by: Alan Quan

His characteristics are NOT usually associated with success in society. But why is he rich and why is he so popular? Read the rest of this article to see why you need to implement his characteristics for your internet marketing.

Now when I say this, I don’t mean going out on the internet and blatantly pissing everyone off about their religion, race, sexuality, physical deformity, etc. and attacking every other opinion that doesn’t complement your own.

What the title means is that you if you truly feel passionate about your product or service don’t be afraid to let your customers know! Some people may be offended by your message and what you stand for, but don’t let that slow you down.

Just remember that just being you right now, at this very moment, is offending some people. They may be offended by you being Chinese, your British accent, the pink shirts you like to wear, get over it!

You cannot accommodate the few ‘intolerant’ people in this world to determine your being. Have the same attitude for your internet marketing.

If you are overly passive and nice in your sales and marketing messages because you think it will please everyone, some people will think you have no confidence in your ability to deliver and your product’s quality is probably crappy.

It doesn’t create any controversy or attention and your image will be weak.

If you are strong and opinionated you get a stronger response in your customer’s mind. Take a look at Dennis Rodman, some people think he’s a total freak and some people think he’s awesome. Either way, he gets publicity.

If you listen to Howard Stern’s show, you’ve probably noticed that he is cocky, controversial, and opinionated about every subject imaginable. You either hate him or love him.

People have done studies showing that people who love him listen to him on an average of one hour just to see, “What he’s going to say next.”

Here’s the interesting part, the people who hate him listen to Howard on average of three hours just to see, “What he’s going to say next.”

And Howard’s show is very popular in the United States! Since he’s getting paid by how long and how many listeners are tuned into his show, in a way, his haters on average are giving him more money!

Let me repeat, be yourself and be bold about your opinions. Don’t be a ‘saint’ if you are in marketing. I’ve heard it said that being ‘nice’ is great if your goal is to become a successful monk, but it’ll ruin you if you want to be a successful internet marketer.

For example, if you think organic foods are good, think of how good old Howard would say it:

“Eat organic food if you don’t want to die! Conventionally grown fruits and vegetables are killing you with toxic pesticide poison!”

Don’t say:

“umm….yeah… I think organic foods are better. Conventionally grown food is not as good, it has chemicals and stuff”

Which one sounds more honest to you? If you have a targeted niche market for organic food, the first one will most likely fire up support from your customers. Sure you are going to offend the other side, but who cares?

They are going to be offended either way you say it. Having healthy respect for your opinion and the desire to share it with others isn’t wrong. Think about it this way, if you don’t respect your opinion, who will?

If 10,000 people read your article and you offend half of them and the other half loved you, you still have 5,000 people on your side and think you are a genius.

It’s impossible to please everyone so make it easy on yourself and stand up for what you believe. From now on save yourself the headache and concentrate on the 5,000 people that like you!

Remember, it’s okay if you offend some people in the internet because that’s truly how you feel. I’m not saying that you should go out on the internet and attack every opposing view, but from now on just be strong in your opinions when doing your marketing.

It shows that you are genuinely passionate and true to your niche market, just like Howard!

Alan Quan is a certified Internet Coaching Empire coach and specializes in helping people build their own successful internet marketing business. Visit his website at http://e-bizcoachalan.com/success.htm and find out how he can help you to quickly accomplish your goals and boost your internet profits.

by: Frank Guido

It finally appears as though the current North American housing cycle has crested and is beginning its retreat from record starts and unprecedented prices. Housing starts by June 2006 are down by approximately 15% compared to the same period last year. Consequently, industry heavyweights such as D.R. Horton, Ryland Group, and M.D.C. Holdings Inc. are beginning to report significant decreases in revenue, a sure sign the North American home and condo market is beginning to lose its luster. With this change in purchasing behavior, the focus of builders is beginning to shift towards establishing creative ways with which to maintain sales in a declining market. This article explores 5 strategies that your company can implement to help ensure that your business remains healthy.

In this new age of building, in order to ensure a healthy bottom line it is absolutely vital for a builder to manage and even reduce their costs. With the abundance of new projects coming online, the amount of capital tied up in building, designing, furnishing and managing the associated sales centers and model homes is skyrocketing in comparison. So how can you maintain the impact and visual cues a model home provides while trying to minimize or even reduce the financial impact? The answer may surprise you: Don’t build a model home!

Since 1994, Tridel Corporation, a prominent builder in the Toronto market has been achieving tremendous sales results without the aid of model units. By taking advantage of both virtual reality and interior vignettes – Tridel has been able to effectively communicate to and capture the attention and imagination of potential purchasers. Early on, Tridel identified their need to eliminate physical model units, realizing the negative impact they had on the company’s bottom line including rising maintenance costs. It was clear to this progressive company that the traditional approach to selling units would no longer suffice in a revitalized and competitive marketplace. In order to meet their goals, some difficult decisions had to be made. The result: All of Tridel’s model units were abandoned in favor of virtual models.

