One cannot be complacent about security these days. There are always hackers and thieves doing all they can to steal people’s money, personal information, photos, identities, etc. Much of today’s cyber threats involve fraud on some level. If you don’t already have reliable internet security software, it’s time to get it. If you do have one, either make sure it is up to date or choose another one. There should always be a security suite running on your computer and mobile devices at all times.

A regular antivirus program isn’t really enough these days, as cybercriminals are continuously looking for new ways to bypass security. The good thing about a lot of security packages is that their pricing usually includes protection for multiple devices as well as parental control tools. This means you can protect not only yourself but your children from cybercriminals and predators.

On the other hand, you might not need all of the tools and features internet security software comes with. Too many processes could just lead to your computer or device being clogged up. Carefully look over a list of the features that are included in each subscription plan and decide which plan will be enough for you. Do you really need everything? For instance, not everyone needs extra webcam protection. You can simply cover yours up when not using it. If you’re not on social networking sites that much, you might not need extra protection for it. A Wi-Fi security advisor is good for businesses to have, but do you need it for your home network?

Why Not Go With Free Internet Security Software

Free software isn’t the best choice because it tends to come with strings attached, like advertisements all over the interface. You’ll often get popup notifications trying to get you to pay for the full version. The interface for a premium suite of security software is usually cleaner and easier to use.

If you want to protect multiple devices and PCs, it’s important to select a company that simplifies the process, by offering some type of remote control and scanning. Will you be able to login to the company’s website and access your account and take control of the network? It’s also very helpful when the security program automatically updates itself so that you won’ t have to keep up with everything on all of your devices.

While there is some great internet security software to choose from, Bitdefender Internet Security is the one worth mentioning the most. Bitdefender products are easy to use and come with a variety of subscription options. AV-Comparatives named it the “Product of the Year” in Feb. 2018.

Whether you want Antivirus Plus, Family Plus, or internet security software, Bitdefender 2019 coupon codes are available and can be applied to save you money. Bitdefender is a trusted and reliable provider of computer security products, and has been winning awards for years.

I’ve probably had more conversations about this topic with clients than any other: What marketing strategies should I use to market my professional services?

These days, there are more options to market yourself than ever before. And you may have a tendency to look for something quick and easy that will generate a never-ending stream of new prospective clients.

I wish that solution existed. Some of the newer methods of marketing, such as YouTube videos, are very powerful, but extremely difficult for the average person to pull off successfully.

Over the years, I’ve had tremendous success with three primary marketing activities. And I’ve also helped a whole lot of clients implement these strategies successfully as well. Nevertheless, for all of them it can take a tremendous amount of time and energy to get consistent results.

Here are the pros and cons of each strategy and my overall recommendations about how to integrate each one into your overall marketing plan.

Networking and Direct Outreach

This strategy about building relationships with others in your field who can connect you to prospective clients. This means having conversations, attending meetings (individually or in groups), and doing follow-up. Sometimes it means reaching out directly to those in your network (including LinkedIn), being proactive, and exploring possibilities for projects.

Pros: Networking is the most concentrated, focused, personal kind of marketing. And if you do it well and consistently it can be extremely effective in building strong relationships and trust with your business associates and prospects.

Cons: The downside of networking is that it can drain your energy. This is a particular issue for introverts like me. And networking only enables you to reach a limited number of people.

Recommendation: Start marketing your professional services by meeting as many people as you possibly can – face to face. Join organizations and associations and then learn how to use LinkedIn to connect with new prospects.

Speaking (Live and Webinars)

If you want to gain a reputation as an expert, nothing is better than speaking. And it combines the best of networking and writing, in that you are connecting with people directly and also sharing your valuable expertise.

Pros: Speaking can quickly establish you as an expert. And you can immediately follow up with those in your audience.

Cons: The downside of speaking is that, for many people, it comes with a high fear factor, therefore a lot of people avoid it.

