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What Happened to Customer Service

I recently had a terrible customer service experience and it led me to ask the question - "What happened to customer service?" We are in the "Now Generation," so I can understand how businesses can get lost in a sea of emails, tweets and instant messages from customers demanding attention RIGHT NOW.  However, it's really no excuse for bad business practices.

Let me explain what happened.  I found a company that sounded like they had a great message and could meet a particular need I had in my business.  I did my due diligence on the company and could only find one complaint anywhere on the World Wide Web about them.  I thought that was very exciting.  I set out on my journey to interact with them about various topics that they specialize in. In the beginning, I received the "Red Carpet" treatment.  Emails were responded to in a 24 - 48 hour period and always ended with the welcoming statement "Please let me know if there is anything else I can assist you with."  I was thoroughly excited about the service I was receiving and I was poised to do a lot more business with the company.  Then, the hammer fell.  As the date of my appointment drew near, I began to notice that the emails I had sent weren't being responded to as promptly as before, I couldn't get anyone on the phone and my phone messages weren't being returned.  What was I to do? I had already provided my credit card information!  The day of my appointment I received an email from the "Customer Relations Manager" stating that I neglected to send over some pertinent information that was due prior to my meeting.  I responded with the standard "There must be some mistake," and promptly received the "Oops, I don't know how I missed it" email from the company.

Things were not looking up.

I continued onto my appointment which was a complete and utter disappointment.  One of the things that we learn about in Business 101 is to Under-promise and Over-deliver.  My experience was the polar opposite.  I was sold a bill of goods on what to expect from my appointment only to receive the bare minimum.  I felt like I was on an awkward first date where neither person really knows what to say or what to do next.  Now, for me, that's possibly understandable, but for the "Seasoned Professional" I was attempting to do business with, I just didn't get it.  The whole thing was a dud, but I accepted it for the learning experience it was and moved forward with the process to get the "Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back" refund I was promised.

That's when things got worse.

I sent an email. No response. 2 days later I called. No return phone call.  I absolutely HATE automated systems that always end in a voicemail.  No matter what time of day I tried to reach the company, I couldn't get a live person on the phone.  I would probably have had better luck getting The President on the phone than I was having in trying to reach this organization. A week later, I sent another email. Still no response. I called again. Still getting voicemail. Let's try another extension. Voicemail.  After 2 weeks of a dead end, I decided to contact my credit card company as my only remaining recourse.  For good measure, AFTER I contacted the credit card company, I tried one more time to reach the business.  I FINALLY got a live person on the phone (isn't that how it always goes?) and was greeted with a list of excuses as to why nobody in the WHOLE organization had gotten back to me in 2 weeks, but they did go ahead and issue a refund on their end, which is a little less work for the credit card company. The whole experience leaves a bad taste in my mouth as a customer.  Basically, I was told that everyone at the organization dropped the ball AFTER they had my money in hand.

The lesson is this: Customers don't really care about your reasons for bad customer service.  They just know they got bad service. When dealing with people, make a point to be prompt in your responses to questions/concerns/inquiries and phone calls - or hire someone specifically to handle those tasks for you.  Make sure YOUR company isn't dropping the ball on its customers.

About the Author

Nikki Johnson is the owner of Bold New Adventures, The Premier Virtual Assistant Service.  Bold New Adventures (BNA) is located in Houston, TX; however, the virtual nature of the services provided allows us to be of assistance to anybody, anywhere.

When Did Customer Service Breakup?

We have all had friends in our circle who were known as Mary & John, and when John split Mary was alone. Mary was the odd number at the dinner party and we were all concerned about her. Well, today it seems that the union of customer & service have had a breakup. Service has split and customer is on his or her own.

Today, let me tell you a story that many of you will find humorous but is all too common. I can tell you this without fear of our local editor getting sued because it is about me, but business owners take note that you do not fit the profile of company X.

Four weeks ago I decided that I needed another green recycling can from my trash pickup company. We will call them Brown Keg Trash Pickup, an anonymous company in the interest of avoiding litigation. I called their customer service number, and as an environmentally conscious citizen requested my extra recycle can. The cheerful voice on the other end of the line chirped, Of course, we will have one delivered in 48 hours. After giving her all the pertinent location information, I hung up the phone with the satisfied feeling of a good citizen.

I arrived home about 5 p.m. the next day and I was happy to see another green can at the mouth of my driveway. When I looked again, I noticed that I had another green can, but it was without a lid. I quickly dialed my cheerful telephone voice at Brown Keg Company thanking her graciously for the rapid service and then told her about the missing lid.

Just as cheerfully as the first time, she told me to leave it at the end of my driveway after my usual trash pickup and they would replace the entire unit since they did not have extra lids. I agreed, and after hanging up the phone I pondered their plight of having lidless cans but no extra lids. I conjured up all sorts of scenarios that explained where all the lids to the lidless cans went, and sympathized with their predicament.

Well, 3 days went by and there sat my poor, green, lidless can at my driveway and a replacement never arrived. Feeling empathy for this green plastic waif, I returned it to the side of its brother that had a lid. I called my cheerful customer service voice again, and reiterated the plight of my poor lidless can and after a chuckle she assured me a complete unit would be forthcoming.

I found it necessary to make use of my lidless friend, and put it out the next pickup day filled to the brim. Fortunately, it was not windy and all the contents remained inside it. That was 2 weeks ago, and life being what it is, other more important tasks have occupied me until this morning when facing another pickup day I thought of my lidless friend.

Once more I picked up the phone and called my trash pickup company, and this time I listened to a litany of choices of buttons I could punch and chose my cheerful customer service button again.

I was transferred, listened to a brief melody when there was a click and I expected my cheerful voice to chirp hello. The next thing I heard was another click, silence, and then the dreaded dial tone that means you have been disconnected.

Not being one of the fainthearted, I simply redialed my number. Again there was the litany of button choices, my choice and the music, and just when I began to feel that all was right with the world I heard click, dial tone and nothing.

This was not the morning for the phone to be playing games with me, so I made one more determined effort and REDIALED! NASA, we have lift-off! I once more heard the litany of button choices, but this time I outfoxed that monotonous voice and punched 0. I asked for the Manager of Customer Service, I was given her name and was transferred. What greeted my eager ear was, You have reached the voicemail of, please leave your name and number and she will return your call.

So here we sit, my lidless, green can and I facing another pick-up day. This eager-to-serve plastic green waif must bravely face another dutiful day half-clothed.

You must admit that is an amusing story, and one that far too many of us have lived through, but what a sad commentary it is about our business community.
Does it not make you wonder if our language has changed so drastically that what we interpret customer service to mean is not what todays business owners mean. It makes me wonder when the marriage of customer and service broke-up, leaving us all the lonely ones.

Entrepreneurs and business owners take note! If you are going to have a number for your customers to access your customer service, please follow these rules.

Have the phone manned by an employee that can hear thunder and see lightening.

Give that employee training in helping the caller and not shuffling the problem to another desk.

Have an overseer, who can also hear thunder and see lightening, check that all incoming complaints were handled appropriately.

After learning how to find your customers and what they want; after getting them committed to doing business with YOU; and after wooing them to keep them as your customers, WHY WOULD YOU LET SERVICE DIVORCE CUSTOMER?

If your customers are not getting the service they require from you, your competitor will be only too happy to help them!

About the Author

For a great customer service oriented business check Annies out:

http://www.marykay.com/awilliamson90

Aftersales Management (Hardcover) $29.72 Every year large sums of money are wasted by the retail industry on badly managed after sales processes.  What happens if problems occur after a sale has taken place?  How are they dealt with?  What processes ...

