The Pleasures of Sharing Information

Like its brethren, the CR-V, Odyssey and new Element, the Pilot
completes Honda’s best-buy SUV and van line. And like any of those
offerings or anything else in Honda’s arsenal, it’s hard to find serious
fault with the Pilot.

Introduced in late 2003, the Pilot replaced the Passport and it shares the
same basic chassis and powertrain as the MDX, the complementary
choice from Honda’s upscale Acura division.

My test drive for the week was the top of the line’s EX L 4-door wagon
that includes both a navigation system and second seat DVD
entertainment system. With those additions, the Pilot further enhances
its position at the forefront of the midsize SUV ranks that include the
Ford Explorer, Nissan Murano and Toyota Highlander.

The three Pilot models all offer a V6, 255-horsepower engine paired
only with a 5-speed automatic transmission. The HP total represents an
increase of six percent from the 2004 model, further adding to the
vehicle’s status among the quicker midsize SUVs. It has a 0-60 mph test
rating of 7.9 seconds.

Further performance areas for the Pilot are all ranked at least average or
above. The driver sits “tall” in the vehicle, so steering and handling are
fine for the car’s type. But it should never be mistaken for anything other
than a SUV with cornering limitations.

Braking is strong and the standard all-wheel-drive system seems well-
suited for trails and in inclement weather conditions.

Like other Hondas, controls and instrumentation as well as styling and
indoor space are thoughtful and styled simply. The automatic shift lever
is located behind the right side of the steering wheel and doesn’t block
access to other controls. But it’s also too easy to shift in and out of
transmission settings.

The pilot is an eight-passenger vehicle, with little compromise. The
second and third-row seats each comfortably seat three passengers.
Although unused during my test week, second and third-seat
passengers can view DVDs from a screen that pops down from the
second-seat ceiling. Headphones are stored in a map/accessory
compartment behind the driver’s seat.

All three Pilot models have a long list of standard features: tilt steering
wheel, cruise control, 60/40 split folding second and third seats, power
mirrors, windows and doors locks, remote keyless entry and AM/FM/CD
player, among other items. The EX and EX-L models include a six-disc
changer, steering wheel radio controls, automatic-off headlights and
allow wheels. Leather upholstery, heated front seats, power sunroof and
heated power mirrors are standard on the EX-L model only.

Despite its best-buy status, the Pilot does have two less-than-
spectacular considerations: curtain side airbags are not available on
any model, and its fuel rating of 17 in city driving and 22 in highway use
is fine for its category but hardly an economical plus.

Nevertheless, the Pilot overall is an ideal family vehicle. It’s spaciously
designed, practical and fits well in the Honda family known not only
performance and reliability, but for a strong position in the resale market.

2005 Honda Pilot

Safety features — Front side airbags, anti-lock 4-wheel disc
brakes, rear-obstacle detection system. tire pressure monitor, rearview
camera.

Fuel Mileage (estimates) — 17 mpg (city), 22 mpg (highway).

Warranty — Bumper to bumper, 3 years/36,000 miles;
Corrosion, 5 years/unlimited miles.

Base price range — $34,120.

James Raia is a syndicated journalist in Sacramento, California, who
writes about sports, fitness, travel and lifestyle topics as well as the car
review colum, The Weekly Driver.

To read more car reviews, visit: The Weekly Driver

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There have been more travelers going to the Canadian Arctic region in recent years for both business and tourism. Adventure tourism companies are beginning to promote the Arctic as a unique destination to experience the natural beauty and wildlife of the north as well as the culture of the native Inuit who live there. As a result of the creation of the Nunavut territory and government, the capital city of Iqaluit has been growing as Inuit from smaller Arctic communities migrate to the city for more job opportunities. This growth has created the increase of business travelers to the Arctic.

Getting to the Arctic has always been a problem for travelers since there are no roads that go up there from southern Canadian cities. The Arctic communities are very isolated from the rest of Canada as well as from each other. Flying in has been the only option although many coastal Arctic areas are serviced by cargo boat during the summers as well. For the average traveler, the air option is the only way to go. Although travel to the Canadian Arctic has increased, the number of travelers going up north is very small compared to number of travelers between southern Canadian cities. As a result, the major Canadian carrier Air Canada and certainly none of the US carriers service the Arctic. The only commercial airlines which service the Arctic (Nunavut and Northwest Territories) for the average traveler are First Air and Canadian North. A smaller airline called Air Inuit services the native Inuit communities in Nunavik (Arctic Quebec). First Air and Canadian North both fly out of Ottawa. First Air also flies out of Montreal while Canadian North also has flights departing from Edmonton and Calgary. These Canadian North flights will stop in Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories before continuing to Nunavut. So travelers will have to get to one of these Canadian cities from their points of origin in order to connect with an Arctic carrier. Getting to a smaller Arctic community such as Cape Dorset will involve an additional connection in Iqaluit.

