A Guide to Cozumel Hotels

Cozumel has something to suit the tastes and budgets of a wide variety of travelers. From the most lavish of hotels with services that complement the prices, to the most basic of rooms, some with cooking facilities, you can find what you are looking for without looking too far. First, decide what you would like out of your vacation time. Are you longing to wake up to a beautiful sunrise pouring over the ocean, the beaches and directly into your room? Or are you a night owl, looking to party at any of many local discos and watering holes until you crawl into your bed and draw the curtains shut? Do you want beachfront and a swimming pool at your facility? Or do you prefer the small town atmosphere where you can walk over to restaurants and bars and sample the local flavor of the island? There are hotels that offer anything you could possibly want ? including some who specialize in singles events for those who are unattached.

There are hotels and resorts on the island built on or near some of the best beach diving available. They offer everything from diving equipment and lessons, to snorkeling gear and swim fins for an enjoyable underwater experience merely feet from your room. Others are built to take advantage of the offshore reefs a short boat ride from the beach where the diving and snorkeling is unbeatable. Still others offer family fun with a myriad of activities for the kids while the parents can enjoy their free time on the island however they choose. And then there are the lodges built for the serious fisherman who comes to catch some of the many types of ocean fish available around the island. These places offer serious equipment, including many boat excursions around the island to some of the well-known spots for catching fish.

Some hotels offer a choice of suites with kitchenettes, or modest air conditioned rooms just steps away from the excitement of the waterfront with its many restaurants, oceanfront bars and magnificent shopping. When you stay in this type of hotel, you have the best of both worlds as the best diving beaches are minutes away and yet you have many amenities available to you just a short walk from your comfortable room. There are condos for rent on the island as well as houses priced to fit any budget. You merely have to do a little research, decide what you want from your fabulous Cozumel vacation, and then go for it!

Cozumel Info provides detailed information about Cozumel beaches, weather, vacations, real estate, hotels, and more. Cozumel Info is the sister site of Punta Cana Web.

Tibetan Singing Bowls - Learn More Before You Buy

I recently had the pleasure to interview Richard Rudis, a Buddhist who has traveled to Tibet many times, who also teaches people how to work with Gongs, Tingshas, and Tibetan Singing Bowls.

One question I asked him was about the fact that lately it seems that everyone and their brother is offering Tibetan Singing Bowls for sale. I asked Richard to discuss this phenomenon:

Richard: In regard to the singing bowl proliferation, we should start in India. Now, India is a wonderful country and it is full of wonderful opportunists. If there is a way of financially gaining from anything within their realm of understanding, they are on it in a moment.

So in India there are warehouses full of what are referred to as "singing bowls" or "Tibetan bowls." They have been machined. They are not handmade like real Tibetan Singing Bowls. The alloy that real Tibetan bowls are made from is sacred in origin; I have no idea if these bowls are made from same alloy, but probably not. For example, the iron in ancient bowls is meteorite iron.

That's not to say that some of these Indian bowls can't be useful. It is just that they are being marketed in a way that is not completely honest.

There are only three sources in the United States that I can recommend where someone can go and say I want a Tibetan Bowl, and get a real one. There were two groups in Tibet that made them, and the groups have not existed for over a hundred years, so if the bowl was truly made by them, then the bowls are at least 100 years old.

The research I've done shows that the fourth Dalai Lama, separated these special bowls from drinking bowls, so we can date true bowls back from at least 100 to over 1000 years ago.

The older bowls coming from that spiritual path, they are spectacular. But there are a finite number of them, so when you see all these bowls out there, the sources have to be questioned. You need to use a lot of discernment and knowledge.

I do workshops over the country and people will bring me a bowl they have and to them, it's a wonderful bowl in their mind. But once they experience a true quality bowl that I bring to the workshop, the bowl that they thought was great now becomes mediocre. It can still work for them in many ways, but it is not the same bowl they once thought it was.

