Keywords and Writing

1. Unlike other web content, a blog is more social, personal and informal. Use a casual tone while writing. You can earn money by blogging with the help of AdSense and affiliate marketing.

2. Don’t write blogs on just about anything. Choose your niche carefully; preferably something that really interests you.

3. Before writing, do some research and find the right keywords to use in the blog. This can be done by thinking of words people are most likely to use while looking for your blog and by using some keyword research tool.

4. Choose keywords that are less competitive and target the long tail keywords.

5. Create attractive blogs by customizing the look of the blog while feeling templates.

6. Make sure that the content of the blog is of great quality; it is the quality of the blog content that makes a successful blog.

7. Don’t just write content; do some research to find the right content for the blog.

8. Write your blog in such a way that it will become the main source of information you are writing about.

9. Don’t place all your blog posts on a single post; just a few.

10. Make sure you spell check your post and proofread it before submission.

11. Titles play an important part in the blog post so create catchy titles while using keywords over there.

12. If you have long posts, use sub headings – use keywords in subheadings.

13. Wherever possible, add some italic and bulleted text containing your keywords.

14. Stem your keywords. Use singular, plural, past forms, etc.

15. Make use of synonyms and don’t spam your blog with one and the same keyword.

16. Your URL also has to be keyword rich.

17. The more posts you have on the blog, the higher is the chance of getting found on search engines through targeted traffic.

18. When writing blogs, make it a point to add sources and references for matter.

19. Blogs become user friendly and easy to navigate by building an index on the blog.

20. Link to other similar blog posts on the internet.

21. Use and add tags carefully in the blog post.

22. Moderate all the comments you get.

23. Promote the writing of comments, and answer all comments you receive instantaneously.

24. It is better to have a long blog divided into divisions.

25. Include an ‘about us’ page on the blog for newcomers to learn more about you and what your blog boasts of.

26. Write for the readers not for the search engines i.e. Do not do keyword stuffing.

27. Interlink the blogs within the contents.

28. Make your top posts prominent.

29. Write blogs with a positive note, and not how negative something may be.

30. Give a first hand narration of what you know or have experienced.

31. Instead of repeating points, find and add new angles to a discussion.

32. Be the first person to write on the topic you have chosen.

33. Never duplicate content; you can be jailed for this.

34. Write about one subject per post.

35. It is better to write on evergreen topics which will remain fresh and in demand even after a few years’ time.

36. When writing for a blog, write on topics that people will want to read and share.

37. Make it a point to add keywords to the start, middle and end of each page.

38. Make sure you cover topics and FAQs thoroughly in your niche.

Designing and Maintaining

39. The blog design is important; so make it easily readable with the right background colors and placement of text.

40. Color for the blog should be chosen carefully.

41. Avoid using fancy and small fonts on the blog as they are difficult to read.

42. All white spaces or spacing between elements of the blog have to be removed.

43. Place some emphasis on the blog design not for SEO purposes but to attract the attention of visitors and have them returning for more.

44. This does not mean you need an elaborate blog design; something simple is sufficient.

45. Blogs have to be updated regularly, with a minimum of 5 blogs per week, if not 7. This content helps generate traffic and thus income for you.

46. Your blog should be easy to subscribe perhaps through RSS, mobile subscription and emails. People should also be able to digg your posts.

47. Your blog should make it easy for people to contact you when required.

48. Blogs should run with a good link building campaign.

49. Work to get as many links to other blogs from your blog. People tend to find out who links to them and in exchange, will also link back to your blog.

50. With all this linking, it is important that you check your statistics and analytics on a regular basis and make the required changes in your blog.

51. All the categories of your blog should be well organized.

52. Don’t place too many ads on the blog.

53. Use the help of research, surveys and polls to make your blog more interesting. It also improves the quality of your blog.

54. All important contents of the blog should be placed ‘above the fold’.

55. Make it a point to add images to the blog, and to optimize them.

56. Ad visuals in the form of blockquotes, videos, charts, graphs and photos are important for a blog.

57. Work at integrating these ad visuals into the blog and not at bombarding visitors with the ads.

58. Speed in downloading is important in blogs, so maintain a low page size.

59. Choose and create a decent logo for your blog, and display it with your posts.

60. This logo should link to the home page.

61. The functionality of the blog is enhanced with plugins. In the process, it also saves time.

62. When archiving a blog, you have to archive it according to topic and not go by date.

Promotion

63. Make sure you optimize and distribute a press release announcing the start of your blog.

64. Use the help of blog directories to promote your blog.

65. Forums and other similar blogs can be used to promote your blog by participating, and by commenting in them.

66. Online communities are effective in promoting a blog.

67. Participating in social networking sites like Facebook, orkut and MySpace are effective in promoting your blog.

68. Simultaneously, your blog URL has to be included in social media profiles.

69. Work at researching and commenting on various industries related to your blog.

70. Article marketing is a great tool for promotion of the blog.

71. Use pingomatic.com to send out notices and pings.

72. Online blog communities are great for blog promotion. You could also create your own community to promote the blog.

73. Dig and stumble upon are feasible options for promoting the blog.

74. Let others know about the updates on your blog by using Twitter and Jaiku micro-blogging.

75. Make your own videos and post them on YouTube, podcast and Vlog directories.

76. Every time you post a new blog, remember to post and thus make a network

77. You can attract new visitors to your site by participating and getting involved in a community.

78. Inform others about your blog; and don’t feel shy to say you have a blog.

79. Include you blog URL in all your email signatures.

80. Never attempt Black Hat SEO techniques as these are unethical SEO techniques.

81. Like all businesses, you have to work at first building your visitor base to your blog, and then at earning money online.

82. Keywords have to be used in linking texts.

83. This keyword linking text can also be used to get and exchange links from relevant sites with high PR.

84. Your signature should have a link to your blog so that the posts you make to forums, outgoing mails, etc work at promoting your blog.

85. Look at other blogs for ideas- http://www.bloglines.com and http://www.technorati.com are great sites to visit to get ideas from other blogs.

86. Meet and interview famous and interesting bloggers.

87. Though SEO may be time consuming, it gives long lasting effects and is better than the quick social bookmarking where results are not long lasting.

88. Blogs have to be submitted to major search engines.

89. Blogs have to be submitted to blogging directories using keywords for links.

90. Work at becoming an expert in your trade and also a specialist in your topic.

91. Make an account in stumble upon where you have to stumble good stuff and make new accomplices.

92. Work at growing, and sustaining your audience.

93. Be careful of ongoing discussions on your blog.

94. Make it a point to keep track of visitors, with the help of some analytic software.

Final Words

95. Don’t concentrate on short term benefits of your blog- work at increasing your readership base.

96. Be as helpful as possible, whenever possible.

97. Keep some time solely for your blog.

98. Be patient as blogging is more like running a marathon, and not a 100m sprint.

99. Learn and make improvements from previous mistakes.

100. Though the going may be tough, perseverance succeeds.

For further information, please visit SEO Consultant Specialist’s Blog

Abdul Hayi Mansoor
SEO Specialist and Article Marketer

A six year-old commented, “TV is so necessary. What would I do without it?” I told him TV is a rather new invention and the idea of it dawned on its makers about a century ago. It is a stirring thought that something playing such an important role in a little child’s life is so young, as an invention.

