Make Money Easy For You

How to Change Your Engine Oil – You Can Do That

Who changes their own oil anymore? Not me but thought it was a good idea to teach my teenage daughter how to in case she wanted to save some money by doing it herself. To help her out I wrote out step-by-step instructions on how to go about it, you may find that these simple to follow steps can help you as well. Below are the exact list of steps she followed to actually change her car’s oil.

I created a list of tools and material she would need to gather before starting. Check your owners manual for type of oil and amount needed. All auto parts stores will assist you in finding the right oil and filter.

I explained that it was a good idea to run the car’s engine for a few minutes before she drained the oil because warm oil drains faster than cold oil.

Always park the car on a level surface, engage the parking brake and turn off the engine. It may be necessary to raise the front end in order to get under. If so, use two stands, one on each side for a sturdy foundation.

I told her to place the new oil under the hood so she would not forget to add the new oil back into the engine. I’ve heard of people forgetting.

Next to locate the oil drain plug on the underside of the engine. Check your owner’s manual for the exact location.

Place the oil drain pan under the plug and loosen the plug with a socket wrench and turn counterclockwise to remove drain plug.

Remove the plug by hand and be careful of the rush of hot oil. Wearing gloves is a good idea.

Let the oil drain into the pan.

It is a good idea to replace the drain plug gasket at least every other oil change.

Reinstall the plug by hand then tighten with a wrench or socket and be careful to not over tighten the plug. This could cause a leak and/or make it difficult to remove the plug later.

Locate the existing oil filter. Again, check your owner’s manual for exact location.

Place the oil pan underneath the filter to catch oil.

Use an adjustable oil filter wrench to unscrew the old oil filter.

Use a rag to wipe the area where the filter mounts to the engine.

Using your finger add some new oil to the rubber seal of the new filter.

Screw the new filter into place by hand. If you’re not strong enough use the adjustable filter wrench, don’t over tighten.

Once all of the old oil is out and you have installed the new filter and tightened the drain plug it’s time to add the new oil.

Locate the oil filler cap on top of the engine and remove it.

Place the funnel in the opening and pour in the new oil.

Replace the cap when you’re finished.

Run the engine for a minute, then check the dipstick. The owner’s manual should show you a diagram of where the oil level should be. Add more oil if necessary.

Check the area around the oil drain plug and the filter for oil leaks. Tighten the plug or oil filter if you find leak.

Use rags and/or newspapers to wipe away excess oil.

Pour the used oil into a plastic container after the used oil cools. I use old plastic milk containers.

Lastly, dispose the used oil at a recycling center, an auto repair shop or county land fill. Never pour it down the sewer or directly on the ground.

That’s it! She was able to change her car’s oil with little help from me and she keeps these instructions in her glove compartment for future oil changes. By doing this herself she was able to save $20. Good luck.

Read more: How to Change Your Engine Oil – You Can Do That

27 Exhibiting Do’s and Don’ts

1. Do: Research a show carefully before you decide to exhibit. Does this show attract a large number of people from your target audience? Tradeshow participation takes a lot of time, energy and resources. You don’t want to spend them on folks who are unlikely ever to do business with you.

2. Don’t: Be afraid to ask questions. Show organizers have all kinds of information that new exhibitors would benefit from knowing. Ask about attendee demographics, exhibitor’s requirements, and what assistance you can expect from the show’s staff.

3. Do: Start planning early. Regular tradeshow exhibitors routinely start planning their appearances twelve to eighteen months in advance.

4. Don’t: Pass up the chance to visit other industry events before you exhibit for the first time. Make note of what exhibitors worked for you and what turned you off. What did you find to be effective? Can you incorporate those items into your own exhibit?

5. Do: Make a list of goals and objectives for the show. This list should be very specific. Do you want to generate $X in new sales, start a certain number of new business relationships, or spread the word about a new service offering you’re introducing to the market?

6. Don’t: Get sidetracked by what everyone else is doing – or by what people tell you you ‘have’ to do at a tradeshow. You’re at the show to reinforce your expert identity and achieve your goals and objectives. Anything else is off-target.