Andrew Borakove is a gong aficionado and proprietor of the only store on the Internet devoted to gongs - http://www.gongs-unlimited.com. Richard Rudis leads pilgrimages to Tibet, teaches people how to use singing bowls, and sells remarkable Tibetan and other Asian artifacts and antiquities through his website - http://www.buddhistartifacts.com

Gic Number For Writing Sales Letters

When I write sales letters for my clients, one rule I always start with is The Rule of 7.

I learned about The Rule of 7 from one of my good friends who once ran for political office. In his campaign, he made certain that his name appeared seven times in all of his radio spots.

Why? Because that's generally the number of times required before a name "magically" sticks in the mind of a prospect. The Rule of 7 is often used in radio and television advertising. But this isn't an isolated occurrence-the number seven seems to be a bit magical in other areas, like prospecting and linguistics.

Do you know the average number of times experts say you need to make contact with a prospect before they will be ready to commit?

Seven.

Can you guess how many times linguists say a person must use a word before it becomes a true part of their vocabulary?

That's right-seven.

This "magic" is the reason I try to repeat my client's product name or business name seven times in the sales letters I write for them.

The truth is, we're not really talking about magic, here. It's really about generating recognition for a name or a concept. It's about embedding something in a prospect's subconscious mind. It's about branding. I use The Rule of 7 to write sales letters, but the idea can be applied to other areas of marketing, too.

Every person and every thing has an identity-and branding is about more than just a logo. A brand identity is about who you are, what you offer and the benefits of choosing you over the competition. The name you choose to operate under-whether your personal name, your business name, your product name, or your website address-is a link to all of that information. Repetition, which is what makes The Rule of 7 work, strengthens the recognition and recollection of your brand.

Now, all the "experts" may come back later and say that "seven" isn't the right number after all. It's nine. Or it's five. Or it's eight-point-three. But it doesn't really matter, does it? Seven works well as a general rule. (Besides, it is a lucky number.)

Of course, I know that fulfilling The Rule of 7 is no guarantee a prospect will accept an offer. But I know using the rule increases the chance that a prospect will see my name or the name of one of my websites and think, "Oh, yeah, I remember Seductive Sales Letters" or "I remember Matthew Cobb." Recognition and recollection-that's what The Rule of 7 is all about.

One word of warning, though. Just because seven times is good doesn't mean that seventy times is even better. Repeating the same name over and over again can grow annoying and cause prospects to quit reading. And then, you may not even be able to fulfill The Rule of 1.

About The Author

Matthew Cobb is an independent copywriter/consultant who operates Seductive Sales Letters. Visit SeductiveSalesLetters.com and sign up for the official monthly publication, The Seductive Sales Letter Clinic.

Managers Who Leave PR to Others

You're a business, non-profit or association manager who needs to achieve your organizational objectives on schedule. Since public relations should be helping you do just that, why leave it wholly in the hands of others?

In your own best interest, get personally involved in your public relations effort and ask the PR team servicing your department, division or subsidiary a few questions.

Are they focused on a workable, comprehensive plan for producing those key external audience behaviors like customers coming back for repeat purchases; new prospects starting to sniff around; capital donors asking for more information, and others deciding to specify your services or products, and similar good stuff?

Ask the PR folks how they feel about using the fundamental premise of public relations as a guide to the PR work they are doing for you. For that matter, what do you think about these two sentences? People act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving- to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

The nice thing about that premise is that it shines the PR spotlight directly on those outside groups of people with a large say about how successful you're going to be ? namely, on your key external target audiences.

Then ask your PR team how they feel about using these tools to capture the perceptions, and thus behaviors of your most important outside audiences.

For example, do you and your PR people really know how your organization is perceived by those target audiences, and are you all really aware of the behaviors that flow from those perceptions?

Because that's where the rubber meets the road ? target audience behaviors that help or hinder you in achieving your operating objectives.

To find out what target audience members think about your organ- ization, you and your PR team must interact with them and ask a lot of questions. The alternative is to spend considerable money on professional survey work, but let's assume that's not really an alternative at this point in the budget cycle.

