Thursday, July 10, 2008

Alternative Fuel Available Today According to Billionaire Oil Man T. Boone Pickens








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Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Four Aspects to Creating a Successful Marketing Tool

Four Aspects to Creating a Successful Marketing Tool


Although it is widely known that bad press is better than no press, bad advertising is worse than not placing ads at all. Whether print or media, a poorly crafted advertisement will reflected poorly on the product and all companies involved. Whether it is the message, the graphics or the venue, if the commercial isn't up to industry standards, it becomes a liability instead of an asset.

Advertisements have four features that need to be considered: message, graphics, technical quality and distribution venue. For the ad to be effective, all four need to emphasize the positive aspects of the product or service.

The message refers to the actual message. Whether print or audio, the message needs to be concise and complete within the time or space allotted. In both print and media, there isn't room for non-essential information. Print ads are limited to specific sizes. Over filing the space forces the print to a smaller font and crowds the space, making it difficult to read. For videos, if the audio is too complex or involved, it will make it difficult to keep the voice over understandable if the message spoken too quickly in order to fit the time. Yet the restrictions don’t necessarily have to limit the creative factor; it just makes it more of a challenge to the production team to be both unique and efficient in their thinking. The 1970’s saying--keep it simple stupid should be kept in mind at all times. By limiting the message to the most important information, it makes the final product more effective and in some cases thought provoking.

In print as well as video, the graphics need to be clear and accurately represent the product or service. Whether the company logo or an image of the product is used, the graphics need to be properly formatted to keep the original color and prevent distortion in the set up process. Not only does the ad need to be balanced to make it eye catching, but it also needs to properly reflect the product or service. Misrepresenting the size or abilities of the product will only lead to dissatisfied customers and possible legal issues.

The technical quality refers to the actual look of the commercial. Does the audio and graphics meet industry standards? Does the it positively reflect the product or service? The focal point needs to be the client’s message, not the cleverness of the production team. In print, the graphics and text need to be accurate and precise. Typos or smudges will not only affect the client’s reputation, but the venue’s as well. For both radio and television, the voice over levels need to be balanced so that the music enhances the voice over but doesn’t dominate it. Television has the added challenge of keeping the quality high in the video. Glitches or drop out will detract from the ad and lower its effectiveness. In addition, a badly edited piece with jump edits or badly shot video will make the product detract from the quality of the product or service as well.

Proper ad placement will also determine the effectiveness of the message. Placing a commercial in an improper venue will only waste time and money. Knowing the reader or viewership will enhance the effectiveness with the target audience, making it an asset to the client. Placing an ad for Harry Potter in a Christian venue will not reach the target audience, nor will placing a Christian ad in Charmed; No one will be converted by the message, but the more than one will be annoyed by it. However, placing the Harry Potter ad in the Charmed show would be accepted by their common audience, who would be more likely to buy the book or see the movie.

The whole point is to tell widget buyers about much better the client’s widgets are than their competition and how they can be purchased. An ad that successfully meets these four standards will be a benefit to the client’s product, thereby increasing sales.

Valkyrie Publishing represents its clients with effective press releases and video trailers for online distribution. For examples of what they can do for your product or service go to http://www.youtube.com/user/Tirgana. For services and fees go to www.theresachaze.com

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Sunday, July 06, 2008

Book Trailers: Cost Effective Marketing Tools for Authors, Publishers, and PR Firms





Book Trailers: Cost Effective Marketing Tool for Authors, Publishers and PR Firms

With the increasing number of free video sites on the internet, book videos or book trailers are becoming an increasingly effective tool for book marketing. By combining voice-overs with appropriate graphics and music beds, trailers have the ability to not only create interest, but increase book sales. However, many authors, publishers and PR firms have been afraid to put them in their marketing toolbox because either they don't have the technical skill to create an effective one or they think trailers are financially beyond their reach.