7. Do: Be open to creative and new ways of presenting your services. Tradeshow attendees see hundreds of exhibits in the course of one day. You need to be unique and engaging for your display to be memorable.

8. Don’t: Be afraid to be enthusiastic about your services. If you’re genuinely jazzed up about what you do, attendees will sense that. Enthusiasm is contagious — and more importantly, it sells!

9. Do: Learn the 80/20 rule and take it to heart. The best exhibitors are those who listen 80% of the time and talk 20%. Focusing on attendees’ wants and needs is a surefire route to success.

10. Don’t: “Throw Up” on attendees. This very common practice occurs when nervous exhibitors can’t stop talking, and keep up a constant barrage of facts, figures, and sales spiel. Attendees are quickly turned off by this, and your chance to form a profitable new business relationship walks away.

11. Do: Remember you’re on display. What you’re selling at a tradeshow is, primarily, first impressions. Be professional, well-dressed, and mannerly at all times. You never know who’s watching.

12. Don’t: Eat, drink, or chat on your cell phone on the show floor. When you need refreshment or a break, leave your exhibit booth. Remember, the eyes of the public are on you at all times, so you’ll want to conduct yourself well.

13. Do: Be realistic. Tradeshows are long events. You’re on the floor for anywhere from ten to twelve hours at a go, often several days in a row. This is a lot for any one person to do on their own, and most Nichepreneuers are solo operations. Ask for help. Recruit friends to work the show with you. If nothing else, they can spell you while you grab a quick bite to eat.

Read more: 27 Exhibiting Do’s and Don’ts

Public Speaking – The Money’s in the Template

The best public speakers in the world all agree on one thing. You can’t get good at public speaking without practice. That’s where some public speaking training seminars fail in teaching people how to do successful presentations. Lecturing someone on how to do a presentation will not make a student learn any faster. If you learn by doing, you’ll achieve much higher results!

After several years of public speaking engagements, teaching seminars and performing piano music for worldwide audiences, I woke up one day and realized I didn’t know the first thing about public speaking. That seems like an odd thing to say but it’s true. How did I know I wasn’t any good at it? Because, I didn’t “feel” successful at it.

Then, as luck would have, I reluctantly and skeptically attended a seminar my wife dragged me too. I thought to myself, I’ve been doing this forever and I don’t need to learn anything. But, I went anyway. And boy, am I ever glad I did. For the first time in my life I witnessed a public speaking genius at work. This man was truly amazing. He had every one of the 2,000 people in that audience on the edge of their seats for three entire days!

That was the turning point for me. At that seminar I realize why I didn’t feel like a successful speaker. I resolved myself to learn everything I could about being successful, not only as a public speaker but as a concert performer. And, overnight I went from being a know-it-all to a learn-it-all. I decided to invest in a seminar that promised to teach how to do successful public speaking presentations. Wow! It was even better than their first seminar. It was five entire days of learning, jamb packed with the most incredible public speaking knowledge imaginable.

What happened next is the truly amazing part! As soon as I got home I started incorporating my new found knowledge into my concert piano performances. The result? My audiences began to grow exponentially and my sales of CDs and DVDs went through the roof. Plus, my fee for performing grew to ten times what I was getting previously.

So, I took the knowledge and experience and began my own seminar business. I first started teaching what I knew and was successful at including how to increase your leads and sales through internet marketing, how to succeed in the niche music business, how to sell off the stage and the inner game of success.

What does this all mean for you? If I could use public speaking training to improve my sales, so can you!

The secret formula that I use for my public speaking presentations works great for keynote speeches, training seminars, sales presentations, live concerts, fundraising speeches, wedding speeches, board room presentations, employee motivation, employee training, pitching, team building, networking and virtually every other public speaking and presenting situation you can think of.

What is this amazing secret formula?

Read more: Public Speaking – The Money’s in the Template

Public Speaking Won’t Kill You – Planning Is Better Than Being Afraid

The act, art or process of making outstanding public speeches to a people in a structured and deliberate approach is called public speaking. Your goal as a public speaker is usually to inform, influence or entertain the audience. The foundation of your success depends on how well you have figured out who is saying whom about what via what medium and with what effects. Among all the known fears, public speaking, known as glossophobia is the worst. So, pay adequate attention to prepare your speech.

