If you are having an annual conference for your association or company, don’t forget to order name badges. Wilson Widgets held their annual conference this January, and as the company has grown they have found great success with name badges.

Wilson Widgets started with about a dozen employees about six years ago. Now the company has more than 100 employees and 20 salespeople. Their annual conference is looked forward to by everyone; it is a time to talk about new products and new ideas. But as the company has grown, the annual conference has been more challenging. Wes Wilson, the President of the company has always seen the annual conference as the ideal time to bring the company together. But the larger the company has gotten, the more challenging this has become.

Name badges

Wes’ secretary Beatrice saw Name Badges on the Internet and suggested them to him. They weren’t very expensive and Beatrice realized that everyone could easily talk to anyone. Wes liked the idea and suggested to Beatrice that they add the person’s full name and the department they worked in to every Name Badge. For fun, they also added the person’s home town to the Name Badge as an Ice Breaker for fun conversation.

Wilson Widgets had the best annual event they’ve had so far. And Wes thinks part of the success is because Beatrice saw the Name Badges and ordered them. “This was one of the easiest business decisions we’ve made. And we’ll do this again and again,” Wes said.

Having a business conference, meeting or event? Try our tips for success with your Name Badges!

Remember to double check the spelling of people’s names and job titles. This is important because most will be hesitant to wear a Name Badge with the wrong spelling. For top executives or new employees this will also especially leave a sour taste in their mouth, to get a Name Badge with incorrect spelling. Taking a few moments before you do the Name Badges is so important and helpful to their success.

Think of a fun Ice Breaker just like Wilson Widgets did with adding everyone’s hometown to the Name Badges. There are many fun ideas for Ice Breakers, depending on the type of event you are having. You could add the year people first joined the company to their Name Badge. You could add the name of the college or high school they attended. You could add their birthday (excluding the year). Any Ice Breaker will do, focus on finding something fun that will encourage conversation at your event.

Organize your Name Badges at the event so they are easy to find and quick to put on. It helps to have one or several people at a reception table. Put the Name Badges in either alphabetical order or alphabetical order by department (Accounting, Marketing, Shipping). Making the Name Badges easy for people to find makes it easy for them to wear them. Remind people to wear them so others will be able to introduce themselves at the event. Greet them by name while handing them the Name Badge.

If you have ever stayed at a hotel, chances are you have seen the door hangers that say do not disturb.  This simple printed sign delivers a message from you to the person who might be coming to clean your room.  For decades door hangers have proven themselves a useful and effective form of communication and now some businesses are utilizing these cost effective tools as part of their companies marketing strategy.  When people check the mail and find envelope upon envelope of offers from various companies most people throw the whole stack in the trash without giving them a second glance.

Target Market with Door Hangers

Using door hangers for your target marketing will put your brands image literally at people’s fingertips.  Your potential customers will not have to open an envelope to see what you’re selling.  Your products information will be right there on their front door instead of clumped together in the mail box with dozens of other companies’ information.  Here are a few tips and possible companies who can benefit from creating a custom door hanger to promote their business.


You should think of a door hanger as a durable, easy to save, business card.  These rectangular two sided marketing materials can deliver information and get potential customers attention but they are also useful as a reminder that can be easily stored in people’s homes to provide them with your information the future.  When you are creating the design for your door hanger you want to include an image that will make people want to know more about your company.

One or Two-Sided?

Most professional printers offer two sided door hangers.  If you have lots of information to communicate you should consider including all of the text intensive design on one side of the hanger and utilize the other side for a more eye-popping graphic based design like your company’s logo or a simple clever slogan and graphic.  If you are promoting your business near a holiday turn your door hanger into a holiday themed decoration that people are likely to hang on an interior door in their home.  If you hanger is visible during a holiday party, not only will you have raised your brands visibility with the host but all of their guests will see your marketing tool as well.

A Marketing Tool for All Businesses

Door hangers also make great tools for new local businesses or local businesses that are trying to reach out and inform potential new customers about changes that have recently taken place.  Everyone like coupons and what better way to reach out and invite people to come check out your business than hanging a door hanger with a coupon on their front door?  This is especially effective for new restaurants or service oriented businesses that are trying to encourage new customers to try them out for the first time.  Including a coupon on your door hanger is also a great way to track the effectiveness of your door hanger marketing campaign.  If you keep track of the number of people who come into your business with one of your door hanger coupons, you will have an idea about how many people your campaign reached.

