Black Hawk Down, Philadelphia Inquirer, November 1997
This brutal, 15-hour battle in Somalia killed 18 elite U.S. soldiers, wounded 73, and changed the way America approached foreign intervention. Before it was a movie, or a book, Mark Bowden chronicled the soldiers? ordeal in this brilliant account in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
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By Jennifer Ehidiamen
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VENTURES AFRICA ? Kagem Tibaijuka founded?Kagem Tibaijuka & Co,? a small-scale B2B marketing company based in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. But, all of her clients are based outside Tanzania.?While India is part of the outsourcing boom, companies like Kagem Tibaijuka & Co, customize marketing campaigns for international small businesses in markets such as London and Prague. They are a part of the sudden outsourcing growth on the continent.
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According to Kagem, ?outsourcing is traditionally seen as something in the IT sector to cut costs but in marketing, outsourcing from a business to business angle can be an excellent way for small businesses to focus on what they do best and allow us to do the heavy lifting for them to ensure that they meet their business goals.?
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Kangem Tibaijuka & Co has worked with companies like Peachy Loans, Designer-Clothes.co.uk and Signature Car Hire.
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?Kagem was contracted to create fashion guides to go on my e-commerce website. I would say it was high quality writing that Kagem provided, it ticked all the boxes in terms of the way I wanted it written. I would work withKagem again on new projects? Matt Seigneur at Designer -clothes, writes in a testimonial.
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?We always put their priorities first which is why clients work with us to create campaigns that will resonate with their buying audience,? states Kagem.
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How can more entrepreneurs venture into the business of outsourcing? What business opportunities are there for African countries?
In this interview, Kagem shares her experience and sheds more light on the business of outsourcing and how African businesses can take advantage of the surge. Enjoy!
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How will you describe B2B marketing in a layman?s language?
B2B marketing is best described as assisting the director of a blockbuster film, while B2C work is like doing the make-up of the movie star in the film. While companies like Mars, Inc sell to consumers with bright graphics and complex marketing campaigns, we sell to businesses who are passionate about they do and simply want to grow.
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That is an interesting analogy! So tell us, what does your company do currently??
At the moment we are working with several clients internationally by helping them with content marketing, which is using content to help promote and market their products and services. Content marketing is one of the most exciting areas of marketing because the ability to tell vivid stories gives businesses a human side that clients and customers want to see. Content marketing creates engagement which is needed to make sales.
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Drawing from your experience, how do you think more African companies can take advantage of outsourcing?
The Internet is like an unopened Christmas gift that African companies can use in order to find outsourcing clients. African companies whether they are based in Nairobi, Johannesburg or Dar-es-Salaam can use tools such as email marketing and low cost telephone calls to promote themselves to international clients who need key services outsourced with a focus on value for money and a high standard of work.
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So far you have worked with different international companies. How do you get these clients? Explain the whole process from first contact to full achievement of set goals.
What I do is I first read as much as I can about specific industry sectors such as financial services and I learn what the key trends are. I look at industries which are destined for growth and then I use search engines to find relevant businesses to contact. I use cold call approaches most of the time ? all of my clients were converted through cold call approaches where they were not expecting me to get in touch. I normally email or call the business involved and I ask to speak to the right person. I ask if I can submit my ideas on how we can help them achieve their goals. Through achieving their goals by putting their priorities first, we achieve our goals of finding new clients every month.
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And generating revenue for the business?
Kagem?Tibaijuka & Co is a bootstrapped startup that has made over $10,000 in turnover in its first year of trading without any external funding. The company has absolutely no debt and all cash was reinvested back into?the business. We broke even in the first year due to minimal expenses and virtual working. I just recently moved into a new office to keep up with demand for new content marketing campaigns from London-based clients.
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Who are you current competitors and what is your competitive edge in the industry?
Our competitors are definitely mid-sized marketing companies in the countries that our clients are based because they have the advantage of localisation. However, the overarching advantage we have is that we offer specialised content marketing services instead of being a jack of all trades marketing agency that does everything. We only do content marketing and that pushes us to the front for clients who want tailored content marketing services.
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Any plans for expansion?
I would love to expand into other international markets ? the Lusophone cities of Maputo and Luanda seem interesting, and London is ideal as well as a central location to promote the company. My top tip for other companies in content marketing would be to specialise in a form of media, whether that is only delivering brochures or creating sales letters or to choose an industry that you specialise in because companies who create a unique blueprint can expand and charge more for their services.
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To learn more about the company, please visit:?www.kagemtibaijuka.com?Follow on Twitter: @KagemTibaijuka
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ventures-africa Ventures Africa is a monthly Pan-African business magazine, which will champion African capitalism by celebrating African success, free enterprise, the entrepreneurial spirit, and the rewards of hard work.
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The Great Googa Mooga
May 19th & 20th 2012
The Great Googa Mooga was defined by organizers as:
n. an amusement park of food & drink
adj.?something wonderfully great
excl.??oh my goodness!? or ?how bout that!?
For those who thought they were coming to a music festival, this festival?s main attractions were the food and drink with 75 food vendors, 35 brewers, 30 winemakers and 20 live music performances. For foodies it was a packed house with over 40,000 attendees, and longer lines to wait for food and drink than most restaurants in the city.
