I met a man who possessed the ambition of writing a novel. He took classes in grammar, writing techniques, and computer operation for the express purpose of fulfilling his dream. Preparing for that dream was similar to preparing oneself for a mountain climb.
Months of training was required for him to fulfill that dream. He attended several college level classes he knew would help. On the day the climb was to commence, the man sat down at his computer to 'write' the great novel. He stared at the screen for several hours wondering where the mountain was located. It finally came to him that there was no mountain. He had no story to write.
For those writers with a story locked away in their imaginations, their obstacles are not the mountain, but time and determination. Months and even years can go by and the climb continues. When the peak of the mountain is finally visible, time is robbed wherever possible; sleep, communicating with spouses and kids, television, sitting at the table for meals, etc.
When the manuscript is finally written and rewritten, articles on writing queries are poured over. That chore is often times more difficult than writing the book. Once it's completed, a copy is sent off to the selected agent. Agents, for some unknown reason, prefer the writer to query only one of them at a time. This is where the waiting starts.
After six months, the writer finally gets the hint there will be no answer to the query. To save time, and aggravation, multiple queries are then sent out. Several of the agents will respond with their "I'm sorry but after 'careful consideration', we do not feel this agency can offer you the representation your novel requires," or some variation of that thought.
The cost of stamps being what they are, the writer now either gives up or searches the internet for agents who accept electronic queries. I recently read an article about an agent who was pressed for time and rejected 21 manuscripts in 25 minutes. Ernest Hemingway could have been in that group and still be rejected.
The next attempt will be a passing fancy with sending queries directly to the publishers. As I say, a passing fancy. It was at this time Douglas and I agreed to work together to attempt having his stories published. I became DayDreamin' Stories. We were unsure where to turn next with his science fiction novel entitled "Zog". In one of the fine writers e-zines he subscribes to, I noticed a 'bragging' section where a woman spoke about an e-publisher who had accepted her manuscript.
We immediately dashed off a query. Included in it was a brief statement saying if the reader was interested in an adventure in outer space, they were able to join Commander Zografos and the crew of the Tartainia. They could also meet Shahailian, the woman Zog fell in love with.
Within a short time, Douglas received an answer stating the e-publisher was interested in his story which included adventure, love, and revenge. We asked them questions, they answered them. On their web site, I found the amount of money they charge the customer per download and what percentage of that amount the author received. Very straight forward. The e-publisher sent him a contract. They did what they said they would do and we did what we were supposed to do.
Loren Douglas was now a published author. He was in a much better position when approaching agents about future works, or so we thought. What we didn't realize was two things. Fiction e-book novels are a marketing nightmare and agents could care less if the author is listed with an e-book publisher.
Sales of "ZOG" were disappointing, to say the least. I spent hours on the internet putting ads where I thought they would help. It seemed the more time I spent on the net, the more I realized I was wasting my time. There had to be a better way.
Douglas was ready to send out his second novel, a detective story entitled, "VERIFIABLE EVIDENCE." Again, the agents were not interested. It was at this point I realized the writers drive had to include far more then just writing the story. That alone would discourage most people. Getting the story in front of an audience was another kettle of fish, as Douglas would say.
We decided we had to become more aggressive if we were to succeed. I found a book entitled, "THE FINE PRINT of Self-Publishing" by Mark Levine. In the book, he reviews the contracts and services of 48 self-publishing companies. As a lawyer, he goes into detail what all the writer should be looking for and why. This is a must have book for any author considering self-publishing.
After reading the book, I contacted Booklocker.com. Levine had given them a very high rating and I felt we should try for the best. What I liked about them is they reject authors whose work did not meet their standards. Many of the Print On Demand companies will print anything the author sends in.
The amount of information on the internet negates any excuse for an author not knowing the facts of life pertaining to their after-write experiences. When a print publisher takes on a book, they fully expect the author to aggressively market their product. The days of the author sitting back and raking in the bucks are long gone.
I would suspect the biggest problem facing an author is whether or not it's actually worth the time required to market. Book signings seem to be a gray area. Are they worth it? An author can sit in the store all afternoon and not sell one book. Would the time be better spent on-line looking for places to advertise? Who knows. Each author must decide for themselves.
If a new author is not thick skinned, they might consider another line of work. When the agents reject a piece, it's not the author they are rejecting. It's the work they're rejecting. And who is to say these agents' opinions are the final word. One's opinion can be 180 degrees away from the next agent.
I read an article about an agent Douglas had contacted. This woman wrote back and agreed to represent him. Be sure to drop the check in the mail first. What check? The one for $200, of course. For what? Up front fees. The interesting part was I later read where this same woman was a person of interest for the police in her area. The moral of that story is be careful when dealing with agents. Not all of them are who they say they are.
To introduce myself to the internet community, I put together a sixty eight page e-book on stress entitled "Take Time Out For Me." I am offering it for free. Anybody wanting a copy has only to contact me at: ddinpaidra@yahoo.com and be sure to include the word STRESS on the subject line.
If somebody wishes to view the table of contents, please go to: http://www.squidoo.com/pollyklaas/lessStress The Polly Klass foundation is a very worth while institution and the reader would be well served finding out about them while at the Squidoo site. Don't hesitate to check out my other lense while there.
Don't be discouraged by agents or publishers who reject your work. Also, don't be discouraged by people in your circles who simply don't understand what you are doing. This, I might add, can include family members. They do not understand a writer's drive.
Allow me to recap the situation. The writer has completed her or his manuscript. The writer sends it off to agents. The writer is rejected. If the writer were accepted, she or he would have to put forth a substantial effort to market the book. In this case (the norm) the agents reject the work and no marketing is necessary.
The author then submits the manuscript to a Print On Demand who accepts it. The author must put forth a substantial effort to market the book, but this time, she or he receives a larger cut of the pie as reward for their efforts. The author is published and has the chance of catching the eye of a print publisher. Or is happy sticking with the POD and having total control over their work.
Angela and Richard Hoy own and operate Booklocker.com. They are both very supportive of their authors and are more than willing to help whenever possible. I realize this sounds like an advertisement, but it isn't. I enjoy passing along information I have found useful. Thank you for spending a few minutes with me.
If you are interested, please visit my blog at: http://wwwddinpaidra.blogspot.com
About the Author
Paidra Delayno earns her living working in a nursing home. In her free time, she markets the fictional works of Loren Douglas under the name DayDreamin' Stories.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Paralegals - The World Is Thy Oyster
In spite of ever increasing difficult economic times, there are a few areas of increasing job opportunities. These include paralegals and legal assistants.
Paralegals and legal assistants are actually the individuals who help out the lawyers with much of their easier, "less legal" daily tasks, which leave lawyers more time to work on the "bigger" work. In spite of their ability to carry out various tasks that was once thought to be exclusively for lawyers, paralegals and legal assistants are still explicitly prohibited from carrying out the actual tasks that lawyers do such as setting legal fees, giving legal advice and presenting cases to the court. Legal assistants may be bright but lawyers still have the last say on things and are still considered the authority on legal matters.
Paralegals are now considered to be an increasingly important component in most law offices today and as their value has increased so has competition for their services. As more and more law offices are using paralegals there has been a parallel rise in the skill level and expectations of paralegals.
In the past, most paralegals were trained on the job but as more and more people recognize the great career opportunity that has unfolded before them a whole new paralegal educational training field has been developed.
This has been a nature progression in the evolution of the field. As the demand has grown so has the expectations, as I indicated a little earlier and many firms are no longer interested in hiring a wannabe paralegal but want a fully trained, highly competent paralegal from the first day. As a result, most law firms will now only hire paralegal applicants who have postsecondary paralegal education or university graduates with a certain number of paralegal credits.