Recommendation: As your network expands, start to find audiences to present your ideas through professional associations, chambers of commerce, and other groups both offline and online. Learn the skills of giving a great presentation and of following up with your audience members.

Writing

Publishing articles and books have always been a good way to market professional services. It establishes your credibility. And with the expansion of various platforms on the Internet, such as Medium, and tools such as WordPress, it’s easier than ever to put your ideas out there.

Pros: There is no better way to get your ideas out into the world and in front of a large number of people quickly and at virtually no cost.

Cons: The downside of writing is the sheer volume of online material. There are so many articles published online these days and sent out by email that it can be hard to break through. And yes, writing is a lot of work and takes lots of time.

Recommendations: You should publish an online newsletter and blog as soon as possible. Work at growing your list and you’ll expand both your reach and credibility. Note that this can take years, so you need to be patient.

This is the fifth of five articles about the 5 Pillars of Marketing, my marketing model that helps get your marketing on track. 5 Pillars article here.

Social Media (supplemental strategy)

For independent professionals, social media is a fast and easy way to communicate about what you’re up to in your business. It’s worth the time to set up LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Pros: It’s easy to set up social media accounts and start posting and linking almost immediately.

Cons: It can take a long time to gain traction that results in any new business. And it can also eat up a huge amount of time.

Recommendation: Think of social media as a supplement to networking, speaking, and writing. It can increase your visibility and credibility among those you already know.

All of these marketing strategies take time to master and don’t yield immediate results, but in my experience, the time and effort you put into them will reward your investment many times over.

Perhaps the biggest mistake you can make in marketing your professional services is implementing these activities randomly and superficially. For success, you need to do all of them regularly and frequently. And for that you need a solid, step-by-step plan.

Cheers, Robert

When looking for new business ideas, the question often comes up whether you should start a physical or digital business. Most people think that a physical business is more legitimate somehow.

However, when you learn that a digital business is just as legitimate and profitable as a physical business, with lower barriers to entry, you may decide that a digital business is just the ticket you need to become a new business owner.

How Much Money Do I Have to Invest?

For a business with physical products or a physical location, it’s more than likely you’re going to need upwards of $100K to even get started. If you’re interested in a specific business, do the research to find out what it would take. But, if you don’t have money in the bank that you can afford to lose, then a physical business may not be the best idea for you.

How Much Time Can I Spend on My Business?

If you need to work a normal full-time job while you’re starting your business because you don’t have savings to live on, then it’s possible that the best choice for you is a digital business. This is because you can start it in your spare time with nothing more than a computer and internet connection.

What Skills Do I Have Right Now That Translate to a Business?

It sounds wonderful to start a food truck or a restaurant but what is the reality of that? Have you ever worked in a restaurant as a manager? If not, your learning curve will be extremely large. Even if you’re currently a chef at a restaurant, making money as an owner is a lot harder than you may think – although of course, it is possible.

If you’ve managed to sock away enough money to live for a couple of years on savings, you may make it work. But what if you instead took those skills and used them to start a digital business? You could start a YouTube channel cooking your favorite meals, teaching others to do it and make just as much money faster with no investment other than time.

Do I Have Technical Skills or Can I Hire People to Help Me?

If you don’t know how to create a website, run social media, or get online, you may have a higher learning curve with a digital business than if you did have those skills. But likewise, you’ll have to learn technology for a physical business – such as a point of sale system, how to pay your taxes online, and so forth.

No matter which you choose, there are technical skills you’re going to need to learn. In both cases, you’ll need to hire people to help but with a digital business, you can often find people to help you less expensively than if they had to come to your shop.

If you have got married, you may be expecting a baby like most pairs out there. We all have happy moments in our lives, but expecting a baby is something that is out of this world. You may be a bit worried about what you should buy for your baby, especially if you are a mother. This nervousness is normal for new mothers. After all, you are getting ready for your first child. In this article, we are going to help you control your nervousness and buy the right baby products. Given below are a few important things that you may want to keep in mind when buying the stuff.