I arrived Sunday afternoon, starving after a morning spent making DVDs for Nicole?s presentation at the Kellogg Food and Society Conference, and headed for the shortest line I could find ? at one of my favorites, Num Pang Sandwich Shop. I splurged on a double, which included two mini pulled pork sandwiches and two sides of grilled corn on the cob. I was trying to avoid lines and find my friends (a difficult task given bad cell service in the park) so I skipped the ID check and grabbed some Blood Orange Lemonade from Num Pang too?so delicious!
Hunger satiated, I found my friends in Hamageddon, where they had just escaped from being nearly singed by the enormous metal pig roast, and had delighted in the antics of Peelander-Z, a Japanese action comic punk rock band dressed up ?like Teletubbies,? according to one friend.
We sought out dessert only to find all the ice cream stalls sold out- oh, dear! I noticed the cotton candy machine and short line at Liddabit Sweets. My friends noticed their caramel chocolate honeycomb popcorn. My cotton candy was made with maple syrup and came with a pretzel stick. I like to think of maple syrup as a healthier option and the natural color and lightly sweet flavor certainly made for a delicious alternative to the bright colored fluff of yester-year. The mix of sweet and salty also helped to delight the palate, making my amusement park experience complete.
Before leaving to explore more of the day in Prospect Park, I stopped by the Just Food booth where they were selling seed bombs?a little something to take away and spread the food festival out into the city.
As the first year of the festival, there was definitely room for improvement, but with the goal of having?friends and neighbors to eat, drink, talk, laugh, dance, linger and just . . . be together,? the organizers certainly succeeded. The kids even came out ? anyone over age 6 required a ticket and with the many food booths, kids could try a sampling from vendors all over the city. Just Food also had a number of activities for families including ?Wonderful Wigglers: A Worm Workshop for Little Ones!?
For next year, one friend requests that they ?bring the New Orleans Brass to the General Mooga!? My advice on the long lines: look to Num Pang?s organization: two lines one for ordering, one for pickup with your ticket. It was efficient and moved fairly fast.
But all in all, Googa Mooga, thanks for a good time.
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What happens when a powerful demoness' minion messes around with an angel of The Almighty Goddess of the world? Two opposite worlds, two different lives, one big mess of shit they have gotten into.
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Consumer credit scores are in simple terms a particular person's report on their aptitude to reliably take care of consumer debt. Loan providers exploit consumer credit reviews as well as rating models to help figure out the financial risk of offering a loan to credit seekers. Borrowers who've proved a sturdy and repeated history of responsible getting credit and repayment are likely to get hold of higher than average loan sums in addition to significantly better percentage rates and terms in comparison with people who may have failed to satisfy loan repayments vigilantly and in full.
Credit scores will be influenced by a selection of score factors that help suggest to the service provider what sort of borrower the consumer has actually proven to be previously. Features that affect ones credit ratings background can include funding profile, loan-to-account balance proportions, prompt installment payments, county court judgements, wages, and much more. Loan merchants are in the enterprise of lending funds. Having said that, prior to lending to an individual, the finance company wants to determine the financial risk to reward rate offered by funding the customer's personal loan requirements. The lower the potential risk the client poses, the greater the negotiating authority she or he has. Customers that have a bad credit score are generally subject to the whims of the supplier as to whether or not they will pick up credit, and also whether or not it'll be made available with manageable repayment terms and interest rates. Usually, below-average credit clients pay back far more.
Regretably, the majority of consumers are uneducated concerning just how consumer credit ratings are measured. Generally customers start out crafting their own credit rating very early in adult life, prior to when many are actually equipped for that job. Young men and women are often naive when it comes to exactly how radically their finances are altered courtesy of generating bad or good credit. That isn't a worry for some individuals up until the time it will come time to purchase a home or even an auto, and that is when a trip to a low credit score service might well be advantageous.
An individual in need of a mortgage loan on a new house could actually see somewhat varying home loan deals contingent on whether he has a first-rate or unfavorable credit ranking. Buyers with impressive credit ratings could possibly come across decreased upfront loan expenses. They're also very likely to end up with an enhanced rate of interest with their financing. Just one half to full percentage point of interest fees for a conventional mortgage can certainly have an enormous financial impact.
Throughout the life of a mortgage loan, a buyer could potentially perhaps save tens of thousands in interest charges merely by finding one half to 1 per cent improved price for the home finance loan. Provisions are frequently more beneficial at the same time. The whole thing refers to bargaining strength. A consumer having a positive credit ranking is empowered to bargain beneficially with lending companies simply because he / she presents reduced associated risk. A consumer with adverse credit finds less options of willing creditors along with minimized negotiating strength.
Martin writes for ADM Online who offer loans to UK residents with good or poor credit ratings.
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New York, NY (PRWEB) May 23, 2012
Merchant account providers compete daily in a multibillion-dollar industry to gain the attention of businesses that process transactions online. A fraction of a percentage point might not appear to be a big deal to an average person, but for companies that process hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments each month it can mean everything. Internet marketers are one target for credit card processors due to the high sales conversions that these professionals can achieve. http://www.powepay.biz, has created a new offer exclusively for Internet marketers that need to accept credit cards online. This online merchant account provider has grown over 900 percent in the last 3 years by doing things that traditional credit card processing companies do not offer.
