Yellow Pages Antarctica

Public Relations’ Grand Illusion

“Public Relations is really all about communications
tactics and publicity.” Sorry, no. Whether you are a
business, non-profit, government agency or
association manager, PR actually is all about a high-
impact action plan which does something meaningful
about the behaviors of those important audiences that
most affect your organization; creates the kind of
external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly
to achieving your managerial objectives; and does so
by persuading those key outside folks to your way of
thinking by helping move them to take actions that
allow your department, group, division or subsidiary
to succeed.

Communications tactics are nice, and really necessary
when you need to move a message from here to there.
But that’s all they are.

The PR illusion that simple tactics like press releases,
broadcast plugs, special events or brochures can
deliver the end-products outlined in the first paragraph
all by themselves, is not merely misguided, it’s wishful
thinking.

Worse, it can become a dangerous tactical preoccupation
with many managers, diverting their attention from the
PR end-product he or she has a right to expect.
Unfortunately, it also denies that manager the best that
public relations has to offer.

Of course, all options are open when our manager bases
his or her public relations planning on its underlying
premise: People act on their own perception of the facts
before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about
which something can be done. When we create, change
or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and
moving-to-desired-action the very people whose
behaviors affect the organization the most, the public
relations mission is usually accomplished.

At the core of PR’s premise is the fact that good public
relations planning really CAN alter individual
perception and result in changed behaviors among
key outside audiences. But you’ll only get there when
your PR demands more than news releases, special
events and broadcast plugs. Only then will you receive
the quality public relations results you deserve.

What kind of PR end-products can you expect? Here
are several: politicians and legislators begin looking
at you as a key member of the business, non-profit
or association communities; new prospects actually
start to do business with you; capital givers or
specifying sources begin to look your way; welcome
bounces in show room visits occur; community leaders
begin to seek you out; new proposals for strategic
alliances and joint ventures start showing up;
customers begin to make repeat purchases; and
membership applications start to rise.

I’d suggest that you look first to your public relations
professionals for your new opinion monitoring project
since they’re already in the perception and behavior
business. But be certain that the PR staff really accepts
why it’s SO important to know how your most
important outside audiences perceive your operations,
products or services. Essentially, be sure they believe
that perceptions almost always result in behaviors that
can help or hurt your operation.

Take the time needed to go over your plans for
monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning
members of your most important outside audiences.
Ask questions like these: how much do you know
about our organization? Have you had prior contact
with us and were you pleased with the interchange?
Are you familiar with our services or products and
employees? Have you experienced problems with
our people or procedures?

The fact, however, is this. When you use professional
survey firms to do the opinion gathering work, your
costs can exceed the expense of using those PR folks
of yours in that monitoring capacity. But whether it’s
your people or a survey firm asking the questions, the
objective remains the same: identify untruths, false
assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies,
misconceptions and any other negative perception
that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

Setting a clearcut and realistic PR goal now comes
front and center. As with most strategic programs,
it must call for action on the most serious problem
areas you uncovered during your key audience
perception monitoring. Possibly, you will decide to
stop that potentially painful rumor cold. Or
straighten out that dangerous misconception?
Or correct that gross inaccuracy?

Equally key, you must link your goal to an equally
action-oriented strategy that shows how to get to
where you’re going. Actually, you have just three
strategic options available to you when it comes
to doing something about perception and opinion.
Change existing perception, create perception
where there may be none, or reinforce it. Needless
to say, the wrong strategy pick will taste like some
brands of vegetarian meatballs. So be sure your
new strategy fits well with your new public relations
goal. You certainly don’t want to select “change”
when the facts dictate a strategy of reinforcement.

Because good writing is central to the public
relations business, the best writer on your team must
prepare a persuasive message that will help move
your key audience to your way of thinking. It has
to be a carefully-written message targeted directly
at your key external audience. Your writer must
come up with really corrective language that is
not merely compelling, persuasive and believable,
but clear and factual if they are to shift
perception/opinion towards your point of view
and lead to the behaviors you have in mind.

