An Easy Way to Impress Your Guests

You don't need to spend hours and hours developing appetizers that may or may not appeal to your weekend guests.

One sure fire way to find appetizers that will get the job done is to use restaurant recipes. These recipes have been developed by skilled chefs that mimic some of the best entrees, appetizers and desserts from America's most popular restaurants.

Professional appetizer recipes are quite easy to follow, and use common ingredients that may be purchased from any local grocery store. Instructions for creating these scrumptious appetizers are usually very straightforward and easy to follow.

Many of these recipes can be completed in less than an hour and supplimented with a variety of garnishments that will impress your guests. Simply choose a few appetizers that cover a wide range of tastes and you’re in business.

Use recipes that are proven winners as well as time savers and feel confident that you're serving appetizers that are solid winners.

Finally, remember that the presentation is equally important in giving your guests a complete experience.

For an amazing selection of formal and informal serving trays, bowls, plates, and much more, order your free Walter Drake catalog from EZ-Request.com.

8 Points to Collecting Comics

Recently I watched a man sell a life time’s work of collecting multiple toy train sets he had gathered from all over the world. When asked what he was going to do next, he simply replied , “I am a collector at heart and I will start collecting something new.”

In the world of comic book collecting most people start out collecting for fun, while others collect for pure profit.

Comic book collections can vary tremendously depending on your interests, personality and goals for your particular collection.

Whether you collect for keeps or for profit, here are some ideas that are sure to enhance your collection.

1. Select a comic book title that interests you and start your collection from there.
2. Do not stick to one comic book title. Related titles also become hot pursuits for collectors.
3. Look for titles that are not popularly known to the public but are considered valuable to collectors.
4. Purchase different covers of one comic book issue. Some publishers release more than one cover for a comic book issue to increase market sales.
5. First issues and first appearances are sure to increase in value over time.
6. Look for comic books worth purchasing in different places and events, such as conventions and online.
7. Trading is a great way to increase your collection, especially when you have more than one copy of a certain issue—keeping in mind the value of the comic books you will be trading. The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide is a good source for old comic book titles.
8. And preserve your comic books. The condition of the comic book will dictate its value. Comic book conditions will range from Very Poor to New/Mint.

If you enjoy comic books you may be interested in “Bud's Art Books”; a unique catalog featuring the best in art, illustration, film, photography and nostalgia.

Guys! Think Twice Before Giving Funny Gifts

All through school and into adulthood, I have enjoyed giving gag gifts to my buddies. Yet my dad gave me some sound advice when giving gifts to women (my mom, girlfriend—now my wife—daughters and even my sister.) He said women look at gift giving differently than men. Gifts given by and received by women revolve around their hearts. And it is our responsibility as men to value the tenderness that is unique to a woman’s heart.

As the years have gone by, I have seen how my dad’s advice was sound and wise. General occasions of gift giving are taken more seriously by women; and by nature women are more sensitive, and more likely, therefore, to be upset by someone’s clumsy attempt at being humorous. 

It is always best to be sincere in your attempt to recognize an important occasion. Always remember it is not about the gift itself, it’s about the thought that you put into picking a gift.  And here is the key. For her, it is your intention that turns a humbly wrapped trinket into precious treasure every time.

     

The Pickup Truck – the New American “Car”

In the late 1800's a German engineer built the first motorized truck. His truck consisted of a four horsepower engine, belt drive, and one reverse speed and two speeds for going forward.

Today, trucks are used for a myriad of reasons, and many different types of people own and drive them. Farmers everywhere use trucks to haul hay and small farm equipment, to move cattle as well as supplies. Those in the landscape and lawn maintenance industries also use trucks; wherein trailers are attached to the trucks in order to get lawn equipment from job to job.

Trucks are not only used for job related tasks, camping and boating enthusiasts also utilize them. There are not many reliable cars that are going to be able to pull a large, recreational type boat or camper, and where would you put the skis, ice chests and other necessities if the trucks’ spacious bed were not available?