Customer Service $12.99 Customer Service - Laminated Poster

Understand Silly Service has its Serious Side: -Test Your Customer Service Knowledge

Who says service is serious? Customer service can be silly too. Take this fun quiz to test your customer service knowledge. You may be a service ace if you both pick the correct answer to each of these ten questions, and understand why these answers are correct.

1. A complaining customer is:
A. Always right
B. Almost right
C. Often lying
D. Always the customer

2. Customers who complain:
A. Had unhappy childhoods
B. Are genetically predisposed to be sourpusses
C. Have trouble in their primary relationships
D. Are doing you a service in identifying what isn’t working in your business or organization

3. The best reward for your customer service representatives is:
A. Earplugs and punching bags
B. Valium or other mind-numbing drugs
C. Recognition and appreciation on your part
D. Anger management seminars

4. CRM stands for:
A. Customers Rarely Matter
B. Can’t Remember Much
C. Communicating Random Meaning
D. Customers Rudimentarily Managed
E. Customer Relationship Management

5. Customers who complain want . . .
A. Something for nothing
B. To be heard and have their experience validated
C. To vent for the sport of it
D. To be made majority shareholders in the company

6. Customer Service departments:
A. Are the afterthought that cleans up messes other departments cause
B. Build customer loyalty
C. Are leaders in understanding customer behavior patterns and market research

7. For a company to be considered service-oriented:
A. It must mention customer service in its mission statement
B. At least 18.3% of its employees must work in the customer service department
C. Its managers must at one time have been CSRs
D. Customer service must be addressed by all departments

8. A Call Center is defined as:
A. The midpoint in duration of a telephone call
B. A revenue sink hole
C. A place where middle-of-the-road calls coexist with liberal and arch-conservative calls
D. A location where complaints and problems are converted into successful saves for your customers and your company

9. Customer Care is:
A. A managed care medical program for customers
B. A nifty alliterative phrase that looks good in company brochures
C. A new program where customers care for themselves
D. A philosophy wherein the customer is wrapped in service even before a problem arises

10. Customer Service Culture is
A. A new form of yogurt where the lid removes itself for you
B. Behavior being analyzed in a Petrie dish for contagions
C. A mythical civilization in which everyone smiles and welcomes you when they meet
D. An environment where customer service permeates the thinking of the entire company

KEY

1. D. Customers are often wrong but they never stop being the customer. Right or wrong they are to be accorded respect and cared for. Focus on the insights their complaint offers.

2. D. Complaining customers alert you to systemic problems before they drive off more customers. Their complaints represent many more customers who may not spend the time to tell you about problems, instead just leaving you for your competitors.

3. C. Your staff deserves and thrive on recognition and appreciation. Take the time to celebrate them collectively and individually. Whether through cards, gifts, surprises, outings and acknowledgements at company functions, let them know how important, valued and appreciated they are to you and the company.

4. E. CRM refers to systems designed to track and cater to each customer’s whims and preferences over a lifetime. CRM is about managing customer relationships over the long haul by attending to their individual needs.

5. B. Complaining customers have several needs. Implicit in their actual complaint is also a need to be heard and their unhappiness acknowledged. Fixing the problem is important. So is letting them know you understand their displeasure and feel for them. One without the other is an incomplete remedy for customer complaints. Don’t forget the emotional component in complaints.

6. B and C. When you solve a problem for a customer you actually build confidence and allegiance. You’ve proven you stand behind your products or service, giving customers a warm and fuzzy feeling of safety and protection. As well, you tap the pulse of the customers. Their complaints and feedback give valuable insight into how well your products are assembled, documented, sold and hold up. Listening to customers tells you a great deal about your company’s products and services (and your competitors’ too) from real life customers. That’s invaluable!

7. D. A Customer Service orientation must transcend the service department. All departments must understand and model good customer service for the company to be considered strong in service. Many problems can be avoided outright by attending to customer service. Why should the customer service department carry the weight of service for the entire company. Don’t operate under the adage “never enough time to do it right but always enough time to do it over.” Get it right at the source, in all departments.

8. D. Make your call center is a shining example of your company’s commitment to its customers. Your center is a visible symbol of your company’s commitment to customer success.

9. D. Customer Care is a philosophy wherein customers are cared for by a company – the entire time they’re customers. Care isn’t just to be administered as a salve for problems. Demonstrate care from the start and your customers will flock to your products and services.

10. D. Customer Service Culture is the infusion of service ideals into every department, from sales, shipping and receiving to legal, human resources and beyond.

About the Author

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Customer service software

Customer service software is a kind of a support software service which is made exclusively for the customers. Customer service software not only deals with serving the customer before the purchase of a product, but it also deals with the customer during the usage of the product and also after the purchase of the product.

Customer service software is the kind of software that is made primarily to enhance the customer’s satisfaction. Customer service software is made with the basic motive of gaining feedback from customers; to know whether a product is meeting customer expectation.

Customer service software can be of many types. They can be incorporated on the company website. This particular method of assigning a web page for customer service software is called the self service method. There are free help desk software which are a part of free customer service software.

Customer service software is a very internal part of a big organization. For big companies it is mandatory to use good customer service software, if they want to increase their sales. If the customer likes the product then only the sales will increase. The customer service software helps to collect information about customers’ likes and dislikes. In case, a company is getting more of negative feedbacks about their product and services, then they can modify them. So this sort of support software enables the company to examine its own performance and position among customers.

Some of the best support software facilities include technical support, customer requests tracking, issues, bugs, task, and transmission of various information regarding products. For example, a big or small company may ask for this type of a system for their client support, so that an exclusive support workforce does not have to be engaged to help out a customer over a meticulous subject. Any complain or feedback will be recorded by the support software. This system is also used by the software developers for bug tracking (fault or subject tracking). Free customer service software is uploaded on the company website and also accessible at the corporate intranet level. It permits you to generate (and record on) support tickets via email. They may also have some features like email notifications, reminder system, statistics facility and reporting. However, all this depends on the quality of the free customer service software. Another feature of free customer service software is live chat. This support software enables the company to get information at the flip of a finger. The online chat is a live chat which gives an opportunity to get the information as fast as possible.

Big or small corporate houses often offer support software to the customers in the form of toll-free numbers, email and websites. Any sort of feedback is assembled methodically with the help of the customer service software. Many organizations have now incorporated a new system of help desk support which is meant for the employees only. Support software nowadays provide a big platform to the companies. It helps them to easily interact with their clients on a one to one basis without going through the entire rigmarole.

These days help desk services have come up with a wider collection of user oriented services. The help desk normally manages its requirements by means of softwares like incident tracking system. This enables them to follow clients’ demand with an exclusive number in a ticket. Another kind of help desk uses software that helps you to follow customer requirements is a queue oriented system. Whenever a complaint is entered in the company website, a ticket is positioned in a suitable queue and the individual accountable for that job is notified accordingly. The selected individual can then start working on the matter, report to the client and when the matter is all done the person can close the ticket. Some other features of this support software are workers and supervisors notifications, a user system or a group system, mail assimilation hunt services etc. Other than this, there are various other help desk services with their unique working processes.

Free customer service software has diverse levels to handle different types of clients with their different questions. The initial level deals with the easy and common sort of question. The big and complex support software incorporate help desk services that include an individual or a group accountable for supervising the tickets and are normally called queue managers. So be it any kind of customer service software, help desk, live chat, toll free websites etc, they are all are intended to enhance the sales growth and to get immediate feedback from the customers. Free customer service software helps to get the immediate feedback at zero cost. So if you want to hike your sales figure then incorporate the help of a customer service software, because it is a very effective way to understand the needs and requirements of customers.