At any rate, we're talking about questions like "What do you think of us? Have you had dealings with us? Were they satisfactory?" Stay alert to negativities such as misconceptions, inaccuracies, false assumptions and rumors.

With such data in hand, you're ready to establish your public relations goal. Often, it can be expressed in a few words: clear up that misconception, correct that inaccuracy, or clarify that false assumption.

But no PR goal is ready for battle without a sound strategy to tell you how to reach it. In matters dealing with perception and opinion, there are just three strategies from which to choose: reinforce existing perception, create perception where there is none, or change it. A word here, make certain the strategy you choose is a good fit with your public relations goal.

Clearly, the most challenging aspect of the PR problem-solving sequence is preparing the message that will do the heavy lifting ? altering individual perception within your target audience pop ulation. It can do so only if it's both persuasive and compelling. As the PR team's "client manager," you must also be involved in message preparation. Is it clear as to what perception needs to be altered, and is your rationale believable and persuasive?

Next, hitch up your "beasts of burden," the communications tactics you need to carry that message to the eyes and ears of your key target audience. Fortunately, you and your PR team have a long list of such tactics available ranging from press releases, media briefings, newsletters and facility tours to radio and newspaper interviews, brochures and face-to-face meetings. Just be sure that the tactics chosen have a record of actually reaching folks like those in your target audience, and that the budget can accommodate the type and frequency of communications tactics required to do the job.

Pretty quick-like, you will wonder just how much progress towards your public relations goal you are really making. Which is the signal to re-monitor perceptions of those members of your target audience. Same questions, but a new objective: watch closely for signs that perceptions are actually being altered.

You can always apply more pressure to the effort by adding new communications tactics to the battle, AND bumping up some of their frequencies.

By keeping a managerial eye on your public relations program ? and satisfying yourself that it is focused on helping you achieve your operating objectives ? you can be certain your PR dollars are being spent on that workable, comprehensive plan for producing those key audience behaviors that impact your operation the most.

About The Author

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net. Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com

Clean Kid Syndrome - Does Your Child Suffer from it?

The learning and development of Australian kids is under threat because they're not playing outdoors, engaging in constructive, creative play.

A nationwide Newspoll survey revealed that the average kid is spending at most, just 10 percent of their free time playing outdoors at home. Alarmingly one in 20 parents (5%) admits when their kids are at home they NEVER play outdoors. Instead the majority of Australian kids are spending far more time indoors, watching television, playing computer games or playing with toys.

Years of research shows that constructive play is an essential part of fostering inquisitive and strong minds. Playing outdoors is therefore key to normal development and lack of exposure to this kind of experience may put some children at a disadvantage.

Getting messy is how they learn, explore and express their creativity. It also helps them to stay healthy by encouraging them to exercise and by bolstering their immune system. Importantly it is through play that children learn to explore

The Newspoll study has revealed that the 'clean kid' syndrome is widespread. Two in five kids (40%) are permitted by their parents to get dirty no more than two or three times per week.

And, according to the research it's mainly because their parents are concerned about their child's safety, but also because they're worried about cleaning up any mess their kids make.

Almost all those parents polled (96%) said they wanted their kids to excel at school, in sport and socially, yet they're reluctant to let them kids get their hands dirty. One in four (23%) youngsters never get the chance to get messed up indoors either by cooking or doing craft activities.

It is clear also that Australian parents underestimate the benefits of free, unrestricted play for children as most would prefer their children to do homework than play outside.

So, just how restrictive has outdoor play become for Australia's youngest generation? Six in ten (62%) parents claim that as kids they spent more time playing outdoors getting dirty than their own children do now, including three in ten who spent more than twice as much time outdoors getting dirty as their children.

There is a clear need to rethink how children spend their free time and how their lives are organised. Australian parents are a well-intentioned, anxious, misinformed group. We all care greatly about our children's futures however in an effort to give them the best possible start in life we are run the danger of robbing of them of childhood that we are trying to protect.

