Get ready for a new PR when you lace up the Ecco Women’s Sola Running Shoes. Climate control for your feet when you’re beating the pavement or racking up the electricity bill on the treadmill. Just what you would expect from a running shoe made by Ecco, lasting comfort and performance while not compromising the look. Theyre so versatile you can rock them at the gym or all day at work. The Ecco Women’s Sola Running Shoes offer a chic look combined with superior performance.
The Top 10 Spring Fashions…
Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered The Top 10 Spring Fashions… What to Celebrate & Avoid
As spring fashions flood into the stores, it gives us hope that warmer weather is on its way. While those of us in the colder climates are still a little way off from actually wearing the styles, it is fun to look and dream, and even while the snow is on the ground, shopping is in full swing. What’s great and what isn’t? Let’s find out:
Bewitched
Color: The colors of the season promise to be more inviting than what we saw last year. Instead of a sea of black, gray and yellow (although they are still lurking), they are promising that black is out (well, as out as it will ever be – which means it is still around but not featured as strongly as some seasons), and lighter brighter colors are in. Turquoise and teal are big (yay!) as is coral. Neutral tones (beige, champagne and cream) are everywhere. When it comes to neutrals you must be absolutely sure you find the one that works best for you, or you will completely disappear or look slightly ill. Think pastels are passé? Wishful thinking! They are just calling them “ice cream” shades instead of pastels. Whatever you call them, be careful. They do not look good on everyone. Above all, beware of khaki!
Patterns: What would spring be without floral patterns? I find that people either love them or hate them and this year they will be hard to avoid. You can choose soft, romantic florals or big, bold and bright flowers. If floral are not your cup of tea, then animal prints is the other perennial favorite (leopard and zebra reign — often in unnatural colors). Want to be on the cutting edge? Try this season’s “digital” print. Designers are now using their computers to digitally alter and add energy to their designs which gives them a futuristic feel. When it comes to prints and patterns, there is something for everyone – as it should be!
Ruffles: Ruffles are still hot and are on everything. Placement is what is key to keep them fresh and, yes, even edgy. Of course you will find them along the neckline and hem but a new addition is on your shoulders. Positioned properly and assuming they are a stiff ruffle, they add strength and structure to a sloped or narrow shoulder. Those of you with strong, square shoulders will probably want to avoid this look – for the rest of us, they are fabulous. And, adventurous fashionistas can wear them on their shoes…gorgeous!
Dresses. All hail the dress! I remember, not too long ago; when there was a 15-year drought during which you could not find a day dress to save your life, so please let the designers know that this trend is a keeper! What’s not to like about a dress? They take so much less work than trying to create a winning skirt and top combination, and you can toss one on with a great pair of shoes and your favorite jewelry and you’re done. Plus there are so many different styles, fabrics and colors out there that you would be hard pressed not to find at least one that works for you.
Draping and Ruching. Smooth, lightweight fabrics that are so prevalent in the warmer weather are notorious for drawing attention to every lump and bump. Yay – draping and ruching to the rescue! Strategically placed drapes of fabric and ruching (gathers of fabric) can magically camouflage those areas and make this a non-issue. This trend is a girl’s best friend!
Accessorize, Accessorize, Accessorize! Accessories have always been a wardrobe’s secret weapon and this season they are hotter than ever! Everything is big, bright, and there’s lots of it. Wear necklaces, bangle bracelets, earrings, scarves, and belts. Whether your overall theme is warrior princess, tribal, gothic theme, or simply bold and chunky (suited to the scale of your features, of course) the important part is that it makes a huge statement and expresses your personality.
Bothered
Socks with Sandals: Yes, believe it or not, this is a new trend. A bad one, that’s for sure (it’s on my top ten of fashion don’ts!) or else someone is playing a mean trick on us. Maybe it’s all just a bad dream…
Ripped and Torn Jeans: They call it cutting edge but unless you’re under 25 (and even then it’s questionable) save it for around the house. I will never understand the appeal in looking so sloppy?
Tapered Pants: Do we have to bring back everything from the 80′s? Want to make your hips (and feet) look gigantic? Wear pleated tapered pants. Done! Better yet, how about wearing red pleated tapered pants. Picture that…on second thought… don’t!
Bewildered
Underwear as Outwear: Unless you really know how to make this trend look elegant, skip it. It can very easily (and most often) look trashy.
Shoes: This is a mixed bag which is why it is showing up in the bewildered category. While there is every imaginable style to choose from (that’s good!), there are a few looks that are not my favorite. Those cage heels or gladiators heels as some call them just won’t go away. While they are still as unflattering as ever when worn with a dress, the good news is that they are making many of them in lighter neutrals so you can find one to match your skin tone. This helps to keep the shoe from making your legs look stubby and in some cases even elongates your legs (but don’t push it!!). They are great fun with pants – where you just get a hint of sexy shoes peeking out.
That said, I do love that light neutral ankle boots are in for the spring. I love boots and would wear them all year round if it didn’t get too hot (but it does). While I wouldn’t wear them with a skirt they will allow me to wear boots with pants during the transitional months. Yay!
High heeled clogs are in. They aren’t awful but again, not my favorite – they are just so clunky. It is also obvious that someone definitely has a desire to make women’s legs and ankles look thick and chunky. This is evidenced by the current trend of flat sandals with thick (or multiple) straps around your ankles. Dangerous! Unless you are absolutely sure you look good in them (i.e., you have long, thin legs and ankles), run right by this trend.
I have an idea…how about if someone wears all the bothered and bewildered styles together – picture that! Ripped (tapered) jeans worn with a sheer top so you can see your bra and socks with gladiator sandals. This would give anyone nightmares!
This season’s (bewitching) trends have potential. Remember to shop between now and the very beginning of June. After that (even if it hasn’t really gotten warm where you live) everything goes on sale and Fall inventory starts to trickle in. I don’t know about you but I’m looking forward to a delicious spring and summer!
Designed with a low-profile, the lightweight Nike Men’s Lunarfly+ Running Shoes ensure maximum comfort and dynamic support,for great performance on road, track and trail.
Designed with a low-profile, the lightweight Nike Women’s Lunarfly+ Running Shoes ensure maximum comfort and dynamic support,for great performance on road, track and trail.