Television is the third invention after electricity and radio to have a life-shaping, magnetic influence on the masses. The word television loosely means to see far. While public and commercial television stations address masses, cable stations try to attract audiences with specific tastes. In addition to augmenting programs, security and surveillance problems are handled in schools, businesses, and hospitals through closed-circuit television.

Since many scientists were involved in the way the television technology has evolved, we cannot call any one person its inventor. Television was first thought to be possible as early as the 1800′s when it was understood that radio communication signals could be sent through the air.

In 1831, Michael Faraday and Joseph Henry were the first scientists to experiment with electromagnetism, therefore establishing a start for electrical communication. They were followed by Samuel Morse in 1844 with his invention of the telegraph and then by Abbe Giovanni Caselli an Italian, who first sent images over a distance using a pantelegraph. In 1873 two the Englishmen, May and Smith, used selenium and light with the idea to transform images into electrical signals. After George Carey’s system of selenium cells in 1880, Paul Nipkow patented the first mechanical television scanner in Germany. Marconi’s morse code by wireless also played a role in the development of television.

In 1906, Lee DeForest developed a vacuum tube to amplify signals. Then using the German Carl Ferdinand Braun’s cathode-ray tube invented in 1897 with the Nipkow disk, Boris Rosing of Russia invented a system as the world’s first television in 1907. In 1908, A.A.Campbell-Swinton of Scotland came up with the proposal of an all electronic television. In 1922, Philo T. Farnsworth, a sixteen year-old US citizen, developed an electrical scanning system. At about the same time in 1923, Iconoscope–an electronic camera tube–was patented by Vladimir Zworykin, who also produced the Kinescope, a picture display tube. John Logie Baird was the first to get an actual television picture, but Zworykin took the first patent for color television, being the one person who had made the most contribution during the first developmental stages of television.

In 1927, the pictures of Herbert Hoover, US Secretary of commerce, were sent over two hundred miles from Washington to New York, and in 1928 W2XBS became RCA’s first television station in New York City. This was when the first television star, Felix the Cat, was created.

The first television drama “The Queen’s Messenger” also came to the screen in 1928. Still during this year, John Logie Baird sent London’s images to New York via shortwave. The first television commercial was in the air in 1930 by Charles Jenkins. Also in 1930, BBC started its regular programming. In 1931, VE9EC–Canada’s first tv station–and in the USA, RCA from the Empire State Building began transmissions on an experimental basis.

In 1935, France began its television transmissions from the Eiffel Tower and Germany established a three day-a-week transmission service. CBC in Canada was formed in 1936. Right that year, Allen B. Du Mont manufactured the first TV set for sale to the North American public.

An interesting highlight in television transmission happened during World War II. As soon as the war started in 1939, September 1, BBC television stopped broadcasting in the middle of a Mickey Mouse Cartoon and in 1945 resumed the cartoon’s showing, starting where it left off in 1939, which makes one wonder what the British children thought of the broadcasters.

By the time the first color television transmission started in 1951, there were over one hundred television stations in the USA. In 1979 there were three hundred million television sets flickering on and off, and by the year 2000, about one and three quarters billion television sets were estimated to exist in operation worldwide.

With the arrival of high-definition and plasma TV’s and the talk of computerized TV’s or computer and TV combinations, twenty-first century is promising a great deal more of entertainment and education to its viewers worldwide. In bringing the cultures together, let’s hope we make the best use of it.

Joy Cagil is an author on a site for Creative Writers (http://www.Writing.Com/) Her training is in foreign languages and linguistics. In her background are varied subjects such as psychology, mental health, and visual arts. Her portfolio can be found at http://www.Writing.Com/authors/joycag

Camps and clinics are a critical component of the overall development of your advancement and officiating career. There are many camps from which to chose over the United States. These training opportunities allow you to received instruction from some of the world’s greatest football officials. They also allow you to network and build relationships with those same officials. Some are expensive, some take several days to complete. Some are better, some are worse. So how do you find the right camp?

First you need to do some research in order to make a good decision about what camp fits your goals and developmental needs. Determine how much time and money you have available to devote to the camp environment. What are your immediate officiating goals? There are basically two kinds of camps: teaching camps and exposure camps. Both are valuable and have their place, but you need to understand the difference so your experience is both rewarding and beneficial.

The off-season is devoted to development of your officiating skills. Early on in your career, your first consideration will be instruction in fundamentals. Finding a camp that teaches the essentials is paramount. In exposure or “try-out” camps, there are opportunities to meet conference supervisors and other key decision-makers but less focus on the basics. The expectation is that you have a solid foundation of the essentials and are ready to take your skills to the next level. There will certainly be teaching but it tends to be more focused on the details of this craft.

There are often multiple talent scouts at the exposure camps and they serve as a great vehicle to showcase your officiating skills in your attempts to climb the ladder. They are definitely a valuable component of every aspiring official’s career but your number one priority is to address the developmental needs you had at the end of the previous season. Get your game ready for that next level and there will be a proper time and place for the exposure camp in your future.

I won’t attempt to recommend one camp over another. Rather, I’ll give you a checklist on how to choose a camp. If you will follow this simple method, you can use it to choose a camp or clinic for years to come.

In addition to the two previously discussed camp types, I want to point out two additional classifications: Classroom and Field Instruction. Due to the limited availability of spring football, some camps are conducted in a classroom-only mode. Others guarantee live snaps on the field at colleges and universities when teams are conducting spring scrimmages. Both can be valuable learning experiences and I wanted to point out this difference as we discuss our checklist.

* Who are the instructors?

The quality of the camp is directly proportional to the staff. You want to be taught by successful officials and from officials that have achieved those levels to which you aspire.

* Instructor to Student Ratio?

Just like in a normal class room, this ratio can have an impact on your ability to receive feedback and individualized attention. Ask about the number of clinicians and the expected number of trainees. Live play camps will typically limit the number of students in order to maximize the number of snaps and tailor the personal instruction to the student.

There is no right number, but realize your experience in a class of 50 students with one Big Ten umpire talking about chop blocks will be much different than having an NFL line judge standing behind you on the line of scrimmage discussing pre-snap duties.

* College or high school mechanics?

There are camps that focus strictly on each and with that comes a different level of instruction regarding each levels rules and mechanics. Understand where you are in your officiating career and what your immediate goals are so that you chose the camp format that is appropriate for your needs.

There are fewer opportunities for live play at the high school level due to the restrictions placed on high school student-athletes. College camps often coincide with spring training and offer the ability to officiate college level play. Fundamentals are taught at both levels and it should be easy for you to choose a camp that fits your needs.

* Is there video review?

There are many good camps with veteran instructors. But you may never see yourself on video. Ask about the availability of video review. Coordinating video during a camp experience is a monumental task and many camps do not offer this tool. But I believe it’s a necessary part of the optimal camp experience. Not only from your development watching your own video, but working with those NCAA and NFL officials on how to break down your film will accelerate your advancement and learning for years to come.