About the Author

Customer Service Software Israel t Shirts Jerusalem hotels

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Leading by Example: Eight Lessons for Leaders Striving to Pull Their Companies Out of the Red

Leading by Example: Eight Lessons for Leaders Striving to Pull Their Companies Out of the Red

Though the forecast for the economy is starting to improve, the plight of recession-weary businesses is still difficult. If you’re struggling to find a way to motivate your employees when offering money isn’t an option, here's some advice for you: Focus on becoming a great leader. There are few things your employees will appreciate more. 

By Charles Garcia 

After months of economic tough times, a glimmer of light is starting to appear at the end of the proverbial tunnel. Rather than being harbingers of doom, economic news stories are now starting to look ever so slightly brighter. This improved economic forecast will likely have many company leaders looking for ways to motivate their employees to keep up the hard work necessary for navigating their companies into calmer waters. Unfortunately, despite the recent economic uptick, most company leaders still can’t offer what they view as their greatest motivational bargaining chip with their employees—the almighty dollar.

Fear not. Money isn’t the only way to rally your troops and boost morale during this crucial time. In fact, positive, strong leadership can often garner far greater results than offering money or other perks ever could.

Too often businesses assume that offering more money is the only way to motivate employees. The reality is that employees value having strong leaders, who motivate them to do their best, just as much if not more. And there’s no greater defense against a tough economy than a workforce motivated to do their absolute best.

As an alum of the White House Fellowship program, one of the most prestigious leadership programs in the country, I know the value of quality leadership.

There’s never been a more appropriate time for the rest of us to look to great leaders for inspiration. The lessons that can be learned from the White House Fellows mentors are universal and absolutely invaluable to any business leader smart enough to heed them.

Remember, all the money in the world won’t keep a hardworking but unhappy employee with your company. But follow the leadership principles that help you better motivate and encourage that employee and she will be just as invested in making your company a success as you are.

Using insightful, firsthand accounts from past program participants, my new book, Leadership Lessons of the White House Fellows: Learn How to Inspire Others, Achieve Greatness, and Find Success in Any Organization (McGraw-Hill, 2009, ISBN: 978-0-07-159848-4, $24.95), explores the leadership lessons that former White House Fellows said they took away from their year working under some of the best of the best in Washington, D.C.

Leadership Lessons of the White House Fellows includes twenty timeless tenets of successful leadership, each illustrated by multiple inspiring anecdotes. Here are eight lessons from some of the nation’s greatest leaders:

LEADERSHIP LESSON #1: Energize your people. Your employees have just helped you pull your company through one of the nation’s worst economic periods. They’ve been constantly bombarded with bad news in their own lives and in their work lives. It’s time they had a source of positive energy. Who better for them to turn to for that kind of encouragement than you, their leader? Instead of being the type of leader who sucks the energy away from others, resolve to be the kind of leader who strives to bring passion and positive energy to the workplace every day.

THE STORY BEHIND THE LESSON: John Patrick Gallagher

U.S. Major John Patrick Gallagher (WHF 07-08) learned about leadership from General David Petraeus. General Petraeus was a colonel in the 82nd Airborne Division at the same time Gallagher was assigned to the division as a second lieutenant. One day Petraeus called his brigade together and asked them who could tell him the number one leadership priority of the brigade. The answers ranged from integrity to professional and tactical competence to marksmanship until finally someone hit the nail on the head. The answer? Physical fitness.

“We all thought he was kidding, and we couldn’t for the life of us figure out how that could be the number one priority in the brigade,” recalled Gallagher. “But we learned later that he was right. Self-discipline and being able to perform under pressure and exist outside our comfort zone would be the key that unlocked our success.”

Petraeus began leading his troops through seventy-five minutes of intense exercise every morning. And with every pull-up, push-up, and sprint, the brigade became more alert, had more physical and mental energy, and more individual and team pride.

“All those other things we wanted to do well got better, whether it was marksmanship or vehicle maintenance or soldiers going on leave and not getting arrested for DUI,” Gallagher said. “All these other indicators went up when Petraeus created this climate of self-discipline. He boiled down his leadership approach to this: Am I giving my subordinates energy or am I taking it away? Put another way, am I leading in a way that causes my subordinates to be more enthusiastic and creative about doing their jobs—to believe more deeply in what they are doing and why they are doing it—or am I leading in such a way that it is stifling growth and enthusiasm? If the latter is true, the job may still get done by the sheer force of your legitimacy or presence, but it doesn’t get done as well and it doesn’t last after you’re gone. Petraeus knows how to lead in such a way that it gives his subordinates energy. That’s an incredibly powerful leadership tool.”

Since leaving his Fellowship, Gallagher has been using that tool daily in his role as Director for the War of Ideas and Strategic Communications at the National Security Council’s Office of Iraq and Afghanistan Affairs. 

LEADERSHIP LESSON #2: There’s more to life than work. Great leaders have deep reserves of physical, spiritual, and emotional energy, and that energy is usually fueled by a strong and supportive relationship with the people they love, regular exercise, a healthy lifestyle, and setting aside time for reflection. 

Sure, you want your employees to stay focused on moving your company forward, and you might feel like it’s important to keep everyone’s noses (including your own!) to the grindstone right now, but it’s also summer time. There are barbecues and baseball games to attend, warm days to be spent at the park or by the pool, and much-earned vacation time waiting to be used! Encourage your employees to spend time with their families, whether it results from taking an afternoon off or going on a week-long vacation. Doing so will help them power up for the difficult work to come. And remember to give yourself the same respect! 

THE STORY BEHIND THE LESSON: Doris Kearns Goodwin

At 6:00 a.m. on a cold January morning in 1973, presidential historian, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, and NBC news analyst Doris Kearns Goodwin (WHF 67-68) received a call from former President Lyndon B. Johnson, with whom she had become a trusted confidante while working on his memoirs.

“He told me to get married, have children, and spend time with them,” Goodwin said. “He talked about how he should have spent more time with his family, because that’s a different and more worthy kind of posterity than the public one that he had been seeking throughout his entire political career. That would be our last conversation, because he died of a heart attack two days later—but what a wonderful thing to leave me with.”

Goodwin heeded Johnson’s words. For example, she turned down the chance to be considered for the position of head of the Peace Corps during the Carter administration because she knew it would require her to travel often and be away from her young children. Over the years she’s concluded that those who live the richest lives manage to achieve a healthy balance of work, love, and play.

“To commit yourself to just one of those spheres without the others is to leave open an older age filled with sadness, because once the work is gone, you have nothing left—no hobbies, no sports,” Goodwin said. “Your family may love you, but they are not in the center of your life as they might have been had you paid attention to them all the way through. And I always argue that the ability to relax and replenish your energy is absolutely essential.”

LEADERSHIP LESSON #3: Put your people first. No organization is better than the people who run it. The fact is that you are in the people business—the business of hiring, training, and managing people to deliver the product or service you provide. If the people are the engine of your success, to be a great leader you need to attend to your people with a laserlike focus.

THE STORY BEHIND THE LESSON: Mitchell Reiss

Mitchell Reiss (WHF 88-89) has seen firsthand that a leader’s focus on his or her people is an incredibly powerful tool. He learned that valuable lesson during his White House Fellowship from his principal, the National Security Advisor and former Secretary of State and former White House Fellow Colin Powell.

“Two weeks after I started my Fellowship, there was a picnic over the weekend for the National Security Council staff and their families,” Reiss recalled. “We got there promptly, but General Powell was already there helping set up, helping cook the burgers and hot dogs, and personally greeting every single person, not just on the staff but their families. He came over to me and knew not only my name but introduced himself to my wife, Elisabeth, and thanked her for allowing me to work the hours that I worked at the NSC. He told her she should feel that she is part of the NSC family as well.

