have this on their Google Places page, you may want to think twice about using them as it is not an ethical technique. If they are willing to do this for their own company, how are they going to market their business online?

3. CATEGORIES

When choosing your categories, use Google’s keyword tool to see what people are really looking for when searching for your products/services.

Take your time with this.

Look at what your competitors have for their categories (if any).

4. DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPANY

Take your time with this too. Look at your competitors. Don’t use keywords, but give people enough information about your business to make it stand out from your competition.

5. COUPONS

Make some coupons for potential customers. In this economy, people are looking for deals. Give them something of value to get them into YOUR BUSINESS. Because once inside, you can (hopefully) keep them as regulars.

6. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Add additional information, do you service or handle certain brands? Do you have off street parking? Any additional phone numbers for your business? Think about when potential customers call your business, are they asking the same questions?

Use this space to your advantage.

7. PHOTOS

Google allows you to upload 10 photos. Find photos of your brands/products/services, a photo of your store front, interior and employees, etc.

8. VIDEOS

You are allowed to have five videos. Make some Microsoft PowerPoint presentations or make a video of the services you perform, or even the inside and outside of your store, upload to YouTube and link to your places page. Videos don’t have to be long. You can make them 1-2 minutes long just to get your point across.

If you are a small business?

Have you taken advantage of this online advertising for your local business? If you haven’t, you have to.

Don’t forget to optimize your business information on local Yahoo and Bing as well.

I realize there aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything that needs to be done, so if you can’t, find a local search engine optimization company to help you with your online business marketing.

Not sure where to find one?

Take a look at Google places.

Just type in Google Internet Marketing, your city, state and take a look at the maps tab and see which one you would like to work with.

Stop losing customers and let the Internet become your salesperson 24/7.

Business

Flea Market Vendors: How To Start Selling At Flea Markets

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Flea market vendors have seen an increase in sales as more and more customers shop at flea markets.

In the past, flea markets were considered places to buy used goods or places to simply spend a day off.

But now flea markets are seen by many shoppers as sources for their consumer goods, with substantial savings over their regular prices.

You can capitalize on this consumer trend by establishing yourself as a flea market vendor.

To become a flea market vendor, you will first need to have a reseller tax identification number. You should talk to a lawyer or accountant to see what you need to get started.

Most flea markets will guide you through this process as they are interested in you starting to rent a booth at their flea market.

Once you have the proper licenses, you’ll want to decide what type of merchandise to sell.

Flea markets can also be of help in this regard. You can ask the flea market management what products they think will sell well.

They should tell you which products are not selling or which products can sell more.

You can also focus on the basics that all flea market shoppers need, such as t-shirts, socks, underwear, towels, toothpaste, soap, etc.

As long as your prices are cheap compared to local stores and other flea market vendors, you should be able to sell those items.

Most flea market vendors stumble when trying to sell novelty items or unique esoteric products.

Stick to the basics and your flea market business should thrive.

You should get a list of wholesalers who sell the items you want to sell. Narrow down the list to wholesalers who cater specifically to flea market vendors.

These wholesalers will have experience in what products will sell well at the flea market.

You can use search engines like http://www.wholesalecentral.com and [http://www.wholesalequest.com] Compile a list of wholesalers.

Stay away from membership sites as most wholesalers are openly listed online.

Your next step is to jump. Excessive analysis will only discourage you from selling at the flea market. Instead of concentrating on how much you can earn, you should focus on selling and building your flea market business.

Be sure to start your first day at the flea market with a full assortment of products. This will make a great impression on customers and help you sell a good number of products.