Adding spring in your step, the Women’s Nike Shox Qualify+ Running Shoes from Nike helps you be “Swifter, Higher, Stronger.” Breathable, comfortable, supportive and durability, these running shoes wrap your foot in a mesh upper construction with synthetic leather overlays. The six-column Nike Shox cushioning system in the heel features a molded Phylon forefoot to give you a smooth, flexible ride and superior impact protection. Its BRS 1000 carbon rubber outsole is fused with solid rubber for durability to go the extra mile. Nike+ capable, the Shox Qualify is ready to work within the Nike+ system to keep track of your progress. Spring into action with the Nike Shox Qualify+.
The Nike Jordan shoes to avoid the Ankle Sprains
Nowadays major of the Nike’s basketball shoes are made of air cells which appear to be uncomfortable yet and most importantly they can cause ankle sprains. While the Jordan shoes can help in preventing ankle sprains and here are just some of the qualities of Jordan shoes which help in preventing ankle sprains basing on basketball players.
First because of the Comfort of Jordan shoes, comfort is one of the single and most important things that anyone could look for in any kind of shoe. If you know much about basketball, then you will agree with me that with all the running and cutting done in the game, you will need a shoe that will give some comfort when you make that cut. If your shoe is not comfortable, then you might just fall for that broken ankle. Jordan shoes will offer the kind of comfort that you completely need. So it can meet your requires.
Then the weight of Jordan’s shoes is lighter. On a basketball game, the weight of your shoes has the decided factor between the win and lose. Jordan shoes will provide you with this kind of weight, they are of a higher quality and their weight for the game is just perfect.
Traction power will always be almost unavoidable especially when you play on the hardwood. If your shoes have less traction on the forefoot and the heel then the probability of getting an ankle sprain is almost 100%. Jordan shoes find its way to prevent player ankle sprains through the traction on both the forefoot and the heel.
The Ankle Support is probably a tough characteristic for a basketball shoe. It has a good ankle support especially all the moves in the game and when you got to do the cuts. This however might not be as important in preventing knee injuries.
At last the Jordan shoes have a great style. It will provide you with all the styles you need. And they have great tractions just like I mentioned earlier that will help you prevent ankle sprains. Also they are as well cheaper Jordan shoes and therefore you won’t have to worry much about the amount you will need to pay for them.
I just started running again after not running for a long time. I used to use the Nike shox TL4 shoes but they?
are no longer being sold. I am considered overweight and I have knee issues with other shoes other than the Nike Shox TL4s. Can anyone recommend a running shoe that is comparable to the TL4s? By the way I like running distance and I would really like to pick it up again to shed my weight and not be in pain at the same time. Any answers will be great, thanks.
In my opinion nikes are horrible shoes to run in but that’s just me. I would recommend going to your local running specialty store and getting your feet and arch and stuff checked out by an expert, or looking into one of the more supportive shoes on this page. http://www.asicsamerica.com/products/category.aspx?PARENT_CATEGORY_ID=250001538
5 Things in Chicago (St. Louis, Mo.) 5 Things in Chicago (St. Louis, Mo.)All shirts are high quality, machine washable printing ink applied to comfortable, durable, and high quality cotton shirts. The shirts do not feature team logos or names, and are licensed only by the first amendment! Let your voice as a fan be heard and support your favorite team today!
Hate Cubs Baseball (St. Louis, Mo.) Hate Cubs Baseball (St. Louis, Mo.)All shirts are high quality, machine washable printing ink applied to comfortable, durable, and high quality cotton shirts. The shirts do not feature team logos or names, and are licensed only by the first amendment! Let your voice as a fan be heard and support your favorite team today!
Too Pretty to be a Cubs Fan (St. Louis, MO) Too Pretty to be a Cubs Fan (St. Louis, MO)All shirts are high quality, machine washable printing ink applied to comfortable, durable, and high quality cotton shirts. The shirts do not feature team logos or names, and are licensed only by the first amendment! Let your voice as a fan be heard and support your favorite team today!
St. Louis MO 13.5×40 Panoramic Photo Add this beautiful panoramic photo to your home or office. The photo measures 13.5" x 40" and is unframed. It comes from Blakeway Panoramas and is guaranteed to accent any room!
365-Day No Hassle Returns! St. Louis Rams 5-inch Running Back Night Light – Brighten up any room with this Running Back night light! Great for kids who don’t like the dark!
365-Day No Hassle Returns! St. Louis Rams Lil’ Teammates Running Back Figurine – Get your hands on the whole set of Lil’ Teammates and decorate your home, office or fan cave in team spirit! All teams come in both the quarterback and running back style and feature a rotating head.
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Merrell’s ST Stature II Running Shoe for women is the ultimate trail stability shoe packed with features only found in premium running shoes. Designed for individuals with mild to moderate pronation needs who run on trails as their primary activity, the ST Stature also suits those who prefer trail shoes for hiking.
A great gift for sports fans! This pawsome teddy bear is dressed in an authentic teddy bear MLB™ St. Louis Cardinals™ uniform complete with jersey, belted pants, stirrups, hat, white socks, athletic shoes and bat, ball and glove set.
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St. Louis Cardinals Pin St. Louis Cardinals Team Logo Pin
10 Tips To Avoid The Holiday Bulge -And Inner Thoughts About Them
Do you find it almost impossible to stay conscious and contentious about weight and nutrition during the holidays? Of course you do. More than half of all Americans are overweight. All American’s are in this together.
You can take heart from a new government study which shows most Americans gain about a pound over the holiday. You’re not alone. The study shows that during the holiday period, for the people in the study, two main things influenced the holiday weight gain: level of hunger and level of activity. Those who reported being less active or more hungry had the greatest weight gain.
If you can stay focused on dealing with just those two things, you’ll probably win.
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of weight gain,” according to Dr. Samuel Klein. He is Director of the Center for Human Nutrition as Washington University in St. Louis, MO. “Preventing the increase in weight is a lot easier and better than actually gaining weight and then trying to get it off again.”
The answer is simple. Eat less and exercise more.
The good news is that most of the people overestimate how much they had gained. Fewer than 10% gain 5 pounds or over.
The bad news is that although the one pound gained seems like a small amount, that weight WAS NOT LOST during the rest of the year and those single pounds accumulate over the years and add up to obesity.
Here are some helpful hints and tips put together by skinny people to help you avoid the tiny little weight watching issues you face during this joyous season [along with the thoughts going through weight watcher Wanda's head as she listened to the skinny people happily chirping out their advice. NOTE: Wanda isn't her real name.]
