Nepal is well published as a trekkers paradise, but little is said about the potential for mountain biking and the calibre of guides and bikers here. For a mountain biker, now I am talking real bikers here who love the ride up as much as the ride down, Nepal is a country begging to be explored. The devil development, normally every bikers nightmare dressed as a bulldozer and suited man in a constructor’s hard hat, may have robbed the Kathmandu Valley of some of its best single track mountain biking, but the blade of the bulldozer is opening up more and more of the country with trails, roads and tracks. In Nepal we use the term road very loosely, push and shove the earth the dozers might, but nothing can stand up to the annual Monsoon, natures blessing in disguise. The rains ravage the roads and trails, leaving your humble mountain biker with endless opportunities for biking undisturbed in the beautiful surrounds of rural Nepal.

If your an avid explorer and love venturing into the unknown, then pack light, grab your bike and head in to the foothills of the Himalaya for the adventure of a life time. Forget the maps cause there isn’t any, you might be lucky to find a guide in Kathmandu who is willing to explore with you and push the boundaries of the known biking routes. Along the way you will be rewarding with an intimate insight in to the culture of Nepal and some virgin rough and ready biking as well. No other tourists, no trekkers and no traffic, what more could the true mountain bike explorer want?

If organisation and civilization is your thing, then Nepal has a lot to offer as well. You don’t have to be an intrepid rider to enjoy what the Himalaya has to offer. In fact you don’t even have to bring your own bike. Many reputable companies now specialize in organised mountain bike tours around Kathmandu, Pokhara and Annapurna regions. It’s possible to do anything from one day easy rides to multi day intermediate and advanced rides. All tours will be fully supported and include your accommodation and meals. You will still get to explore tracks, trails and culture but at the end of the day you will get a hot meal and a soft bed.

For those full suspension downhill nuts, there is something here for you as well. Thought access roads will limit the downhill biking you can do, there are some very fine adrenaline pulsing trails to be found. Try out Manakarmana, a fast technical downhill, if you make a mistake you will end up in the Trishuli River, Nagarkot, Sarankot and Annapurna all have road access and offer various downhill trails for all levels of biker.

Hiring bikes in Kathmandu is easy. There are several companies that offer varying qualities of mountain bikes that can be fitted out to your tastes. Pokhara even has a place where you can hire top quality full suspension commercial bikes if you want to pay the bucks!

There are a bunch of great lads in Kathmandu and Pokhara who are avid mountain bikers and work as guides. Not only are they fantastic and adventurous riders, brilliant racers and a cheerful friendly bunch, they are also very professional guides that can make your trip to Nepal a rewarding one.

My advice, push the boundaries, hire a guide and go wild on a mountain biking adventure in Nepal, I know that you will love it and come back screaming for more!

Road grader – a big piece of equipment in the road which is composed of big steel cutting edge found under the center portion of the motor vehicle. The blade can be adjusted which allows the operator of the grader to manage the angle and height of the cutting edge while the equipment operates. The GPS expertise allows operator of the grader to level particular lengths of soil or road instead of having to calculate approximately the quantity of ground to be graded.

The blades of road graders are designed to make smooth, level surface in constructing new roads and making uneven grounds level. Although road graders seem to be awkward and bulky at first, they are used usually most frequently as ways in finishing the leveling which were started by different equipment, like scrapers and bulldozers. In some areas, they also make use of the blade of road grader as a tool to make better drainage if laying asphalt roads which let the blade in creating low drainage trenches at the side of the road, sometimes making occasional little drainage ways along the ends of the shoulder of the road. Places which obtain big quantities of snowfalls frequently utilize road graders in clearing up heavy snows in vital roadways also.

The road grader drops its sharp edges to the tallness where the grade is placed which pushes the asphalt or dirt that is elevated than the level ahead up to the time it is leveled down or pressed off at the side of sharp edge. The position that the sharp edge is mounted permits extra materials to fall away eventually on the blade, which leaves little fold of dirt and other substances at the side of grader as it moves. Plenty of passes are made to level successfully the ground or roadway, which improve the general grade every time the blades of the grader go by around the area.

Buyer’s Guide on Road Graders

Graders are now important heavy equipments in diversity of industries, from mining to construction. Motor graders can be seen normally in building roads and maintenance. They are utilized in moving the soil and creating a smooth surface previous to application of asphalt and making certain the appropriate gradient. They are used also in forestry, public works and some mining industries.