Trucks are made by a number of vehicle manufacturers. There are the regular size passenger trucks that seat only two people, and the large extended cab trucks that can seat five people comfortably. There are the plain trucks that come with just the basics, and trucks that come fully loaded with every available option.

Some people enjoy the sport of four wheeling, and so they purchase trucks that allow them to drive over rough terrain and through bogs of mud! These trucks are equipped with 4-wheel drive, while other trucks not intended for this purpose would come standard with 2-wheel drive.

When in search of a truck, you will need to examine your needs, and also determine exactly what the truck will be used for. If you have a family, you might consider a truck with the large extended cab. However, if you need a solid piece of transportation that can be utilized to haul things around, and that you can attach a trailer to, a standard truck might just be a worthwhile investment.

Whatever the intended purpose, there is a wide variety of useful and interesting accessories that can enhance the enjoyment of owning a truck.

Check out these great free catalogs on EZ-Request.com. Order today and we will ship them to immediately free of charge!

        

   

7 Small Business Trade Show Truths

There is a false belief that trade shows are only for big business, yet when you look closely at the actual companies attending you will find a very high percentage are small businesses.

Another false belief is it’s too expensive to participate; that you need a large budget to make an effective presentation. Not only is this not true, but you will quickly see the intrinsic value a trade show will bring to you—and not just new clients.

So let’s go over a few key points as to why it’s important to attend and exhibit at trade shows, even if you are just starting your business or running a small company:

1. Learn Your Competition

As an owner of a small company, here is an opportunity to obtain competitive intelligence first hand—to assess the strengths and weaknesses of other businesses.

Take advantage of this opportunity. You will want to walk around the trade show at the very beginning before everybody gets to know everybody among exhibitors. Your objective is to ask lots of questions.

You goal is to accomplish the following:

• Grab one of those free sacks at the hall's entrance and walk around gathering as much literature as you care to carry. When you get home, you can carefully go over all the literature.
• Carefully observe how others are applying the latest marketing ideas and concepts.
• Get on the mailing lists and take part in market surveys. And don’t forget to subscribe to the free or discounted trade journals.
• And there is all that ‘free’ stuff the kids and grandkids enjoy like pens, coffee mugs, golf balls (well that’s for you,) and whatever else catches your attention.

2. What do other businesses think about your business?

As you stop at each booth, introducing yourself with only your first name, show interest in the products and services being offered. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

It is here you learn about your competitor’s product line and it is also an opportunity for you to learn what your competition thinks about your business. Since they don't know who you really are, they'll tell you what they really think. You may be surprised by what you learn and what is being told to potential clients.

Studies show that companies are more eager to open up and talk about their competition at a trade show than in any other situation.

Trade show analysts and experts know that investigating your completion is a primary function of these shows. It’s the most cost-effective hand-on marketing analysis that can be conducted by a business owner.

3. Talk with the Buyers

A trade show gives you the most qualified prospects and buyers. These people responded to the trade show advertising and are there because they are interested in your products and services. Real-time potential customer feedback gives you the other side of the marketing spectrum. You learn how these people see and perceive your products and services.

4. Talk with the Industry Press

Meet with people from your industry's trade press. They always attend those events and you will probably never get a better chance to speak one-on-one with the top editorial staff.

5. Talk with the Distribution Channels

Meet with distributors, wholesalers, brokers and others who are part of your business’s distribution channel.

6. Lead Generation

Here is where you want to shine by building your prospect database; gathering mailing information, email addresses, and phone numbers. This is actually the meat of attending a trade show - creating a follow up mailing list. It does not matter how you gather the information (collecting information from business cards, paper list or scanned visitor tags.)

Remember to must follow up on each prospect immediately! The quicker you follow-up on each lead, the better your odds will be in converting a prospect into a client.

It’s all about showing your prospects you provide quality customer service.

7. Sell

Finally, there is nothing wrong with making a sale at the trade show. While the primary function is marketing and making a favorable impression with follow-up calls securing the sale, you may be talking with someone who would like to purchase your product or service now.

