The experts know their value and know that SEO services are not sold cheaply, because they can double or triple business revenues. But how do you know a good search engine optimization consultants from a bad one or what is supposed to do a good consultant? You will find out next.
Previous SEO results: keep track of personal history
All good SEOs must be able to show you the websites/companies they worked with. But if they are so good, they could be already working for big corporations in your area. I have received many so-called incredible deals with very cheap prices, but when asking for some results they have obtained, I didn’t receive any answer.
Promised SEO results: guaranteed & for a long term
A good SEO consultant must ensure long-term results, or for a certain period of time minimum. Many companies do not want to pay a good SEO consultant, but they end up paying more and the ratings are lower.
The most effective SEO strategies
There is a different way of optimizing a website for each SEO consultant. The difference between the good and the not-so-good SEO consultants is that the first ones implement effective strategies. Implementing the strategies that not all consultants know will help you defeat competition. And information costs, this is why good consultants are expensive.
Unfortunately, I must say that I had to resolve many sites that had been screwed by SEO consultants, so I strongly recommend that entrepreneurs are not cheap when it comes to paying them.
The SEO Staff
Most good SEOs already have their professional team working for them. The costs for you to hire such a team step by step are higher than to pay just one consultant, plus the time spend with the recruiting.
Quality vs. Quantity in SEO
These concepts are the same as in any other domains. If you want quality, you have to pay for it. However, more quantity does not necessarily mean more quality.
Is Digital Marketing art or science? This question has been hovering around the minds of business owners and marketers for a long time. Moreover, debates and discussions have also been taken place regarding this on a regular basis. Marketing has been evolving since ages and its evolution is Digital Marketing which has gained a lot of popularity among the businesses and marketers. Sooner or later in the media making process you need to define what art style your film by using concept boards.
Digital Marketing is technology-based marketing wherein the businesses promote and advertise the products and advertise their products and services to target their audience through digital mediums. There always been a conception and topic of discussion between marketers that is Digital Marketing is an Art or a Science?
Well, there is a clear-cut answer to this question and that is Digital Marketing is the amalgamation of both the art as well as science. Just like a coin has two sides, in the same way, Digital Marketing has two aspects. The first one is science and the other one is art. Digital Marketing needs an artistic vision to produce captivating content and scientific data & analytics to set your future strategies.
Digital Marketing as an Art
Digital Marketing understands human behaviour and targets the interested audience for marketing. The marketers create a buyer persona where all the likes and dislikes of the target audience are taken into consideration. During this process, the marketers create a picture of their target audience. The ideology that is used here is definitely an art as it requires virtual thinking and imagination that is based on the assumption on research and analysis.
After the target audience is decided, the marketers try various methods to reach out to them. They create campaigns that consist of content and design which are the general requirements of art. The artistic aspect of Digital Marketing makes your brand unique and extraordinary. It is the blend of stunning design, captivating content and perfect execution.
Digital Marketing as a Science
Although creativity plays a vital role in the marketing campaigns, however, it is also a fact that the result is driven by data. The only way to develop an accurate buyer persona is through the study of the audience. After some testing, the buyer personas are then framed again with more precise information. Hence, without the data, accuracy is not possible.
As a result of this, Digital Marketers takes the importance of Analytics into consideration and uses A/B Testing to determine what changes in the campaigns should be made to achieve better and profitable results. The data and analytics act as an ocean of information when it comes to figuring what is working and what is not and how to allocate the funds across the media channels to make the results more profit-oriented.
Conclusion
When it comes to creating a successful digital marketing campaign, creativity and logic, both play a significant role. You cannot ignore any of the two. Digital Marketing is an art or science is a debate that has been carried forward over the years. But the clear-cut answer is that Digital Marketing contains both aspects, scientific as well as artistic. Find out the tools to improve your artistry.
It’s quite easy for a fitness studio to go unobserved in today’s fast-paced market. From advertisements to online ads, business owners are going to every extent to make their facilities memorable. That’s why business promotion is important for your studio to catch people’s attention and grow your business. Most importantly, it’ll help your studio stand out from the crowd! Dynamic Pilates Manly has the most important part in improving once health.
Here is a list of some classic and new-gen strategies that can help you promote your Pilates studio.