For too long Australian parents have been fed the message that they need to start their children on the educational track from an early age. So kids from as young as two are routinely shunted around from one organised activity to another in an effort to maximise their development.

Parents need to be encouraged to buck the 'clean kid' trend and be less anxious about their kids getting messy. But where to start?

Let's start by insisting kids turn off the TV or computer and get outside more often. In a back to the future move let's introduce some old-fashioned activities such as finger painting, making mudpies, leaf stencilling and generally mucking all in the name of good clean fun.

Importantly, parents need to value the simple interactions that they have with children on a daily basis such as cleaning up a spill together or making a bed. From my experience parents underestimate the positive impact that these ordinary interactions have on children.

And it would be good for the well-being of both parents and kids if they spent some time getting down and dirty together. My hunch is that most parents do this anyway but they just don't value these messy experiences enough.

Michael Grose is Australia's leading parenting educator. He is the author of six books and gives over 100 presentations a year and appears regularly on television, radio and in print.

For further ideas to help you raise happy children and resilient teenagers visit http://www.parentingideas.com.au . While you are there subscribe to Happy Kids newsletter and receive a free report Seven ways to beat sibling rivalry.

What Are Smart Phones And Do You Need One?

Smart phones are a combination of a cell phone and PDA functions all in one device and are much bigger and notably more expensive than regular handsets, generally costing in the neighborhood of $600. However, one won't need to carry around two separate units.

Most individuals who would need a smart phone are people who are out of the office for long periods of time that require connectivity to e-mail and appointments. While the regular individual can get by with a basic cell phone or if you already have a separate PDA device and don't wish to incur the additional expense of combining the two features into a smart phone.

If you are thinking about purchasing a smart phone, you will need to consider finding a cell phone plan that can provide the additional data for e-mail and for Internet browsing. For example, some cellular phone providers charge a flat fee for the megabyte usage while other cellular phone providers furnish a monthly allowance for megabyte usage. Finally, if your smart phone comes with Wi-Fi access, see if you cellular phone provider offers Wi-Fi plans.

Now you have the scoop. So what it really boils down to is the PDA functions. If you need to be connected to the internet and need email capability, it's worth checking out. But for most of us, a regular cellular phone should meet our needs quite nicely.

Catherine Kenyeres is a free lance writer and publisher for Best-4u-Cell-Phones.com. Catherine provides the latest information, reviews and comparisons for her cell phone clients.

Where to Get Your Military Signature Loan

Military signature loans are easy to come by. When looking for a military signature loan you might even get overwhelmed by what seems like an endless supply of lenders, APRs and added perks. Not all lenders are the same though.

When looking for military signature loans, the yellow pages and internet are a great place to start. If you're close to a military base you are most likely close to a military lender. If you choose to go with finding you military signature loan online some good advice would be to do your research. The internet will allow you so most of the dirty work from the comforts of your own home and once you have submitted your online application and it has been approved the most you will have to do is sign the paper work when it gets to you. On confirmation of your signature the money is yours. Some good advice would be to stick with companies that have a strong track history of proper business; you can do this by checking with the Better Business Bureau. You can never be too careful when it comes to your finances!

Another reliable way to get your military signature loan is to check with whom you currently are banking with or possibly open a new account with a military bank. The rates are often times very reasonable and going about your loan this way has its many added perks as well. Often times the banks will allow you more time to pay the loan off, and nine times out of ten, if you sign up for automatic withdrawal of payments from either you're checking or savings account they will lower your APR. This is a win win situation; you get a discount and the conveniences of on time bill paying!

Keep your options open when looking for your military signature loan and check out all avenues before truly perusing one particular lender. Leave no stone uncovered if you want the best deal.

Timothy Gorman is a successful webmaster and publisher of Military-Loans-Online.com. He provides more military auto loans, home loans, payday loans and military motorcycle loans that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

Look Out Any Window

Over my extended Thanksgiving weekend I took some time to look through my telescope at the moon. I saw the full moon rising in the east- northeast and thought it would be a good night for a look, so I set up my Meade reflecting telescope in the kitchen and aimed it toward the window.