The number of all flights to the Arctic is predictably few in comparison to other domestic flights in Canada. Therefore, Arctic flights are always expensive no matter which travel day of the week. Staying for a Saturday night will not result in cheaper airfares either. The high cost of flights has always been the major obstacle for Arctic travel and will likely not change in the near future. The growth of Arctic tourism will still be limited because of the expensive travel involved. However, if one is willing to pay for it, a trip to the Canadian Arctic is one that will certainly be memorable and satisfying.

Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery (www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca) , an online gallery specializing in Inuit Eskimo and Northwest Native American art including carvings, sculpture and prints. Free Spirit Gallery has numerous information resource articles with photos of authentic Inuit and Native Indian art as well as free eCards.

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My daughter was immovable when it came to potty training: she didn’t want to go potty, and that was that! She was four and a half and still using diapers, and I was at my wit’s end. During the two years I spent trying, in one way or another, to get her to go potty, I learned four important and interesting things about potty training a strong willed child.

1. You can’t force it. There are two things that you cannot force your child to do. You cannot force your child to eat, and you cannot force him to go potty. So no matter how much I praised, rewarded, begged, scolded, or guilt-tripped my daughter, she was only going to use the potty when she was good and ready. No amount of intervention on my part was going to change this immutable fact.

2. You know better than your doctor. During the two years I battled with my daughter over potty training, I took her to three different doctors and even to a social worker who specializes in children who are potty-resisters! Once we ruled out any physical or medical problems, every single professional I spoke with gave me a different opinion on why my daughter was resisting and what I should do about it. They all agreed on one thing - that my daughter and I were locked in a battle of wills, and I was losing the battle big time. But the advice I received was varied and often contradictory. I came to realize that I knew better than they did, because I knew my daughter.

3. Don’t take it personally. I can’t tell you how many hours I spent angry, frustrated, even in tears, because I couldn’t get my daughter out of diapers. When she reached four and half, I felt like a failure as a mother. Don’t fall into this way of thinking! Your child’s unwillingness to go potty is no reflection on your parenting ability.

4. Eventually, your child will go (all children do). All children master the potty, and your child is no exception. If you have ruled out any physical or medical problems that may be preventing your child from mastering the potty, your child will surprise you one day.

My daughter was fully trained well before she turned five years old, and now that she is almost six, I still find it miraculous that she willingly goes to the bathroom without any reminders or accidents! It will happen for your child, too.

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The trouble with being a parent is that there really are no set “classes” that cover all the myriad problems that one can face when you become one! This article will deal with the problems of motivating children to do their chores.

Consider the plight of the working mom, gone 8 hours daily plus two hours drive time, and the working dad, same thing. Kids at home…on their own, doing what they want, and NOT what they have been told to do to help out. This can be absolutely the worst scenario for mom and dad …to come home to a messy house, chores not yet done, dishes in the sink…TV blaring, and the kids not doing their homework. “Nagging” just doesn’t do the trick and always leads to arguments and whining or some sort of a “scene”.

I went through this scenario years ago when my young teens were for the first time free to be at home without the “sitter”. I put up with it so long and then decided it was time to steal one of my top “motivation techniques” that I used in my classes (I was a special ed teacher). In those days, it was called “behavior disorder”. Nowadays there are such labels as “attention deficit disorder” and “educationally impaired”. Regardless, I had a lot of tricks up my sleeve to get these kids to concentrate on their skills in school, and I thought I would give it a try at home.

These techniques worked for me then, and with a few “modernization” ideas they will work now, in this day and age.

First of all, as a parent you need to decide what you want your kids to do as their part of the household. And don’t say they don’t need to do anything. They are members of the household. Same as you. Same as the other half of the marriage, the spouse…everybody in a household benefits from the things the household provides…food, shelter, warmth, etc. Cleanliness and tidiness without screaming and yelling and temper tantrums makes the household run smoothly and makes everybody happier.