1. Offer Specialized Sessions
You can choose to offer different types of specialized classes to grow your customer base! This way, you’re catering to a wide target audience and expanding your business’s reach. Here are some suggestions:
Pilates for kids
This is one of the great advertising ideas that can make your business gain a competitive edge. Offer parent-child sessions for a complete family experience! Parents can bond with their children while asking them to follow a practice that is good for their health and overall well-being.
Pilates for athletes
Pilates is found to be extremely effective when it comes to strengthening core muscles and preventing injuries. It also improves flexibility and overall well-being. Present the benefits to the public and utilize this session to entice new members who may not have thought about doing Pilates before!
Pilates for pregnant women
Another wonderful option is to organise a Pilates session exclusively for pregnant ladies. Generally, women think that they should stay away from physical exercises during pregnancy but actually, Pilates can be great for them. It fortifies abdominal muscles and the pelvic area and communicates useful breathing techniques that could be useful during labor. Promote this class at your studio and bring in a new set of members.
2. Use Social Media
In today’s internet era, if your studio is not actively present on social media, you are losing out on a big chunk of members. Not only does it help in marketing your business to a huge set of audiences but it could also play a vital role in getting new members.
Upload useful and engaging content on social media like images of Pilates poses, interesting fitness tips, blogs and breathing techniques. This will attract new members to your studio.
3. Invest in a Pilates Studio
A Pilates studio app can help you streamline your studio’s activities with integrated payment solutions, an app for staff and members, automated marketing, online business promotion, and more.
Improve your attendance rates and rationalize your business with simple multi-channel booking options for your pilates studio. With varieties of automation systems to choose from, you can invite more members, fill up classes, and provide better service with advanced features to make booking easier.
4. Offer A Rewards Program
One of the most time-tested Pilates advertising concepts is to run a rewards program. This can help you keep your existing members for longer and collect new ones!
Offer every new member a loyalty card when they register for the Pilates session. Explain that points can be accrued through various activities such as having good attendance, buying merchandise, signing up for classes, or posting online reviews. The idea is to give points for actions you want to boost. As clients notice that you value their time and effort, they get more of an incentive to stay. You can even use your Pilates studio app to run such a program.
5. Deliver An Experience
It is more than necessary for you to deliver an experience rather than just focusing on running classes. And that experience should be one step ahead of what your competitors offer.
Most importantly, hire coaches who are specialists in their field and who your clients could easily connect with. Members will continue to attend sessions because they like the coach and his skills. Allow your instructors to be imaginative and bring their own sense of ability to your studio.
Promoting your Pilates business smartly in today’s fast-moving world is of great importance to make your studio stand out. The key is to do something appealing and exceptional to seek people’s attention. The above-given ideas should help you move in the right direction! Check out the key to achieve the health that you want.
Business signage is one of the first things to consider when you are trying to reinforce your branding efforts. It is the first thing your potential customers see when they visit your business premises. As the saying goes, “the first impressions are often the last impressions.” You can have the most modern offices, offer great products and services, but if your business signage is dull, in bad condition or poorly designed, it will surely have a negative effect on the client’s perception of your business. With that in mind, let’s take a look at how you can maximize the potential of your business signage. Make sure that people know where your business is located with up to date signage.
It all starts with the design.
Include your business signage at the design stage of your business. You will get a designer to build your brand, come up with your logo, work on stationery and business cards and develop your website, so make sure that the same design sensibility is applied to your signage too.
Have you considered illuminated signs yet?
The type of signage you require will depend on the nature of your business. Illuminated signs are pretty much essential for any high street or retail store, but here there is a choice between neon or LED signs, custom made or stock. Ideally, your signs should support and further your brand recognition, so use your business colours and logos in your signs, but keep text to a minimum. The idea is to be eye-catching, so simple and easy to read writing and fonts are a priority.
Don’t forget about using signs inside your business premises too.
This is your opportunity to sell your services or products in more detail, with attractive posters displayed in modern LED lightbox frames. The advantage of using posters is that they can be changed regularly to keep your signage fresh and appealing, to mention special promotions, feature new services and generally keep customers interested in what your business is all about. Posters and banners are cost-effective and are easy to tie in with your current marketing initiatives.
Mobile signage is just as important.
Don’t forget about other business signage opportunities. Business vehicles are the obvious places to advertise your services, as they carry your message across the region you are operating in. In addition to vehicle graphics design, also think about using banners or temporary signs if your business works on site. For example, plumbers or electricians working on a major installation could ask the homeowner’s permission to put up a temporary banner on-site, effectively letting all the neighbours know about their services and spreading the word far more effectively than any other advertising method.
