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Strategic Customer Attraction Marketing Blueprint

With the ever changing face of the economy based on varying factors [such as government protectionism, automation of industries, downsizing of companies] the trend to more and more people choosing to start their own business for various reasons continue to rise. With that said – along with this trend there is an increasing need for structured marketing process and client acquisition processes and methodologies to be utilised within these businesses in order to transform a startup into a fully functional revenue generating entity.It is often the case that many smaller businesses are product rather than market focussed. In many cases we find that there is no actual marketing department so to speak of and as a consequence the function of marketing within the company ends up being fulfilled ‘as and when’.We can contrast this to what we find in any larger organisation or corporate; we find an actual marketing department, with qualified marketing professionals who are analysing the market, target customers and competition, they continually look for trends and movements in their chosen space in order to refine the marketing message and continually push the communication through the channels. This is to include the distribution channel [where appropriate], print media, radio, catalogues etc, etc and of course the use of digital marketing channels [social media, email marketing, video marketing, micro blogging and more].The above is what leads to the typical ongoing market penetration that we see within these organisations leading to new products and services development a steady stream of new clients and the nurturing of existing clientele.It is with the smaller organisation in mind, the solopreneur or work from home business owner that any strategic business attraction marketing blueprint is targeted towards. This is one or two steps down from making use of an in person consultant that will look to understand the business operations and put specific structures in place that when followed; will first provide a deeper understanding of the market place and target market clients but will also provide the foundation for providing the products and services that the intelligence directs the company towards producing.It is recommended that organisations looking to add structure and processes to the marketing and client acquisition aspect of their businesses direct their energies to these main fundamentals.

Client Strategy & Preparation

Setting Up Key Business Processes & Systems

Getting Clients While You Sleep

Follow Up & Retention

1) Gaining a deeper understanding of the needs, desires and behaviour of the clients no matter what the industry will drive the decisions that are made in relation to the products and services that are developed and presented to the market space.2) Key systems and processes such as continuous market intelligence related to pricing and customer behaviour can help to take the organisation to the next level and gain a significant competitive advantage over other companies supplying related or similar products and services.3) The marketing process for bringing new prospects into the marketing funnel must be an ongoing activity; whilst focusing on servicing existing clients it is imperative that someone is taking care of make new clients aware of the needs that your organisation can fill.4) Too often it is the failure to followup and keeping in touch that leads to the loss of valuable customers; depending on the business tools such as email marketing, videos, membership sites and print media may be used in order to stay at the top of the mind of the target customer.Once the process has been developed it will then be a matter of refining it [say once a quarter] whilst some is taking care of the execution which will lead to new customers, sales and products and services leading to increased revenue generation.

