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Unless you have major-label money behind you, the ability to self-promote your music is one of the most important skills you can have. When you don’t have money to hire PR people to run media campaigns for you, it is up to you to make sure people know about the music you are making. Getting started can be a little overwhelming, however. These steps will help you start out on the right foot, to make sure all of the right people are standing up and taking notice of you....

Lottery pools are a lot of fun… until you win. Then, if you haven’t done your homework, what should be one of the best days of your life can dissolve into bickering and even lawsuits. And that’s not even considering whether the person collecting the money is really buying the tickets! Here are tips for running a lottery pool that protects all the participants and avoids problems ranging from lawsuits to bitterness....

Creating an effective marketing strategy for a pet shop doesn’t have to cost a paw and a leg. In fact, there are a number of creative, low-cost options available. All it takes is some imagination, a stick-to-it attitude, old-fashioned common sense, and the ability to think outside the box. When formulating a marketing strategy, start by being clear about your goals, your target audience, and your pet shop’s specific strengths and how to capitalize on them....

Machinist’s Mates (MMs) in the Navy are responsible for maintaining and operating a variety of complex machinery, and assisting machinists in keeping all Navy craft in top working order. Most of the work they do is conducted on machines and engine parts within the hulls of Navy ships and submarines. For instance, these sailors operate and maintain steam turbines and reduction gears used for ship propulsion and auxiliary machinery such as turbogenerators, pumps, and oil purifiers....

Qualifying a lead is the process of determining whether a lead meets the requirements to purchase your product or service. Learn more about how to qualify a lead. What Is Qualifying a Lead? Leads are consumers or businesses that might be a good fit for your product or service. Not every lead is worth pursuing, though. For example, if you sell and lease copiers, you might contact a potential lead and find out they just started a contract with a competitor....

Target market identification is the process of selecting the groups of customers to focus on in a firm’s marketing mix. Learn what it involves, its benefits, and the steps to carry out for the successful identification of your target market. What Is Target Market Identification? Target market identification involves selecting one or more market segments or groups of customers to target in your marketing mix. The idea is that tailoring that mix to address the unique needs and desires of your target market can ultimately be more profitable for the firm than mass marketing toward every would-be buyer in the overall market....

Outfitting a food truck for business is a lot like designing a commercial kitchen for a new restaurant. You need designated areas for cooking, chilling, storing and serving. Because a food truck is much smaller than most restaurant kitchens, you will need to utilize every inch of space. Much of your food truck design will depend on your menu– will you be preparing a bulk of food in a separate area (like sandwiches or wraps) or will it be prepared on site (such as pizza or fried food)....

Not every problem with an engine refusing to start is the same. That’s why we call figuring out what’s wrong with your car “troubleshooting” rather than just “fixing.” Before we can fix the no-start problem—in this case in a 1996 Honda Accord EX, which serves as a good example—we have to figure out what’s causing the engine to refuse to start. No Spark Here is what this owner experienced: My 1991 Honda Accord EX has 178,000 miles with little or no problem until now....

Let’s start with a definition. Generally speaking, a skid is a platform on runners or other vertical supports such as a skid foundation. The terms “skid” and “pallet” are often used interchangeably for load platforms used in material handling and logistics applications. In terms of professional usage, however, the term “skid” refers to a unit load base which is different than a pallet. Let’s take a closer look at those differences, the history of skids, as well as the advantages they offer in modern material handling applications....

Many large corporate meetings and conferences kick off the event program with what’s an opening session, sometimes called a plenary session or an opening general session. These sessions are most frequently associated with larger conferences, congresses, or conventions, but they can be used for smaller corporate events as well. Opening sessions are always scheduled for a set period of time at the beginning of the program. They usually run from one to two hours....

In the advertising industry, a spec ad (industry jargon for speculative advertisement) is an ad created to win an account, with no guarantee of payment from the client. For an aspiring copywriter, writing a spec ad is a way to demonstrate your talents. Spec ads are common tools for budding copywriters and new college graduates with little experience. They are a great way to display copywriting talent to a potential client or employer....

Traditionally, the marketing departments of businesses were responsible for product design, identifying demographics, designing promotions, advertising and enabling the sales force with tools for their “go to market” strategy. Once marketing was finished, the sales professionals took over. If sales were strong, the marketing team felt as if they did a good job on their end. If sales were weak, the marketing team would be charged with creating a different marketing plan and to redesign the “go to market” strategy....

Amy Mickelson, born Amy McBride in 1972, is the wife of golf Hall of Famer Phil Mickelson. Theirs is one of the most successful pro sports marriages, by all accounts, and they’ve had three children together. They’ve also survived some major health scares. Amy and Phil met when she was a performer with the Phoenix Suns dance squad in the NBA, and harbored dreams of becoming an actress some day. Instead, more than 20 years of marriage later, Amy Mickelson has become a sort of den mother to other PGA Tour wives and girlfriends, and a person who is widely admired....

Army Cannon Crewmembers are part of the Artillery Career Field (13) and responsible for firing howitzer cannons in support of infantry and tank units during combat. The cannon crewmember is a vital role in any combat situation, and it’s categorized as a military occupational specialty (MOS) 13B. These soldiers load and fire howitzers, set fuse and charge on a variety of munitions, including high explosive artillery rounds, laser-guided projectiles, mines, and rocket assisted projectiles....

Music supervisors place music in media such as movies, television shows, video games, and commercials. They work with studios, musicians, and their representatives to select appropriate music, and then secure the licenses to use it. The nature of the work makes being a music supervisor a high-stress job at times, and a music supervisor’s pay is based on a project’s budget. Job Basics To understand this career, consider a music supervisor working on movie production....

If you are a small business owner who is struggling to write a business plan, help is here. Planning is one of the most important, yet often underestimated, parts of starting a business. In fact, many businesses fail from lack of research, goals and a thorough plan. The business planning process requires a lot of time, work, and effort, though. It can be overwhelming for many small business owners. This guide will explain why a business plan is a must-have, provide a shortcut to the business planning process, help you collect important background information, and get you started with a working business plan outline....

Fostering teamwork is part of creating a work culture that values collaboration. Rather than encouraging competition, a culture of teamwork creates opportunities for employees to work together and use all available resources and skills to reach business-wide goals. In a teamwork environment, people understand and believe that thinking, planning, decisions, and actions are better when done cooperatively. This environment doesn’t develop in a vacuum. Business owners and executives must work to deliberately build teamwork among their employees....

Our glossary of golf course terms is one part of our larger Glossary of Golf Terms. If you need the definition of golf course term, we explain terms relating to architecture, maintenance, turfgrasses, course setup and other areas. The grid that appears first includes terms for which we have more in-depth definitions. Click on a link to find the definition. And below that are more golf course terms explained here on the page....

Missing shipments happen from time to time on eBay. If you purchased an item on eBay and the shipment hasn’t arrived, there are the steps you can take to try and track it down or ask to get your money back. According to eBay rules, you are entitled to a refund or replacement item from the seller unless they have tracking information that confirms the package was delivered. Check in With the Seller...

First, the good news: The number of Black-owned businesses in the United States has significantly increased in a span of less than two decades. The U.S. Census Bureau reported that in 2002, there were 94,518 Black-owned businesses with paid employees. But by 2017, that number had increased to 124,000. Now, the bad news: When it comes to securing venture capital (VC), Black business owners still remain far behind their white counterparts....