Auto

When choosing a pallet stacker, weigh the pros and cons of each type

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Pallet stackers are designed to pick, deliver, consolidate and stack pallets (sometimes called skids), which are flat transportation structures that support goods stably while being lifted. These are used in various industries including:

  1. retailers
  2. warehouses
  3. dairies
  4. farms
  5. shipyards
  6. Industrial
  7. Commercial

Types of pallet stackers

There are two main types of pallet stackers: electric and manual. Electric ones are also called electric motor driven pallet stackers or forklift trucks. Electric stackers use an electro-hydraulic system to lift and a manual relief valve to lower loads. Non-electric ones are propelled or pulled using the muscle power of the operator. For this reason, it is generally recommended that an operator move no more than ten pallets per day and only operate a manual stacker on a smooth floor. If conditions are not optimal or more pallets need to be moved, it is recommended to use an electric pallet stacker to ensure operator safety.

One of the main advantages of using pallet stackers is that they do not emit waste, so there is no gas to dispose of, making them the ideal machine for indoor use. However, since they are battery powered, it is important that the battery is properly maintained and given adequate time to charge and cool down. The time required will depend on the type and model of pallet stacker being used, however it typically takes no more than 16 hours.

There are three main types of electric stackers. When choosing the type you prefer, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons of each:

1. Counterweight Stabilized Forklift Trucks

  1. They are capable of lifting pallets directly from the ground

2.Forkover

  1. Less expensive than stabilized counterbalance forklifts
  2. They are more space efficient
  3. They have added maneuverability
  4. Pallets cannot be lifted off the ground because the stabilizing legs get in the way

3. Open Leg Forklift

  1. They can lower their forks to the ground to pick up pallets
  2. they’re more expensive
  3. Takes up more space to store

pallet truck safety

Safety is of paramount importance in all industries. You must ensure that your employees are protected from injury. It can help reduce repetitive motion injuries or awkward positions, which can improve employee productivity and morale. They are designed with security in mind and often come with a number of security features, including:

  1. safety brakes
  2. Variable speed drive mechanisms
  3. reversing mechanisms

Pallet stackers are a great option if you are in an industry that needs to move pallets on a regular basis. They not only increase efficiency and safety, but also reduce the risk of injury.

Digital Marketing

10 techniques to answer questions effectively

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A question is a statement that requests an answer or response. On a daily basis, you can ask to be asked questions. Some questions are open-ended and require explanation, elaboration, etc., while other questions are closed-ended and require only a Yes or No. In some cases, others ask questions that do not necessarily require an answer, but only that someone listen to them (questions rhetorical). Depending on the structure of the question, the answer that follows should address what the question is looking for. Many people fail exams not because they are boring but because they do not understand what is being asked of them. The lack of correct articulation of the question leads to an incorrect action or answer. After a presentation, you should feel good if people ask you questions. It can be a sign that people participated in the presentation and that the presentation generated interest in others. How you answer those questions will improve your audience’s opinion of you or increase their trust in your product or service. As a professional, you will need to master the art of asking relevant questions, but more importantly how to answer questions effectively.

1. Understand the question – Before you dive into answering a question, make sure you are clear about what the question is about. There is nothing wrong with seeking clarity on what is being asked. Politely ask “Sorry, I don’t seem to understand what you’re asking, would you mind rephrasing it?” You will communicate better in such a case than just blathering without clarity or understanding. Remember that the essence of answering questions is that you make a positive contribution to someone who is looking for an answer. Do not waste your time. Seek understanding first.

2. Listen carefully to the entire question – One way you can improve your effectiveness in answering a question in a relevant and objective manner is when you give the person asking the question time to finish asking the question. Some people take the time to specify exactly what they are looking for. Answering a question before it is fully asked can come across as disrespectful. Don’t assume you know the direction the question is going, so you want to help the person get to the point. If you have time, let the person “ramble” while you take down the key points. It also gives you time to synthesize and think about the best answer to the question. The ability to listen gives you a high rate of success in answering your questions.

3. Pause and think carefully – You have to determine if you are qualified to answer the question or someone else is. Are you authorized to speak on that topic (journalists can go after you even if you’re not supposed to be a company spokesperson)? How deep does the answer need to be? The pauses and moments of silence show that you are not simply producing whatever raw material you have in mind, but that a clearly thought-out response is coming through. In fact, you can prepare the person who is expecting an answer by saying “Let me think… let me see…”. That way, the person doesn’t sit around thinking they haven’t heard, they’re just ignoring, etc. Thinking carefully also helps you come up with affirmations that you won’t regret later. You can assess how best to respond wisely without leaving the person with fresh scars or wounds.