A low processing percentage rate is generally not the only thing that a business or website owner uses to make a decision for credit card processing. Although most online processing requires no equipment, the use of payment gateways and secure servers does require IT support if a problem happens. Many of the credit card processing companies that support auction websites handle payments that can be less than one-hundred dollars at a time. For Internet marketing companies or professional businesses selling online, transactions can easily exceed this figure. Support for Internet marketing companies that sell product and services 24/7 online is one of the key services of the PowerPay service. A helpful IT support staff is one of the differences noticed by some new account holders.
High volume traffic can be converted into large sales figures weekly, monthly and annually. Companies like Marketers Black Book have reported recently switching credit card processing companies after changes have taken place that were unfavorable with a competing company. Our website, http://www.marketersblackbook.com, receives thousands of Internet marketing users every month and we do a lot of online transactions, said Bernard Ablola, Internet Marketing Expert at Marketers Black Book. We recently switched our payment processing over to PowerPay and we shared what we like about the service and how it has helped our business with our subscribers, Ablola added.
A lower than national average processing rate is one way that companies performing hundreds of online transactions can reduce monthly operating expenses for online sales. As the number of online businesses continues to grow, a company could quickly outgrow the services provided by their current company and could go through an expensive switch when handing over processing duties to a new processor. One feature that is unique to the PowerPay merchant accounts is the expediting of online and offline business applications for new accounts to make the changeover process less restrictive and without traditional service interruptions.
About PowePay
Point of sale processing, online, offline and kiosk credit card processing services have helped PowerPay to gain a larger market share of processing credit cards for businesses around the world. Based in the state of Maine, this Internet-friendly merchant account provider has more than 50,000 merchant subscribers that process transactions each month. A 10 million dollar expansion in 2011 has helped bring upgraded telecommunication services to expedite processing time frames and eliminate customer service waiting times. PowerPay provides 24/7 support for every client both online and offline.
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If you?re having a stressful day, you might think of your smartphone as just one more source of distraction and noise; but with the right apps, it can be a source of inspiration and refreshment. Check out these great apps to help you keep your eyes on the prize throughout the day.
1. Bucket List (iPhone, comparable apps available for Android)
This app helps you organize all those bucket list goals in one place, along with the steps you need to take to get there. Rather than just writing down a list of things you?d like to do, this app gives you a good framework to actually make them happen; set target dates for each step, whether it be raising money, buying a plane ticket, or ordering supplies for a big project, and Bucket List will remind you when those deadlines are approaching. It?s a great way to keep your focus on long-term goals, so you don?t get bogged down in the day-to-day. The iPhone app has a much more attractive interface than the Android options, but other than that they?re equivalent. (Cost: free; Pro version $2.99)
2. Inspirational Quotes (Android, iPhone)
Keep yourself thinking happy thoughts with these bite-sized pieces of inspiration for your smartphone. It?s a fairly simple app; you can randomize quotes, copy to clipboard, or share on Facebook or Twitter. The app has an attractive, soothing interface, but selection is the main thing here. There are a lot of quote apps with quotes that are either inane, or ones you?ve heard a million times. This app stands out as a source of real, thought-provoking inspiration to help you get through the day. (Cost: free)
3. Mindjet (Android, iPhone)
Mindjet is a great way to brainstorm, organize, and capture good ideas when they come to you. Create little flowcharts that show you the necessary pieces of every good idea, so you can quickly figure out what you want to do, and how to get things done. It?s pretty incredible how quickly a new idea can come together when you lay out all the parts in one place. While you might think of this as a business app, it can be used for craft projects, chore charts for kids, budget goals, any job a Mom might do that takes planning and organization. (Cost: free)
4. Idea Generator (Android, iPhone)
If you?re feeling uninspired, this app might jumpstart your creativity. Idea Generator takes a random selection of words in various categories and combines them. You can add your own words or categories to suit whatever creative method works for you. It can be fun just as a brain-stretcher, but it may also spark a new idea that you can use in whatever creative medium you like. It?s a simple app with a very basic interface, so T-mobile used cell phones should have no trouble running it. (Cost: free for Android, $2.99 for iPhone)
5. Goal Tracker (Android)
Whether you?re trying to get in shape, quit smoking, do something creative, or any other method of self-improvement, the most effective results come to those who are accountable to themselves, and plan ahead. Goal Tracker allows you to record your step-by-step progress to any given goal, with neat percentage bars that fill up as you approach completion. You set a point value to each step of your goal. For instance, if you want to work out every day for fifty days, you might set each workout to be worth two points, and then at the end of the fifty days you?ll be at 100%. It?s a powerful tool to help you see progress toward your goals. (Cost: free)
Bio: Jane Johnson is a staff writer for GoingCellular, a popular site that provides cell phone news, commentary, reviews.
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Manny Pacquiao's devotion to religion and comments against gay marriage will not have an impact as a training distraction or in the ring as the Filipino icon prepares to fight unbeaten American Tim Bradley.