Not only are paralegals in great demand within law firms but they're also being pursued by corporate legal departments and various government offices that specialize in different areas of the law.
Another key aspect of a typical paralegals job description includes assisting the lawyers in preparing their cases. This includes: closings, trials, hearings and in some instances high level corporate meetings. A little known fact about paralegals is that they are often the ones given the task of searching for relevant judicial decisions, legal articles as well as any other materials that may be deemed important to the case.
It's extremely important that paralegals understand all the relevant facts about the cases they are assigned to investigate and they are taught to never dismiss any bit of information as irrelevant because it may turn out to be the key bit of information needed to win a case. Another important skill needed to be a good paralegal is a keen eye for detail and the ability to multi-task. Paralegals are given a wide range of duties and they need to be able to move from one task to another when the need arises.
Paralegals are also required, in many offices, to analyze and organize all the research data they've put together into a well written, informative and useful report that their supervising lawyer can reference to help them build their cases.
If you have been thinking about a career in law, starting out as a paralegal or a legal assistant can be a great stepping stone and learning opportunity before taking the next step and a becoming lawyer or even if your aspirations are simply to become and stay a paralegal it's still an exciting career choice. With all the possibilities a paralegal career offers today, the allure is becoming hard to resist for many.
If the allure of a paralegal career is calling you, check out the links below.
About the Author
Visit paralegal or online paralegal degree or paralegal degree for more information on a Paralegal Career.
Paralegals and legal assistants are actually the individuals who help out the lawyers with much of their easier, "less legal" daily tasks, which leave lawyers more time to work on the "bigger" work. In spite of their ability to carry out various tasks that was once thought to be exclusively for lawyers, paralegals and legal assistants are still explicitly prohibited from carrying out the actual tasks that lawyers do such as setting legal fees, giving legal advice and presenting cases to the court. Legal assistants may be bright but lawyers still have the last say on things and are still considered the authority on legal matters.
Paralegals are now considered to be an increasingly important component in most law offices today and as their value has increased so has competition for their services. As more and more law offices are using paralegals there has been a parallel rise in the skill level and expectations of paralegals.
In the past, most paralegals were trained on the job but as more and more people recognize the great career opportunity that has unfolded before them a whole new paralegal educational training field has been developed.
This has been a nature progression in the evolution of the field. As the demand has grown so has the expectations, as I indicated a little earlier and many firms are no longer interested in hiring a wannabe paralegal but want a fully trained, highly competent paralegal from the first day. As a result, most law firms will now only hire paralegal applicants who have postsecondary paralegal education or university graduates with a certain number of paralegal credits.
Not only are paralegals in great demand within law firms but they're also being pursued by corporate legal departments and various government offices that specialize in different areas of the law.
Another key aspect of a typical paralegals job description includes assisting the lawyers in preparing their cases. This includes: closings, trials, hearings and in some instances high level corporate meetings. A little known fact about paralegals is that they are often the ones given the task of searching for relevant judicial decisions, legal articles as well as any other materials that may be deemed important to the case.
It's extremely important that paralegals understand all the relevant facts about the cases they are assigned to investigate and they are taught to never dismiss any bit of information as irrelevant because it may turn out to be the key bit of information needed to win a case. Another important skill needed to be a good paralegal is a keen eye for detail and the ability to multi-task. Paralegals are given a wide range of duties and they need to be able to move from one task to another when the need arises.
Paralegals are also required, in many offices, to analyze and organize all the research data they've put together into a well written, informative and useful report that their supervising lawyer can reference to help them build their cases.
If you have been thinking about a career in law, starting out as a paralegal or a legal assistant can be a great stepping stone and learning opportunity before taking the next step and a becoming lawyer or even if your aspirations are simply to become and stay a paralegal it's still an exciting career choice. With all the possibilities a paralegal career offers today, the allure is becoming hard to resist for many.
If the allure of a paralegal career is calling you, check out the links below.
About the Author
Visit paralegal or online paralegal degree or paralegal degree for more information on a Paralegal Career.
Scripting the Client Experience: How To Really Differentiate Yourself
I'm always coming across articles and books by marketing gurus about how you must differentiate yourself from your competition. Their writing is usually peppered with advice on how to "position" yourself and "brand" your practice.
And many attorneys spend a lot of time, energy, and money trying to convince potential clients that they are somehow different (read: better) than others who provide the same service.
It's a fool's errand, and I'll tell you why.
First, you aren't really a whole lot better or worse than others in your field. Oh, I know, I know, you're terrific. But guess what? You're not the only one who's terrific. There are others who are pretty darn good as well. Maybe even better than you.
But let's assume you are much better than everyone else. This brings us to our second point. Your potential clients can't tell the difference. They do not have your expertise in the complicated financial and legal strategies in which you deal every day. What you tell them may sound compelling, but then so did what they read in Money magazine, or what their friend told them at a cocktail party, or what another advisor told them last week. It all sounds good, but they have no real way of judging. As far as your potential clients are concerned, any special knowledge or strategy or technique you advocate is simply a claim you are making.
I hope you're the world's greatest attorney. Maybe you are. But in marketing terms, that won't do you much good. Believe me, you can be world's most brilliant lawyer and still starve.
But don't despair. I am going to tell you the real secret -- how you can differentiate yourself, blow your competition away, and have an endless line of referrals at your door.
Are you ready?
Develop great customer service.
Let's face it. In most businesses, the service stinks. There isn't a week that goes by that my friends and I don't exchange anecdotes about the cable company, the phone company, the bank, or some retail or service business that actually seem to be going out of its way to alienate everyone who deals with them.
SERVICE PLEASE
Service everywhere is bad. But that's good for you.
It presents you with an opportunity. It means that if you can deliver even halfway good customer service, people will rave about you and tell their friends.
Unfortunately, most lawyers don't know the first thing about customer service. And the first thing they have to change is how they think about themselves and their business.
Here's the concept I want you to understand. You are not a law firm. You are a customer service organization whose work product happens to be legal documents.
Let me quote from Jack Mitchell, CEO of Mitchells/Richards, one of the most successful clothing stores in the U.S., serving the upscale clientele of Connecticut and New York:
"At Mitchell's, clothes are not our priority. It's not the first thing we think of, nor the last. Don't get me wrong. We like fabulous product, and we search the world to get it, but we're all about customers.
"Now that may sound amazing. A clothing store that isn't about clothes? But it's true. And if we were a restaurant, we wouldn't be about food. If we were an electronics store, we wouldn't be about DVD players. Businesses have lost sight of the idea that customers, not product, are the most important priority. Most companies think all you have to do is have plenty of great product and the right value and customers will descend like locusts on their stores. Many stores have those things. You can buy a great blue blazer or black skirt anywhere. You can buy a great flatscreen TV at any electronics store. You can get a great sofa at a lot of furniture stores. It's how you treat customers that determines your longterm success."
I'm here to tell you that creating client satisfaction -- or better yet, joy -- is your job. Not drafting legal documents, not creating legal strategies, not giving legal advice.
HOW TO CREATE CLIENT SATISFACTION
In their seminal book The Experience Economy, B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore put forth the proposition that customers do not buy goods and services as much as they buy experiences. "Work is theatre," they write, "and every business is a stage."
Surveys show, for example, that 75% of the people who travel to Las Vegas, go expecting to lose. What a great vacation concept, right? Come to our city and lose money! But millions do, every year. Why? Because the end result isn't what is most important. They are going for the experience.
The masters of this approach, of course, are the people at Disney theme parks. Every customer is a "guest," every employee is a "cast member" and every day's business is a "show." What are people really going for? A couple of rides and some souvenirs?
So how do the lessons of "show business" apply to a staid law office?
First, you have to determine what you want your client's (and potential clients') experience to be when they call or visit your office. You need to "script" exactly what will happen.