The moon had risen higher and the sky was darkening. The darker it became the more detail I was able to see.

There I was, a Saturday night, standing in my kitchen enjoying one of my home brewed beers and occasionally taking a peak through the eyepiece of my telescope. I had calibrated the telescope, and after a few simple selections on the hand-held control unit the scope swung around on it's motorized mount and aligned on the moon, then continued to track our celestial neighbor. All I had to do was enjoy the view.

I decided to take some digital photos of the moon by simply holding the camera up to the eyepiece and carefully aiming before pressing the shutter release. Some of the pictures turned out pretty nice. It's great to be able to enjoy the result so quickly, that's the magic of digital photography. It's convenient too, because if I took one I didn't like I could just delete it.

I'm glad I picked up the camera, because during one look through the telescope I spotted a jet plane zipping across the bright face of the moon, in perfect silouhette. I brought the camera up to the eyepiece to capture the scene but unfortunately I missed the plane, though the contrail remained as evidence of what I had witnessed.

As I continued to monitor the moon I was hoping another plane would pass by, but none ever showed. I did see a formation of geese fly across the silvery orb, but I didn't get my camera to the eyepiece in time.

It's amazing what we can see if we stick around long enough and have a little patience. We can apply that to life too. If we careen blindly through life like an asteroid we often miss the neat stuff. The things that make us wonder in awe.

Stand on top of a mountain and see how big the world is. Peer through a telescope and see the craters on the moon. I imagine an asteroid has a pretty great view from out there, if indeed it could see.

Life's a journey, so enjoy it. Look out any window. I love windows.

Drew Vics, an artist, writer & musician from New Jersey, writes for http://www.Myeyez.net, and for other websites online.

Bass Fishing Tips

3 Lures You Must Have

Do you know what the top 3 lures for catching Bass are? Though there aren't any specific statistics, a survey was conducted amongst the pro bass fishermen and it was found that plastic worms won by a large margin. Second and third place were the spinnerbait and then the crank bait.

Picking one of these 3 is not enough, however. You must take into account the lake you are fishing on before you select your lure. Especially you must consider if it is better to cover a smaller segment of water thoroughly or skim across a larger expanse as quickly as possible to find fish. Using a worm is slower, but extremely effective and is very seductive to Bass. They do best when the fish are schooled over a particular structure.

Spinnerbait can be moved more quickly across the surface and can be bounced on the bottom, sent against a tree limb and moved in many different ways in order to stimulate strikes. It is a great probing lure for the shoreline because of its tangle-free construction.

Crankbaits cover a lot of water in a hurry. Using them, you can check out a spot without wasting too much time. You can use them for locating fish that may be scattered.

The bottom line is, whatever lure you select for the particular lake that you are fishing on, you need to make it as easy for the Bass to get at it as possible. Drop that lure right in front of them. Scientists have proven that Bass calculate the amount of energy it will take them to go after the prey vs. the return.

Learn to fish all 3 of these lures effectively, and you will catch more than your share of big game Bass!

When to fish for bass

Dawn and dusk are definitely when the biggest bass can be brought in. First, remember that bass love ambush spots offering lots of cover from the baitfish. They like to hid, and pounce on their prey.

These bait fish are most active in the early morning or evening. When they feed, bass follow because the baitfish are less aware of threats when they feed. Go out fishing during these times for the best success ? additionally you will have the water to yourself as most anglers don't fish during these times.

The first excellent lure to use is a plug that looks like a mouse ? very productive. Also use a big spent-wing moth made out of deer hair. Body and wings should be about the size of your forefinger. The idea is to twitch it along as if it is injured and trying to get in the air. Other surface plugs that chug, waddle, or have spinners are usually productive as well as buzzing lures that squeak. The most effective is a slim-minnow lure (a floating diving type). It resembles an elongated minnow at rest on the surface, and the lure will dive quickly when twitched, and then pop back up as if injured.

