Market Spirit Network

1. Respond quickly.
The internet is full of websites that can grab your customer’s attention away from you. Make sure you give them the information NOW, while you’re still on their mind.

2. Give the prospect enough information as possible to make an informed decision.
You want to make the buying process as simple as possible. Give them the answers to all their questions so they will feel comfortable buying your product.

3. Offer several ways of communicating with you.
Let your customers know that you care enough to be available for them. Don’t ever hide behind your website.

4. Be honest in everything.
Your reputation is what will make you a success. Treat others fairly and the rest will fall into place.

5. Create desire for all types.
People buy for different reasons. Write logically and emotionally. You want to create (emotional) desire for your product but also eliminate the (logical) arguments some prospects may have against buying.

6. Write with all readers in mind.
Include subtitles and lists for people who will only skim the website and make detailed descriptions for people who want a more thorough explanation.

7. Let other people sell for you.
Testimonials and joint ventures are the most powerful form of advertising you can use. They are also a lot cheaper than other forms of advertising so make sure you start using these immediately.

8. Create a sense of urgency.
You’ve spent your hard-earned money to get prospects to your site. Give them an incentive to order when they get there! If someone feels that they can come back at any time and order, they’ll procrastinate. More than likely they’ll leave your site and never remember to come back.

9. Ask for the sale!
Don’t be shy about this. Show them that they are getting far more than what they are paying for and then tell them how to order. Place several order links throughout your ad copy.

10. Overdeliver.
Your list of previous customers is the most valuable thing you own. If you treat your customers special, you will be rewarded by referrals and repeat business. Remember to keep in touch with these people and help them out whenever you can.

By: Anne Ahira
Editor The BEST Affiliate Newsletter
http://www.thebestaffiliate.com

Unfortunately for Nokia the N81 8GB failed to sell as many as predicted, which is a shame as it is actually a great phone. As you would expect from Nokia the styling of this mobile phone is good. Compared to other mobile handsets for the price the N81 8GB is quite quite well featured.

Cellular phones are so easily found that many users will not invest time to look for a great deal, despite the money they waste. As it is so simple to identify a handset in a high street store, or even a supermarket or petrol station at relatively low prices that it may not seem worth putting in a little more effort finding a bargain. The information these customers do not know is that all of the really cheap offers are only available over the Internet, where great discounts can be got from your armchair. Through the use of a cell phone comparison site is not only the most convenient but is also one of the most cost effective method of finding a mobile phone.

The Nokia N81 8GB has support for 2G GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 and 3G UMTS 2100 . A 2 MP, 1600×1200 pixels, video(QVGA 15fps), flash; secondary CIF videocall camera is integrated into the N81 8GB camera. A WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML compatible browser is also included allowing mobile Internet access. The ring-tones enabled on the N81 8GB are Polyphonic (64 channels), Monophonic, True Tones, MP3 as well as a vibration alert . In terms of the all important battery cell duration the Nokia N81 8GB has 410 hrs reserve time and 4:00 talk time. The Nokia N81 8GB is fitted to a Standard battery, Li-Po 1050 mAh (BT-6MT) battery. The N81 8GB is compact and lightweight. The N81 8GB weighs 140 g which is reasonable for a mobile phone in its price bracket. Colour wise the Nokia N81 8GB can only be bought in Cocoa brown. This handset is bluetooth enabled meaning it really easy to integrate with devices, like hands free sets or even a music system. In terms of the the display the mobile handset is equipped with a 2.4 inch screen, which is a pretty average size display for the cost of this phone. A TFT, 16M colors display is fitted to this handset. The N81 8GB also has , Built-in handsfree, PIM including calendar, to-do list, Java MIDP 2.0, 3.5 mm audio output jack, Push to talk, Voice dial/memo, Rotating gallery with Navi wheel, Stereo FM radio and MP3/AAC/MPEG4 player.

Unfortunately for Nokia the N81 8GB has already been surpassed making it fairly easy to get some great deals on this handset.

For you lucky girls about to get married, this is probably the biggest party like event that you will ever attend and one of the biggest moments of your life. With this in mind we all want our weddings to be memorable and to achieve that, everything has to be perfect, including the wedding hairstyle that you have selected. With so many people attending the wedding looking their best, it is essential for the bride to look just as radiant if not more than her guests.