“That very brief but very personal interaction with Powell had an extraordinary impact on her. After he left, she turned to me and said, ‘You better do a good job for that man. If you need to stay late at work, I will never complain.’ That’s the sort of transformative impact that leadership can have, and I was able to see it up close and personal with Colin Powell. This lesson was invaluable when I later worked at the State Department, where I tried to replicate this sense of teamwork and compassion.”

LEADERSHIP LESSON #4: Act with integrity. In a time when news reports are filled with the stories of private and public leaders who’ve acted inappropriately and have gone against the best interests of their employees or constituents, showing your employees that you value integrity can help motivate them and create a sense of pride for your organization.

Remember, the actions of great leaders are consistent with their words. Saying the right thing doesn’t mean much. Doing the right thing means everything when you want people to follow you passionately. By acting with honor and integrity, you build trust with your followers.

THE STORY BEHIND THE LESSON: Dennis Blair

During his Fellowship, Dennis Blair (WHF 75-76)—current Director of National Intelligence, former Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, retired four-star navy admiral, and former Rhodes Scholar—was one of a group of special assistants to Housing and Urban Development Secretary Carla Hills. He witnessed how Secretary Hills fought to maintain an honest, aboveboard environment despite ample opportunities for duplicity.

“The Department of Housing and Urban Development has been rocked by one scandal after another over the years,” Blair explained. “It moves a lot of money around and sends it down to the local level, where things can get pretty raw…There’s just a lot of potential for corruption, but one of the leadership lessons I took away from that assignment was from the tone that Carla Hills set. She was fiercely, unflinchingly determined to do the right thing and never batted an eye about it. Whenever misconduct came to light, she dealt with it quickly and effectively, firing people if necessary and then moving on.”

During Blair’s year in Washington, President Ford was up for reelection. The president and his cabinet, including Hills, were under intense pressure to run a winning campaign. Although everyone’s job was at stake, Blair saw no one abuse his or her power or resort to cheap tactics to influence the election.

“Carla Hills never came in and said, ‘We’re in trouble in Ohio. I want to push some Section 8 money toward Ohio, and I want a big publicity drive so we can turn out a lot of votes there.’” Blair said. “There was none of that. They played by the rules and fought fair and always tried to do the right thing.”

During his own career, Blair had several opportunities to “shade his principles” for his own benefit, but chose not to. On at least one occasion, doing the right thing cost him dearly. Although he couldn’t provide details, he did reveal that because of his leadership role he had a shot at becoming vice chairman or even chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. To be considered for one of those jobs, he would have had to modify his philosophy and change his leadership style to please a new administration. He chose to stick with the methods and values he had developed throughout his career.

“It wasn’t that difficult a decision,” he said. “Certainly I would have relished the chance to make more of a difference in that higher position, but I was not willing to change my philosophy or my style. I had too much confidence in my approach to change it even though I knew that meant I wasn’t going to move up further in the organization.”

LEADERSHIP LESSON #5: Be a great communicator. If your employees aren’t heeding your advice or company protocols, the problem likely lies with you, not them. Are you using the methods of communication they prefer? Are your messages clear and easy to understand? Leadership is about influencing others, and this cannot be achieved without the ability to communicate. If you’re struggling with communicating to your employees, first work on your ability to influence individuals by choosing words that are impactful to carry your message. Then you need to figure out how to communicate to a larger audience.

Remember to be open and honest with your employees. Communicate to them how the economy is affecting the company and where you would like to take it in the future. And always keep in mind that your actions truly speak louder than your words.

THE STORY BEHIND THE LESSON: Marsha “Marty” Evans

After learning the value of quality communication from her Fellowship principal, U.S. Treasury Secretary William “Bill” Miller, Marsha “Marty” Evans (WHF 79-80) carried on the tradition in her work with the Navy.

In 1986, former Fellow and Naval Academy Superintendent Chuck Larson (WHF 68-69) tapped Evans to be one of six battalion officers at the Naval Academy—the first female battalion officer in Navy history—placing her in charge of the training and well-being of hundreds of midshipmen. The academy was meant to be a place of discipline and decorum, but occasionally a lower classman would slip up by wearing nonregulation clothing. When Evans saw a third classman in a Budweiser t-shirt one day, she assumed there had been a breakdown in communication.

“I remember the lecture so well,” Evans recalled. “I said, ‘You know, my own basic leadership belief is that people generally want to do the right thing, and if they’re not doing the right thing it’s because they haven’t been trained properly. They haven’t somehow had the benefit of the teaching and the leadership of their seniors. So, I can only come to the conclusion that this youngster is wearing this t-shirt because he has suffered from faulty communication by his midshipman chain of command.’ Each person in the third classman’s chain of command was held accountable and punished.”

Evans’s commonsense approach to encouraging better communication in her organization helped her create a more cohesive team and also garnered the Navy’s attention. She was promoted steadily throughout her thirty-year career and retired as a two-star rear admiral, one of only a few women to attain the rank. Since leaving the military, Evans has used her outstanding communication skills in her roles as director of the Girl Scouts of the USA and president and CEO of the American Red Cross.

LEADERSHIP LESSON #6: Be a great listener. The most effective leaders are the ones who take the time to listen not just to their team members’ words but to the priceless hidden meaning beneath them. Remember that during good times and bad, sometimes your employees just need someone to talk to. Communicate to them that you are always waiting with open ears.

THE STORY BEHIND THE LESSON: Cesar Aristeiguieta

Cesar Aristeiguieta (WHF 02-03) was assigned to work with Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson during his Fellowship. It wasn’t long before the young White House Fellow noticed an important leadership trait in his principal that he hoped to nurture in himself: Secretary Thompson was an outstanding listener.

One example of this came during a meeting with food industry executives who were brought in by Secretary Thompson to discuss their role in the rise in childhood obesity. The executives essentially told Thompson that the government should stay out of their business.

After listening to them for almost an hour, Aristeiguieta recalls that Thompson responded with the following: “‘I’ve heard you. I understand your concerns. Now I need you to tell me how you, as an industry, can help address this public health issue.’ Then he just sat back and listened again. Pretty soon they were talking about how they could step up and participate without being forced into it—how they could begin putting more healthy food choices on their menus and those kinds of things—and by the end of the meeting the tone had changed dramatically. They weren’t attacking the secretary anymore. They were actually pleased, and they felt that they were part of the dialogue, and in fact, they probably went further than the secretary really expected them to go at that point.

“From that meeting I learned the value of listening. I’ve tried to incorporate that into my own leadership style in my work as director of emergency medical services and disaster preparedness for Emergent Medical Associates and also in my role as an assistant professor in emergency medicine at the University of California-Davis.”

LEADERSHIP LESSON #7: Be a problem solver. Several years ago I returned from a business trip to find that my assistant had hung a gigantic fifteen-foot-long wooden sign above his office door. The sign reads, “Don’t Bring Me Problems. Bring Me Solutions.”

I suggest that you post a similar sign and then set about the task of guiding each person on your team toward the goal of becoming a top-notch problem solver during this crucial period. Sure, it takes time and effort to teach problem-solving strategies to your people, but when you experience the payoff, you’ll know it was an investment worth making.

THE STORY BEHIND THE LESSON: Julia Vadala Taft

In 1975, President Gerald Ford chose former White House Fellow Julia Vadala Taft (WHF 70-71) to direct the resettlement of refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos after the collapse of Saigon. The resettlement program brought 131,000 refugees to the U.S. in six months. There was no template and no time plan. The work just had to get done, and Taft directed it all with humor, grace, and a backbone of steel.