That was the message from "Pac-Man" and trainer Freddie Roach on Tuesday in a media conference call ahead of Pacquiao's June 9 defense of his World Boxing Organization welterweight title at Las Vegas.
"Manny Pacquiao is very fired up, very motivated," Roach said. "He has had a great training session. Everything is right where it is supposed to be. We've had a great training camp. Manny's focus is the best I have ever seen.
"I think you're going to see the best Manny Pacquiao yet."
Pacquiao, 54-3 with two drawn and 38 knockouts, has taken to Bible study rather than nightlife these days, but his punches will carry the same sting when he meets WBO junior welterweight champion Bradley, 28-0 with 12 knockouts.
"It will not affect my job," Pacquiao said. "When I commit my life to the Lord, it's not about my job. Whatever my job is, that's a pleasure from God.
"I'm just doing my best to work hard and focus on the fight. Training is going good. I'm ready for the fight."
Pacquiao was asked his opinion of same-sex marriages last week in the wake of support for such unions from US President Barrack Obama. Pacquiao said he was not in favor of gay marriage, comments he said he knew would touch off controversy.
"Somebody asked me what my opinion of legalizing same-sex marriage is," Pacquiao said. "I said what I think. It is against the law of God."
What fanned the flames was a Biblical quote, one never mentioned by Pacquiao but used in a report, calling for homosexuals to be put to death.
Roach said the controversy should be over by now.
"Everyone is entitled to his own opinion," Roach said. "I don't think it will be a distraction. TMZ was here for a couple days. We pacified them and that was it."
Roach sees Pacquiao's piety as a plus, making him fresher as a fighter and more focused and receptive as a pupil.
"He's not as tired. He doesn't have any night life whatsoever," Roach said. "He goes to Bible study. Him and God are very close right now. He's very focused right now."
Added promoter Bob Arum: "I think this religious awakening has been all for the good."
That might not be good for Bradley.
"Tim Bradley is not the kind of boxer we underestimate. He's a champion," Pacquiao said. "I don't know what he's going to bring into the ring but I'm prepared for whatever he brings on that night. We're ready for movement or boxing. I'm so ready to fight. It feels good."
Pacquiao also revealed that he was struggling with family problems when he defeated Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez last November in their third career bout.
"The fight wasn't hard for me but that fight I had some family problems," Pacquiao said. "Mentally I was not 100 percent."
Added Roach: "In the last week everything fell apart, personal problems with Manny. I dont think that will happen again. Manny got rid of all the distractions that caused him to fight poorly in that one and I think we'll have a good fight."
Roach has worked to reduce the chance of head-clashes between southpaw Pacquiao and right-hander Bradley.
"Bradley is a tough undefeated guy but we've watched a lot of video on him," Roach said. "I see a lot of holes in his defense and I think Manny can take advantage of them."
Roach says Pacquiao has not fought such a muscular rival but has plenty of experience with larger and faster foes and "Pac-Man" will have advantages in speed, power and experience.
"Speed will be hard to deal with, power will knock you out and experience will make it a little bit easier," Roach said.
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By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer
Associated Press Sports
updated 10:25 p.m. ET May 21, 2012
BALTIMORE (AP) - Down by three runs in the sixth inning, the Boston Red Sox desperately needed a spark to get back into the game against the Baltimore Orioles.
With one mighty swing, David Ortiz launched a ball out of Camden Yards and sent the Red Sox on their way to an uplifting 8-6 victory Monday night.
Dustin Pedroia had two RBIs and Mike Aviles scored the go-ahead run in the seventh to help Boston secure its ninth win in 11 games. The Red Sox are tied with the New York Yankees in the AL East cellar but are at .500 (21-21) for the first time since April 30.
"It's definitely not a goal, but it's better than being under .500," manager Bobby Valentine said.
Boston trailed 5-2 in the sixth before Ortiz hit a drive that was so obviously gone that right fielder Nick Markakis didn't even turn around to see it become the 62nd homer in the 21-year history of Camden Yards to land on Eutaw Street.
It was his 10th homer of the season, second in three games, and the timing could not have been better.
"We start the rally afterward," Ortiz said. "Somebody got to start it, right?"
Adrian Gonzalez followed with a double and Daniel Nada hit a sacrifice fly before starter Tommy Hunter balked in a run to tie it, and the Red Sox were on their way.
"We hit a couple of balls good early, but nothing like that," Pedroia said. "That definitely jump-starts your offense and makes you feel like we can get to them."
Hunter lamented the balk, but acknowledged that Ortiz had the most telling hit.
"The last inning was very frustrating," he said. "I left the ball up to Ortiz. He pimped the (stuffing) out of the ball."
Chris Davis homered for the first-place Orioles, who swept a three-game series in Fenway Park earlier this month. It was the first meeting between the teams in Baltimore since the Orioles ruined Boston's chances of reaching the playoffs with a walkoff win on the final day of the 2011 regular season.
"Yeah, it's a tough one to lose, but there's always positive things we can take away from the game," Davis said. "We swung the bats really well tonight, made some good plays defensively. Just couldn't hang in there."