Here’s a lighter topic. Selecting the communications
tactics most likely to carry your message to the
attention of your target audience. There are many
available. From speeches, facility tours, emails
and brochures to consumer briefings, media
interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and
many others. But be certain that the tactics you
pick are known to reach folks just like your
audience members.

Of course how you communicate must concern
you at this point. The reason is that the credibility
of any message is fragile and always suspect.
Which is why the means by which you
communicate is always be a concern. And that’s
also why you may wish to unveil your corrective
message before smaller meetings through
presentations rather than using higher-profile news
releases.

To establish comparative progress, you may wish to
demonstrate how the monies spent on public relations
can pay off in the form of periodic progress reports.
But, it’s also an alert to begin a second perception
monitoring session with members of your external
audience. You’ll want to use many of the same
questions used in the benchmark session. But now,
you will be on strict alert for signs that the bad news
perception is being altered in your direction.

Any program can suffer from occasional slowdowns
in momentum. Your options include speeding
things up by adding more communications tactics
and/or increasing their frequencies.

Clearly, it is no illusion when managers move
beyond communication tactics, and create a high-impact,
PR action plan certain to deliver to them the very best
public relations has to offer.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box
in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website.
A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net.

Robert A. Kelly © 2006.

Bob Kelly counsels and writes for business, non-profit and
association managers about using the fundamental premise of public
relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has published over
200 articles on the subject which are listed at EzineArticles.com, click
Expert Author, click Robert A. Kelly. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola
Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport
News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S.
Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The
White House. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia
University, major in public relations.
mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net

Visit:http://www.PRCommentary.com

Comments Off

Introduction

Just a child then, when television broadcasting had begun in a makeshift studio at Akashvani Bhavan in New Delhi. A low power transmitter and 21 television sets were used as foundation stone for this globalize television broadcasting in 1959. Really, it is a great achievement for those who had witnessed that particular occasion. Bhaskar Ghose, former Information and Broadcasting Secretary shared the joy of that moment, “images of a gramophone record were being shown on television as the music blared away.” (Kohli 2003, p. 59) That gramophone picture and fantastic music became a landmark for Indian television broadcasting. People got more than enough what they have visualized as television before.

A new appliance entered into our periphery with its uncommon characteristics. Have you ever thought about the family members of a newborn baby? Every day and every moment, they are anticipating some changes in their child. Like that, we were expecting for new significant changes in television broadcasting.

The journey from 21 television sets to 80 million has been marked by many milestones: Regional Kendras; DD metro; satellite transmission; and cable broadcasting among others. In 1976, television broadcasting was ‘de-linked’ from All India Radio (AIR) with a new appropriate synonym for distant vision (i.e. Doordarshan). As a public service broadcaster, it was also claimed as an ‘advertisement-free’ electronic media. The revenues for Doordarshan were funded through a combination of television licenses and allocation from the annual budget. But the need of advertising revenue was felt by DD only after the telecast of first commercial on 1st January, 1976. Though the advent of commercial could fulfill only 1% of Doordarshan’s budget, however later advertisements become the only major source of revenue for Doordarshan.

Cable Television Industry

Cable has grown from an apartment connected together in 1980s to coverage of nearly 42 million households in India. During the last decade, the cable network mushroomed as an industry. There are about 280 channels that beam their signal over India. Generally the MSOs are delivered 80 channels (31 are pay channels and 49 free-to-air channels) to the viewers. Gradually the large broadcasters or cable companies stepped into this business as multi-system operator (MSO). They had the capacity to set up a large control room and subscribe maximum number of pay channels.

Now the cable industry is fragmented with over 40,000 cable operators. These cable operators are controlled by MSOs. Some major MSOs in India are Siticable, IndusInd Media, InCable Net, Hathway Cables, Sun TV and RPG Netcom. They are not only controlling the four metropolitan cities but have also covered some major cities in India. Siticable has the highest market share (5.4 million) of Indian Cable industry while IndusInd Media has its subscription base of four million homes.
Multi-system operators (MSOs) are backed by large corporations to invest money in this business.