During her career as a public servant, Taft helped reshape the Refugee Act of 1980, and helped organize relief for the people of war-torn and disaster-ridden countries throughout the world, including 25 million flood victims left homeless in Bangladesh, displaced people in Burundi, victims of a poison gas incident in Cameroon, the people of the Sahel and Ethiopia who were suffering from a widespread famine after a locust plague, and 800,000 refugees driven from Kosovo.

When she died from colon cancer in 2008, former White House Fellow and longtime friend Colin Powell was quoted in the New York Times obituary section as saying that Julia Taft “was an image of American openness and generosity. Her professional life was committed to people trying to get by on a dollar a day, those who are hungry, without clean water, without medicine, without homes.”

Taft’s obituary in the Washington Post on March 19 stated, “It was her ability to bring order to chaos—plus her willingness to get on a plane, helicopter, jeep, or riverboat to go almost anywhere that enabled her to make a difference. Whether in the White House, a refugee camp, or meeting with government and [nongovernmental organization] officials, she knew how to get people moving.”

LEADERSHIP LESSON #8: Lead through experience and competence, not through title or position. For more than four decades, by pairing young people with established leaders, the White House Fellows program has given hundreds of young Americans the tools, experiences, and mentors necessary for them to become confident, well-prepared problem solvers and leaders.

And if you want to survive the tough economy, that’s exactly the kind of leadership motif you’ll adopt for your organization. Mentor your employees, encourage them, make partners out of them, and your organization is sure to benefit.

THE STORY BEHIND THE LESSON: Arthur “Gene” Dewey

The ability to help propelled Arthur “Gene” Dewey (WHF 68-69) from his post as assistant to a high-ranking military officer into a White House Fellowship at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Dewey’s principal at USAID, Bill Gaud, put him right to work. He sent Dewey to Nigeria where USAID was spending a great deal of money supporting those caught up in the Nigerian-Biafran war, and Gaud wanted to make sure all of the supplies were getting through.

Dewey found that the Nigerian Air Force was shooting down relief planes during the night airlifts, and so he hatched a plan to get food in by using a combination of sealift and riverboats. He presented the idea to Clyde Ferguson, President Nixon’s special representative for Nigeria-Biafra at the State Department. Ferguson asked him to come work for him for a couple of weeks on what was dubbed the Cross River Scheme.

With no previous experience coordinating large-scale relief efforts, Dewey set about the task of making the project safer and more efficient. As the efforts to bring relief to the people of Biafra—just over 3 million people fell under the plan—continued, Dewey became more involved in the diplomacy required to set up a formal, enduring procedure for getting food and other supplies to the Biafrans. Unfortunately, the Biafran leader, Governor Ojukwu, refused to accept the plan even though it was clearly designed to benefit his people. Ferguson and Dewey were heartbroken.

Then Dewey had a fateful meeting with an initially very negative Catholic bishop on the island. The bishop complained that the U.S. was not doing enough to help the Biafrans. Dewey informed him that Ojukwu was the one holding up the agreement while his people suffered. He then explained the Cross River plan to the bishop, whose attitude gradually softened. The conversation closed with the bishop promising that when Ojukwu came to confession later that week, he would have a talk with him and get him to change his mind.

Dewey was skeptical. But just a couple of days later, after he had arrived back in New York, he received a call telling him that General Ojukwu would accept the proposal.

Dewey says that the greatest leadership lesson he learned from his White House Fellowship was the necessity of being prepared and becoming an expert. His title as a White House Fellow meant virtually nothing as he designed and tried to execute the Cross River plan in Nigeria. What counted were his expertise and his attitude.

Just because the economy has been slow and businesses have experienced set-backs, does not mean the fundamentals of leadership need to change. The leadership qualities espoused by mentors in the White House Fellows program translate perfectly to the workplaces and the government offices of 2009 America. Decide today to start motivating your employees by being the best leader you can be and you’ll all go far, despite the bad economy.

# # #

About the Author:

Charles P. Garcia is a former White House Fellow, graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Columbia Law School graduate, and best-selling author. In 2006, he sold his investment banking firm, which grew from three people to sixty offices in seven countries; Inc. magazine identified it as one of the top ten fastest-growing privately held companies in the United States. Garcia was named entrepreneur of the year by three national organizations. He is on the board of Fortune 500 companies and serves as the chairman of the Board of Visitors of the U.S. Air Force Academy.

For more information about him, please visit www.charlespgarcia.com.

About the Book:

Leadership Lessons of the White House Fellows: Learn How to Inspire Others, Achieve Greatness, and Find Success in Any Organization (McGraw-Hill, 2009, ISBN: 978-0-07-159848-4, $24.95) is available at bookstores nationwide and all major online booksellers.

About the Author

Charles P. Garcia is a former White House Fellow, graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Columbia Law School graduate, and best-selling author. In 2006, he sold his investment banking firm, which grew from three people to sixty offices in seven countries; Inc. magazine identified it as one of the top ten fastest-growing privately held companies in the United States. Garcia was named entrepreneur of the year by three national organizations. He is on the board of Fortune 500 companies and serves as the chairman of the Board of Visitors of the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Appreciating Vintage Posters

Understanding the history of posters will make you appreciate more the value of your vintage poster collection. Having knowledge on its history will also help you determine a poster's worth. A poster is any printed material that may be graphic, textual or both. Its purpose is to convey different kinds of messages. This is one of the reasons that posters are made to be very attractive and attention- grabbing.

Different Uses of a Poster

. Advertising Tool.
Posters
are used to advertise different events, like concerts, stage plays and films. They are also used to advertise and launch various products.

. Political groups also use posters to communicate political propaganda and protests.

. Posters are also used for artwork reproductions. Famous works of various artists are reproduced and sold in the market.

Types of Posters

. Political Posters

Political posters are very famous, especially during the first and second world wars. Most of these posters are calling f or awareness and participation of citizens. Examples of some slogans used in political posters are "Uncle Sam wants you" and "Loose Lips Sink Ships".

Political propaganda and motivation are easily communicated through the use of posters. These posters are distributed and displayed on the streets. Political posters had been very effective in raising people's awareness. Examples of political posters that became famous through time are those of the great patriotic war and Rosie the Riveter posters

. Advertising, Events, Film and Affirmation Posters

The most commonly colleted posters are those of movies and concerts. The value of these posters can increase even more as time passes. Posters of dead artists are also given higher value. The limited number of comic book posters also has a high value because copies of this type of posters are very limited. Just like vintage comic books, a vintage comic book poster can cost you a fortune.

Affirmation vintage posters became popular collectibles not really because of how much they cost but because of the messages they convey. Messages like "Hope", "Leadership" and "Love" are some of the most common concepts of affirmation posters.

Cheesecake Posters

As the popularity of posters increases, another type started to circulate the market in the 1920s. These posters usually show beautiful women and commonly have an erratic theme.

A Brief History

Posters have been around for a very long time. The invention of different printing techniques and mechanisms gave birth to the modern posters around 1870. Lithography paved the way to bulk productions of posters.

According to John Barnicoat, with the popularity of posters, they eventually became a vital art form. Almost every artist wants to create a poster. Concepts such as Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Symbolism, Bauhaus and Hippie are commonly used and integrated in posters.

It is said that the Father of advertisement placards is Jules Cheret. He, together with Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, created numerous poster arts in the 1890s, when the art of poster making started to spread in Europe.