The Red Sox went up 7-5 in the seventh against Kevin Gregg (2-2). Aviles hit a one-out single and took third on a double by Pedroia before Ortiz received an intentional walk to load the bases. Gonzalez followed with a sacrifice fly and Will Middlebrooks added an RBI single, one of his three hits for the night.
Pedroia singled in a run in the eighth for a three-run lead.
In the bottom half, Matt Wieters snapped an 0-for-20 skid with an RBI single off Rich Hill, whose run of eight straight hitless outings ended. But with runners at second and third and one out, Vicente Padilla retired Wilson Betemit on a short fly and struck out Nick Johnson. Padilla has stranded all 15 inherited runners this year.
Alfredo Aceves worked the ninth for his 10th save.
After Boston starter Clay Buchholz gave up five runs in 5 1-3 innings, Andrew Miller (1-0) retired all five batters he faced to earn the win on his 27th birthday.
Boston used a run-scoring single by Aviles and Pedroia's sacrifice fly to go up 2-0 in the third.
Baltimore answered with four runs in the bottom half despite hitting only one ball out of the infield. After Betemit singled to right, a walk and Robert Andino's bunt single loaded the bases. Buchholz then walked in a run, gave up an infield single and issued another bases-loaded walk. The final run came in when Adam Jones hit into a 6-4-3 double play.
Davis hit his sixth home run, the first in three weeks, to make it 5-2 in the fourth.
Two innings later, Ortiz took over.
"We got a lead and we gave it up and we weren't going to be denied," Valentine said. "I thought David's home run really uplifted us. It was such a power stroke."
Notes: Boston OF Cody Ross has a fractured bone in his left foot and could miss 6-8 weeks, GM Ben Cherington said. Ross is expected to be placed on the DL on Tuesday. ... Orioles 2B Brian Roberts, who's been sidelined since May 2011 with a concussion, said Monday he could begin a minor league rehabilitation assignment within a few weeks. Roberts has been taking batting practice and fielding grounders, but said, "The biggest key is to start getting real at-bats in a real atmosphere." ... The pitching matchups for Tuesday night: Boston's Felix Doubront (4-1) against Brian Matusz (3-4). ... Jones extended his hitting streak to 13 games, tying a career high.
? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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MIAMI (AP) - Giancarlo Stanton hit a grand slam off Jamie Moyer in a five-run fourth inning, Mark Buehrle was dominant after a shaky first and the Miami Marlins stayed hot by beating the Colorado Rockies 7-4 on Monday night.
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Retargeting banner advertising is a secondary marketing strategy that draw online users back to a particular site that they had visited and had left that particular site without completing any call to action such as making a purchase or subscribing to a particular service. People ought to be reminded time and again about adverts that they had seen so that they can be urged to make purchases. It has been noted that only less than five percent of online users make purchases they first time that they visit a site and this marketing strategy is aimed at increasing this number.
How this strategy works is that when a person visits a web page and some form of activity by them is noted through monitoring, after they leave the web page and visit other web pages, ads that were in the previous web page pop up and thus the person is reminded of the products or the services they saw. When these ads keep appearing every time they visit the internet, this increases the chances of them performing an action of purchase.
ECommerce businesses have been noted to take advantage of this marketing strategy and have actually increased their sales by overly exposing online users to their products and services. ECommerce boasts of having five thousand plus online visitors on a monthly basis and thus when all these individuals are made into potential customers the companies in turn make huge profits.
This complementary marketing strategy has various benefits key among them being its ability to support intention. When an individual visit a website, it means that they have an interest in what that particular online company has to offer and thus these online companies bank on the interest that these individuals have. Thus even after they leave the site, they are given another opportunity to view these products and services and to acquire more information on the products.
Cookies are enabled for individuals who visit web pages and when they pilot away from that particular page, then these cookies are recognized in that particular web page and thus they can be able to view these ads of products and services when they are on a different page.
This marketing strategy increases a company?s brand awareness that increases exposure and finally leads to more individuals purchasing products and thus an increase in sales. The more the times an individual is exposed to an ad, there higher the chances of them considering taking action towards purchasing that particular product or service.
Lastly, this marketing strategy is used as a secondary strategy as it complements the primary marketing strategies. This strategy is encompassed in the main advertising campaign and it segments its target audience as it only identifies online users who have visited their sites and have therefore shown interest in the products and services that the company has to offer.
Retargeting banner advertising has been successfully implemented by most companies and there are professional online service providers who solely specialize in this field of creating these ads. They are charged with the responsibility of creating ad posters, implement codes on the web pages and manage all the technological process.
Find a summary of the benefits of using retargeting advertising and information about a reputable retargeting advertising service provider, now.
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[ [ [['A picture is worth a thousand words', 5]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/why-facebook-bought-instagram-4-theories-160400376.html', '[Related: Why Facebook bought Instagram: 4 theories]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 9]], 'http://contributor.yahoo.com/join/yahoonews_virginiabeach', '[Did you witness the jet crash? Share your story with Yahoo! News]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Dick Clark', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/dick-clark-dies-at-82-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/c/21/c217c61aa2d5872244c08caa13c16ec5.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'Reuters', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['Titanic', 7]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/titanic-anniversary/', ' ', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/b/4e/b4e5ad9f00b5dfeeec2226d53e173569.jpeg', '550', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]
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If you have a wrong type of sleeping bag, your camping expertise may be bitter and uncomfortable, even if you have chosen the right setting for camping, have correct clothing and shoes for the environment, the best camping stove and meals as well as the very best tent and backpack. Since, there are varieties of sleeping bags and everyone seems to be different from each other, it is essential to you understand what your choices are so you can select the best down sleeping bags for the camping experience.