Whatever business signage you use, do make sure it is well designed with a compelling marketing message to link in with your overall business brand. And of course, make sure that all your signage products are good quality so that they will wear well and continue to give an excellent first impression to your customers for many years. This is why you should always hire professional services for digital printing in Toronto.
In the early 1990’s Steven Covey wrote a book entitled “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” which became a huge best seller and still sells well today. It was a book that provided a holistic and a principled approach for problem solving, living and adapting to change by seeing opportunities rather than problems. Convey the visual narrative of your next television advertising project with a tv storyboard.
I believe that there are also seven habits which artists should follow to become highly effective and successful. Though I am detailing seven habits, I am sure that the readers of this article can contribute other successful “habits” as well.
The seven habits of highly effective and successful artists are:
1. Having a passion for your art: Foremost, the artist must have a passion for their art and everything that is associated with being an artist. Why is this? It is because there will be problems, barriers and challenges to being an artist. But, if you are passionate about what you do, these issues will be perceived as detours to success, rather than “problems”.
2. Being focused on your art: A successful artist will not be distracted from their art and their commitment to achieving their goals. To be successful at most things requires a focus and a “singleness of purpose”. Successful artists have this focus, as their art is a priority in their lives.
3. Having a vision of your success: Artists who are successful had a vision and saw themselves achieving great things in their chosen profession. Despite any roadblocks, problems or defeats, their vision kept them working towards their goal. Even after that artist has achieved their goals, a successful artist will create new goals and a new vision to be achieved.
4. Being persistent in the face of adversity: Most people in the face of adversity quit. People who got past the adversity did so because they persisted on towards their goal. Persistence is the difference between a successful artist and an artist who quits. The quitter loses focus and their vision.
5. Professionalism in all dealings: A successful artist is a professional in all of their dealings with the public, gallery owners, art reps and with suppliers. It is simple, if they were not professional, then they would not be successful for very long.
6. Is ready to maximize opportunities: A successful artist is prepared and ready to maximize and leverage any opportunities that come their way. Whether it is to fill in quickly for another artist at a gallery, give an interview, and writes an article for a blog or to give a speech to a group, a successful artist sees that as an opportunity to network, promote and brand their artwork. Unsuccessful artists see those not as opportunities but rather something that interrupts what they were doing! The artist who is engaged and ready to capitalize on opportunities when they come along will be or become successful.
7. Understanding that art is a business: Successful artists see themselves as business people. They understand that other people who they are connected with in the art world are also business people and they conduct themselves in that manner too. Now more than ever in today’s marketplace art is a business. Art is a competitive business and an artist will learn how to successfully operate it as such or they will eventually fail.
As I said previously, there are other habits and traits of successful artists beyond what I have outlined above. But, if an artist is talented and applies these 7 habits to their craft, they will be successful.
Art Marketing Strategies provides to new and emerging artists who want to be successful with the vision, roadmap, tools and support to market their art successfully in today’s competitive marketplace. Get started with your ideas for the film that you want.
You have finally made up your mind; it’s now time to start working out. So what exercises should I start doing to see the fastest results? Pilates teacher training Sydney introduce any updated programs of exercise.
In this article, beginner core exercises are going to be the key ingredient and foundation to a successful fitness plan. Knowledge is the key to see the results of your hard work. The exercises here have been taught for years with good results.
The one important thing to remember is, all the knowledge in the world won’t help if you don’t commit to finding the time to exercise. That is one of the most common pitfalls in fitness. Time, motivation and discipline. If you have at least two of the three, there’s a good chance of seeing some fantastic results.
There are many ways of exercising now. Just turn on the television set in the morning or on the weekends and that’s all you see. Some are gimmicks and some of the equipment is not. The most important thing is to find the one thing you enjoy doing and make that part of your workout plan.
Some exercises includes walking, hiking, swimming, running, cardio, aerobics, yoga and pilates. I think that I included most of them. Surely that’s a lot of routines I touched on. So many different exercise routines, but which one is the best.
There is one key exercise I left out and that is strength training. You incorporate this into your existing routine, or just do strength training with some cardio or aerobics and watch what happens. If you have never did any type of weight lifting or resistance training, you’re body in for a shock. Now that’s a good thing because if you are working out and not seeing the results. It’s probably because your body is use to the routine you are doing right now.