Siticable is a joint venture between Zee TV and Rupert Murdoch’s News Television. InCable Net is managed by the Hinduja group; property baron Rajan Raheja’s Hathway Cables has come out of nowhere to become a powerhouse over the last couple of years; the most dominant cable force in south India, Sumangli Cable Vision is run by southern media baron Kalanithi Maran; and RPG Netcom is promoted by the RPG group, who holds sway over West Bengal. This is just like any other business. Think of MSOs as a wholesaler of the signal while the small cable operators (SCOs) are the retailers of the trade.

Obviously, these small cable operators have a control over the viewers. They collect subscription fee from the cable home every month. Barely 15-20 percent of every subscriber’s share goes to multi-system operator. Though, this monthly cable charges vary from place to place, the MSO’s share is almost equal everywhere. The multi system operators (MSOs) know that it is very tedious task for them to touch the threshold of the last mile. So, they don’t have any direct control over the cable homes. But in some cities like Bhubaneswar and Trivandrum, the MSOs have controlled the cable homes directly.

Let us take an average of Rs. 100 per subscriber per month, India’s 61 odd million cable and satellite households shell out a cumulative Rs. 61 billion. This is one major revenue stream for the cable operator/MSO. After launching of pay channels, they are looking for any other source of revenue to get more profit in this trade. If you consider the structure and the way revenues flow through it, then the cable industry is just like a pyramid. The satellite channel broadcasters are up-linking the signal from their earth stations and these signals are captured by the multi system operators. The small cable operator (SCO) distributes the feed in his territory which covers between 200 and 300 households of its neighborhood. The main aim for cable connection is to get clear reception and enjoy matinee and night show cinemas, which was telecast in the cable channels.

These cable channels belong to MSOs like SitiCinema belongs to Siticable, CVO belongs to InCable and C-News belongs to Hathway. In small towns, the small cable operators (SCOs) also have their own channel in which they telecast Hindi movies, regional movies, songs, religious discourses, fairs, community games and regional news. The cable operator has all type of control over these channels. If any blockbuster movie is to be telecast in cable channel, they have given a prior notice to their viewers about the timing of the movie. Sometimes, they also use this channel for some statutory warning (pay your monthly fee on time; else without notice your home will be disconnected from the network.)

Some local advertisers were interested to show their messages as scroll item in the bottom of the television screen. Instead of advertisement tariff, they pay very less amount to the cable operator for their service. At the beginning, they have accepted the money as an extra income. However, son they got a positive response from their consumers. Gradually, this became another growing stream of revenues, which so far has gone unnoticed.

Cable Advertising

From scroll item to message plate, from animated to full-fledged television ad, the cable ad have passed through various stages of growth. As we know, television is one of the most expensive and effective media for mass advertising. If you are booking for a television slot, do not forget that it is very expensive. For a prime time 10-second commercial in a national television channel will cost several thousands of rupees. So, television advertisements are out of reach for most small and medium sized businesses.

As far as small business is concerned, it has its own target consumers and those consumers are confined to a particular geographical area. Television advertisement lacks the ability to restrict your advertisement to closely target audience. Sometimes the marketer feels that advertisement is the only way to enhance the sale. Instead of choosing a proper channel, the marketer advertises in different slots of different programmes in different channels. Many times, the investment may not be very productive as per your expectations because thousands of people may not be interested in your product so they may skip your advertisement.

The taste and choice of the consumers in the developing countries are more vulnerable to that of developed countries. After globalization, the multinational companies entered the market with different promotional activities. Advertising counted as a major activity in which local brands had to face stiff competition with their multinational counterparts. Even the best local product may not survive in the market unless it is advertised. On the one hand, they have to advertise their product to survive in the competitive market. On the other hand they have to choose a media which touches the grass root level.

Cable TV provides a solution, especially for small business. Cable TV advertisements tend to be less expensive, even though their audience is huge. Almost half of all Indian homes subscribe to cable. In a research it is found that cable’s subscribers watch more television and belong to higher income groups. Cable also has the ability to send your commercials to specific parts of town and neighborhoods. If you have a product or service that can be visually demonstrated, cable television can work wonders.