“Prior to 1994 we relied largely on physical suites – but since that time we have used 100% virtual suites,” says Jim Ritchie, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Tridel. “The elimination of physical suites has saved us on average $250,000 per sales center,”

The virtual models had practically none of the maintenance cost and logistical issues that had once hindered the company, and in a synergistic twist – allowed Tridel to more effectively convey their message to potential purchasers, actually increasing customer satisfaction during the critical purchase phase.

Within the past several years, a number of builders have opted to follow Tridel’s lead and make the transition from building a physical model to hosting a virtual one. This strategy has proven to be quite lucrative for some, saving the builder hundreds of man-hours and countless dollars in the process. You may think this strategy cannot possibly work for your company, but read on and you may find that NOT building a model home can be one of the best decisions you make:

Suppose a typical model costs approximately $200 per square foot to build and furnish. Maintenance and staffing the model can cost an additional $45,000 annually. A typical 1200 square foot model investment will realistically cost $250,000. In contrast, the cost of designing and fully rendering a virtual model would only require a $5,000 expenditure, less than 2% of the cost of a traditional model!

Integrating virtual renderings into your traditional sales center and marketing campaign is also crucial to a successful sales strategy. Often, a builder will rely upon renderings and virtual tours to do the selling for them rather than using them as tools to aid in the sales process. When incorporating these virtual tools into your existing sales environment, ensure that the virtual and physical complement one another functionally. A virtual kitchen tour should be located in proximity to the cabinet, tile and countertop samples enabling visitors to better visualize these options in their proper context. Another effective technique includes pairing a virtual tour with a model’s black-line floor plans. The black-line drawing anchors the viewer’s perception of ‘where’ in the model they are, while the virtual tour can take them ‘inside’ to see and experience what being in the space is actually like.

So we’ve discussed how minimizing your sales center-related expenditures can help in maximizing your overall profit-per-sale. Would it surprise you then, to learn that you can decrease your overall spending even further simply by reducing or even eliminating high cost advertising and promotional campaigns? Most builders fail to realize that their greatest asset is right in front of them – their current and past purchasers. If homeowners move on average once every seven years, then your current and past purchasers may well begin their search for a new home in the not-too-distant future. The following section will illustrate how tapping into this cycle can actually help you decrease your advertising and marketing costs.

Carl Freeman Communities, a luxury home developer from Delaware, has been successfully using this strategy and marketing their communities on a ‘reduced budget’ for the past several years. By using a reliable contact relationship management (CRM) system, Carl Freeman Communities is directly targeting and communicating to current Carl Freeman home owners. With the help of its CRM application, Carl Freeman can regularly send low-cost and timely emails to homeowners and prospective homebuyers alike. This low-cost, low-overhead marketing channel allows Carl Freeman staff to keep its pool of buyers and future purchasers abreast of the latest and most relevant community news, as well as communicate to them any home offers which may be available.

In a recent campaign promoting their Bayside golf course community, Carl Freeman managed to attain a response rate of over 50% using an inexpensive email campaign setup and administered using their CRM application. The overwhelming response to this email blast enabled the company to sell-out their first phase in a matter of days. In analyzing the net results of this strategy over previous ones, the campaign helped drive a strong increase in sales in a relatively short amount of time – all with very little output in terms of marketing expenditures.

Very few builders consider their current and past purchasers as a viable source of future revenue, but they fail to realize that from a purchaser’s perspective – if they were satisfied with their purchase experience the first time, chances are they would be equally satisfied with any subsequent purchases with the same builder as well. By capturing important contact data at the point of sale, as a builder and marketer, you can develop a significant consumer base with which to market to in future campaigns. Combined, this strategy can provide your company with very successful, highly targeted campaigns while simultaneously minimizing the cash drain on your sales and marketing budget.

Like Carl Freeman, most successful builders and developers consistently seek out and attempt to effectively utilize any known sales and marketing channels to their advantage. One of the most widely used mediums of the day is the World Wide Web, and although used on a frequent basis by many, it is rarely used as efficiently as it can be. The truly successful builders using this valuable marketing channel are the ones who recognize the intrinsic value in developing a highly targeted web campaign.

In the 21st century, it has become increasingly common for builders and developers to employ some form of Internet marketing presence, prominently showcasing their projects or communities, and marketing their products online. Most of these sites contain information about the company, including contact information and the usual corporate legal jargon. What most of these sites don’t provide, however, is a forum for web visitors to truly interact with the builder, and to really explore their potential future home and community.

