(Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

How best to spend your advertising dollars? If you have a limited budget, you want every dollar to count. And if you have a limited budget, you probably can’t afford a media consultant to help you decide.

Fortunately, we at Conquest Graphics have been in the business of advising clients on the most economical ways to spend their printing dollars, and we’ll be happy to share a few tips with you – free of charge.

First, consider your targeted audience. Are you interested in “preaching to the choir” – i.e. reselling to your most active customers, or are you going out to find new customers? The answer to that question will determine some key choices:

For the purpose of finding new customers, flyers and posters are a great choice because they appeal to the public at large, and people can self-select for your product. If one thousand people receive your flyers, and twenty become new customers, that’s probably an excellent value. If five thousand people see your posters, and fifty people come by to check you out, that’s an outstanding response.

Used in this way, flyers and posters are considered passive marketing. Another example of passive marketing is the placement of brochures in certain selected locations where potential customers are likely to see it. If you offer dog grooming services, your brochures sitting in the lobby of a veterinarian are a sure-fire way to reach potential customers.

For established and recurring customers: those to whom you may be selling on a regular basis. Your catalog should be sent with some regularity.

When introducing a new product or product line. For existing customers, brochures and a sales letter are a good choice. Include order forms, business cards, and slip sheets in your mailing.

For meeting people in public: obviously a well-designed business card with electronic links to your website is something which should be available to you and all sales-oriented associates.

At Conquest Graphics, we think we know all the angles to help you use printed materials in the most effective way to make your small business grow. Contact us today and you’ll see what we can do for you.

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Just about everybody knows how to make scrambled eggs. But there are many other ways to cook with the versatile, protein-packed egg that are good for you. Unfortunately, many people avoid eating eggs because they assume the cholesterol is bad for you and can cause heart disease. However, eggs are a healthy food, low in calories and fat, and have plenty of protein to build muscle.

The reality is that most of the fear of eggs is a myth pushed by a rather ignorant media. There is really no connection between eating eggs and developing heart disease in people who are healthy to start with, that is. Did you know that one large egg has 6 grams of protein? It also has 13 vitamins and minerals that are essential to your health. There is 215 mg of cholesterol in the typical egg yolk.

The important thing to remember when cooking eggs is to prepare them in ways that are healthy. When are doing various egg recipes in a skillet, there rarely is any need to lay down a lot of oil or butter. Most nonstick skillets can handle an egg with virtually no oil at all.

Some of the very tasty and healthy ways you can cook eggs include the following:

Hard Boiled

Put your eggs in a large saucepan so that they are one layer across the water. Cover the eggs with an inch of water. When the water boils, you should remove the saucepan from the stove top. My personal favorite way to make sure the shell is easy to peel is to immediately empty the hot water from the pan, but leave the eggs inside. Immediately run cold water over the eggs in your sink. Let the water overflow the pan and continue to put in fresh cold water for about three minutes. This will usually result in the shell contracting from the egg itself and makes the eggs a breeze to peel and enjoy.

Scrambled

Use one tablespoon of skim milk for every egg you are going to eat. Whisk it all together and add a bit of salt/pepper. Heat a teaspoon of butter or olive oil on medium heat, and then pour in your eggs. Don’t stir them. Just turn and fold them with a spoon, after the liquid is all set.

Omelet

Omelets are a great way to make a delicious egg recipe that is very healthy. You can add veggies to your omelet, including peppers and onions. For a regular omelet, you will want to whist your two eggs with 2 tablespoons of cold water and a bit of salt/pepper. Do your skillet as you did for your scrambled eggs. However, as your eggs cook, push the egg edges into the center of the skillet until the entirety of the uncooked egg liquids that want to flow below becomes solid. If you like to add cheese or veggies, put them in half of the egg. Fold it over the other side of the egg, then put it on the plate.

Fried

To fry your egg, you just need about a teaspoon of a heart-healthy oil. Heat the oil until it is hot. Crack your egg and put it as gently as you can into the skillet. Cut the heat to low, and let the egg cook on one side for five minutes. The yolk will start to get thick, then you just need to decide if you want the egg sunny side up, or if you want it over easy. If you like a hard yolk, as I do, flip it over and cook it for another 4-5 minutes.

Visit protctorsilex.com for the best slow cookers and toasters.

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Better yet, you should find ways to use them more effectively. Here at Conquest Graphics we think we know how to look closely and see what’s going on if things aren’t working as well as you’d like and, more importantly, we think we know what to do about it.

Coded discounts: with the rise in the use of QR codes (quick response codes) and PURLs (personalized uniform resource locators), you can track any postcard or brochure that you distribute. You can offer a discount on these media, and the use of these electronic devices allows you to see who takes the discount.