Clothes

During your stay at the hospital, you will need clothes for your newborn. Once you are back home, you will need even more clothes. Here, the first important thing to keep in mind is that newborn babies grow really fast. Therefore, you may not want to buy too many pieces. You can buy new pieces of clothing every couple of weeks as your baby needs them.

Diapers

Here is the second most important thing: you need to buy tons of diapers as you will need to change them quite often on a daily basis. Ideally, you may want to buy diapers even before the delivery of your first baby.

Again, make sure you don’t buy all of them at once. As your baby grows, you can buy more diapers. This will help you if you are on a budget as you will have other expenses to cover.

Crib & Sheets

Of course, there should be a safe place for your baby to sleep. This place should be secure so your baby won’t fall out. If you are going to buy a crib, make sure it has adjustable high rails. They are made from a variety of materials.

Also, you need to buy sheets. They should be soft so your baby can have peaceful sleep.

Baby Tub

A baby tub is a good thing if you want to bathe your newborn safely. It should be small and non-slip so you can hold your baby without any problem while bathing him or her.

Bottles

As time goes by, your baby will grow older. Of course, you should breastfeed your baby but you will still need bottles. Pumping milk during the day is a good idea. You can collect your milk in bottles to feed your baby during the night. Make sure you opt for good cleaning products as well.

Wet Wipes

It’s a good idea to purchase some wet wipes as well. You can use them to clean any mass as well as clean your newborn’s bottom as needed. You can buy them at a local baby products store. Just make sure they are high quality.

Long story short, these are some helpful tips that may help you opt for the right baby products for your baby. They can help you save a lot of money on your purchases especially if you are on a tight budget. Hope you will find this article helpful.

The right time is something that lots of people waste many precious moments waiting for.

“When there is a hill to climb, don’t think that waiting will make it smaller.” ~ Author Unknown

But if you think about it, what does ‘the right time’ actually mean? Well, here’s something you can try when you find yourself waiting for it, rather than:

• Starting a project or task, or
• Stopping a habit that you want to break, or
• Embarking on an exercise regimen.

As soon as you notice that you’re waiting, ask yourself, “What am I waiting for?”

What are the circumstances that will make another moment the right time but disqualify this one? What do you think needs to happen to make your next step doable, if it isn’t doable now?

“The habit of always putting off an experience until you can afford it, or until the time is right, or until you know how to do it is one of the greatest burglars of joy. Be deliberate, but once you’ve made up your mind -jump in.” ~ Charles R. Swindoll

Not the Right Time? Maybe You Just Need Right-Sized Steps!

And yes, first steps are often the most difficult. That’s why I encourage you to ‘chunk’ your tasks into the smallest steps possible. It is much better to have 10 small steps that 3 big ones.

Why?

Well, for starters, the smaller the step the more likely you are to… start! When your first step is doable, any time is the ‘right time.’

Another way that chunking things down into small steps helps you get more done is this: You can use smaller time increments to do what you need to do. That means that you are often able to use the small ‘scraps’ of time between larger tasks to tick items off your to-do list.

The smaller the step, the more likely you are to take it – it’s as simple as that. So if your Inner Procrastinator is telling you that the time isn’t ‘right’ you can always counter that voice by creating some smaller, more doable steps for yourself.

So, if procrastination is something that frequently holds you back, you’re certainly not alone. Millions of people struggle with this energy draining time thief. Procrastination’s costs include lost productivity, lost income, lost opportunities, frazzled nerves and damaged relationships. Try some right-sized steps to get yourself moving again, today!