* Is there classroom instruction?

Some camp formats only offer classroom instruction and this type of camp is perfect for the less experienced official. Often the Field Training camps complement the training with the classroom to review play situations, film and other teaching points. Classroom only camps typically are one day in length and start off with a key-note speaker followed by breakout sessions by position and/or emphasis on a skill such as goal line plays.

* Will you receive written evaluations of field work?

Written critiques should be very helpful to identify some of your strong and weak points. Most often, camp instructors will see some small intangible need for you to improve upon that you may not have known. They will also provide excellent insight and advice on what to expect at the higher levels giving you a clear path on what you need to address as you seek advancement.

* Are there returning students?

Is there a waiting list? Does the website have testimonials from former students? Are there success stories where past students have been successfully advanced into higher levels? This is a true test of a camp’s quality and should not go unnoticed during your evaluation. Ask those questions of the camp leadership personnel.

* Cost?

Camps can range from $25 for a single day of classroom instruction to well over $1000 for 3 day clinic with live play and film review. Each can prove beneficial to every official and learning can occur in many ways.

Finding the right camp can reap rewards in your officiating career. Money and time can be wasted if your officiating goals and needs are not properly aligned with the mission of the camp itself. My intention here is to educate you to make an informed decision. The off-season camp should become an integral component in your development as an official and accelerate your progression and improvement as you pursue your officiating goals and dreams.

Camps can be a valuable resource for your improving your officiating skill set as well as providing opportunities for you to network with key decision-makers and gain much-needed exposure. As you progress in your officiating career, not only will your goals and needs change; so will your expectations of each camp environment. If you reach a point where you feel the camps you are attending are not providing value or honing your skills, you may need to seek other camps that can satisfy your expectations.

Finally, the camp environment is a great chance to associate with like-minded football officials. You will find that your mild obsession with football officiating may not be fully understood with your friends and family. Most won’t truly appreciate your desire to officiate football at the highest levels. People will continually question your desires and dreams. Some may even attempt to discourage you from pursuing those dreams. Camps provide you a unique opportunity to surround yourself with similar motivated people passionate about officiating football. This environment is conducive to learning and improvement. The people you will meet and associations you make will reach beyond the short camp schedule and provide you meaningful relationships in and out of the officiating community.

And now I would like to invite you to claim your FREE 7 Lesson Email course on What NCAA Conference Supervisors Seek in Prospective Football Officials when you visit http://www.profootballreferee.com. Click here to get two chapters of my book, “Forward Progress – Confessions from a Rookie College Football Official” – just plug in your info! There are some great resources for improving your football officiating taken directly from NCAA Division I conference supervisors, NFL and NCAA officials.

From Todd Skaggs – Author, Blogger and NCAA Football Official

On-campus education vs. online education! Is one better than the other? Can one completely replace the other? Indeed it seems that online education is the way of the future. Educational institutions, corporations and government organizations alike already offer various forms of electronic teaching. However, can a computer truly replace a teacher and a blackboard?

How people learn

Each individual has a form of learning that suits them best. Some individuals achieve fantastic results in courses taught online, however most people drop out of 100% computer-led courses. Educational institutions, as well as companies in carrying out staff training, must recognize that there is no ideal way to carry out the teaching of a large group of individuals, and so must design programs that best suits the needs of the group as a whole.

People learn using multiple senses. This involves learning through both theoretical components of a course, as well as social interaction with both instructors and other students. Students learn from each other’s mistakes and successes, not just from what they are told by instructors.

Each individual student has an ideal learning pace. Instructors are therefore faced with the challenge of designing courses that move forward such that those students with a slower learning pace do not get left behind, while not moving so slowly that students with faster learning paces get bored.

Online education

In the age of high-speed information transfer, online education is becoming a popular and cheap means for delivering teaching to individuals outside the classroom, and in some cases all over the world. Teaching can be via CD, websites, or through real-time online facilities such as webcasts, webinars and virtual classrooms. However, different methods of online education each have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Online education is still a relatively new concept, and in many respects still in the teething stages. As such, various problems arrive across different online education environments. For example:

1. Lack of immediate feedback in asynchronous learning environments: While some online education environments such as webcasts, webinars and virtual classrooms operate live with the addition of an instructor, most do not. Teaching that is delivered through a CD or website, although having the advantage of being self-paced, provides no immediate feedback from a live instructor.

2. More preparation required on the part of the instructor: In an online education environment, an instructor can not simply stand in front of a whiteboard and deliver a class. Lessons in online education environments must be prepared ahead of time, along with any notes and instructions that may accompany the teaching.

In many cases it would also be necessary that the instructor not only understands the concepts being taught, but the technology used to deliver that teaching. This therefore increases the skill-levels needed of online education instructors, placing greater demand on educational institutions.

Staffing levels may also be higher for courses run in an online education environment, requiring for example:

The Instructor – able to teach both course content and be skilled in the use of technologies involved

The Facilitator – to assist the instructor in delivering content, but may do so remotely

Help Desk – to offer assistance to instructors, facilitators and students in the use of both software and hardware used to deliver the course.

3. Not all people are comfortable with online education: Education is no longer only sought by the world’s youth. With an increased trend towards adult and continuing education, there is a need to design courses suitable for students over a larger age-range, as well as students from different and varied backgrounds. It is difficult, however, to design online education environments suitable for everyone.

4. Increased potential for frustration, anxiety and confusion: In an online education environment, there are a greater number of parts making up the system that can fail. Server failures may prevent online courses from operating. Software based teaching applications may require other specific components to operate. Computer viruses may infect software necessary to run online education environments. If these systems are complex, students may choose the ease of On-campus education rather than taking the additional time and effort necessary to master the use of online education systems.

5. The Digital Divide: Many people who live in remote areas and developing countries do not have access to computers, making any form of online education virtually impossible. For this reason, online education is only able to be targeted at the people lucky enough to be able to take advantage of the technology involved. Similarly, offering live teaching across the world means that different time zones and nationalities increase the demand for multi-skilled instructors.

In addition to these, there are also several legal issues associated with maintaining an online education environment. For example, intellectual property laws, particularly those relating to copyright, may or may not fully cover electronically created intellectual property. For example, information on a website is not necessarily considered to be public domain, despite being available to everyone. However, the Australian Copyright Act was amended in 2001 to ensure that copyright owners of electronic materials, including online education environments, could continue to provide their works commercially.

On-Campus Education

Still the most common form of instruction is traditional classroom-style learning. These instructor-led environments are more personal than online education environments, and also have the advantage of allowing for immediate feedback both to and from student and teachers alike. However, the classroom allows for less flexibility than courses run in online education environments.

Instructors in modern classroom environments are still able to take advantage of several forms of electronic teaching tools while still maintaining the atmosphere associated with the traditional classroom environment. For example, PowerPoint slides can be utilized instead of a whiteboard or blackboard. Handouts can be distributed via course websites prior to the event. However, on the day, students are still able to actively participate in the lesson.

Like online education environments, On-campus education comes with certain drawbacks, the most common of which is the classroom itself. This requires a group of people which, in a university for example, could reach a few hundred people in size, to gather in the same place at the same time. This requires enormous time and financial commitment on behalf of both the students and the educational institution.