Wink and Grow Rich Online, a SEO Perspective

There are thousands of online businesses making money, and even fewer online businesses creating wealth. The “difference” could be the reason why wealth seems to elude you no matter how hard you are working on making money.The irony is that if you are running after money, you may make some, and lose some. However, if you are focused on creating wealth, you will find that money will find its way to you, and what you build will keep growing in “value” with each passing day.Which way looks easier? You decide.If you are still reading, it means that you are interested in knowing about creating real lasting wealth, and are ready to explore the steps to creating wealth online.So here goes…1. Think it, Do it, Review itThis is a fundamental rule. If you are going to sit besides the lake, you will never learn to swim. If you want to learn to swim, you must jump in the water and find your way back to the shore.If you want to succeed in your online business, you have to create a plan, implement it, and then review what worked and what did not – and then repeat. Don’t sit on the fence with great ideas only to find that you waited too long to actually implement them, and someone else just made a cool million using the same idea.You need to identify the right SEO strategy for your online business, implement it and then review the results periodically. It’s surprising to see so many online business owners having no idea as to the strategies that are being used on their websites by SEO experts and why those strategies are needed. While there are no wrong SEO experts, there are SEO experts applying the wrong SEO strategies.2. What you see is what you getIf you don’t see it, then you can’t get it. Every great idea starts with a vision that is clear and focused. So if you can learn to see better, you will “get” better.If you want to succeed online, start with a vision that others can connect with and participate in. Invest your time in your vision till you have clarity about your focus and goals. You will have to learn how SEO works and invest your time in understanding the right SEO strategy for your business. If your SEO strategy lacks long term perspective and vision, it will probably fail to succeed.3. Choose the Level you want to play atThe next step is to choose the level of your communication. Do you want to exchange, connect, motivate or inspire your users? Is the quality of your product or service exceptional? Have you communicated this value to the users? Is your vision and message reflected in all your communication touch points with the users?If you want to succeed online, you have to know how to communicate with your users, engage them, and build their trust in your online business. If you are losing customers, it is because you are not communicating with them at the right level.Is your SEO strategy communicating your “vision” and “value” to your online customers, and then sharing that vision and value across diverse and relevant web, user and social communities?4. Ask and you shall receiveIt’s surprising how many people don’t ask for things they want. It’s probably because they feel they will be refused.If you want to succeed online, you have to learn to build a network of people who support you and your goals. You do this by being helpful to others in achieving their goals. But sometimes it’s as easy as asking someone to help you. You will be pleasantly shocked by the number of people who are ready to help someone with a good, clear vision and innovative ideas.You will have to learn how to ask, and how to reciprocate. If you have a vision, and you are focused on creating and sharing value, then it’s easier to ask someone for something you need. Is your SEO strategy innovative and can you ask someone to help you? How do you plan to help them back (And to clarify I am not taking about reciprocal and three way link building, which I prefer to stay away from).5. Invest more of your time, spend less of itIt’s easy to keep yourself busy all day with tasks, but to become wealthy you have to learn to identify which activities involve spending your time, and which ones are an investment of time. When you spend your time, you may get something, but build nothing worthwhile, but if you invest your time, the returns can carry on for a lifetime.If you want to succeed in an online business, learn to invest your time in activities that enhance self growth, health, investments, new learnings, creativity, your network; not just professional but also personal.For SEO, invest your time in high value activities that give long term returns. There are hundreds of web, user and social communities and you will have to choose the relevant ones you will participate in consistently.6. Invest more of your money, spend less of itDon’t spend your money on activities with short term focus. Invest your money in activities that will yield long and lasting results. Like most wise sayings, this one too is not followed. What you spend goes down the drain, but what you invest will keep growing bigger.If you want to succeed online, you will have to create a plan to invest your money wisely. There are various ways (SEO, SEM, PPC, Banners, Email Alerts, Newsletters, Videos, etc.) to spend your money online, but a few ways to invest your money wisely. Ensure your SEO strategy has a long term vision, and invest your money to turn that vision into a reality.7. Wealth is the beginning, not the endAll wealth starts with a great vision. If you put vision before money, you will never have lack of money, but if you put money before vision, you will always find yourself running after money, without managing to get a hold of it.If you want to succeed online, start by creating value and sharing that value. The real wealth starts way before the money starts to come in. If your SEO strategy is focused on value creation, participation and sharing principles then the results you seek will follow – the money will follow. Wealth is the journey itself, and not the destination.8. Sow, Nurture, ReapAsk a farmer about farming, and he will explain that one has to sow at the right time, nurture with patience, and then reap the benefits at the right time. Business is very much like farming.If you want to succeed online, you have to get in tune with your business/industry trends and cycles. Learn to sow at the right time (new products, services, new value), be patient and nurture your relationships/network, and be ready to reap the rewards. You cannot start with reaping the rewards without sowing and nurturing. Is your SEO and keyword strategy in tune with your business