If you have not selected a wedding hairstyle to match your dress two months from the actual wedding date, than I suggest that you quickly read my guide on where to find wedding hairstyles. For those who are prepared and have selected a hairstyle to match a lovely dress, let see how we can optimize the hairstyle with some accessories to make the bride stand out among the crowd of people, besides a beautiful white dress of course.

When considering accessories to spruce up your wedding hairstyle, there are quite a few selection of items ranging from small to large that fit different hairstyles including flow downs and updos. There are a wide selection of beads and small jewelry which make small yet noticeable changes. There are also a variety of hairpins that come attached with jewelry or formed in beautiful patterns. There are bun wraps and tiaras in a variety of beautiful designs made from everything from glass to pearls to even diamonds. As you can see there is quite a selection.

Beads and jewelry are good additions without making too much of a splash. These come in glass, crystal, diamonds, and other material as well and can be added in different areas around the hair to provide an elegant look. Hairpins will also contain beads or jewelry, sometimes in beautiful arrangement like floral patterns. These accessories usually come in sets and are the cheapest items available.

Tiaras and bun wraps are hair accessories that make more of an impact on the whole look. Bun wraps are great items to attach to updos. They come in designs which include different jewels including pearls and some are designed in very beautiful floral patterns that can create a fairy tale look when everything fits. Tiaras are probably the most expensive hair accessories that you can get and can make the most impact, not only on the hairstyle but the overall look. There are a variety of tiaras to chose from ranging from cheap to extremely expensive. From floral designs to pure diamond studded ones, the wedding tiara is a very beautiful add-on for some wedding hairstyles. However I do suggest going small with the tiara as a bigger one just takes too much attention away.

For brides or bridesmaids looking for an extra addition to their hairstyle that makes for a unique beautiful look, add fresh flowers. Adding fresh, silken roses that match your dress to your hair can make for a very appealing look. Just purchase a few fresh flowers that match your dress color, cut the stems down to about the size of a hair pin and you have a natural hair accessory that provides a great look.

So have a fun and memorable time at your weddings ladies and always remember that it’s your day.

Read more about wedding hairstyles from Cindy Marcus, the editor of Latest-Hairstyles.com, which provides advice on all types of hairstyles for every occasion.

It’s your first moment back at your desk after the annual meeting. The telephone is already ringing, 314 email messages lurk in your inbox, the staff meeting starts in 20 minutes, and your coffee just spattered on something marked “Urgent.” You look up at that ticking clock, feeling smothered by all the demands on your time and attention. Everywhere around you are papers and projects you need to work on. You look at a framed statement on your wall. “Have nothing around you that you do not know to be useful, believe to be beautiful, or love.” You sigh, remembering that you wanted to live and work that way, but something always gets in the way.

You get to your meeting on time; continue successfully through your day, and driving home you think back on the challenges you are facing. You ask yourself, “How do I get into this clutter mess so frequently? I’m not a disorganized person, and most of the time I accomplish the work I need to do - but all those piles of paper are so frustrating!”

After more than 25 years of working with people from every profession, region, age and outlook, we can assure you that there are four distinct clutter categories, each with its own strategic solution. It is likely that you are affected by each of them. Those categories are:

SITUATIONAL Situational clutter usually arises from specific events. You are engaged in a project that generates a temporary mess - like a meeting, crisis, deadline, annual report or new initiative. This is a natural and normal part of life and work in a complex, sped- up world.

To conquer situational clutter, recognize its temporary nature, set an end point by which it will all be cleaned up, and move on with your life. One meeting professional marks time on her calendar equal to one day of “reentry” time to restore order, for each day she has been away. Another schedules a temporary employee to assist him every two weeks. He delegates tasks to this “partial assistant” that would have been assigned to the person whose job got cut in the last downsizing.

EMBEDDED Embedded clutter reflects years of accumulation and benign neglect. The longer you have lived or worked in a specific setting, the deeper the layers go. Many people report that an extended campaign to banish embedded clutter takes at least one month of focused clean-up activity for each year they have been in the setting. Naturally, if you are getting ready to move, you may have to do the job in a few weeks. So you put everything in moving boxes and promise yourself you’ll organize everything when you get settled.

To conquer embedded clutter, set starting and ending timeline goals, arrange incentives or support along the way, and plunge in. One manager reports, “It’s like going on an archeological dig going through these old documents. There are at least 14 years worth of layers of material in the files and even in the closet. I almost wish I had time to create an archive, but I’m just impatient to get it all done. By setting a realistic timeline I could hold on to the goal that it would have an ending date.”