Up to date features such as GPS systems build motor graders that easier to manipulate. Although most people share regular features, certain types and sizes are suited better for specific industries. This guide can help the buyer arrange through the alternatives to decide the best choice.

Buyer’s Tips

. Safety awareness and training is a vital part in buying heavy equipment, and there are no exception even motor graders. Safety instruction and materials should be provided by the vendor you select.

. Shop around. Search for quotes from different vendors before choosing one. Compare guarantee and service strategy on assorted models. Talk to contemporaries that have bought motor graders previously.

. Consider the conditions of the ground in the locations where you are working and factor it in making decision. If the ground is rocky, a heavier machine is needed with larger tires and more power.

. Put into consideration the experiences of the workforce in choosing motor grader. Since the machine may be hard to operate, features such as GPS systems that permit greater accuracy can be worth the asset if your workforce have any or no experience at all in the operation of motor graders.

In Return To the Middle Kingdom, author, Yuan-tsung Chen has meticulously chronicled the true life adventure of her ancestors’ struggle to bring about change in the terror-filled reigns of China’s rulers. Chen and her husband, Jack, risked imprisonment or possible death to journal the efforts of three generations of revolutionaries in their families.

China’s history was being blotted from existence by the callous ruler, Chairman Mao Zedong while the Chens hid under the covers at night, using a torch light to illuminate the historical details they had relentlessly gathered from partially-burned magazines and books. The Chens’ heritage is a valuable acknowledgment of China’s past and they were determined to bring them to light. Return To the Middle Kingdom is the result of that determination and the true grit of three generations of revolutionaries.

Ah Chen was born 180 years ago and lived his life as a poor peasant until he fought in the Taiping Rebellion against Manchu’s brutal court that reigned from 1850 to 1864. When the Rebellion was crushed, Ah Chen fled to Trinidad in the Caribbean. There he stayed and fathered his son, Eugene. Smart and ambitious, Eugene decided to go to London for his education and later returned to Trinidad to become its first Chinese attorney.

Through Eugene’s friendship with the founding father of the Chinese Republic, Sun Yat-sen, the two men joined a powerful faction to help bring about modern China. Eugene later returned to his father, Ah Chen’s, home and led the revolution in 1911 that finally put an end to China’s rule by dynasties.

Eugene later fathered a son, Jack, who became the author’s husband and together they joined the Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976. Through numerous trials and tribulations the Chens persevered and decided to write about their experiences and their ancestors’ struggles. Return To the Middle Kingdom is the well-written result of the Chens’ determination.

Besides being an extraordinary documentation of a tumultuous part of China’s nearly-lost history, Return To the Middle Kingdom is also the story of how three revolutionaries from one family helped bring about the modern China of today. This true adventure reads like a page-turning novel and reflects the details that author, Yuan-tsung Chen, brings to her historical writing.

Yuan-tsung Chen has proved herself to be an authority in Chinese history, culture and politics. She’s also written an autobiographical novel about land reform in China titled, The Dragon’s Village, and enjoys telling her personal stories to interested groups. Chen understands her country’s past and cuts through the propaganda to tell the truth about China’s past and the hope that lies in its future.

Being a temporary installation for the purpose of controlling traffic, road blockers perform various other life saving functions. There are various types of road blockers that are used for the purpose of road traffic. These road blockers include: The hydraulic blockers, the anti ram blockers and the security blockers. The security road blockers mainly play the function if ensuring that traffic is secure. They are the common type since anyone who purchases a car must have them intact in case of any road emergencies.

One good type of security blocker is the high security blocker. It is frequently used on roads for the purpose of access control. The concrete blocker is another common type of blocker that is used for the purpose of security. It is normally featured by some yellow and black physical reflector strips. They are known to provide a very high level of security. Their application is during road construction or police security check. The antiterrorist road block is another commonly used road block. This one is normally installed on the ground by the road constructors for the purpose of tracking any illegal persons or terrorists.

The hydraulic road blocker is a perfect type of road blocker that is commonly used for electro hydraulic purposes. With this type of road block, no car can be able to access the blocked route. It helps in maintaining the motorist speed in order to prevent accidents. This type of road block is also used for the purpose of controlling gangways together with parking lots perhaps in a home or industrial setting. The Hydraulic road block is normally designed with some rising kerbs that are sharp-pointed in order to perfectly prevent any vehicle from accessing that particular route that has been blocked. In America the anti ram road block is normally used for controlling traffic. The block looks like a long string that is laid across the road to prevent cars from accessing a certain blocked route.