However, it is this sort of environment that is most familiar to students across the world. People of all ages can access a classroom environment feeling comfortable with the way that a classroom-run course is carried out. Older students who may not be comfortable with the use of information technology are not required to navigate their way through possibly complex online education environments, making On-campus education the most accessible form of teaching.

On-campus education has one advantage that 100% electronically delivered courses can not offer – social interaction. Learning comes from observing, not only what is written on a page or presented in a slideshow, but what is observed in others. Most students are naturally curious, and so will want to ask questions of their instructors. The classroom environment allows students to clarify what is being taught not only with their instructors, but with other students.

So, Which is Better?

There is no style of instruction that will best suit every student. Studies have shown (Can online education replace On-campus education) that courses where online education is used to complement On-campus education have proved more effective than courses delivered entirely using only one method. These courses take advantage of both online education materials and a live instructor, and have produced results higher than those of students in either 100% online education or classroom environment courses. Students have the advantage of the immediate feedback and social interaction that comes with the classroom environment, as well as the convenience of self-paced online education modules that can be undertaken when it best suits the student.

It would seem that online education environments will never completely replace On-campus education. There is no “one size fits all” method of teaching. Teaching styles will continue to adapt to find the method that best fits the learning group. Using a mix of online education environments and classroom sessions, educational institutions, corporations and government organizations can ensure that training is delivered that is convenient and effective for both instructors and students alike.

Mathew Simond is a journalist and copywriter. He is also a webmaster of many websites including http://www.paralegal-degree.org and http://www.humanservicesdegree.net

He aims to provide healthy information and advice on academic degrees.

Buying a Classic Car requires thought, research and some planning. Classic cars are usually bought by enthusiasts to use and enjoy. It is not easy to make a profit from buying and selling classic cars.

Make a project plan and do your best to stick to it

You may see a tempting classic car restoration project listed in a newspaper or classic car magazine or on the Internet that may only be one or two thousand to buy and could be worth ten times as much once it is restored.

Practically though, have you the skills to carry out the restoration of the chassis, engine, interior, and the exterior ? If you need to find a specialist company to undertake some or all the work your ten times buy price may just come down to zero or very little profit indeed. Indeed in many cases the cost of restoration when added together will exceed the market value of the car. If you plan to keep the car and enjoy using it then this is perhaps an acceptable price to pay but do not expect to be able to sell the car at a profit particularly in today’s “credit crunch” economy.

Before you start looking – do you have enough storage space ? Do you have enough working area (remember once stripped down, the bits can take up an awful lot of space). No old car likes to be kept out in the open, not even with a plastic sheet to protect it from the rain, frost and snow and even the worst masochist won’t like working out in the open when it is blowing a gale! Lying on a cold concrete garage floor is bad enough but working outside in all elements usually puts a restoration project on hold permanently ! 

Where to look for your classic car.

Look in the your local newspaper, classic car magazines, the Internet or even just take a stroll down your street. There is no shortage of old cars to buy. But what if you are looking for something special? Well, let’s face it, these days the easiest place to look is on the Internet.

Go to Classic Lots (link below) and you will find thousands of classic cars from a rusty Mini for £100 to a Ferrari for £500,000. This excellent site also includes all the classic cars available on Ebay.

Once you have identified the car that you want, read between the lines and look at the background of the pictures.You can learn a lot from what is not said as well as the way a description is written.

I am always cautious when it says “selling it for a friend” and yet there is no contact number for the friend so you can make personal contact. When the subject of mileage is omitted from the specification box and the description… why?

Keeping in touch with reality is essential. IF IN DOUBT – CHECK IT OUT!!!! Answer those niggling questions. In the pictures you can see what looks like oil on the ground. Is it from the car you are buying? Is that mud or rust?

Ask yourself four questions. Why do I want the car? How much can I really afford? How far do I want to travel to view or collect it? and then the most important question of all… Do I really know enough about these cars to commit X thousands of pounds on a piece of pretty (or perhaps rusty metal)?

So, buying a classic car on an online auction? Well, I would advise you to adopt the following rules before commencing such an undertaking, and before you make a bid !

Remember if you are the highest bidder (assuming if there is a reserve that it has been met ) and you win the auction then you have entered a legal contract to buy that vehicle (providing the seller has described the vehicle correctly).

Do not expect to go to collect the car and having viewed it to be able to haggle over the price or to walk away. Buyer beware, and if at all possible always view the car in person before you place your bids. If do not feel confident in being able to asses the condition of your prospective purchase take along someone who has the skills to give you an honest opinion of the condition of the vehicle. You may also wish to consider using the AA or RAC who both provide professional pre-purchase inspections – if the seller seems reluctant to allow this inspection walk away !

Viewing the car before bidding

If you have decided to go and see the car then arrange a viewing and if for any reason you can’t make it, let the seller know, it’s only courteous not to waste their time just as you don’t want them wasting your time.

Things to take: a jack, perhaps some axle stands for safety, a torch, gloves and at the very least, a list of points you want to look at.

When you get there take a quick look around. Has the car been kept outside or has it been garaged, this can give you a good indication of the condition you can expect of the body and or chassis. Are there other rotting hulks just lying around, maybe the seller just buys any old junk they can find and try selling it on, not much chance of the car you have come to see having had a service any time recently.

Take a walk around the car and look for the tell tale signs of sagging which could indicate suspension problems or perhaps chassis problems. Do the doors and panels line up correctly, another indication of chassis problems or perhaps the car has had a bump at some time. Is it even one car or was it once two? Any repairs? Have they been completed well or have the repairs been bodged? Do the tyres match? What condition are they in? Check for rot in the body or in fibre glass cars/panels, look for stress cracks. Check the areas which are most prone to rot ie. arches, sills, doors, boot and bonnet. There are many different types of panels that can be used to effect repairs on a car and because of this the quality of repairs can vary.

Check inside the car. Windows, front and rear screen, are any of them leaking? Is the headlining damaged or dirty? Lift the carpets where you can, check for water and any rot, maybe even holes in the floor? Check the floorpan and joints, don’t forget inside the boot, the floor and spare wheel area. If you are happy so far with the body etc. try the engine (you did check all around the engine compartment didn’t you?). Will the engine start from cold? If the engine is already warm perhaps the seller is trying to hide something, maybe cold starting problems, maybe he had to get a jump start or a tow just to get it going? Listen for any knocks, look for smoke. If you see blue smoke on startup that quickly clears it could mean the valves are tired and leaking oil into the combustion chambers. If the smoke does not clear that could indicate a very tired engine, something that will have to be added to the budget, not only for investigation but for the repairs.

Clouds of steam on startup could indicate a blown head gasket or even a cracked cylinder head. Remove the radiator cap and look for “goo”. It is cross contamination and a good giveaway of cylinder head problems. Black smoke, probably just an over rich mixture but could just as easily be a worn carburetter.