When retrieving an underwater lure in poor light, keep it coming at a steady pace once it is set in motion. This will make it easier for bass to locate and grab it.

The last thing is, don't bother going out in the dawn/dusk when water is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature wipes out certain aquatics and terrestrials, which nullifies the food chain feeding.

Water Quality Considerations

You need to fish bass differently in different kinds of water quality. Follow the general guidelines below to get better results.

Muddy Water: In low-visibility water, a bass finds food using its sonar senses. You must use lures with the best vibration and noise. You can tell if a lure has a high vibration by feeling the shaking of your rod as you bring in the lure. Use your heaviest vibrators and keep them coming at a steady pace so that bass can detect it.

Clear Water: Bass are overly cautious in clear water with high visibility. Their survival instincts kick in, and they are wary of anything out of the ordinary. Use lighter lines that are less visible. Also, use longer casts and lures that resemble bass food in the area. Spinners usually work in clear water, but if they are not working try a black spinner blade to reduce the flash.

Normal Water: This water has normal algae and plankton that filters out sunlight. It is ideal for all types of lures, as the bass are not timid. Use the shotgun approach here and set up 3 outfits, one using a surface lure, one using a deep diver, and the last using a plastic worm. Do about 10 casts with each, and then switch them up to different variations. This is a great way to find out what is working.

Fishing a Plastic Worm

Here are some techniques that you should consider for fishing plastic worms for bass in different situations:

Turbid water - bass are sight and sound feeders, and it is important to add turbulence to the plastic worm. Add a No. 3 Hildebrandt gold spinner just ahead of the hook. This sets up a flashing, hissing, throbbing attraction that bass can hear at considerable distances.

Clear water ? Cut down the size of the worm, line, and sinker so that bass will have a harder time seeing the lure.

Big vibe worms ? Use a worm with a curly tail design that gives off extremely strong vibrations. Try these worms when your straight worms fail to score.

Skipping ? This is the only method to get under overhanging branches. You need a spin casting or spinning rig because a level wind reel just doesn't ski8p well. Make a flat hard cast onto the water's surface so that it will make a low skip. This will reach bass hangouts impossible to attain in any other way.

Ripping ? This will surprise reluctant bass to strike a worm. Let the worm settle to the bottom and lie there for about 20 seconds. Reel slack out of the line and pick up the worm with a long, sharp upsweep of the rod tip. Let it settle to the bottom under tension as you slowly lower the rod tip. Repeat for three or four rips. Strikes will come.

Drift trolling ? move to the head of a deep hole and let the wind carry you quietly across the lake while your worm crawls across bottom cover. Raise and lower the worm as it contacts bottom. Pickups usually happen as the worm is being pulled off the cover.

Flyrodding ? Fill a single action flyreel with backing and about 50 yards of 10-pound monofilament. Rig a six-inch worm weedless and add a small split-shot ahead of the hook so it will sink slowly. Either flip or flat-cast the worm into every pocket you see and feed it line as it slowly settles to bottom. Keep the flyrod tip low so that you can make a long, sweeping strike when you feel a bass inhale the worm. This is practical in ponds, lakes or streams.

Worm rig

One of the biggest problems with fishing a worm is the inability to sense strikes. Usually the inability to sense them is due to a sinker that is too heavy and a line that is too thick.

Use a variable buoyancy worm using lead strip sinkers. Here are some advantages:

No moving lead on the line to dampen the feel of a gentle pickup You can apply the precise amount of lead to deliver the worm action needed It makes it easier for a bass to inhale the worm It aids in hook setting It's easier to shake loose from snags You can cause the worm to hang virtually suspended over the bottom when fishing shallow water.

To tell how much lead strip is needed, wrap one strip around the hook and bury the barb in the worm. Ease it into the water and watch it sink, it should barely settle toward the bottom. If it sinks to fast, take some off, etc. A slow decent is the ticket here.

Make sure to use no heavier than 8-pound mono line ? preferably 6 pound.