IMPENDING Impending clutter is everything around you that is sitting in a pile while waiting for you to make a decision about where it needs to go. It’s the stacks of mail, leftover project materials, stuff you heap on the credenza waiting for someone to take it to the storage room. Again, these pre-clutter piles and stacks and clusters of stuff are a normal part of working. But they become dangerous if neglected for long. Clutter is contagious. Order can also become contagious.

To conquer impending clutter, create and follow systems to clear all flat surfaces at least once a week and be sure that everything has a place. Remember the Hemphill principle that CLUTTER IS POSTPONED DECISIONS. Have the courage and discipline to make the daily decisions that prevents clutter comeback.

INVITATIONAL Invitational clutter is the most invisible and therefore the most dangerous. This is clutter you generate unintentionally by operating in today’s society. These are things you “invite” into your setting without considering whether they still have value for you. This may include any magazines you no longer read, unwanted catalogs that seem to just keep coming, a surplus of small gifts people give you because they know you like roosters, promotional give-aways from the last three conferences, stuff-of- the-month items you “don’t have time” to cancel.

To conquer invitational clutter you first recognize your role in creating this excess. Second, clarify what you do and don’t want in your ideal setting and stop opening yourself to the invasion of anything that no longer matches your vision. Third, purge your current excess, cancel subscriptions, get off mailing lists, announce that your rooster collection complete. Get rid of the candy jar that “invites” people to stop in for a few minutes of distractions and calories!

Once you identify the different types of clutter and consider strategies to conquer or prevent them from intruding on your day, you move toward creating your personal productive environment - where everything you do or need to do is supported by everything around you and nothing extra weighs you down.

© Barbara Hemphill is the author of Kiplinger’s Taming the Paper Tiger at Work and Taming the Paper Tiger at Home and co-author of Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever. The mission of Hemphill Productivity Institute is to help individuals and organizations create and sustain a productive environment so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives. We do this by organizing space, information, and time. We can be reached at 800-427-0237 or at www.ProductiveEnvironment.com

You purchase a home with beautiful, large windows only to find the sunlight is blinding during the day and turns the home into an oven. Here’s how you can deal with the issue.

If you’ve ever doubted the power of the sun, the glare and heat generated in a home with large windows will change your mind. Boiled down to its basic elements, the sun is a nuclear reactor that sends more energy in the form of sunlight to the earth in one day than the entire world uses in one year. Without a filter device, the sun can practically turn your house into a nuclear reactor!

Solar shades off a solution. They come in a variety of forms, but have a few common characteristics. Regardless of the type, they act as a semi-translucent barrier to greatly filter the amount of light and heat generated by the sunlight. Depending upon your needs, this filtering process can be tailored to completely block the sunlight [a dark room] or filter it to allow for a more reasonable amount of light and heat in the room. Put in more simple terms, solar shades act as sunglasses for your windows.

A standard shade system is going to have an automated method of raising and lowering the screens from the inside of the home. If you are looking at a system that requires manual raising and lowering, skip it. It will become a pain in the derriere to have to do so every day, particularly if you have numerous screens.

Most screens come in standard sizes, but can be custom built to the particular dimensions of your windows. When ordering the screens, it is critical that you understand how the company is sizing the screens. Are the measuring from the inside border of the window or from the outside of the window frame? Nothing is worse than getting your system and finding it doesn’t fit.

You can install the screens yourself, but more and more manufacturers are requiring professional installation. Using a contractor is best unless you have previous experience with such systems. The installation seems simple, but can be frustrating in the details. Most manufacturers also require profession installation as part of the warranty for the system.

Long term exposure to the sun can be a killer for the interior of your home. Carpets and furniture will fade and fall apart. The massive production of heat can put pressure on joints and cause premature roof failure as it builds up in the attic. Solar shades are just about the only way to deal with this problem.

Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com, a directory of solar energy companies. Visit us to read more articles on solar power and renewable energy.

The average Minnesotan may have noticed it last spring (2005). The real estate signs popped up right on schedule with the spring tulips just as the snow melted and ground thawed. Soon neighborhoods were filled with signs advertising new listings and open houses. But as Memorial Day came and went, many Twin City residents began to question why the house down the block had not sold. At spring baseball practices and graduation parties, people across the metro were asking, “Hasn’t that house been on the market for over a month?” The usual answer was, “Something must be wrong with the house.” As the summer progressed and more houses came on the market, observant neighbors began to realize no “SOLD” signs were going up. Minnesota homeowners were hit with the reality of a Buyer’s Market.