Whether you want that ripped look or want to add some muscle to your body, lifting weights is the way to go. Weight training for beginners allows you to look your best. Men and women have found that adding in some form of resistance helps with shedding pounds, getting more defined and adding some muscle tone.
Please don’t think that adding in some form of weight lifting, you are going to get huge. There is some misguided information out there that tells people this. Mostly everyone I come across who is a looking for a beginner fitness plan wants to see results, but understands it takes time and dedication.
So my main point of this article is to let you know that any form of exercise is better than doing nothing. Now if you want to see fast improvement in your strength gains, muscular development, weight loss and muscle conditioning. You should try weight lifting and incorporate it into your existing routine. I think you will like the results.
I’m writing this article to help you realize how important exercise and nutrition is to your overall health and physical appearance. Exercise and nutrition helps with arthritis, diabetes, depression, motivation, weight loss, lowering cholesterol, flexibility and muscle definition.
If you are interested in getting into better shape, or want some information on this subject. I have just completed my report, check out “How To Start A Fitness Program And Get Results In Just 30 Days.”
Despite the fact the full body exercises are the best type to burn belly fat, there are some abdominal exercise movements that will strengthen your core. Many of the twisting motions are great functional exercises that will hit the core and the outer part of your core. It is an exercise that can build explosive power in your upper body that is great for sports such as golf, baseball, softball, mixed martial arts, and boxing. One of these twisting abdominal exercises is the Russian Twist. Supposedly, this exercise came from Russia, hence, the name. There are several variations of the Russian Twist. Here are some tips on doing this exercise for maximal benefits. Before physio northern beaches will work on your injury they will ask you first if you have a heart issue then if not they will fix you.
In order to perform this exercise, you should be on the floor with your knees bent just like you are about to do a sit-up. There are several ways in which you could position your feet. You can see which works best for you. You can have your feet a bit off the ground or under a couch (or any stable surface). Then, your back should form a 45 degree angle with the ground. Your chest should be straight. Your arms should be out in front away from your body. As an option to make this movement more challenging, you can hold on to a weight or a medicine ball. Then, you will need to move your arms should be moved from one side to another in a twisting motion. One repetition is when you moved on both sides. When you move your arms slower from side to side, you make this movement more difficult. Thus, you will work your core harder. As a tip, you do not want to stop between repetitions. So, you are moving in a fluid and continuous motion during the entire exercise. You will also need to coordinate your breathing during the exercise. It is important to not hold your breath. As a variation of this exercise, you can do this movement on a stability or large yoga ball. The movement is the same but you will have your back on a stability or large yoga ball while you do this exercise. You can do 8-12 repetitions for no more than 3 sets. Offer any help for those in need of tips in physiotherapy.
The Russian Twist is a great core exercise because you can vary the difficulty. Also, the twisting motion makes this exercise a great functional exercise for those competing in sports. By strengthening your core with this exercise, you are also protecting your back. A strong core is great to support your back- and vice-versa.
Having a child is a blessing every couple looks forward to having after marriage. Having a child or children marks a complete family for most people. Under normal circumstances, most couples should be successful in having a child within a few months. However, things may not go as every couple expects where some couples struggle to get pregnant. The reason behind this in most cases is infertility. Correct your diet and take a rest are the essential keys on how to get pregnant faster.
What is infertility?
Infertility is the failure of a couple to conceive even when they actively engage in unprotected sexual intercourse. The diagnosis is given to couples who have tried to conceive for at least 12 months without success. Infertility can be categorized into primary and secondary infertility. The former entails couples who have never had a child before while the latter involves couples who had already conceived but are unable to conceive again.
Why some women struggle to get pregnant and what causes infertility in the first place?
Ovulation problems are the main reason for some women who struggle to get pregnant. Hormonal issues and polycystic ovaries are some of the causes that bring about ovulation problems. Blocked fallopian tubes mostly caused by endometriosis or pelvic inflammatory disease are another reason why some women will not get pregnant. If a woman has structural problems with the uterus, she cannot carry a pregnancy for a full term even if they conceive.
