Service Omni

It’s been a typical crazy Friday and the end of long but productive week.  It seems I’ve been in non-stop meetings and conference calls since Monday and I haven’t even had time to give the Mrs a kiss but hey, that’s the life of an entrepreneur!   Afterall, there’s no crying in start-ups!  But I have to talk about what’s really bugging me recently - and, in fact, it has been for a long time. 

What the heck are They thinking?  When I say “They”, I mean businesses.  In this instance, B2B service providers specifically.  I spend countless hours talking with potential partners who hawk their online services to companies like Service Omni - most of them no one has ever heard of before.. and so many of them are absolutely out of their mind! 

I mean, everyone wants to get their hand in your pocket before they ever do a thing to help your business really grow.  It’s beginning to really bug me.  Oh sure, they hammer you with glizt and glam and they throw a bunch of techno mumbo jumbo at you hoping to snow you enough into peeling for the promise of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  But in the end, what it really boils down to is you taking a giant leap of faith in what they say they can deliver. 

It is amazing to me that in this age of incredible intelligence and business computing power, that very few have figured out that most of the prospects they talk to are extremely cautious about what they choose to spend their precious resources on.  There’s still a huge percentage of the up and coming web services (not to mention regular brick and mortar businesses) who are watching every dime they spend.. in this economy, there’s no other way to engineer long term success. 

Gone are the days of wild marketing budgets and carefree spending.  For example, I was in telecom for years and watched the companies presenting at tradeshows go from hiring Sugar Ray Leonard to come autograph free boxing gloves for lines of attendees to finding myself lucky to walk away with a company logo emblazoned cush ball.  Not that I’m in it for the tchotcke’s but more to illustrate that businesses are hunkering down for tougher times.  The smart ones are dotting their i’s and crossing their t’s.    

So why is it when you talk to these same businesses, they think you have all the money in the world to plunk down thousands of dollars to test drive their high-tech car (metaphorically speaking)?  And with so many of them out there - all doing the same thing, how do you really know what your going to get?  Why, they want you to trust them of course.  Trust them with damn hard to come by capital in the hopes that they might find you an audience or help you deliver more value to your customers. 

With the internet so incredibly saturated with so called Gold Mine opportunities what’s happened to the concept of creating lasting partnerships?  It seems like most companies are satisfied with getting you one time and not really interested in helping you grow your own business.  Again, they want you to take that leap of faith and then immediately move on to the next prospect.  It seems so short sighted to me.

I will not take this opportunity to bag on anyone in particular for what I think is the wrong approach but what I will do is point out a company that I think is amazing in their vision.  Vistaprint.com (www.vistaprint.com).  These guys got it right.  They are an online resource for business cards, marketing materials and printing services for the business community and they give away a lot up front knowing full well that they have a great service behind what they give away for free.  What a phenominal concept!  They know that once they give you a real value for free, you’ll be hooked (and let me tell you firsthand, I am hooked!).  They have millions of happy customers for a reason - they back up what they say they can offer and you don’t have to take that expensive leap of faith to experience their value first hand.

Why, for heavens sake, don’t more companies do the same thing? 

Lack of a commitment to a vision, that’s why.  Maybe it’s the pressure of gaining market traction/dominance quickly or investors climbing up their tree for faster revenues.. I can’t say for sure.  But I will tell you that very few of them out there are truly thinking beyond the next dollar they get from you! 

The bottom line is if you really have value in your product, like Vistaprint, your customers will keep coming back to you and will be more than willing to pay you if you truly provide the results you say you do.  I understand that many who read this might think “what the heck is this guys problem?  We have to make money!  What a whiner!”  Sure, I know that - you’re preaching to the choir on that.  But what ever happened to the idea of building relationships that last beyond the first (and in most cases, the last) invoice?  The only way to build lasting relationships though is to give a little taste up front without forcing customers to jump out of the plane at 10,000 feet!  Hey, we deserve it since we’re the ones who’ll undoubtedly come back for more - that is, if you deliver what you say you can deliver.