Connecting with the crowd

Did you ever notice how the people love public speakers that seem born with the public speaking ability. I’m sure you can think of politicians and our old college professors who knew how to keep us mesmerized with their words. Nonetheless, the majority of folks are really scarred when their asked to speak to a group even if their excellent at making public speeches.

Beleive me, anyone can be a great public speaker by proper rehearsal. These days, even the task of writing the speech has been relieved since many proffesionals give free online content.

Things to consider

When preparing to speak publicly, you must concentrate on the crowd and think of ways to hold their interest in listening to you to the end. Listen to yourself while you rehearse. To become a better speaker, record the length of your speech, set spots in advance, where you can change your speed, tone and rhythm and plan your speech.

The way you walk in and the beginning few minutes of your public speech can form a long lasting impression on your people. The degree of calmness and confidence you project will affect the impact you create. Start on a strong note and keep the crowds attention. Have an opening statement to grip your people. Don’t look tense, even if you are late, but show a calm posture.

A broad range of situations occur where people on the move, like travelogue documenters or photographers have to address a group to talk about their travel. For these, portable lecterns are quite useful. Some models are also available to hold laptops.

Many folks join organizations like Toastmasters etc, to help them to learn by speaking to groups. A common public speaking occurance that arises are graduation announcements. You are generally asked to give a speech where you thank everyone for being there, many make it more fascinating by recalling an important occurance that occurred during your school days.

Graduation announcements

Nearly all people prepare a graduation speech around a theme like an art-related theme for someone in literature or art, a scientific theme for a science major and a business theme for a business graduate etc.

To wrap up this short article on public speaking I’d like to point out 2 more things.

1. Prepare well in advance. Ensure you have all the content you’ll need, than practice your public speech ahead of time. Try speaking into a full length mirror; you’ll begin to notice things about hand movements and posture you may not have picked up on previously.

2. Something that’s helped me as well; tape or video record your speech. Than watch it afterward and take notes. If you do this once per day leading up to the big day you’ll appear as a proffesional speaker, even if you are shaking in your boots.

Read more: Public Speaking Won’t Kill You – Planning Is Better Than Being Afraid

Lemon Laws May Not Cover Recreational Vehicles

Although the price of gasoline continues to climb upwards, Americans still love driving recreational vehicles. They are big and bulky, and get poor gas mileage, but the convenience of driving a vehicle that also contains some of the comforts of home is appealing, particularly since an RV will allow you to stay in national parks and other campgrounds. Why stay in a hotel when you can stay by a lake? A recreational vehicle does offer vacation opportunities that other types of transportation, such as sport utility vehicles, do not. But like any other vehicle, an RV can break down, and when it does, the repairs can be expensive. They can be even more expensive if you are unprepared for something that many RV buyers don’t know – the lemon laws of most states do not cover recreational vehicles.

Recreational vehicles are not cheap; the price tags of some of them can exceed one million dollars. But while they are legally motor vehicles, most states exempt them from coverage under the lemon laws. Lemon laws are statutes designed to provide consumers who buy defective motor vehicles with recourse against the manufacturer should the vehicle prove repeatedly unreliable. Given the fact that RVs tend to be rather expensive, one would think that they would be covered under these laws, but in most states, that’s not the case. Why not?

Unlike most cars, which are mass-produced by the millions, RVs are mostly assembled by hand. Not only that, but the parts tend to be made by a number of different companies. The drive train might be made by an auto manufacturer, and the body and living quarters might be made by several other companies. There is really no single manufacturer to hold responsible for vehicle defects. A handful of states have some coverage for RVs, but those that do tend to cover only the drive train, and not the living quarters of the vehicle. If you have a transmission problem, you may have recourse under the lemon law. If the stove quits working, the problem is your responsibility.

If you are planning to buy an RV, you should take precautions to minimize the likelihood of problems:

Check your state’s lemon laws to see if the type of vehicle you plan to buy is covered.