So, make that list of what you would like to see your kids do. Make a good no nonsense list: make the bed, pick up the dirty clothes, wash their own clothes, keep the dirty dishes picked up, put away the toothbrush and toothpaste…common normal things that irritate you when they DON’T get done. Don’t forget to add in Homework! Then tack on to the list at least three tasks that should be done as “extras” (things like cleaning the refrigerator or shaking out the scatter rugs or vacuuming the living room floor).

Make a chart listing those tasks, down the side of the page, with a space for each day going along the top of the page (you will need to check each item on a daily basis).

Next, decide what your kids really really like to do, (Listen to the ipod? Play nintendo?) and keep that in mind. Then, sit your kids down and write a contract with them, something to the effect that you will not say ONE WORD to them about accomplishing their “chores”. They will be written on the chart. In turn for your not “nagging” them, they will simply do what is expected, and have it done by 7 pm every night. No “privileges” until then. NO television, NO ipods, NO cell phone. (Remove them in the morning of the first day you start the new regime.) You sign this contract, and your kids sign this contract. What they get out of this is no more nagging, and a chance to keep their favorite privileges, that up till now they have considered a right, rather than a privilege.

Every night at 7 pm the chart will be checked. If all the daily tasks have not been checked off, then the favorite thing will NOT BE USED. Furthermore, it will be removed from them until the next day, at 7 pm. Same thing. If the Daily chores ARE checked, then they have their favorite things back, then and there, for the evening. Don’t start out too tough, it doesn’t t have to be a perfectly made bed for example, but it can’t be a rumpled mess either.

This only takes a couple of days, and guess what, you will be coming home and finding an orderly house and homework being done.

What about the “extra” items? Well, if they get three “extra” items done during a one week period of time, then you have two choices. You can give them an extra special something, or you can DO an extra special something with your kids - you will, after all, have more time to spend with them!!

Remember, it is YOUR home too. And you are not a “friend,” you are a PARENT. You will be the one who is responsible for what kind of home THEY will provide for their own children. Teach them well. And Love them well.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Parental Control

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Back during the late nineties, a conversation at a swank Auburn Hills, Michigan, French bistro turned heated when the talk shifted from personal pleasantries to discussing the ending of one of the most storied names in the automotive world: Oldsmobile. Gathered together in a separate room, the eight men and one woman were tasked with the responsibility of plotting multi-brand strategy for General Motors as well as to discuss concept cars that would make it off of design team drawing boards and onto production lines.

Suddenly, a red faced, balding middle aged man got up and left the group, and walked at a clipped pace through the crowded restaurant and out onto the front sidewalk. The remaining group was stunned, but the silence was soon broken by the leading EVP who announced what everyone already knew: the Oldsmobile name would be abandoned and Saturn would take its place in the GM line up.

This scenario is, of course, fiction but it is representative of some of the behind the scenes jockeying that took place leading up to the decision for General Motors to lay the venerable Oldsmobile name to rest. Dealer buy outs, model shifting, and brand reassessment were all to dominate GM meetings for several years until the deed was finally completed.

In 1897, the Olds Motor Vehicle Company was formed in Lansing, Michigan by Ransom Eli Olds, a manufacturer of gasoline engine and Frank Clark, the son of a small carriage shop operator. From that point forward through the time that the company became part of General Motors and until the final car was shipped in 2004, the “Olds” represented American motor history like no other. It was that sense of history, nostalgia, and purpose that brought about the turmoil and anguish experienced by those affected by the brand’s demise.

GM’s decision to go with Saturn was not an easy one, but it was predicated on two things: the dealer network and brand potential. Saturn’s biggest plus has always been its “no haggle, no hassle” price policy. The sticker price on the car was the sticker price consumers paid. No need to enter into protracted and uncomfortable negotiations when purchasing a car, instead the atmosphere in a Saturn showroom was unlike any in the business: cordial, folksy, and friendly. Olds dealers, although given an opportunity to adopt the Saturn sales strategy, never could quite incorporate the Saturn way of thinking.

As far as brand potential, some felt that Oldsmobile had the better chance since Olds was a 100 year old name and Saturn barely 10 years old. Perhaps a generation ago that would have held true, but with the onslaught of new, foreign brands in the US market, customer loyalty for Olds had been eroding for quite some time. Not since the Cutlass dominated the line up in the late 1970s and early 1980s had a model captured the amount of sales that the Cutlass had. Indeed, a steep and steady drop in sales over the years exposed Olds’ weaknesses while Saturn was perceived by some as having the best chance of the two divisions of not only succeeding, but thriving.