Questions to ask yourself include: What does the client see when they enter? How does the receptionist behave? Are they escorted to the conference room? What will you offer them? What does the client see as he or she looks around the conference room? Does the attorney walk into the conference room at precisely the appointed time? How does the attorney greet the client?
I suggest, in deciding what you want your "script" to be, you solicit the ideas of your employees. It will greatly help the process of getting them to "buy in" to the new way of doing things.
The client comes in the door and sees a sign that says: "The Smith Law Firm welcomes Mr. and Mrs. Jones, June 1, 2005." The receptionist rises from behind her desk and greets the Joneses warmly by name. They are escorted to the conference room and automatically served a glass of water from a carafe. They are asked if they would like anything else -- coffee, soda, etc. The conference room is decorated with personal memorabilia and warm objects that reflect the values of the firm's clients. (Example: if the firm specializes in elder law, there are photos of the attorney's parents, a 1930's era antique radio, a copy of Tom Brokaw's The Greatest Generation.) The attorney enters the conference at the precise time of the appointment and greets Mr. and Mrs. Jones warmly.
This is your script -- the exact sequence of words and events that will create the desired client experience.
The next step is to turn your script into a series of protocols for your employees. This is how we answer the phone. This is how we greet visitors. This is how we speak about our firm and its attorneys.
And then, finally, training training training. Make sure everyone understands the protocols, has "bought in, and has practiced until it is second nature. Arrange to have one of your friends pose as a prospective client, and test your new script.
Remember this, above all else: the fact that you have not scripted your client's experience, does not mean that the client will not have one.
When you think about it, scripting a great customer service -- hugging your customer, as Jack Mitchell calls it -- is a much easier way to differentiate yourself, than all the positioning, all the branding, all the continuing education or new designations or niche marketing.
It feels good. Your employees and clients will love it. You will love it. And your bottom line will reflect it.
About the Author
And many attorneys spend a lot of time, energy, and money trying to convince potential clients that they are somehow different (read: better) than others who provide the same service.
It's a fool's errand, and I'll tell you why.
First, you aren't really a whole lot better or worse than others in your field. Oh, I know, I know, you're terrific. But guess what? You're not the only one who's terrific. There are others who are pretty darn good as well. Maybe even better than you.
But let's assume you are much better than everyone else. This brings us to our second point. Your potential clients can't tell the difference. They do not have your expertise in the complicated financial and legal strategies in which you deal every day. What you tell them may sound compelling, but then so did what they read in Money magazine, or what their friend told them at a cocktail party, or what another advisor told them last week. It all sounds good, but they have no real way of judging. As far as your potential clients are concerned, any special knowledge or strategy or technique you advocate is simply a claim you are making.
I hope you're the world's greatest attorney. Maybe you are. But in marketing terms, that won't do you much good. Believe me, you can be world's most brilliant lawyer and still starve.
But don't despair. I am going to tell you the real secret -- how you can differentiate yourself, blow your competition away, and have an endless line of referrals at your door.
Are you ready?
Develop great customer service.
Let's face it. In most businesses, the service stinks. There isn't a week that goes by that my friends and I don't exchange anecdotes about the cable company, the phone company, the bank, or some retail or service business that actually seem to be going out of its way to alienate everyone who deals with them.
SERVICE PLEASE
Service everywhere is bad. But that's good for you.
It presents you with an opportunity. It means that if you can deliver even halfway good customer service, people will rave about you and tell their friends.
Unfortunately, most lawyers don't know the first thing about customer service. And the first thing they have to change is how they think about themselves and their business.
Here's the concept I want you to understand. You are not a law firm. You are a customer service organization whose work product happens to be legal documents.
Let me quote from Jack Mitchell, CEO of Mitchells/Richards, one of the most successful clothing stores in the U.S., serving the upscale clientele of Connecticut and New York:
"At Mitchell's, clothes are not our priority. It's not the first thing we think of, nor the last. Don't get me wrong. We like fabulous product, and we search the world to get it, but we're all about customers.
"Now that may sound amazing. A clothing store that isn't about clothes? But it's true. And if we were a restaurant, we wouldn't be about food. If we were an electronics store, we wouldn't be about DVD players. Businesses have lost sight of the idea that customers, not product, are the most important priority. Most companies think all you have to do is have plenty of great product and the right value and customers will descend like locusts on their stores. Many stores have those things. You can buy a great blue blazer or black skirt anywhere. You can buy a great flatscreen TV at any electronics store. You can get a great sofa at a lot of furniture stores. It's how you treat customers that determines your longterm success."
I'm here to tell you that creating client satisfaction -- or better yet, joy -- is your job. Not drafting legal documents, not creating legal strategies, not giving legal advice.
HOW TO CREATE CLIENT SATISFACTION
In their seminal book The Experience Economy, B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore put forth the proposition that customers do not buy goods and services as much as they buy experiences. "Work is theatre," they write, "and every business is a stage."
Surveys show, for example, that 75% of the people who travel to Las Vegas, go expecting to lose. What a great vacation concept, right? Come to our city and lose money! But millions do, every year. Why? Because the end result isn't what is most important. They are going for the experience.
The masters of this approach, of course, are the people at Disney theme parks. Every customer is a "guest," every employee is a "cast member" and every day's business is a "show." What are people really going for? A couple of rides and some souvenirs?
So how do the lessons of "show business" apply to a staid law office?
First, you have to determine what you want your client's (and potential clients') experience to be when they call or visit your office. You need to "script" exactly what will happen.
Questions to ask yourself include: What does the client see when they enter? How does the receptionist behave? Are they escorted to the conference room? What will you offer them? What does the client see as he or she looks around the conference room? Does the attorney walk into the conference room at precisely the appointed time? How does the attorney greet the client?
I suggest, in deciding what you want your "script" to be, you solicit the ideas of your employees. It will greatly help the process of getting them to "buy in" to the new way of doing things.
The client comes in the door and sees a sign that says: "The Smith Law Firm welcomes Mr. and Mrs. Jones, June 1, 2005." The receptionist rises from behind her desk and greets the Joneses warmly by name. They are escorted to the conference room and automatically served a glass of water from a carafe. They are asked if they would like anything else -- coffee, soda, etc. The conference room is decorated with personal memorabilia and warm objects that reflect the values of the firm's clients. (Example: if the firm specializes in elder law, there are photos of the attorney's parents, a 1930's era antique radio, a copy of Tom Brokaw's The Greatest Generation.) The attorney enters the conference at the precise time of the appointment and greets Mr. and Mrs. Jones warmly.
This is your script -- the exact sequence of words and events that will create the desired client experience.
The next step is to turn your script into a series of protocols for your employees. This is how we answer the phone. This is how we greet visitors. This is how we speak about our firm and its attorneys.
And then, finally, training training training. Make sure everyone understands the protocols, has "bought in, and has practiced until it is second nature. Arrange to have one of your friends pose as a prospective client, and test your new script.
Remember this, above all else: the fact that you have not scripted your client's experience, does not mean that the client will not have one.
When you think about it, scripting a great customer service -- hugging your customer, as Jack Mitchell calls it -- is a much easier way to differentiate yourself, than all the positioning, all the branding, all the continuing education or new designations or niche marketing.
It feels good. Your employees and clients will love it. You will love it. And your bottom line will reflect it.
About the Author
For more information on Mark Merenda or more marketing for attorney articles and information you can visit the Smart Marketing Web Site: http://www.smartmarketingnow.com.
Mark Merenda is the founder of Smart Marketing of Naples, FL (http://www.smartmarketingnow.com). He can be contacted at: 239.403.7755. Read his blog (featuring information for marketing for attorneys) at http://www.smartblog.typepad.com.