So what is a Buyer’s Market? For many Minnesotan’s it may be hard to remember. After all for the past eight years or so we have experienced a red hot seller’s market. There were many, many more buyers looking for houses than sellers wanting to sell. A homeowner who chose to sell could set a price on his property, put the listing on the MLS and get an offer in days. Many sellers were faced with multiple offers with some exceeding the asking price by thousands. Ah, the good old days!

A Buyer’s Market is just the opposite. The Twin Cities (and greater Minnesota) now has an inventory of homes on the market that is expected to last 3-4 months, with no new listings. In a typical area, a buyer might have 10-20 homes that will meet their needs and price parameters. If the buyer is flexible on location and amenities, they can have upwards of 50 homes to choose from. With so many options, home buyers are taking their time, becoming educated, and being very picky before making a home purchase.

So what should Minnesota homeowners do if they are considering selling their home? It may be hard to wait out; a typical market swing can last 5-7 years. (It was a seller’s market for almost eight years, after all.)

*Get your home in tiptop shape! Fix everything! Yes, that does mean you need to put on a new roof or fix the shower or strip off the ugly wallpaper in the kitchen. Whatever needs repair or is outdated needs to be fixed. Project houses do not sell well in a buyer’s market unless they are very, low priced.

*Work with an experienced Realtor to price your home realistically. The refinance appraisal you received last fall will not be applicable. It is very important to look at the current competition in your neighborhood and surrounding areas and compare all of the amenities. If there is a better deal out there, the buyer’s won’t consider your home at all.

*Consider FSBO only as a last resort. This is not a market where an MLS listing and a sign in the yard will sell your home. Work with a professional Realtor to get the most from your investment.

*Be Patient! Even with professional marketing, it will take time but homes do sell in Buyer’s markets. It just takes longer both in preparation and duration.

Copyright 2006 Teri Eckholm.

Written by Teri Eckholm, Realtor
Keller Williams Premier Realty
http://www.terieckholm.com

Teri Eckholm is a Minnesota Realtor with Keller Williams Premier Realty serving clients in the Twin Cities metro area for over five years. Selected as a 2004 and 2005 Super Agent by Mpls/St. Paul Magazine, her extensive sales and marketing background has allowed her to assist hundreds of clients move from across town and across the U. S. Find additional information on Teri and the Twin Cities metro real estate market at http://www.terieckholm.com.

The art of getting skeptical prospects to believe the claims you make in your web site promotions, to agree with what you’re saying, is one of the most difficult challenges facing advertisers and copywriters. And bottomline - if the prospect doesn’t believe you, he’s not going to buy from you.

One of the most effective writing methods for getting prospects to believe your claims and turning them into customers is a technique known as ‘Pacing and Leading’. Let me define these terms.

Pacing statements are statements of fact. They are easily proven as true or are commonly accepted as true. Some examples;

“No effective solution is possible unless one understands the problem”

“Doctor visits are increasing across America…with more heart disease and obesity than ever before”

See…the prospect is consciously aware of the veracity of these statements.

Leading statements are the statements, the claims, you want your prospect to believe, but have not been proven true, or are not commonly accepted as true. Some examples:

“The use of commonly available vitamins and minerals is insufficient for improving our health.”

“We would all be healthier and less disease-prone if our doctors and nutritionists understood the root problem.”

“Our product will revive your energy and protect you against age-related disease.”

Notice the difference? The truth of our pacing statements are obvious. The leading statements are the ’selling’ statements we want our prospect to believe, to buy into.

So…how do we turn these statements into powerful and compelling copy? It’s all in the rhythm. Example:

Pace- “Most middle-aged men would love to feel like 20 again, to have more energy…to be free of worry from those age-related diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, alzheimers.”

Pace- “However, we have all either read about, seen or experienced the fatigue and disease which strikes a large proportion of men as they age.

Lead- “Product X’s unique blend of vitamins, herbs and minerals, used for centuries in Eastern medicine, specifically address male related aging maladies.

Now eliminate the two pacing statements and allow your lead sentence to stand alone as a ’selling’ statement. Not very credible, is it?

However, when these statements are strung together, notice the powerful effect as the lead grows naturally out of the pacing statements. For your prospect, it’s another ‘yes’.