No longer limited to just YouTube, most of the major search engines have added the option of uploading videos directly into their system. AOL, Yahoo and Google are only three of which have video sites. Most of the popular social network groups such as MySpace, Facebook and Gather have added the ability to upload videos to their sites. By adding links to networking sites such a Digg or Drop Jack, the videos effectiveness is extended. In addition, there are a multitude of individual groups that target interests, genres and activities who also allow videos to be uploaded. These groups allow the author to interact with their target audience, which not only offers sale opportunities, but to also allows the author to receive feedback on her or his work and more fully understand what the readers are looking for. Readers’ responses will only serve to help make the author more effective as both a writer and representative of her or his work.

Placing the trailer on these different sites is only the first step. It can be a well crafted trailer, representing an excellent book, but if the readers can't find it, it is totally worthless. Using search engine optimizing keywords in the tag line and title of the trailer will make it more searchable. The genre, author, and title need to play an active role in the tag line; however, the tags also need to include what makes the book unique and relevant. In addition, by being creative in the way it is tagged, it can be connected to existing books or topics. It is away to help others who are interesting in the same topic to find the book. The best way to know what keywords the search engines are keying into is to actually do the search. Not only will it give the author additional ideas for keywords, but it will also show what has been successful for other authors.

Unlike other book marketing tools, book trailers are a multi-media asset. Using both audio and video, they carry an interactive message. The voice over gives the direct pitch, while the graphic give emphasis and subliminal support. The music bed sets the ambiance. From romantic to scary, the music will accentuate the message, especially during the times when the voice over isn’t called for. When these elements are intermixed properly, they make a successful trailer.

As effective as they may be, some authors, publishers and PR agency are still reluctant to use them because of the cost, which can be into the thousands of dollars. These trailers use existing movie video or create their own, which radically increases the cost. However, still pictures with the help of special effects and transitions, can have the appearance of movement at a fraction of the cost. Coordinating the effects and transitions with the audio portion adds depth and increases the trailer’s effectiveness, while keeping the costs low.

Valkyrie Publishing produces cost effective book trailers in all genres, as well as offering online distribution services. Go to http://www.youtube.com/user/Tirgana to watch the trailers Valkyrie Publishing has produced for authors, publishers and PR firms. To learn more about what their services, email Valkyrie (at) yahoo (dot) com or go to www.theresachaze.com

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Friday, July 04, 2008

Kathy Lee Gifford Bigoted Statements and Patronizing Apology: YouTube Videos







When Don Imus said racial and sexist comments on the air, he was fired. Racist liberal talk show host, Michael McGee was suspended indefinitely when he wished a local conservative talker had burned to death. Other individuals in the media, sports, and the movie and music industries performers, who made harmful and bigoted comments, were held responsible either by censure, firing or suspension. Yet when Kathy Lee Gifford said, "The Pagans. The nasty, bad Pagans believed that it was bad luck to carry metal on their right side." she received no consequences for her bigoted remarks. In addition, her apology was condescending and patronizing. It was shallow and flippant; I'm sorry for whatever I have done; she never admitted that her remarks were harmful.

For the past seven years, according to the FBI statistics, violence against non-Christians has been rising, as has the cases of discrimination in the work place, housing and the legal system. People have been fired from jobs without cause. They have been kicked out of housing. They have lost custody of their children. They have had their businesses vandalized and the police refuse to actively investigate.

Indiana Judge Cale Bradford overstepped his authority in the parents that they may not expose their 9-year-old son to their Pagan beliefs while he was officiating their divorce case. Both parents were Pagan; neither had an issue with the spiritual path.

This past winter, a Wisconsin town opened their holiday display include all faiths. When the Wiccan wreath with a pentacle in the center was destroyed, it was not allowed to be replaced. Yet the Christian display was allowed to remain.

Last Halloween a man hung a witch in effigy and called it a decoration. When his neighbor complained she was harassed and called a crackpot. Yet when empty nooses where hung in a tree, it became a national controversy.

