John Mehrmann
Executive Blueprints, Inc
26895 Aliso Creek Road,
Suite B191
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656

Ph: 877-290-2503
Fax: 480-247-5481
JohnMehrmann@aol.com
 

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Presentations and e-Books by John Mehrmann

Presentations	E-books and Companion Guides
	Resume Design Instructions Ten Steps to designing a Stellar Resume. Shopping for employment is a hybrid of automated filter applications and "good old fashioned" human interpretation. To be effective you need to design a Resume for all of these areas. This ten step process is intended to provide useful instruction for developing meaningful, accurate and compelling personal profiles.
	Interview for Excellence Use position descriptions to create Job Requirements. Design a template to track key skills and behavioral traits during the interview process so you can compare results and hire the person best equipped to perform a specific role. Are you getting the best talent for each position? How do you know?
	Standards of Performance Create Position Descriptions with Goals, Objectives, Responsibilities, Levels of Authority and Performance Reports. Useful for tracking performance with employees and management, conducting yearly performance appraisals, preparing Job Descriptions for effective Interviews and New Hire Training.
	Active Listening Train yourself to hear and Understand Content and Feeling of the speaker's message. Important skill for leaders, managers, sales, customer service and working with colleagues. Course covers Listening Habits, Attending Skills, Reflecting Skills, and Barriers to Effective Communication. Certificate of Completion.
	Communication Skills Based on the critically acclaimed seminars of specialist Mitch Simons of the Simons Alliance, this presentation and companion guide were developed specifically for trainers, coaches and consultants. Incredibly powerful instructions for confronting the primal barriers to communication and to openly share fierce conversations. Once the obstacles are identified and removed, open and highly effective communication can occur.
	Essential Elements for Effective Marketing Build your brand or business message with simple and effective checklist. Apply the FABIO Principle to define your products or services. Powerful and easy to use, a necessary cycle for small business owners, web commerce, and entrepreneurs. Are you getting the results that you expected from your marketing dollars?
	Investing in Customer Loyalty "Customer Loyalty Sales" includes tools to identify current and target markets, define your approach to key decision makers. You will learn the importance of anxiety questions and building credibility, climb the customer loyalty ladder, and understand the cost of customer loyalty by customer type. Use customer information and coordinate your actions. Are your current sales techniques right for your target customers? Do you know the cost of your target markets?
	Creating Corporate Ethics Follow the step-by-step process to design an Ethics Statement that represents your commitment to your customers, your employees, your shareholders and builds trust. Develop Standards of Conduct to promote a positive and ethical environment with guidelines for decisions and actions. It is more than regulations and compliance, it defines your company culture.
	Harassment & Discrimination An effective Harassment & Discrimination course must encompass harassment, discrimination and retaliation regarding sex, race, religion, age, disabilities and national origin. The course must be interactive, dealing with the issues, avoidance and response. This course includes reference to actual cases, with thought provoking questions and opportunities for discussion.
	Promote Yourself and Your Book on a Budget Prepared for the Greater Los Angeles Writers Society Tips for authors to promote books with little or no investment. This guide provides tips for free promotional ideas, useful web sites, and suggestions to increase exposure for your publication with minimal investment and maximum benefit.
	Six Sigma Process Improvement Six Sigma Process Improvement removes the mystery from Six Sigma Quality Circle techniques and provides a layman's introduction to begin using the most common and effective techniques for effective process improvement in a concise and easy to use reference manual.
	Executive Jobs: A Guide to Managing Your Career It's time for a change. It's time to test the market. It's time to move up the ladder, increase your pay, stay fresh, or simply seek new employment opportunities. Be confident and bold, Develop your profile. Design a resume and create variations based on themes. Highlight your highlights, and apply for targeted opportunities. To improve requires change. Perfection requires change often.
	John Mehrmann is a dynamic, results-driven professional with more than 20 years of overall management experience spanning operations, e-commerce, sales, accounting, customer service, marketing, logistics and training.  John has established a solid reputation for designing and implementing reliable, repeatable best-in-class business practices to consistently deliver superior performance and profitability to shareholders and investors. The Trusted Advocate: Accelerate Success with Authenticity and Integrity. "Some books empower career success, and some books enable personal fulfillment. The Trusted Advocate enriches readers with the rare ability to do both. The Trusted Advocate is the best gift that you can give to your workforce, and to yourself. Give someone success and they are enriched for a day. Teach someone to create success and they are empowered for a lifetime." The Trusted Advocate has received numerous awards and overwhelming acclaim from readers.  As a published author, John’s works have appeared in numerous trade magazines including The Business Intelligence Report, Pros Communications, Reverse Logistics Magazine, and Essential Advantage. John Mehrmann contributed to “101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 3” with such notable authors as Ken Blanchard, Mark Victor Hansen, Byron Katie and Les Brown. John is a prolific author and frequently contributes articles for magazines, newsletters, web, and radio.
	Navigating Economic Challenges It's not a recession or a depression. It is a time of transformation. The Internet, integration, collaboration, and virtualization have changed the way that business is done. Status Quo is the new road kill. A hard look at the current conditions, recommendations for responsible action, and a blueprint for navigating the economic challenges ahead.
	Technology to Enable Collaborative Independance Using Technology as a Competitive Advantage with Partners Read the Reverse Logistics article, Cost Avoidance, by John Mehrmann Sign up for the Reverse Logistics Magazine
	Global Solutions for Sustainability Recycle, e-cycle, and e-waste Solutions - RoHS and WEEE Read the Reverse Logistics article, Seeing Green at the End of the Line, by John Mehrmann Sign up for the Reverse Logistics Magazine
	Create Your Reverse Logistics Financial Model Comprehensive Considerations for Cost Conscious Companies Read the Reverse Logistics article, Create Your Financial Model, by John Mehrmann Sign up for the Reverse Logistics Magazine
	Evolve or Become Extinct The Evolution of Reverse Logistics Read the Reverse Logistics article, A Pragmatic Approach to Partners, by John Mehrmann Sign up for the Reverse Logistics Magazine