Age is another reason that makes some women struggle to get pregnant because as a woman grows older especially past 35 years, her ability to produce healthy eggs reduces. Conception requires healthy sperms and egg functioning to be successful. Even though the majority of infertility cases in woman are caused by problems in their reproductive systems, some struggle to conceive because of their poor way of life habits – such including drinking, smoking, and poor diet.
How to reverse infertility and get pregnant naturally.
If a woman is diagnosed with infertility, that doesn’t mean it is the end of the road for her. There are many remedies that don’t involve surgery or drugs that can help her to become naturally pregnant. Equipping yourself with the appropriate knowledge on fertility is the beginning of your journey to becoming pregnant naturally. Below is such info entailing ways that can help women who are struggling to become successful in getting pregnant naturally.
Check on weight.
Being overweight or underweight can be the enemy hindering you from becoming pregnant. Being overweight results to the production of too much estrogen while being underweight can interrupt your normal cycle. Both of these things reduce the opportunity of becoming pregnant. You should therefore try to maintain a healthy weight to give your body better cooperation and increase the chances of becoming pregnant naturally.
Starting a fitness program is a good way to maintain a healthy weight, but one should be cautious not to overdo it. Overdoing exercises can interfere with your period and delay the process of ovulation. Relaxing exercises like long baths, walking or swimming are some of the best exercises to help you maintain a healthy weight and increase your chances of getting pregnant naturally. Yoga is also a great stress reliever for a lot of people with some experts also believing that specific poses can help promote baby-making by increasing blood flow to your pelvis, stimulating hormone-producing glands, and releasing muscle tension.
Avoid Stress and Negative Mindset.
Keeping your mood feeling good like your body is also important in helping you to get pregnant. You should be in a good mindset and avoid stress. This is not the time to lay blames or feel guilty because you have been diagnosed with infertility. Stay positive hoping for the best outcome and believe everything will work well. Of course, stress is part of the day to day life, but you should never let it take complete control over you through depression.
The worry and anxiety of failing to get pregnant month after month should not lower your zeal and efforts to become pregnant. Accepting that such anxieties and worries happen is the best approach to deal with them. Take time to relax as a way of coping with the issues. Do your favourite activity such as watching a movie with your partner, listening to music, reading a book to occupy your mind and forget about stress around you. Taking a vacation will also work magic in relieving your stress and making your body and mind relaxed hence increasing the chances of conceiving.
Timing Your Ovulation Period.
Timing your ovulation window is the best way to become pregnant naturally. You should know your menstrual cycle and know when you will be ovulating. To assess the ovulation period, you can use temperature, mucus or moods to judge the best timing. There are many apps and kits out there that can help you determine your ovulation period if you have an irregular menstrual cycle. During the ovulation period, you are very fertile, and chances of becoming pregnant are high. Therefore, if you manage to time this period well, you can easily forget about your periods for the next nine months.
Quit Smoking and Alcoholism.
If you have been fighting getting pregnant but on the other hand, you are always smoking, or you are an alcoholic, its time you quit both. Alcohol, caffeine, Nicotine and other toxins inhaled during smoking can interfere with your cycle hence reduce the chance of getting pregnant. The smoke can also lead to the production of unhealthy eggs or damage the sperms hence they don’t fertilise or terminate the pregnancy afterwards. These substances can also affect the nervous system of the unborn child. Therefore, if you are aiming at getting pregnant and having healthy babies, you should keep away from alcohol and smoking.
Diet.
Eating the right foods and sticking with a healthy diet is a very important part in getting pregnant naturally. Take foods rich in iron, protein, vitamin D, and Zinc. Such foods include spinach, potatoes, lean meat, fish, and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Stay away from junk foods because they are high in trans-fat content and won’t do you any good in your efforts to become pregnant naturally. Such foods include cookies, French fries, doughnuts among others. Fish with high mercury levels such as salmon, shark and Spanish mackerel should also be avoided. Generally, to ensure you have a healthy diet, incorporate whole grains, vitamins, minerals, fruits, and vegetables. This will be very helpful in getting you pregnant naturally.
Maintain a Good Positioning.
The position you assume when making love is another important element in getting pregnant naturally. One of the best positions that can help you in getting pregnant is missionary position. It helps in an interlocking and ensures most of the sperm goes deep into your body. After the intercourse, you should avoid movement and raise your hips using a pillow to ensure you retain most of the semen.
How some women have benefited by using the “Miracle pregnancy eBook.”