1).”You SHOULD stay active, darling. The best thing for you to do is to stick to your regular schedule and routine.” [Routine? Wanda's family doesn't have no stinking routine in November and December. Wanda doesn't have no stinking time for her regular yoga classes, workouts at the gym, long dog walks, you ninny, because in addition to shopping, home decorating and cooking, Wanda has to take every one of the kids to EXTRA practices and activity for pageants, concerts and freaking fund raisers! Wanda's too ACTIVE to stay active, darling.]
2). “Don’t let yourself get hungry. Don’t arrive at the party starving. Be sure you eat your normal, healthy meals, especially breakfast. A protein rich breakfast “resets” the body and starts it off not hungry. Don’t starve yourself, thinking you can “save up” calories. Fill up before the big holiday feasts with healthy vegetable snacks.” [Normal? There ain't no stinking "normal" in November and December, and Wanda's not sure she ever has normal, healthy meals. She's got a life to run. Wanda doesn't't't know where YOU'RE having Thanksgiving, but Wanda's family's appetizer table has God's own Cheese Puffs and Ruffles with sour cream/onion dip, Brie on sourdough and 80 plates of cookies and bowls of peanut M&Ms on every available surface! There is nary a vegetable snack in sight.]
3) “How can you keep the pounds off at calorie rich parties? Stay away from the food! Literally … stay on the other side of the room from the buffet table or appetizers tray. [Wanda liked this one. She'll just go plant herself in the bathroom and lock the door. Maybe she can find a place under the pile of coats in the back bedroom. A nap sounds nice.]
4). “Wear clothes which are slightly tight and your favorites. You’ll think twice about the third helping if you can’t let your belt out a notch. Always remember there’s about 8 pounds between dress sizes.” [What skinny sadist came up with this bright idea? Wanda bets she's a size 2, and hides an eating disorder!]
5). “Portion size is the real secret. Keep salad portions large and all other portions extra small. When it comes to sweets, think quality, not availability. Just because the candy corn is there doesn’t mean you have to eat it. Don’t be afraid to cut off “just a bite” of a high calorie treat. Put the rest back on the serving tray. If you’re the hostess, pre-cut high calorie items into tiny portions to help your friends. Just a bite may be plenty to satisfy you. [Just a bite! Just a bite? Wanda's stressed to the max and darn it, Wanda DESERVES a candy treat ... and a WHOLE one. Heck, Wanda's double stressed, so she deserves ...]
6). “You don’t need to be stressed. Take Time for You. Get a massage or a nice facial. Sit down and slip your shoes off.” [Don't you know Wanda's facing a month and a half on shopping overdrive and the only place to sit down is at the mall's fast-food court? McDonald's doesn't have a massage spa. If Wanda slips her shoes off, she'll NEVER get them back on again, you fool.]
7). “Keep up your food diary … every day of the holiday … it will help you pinpoint your special weaknesses. Just one 150 calorie chocolate chip cookie each day will add up to an extra pound in only 3 weeks.” [Wanda can't even find her food diary in chaos house. And, she really needed the information on the cookies. Thank you very much. Wanda just ate three, and she doesn't need any food diary to pinpoint this little weakness.]
8). “Only eat things you really want and care about. So what if your neighbor brought okra au gratin everyone’s raving about? Use that space on your plate for a homemade roll, hot from the oven. Put real butter on it. Life is choices. Treat yourself to what you want and LEAVE THE REST IN THE SERVING DISH.”[Good advice. How thankful do you think Wanda'd be after a feast of Brussels sprouts and tofu salad while she's passing the yams, potatoes and gravy to Aunt Lucille? Wanda bets Lucille's glad she got granddad's wiry build instead of those wonderful wide childbearing hips from grandma's "peasant" stock!]
9). Drink water instead of alcohol which has empty calories and lowers will power. Avoid sugary sodas which throw your metabolism into pendulum swings. [You didn't mention eggnog. Eggnog is OK, then, right?]
10). “Don’t eat while you cook. Those little “tastes” can turn into 1000 calories before you’ve blinked.” [Wanda just spent 304 hours in the kitchen, cooking. She HAS to taste everything before she serves it, or they'll hate it and won't love her any more. And besides, cookie dough doesn't have any calories, does it?]
Well, that’s all 10 pieces of holiday advice. Here’s just one parting thought from Wanda.
Santa’s fat and everybody loves him! The baby Jesus is fat, too. The turkey is so fat it can hardly stand up! Nobody buys a skinny Christmas tree, do they? Get a grip. Get a life. Have a HAPPY holiday.
365-Day No Hassle Returns! Virginia Cavaliers Beach Towel – Head to the beach or poolside in style with this lightweight beach towel. Approximately 30″ x 60″
Measuring a whopping 24” in diameter- this inflatable West Virginia Mountaineers beach ball is sure to be a hit in the pool or at the beach. The ball is designed in the look of the West Virginia Mountaineers helmet- with the team logo prominently displayed on each side. Made of durable .20mm vinyl- the West Virginia Mountaineers beach ball comes with a patch kit and clean easily with a damp cloth. Stay cool at the pool with your officially licensed inflatable Beach Ball from Team Sports America! Officially licensed by the NCAA
Hit the beach this summer with this Virginia Cavaliers 30×60 Beach Towel. Features full color team graphic. Towel measures 30 inches by 60 inches Machine washable for easy care Officially licensed by the NCAA
365-Day No Hassle Returns! Virginia Tech Hokies Two Tone Suede Flip Flops – These flip flops are great as shower shoes or beach slip-ons! Textured sole for comfy fit.
These inflatable 24″ beach balls are sure to be a hit at the pool or beach. Made of durable .20mm vinyl, these officially licensed balls come with a patch kit and clean easily with a damp cloth.
These inflatable 24″ beach balls are sure to be a hit at the pool or beach. Made of durable .20mm vinyl, these officially licensed balls come with a patch kit and clean easily with a damp cloth.
Get ready for a new PR when you lace up the Ecco Women’s Sola Running Shoes. Climate control for your feet when you’re beating the pavement or racking up the electricity bill on the treadmill. Just what you would expect from a running shoe made by Ecco, lasting comfort and performance while not compromising the look. Theyre so versatile you can rock them at the gym or all day at work. The Ecco Women’s Sola Running Shoes offer a chic look combined with superior performance.
Get ready for a new PR when you lace up the Ecco Women’s Sola Running Shoes. Climate control for your feet when you’re beating the pavement or racking up the electricity bill on the treadmill. Just what you would expect from a running shoe made by Ecco, lasting comfort and performance while not compromising the look. Theyre so versatile you can rock them at the gym or all day at work. The Ecco Women’s Sola Running Shoes offer a chic look combined with superior performance.