In Mississippi, a family of four (the parents with two small children) were evicted from their home with three day notice because of they were Wiccan.

In Texas, an occult shop owner was driven out of town and followed to others with death threats; the police did nothing.

In North Carolina, a woman asked that the prayer at the opening and closing of the township board meeting be more inclusive and none specific, she was ignored. She sued and won, which ended the prayers all together due to the violation the separation between church and state. She was harassed on the street. Her home and business were vandalized. Her pets were killed, including her parakeet, who was decapitated. There was a note attached promising that she would be next. The police claimed she was doing the damage herself.

In California, a private Beltane celebration, which was held on private property, was invaded by thugs, blaring Christian music, and harassing the participates. The police arrived two hours later and did nothing.

In Michigan, a small store was vandalized. The owner’s car had the bolts loosened to the tires along with other damage. The sheriff did nothing.

Gifford’s apology never addressed the bigoted statement. She never accepted responsibility for spreading bigotry and ignorance. Her attitude was someone said I did something wrong: I don’t think so, but I’ll say I’m sorry to make it go away. It was very clear by her attitude that she was patronizing those that complained. She said the words; she didn’t mean them. In order for the Pagan and Wiccan communities to receive justice, Gifford has to suffer the same penalties as Imus and McGee. She needs to be fired or suspended. Her comments were no less harmful than theirs were.

The problem is that the Pagan/Wiccan communities can’t see beyond the difference to see that they have more in common. Herding cats is easier. These situations are allowed to continue because we can’t come together as a single political force. We are the fastest growing religion in the country, yet we have the least amount of power. It is time we start working together financially and politically. When we do, there will be real changes made. Below is contact information. I wasn’t able to find Gifford’s. Hate filled ranting letters won’t make the point. However, being calm logical and to the point will get their attention, especially if the sponsored are boycotted. Hit them in the wallet and you have their attention,


Gifford site address: http://www.kathieleegifford.com/. There is a chat room, but no contact link.

Today’s mail address: today@nbc.com">today@nbc.com

Today Show producers: Today@NBCUNI.com">Today@NBCUNI.com

Meredith's blog address is: http://meredithtoday.ivillage.com/entertainment/

MSNBC corporate email address for letters to the editor: letters@msnbc.com

Snail mail address:

MSNBC on the Internet
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052

About.com poll address
http://paganwiccan.about.com/b/2008/06/26/take-the-poll-does-kathy-lee-gifford-hate-pagans.htm


Other videos and responses:














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Thursday, July 03, 2008

Six Simple Steps to Successfully Publish and Market Your Book Online




Six Simple Steps to Successful Publishing


Doing a simple search on the net for predators and editors, it is easy to discover how many individuals and companies are waiting to take advantage of writers. Making grandiose promises of making their book a best seller, they con unsuspecting writers out of the money, talent and royalties. Even those writers who do the research can find that they have been taken advantage, However, with the new technological advances in computers and in printing, writers no long have to depend on others to make their publishing dream come true. Print on demand opens the door for authors to not only maintain creative control, but also retain all of the profits from their work. There are six simple steps to getting your book successfully published and distributed.

1. Write your book, making sure that it is properly edited.

Not only does you book have to be creative and interesting, but it has to be readable. Meaning that you need to do more than run it through the spell checker. Punctuation, spelling, and grammar errors will detract from the content and discredit the author. Although mistakes can even be found best selling books, they are rare and quickly fixed in the next edition. First time authors especially need to make sure the work reaches the highest standard possible.


2. Format you book so that it is easy to read and looks professional with an eye catching cover and enticing back cover blurb.

Formatting your book not only is resizing it to fit the appropriate book size, but it is also making sure the typesetting gives the pages a professional appearance. Margins need to be justified to give the pages a clean look. In most cases, book covers should be kept simple and uncomplicated; the graphics need to lure the reader to pick it up. The back cover blurb needs to tempt the reader into reading a few pages. The pages within should persuade the reader the book is worth the money.