I say all of this because this is exactly what we endeavor to do at Service Omni.  We learned that people really want to find the right solution to help their business grow - and they’re willing to pay for it for sure.  But they aren’t stupid and they certainly aren’t wasting their precious dollars on pomp and circumstance!   So give em a dry run, provide a dress-rehearsal per se.  All the while, back up what you preach with real value and they will come back for more.

I guarantee it!

Last Friday was a great day!  Not just because of what you’re thinking… end of the week.. weekend.. party-time!, etc.. no, not that at all.  In fact, at 5:30pm, I found myself driving up the 5 freeway from Irvine to Glendale, locked in bumper to bumper traffic, fighting dense pockets of folks leaving town for the holiday weekend.  Thank god for the last two days to give me lots to reflect on during my long trip home.  I didn’t have time to think about partying, resting or just hanging out - much less the traffic jam I was in. 

 You see, I spent the past 48 hours sitting in a classroom.  Most of you are probably saying, “I’d rather be sitting in traffic!”.  In most circumstances, I’d agree with you.  But this was different.  For 48 hours, I went way back in time… to a time where I had passion for an idea.. where I found every day an opportunity to enhance the idea and continue to make a business out of it.  I went back to a time where creating, inventing, building & managing the process was all consuming - and everything I enjoyed.  Yet somewhere along the way I got sidetracked.  We all do at some point or another I guess.  But to me, it was frutstrating.  Despite my efforts, I didn’t know quite how to get it back.

Then along came the Venture Farm Boot Camp (www.venturefarm.com).  Venture Farm is an Irvine-based venture capital firm that is focused on helping early stage companies get education about creating and running a start-up and in the process get better prepared for the prospect of raising cash.  Managed by VC industry veteran, Sid Mohasseb, the two day boot camp brings local entrepreneurs together to engage in real-life business building exercises that are intended to re-invigorate not only the individual businesses but the entrepreneur as well.  Let me say from first hand experience, it did the trick!

The two day experience was exactly what the doctor ordered for me personally.  Sid’s vast experience and incredible (and relevant) teachings allowed me to hone my entrepreneurial skills while affording me the opportunity to re-assess where we’re taking Service Omni.  More importantly, I found meaning to what we are trying to deliver with our product. 

Finding the meaning, although it sounds trivial, was a very important (and missing) ingredient to the message we are trying to deliver to our audience.  Without meaning, we were not targeting our message - much less, delivering the right value proposition with our service offering.  Not to be confused with the Value Proposition, Meaning, in this instance, is what you want your audience to take away from their experience with your product or service. 

We have a cool site that allows businesses to create a web presence for free, summarize their services, upload some pictures and videos and have access to some cool features.  But in our case, the meaning was still unclear.  The Venture Farm Boot Camp helped me to find that meaning.

Justice!  Simple.  Justice for smaller businesses.  An equal opportunity to compete on a level playing field.  In a space where there is so much clutter and where its terribly expensive to effectively get seen, we endeavor to give smaller businesses a chance to play with the big boys.  By creating a just-based system that combines marketing control and rewards for community feedback, we’ve enabled smaller businesses to get noticed more on merit than on paying the big bucks to buy visibility.  We’ve come full circle and come back to what started this idea in the first place!  We realized we were on the right track all along but we, ourselves, got caught up in the clutter game. 

Now its time to get back to basics… to, as they say in the great state of Texas, “dance with the one that brung ya”.  The Venture Farm Boot Camp got us to remember what’s important.. it’s not so much about being the fastest in terms of growing the business, achieving the so-called “critical mass” of users as it is to be honest with ourselves and with our community.  It’s about providing real value to small businesses who struggle with getting visibility in an incredibly crowded arena - the internet.

And this is what we are going back to.  Back to the beginning and move steadfastly towards this common goal of creating opportunities where they might not have existed before.  I owe a lot to Sid and his mentoring.  He’s made me realize that it shouldn’t be a struggle to produce a real meaning - that it should come from the heart and, more importantly, from a real desire to make a difference in what you offer in a service.

Thanks Sid! 