Since sleeping bags are not made for all seasons, camping in different season might require a different type of sleeping bags. If you can collect information about them, you?ll discover them rated with season rankings; season 1 is considered summer, season two is considered spring and summer time, season three is considered spring to fall, season 4 is considered winter and season five is considered intense winter.
Wayfarer kind of mummy bag is the least expensive kind of mummy bag. The rely on bulk to add heat because they are padded with synthetic material or down and can therefore be too big and heavy for backpacking expeditions. Nonetheless, due to their convenience element and warmth, they are regarded as ideal for kids. Even though the 3 season light-weight sleeping bags have are not bulk such as the cheaper ones, they nonetheless are lot warmer. Additionally they roll up to nothing making them perfect for backpacking. If you are using an expedition tent, be sure to purchase a sleeping bag that is lengthy enough to shop your other camping gear.
You may have already decided not to select season 4 sleeping bags if you were going for camping out on scorching summer nights, if you have read the above description of the sleeping bag correctly. Similarly you also now know not to select season 1 bag if you were going for camping in the middle of winter within the mountains. You?re now well educated about which bag to choose for specific camping experience. Therefore, if you are going to become camping year round, you?ll likely need over one sleeping bag to accommodate the different seasons.
As soon as you are acquainted about the season of camping, you will need to determine what shape of sleeping bag you would like. These come in following shapes: rectangular, mummy, and semi mummy. Lastly you also need to consider whether or not you?ll need a sleeping bag which will resist humidity and water.
For a serious camper hello kitty sleeping bag backpack can be very important for best camping experience. Check out customer reviews on sleeping bags before heading out towards the market.
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A mere 24 hours ago, coders started hacking with hopes and dreams of building the next great app or program. Many participants stayed overnight, fueled on gumption and Red Bull. Others cut out early, apparently satisfied with their creation. But they're all back now, waiting to present on our massive Disrupt stage. Watch it live!les paul fred thompson fred thompson red hook romney tax return the tree of life movie academy award nominees 2012
Blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng was on a plane headed for the United States with his family Saturday, US officials said, ending weeks of uncertainty for the now world-famous rights campaigner.
Chen's escape from house arrest, turning up at the US embassy before leaving again, also caused a major diplomatic rift between Washington and Beijing, with China telling the US to keep its nose out of Chinese affairs.
"We can confirm that Chen Guangcheng, his wife and two children have departed China and are en route to the United States so he can pursue studies at an American university," the US State Department's spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in a statement.
The departure of Chen, 40, caps an odyssey that began a month ago when he fled his rural home for the US mission in Beijing and later said he wanted to leave China for his and his family's safety.
Chen had been told earlier in the day at short notice to pack his belongings and leave the Beijing hospital where he had been waiting for more than two weeks for permission to depart from China, taking his young family with him.
Once at the Beijing airport, Chen, his wife and two young children received the passports enabling their departure, he told a friend.
The United Airlines flight for New York believed to be carrying Chen and his family was originally scheduled at 3:45pm (0745 GMT) but left at about 6:00pm, according to airport staff.
Jiang Tianyong, a close friend of Chen's, said the "barefoot", or self-taught, lawyer had mixed feelings about leaving his home country.
"He seemed to be reluctant to leave and didn't consider it the optimal solution, even though he agreed that it was the best he could do to ensure his personal safety," Jiang, also a lawyer, told AFP.
Chen fled his closely guarded village home in the eastern province of Shandong on April 22 under the noses of plain-clothes security officers, with help from supporters.
In a video address to China's Premier Wen Jiabao that was posted online, Chen said he had suffered repeated beatings while under house arrest since 2010, and expressed serious concerns for his wife and family.
He pitched up at the US embassy in Beijing, less than a week before US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was due to visit China for one of the most important Sino-US meetings of the year.
Chinese and American diplomats scrambled to find a solution, and reached an initial agreement under which Chen would stay in China under less severe conditions.
Chen left the embassy but regretted it almost immediately, telling journalists that he now wanted to go to the United States. China later relented, saying he could apply to go abroad like every other Chinese citizen.
Chen, who has been invited to study law at New York University, was in touch Wednesday with Chinese officials, who told him they planned to give him a passport within 15 days.
In the event it was much quicker.
"We are looking forward to his arrival in the United States later today," Nuland, of the US State Department, said.
"We also express our appreciation for the manner in which we were able to resolve this matter and to support Mr Chen's desire to study in the US and pursue his goals."
One of China's best-known activists, Chen has won plaudits for investigating rights abuses including forced sterilisations and late-term abortions under China's "one-child" family planning policy, for which he served a jail term.