Activities and Exercises

	Time Management Priorities - Identify Urgent and Important Items, plan your schedule accordingly Do the BIG Things First - Plan priorities, tasks and personal rewards Organization and Cooperation - Plan, share burdens and efforts Planning and Preparation - How much difference does it make to the team when you plan? Personal Organization - Choose your next office. How your work environment might influence your personal satisfaction and behavior. Concentration - How much do distractions and interruptions impact performance?
	Sales Training Presenting your Menu - Menu based activity to demonstrate the between Feature Definitions and Customer Desired Descriptions (benefits). Listening for Needs - How well do you identify the hidden needs of customers? While they are talking, are you listening? Customer Selection and Saturation - Identify customer needs quickly, adjust the sales presentation based on customer response and stop when you have the sale. Unique Sales Value - Identify Sales Associates Unique Value to overcome challenges from Competitive Prices Twenty Questions - Can a simple game of twenty questions lead to three different approaches to successful sales proposals? Walk a Mile in Their Shoes - Leverage your strengths by identifying weakness in the competition
	Customer Service Exercises Telephone Focus - Are you really listening to your customer on the telephone? Looking Inside - Practice learning what makes each customer unique and how to identify individual customer needs.
	Wheels of Life Balance These tools are an easy and effective way to conduct a self-evaluation and determine specific opportunities to focus improvement efforts.  Wheel of Leadership - Eight Key Aspects of Leadership, rate your satisfaction with your ability and the perception from 'others'. Wheel of Management - Eight Elements of Management, rate the importance, your effectiveness and your time management. Wheel of Life Balance - Eight Elements of a Balanced Life, rate your current level of fulfillment and your desired future balance.
	Personal Success Graph Personal Success Graph - Review trends from your past to recognize how you can affect your future.
	Trainers - Stay in Touch Reinforce It - Hand out your Feedback Forms before your course begins so participants can make observations during the session. Follow-up on the key points to reinforce the benefits and behavior.

Presentations and e-Books by Louis W. Mehrmann

Presentations	E-books and Companion Guides
	Risk Management by Louis W Mehrmann Are you prepared to handle an unexpected event? This insightful and practical guide provides methodology, principal factors and helpful hints to manage risk, Learn how to measure and calculate risk so you can determine when and which controls to put in place. Louis Mehrmann has extensive first hand experience from helping Fortune 500 companies identify, measure risk with quantitative results, fundamental simplicity and usability. This research is available and invaluable to business.
	Change Management by Louis W Mehrmann The Art of Progress is to preserve order amid change and to preserve change amid order. Review the rules to change, the challenge and the reaction cycle. Learn how to introduce change, deal with resistance and plan for success. Are you planning properly to cope with change?
	Security is a Management Issue by Louis W Mehrmann This is a short tutorial with a very comprehensive workbook and checklist for managing security, preparing for emergencies, hardware and software integrity, and disaster response. Securing your valuable company data includes preparation for hurricanes, theft, accidents and vandalism. Protect confidential data of your customers and employees, your financial records, and your strategic designs or presentations. Be aware, be prepared, stay alert, take action and enjoy the benefits.
	Ownership and Classification by Louis W Mehrmann Information Ownership and Classification - Protecting Vital Information Assets. How high does your wall need to be? Practical guidelines for classifying information for Internal Use Only, Confidential information, Restricted information and Registered Confidential Information. This guide reviews characteristics, ownership, users management and responsibility in easy to apply summary steps. It also contains implementation and review checklist. Lou Mehrmann draws from years of industry experience and knowledge to provide insightful business applications for protecting information.
	“Lou” Mehrmann is a retired free lance Business Management Consultant with over 45 years of customer focused interrelationships and business process experience.  He began his business career when he joined IBM immediately after serving in the U.S. Navy during the Korean “Conflict” where he earned his Dolphins aboard the Submarine U.S.S. Sennett (SS408) as an Electronics Technician. Lou has 35 years of diversified IBM experience; in field, headquarters, line, staff, and management positions; in service, marketing, and corporate business functions.  His major strengths are in business process planning/management, process problem/causal analysis, solution design/implementation, and standards.  He has specialized knowledge in Information Systems Management, Data Security, Audit Practices and Procedures, and Baldrige Quality Assessments.  He is a creative, energetic results oriented professional, whose work ethic, example, and exceptional rapport with younger employees build strong team commitment. Find our more about Louis W. Mehrmann

	The Trusted Advocate: Accelerate Success with Authenticity and Integrity Publisher’s Choice Award Read a sample from the introduction and table of contents. Available in Hardcover - and- Paperback Buy it now on www.Amazon.com
	The Trusted Advocate: Workbook A companion to The Trusted Advocate Take notes, complete the activities, copy pages for friends or workshops.
	A Sample chapter from 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 3. Stress and Stones Anthology includes contributions from Ken Blanchard, Marc Victor Hansen, Byron Katie, Les Brown, and John Mehrmann Buy it now on www.Amazon.com

Articles by John Mehrmann

Search for a Keyword or Topic in Articles Search All Articles			Featured Articles
Management & Leadership	Inspiration
Business	Self-Improvement
Sales	News and Society
Marketing	Home & Family
Customer Service	Finance
Technology	Travel
Careers & Resumes	Case Studies

You may distribute articles freely, print them, sell them, or include them as part of a package as long as the articles remain intact, unchanged and delivered in the original format with acknowledgement to Executive Blueprints Inc.

Management & Leadership

• Eliminate Bottlenecks for Process Improvements
  [Business: Management] Bottlenecks are easy to identify in manufacturing and production environments, but challenging to correct. Automation alone will not eliminate bottlenecks to achieve optimum performance. Addressing every step in the process and the contributing factors enables real process improvements to occur. In office environments the bottlenecks are often a result of bad habits that arise from good intentions. How do we create bottlenecks and adjust delays that result from too much dependence on authorizations, approvals, and assignments to top performers?
   

• Reorganizing the Organization after Reorganization
  [Business: Management] Reorganization and downsizing create new challenges within an organization. Staff reductions can be very hard working on all employees. When the cause of layoffs is the result of economic pressure, there is nobody to blame and no fault to be found, but there is responsibility to the remaining colleagues to pull together and forge a strong foundation for the future. What should you do under these circumstances?
   

• Winning Strategies for a Tough Economy
  [Business: Management] Challenges create opportunities, and this is particularly relevant during tough economic conditions. It is not enough to review your own internal cost cutting measures. A global economic crisis demands attention to the needs of clients, consumers, and your strategic partners. Looking out for your future means looking outside your company and adjusting your internal strategy to accommodate future growth.
   

• T-Ball Lessons
  [Business: Management] Watching children at play offers valuable lessons for adults.
   

• Emergencies Happen When . . . .
  [Business: Management] Emergencies are attributed to the unexpected. Emergencies happen when things don't go as intended or have the desired results. We plan, we prepare, and we become comfortable with normal routines. Then, out of the blue, an emergency happens that changes everything. People panic, pressure mounts, and frantic response ensues. The proper response to an emergency is dictated by the cause.
   