4. Answer the question and stop – Having understood what the question means, your role is to answer as best you can and stop. The tendency to volunteer information that has not been requested does not add value. If anything, you take the power away from yourself. I have come across people who after being asked a simple question like “Where are you going?” they’ll stop and think you have all day to hear the name drop, long explanations giving all the background leaving you to just say “Oh really, aha, Oh I see”. Get to the point and stop. When you’re always spouting tidbits of information, lies are inevitable. You can easily start to get confused or make contradictory statements without realizing it. I have seen people lose cases in court because they keep saying statements that are then used against them later in the process.

5. Relax and feel safe – It is interesting to note that sometimes the same question can be difficult to answer depending on who is asking the question and in what configuration. If on a bus the person sitting next to you asks you; “Would you mind telling me about yourself?” can be a lot easier to frame than when you have a panel of four or five people in an interview room looking for a job. The same question can bring different answers. In the first scenario you can relax and talk about social issues, while in the second you almost feel like every answer should point out how hardworking you are and all the positive things in life. The important key to response flow and effective response to a question is to relax and be as natural as possible in your response. You don’t want it to sound like you have a rehearsed speech somewhere that you’re trying to remember. Relax and let your creativity flow. Breathe normally and feel comfortable.

6. Master the general nature of questions – The most common questions focus on What? (search for details), Where? (seeks to know the place or place or setting) Why? (seeks to understand the reasons behind) Who? (you are applying for the people involved) When? (finds the date and time it happened) How? (wants to know the process or step-by-step breakdown of an event) From whom? (identifies the owner). Other questions are like statements asking for details. They give you the indication in statements such as Illustrate, explain, clarify, enunciate, describe, investigate, enumerate, etc. Be careful with such words to give an answer that is relevant to what is being searched for.

7. You may not know the answers to all the questions – It is a noble thing to let some questions pass. You are not the encyclopedia of all the questions you come across. Admitting that you don’t know the answer is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign that you know yourself and you would not like to participate in a guessing game. I have a great deal of respect for people who, even in interviews, will tell you “I haven’t come across that concept yet, but it sounds really exciting” than for people who agonize over the fact that all questions need to be answered and still thus they waste the next five minutes giving a lecture that is innocent of the truth. Sometimes in a group setting, admitting that you don’t know the answer to a question will give you so much wisdom that might be hidden in the person you’re sitting next to; the kind of wisdom you can’t even find in books.

8. Always avoid answering a question with a question – There are people who will never try to answer in any other way than asking a question. One instance where this is acceptable is in a classroom where a student asks a question and the teacher has no idea what the answer is. He/she can creatively ask “Is there anyone who can help with the question?”. She does not immediately admit ignorance of the question, but gives the teacher time to synthesize the response of other participants. I have always been a victim in terms of answering a direct question with a question. What started this topic is a question my wife asked me, which was simple and direct: “Are you going to the office later today?” My immediate response was not about the office but “Why?” My response would have been “Yes, I’m coming, is there anything you need, do you want to come with me?” instead of a resounding “Why” before giving the answer. She immediately told me, “You’d better do an article on how to answer questions.

9. If you are the expert, then prove it – Sometimes people ask questions because they know that you are the best placed to know the best solution. In cases where you know what you are doing, please provide the full answer required. Support your answer with relevant examples, where necessary. Just avoid giving lengthy explanations where a simple answer would have worked. In a science class, if the students ask you to explain about the process of photosynthesis; you won’t answer this in a one line statement, but bring your experience, go out and get different types of sheets to illustrate for students to understand. Similarly, in a boardroom, if you are the head of Operations, then you need to show yourself. You cannot make other people appear to be the experts in your area when you are there. Be the authority in your field.