The 90’s brought us companies such as Amazon.com, eBay, Netscape, Broadcom, and AOL to name a few. We discovered web browsers, PDAs, universal email, voice over IP, DSL, broadband cable, cable telephony, Wi-Fi, and TiVo among others. The 80’s brought us companies such as Dell, Compaq, Cisco, Microsoft, Qualcomm, Adobe Systems, and Genentech. We discovered personal computers, cellular telephones, spreadsheets, and genetic engineering. This decade we have Crocs and the iPod. Where has American innovation gone?

John Kao, an expert on innovation from Harvard, claims the U.S. is experiencing a brain drain as foreign scientists and engineers return to their native countries for better opportunities. Even more alarmingly, other countries are luring away U.S. born scientists and engineers. Much of our venture capital industry is investing their resources outside the U.S. Those venture capital funds not invested overseas are often part of the walking dead, no longer actively investing.

Why should we worry whether the U.S. is no longer the innovation leader of the World? Without innovation our standard of living is stagnant or declining. So why have we stopped innovating? Let’s look for the changes since 2000, that would affect the ability of a Qualcomm, CISCO, eBay or Amazon.com to fulfill its potential today. There are three such major changes since 2000. Sarbanes Oxley makes it much more difficult to go public today. Changes to patent law make it more difficult to secure intellectual property and easier to steal innovations. Finally, changes to stock option accounting rules make it difficult lure talent to start-up companies.

When Sarbanes Oxley was passed the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) estimated the cost of compliance would be $91,000.00 per year for each public company. The most recent estimates for the cost of compliance are between $4.0 million and $5.0 million per year for publicly traded companies. The United States has over 18,000 public companies, which means the U.S. spends around $80 Billion a year to comply with Sarbanes Oxley.

Sarbanes Oxley was passed in 2002 in reaction to the corporate and accounting scandals including those affecting Enron, Tyco International, Adelphia, and WorldCom. The legislation set new or enhanced standards for all U.S. public company boards, management, and public accounting firms. The act contains 11 titles, or sections, ranging from additional corporate board responsibilities to criminal penalties, and requires the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to implement rulings on requirements to comply with the new law.

Is the cost of this law worth its incredible price? Has Sarbanes Oxley achieved its goal of protecting investors from fraud? Sarbanes Oxley has cost the U.S. economy at least $400 billion since it passage. The stock market has been flat or declining since its passage. As a result, it is hard to argue that this legislation increased shareholder value. The banking scandals 2008 & 2009 and the Bernie Madoff fiasco make it impossible to suggest that Sarbanes Oxley has protected investors from fraud.

Sources report that 100 to 200 publicly owned companies per year, including big names such as Dunkin’ Donuts and Neiman Marcus, have chosen to buy out their stockholders and revert to private ownership. Many U.S. private firms are putting off initial public offerings, and more foreign companies are choosing to list on the Tokyo, London or other foreign exchanges rather than on the U.S. stock exchanges.

In addition, to these problems, Sarbanes Oxley has essentially killed off the public market as an exit strategy for technology start-up companies, thereby reducing investment in innovative start-up companies. In the second quarter of 2008, there were no public offerings of Silicon Valley venture capital-backed companies, a phenomenon not seen since 1978. At $4-5 million per year for a company to go public and comply with Sarbanes Oxley, it must have earnings of about $100 million and sales of around $1 billion. Given these astronomical hurdles to an IPO (Initial Public Offer), it is not surprising that start-up companies no longer consider an IPO a realistic exit strategy. Repealing Sarbanes Oxley is essential unless we want to see Silicon Valley’s status as a hotbed of innovation erode and see the future invented outside of the United States.

Changes to the patent laws in the last decade favor technology appropriators over technology creators. The Supreme Court’s eBay ruling denied inventors’ ability to enforce their basic right to exclude others from using their invention. The Supreme Court’s KSR decision changed the standard for what is patentable from an objective standard to a subjective standard. Finally, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) independently changed the internal standard for what inventions receive patents. This change has resulted in the allowance rate falling from around 70% in 2000 down to 45% in 2008. Harmonization of our patent laws with the rest of the world has broken the social contract between inventors and society.