• In Memory of Circuit City Stores
  [Business: Management] In Good to Great by Jim Collins, Circuit City was acknowledged as one of the companies that rose from good to great status by virtue of the appropriate culture and exceptional business strategy. The recognition bestowed on Circuit City was considerable and well deserved. The growth and success of Circuit City was contrasted sharply by the collapse of Silo Stores during the same period of two decades. What happened to a good to great company that it is now gone, and what can we learn from this closing chapter of the second largest electronics retail chain that is painfully relevant during the current economic challenges?
   

• Seven Skills of Management
  [Business: Management] Quick and easy review of the seven basic skills of management.

• Seven Principles for Business
  [Business: Management] Document the definitions for your business, organization, or your role in the organization. If you can document it, you can share it. With defined and aligned goals and purpose, individuals with an organization are empowered for personal success. The following seven principles may seem simple and obvious, as they should. However, would your definitions be aligned with everyone else in your organization or your customers?
   

• Performance Management
  [Business: Management] Data is worthless, but knowledge is priceless. Does your organization harness the power of data or the power of knowledge? Does your organization collect information for reporting or for informed real time business decisions? Does your organization use data to measure the performance of the past or to apply measurements to predict and alter the course of the future?
   

• Matrix Management
  [Business: Management] Matrix Management is a compelling buzzword with a tempting nirvana of shared resources and unlimited access to expertise that lies in other functional areas. But are the resources really ready to be monopolized by multiple managers in a redesign of the organizational structure? Think twice before you plug yourself into the matrix.
   

• Trusted Management Score Card
  [Business: Management] Share this article with coworkers in an email and enter your TOTAL SCORE in the Subject Line, ask for a reply to see how your score relates to others in your organization. Trust is a fundamental foundation for any relationship, business or personal. Without it, the relationship has defined limits and greater risk of gradual erosion or collapse. With Trust, the relationship is exponentially stronger than the sum of the individual contributors.
   

• Tips for Effective Training
  [Business: Management] Training can be used to educate, motivate, and cultivate the work force, partner organizations, and customers. When administered effectively, training is an interactive conduit for delivering measurable benefit to the participants. Whether you are a trainer, a manager responsible for selecting or delivering training, or if you are interested in enhancing the experience of your customers and partners by making training available, consider these seven simple tips for effective training.
   

• Risk Management
  [Business: Management] Losses Associated with Customer Records, Confidential Information and Intellectual Property have created a surge in Information Protection Spending. IDC predicts that the Information Protection and Control (IPC) Solutions market will surpass $3 Billion in 2011. This will be a major area of investment over the next five years, representing a compound annual growth rate of 33%. This tremendous growth is fueled by protection of key sensitive information and complying with privacy regulations.
   

• Consistency
  [Business: Management] Communicate your purpose and reasons with consistent actions. Expect the same from the people around you, and watch the group transform into a cohesive operational team.
   

• Character
  [Business: Management] Leaders set the course for behavior as well as the strategic direction. As a leader, others will watch your confidence, your integrity, your response and your enthusiasm. Demonstrating good character does not guarantee respect, but it is a sure thing that you will lose respect without it. Every time that you give advice for behavior, take a moment afterwards to reflect if your own actions are consistent with your advice.
   

• Disciplined Leadership
  [Business: Management] You want to manage a disciplined team, focused on achieving results, beating the competition and demonstrating continuous improvement. You want to generate enthusiasm while making measured progress toward common goals. You want the entire team to succeed, to work together and be the best that they can be. You may be wondering how to begin
   

• Reliable, Respected, Revered or Feared
  [Business: Management] What is most the most important attribute to developing your reputation? Would you prefer to be known as reliable, respected, revered or feared? Is it possible to be all of these things over time? Constructing your reputation is like solving a Rubik's Cube puzzle. It takes time, several steps and the right combination of twists and turns. It is also important to know what it should look like when you are done. When you have the goal in your mind, then you can go about solving the puzzle.
   

• Methods of Management
  [Business: Management] Are your methods management or madness? The following are some common management styles. See if you can find characteristics of yourself, or your management, in one or more of the following categories.
   

• Your Most Important Investment
  [Business: Management] Imagine a company spending one-third of the revenue on a capital investment or an interest payment and never addressing it with shareholders in their annual report. Measure, monitor, and invest appropriately in the biggest impact to your business.
   

• Managed by the Mob
  [Business: Management] Is your business, department, division or project being managed by the mob? Do you have a clear and defined strategy, or are you being run ragged with no sense of accomplishment or direction? Decision by committee is tantamount to management by the mob and may indicate a lack of leadership. What can you do about it?
   

• The Difference between Being Right and Doing the Right Thing
  [Business: Management] Is it better to be right, or to do right? Is there a real difference between being right and doing the right thing? When it comes to communications, support, and teamwork, there is a perceptible difference between the two.
   

• It's OK to be Human
  [Business: Management] There are many important attributes to leadership. To be fully effective with the technical and tactical elements it is also necessary to be able to communicate and connect effectively with those around you. Integrity and understanding should be combined with compassion.
   

• Aligned Management - Responsible for Personal Success
  [Business: Management] "In management, you have responsibility for the success of the individuals within your organization." While this may seem like an obvious statement, the definition of success is much more difficult. In most cases we define business success for the individual as accomplishing the assigned tasks and job related goals to measurements defined by the position or by the management. Many managers struggle with the concept of individual motivation and expect members of the organization to share the same desire to contribute toward the success of the team.
   

• Secrets to Effective Staff Meetings
  [Business: Team-Building] A Survey reveals stunning similarities in staff meeting results. How can you make your meetings more effective, and how can you measure your results? Quick and easy suggestions to improve meeting performance.
   

• Rewarding Teamwork
  [Business: Team-Building] Teamwork can be its own reward, as demonstrated by the exceptional success of the New England Patriots Football Team. As a coach, manager and leader within your organization, what can you learn from other successful teams? How can you build teamwork from within the organization? What organizations already have teamwork as a measured performance indicator? You have the power to develop teamwork from any position within the organization, by virtue of your personal commitment and the power of your own actions.
   

• Root Cause Analysis
  [Business: Management] "It is far better to have a Good Solution for an Exact Problem than to have a Great Solution for the Wrong Problem"
   

• Real World Cost of Ethics
  [Business: Management] Ethics embraced in the organization can impact public perception, avoid or invite improper behavior of executives and associates, and be a foundation or a detriment to financial stability. Review the Quick Quiz on the stated and embraced approach to ethics in your organization.
   