cycles? Are you nurturing your networks by providing value and participation? Are you reaping the benefits?9. Your passion is your compassIf you cannot wake up in the morning feeling excited about the day and work ahead, you are in the wrong business. Make passion your compass – wealthy people are often doing something they love doing, and have a natural flair for what they do.If you want to succeed online, do something you love doing. You will be amazed at the number of people who have made their niche businesses doing something that no one thought could make so much money. Could it be because they love their work? Either you find a SEO expert who loves his work, or find that love somewhere inside you.10. To know and not to do, is not to know it yetI know what I am doing. Then why are you not “doing” it yet! How often we wait on good ideas, new plans, waiting for the right circumstances, the right time? But if you plan to be wealthy, you will have to learn to create the right circumstances and the right time.If you want to succeed online, knowing something isn’t enough, unless you dive into it, test the waters, and review the results. At times, you may not enjoy the experience and things may not turn out the way you wanted them to, but still unless you do them, how would you know what works, and what does not?Be ready to experiment with SEO, what experts say works, may not work for you, and what experts say does not work, may work for you! Be prepared to fall, learn from your mistakes, and keep moving forward.11. Value is the river where wealth flowsThe key to wealth is to find the “value”. Unless there is visible value that you can show to your potential customers, there will be no visible wealth coming to you.If you want to succeed online, focus your energies on creating value, rather than running behind traffic/ rankings/ customers. If you are creating value and sharing that value each day, you are on your way to creating wealth.Is your SEO strategy “value” driven? If you are not creating value (content, videos, tools, surveys, case studies, resources, etc.), your SEO strategy stands a high chance of failing.12. Plan to failThe number of times you fail is not what’s important; it’s the one time you succeed that’s important in life. If you don’t plan to fail you will be disappointed and that will affect your work, but if you plan to fail, then you will be more careful with the risks you take.If you want to succeed online, then you have to learn to accept failure, more importantly learn from your failures. There are many stories of online entrepreneurs who failed at four to five online businesses before they succeeded. If you ask them, they will say that the failures laid the pathway to understanding success and creating wealth.13. Opportunities lie in every momentWake up and smell the coffee. There are opportunities that come your way each day – past, present and future. All you have to know is how to “see” them – if you learn to see better, you will get better.If you want to succeed online, you have to develop a keen sense for identifying opportunities. The online world if filled with opportunities for creating value, providing a service, selling a product, and making money. And it’s also filled with scammers, fly-by-night operators, and quick money schemes.An experienced SEO expert knows intuitively where the opportunities lie, and relies on hard statistical, analytical and forecast data before playing the next move.14. The key to leverage is how to use itOnce you discover leverage, you will be able to create “more” in the same amount of time. You do this by using the help of other people’s time and money. But the key to leverage is knowing how to use it without burning your resources/network out.If you want to succeed in an online business, be prepared to reach out to your network for help. Of course you also need to know how to convince your network to help you. If you don’t have a network, you should be building one right now. Your network can help you leverage your money. A good SEO expert has a solid professional and personal network and knows how to leverage the same.15. When you resonate, you accumulateWhen you find your vision and clarity, you find your wealth. When you find your wealth, you can focus on how to invest your time. When you invest your time, you create value. When you create value, your wealth begins to flow. When your wealth flows, you can use leverage. And when you leverage correctly, you begin to resonate.If you want to succeed online, you will have to create “attraction” – the right people, the best opportunities will come to you easily if you have created attraction. The attraction is the effect of creating unending value, driven by passion, and steered by clear vision. A good SEO expert knows how to create attraction and how to use attraction.16. You settle for your standardsThe life we create is not determined by the life we want to live tomorrow, but by the life we settle for today. We settle for our standards.If you want to succeed online, then don’t settle for less. Choose the right SEO strategy. Be consistent in creating value for your visitors and customers, and in sharing that value with diverse online communities. Be consistent in improving the quality of your products/ services. Be consistent in improving usability of website. Be consistent in monitoring results of your efforts periodically.Since SEO is a long process, it often takes a back burner in management meetings, and you are settling for less. Also watch out for SEO experts who are ready to settle for less.17. You are the result of your choicesOur choices make us! In life we often have to make a choice, and in selecting the right choice, lays the foundation stones of your success.If you want to succeed online, make your choices. Do you choose to be wealthy? Or do you choose to keep running after money? Do you choose to create value or do you choose to focus on numbers? Have you chosen the right SEO expert [http://www.seo-optimization-experts.com/google-seo-expert.html]? All these small decisions will pave your path to failure or success.18. The Zen GardenImagine your Zen garden. What do you want it to look like? If you don’t know what it looks like then you will possibility have a forest instead of a Zen garden. So your vision becomes the cornerstone of your success. The bigger the vision, the higher are the chances of it coming true.If you want to succeed online, see your garden, nurture your garden, and be ready to reap when the time is right. Neither Rome or your Garden will be built in a day; it’s the small steps of today that shape the future ahead