Could Oldsmobile ever be resurrected? Never say “never”, but the logistics behind bringing Olds back make the possibility of that happening remote. As it stands right now, GM is looking at possibly cutting additional brands, such as Pontiac and Buick, each of which are considered to be at risk. Quite frankly, changing tastes and market conditions warrant a reduction in car lines, not an increase.

For Olds fans all of this is sad news. However, much like the retired Packard moniker, Oldsmobile will likely live on for a generation or more in the form of existing models on the road and in car clubs dedicated to the Olds name [they are legion]. Olds’ loss is Saturn’s gain and the division’s demise ultimately benefits General Motors as well as consumers.

Matt Keegan is an independent writer and contributing essayist for the
Auto Parts Warehouse [APW]. At APW, we furnish premium

Oldsmobile accessories for your Delta 88, Cutlass, Intrigue, Alero or other awesome Olds.

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It’s no secret that the majority of kids - and if we’re honest that includes ourselves in our earlier days - constantly shy away from the foods that are good and healthy for them. Preference has always been shown to those high in saturated fats and containing great quantities of sugar. It is however, the rapid increase in fast food establishments and the clever advertising campaigns that marketing specialists dream up to accompany them; that have escalated a growing concern for the children of the 21st century. Childhood obesity is already widespread in some areas of the world and on the rise in many of the others. A startling statistic suggests that an estimated 22 million children under five are thought to be overweight across the globe. It is believed that children now get 10% of their total energy intake from fast foods! A Body Mass Index (BMI) reading is accepted as reasonably accurate in adults is assessing their weight range, but it is much more difficult in adolescents, especially during puberty when they are experiencing varying phases of sudden growth.

The major concern is that these overweight children are at risk for serious health conditions like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol - all once considered exclusively adult diseases. In a vicious circle, those children who are unhappy with their weight may be more likely than those of an average-weight, to develop unhealthy dieting habits, which can also lead to serious eating disorders. Encouragement from two angles represent the key to turning things around. Firstly, the diets of these susceptible youngsters need to be managed and monitored more closely by parents and guardians; secondly exercise is essential, as lack of this plays a key role in gradual weight gain, which can lead all the way to obesity. With the explosion in recent years of video gaming systems, children are spending more and more time sitting in front of a screen of one description or another, instead of running around in the fresh air. Perhaps the solution is for all the family to become involved in outdoor pursuits. Many kids have become so used to being left to their own devises that they simply play on these games out of sheer boredom and the general apathy displayed by their elders has discouraged them from following a more active alternative. So a huge responsibility is resting firmly on the shoulders of families to steer their vulnerable offspring away from the path to obesity and onto the road to a healthy life.

Mick Burrows writes for http://www.weight-is-over.info

click here to find more details on what is obesity - don’t ‘weight’.

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Father: a role model who gives the gifts of guidance and wisdom while learning how to stretch his ability to love beyond what he knew was possible.

Whether you are a father or planning to become one, you’ll discover a nugget of wisdom and experience in each of these unforgettable “Father Quotes”.

Fathers, like mothers, are not born. Men grow into fathers–and fathering is a very important stage in their development. - David M. Gottesman

As you journey through [life], you will encounter all sorts of these nasty little upsets, and you will either learn to adjust yourself to them or gradually go nuts. - Groucho Marx

What you have inherited from your father, you must earn over again for yourselves, or it will not be yours. - Johann Wofgang von Goethe

No man can possibly know what life means, what the world means, what the world means, what anything means, until he has a child and loves it. - Lafcadio Hearn

When dealing with a two-year-old in the midst of a tantrum, fathers need to be particularly watchful about the tendency to need to feel victorious. - Dr. Kyle Pruett (Quoted in Dads, June/July 2000)

True maturity is only reached when a man realizes he has become a father figure to his daughters’ girlfriends–and he accepts it. - Larry McMurtry

My father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it. - Clarence Kelland

Let us teach them not only to do virtuously, but to excel. To excel they must be taught to be steady, active, and industrious. - John Adams

A boy, by the age of three years, senses that his destiny is to be a man, so he watches his father particularly–his interests, manner, speech, pleasures, his attitude toward work… - Benjamin Spock and Michael B. Rothenberg, Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care (1992)

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. - Colossians 3:20

To show a child what once delighted you, to find the child’s delight added to your own so that there is now a double delight seen in the glow of trust and affection, this is happiness. - J.B. Priestley