Ohio Lawyer With Facts On Ohio
Following are some facts about the State of Ohio for your references, that were assembled by an Ohio lawyer.
Ohio is located in the mid western states of the USA. Ohio is part of the Great lakes region in the northern part of the US states. Prior to 1984, the United States Census department considered Ohio part of the North Central Region. That region was renamed "Midwest" and split into two divisions. Ohio is now in the East North Central States division. Ohio's southern border is the Ohio river, in the north is the Great Lake.
Ohio state nickname is the Buckeye State and the state motto is "With God all things are possible". The state capital is Columbus. Columbus Ohio is also the largest city. However, Ohio largest metro area is Cleveland Ohio. In the year 2000, Ohio ranked 7th in total population at over 11 million. In the following page are some guide lines to help find good accident lawyer ( http://thefriedmanlawfirm.com/attorney_search.htm ) in case of a lawsuit case. In general choose good attorney that has experience, skills and resources to win a specific lawsuit case. Find lawyers that specialize in worker's compensation, personal injury ( http://thefriedmanlawfirm.com/personal_injury_FAQ.htm ), car accidents for example, that will use part of the proceeds as attorney fee. Find a good lawyer that has had experience in the courts. Finally, the individual must make the choice in picking the attorney that he likes and trust. A good lawyer is willing to listen and learn, at the same time a good lawyer is also confident and knowledgeable. To find a good lawyer, contact The Friedman Law Firm http://thefriedmanlawfirm.com Other articles by Ohio accident lawyer attorney with helpful advice on how to find a good lawyer, including attorney search guide, in addition to Ohio attorney discussion on medical malpractice case at http://thefriedmanlawfirm.com
About the Author
Marketing for law firm http://thefriedmanlawfirm.com hair transplants http://hair-transplant-source.com Texas art http://just-art.org
Ohio is located in the mid western states of the USA. Ohio is part of the Great lakes region in the northern part of the US states. Prior to 1984, the United States Census department considered Ohio part of the North Central Region. That region was renamed "Midwest" and split into two divisions. Ohio is now in the East North Central States division. Ohio's southern border is the Ohio river, in the north is the Great Lake.
Ohio state nickname is the Buckeye State and the state motto is "With God all things are possible". The state capital is Columbus. Columbus Ohio is also the largest city. However, Ohio largest metro area is Cleveland Ohio. In the year 2000, Ohio ranked 7th in total population at over 11 million. In the following page are some guide lines to help find good accident lawyer ( http://thefriedmanlawfirm.com/attorney_search.htm ) in case of a lawsuit case. In general choose good attorney that has experience, skills and resources to win a specific lawsuit case. Find lawyers that specialize in worker's compensation, personal injury ( http://thefriedmanlawfirm.com/personal_injury_FAQ.htm ), car accidents for example, that will use part of the proceeds as attorney fee. Find a good lawyer that has had experience in the courts. Finally, the individual must make the choice in picking the attorney that he likes and trust. A good lawyer is willing to listen and learn, at the same time a good lawyer is also confident and knowledgeable. To find a good lawyer, contact The Friedman Law Firm http://thefriedmanlawfirm.com Other articles by Ohio accident lawyer attorney with helpful advice on how to find a good lawyer, including attorney search guide, in addition to Ohio attorney discussion on medical malpractice case at http://thefriedmanlawfirm.com
About the Author
Marketing for law firm http://thefriedmanlawfirm.com hair transplants http://hair-transplant-source.com Texas art http://just-art.org
4 Things ALL Articles Must Have for SEO
In the 21st century, more and more businesses are turning to the Internet and World Wide Web to market and sell their goods and services. As a result, the Internet is becoming a very competitive place.
Proven experience
The proof is, as they say, in the pudding. It¡¯s not enough that your SEO copywriter can talk the talk; they must also be able to walk the walk. Ask to see some examples of websites for which they¡¯ve obtained some good rankings. Ideally, the SEO leads the optimization effort but, like an effective bass player, the SEO work product should blend into the background of the site and be apparent only to those experienced enough to see the distinctive footprint.
Its been about 16- 20 weeks already, another search engine changes the algorithm and search pattern changes ¨C you¡¯ve probably missed the boom sale period and since you were so involved in getting your rankings back, you didn¡¯t even utilize the PPC program affectively. That¡¯s why you need professionals
Tough question, "What is SEO?". As with pretty much all internet-related terms, concepts and notions, that of "SEO" does not have a unique definition and it is a blurry concept in most people's mind
4 Things ALL Articles Must Have - Don't Forget!
The importance of articles in today¡¯s websites and internet based companies are immeasurable. They dictate a lot in the success and the drive of traffic into one¡¯s site. It has become a key element in making a site work and earns a profit. A website operator and owner must have the good sense to include articles in his or her site that will work for them and earn them the many benefits articles can give to their site.
Articles have been known to be the driving force in driving traffic to a website. Articles are a factor in giving site high rankings in search result pages. The higher a site ranks the bigger slice of the traffic flow pie he gets. With a huge number in traffic flow, there are more profits and more potential for other income generating schemes as well.
But, it is not just about stuffing your site with articles; they have certain requirements as well. These requirements must be met to obtain the maximum benefits an article will provide for your site. A well written article will catch the eyes and interest of your customers and keep them coming back for more. They would also be able to recommend your site to others. Here are some tips to help you and assist you in making your articles. Below you will read about four things all articles must have to make it successful and helpful in making your site a profit earning and traffic overflowing site.
? Keywords and Keyword Phrases.
An article must always be centered on the keywords and keyword phrases. As each website visitor goes to a site, there are those who are just merely browsing but actually looking for a specific something. When this happens, a searcher usually goes to a search engine and types in the keywords they are looking for (e.g. Toyota Camry, Meningitis, Tax Lawyer and Etcetera). It could be anything they want.
The Important thing is that you have an article that has the keywords that are related to your site. For example, if you maintain an auto parts site, you must be able t have articles about cars and their parts. There are many tools in the internet that provides service in helping a webmaster out in determining what keywords and keyword phrases are mostly sought out. You can use this tool to determine what keywords to use and write about.
As an (SEO), you need to have a very clear understanding of exactly how the rhythm relates to the beat.
The anchor text is very important in SEO. It means the specific text for a hyperlink. Try to use as anchor text your most targeted keywords.
What is SEO? SEO literally stands for "Search Engine Optimization". It is a tool by which websites get higher visibility and thereby higher ranking when search engines identify sites based on random keyword queries from surfers. Always make sure your SEO copywriter gives you an indication of the number of words they expect to write per web page.
Thousands more definitions are available, almost as many "SEO guru's" you will find online ("The Guru Problem" is actually the title of another article to be published soon).
? Keyword Density
Know that you have your keywords and keyword phrases, you must use them fully. An article must have good keyword density for a search engine to ¡°feel¡± its presence. Articles should at least have ten to fifteen percent of keyword density in their content for search engines to rank a site high in their search results. Getting a high rank is what articles do best for a site.
Keyword density is the number of times a keyword or keyword phrase is used on an article. The number varies depending on the number of words used in an article. An effective article must have a keyword density that is not too high or too low. With a very high density, the essence of the article is lost and may turn off a reader as well as the search engines. It comes off as overeager. A low number may be ignored by the search engines.
? Good Article Content
Like what is stated above, you cannot just riddle an article with keywords. They must also be regarded as good reading materials. Articles must be able to entertain people as well as provide good information and help for their needs. Articles should be written well with correct spelling and good grammar. If you want people to trust you, make your work good and well thought out.
People respond well to figures, facts and statistics. Try to get great information and as many facts as you can. A good and well written article will boost your reputation as an expert in your chosen field or topic. As more people believe in you. They will be able to trust you and your products.