Small Business Phone Service

Even with telecommunications revolutionizing the entire manner in which businesses communicate and with the advent of the Internet too, the telephone still remains the most reliable and the quickest mode of communication. The business phone system should be equipped well enough to handle a large volume of incoming as well as outgoing calls apart from directing and re- directing calls appropriately and accurately without mystifying or disconnecting the customers. Any Business Phone Service is the life line of its productivity as well as its functionality. The choice of the most appropriate service provider would go a long way in heralding newer clients for the businesses as well as augmenting their businesses.OPTING FOR SMALL BUSINESS PHONE SERVICES FOR BUSINESSESSmall and medium enterprises are over the year’s increasingly making use of small business phone service as they are comparatively more cost-effective than other services. These services are capable enough to look after the communication needs of their businesses and they are increasingly cost-effective as they could be used for businesses of every genre and size that demand small Business phone service.With the passage of time, telecommunication has revolutionized and incredibly advanced its services technologically. The fact of the matter is that the services of the small telephone phones have been installed in most companies globally. It is far less expensive when compared to other telephone services, especially by those being used by major organizations. A small business phone service could still be useful for small business enterprises because of its reliable and accepted functions and other specialized features. Realizing the fact that top-notch telephone services would be rather expensive, small business services continue to go in for and settle down with small business telephone services.There have been new components that have been developed in the recent past in the realm of communication and this was what service companies have been making use of in their own services. Some suppliers offer small business phone service that comes with extra services incorporated. A small business would definitely vouch for these services as they come with extra capabilities which would later prove to be priceless assets to the organizations. And it is because of the phone service coming at cost-effective prices, the services of small business phones have not been difficult to obtain.SMALL BUSINESS PHONES FOR ORGANIZATIONSEvery business needs telecommunication lines to communicate efficiently and effectively. Over the years, business enterprises have been using analogue systems for telecommunications. But ever since telecommunications have metamorphosed the way in which businesses operate and communicate, business has taken giant leap forward too. Installing a phone system would not only ease the work flow but also increases the productivity of the company per se.Call forwarding facility could be another facility that could be considered by companies when they sign up for a new service provider. This would be useful for small business enterprises as the number of telephone connections as well as the extensions would not create problems for them.FACTORS TO CONSIDER BEFORE GOING IN FOR A SMALL BUSINESS PHONE SERVICE:• Whether the company could afford the service.
• The present employee strength of the organization
• The competence of the business
• Would it be the service that your business really needsIt would be better that these questions be evaluated, analyzed and assessed before any company would desire to go in for a business phone provider.As most service providers come with free customer service toll-free number, service hotlines where they can get round the clock customer support that would help them get their queries speedily redressed.BENEFITS OF SMALL BUSINESS PHONES:• BUSINESS OPERATIONAL FROM ANYWHEREIt simply does not matter where you are and from where your business operates out of. An answering phone gives you the convenience as well as the feasibility as of conducting your business from wherever you are your business takes you. As the service is so programmed as to function as per the operational schedules of the business per se, the calls automatically get forwarded on to the business owner’s phones even though they might not be in their offices.• A BIGGER AND A LARGER CORPORATE IMAGEA novel business telephone interfaces of small business telephone answering service that offers’ efficient customer care, to gain the attraction of the potential customers into your businesses which would mean that all the incoming calls that land on to your telephone would be answered and greeted with utmost professionalism. These calls could also be customized to business hours and post business hours greetings. The callers get to listen to melodious and soothing music while their calls get connected. The phones could also be auto programmed to an auto attendant so as to provide additional information about the features and benefits and services to the callers.• COST EFFECTIVE AND TIME SAVINGSmall business phone services could be obtained at extremely cost-effective and affordable prices. As all operations are controlled by the service providers, the service that the client gets is devoid of installation, repair as well as maintenance charges. All that it would need is a dedicated phone line and an Internet connection to have your business be provided with multiple phone line connections within the office network which would otherwise incur huge expenses for each individual phone connection.A hosted PBX service gives your business the attention and the promotion that it so immensely deserves. This could happen if the service providers offer a superior level customer support that could not only enhance your company’s productivity but also its revenues and client base.CONCLUSIONFor businesses to operate and function efficiently and for the communications to flow smoothly and effortlessly, Small Business Phone Services is the answer as put simply, it would only help increase your profits and your revenues as well as client base in the market even more.