10. Avoid judging the person asking. – It is easy to think that the person who asked a question has no knowledge in a specific area. When you are quick to judge, you run the risk of being embarrassed one day. Some people ask questions about areas in which they have doctorates. They steer discussions in the direction of their areas of expertise. When a question is asked, avoid attacking the person for asking it, but stand your ground and answer whatever is asked. Avoid such critical-sounding statements. When judgment signals enter an argument, this becomes a barrier to effective communication. No one will objectively listen to what you are saying. Say what you know and quote what you have heard others say.

Relationship

Phonics books: letters and sounds

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One of the basic skills we have is reading. Without it, life can be very difficult. And unfortunately, too many children grow up to remain illiterate. There are so many ways these things can be changed and, at the same time, change your life for the better. With the help of letter and sound phonics books, you can change your child’s life, ensuring that he or she has a better future due to the better knowledge they have that comes with increased reading skills.

Certainly your knowledge of how to read and the rules regarding grammar and sounds have a lot to do with it. As a parent, to give your child a chance to excel, you’ll also need a basic understanding of phonics and the like.

Obviously, each word is made up of a few letters. When you break the word down, it ends up at its basic element. Whether alone or in combination, there are better represented sounds. Understanding the different sounds that each letter or combination of letters makes is to gain a better understanding of the language. Through didactic techniques, the child can make these associations of letters and sounds.

Of course, all languages ​​and English are not an exception, they have rules and exceptions to the rules. This can be very confusing for young readers. Therefore, sight words are introduced to these young readers so that they can quickly identify them.

These particular words are those that are phonetically regular but appear very regularly in the literature. Once they are easily understood and recognizable, they will increase your child’s reading skills and help them move forward. In essence, children are better off memorizing these high-frequency words to simplify reading at this and future levels.

Using phonics programs that consist of books and worksheets will help your child improve through the understanding that emerges from the various exercises. These exercises can be in the form of games and activities, which makes it more interesting and fun for your child to understand the concept and move on. As we all know, learning is much easier for children when it is done in a fun way.

The important thing to keep in mind is that every child needs a little help when it comes to improving their reading skills. As a parent, it is imperative that you recognize the importance of reading and, more so, the basics of reading. Once he understands the important role he plays, he will surely use these tools to help his son along the way.

Health Fitness

The Green Tea Diet – 30 Day Weight Loss Challenge – Does It Work?

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I am sure that I can speak for most people, that we want to maintain a healthy life so that we have the ability to live to a mature age. One of those painful topics that we never like to deal with is weight loss. It’s the kind of thing that we can turn on like a light switch and, at the opposite extreme, turn it off. But not exactly to our free will. Losing weight and working out was something I had always wanted to pursue and continue to do, but what are the right things for a man my age that I can easily do? I’ve decided to try the green tea diet for thirty days and see what all the fuss is about. I have heard so many good things, and doctors and scientists believe that this herb has many positive elements that can help me control my appetite, lower my blood pressure and make me feel young.

Just an overview of what I have to deal with. First off, I’m about 40lbs overweight, I don’t have the best metabolism but I live an active lifestyle full of sports. Secondly, I have inherited hypertension, it is on both my father’s and my mother’s side of the family, it is inescapable! That is the general realization I am faced with, a basis for my study. Let’s see what some of the results are.

I dove headlong into this diet to accomplish one thing, not lose weight, but see what it does to my blood pressure without relying on blood pressure medication. I will continue to eat my three full meals a day and use the green tea solution as a snack between meals. Because trust me, I love my in-between snacks, and who doesn’t? So, in early March, I took my last blood pressure pill, and the pumps went off!

After drinking green tea for the first week, I noticed a drop in my blood pressure readings close to what it was when I was taking blood pressure pills. I was surprised because I didn’t think there was something that could have dropped it like that. I have also noticed less desire to eat when I drink the tea, I don’t know where it comes from, but it could be a result of filling myself with liquids. After a couple of weeks, my blood pressure has been stable, so I know it’s working. And after the last few days, still no spikes in readings, so I’m hooked. In the thirty days, I’ve also lost seven pounds, great! It seemed to me that the urban legend was the truth! The only negative, green tea is not the tastiest of teas, it does have that hint of seaweed flavor but you get used to it.