Since the first project launched without employing some form of model unit, Tridel has shone a spotlight on their corporate website, making it much more than a simple information tool. As part of their sales and marketing strategy, Tridel has developed a sophisticated, multimedia-rich website targeted towards creating an immersive and personalized browsing experience. This strategy has resulted in the transformation of Tridel’s website from a simple, corporate website into a highly-specialized consumer portal. The company’s webpage has been so successful, in fact, that Tridel’s online community has consistently been ranked as one of the top 200,000 sites on the Internet.

The true key to Tridel’s success is not so much about the website itself, but the way in which it leverages the open and unassuming nature of the Internet as the company’s primary marketing channel.

Instead of being ‘fed’ information which has been simply posted onto the website, upon their first visit to the page, a web user finds exactly what they’re looking for and explores, completely immersed in an interactive and informative media experience.

“By integrating VR solutions into our website and email campaigns, we have been able to significantly improve our website traffic and leads,” says Jim

In effect, the website has now assumed the role of a sales center, allowing visitors to peruse and review anything they choose, at a time, and in a manner that is convenient to them.

Like Tridel, Carl Freeman Communities has also achieved tremendous success online. Patti Grimes, Vice President of Marketing for Carl Freeman, is a firm advocate of the power of the internet. “Providing floor plans and virtual tours of our homes on-line greatly assists our home buying prospects in selecting the home type that best fit their lifestyle in a timely and user-friendly manner.”

The main benefit to these companies strategy is that instead of investing money in developing new marketing channels such as radio, television, and print media each time a new project is launched, both have managed to effectively leverage their continuing online investment to produce perpetual results. . By ensuring that their websites are fully functional and a bona fide marketing channel, Tridel and Carl Freeman benefit by earning significant financial returns with a minimal outlay of expense.

Having discussed several ways by which cutting sales and marketing costs will help to ensure your company benefits from a leaner operating budget and healthier bottom line, we’ll now examine how striving to go beyond these strategies can set your company apart from the pack, further adding to your financial successes and increasing new home sales.

A grim reality of the cyclical market in which we operate, is the fact that consumer demand will inevitably decline for a sustained period before it begins any type of rebound. The million-dollar challenge is to create a growth situation for your company in a marketplace where growth ceases to exist. With the number of new home buyers appearing to drop off, conventional wisdom dictates that your focus switches to overcoming competitor strategies and determining how to secure purchase commitments from a dwindling pool of buyers. For the average home buyer the entire purchase process is often an overwhelming experience that sees them faced with a torrent of financial figures, deposit requirements, décor options selections and having to decipher all the legal ‘mumbo-jumbo’ found in purchase contracts these days. Alarmingly, this experience illustrates more the industry norm, rather than the exception as few builders take the time to analyze and ensure their company’s purchase experience is an inviting and friendly one. Striving to eliminate these confusions and streamline the purchase process will almost certainly result in greater purchaser satisfaction.

So where do you begin? While it would be extremely difficult to cover the myriad ways to accomplish this task within these pages, the following represent a few of those methods identified as producing the greatest results with minimum expenditure: First off, ensure that every step in the home-buying process has been designed to educate and simplify the purchaser’s experience rather than leave them asking more questions than when the process began. You can also eliminate the need to fill out redundant forms and paper work by employing a computer-automated forms generation system which can significantly reduce the aggravation of errors and omissions. By creating a décor options catalogue that prominently distinguishes between standard and upgrade products and explicitly outlines upgrade costs, it will all but eliminate what’s known as purchaser ‘sticker-shock’ and make them more receptive to options and add-ons. Finally, implement a simple mortgage-calculation utility which can maintain a running tally of a purchaser’s expected monthly payment, including all principal, interest and options selections combined. Each of the above solutions, while simple to implement on an individual basis, will serve to drastically improve a purchaser’s satisfaction with the overall home-buying process.

Another hallmark of a boom-time housing market is the fact that builders and developers tend to focus on sales volume, emphasizing quantity, which has caught more than a few mid-stride just as the market turns soft. In a cooling marketplace, this strategy is no longer viable and the focus begins to shift from one of volume to one of value. By focusing on adding value to an already-purchased home, builders can manage to maintain current profit margins while selling fewer homes.

New home upgrade options have seen an unprecedented rise in popularity as buyers have become more demanding and conscious of the décor options available to them. In this climate, builders have been hard pressed to not offer increased décor options and selections to meet this insatiable appetite. Although it would seem nothing else can be done, options sales have not yet reached their full potential however, as many consumers remain apprehensive towards them due to their increased cost burden. The challenge is to anticipate these apprehensions and implement effective tools such as the mortgage calculator previously mentioned to counter their trepidation.