The Intellectual Property and Communication Omnibus Reform Act of 1999 requires publication of US patent applications 18 months from the filing date. This Act is part of an effort to harmonize U.S. patent laws with the rest of the world. Patents are commonly considered a deal between the inventor and society. The inventor receives a limited term right to exclude others from using their invention and the quid pro quo is that the inventor discloses how to practice their invention. The publication rule is a clear violation of this social contract between the inventor and society. Under the publication rule, society gets the advantage of the disclosure of the invention even if the inventor never receives any property rights in his invention.

Before the publication rule, if an inventor felt that the scope of the claims to his invention were too narrow or not allowable, he could withdraw his application and keep his invention a trade secret. Narrow claims are easy for a competitor to design around providing little protection in exchange for the disclosure of the invention. In other words if the inventor did not like the deal he was offered from the Patent Office he could reject it and keep his invention a secret. Even for inventions that can be reverse engineered once the invention is marketed, this is a better deal than the publication rule. Under the publication rule, it is easy for competitors to find the inventor’s idea on the World Wide Web and copy the invention. Without publication, a competitor has to spend the time and money to reverse engineer an invention.

In 2006 the US Supreme Court decided eBay Inc v. MercExchange, L.L.C., 547 U.S. 388 (2006) holding that a permanent injunction should not automatically issue as part of a judgment of infringement. A patent is a legal right to exclude, 35 USC 154, others from making, using, selling (offering for sale), or importing the invention. It is a little known fact that a patent does not give the holder the right to use, make, sell (offer for sale) or import the invention. The Supreme Court’s eBay decision denies a patent holder’s right to exclude others and substitutes monetary damages even if the patent holder prefers to enforce their right to exclude.

In KSR International v. Teleflex, 550 U.S. 398 (2007) the Supreme Court made it easier to find a patent invalid, and harder to obtain a patent by changing the standard for obviousness. In order to obtain a patent, the invention has to useful, novel, and non-obvious. This case overturned 20 years of jurisprudence associated with an objective test of obviousness. The Supreme Court substituted a flexible subject test for obviousness. This more flexible approach increases the uncertainty that an inventor will receive a patent and increases the risk that their patent is found invalid if they have to enforce their patent against an infringer. It also increased the costs associated with obtaining a patent and in enforcing a patent.

Not to be outdone, the Patent and Trademark Office launched their own assault on inventors. The allowance rate for patents has dropped from around 70% in 2000 down to 45% in 2008. The allowance rate had hovered around 62%-72% for several decades and then started a precipitous drop around 2003.

These changes to our patent systems have been nothing less than a full-out assault on the rights of innovators.

In 2005 FASB required companies to start expensing stock options. Start-up companies used stock options as a major tool in luring human talent from secure positions. Requiring the expensing of stock options places an enormous burden on start-ups. This burden has resulted in start-ups foregoing their use. There is no economic justification for expensing stock options, since changing the number of shares for a company does not change its income statement. However, the burden of this regulation has taken this important financial tool away from start-up companies and hurt innovation in the U.S.

U.S. innovation is stagnant because of the regulatory burden we have placed on high technology start-up companies. Both the empirical evidence and the logical case for Sarbanes Oxley, changes in the patent laws and the required expensing of stock options fail. Repealing these regulatory burdens on innovators will jump-start the U.S. economy.

Do not be lied to. There is really nothing easy about success. There are also no simple steps to success simply because if there were, the number of people living in mediocrity would be far less than what it is. The only reason few people achieve the level of success that is worth talking about is simply because the road to extraordinary achievement is not easy. It has potholes, bumps, roadblocks and sometimes the occasional ditch. It is a road that few men travel on simply because it takes guts to travel on it.

To be really successful in life, you will have to realize one simple fact and that is that there is nothing for free so far as life is concerned. This is true whether raising a happy family is what you consider success or whether your main pursuit is success in business. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you are from. There is simply no easy way to greatness and there is no secret to success that will give you an easy way out.

The first success secret that you must be aware of if you want to achieve extraordinary levels of success in life is that you have to really work hard. Every person who is successful has, at point or the other, worked harder than the average human being. This is so because if you do not work harder than the average person, there will be really nothing to distinguish you from the next person.

It is only hard work that can sharpen your skills and it is only hard work that will enable you to give a performance that is world-class. You cannot really rely on talent alone because even talents are never fully developed when they are handed to us by nature. It is only hard work and a lot of practicing that will enable us to achieve mastery in whichever field that we are in. Working hard is therefore a success secret that you should never overlook.