From this, you can determine:

• what the demographics are of the customers who take these discounts
• what kind of offers they respond to

Placement: Brochures vary in their effectiveness based on how they are distributed. Targeted mailings to active customers with verified addresses are going to assure that those who may have an interest will get the information you want them to have. On the other hand, placing brochures in locations where likely customers are going to see them, in other words, a passive approach, can be just as effective.

Coupons: if you don’t want to print electronic codes or links onto your printed materials, keep in mind that postcards can function as coupons, and brochures can have coupons printed as part of the document. Coupons with an expiration date give people an incentive to act.

Variation and comparison: Any true marketer wants to know whether customers respond to one approach better than to another. Sending out materials with different lead messages, different color and logo configurations, and different products featured is a great way to start to accumulate data on how you should best promoted your business.

At Conquest Graphics, we can advise you on the best ways to use a variety of printed materials in order to help your small business grow. Contact us today.

Kelly’s sister ordered her some Made in the U.S.A. stickers (found at MaverickLabel.com). They came in patriotic red, white and blue. Kelly added them to her craft care instruction labels. They were perfect, and fit right on the back of the label. Kelly found it was quick and easy to add the Made in the U.S.A. labels to her knitted sweaters, knitted baby items and other crafts.

Kelly wondered if it would actually make much of a difference. “Wouldn’t my customers already know my crafts are Made in the U.S.A.?” she asked her sister. “Why should I add a sticker to tell them?” Kelly’s sister told her it was important, that people had patriotic pride and would make the extra effort to buy Made in the U.S.A. products if they knew they could find them. Kelly wondered if it would really make such a big difference, but because her sister had ordered the stickers, she agreed to give them a try.

Much to Kelly’s surprise, she started to hear from customers about her products being Made in the U.S.A.. “We’re so glad your knitted baby sweaters are Made in the U.S.A..” a customer emailed her. “I’m ordering another one for my cousin’s baby girl.” Kelly was very touched and pleased. Not only were customers enjoying her crafts, but they had noticed that they were Made in the U.S.A.. Kelly realized that her sister was right about Made in the U.S.A. products.

Kelly’s craft business began to grow. Her baby knitted and baby gift items became especially popular. It was easy to see why, with her cute designs and the Made in the U.S.A. sticker, they were very appealing to customers. Kelly had found a great niche for her craft business. She was glad she’d listened to her sister, she had been so right about adding the stickers to the labels.

Using Made in the U.S.A. Stickers on Your Products

Did you know that many customers actively look for the words “Made in the U.S.A.”? That they will buy products they see are Made in the U.S.A., and some will even pay more if they know a product is made in America? Letting your customers know your products are Made in the U.S.A. is good business sense and also shows your patriotic pride.

Put your Made in the U.S.A. Stickers where customers can easily find them. Kelly’s crafts had a label on them, she added the sticker to the back of the label where customers would read the sticker and see it quickly as they shopped. Look at your product and see where customers will see that Made in the U.S.A. sticker easily. Our best tip: try to put it close to the price of the item, because every customer searches a product for the price, and they’ll be just about guaranteed to see that Made in the U.S.A. sticker if it is near the price of your item.

Whether you choose to braise your meat in the oven or on your stove top, we think you will be really pleased with the outcome. Braising is a very effective method to cook meats that are cheaper or tougher. It is a great way to end up with a piece of meat that is both flavorful and tender. Keep in mind that there are other good reasons to braise your meat other than to save money.

After you have seared your meat, most of the cooking time that remains does not require a lot of your attention. That is, until you need to prepare the sauce or gravy. Once you have reduced the heat, you can do other cooking or move on to other chores. Braising is also a smart choice when you have guests. It does not require every moment of your attention, so you can focus on your guests.

Braising gives you a wonderful-tasting piece of meat with a tasty broth or sauce. There is not much clean up needed, because you basically have used just one pot. And you can reheat the leftover meat or even freeze it. So you can use your braised meat for more than one meal.

Some of the most popular cuts of meat for braising are:

• Pot roast
• Braised veal
• Lamb shanks
• Osso buco (from Milan, Italy: veal shanks braised with veggies, broth, and white wine)

Just about any meat can be braised, as can fish or vegetables. You can do as much or as little as you like as far as seasoning.

How Braising Works

How does this cooking process make tough meat so tender and tasty? It is accomplished by doing the cooking of the meat slowly, in liquid, and covered over low heat for several hours. This long process helps to break down the tougher tissue in the meat into collagen. Through the longer cooking process, the moisture and heat trapped inside the pot allows the collagen to break down further into gelatin. The heat also causes the muscle fibers in the meat to coil and contract.