Also, from what I understand, green tea has antioxidants to prevent disease, make our skin feel smooth, and protect our memory. But looking at the short-term effects, I can say that I will make green tea a staple in my diet. I wouldn’t recommend green tea pills as they contain caffeine, I don’t want to be up until the wee hours of the morning! All in all, my thirty-day test has shown that green tea has great positive properties that simply cannot be ignored. Let’s see what other effects it has in six months!

Legal Law

Midterm Success – Study Tips for the Idealistic Temperament

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With unwavering optimism and an insatiable hunger for wisdom, idealists enjoy learning. People with this temperament inspire others to realize their potential and often show great influence in groups. Idealistic students possess a wide variety of abilities and are successful in careers that fit their interests. If you’re an idealist, you may need extra study time and effort when studying for midterms in required classes; it is more difficult to study subjects outside your major. There are 4 different types of idealistic personalities: teacher, counselor, champion, and healer. Follow these guidelines to help you prepare for midterms and improve your GPA.

To fulfill a liberal arts requirement, Elizabeth, an idealistic teacher, decided to take an art appreciation course that conveniently fit into her schedule. Finding the course quite difficult, Elizabeth sought advice on how to improve her study skills. Teachers study more effectively by utilizing both social and quiet time. Material becomes more meaningful when you discuss it with friends, while studying only allows for deep introspection. Both study methods are important for Teacher students. To prepare for midterms, teaching students should take the time to review their notes and grade items that are likely to be on the test. Pay special attention to key words and/or phrases; Student teachers can be too global and lack detail. Knowing the key definitions and being able to cite examples helps them have a deep understanding of the concepts.

Stephen, an idealistic counselor, liked to write but had trouble with English literature. His instructor wanted a lot of detail in his essay and told Stephen that he wasn’t specific enough. How could he improve his study skills? Counselors may have trouble with memorization if the material triggers an original thought. When this happens, they need to spend more time with the material and discuss it out loud. Write down the key points; it can also be helpful to use flash cards for definitions. For language or oral presentations, Stephen must practice speaking the material to master it. Guidance students need a quiet place to study. They can learn to study when they are surrounded by sound, but they can usually concentrate better in a quiet environment. Guidance students need periods of uninterrupted concentration and are likely to ‘give up’ if interrupted too often.

Eddie, an Idealist Champion, needed help studying for a required math class. Champion students perform best when they study in groups; talking about it with other students helps with retention. Even when they study alone, they want activity around them. Champions can choose to study with music or with television; It can also help just to have people in the room with them when they study. Sitting still for too long doesn’t work for them, so they need to take breaks and move around. Since champions are so original in their thinking, memorization may not be easy. Stephen will remember math material better if he writes and talks about the solutions. Whenever possible, he should highlight textbooks to show key concepts and phrases, while learning to be selective with the highlighter pen.

Pauline, a creative artisan healer, is majoring in art, with a minor in music. She was having trouble with a required history course. Despite reading the material over and over again, she seemed like she didn’t fit in. She asked what else she could do to optimize her study time. Healers need to make the material their own through discussion or visualization, rather than trying to absorb it through reading alone. Although some Healer students want quiet and others want to listen to music, they generally prefer to study where they are not interrupted. When studying for midterms, it can be helpful to repeat material out loud. Healers do better when the material becomes part of their own experience, not just something to memorize. Pauline can also call her friends to joke around or discuss the material.

Lifestyle Fashion

Does anyone know what causes asthma?