You will also have to grow some tough skin if it is greatness that you are after. This is so because to take the path that is least trodden will require you to face opposition. This will be from both circumstances and people around you. You will also have to learn to be brave enough to follow your guts. It may also be necessary for you to make sacrifices by burning bridges linking you to your former life. Simply put, the price for greatness is usually high and if it is greatness you want, you must be willing and ready to pay it.

There is nothing easy about success, but also, there is nothing more rewarding simply because it is in our nature to want to succeed.

Many small to medium sized businesses face a common struggle; a balancing act of plans, strategies, departments and decisions. All of the elements are present, all of the gears in working condition, but business isn’t exactly booming at the pace it had anticipated or forecasted for. What exactly does this growth and sustainability require? In a turbulent economy teeming with congested airwaves and aggressive business practices, it’s about standing out from the crowd. And surprisingly, your marketing strategy has a lot more to do with it than you might realize.

Conflicted business owners can overcome the masses and draw the customers that are right for their product by executing a stellar marketing strategy, not by yelling louder than their competitors or using neon banners on their storefront (or banner ads on your website). My point is, you don’t have to be throwing yourself out there with a bunch of noise all the time. What you need to do is paint a vision for your business, your employees, and your customers. Make promises that nobody but you can keep, and then blow them away with your admirable businesses practices and superhuman skills.

Take a moment to consider this: marketing strategy is the single most important factor in determining the prosperity or deterioration of a business. That’s a pretty substantial claim and I’m willing to prove its legitimacy. Marketing strategy distributes itself throughout all the facets of a business, whether intended by its creator or not. This is possible because the strategy is created and defined by the overall objectives of a specific business, and integrates these objectives with a company’s unique vision and mission. Put simply, every level of a business should be oozing marketing strategy. Really!

Marketing Strategy

Does it seem far-fetched? Let’s examine the relationship between marketing strategy and four key aspects of any business: market research, the marketing plan, corporate identity, and the economy. First, let’s get the formalities out of the way and set forth a definitive explanation of what marketing strategy actually is. After scouring several websites for the official definition, I settled on a less-official but more effective description of marketing strategy:

Marketing Strategy:

A strategy that integrates an organization’s marketing goals into a cohesive whole. Ideally drawn from market research, it focuses on the ideal product mix to achieve maximum profit potential. The marketing strategy is set out in a marketing plan.

While your marketing strategy is, essentially, a document; its purpose is far more load bearing. Included in the strategy should be your mission statement and business goals, an exhaustive list of your products and services, a characterization or description of your target clients, and a clear definition of how you integrate into the competitive landscape of your industry.

Marketing Strategy v. Market Research

This relationship establishes an order of operations: the first phase in any marketing or branding initiative is research. (See our white paper on this subject: Market Research for SMB’s). No matter the scope of your research, whether it is a broad canvassing of your current client list or unveiling specific, detailed findings about your target market, the outcome will have a direct effect on your marketing strategy. It’s imperative to find out everything about whom you are trying to reach. What generation are they in? How big are their families? Where do they live, eat, and hang out? How do they spend their free time and money? All of this information will influence and alter your marketing strategy.

Research alone will not benefit your business without a solid marketing strategy. Often, business owners narrowly define market research as the collection and organization of data for business purposes. And while that is technically an accurate definition, the emphasis lies not on the process of research itself, but the impact it commands on future decisions regarding all levels of a company. Every business decision presents different, unique needs for information, and this information then shapes a suitable and applicable marketing strategy.

Research can be a grueling, confusing, and tedious process. From establishing or cleaning out a database to creating surveys and conducting interviews, you can receive a lot of information about your clients and potential clients and wonder what to do next. Before beginning to formulate a strategy, the information and data collected must be organized, processed, analyzed, and stored. Rest assured, with a little creativity and a lot of effort, this will all be molded into a structured, effective, and easily adaptable marketing strategy. Furthermore, continuous and updated research will ensure your strategy is a current and relevant reflection of your target market, marketing goals, and future business endeavors.

Marketing Strategy v. Marketing Plan

In this relationship, the marketing strategy is essentially a guide to judge the performance and efficiency of a specific marketing plan. In simple terms, a marketing strategy is a summary of what you offer and how you are positioned in the market (in relation to competitors’ products and services), and your marketing plan is an organized list of actions that you will enforce to achieve the goals outlined in your strategy. The plan will encompass the steps to a real-life application of a marketing strategy, bringing life to your mission and vision. It’s your time to show and sell your products and services so that your target market can experience them in the presence that you truly imagined.