Over several hours, these muscle fibers tend to lose their moisture and the meat actually starts to become dry. However, over several hours, these fibers again relax and begin to draw in the fat and gelatin that has been melted down. And the braising also breaks down the cellulose in the vegetables. In the end, everything in your braising pot ends up very moist and tender.

Types of Meat Best for Braising

You want to utilize the tougher and cheaper cuts of beef that tend to come from the more exercised muscles of the cow. These less expensive cuts have more connective tissue in them to be broken down during the braising. You should never braise a lean cut of beef from the loin. The meat is tender already, and has very little fat to be broken down.

Some of the best cuts for braising are:

• Top blade roast
• Seven bone roast
• Brisket
• Shanks
• Short ribs

If you want to braise chicken, we think the legs and thighs are what you should focus on. Do not bother braising boneless chicken breasts. These are better for grilling or sauteing. For fish, consider using larger, firmer species, such as swordfish or shark.

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It might be counter intuitive, but a great way to lose weight, especially fat, is to hit the gym and lift weights. Don’t get us wrong: Cardio work is great and burns calories, which is important. But when you build muscle by lifting weights, you are increasing the total calories your body burns at rest. The bigger the muscles you have, the more calories you burn when you are just sitting around. If you try some of our tips for weight lifting for beginners in this article, you’ll begin to lose weight when you lift weights.

First, when you weight lift, you are going to build muscle by overloading your muscles. To boost your muscle mass, you need to use more weight than your muscles like. The more you lift, the more you will be able to do, so it’s important to increase your weights and vary your sets over time or your body will get used to what you are doing. You always want to be challenging your muscles and doing things that make them hurt. That’s how you build muscle.

When you do a set, you should be able to just barely finish the last reps of a set, while still having good form. If you aren’t getting that sort of feeling, increase the weight. And if your form is a mess because it’s too heavy, lower the weight. Good weightlifting form is very important to get good results.

Every week or month, you will want to change up your weightlifting workout. You want it to get more challenging over time. Increase weight, change exercises or change your numbers of sets and reps. You might do a week of heavier weights and low reps, then a week of lighter weights and higher reps.

Next, you will want to select which weightlifting exercises you want to focus on at first. We generally recommend 8-10 exercises for a beginning weight lifter. Think about doing about 1 exercise per group of muscles per workout.

For your chest, you can do bench press, the pectoral machine, or a chest press piece of equipment. For the back, try rows, extensions for the back, or a machine with lateral pulldowns. For shoulders, you can try front raises and lateral raises.

For your biceps, the basic curl is great as is hammer curling. We also like to do power cleans and clean and jerk exercises with a barbell. These are fantastic exercises for your legs, back, arms, shoulders and more. A power clean or clean and jerk works many muscle groups in one exercise and they are a couple of our favorite weightlifting exercises. These exercises are strenuous, so you will find yourself getting winded and your pulse skyrocketing, which is great cardio work too.

You will want to do at least one exercise for every major group of muscles. We usually like to focus on the big muscle groups first, such as the legs, and then work down to the smaller groups of muscles.

Hopefully you will start lifting weights soon and you will find that you definitely lose weight and burn more fat.

Written in support of Best for Beginners

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In order to get that many people in the room, it is extremely likely that they are already interested in whatever it is in the folder. In other words, a presentation folder is given to those who are already partially sold on the product. They have already been invited to attend the presentation, and they have voluntarily arrived.

So, having a captive or at least an interested audience seated before you, the question then becomes: what should you give them in your folder that will best promote your business? Remember that when the conference is over, people will take that presentation folder with them. Thus, it has to contain everything they will need in the future. Here’s an approach which should work pretty well:

1)    Technical brochures. There are always going to be the guys who want to know all the nitty-gritty, the technical detail of how your product works. Not everybody cares, but for those that do, that information may best be kept separate.

2)    Sales tips. Your product or service needs to be sold a certain way. Include a flyer which goes over all the features and benefits of your product.

3)    Re-order information. If you are giving people something to sell, they are going to want to re-order. Your presentation folder is a great place to include forms for reordering supplies.

4)    Organizational matters. You’ll need a brochure or perhaps a booklet which goes into detail about your company: its organization, its structure, its various departments, its key employees, its policies and practices.

5)    Sample catalogs. You want to make sure that anyone associated with your business has the most up to date information on your product line. It’s always a great idea to include that in your folder.

At Conquest Graphics, we can print your flyer, your catalog, your booklet, your brochure and your presentation folder. We can do it all, and then some. Contact us today.

Before making any long distance trip, tune up your car. Change the oil, fill the wiper fluid and be sure to check your tires. Correctly inflated tires will improve your car’s handling on the road and improve gas mileage. This is important every time you travel, but especially crucial when you encounter winter driving conditions. Be sure to check ahead for the weather forecast along your intended route.