As an example, a $5,000 price tag for upgraded cabinets may intimidate or convince a purchaser they don’t really want the upgrade, but when put into the perspective of a 20 year mortgage – the added cost is minimal. The $5,000 cabinet upgrade appears to be a bargain when viewed as the $21 monthly mortgage premium it actually is. As you can imagine, working with a mortgage impact figure can serve to generate higher demand for upgrade purchases.

Eric Lee, Director of Product Development for The Estridge Companies, is a firm believer in options upgrade sales and implementing programs to ensure their growth. “ Based on our current sales rate, we know for a fact that customers are able to understand the product they are buying and are willing to enter (in to ) a contract with us.”

The strategies and enhancements discussed today represent only a few of the tools you can rely on to gain a competitive edge, as it’s all about creating the most positive purchase experience for your present and future customers. Try and look at your company’s buying process from a purchaser’s perspective; if you don’t feel it serves the customer to the absolute highest degree, you may need to make some simple, but much-needed adjustments. Whether you’re exploring ways by which to cut your operating costs, or developing methods to increase the value of every home sold, the buying public will notice and reward you with increased sales and greater profitability. Creative thinking is no longer a luxury, but has become a necessity in today’s changing marketplace – so throw away the proverbial book and begin thinking outside the box. You may be surprised at what you find when you allow the creativity to shine through.

Frank Guido, President and CEO of http://www.aareas.com, has been at the forefront of merging technology and sales strategies in the home, condo and resort building industry for more than 15 years. By effectively drawing upon his extensive technical background, as well as industry-proven sales and marketing experience.

by: Jay Nagdeman

by: Shushmul Maheshwari

Brazil has placed itself as one of the fastest growing and emerging markets on cosmetics and personal care industry landscape. Being the largest market in Latin America and one of the top five cosmetics & personal care markets in the world, Brazil offers immense investment opportunities for companies around the world. With rising cosmetic consumption, coupled with increasing income level, demand of cosmetics & personal care products will further shoot in Brazil.

Brazil offers low cost manufacturing facilities and has well developed infrastructure with government support that is making the country an idle destination to establishing cosmetic and toiletries production base and target export market. Also, as the country has a large consumer base, manufacturers can easily tap the domestic market.

“Cosmetics and Personal Care Market in Brazil” provides an in-depth analysis of the present and future prospects of the Brazilian cosmetic and toiletries industry. It looks into the industry in detail with focus on major players, distribution network, driving forces, and opportunities critical to the success of the industry at micro level.

Key Findings

– Per capita consumption of cosmetics and personal care products in Brazil is expected to increase at a CAGR of 15.49% during 2008-2011.
– Skin care market, one of the major segments in the cosmetics & personal care industry, is projected to clock in a CAGR growth of 22% during 2008-2011.
– Sales growth of hair care products is anticipated to attain a CAGR of 19% during 2008-2011.
– Color cosmetics sale in Brazil is likely to move up at a CAGR of 18% from 2008 to 2011.
– Rising cosmetic consumption in Brazil will stimulate the demand for chemicals in the cosmetics & personal care industry to US$ 12.83 Billion by 2011.
– Pharmacy sales of male cosmetics in Brazil are expected to rise to 20% by 2010.
– Hair care products accounted for more than 25% (expected) of the total cosmetics & personal care market in 2007.

Key Issues & Facts Analyzed

– What are the future growth areas in Brazil cosmetics & toiletries industry?
– Which factors are driving the industry?
– What are the issues that can hinder the future progress of the industry and what RNCOS recommends to tackle these problem areas?
– What is the segment-wise future scenario of the market?
– Which distribution channels (segment-wise) are prevailing in the cosmetic and toiletries industry?
– What is the scenario of trade in cosmetics and toiletries products?

Key Players Analyzed

This section covers the business overview about the major players in the Brazilian cosmetic market, including Natura, Mundial SA, Avon, etc.

Research Methodology Used

Information Sources

The information has been compiled from authentic and reliable sources like books, newspapers, trade journals, and white papers, industry portals, government agencies, trade associations, monitoring industry news and developments, and through access to more than 3000 paid databases.

Analysis Method

Methods like historical trend, linear regression analysis using software tools, judgmental forecasting, and cause and effect analysis have been used in the report for rational analysis.

For FREE SAMPLE of this report visit: http://www.rncos.com/Report/IM595.htm

Check DISCOUNTED REPORTS on: http://www.rncos.com

RNCOS, incorporated in the year 2002, is an industry research firm. We are a team of industry experts who analyze data collected from credible sources. We provide industry insights and analysis that helps corporations to take timely and accurate business decision in today’s globally competitive environment.

by: Sarah Harrington

by: Silas Reed

There are many types of offbeat careers and jobs nowadays that are getting quite popular. Then there are jobs that become very popular and equally important because they have been important for many years and over the years they have evolved with the times and the advanced technologies.