? Linking Articles
And another important thing to remember. If you are going to submit articles to ezines and/or contribute your articles to newsletters and other sites, DON¡¯T ever forget to include a link to your site. A little resource box with a brief description of your site and you should always be placed right after your articles that you have submitted. If people like your articles, they will most likely click on the link directing them to your site.
You also need to keep yourself up to date with search engine news, regular algorithm updates, user search pattern, competition check and also monitor the link building partners in order to ensure that your links have not been dropped, update your on-page optimization regularly to ensure your pages are informative and in tune with the search pattern.
Natural Links. SEO can come from natural ways too. This means that a webmaster on the net finds your site likes it and decides that it's quite useful for his visitors and links to it. This kind of links are called natural links and this are one of the most powerful links.
Get free SEO Tips, and rank within the top 30 positions in Google, all at http://www.malaysianseo.info Even the biggest companies in SEO industry do not give such a guarantee. There are companies who claim that if they don¡¯t achieve specific number of top 10 positions, you get your money back. Take even this with great caution, and be sure to read their guarantee 2 times, including the small letters on the bottom (if there are any). Many of them will attempt to propose you non competitive phrases, which will give you no traffic and therefore you will have no benefit from this. Get free SEO Tips, and rank within the top 30 positions in Google SEO. SEO PR is a buzzword that is both over-hyped and under-hyped at the same time. What do I mean by this? SEO PR is currently in buzz overkill mode in the Search Engine Marketing industry, but is drastically underutilized in the traditional PR world.
However, if you have high traffic, and your website is well organized with the presentation, query and order links working perfectly - you will have no trouble in converting your visitors to along and cherished customers.
About the Author
Get free SEO Tips, and rank within the top 30 positions in Google, all at http://www.malaysianseo.info
Proven experience
The proof is, as they say, in the pudding. It¡¯s not enough that your SEO copywriter can talk the talk; they must also be able to walk the walk. Ask to see some examples of websites for which they¡¯ve obtained some good rankings. Ideally, the SEO leads the optimization effort but, like an effective bass player, the SEO work product should blend into the background of the site and be apparent only to those experienced enough to see the distinctive footprint.
Its been about 16- 20 weeks already, another search engine changes the algorithm and search pattern changes ¨C you¡¯ve probably missed the boom sale period and since you were so involved in getting your rankings back, you didn¡¯t even utilize the PPC program affectively. That¡¯s why you need professionals
Tough question, "What is SEO?". As with pretty much all internet-related terms, concepts and notions, that of "SEO" does not have a unique definition and it is a blurry concept in most people's mind
4 Things ALL Articles Must Have - Don't Forget!
The importance of articles in today¡¯s websites and internet based companies are immeasurable. They dictate a lot in the success and the drive of traffic into one¡¯s site. It has become a key element in making a site work and earns a profit. A website operator and owner must have the good sense to include articles in his or her site that will work for them and earn them the many benefits articles can give to their site.
Articles have been known to be the driving force in driving traffic to a website. Articles are a factor in giving site high rankings in search result pages. The higher a site ranks the bigger slice of the traffic flow pie he gets. With a huge number in traffic flow, there are more profits and more potential for other income generating schemes as well.
But, it is not just about stuffing your site with articles; they have certain requirements as well. These requirements must be met to obtain the maximum benefits an article will provide for your site. A well written article will catch the eyes and interest of your customers and keep them coming back for more. They would also be able to recommend your site to others. Here are some tips to help you and assist you in making your articles. Below you will read about four things all articles must have to make it successful and helpful in making your site a profit earning and traffic overflowing site.
? Keywords and Keyword Phrases.
An article must always be centered on the keywords and keyword phrases. As each website visitor goes to a site, there are those who are just merely browsing but actually looking for a specific something. When this happens, a searcher usually goes to a search engine and types in the keywords they are looking for (e.g. Toyota Camry, Meningitis, Tax Lawyer and Etcetera). It could be anything they want.
The Important thing is that you have an article that has the keywords that are related to your site. For example, if you maintain an auto parts site, you must be able t have articles about cars and their parts. There are many tools in the internet that provides service in helping a webmaster out in determining what keywords and keyword phrases are mostly sought out. You can use this tool to determine what keywords to use and write about.
As an (SEO), you need to have a very clear understanding of exactly how the rhythm relates to the beat.
The anchor text is very important in SEO. It means the specific text for a hyperlink. Try to use as anchor text your most targeted keywords.
What is SEO? SEO literally stands for "Search Engine Optimization". It is a tool by which websites get higher visibility and thereby higher ranking when search engines identify sites based on random keyword queries from surfers. Always make sure your SEO copywriter gives you an indication of the number of words they expect to write per web page.
Thousands more definitions are available, almost as many "SEO guru's" you will find online ("The Guru Problem" is actually the title of another article to be published soon).
? Keyword Density
Know that you have your keywords and keyword phrases, you must use them fully. An article must have good keyword density for a search engine to ¡°feel¡± its presence. Articles should at least have ten to fifteen percent of keyword density in their content for search engines to rank a site high in their search results. Getting a high rank is what articles do best for a site.
Keyword density is the number of times a keyword or keyword phrase is used on an article. The number varies depending on the number of words used in an article. An effective article must have a keyword density that is not too high or too low. With a very high density, the essence of the article is lost and may turn off a reader as well as the search engines. It comes off as overeager. A low number may be ignored by the search engines.
? Good Article Content
Like what is stated above, you cannot just riddle an article with keywords. They must also be regarded as good reading materials. Articles must be able to entertain people as well as provide good information and help for their needs. Articles should be written well with correct spelling and good grammar. If you want people to trust you, make your work good and well thought out.
People respond well to figures, facts and statistics. Try to get great information and as many facts as you can. A good and well written article will boost your reputation as an expert in your chosen field or topic. As more people believe in you. They will be able to trust you and your products.
? Linking Articles
And another important thing to remember. If you are going to submit articles to ezines and/or contribute your articles to newsletters and other sites, DON¡¯T ever forget to include a link to your site. A little resource box with a brief description of your site and you should always be placed right after your articles that you have submitted. If people like your articles, they will most likely click on the link directing them to your site.
You also need to keep yourself up to date with search engine news, regular algorithm updates, user search pattern, competition check and also monitor the link building partners in order to ensure that your links have not been dropped, update your on-page optimization regularly to ensure your pages are informative and in tune with the search pattern.
Natural Links. SEO can come from natural ways too. This means that a webmaster on the net finds your site likes it and decides that it's quite useful for his visitors and links to it. This kind of links are called natural links and this are one of the most powerful links.
Get free SEO Tips, and rank within the top 30 positions in Google, all at http://www.malaysianseo.info Even the biggest companies in SEO industry do not give such a guarantee. There are companies who claim that if they don¡¯t achieve specific number of top 10 positions, you get your money back. Take even this with great caution, and be sure to read their guarantee 2 times, including the small letters on the bottom (if there are any). Many of them will attempt to propose you non competitive phrases, which will give you no traffic and therefore you will have no benefit from this. Get free SEO Tips, and rank within the top 30 positions in Google SEO. SEO PR is a buzzword that is both over-hyped and under-hyped at the same time. What do I mean by this? SEO PR is currently in buzz overkill mode in the Search Engine Marketing industry, but is drastically underutilized in the traditional PR world.
However, if you have high traffic, and your website is well organized with the presentation, query and order links working perfectly - you will have no trouble in converting your visitors to along and cherished customers.
About the Author
Get free SEO Tips, and rank within the top 30 positions in Google, all at http://www.malaysianseo.info
Things ALL Articles Must Have
All prospective users should ask any Professional SEO firm for tangible evidence through references. If the SEO firm is any good they will be glad to provide (brag) references to you.