Knocking. Well, it could be for a number of reasons, light tapping on the top of the engine could be a worn camshaft or a small end on its way out. Knocking from underneath could be a big end bearing breathing its last. An expensive repair. A rumbling noise could be a main crank shaft bearing on its way out, yet another expensive repair. Check the various hydraulic fluids and water levels. Look for any stains around the compartment and on the engine. Does the radiator smell of anti-freeze? Is there any oil lying around? Not a good sign. Keep the engine running for a while, some problems won’t show up until the engine is warm. If the car is driveable, take it for a spin. How does it “feel” on the road, does it “pull” to the right or left? Is the clutch “spongy” or firm? Does braking throw the car into oncoming traffic? (eek!) Wiggle the steering wheel, any clunks? When you accelerate does the car lurch in any particular direction?

OK so far so good. Now, the car may be 20 or 30 years old so it is not going to have all original parts. Brake shoes, clutch, spark plugs, points etc.. if they are the original parts, they are not going to be working very well by now! But seriously, if you are looking at an older car, does it have any of the original panels? Is the interior original? These points can add value to the car but the seller may try to pass off parts which were made last year in China as “original parts”.

Check the paper work. Does it have all of the required paperwork with it? Check the logbook, a very good place to start and don’t be fobbed of with “We have just moved house and can’t find it at the moment, I will post it on to you..”. Never buy a vehicle without a logbook unless you know exactly what you are doing. It is also useful to have any old MOT certificates and any receipts are good as well.  

Valuing classic cars.

How much to pay? Well, the actual value of a classic car will vary considerably. It depends on condition, make, model, year and of course, what is it worth to you? Just how much would you pay to have that special car sitting on your drive at home?

Be realistic! Just because you can isn’t a good enough reason to buy a chassis of a 1926 Rolls Royce if you have no idea where to get the rest of the car and no idea of what to do with the parts if you can get them. Providing you followed the advice above on checking the car over, you should have a good idea of whether you are bidding for a car you can drive away or one that will take months before it even has wheels.

If you read the magazines, talked to the owners club and browsed the Internet to get a good idea of what your aimed for car is selling for, then you should have a price in mind that you will pay for the car depending on its condition.

Most classic car insurance policies include an agreed value based on the market value of the car. At the end of the day, it is up to you and your budget. If you feel happy with what you have paid for your car then that is all that matters.

The basic rules for Internet Auctions.

Identify what you want – and have some idea how much you want to pay. Set a budget

only you know what you can afford to spend, or borrow. Use classic car magazine price guides and real adverts to see what your classic will cost to buy. Ideally hold back 10 percent to cover any unexpected problems. Calculate running costs by looking at mpg figures. Get insurance quotes: classic cars can be covered on cost-effective limited-mileage policies and are often surprisingly cheap to insure. Remember also that pre 1972 vehicles also have no road fund licence to pay. Talk to owners about how costly your classic will be to run.

Join the owners club. A huge resource of expertise can be found in owners clubs. Not only will they have some of the best looked-after cars but they have huge amounts of knowledge on the subject of buying and running your chosen classic. They often have cheap insurance and parts schemes, too.

Get an anorak ! No really – buy some books on your chosen classic, read magazines and become a classic-car bore. Research on the Internet and visit Classic Car Shows to talk to owners. You can never know too much.

Select a range of examples available… and do not let the cash burn a hole in your pocket. There are thousands of cars for sale every day so be patient, if it is not there today, it will be soon.

Check the sellers location – are you prepared to travel to inspect and then collect the car if you win the auction. Do you need to consider the cost of having your new pride and joy collected by a car transport service or could you hire a trailer and collect it yourself ?

Check out the seller. Read all the feedback for the last three months, negative feedback should ring alarm bells Ring him/her and get to know about your seller. Why is it being sold etc. Things like “Why are you selling the car?”, “Does it come with any spare parts?”, “How long have you had it?”, “Is there any rot?”, “Does it have any history?” MOT’s, receipts etc. can be helpful for the rebuild. If you know any specifics about the car you are enquiring about then ask any of the questions you feel you need answers for. It could save you a long drive and time away if you have the necessary information before you leave.

If a vehicle has less than 3 months MOT ask the seller if they would be willing to send the car for a fresh MOT – to correct an MOT failure could be expensive.

In the event of a car being sold as an MOT failure, ask the seller to specify the list of failures, then give your local garage a ring and ask them to give you a quote for the work that needs to be carried out. this will give you some idea of the costs involved in getting the vehicle through its MOT It will save you time and money in the long run, no point in bidding on a vehicle that is going to be to costly to put back on the road.

Keep copies of all emails sent and received between you and the seller. they will come in handy if a dispute or conflict arises over the description of the item or any promises the seller makes you.

Check if the seller is a private individual or a dealer – there are many people who buy junk from car auctions and then simply try to pass them off as their own vehicles for a quick profit.

If the seller is a trader passing themselves off as a private seller and they are willing to lie about their status what else are they willing to lie about!!

If the vehicle is being sold by a private seller, ask them how long they owned the vehicle for? is the logbook registered in their name and at their home address? if it is a genuine private sale, then the answers to the above questions should be yes!! if the answer is no to any of the above walk away.

A few examples of the excuses usually given by traders posing as private sellers for not having the vehicle registered in their name “I bought the car for wife/husband or family member and they don’t like it” “insurance to high” (people will usually always get an insurance quote before buying a car)”wife/husband did not like the car” “too big or too fast” or “they failed their driving test” “I bought the car as a stop gap”

ring any bells? I am sure you have heard at least one of the above and I have heard them all.

Remember it is a Legal Requirement to register a vehicle in your name regardless of how long you intend on keeping the car.

A reputable trader should and will disclose the fact that they are a trader, remember if you buy through the trade they may have certain obligations to rectify any problems with the car.

In the event that you have bought the car without prior inspection, before you go to collect the car, print out the item page and take it with you. If the seller has mis- described the item in anyway, you will have proof in your hands to argue your case.

If buying from a private seller, always meet the seller at their home address which should match the address the car is registered at. If there is a problem at least you will have an address to go back to. Do not agree to “meet on the Tesco car park as it will be easier than finding my house “

When you go to collect the vehicle if you are unsure about the vehicle or the seller walk away. Never part with your hard earned money until you are satisfied.

Once you have handed your money over, you will not be able to get it back! If you have not viewed the car do not pay prior to collection, if you do you will have little choice but to take the car away or lose all your money.

What’s the worst that can happen if you walk away? the seller will give you negative feedback. its better to have one negative feedback than a car which is going to cause you lots of problems and cost you time and money. You can always argue your case with the online auction site and you may get the feedback comment removed.

As a winning bidder you have a legal obligation to complete the transaction,however the seller has a greater obligation to be honest about themselves and the item they are selling. If the seller has misdescribed the vehicle and you do not complete the transaction they are very unlikely to take legal action against you for not completing the deal. Remember however if you simply change your mind and walk away without good reason the seller may take steps to recover the money from you.

The basic rules apply even if you are buying from a trader or private seller if something sounds to good to be true then it usually is !!!

I hope that you have found this guide helpful and that using this advice when purchasing a classic car online will help you to avoid the pitfalls and hopefully you will end up with a classic car to use and enjoy over the coming years.