Advertising sales is a big part of every business and companies all over the world have different techniques and ideas that they apply in regards to advertising sales to make sure that there sales rate goes up.

There are many titles and posts that can be applied when it comes to advertising sales jobs. There are advertising sales managers, executives, agents and even sales representatives that help in the smooth functioning of the sales advertising works of any company or enterprise.

The basic function of the advertising sales people is to work closely with the business concern and the mass of the customers. They help the companies to get their ideas and the benefits of their product to the customers and they do it through different media and means of mass communication.

The goal or the particular objective of the advertising sales personnel is to understand the product or the service that the company is trying to sell and then evaluate statistics to make sure that they have the exact age bar of the target customers for the product.

They then have to strategise their sales pitch keeping in mind this group of target customers. They have to make it appealing to these people and they have to make sure that the customers feel interested enough in the product or service to at least check it out for themselves.

There are a lot of advertising campaigns that are based on different techniques and the budgets of the campaign vary with the variety and the extent of the campaign. There are many strategies involved.

Some companies believe in a grand scale campaign where they go international with various means of media and they get their product to be recognised as a brand while there are those who would rather work with the fact that the budget can be minimum but they post their information and the product information on many billboards, back of vehicles etc. in this way the make sure that the they are continuous reminders to their customers.

Advertising sales jobs are very interesting and they are also quite popular as a good paying job category. In fact if a person is able to strike it true to the vein of the sales and marketing line of the advertising of a company’s product, they can be extremely well paid and their demand in the industry increases and that makes it easy for them to land more projects and companies as clients.

The qualifications for a sales job become more elaborate with the increase in the height of the post. In fact an advertising sales representative or agent can have a simple graduation degree and that will be enough.

However, once they step up to the posts of advertising sales managers or higher they have to reel in an equivalent of masters in marketing and sales. However, experience counts to be a lot in this field.
Silas Reed, Writer for http://www.advertisingcrossing.com AdvertisingCrossing, writes articles that inform and teach about different advertising job profiles. Please visit http://www.advertisingcrossing.com http://www.advertisingcrossing.com and sign up for a FREE trial to gain access to ALL of the many exclusive job listings we offer in the advertising profession.

The author invites you to visit: http://www.advertisingcrossing.com

by: Aretha Perry

by: Kaitlyn Miller

In any business, one of the best ways to market is to create anticipation from your target clients. This means that your products and services make your clients and prospects so excited that they can’t wait for you to launch in the market. This is what anticipation marketing is all about. It’s a way of building the reputation of your product to your public and getting them so curious that they would want to have them right away.

The bottom line of marketing with anticipation is to start flashing ideas to your target clients and ensure that you pique their interest slowly but surely. One of the ways to do it is to distribute marketing collaterals such as flyers or even cheap postcards to announce your new product. The key is to give them a glimpse of what to expect without having to give away all the information. This way, you keep them so interested little by little that they tune in every time so they get hooked on your ad.

Marketing with anticipation not only introduces your new offer but it also keeps the excitement going as early as the pre-launch stage. Until you finally unveil your new product or service, you can have your target clients interested with your collaterals such as your postcard printing or cheap postcards that they already wait in anticipation.

When you decide to go this route, a few pointers can help you launch a successful marketing campaign:

It’s not a one-time deal. In any marketing effort, you need to market not just once if you want to be successful. More so if you’re using anticipation because you’re building the interest of your target audience. The key is to keep them coming back for more until you finally launch your new offer to the public.

Provide mystery and intrigue. Don’t be a tell-all when marketing your product or service. You’re trying to build anticipation. You wouldn’t want your target clients to know everything right away even before you launch your new offer. It is very important that you give them the details in trickles – slowly but surely. The more they would want to know about your product or service, the more they would be excited to learn when you are actually going to introduce your product.

Don’t keep them waiting for too long. It’s good that you’re not giving away everything in one blow. But it is also to your advantage not to drag your marketing strategy in your postcard printing or cheap postcards for far too long that your target audience gets frustrated while waiting for it. Worse case scenario: your target audience gets tired waiting for it because it’s taking you forever to finally launch your new offer that they would want to move on to the next product from your competition.

Finally, don’t use stock phrases such as ‘coming soon’ in your collaterals such as your postcard printing because it’s so passé. For once do something creative. Get them excited with unusual and unique phrases so they would feel suspense when they read your ad.

For more information, you can visit this page on http://www.printplace.com/printing/postcard-printing.aspx and http://www.printplace.com/printing/cheap-postcard-printing.aspx

by: Elite Roofing & Home Improvements, LLC

TPO on Top

TPO Roofingsystems typically receive attention only when they require maintenance. As long as a roof needs minimal maintenance and keeps the contents of a facility dry and safe, maintenance and engineering managers have little think about —or so the reasoning goes.