Conquest Graphics offers high quality printed door hangers and other forms of direct marketing printing. They have 85 years of experience in the printing industry.

Tips for Cleaning Your Refrigerator

It’s easy to put off cleaning your refrigerator, but it becomes much easier if you follow our helpful tips. This is the one kitchen appliance you use more than any other, but probably clean the least.

Create a Cleanser

We recommend that you make a great homemade cleaner with a gallon of hot water, a cup of ammonia, half a cup of vinegar and a quarter of a cup of baking soda. You can pour this mixture into your spray bottle. Or, you can just put it in a bucker or bowl and use a sponge. This is a mixture that you do not need to rinse away and it also serves as an effective degreaser that will stop mold and mildew from developing. These two things can be real problems in refrigerators. We advise you to apply this cleaner to every part of the refrigerator. Don’t forget the shelves and drawers. Read the rest of this entry

Tips for Choosing a Vitamin Supplement for Women

Journal of Dietary Supplements

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Multivitamin supplements prove to be very convenient and helpful in ensuring tiptop health for women. However, with all the hundreds of choices for vitamins supplements for women, it has become overwhelmingly difficult to choose the best supplement that would meet the exact needs of women. In this article, I will present a guide to help women out there choose the best supplement.

Before anything else, you must know that you have made the right choice in deciding that you need vitamin supplements. Vitamin supplements are not just about avoiding vitamin D deficiency or other possible deficiencies. Vitamins are important because they fuel the cells of the body with much-needed nutrients to provide energy, boost the immune system, keep organs healthy, and maintain optimum body function. As a matter of fact, one of the benefits of vitamin E is that it can delay the ageing process and make you feel more youthful.

Vitamins then provide the body with a multitude of health benefits. But why choose supplements made specifically for women? A woman’s nutritional needs are entirely different from that of men. This is not just because of built, but women and men have different functions and needs. Supplements for women must address issues relating to changes in their body, especially during pregnancy.

Without much-ado, here are some tips in choosing the right multivitamin supplement for women:

1. Must include all essential vitamins

A good vitamin supplement for women will contain a comprehensive list of vitamins and minerals in their proper doses packed in one single pill. Studies have shown that women specifically need about 30 essential vitamins and minerals. Make sure to check the label to see whether as much of these 30 are available

2. Look for an approval seal

Although dietary supplements do not need the approval of the FDA, there are certain verification agencies that reputable manufacturers use to prove that their vitamin formulation has complied with set standards.

3. Ensure that the supplement contains safe levels

An indication of a good vitamin formulation is a comprehensive list of Supplemental Facts on the label. The label must contain the vitamins contained as well as their percentage daily value per serving and the actual amounts of each. Generally, supplements must not contain more than 150% of the recommended daily allowance of any nutrient. It pays to know safe levels of vitamins, especially for fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K which can accumulate in toxic levels when overdosed.

4. Don’t believe those marketing gimmicks.

Vitamins in supplement form are almost always synthetic vitamins. Although not from natural sources, they guarantee safety and effective levels. Oftentimes, it does not quite matter whether the vitamin C contain comes from organic rose hips or synthesized in the lab – they all work similarly in the end.

5. Don’t believe in unproven extras

Unless clinically backed by research, there is no reason for you to pay extra for ingredients like bioflavonoids of coenzyme Q10. Although they may be helpful for good health, they are not tested and proven as an essential nutrient.

Mark Ken focus on the health benefits of dietary supplements, vitamins and herbs on his website. Learn more about how you can improve your health with nutritional health supplements.

There is nothing more beautiful than a full-figured woman who is proud of her curves! The best story I ever heard was of a teen girl that proudly declared herself “reverse anorexic.” What a refreshing thought—a young girl not obsessed with being a waif—especially when that isn’t a natural state of being! This girl’s healthy state of mind was partly due to the fact that she (and her mother) knew how to properly dress their enviable curvaceous figures. Knowing your body shape, and choosing appropriate clothing, can do wonders for your look and style, and increase your own sense of self-worth by letting you love what you see in the mirror. Which body shape are you?

Pear-Shaped Body A pear-shaped body is defined as one that is heavier on the bottom than the top. Often, there can be as much as a 2 size disparity between the top and bottom. Usually, while a pear-shaped woman’s waist is well-defined; 4 of 5 pounds gained will migrate to the hips and thighs.