And as any experienced marketer knows, each prospect’s unconscious ‘yes’ is a suble, yet powerful, means for comfortably moving that person to your desired end.

A good rhythm to use in your copy is to write two or three pacing statements, or questions, where ‘yes’ is the only answer. Follow with your lead statement. The writing style should be conversational, with a logical flow between pacing and leading statements. Throughout your copy, gradually reduce the number of pacing statements between leads. For example; three pacing statements followed by a lead…two pacing statements followed by two lead statements…then one pacing statement and three leads.

Try it. List the ‘truths’, the pacing statements that apply to your product or service. Now list your leads, those statements which you want your prospect to believe. Experiment with the pace and lead rhythm mentioned above. As subsequent paces follow naturally from the previous lead, you will experience the power of this technique.

Copyright Alan Richardson

Alan Richardson is a well-known internet consultant and publisher with www.optimalwebservices.com - a Web resource firm in North Easton, Massachusetts, offering free advice and information for web-based small business entrepreneurs.

To read other articles by Alan, click www.optimalwebservices.com/articles

To signup for the free ‘Optimal Web Services for Small Business’ ezine, click www.optimalwebservices.com/subscribe

Hook up men’s ultimate quests and you’ve got is a rage we call a web based sportsbook. Really now - what could be more imaginative. Imagine a party of people clapping in support of their preferred local team, and constantly lays are arranged tied in to the racket. Avid to catch a bit of the excitement, on-lookers will typically essay to augur who is the likeliest to prevail the imminent tournament. Put together, this all finally turns into a cute little tournament known as web based sportsbook.

Admittedly it can sound quite overwhelming yet sports gambling is essentially simply for fun and to relate with one’s buddies. You can risk a an inconsequential amount of moolah and regardless have a outstanding time. Here’s a small number of facts to get you going sports gambling.

In order to bet, we would advise you visit a web based sportsbook, i.e. a place that takes in web based sportsbook. In the United States, you can find four states where you can do sports gambling in a lawful manner, but beyond legal you can go for it anywhere assuming that you find a bookie and if you are legally of age. Covered sports you’ll be able to wager on are professional next to college basketball + football, professional baseball, professional hockey, next to betting on. Patrons might choose to wager on the whole results of a contest or game, at which point the contestant will be defeated, and even whether a given coin toss in a contest or game lands either heads or tails.

The betting outfit place their trust in stats and maths be of assistance to you come to a decision which team you believe is the likeliest to prevail. First thing you’ll find the balance, meaning points lead tallied to a disadvantaged competitor that is assumed to be beaten by a set number points. As can be expected, there are sundry types of wagers- straight, teasers, etc., the straight bets being the dominating one in sports gambling.

So why don’t you simply conduct some test runs and entertain yourself in tandem. But be sure that you won’t get unduly carried away and spend your entire retirement fund on a crotchet. For otherwise you’ll be sure to find yourself grieving for it for life. Learn the best las vegas sports wagering tips at this hot web venue today.

One piece of equipment that each of us should demand amidst this day in period is a speedy broadband connection so that all of the public can easily chat to friends through your e-mail and perhaps MSN Messenger or even transfer your chosen contents fast from all around the whole of the net. Compare Broadband UK permits each one of us to realise just how good ones link to the internet is by allowing you to undergo the entire Broadband Speed Test and should all of the public believe that your internet connection is is not efficient enough then you yourself can easily transfer your broadband web connection so that it better adheres to just where the public live. Compare Broadband UK does this for you; quickly and easily. We are living in an extraordinary time in history aren’t we.

At the new Compare Broadband UK web site you have the chance to carry-out a Broad band speed test. The whole of the speed check produce reports stating the actual internet speed for uploads and downloads possible through your broad band. From all that you will be able to determine the pace of a broadband internet connection and from there you will then be able to notice if you yourself really need to transfer your current web package.

The speed test will effortlessly calculate your download pace, this is the rate your present web connection can then download files from the internet, it is useful to have an efficient rate for this as it is what you yourself will use when you transfer pictures, midi files and e-mails along with sizeable attachments. The public then have the broadband upload speed this is the speed with which one’s current connection transport information back to the internet, this service is principle for each online gaming and net phone calls. This service is when Compare Broadband UK comes in very helpful. The only thing required is to quickly and easily just nip your info into the site & clarify what you are searching for and it can bring up a list of the cheapest & fastest broad band offers appropriate to you. The prices may range from 4 pounds per month to 50 pounds depending on specifically what it is you’re trying to look for. Compare Broadband UK uses your postcode to find out exactly what it is the fastest transfer rate targeted at your particular village. Discover if you have lighting speeds with our Broadband Speed Test and find out if you should change providers.