• Fuel Efficient Business
  [Business: Management] More companies have realized the benefits of fuel efficient alternatives for travel, communications, and employees. Not only is it good for the environment, but it is good for the budget. Helping employees to reduce personal expenses can be as good as a raise. When managed effectively, it can boost morale and productivity, as well as reduce overall costs.

Business

• Secrets to Successful Mergers and Acquisitions
  [Business: Management] On a large scale, mergers and acquisitions occur when whole organizations combine, collide, or are absorbed. On a smaller scale, departments and groups of individuals within organizations are also being merged, acquired, and absorbed. Big or small, the basic rules for transition remain the same.
   

• Get Email Under Control
  [Business: Workplace-Communication] Email was designed to be a tool to expedite and simplify communication. Tools are effective when managed properly. What happens when the tool starts to manage the person? What happens when a tool for communication replaces conversation and personal interaction? What happens when a time saving tool begins to consume our time? Then it is time to get email under control.
   

• Improving Conference Calls
  [Business: Workplace-Communication] Do you find yourself frustrated by long and unproductive conference calls? What reputation do you have for managing conference calls? Establish expectations and a reputation for short and effective conference calls. Get your time back for other activities.
   

• Building Customer Loyalty
  [Business] The following tips can apply to virtually any profession or industry. If you think that these are self-evident, then I challenge you to take a personal assessment. Print this page and keep the list on your desk for one week. Place a checkmark next to each item when you conduct an activity that fulfills one of these objectives. Can you check all of these items in one week? Are you actively practicing the commitment that you desire from your customers?
   

• Strategy by the Numbers
  [Business] The following is a simple step-by-step process for creating a strategic plan by the numbers. This is a ten step process that can be used by a group, an organization, or an individual. Print out the steps and prepare to organize your ideas into a tactical plan for progress. 
   

• Implementing New Technology
  [Business] There are amusing and horrific stories of the trials and tribulations associated with the transfer of technology, and the implementation of new systems and architecture. There are lessons that we can learn from those who have blazed the trails before us, and those who have been burned by the blaze. Get your fingers ready to count the five fundamental considerations for implementing new technology.
   

• Corporate Consistency
  [Business] A business can be defined by the same character traits that are typically associated with an individual personality. A business can be bold, aggressive, compassionate, inconsiderate, caring, trustworthy, deceptive, cautious, or friendly. A business is often the reflection of the conglomeration of members, leadership, and an accumulation of character traits. If a company is large, the character traits may be influenced by years of pride of internal culture. If the company is small to medium, the character is often a direct reflection of the leadership or ownership of the company. Regardless of the size, a business is a collection of individuals and talents, and it is a collection of personalities that define the character of the company.
   

• Business Recession Response Plan
  [Business] Is it possible to "'recession-proof" your business? Most business experience slow periods, recession, seasonality, growth, and varying profitability. When going through a period of recession, keep going.
   

• Namastrategy
  [Business] Namastrategy (noun) is derived from the words Namaste (Sanskrit), and Strategy (Greek). It is a long term plan of action, and a method of winning, that is based on respect and recognition for the value of partners and clients, in acquisition, merger, expansion, and diversification.
   

• Reverse Logistics in Supply Chain Management
  [Business] The evolution of reverse logistics for manufactured products is developing in direct proportion to the rapid advancements in technology and the subsequent price erosion of products as new and improved products enter the supply chain at a faster pace. With such thin margins and so much competition, mismanagement of the supply chain can be devastating. Those organizations with the infrastructure to capture and compare the composite value of components with real time intelligent analysis and disposition based on changes in refurbishment cost, resale value, spare parts, repair and overall demand will not only become more profitable, but such flexibility and scalability will allow them to outmaneuver and eliminate the competition.
   

• Supply Chain Integration
  [Business: Outsourcing] Let's take a quick look and analyze your position in the Supply Chain. You are either the one driving the truck, the one pumping the gas, or the one paying the other two. It does not matter if you are a vendor, supplier, manufacturer, dealer, service supplier or customer, the cost of freight either impacts the amount you charge, the amount you are reimbursed or the price you pay. It is safe to assume that you are the center of the universe for your personal Supply Chain and that suppliers and customers revolve around your business.
   

• WEEE and RoHS Environmental Guidelines
  [Business] Hazardous Substances, Electrical and Electronic Equipment have been categorized for labeling, tracking, restriction, and recycling. The objective is to promote the use of environmentally friendly materials and manufacturing processes. The financial burden to support this transition in production is assigned by requirements to provide adequate programs for collection, recycling, and disposal. These costs are primarily carried on the shoulders of the manufacturers and producers of the products. To remain competitive and to support the environmental initiatives, manufacturers and industry associations will need to work together and collaborate on solutions that facilitate consistent programs and processes.
   

• Race to the Middle
  [Business: Strategic-Planning] There are new competitors emerging who can take advantage of new facilities, new technology and lean organizations. These organizations are competing with established organizations that have an established network of business relationships, an established infrastructure and associated overhead costs. What industry is this? it pertains to your business.
   

• Supreme Court Ruling on MAP
  [Business] The Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision to make it easier for manufacturers to require retailers to honor manufacturer assigned Minimum Advertised Price (MAP). Dissenting justices said that the ruling would likely drive up retail prices. What will be the ruling of the consumers?

Sales

• Secret to Successful Sales
  [Business: Sales] What is the secret for successful sales? Is it low cost? Is it a famous brand name? Is the secret to successful sales to have the most features, at the best price, with the best quality or performance, before the competition? The secret to successful sales may surprise you.
   

• Where to Find Loyal Customers
  [Business: Sales] What is a loyal customer worth to you? What is the value of repeat business and customer referrals compared to acquiring new customers? How could this help to increase your sales and profit? Find out where to find this customers now!
   

• Make the Competition Irrelevant
  [Business: Sales] Is there an easy way to make the competition irrelevant? In an age with so much access to information, bombarded by advertisements and commercials, is it possible to keep the attention of your potential customers? What is the secret to help customers make an easy decision to buy? There is a secret formula that works for e-commerce, retail, bids and proposals. It is a simple formula that has worked since the days of bartering beads, beans and burrows.
   

• Filling the Sales Pipeline
  [Business: Sales] How full is your sales pipeline? How many prospects should you be targeting? How do you know if you have the right prospects?
   

• Secrets to Powerful Negotiations
  [Business: Negotiation] We negotiate every day. There are negotiations in sales, customer service, interviewing for a position, and relationships between vendors and suppliers. Make a checklist of these five items and apply it to your next negotiations. You can immediately become more powerful and effective in your negotiations.
   

• Sales Techniques, Lessons from a Pet Store
  [Business: Sales] Every market is a microcosm of the environment. "Lessons from a Pet Store" is a series of observations and in a commonly recognized environment that can be easily applied to virtually any market.
   