Andrew Lack – A Director of the Lancashire Classic Car Company Brook Classics. I have been buying and selling Classic Cars via Internet Auctions for over ten years so am well qualified to give advice in this field.
http://www.brook-classics.co.uk
http://www.classic-lots.co.uk

While there are those who prefer to stick to traditional methods of cooking and traditional food, there are also a class of people who are always willing to experiment with new culinary delights! The French cuisine consists of traditional and regional dishes, as well as continental food flavored with the French ethnic touch. It is because of this that French food has become so popular in the rest of Europe, USA, and many other countries. This popularity has therefore led to the initiation of the French Cooking School USA.

The French Cooking School USA, an association of different schools, was inaugurated with the idea of imparting knowledge about French recipes and French delicacies to people wishing to qualify as professionals in the art of French cooking. Development of teaching skills is also a part of the program. In addition, the advancement of science and technology and schools under this association being placed at varied locations has ensured that distance poses no problem to learning.

Having earned the distinction of being the most exploratory international institution where the culinary arts and cooking are concerned, the French Cooking School USA uses varied cooking techniques unique to France and innovative recipes to provide an extraordinary learning experience for its students. The School is run by people thoroughly acquainted with French gourmet cooking as well as the essence of France?s culture. Is it any wonder then that superb masterpieces like Souffles and Bisques have come from the French Cooking School USA?

Two of the more popular schools associated with the French Cooking School USA are the Ecole Dijon Cooking School and the Cook Street School of Fine Cooking.

The Ecole Dijon Cooking School conducts classes at Chef Drew Holladay Home. There are small groups of students who are scheduled to attend eight sessions of teaching. This school basically caters to cooking in the home. So people who wish to confine their culinary skills to their own homes or bring a change in their regular menus take admission here. Trained cooks demonstrate newer ways of cooking routine food to bring about variety.

The students at Cook Street School of Fine Cooking in Colorado learn specialized French cooking and how to prepare wine. Certificates are awarded at the end of the course. Though the fees demanded are quite affordable, the students get thorough training in the science of good eating. They can therefore opt for careers in culinary art. The course program imparts knowledge about the heritage of French cuisine, how a menu has to be prepared, knowledge about wines, and how an appetite for good food is to be developed.

Another school of mention associated with the French Cooking School USA, is the New School of Cooking. An amateur takes admission and departs as a professional cook! There is the flexibility of taking up part-time, or full-time baking courses of one-year duration. Training is given by professional chefs. There is also the option of learning Italian and Asian cooking in addition to French cooking.

Thus, the French Cooking School USA provides an ideal atmosphere and learning experience for anyone desiring to master French cooking!

Abhishek is really passionate about Cooking and he has got some great Cooking Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 88 Pages Ebook, “Cooking Mastery!” from his website http://www.Cooking-Guru.com/770/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

Overcoming public speaking phobia: Useful techniques on how to overcome and conquer the fear of public speaking.

Do you realize that people tend to rate the fear public speaking more than death? Ironically, that means more people will prefer to be in the coffin than giving the eulogy during a funeral.

Why Do People Fear Public Speaking

Glossophobia or speech anxiety is the fear of speaking in public and many people are known to experience it at least once in their lifetime.

According to various global surveys and statistics, the fear of public speaking ranks top among the world top ten fears, surpassing fear of spiders, fear of flying, fear of heights and often the fear of death itself.

Public speaking fear typical starts out as an increase in the speaker’s heart rate and dryness in the mouth. In extreme cases, panic, nausea, headaches and even anxiety attacks, would be experienced by the speaker before the speech starts.

Once the speech starts, the heart will start beating even more rapidly and the speaker will start hearing the tremble in their own voice. The speaker will start stuttering or start speaking rapidly. In extreme cases, the legs and even the body will visibly start to shake.

On the mental side, negative thoughts of looking foolish may start to cloud the speaker’s mind and their mind may go blank due to their overwhelming fear.

Even after a speech is over, prevalent thoughts of being embarrassed and looking stupid will occupy the mind of the speaker.

It is no wonder that most people would do anything to avoid such an experience.

How can one overcome such a powerful fear?

5 Simple Techniques for Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking Phobia

There are many techniques for overcoming the fear of public speaking and here are some helpful ways to help you conquer public speech phobia and anxiety.

1) Rationalizing your Fear

People typically are afraid of public speaking because of the fear of looking and sounding foolish in public. This fear is an innate emotional response to a threat and is a basic and natural human response.

The only way to combat the fear is to train the mind to acknowledge that fear is normal and that everyone faces this fear in varies degrees.

The common misconception about excellent public speakers is that they are born with a natural flair for public speaking and are not afraid of speaking in public, which is totally incorrect.

Excellent public speakers are people who have mentally trained themselves to accept this fear and use it to propel themselves to extraordinary heights.

2) Come Prepared

The best way to gain confidence in conquering stage fright is to come well prepared for a speech. Knowing your topic well is the key to gaining confidence.

Good communications begins with an understanding of the audience. For example, if your audience is mostly primary school children, it is advisable to keep your sentence short and your language simple.

3) Practice Makes Perfect

Before speaking in front of a large audience, start by practicing in front of a mirror. Once the initially “silliness” is overcome, try practicing in front of your best friend or a small group of close friends and family.

Having a friendly crowd who are supportive of the speaker will definitely help in boosting self confidence.

4) Breathe In, Breathe Out

Remembering to keep calm is important when giving a speech. Give yourself three breaths to relax your body and mentally count to 10 before starting the speech.

Take note to speak in slow measured breathes when speaking. This will calm your nerves by bringing in more oxygen to your brain and also works in getting the audience to follow your train of thought.

5) Find a Reason to Just Do It… Again and Again

Excellent public speakers do not become excellent by giving one speech. They understand that confidence comes by giving many speeches.

Volunteer to give presentation at your company or get involved with a local toastmasters club that will give opportunities to practice public speaking. Seek out an instructor to give you advice and to push you to improve yourself when speaking.

Only by constantly giving speeches will you overcome the fear of public speaking and with time and practice, it only gets easier.

“You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere.”

– Lee Iacocca

Do you know many great speakers use self hypnosis to overcome their nervousness and anxiety when speaking in public?

You too, can conquer this overwhelming phobia of speaking in public quickly and easily with public speaking hypnosis and become a more confident and effective public speaker TODAY!

The world needs great communicators. Be fearless!

Florida health insurance companies are now feeling the effects of the increased price transparency that the Internet brings. Now longer is it a process of days or even weeks to obtain multiple health insurance quotes from top Florida health insurance companies. The simplest and most efficient way to obtain health insurance in Florida is simply to make the top health insurance companies in the state (Golden Rule/United Healthcare, Aetna, and Humana) compete for your business!

If you cringe at the thought of a United Healthcare agent, an Aetna agent, and a Humana agent all clustering around you amongst a swarm of other Florida health insurance agents and trying to push their company’s policy upon you then read on; for health insurance shopping on the Internet has simplified everything. There are numerous Florida health insurance websites that offer Florida health insurance quotes but there are quite a few very important distinctions between the different types.

