Wunderlich

Having recently gotten engaged, one of my employees was in the market to purchase a diamond ring. She and her fianc went to the local mall on a Saturday to shop for an engagement ring. The jewelers in the large department stores tried to sell her rings that were enormous, not her style nor in their price range. Next, they went into a specialized jewelry store in the mall and had a similar experience. On the way home from the discouraging trip, they remembered that a friend of a friend had recently graduated from gemology school (Ill call her Sarah), and had started working in a family-run jewelry store not far from where they were, so decided to stop in for a look.

Sarah, ever so chicly approached them with a slightly different sales approach, and they walked out with a ring. During their meeting, Sarah listened closely to them describe the style that they liked, and then showed them what she was capable of and what she could do in that style while staying within the aforementioned budget. They were so pleased with the meeting that they told her of the horrible experience at the mall. She laughed and said that many salespeople in the jewelry industry use the Sell Down in order to Sell Up technique, but that most neglect to personalize the technique based on their clients unique needs.

She went on to explain that a generic Sell Down to Sell Up strategy involves presenting the highest end items to a new prospect first, and then continuing to step down in price until hitting something in their range. She said that it can be very effective in that you usually stretch the budget of the customer beyond what they originally came in wanting to spend, because you stretch their imagination of what they could afford by starting with your top dollar items. In gemology school, she had heard people speak of this technique, but when she came to work at the family-run store, she found that one of the reasons they had so many loyal repeat customers was because they really listened to their clients needs and preferences.

So, Sarah altered the technique slightly to fit the personality and culture of this small business. Instead of showing something way out of the customers price range and slowly working her way towards the intended budget, she spent more time up front asking questions about what they liked and didnt like and why. She invested in the relationship up front, and then customized her offering based on what she heard. While she still started high, and worked her way down, she was more of a realist and liked to qualify her buyers before starting her sales pitch. Armed with the knowledge of the style and budget of her customers, she could chicly sell up, without scaring them off with the Hope Diamond. She confided that in her sell down, she usually got people to spend their max amount or a little higher, but because they personalized their approach this store, also had significantly less returns or exchanges due to buyers remorse than the larger chain stores who used the generic Sell Down to Sell Up.

As a chic entrepreneur in a rapidly changing, virtual business world, sales are the lifeblood of your business. The next time you have a new prospect, try using Sarahs chic version of the Sell Down to Sell Up technique. Its chic to be realistic when satisfying your clients needs, but it is also chic to stretch their imagination about what they want. After asking the right question, start slightly higher than your prospects budget and show them the best match for their needs at that level. If you get a no, systematically work your way down, asking questions along the way to isolate what is most important to them, and letting go of the lesser value features. This will help you maximize the dollar value of the sale and maximize the value that the customer receives. As a side note, your pricing structure should be such that the more a customer spends with you, the more value they receive.

This is the way you will build lasting, long-term customer relationships, which are much more profitable than just a lot of quick hit sales. As clients get to know you and increase their level of confidence in your services, this method will likely to strengthen your relationship and keep them coming to you as a trusted partner who always strives to maximize the value they receive as a customer. For more information on how you can maximize your business potential, visit www.flourishingbusiness.com

Elizabeth W. Gordon, founder and President of The Flourishing Business, LLC, is a visionary leader who has a passion for helping others achieve their entrepreneurial dreams and enjoy more of the best in life. With a vast and diverse background in many business arenas, Elizabeth regularly has the opportunity to share her business acumen with clients, large and small. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), Atlanta and the Board of Directors of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Atlanta. She is an Accredited Executive Associate of the Institute for Independent Business (IIB) and a certified Life Coach.

For the people who enjoy sports betting there is nothing more challenging and exciting than betting on NCAA March madness. Everyone has there favorite teams, and if they make it to the tournament in March the first instinct is to bet that they will go all of the way. However, serious gamblers know that betting on NCAA March madness requires careful study of the teams and their records. Many teams who have been very strong in their conferences all year may find themselves in the underdog role when they enter tournament play. This puts additional pressure on a team and its important to know how it will respond.