Make it a Better Day With Children’s Party Entertainment

Let’s think about children’s parties. Now, who is usually left to organise the entertainment? That’s right: the same poor folk who are left to organise the food, clean up the wrapping paper, get the jelly down off the ceiling and tend to at least one of the little darlings until they are old enough to fend for themselves (which, these days, doesn’t seem to happen until they’re 30). The parents. Well, maybe it’s time for a change. Given that the parents have to do the whole entertaining and looking after job for the first two decades at least of a child’s life, why not leave that one stressful day in the hands of professional children’s party entertainment?The goal of entertainment, at children’s parties, has always been damage limitation. Put any gathering of little people in a place where there’s a ton of sugar and a centre of attention (the birthday boy or girl), and things are apt to get a little frantic. Entertainment is not so much a frill as a necessity on these occasions. It gives the little boys and girls something to focus their hyperactive communal energy on – which, if one is lucky, means one’s home comes out of the whole experience relatively unscathed.Now with such a big job to do, it makes perfect sense that the children’s party entertainment be left to a professional. If only because that leaves the parents free to act as roaming police officers, capturing wayward party-goers and patrolling the grounds to make sure that no-one has thrown up in a bush. How a parent is supposed to keep a proper eye on things, while trying to persuade a bunch of fractious sugar-addicts that pin the tail on the donkey is still fun, is beyond the grasp of normal human intelligence to work out. No – what all kid’s parties need, without reservation or exception, is proper children’s party entertainment. Some guy or lady dressed as a clown who can do magic tricks and make funny animals out of balloons. The kind of stuff, in other words, that no normal parent would have a clue how to do.Professional kids entertainers have a very special arrow in their arsenal – one that no parent can ever hope to draw. A pro kids entertainer is not related to any child in the room – and is therefore able to entertain impartially, without accidentally highlighting one or two guests to the chagrin of all the rest. That’s a skill that comes at an inestimable premium, when trying to control over excited small folk. There’s nothing that sets off an attack of the tantrums quicker than the birthday boy or girl feeling that they aren’t getting enough attention – or everyone else feeling that they’re getting too much.In the powder keg environment that is a child’s party, the only safe way to proceed is by hiring children’s party entertainment. It pays for itself in terms of safety, peace and an assurance that everyone is going to enjoy themselves. Even the parents.

Are We Talking About “Health Care” Reform, Or “Sickness Care” Reform?