ALthough, the cost of, and monies spent on health care (which includes, medical care, hospitalization, and prescription drugs, etc), in the United States, are among, the most expensive in the world, statistics show, our mortality/ morbidity rates, life expectancy, and overall health, are not, close to the best! In many nations, the system is considered, a somewhat, socialized one, where government – controlled, insurance, controls and dominates the system. These citizens of these nations, generally, pay higher income taxes, but little, to nothing, on specific, medical/ health insurance. While health insurance, and medical care/ delivery, has been debated, by our politicians, for decades, there still is little real improvement. With that in mind, this article will attempt to, briefly, consider, examine, review, and discuss, whether Americans consider health care, to be, a right, or a privilege/ luxury, as well as the alternatives, choices, options, and possibilities, including the positives, and negatives, for each possibility.

1. Prior to the ACA: There are those, who, appear to be yearning for, the so – called, good – old – days! Everything looks worse in black and white, might be a great song lyric, but, when our health care delivery system, did not provide coverage for those with pre – existing conditions, or an ability to afford it, by many Americans, it was clear, quality medical care, was treated, as a privilege, rather than a right. However, because hospitals must provide emergency treatment, regardless of ability to pay, these costs were passed on, to others, and many suffered, financially, and in other ways. In the United States, millions go bankrupt, because they can’t afford, to take care of themselves!

2. The Affordable Care Act: The Affordable Care Act, or ACA, or Obamacare, was a well – intentioned, attempt to address, the fairness component, of house our health care, is delivered! However, because of many factors, including political considerations, etc, it was also a somewhat, flawed concept. It focused on reducing the number of uninsured, and under – insured, providing coverage despite pre – existing conditions, mandatory coverage, federal subsidies, when needed, etc. However, it did not, fix the cost of prescription drugs, and these escalated. Why do we pay, so much more, than the rest of the world, for the same medications?

3. The Trump/ GOP Alternative: When Donald Trump ran for office, he proclaimed he would immediately fix, Obamacare, and replace it, with really good, less costly insurance and coverage. However, when he stated, after he was elected, this concept was more difficult than he expected, he turned his attention to, an attempt to cancel the system, and supposedly, replace it, with something better. Unfortunately, while Republicans spoke out, against the ACA, they did not offer any viable alternatives!

What good is, nearly anything else, if we don’t prioritize our health, and well – being? Should it be, a right, or a privilege?

HVAC Coil manufacturers can over emphasize the need to designate left or right hand. The different reference points used can be intimidating and confusing. Often times, it just doesn’t matter.

Do you need to specify a left or right handed steam HVAC coil?

Not generally. Most steam HVAC coils are universal. Steam coils are normally 1 or 2 rows deep. This allows you to reverse the piping connections. The supply connection must be on top and the return connection must be on the bottom. Return connections on steam coils need to be as low as possible for proper condensation removal. As long as you have the return connection lower than the supply connection, it does not matter if you have a right handed or left handed steam HVAC coil.

Do hot water HVAC coils need to be left or right handed?

Hot water and steam coils are almost identical since both are typically only 1 or 2 rows deep. The major difference is the supply and return feed. If possible, feed the bottom connection and return the top connection. This helps promote the removal of air that can get trapped in the HVAC coil.

Which HVAC coils require a ‘hand’ designation?

Cooling coils that are larger than 2 rows require a hand designation. All coils except steam coils should be installed in a counter-flow arrangement. This is particularly true for HVAC coils with three rows or more. Counter-flow refers to the direction of the air across the fins relative to the fluid in the tubes. A counter-flow arrangement will produce the most capacity. Using a chilled water cooling coil as an example, the coldest water entering the coil should be cooling the coldest air leaving the coil. See below for a more detailed explanation of counter-flow.

A detailed explanation of counter-flow:

A HVAC coil is an air to fluid heat exchanger. Air is traveling on the outside of the tubes and fluid is traveling on the inside of the tubes. The most important principle in designing any heat exchanger is put the air and the fluid in a counter-flow arrangement. This means that the air and water travel in opposite directions through the heat exchanger. You always want the water, refrigerant or steam entering on the side of the exchanger where the air is leaving. This means that as the air goes from left to right, the fluid is traveling from right to left. All coils are tested in counter-flow arrangements and it provides maximum efficiency. You can lose 15% of the capacity when a HVAC coil is piped backwards. This is the primary reason why deeper HVAC coils are designated as right or left hand. Counter-flow has negligible effect on 1-2 row coils.