Before cable television the local advertisers have very less opportunities to advertise for their business. In small towns, they were distributing some leaflets or advertised in the local print media. In some cases, they did not get the proper channel for advertisement. I spoke to a small marketer about cable advertising. He expressed that generally in two situations they prefer to advertise.

(1) When they want to create awareness about the shop or product.

(2) Whenever they are offering any discount/rebate, they are heading towards advertising. Before cable advertising, they used outdoor advertising (leaflets, hoardings, etc.) for the purpose.

After advent of cable advertising, they are spending more revenue in this channel due to instant result. Sometimes, after a few minutes of telecasting the ad in cable television, the customers rush to shop. Though, they have a limited budget for the advertisement, they take every step in a careful and calculative way because it counts the success and failure of their business. Let’s have a glance on overall advertising industry in India.

India has one of the lowest advertising spends to the GDP ratios in the world. If you compare with developed economies - UK (1%), Germany (0.8%), France (0.6%), Japan (1.1%) - as well as developing economies - Latin America (1.2%) and China (0.6%), the ratio of advertising expenditure to nominal GDP in India is about 0.4%. On the advertising front, consultancy firm KPMG estimates that the overall advertising pie was Rs 118 billion in 2004. Press advertisements took a share of 48% followed by television with a share of 41%. Radio advertising, outdoor advertising and cinema advertising has their respective share 3%, 7% and 1% in the advertising revenue. India has almost 108.2 million television homes with comparison to 213.1 million total homes. Out of these, almost 61 m homes have cable connections. The last few years have witnessed a conscious shift of advertising revenue. Indian companies spent a total of Rs 48.5 billion on TV ads in 2004.

The advertising pie consists of five major advertising channels - print, television, radio, cinema and outdoor. Lack of transparency keeps the growing cable advertising market away from the major advertising channel family. Everyday, every moment, cable ad is stretching its tentacles in all possible directions. That’s why it marches ahead against all other media. Though, print media has a major share in the advertising pie, but unnoticed and unobserved media, cable TV has covered a wide populace of 61 million.

Newspapers have a limited and stable readership with compare to cable advertising. Newspaper readership has declined with every passing generation while cable TV viewership continues to rise. As we know, geographically and demographically radio has reached all the nooks and corners of India. As a portable medium, radio has a very strong grip over the audience during the morning and evening commutes.

Cable TV reaches viewers through out day particularly in primetime viewing hours. But when we think from the advertiser’s angle, cable advertising impresses more than radio advertising because of the visual notion. Cable TV viewers are active, because TV itself is an intrusive, emotionally charged medium. As a big brother, broadcast TV covers a large number of diversified viewers - even viewers with no interest in the advertised product or service. Cable advertising can target the approximately exact consumers through unique programming that appeals to their interests and lifestyle choices. In the same time, having all the features of big brother, cable advertising prices are very low and cost effective because cable TV offers less waste through more strategic program targeting. Now let us familiarize ourselves with the advantages of cable advertising.

Advantages of Cable Advertising

If you compare cable advertising with the television advertising, you will find a very thin line between them. Cable advertising offers an audio-visual medium, motion, colors, like television advertising with an additional benefit (i.e affordable rates). It also has the ability to cover geographically and demographically target specific customers. The peripheral area of television may be larger than cable television but this is targeted at the ‘right’ customer. However, as a business strategy, every marketer wants to increase the area of the marketing sphere. So, they give first preference to the television channel. But due to high advertising rate, they cannot afford it for long time.

In many cases, some small makers may advertise for a limited period in the prime time. Others may choose a non-prime time slots if they want to have any long-term frequency. Unlike having a big budget and a particular allocated amount for promotional activities, it is very difficult to survive in the market. That’s why more and more small firms are turning to advertising on less expensive alternative, local cable channels.
Local cable television advertising can be highly effective, and very affordable. It can quickly create awareness of your business, product or sevice. It also establish your image and educate viewers about your products.