Often, businesses lack a balance of creative personality and logic personality. While a business owner might have the creativity to dream up a stellar product, business model, and brand, they may lack the entrepreneurship and discipline to bring it all to life through research, planning and execution.

Marketing Strategy v. Corporate Identity

It’s no surprise that some of the most successful and recognizable companies in the world are those who establish distinguished, one-of-a-kind cultures that permeate through every channel of a business and reach customers on a human level. The culture of a corporation, its psychology, attitude, approaches to business, values and beliefs, lays the groundwork for a unique and compelling corporate identity. There is a powerful and undeniable connection between the health of these companies and the identities that their culture has provided.

These companies have discovered the delicate balance between a brand and a strategy, and how this symbiotic connection encourages visibility and growth. The relationship is simple: the marketing strategy represents where a company wants to go, and the culture determines how (and sometimes if) it will get there. Think of a corporate identity – the style, words, images, and colors – as the personification of your marketing strategy. The corporate identity is extended and applied in every phase of the marketing strategy, and plays a stylistic role in its execution.

Let’s look at an example. Starbucks, until recently, didn’t really have a marketing or advertising budget, per se. Starbucks started advertising in the New York Times and on TV in 2009, and very gingerly at that. Once a week it would print full-page ads in the Times, and on select channels it would air brief, lighthearted commercials. Prior to, the company was able to very successfully promote itself and its products through word of mouth and slapping the 25-year-old logo on every cup its baristas cranked out, proving that even something as simple as a logo can deeply resonate with consumers. But it was the Starbucks’ identity that its millions of customers were happily waiting fifteen minutes in line for. The infamous Starbucks cup rapidly became associated with wealth, leisure, high standards, and urbanites. From college freshman to corporate CEO’s, people couldn’t get enough.

Starbucks enforced its marketing strategy through clever, catchy campaigns, a genuine and human “front line” at the store level, and for the most part, acknowledging any mistakes or shortfalls that it might’ve run into. All of these actions are traits, portraying a deeply rooted culture that is exuded from top to bottom of the Starbucks hierarchy. And, love ’em or hate ’em, there’s no denying their great success, even in a strained economy.

Marketing Strategy v. The Economy

The economy is an incredibly sensitive subject around the globe. What we’ve also noticed is that a lot of companies and business owners are using a depressed economic state as a reason (and in some cases, an excuse) for the shortcomings in their business.

For example, a big trend recently has been layoffs. Larger corporations are using weak economies as a reason to purge its staff and cut positions, when it knows just as well that that’s exactly the opposite of what needs to happen. Or does it? It’s become hard to tell. Is surviving a “depression” really as simple as, say, reassessing your marketing strategy? While an unstable economy is troubling, risky, and unpredictable, it’s also an excellent test of the flexibility of your marketing strategy. Your strategy isn’t set in stone…the whole purpose of designing a strategy in the first place is for smooth navigation through any given circumstance, whether good or bad. Unfortunately, many CEOs and CFOs target their marketing departments first in lean times, while the reality is that it should be investing in these areas so that its marketing managers can adjust their strategy to survive-maybe even prosper, through tough times. An excerpt from the blog of R. Bruer, the owner and head of a strategic communications firm in Portland, Oregon, lays it all out:

“Most businesses treat marketing as a discretionary expense, making it an easy target for budget cutters. It’s as if marketing is a luxury afforded only when times are flush. Less customer demand, less we can afford marketing, or so conventional thinking goes.

But really, can we ever afford not to market?

It’s natural to want to preserve cash during a downturn. I was an employer for nearly 14 years, so I’m sympathetic. But the tendency is to make deep cuts in marketing when sales head south. Companies often start by reducing or eliminating outside expenses, such as advertising, events, sponsorships, research. And when that’s not enough, they lay off marketing employees, sometimes the entire department.

The net effect of gutting marketing is to stifle generation of customer awareness, demand and retention just when these things are needed most. It’s a penny-wise, pound-foolish decision.”

Your Marketing Strategy

While marketing strategy isn’t tangible, its role in business is just as dire as the product or service being offered. It’s contribution bears significance through every phase of a business plan, from conception to execution and far beyond these four aspects of research, planning, identity and economy.