Bob Fu, the head of US-based organisation ChinaAid and a supporter of Chen, issued a statement thanking both the US and Chinese governments for making it possible for Chen and his family to leave.
"ChinaAid and the Chen family deeply appreciate the international community's tireless efforts to gain his freedom, including both the efforts of the US embassy and the US Congress, who held two timely hearings on his behalf," the statement said.
"Chen also wanted to express his gratitude to the Chinese government, who fulfiled one of its promises to allow his family to leave."
New York-based Human Rights Watch said it was "relieved" that Chen had been allowed to leave China, but said it was no time to declare a "mission accomplished".
"The US government and other foreign governments need to redouble their efforts to seek the protection of those relatives, friends and supporters of Chen Guangcheng who remain in China and are vulnerable to unlawful official reprisals merely due to their association with Chen and support for his cause," it said.
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From May 17th through May 23rd, look for the ?Running Out? Run In.?event at your local Publix store and ?run in,? to take advantage of the great savings available on some of your favorite brands from General Mills and Procter & Gamble, including Cheerios, Totino's, Charmin, and Crest! Look in-stores for over $15 in coupon savings ? coupons are valid May 9th through June 2nd! Receive a $5 Publix? gift card to use on your next shopping trip when you purchase $30 or more in participating items during the event (5/17 ? 5/23); simply mail in the rebate form found in-store or online at runningoutrunin.com along with your original receipt(s). I clip coupons to save money, and it's nice to be rewarded at one of my favorite stores just for buying items I need!
For more details on this great rebate, visit RunningOutRunIn.com
Disclosure: The Publix gift card, information, and additional gift pack have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.
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Charles David ?Chuck? Liddell (born December 17, 1969) is a retired American mixed martial artist and former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion. Liddell has an extensive striking background in Kempo, Koei-Kan karate and kickboxing, as well as a grappling background in collegiate wrestling.[2] Liddell is known for his Knockout power, Iron chin, Excellent counter striking and for his sprawl-and-brawl technique, which made him one of the most difficult fighters to takedown. He is one of the most dominant champions that ever competed in the UFC. He still holds the record for the most knockouts in UFC history. As of his retirement, Liddell has had 23 fights in the UFC. Along with fellow UFC Hall of Fame fighter Randy Couture, Liddell is widely credited for bringing mixed martial arts into the mainstream of American sports and entertainment. On July 10, 2009, he was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
The Carbrite Diet Bars program is rated 4/5 Carbrite Diet Bars Review: Background If you have ever dieted, you know that there are dozens, if not hundreds, of diet bars on the market. Doctor's CarbRite Diet produces a line of products that are sugar-free and contain no artificial sweeteners or preservatives. These products gluten free [...]
A migraine is usually associated with a headache. However, one should be careful to note that a headache is actually just a symptom and the underlying cause of a migraine should be examined if it is chronic. One should also note that migraines can occur without the tell tale headache as a symptom. Such migraines [...]
The Buproprion Appetite Suppressant program is rated 3/5 Buproprion Appetite Suppressant Review: Background Buproprion (the generic form of Wellbutrin) was originally designed as an anti-depressive, but it has a wide variety of off-label uses. In the original study, it was found that those who were obese but not depressed lost weight while on the drug. [...]
Folic acid is a collective term for pteroylglutamic acids and their oligoglutamic acid conjugates. Folic acid deficiency results in macrocytic anemia due to impairment of erythrocyte synthesis and is associated with elevation of plasma homocysteine levels, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, including coronary atherosclerosis, stroke, and thromboembolism. While the dietary sources of folic acid [...]
Does your snoring prevent you from sleeping at night? Do you wake up tired and restless? If you answered yes to these questions, you may have a sleep disorder, which is preventing you from getting a good night?s sleep. Do not worry, you are not alone. It is estimated that 40 percent of men and [...]
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An orbiting astronaut has used an amateur astronomer's trick to create an image worthy of the trippier sequences of 2001: A space odyssey
Never-before-seen changes to the genetic code give new insight into how the environment can affect our genes
Ichthyosaurs, the dolphins of the dinosaur era, got decompression sickness, but only from the Jurassic period onwards - what happened?
Mice that ate all their meals during an 8-hour window were healthier than mice that snacked throughout the day, even when they ate more fat
The asteroid-tracking NEOWISE mission reveals that twice as many asteroids as previously thought are on low-inclination orbits that could hit our planet
A small robot capable of climbing clothes could be a pet or even a moving phone - if that's what you really want
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A fatal drone crash in South Korea followed a loss of GPS signal - which may have been due to jamming efforts by North Korea
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May 18th, 2012, 3:21 pm
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We?ll be doing some exciting work over the summer with The Home Depot Foundation, with the help of the leading incentive marketing company?US Motivation. ?The Home Depot Foundation is an organisation which raises funds to further the community building goals of Home Depot, the U.S.A.?s leading home improvement retailer. Its mission is to support nonprofit organisations that repair and maintain affordable housing for those who need and deserve it, in particular veterans.
They will be running a total of four auctions with us over the summer. The current auctions will come to a finish on the 22nd May and 31st May,?and the final auction will end in September.?The Foundation will be raising money by auctioning the not-to-be-missed opportunity to take part in The?Home Depot?Foundation Charity Golf Tournament?with various members of Home Depot?s senior management in the U.S.A.