But roofing manufacturers say there is quite a bit to consider, especially when considering single-ply systems. According to manufacturers, these systems continue to garner interest, thanks in part to the cost and performance benefits they deliver.

Although varieties of single-plies have been around for more than 40 years, only in the last decade has the full performance potential of the systems been realized with the advent of new thermoplastic formulations. New plies also are increasingly economical, say manufacturers, and particularly favored by consumers when they carry Energy Star ratings.

System Options

Single-plies exist predominantly as two types: vulcanized unweldable elastomerics — nearly all of which are based on an ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber — and weldable thermoplastics such as polyvinyl chlorides (PVC) and thermoplastic polyolefins (TPO).

EPDM remains a popular roofing choice because of its durability and economy, manufacturers say. Usually ballasted or adhered, EPDM systems have a proven performance record after several decades of use.

PVC has also been around for several decades; because of the formulation of PVC, many roofing manufacturers recommend it for installations that require chemical-impervious roofing.

TPO is the fastest-growing category of single-ply systems. Manufacturers say its market share is beginning to grow because TPO costs are coming down and because of the numerous benefits of using the material.

System Benefits

“There’s significant push for TPO systems because of its environmentally friendly nature, because it’s a recyclable product, and because of its energy-saving characteristics,” says Mike McAuley, national sales and marketing manager for Versico Inc.

But TPO systems are newer products that do not have the performance history of some single-plies. Some manufacturers also say that TPO formulations continue to be tweaked to improve longevity and weathering.

“Ultimately, TPO formulation remains a balancing act between fire retardants in the formula and the stability of UV-light protection elements in the formula,” says Brian Whelan, vice president of sales and marketing for Sarnafil.

McAuley agrees, adding that most, if not all, TPO systems remain in an “incremental improvement stage.” Manufacturers have established durable base formulations but introduce small changes to improve certain qualities, including fire resistance.

TPO first was used more than 20 years ago to sheathe buried cable and protect other sub-grade materials.

McAuley says specifiers in institutional and commercial facilities are learning about TPO performance and more often choosing it over other single-plies because costs are coming down. He says TPO material costs are higher than those for EPDM, but installation labor costs are lower.

Sarnafil’s Whelan says another reason specifiers favor TPO is because uncolored versions frequently carry an Energy Star rating. To meet Energy Star

“Increasing numbers of property owners seek the benefits of reflective roofing,” says John Gardner, low-slope roofing marketing manager for GAF Materials Corp. “You get the potential of energy savings, with distinct environmental benefits and the good public relations opportunities that also come with it.”

By reflecting solar energy, reflective roofing lessens summertime cooling loads, saving facilities money. Because Energy Star roofing by definition has high emissivity — giving off heat, rather than holding it — it also reduces the urban heat island effect, Whelan says.

Keeping it Clean

Over time, however, roofing materials accumulate dirt or grow mold, lessening roof reflectivity. To continue reaping the benefits of reflective roofing, managers should clean the roof, using a power washer, a minimum of once annually.

Mold is a sensitive topic for roofing suppliers and maintenance managers alike, one manufacturer says. Some companies, including Stevens, use fungicides or algaecides in TPO formulations to combat mold growth. But these biocides do not always prevent the buildup of mold and mildew, and some might lose effectiveness over time.

Other mold-eradication options exist, especially for the Southeast United States, where geography and weather conditions tend to support mold growth.

“Mold grows on all kinds of roofing materials, not just single-ply,” says Sarnafil’s Whelan. “We’ve discovered that water passed over zinc kills fungal growth. For sloped roofs, Sarnafil is investigating incorporating zinc ridge strips so that a natural rainwater wash kills roof molds.”

GAF makes a family of membranes designed to fight molds, and the company is establishing a mold resource page on its Web site to give managers information on strategies to fight mold. Regardless of the methods used to prevent mold build-up, manufacturers stress the need to wash roofing regularly.

“The only way to keep a roof clean and truly, effectively get rid of mildew is to spray the roof,” McAuley says.

Maintenance Matters

Also vital to the health of single-ply roofing systems are regular inspections of the membrane. Manufacturers encourage maintenance managers to schedule roofing inspections at least yearly, to clear debris and check seams, flashing joints and vent boots for signs of damage. If protective coatings are used, managers also should have inspectors check and repair those as needed.

Gardner recommends managers keep a roof log and offers the following tips to keep single-ply roofing in top shape: criteria, low-slope roof materials must have an initial solar reflectance greater than 65 percent. After three years in place, reflectivity must remain greater than 50 percent.

• Maintain a roof maintenance file, keeping a log of repairs or service done to the roof, as well as other work not directly related to the roof, such chiller maintenance, that requires rooftop traffic. The log should include inspection dates, with notes of any findings.