Marketing strategy will continue to fold itself into business plans as long as it is created and executed properly. Research on your industry and competitors will enable you to develop and formulate a proper, pliable strategy. From here, your marketing plan will act as a guide that will bring your strategy to life, attaining and exceeding the goals outlined, all while establishing your corporate culture and identity. Remember, the culture piece works two ways. Your culture helps to form the strategy, and following that strategy will reinforce your culture. Lastly, your strategy must be both strong and flexible enough to withstand the most difficult or unpredictable of circumstances, such as an economic depression, new trends or competitors in your industry.

Strategy is a small piece of a much larger picture. It can all be overwhelming at times, sure, but it’s part of the adventure. With dedication, organization, and a champion marketing team (ahem! B&A), the pieces will come together with ease, allowing for the truly awesome personality of your business to shine, and profits to follow shortly thereafter.

The journey to having my first novel for children published has been riddled with road blocks and shonky bridges. The good news? At every rickety stage I’ve picked up tips (and anti-tips) which I’m happy to share with everyone…

Read

For me, this was the easy stage! Aspiring writers need to read like maniacs to be aware of other writers’ work, both locally and internationally. There is no point writing a killer story if it resembles something already published. Sadly, that means no scar-faced teen wizards named Barry.

Write

Here’s a simple equation: the more you write, the better you become at writing. By the time I was ready to be born I’d already completed my first three manuscripts (spent most of the time looking around for somewhere to plug in my laptop). When the doctor smacked me on the backside I squinted at him and went, ‘Waaah!’ Which of course meant, ‘Ah, you must be my agent!’ I went on to scrawl home-made comics throughout my childhood before I began writing for surf magazines at age 17. Since then, I’ve had thousands of articles and pieces of fiction published. A lot were ‘hack’ stories; a few won me awards and contests. All helped build my writing skills and voice.

Feedback

A local teacher read my first manuscript to his class (thank you, Bob Swoope). The feedback was terrific. One kid enthused, “It’s just like Harry Potter, only funnier!” I dined off that compliment for a month.

I’m lucky ten year olds believe payment in Paddle Pops is the industry standard for editors, else I’d be broke by now (well, actually I am broke). I read all my stories to my daughter, her friends, and any young relatives I can bail up. Whenever my juvenile focus groups wander off to the nearest TV, I know the chapter I’m reading needs major reconstruction. Whenever the kids sit glued to their chairs and demand more, I know my story is heading in the right direction (and I’ve bought the right glue and Paddle Pops).

It’s useful to let adults rip into your story as well. Adult writers, that is. I’ve learned it’s best to avoid family members and friends, unless you enjoy making these people flee whenever they see you. Join a local or online critique group instead. Growing elephant-thick skin will also help you through this stage.

Rewrite

Finally, you think your book is ready. It isn’t. Time to let the manuscript breathe for a month, before revising it with fresh eyes. Be ruthless. Hack those excess adjectives that editors loathe. Delete every scene that does not sparkle, advance the plot on multiple levels and compel the reader to keep reading.

Rewrite again

As a writer for children, you’re not only competing against the mutant slush pile from Hell and other kid’s books, but against the internet, computer games and 24 hour cartoon networks. Remember: the modern kid is smarter, more savvy and easily bored than any generation before.

Submitting

Crunch time. When you submit your first manuscript, get stuck straight into writing the second. When your manuscript returns unloved, send another submission out on the same day (or even better, send two). For every five rejections, rewrite. Never surrender.

Over the course of several months, I sent my manuscript to every agent in the country. They all rejected until I was dejected. So I directly targeted publishers instead. I almost fell out of my computer chair when the second one immediately replied. The wonderful Ibis Publishing of Melbourne liked my story so much, they asked me to commit to writing two more in the same series. Truth is, to be published, I would have committed to writing a sequel naked in a bubble in the middle of Pitt Street. Luckily, they didn’t. But I still have my bubble.

Pre-publication

Over a year has gone by since my book was accepted. My patient editor Belinda Bolliger has driven me through two more rewrites to add backstory, cull my ellipsis fever and tone down my more extreme jokes. My major character has become less obnoxious and had a sex change from girl to boy. Why? Apparently, girls will read about boys; but boys aren’t happy reading about girls.

I originally named my book after the planet of talking horses and mutant chooks at the centre of my story. However, Uponia (too strange) was changed to Planet Horse Fart (too rude) to ZAPP to Planet Horse (too horsey) to Raz James and The Amazing ZAPP Discovery (too vague) to Erasmus James and the Galactic ZAPP Machine (too… wait, that’s it!).