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Millions of Americans (many of them children and young adults) suffer from debilitating asthma symptoms every day: coughing, wheezing, inability to sleep through the night, and shortness of breath sometimes so severe as to be life-threatening. The incidence of allergic asthma is especially high in certain parts of the country, such as Georgia and Tennessee; in Chattanooga, RUSH immunology is often considered for some patients. But what exactly causes asthma? What triggers the attacks?

hereditary atopy

Atopy is a predisposition to the development of allergic sensitivities and is believed to have a genetic component. Similarly, there is an allergic component to asthma that is believed to be genetically transmitted. In other words, if one or both of your parents suffered from asthma, the chances that you are susceptible to it are increased.

Allergic reactions

An allergic sensitivity obviously does not have to be inherited. These are just a few of the airborne allergens known to trigger asthma attacks: animal dander, dust mites, cockroach particles, mold, grasses, and pollens. There are also ingested allergens that are often linked to asthma attacks, including: ASA, nuts, shrimp, and some food and beverage preservatives. A patient’s susceptibility to various allergic triggers can often be suppressed by the use of allergy injections (effectiveness is not universal for all allergens, but can be quite effective for some).

Respiratory Infections in Childhood

Respiratory infections in early childhood, as well as childhood exposure to airborne allergens, are thought to increase a person’s predisposition to developing asthma later in life. On the other hand, some have proposed what is known as the hygiene hypothesis, which suggests that our overly hygienic environments in which our children grow up fail to expose them enough to some infectious agents and allergens to promote the development of robust immune responses . . It is suggested that these underdeveloped immune systems are less able to mount appropriate responses to these infectious agents and allergens later on.

Some physical stimuli

For some asthma sufferers, their attacks can be triggered by purely physical stimuli such as laughing, crying, yelling, vigorous exercise, or even exposure to cold air.

What’s crucial if you or someone you know is suffering from asthma symptoms is to get checked out by a certified allergy/asthma clinic. The experts there should be able to get to the root cause of your symptoms and recommend an appropriate course of treatment.

Pets

California is cracking down on uninsured motorists

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The older brother no longer plays. The State of California has implemented a new system whereby, effective October 1, 2006, the DMV begins a systematic review of the 22.4 million private cars, trucks and motorcycles registered in the state.

If your motorcycle, car, truck, or other motor vehicle is found to be uninsured, you will receive a 30-day warning letter. If you don’t get insurance after that, the state will suspend your registration. If you are found to be driving without a proper record, your car can be impounded by the state and you can face fines of up to $1,000.00.

This is not a joke friends. If you drive without insurance, you will eventually be ticketed.

Additionally, the state now requires insurance providers to notify the DMV if your insurance is canceled or expires.

what does this mean to you? It means if you drive without insurance, you’re screwed. The state will eventually catch up with you. Gone are the days of buying insurance to get your license plate and plates out, only to cancel a month later.

If you are in a motorcycle, car, or other motor vehicle accident and do not have insurance, you face the loss of your driver’s license for up to one year, fines of up to $2,000.00, and the possibility of being hit with a civil judgment that requires you to pay for the damage it has caused.

The minimum liability insurance requirements in the state are currently $10,000.00 for property damage, $15,000.00 per person, and $30,000.00 per occurrence.

The purpose of the law is supposedly to make it fair to the people who pay for insurance and lower insurance rates. I agree that it is not fair for law abiding citizens to pay for insurance while 15% of people in the State do not, however, and as usual, the insurance companies will get by as bandits with this new law. I seriously doubt insurance rates will go down.

As a personal injury attorney, I can tell you that it pains me to see someone get hit by an uninsured motorist, so it’s a good thing the State is cracking down on this problem. However, to be really fair, the State should force insurance companies to lower their rates in exchange for this law.

There is another thing to keep in mind; If you are uninsured and have an accident that is not your fault, you will not be able to recover your out-of-pocket losses and that’s it! To add insult to injury, you could lose your driver’s license for 1 year and have to pay up to $2,000.00 in fines for driving without insurance.

The bottom line; obtain liability insurance. The cost of not having insurance is much higher than the cost of getting insurance. If you can’t afford liability insurance; do not drive!

By Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq. © 2006

Real Estate

Tenant prospecting in smaller centers

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The neighborhood mall is the first level of retail investment property and is closely integrated into the community. The combination of tenants must be of a commercial convenience nature. That will be the key to your success.

When designing your tenant mix strategy for the neighborhood property, think about the convenience and basic needs of the immediate community. Is the surrounding community growing and how? What do they spend their money on and how often? Are they younger families or older retired families? These questions dictate how they will spend their money.

Sometimes, to really answer these questions, it is necessary to conduct a survey of surrounding households and families. They know the neighborhood better than you do and can usually tell you what the community thinks about the property and what’s missing.

Once you have the answers to these basic questions, you can continue your search for the right tenants. While you’re at it, pay due attention to nearby competitor properties and new real estate developments, as these will have an impact on your property.

Once you know who you want for your combination of tenants and property, it’s time to look for them:

  • Set up your target companies by type. Since your property is convenient in nature, you will likely need tenants in the categories of fast food, produce, bakery, newsstand, pharmacy, hair salon, liquor store, smaller supermarket. Choose your tenants wisely based on the established business history of other properties.
  • Cold call small family businesses in the area, and in particular competitor properties, as they are likely to be interested in talking to you about your offer. They will also tell you about the performance of the other properties. This market intelligence is invaluable.
  • Follow up with property managers and franchise managers or retail franchise chains. Breaking into a well-known retail chain may require several follow-up letters and phone calls. The seeds of interest you plant today may take weeks or months to germinate, but consistency and persistence will get you through the door.
  • Follow-up with supermarket chains for relocation or opportunity for new stores. The supermarket industry is highly competitive and most chains would like to prevent the opposition from entering their ‘patch’. Supermarket anchor tenant rents are lower than specialty tenants and they will be selective in paying their share of the cost of ownership, but you will get an anchor tenant for a long-term lease to support your property. Choose well.
  • Pay attention to local media in new ways, with your ears and eyes open to business prospects. Even in a slow economy, there are companies that are successful. Convenience shopping doesn’t go away; it simply changes the priority and the offer to the buyer. Read the newspaper every day, listen to the radio, and watch your local TV stations not only for business news, but also for commercials from retailers that seem successful. You will find out who is growing, who is moving and who (due to his absence) is almost dead in the water.
  • Use local phone books, the Internet, industry groups, chamber of commerce directories, and publications from local economic planning offices to find out who’s who in the market and who might be interested in moving. Make the calls and ask the questions. It’s the secret to building a great mix of tenants for your property.
  • Visit other malls at different times of the week to examine the operations of potential tenants. Learn to think like your target retailer, understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the operation. Learn what it’s like to turn the key in that store and what it takes to stay in business.
  • Always return all phone calls from a potential customer or an inquiry. A potential tenant with a dynamic operation may be prospecting you and your property. It doesn’t matter how outlandish or strange a person or an idea sounds. You can find some occupation gems among the strange and different ideas.
  • Learn about their business patterns for the property in question, i.e. peak trading days, traffic patterns on the property, popular established tenants, how the community uses common areas, how parking allows quick access to the property for the convenient buyer.
  • What is the brand of the mall? Do you need to do any renovation of the common areas? Tenants will not move into something that is run down, without identity, and poorly maintained. Poorly presented properties are a common problem in owner-managed facilities where the owner is inexperienced or on the smaller end of the investment scale. He must spend money on the presentation of the commercial property, otherwise the rent, the client interest and the tenant base will decrease.
  • Existing tenants and potential new tenants of a property are likely to talk before making the decision to accept a new lease offer. Therefore, harmony and relationships with tenants are critical to future property occupancy and rental success. Happy tenants generally mean a well-performing property.

Understand how real estate leasing brokerage can fit into the big picture of the local mall. The leasing broker or property manager can always open the door to valuable prospects, but it’s also up to you to sell the mall and your future in the community. When you know the community well, you have the keys to a great mix of property ownership and performance.