Weather Matters

In the early spring and fall bass will smash top water lures such as floating propeller types and poppers. They are also likely to take surface lures when found in shallow water, such as along shorelines near overhanging trees.

As the temperature rises and the bass are in the cooler, deeper holes, change your technique. You need something to dredge the bottom. The plastic worm is ideal for this, even the most sluggish bass will respond when you drag one slowly past its nose.

Crank baits

When fishing a tidal river for bass, cast crank baits near the mouths of tiny feeder streams on the falling tide. Bass hang out where the water depth drops off, waiting for crayfish, crabs and minnows to be washed out.

Bait

One of the best baits for small mouth bass in rivers is the hellgrammite, the larva of the Dobson fly. Gather these from beneath rocks in shallow riffles with a mesh net or seine. Fish them on No. 4 or 6 fine-wire hooks, drifting them naturally through pools and runs below rapids.

A Trick Most Bass Fishermen Don't Know

Cast a worm over a limber branch and reel it back so that its tail just touches the water. Then jiggle the rod tip, making the worm squirm and wriggle just above the surface. Bass will often leap right out of the water to snatch it.

Night Fishing

Many anglers have the idea that bass do not see well at night and won't strike. Although it is true that bass cannot see well at night, but they have an amazing ability to pick up disturbances on the water and hone in on unsuspecting bait. Given this, lures that vibrate will cause the most underwater disturbance and are most effective. You can also drill a small hole in balsa or plastic lures to place small BB's in them to make some noise.

Copyright 2005 EveningSecretFishing.com Fishing

Frank Faldo is a Long-Time Fisherman and friend of EveningSecretFishing (http://www.eveningsecretfishing.com/specialsecret/10_Fishing_Gems.php )

Feel free to use this article on your website or anywhere else - but all links and bio information must remain in tact.

Will Inquiries Lower Your Credit Score?

What are inquiries?

When you apply for credit the creditor or lender checks your credit report to verify that you qualify for the credit or loan you are applying for. The "inquiry" is then reported to the credit bureaus and shows up on your credit report.

Does this affect your credit rating or score?

Yes, it does. Although only a few points are deducted from your score for each inquiry, having multiple inquiries may drop your score to a lower bracket, forcing a higher interest rate. You may not even qualify for the loan or line of credit at all.

Will requesting your credit report generate an inquiry?

This is a common misconception and is totally false. You should view your report at least once a month. Doing so will not generate any inquiries.

What if you did not authorize an inquiry, can you dispute it?

Yes. If you did not authorize any of the inquiries on your credit report you can and should dispute them. To dispute inquiries obtain your credit report, then make a copy of your credit report, highlighting the inquiries in dispute. Finally, send the copy of your highlighted inquiries along with a letter demanding the inquiries be deleted from your credit report to the credit bureau.

Is it worth it?

The next time you are out shopping and the salesperson asks you, "Would you like to apply for our credit line and receive 15% off your purchase?" Ask yourself, "Is it worth it?"

Scott Brown is a fair credit reporting advocate and the author of his own website Credit Repair, a free information site dedicated to help consumers repair bad credit and optimize their credit reports and credit scores.

Brilliant Branding Builds Business

Branding is more than product recognition or a simple logo. It is the overall intellectual and emotional impression people have when they think of your company and its product. It is a strong and consistent message about the value of your business.

A memorable and trustworthy brand reinforces customer loyalty. It helps them remember that your business provides the perfect solution to their problems. Therefore, to succeed in branding you must understand your customers' needs and issues.

Brand building is an ongoing business strategy that has an easy-to-measure cost in time, money, and effort. Its value, on the other hand, is harder to establish because it involves measuring emotional associations that may not immediately translate into revenue. Branding is an essential element of success, however, and it should be reinforced during times when business is booming and when sales are slower. You want customers and potential customers to maintain a positive association with your company and its services.

You control the messages you send out through marketing, advertising, customer service, and your Internet presence. Branding is a combination of everything your company uses to present itself. Here are a few key elements to analyze and enhance in your branding strategy:

1. Professionally designed marketing materials (logo, stationery, ads, and the like): These tell customers your company is strong, confident, and credible. Your marketing materials should reinforce your company's image and positioning over and over and over.