How to reference left or right hand?

When you stand in front of a coil, the connections will either be on the right or the left side. This is what they mean by “hand” connections. Most manufacturers determine left and right while facing the entering airside of the HVAC coil. A few manufacturers determine left and right while facing the entering airside of the coil (the air hitting you in the face) When facing the end of the coil with the pipe stubs, the supply connection should always be at the bottom, leaving air side of the coil. The return connections should always be at the top entering air side of the coil.

Is there a proper hand for replacement coils?

When you are replacing a chilled water coil the connections are almost always on the bottom right and top left. Once you determine the supply and return feeds, hand designation is not important. The HVAC coil is either bottom right / top left or bottom left / top right. The most important factor with replacements is to match what was there, unless you realize the original coil was not piped in a counter-flow arrangement. This is a great situation, you can share your expertise with your customer and show them how to save money!

In summary, hand designation isn’t a difficult concept, but many HVAC coil manufacturers make it seem more difficult than it needs to be.

While new PCs do come with free trial versions of an antivirus suite, as well as Windows built-in security tools, these features and programs aren’t always the best. Many users feel the need to uninstall them more than they feel the need to upgrade to a paid version. What is the best computer security program? With so many suites and products to choose from, how do you know which is the right solution for you?

Whether you’re a home user or business user, you should never compromise when it comes to security. All of the top rated cyber security brands offer a great selection of products and subscriptions to choose from, ranging from home PC antivirus software to top-notch, big business security services. Consider your needs and look over all of the tools and features offered with each and every product.

At the very least, you’ll need something that will protect you from issues such as malware, spyware, viruses, phishing, and other common online threats. If you travel a lot and have to connect to public Wi-Fi, you will definitely want to consider a laptop security suite that includes some type of VPN service.

File shredders are important, for both home and business users. You’ll always want to make sure that you get rid of files completely. Simply deleting a file or document and emptying the garbage bin won’t get rid of it forever. To eliminate the possibility that a computer expert someday down the road will be able to retrieve those files, get some good file-shredding software.

Avoid Risk With the Best Computer Security

The vulnerability level of your computer depends much in part on the operating system. Windows computers are at the most risk since Windows is the most popular OS. Apple computers and Macs, while not as likely to get attacked as Windows PCs, can still be vulnerable. They are still worth protecting – especially if you use them in your business.

There are security programs and antivirus suites that use up more resources than others. If you’re the owner of a newer computer with decent specs, you probably won’t have much of a problem running a protection program. Even so, you need to carefully read over the recommended system requirements of a program before deciding whether to give it a try.

The best computer security programs run efficiently and automatically update themselves on a daily basis. There should be a “quiet mode” option for when you are trying to stream videos, play games, or focus on an important project. Need a starting point? Consider Bitdefender products. This highly-rated brand offers everything, including standard home antivirus software, home office security, Mac protection, big business and enterprise security solutions, and more.

If you’ve never used Bitdefender before, take a look at all of its products to determine which one will be most useful for your needs. If you already have an account, you might be able to use Bitdefender coupon codes to help you renew or upgrade your subscription. It’s by far one of the best computer security companies.

A new website user needs to know they’re at the right place, right away!

Earning a new lead is great, and for many small business owners, every site visit makes a big difference.

If your website’s home page doesn’t convey what you’re all about right away and assures the user they’re at a site relevant to their intentions, you risk that lead bouncing to your competitors.

What do you need to effectively show a user they’re at the right website?

The perfect headline.

Is your website continually converting visitors into leads?

The perfect headline might not seem like a big deal but without the right one in place, this can lead to a user instantly clicking back or visiting another website.