Look at vehicles from a number of different manufacturers and examine the warranties offered with the vehicles carefully. You may wish to consider purchasing an extended warranty, if one is offered at the time of sale.

Do some research on past reliability of the type of vehicle you are thinking about buying. If that manufacturer has a history of problems, you may wish to consider buying from a different company.

See if the vehicle carries the seal of the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association. This seal means that the manufacturer belongs to an industry group that requires its members to meet a set of safety standards that includes more than five hundred items.

Owning a recreational vehicle is a lot of fun and can make vacations enjoyable. The last thing you want, however, is to spend your vacation at home while the RV is in the shop. Remember, your state’s lemon law will probably not protect you.

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Exhibits

Do you wonder what enthralls an audience in a trade show? It’s not the huge crowd of people around or the excitement in the air – it is the powerful display of products with all their sleek placements, banners, and graphics. Exhibits, a shortened form for exhibition, seek to highlight the qualities of new products or services before a focused audience.

Exhibitions can be of different types. They can be art exhibitions, computer expositions, film exhibitions or industrial exhibitions. Exhibitions are powerful events that provide an opportunity to witness the best a company or service provider has to offer. Exhibitions are also known as ‘expos’ in modern parlance.

Exhibits are powerful marketing agents that seek to bridge the gap between the buyer and the seller. In art exhibits, for instance, artists display a wide array of their work before a focused audience. The audience in turn generates interest by word of mouth, and consequently leads to sales of the artist’s work.

Exhibits are also displayed through specialized ‘exhibit booths’ in trade fairs, book fairs or industrial fairs. These exhibit booths seek to bring about a direct impact on the sales curve. Exhibit displays serve as a window to the external buyers, and enable them to analyze and compare it with other products before reaching a buying decision.

Modern exhibits can come in several forms. Apart from the physical exhibits, individuals, companies and service providers today use online exhibits to garner popularity and wider acceptance. Online exhibits have several advantages over physical exhibits. Online exhibits can be made in the form of sleek websites and information portals at the fraction of the cost incurred in creating and displaying physical exhibits. However, in spite of such easy global reach and acceptance, physical exhibits in exhibitions and trade fairs still remain a better choice. After all, it’s all too difficult to get a focused audience.

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Audio Visual Presentations

Even the best messages can be ruined by a bad presentation. To get your information across effectively and to generate the right response from your audience, you need to know how to use audiovisual technology to your advantage.

Interested in how to improve your presentation? Read on for some audiovisual presentation dos and don’ts.

Organization is the key. Forget about fancy graphics and sounds; instead, focus on making the flow of your presentation seamless and clear. It’s a good idea to first outline the points you intend to make before you even begin working on the presentation. Identify major themes and ideas so you know what to visually highlight.

Avoid clutter. Fancy animation and sounds are usually unnecessary; oftentimes, these elements only distract from the message instead of contributing to it. Brevity and simplicity work best – the shorter and simpler your messages and manners of delivery are, the more likely they are to be recalled by your audience. Too much clutter diminishes the impact of a good message. Highlight your message and not your graphics, and you will never go wrong.

Consider the physical requirements of the space where you will deliver your presentation. Are you going to use a small and private conference room with just four to five people or a big theater with hundreds in the audience? Are the room’s acoustics decent, or do you need to bring additional speakers to be heard? Is it well lighted? Can you control the lighting to enhance your presentation? You need to answer all these and many other questions in order to design an audiovisual presentation that makes the most out of what the venue has to offer.

Finally, complement your audiovisual presentation with handouts. No matter how effective your presentation, remember that your audience can only remember so much; you need to provide them with follow-through materials like a systematically outlined handout in order for them to truly retain your message. Keep your handouts short and sweet. This way, the reader only sees the most important messages.

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A Public Speaking Nightmare

Recently, I attended a keynote presentation by a major radio executive in Toronto. Which, may sound interesting enough but, what happened at this event may make you think twice about how fine tuned your public speaking skills really are!

It all started innocently enough when a representative from the hosting organization got up to introduce the keynote speaker. What happened next can only be described as a complete public speaking meltdown and a humiliating nightmare.