2. Consistency in advertising: Develop a tagline to succinctly describe your company - and use it! Develop a campaign that can provide different messages, but it recognizable as your brand.

3. Excellent customer service - always! Make sure your entire staff positively represents your business image.

4. A strong and professional website: It must be easy for viewers to navigate and understand. It should let visitors know what your company does and why they should care. Provide compelling, easy-to-understand, and interesting content. Make it easy for visitors to make purchases.

5. Differentiate your brand: Make sure your customers and potential customers understand why you are different from the competition. You want to establish a superior benefit with you target audience that encourages long-term loyalty.

Branding is not what you say about your company and products; it's about your customers' perception of your company and products. To strengthen your brand, make sure you can answer the following questions: What do you do that is different from anyone else? Why do you matter to your customers? If you can't answer these questions, you don't have an effective brand.

ACTION ITEM: Take a good look at your company and product/service strengths. Determine your primary strengths and benefits and then make sure your branding strategy (marketing materials, advertising, sales, customer services, logo, etc.) reinforces this. Simple, eh?

Wendy Maynard, your friendly marketing maven, is the owner of Kinesis. Kinesis specializes in marketing, graphic and website design, and business writing. Visit http://www.kinesisinc.com for more articles and free marketing wisdom.

Want to harness the power of kinetic marketing? Sign up for Kinesis Quickies, a free bi-monthly marketing e-newsletter: http://www.news.kinesisinc.com

3 Inside Secrets To Making You Richer Using Direct Mail!

Making money using direct mail isn't easy. And anyone who tells you it is, is lying.

To run a successful direct mail campaign, you must have a compelling offer... amazing copy... and most important... the right list to mail to.

And even if you have each of these things running at their peak, there are many other subtle "little" tricks you can use to increase the responsiveness of your mailings, which is what it's all about, right?

Because this means...

You'll Be Increasing Your Cash-Flow As Well!

And remember, in whatever you're doing: All you need is 5-or-6 little steps that each increase your response rates 1 or 2 %, and before you know it, you've got a lot more money pouring in than you did before.

So don't start neglecting the subtle differences -- this is usually what separates the people who are marginally successful, from the people who are wildly successful.

First, always hand-address your envelopes. Why? As my mentor Gary Halbert taught me from "Day 1", you'll always open a hand-addressed letter because you think its "personal" mail -- as opposed to a sales letter or a bill.

Make sense?

Remember, if your letter never gets opened, I promise you... you'll never make the sale.

Second, in your corner card (which is the upper left-hand corner of the front of your envelope, where your name and address goes), DON'T put your company's name!

Put your name and then your address.

See, your prospects are programmed into thinking as soon as they see the name of a company, even yours... your letter's either trying to sell them something, or collect their money -- neither of which is good for you if you want that envelope to get opened. And,

Third, use "live" postage stamps and NOT a "bulk" rate indicia. Again, when your prospects see a "bulk" rate, or even a metered stamp, they know right-away... you're trying to sell them something.

Also, try to use the "decorative" postage stamps the post office has and not the "standard" stamps with a U.S. Flag. I always tell my clients to use the ones that say "Happy Birthday" on them.

After all, who doesn't like opening a personal letter that says "Happy Birthday" on it? P.S. I know having your letters hand-addressed is a pain. Honestly, I do.

And I have seen some software out there that is "almost" close to human handwriting, but the amount of variation from letter-to-letter isn't quite there yet.

If you see software that can simulate "real" handwriting, I'd sure appreciate you letting me know so I can tell the rest of my subscribers.

Thanks!

Craig Garber is America's Top Direct-Response Copywriter. You'll find hundreds of marketing tips to increase your sales, and his insanely popular FREE Unconventional and Irreverent Daily Direct-Response Marketing Tips, on his website, http://www.KingOfCopy.com