When your target viewers are limited and confined, cable advertisement is a perfect channel for micro target groups. You can compare cable advertisements with other television advertisements, cable advertisements are very cheap. You can achieve frequency on a limited budget, which often moves fence-sitters into action. Televsion advertisements may be missed by viewers due to bouquet of channels and the cable viewers are always in a fickle mood to switchover from channel to channel. There are many cities in India, where the viewers watched cable channel for their local news, films and some non-fiction programmmes. Because the private satellite channels are either in Hindi or English. In some states, you will find private regional channels. But in maximium states, the viewers have to satisfy with the only Doordarchan’s regional channel because they have no aternatives and the viewers need more entertainment programmes.

Cable operators take this opportunity by telecasting some regional films, songs and local news. It is also found that, these cable channels have a large viewership in compare to other satellite channels. So for a local advertiser, cable channels allow to communicate enough information to prompt people to call for an appointment, send in an order or request additional information. If you think about the medium’s cost in terms of the number of the number of people it will reach, then it will be the unbeatable vehicle for your advertisement. You can enhance and stretch the power of other existing advertising you might be doing. Though televison overcomes the barrier of literacy which is a major obstracle as far as print media is concerned.

In cable advertising, you may be able to reach a different segment of the population, one that doesn’t read newspapers or magazines. Overally, it fulfills all the functions of television advertising with a cost of less than the print media.

InCable is a leading cable and satellite distributing company in Hyderabad and subhurbs. The MSO distributes the signals through a single control tower connecting to small cable operators through optic fibre cable covering a radius of 30 Kms. In the local cable channel, InCable telecast two telugu news programmes, three movies (two tulugu and one hindi) daily. Though it telecast basically two types of programes, the ad tariff slots have catagorised into morning, matinee, night and news slots.

ETV Oriya, a 24 hour satellite regional channel, telecated oriya programmes exclusively for oriya viewers. This regional channel has covered larger geographical and demographical area than cable channels. ETV Oriya telecast at least 20 programmes round the clock. The ad tariff in a regional channel is catagorised on the basis of programme’s television rating point (TRP). In ETV Oriya, the tariff slots are divided in five groups (O1, O2, O3, O4, and O5). The duration of advertisemnt is calculated in 10 seconds. Whereas in local cable channel, the advertiser will be offered two types of slots ( 20 and 30 secconds). The rate for 10-second advertising slot in prime time (20:00 hrs) in regional channel is just 38 times less than regional channel. If you compare the same slot in a national channel, the difference is hell and haven (around 400 times). After this finding, the big advertisers are turned up towards the local cable advertising.

How to place your advertisement in cable

A ten second spot in television is actually equivalent to 80-second spot in cable television. One also has number of choices on the hand. You may produce an advertisement for 30 second spot or you can telecast the 10 second advertisement for eight times. A 30 second advertisement may contain more visual and information, which can portray your sale massage very attractively and effectively. The most important thing is the ability to target specific groups of viewers. A clothing store specializing in kids cloths can advertise on matinee movie. It is not a matter to count number of eyeballs watching your advertisement but a careful targeted audience that gets results for your business.
The next phase is to book a slot in a cable television.

Cable rates are highly negotiable. Some channels will cost more than others. The zones you choose to send your spots to, the size of your town, and the time of year, all have an impact on the spot price you pay. Don’t wait until the last minute to place your spots. Plan weeks in advance. Placing your order early will ensure you get the times and channels you want at a lower price. Call the sales department of your local cable operator. Find out spot rates and coverage areas. Before entering into the trade, make a sketch of your plan. It may need some research and good planning. You should have a ’second look’ on your advertisement before releasing to the cable operators. Do not leave everything on media sales people, because they are good at devising clever strategies to use your entire ad budget. It is better to trust your own instincts and stick to your plan.