After taking the stage and nervously placing herself behind the podium, she immediately launched into a twenty minute litany about herself, her quirky mother, nine rooms in her house, her alcoholic father, her trip to Boston, her move to New York etc. And, as she rested her elbows on the podium she held tightly to her face two goose-neck microphones. (I know you can picture this in your head!) And, while this looked obviously inappropriate she also never got around to mentioning anything about the keynote speaker.

With growing frustration, chairs around the room started to shift, people started to moan, and people began to give hand signals to hurry up and get off the stage. Yet, despite all the warning signs, she just kept going. Then, it happened. She got heckled by the audience! “Get off the stage for crying out loud, let the speaker speak!” said one. “That’s enough!” said the other. And, this was not just any audience! This was a prominent well-to-do money making business audience.

Not only did she never even get to the point but, but she failed completely in her duty to introduce and honour the keynote speaker. After realizing her professional blunder (due to the loud heckling from the audience) she politely said “well it looks like I’ve run out of time”. Though she tried to regain her composure, she sheepishly began reading the guest speaker’s credentials off a page in a monotone voice like she was reading names from a phonebook.

I can honestly tell you that it was truly painful to be in that audience and watch such a complete and utter self-destruction! The whole room was not only uncomfortable but some audience members were clearly angry! This is just one example of the many potential public speaking mishaps that I witness on a regular basis.

Other common public speaking mistakes include…

• When the speaker fails to build trust with his/her audience
• When the speaker tries gimmicks or jokes that interfere with their message
• When the speaker fails to effectively communicate their message and/or product/service benefits
• When a speaker puts the audience to sleep
• When a speaker manages to exclude their entire audience by focusing all of their attention on one member (or target members) of the audience

Have you ever heard ineffective speeches or pitches by politicians or by business leaders and colleagues? Did it garner your trust or lose your trust? Have you ever heard sorry speeches at weddings that made you say “yikes”? Have you ever attended a seminar where you were filled with so many statistics that you were bored after ten minutes? Have you ever witnessed an amazing seminar and wished you could do the same?

You may be interested to know that public speaking is an art that can be taught. In fact, everyone can learn the basic template for a winning and successful presentation. Learning public speaking can be a fun and stimulating experience that will empower you in any boardroom or public presentation. It can give you the confidence you need to achieve the higher success that you want! Simply by learning the secrets of powerful speakers you can make affect great change in both your professional and personal life! Avoid the professional pitfalls and public blunders altogether. Public speaking training is not only a great investment in your professional career; it’s a great life investment that will reward you again and again.

Read more: A Public Speaking Nightmare

Niche Marketplace Demands Exhibitor Efficiency

Right now, the business world is a-buzz about Chris Anderson’s latest book, The Long Tail. Even if you haven’t read it, chances are you’ve heard of it: the best-selling business book that predicts the future of business lies in selling less of more. Niche marketing, Anderson posits, isn’t just tomorrow’s trend — it’s today’s reality.

The idea has caught on, and in a big way. Many companies are entering niche marketplaces — tailoring some or all of their product line to meet the needs and desires of a specific target audience. Doing so will allow companies to dominate certain segments of the marketplace, resulting in small but very profitable pockets of income. Perhaps your firm is doing exactly that. Perhaps they’re about to.

What does this mean to you? Well, your marketing workload just got a lot heavier. Diversifying your product line into several niche markets can result in the following:

- Increased number of brands – New and different target markets to attract – Increased number of product launches – Increased number of relationships that have to be begun and maintained – Constant need for new and innovative marketing campaigns to differentiate each individual brand

Does your head hurt yet? All of this is a LOT of work. You know how much time and effort you’re putting into your current campaigns. Increasing that to accomodate the niche market strategy can put a real strain on your department, especially since, chances are, your budget did not get proportionately larger.

What can you do? The clear profit potential inherent in the niche model makes it irresistably attractive. However, to maximize the return from adopting this new model means that you’ll have to take a good, long, hard look at your exhibiting practices. What worked yesterday won’t work today.

For one thing, you won’t have the money to do things the way you used to. Budgets never blossom as quickly as enthusiasm for new ideas. You’ll have to do more with less.