• The Power of Niche Sales
  [Business: Sales] Many successful organizations have survived turbulent economic conditions and fierce competitive environments by consistently nurturing a niche, and the loyal consumers in the niche community. It is possible to expand and grow business in addition to the niche. Unfortunately, several other organizations have lost their identities in an effort to copy the competition, rebrand themselves, or casually jettison a loyal constituency due to change in focus. Let's compare and contrast a few recognized examples.
   

• Taboo Topics
  [Business: Sales] Can avoiding taboo topics in communication have a critical impact on clients, partners, peer, family, and friends? How do candid conversations empower a trusted advocate?
   

• Why People Buy
  [Business: Sales] Selling products or services, it is important to understand why people buy. Marketing, sales, operational infrastructure, and customer service should be crafted with the consumer purchasing perspective.
   

• Make Sales Effort More Effective
  [Business: Sales] We have all noticed individuals who excel at sales, customer service or leadership. What is the secret formula, the common denominator, something that these people all have in common that places them at a higher level of achievement?
   

• Seven Steps to Successful Sales
  [Business: Sales] Being a successful salesperson does not happen by accident or blind luck. Success is the result of diligent effort applied to a structured system with commitment and passion. These seven steps are designed to help develop a system in a matter of minutes. Building on success to achieve your dreams is determined by how passionately committed you are to achieving the dreams of your customers. The first step is as easy as listening to them.
   

• Year of the Customer
  [Business: Sales] The rules have changed. The Internet has made it easier, faster, and more convenient for consumers to compare prices, quality, features, and previous customer experiences. With a suddenly level playing field for brand comparison of commodities, what is the new differentiation? Trust, confidence, and relationships the new differentiation. How well you connect with customers in marketing, sales, and customer service excellence are the essence of success.
   

• The Skills Gap
  [Business: Sales-Management] The Computer Technology Industry Association ("CompTIA") recently conducted a survey of 273 CompTIA members to determine the biggest challenges for the next 12 months. Filling vitally important functional positions in sales and technical customer service ranked as the most critical obstacles in the coming year.
   

• Sales Force Motivation
  [Business: Sales] Your Sales Force is your Revenue Generating Engine. Does the engine need a tune-up? Are you giving high octane fuel to your sales force engine, or are you pushing the pedal to the metal and never getting out of second gear? The right motivation can accelerate sustainable revenue growth.
   

• Motivation with Direction
  [Business: Sales-Management] How do you communicate when sales are below forecast, you are over budget, or you are not on plan? What impact does this have on moral and motivation for the organization? Are demoralized and intimidated employees more likely to rise to the challenge and improve performance than inspired contributors with clear direction and leadership?
   

• Dear Office Dweller
  [Business: Sales] The following s a dedication to road warriors. It is a composite of feedback from the field to the much respected and appreciated office dwellers who occupy the maze of cubicles in the ivory towers.
   

• Measuring the Benefits of Sales Catalogs
  [Business: Sales] What to Victoria Secret, DELL, Staples, Radio Shack, and Montgomery Ward have in common? Each of these companies has used the catalog to achieve a dominant position in a competitive marketplace. Each organization has used the catalog in a slightly different manner, but each has achieved the ultimate goals of market-share and profitability. How did they do it?

Marketing

• The Most Valuable Source for Leads
  [Business: Marketing] Would you like to tap into the most valuable source for leads? You might be surprised to discover that you are climbing over the low hanging fruit in an effort to get to the top of the tree. In your haste to shout your message to the masses, you could be shouting over the heads of the potential business that is already in a queue at your door. Slow down and reflect for just a moment. Then tap into the most valuable source for leads.
   

• How to Write a Press Release
  [Business: Marketing] You have a newsworthy item to share and a story to tell, but may need a little help to write a professional press release. This quick tutorial is a guide to the basics for writing a professional press release. Tell your story, and present it in a way that will represent your properly.
   

• Make Gossip Work for You
  [Business: Marketing] Are you harnessing the power of gossip, communities, and social networking to promote your brand? Whether your brand is a product, a service, or yourself, this is the era of connectivity and belonging. The Internet has become a powerful medium for connecting people with more than information access. It is creating communities and relationships by making it easier to find individuals with similar interests and preferences. Tapping into this communication is the new face of marketing, and it has a new set of rules to go along with it.
   

• Are You Marketing or Selling?
  [Business: Marketing] Once upon a time there was a deaf salesman named Aesop. He tried to sell his wares to the blind brothers Grimm, but no matter how much he elaborated on the features of his wares, the brothers Grimm could not see the benefits. The brothers tried to explain to Aesop that they could not see the features that he described so eloquently, and that they would like to hold the wares so they could appreciate them from their own perspectives. Unfortunately, Aesop was busy talking and could not hear their requests, so the parties separated in mutual frustration and disappointment. How could the grim results of this fable be avoided?

Customer Service

• Quality Customer Service
  [Business: Customer Service] What does it mean to be a Trusted Advocate in Customer Service? To be truly successful in delivering service, it is necessary to understand and support the many collective individuals who are part of the complex chain in delivering customer satisfaction.
   

• Reward Your MVP
  [Business: Customer-Service] No matter what the sport or business, we all have a Most Valuable Player. Surprisingly, most businesses either do not recognize the MVP, do not realize the importance of demonstrating appreciation, or fail to include the MVP in the most important business decisions or processes.
   

• Waves of Communication
  [Business: Workplace-Communication] Are you in a position that interacts with customers or clients? Are you in a management or a leadership role? Would you like to improve your communication with someone else who is in a management or leadership role? Communication is the key to success in a professional capacity and in our personal relationships. Communication creates a bond between individuals, for better or worse, it can bring us closer together or identify gaps in understanding or appreciation. The most honest communication contains emotion and the ability to exchange ideas with passion.
   

• Turn Customer Complaints into Assets
  [Business: Customer-Service] Virtually every organization encounters customer complaints from time to time. Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the complaints and to lose track of how many satisfied customers say nothing at all. Even worse, sometimes it is hard to remember just how valuable a customer complaint can be to the organization. Contrary to how it may feel to be the recipient of a customer complaint, it is a wonderful opportunity if embraced with commitment and integrity. You can turn customer complaints into valuable assets.
   

• How to Respond to Angry Customers
  [Business: Customer Service] Ten powerful steps to diffuse angry customers, address the issues and sustain customer loyalty.
   