Still, what is SEO? Since there is no ultimate, fully comprehensible definition for "SEO", the only way to go is to take a look at several definitions and try to merge them in order to have the right perspective.
You may end up discouraging the SEO firm you¡¯re paying if you hire them and then fail to review their suggestions.
Ideally, the SEO leads the optimization effort but, like an effective bass player, the SEO work product should blend into the background of the site and be apparent only to those experienced enough to see the distinctive footprint. Its been about 16- 20 weeks already, another search engine changes the algorithm and search pattern changes ¨C you¡¯ve probably missed the boom sale period and since you were so involved in getting your rankings back, you didn¡¯t even utilize the PPC program affectively.
That¡¯s why you need professionals
Tough question, "What is SEO?". As with pretty much all internet-related terms, concepts and notions, that of "SEO" does not have a unique definition and it is a blurry concept in most people's mind
4 Things ALL Articles Must Have - Don't Forget!
The importance of articles in today¡¯s websites and internet based companies are immeasurable. They dictate a lot in the success and the drive of traffic into one¡¯s site. It has become a key element in making a site work and earns a profit. A website operator and owner must have the good sense to include articles in his or her site that will work for them and earn them the many benefits articles can give to their site. Articles have been known to be the driving force in driving traffic to a website. Articles are a factor in giving site high rankings in search result pages. The higher a site ranks the bigger slice of the traffic flow pie he gets. With a huge number in traffic flow, there are more profits and more potential for other income generating schemes as well.
But, it is not just about stuffing your site with articles; they have certain requirements as well. These requirements must be met to obtain the maximum benefits an article will provide for your site. A well written article will catch the eyes and interest of your customers and keep them coming back for more. They would also be able to recommend your site to others. Here are some tips to help you and assist you in making your articles. Below you will read about four things all articles must have to make it successful and helpful in making your site a profit earning and traffic overflowing site.
? Keywords and Keyword Phrases.
An article must always be centered on the keywords and keyword phrases. As each website visitor goes to a site, there are those who are just merely browsing but actually looking for a specific something. When this happens, a searcher usually goes to a search engine and types in the keywords they are looking for (e.g. Toyota Camry, Meningitis, Tax Lawyer and Etcetera). It could be anything they want.
The Important thing is that you have an article that has the keywords that are related to your site. For example, if you maintain an auto parts site, you must be able t have articles about cars and their parts. There are many tools in the internet that provides service in helping a webmaster out in determining what keywords and keyword phrases are mostly sought out. You can use this tool to determine what keywords to use and write about.
As an (SEO), you need to have a very clear understanding of exactly how the rhythm relates to the beat. The anchor text is very important in SEO. It means the specific text for a hyperlink. Try to use as anchor text your most targeted keywords.
Don¡¯t blame the SEO firm for failing to use them all at once. Measured, gradual changes are best.
Less competitive keywords at your site will ensure that your site comes out tops for the particular keywords you target.
Search Engine Marketing is one effective example Internet Marketing that involves search engine optimization. This involves planning and executing right methods to target and get quality traffic to a particular website and convert this traffic into sales or signups.
Thousands more definitions are available, almost as many "SEO guru's" you will find online ("The Guru Problem" is actually the title of another article to be published soon).
? Keyword Density
Know that you have your keywords and keyword phrases, you must use them fully. An article must have good keyword density for a search engine to ¡°feel¡± its presence. Articles should at least have ten to fifteen percent of keyword density in their content for search engines to rank a site high in their search results. Getting a high rank is what articles do best for a site.
Keyword density is the number of times a keyword or keyword phrase is used on an article. The number varies depending on the number of words used in an article. An effective article must have a keyword density that is not too high or too low. With a very high density, the essence of the article is lost and may turn off a reader as well as the search engines. It comes off as overeager. A low number may be ignored by the search engines.
? Good Article Content
Like what is stated above, you cannot just riddle an article with keywords. They must also be regarded as good reading materials. Articles must be able to entertain people as well as provide good information and help for their needs. Articles should be written well with correct spelling and good grammar. If you want people to trust you, make your work good and well thought out.
People respond well to figures, facts and statistics. Try to get great information and as many facts as you can. A good and well written article will boost your reputation as an expert in your chosen field or topic. As more people believe in you. They will be able to trust you and your products.
? Linking Articles
And another important thing to remember. If you are going to submit articles to ezines and/or contribute your articles to newsletters and other sites, DON¡¯T ever forget to include a link to your site. A little resource box with a brief description of your site and you should always be placed right after your articles that you have submitted. If people like your articles, they will most likely click on the link directing them to your site.
You also need to keep yourself up to date with search engine news, regular algorithm updates, user search pattern, competition check and also monitor the link building partners in order to ensure that your links have not been dropped, update your on-page optimization regularly to ensure your pages are informative and in tune with the search pattern.
Natural Links. SEO can come from natural ways too. This means that a webmaster on the net finds your site likes it and decides that it's quite useful for his visitors and links to it. This kind of links are called natural links and this are one of the most powerful links.
Even the biggest companies in SEO industry do not give such a guarantee. There are companies who claim that if they don¡¯t achieve specific number of top 10 positions, you get your money back. Take even this with great caution, and be sure to read their guarantee 2 times, including the small letters on the bottom (if there are any). Many of them will attempt to propose you non competitive phrases, which will give you no traffic and therefore you will have no benefit from this. Get Wholesale 10,000 PLR Articles from http://www.article-market.info at less than $10! For instance, you¡¯re selling decorative lamps, right? in the SEO article writing process, list down ¡®decorative¡¯ and ¡®lamps¡¯.
A prominent page ranking will mean that the web site will score highly again and again during searches which will in turn guarantee that a sizeable amount of the people carrying out searches using various key words, end up visiting the web site. 10,000 Wholesale PLR for less than $10. To date no other online marketing tools or methods have proved to be anywhere near as effective as SEO marketing techniques.
About the Author
Get Wholesale 10,000 PLR Articles from http://www.article-market.info at less than $10!
Still, what is SEO? Since there is no ultimate, fully comprehensible definition for "SEO", the only way to go is to take a look at several definitions and try to merge them in order to have the right perspective.
You may end up discouraging the SEO firm you¡¯re paying if you hire them and then fail to review their suggestions.
Ideally, the SEO leads the optimization effort but, like an effective bass player, the SEO work product should blend into the background of the site and be apparent only to those experienced enough to see the distinctive footprint. Its been about 16- 20 weeks already, another search engine changes the algorithm and search pattern changes ¨C you¡¯ve probably missed the boom sale period and since you were so involved in getting your rankings back, you didn¡¯t even utilize the PPC program affectively.
That¡¯s why you need professionals
Tough question, "What is SEO?". As with pretty much all internet-related terms, concepts and notions, that of "SEO" does not have a unique definition and it is a blurry concept in most people's mind
4 Things ALL Articles Must Have - Don't Forget!
The importance of articles in today¡¯s websites and internet based companies are immeasurable. They dictate a lot in the success and the drive of traffic into one¡¯s site. It has become a key element in making a site work and earns a profit. A website operator and owner must have the good sense to include articles in his or her site that will work for them and earn them the many benefits articles can give to their site. Articles have been known to be the driving force in driving traffic to a website. Articles are a factor in giving site high rankings in search result pages. The higher a site ranks the bigger slice of the traffic flow pie he gets. With a huge number in traffic flow, there are more profits and more potential for other income generating schemes as well.
But, it is not just about stuffing your site with articles; they have certain requirements as well. These requirements must be met to obtain the maximum benefits an article will provide for your site. A well written article will catch the eyes and interest of your customers and keep them coming back for more. They would also be able to recommend your site to others. Here are some tips to help you and assist you in making your articles. Below you will read about four things all articles must have to make it successful and helpful in making your site a profit earning and traffic overflowing site.