In this new environment, the key to exhibitor effectiveness is efficiency.

It is crucial that you make the most of your limited resources to promote a wide range of niched goods and services. Applying this concept to the tradeshow environment means embracing the following six steps:

Step One: Do Your Research

At this point, researching which shows to exhibit at becomes crucial. You may be trying to attract many disparate target audiences. Are your interests best served by exhibiting at many smaller shows or one larger, national show? Make your selections based upon the size of the target audience you’ll be able to reach. This may mean changing your showing schedule, forgoing some shows you’ve previously attended that do not focus on your target audience and exhibiting at some new shows that do.

Step Two: Create Unifying Themes

Marketing many disparate brands can present challenges. You want to highlight each line’s unique features while reinforcing the parent company’s positive image. Using unifying themes, either overtly or in a more subtle fashion, can help accomplish this. Pay careful attention to color choice, language, and more.

Read more: Niche Marketplace Demands Exhibitor Efficiency

Conversation

It has been said that one of the greatest fears people hold is speaking in front of a group of people, yet we seem to have no shortage of public speakers. There is a kind of speaking that inspires greater fear. This is the fear of having a real conversation.

Conversation is when two or more people talk openly and honestly, listen deeply to each other, and reach a common understanding. Agreement is nice, but irrelevant. The art of conversation is not about getting someone to agree with you. It is about seeking and finding a common understanding.

The first goal in conversation is to understand the thinking of the other person. The second goal is to articulate one’s own thinking in a way the other can understand. A true conversation is blameless, non judgmental, direct, and respectful. Conversation is a way of connecting.

Most of us are afraid of a real conversation. If we really listen to someone else, it may upset our world view, our self image, or our view of life. We might find out we were wrong. We might discover how they really feel about us. If we said what we really felt, the other person might be hurt, angry, disapproving, or judging. They might take action against us.

We are afraid of conflict. It poses a threat. We don’t want to be rejected, hurt, or embarrassed. The thought of conflict provokes the flight or fight response. We either avoid or attack when we feel threatened. We tend to do everything but engage in conversation.

In our organizations and families we are starving for conversation. Blaming takes its place. It’s easier. It’s easier to tell myself how wrong you are than it is to tell you I want to have a conversation. Many will say: “I tried that. I tried talking to that person.” Trying to get someone to see it your way is not a conversation. It is certainly important to state your preferences. In conversation you are willing to suspend your judgments and conclusions while you listen to the other person. You are willing to allow new conclusions to arise as products of your mutual understanding.

Conversation is responsive. In it we see the other person as a real person. We accept who they are. We see past perceived differences in gender, race, ethnicity, religion, intelligence, sexual preference, economic status, age, profession, title, or background. The person with whom we are conversing is first, and foremost, a person. You are first, and foremost, a person. Moving beyond blaming makes it possible to have a conversation. Occasionally I meet someone I dislike. I purposely initiate a conversation. More often than not, I come away with an appreciation for the person. The dislike I felt was in me, not in them. It was my projection.

How often do we give ourselves negative messages about others without actually talking to them? How often do our negative thoughts become self fulfilling prophecies when we treat people as if they have already offended us? How often do we refuse to hear the facts because we already have an opinion?

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Take Your Space

You’ve got a big meeting or a major presentation in front of people who can make or break you. You’re feeling prepared but still the nerves are rattling you. You walk into the office, where you’ve never been before, greeted by the receptionist whom you’ve never seen in your life, and your heart is pounding out of your chest. But you have just minutes before you must be on and at your best—-what do you do!?

Sound familiar?? Great preparation of your craft is a must in these types of situations. But in spite of that, the new environment, filled with unfamiliar faces can kill the security of brilliant prep work. How do you prevent that?

Take the upper hand, because in reality, your prep work is not done. Once you have rehearsed and studied until you can do it in 3 languages, you must now prepare the space in which you must deliver the goods. Your new surroundings must be made comfortable and that is up to you.