3. Find a printer who can produce quality books at a cost effective price.

The list of POD printers is rapidly growing. By Googling the "print on demand printers", the writer can find an impressive of list that varies not only in price but also in services. Some POD printers provide printing services without set up fees; however, they have limited distribution, which will also reduce the number brick and mortar stores who will be willing to carry the books. However, if an author only needs a few copies or intends to sell solely online, theses services are inexpensive ways to get a book in print. Most POD printers charge set up fees, but they also provide other printing options for book size, colors, and binding. Lightning Source is a connected to Ingram. Printing through them and paying the 12.00 yearly fee gets you listed with the distributors Ingram and Baker & Taylor.

4. Make you book financially attractive to bookstores.

New authors have be realistic about their profit margins. In order for bookstores to be interested, the books have to be reasonably priced with at least a 50% discount off the cover price. However, the current standard discount is 55% off. In addition, making the books returnable is a must. Very few bookstores will risk their money and shelf space on a book by an unknown author if it isn’t returnable. When setting the cover price all three factors must be considered in along with a royalty fee. Never forget to pay yourself for your work, but don’t forget that the higher the cost of the book, the few copies that will be sold.

5. List your book with a distributor who is widely used.

Ingram is one of the widest know distributors in the country. However, they will not work with publishing houses that have less than ten titles in print. For a new publishing house, this can be a temporary obstacle. They do however have a list of associated distributors who will represent books from smaller publishers. The site address for the list is http://www.ingrambook.com/new/distributors.asp. Each of these distributors has their own standards and genres that they represent. Some of which require an exclusive contract for each book.

6. Promoted and market you book 24/7

Whether traditional or POD, a beginning author does nearly all of the marketing and promotions. In order to be effective, the author has to not only find a niche market, but has to create brand name for her or himself. The niche market is the target market that you are seeking according to genre, age, gender and readership. Creating a brand name is process where an author creates a strong connection with the target audience. In the past, traditional publishers placed ads and arranged for reviews. These are both still important venues; however, the internet has opened up many different options. Blogs, vblogs, book videos also called trailer and homepages are only four opportunities to attract readers, which cost little or no money. Online groups, chat rooms, and message boards are not only places to promote your work, but it is a great way to make connections with like minds.

No longer costing thousands of dollars to get their books in print, more authors are starting their own publishing houses and going out on their own. By doing it themselves, an author can published and distributed to the public for less than three hundred dollars.

Valkyrie Publishing is a consulting service, which helps authors create their dream without risking their royalties or answering to another. I do my best to make the publishing experience as simple and inexpensive as possible. For authors who are not technologically savvy or would just like help with the process, I am an excellent resource and beneficial asset.

My service that helps you publish your book. At all times, you maintain control over the right. I typeset and create a cover--front, back and spine. If you need help promoting, I am also available to create promotional material.

Typesetting:
40.00 for the first 200 pages and .15 page after that. However, if I have to edit the print or type I charge 20.00 an hour at half hour increments. If you send me the manuscript as a word document as you want it printed, there shouldn't be a need to edit. For ebooks, there is a flat 40.00 fee unless you have a lot of graphics.

Covers cost 50.00 unless you want something really complicated; then we can talk.
For ebooks, I charge 40.00, which includes front cover.

Promotional material is 20.00 an hour with a minimum of a half hour for writing press release and for distribution of promotional material.

In addition, I produce effective book video, which are also called book trailers. My service includes full production, including writing the script, find the graphics and music, and adding the voice over. Currently, my rate is 35.00 an hour with one free edit. It usually takes 5-6 hours to create a video. I will also distribute the video for a rate of 20.00 an hour. I will also send you a copy of you video on disk for an additional 6.00 charge for regular snail mail--8.00 for Priority.