10 Steps To Building A Profitable Computer Repair Website
It’s funny – web sites are something that every brick and mortar company feels compelled to have but very few know why. Test this for yourself. The next time you are talking to a business owner ask them what purpose their web site serves.
Answers will vary but the real reason is basically this: everyone has one so we need to have one too.
This is a shame because web sites are the most valuable real estate in the world.
Millions of dollars can be funneled through a space that is not even a square foot in size. Your web site is also your company’s face to the world. It is quickly becoming THE way consumers research, compare, and purchase products and services, even if the transaction is not done online.
With the right strategy you have the same chance of selling products and being seen as Microsoft, Boeing, or Amazon. Entrepreneurs in a home office can outsell a multi-million dollar corporation.
Although the tactics that work for your site will vary depending upon your target audience, product, and site purpose, the following 10 steps are ones that I have found to dramatically increase conversion regardless of the company, customer type, or product being offered.
I’ve incorporated all 10 steps into the website template that comes with my Computer Consulting Business In-A-Box. You too can get the same results my clients get by doing the following:
Step 1: Start With A Clearly Defined Objective You Want Your Site To Produce
Do you want to produce leads for your sales team? Sell products? Attract investors? This is the first and most critical step in designing any site.
Unfortunately, it is also the one that most people overlook.
Before you unleash your web developer on building a site you should know exactly what types of visitors you will be attracting and what you want those visitors to do. Plan your web site so that every sentence, link, and graphic moves them towards taking that action and eliminate everything else.
Step 2: Structure Your Web Site Like A Funnel
Imagine trying to put oil into your car’s engine using a funnel that had a narrow opening and 6 different outlets at the bottom. Impossible, right?
You will only get 1/6 of the oil actually into your car and the rest will go spilling out everywhere else. You would have to put in 6 cans of oil to get what one can of oil would have done with the proper funnel.
This goes for your web site as well. Is it a proper funnel focused on producing one result or is it simply an electronic page turner for your company brochure?
To develop the funnel for your site, fill in the answers to these questions:
What is the ultimate result I want my web site to produce?
What is my prospect’s buying process?
What is the first thing I want my visitors to do?
What incentives will I offer to entice them to take that action?
Step 3: Get As Many Web Visitors As Possible To Join Your Mailing List
E-mail newsletters are the oldest, and in the opinion of some, best tactic in getting web site visitors to join your mailing list. In essence, web visitors are requesting that you stay in touch with them by sending regular e-mail communications.
However, as more and more companies flood our inboxes with e-mail newsletters and promotions, more and more web visitors are becoming hesitant to opt-in for fear of getting overwhelmed with spam.
Think about the e-mail newsletters you subscribe to. I bet you now delete some of the ones you use to read because over time you’ve accumulated so many that you just don’t have the time to read them all.
Chances are you have two e-mail accounts: the one you read day in and day out and the hotmail or yahoo account you use to sign up for all web offers and newsletters. This is why the conversion of opt-in newsletters has dropped to a measly 1% or less for most companies.
So what is the secret to securing double digit opt-in rates?
Simple. Create an “event” offer instead of promoting more e-mail that they don’t want. An event offer is one that they receive immediately. Think instant gratification.
Some examples of this include:
A sample of your product
A whitepaper or report
A free audio cassette or CD
Free software
3 Free chapters or an excerpt of a book
A free video
A free service
Free webinar or teleseminar
Step 4: Prominently Display Your Offer And Opt-In Box On Your Home Page
This is a simple yet often overlooked strategy for increasing web site conversion. On a previous website of mine, I increased conversion by 4% simply by moving my opt-in box to the top right corner of my home page. Same offer, but now it was the first thing to catch your eye when you visited my site.
Another trick is to use a picture of an attractive person near or around the opt-in box to draw attention to it. When I’ve used this tactic in the past, conversion always bumps up several percentage points.
Alex Mandossian uses a picture of himself lifting his opt-in box over his head on marketingwithpostcards.com. Alex swears by this strategy claiming it has a considerable impact on conversion.
Step 5: Use An Auto Responder To Follow Up
The whole purpose of getting shy prospects to opt-in is so you can follow up and close the sale. Auto responders help you do this with zero effort.
Follow up is critical because the majority of your visitors won’t buy right away. As a matter of fact, I have found that most people won’t buy until after the 3rd or 4th contact.
How many follow up messages you send is something that needs to be tested. I would recommend starting out with at least 3 in a relatively short period of time (within a week). If they don’t respond, simply add these people to your monthly e-zine list.
Auto responder e-mails should follow the same rules previously outlined in the chapter on e-mail marketing. They are:
Personalize the subject line and body of the e-mail.
Write it with the same passion as any sales letter.
Ask for the order.
Always give the recipient the opportunity to opt-out.
Step 6: Pop-Ups
I currently have a love-hate relationship with pop-ups. On one hand, they annoy me and interrupt my web searching activities. On the other hand, I cannot ignore their ability to increase conversion rates.
If you are not familiar with pop-ups, they are basically mini web ads that open automatically when you enter or exit a site.
There are 3 types of pop-ups: entry, delayed entry, and exit all referring to when they appear. There is also a pop-under which is the same thing except that it opens behind the page you are currently viewing.
I personally prefer exit pop-ups or entry pop ups because delayed entry pop-ups interrupt the visitor while viewing your site. If someone is reading your sales letter, why disturb them? You also might annoy them to the point of leaving your site. More people dislike them than like them so test them conservatively before rolling out on a larger scale.
Here are a few of the ways you can use pop ups and pop-unders to increase conversion on your site:
To promote a sale or limited time offer. Both Amazon and Barnes and Nobel use entry pop ups to promote free shipping, volume discounts, and other items on sale. This type of entry pop-up alerts the shopper early on in an effort to affect their buying behavior. After all, free shipping on orders over $50 may encourage a visitor to buy a second book they might not have otherwise purchased.
To get visitors to opt-in. Again, free white papers, reports, samples, and other gifts make for great “bait”. Even if the pop-up has the same offer you currently have on your web site, you will see an increase in conversion from the pop-up. Be sure to test the pop up on entry and on exit to see which one works best.
As a “last ditch” effort to get a customer to buy. One friend of mine sells a marketing how-to manual for $250. When you leave his site an exit pop-up appears offering a CD version of the manual for $150 to capture those prospects who are interested in buying but who are a bit leery about spending $250. This simple strategy has put a considerable amount of money in his bank account and has enabled him to capture customers he would have otherwise lost.