Pack a car emergency kit in case you become stranded. Make sure that you have essential supplies in your vehicle in case your car breaks down or you are involved in a car wreck. Suggested items for a car emergency kit include bottled water, snacks, blanket, flashlight, road flares, first aid kit, jumper cables, shovel and a multi-purpose tool.

When packing your car, be sure to keep your sight-lines clear so you can easily see in your rear view mirror. Don’t stack packages and suitcases so high that it impedes your vision. If you are using a rooftop carrier on your car, double check to make sure that it is properly fastened and locked.

Allow plenty of time to arrive at your destination. Avoid peak traffic hours if you can. Make sure that everyone in the vehicle wears a safety belt. Don’t allow children to ride in the front of the car; the rear seats are the safest place for children of any age. Keep young children occupied with games and activities that will minimize driver distractions. If traveling with your family pet, make sure your furry friend is secured as well.

Get plenty of rest before making a long distance road trip, and stop frequently to take breaks and stretch your legs. Don’t rush to meet an unrealistic schedule. If you get tired, pull off the highway to a rest area and get out of the car for some fresh air. Don’t start driving again until you feel rested enough to travel. Do not use your cell phone while driving and never text and drive. Not only is this extremely dangerous, but it is illegal in many states.

Always drive the speed limit. Not only will it keep you safe, but it will improve your gas mileage. Don’t drive too closely behind other vehicles; give yourself plenty of time and distance to react to the traffic around you. Allow aggressive drivers to pass you. This will go a long way in preventing a car crash. Never drink and drive. If you are heading to an event where there will be drinking, make sure you choose a designated driver for the ride home.

Remember, a few extra safety measures along the way can help to avoid a disaster and will make your holiday a joyous one to remember.

Each member of the Allen & Allen law firm brings experience, knowledge and the skills needed to make a difference in your personal injury case. For a free consultation, contact us today. Visit http://www.allenandallen.com/

The first dogs I ever owned came with a seven acre horse farm we purchased in Virginia Beach. The owners moved out of state and “forgot” to take their two dogs.

Chessie was an aloft Chesapeake Bay Retriever who spent her days chasing ducks and birds, while Bobbi, the black Lab, spent his days swimming across Back Bay and hiking to the Ocean Beach at Sandbridge. Animal Control would arrest him for being a public nuisance and lock him up on a weekly basis.

Both dogs grew to love my ex-husband and tolerate me as I slowly learned the intricacies of dog ownership. Over the next several years we became a family and when we lost Chessie to Coon Dog fever I felt the empty space left in my heart.

A new baby and a move to a smaller lake house a hundred miles away meant that our Bobbie also made a move of his own to a friend’s farm where he would continue to have plenty of room to roam and new places to explore.

With a husband that constantly traveled and a new baby to care for, another dog was out of question. Besides, I missed Chessie and Bobbi and didn’t feel they could be replaced.

When my son was five, my ex-husband decided it was time to get him his first dog, of course I knew the dog wasn’t for my son but it was my ex’s way of getting a pet and having me take charge of caring for the pet. He chose a cute little German Sheppard puppy that quickly turned into a 100 lb rambunctious puppy. Samson was a sweet-heart, but it was obvious from the start, that he was not the right dog for a five year old. He found it amusing to tackle my son and his friends and treated them like toys. Even after some very expensive training, Samson had to be locked up in his pen whenever children were around.

Chasing the neighbor’s chickens, cars and anything that moved forced us to keep him penned up for his own safety. Somehow, Samson just didn’t seem to fit into our family.

It was very different when we found Bonkers, a tiny bundle of Shih Tzu fluff, we knew from the moment we met that he belonged with us. My son was eleven by this time and ready to care for a pet. Bonkers is a tough little guy that can take all the rough housing that a herd of pre-teens can dish out and still smart enough to run to Mommy when he’s had enough. He has even won over the cat.

I can’t tell you what dog is right for you, but I can give you some basic guidelines and tell you to follow your heart.

1. If you have children, make sure you choose a child-friendly, size appropriate pet.
2.  Wait until your children are the right age to care for a pet
3. Puppies are like babies, so if you’re not prepared to put in the extra time, get an older dog.
4. When buying a puppy, watch how the puppy interacts with his litter mates. You want the one that is not the leader or the wimp. The leader can often be more aggressive and challenge you or your children’s authority. This was our problem with Samson. He wanted to be “lead dog, alpha male”. A puppy that is wimpy and easily frightened can react with aggression out of fear.

I love having pets and can no longer imagine life without a dog in the house, but I do recommend that you take the time to find the “right” dog for your home and give them plenty of dog treats

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