The cover art has changed almost as many times while the date of publication has been put back from last Christmas to May to June to September. Fingers crossed on that last one!

It is vital to remain flexible and positive through such changes and delays. Yoga helps. Better to get everything right than to rush out an inferior product. The extra time has also given me time to set up a website, work out a battle plan with the Ibis marketing team Anthony and Paola and watch my hair turn even more grey. Meanwhile, my bank account has nose-dived, but who really needs fancy mod-cons like electricity and food?

On the road

Last month I drove to Sydney to psyche up the Pan Macmillan sales team. I delivered a ten minute standup comedy routine and was as surprised as anyone when the friendly team laughed at my feeble jokes and seemed enthused about selling my book. On the long drive home, I realised this would be but the first of many such promotional trips: to schools, book signings, anything and everything that will help me sell a few more copies and keep doing what I love so much. Then the rain began to bucket and my front tyre blew out. As I bounced into the bush, I realised I was about to experience another first on the scenic detour known as Publication Road.

During my recent stint in the United Arab Emirates, I led a group of business students through development of a Road Safety Awareness campaign. Having spent four years investigating fatal traffic incidents in the greater Brisbane Metropolitan Area (Queensland, Australia), many years ago, it was an interesting revisit to road safety.

The Emirates has the highest road fatality rate in the world eg, in Dubai, one person dies every 32 h from some kind of road trauma. The rest of the country also figures high in road deaths. One area of our research that got my attention was the inordinately high number of single vehicle incidents apparently involving tyre failure.

The Emirates has some of the best roads I have seen; divided carriageways in excellent condition, multiple lanes, fencing to keep stock from the road, and brightly lit during the night. It also has some of the worst drivers and very lax law enforcement. Although the speed limits posted on major highways are 120 km/hr, most believe they can do 140 km/hr without being fined for speeding. Many people go much faster.

With money to burn, petroleum prices a pittance, fast cars and inexperience, it’s a dangerous mix that kills many young Emirati nationals every year. The mix is even more dangerous when drivers have no knowledge of tyre specifications and maintenance. I feel sure this lack of knowledge about tyres, apart from speed and lack of experience and attention, is a major cause of the many roll-overs on perfectly straight, well-engineered roads.

Tyres have different specifications depending on their use. Those specifications don’t only include such things as tread pattern, style and depth, construction etc, but more importantly, the maximum sustainable speed at which they can be used for long duration driving and maximum weight limitations.

It figures that if you buy a tyre with a maximum sustainable speed of 120 km/hr, it’s not a safe practice to travel for long at higher speeds. Given that the Emirates is a very hot country with ambient temperatures in summer months often around or above 50 degrees Celsius, the capacity of tyres to withstand high temperatures is also essential.

When buying tyres for a vehicle, the owner/driver needs to consider where, how and for how long the vehicle will be used. Getting water dispersant tread patterns in the Emirates would be pointless… it rarely rains, whereas in those cities with high rainfall, it makes much more sense. What one needs for the Emirates is a tyre that will sustain high speed driving on very hot roads for at least three to five hours at a time. While the loading capacity of a tyre isn’t as important (they are usually overspecified) on sedan vehicles, on a light truck, it needs to be factored into the purchase decision. Additionally, the loads placed in light trucks need to fit tyre capacity. No overloading.

The next important considerations are tyre inflation and wheel alignment. Improper wheel alignment will cause tyres to wear unevenly and is usually a matter of wasting money by reducing tyre use rather than a safety matter (unless the tyre becomes bald). Tyre pressure, however, is critical.

Manufacturers of tyres and motor vehicles specify the inflation pressure of tyres, usually with varying loads. Apart from wearing out tyres faster if they are under or over-inflated, tubeless tyres can also roll off their rims if they don’t have sufficient air pressure. With too much air pressure, tyres may burst or develop weak spots in the tyre walls. These may eventually fail causing tyre blowout, collapse or complete disintegration.

Given that the tyres are what keep a vehicle from skidding and provide traction, it’s not rocket science to suggest that they are an integral part of overall road safety. Poor tyre selection, improper use and poor maintenance can lead to disasters.

If we could only get Emirati drivers to pay more attention to their tyre selection, maintenance and use, the lives of many people could be saved annually. But, as I found so many years ago, changing people’s attitudes is so very difficult, even when it involves saving their lives.

How long is it since you checked your tyre pressure?

Copyright 2008, Robin Henry

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Second hand books online

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