When you are buying cable slot, think horizontally, not vertically, when scheduling your advertisements. In other words, advertise on the same few networks at the same few times on the same few days of the week, week after week, month after month. The goal is to reach the same people over and over again. This is the best way to reach to your consumer. The consumer is exposed to your advertisement repeatedly. The best formula to reach a person with a second and third exposure to your ad is to go back to the same channel at the same time on the same day of the week that you reached him the first time. Do not scatter your ads across many different networks at many different times of the day. Yes, it will reach too many people with too little repetition to ever secure in their minds. It is nothing but to reach 100 percent of your city and persuade them 10 percent. But it is always better to reach 10 percent and persuade them 100 percent.

Conclusion

Due to powerful and persuasive advertising medium, cable advertising is become a smart choice of small and medium marketers. By positioning itself as an alternative to network television, cable television has found itself judged using the same parameter of network television that of mass reach and low cost. If you compare with magazine and direct mails, cable will score higher on its audiovisual capabilities. This is where cable should innovate. Cable industry can develop a time selling framework that lets advertisers buy cable slots on a local cable system basis. Now cable television is booming in a rapid way. MSOs are expanding their business not only in term of the number of subscribers but also in term of number of people employed by them. They should have separate advertising department that looks after this trade. In some cities, the big advertisers are also turned up towards cable advertising. No doubt it is a cheap ad but at the same time it is a chief trade.

Sources:

http://www.businessworldindia.com/archive/201113/cover1.htm

http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inimr-ri.nsf/en/gr119406e.html

http://www.equitymaster.com/research-it/sector-info/media/

http://www.mpw.org/cable_why_advertise.htm

http://www.etv.co.in/etv_d3/sponsership.php?channelname=Network&fromhome=index

http://www.incableap.com/adtariff.htm

The author is a media researcher in Journalism Department of ICFAI University. He has five years experience in electronic media in the field of Public Relations and Media Relations. His qualifications include a Master in Journalism and Mass Communication, had special paper Advertising and Public Relations.

Comments Off

This edition of the Motivation & Self Esteem for Success “Achiever’s Interview” is with Linda Caroll of the Greater Toronto Area, Canada. Linda has several websites which can be accessed via the resource box below.

Linda is an amazing woman who creates spectacular websites and is soon to launch a brilliant series of educational books and tutorials. These products are set to revolutionize how ordinary people and everyday businesses on a budget can go about getting an online presence for themselves. They are written in a manner that anybody can understand.

She has 25 years of experience in marketing, and has been developing websites and web strategies for 10 years now.

Gary Simpson - Hello, Linda and welcome. I am so pleased to be getting the chance to interview you today.

Linda Caroll - Hi Gary. Thank you.

Gary Simpson - My pleasure Linda. I have had the distinct privilege of seeing some of your forthcoming books and I can honestly say that they will really help so many people. So, let’s get down to it. What is the principal aim of your websites and what do you hope to achieve with them?

Linda Caroll - Once upon a time, I would have said the aim of my site was to sell my website design services. And, it still does. But, it has evolved. Today, the aim of all my websites is to provide information, a slice of sanity and solid, verifiable information to those who just don’t know what to believe on the Internet anymore.

Gary Simpson - Whew. You can say that again. There is so much mis-information on the web, particularly in what you specialize in - search engine compatibility and design. I might just point out to our readers, at this very early stage, that Linda has just recently completely re-built my own crippled website from the basement up. Already I am getting brilliant results. So I have a very good insight into what Linda is capable of.

Linda, what do you think is different about your website that makes it special?

Linda Caroll - One of my clients answered that best. He said “Most designers and marketers talk above my head so I feel stupid and they feel superior. Your site didn’t make me feel stupid, it gave me enough information to help me understand.”

Gary Simpson - I agree completely with that comment. Your knowledge is so vast it completely amazed me how you built my site the way you did. Every time I needed any reason or answer you were able to tell me in terms that I could easily understand. And your books are exactly the same. So, thanks for that. I really appreciated your patience and understanding.

On a personal note, what do you consider to be your “crowning” achievement to date?

Linda Caroll - That’s like asking what would people would say at my funeral, isn’t it? Part of me wants to say raising my daughter. Yet another wants to say seeing my name in the New York Times, or having sites I’ve created featured on TV and in Forbes Magazine, etc. But those aren’t crowning achievements.