• How to Lose Customers
  [Business: Customer-Service] Have you found that you have just too many customers? Are you looking for a way to get rid of some of those pesky customers who seem to keep coming back and taking up all of your time? Would you like to have time to do more important things, like spend your time trying to get new customers, rather than spend so much time taking care of existing customers? Have no fear, we have gathered some of the top ten tips for weeding out the heard and getting rid of customers.
   

• Business Health, Wealth and Workers
  [Business: Entrepreneurialism] Condensed highlights are only a glimpse of the many incredible accomplishments from the life of this prolific entrepreneur. Many may ask, "What inspires and enables a man to achieve so much in a single lifetime?" To this question he has demonstrated the answer in actions as well as his own words. His business success was founded on a genuine commitment to the workers. From humble beginnings and a romantic quest, he was lifted to astounding success on the shoulders of the workers and the values that he supported. See if you can recognize this man by his accomplishments before you get to the last paragraph.

Computers, Technology and Home Entertainment

• Web Site Checklist
  [Internet-and-Businesses-Online: SEO] Free for you, a checklist of secrets for beginners from Master Web Designers. This is a Checklist for Web Design and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Basic Design and layout considerations to make your web user friendly, boost marketing and visitors. Also includes a separate checklist for slightly technical stuff to consider and compare when building your web site, and a few cool tools.
   

• Trends in Technology
  [Internet-and-Businesses-Online] Garter, Inc analysts highlighted the top ten strategic technologies and trends for 2008. Gartner defines a strategic technology as one with potential for significant impact on enterprise in the next three years. Take a few moments to get familiar with the definitions of technology trends that will impact your business.
   

• Marketing with Streaming Video
  [Internet-and-Businesses-Online: Internet-Marketing] Are you using video effectively to communicate messages on your web site? Are your advertisements amusing, entertaining, and educational enough that consumers are compelled to share them? Audio and video can be broadcast by the Internet, cell phones, and personal mobile devices. Harnessing this media can give you a voice and breathe life into your message.
   

• Voice of the Customer
  [Internet-and-Businesses-Online: Internet-Marketing] What do you do to reward your existing customers and confirm your commitment in a manner that captures the imagination of the friends and family that they will influence? The Internet, Email, Blogs, and the access for instant communication have changed the way that consumers buy. The word of the brand is less effective than word of mouth. What are you doing about it?
   

• Essential Elements for Effective Marketing
  [Internet-and-Businesses-Online: Internet-Marketing] If you are selling a product or a service, on the web or over the counter, the five essential steps for effective marketing is a check-list to make sure that you are maximizing the return on your efforts.
   

• Create Your Own Google Toolbar Buttons
  [Internet-and-Businesses-Online: Internet-Marketing] These quick and easy instructions will show you how to create your own custom buttons for the Google Toolbar. If you have a web site or a Blog and you want to share your custom icon or search function for the Google Toolbar button to the world, this tutorial includes step-by-step instructions for you. By creating a custom icon or search function, you make it convenient for others to return to your site or search it. Take command of the toolbar and add a personal touch with icons and useful functions.
   

• Cell Phone Tips and Tricks
  [Computers-and-Technology: Software] Several Internet based applications are designed to work with your cell phone text messaging service. This is a convenient way to schedule reminders for appointments, manage your schedule, find driving locations, and even get traffic alerts at designated commute times during the day. Spend a little bit of time to get familiar with these web based applications and you will have a powerful personal administrative assistant in your pocket.
   

• Instant Messaging Trends
  [Business] Half of the people responding to the survey on Instant Messaging indicate that it is beneficial for communicating with colleagues and obtaining quick answers for making business decisions. Almost as many respondents are using IM to maintain contact with friends and family while at work. Is it a substantial improvement to productivity or an opportunity to facilitate personal communication?
   

• Buying or Selling on the Internet
  [Internet-and-Businesses-Online: Auctions] The facts and figures from Symantec Security Response and the Internet Crime Complaint Center are both fascinating and alarming. If you have thought about buying or selling on the Internet, especially with Internet Auction Sites, make sure that you are aware of the best practices and the potential pitfalls before you do. An identity is a terrible thing to waste.
   

• Preview Microsoft Office and Vista
  [Computers-and-Technology: Software] Are you considering a transition to Vista or the new Microsoft Office suite and wondering if your current computer can handle it? Are you thinking about making the investment into a new computer and want to make sure that it can support the Vista and Office in six months? Are you wondering how long you can wait to make the change, and what you will have to deal with if you stay with the current operation system and applications? These top ten tips are designed to give you an informed perspective of the current step in the transition of technology.
   

• The Rapid Pace of Evolution in Consumer Electronics
  [Home-and-Family: Home-Audio-Video] The evolution of consumer electronics, high definition displays, digital broadcasts, displays and media is happening at an increasingly rapid pace. Advancements in technology are occurring much faster than before, reducing the time to deliver new technologies to market at an exponential rate. The algorithm for designing and delivering new technology is nearly a fifty percent reduction in time with every significant breakthrough. With such a rapid race for invention the simultaneous introduction of diverse technologies is as inevitable as price erosion and shortened life cycles for what is considered "new" in consumer electronics.
   

• Analog to Digital Television
  [Home-and-Family: Home-Audio-Video] Congress passed a federal law, the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005, mandating the last day of full power analog television broadcasting to be February 17, 2009. On February 17, 2009, all television channels in the US will convert from analog to digital. What does this mean to you?
  (see www.convertmy.tv)

Careers & Resumes

• Preparing for Your Next Job
  [Business: Careers and Employment] When in-between jobs and preparing for your next career, make amends for the sacrifices of the last one.
   

• Coping with Career Change
  [Business: Careers and Employment] Lost your Job? Experiencing a sudden or unexpected career change? Worried about your future?
   

• The Easy Way to a Stellar Resume
  [Business: Resumes-Cover-Letters] The rules have changed. Shopping for employment is a hybrid of automated filter applications, on-line search engines and good old fashioned human interpretation. To be effective you need to make sure that your resume is designed to perform in all of these areas. In the hunt for a new job, a better job, or just keeping your Resume current, use these ten simple steps to draft a stellar resume.
   

• Interview Questions - Things to Think About Before the Interview
  [Business: Resumes-Cover-Letters] Whether you are preparing to interview, preparing to be interviewed, or just interested in conducting a quick self-analysis, the following topics tips will help you develop a perspective. An ounce of preparation is prevention from a pound of Preparation H.
   

• Interview Your Next Employer
  [Business: Careers-Employment] Before you go on your next interview, prepare the questions that you will ask your next potential employer.
   