There are two main types of websites that offer Florida health insurance quotes to Florida health insurance shoppers: Marketing Organizations and Insurance Agencies.

Marketing Organizations do not sell insurance, are not regulated by any insurance department, and generally have no knowledge whatsoever concerning Florida health insurance. However, they can offer consumers a somewhat appealing service. How can they assist in purchasing health insurance?

They act as a middleman between Florida health insurance shoppers and Florida health insurance agents. When Mrs. Smith in Tampa, FL requests a health insurance quote then the marketing company sells her information as a lead to 5 or more Florida insurance agents.

Ignoring the privacy issues and the issue of the qualifications of the health insurance agents that will be purchasing your information there is the larger and more practical issue of do you really want to have 5+ insurance agents aggressively seeking your business?

Imagine that each health insurance agent is taught in their sales training to call you at least 5 times and email you at least 3 times before “giving up” on you as an insurance prospect: that means that you have received 25 phone calls and 15 emails from various insurance agents!

The second type of website that offers Florida health insurance quotes is the website that is run by an insurance agency (note that it is very important to find only an independent Florida insurance agency – meaning an agency that is not tied to working with only one health insurance company but can show you health insurance quotes from all of the top Florida health insurance companies. This is also why we will ignore the quasi third group of websites that offer Florida health insurance quotes: the health insurance carrier websites themselves. These can be a good service but very time consuming. There is a better way to shop for Florida health insurance. Read on-).

Most independent insurance agency websites offer a feature that will allow you to request Florida health insurance quotes. However, there is a much better way to shop for Florida health insurance! Rather than waiting for your request for health insurance quotes to be filled; look for a website that offers instant and LIVE Florida health insurance quotes from top Florida health insurance companies.

With instant LIVE Florida health insurance quotes you have the best of both worlds: you receive the benefits of competitive pricing by viewing the top Florida health insurance companies quotes side by side (the strong point of the marketing organization website model) as well as personal, expert help (the strong point of the insurance agency website model). Not to mention the added benefit of viewing the health insurance quotes from the different health insurance companies in the same format – enabling easy side by side comparisons of benefits. This allows for a true “apples to apples” comparison.

View up to 20 LIVE Florida health insurance quotes from top Florida health insurance companies like Aetna, Humana and Golden Rule/United Healthcare all in less than 20 seconds! View LIVE Florida health insurance quotes now and take advantage of the Internet’s price transparency!

Get free health insurance quotes by comparing all of the top health insurance plans in your zip code – in less time than it takes to brush your teeth!

Comparison shop multiple insurance companies instantly and in real time by viewing free Florida health insurance quotes: Aetna, Humana, United Healthcare and more.

If you are like me you live and breathe fashion. You are constantly inspired with so many new designs racing through your mind, so many you can’t seem to get them all down quick enough at the pace they arrive. You constantly dream of the day your fashions will be on the fashion runway with the lights beaming brightly overhead, the cameras flashing everywhere and the audience being completely mesmerized by your incredible designs. You can’t stop thinking of the day you will open a magazine or watch the Oscars and see a famous celebrity in one of your breathtaking designs. Your book shelf is stocked with fashion books and magazines, and you absolutely can’t resist visiting textile stores to view all the latest fabrics, decorative beads, rhinestones and trims.

It’s this ever present dream of being a successful fashion designer that has you work day and night on your designs in most cases for many years without pay and working a job to pay the pills which is brutal torture, when all you can think about is living and working in fashion.

Famous fashion designers come from all walks of life there is no one system to follow that will have you become the next famous fashion designer. Some have graduated from elite fashion schools and some have never attended fashion school. Some have undertaken a fashion internship with a fashion house and others have made their own designs in their basement. The only elements all these fashion designers have in common is they had an intense passion for fashion, were able to design fashions highly sought after and connected with someone who gave them the opportunity to break into the fashion industry. It is essential in becoming a successful fashion designer you get you and your designs out there as much as possible, as how will anyone know about your fashions if they can’t see them?

In getting your fashions out there here are a few things you can do:

1. We are not usually good at everything some of us are great at designing clothes but lack the sewing and pattern making skills. It is here you can partner with someone who shares your passion for fashion and has the skills you lack. It is in the bringing together of different skills you can create a real product that can be showcased.

2. In having a fashion line of 14 outfits you can apply to your local fashion week. In the USA: New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco all have fashion weeks. These fashion weeks attract many editors, journalists and local socialites who will see your fashions and potentially give you the exposure you need to get known.

3. Many city night clubs hold fashion shows, find out what night clubs hold fashion shows and contact them as to how you can be apart of an up and coming show.

4. Locate fashion boutiques that cater to the fashions you design, first make a trip to the stores to look around, if you can see your clothes fitting in well with the store, find out who the owner is and ask if they would be willing to have some of your fashions offered for sale in their store. You will be amazed at how many store owners are willing to work with you. I walked around San Francisco in the Nob Hill district and had my fashions placed after visiting and discussing my product with four boutiques. In having your fashions displayed you will receive valuable insights as to whether or not your designs are in demand and if you need to change your designs to increase sales. It will also give you free exposure to the public. When your fashions do sell you can present this to investors who are more than willing to invest in your line, when you prove the existence of a strong demand for your fashions.

If you are struggling to create your fashions due to the lack of capital, connections or all the skills required, you can visit: http://www.cluehut.com where it’s free to create a profile stating what you need and who you are hoping to connect with in achieving your fashion dream. You can also browse and connect with others who like you have created a profile offering opportunities where together you can become a great success in the fashion business.

Here’s to your success of becoming a great fashion success!Clue Hut allows you to sign-up for free, create a profile, search profiles and network with others who share the same goal. By bringing together people who share the same passion but can offer a different set of skills, Clue Hut empowers people to achieve their life-long goals at a much faster pace with more certainty. http://www.cluehut.com

The secret to getting a great deal when buying a used tractor is to be armed with information. Start by knowing how to quickly determine the age, condition and average selling price for any brand and model of used tractor. Then know what problem areas to take a close look at. The final step is to know the seven negotiating statements that will drastically lower the asking price of any tractor — including the one sound that you can utter that will knock 10% off the price of any tractor.

Let’s start at the beginning. The first step to getting a great deal on a used tractor is to do a little research and be an informed buyer. Let’s start at the beginning. When you’re looking to buy a used tractor don’t worry that it may be older than you are. Buying a used tractor is not like buying a used car. Tractors are made to last forever and you can still get parts for almost any tractor regardless of how old it is. Also, unlike your car, tractors are relatively easy to fix. Keep these facts in mind when you’re looking for a used tractor.

When buying a used tractor, one of the most important things to look for is a hydraulic system or three-point hitch as it is commonly called. The power-take-off or PTO is part of this system. Ford introduced the three-point hitch on their 9N tractor back in 1939. Farmall and John Deere waited a little later before they came out with a three-point hitch, but still most tractors you look at will have the three-point hitch, but be sure to check.

The three-point hitch and PTO system is very important because without it you will be limited in what you can do with your tractor.  So my advice is to only look at tractors with a three-point hitch. The next step is to determine the age of the tractor you’re considering. The best way to determine the age is to find the serial number and look it up on the Internet. Cars change designs every year, but tractors only make changes every decade or two, so you can’t tell much about how old a tractor is by just looking at it.