All the talk about “Health Care Reform” has certainly ignited a fire in countless Americans! Every national news and talk radio show is focused on this hot button topic recently.The economic crisis is clearly the catalyst for the proposed sweeping changes in national “health” care. Scarce funds and resources, as well as a pending economic “collapse” (as some describe) are forcing us to consider how to manage health care in tough times… and in extreme circumstances.We’re hearing terms like “rationed health care”, “socialized medicine”, “universal insurance” and the “value of human life”. It’s no wonder this subject has sparked such heated dialogue.Spending the first 23 years of my life in “socialist” Canada, and still spending much time and energy in their medical system with both of my parents, I may have a different perspective from the sensationalized one being portrayed in media.I’m perfectly willing to admit that I don’t understand all the politics and red tape involved. I simply have a memory of how things really played out in that system and countless experiences to call upon.Growing up, I quite clearly recall paying out of pocket for many doctor’s and specialist’s visits, treatments and procedures, and paying a partial “co-pay” for the remaining forms of care: physical therapy, surgery, prescriptions, etc. Not exactly the picture I continue to see painted on the news.Studying and working within the field of health and wellness for the past 18 years, I know I have a different perspective. First, I wish we’d quit calling this “health care”. The subject of this conversation is “sickness care”. I know I can’t change that, but it annoys me! Words are important.I have no challenge with paying for – investing in – my own health. I will gladly invest in lifestyle choices that proactively build better health. Choices like: healthier foods, high quality nutritional supplements, pure water, exercise classes, equipment and tools, Chiropractic care, massage, less toxic personal care, household and lawn care products, and so on. I don’t expect a hand out for any of these things… although it would sure be nice! It’s just not realistic. My health and my family’s health is my responsibility.If we continue to talk about sickness care as though it will somehow provide us with health, we’ll continue on our devastating trend of unparalleled rates of chronic illness in all age groups. We’re confused.What drug, surgery, insurance plan or federal program could ever fix a problem due to a lack of fresh, healthy, whole, untainted (genetically required) real foods? Or a problem due to sedentary living and lack of regular (genetically required) movement? Or a problem due to a lack of healthy emotions like love and joy? Or a problem due to toxic thoughts and emotions like fear, worry, hate and hopelessness?Thinking that national “health care” is responsible for our health is irresponsible on our part. It’s also foolish. Their paradigm is still the sickness paradigm. Why on earth would we expect them to deliver us health?Do I think that we should have a system to help those in need achieve better health and receive sickness care when needed? Yes. But I sure would love to see the main focus of such a program be on “health”! I’m certain we’d spend FAR less on sickness care (and “health care” as a whole) if that were the case.I’d also love to see the pharmaceutical industry focus on health rather than profits, and drugs only be used for life-saving endeavors… but I digress!I’m blessed to live in a country with excellent sickness care options. In the case of emergency or trauma or life-saving procedures we have the best. In the case of “health care”… not so much! Sadly though, it’s all there. Everything we need in order to create ideal health is right here at our fingertips. As a culture, we just keep overlooking it and choosing sickness care, expecting health as the outcome.Our paradigm is inaccurate.As individuals, imagine if we all began to proactively take steps to create better health. We would no longer play the role of passive by-stander or helpless victim in this game. That’s where I think our focus needs to shift – why wait around to see what’s decided FOR us? Regardless of whatever decisions are made by this current administration, we can certainly become healthier one by one, family by family. Isn’t this the perfect, most necessary time to take responsibility for our own health and safety?Science has clearly shown us that it’s our lifestyle choices – how we eat, how we move, how we sleep, how we respond to stress – that directly determine our level of health, function, performance and our ability to prevent and reverse chronic illness. Getting healthier means making more pure and sufficient choices while simultaneously reducing toxic and deficient choices. No one can do this for us but US.When we shift to this responsible, proactive and accurate belief about health care, THEN we will have a truly beneficial health care reform and a profound strengthening of our economy!