? Keywords and Keyword Phrases.
An article must always be centered on the keywords and keyword phrases. As each website visitor goes to a site, there are those who are just merely browsing but actually looking for a specific something. When this happens, a searcher usually goes to a search engine and types in the keywords they are looking for (e.g. Toyota Camry, Meningitis, Tax Lawyer and Etcetera). It could be anything they want.
The Important thing is that you have an article that has the keywords that are related to your site. For example, if you maintain an auto parts site, you must be able t have articles about cars and their parts. There are many tools in the internet that provides service in helping a webmaster out in determining what keywords and keyword phrases are mostly sought out. You can use this tool to determine what keywords to use and write about.
As an (SEO), you need to have a very clear understanding of exactly how the rhythm relates to the beat. The anchor text is very important in SEO. It means the specific text for a hyperlink. Try to use as anchor text your most targeted keywords.
Don¡¯t blame the SEO firm for failing to use them all at once. Measured, gradual changes are best.
Less competitive keywords at your site will ensure that your site comes out tops for the particular keywords you target.
Search Engine Marketing is one effective example Internet Marketing that involves search engine optimization. This involves planning and executing right methods to target and get quality traffic to a particular website and convert this traffic into sales or signups.
Thousands more definitions are available, almost as many "SEO guru's" you will find online ("The Guru Problem" is actually the title of another article to be published soon).
? Keyword Density
Know that you have your keywords and keyword phrases, you must use them fully. An article must have good keyword density for a search engine to ¡°feel¡± its presence. Articles should at least have ten to fifteen percent of keyword density in their content for search engines to rank a site high in their search results. Getting a high rank is what articles do best for a site.
Keyword density is the number of times a keyword or keyword phrase is used on an article. The number varies depending on the number of words used in an article. An effective article must have a keyword density that is not too high or too low. With a very high density, the essence of the article is lost and may turn off a reader as well as the search engines. It comes off as overeager. A low number may be ignored by the search engines.
? Good Article Content
Like what is stated above, you cannot just riddle an article with keywords. They must also be regarded as good reading materials. Articles must be able to entertain people as well as provide good information and help for their needs. Articles should be written well with correct spelling and good grammar. If you want people to trust you, make your work good and well thought out.
People respond well to figures, facts and statistics. Try to get great information and as many facts as you can. A good and well written article will boost your reputation as an expert in your chosen field or topic. As more people believe in you. They will be able to trust you and your products.
? Linking Articles
And another important thing to remember. If you are going to submit articles to ezines and/or contribute your articles to newsletters and other sites, DON¡¯T ever forget to include a link to your site. A little resource box with a brief description of your site and you should always be placed right after your articles that you have submitted. If people like your articles, they will most likely click on the link directing them to your site.
You also need to keep yourself up to date with search engine news, regular algorithm updates, user search pattern, competition check and also monitor the link building partners in order to ensure that your links have not been dropped, update your on-page optimization regularly to ensure your pages are informative and in tune with the search pattern.
Natural Links. SEO can come from natural ways too. This means that a webmaster on the net finds your site likes it and decides that it's quite useful for his visitors and links to it. This kind of links are called natural links and this are one of the most powerful links.
Even the biggest companies in SEO industry do not give such a guarantee. There are companies who claim that if they don¡¯t achieve specific number of top 10 positions, you get your money back. Take even this with great caution, and be sure to read their guarantee 2 times, including the small letters on the bottom (if there are any). Many of them will attempt to propose you non competitive phrases, which will give you no traffic and therefore you will have no benefit from this. Get Wholesale 10,000 PLR Articles from http://www.article-market.info at less than $10! For instance, you¡¯re selling decorative lamps, right? in the SEO article writing process, list down ¡®decorative¡¯ and ¡®lamps¡¯.
A prominent page ranking will mean that the web site will score highly again and again during searches which will in turn guarantee that a sizeable amount of the people carrying out searches using various key words, end up visiting the web site. 10,000 Wholesale PLR for less than $10. To date no other online marketing tools or methods have proved to be anywhere near as effective as SEO marketing techniques.
About the Author
Get Wholesale 10,000 PLR Articles from http://www.article-market.info at less than $10!
AeromarineTaxPros.com: Advice About Taxes on Vessels Can Save Thousands of Dollars
"All you have to do is register the vessel outside of California and no tax is due." One dealer told me.
"If you register it anywhere outside of California the tax is avoided. That's the long and the short of it." Another said.
One advised me to, "Dock the vessel in Ensenada for 90 days (note 1) and the tax is avoided completely."
Another added. "All you need is a resale number to not be charged tax."
It's not a question of whether these people are lying or just trying to be a salesperson. They believe what they are saying and in the absence of an audit their advice will never be discovered to be wrong. It is a question of whether a strategy to legally avoid or diminish taxes really exists. This means a strategy that will survive an audit.
Partial truths like the preceding comments have sent many taxpayers screaming. Every lawyer doesn't know every law. Every accountant can't possibly know every regulation of every jurisdiction. What happens generally is that one taxpayer tries a strategy and it seems to work, he tells his friends and the rumor acquires the facade of fact. The basis for the kind of advice I received was probably born from the above scenario.
The following examples are intended to illustrate the kind of "well intentioned" mistake that results in taxes being owed on vessel purchases:
A. A buyer is a resident of Oregon as well as California. The buyer purchases a vessel in and establishes he is a resident of another state. Under all circumstances the State of California can declare the buyer is a resident of California and demand the tax be paid.
In Garrett Corporation v. State Board of Equalization (Board) the court said the word "person" in section 6366 indicates a legislative intent that individuals and corporations, whether foreign or domestic, be subject to the same rule with respect to the exemption involved, so the word "resident" in the statute was not limited to a domiciliary concept but contemplated any factual place of abode or some permanency more than a mere temporary sojourn.
B. A buyer owns a business and purchases a vessel from Seller (a dealer or private party.) The buyer provides a valid resale permit number to the seller declaring that the vessel is for resale. Even if the Board determined that the seller made a "good faith" effort to verify the buyer's representation and the seller was not liable to collect the tax, it doesn't preclude the Board from assessing use tax on the buyer if very specific conditions are not met. In the opinion of the Board, if the buyer converts the vessel to any use other than being held for resale, it can't be considered to be "being held for resale." The conditions of their ability to assess use tax on the vessel purchase are very specifically written out.
C. Another example would be where the buyer actually takes delivery of the vessel outside of California. Following the advice of "parking it" for 90 days (note 1) he pays dock fees and leaves it out of state. Subsequent to the 90 days (note 1) the buyer sails the vessel into California and begins using it. The Board will find this transaction to be taxable.
The previous examples are just a few cases where the taxpayers followed their available advice. They were all assessed tax. The public records are filled with many instances of vessel purchases that have resulted in a tax liability. The sad part is that in many cases a proper strategy would have resulted in a non-taxable event. Considering the price of watercraft, this can save the buyer hundreds of thousands of dollars. What is more important, a dealer that can provide the proper tax strategy to his customers as part of his "value-added service" has a significant price advantage. The one who "knows it all" can put himself and the purchaser in jeopardy.
There are a few experts who know the law as it relates to purchases of vehicles, vessels and aircraft. If you follow the steps exactly as they lay them out, you have a chance of saving all or some part of the tax. If you think you know the law, or if you try to use someone else's strategy that worked for their case you could be in for a shock. Each transaction lives or dies on its own merits. Only careful analysis can save you.
The mistake that is very common to all taxpayers is not knowing the depth to which a tax agency can create "loopholes" for them to collect taxes. Most tax collection agencies view their mission as "collect revenue from every imaginable source." Some agencies promote personnel based on collection statistics. The Senate hearings into IRS tactics has made this clear.