I’d say my crowning achievement is that, despite the not always fair world that we live in, and plenty of opportunities to have become jaded - everything I do, I do with all my heart. I’d say my greatest achievement is not any one thing I’ve done, but how I do what I do.

Gary Simpson - Linda, that was such a beautiful answer. I can honestly say that you over-deliver on everything. Rarely can I ever say that about anyone. These days so many people and companies just want to remove as much as they can from my wallet as quick as they can, for as little as they can. Your service was outstanding.

I’m sorry if this embarrasses you but I just wasn’t used to that. My first web host was so damn awful. I was just about ready to give up when, through a mutual acquaintance, I decided to give you a call. You have restored my faith in the web. So let me ask you this - have you always operated like this?

Linda Caroll - Yes. I believe in the saying “that whether the job is big or small, do it well - or not at all.”

Gary Simpson - Well said. Linda, let me ask you now about the challenges you have had to face. We all face challenges. Would you like to share with our readers the greatest difficulty that you have ever had to overcome?

Linda Caroll - Challenges? Being a single parent. Ending up destitute after divorce. Starting over with a child depending on me. But, a lot of people do those. They are difficult, but not the most difficult. Fear, I guess. That is the greatest difficulty for me. For everyone, really. Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is feeling fear and taking action to do what needs to be done anyway.

Gary Simpson - That was such a powerful answer - not what I expected. Great stuff! Moving along the same lines - what are three personal attributes you possess that help you to win?

Linda Caroll - Tenacity, determination and persistence. It’s more the trait I don’t have that helps, though. The word quit isn’t in my vocabulary. Change, yes. Quitting isn’t an option.

Gary Simpson - Wow! Another powerful answer. I’m really enjoying this. I’d like to probe that a bit but we’re running out of time and I still have a few more questions to ask. So, let’s change tack. The response to my next question always fascinates me. Are you a reader and, if so, what books do you read?

Linda Caroll - Devour would be a better word. I read business, marketing, psychology, human behaviour, alternative health, horror, mystery, true crime, anthologies, biographies, hobby related books and anything else that catches my eye.

Gary Simpson - Well you did say devour. That was a real smorgasbord. Horror? That’s a bit of a strange one in that list. You certainly surprise me at times. Do you have a favorite quote or saying and what is it?

Linda Caroll - Yes. “Discontent is the catalyst for change.” There’s a lot of power in those words, and they can be applied to both business and personal life.

Gary Simpson - There’s a lot of truth in those words. Thanks for sharing that. Along the same lines, what is the one thing about the internet that annoys you the most?

Linda Caroll - On the internet? We could start with the fact that anyone can say anything and someone will believe it because it was, after all, posted on the internet. Or the number of depraved denizens. You know - the dark side of humanity.

Gary Simpson - You don’t need to remind me. I have suffered that so many times. I’ve been slugged big time by so many scam artists all promising me dreams but delivering only nightmares.

I mentioned the first web host - if you could call them that. They were absolute rogues. It amazes me that they haven’t been shut down. But what they do is invent a new name then just zoom off on their merry way, creating havoc for the next group of unsuspecting people.

Then I could tell you about all the “search engine optimizers” and web-traffic con-artists. I’ve fallen for a few of them too. Ha! Now I know the truth. After reading your books, that is.

OK. I’ve had my whinge. Let’s go positive. What, in your opinion, is the most advantageous feature of the internet?

Linda Caroll - The reach. It’s an equalizer. A small business can have the same impact as a big business. A college kid can become a millionaire and a big business can go belly-up, both because of how they run their businesses. And that one human being can reach out and comfort another even if they’re in another country. Definitely, the reach.

Gary Simpson - I agree. So, Linda, what project or projects are you currently working on?

Linda Caroll - I’m writing. Books, tutorials and training courses. In the last ten years, my clients have been featured in Forbes, the New York Times, People, Playboy, Home and Garden, Television and more.