One way to find out is to consult the experts at a good sportsbook. These experts know everything there is to know about teams and individual players. Theyll know how a team has responded to an underdog role before, and if it makes the team members play with more intensity. Theyll also know how the individual players will match up against their opponents. This type of information can be very valuable when betting on NCAA March madness. For example a player may be an outstanding star in a weak conference, and the experts can tell you if theyll match up well against players from a more powerful conference.

When betting on NCAA March madness you also want to look at how a team has done during the year against the point spread. If there is a team with a great win record, but a dismal record against the spread this will certainly influence your betting on NCAA March madness sportsbook. So consult the experts and place your bets with more confidence.

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I used to have acne when I was a teenager. It was frustrating and annoying. Going out was often the cause of anxiety, because the acne - horrible red inflamed spots - covered my face. Gradually, when I got older, the acne went away. Imagine my relief.

However, acne is not just an adolescent's problem. Adults get them too. It is not just a matter of genetics but a slew of problems playing a part in triggering these awful red spots.

Basically, acne is caused by the clogging of skin glands or spores, which in turn become infected. Acne in adolescents is triggered by the onset of puberty making the hormones work over-time and causing the oil glands to increase - gasp - the production of sebum, an oily substance. Sebum lubricates the skin but if it breaks the skin wall, it causes inflammation and pus. That's right, you get a pimple.

For some, the problem of - argh! - acne follows them right into adulthood. Now, our life-styles are now more hectic and crazy. Stress will sometime trigger flare-ups of the dreaded acne.

What should we do about acne? Conventional skin care products are sometimes useless against an acne onslaught. Perhaps, you might want to start looking in your kitchen.

Yes, your kitchen. I am talking about home remedies for acne.

What, My Kitchen!

If you are the type who only uses the kitchen for cooking, be amazed that it is also a source of home remedies for acne (and other things - but that's another story). Simple herbs and plants found in your pantry or window-sill might just do the trick for your acne problem.

Let's take a look around the kitchen, shall we?

Crystal-Clear Water

My mother used to tell me to drink a lot of water when I was a teenager (with the acne problem). She told me that water would flush out the poisons and toxins that caused the acne.

Water is a great purifier. Eight glasses is the recommended number for adequate water-intake. Your skin is an organ and water keeps it well hydrated.

You can also make herbal water by infusing the hair of one corn with water. The natural sweetness of the corn will make the water go down well. The hair of corn is a "cooling" agent and it will reduce the inflammation.

Of course, washing your face regularly with clean water is a wise choice.

Use Your Fruits and Vegetables

Our mothers were often right when they told us to eat our fruits and vegetables. Now, we can use them on our skin. It is as simple as opening up your fridge and looking at the types of fruits and vegetables. Our good old fridge is a good place to start looking home remedies for acne.

Cucumbers are a excellent choice. You can juice them, slice them or turn them into masks. Drinking cucumber juice is a good and tasty way to reduce pimples or acne. You can also mix in carrots and lettuces.

For fruits, you can try using fresh apricots. Juice an apricot and apply the juice on your skin. You can also eat the apricots. Yum!

Getting Serious With Cereals

Even your humble breakfast cereals can be a source of home remedies for acne.

Mix buttermilk and bran together to form a good paste. You can use the paste for cleansing. You can also use oats if you do not have bran in your kitchen. Bran and oats are great for masks as well. They also smell heavenly on the skin. Who says home remedies for acne cannot be delicious at the same time?

Convinced?

Convinced that your kitchen can be a great source for home remedies for acne? You can start by doing the basic - moderating your diet and including more fruits and vegetables. A healthy body will also ensure less acne and other skin problems. However, if your skin is unusually sensitive or you are unsure about using home remedies for acne, you should seek professional advice. This article is written as a general introduction to home or natural remedies for acne and should not be taken as absolute truth. Be discerning.

Have fun in your kitchen!

Dr John Anne is an herbal specialist with years of experience and extensive research on herbs and alternative health. If you are looking for more information, read about Home Remedies for Acne at http://www.ayurvediccure.com/articles/acne_remedies.htm AyurvedicCure.com is the World's Largest Alternative Health Portal. You can also Participate in Health Questions & Answers, Discussion Forums and Blogs. If you are worried about your pet's Health then read about Dogs and Cats Diabetes