If you want to start a vintage poster collection, it's always a good idea to choose the type of poster you want to collect and build your collection from there. Be careful in choosing posters to add in your collection as there are a lot of fake vintage posters circulating in the market.
About the Author

Appreciating
Vintage Posters
by Olga Rahmaninof. the writer is the owner of several vintage posters websites

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Herbal Home Remedy: Mint

The mint is a herb that is commonly used in many personal care products as well as used as an ingredient in cooking. However, it also has many healing properties that make it an excellent herbal home remedy as well.

With thirty different varieties of mint, there can be a lot of herbal remedies that can be made out of them. Peppermint is the preferred mint herbal remedy in the western world. In China, it is the field mint. Garden mint, or spearmint, is another very popular mint herbal remedy which is more commonly used for children.

The aerial parts of the mint herb are the most commonly used parts to make herbal remedies. The mint is great for healing in cases of digestive disorders, colic and fatulence. In addition, mint is often used to treat motion sickness and nausea. If you are suffering from flu or fever, a mint herbal home remedy can be used to help promote sweating to break the illness. In Chinese herbal medicine, mint is also called bo he and is used to help relieve the symptoms of liver stagnation or other digestive complaints.

Mint is best used right after harvesting. You can also use the aerial parts to prepare an inhalation, tincture, compress, or an infusion, depending upon your needs. The easiest way to ingest mint as a herbal home remedy is in the form of teas.

An essential oil can also be prepared from mint. Peppermint oil is known for its analgesic, calming, and cooling affect on your body. This is a good remedy for treating and relieving headaches, migraines, treating fevers, and treating skin problems. This oil is considered antibacterial in nature as well, which is great for using on minor infections.

Inhaling peppermint oil can help relieve severe nasal congestion, but should not be used too often. It can irritate your mucous membranes if used frequently. Young children should not use peppermint oil and nursing mothers should stay away from peppermint oil, as it can decrease your milk flow.

You can also derive benefits from mint by just eating the herb. Mint is used for flavoring dishes in cooking. It is widely used as an ingredient for desserts such as in mint chocolates or ice cream.

The mint that I am most familiar with is the laksa leaves used in Asian cooking. It is also a commonly used ingredient in Vietnamese salads and soups. However, what is interesting to note though that this mint ingredient does not actually belong to the mint family although its general appearance and odor are similar.

About the Author

Evelyn Lim would often use a Herbal Home Remedy for treating illnesses. Her remedies also include herbs from diverse cultures such as Tradtional Chinese Medicine or Ayurvedic Medicine. She shares about what she does in her free newsletter. For free information and a bonus MP3 download, please visit her site at http://www.herbalremedytips.com

Personalized Mints- Win the Heart of the Potential Customers through Mints

corporate world strongly believes that giving out personalized mints to the customers and visitors at door strengthen the invisible bond between the company and the potential customers. Hence, all these years it has continued with the distribution of the personalized mints and candies to its potential customers.

Areas where the personalized mint is kept

you can keep the mints at the reception door, the seminar halls, tradeshows etc. the mints are quiet inexpensive but sooth the needs of many. It creates a relation bridge for the company and the customers.

Types of mints that can be given out to the visitors

though there is no defined rule, there are several types of mints that can be used for promotional purposes. They are white peppermint, it is a shiny mild candy and can be used for all types of customers. The breath mint refreshes your breath. The mint gum is a fab among young generation. The gumball and sour apples best suit for those who have strong sense of taste.

Benefits of personalized mints as a promotional item

the mints contain the name and message of the company in them. The wrappers also display the name of the company and personalized message in them. Hence the personalized mints effectively promote the name of the company where ever they go.

How to order the mints online?

Personalized mints can be ordered online. There are many online promotional gift manufacturers who work online. You can order the mints through them. You need to furnish the soft copy of the logo, name and personalized message of the company which you want to display. Once this is done the online candy manufacturing unit will engrave the logo of the company on the candy. You can choose the wrappers, their designs, shapes and type of packing. The name and logo of the company also gets printed on the wrapper. You will receive the order within days. The containers of the personalized mints  also contain the name of your company. You are free to order the number of mints through the online store. For more information about the subject kindly search the net.

About the Author

Promotionalsweetsstore.co.uk is Redbows promotional sweets store, provides Personalised mints, chocolates, confectionery items and drinks. You can choose Personalised sweets from a wide range of our confectionery items.

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Photo Gift Ideas For Any Occasion

Personalising Gift Ideas For Photos

The greatest thing about personalised photo gifts is the level of customisation that they offer. Items like canvas prints and photo bags are ideal for the addition of a single photo, or you can opt to have numerous pictures included in a single montage giving even greater effect and improved results. Alternatively, you may want to opt for photo gift ideas such as calendars or photo cubes that naturally allow for the simple addition of multiple photos. The choice of design and photos to use really is down to you so you can select anything that you know the recipient will truly love and cherish.

Wedding Photo Gift Ideas – Photo Canvas Prints

A photo canvas print is a photo printed on high quality art canvas. This is then stretched over a frame and, for the best results, spacers are added to the frame in order to ensure the strength and robustness of the picture itself. Bespoke canvas sizes ensure that a canvas print isn't just an ideal gift idea for any picture but for any recipient. Why not find an engagement picture of the happy couple and have it printed on canvas as a beautiful and striking wedding photo gift.

Anniversary Photo Gift Ideas – Photo Albums

Wedding photo albums can quickly become damaged or dated, but many couples enjoy looking back on the big day and sharing those memories with friends and family. With a modern photo album, you can replace your old one and enjoy the great looking benefit of being able to customise the cover and the presentation or storage tin that is included. As an anniversary gift, you can include a favourite wedding photo and the names and date of the wedding on the cover and the tin so the new album will last for years and be a beautiful reminder of a special day.

Birthday Photo Gift Ideas – Photo Calendars

Photo calendars are an excellent choice of photo gift idea if you wish to include more than a handful of photos. Pick a picture for every month of the year, add a caption to accompany each one and then design a front cover using your choice of pictures and a title. Finally, choose the month in which you want the photo calendar to start and you can create a striking and unique birthday gift.

Christmas Photo Gift Ideas – Photo Bags

A selection of different styles of bags can also be customised with a photo or selection of photos. You can pick pictures on any style and while digital photos do work best, you can also use scanned images, designs, and even personalised artwork. You can use a favourite photo and have it turned into a pop art work of art or have a colour picture converted to black and white to create unique and great looking photo gift ideas.

About the Author

Sarah shares her knowledge about gift ideas

Please visit Bags of Love for more information

Modern Photo Retouching Techniques

The good old days of photo retouching without the use of computer is now gone with the wind. Technology nowadays has made photo retouching very easy and fast unlike before when photographers need couple of days and even weeks to ensure the quality of photos. Cameras are not perfect even the most high-tech digital cameras have their own flaws. The technology of photo retouching has turned and changed the world of photography upside down.

When you hear the word "photo retouching", you may have questions about the tricks and techniques used in retouching pictures. Actually this new technology is not easy and you have to study the techniques and methods used in "photo retouching". Anyone that has computer can do photo retouching, but you have to acquire knowledge about the technology in order to create great pictures. There are real artists who can perform magic to your pictures.

Unique Techniques for Photo Retouching:

Image enhancement- this technique can add edge to your pictures by imparting clarity. Enhancing your photos will prolong the life of your photos. Pictures are good remembrance of events and occasions. Photo enhancement requires creativity of the graphic designer. Even if you have the most skilled graphic designers, the output is not good if they lack creativity. You can also change the orientation of the pictures and straighten crooked images. Even if you do not have perfect pictures, you can make it as perfectly as possible with the help of professional and skilled graphic designers.