If you have tried all you can but haven’t been successful in becoming pregnant, you may consider looking into the Pregnancy Miracle eBook. This is an eBook of around 240 pages written by Lisa Olsen detailing 14 years of research and her own battles of failing to become pregnant. The book incorporates what Lisa calls a miracle plan which consists of a holistic approach and natural treatment that can help one to get pregnant naturally instead of going for surgery and drugs. The book teaches older women how to stimulate their bodies so that they can become productive like those of young girls. In this book, you also learn about what you are supposed to eat, how to exercise, as well as many other aspects on the topic of getting pregnant naturally. Lisa outlines everything in a procedural approach, supports her arguments with scientific research and explains how other women have benefited from the methods she gives.
There charts and checklists that can help users to track their progress without referring to the eBook. This book has brought smiles to Lisa and many women around the world. Some women have reported getting pregnant after a few months of following the methods given in the eBook. Many women have stated it is the best book out there for conceiving naturally and learning how to reverse infertility and get pregnant naturally.
However, if you think this book will work like magic, you are wrong. It is not a quick fix. Lisa emphasizes that her eBook requires patience to work unlike what other solutions like surgery and drugs claims to offer. Instead, the eBook tries to fight the main causes of infertility with the aim of helping the users get pregnant naturally. Many people have testified that this program has taught them how to increase fertility naturally.
Conclusion.
Getting a negative result on your pregnancy test kit can be really disappointing. The situation becomes worse when you are diagnosed to be infertile. Infertility is a term every married couple hates with a passion. Infertility can result in a heavy burden financially and emotionally. People around you take you as barren hence affecting you emotionally, and when you turn to treatments, it can be very costly.
Medications for the same reason can be complicated and may involve long processes to apply for and work. However, infertility diagnosis doesn’t mean all is over for you. There is hope, but you need to be well informed first to fight infertility. You can fight this menace without surgery or drugs and become pregnant naturally.
The above tips on how to reverse infertility and get pregnant naturally can make you smile after many years of agony. They are all natural and don’t pose any risk to you or your unborn child when you become pregnant. Stop infertility in its tracts today and get pregnant naturally!
Read more on how to conceive naturally and how to learn new healthy habits that increase your chances of falling pregnant.
“Prevention is better than cure.” Nice proverb, but analytical pre-emption is better than both. Some things are predictable, even inevitable, like the proverbial “death and taxes.” Planning is unnatural – effort is required to provide solutions to alleviate the spectre of problems yet to manifest. Meantime, a lack of urgency placates all but the most determined to de-prioritise preparations. The natural tendency is to trade proaction for procrastination. Few could envisage an ambulance arriving at an emergency without oxygen or bandages on board – life and death situations allow no scope for such dereliction of duty. Maintenance is seldom critical – so sloppy disorganisation is tolerated. Preparation reduces stress, and once disciplined, requires far less effort. Ask yourself: “What is required to motivate kick-starting myself into action?”
Landlords conducting their own maintenance, take heart! The Landlord’s Boot focuses on being prepared for likely emergencies and maintenance matters, during the course of an academic year. How do we best prepare and utilise storage space within a vehicle: car, van, etc. In order to quickly access the requisite tools and spares to effect a speedy repair The Landlords Boot or vehicle is, ideally, compartmentalised into appropriately sized pockets, to hold the minimum number of specific spares likely needed at any time.
The aim is to avoid unnecessary time-consuming duplicate trips to DIY stores to procure items predictably needed, sooner or later. An efficient operative could instead, be onto the next job. Carrying a spare stop-cock can save more than time, it can prevent a leak becoming a flood! But without foresight such items are not to hand when needed.
Having everything one might need may be unwise. A problem with having a well stocked Landlords Boot arises when searching for what is needed amongst what is not. Too many spares clutters both the boot, and the mind. By the time the tidy boot has been emptied and hastily refilled during an emergency search, a leak might have become a flood. So how is a balance achieved between carrying too many, and too few, spares?