To make a buck from your affiliate partners. It’s a simple fact of life; not everyone will want what you have to offer. But they have come to your site because they have some level of interest in the types of services and products you offer. Why not use an exit pop up to promote one of your affiliates products or services?
Step 7: Oh, And Let’s Not Forget To Make Your Site Sell
Motivational sales copy is the most important element you can give your site. If you don’t do an exceptional job of capturing and holding the attention of your web visitors to the point of motivating them to action, you are cheating yourself out of a considerable amount of profits. It’s that simple.
Here are the 2 biggest mistakes companies make with web site copy:
They confuse visitors. I wish I had a nickel for every web site I’ve visited where I just can’t figure out what they do. Maybe you have had a similar experience? See if you can guess what this company does: “XYZ was founded to help your business succeed. In today’s complex world the businessperson is faced with huge challenges everyday. To succeed you must identify the one area you will focus on constantly. Your survival and success will depend on how well you maintain that focus. At XYZ we are here to help you reach your goals. We strive to serve your business and your customers with quality products, friendly service and tremendous attention to detail.”
As obviously awful as this is, thousands of companies post up this type of corporate speak on their web sites with the grand illusion that someone is actually going to read it.
And guess what – your customers EXPECT you to deliver “quality products, friendly service, and tremendous attention to detail” so there is no advantage to tell them this. Toting quality and service as your main benefit is about as effective as a restaurant promoting “When you leave our restaurant, you will be less hungry than when you came in.”
They bore visitors Take another look at the above paragraph. See anything else wrong with it? It’s boring to read and does not pass the “so what?” test. No one cares about your company, how long you have been in business, or other boring facts about you. They want to know what’s in it for them – specifically.
So how do you write a mesmerizing sales letter for your web site that hooks visitors and causes them to want more? The same way you write any great sales letter.
Step 8: Know What Your Visitors Are Worth
Now that you’ve created a killer site that is converting a high percentage of visitors to leads or customers, it’s time to focus on getting as many qualified visitors to the site as possible.
Getting visitors to your site is not free and before you start spending money on e-mail lists or other traffic, you need to know how to calculate what your visitors are worth, also known as visitor value.
Let’s say you sell a $100 product and make $80 gross profit per sale. If 1 out of every 100 visitors buys your product, you have a 1% conversion rate. At $80 profit per sale, each visitor is worth $.80 ($80 x .01).
This means you could spend up to $.79 to get a prospect to visit your site and still make a profit (albeit a very SMALL profit).
You need to calculate two things to determine your visitor value:
The average profit you make per sale.
Your site’s conversion rate.
To calculate conversion rate simply divide the number of unique visitors to your site by the number of leads or sales it produced over a given period of time.
Warning: Be careful not to confuse “hits” with “unique visitors” or your calculations will be off. On average, each unique visitor is responsible for about 2-3 hits to your site. Any good web tracking software tracks unique visitors by unique IP address.
Step 9: What You Should Be Tracking And How
There are several good web tracking software pages out on the market today that will help you track unique visitors and other important site activities such as visitor session time and exit and entry pages.
Chances are that your web host already provides you with some type of web tracking software included in your monthly hosting fee. These “free” programs are usually pretty basic and can only give you general information such as hits, errors, referrers, and pages viewed.
If this is the case, ask your provider if they can upgrade you to a better program such as Urchin Reports, LiveStats or WebTrendsLive. You’ll pay a little bit more per month but the information you will capture is well worth it.
Here is a list of 5 things you should be tracking in addition to unique visitors:
Opt-ins. This is the number of people who join your list.
Visitor session time. This is the amount of time someone spends on your site. This is a good indicator of how compelling your sales copy is.
Entry page conversion. This is the same as visitor value; divide the total number of sales by total number of unique visitors.
Order page conversion. Similar to entry page conversion, you divide the total number of sales by the total number of unique visitors to your ORDER PAGE.
Auto responder conversion. How many follow ups did it take to convert that visitor to a sale? What offer worked the best?
Every one of these elements contributes to your sites overall conversion ratio and each one tells a different story. If you are not getting very many people to opt-in then your offer needs improvement.
If visitors are only spending a few seconds on your site before surfing away then the headline and copy is not grabbing them.
If a good number of people go to the order page but then don’t follow through, you need to work on the order page copy or layout.
If a lot of people opt-in but never order, than your auto responder needs fixing. Tracking these elements allow you to “see” your web site funnel and discover where the holes are. Once you discover a “leak” you want to start testing different headlines, offers, layout, and approaches to improve the overall conversion of your site.
The most accurate way to test different offers, headlines, copy, and graphics is to set up two separate sites that are identical except for the element you are testing. Drive traffic through both and measure the results. Just be sure to test one element at a time so it is a fair and accurate analysis.
Step 10: The Fastest Way To Get A Large Number Of Qualified Visitors To Your Site
Unless you run a local company that services only a small area (like a dentist or carpet cleaner) search engines are still the best way to drive a large number of qualified prospects to your site.
Search engines come in 4 flavors with each having its own method for ranking sites.
1.) Search Engines – Although this is the common term used for all search engines, true search engines send out spiders or robots to search the web and gather information. True search engines include AltaVista, HotBox, Excite, and Google.
2.) Directories – Search directories such as Yahoo and Open Directory (Dmoz) rely on human beings to review and categorize your site. You submit your title, description, and web site and the editor will decide whether or not it should be included in the directory.
3.) Price Comparison Search Engines – Websites such as Shopping.com, MySimon.com, and Epinions.com all offer a pay per click service for businesses to advertises their e-commerce products. When visitors perform a search for your product, you pay a bid amount only when a user clicks on your link. If you are working with a shoe-string budget and you sell e-commerce products, I recommend giving Froogle.com a try. Froogle is a price comparison search engine from Google and you never have to pay for an account or clicks. It amounts to free traffic.
4.) Pay Per Performance Search Engines – Also known as “pay per click” search engines, these engines allow you to bid for top ranking position on the keywords you select. You pay the bid amount only when a user clicks on your link. While there are over 390 different pay per click search engines on the web, the two 800lb gorilla’s in this space are Overture.com and Google Adwords When you set up an account with Overture or Google Adwords, you will also get ranked at the top of several other major search engines like Yahoo, MSN, and AltaVista, as well as thousands of smaller sites. This is because Overture and Google have set up affiliate agreements with thousands of websites where they will list the top 3 listings from Overture or the top 5-20 listings from Google at the tops of their sites under “Sponsor Matches”, “Sponsor Sites”, or “Google Ads”.