Armed with this basic knowledge, the aforementioned examples illustrate the depths to which the Board of Equalization of the State of California will go to collect money. The good news is that in order to justify their collections all agencies must create a very rigid set of policies, manuals and reliance on previous decisions. Their "methods of attack" create the best possible defense. In their desire to define exactly the guidelines that must be met, they inadvertently give the taxpayer the method to develop a defensible tax strategy.
The Supreme Court declared that it is the duty of all taxpayers to aggressively pursue methods of avoiding taxes. However, misapplying rules isn't a defense. The Justices merely supported your right to avoid taxes. It is illegal to evade taxes. They let you know that if you bother understanding the rules you can "avoid" taxes. "The legal right of a taxpayer to decrease the amount of what otherwise would be his taxes, or altogether avoid them, by means which the law permits, cannot be doubted." SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, GREGORY v. HELVERING 293 U.S. 465;
"Anyone may arrange his affairs so that his taxes shall be as low as possible; he is not bound to choose that pattern which best pays the treasury. There is not even a patriotic duty to increase one's taxes. Over and over again the Courts have said that there is nothing sinister in so arranging affairs as to keep taxes as low as possible. Everyone does it, rich and poor alike and all do right, for nobody owes any public duty to pay more than the law demands." --Federal Appellate Judge Learned Hand
(note 1) Effective October 1, 2004 the test period has been extended from 90 days to 12 months
Thomas A. Alston is the president of Aero & Marine Tax Professionals (http://www.aeromarinetaxpros.com). He has successfully filed hundreds of tax returns with the California State Board of Equalization. Mr. Alston is California's premier specialist in legitimate tax avoidance on aircraft, vessels and vehicles, having published many articles on sales and use tax.
About the Author
Mr. Alston is CEO of AERO&MARINE Tax Professionals (http://www.aeromarinetaxpros.com). He has written sales and use tax articles for legal/professional publications. He's publisher of "TAX MATTERS," dedicated to keeping California owners of aircraft and vessels informed about taxes. AERO&MARINE Tax Professionals is the premier California sales and use tax consulting firm specializing in the area of aircraft, vessels and vehicles.
"If you register it anywhere outside of California the tax is avoided. That's the long and the short of it." Another said.
One advised me to, "Dock the vessel in Ensenada for 90 days (note 1) and the tax is avoided completely."
Another added. "All you need is a resale number to not be charged tax."
It's not a question of whether these people are lying or just trying to be a salesperson. They believe what they are saying and in the absence of an audit their advice will never be discovered to be wrong. It is a question of whether a strategy to legally avoid or diminish taxes really exists. This means a strategy that will survive an audit.
Partial truths like the preceding comments have sent many taxpayers screaming. Every lawyer doesn't know every law. Every accountant can't possibly know every regulation of every jurisdiction. What happens generally is that one taxpayer tries a strategy and it seems to work, he tells his friends and the rumor acquires the facade of fact. The basis for the kind of advice I received was probably born from the above scenario.
The following examples are intended to illustrate the kind of "well intentioned" mistake that results in taxes being owed on vessel purchases:
A. A buyer is a resident of Oregon as well as California. The buyer purchases a vessel in and establishes he is a resident of another state. Under all circumstances the State of California can declare the buyer is a resident of California and demand the tax be paid.
In Garrett Corporation v. State Board of Equalization (Board) the court said the word "person" in section 6366 indicates a legislative intent that individuals and corporations, whether foreign or domestic, be subject to the same rule with respect to the exemption involved, so the word "resident" in the statute was not limited to a domiciliary concept but contemplated any factual place of abode or some permanency more than a mere temporary sojourn.
B. A buyer owns a business and purchases a vessel from Seller (a dealer or private party.) The buyer provides a valid resale permit number to the seller declaring that the vessel is for resale. Even if the Board determined that the seller made a "good faith" effort to verify the buyer's representation and the seller was not liable to collect the tax, it doesn't preclude the Board from assessing use tax on the buyer if very specific conditions are not met. In the opinion of the Board, if the buyer converts the vessel to any use other than being held for resale, it can't be considered to be "being held for resale." The conditions of their ability to assess use tax on the vessel purchase are very specifically written out.
C. Another example would be where the buyer actually takes delivery of the vessel outside of California. Following the advice of "parking it" for 90 days (note 1) he pays dock fees and leaves it out of state. Subsequent to the 90 days (note 1) the buyer sails the vessel into California and begins using it. The Board will find this transaction to be taxable.
The previous examples are just a few cases where the taxpayers followed their available advice. They were all assessed tax. The public records are filled with many instances of vessel purchases that have resulted in a tax liability. The sad part is that in many cases a proper strategy would have resulted in a non-taxable event. Considering the price of watercraft, this can save the buyer hundreds of thousands of dollars. What is more important, a dealer that can provide the proper tax strategy to his customers as part of his "value-added service" has a significant price advantage. The one who "knows it all" can put himself and the purchaser in jeopardy.
There are a few experts who know the law as it relates to purchases of vehicles, vessels and aircraft. If you follow the steps exactly as they lay them out, you have a chance of saving all or some part of the tax. If you think you know the law, or if you try to use someone else's strategy that worked for their case you could be in for a shock. Each transaction lives or dies on its own merits. Only careful analysis can save you.
The mistake that is very common to all taxpayers is not knowing the depth to which a tax agency can create "loopholes" for them to collect taxes. Most tax collection agencies view their mission as "collect revenue from every imaginable source." Some agencies promote personnel based on collection statistics. The Senate hearings into IRS tactics has made this clear.
Armed with this basic knowledge, the aforementioned examples illustrate the depths to which the Board of Equalization of the State of California will go to collect money. The good news is that in order to justify their collections all agencies must create a very rigid set of policies, manuals and reliance on previous decisions. Their "methods of attack" create the best possible defense. In their desire to define exactly the guidelines that must be met, they inadvertently give the taxpayer the method to develop a defensible tax strategy.
The Supreme Court declared that it is the duty of all taxpayers to aggressively pursue methods of avoiding taxes. However, misapplying rules isn't a defense. The Justices merely supported your right to avoid taxes. It is illegal to evade taxes. They let you know that if you bother understanding the rules you can "avoid" taxes. "The legal right of a taxpayer to decrease the amount of what otherwise would be his taxes, or altogether avoid them, by means which the law permits, cannot be doubted." SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, GREGORY v. HELVERING 293 U.S. 465;
"Anyone may arrange his affairs so that his taxes shall be as low as possible; he is not bound to choose that pattern which best pays the treasury. There is not even a patriotic duty to increase one's taxes. Over and over again the Courts have said that there is nothing sinister in so arranging affairs as to keep taxes as low as possible. Everyone does it, rich and poor alike and all do right, for nobody owes any public duty to pay more than the law demands." --Federal Appellate Judge Learned Hand
(note 1) Effective October 1, 2004 the test period has been extended from 90 days to 12 months
Thomas A. Alston is the president of Aero & Marine Tax Professionals (http://www.aeromarinetaxpros.com). He has successfully filed hundreds of tax returns with the California State Board of Equalization. Mr. Alston is California's premier specialist in legitimate tax avoidance on aircraft, vessels and vehicles, having published many articles on sales and use tax.
About the Author
Mr. Alston is CEO of AERO&MARINE Tax Professionals (http://www.aeromarinetaxpros.com). He has written sales and use tax articles for legal/professional publications. He's publisher of "TAX MATTERS," dedicated to keeping California owners of aircraft and vessels informed about taxes. AERO&MARINE Tax Professionals is the premier California sales and use tax consulting firm specializing in the area of aircraft, vessels and vehicles.
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