The first step is to analyse an average twelve months’ call-outs. Good record keeping makes this job very easy. Estate Agents have expensive software detailing exactly what, where and how many different categories of call-outs occur per year. At its simplest, this might translate into a printed laminate table of four seasons. Each season’s needs then correspond to the contents of the Landlords Boot . This table prompts progressive Boot change-overs at the turn of each season. For those without state-of-the-art software – experience and memory might need to suffice, until a clearer pattern emerges following the awareness of the need to keep records. In time, it will become apparent what is needed. The reason for twelve months analysis is logically that there are four seasons in a year – each with its’ own unique demands. In winter a broken down boiler might be an emergency, unlike in summer. So the contents of The Landlords Boot might vary to include small portable electric radiators in cold seasons.
During the summer, say between student tenancies, Shower and bath drains are likely to have a ‘plug’ of hair which, when it dries out, will solidify, blocking the drain. Hair disolver in a bottle can quickly be poured down each drain. Shower heads and hoses will likely need replacing. Llikewise, kitchen and bathroom mastic seals. Sealants – needed to replace defective or mouldy seals have short shelf-lives before solidifying in the tube, so order sparingly according to likely demand. Pay extra for mould-resistant mastic as it lasts much longer and the bulk of such costs is labour; so do it right first time! Such small jobs, if done in passing, can reduce maintenance between tenancies thereby reducing stress – but only if one has the means at the time to observe defects, say during inspections or unscheduled visits to attend emergency work.
The Landlords Boot should include separate compartments to store easily accessible tools and spares for each job.
The whole process only really works well if there is an occasional stock-take. So each time a spare part is consumed, it must be replaced when next at the builder’s merchant’s so it is ready for the next time it is required. Any broken parts are either binned or popped into a recycling bin. The latter parts should only be stored if there is a reasonable prospect that they can later be cannibalised, to repair, as opposed to replace other potential items. Avoid creating clutter by clinging to little used items. Ditch any used part worth less than £1 as it will cost more than it is worth to find it – buy new when needed. Do not stock items used less frequently than once a year, unless it would avoid a disaster to have it. We have all heard tales of those who throw our stuff only to need it a week later – if it had been kept it would never be found amounst all the other stuff that “might come in handy one day!”
In order to have a well-ordered Landlords Boot, a separate store is ideally required but not essential. An easily accessible garage lined with category-labeled shelves is perfect. This enables the boot to be re-stocked, without visiting the DIY store. Only when such a visit is essential are the used items re-stocked. An inventory enables each spare to be identified – as suggested below. This also shows items remaining, against the ideal number stocked. Pre-emptive time takes discipline, which is generously repaid in the reduction of waste, labour costs, stress, frustration, disasters and disappointments. The landlord able to remedy an instant repair is loved by his tenants, particularly if the service provided exceeds customer expectations. Often a tenant will wait until a visit to anounce a defective fitting. On one occasion I received a list and when I announced that all the parts required were in my vehicle and would be replaced before my departure. the tenants then enquired with some incredulity whether I had a large van? “No” I replied, “just a well stocked landlords boot.” Do you think they were impressed… ? Acolades of prase and recomendations followed for merely doing my job! Unused to such speedy response the student tenants thought it praiseworthy.
Landlords occasionally spot items missed by contractors which are more easily dealt with in-passing than by recalling contractors – but only if the boot is stocked.
The following is an example summary of a Landlords Boot. Tip: Always buy the same type of shower, vaccuum, hose, fridge, washer, etc so they will always be compatible reducing the amount of spares to stock.
Landlords Summer Boot: A series of labled categorised clear plastic containers allows sight of the contents from outside the crate or container for each category. Such intuitive logic narrows any search for spares in the one and only place it should be. Always file spares and tools in the space decided when creating the storage system to suit individual needs.
Safety – Apron, gloves, glasses, – fire extinguisher / blanket First Aid Kit.
Gardening tools – Secateurs, hedge trimmers and weed killer, etc. When awaiting a prospective tenant it is easy to prune while you wait – another job done with minimum effort adding to favourable first impressions and a sense the property is cherished, installing a perception it should be maintained so, by tenants!
Lights – Lamps/ Bulbs carry a selection as required for each house. Consider swapping incompatible light fittings with those most commonly used. Having spent a fortune one year doing just that, the cost was saved tenfold in electrician’s invoices. Any non-standard fitting is beyond the average tenant. Stick to basic consistent fittings.
Adhesives / Fixings – Tape PTFE / Gaffer / electrical, super glue, impact adhesive, screws, nuts and bolts. Anything that connects one thing to another.