I just started a new project last week, a movie for TNT (A Perfect Day, airing December 18th). On the first day, I often know few if any of the folks I’ll be working with. I did reconnect with a couple of familiar faces on the crew, but not many. But even knowing some of the crew isn’t enough because this is a new project in a new place with lots of unknowns, so it requires a new comfort ritual.

Once I arrived, I had a matter of moments until I would be expected to be at the top of my game. So, I continued to prepare by introducing myself to as many folks as I could, actors and crew, and acquaint myself with the space which was to be my character’s office in the film. And soon, I would do the same with the star of the show, not going to drop names, but a very well-known actor. (OK, it was Rob Lowe.) All of this was designed to raise my comfort level in these new digs with lots of new people so I could be at my best. And I’m happy to say that once again, this worked very well. Making a new space a comfortable space so I can fulfill the promise of my preparation has been a staple of my work ethic for a long time.

The next time you’re faced with a similar situation, be sure to prepare your space. Do it with sincerity and warmth in a way that relaxes your nerves and empowers your performance. Introduce yourself to folks you don’t know. Familiarize yourself with the office, conference room or meeting space in a way that raises your confidence. Get there early so you aren’t rushed through this process and you can be as thorough as your nerves may require. There may be those rare times when the comforting will be done for you, but never count on it. Commit to continuing your preparation and comforting yourself.

Once the door opens or you’re introduced at the podium or the director yells, “action”—you’re on. It’s time to put up or go home! Take charge of these moments and keep the fear of the unknown out of your way. Your best chance for success comes when you’ve got both command of your material and command of your space.

Read more: Take Your Space

The Big Fear Called Stage Fright

So you have prepared yourself and you think you’re all ready. Act is tweaked, your costume or outfit for the occasion is prepared, and you couldn’t possibly be feeling any more sure. Wow it hits like a ton of bricks. This is of no conern, because it doesn’t matter if it’s a week, day, or hour before the Appearance; the dreaded stage terror rears its ugly head. Quite a few, of the greats concede to experiencing varying degrees of stage fear which always surfaces during some part of the performers career. If the big stars can move on, so can you. The official news is there are methods to combat its influences and even use it to boost your Performance.

In all probabliity you might already know this, but let’s pursue the warning signs of stage fear. Many artists experience dry mouth, throbbing heartbeat, and possibly a mishmash of cold, sweaty, and shaky hands. Sounds incredibly pleasant doesn’t it? Additional real symptoms include nausea and trembling lips. Some artists express described signs of disconnection and faintness as well. With such robut indicators it seem that it would be impossible that stage fright can be tamed, but luckily stage firght can be tamed.

All of the perfect ways to head off stage anxiety before it happens is to be equipped. Are you ready? make sure you know your information, the music to the song, or whatever material you should know for your Act. Conditioning hard and stay focused during rehearsal times. Make sure you remember your stuff, the more certain you will feel practicing it. It is also a good attitude to relax every once in a while. Reading, listening to music, or participating in your favorite sport or exercise is a actual way to unwind.

Before the Execution there is a boat load of techniques you can draw on to keep stage terror at bay. Get to the show timely. That way last minute you can become up to date with your backdrop and ascertain your equipment and outfit. Getting rid of the potential for an unpleasant surprise should help in steadying your nerves. Before the Characterization go running or take a short walk and be sure to stay hydrated. Do not swallow so much drinks that mid-performance you are working the pee dance; just enough to head off the results of dry mouth.

So many people experience the most awful stage monster right before the rising curtain. Some times it depends on the kind of Appearance you are giving depends on the righttactics. When the star are aligned it can be relaxing to the nerves if you can find your friends in the orchestra and contemplate on the fact as you deliver your opening monologue or belt out that first song. Look into the eyes of everyonehelps to do away with of being up there all alone on the stage. Human contact always helps with stage anxiety. Please remember, the hardest part is starting, once you get over that it is no problem.

Believe it or not stage fear can truly be conducive to the performer and Execution. It helps to guarantee that the routine is well rehearsed and the performer is prepared. Use stage monster to your advantage. Take a deep breath, put on your perfect smile, and walk onto the stage as if you own it. If you believe it, the meeting will too.