And, as you mentioned, I watch website owners struggling with over-used and under-effective techniques that just don’t work anymore, if they ever did. So, I’m putting ten years of experience into writing. The first is my Website Voodoo series, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Gary Simpson - Linda, I’m so glad you mentioned that. I have had the distinct pleasure of reading several of your books and I must say that they have been the most informative, insightful books that I have ever read on website planning, design and search engine compliance.

Like I said before - I have had a tough education in that regard. I have spent thousands on useless junk. It’s not hard to do. Every rogue out there will sell you their tired old garbage. None of it works. But they sell it over and over again to every newbie that enters the world wide web - and there are tens of thousands of people trying to make their presence on the net every week. So, I’m so glad that somebody has finally written something that is so easy to understand and - best of all, is the truth that really works.

I have no doubt that you will soon become the “authoritative voice” on this. Your books certainly are a breath of fresh air.

I can honestly say that if people do not avail themselves of your knowledge then they are kidding themselves. I encourage all our readers to contact Linda and see for themselves. The knowledge that they contain is priceless.

OK. Time to wind up. This has gone so quickly. Is there anything else you would like to say or add to the interview?

Linda Caroll - I can rant?

Gary Simpson - Rant all you want. Go for it!

Linda Caroll - I hate the dumbing-down I see online. Too many products out there lead people to think they don’t need to learn anything. Just click something. Most are sold with the old cliché of not reinventing the wheel.

Do you think Sergey Brin and Larry Page used a blueprint to invent Google? Did Pierre Omidyar use a push button pack to create Ebay? Real entrepreneurs start their business for the same reason Stephen King writes - because he has to. It’s in his blood. It’s the true entrepreneur that I personally enjoy working with most. They are rare, but delightful people.

Gary Simpson - Linda Caroll, thank you so much for your time. I wish you every success with your work and your books. They’re brilliant - I’ve experienced much of what you do first-hand and I cannot recommend you highly enough. I am tipping that your books on web planning, design and search engine compatibility are going to be best sellers. I wish you every success. You deserve it simply because, unlike so many others, you tell the truth.

This interview comes with reprint rights providing no changes are made and the resource box below accompanies it.

About the interview participants: Gary Simpson is the author of eight books covering a diverse range of subjects such as self esteem, affirmations, self defense, finance and much more. His articles appear all over the web. Gary’s email address is budo@iinet.net.au. Click here to go to his
Motivation & Self Esteem for Success website where you can receive his “Zenspirational Thoughts” plus an immediate FREE copy of his highly acclaimed, life-changing e-book “The Power of Choice.”

Linda Caroll’s websites are LindaCaroll.com and WebsiteVoodoo.

Comments Off

A cheap Rolex replica is rated as Grade 5 (out of 5) or even lower. It is often the Chinese or Asian Rolex Replica. The poor quality is noticeable because it will feel and look cheap. It is okay to buy one of these watches, (they are very inexpensive, usually under $100 retail), but you would be well-advised to avoid paying a High Grade (1-4) price for a low Grade watch. Don’t be fooled.

Rolex replicas are graded on a scale of 1-5. Swiss (Grade 1) and Japanese (Grade 2-4) are the best, followed by Chinese (Grade 5).

The cheapest Rolex replicas are often sold on the streets. You will notice them because they are too lightweight and too shiny. Not only is the “”gold”" finish fake, the stainless steel is often cheaply plated.

With the genuine brand name Rolex watch (and with high grade Rolex Replicas), the second hand will normally sweep smoothly, unlike cheaper quartz impostors, which move incrementally.

The jewel movement is usually made in China, and the crystal is plastic versus the sapphire used in the higher grade Rolex replicas.

It is possible to purchase a cheap Rolex replica for $50 and less; however, you may or may not get a warranty. The maximum warranty you should expect is 3 months - if you’re lucky.

Rolex Replicas Info provides detailed information on Swiss, Japanese, Chinese, Grade 1, wholesale, and cheap Rolex replicas, including reviews of specific models. Rolex Replicas Info is the sister site of Watch Winders Web.

Comments Off