If you’d like to completely take the guesswork out of launching a website, marketing online, and securing new business for your computer consulting company, consider investing in my Computer Consulting Business In-A-Box.
About the Author
Ryan Kristopher is an independent marketing consultant, sales trainer, and author of Computer Consulting Marketing Advice who specializes in inexpensive and highly effective marketing strategies for computer service specialists, VARs, Systems Integrators, MSPs and IT consulting firms.
This has been bugging me for a while now…?
I can’t figure out what song this is..
this is how the music video goes:
A guy is walking down the street and a shoe falls in front of him, he sees a girl standing at the top of a building, about to jump off and he runs up and stops her. They have lunch (or tea) together and she starts getting really clingy. He tries to shake her off but she becomes obsessive, he yells at her (presumably telling her to get lost) and she runs away. She runs up the steps of a building, and when she’s at the roof she starts running to the edge, seeming like she’s about to commit suicide, but she stops. Instead, she takes off her shoe and drops it down in front of another guy, to get his attention.
It’s funny how I totally forget the song/band but remember the music video perfectly.
Could you guys help me with figuring out who sings it and what song it is? Thanks.
“Leave Before The Lights Come On” by The Arctic Monkeys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEukS2YN9B8
Funny, Hilarious video of our Dog Molly wearing walking in shoes for the first time
Designed with a low-profile, the lightweight Nike Men’s Lunarfly+ Running Shoes ensure maximum comfort and dynamic support,for great performance on road, track and trail.
Designed with a low-profile, the lightweight Nike Women’s Lunarfly+ Running Shoes ensure maximum comfort and dynamic support,for great performance on road, track and trail.
Adding spring in your step, the Women’s Nike Shox Qualify+ Running Shoes from Nike helps you be “Swifter, Higher, Stronger.” Breathable, comfortable, supportive and durability, these running shoes wrap your foot in a mesh upper construction with synthetic leather overlays. The six-column Nike Shox cushioning system in the heel features a molded Phylon forefoot to give you a smooth, flexible ride and superior impact protection. Its BRS 1000 carbon rubber outsole is fused with solid rubber for durability to go the extra mile. Nike+ capable, the Shox Qualify is ready to work within the Nike+ system to keep track of your progress. Spring into action with the Nike Shox Qualify+.
Built with unparalleled support and sensitivity, the TrekSta Evolution Trail Running Shoes – Women’s will change your whole experience on the trail. Once on your foot you’ll have a hard time telling where the foot ends and you begin.
Built with unparalleled support and sensitivity, the TrekSta Evolution Trail Running Shoes – Men’s will change your whole experience on the trail. Once on your foot you’ll have a hard time telling where the foot ends and you begin.
Running a trail race in racing flats vs running it in trail shoes?
I’ve got a race tomorrow afternoon, would there really be too much of a difference if i wore racing flats instead of trail running shoes? the trails where i run aren’t too crazy, if anything a bit muddy when it’s wet but the weather doesnt seem to be looking bad for tomorrow, however I know cross country runners wear flats during their races because they’re lighter so would it really be such a bad idea if i ditched the trail shoes this one time?
The least painful choice would probably be what you are used to trail running in.
Get ready for a new PR when you lace up the Ecco Women’s Sola Running Shoes. Climate control for your feet when you’re beating the pavement or racking up the electricity bill on the treadmill. Just what you would expect from a running shoe made by Ecco, lasting comfort and performance while not compromising the look. Theyre so versatile you can rock them at the gym or all day at work. The Ecco Women’s Sola Running Shoes offer a chic look combined with superior performance.
How Many Shoes Does One Woman Need?
Can you put yourself into the “Imelda Marcos” category of owning hundreds of pairs of shoes or are you in the “Sandie Shaw” category of bare foot when ever possible? I have to admit to being rather patial to shoes and would buy more if funds and my husband would let me! Equally I love to walk bare foot through the sand and in the summer, at home, I am often shoeless. It isn’t that straight forward. Many women in the western world don’t just buy shoes for practically reasons, in fact for quite the opposite reason. a practicality. Shoes are a way of expressing our characters. Some of Georgina Goodman’s shoes are impractical to wear, but beautiful pieces of contemporary art.
Think of the woman in the film “In her Shoes”. She has rows and rows of beautiful shoes at the back of her closet. They are virtually all un-worn but she buys them to cheer herself up when she is down. She enjoys the pleasure of ownership!
We need shoes for many different occasions. Smart shoes for work, hiking boots for walking the dog, wellies for gardening, trainers for running or going to the gym, slippers to keep our feet warm at home, flip flops for the summer, fashion boots for the winter…..and so on. Then we may need a pair of black shoes and a pair of brown shoes for work. The list is endless. So even if you put yourself down as a “SandieShaw”, I am certain you have at least 6 different items of footwear.
The style of shoe you wear can either make or break and outfit. Even if everything else is perfect, wearing an inappropriate shoe or one that doesn’t suit the wearer can ruin the overall look. There are a few basic rules to consider when choosing shoes.
If you have short legs or wide ankles, try and avoid a loafer shape or ankle straps, it will only draw attention to an area you may wish to disguise. A heel of some description will elongate legs and make calves and ankles look slimmer. Try and match your shoes to your hemline and hosiery.
When buying boots, try and avoid the top of the boot finishing on the widest part of your leg unless you are wearing them with a long skirt or trousers.
If you find walking in high heels difficult, either practise or don’t wear them! It is not a good look, hobbling along in heels you cannot cope with.
Match your shoe to the occasion. Simple but elegant for work, flip flops for the beach, casual shoes for the weekend, a really good quality pair of trainers for running or for going to the gym, not for wearing with jeans.
Leather is better than synthetic material if you have a problem with foot odour. Alternate shoes so you give them time to air in between wearing them and look after them with good quality polish.
According to figures I found on the internet, the average American woman owns 40 pairs of shoes. Which ever way we try to justify the number of shoes we need, 40 is way over the top. I would say that women buy shoes not only for reasons of necessity but for the pure pleasure of owning a beautiful pair of shoes.
About the Author
Joanna Steele-Perkins is a senior image consultant with Colour Me Beautiful image consultants.