We?ve had to alter our auction system in some interesting and unprecedented ways in order to meet the specific needs of The Home Depot Foundation.?Most significantly, we?ve adapted our system to a style of auctioning known as a ?multiple unit? auction.?In multiple unit auctions there is more than one identical item for sale per lot. This means that it?s also possible for there to be more than one winner of a lot.
We have completely tailored our bidding system to fit this style of auction. The Home Depot Foundation auction website currently offers three items per lot, and we have added to each lot page a bidding history displaying the top three winning bidders.
In addition, we?ve made it possible for Home Depot to track the overall amount of funds it has raised.?The members of management at Home Depot were eager to be able to track the progress of the auction for themselves, so we have also provided them with a special ?cut-down? version of our admin system that allows them limited access so they too can follow the fundraising.
To find out more about the range of services we can offer, and how we can tailor our services to your needs, read about our auction software?packages or feel free to?contact us by phone or email.
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By Craig Berman, TODAY.com contributor
Michael Becker / FOX
Will Phillip Phillips, Jessica Sanchez or Joshua Ledet get cut? It's hard to tell this season who'll make the final two.
In most years, the penultimate week of ?American Idol? serves to finally eliminate the interloper, the singer who?s clearly at a disadvantage compared to the top two. Last year it was Haley Reinhart, whose exit paved the way for the Scotty McCreery-Lauren Alaina finale that everyone expected, and Casey James ceded the floor to Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox in season nine. (Hey, it made sense at the time.) In most other ?Idol? seasons, by the time we got to the middle of May, everyone knew who the two favorites were.
That?s not true in season 11. And while a gambler would probably lay the odds on a Joshua Ledet-Phillip Phillips final with Jessica Sanchez going home Thursday, there?s a legitimate case to be made that any of the remaining contestants could be in danger this week.
Phillip got the most criticism of anyone on Wednesday, as nobody liked the song he chose for himself (Matchbox 20?s ?Disease?). But that was only one of his three performances, and when he closed the show strong with Jimmy Iovine?s pick, Bob Seger's ?We?ve Got Tonight,??he came through with best individual effort of the evening. He?s the only one of the remaining finalists who has never been revealed as one of the lowest vote-getters, so he?s the best individual bet to keep going.
In sharp contrast to Phillip?s easy road to the final three, Joshua nearly didn?t even make it out of the first week. Imagine how different this season would have gone had he been eliminated back in March instead of Jeremy Rosado. Joshua was again in the bottom three when there were seven contestants remaining, but he?s been the strongest of anyone since that latter scare. He seemed to be the favorite of the judges (again) on Wednesday, even if his final song of the night --?Mary J. Blige's "No More Drama" -- was a bit over-the-top in its frenzy.
And speaking of struggling, the same week in April that Joshua was in the bottom three, Jessica would have been eliminated had the judges not used their save on her. She?s sailed through the past month since then, but this wasn?t her best week. None of her solos?stood out, and she was the lone finalist to not get a standing ovation from the judges.
If Phillip and Joshua do make it to the finale, they will both owe an assist to Jimmy. The mentor is the one who picked ?We?ve Got Tonight? for Phillip, as well as prodding Joshua to go with Blige?s tune ? the only one of Joshua?s three songs that wasn?t at least 35 years old.
For Jessica? He picked ?I?ll Be There? by the Jackson 5, an attempt to make her sound younger. It didn?t work because she literally can?t make herself sound her age. She?s an old singing soul in a young body, like it or not.
Also noteworthy was that Phillip got credit for a ?moment? with his final number, though that might have been for the distracting way he was petting his leg with his left hand as much as it was for his vocals. He also earned an ?in it to win it? from Randy Jackson for the last effort.
Meanwhile, Jessica had to content herself with an endorsement from the last-place San Diego Padres. The last ?Idol? finalist to be touted by a sports team having a mediocre year was Hollie Cavanagh, who got support from Liverpool's English Premier League (that?s soccer, for the non-sports fans). That didn?t seem to help her much.
Then again, Steven Tyler did insinuate early in the show that he expected Jessica to win. So who knows? Unlike most years, it?s truly anybody?s competition with just one week remaining.
Who do you think will get cut Thursday? Share your prediction on our Facebook page!
Which was the best performance of the night?
Want more "Idol" during "Idol"? Follow @CraigBerman as he live tweets each show.
Related content:
| Phillip: "We've Got Tonight" | ? 41.2% (1,979 votes) |
| Phillip: "Beggin' " | ? 10.8% (518 votes) |
| Jessica: "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" | ? 10.6% (511 votes) |
| Jessica: "My All" | ? 7.9% (382 votes) |
| Joshua: "No More Drama" | ? 7.7% (371 votes) |
| Joshua: "Imagine" | ? 7.2% (348 votes) |
| Joshua: "I'd Rather Go Blind" | ? 6.4% (309 votes) |
| Jessica: "I'll Be There" | ? 5.9% (284 votes) |
| Phillip: "Disease" | ? 2.2% (107 votes) |
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