• Executive Jobs, A Guide to Managing Your Career
  [Business: Careers and Employment] Guide to prepare for executive career transition, or seek an executive position. Quick reference for preparing a resume, using a recruiter, posting a resume, and preparing for an interview
   

• Get Ahead, Tips for Career Advancement
  [Self-Improvement: Goal-Setting] What is the magic formula for getting ahead? What can I do to accelerate my career advancement? What should I do to get noticed and promoted? These are common questions, and the secret to unlock potential for career advancement is nearly as common.
   

• Proper Perspective on Priorities
  [Self-Improvement: Time-Management] Sometimes it seems that the responsibilities that we have for coworkers, company, career and family are in tragic conflict. How can we balance the requirements and the responsibilities between personal and professional lives? There are a limited number of hours in a day, so how do we measure them and where do we draw the line?
   

• Why We Work
  [Business: Careers-Employment] Once you embrace your personal motivation, you can make plans and daily decisions that influence and support your motivation. It may be taking another look at your savings, how you use your energy or your time management. Fuel your personal power by recognizing how your daily efforts contribute to your personal motivation and your enthusiasm will be contagious.
   

• Life Career
  [Business: Careers-Employment] The perceived value of separation between work and personal life is the objective to maintain a balance, as if these aspects of our being can be compartmentalized with private and segregated emotional barriers. Despite our best efforts, there are demands in both the personal and public aspects of our lives that require sacrifice, generate reward, and impact our emotional responses in all aspects of our lives.
   

• Selecting Professional Assistance
  [Business: Careers and Employment] Guide to differentiate training, consulting and executive coaching for improved search and selection of professional assistance.

Inspiration

• You are the Company
  [Self-Improvement: Inspirational] Do you sometimes feel disillusioned about your company, insecure about your career advancement, or distraught by economic challenges? Do you wonder if your contributions are perceived as valuable, or question your own sense of purpose? Do you think that the company is responsible and should be doing something about the situation? You are the company.
   

• The Blacksmith and the Horseshoe
  [Self-Improvement: Inspirational] In the midst of overwhelming challenges and against all odds, a simple observation from old country wisdom can be a powerful inspiration. If you should find yourself in circumstances in which the bad news and losses seem to keep coming in waves, remember the story of the blacksmith and the horseshoe.
   

• The Two Minute Attitude Assessment
  [Self-Improvement] Rate the following ten statements to conduct a personal attitude assessment, and then try it on friends, colleagues, clients, and peers. How do your attitudes relate?
   

• A Gift for Grandma G
  [Women's-Interests] Isn't it amazing how the lessons that are passed from mother to child can come back to us across generations and in such unexpected ways?
   

• Raise Goals, Lower Expectations and Share Laughter
  [Self-Improvement: Goal-Setting] There is a simple strategy for getting more out of life and getting more satisfaction on the journey to achieving your success.
   

• 100 Year Project
  [Self-Improvement: Goal Setting] Imagine what you could accomplish if you were given 100 years to complete any project of your choosing. How would you approach your project management and your time management? What would your timeline look like?

Self-Improvement

• What Doesn't Kill You, Makes You Stronger
  [Self-Improvement: Inspirational] Scientists and researchers are experimenting with venom, bacteria, and genes from the common cold to create amazing cures. What can we learn from this approach of studying what could be perceived as deadly and harmful, and apply the same aspirations to our own challenges and temporarily agonizing hurdles?
   

• Overcome Fear of Failure
  [Self-Improvement: Motivation] A common fear that everyone experiences at some time or another is the fear of failure. If you have encountered this fear, or battle it from time to time, you can have some comfort in the knowledge that you are not alone. Be assured that when that concern does arise, you can beat it.
   

• The Teacher and the Vase
  [Self-Improvement: Inspirational] We are never too late to thank our teachers, and never too old to learn from our children.
   

• Get Ahead with Time Management
  [Self-Improvement: Time-Management] Print out this quick tip to get ahead with time management and try it for one week to see how it works for you. It can take less than five minutes for you to get ahead of your projects, your schedule and your competition.
   

• Public Speaking, Sales Presentations or Group Meetings - Be in the Moment
  [Writing-and-Speaking: Public-Speaking] If you are speaking to a large audience, a small room full of people, or conducting a personal presentation, nothing is as effective and engaging as living in the moment. This is a lesson taken from the stage to the boardroom by Pat Dolan, Fine Arts Chair of St. John's. "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women are merely players."
   

• Achieve the Life You Desire
  [Self-Improvement: Inspirational] Here is a different perspective on achieving your dreams, holding on to them, and obtaining the life that you desire. This is a simple and practical exercise that takes only a few minutes of your time to complete, but worthy of reflection that could last a lifetime.
   

• Five Character Traits for Commitment
  [Self-Improvement] When it comes to commitment, there are five types of character traits
   

• For Better Sleep - Indulge the Senses
  [Health-and-Fitness] Are you having trouble sleeping? Do you wake up tired? Does it seem like you are putting in more hours of work every day but you just can't seem to catch up? Do you find yourself getting sleepy in the middle of the afternoon, irritable with other people if they delay you in the late afternoon, or staying awake at night and thinking about what you need to do the next day? If you are not getting enough rest, and the right kind of rest, it can slow your productivity, impair your decisions and affect your outlook. There are things that you can do to gain control.
   

• Healthy Lifestyle
  [Self-Improvement: Goal-Setting] New Year Resolutions are full of great intentions, with 364 more days to fulfill the promises and commitments made on New Years Eve. By focusing on the goal, and not on the process, sometimes we try to do too much at once. Creating a healthy lifestyle means adjusting your daily routine. If you can repeat something for 30 days, it becomes part of your routine and part of your lifestyle. You can adjust your lifestyle gradually over time, achieving your goals in a manner that can be sustained and maintained.
   

• A Source of Inspiration
  [Self-Improvement: Inspirational] Having trouble finding your own source of inspiration at work? Inspiration and motivation permeate the work environment, you just need to know where to look for it.
   

• How to Cope with Stress
  [Self-Improvement] Stress can be addictive, contagious, debilitating, or invigorating. Relentless pressure to perform, personality conflicts, and lack of a sense of purpose can be damaging over time. Identify the causes, learn to control harmful stress, and use healthy stress to your advantage.

News & Society

• New Crime Warnings
  by John Mehrmann
  [News-and-Society] With the evolution of society comes the evolution of crime. Items that were overlooked, discarded, scrap, or trash have increased in value so much that these items have become hot commodities for thieves. What you are throwing away could very well be valuable enough for someone to steal.
   