The Internet has a wealth of information about tractors. A good website where you can use the serial number and find the date a tractor was manufactured is Yesterday’s Tractors at YesterdaysTractors.com.  When you get to this site, click on “Tractor Registry” in the left Nav. panel to find information on any tractor. You can also use this site to see how much a particular type tractor has sold for recently.

The condition of a used is more important than the age. To determine the condition of a used tractor check to see if it has a tachometer that includes an hour meter. A lot of older tractors won’t have an hour meter. You can tell a lot about the condition of a used tractor by how much the petals are worn, how much play is in the steering and checking to see if there are any oil leaks. All of these factors will help you estimate the condition of a tractor.

Don’t be fooled by a new paint job. It could be covering up things. Also look at the tires. Just because the tires have good tread, it doesn’t mean that they’re in good condition. Check for dry rot and cracks. A good set of tires could cost you from $500 to well over $1,000.

Of course, check to see how the tractor starts and how it runs. If someone is trying to sell a tractor and they can’t make it start easily, there could be problem. You may want to have a mechanic look at the tractor with you. If the tractor is hard to start in warm weather, it will be even harder to start in colder weather. After you start the tractor, check to see if there is excessive smoke from the exhaust.

After you have checked all of the above points, you will probably know more about the tractor than the owner knows.

The next step is to check prices:

Two good places to check prices (other than Yesterday’s Tractors) are TractorHouse dot com and eBay. On eBay be sure to check completed auctions to see what tractors like the one you’re looking for really sold for. You can use this information in your negotiating.

One final point: How much equipment (if any) comes with a used tractor can be a big factor in determining the value of the tractor. Also, factor in how you will get the tractor home. If you can get a trailer in the deal, that’s that’s always a big plus.

When you’re armed with all of the above information, your final step is to “Negotiate like a Pro.” Here’s how to do it.

Seven negotiating techniques for people who don’t like to negotiate:

1.    Offer way less than you expect to have to pay.  Some people say, “I don’t want to negotiate and play games with you. I will give you $5,000 for the tractor and that’s it.”  These people almost always end up negotiating and paying a lot more.

2.    Always gasp and act shocked and surprised at the other side’s first price. Without saying a word, this lets the owner know that you think their price is totally unreasonable.

3.    Never, ever say yes to the first price they quote you –  even if the price is less than you expected to have to pay. If you say yes too quickly the other side will know that they priced the tractor too low. Then they may say something like, “Well let me clear this with my partner.”  Then he will come back and say that his partner would not agree with the offer.

4.    “You’ve got to do better than that.”  Always use this expression sometime during the negotiations.  This will almost always get you a lower price.

5.    Use the “good cop/bad cop” technique.  For example, say, “I would love to buy your tractor at that price, but my wife would kill me.  She’s dead set on me not paying more than $3,500 for a used tractor.”

6.    Arm yourself with information.  The more you’re prepared with facts and information, the better deal you can negotiate.  For example, say, “I have checked eBay and other Internet sources, and tractors like this one never sell for more than $35,000.”

7.    Never agree to split the difference.  The other side is almost always willing to split the difference, so offer less than half of the difference. You’ll usually get it.

Use these techniques and you will come out with the best deal possible on a used tractor. Don’t forget that there are a lot of good used tractors out there, so always be willing to walk away from any negotiation. 

About the Author

Jerry Minchey is an engineer, author and researcher. He cuts through the hype and gets down to the bare facts to reveal secrets that are easy to understand using non-technical terms. He has written several books and produced DVD’s as a results of his research.

See the latest used tractor information (updated hourly) at Used Tractor Reviews. At this site you can find the best prices for all types of used tractors. At the John Deere Reviews site you will find information about all models of used John Deere Tractors including information about where to get the lowest prices and best deals on John Deere tractors.

There are so many millions of people who play tennis everyday throughout the world. They play in public parks, country clubs, private tennis courts, and anything in between (i.e. against a wall).

Tennis is the only sport I know that begins with love and is a sport for a lifetime. I remember the great Sugar Daddy, Bobby Riggs who said in one of the many tennis clinics he taught, “Tennis is a sport you can play from cradle to grave.”

Why do people enjoy playing tennis? I believe because it is a classy sport. It is a sport you can play for as short as 15 minutes or as long as 3 to 5 hours, it all depends on your ability level and motivation. I was fortunate enough to play professional tennis. I had a world ranking in the ATP Tennis of 662 in singles and 457 in doubles. I had wins over players ranked in the top 200 in singles in the world and wins over players ranked in the top 50 in doubles.

In this article, I want to provide you with the three secrets to playing your best tennis. Of course, there are more than three secrets, but three secrets are enough to help you play better tennis.

First, there is no substitute to practicing, practicing, over and over and over again. Practice is the seed to building confidence! When you practice in addition to playing tennis regularly, you will feel a sense of accomplishment, you will feel that you deserve to win because you know for yourself that you have been investing the time to improve your game. So, practice at least two to three hours extra a week if you are a club tennis player. If you are a tournament player you should practice at least 15 hours a week, which equals to 3 hours a day, 5 days a week.

Second, visualize yourself hitting the tennis ball perfectly. Imagine yourself in the movie screen of your mind that you are moving side to side, running forward and backward, hitting each ball with perfect accuracy. Visualize your forehand, backhand ground strokes being hit over the net with 3 to 5 feet clearance. Picture every stroke you hit with perfect ball control. See each of your tennis strokes, feel each tennis stroke, and experience each and every tennis stroke you hit with confidence. Repeat this each time pre and post tennis game or match. By so doing, you are training your mind or inner game to manifest itself in your outer game or physical game. Tennis is a mind game once you have learned all the fundamentals of each tennis stroke.

Third, watch the big players or your favorite tennis pro on the ATP or WTA tour and copy their tennis style. Watch YouTube videos or television footage of your favorite player over and over again until you emulate their movements. One of my favorite players to watch when I was playing competitive tennis was John McEnroe (USA) and Guillermo Villas (Argentina). I use to watch McEnroe’s serve and literally copy his serve. I would watch Villas hit his ground strokes over and over again until I was mirroring Guillermo Villas’ ground strokes. It was usually after watching these great tennis players in a grand slam event that I mirrored their mannerisms. After all, why event the wheel, copy what the big players do and do the same. Of course, as your tennis game matures, you will begin to develop your own style and preferences.

So, there you are the three secrets you want to know to playing your best tennis! Remember, there is no substitute to practicing each and every day in addition to playing regularly tennis matches. Begin today if you do not already do so; visualize yourself hitting the tennis ball with each and every tennis stroke perfectly until you are confident in your mind and in your heart that you can execute it with ease and confidence. And, finally, do not reinvent the wheel, copy the tennis players on the tennis tour by watching their tennis until can have someone say on the side line, “Hey, that person hits the ball like Roger Federer or Maria Sharapova.” Before you know it you will be winning your club tournaments and filling your shelves with trophies.

To learn more about me: Dr. Macavinta.

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