Based in Taunton, Somerset, she is a regular contributor to magazines and newspapers. She offers advice on all aspects of personal image and her services include colour analysis, style consultations, make-up lessons and bridal advice.
cheap 5th year aniversary gift for my perfect girl?
what can i give or do to my girlfriend that is $10 worth or less.. practically something that is DO IT YOUR SELF thingy..
her room is full of my drawings and paintings, made her cards of all sizes.. home made chocolates last month.. a nice dress.. shoes.. jewelry.. bonsai..
i also tried writing a poem for her the other year.. i body massaged her.. foot spa.. cooked and baked for her…
im running out of ideas.. =P
You are sooo cute! You could make her some bath salts and a sugar scrub in her favorite scent or yours, for her bath. If you are interested email me and I will give you directions. Its cheap and so easy.
A great pick for the larger-frame runner or heavy heel striking athlete, this style offers the ROLLBAR® for maximum motion control and ABZORB® cushioning for incredible shock absorption. A premium quality running shoe without the premium price.
Get ready for a new PR when you lace up the Ecco Women’s Sola Running Shoes. Climate control for your feet when you’re beating the pavement or racking up the electricity bill on the treadmill. Just what you would expect from a running shoe made by Ecco, lasting comfort and performance while not compromising the look. Theyre so versatile you can rock them at the gym or all day at work. The Ecco Women’s Sola Running Shoes offer a chic look combined with superior performance.
Good Weather? Why Not Run?
The weather in the northern hemisphere is beginning to warm up and spring turns people’s minds to thoughts of fitness and sport. They look out their running shoes from the back of the wardrobe and get out on the road. After all, it’s easy to do, it doesn’t cost anything and you can’t go wrong, can you? However, spring is just the time when all of us, having got lazy and overweight over the winter, overdo things and suffer injuries. Physiotherapists all over the country brace themselves for the surge in strains and sprains which occur at this time of year as our unprepared bodies are put through stresses which are too much for them. The commonest injuries tend to be foot pains, back pain and knee pain.
Novice runners in particular will make the classic mistake of overdoing things in the early period of exercising, although this is not confined to novices. They do not get the feedback from their bodies until much later so they start off with running too hard and too far, trying to get to a state of fitness too quickly by progressing too fast within too short a time frame. We all have levels of tolerances for all of our bodily tissues, levels of stress they will cope with easily and not complain, but also beyond which we will have problems. If we overstep our tolerances for our height, weight, age, fitness or other factors we will suffer the consequences such as tendonitis, bursitis, joint strains, muscle tears, patello-femoral syndrome and iliotibial band syndrome. Even stress fractures can occur as the bones give way under the repetitive stresses.
A more measured approach to the starting period of training is necessary or to control one of the elements of the training such as the intensity, frequency or duration. Controlling one of these elements may allow training to restart or progress in fitness to be maintained. Non-professional runners may often let a small injury grumble on for too long before doing anything about it, allowing a small problem to become chronic and difficult to treat. If you get a new pain or ache then you should take it as a sign that something has been injured and you should pay attention to it. If you have taken normal steps with ice, treatments, activity modification and painkillers, then you should seek help if there is no improvement in ten days.
Novice runners might find a walking and running regime useful which I have used due to starting off running and getting back pain. Going for a ten minute run I thought was pretty safe but it gave me troublesome back pain for a week or even two. This put me right off the idea of running again so I left it until I felt better and I had another go at a ten minute run as before. It wasn’t much of a surprise that the whole process repeated itself and so I stopped running again for a few weeks.
I was recommended a walking and running regime as a way of getting in to training without pain and started off with a short period of each. After a few months I was able to train for pain free periods of up to forty minutes running. Such regimes start for example with one minute running and four minutes walking, gradually increasing the running minutes at the expense of the walking.
In winter many people use treadmills more often, leaving them open to risk of injury due to the cold and uneven nature of outside running areas. Excessive impacts while running are generated by hard surfaces such as concrete and should be avoided, with appropriate investment being made in good running shoes with enough cushioning to absorb impacts. Changing running shoes regularly is important as they lose their ability to absorb shocks and this may be particularly important if you are big and heavy.
Also if you are running flat on a treadmill more often in the winter then injury is perhaps more likely as you start to deal with the cold, the slipperiness and irregularity of outside terrain, all of which demand more flexibility yet make it more difficult to do this. The typical hard concrete pavement is not a suitable surface to run on as the impact is too hard as we pound along. Even though running is cheap it is not wise to skimp on expenditure for good running shoes, fitted professionally by a specialist in a running shop.
About the Author
Jonathan Blood Smyth, editor of the Physiotherapy Site, writes articles about Physiotherapists, physiotherapy, physiotherapists in Manchester, back pain, musculo-skeletal conditions, neck pain and injury management. Jonathan is a superintendant physiotherapist at an NHS hospital in the South-West of the UK.
People Call Me Emo At School?
Okay There was this incident in elem school where these wanna be emo kids cut them selves and then MY friends told on them and then they said that I told them to do it! OMG! Then People come up to me now and say Your Emo and they imitate cutting their wrists. I hate it. I am going knock someone’s lights out if they call me that again! People also call me emo because i wear eyeliner. its not even heavy eyeliner either! I wear regular shiny lip gloss. I wear white, pink, blue, gray, black, ETC. i wear Vans, Normal Running Shoes, and High Heeled Flip Flops. How can i get them to stop calling me that?
ONE MORE THING: My “So Called Friend” told me her and her other friend imitated me and put on like really heavy eyeliner and was pretending to act like me!!!! UGH!
im in 7th grade now.
incident happened in 5th grade
message me if u want the whole story
yeah that happened to me too…. but im in 6th grade now starting middle school…. so on the first day of school i was wearing a shirt with skulls on it but its purple and not bloody skulls or anything… something regular girls woulkd wear, and i painted my nails black, and weared some earrings with skulls and a gray heart. and I’M NOT EMO/GOTH/PUNK or anything to that effect. if anything im more tomboy!! yeah and so my friends kept calling me emo.they were like OMG JANESSA!! what happened!!! ahhh emo alert!! omg thats sooo annoying….. i didnt even look emo!! it was actually a preppy look!! how could i be emo if im wearing butterfly capris?!!?!?! its annoying best way is to if they call u emo again just say “and who are you to tell me that i’m emo?” ur in 7th so that means like ur more independent than u were in 5th….. so just stand up 4 urself or just ignore them. and of course ur not emo! so just talk back at them but dont get into a fight! maybe say… “ok first off im not emo k get that straight and ur nothing but a beep!! lol jk but instead of beep u can say something insulting…. but not TOOO insulting cause that means detention and stuff. just say “talk to the hand” lol and stuff and ur so called friend if they were really your friend they wouldnt have done wat they did. ihad a friend like that and it was horrible!!! and trust me… i know how emo looks!! i saw some 8th graders that look sooo emo!!! jeez some people must be blind if they cant see that i’m/u are not emo!! hope they stop saying that!!:)
This all-terrain running shoe has a long history of proven performance, featuring N-ergy® in the heel for advanced cushioning. With its rugged AT Tread® outsole and superior fit, the 813 is perfect for rough trails and unpredictable surfaces.