5 Ways To Reduce Your Health Care Costs

Adjust Your DeductibleThe two main component of a health insurance plan are the premium and costs you pay for health care via your co-pay, co-insurance and deductible. The more you agree to pay for your health care, the less your monthly premium will be. Insurance companies know that when people have a financial stake in their own health care bills they tend to be more judicious in their use of medical services. Agreeing to pay a higher deductible, or rate of co-insurance, will result in lower monthly premiums. Sometimes these reductions can be quite significant and if saved will cover most if not all of the cost of the higher deductible.This approach is less effective for people who use a lot of health care services every year, racking up large bills. However, for people who are generally health and don’t use a lot of health care, they can realize dramatic savings using a high deductible health plan. Plans with high premiums are guaranteed to cost you a lot of money even if you don’t go to the doctor. Plans with high deductibles will only cost you a lot if you actually use medical services.Use Tax AdvantagesThere are a few ways to reduce your health insurance costs using the income tax system. The first and most common way is to use a health savings account otherwise known as an HSA. An HSA is a special banking account you are allowed to put pretax money in to spend on health care costs. The money you put into your health savings account does not get taxed as regular income. Depending on the tax bracket you are in, this can be a significant discount on health care costs. Many health care plans do not cover things like maternity, dental services and eye care. However, these services can be paid for out of an HSA.To be eligible for an HSA, you must have a high deductible health insurance plan that meets the IRS requirements for health savings accounts. Generally you have to carry a high deductible and the plan has to have limits on total out of pocket cots.If you are facing large health care bills, you may be able to deduct them from your income tax. You are allowed to deduct any medical expenses above 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. There are a wide variety of services that can be included in this amount, even a mileage deduction for transportation to and from the hospital. Make sure to consult a tax advisor if you choose to go this route.Use your free Preventive CareAll health insurance plans are now required to provide free preventive care, so make sure you use it. Routine checkups and some testing is free for adults. Well baby visits and immunizations are free for children. These are significant benefits so make sure you are taking full advantage of them.Shop AroundOne of the reasons health care has become so expensive is there is little price competition. Don’t be afraid to ask what a doctor charges, especially for planned or expected health care. Some hospitals can be very competitive on price for services like labor and delivery, while others can be quite expensive. Don’t assume health care costs the same everywhere, it certainly does not.Emergency rooms are especially to be avoided if you are looking to reduce your health care costs. They should only be used for true emergencies. For non life threatening medical issues like ear infections or even a cut requiring stitches, consider using an urgent care or local clinic. The costs of services at these locations can be a tenth of what an emergency room will charge.Stay HealthyThis may sound like tired advice, but staying out of the hospital is the best way to reduce your costs. Try putting everyday activities in terms of what they may cost you in the long run. Sitting on the couch with a big bowl of ice cream is much more expensive than a nice walk outside. If living a long life isn’t enough motivation to be healthy now, consider that your unhealthy lifestyle will cost you a lot of money in health care costs.

There is an excessive amount of traffic coming from your Region.

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There is an excessive amount of traffic coming from your Region.

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S&P 500 Rallies As U.S. Dollar Pulls Back Towards Weekly Lows

Key Insights
The strong pullback in the U.S. dollar provided significant support to stocks.
Treasury yields have pulled back after touching new highs, which served as an additional positive catalyst for S&P 500.
A move above 3730 will push S&P 500 towards the resistance level at 3760.
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Pfizer Rallies After Announcing A Huge Price Hike For Its COVID-19 Vaccines
S&P 500 is currently trying to settle above 3730 as traders’ appetite for risk is growing. The U.S. dollar has recently gained strong downside momentum as the BoJ intervened to stop the rally in USD/JPY. Weaker U.S. dollar is bullish for stocks as it increases profits of multinational companies and makes U.S. equities cheaper for foreign investors.

The leading oil services company Schlumberger is up by 9% after beating analyst estimates on both earnings and revenue. Schlumberger’s peers Baker Hughes and Halliburton have also enjoyed strong support today.

Vaccine makers Pfizer and Moderna gained strong upside momentum after Pfizer announced that it will raise the price of its coronavirus vaccine to $110 – $130 per shot.

Biggest losers today include Verizon and Twitter. Verizon is down by 5% despite beating analyst estimates on both earnings and revenue. Subscriber numbers missed estimates, and traders pushed the stock to multi-year lows.

Twitter stock moved towards the $50 level as the U.S. may conduct a security review of Musk’s purchase of the company.

From a big picture point of view, today’s rebound is broad, and most market segments are moving higher. Treasury yields have started to move lower after testing new highs, providing additional support to S&P 500. It looks that some traders are ready to bet that Fed will be less hawkish than previously expected.

S&P 500 Tests Resistance At 3730

S&P 500 has recently managed to get above the 20 EMA and is trying to settle above the resistance at 3730. RSI is in the moderate territory, and there is plenty of room to gain additional upside momentum in case the right catalysts emerge.

If S&P 500 manages to settle above 3730, it will head towards the next resistance level at 3760. A successful test of this level will push S&P 500 towards the next resistance at October highs at 3805. The 50 EMA is located in the nearby, so S&P 500 will likely face strong resistance above the 3800 level.

On the support side, the previous resistance at 3700 will likely serve as the first support level for S&P 500. In case S&P 500 declines below this level, it will move towards the next support level at 3675. A move below 3675 will push S&P 500 towards the support at 3640.