The best designer dresses and designer styles for a pear-shaped body: Shoulder pads—These help to balance a smaller top with a wider bottom; making one look more slender. Straight skirts, A-line skirts & Dresses—These all help to balance a larger bottom; an elastic waist can offer a more flexible fit. Long jackets or Long shirts—These should fall below the widest part of the hips, to smooth the line between the upper and lower body, and make the two halves appear more uniform in size.

Avoid the following: Belting—By accentuating a small waist, attention is also drawn to wider hips. Gathered or full skirts—These accentuate the largeness of the bottom-half and will draw attention to the upper and lower body size disparity.

Apple-Shaped Body An apple-shaped body is defined as one that is heavier on the top than the bottom by as much as 2 sizes. Generally, a pear shape will have large bust and waist, with a flat bottom and thin legs.

The most flattering designer dresses and styles for an apple-shaped body: Straight tops—These elongate the trunk and balance the silhouette. Belts—These should be placed at the hips, which tend to be the smallest part of an apple-shaped body. V-neck & scoop necklines—To de-emphasize a larger top. Short skirts—A length just above the knee will show off thin legs. Long cardigans or jackets—When worn opened, these items balance the silhouette by streamlining the top and bottom halves.

Avoid: Shoulder pads—These will only accentuate a larger top. Fitted shirts—Anything that is fitted in the torso can distort the silhouette and emphasize a larger stomach. Vertical stripes—If worn around the torso, these will accentuate the largeness of the top half.

Rectangular-Shaped Body A rectangular-shaped body has little definition at the waist; with longer arms and legs, this shape enjoys a wide range of designer dresses from which to choose.

Shop for the following to flatter a rectangular shape: Bias cut & Empire lines—These elongate the silhouette by creating the illusion of a narrow line above the waist. Shaped shift dresses—Worn with a contrasting belt to give a curvy look. Halter neck & slash neck lines—These are very flattering, especially when paired with voluminous skirts and waist-cinching belts. Frills—These, along with other embellishments, add the appearance of curves.

Hi, my name is Jennifer and I like to write about choosing designer dresses for plus-size women. Find your jumpsuits from a premier designer of women’s fashion clothing.

4 Simple Ways to Find Auto Insurance

Auto insurance not only protects your vehicle in case of an accident or theft, but it also protects the vehicles of other drivers. It’s required by law and banks require car owners to have auto insurance as well. That is why having auto insurance is a necessity for every responsible driver. Nearly everyone desires to have great auto insurance coverage at an affordable price. With the large amount of insurance companies available, searching for auto insurance can be a little intimidating. However, there are four simple ways to make the experience much easier.

Find an insurance agent or broker

Using an insurance agent or broker is a great way to compare various insurance rates and coverage options at one time. An insurance broker usually works with several insurance companies and they’re able to go through the options with you. An insurance broker that works with various companies can give you an unbiased opinion while you comparison shop. It’s best to work with insurance brokers that are rated highly by insurance monitoring companies. You can read customer reviews of many auto insurance brokers online, which allows you to verify that you’re working with a reputable company.

Be a member of an association

Many groups and associations offer its members discounts on auto insurance. Some associations cater to military families, retirees and students. Associations are able to refer you to reputable insurance agents and companies. Some associations offer group members discounts for being safe drivers or attending school full-time. Members also have the ability to obtain other types of insurance through the same company and possibly receive further discounts. It is important to let the insurance company know you are a member of an association they work with when you call for an insurance quote.

Phone a friend

Calling insurance companies over the phone to obtain quotes is one of the simplest ways to get auto insurance at a reasonable rate. The customer service representative will ask you a series of questions to give you an accurate quote. Common questions will include information about your vehicle’s make and model, your driving record and whether or not you’re currently insured. A customer service agent can also help you find any discounts you are eligible to receive.

Go online for quick quotes

Shopping for insurance online is quick and easy. All is required is a little information about yourself and you can receive a quote instantly. This is beneficial for people who already know exactly what they need but don’t have the time to talk to an agent personally. Some sites work as an online insurance broker and provide quotes from several different companies. Depending on the insurance company you choose, you may be able to pay your first monthly premium online and print your insurance card directly from the computer.

Whichever way you choose to shop for auto insurance, it is vital that you research a company’s reputation before choosing to purchase insurance. If there is ever a time when you need to make a claim, it’s important to have an insurance company that will make the process as painless as possible.

If you need car insurance try visiting Trevor Stuart’s website called Complete. Trevor is a writer that live in Vancouver and writes about a variety of automotive topics.