• Inspect roofs twice yearly.

• Inspect roofs after severe weather. Severe weather, including hail and strong winds, can damage roofing.

• Promptly remove debris from roof.

• Minimize rooftop traffic.

“Most damage to roofing occurs during construction, particularly if other trades use the roof as a staging area,” Whelan says.

Gardner agrees that workers are often a common cause of membrane punctures.

“Minimizing the number of people and the need for them to be on the roof helps maximize membrane integrity,” he says.

TPO Trends

Until several years ago, U.S. manufacturers crafted TPO membranes in thicknesses of 45-60mm. Meanwhile, European manufacturers were creating thicker membranes. But that has changed. Now, U.S. manufacturers have bulked up their ply thicknesses, making membranes up to 80mm thick.

“I’m seeing more customers requesting thicker membranes, switching, say, from 48mm to 60mm membranes,” Whelan says. “Generally, there’s no difference in labor costs for different thicknesses. The only cost difference is in the material itself, and those costs usually aren’t that significant. Remember that thicker materials are less likely to puncture, will last longer and carry longer factory warranties.”

That is why Whelan also recommends that when bidding out jobs, managers should ask for bids on at least three membrane thicknesses. Many specifiers also are increasingly choosing mechanically fastened membranes over adhered or ballasted.

“It can be difficult and frustrating to find leaks on ballasted roofing because it requires contractors to move aside massive amounts of aggregate,” Whelan says.

Manufacturers also say that mechanically fastened systems are stronger and require less installation time than adhered or ballasted systems. Tom Gallivan, marketing manager for Stevens Roofing Systems, says mechanically fastened systems use few, if any, adhesive solvents, a consideration for managers who want to maximize environmental responsibility.

Although PVC and EPDM remain appropriate choices in some environments, TPO has emerged as a growing player in the single-ply roofing market. The material’s combination of strength, energy-efficiency returns and economy makes it an increasingly appealing option for managers.

Despite these benefits, managers need to invest the time to conduct regular rooftop inspections, minimize roof traffic, and — when using an Energy Star roof — wash the membrane to help it retain its efficiency.

Elite Roofing & Home Improvements, LLC provides detailed information about shingles, cedar shingles, fiberglass shingles and more. Elite Roofing & Home Improvements, LLC is affiliated with the National Roofing Contractors Association.
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by: Janey Yang

Potential Opportunities Catalyzing the Alluring Markets

In recent years, a great number of overseas orders of craftwork and gifts have been transferred to China, mainly from the European and USA general merchandise industry, multinational chain supermarkets, and professional distributors, etc.

Meanwhile, Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the World Expo Shanghai 2010 will also bring great business opportunities to the craftwork and gifts industry. Facing such a large market potential, the most urgent issue for enterprises to tackle at present is how to make full use of two major resources and markets at home and abroad and complete technology innovations and promote the upgrading of enterprises.

Popular Gift Ideas (Buying Trends)

1; Gifts for Family Decoration

Craftwork is an important composition of family interior soft-environment design, reflecting peoples’ temperament and interests. Practicality and nice design are two important factors people considered when choosing home gifts.

2; Promotion Gifts – Complement Traditional Marketing Methods

The value of promotional gifts in today’s competitive marketplace can’t be underestimated. Many businesses nowadays turn to promotional gifts to help them enhance their brand awareness, improve customer loyalty and increase sales.

3; Holiday Gift: Nurture Your Relationship

Despite traditional holiday seasons (Spring Holiday, Christmas, Valentines Day, Mothers Day, Fathers Day…), we obviously can’t forget to mention other important occasions such as Wedding, Anniversary, Birthday, or Graduation day. These special occasions bring us together, creating a chance for our relationships to grow. Gift giving in this case is indispensable to enhance the feelings or atmosphere. Personalized and engraved unique gifts especially make distinguished and memorable presents.

4; Fashion Jewelry Gifts – a Timeless Favorite

In times of rapid change, constants lend comfort to our lives. Since ancient times, jewelry has been one of the most popular gifts to give and to receive, and it still ranks among the top gifts as a universal, particularly pearls and birthstones. Jewelry ranks just beneath flowers as the gift that says “I love you,” and it ranks just above flowers as a gift to convey that the recipient is someone special. A gift of jewelry delights the recipient and evokes a genuine smile. Birthstones, among various choices, are very popular with Its Culture-added Value. Almost everyone appreciates a birthstone, and it shows that you actually put some thought into the gift. Many people believe that wearing their birthstone protects them and brings them good luck.