To see examples of what I can do for you click here

I accept paypal. With a half due at the start of the project, the rest due upon completion.



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Celebrate Our Historic Victory with the Veterans’ Pentacle Quest!





Celebrate Our Historic Victory with the Veterans’ Pentacle Quest!

http://www.paganreligiousrights.org/

Celebrate Our Historic Victory with the Veterans' Pentacle Quest!

Advocate a Pagan Chaplain in the U.S. Armed Forces!

Keep the focus on the VA to accept Thor's Hammer of the Asatruar
and the Druids' Awen symbol!

Join us in front of The White House for a
Pagan Religious Rights Rally and Ritual!

Wednesday, July 4th, 2007!
Lafayette Square Park
Washington, DC
Outside the White House and the Department of Veterans Affairs

Set-up between 10am and Noon
Speakers begin at Noon
Ritual begins at 2pm and transitions to...
Spirit Drum Circle until 5pm
Event ends at 5pm
Roster of Speakers:

Rev. Barry Lynn - Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Rev. Selena Fox - Lady Liberty League and Circle Sanctuary
Diana L. Paxson - The Troth, Fellowship of the Spiral Path
Rev. Michael Akins - Military Pagan Network
Rev. Robert Lee (Skip) Ellison - Ar nDraiocht Fein
Rev. Marcia Drewry - Sacred Well Congregation
Stephen McNallen - Asatru Folk Assembly

Caroline W. Casey - Visionary Activist Astrologer and Radio Host
Special Guest Diana L. Paxson, Pagan Elder and acclaimed author, will
lead a ritual to invoke the Founders of our nation to work with us to
protect the liberties they established and the land they loved.

Spirit Drum Circle after the ritual facilitated by Mz. imani, shaman
of the drum and founder of Conscious Collaborations. Through the
voice of the drums, our ritual intent will travel into the hearts of
the world, invoking harmony, justice and religious freedom for all.

This rally and ritual is organized and sponsored by Caroline Kenner
and Chesapeake Pagan Community. For more information, email:

caroline@paganreligiousrights.org
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Don't Curse the Messenger: Free Prosperity Ritual




Don't Curse the Messenger: Free Prosperity Ritual
By
Theresa Chaze

With the challenging financial times that many of us are going through, it is easy to loose track of the blessings that we have and continue to receive. How many times have we reluctantly gotten the mail, dreading or even cursing the bills that we are certain that will be there. And sure enough, there are bills. The universe provided exactly what we expected. We asked. The universe delivered. However, if we changed our perspective by focusing on finding blessings, the universe would just quickly provide the them.

If every day, we looked to our mailbox as a source of income that is what it would become. By being grateful and blessing the source, we would not only make our mailboxes a prosperity source, but also open our lives for miracles appear. As silly as it may feel, if you thank your mailbox or computer or bank account--whichever way your money comes to you for the financial help and support, you will increase what you are given. This doesn't mean you can sit on your behind and do nothing; however, if you live in the moment and do your best, while keeping your perspective positive and open, you will allow the Divine to bless you.

Three Gem Mailbox blessing

What you will need:

Citrine-connected to the Divine
Rose quartz--representing love
Any green stone--representing healing and prosperity.

Hold them in your hands and say:

I call the Divine
to create prosperity that is mine.
With healing, hope and love
I accept the blessings from above.
Through this portal and all others
I accept financial blessings from soul sisters and brothers.
Let miracles manifest and ever flow
so that my prosperity continuously grows.


After blessing them with the spell put them in your mailbox. Every day make a point of thanking them. In addition, you can write the spell on a posty and place it on your computer so that it will also be a portal for prosperity.

There are more prosperity rituals, as well as love, protection and healing, in my Ebook of Shadows, Out of the Shadows and Into the Light.. It is a Wiccan book of wisdom for the novice and experience worker. It is available at www.theresachaze.com.
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