5 Ways to Quit Smoking

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - AUGUST 19:  Zack Neil...

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Smoking is an unhealthy, disgusting habit and it can be difficult to quit; even seemingly impossible. If you’ve tried to quit before with no luck, try some of the methods below to increase your chances of quitting and getting on the road to a healthier lifestyle.

1)      Hypnosis: While this is not a medically endorsed method, many people have had success using hypnosis to quit smoking. It does not work for everybody. Before deciding on this method, interview several therapists and get all of your questions answered. They will be able to tell you whether or not you are a candidate. Choose someone that you are comfortable with, and ask about their success rates.

2)      Take Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT): There are several NRT methods you can use, such as gum, the patch, lozenges and inhalers can all be very effective in helping you quit. These are available at your local drug stores, but it is best to talk with your doctor first to find out what would work best for you. There are also prescriptions available that can help you quit even faster.

3)      Pick a Quit Day: Get your calendar out and pick a day that you will definitely quit. Don’t make it on a day that you are getting together with friends, or having a party. Make that date within the next two weeks and write down the reasons you are quitting. When your quit day comes, completely butt out; don’t smoke, not even a little bit.

4)      Cut out Alcohol: Sometimes alcohol can bring on urges to smoke, especially if you are out with friends at a bar or club. For the first while at least you are going to have to cut out alcohol to cut down on the urge to smoke.

5)      Have a Diversion in place: Know what you are going to do whenever you get the urge to smoke; going for a walk, chewing gum, exercising and phoning a friend are all great choices. Replacing your unhealthy habits for healthy ones is the key to success.

Even with the help of the methods above, quitting will not be easy, so don’t kid yourself. If you slip up at the beginning and give in to a cigarette, don’t beat yourself up; just quit again. You may have to choose more than one method to be successful, especially if you’ve been smoking for a long time. Enlist the help of family and friends to support you in your journey.

Think about all of the money you will save by not buying cigarettes every day. You can put that towards your retirement, save for a vacation or just put it in the bank for a rainy day. There will never be a perfect time to quit smoking: you just have to make the decision to do it. Similar to going on a diet, it’s your mindset that will determine your success or failure. When you think about why you want to quit, you’ll be more able to resist the temptation.

Amber Tate has helped dozens of her friends quit smoking by following a plan and staying dedicated. She’s also helped her friend save thousands of dollars with their Canadian life insurance and other insurance premiums.

How I started saving money for my middle class lifestyle

Piggy bank from German bank HASPA, around 1970.

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There was a time when it was not at all tough to lead a middle class lifestyle. In order to lead middle class lifestyle you were only required to do an average job. Same was the situation with me. I was a solid middle class person making my livelihood through an average job but things changed with the recession. I was laid off and thus started my problem with managing the finances. Debt reduction was the most important thing that went on in my mind otherwise I knew that it won’t be possible for me to make the ends meet.

How I managed to save money

There are some basic things that I did in order to save money and would like to share those strategies with you.

  1. I tried online money making – First of all I started online research for gaining proper knowledge on online money making techniques. I love writing so I started freelancing and blogging. I even sold off many such items that lay unused in my house. If you think that you have a flair for writing you too can start freelancing or blogging. These are a good way to make decent money.
  2. Created a budget – With online research I came to know that budgeting was of foremost importance for financing. Budgeting helped me to get an idea on my affordability as I was required to maintain a list of my whole income and expenditures. It also helped me to stay within my limits and incur fewer debts. I had used an online budgeting tool in order to find out my budget.
  3. Opened a new savings account – I opened a new savings account and started putting money into it diligently. It is really important to put away some of the money into the savings account to save for the future.
  4. Opened a virtual piggy bank – Other than opening and maintaining a savings account I also talked to the bank with whom I have a credit card and asked them to open a virtual piggy bank for me. This bank works in a very different and unique way. If you have been charged $35.25 with your credit card to buy an item and if you later pay $36 to the bank, the bank will put 0.75 into your virtual account. In this way though in a small scale, I started saving money.
  5. Went for debt settlement – Other than doing the above things I also started to negotiate with my creditors on settling my debts. Though I knew that debt settlement hurts credit, I was already late on most of my payments so I went on with debt settlement. It helped me save some money on my debt payments. I had $18,000 in credit card debt and with settlement it lowered to $10,000. I used the following calculator to calculate my debt payment
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Though it has been tough to consistently go on saving money, still I diligently went on with the savings plan in my head and now I am debt free and secure enough with my savings.