Yiwu City: a Terrific Destination for Your Gift-purchasing Plan in China

China Yiwu is the largest mart for petty commodities. Currently, Yiwu has the largest wholesaling market around the world. The business area of the market covers 1,500,000 square meters, gathering 320,000 kinds of commodities from all over the country with a daily customer flow of more than 200,000 person-times, and the daily output of commodities up to nearly ten thousand tons. Up to now, more than 300 overseas trading offices and 10,000 foreign purchasers have resided in Yiwu.

Notable Domestic and International Gift Fairs

1; International Gifts & Home Decor Trade Fair

The largest fair of its kind in East China, was held in Shanghai every year, which can both serve the industry and add luster to life, creating a real buzz in Shanghai Mart.

2; Shenzhen International Toys & Gifts Fair

This event is an ideal platform for sourcing from China. Its exhibitors include top ranking suppliers of products from their respective categories, as well as leading brand names who are looking for distributors. Many of these exhibitors are already leading suppliers in the China market, and they have expressed keen interest in developing business overseas.

3; Sands Expo Center — The ASD/AMD Las Vegas Gift Expo

ASD/AMD Trade Shows have been at the top of the gift, jewelry, variety and discount industries” annual market calendar since 1961. Dollar for dollar ASD/AMD Trade Shows are the most cost-effective and convenient way to get buyers and sellers together in a sales and profits-oriented marketplace.

E-business Web Choice – Finding Authentic Suppliers in China

If you happen to be a buyer, looking for appropriate China Supplier partners. Would you like to get comprehensive information, such as company business registration condition, actual production, trade, R & D abilities and quality management system, of potential partners quickly? Do you hope that this information is from an impartial authoritative organization like SGS? If you are looking for such suppliers and need such important business information, please choose Made-in-China.com. Made-in-China.com has already become a leading B2B portal especially in assisting global buyers and Chinese manufacturers to make contact and conduct international trade.

Challenges Facing the China Gift Industry and What’s On Trend

1; Design Capability and Awareness as the Core

China gift industry desires for professional and creative designers. Competition enhances design capability in a positive way. To upgrade their design capability, many companies employ experienced designers. Some suppliers even recruit skilled artists from Japan and the US. They then form teams who will work closely with clients in new product development.

Brilliant designer teams stay abreast of trends and always scout for new ideas or options when going to some relevant events or shows. Gift magazines and Internet sites are used as references as well. Aside from these, some suppliers hire fresh graduates from design schools. This allows them to go beyond the conventional and develop innovative designs for niche markets.

2; Brand Name Promotion

Some experts pointed out that many Chinese gift enterprises are small in size and are not competitive on the market due to lack of awareness of intellectual property rights and independently-developed brand name.

Companies that do not have any awareness in promoting their brands cannot survive. Companies are now getting to that awareness. Brand stands for everything – low price, convenience of purchase, emotional attachment, and for performance and quality. As far as allocation of funds (for brand promotion) is concerned, it should be carried out on a sustainable basis. It has to be part of the overall budgetary allocation of the company.

3; Creating Value, Adding Value and Maintaining Value

Whether it is Culture Value added or Technology Value added, they would undoubtedly make your gifts more competitive. Many traditional Chinese gifts maker should strive for new technology to bring novelty to their products and maintain freshness. Meanwhile, we can’t ignore the culture value of the gifts or even an enterprise. For instance, “Swarovski Crystal” are paying much attention and funds in its culture value promotion (crystal history, magic function etc.), it’s the culture connotation that contributes much to its overall success, attracting people to buy it and enjoy it.

4; Know the Psychologic Profile of The Target Market

The psychologic profile of gift consumers reveals their different drives and motivations in purchasing gifts. What factors are more or less important in driving gift purchasing decisions? How can gifts marketers and retailers better understand the hearts and minds of their consumers and use that insight to capture a greater share of the consumers’ gifting budget? These are questions every gift enterprise should investigate into seriously. The market will shrink if we always produce old-fashioned or unchanged gifts the target buyers don’t familiar with or interested in. In other words, for the foreign gift trade business in china, it would be favorable for the profits and markets to grow, for example, if the manufacturers could produce gifts that taking in more western flavor, religious imply, personalized demand, or of high quality level.

5; Environmental Friendly – Go Green

The environment is increasingly on consumers’ radar screens, according to the 22nd Annual Holiday Survey of retail spending and trends, commissioned by Deloitte. The survey revealed that almost one in five consumers (18 percent) will purchase more “eco-friendly” products this holiday season than in the past, and 17 percent will shop at more “green” retailers. Additionally, almost one-third of consumers (27 percent) surveyed will use fewer plastic bags from supermarkets and other stores this holiday season, and one in five (20 percent) will consider not wrapping holiday gifts to conserve paper. These responses concerning the environment and holiday shopping intentions were consistent across gender, age and income groups.

Janey Yang

A lady keen on the market information concerning products made in china. To find better china suppliers, please go on ahead to check: http://Made-in-China.com.