Image stitching- if you want to highlight series of images of your products and services, you have to overlap the pictures into one consolidate image. Image stitching is what you need. Image stitching can be very helpful for your business. This will showcase all your products in just one image. But make sure that all images are arranged in a way which is not irritating to the eye. To achieve the look you want, you have to hire the services of professional editing image company. They will help you do the magic very naturally without sacrificing the quality of the images. It is important to retain the quality of the images even after image stitching.

Raster to Vector Image Conversion- in this technique, you can save the images to the file format of your choice. The manner of saving your data will give you the chance to modify the images depending on the need of your business. The raster to vector is essential if there is a need to alter any text or images. You can do anything you want with the photo such as stretch, twist as well as tweak a vector images without degrading the quality of the image. This technique can also enlarge the photo to a size of a billboard with the same precision.

You will not master all the techniques in one sitting. You need to have patience and determination if you really want to become a good graphic designer. If you are in need of good quality pictures for your business, it is better to hire a company such as <a href="http://www.clippingpathspecialist.com">Clipping Path Specialist</a>, <a href="http://www.clippingpathindia.com">Clipping Path India</a>.

About the Author

Atiqur Sumon
Chief Executive
DTP & SEO Expert at Clipping Path India
http://www.clippingpathindia.com
http://www.clippingpathspecialist.com
http://www.vectorimage.in

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Promotional Diaries and Calendars- Valuable Merchandise Used for Long Term Marketing

Creating brand awareness among the customers is important to prosper in business as the customers should be aware of the brand name then only they can easily accept the product. Today for effective marketing, many innovative technique and promotional merchandise are used to create awareness in the mind of the people. These promotional merchandises will boost the necessary exposure for the products and also increased the chance of being accepted by the public. Promotional merchandise can be seen anywhere from shopping malls to sporting events to parties to school and to recreational places. There are numerous promotional merchandises like promotional diaries and calendars, which can be imprinted and embossed with company's name and logo to be distributed among the potential clients and customers. Promotional merchandise proves to be beneficial in the long term marketing techniques.

Promotional merchandise industry runs on global scale and has grown into a major industry over the period of time. With promotions taking front seat in the growth of the business, stuff like promotional merchandise began to be commonly used for advertisement and promotion. Moreover the costing for this type of promotion is also not too much that enables many mediocre companies to indulge in this form of marketing. Promotional merchandise like promotional diaries and calendars act as a silent salesman and project the positive image of the company in the long run. These products increase your loyal customers by helping customers to remember the company's name and logo for a long time. Ideal selection of promotional merchandises after doing extensive research is sure to provide companies with long term benefits. One should decide ideal promotional merchandise primarily according to his budget and his target customers.

Promotional merchandise is not only used for brand promotion but various companies also used it as an employee incentive. Attractive and innovatively designed promotional diaries and calendars act as a source of encouragement and motivation for the employees. Moreover possessing companies imprinted diaries and calendars also provide sense of pride for the employees and it also proves that the company has rewarded the employee for their commitment and effort towards the company. This further motivates the employees to put in their best in work and continue their loyal support to the company for its growth and betterment. These items prove to be best merchandise that can be used for promotion at reasonable price creating much larger impact. It is not that expensive merchandise will create a much better impact but it is the technique of presenting and the quality of the product is important to have fond memories in the mind of employees and customers.

About the Author

Redbows promotional gifts store provides a wide range of Promotional Diaries, business gifts and Promotional Calendars with other stationery items from the Redbows promotional stationery collection.

Calendar Men: How to Publish a Calendar Featuring Hot College Guys at your University

INSPIRATION AND PERSPIRATION!
Ever thought of putting together a pinup calendar featuring hot guys enrolled at your college or university?

Most people who think of creating a "Men of (Your) University" calendar assume that all they need to do is locate only 12 hunky college males and have them photographed. These tasks must be accomplished. But there's much more to publishing a calendar and many more than 12 college guys must be recruited.

Besides recruiting, selecting, and training your student male models, there is production of the actual calendar, which includes photography, arranging graphic design and commercial printing. After the calendars are delivered, news media publicity must be arranged. Promotional events must be held. And, of course, your pinup calendar must be marketed!

But, first, the best-looking campus guys at your university or college must be recruited. After a decade of publishing, recruiting of college men, the Campus Men Calendar operation has learned a great deal and refined its approach. So, here are the facts:

GUYS WANT TO DO IT!
There is a high demand to appear in pinup calendars of college men. Publishers should be able to choose from many college guys. Therefore, do not cater to, or try to convince any one college student to appear. Either they want to appear in your calendar or they do not! Students who need special handling often drag their feet and cause delays. Delays cost in potential sales. Therefore, students who expect you to cater to them, cost you sales.

BEWARE OF GIRLFRIENDS!
Beware of any college guy who involves his girlfriend into your operation. Why? Because girlfriends do not truly want their boyfriends to "model." Yes, they want their boyfriend to be "good looking" and for his looks to be "model quality," but they really do not want them going on photo shoots, meeting female models and certainly do not want the competition that is generated from having their boyfriend's body being advertised to other females by appearing in a calendar.

When it comes time to choose the best calendar photograph, girlfriends can spell T-R-O-U-B-L-E. A revealing photograph may be threatening to a girlfriend. When it comes to their bodies, guys want to "show it off." Girlfriends want their men under wraps.

If you hold a promotional event after the calendar is released, any controlling girlfriend will either want to attend the event or will encourage your model not to attend. Remember, you cannot replace a model once the calendar is printed. You will only be able to select from the batch of 12 who appear in the calendar. That means if five guys are unreliable, you only have seven to choose from. How many of those seven will be working at their job during your event? If you convince a bar owner to hold an event, but only have one model show up, you might be in big trouble and possibly owe the bar owner for their advertising costs. If no models show up at a retail store that carries your calendar, you just might loose that store as an outlet!

In summary, chose independent-minded males.

SEX STILL SELLS?
The theme of the calendar drives which students should be recruited and selected. At Campus Men, we chose a theme that was developed after years of trial and error. Our theme was to present young, all-American college guys in sensual poses.

Your photos should answer the question of: I wonder what that incredible-looking guy I saw on campus would look like in bed? If a publisher wants to sell calendars, it is foolish to feature college men wearing sweaters. Publish photographs of guys wearing suits, fully clothed or face shots only - and you will not be returning to the market with a calendar the second year. If you want to sell calendars, appeal to the sexual motivations of the viewer, whether through a cute smile, great face or body or skimpy clothing. Attempt to give the viewer a fantasy of what it is like to be intimate with the college student.

You do not have to depict models fully nude with penis showing. Snug-fitting boxer briefs (or less) are just as exciting. Many guys will readily show their bare buttocks. By choosing students who are exhibitionists versus guys who are conservative, you give yourself valuable creative freedom when it comes time to photograph these college male models. Choose a male student who obsesses about which poses he will not pose for, versus choosing a young guy who is grateful for the opportunity you are offering, and you will undoubtedly find the production process more difficult.

Remember, there are thousands of students enrolled at your university. Why choose the ones who do not care about your profitability? You will find that buyers will remark on the one or two provocative photos that appear in your finished calendar. "Skin" photos draw more e-mails and sell more copies.

Campus Men learned this by accident. Gus Dakis posed for what our male model photographer calls a "miracle photograph" because the photo shoot was hastily put together due to bad weather. Gus and our photographer sped off to the photo shoot location and set up equipment as the rain still dripped from gutters around the pool house.