• What You Don't Know Can Hurt Me
  [News-and-Society] You may be surprised at the difference that you can make in the world, in the lives of others, and for future generations. The personal effort may be very small, small enough to fit in your hand or in your pocket, and perhaps that is why it is so often overlooked.
   

• Global Education
  [Reference-and-Education] If we could represent the demographics of the world into a village of 100 people, what would it look like? If we gave that global village access to 161 billion gigabytes of data, what would they do with it? If six billion gigabytes of data were shared in email in 2006, what would it contain? Most important of all, how is this incredible rate of exponential change be reflected in the education of children today? Where is the education really coming from, in schools, at home or on-line?
   

• September 11 Remembered
  [News-and-Society] Most people have vivid personal memories of what they were doing at the exact moment that this tragedy occurred. Many of us can remember how we held our friends and family a little closer in the days and weeks that followed. There was a greater unspoken appreciation for the life and love that can be taken so unexpectedly. There was a greater understanding of how coworkers and neighbors can be shelter in times of trouble.
   

• Glacier Girl
  [News-and-Society] The true story of The Lost Squadron, a band of pilots and crewmen who survived a harrowing landing on the ice in Greenland. Glacier Girl is the incredible story of a P-38, rescued from under 268 feet of ice, "the finest restoration of any warbird ever done". Glacier Girl prepares to complete a journey to England that started in 1947, and you can see history fly.

Home and Family

• Top Search Topics for Men
  [Home-and-Family] Statistics show that most men prefer using Internet search engines for quick advice on health related topics, even more than calling or scheduling time to discuss health concerns with a doctor. The following are the most frequently searched Men's Health Topics on AOL Search.
   

• Christmas on the Bayou
  [Home-and-Family: Holidays] After Hurricane Katrina and the decimation following the flood waters, a single mother struggles to give her son a Christmas to remember.
   

• The Ugliest Christmas Tree
  [Home-and-Family: Holidays] A quest for the ugliest Christmas tree and the spirit of Christmas

Finance

• Why IBM Profits Rose 20 Percent While World Markets Fell 20 Percent
  by John Mehrmann
  [News-and-Society] Amid the panic of investors, brokers, and analysts, world equity markets plunged 20 percent in one week. IBM presented signs of survival as the company prepares to release a full earning report on October 16 that will show a 20 percent jump in profit. The enormous impact of sickly stocks, broken banks, credit crunch, cascading consumer confidence, and the reeling real estate market will continue to affect the world economy for several more fiscal quarters. However, some companies will use this incredible period to rise to the top, gaining market share and profitability, despite adjustments in overall revenue. What can be learned from those that survive and thrive during a time of economic crises?
   

• Retirement at Risk
  by John Mehrmann
  [News-and-Society] Every passing day brings us one step closer to retirement. When economic conditions or personal finances are unclear, the road to retirement seems much longer, and the road on retirement seems to be a rocky and perilous one. Don't panic, it's time to plan.
   

• Financial Focus for Newlyweds
  Contributed by Bui Financial Advisory and the Alliance of Cambridge Advisors
  [Financial Focus] Money is an important topic in any relationship. It is important to establish communication and mutual understanding about the financial roles and responsibilities. Treat financial successes and strains with joint consideration. Do not mortgage the future to pay for the present, and do not allow financial obligations from the past become seeds for dissention in the present. Prepare for unexpected expenses, set goals together and establish a common system of rewards.
   

• 401(k) and Alternative Retirement Plans
  Contributed by Bui Financial Advisory and the Alliance of Cambridge Advisors
  [Financial Focus] Today is the best day to start planning and saving for the rest of your life. The 401(k) is a wonderful savings plan if offered by your employer because the money goes directly into your retirement account. Not only is the money tax deferred when placed direct into your retirement account, but the interest earned in your retirement account is also tax deferred, which means that you do not pay annual taxes on the growing account value. Changes in the tax law have allowed new types of qualified retirement plans with subtle but important differences.
   

• Financial Focus Fall '06
  Contributed by Bui Financial Advisory and the Alliance of Cambridge Advisors
  [Financial Focus] Topics:
  * Maximizing Financial Aid for College
  * The Ultimate Parenting Map to Money Smart Kids
  * Rebalancing Your Investment Portfolio
   

• Financial Focus Summer '06
  Contributed by Bui Financial Advisory and the Alliance of Cambridge Advisors
  [Financial Focus] Topics:
  * Credit Card News
  * Spring Cleaning
  * Money Safe Vacations
   

• Financial Focus Spring '06
  Contributed by Bui Financial Advisory and the Alliance of Cambridge Advisors
  [Financial Focus] Topics:
  * Two Ways to Save on Energy Costs
  * Media Hype
  * Dealing with Deprivation Anxiety

Travel

• Airline Travel
  [Travel-and-Leisure] Rising fuel prices have impacted airline travel. Be prepared, and adjust your plans accordingly.
   

• 2008 Passport Restrictions
  [Travel-and-Leisure] Effective January 31, 2008, adult United States and Canadian citizens reentering the United States and Canada by land, ferry, or by small boat must carry a passport or a government issued photo ID, such as a driver's license, plus proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate. It can take six to eight weeks to get a passport. Since August 2007, the United States has been issuing Electronic Passports only. The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), are cooperating in NEXUS, a joint venture to simplify passage for pre-approved low risk travelers. Learn what you need to know before you go.
   

• US International Travel Restrictions
  [Travel-and-Leisure: Aviation] If you are planning travel between US, Canada or Mexico by air or sea, be prepared to present your passport. The same rules apply for the Caribbean and Bermuda. If you are planning business travel, a ski trip, Spring Break, family vacation or warm weather excursion, be prepared to carry a federally recognized identification to enter the US, even if you are a US citizen. The same rules will apply to roads and land border crossings in 2008
   

• Airport Restrictions, Your Personal Checklist
  [Travel-and-Leisure: Aviation] Packing for airline travel requires advance planning and consideration. The following is a list of revised restrictions regarding what is permitted or banned from US flights by the Transportation Security Administration. Print the list and keep it in your luggage as quick and convenient reference when you prepare to travel or pack to return home.
   

• Before Your Frequent Flyer Miles Expire
  [Travel-and-Leisure: Aviation] Many airlines are adjusting the policies for frequent flyer miles. The miles that you have been saving for a special trip or vacation may expire faster than you had planned. Rather than take chances, review your frequent flyer policy, your status and your options for spending earned miles.
   

• Flight Delayed or Cancelled, Know Your Options
  [Travel-and-Leisure: Aviation] If your flight is cancelled or delayed for reasons other than weather, Rule 240 states that the airline should put you on the next available flight to your destination at no extra charge, even that means using another carrier.