Read more: The Big Fear Called Stage Fright

Personality Test–Create Your Personal Press Release

The articulate, well prepared executive presents a financial report to stockholders; with the lining of her skirt showing 1 ½ inches past the hem.

The President of a large corporation discusses innovation and trend setting ideas to top management sporting large rim glasses popular twenty years ago.

The marketing guru presents the new advertising campaign to the leadership team flashing a smile with dingy, yellow teeth.

Your professional presence is critical in today’s competitive marketplace. It includes physical appearance, body language, energy, vocal quality and the words you use. Meticulous attention to detail is the key. Other’s notice the detail and consciously or unconsciously make judgments about you, the quality of your work, and the value you bring.

Sharpen your image with tips from Jocelyn Corville, of the Corville Group, an image expert based in Madison.

Be congruent. Be sure your visual, vocal and verbal messages are the same. More than 50% of our impact comes from the visual. Buy the best clothing you can afford in a cut that flatters you. Think quality, fit, and practicality.

Ties tell a story. Sorry guys, but the tie is till a standard in American business. Be sure your ties are 100 % silk in updated styles and colors. The tip of your tie should fall approximately to the middle of your belt. No gravy or food remains, please.

Hair and nails. Regularly update your hairdo and spend the extra money to get a good cut. Be careful with perms, they tend to make women look older if not done carefully. Don’t forget the nails. You don’t shake hands with the top CEO with chewed nails and picked cuticles. Don’t look lumpy. Avoid bulges in pockets, purses and cases from hauling too much stuff. Keep shirts, blouses tucked in neatly to avoid the “muumuu” look. If you carry change in your pocket, make sure it doesn’t jingle when you walk.

Polish your shoes. Leather is best. For women, classic pumps are always in style. Wear shoes that compliment your outfit rather than drawing attention to your feet. Worn shoes make you look sloppy, use them for gardening.

Find the devil in the details. Make sure that your accessories flatter and enhance your appearance. Your briefcase, wallet, purse and office supplies should be of top quality in perfect condition. You don’t sign a $100,000 contract with a 19-cent Bic.

Keep jewelry simple. Tasteful, modest jewelry is a must in the business setting. Expensive, flamboyant pieces give an appearance of eccentricity at best, “lounge lizard” at worst. Save it for the cocktail parties and keep your appearance understated.

Make sure your smile dazzles. Your smile is one of the first things people notice. Teeth naturally yellow, as you get older. It is simple and inexpensive to obtain a customized mold to whiten teeth in just a few days. Ask your dentist for information.

Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impression.

Read more: Personality Test–Create Your Personal Press Release

The Benefits of Display Mannequins

Mannequins are primarily used in stores to display clothing. A display mannequin is usually a full-size dummy in the shape of a person. A display mannequin will normally include all parts of the human body including a head and feet. Display mannequins can be made of several different materials, including fiberglass, wood, plaster, or wax.

Nearly every clothing store has at least one display mannequin. They are commonly found in the front windows of stores at the mall to show off the store’s newest fashions. Display mannequins must be life-sized in order for the clothes to fit well over them. Most mannequins are full figures including the head, torso, arms, and legs, but some are only a torso. These types of display mannequins are perfect for saving space while modeling shirts and blouses. The full-size mannequins do take up more room, but they are more versatile in that they can be used to display entire outfits including hats, shirts, pants, and shoes.

Display mannequins are usually modeled after people who are physically fit. People are more likely to view the clothing favorably if it is displayed in a flattering way on the model’s physique.

A display mannequin can be made of several materials. Many are made of fiberglass. These mannequins are durable and easy to mass-produce. Other mannequins are made of plaster. Plaster mannequins are easier to break than fiberglass models, but are still useful if handled correctly. Wooden mannequins are less common than plaster and fiberglass mannequins because they take longer to make. They were much more common before plastic manufacturing caught on. Wax mannequins are rarely used to display clothing for sale in stores, but are often found in museums.

Display mannequins are a great way for stores to show off their clothing. Shoppers get a good idea what the clothes will look like on a real person when they see them on a display mannequin.

Read more: The Benefits of Display Mannequins