Yet, once set up, there was still no sun, which was needed for the photograph. Gus stood in exact position under the showerhead and our photographer stood by with his camera, continuously measuring light readings. Just as they decided to wrap it up and go home without taking any photos, the sun fell below the clouds, engulfing the pool area in a beautiful, brilliant deep gold color. A half roll of film was snapped off before the sun fell beyond the horizon.

Surprisingly, Gus' photograph, which was created in two and one-half minutes, became the most popular image in Campus Men that year and was responsible for many sales. Why? Because the photo depicted Gus in a pair of wet, white shorts that inadvertently became translucent because of the hectic pace of that day's photo shot.

GO FOR A CAMPUS FEEL
Design photographs with a collegiate or athletic feel to them, rather than "beach" themed photos. If people want to buy a beach theme calendar, they will buy the "Chippendales" calendar. Even the Chippendales calendar has changed to more "bedroom themes." Remember, buyers want YOUR calendar because it offers college guys. While college guys are seen on beaches only during Spring Break, one will usually find college guys on the school's quad, in a fraternity house, or playing sports. So, photograph your college men where buyers expect to see college guys. Plan imagery that brings college life to mind or portrays the college student as a sexy athlete.

Remember, the successful theme of a calendars should be: "Here's what that athletic guy you passed on the quad looks like in bed."

RECRUIT EXTENSIVELY
Far more than 12 students must be recruited. Calendar production processes call for locating as many attractive males on your campus as possible. It is not usual to evaluate at least 125 college guys and as many as 500 during the entire process. If you want to organize a calendar, your goal should be to meet hundreds of hot college guys.

A large number must be secured because the most important issue - other than quality of photographs - is timing of delivery. Delivering early in the sales season is very important. Calendars must be produced for delivery on June 1 of each year. This allows a seven-month selling season and allows featured college guys to talk up and sell calendars during the summer (when they have ample time to sell because they are not enrolled in classes; are usually home among family and friends). It also allows sales through national magazines, and allows the producers to reach incoming freshmen college guys visiting the campus during orientation sessions, held during June through August. This means the calendar also will be on store shelves in time for students who arrive back for the beginning of fall quarter and are seeking to decorate dorm or sorority room walls.

Winter term is a poor time to recruit college guys because completing any activity takes more time due to cold weather. We cannot easily see what college guys look like because they cover themselves with clothing when outdoors. College guys generally stay indoors, become sedentary, gain weight, and do not have tans.

If only 12 college guys are recruited, the operation can be delayed if even one student drops out or is dismissed.

Recruit a large number of college guys because appearing in a calendar is not for everyone. We found that we had to screen all guys to select only those who are willing to pose nude or nearly nude. Why? Because college-oriented calendars are not the thing for timid or conservative young men. We have published many pinup calendars with varying degrees of provocativeness. Tame pinup calendars are nice. But, few buyers actually part with $15 to buy a boring male calendar. More risqué calendars have always been more popular in sales.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Here's what to look for in a college-guy model for a pinup calendar:
• Outgoing, can sell calendars. Guys who like to talk to everyone and anyone
• Muscular or defined body
• Confident guys. Young men with self-esteem problems make problems for you.
• Comfortable posing nude, uninhibited, the kind of guy who would skinny-dip for fun or go streaking at the drop of a hat

Advertising did not bring in the "right" type of college guys. Many young men who are perfect for your calendar would never think of submitting their names to you. They must be invited. That is where student recruiters are valuable.

Advertise for a team of students whose sole duty is to stop college guys on an informal basis. Advertising to locate recruiters can include classified ads, as well as fliers to sororities, career placement offices and dorms. Aim for at least three "hard core" recruiters, a Greek system recruiter and a minority representative. Recruiters need not be female. Guys can recruit and sometimes find it easier to approach other guys in gyms, classes and on the quad. Girls sometimes thinks asking a guy to pose is like asking him for a date.

NUMBERS GAME
About 60 percent of the college guys recruiters find will be acceptable. Of those students, 75 percent will accept an offer to appear. Therefore, to secure 22 acceptable college men, recruiters should locate 50 guys per calendar.

Compensation to recruiters is a finder's fee paid for each "found" student who appears in the published calendar. Fees are payable only if the recruited student appears in the calendar. Do not pay a finder's fee if you do not select the college student to appear, if the college student declines your offer to appear, drops out before publication, or is dismissed for any reason.

After a college guy applies to appear in a calendar (through a website), collect a bio or tape an interview with the individual. That's how selection of new "male models" begins!

About the Author

Vicky Phipps is part of Campus Men, a calendar & male modeling resource company has been making good looking college guys famous since 1990. Campus Men recruits males age 18-26 as male fitness models, fashion models & underwear models. One its best calendars is the University Hunks Calendar.

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What's the best place to print a personal photo mosaic poster?

I made a photomosaic on the computer as a gift for someone and I need to print a poster size( 16 x 20 inches) version of it so i can frame it and give it to them. I don't want to print it at home so i was wondering if anyone has any previous experience in printing a photomosaic? I was leaning towards kinkos or costco...
I made a photomosaic on the computer as a gift for someone and I need to print a poster size( 16 x 20 inches) version of it so i can frame it and give it to them. I don't want to print it at home so i was wondering if anyone has any previous experience in printing a photomosaic? I was leaning towards kinkos or costco...

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Through Generations The Wall Poster Still Exists

Isn't it funny how so much changes over time and yet some things never change at all. I'm talking about teenagers and wall posters. In fact not only teenagers but children and adults I suppose. I can still remember as a teenager having many of these posters covering nearly all of my walls in my bedroom. Much to my parents horror. My favorite type of wall poster were the ones that were pictures of pop stars.

Oh yes, I can vividly remember kissing Donny Osmond and Michael Jackson goodnight every night when I was about 12 years old. Wow, am I glad I grew out of that! My bedroom has now changed although I now have a lovely framed wall poster ( a copy of a favorite painting ) situated on my wall.

Many adults in particular have these types of posters on their walls but because they have them framed most other people do not realize what they really are. It can work out to be a much cheaper way of having art on show in your home. Of course that doesn't mean that a wall poster on its own does not look good because it can depending on its location and what else is in the room.

Posters can also be a collector's item, as many sporting fans will understand. Often these are signed by the sport star making that particular wall poster valuable. This is also true for movie posters. Some of these can be limited edition versions, which also can make them valuable.

Often new parents dress up nurseries with wall posters of nursery rhyme characters and bright pictures for their new baby. Then as they get older they change these pictures to suit the age of their growing child. No wonder by the time their child reaches teenage hood they are already into posters.

I remember when I was young I used cello tape to stick mine to the walls and of course every time I changed them around off came some paint. This did not go down well at all with my parents. At least these days you can us blu tac as this does not peel off the paint. I also used to use drawing pins to pin them up which of course left lots of little holes everywhere. Once again my parents were not happy. Another good idea is to pin the top of your poster to a rod and hang it with some string like a photo.

When my children were into posters we used to help them put them up and my husband always came up with some ingenious way to not have the walls damaged. Even if there was some damage it wasn't something that couldn't be fixed up easily. I'd rather take the risk of having some damage done than to have my kids miss out on having their favorite wall poster up in their room. I know how much I enjoyed that part of my life and I wasn't about to let my children miss out.

About the Author

Susan Dean is a successful webmaster and publisher of

http://www.bestpostersguide.info

She provides lots of handy hints and advice on

posters
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Classy Vintage Wine Posters are available online

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One great place from where you can buy all your favorite vintage wine posters is the internet. The internet now features some of the most renowned online poster sellers which have a variety of posters in store for you. Just by logging on the site of such a poster seller, you can have full access to different types and sizes of wine posters which can be hung on your walls so as to beautify them.

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