The important point here is to make sure you are ready to do business by having everything you need to complete the sale. Plan ahead and allow for the opportunity for serious business. You will bring the obvious items like contracts, credit card forms (or wireless credit card machine,) and whatever else you require to close a sale. You should also consider finding a place to sit down with your prospective client and talk with them at length away from the people traffic in front of your booth. This can be a conference room, concession area table, spot at rear of the booth, or a scheduled meeting to be held later at your company office.

Remember! A weak "let me get back to you" attitude will lose the sale. You have to be prepared; if your prospect sees that you are not ready to close the transaction right there, on the spot they'll leave and buy from one of your competitors at the same trade show.

With all that said, learn more about affordable displays from a company that provides an amazing variety of displays to include displays that are perfect for small businesses attending trade shows.  Order your free “Winter 2011” catalog with free shipping.

5 Catalog insights to the Perfect Gift

Need an idea for a gift and not sure where to start?

Is your internet research for a gift idea coming up short? 

While I am a bit of a techie at heart and enjoy surfing the web, I still find that my collection of merchant catalogs gives me some of the best gift giving ideas.

Here are some thoughts…

1. Catalogs plant the ‘seeds’ of a gift idea now that can be used later. I am always amazed at the ingenuity of people who create or improve on many of our day-to-day things we use around home and work. The key here is that catalogs not only sell but they also inform.
2. Have your catalogs easily accessible. My entire family has their catalogs sharing space in a magazine basket. Some are kept in the living room, while others were strategically kept in the main wash room.
3. Keep an eclectic inventory of catalogs. While men and women have shared interests, it’s a good idea to order catalogs that revolve around the interests of others.
4. Order catalogs that you enjoy. Others can experience the same difficulty of finding the right gift for you.
5. Keep an updated inventory of catalogs in your catalog basket. Merchants add and remove items from their inventories. It’s a great way to stay on top of rare, odd, or hard to find items.

Catalogs can be a ‘voice’ for communicating your wishes, let alone the interests of family and friends. The next time you’re chatting with someone, mention that cool item that caught your attention in your favorite catalog.

Visit EZ-Request.com to order free catalogs with free shipping!

Writing with Style and Elegance: Stationary and Fountain Pens

Fountain pens aren't ordinary writing instruments; they are works of art. Just like well crafted timepieces, fountain pens are meticulously crafted by skilled artists and engineers to come up with well designed yet fully functional fountain pens. That is why collectors keep it and pass it on to the next generation as a sort of heirloom.

Writing is always smooth when using a fountain pen. A reservoir for the ink is controlled by a nib at the tip of the pen. Flow is controlled by capillary action with the help of gravity. Unlike the ballpoint pen, a fountain pen has no breaks when scribbled unless its ink is almost depleted. Also, a fountain pen’s ink complements most writing papers because it is water-based, in contrast to other pens that use chemical-based inks.

All expensive fountain pens are refillable. There are, of course, the disposable types which are of lesser quality and value. However, a disposable fountain pen will not make your writing look good as a real fountain pen can. A real fountain pen will do justice to your penmanship.

However, only a few people really do use this fine pen for writing. They believe that its value may diminish. However, those in the academe believe otherwise. The more you use your fountain pen, the more it becomes an important object because it becomes a part of you; it form part of your personal academic studies and professorial duties.

In fact, as a form of tradition professors from Ivy League schools use fountain pens to bestow honor to people, especially to a colleague. For instance, in the movie, "A Beautiful Mind," it has been shown that professors from the university honored John Nash by offering their expensive fountain pens as gifts upon his table.

Each fountain pen is unique; not merely in design but in the quality of ink and ink flow.  Handwriting experts call it the pen’s ‘fingerprint.’ This unique quality of a fountain pen symbolizes the individuality of the person who is using it and the original and work of art that a writer can wield with such a fine object. Indeed, all over the world, writers recognize the beauty behind a fountain pen: the symbolism behind the object and fine writing which the object brings.

Lovers and connoisseurs of fountain pens created websites to congregate and talk on everything about pens, most especially about fountain pens. Pen balance, ink flow and ergonomics are just some of the terms you can expect to find in the forums. These people just love fountain pens so much that they are even studying and anatomically classifying each fountain pen.