Fillers – Mastic, Caulk / brown, white and magnolia – these are tall cylindrically shaped tubes ideally stored together with adhesive tubes. The nozzles are easily lost and are best kept separately in a nozzle container
Paint – Small quantity of white and magnolia emulsion for marks. A pencil rubber is similarly useful.
Cleaners: Carpet / kitchen and bathroom mouse, oven sprays, de-scaler, Washing-up Liquid for grease, “Oven Pride” bag for oven chrome, bleach, etc. Solvents like white spirit and WD40.
ToolBox – Torch, pump-pliers, drill, bits with special square tips for DIY assembly and repair, tape measure, Camera and Drill.
Keys – with unique access identifying codes.
The Landlords Winter Boot would be restocked to include: portable radiators, drain unblockers to dislodge fat solidified in cold pipes and a pipe splice kit – 15 and 22 mm to fix most split pipes.
Each business has its own peculiarities. The principles outlined here can be adopted to suit the needs of almost any business.
In terms of house and home renovation having a professional painter and decorator to finish the job is one of the most important aspects. This is after all, the first thing that people will notice. So the question is: how can a person go about in hiring a local painter and decorator? What should you expect from a painter and decorator?
Most people think that it’s fairly easy to re-decorate a room. After all, what could be easier than painting a wall? However, as with most things, there’s a knack to everything, and painting and decorating is no exception.
How to Pick A Painter and Decorator
The range of services provided by any good professional painter and decorator will include the following:
Painting (both interior and exterior surfaces)
Hanging wallpaper
Varnishing and staining wood surfaces
Preparing surfaces for painting/decorating.
The Cost of a Painter and Decorator
A person must remember that painting a room or hanging wallpaper isn’t as easy as you might think. There are many factors to consider, not just the colours. For example, the type of wallpaper – will it be vinyl needing paste, or wallpaper that only needs dipped in water. What quality of paint should a person use? Even getting these relatively simple factors wrong can cost a person more in the long room. So the cost of the work by a professional painter will usually pay for itself in the long run.
Reasons to Hire A Professional Painter & Decorator
Here is what you can expect to get by using a professional:
Work done to high standard
He will have the necessary tools.
Has the knowledge to find solutions to difficult jobs
How Do I Choose a Painter and Decorator?
There are a number of ways to pick and find a good painter and decorator. For example, a person could ask around his neighbours and friends, he can check the Yellow Pages or find one through a professional trade federation/association. Let’s looks a two of these options:
Recommendation from a friend. This is probably the easiest and you have a better chance of getting a good job done. After all in this business, reputation is the most important thing. A painter who relies on his business by recommendations will make sure that he does a good job. More often than not you might get a better quote for the work. A person can also check out his work and get more information on the painter himself. You can often arrange to provide your own materials, and sometimes this is cheaper. A word of warning though – never buy the cheapest materials.
A trade federation/association. These groups usually have a list of the registered tradesmen in a particular local area. Usually all the members of the association are vetted for honesty, quality of work done and quality of materials used. This can be sometimes more expensive than finding a painter through a friend, but it has the advantage that if there is a dispute you can usually take it up with the trade association.
Which is Best Paint or Wallpaper?
After choosing the right painter and decorator, the next decision is decor. Nowadays there is so much to choose from that it can be difficult to know where to start. A professional painter and decorator will be able to give you ideas because more often than not he will have tackled something similar in his work and will know what looks good and what doesn’t.
Paint. This has some advantages and disadvantages. You can choose from an uncountable amount of colours and tones. Paint however, can be ‘colder’. Remember that the tone you see on the paint pot or even the actual tone of the paint will differ from how it looks on the wall.
Wallpaper. Wallpapers are good because they can cover up minor defects on the wall and they can be very resistant to wear and tear. You can be sure of the colour as well. The disadvantages are that wallpaper can be difficult to change or repair and you need a professional to put it up. However, Good quality wallpaper should last at least 10-15 years.
It’s usually best to meet at your home. You can show him exactly what work you want done.
Have some colour schemes ready. Use the Internet to plan for this. There are many great sites there with pictures, ideas and colour schemes.
Explain in detail all that you want to do. That might seem obvious, but sometimes you have a clear picture of what you want, but does the painter and decorator have the same picture?
The Right Painter and Decorator
If you choose well and follow these tips you will be able to get the right painter and decorator for the job. The end result will be a room, or rooms, that you will feel at home in and will impress your visitors