A girl’s father is the first man in her life, and probably the most influential. - David Jeremiah (Quoted in Fathers Who Dare to Win by Ian Grant, 1999)

I talk and talk and talk, and I haven’t taught people in fifty years what my father taught by example in one week. - Mario Cuomo

Father taught us that opportunity and responsibility go hand in hand. I think we all act on that principle; on the basic human impulse that makes a man want to make the best of what’s in him and what’s been given him. - Laurence Rockefeller

Hug. - Annie Pigeon, Dad’s Little Instruction Book (1995)

These brief nuggets of gold describe the tremendous influence of a father upon his children. Particularly, they convey the importance of a loving spirit and how mutually beneficial a father-child relationship is. Through the years, we must be willing to learn much from our children, to grow with them, and give them the unconditional love and support needed to foster their trust, courage, and sense of personal responsibility.

As an additional resource on the topic of fathers, please see the article entitled, “7 Blessings from a Father to His Children” at http://ezinearticles.com/?7-Blessings-from-a-Father-to-His-Children&id=107163

© Copyright 2006 by Steve Brunkhorst. All rights reserved. Steve is the father of 3 daughters, a professional life success coach, motivational author and speaker, and the editor of Achieve! 60-Second Nuggets of Inspiration. Get the next issue and pick up some great resources for achievement at http://www.AchieveEzine.com

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The United States House Judiciary Committee approved legislation which aims to simplify the collection of business taxes across state lines.

The Business Activity Tax Simplification Act was designed to resolve the issue of states seeking to collect business activity taxes from businesses located in other states. The act sets specific guidelines for when an out-of-state business can be charged a tax for business done within another state.

Many states have recently sought to collect business activity taxes from businesses in other states. The problem has been that different states use different standards for determining what justifies taxation.

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), explains that the differences between states has resulted in businesses being deterred from expansion into other states for fear of taxation. The issue is of specific concern for internet-based companies.

“This legislation sets specific guidelines for when an out-of-state business may be charged a tax for doing business in a state,” Goodlatte said. “This legislation focuses on allowing the Internet and the commerce that it facilitates to expand, by eliminating excessive taxes that harm on-line growth.”

The bill creates a “bright line” test to determine whether or not an out-of-state business is obligated to pay taxes to another jurisdiction. There would also be a physical presence test established. For example, a state may only tax an out-of-state business if the out-of-state business has a physical presence in the taxing state.

This physical presence could be defined as leasing or owning real or tangible property in the state or the assignment of one or more employees in the state for over 21 days.

The bill should be voted upon by the House by the end of summer.

Martin Lukac represents http://www.RateEmpire.com and http://www.1AmericanFinancial.com, a finance web-company specializing in real estate and mortgage rates. We specialize in daily updates, mortgage news, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. Find low home loan mortgage interest rates from hundreds of mortgage companies!

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Here’s a typical scenario: You are deciding to start a home business
and suddenly everyone you know has his nose in your business,
literally. What do you tell them? And how do you answer your own
questions? What should you expect from the company in terms of
stability, longevity, vitality, trust, income, and so forth?
First the bad news: there are no guarantees. Then the good news: there
is plenty of information from which to draw your own conclusions. The
internet is huge, and any good company will offer free marketing tools
and training.

But back to the WHY of that business plan. You’re going to be starting
small, slow and boy! is there a lot to learn. What’s the point of
actually sitting down and writing a business plan? You’re not Bill
Gates, this isn’t Microsoft, just you in your home office a few hours
a week, slowly building an online business presence, not really
understanding what the heck you’ll be doing.

Relax and breathe. Unlike Mt. Rushmore, your plan won’t be designed to
withstand the weathering of the ages. You can expect it will change
and bend with the flow of your real experiences, which will be totally
yours, not identical to anyone else’s.

What writing your plan will do is cause you to pause, think, dream,
study and focus. The written document, whether it is one page or
twelve, will give your business a framework to work within. The
internet is vast and seemingly endless. It is easy to lose focus and
drift away on a different whim or idea every day. Understanding where
you are today, what tools you have to work with, what your goals are,
and how you can best achieve them and measure your success, will help
you stay on target and not waste what few hours you may be investing
in your business at start-up.

Whenever you feel lost or confused, you can return to what you have
written. When you analyze your situation and decide to make a change,
rewrite that part of the plan. Understand that it’s a living document,
intended to grow with you and your business. Your business plan is
your friend.

Getting Started with the Business Plan

First you need to study the company and its management. You need to
read and learn about the products, the compensation plan and the
network structure. See you next month. Just kidding.