SPDN: An Inexpensive Way To Profit When The S&P 500 Falls

Summary
SPDN is not the largest or oldest way to short the S&P 500, but it’s a solid choice.
This ETF uses a variety of financial instruments to target a return opposite that of the S&P 500 Index.
SPDN’s 0.49% Expense Ratio is nearly half that of the larger, longer-tenured -1x Inverse S&P 500 ETF.
Details aside, the potential continuation of the equity bear market makes single-inverse ETFs an investment segment investor should be familiar with.
We rate SPDN a Strong Buy because we believe the risks of a continued bear market greatly outweigh the possibility of a quick return to a bull market.
Put a gear stick into R position, (Reverse).
Birdlkportfolio

By Rob Isbitts

Summary
The S&P 500 is in a bear market, and we don’t see a quick-fix. Many investors assume the only way to navigate a potentially long-term bear market is to hide in cash, day-trade or “just hang in there” while the bear takes their retirement nest egg.

The Direxion Daily S&P 500® Bear 1X ETF (NYSEARCA:SPDN) is one of a class of single-inverse ETFs that allow investors to profit from down moves in the stock market.

SPDN is an unleveraged, liquid, low-cost way to either try to hedge an equity portfolio, profit from a decline in the S&P 500, or both. We rate it a Strong Buy, given our concern about the intermediate-term outlook for the global equity market.

Strategy
SPDN keeps it simple. If the S&P 500 goes up by X%, it should go down by X%. The opposite is also expected.

Proprietary ETF Grades
Offense/Defense: Defense

Segment: Inverse Equity

Sub-Segment: Inverse S&P 500

Correlation (vs. S&P 500): Very High (inverse)

Expected Volatility (vs. S&P 500): Similar (but opposite)

Holding Analysis
SPDN does not rely on shorting individual stocks in the S&P 500. Instead, the managers typically use a combination of futures, swaps and other derivative instruments to create a portfolio that consistently aims to deliver the opposite of what the S&P 500 does.

Strengths
SPDN is a fairly “no-frills” way to do what many investors probably wished they could do during the first 9 months of 2022 and in past bear markets: find something that goes up when the “market” goes down. After all, bonds are not the answer they used to be, commodities like gold have, shall we say, lost their luster. And moving to cash creates the issue of making two correct timing decisions, when to get in and when to get out. SPDN and its single-inverse ETF brethren offer a liquid tool to use in a variety of ways, depending on what a particular investor wants to achieve.

Weaknesses
The weakness of any inverse ETF is that it does the opposite of what the market does, when the market goes up. So, even in bear markets when the broader market trend is down, sharp bear market rallies (or any rallies for that matter) in the S&P 500 will cause SPDN to drop as much as the market goes up.

Opportunities
While inverse ETFs have a reputation in some circles as nothing more than day-trading vehicles, our own experience with them is, pardon the pun, exactly the opposite! We encourage investors to try to better-understand single inverse ETFs like SPDN. While traders tend to gravitate to leveraged inverse ETFs (which actually are day-trading tools), we believe that in an extended bear market, SPDN and its ilk could be a game-saver for many portfolios.

Threats
SPDN and most other single inverse ETFs are vulnerable to a sustained rise in the price of the index it aims to deliver the inverse of. But that threat of loss in a rising market means that when an investor considers SPDN, they should also have a game plan for how and when they will deploy this unique portfolio weapon.

Proprietary Technical Ratings
Short-Term Rating (next 3 months): Strong Buy

Long-Term Rating (next 12 months): Buy

Conclusions
ETF Quality Opinion
SPDN does what it aims to do, and has done so for over 6 years now. For a while, it was largely-ignored, given the existence of a similar ETF that has been around much longer. But the more tenured SPDN has become, the more attractive it looks as an alternative.

ETF Investment Opinion

SPDN is rated Strong Buy because the S&P 500 continues to look as vulnerable to further decline. And, while the market bottomed in mid-June, rallied, then waffled since that time, our proprietary macro market indicators all point to much greater risk of a major decline from this level than a fast return to bull market glory. Thus, SPDN is at best a way to exploit and attack the bear, and at worst a hedge on an otherwise equity-laden portfolio.