Your headline needs to be clear, encompass what you provide, and how you differentiate yourself from your competition.

Have you had any professional search engine optimization done? If you have, you’re ahead of the game. But if you haven’t then it’s time to brainstorm!

SEO is when you are trying to rank for terms related to what you do in Google’s search engine results. These should be intuitive terms vetted to see if they align with how users see your product or service.

Whoever provided you with keyword goals will have checked to see if those terms are searched a lot and provide you with a list.

Don’t use the terms targeting deep pages. Look at what your overall goals are to see what phrase(s) you should include. If you’re trying to rank for 1 specific phrase above all else, then ensure you include those phrases in your headline.

Without those key phrase goals, it’s up to you to assess what best describes what you provide and why a user should commit to your business.

For example, if you’re a lawyer you know where to start. You will want to make sure your headline includes that you’re a lawyer.

Now look at the specifics of what kind of law you practice and what differentiates you from the competition.

If you’re an intellectual property law firm who have been practicing for a long time, you can put together your headline fairly easily: Example & Example – Intellectual Property Law Since 1966.

Not a lawyer? Not a problem.

Another example would be a professional speaker. What makes you valuable?

If someone asked you plainly why they should hire you, what would you say?

If you’re a great morale builder and team motivator, you could try: Example Name Corporate Speaking – Energizing Businesses to Build Their Own Success.

In both examples we state what the business is and its unique selling position.

If you were a completely new user and had found either website through an organic search in Google or via an ad or social media post, you would know everything you need right away about whether or not you should proceed further into the website.

Don’t treat this lightly!

Take some time and adopt the user’s perspective when evaluating what language to use.

The golden rule is you have 3 – 5 seconds to grab your user’s attention or they’ll bounce. Websites are all about the user experience so don’t start yours with the wrong message.

Cutting kids’ hair using scissors is not easy since they tend to move around. So, what is the easy way out then? You can buy baby hair clippers. They are necessary to cut young kid’s hair. You can find a myriad of hair clippers on the market these days.

Most mothers use the same trimmer for both kids and adults. Some opt for big trimmers that have a lot of attachments. Some people choose a hair trimmer based on the popularity of a brand, while others opt for the cheapest model. Given below are a few tips that may help you buy the right one.

1. The Brands

First off, the brand is a factor that mothers should take into account when opting for a hair trimmer. Since you will be using the product for a long period of time, make sure you make the choice carefully. Usually, top brand tends to stand the test of time. They are worth the extra cost.

Typically, top brands offer a host of features. These products don’t make too much noise so you can cut your baby’s hair even when it’s sleeping. Moreover, these machines are fast. The job won’t take more than 5 minutes.

2. Highlights

Since hair clippers are aimed at barbers, you can use them to make as many hairstyles as you like. Mothers can make use of hair clippers to cut their kids’ hair from the comfort of their homes. They won’t need to head to the salon anymore.

These products offer excellent features like high safety, ease of use, compact design and quiet operation.

Although most products are electricity-operated, you can recharge the device and use it as many times as possible.

3. The Compact Design

Since these products are compact, you can easily carry them around wherever you want.

You can trim the hair of your baby while it’s sleeping as the unit makes very low noise. The good thing about buying a baby clipper is that you can save a lot of money as you won’t need to go to the salon. This can save you a lot of time and money.

4. Safe to Use

As a matter of fact, these hair trimmers are safe for kids of all ages. The easy operation and simple design make it easier for you to hold the machine and make the hairstyles you want.

5. Recharging is Convenient

It’s easy to recharge these units. Most of the devices don’t take more than 10 hours to recharge. Once charged, you can use it for up to 60 minutes. So, one charge may last around an hour. So, make sure the unit you are going to buy has a powerful motor. If the motor is weak, it won’t be able to do the job properly.

Long story short, if you are looking for an easy way of trimming your baby’s hair, we suggest that you opt for a good quality baby hair clipper. This device will make your life a lot easier.