Plan on doing SOME reading each and every work day for the next few
months, if not indefinitely. Keep up with the company forum entries
every day; read something in the training reports every day. Your
education will continue. Plan for it.

When you are ready, open up a Notepad window and answer these
questions:

What service/products does your business provide and what needs does
it fill?

Who are the potential customers for your product or service and why
will they purchase it from you?

How will you reach your potential customers?

Where will you get the financial resources to start your business?

Ok. Maybe your company offers many products and services. What do you
want to focus on? I suggest that, at first, you focus on one or two
products and/or the affiliate opportunity. In other words, keep is
simple. Once you get the hang of what you’re doing, you will KNOW when
it’s time to expand. Do only what you are comfortable with, every step
of the way. This is YOUR business, it’s your right and privilege to
decide on your approach.

Internet marketing hinges on building trust. How will you do this?

Reaching customers means marketing. Your decision, once again. And
again, the options should be in your company’s training materials.

So we’re talking developing a reading/study schedule. Here’s a
possible list, once you’ve read enough to make your own decisions to
answer the above questions, start writing. Your writing can be lists
of words and phrases, free-form brainstorming, outlines, mind maps,
whatever works for you. Just write it down, and don’t forget to save
often. If your home office is inhabited by cats or small children,
they have the tendency to press on random keyboard keys. Documents do
occasionally just disappear. Saving avoids total disaster.

1. Study the products.
2. Read the training materials.
3. Read about commissions, bonuses, etc.
4. Study the marketing aids and strategies
5. Find out what free tools are available.
6. Visit the forums on a regular basis. Read everything about getting
   started.
7. Ask questions.

Your final written business plan will have at least four parts:

Introduction/background: history of the company and its founder,
internet marketing trends, why THIS company and why NOW, and so on.

Goals: I suggest you think of what you would like to be earning in two
years, but mainly focus on goals for your first year. Realistic goals
can be projected based on info on the company website, in newsletters,
searches on the forums, and focused questions to other affiliates.

Marketing plan: based on your answers to the first 3 questions above
and your study of marketing aids and tools.

Action plans: the specifics of what you will do on a monthly, weekly,
and/or daily basis for the next year.

I can’t tell you what your answers should be, because you have to
decide how much money you have to invest. Only you can decide how many
hours per day, week or month you can invest in your business. What
products you feel most comfortable marketing, and who you decide to
target as your customer base, are all decisions only you can make. If
you get stuck and don’t understand a question, don’t know where to
find information, or don’t know how to ASK a question, contact your
sponsor or someone in your upline. If they can’t help you, they should
be able to send you to someonewho can.

You should NEVER feel alone. Work should be FUN!…

About the author:
Glenn Beach is a poet, writer and home business entrepreneur in Nova
Scotia, Canada. Free newsletter, more articles, and business start-up
info at: http://www.work-at-home-business-opportunity-canada.com

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include
the resource box with the active link.

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As I’ve mentioned before, trust is the fundamental building block for present and future customer relations for any business, large or small. All your marketing materials should inspire trust in your business - especially if the service or goods you’re providing carry an element of risk.

One way of doing this is to make sure that every public aspect of your business shows total professionalism. Sure you can run your business from your living room - as long as you don’t advertise that fact by inviting any potential clients over for business meetings. But some things can’t, and shouldn’t be hidden - your phone number and email address (unless you don’t want to give your customers the option to contact you in this manner.)

Your phone number is a relatively simple thing to deal with. As long as you make sure that your phone is answered in a professional manner during business hours, nobody will know if you’re sitting in a prestigious corner office or at your kitchen table as you talk to them. Just keep any children or pets out of range.

Your email address, however, is a different matter. It’s astonishing to see how many small businesses try to save money by going with a free email account with aol, hotmail or similar. To me, nothing shouts ‘unprofessional’ more than such an email address, and considering how cheap it is to register a domain name with a registrar that also gives you an email account, going with a freebie is taking thrift too far. Even a single lost client will cost you far more that you need to pay for a domain name - and I promise you that an unprofessional email address will lose you far more than just one client.

So, if you’re taking the running of your own business seriously, and want others to see you as a professional, get yourself a professional email address. It’ll be a lot cheaper than a free one.

Need online copy that gets results? Frauke Nonnenmacher is a copywriter who specialises in clear, informative and persuasive web copy. For more information, please visit her web site at http://www.creativecats.com

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