This all-terrain running shoe has a long history of proven performance, featuring N-ergy in the heel for advanced cushioning. With its rugged NDurance outsole and superior fit, the 813 is perfect for rough trails and unpredictable surfaces.
Hitting the off-road for a run-through of the Rails-to-Trails byway, the Merrell CTR Cruise Running Shoes – Women’s allows you to flow with confidence through varied terrain with its durable neutral running foot cushioning. Designed with a gender specific semi-curved anatomical fit and T-cup slip resistant heel, this running shoe offers precise performance during the long haul. Supported with a G3-pHASe responsive heel cushioning the smooth riding CTR Cruise manages comfort with an Outlast® heat sock liner that returns foot warmth, while its sticky rubber rugged sole maintains your grip with Mother Earth from sunrise to sunset.
Hitting the off-road for a run-through of the Rails-to-Trails byway, the Merrell CTR Cruise Running Shoes – Men’s allows you to flow with confidence through varied terrain with its durable neutral running foot cushioning. Designed with a gender specific semi-curved anatomical fit and T-cup slip resistant heel, this running shoe offers precise performance during the long haul. Supported with a G3-pHASe responsive heel cushioning the smooth riding CTR Cruise manages comfort with an Outlast® heat sock liner that returns foot warmth, while its sticky rubber rugged sole maintains your grip with Mother Earth from sunrise to sunset.
This all-terrain running shoe has a long history of proven performance, featuring N-ergy in the heel for advanced cushioning. With its rugged NDurance outsole and superior fit, the 813 is perfect for rough trails and unpredictable surfaces.
Lanzarote One of the Big Three in Major Race
Athletes from Europe and the UK will once again congregate in the Canary Islands this spring for the 5th annual Las Tres Islas race.
The event, billed as a ‘quadrathalon’ is a somewhat eclectic twist on the traditional triathlon. It may be the first of its kind in the world. The fact that it is enjoying its fifth year of success indicates that the race has been well received by participants and spectators alike.
Two things that make this race unique:
First, it takes place over three of the seven islands in the Canaries: Lanzarote, La Graciosa and Fuerteventura.
The second distinguishing feature is the fourth element added to the traditional triathlon. The first leg begins with a 2 km swim from La Graciosa to the shores of Lanzarote. Next, participants swap swim suits for running shoes. Athletes must run a 2 km path uphill to the top of a mountain. Next comes a 72 km bike ride that winds through the picturesque mountainous terrain, including Timanfaya National Park. The final destination for the bicycle leg of the race is Playa Blanca.
Here the race diverts from tradition. Contestants pick up their “vehicles” of choice for another sea crossing. This one is 10 km long and will take racers to Fuertaventura. Contestants may choose any vessel for the crossing as long as it is completely wind and man-powered. Past races have seen contestants travel on catamarans, row boats, kayaks, wind surf boards and more.
Organizers are gearing up for the biggest race to date this year, despite last year’s challenges. The 2007 Las Tres Islas race saw a few weather-related issues.
In fact, the final leg of the 4th annual race was cancelled due to high winds, at times in excess of 45 knots. Disappointed but undaunted, participants braved the first three legs of the race to a breezy finish at Playa Blanca. Racers had to find another way to get to Fueteventura for the wrap-up barbecue and awards ceremony, which took place despite the inclement weather. It was here that seasoned triathlete Richard Hobson took the event with a time of 2:24:10, just over a minute ahead of second place racer Alberto Kremer.
The unique nature of this race with its uncustomary ending attracts both seasoned and amateur athletes alike. It seems that organizers and tourism proponents have hit upon a brilliant, albeit offbeat, way to lure tourists to the Canary Islands. Not only does the event boost tourism, it also exposes visitors to some of the lesser-visited islands in the Canaries.
Most of all, the race benefits Youths United. The organization’s aim is to ‘create partnerships with local communities, tourist boards and businesses through the implementation of innovative events.’
Youths United strives to support charities that promote social and economic development in needy countries. At the same time, events like Las Tres Islas also benefits local sponsors, businesses and donors. Las Tres Islas continues to grow in popularity, revealing a bright future for the organization and its mandate.
About the Author
More details about the Canary island of Lanzarote can be found at yourlanzarote.net with a range of accommodation and hotels in Lanzarote
My Great Dane has really REALLY bad seperation anxiety. She recently was voted off the island at the place that I rent, so she is living with my grandmother until my lease is up in March. Whenever I go to visit her she gets so excited that I can barely control her (doesn’t help she weighs more than me) and when I leave she howls and howls, and runs up and down the stairs for up to 4 hours (that was the longest granny has told me about). Is there something I can do to help her? It was pretty bad when I would leave her to go to work, but now with more and more time in between when I see her it is only getting worse. I can’t even put my shoes on to run to the car really quick w/out her crying. She stays in a crate when no one is home, and she eats all of the blankets I leave in there fore her. What can I do to help her anxiety??
Consult your veterinarian to get a correct diagnosis of separation anxiety. Your veterinarian will help you with treatment or refer you to an animal behaviorist who can prescribe effective drug therapies to alleviate your dog’s anxieties.
Practice leaving your dog alone for short periods of time. Pick up your keys and leave for 1 minute.
Gradually increase the amount of time you stay away. This will accustom your dog to your absence.
Avoid overly emotional good-byes and greetings. Instead, pat your dog on the head and offer a quick good-bye or hello.
Keep your dog confined in a safe area while you are away. Be sure to leave a bowl of water and plenty of chew toys.
Exercise your dog for an hour each day in places other than your yard or home. This helps your dog feel comfortable in other locations and lets her blow off steam.
Praise your dog often to build self-confidence, rather than punishing her for exhibiting frightened behaviors. Punishment only increases anxiety and makes the situation worse.
The first time you administer medication to control separation anxiety, stay with and watch your dog carefully in case she has an adverse reaction. Take her to the veterinarian if you witness odd behavior, as the dosage may need adjustment.
These are extremely helpful sites with more detailed information:
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