If you are putting in a new patio on a lakeside, you have unique considerations that other homeowners do not have when it comes to purchasing patio furniture.

We built a new patio on a 700 acre lake and I had to look around for just the right outdoor furniture. It can get very windy on the lake so you don’t want furniture that will blow right into the water. That leaves out PVC, plastic, lightweight aluminum etc. My choices were wrought iron, or any of the hardwoods. Our lake is located in the North woods so I thought wrought iron would be too fancy. The look of scrolled wrought iron did not match our wide timber stairway leading down to the lake and patio. The timber stairs and trim are rustic cedar that fits our setting perfectly. Wrought iron would be lovely in a urban or suburban setting or backyard, but it just didn’t match our house. I don’t think wrought iron is very comfortable and not good for lounging on a lazy weekend. We entertain a lot and I wanted furniture that people would feel comfortable to sit around in and relax while enjoying the action on the water.

Seat cushions were going to be apart of whatever furniture I picked out so I needed cushions that had ties so the wind wouldn’t send them into the lake. You’d be surprised how many cushions out there do not have ties. I also needed fabric that would resist the elements such as a Sunbrella fabric. These cushions are quite exposed to wind and rain so the choice of Sunbrella was perfect for our setting. There is new technology out there in the marine fabric industry, but right now Sunbrella is one of the best when it comes to outdoor fabric.

I narrowed my search to cedarwood because we like Adirondack styled furniture and it fits our location perfectly. The heavy furniture won’t move in the wind and it is extremely comfortable. We elected for a cedar glider too because I can remember being on a glider when I was a kid and it was so much fun. I wanted that feeling again while sitting on my patio. The natural color of cedar is warm and inviting. We may need to refinish it every few years, but that’s the price of owning wood. Our patio is not large, so we don’t have room for a large table and chairs, but it is just the right size for a bistro set. The small table and two chairs work well for us because we don’t have a huge family and many summer nights are enjoyed at lakeside while eating dinner. I needed a little extra seating without a lot more chairs so I elected to purchase an old antique tool chest that looks worn but is in great shape. I use it as a bench and also for a table for appetizers and cocktails. Think outside the norm when it comes to accessorizing the outdoors. You don’t need to have fancy things, just add something unusual. Our 20″ copper fire pit completes the setting with pots of annuals adding the beauty and color. We elected to put in copper lighting so the whole theme of the patio is in warm tones of copper that blends well with cedarwood.

I did not install the kitchen at this time, that’s next year’s project. I already have the refrigerator in the boathouse so I do have a head start on my outdoor kitchen. We will need a new gas grill and some counters installed. We already have a large fire pit next to the boathouse that we use for utilitarian burning or leaves and branches for spring and fall cleanup. I would love an outdoor fireplace, but there isn’t enough room. I guess I can’t have everything.

We had to really plan ahead when it came to our patio, not only for the furniture selection, but we are on somewhat of a hill and this too makes a difference while building the patio. I didn’t want to terrace the whole hill because it would have looked like a solid row of timbers. Not soft enough for me. I wanted perennials around the lake and I got a head start on transplanting some of what I already owned. Perennials can be quite expensive, but they certainly are worth the money. I don’t want to spend my summers planting flowers. I want them to come up on their own year after year and that is exactly what will happen.

Landscaping is not my fast ball but I certainly had fun in the planning stages. I just had to get in there and do it. No rocket science here, just treat your hill as a large canvas and start painting. I filled in the background with hosta and the center focal point is hydrangeas. I also have a combination of lily of the valley, ajuga, mother of thyme, sedum, ferns, day lilies and more. It’s a showplace if I say so myself. There is still much to do and I will move a few things next fall.

If you are planning that outdoor patio by pool or lakeside, consider the weight of your furniture and how it will hold up to the elements. Consider comfort and how you like to entertain. Let the water make your selections for you; just make your patio a complete outdoor room and a place you will enjoy for years to come.

Bev Marshall is a successful freelance writer offering guidance and suggestions for consumers buying gas grills, above ground pools, patio furniture, picnic tables, outdoor kitchens and more. She gives information and tips to help you save money and make informed buying decisions. Her many articles can be found at http://www.patio-furniture-4u.com