As we age, so do our homes.  The following 10 steps are suggested by the American Association of Retire Persons to make a home safer or more comfortable for senior residents:

• Install handrails on both dies of all steps (inside and out)
• Secure all carpets and area rugs with double-sided tape
• Install easy-to-grasp handles for drawers, cabinet doors and level handles for doors
• Use fluorescent, energy-efficient bulbs
• Install a nightlight in areas of night activity
• Add Reflective, non-slip tape on all non-carpeted stairs
• Place a bench near entrances for setting down purchases and resting
• Install closet lights, as well as adjustable rods and shelves
• Install rocker light switches; consider illuminated ones in certain areas.

Hardware stores carry many products to make simple upgrades to homes.  For extensive renovations, homeowners should consider hiring a contractor who is licensed, certified and bonded.

Check our general contractor or handyman section at http://www.serviceomni.com to find a local service provider to help you with your home improvements.  We’re sure you’ll find a qualified professional to help you decide how best to improve the safety in your or your loved ones home.

1. Confirm the sales person works for the company.

Verify that the individual with whom you are speaking is an authorized agent of the company that was referred by Service Omni.

2. Ask for a copy of the company’s license.

Ask the company to provide a copy of their license. It is important that you verify the license is still in good standing. Be aware that certain states licensing requirements are based on dollar amounts and not project type. You can find a list of your state’s licensing requirements on the Service Omni website.

3. Ask for proof of insurance.

Ask the company to provide a copy of their insurance certificate. We recommend that you verify with the insurance agency or carrier that the policy is still in good standing. General Liability insurance generally covers a contractor for accidents that occur while the contractor is working, however there are exclusions to coverage, and you should confirm the actual scope of the contractor’s coverage directly with the contractor.

We recommend that before working with a service professional, you verify that information presented is still current and/or acceptable to you. While Service Omni may be notified of changes in member service professional insurance coverage which then was confirmed with insurance agents or companies, we cannot guarantee that insurance information is still valid at time of presentation so we recommend that you obtain a copy of the service professional’s insurance certificate where applicable.

4. Finalize the contract before starting on a project.

 A good contract…

• Should be written on company letterhead.
• Should contain the company’s name, address, phone numbers, and license number (if applicable).
• Should contain the consumer’s name, address (where work is to be performed), and phone numbers.
• Is dated when it is written.
• Includes a detailed description of the work that is going to be performed.
• Provides dollar amounts associated with each task included in the project.
• Includes an anticipated start and finish date.
• Provides a payment schedule.
• Includes a termination clause.
• Contains a clause that protects you the homeowner from any potential mechanics liens once you have paid the contractor in full.
• Clearly states whether permits will be pulled, and who will be responsible for pulling them.

5. Make payments to the company that was referred.

Do not pay an individual.

6. Avoid paying with cash.

Check and credit cards are preferable, and be sure to get a receipt for all payments.

7. Withhold final payment until you are satisfied with the project.

• Don’t pay in full until the project is completely finished and you have completed your final inspection.
• If sub contractors were used, be sure to get signed releases from all sub contractors clearly indicating that they have been paid in full by the general contractor.
• For larger projects, don’t make the final payment until you have passed the final building inspection.

8. Don’t advance money for materials.

If absolutely necessary, make sure the materials are delivered to your house with a receipt showing that they have been paid in full.

9. Check multiple references.

In addition to reading the company’s Service Omni Ratings & Reviews, consider checking additional references for the service professional.

10. Document all changes to the contract.

Make sure all changes to the original contact, no matter how small, are documented and signed off by both parties.

Now that you have all the best tips, you should be ready to go!  Check our General Contractor section at http://www.serviceomni.com to find a local service provider to help you with your home improvements.  We’re sure you’ll find a qualified professional to help you decide how best to prepare your house for the summer get-togethers that lie ahead.

SUMMER FITNESS TIPS:

• Consult your doctor. This will give you a chance to have your blood pressure and blood cholesterol level checked. Your doctor also may help you craft an exercise routine that is least likely to aggravate any medical conditions or physical limitations you might have.

• Keep your goals realistic. If you are just starting a walking program, it’s unrealistic to expect that you will be an Olympic speed walker by the end of the week. If all you realistically can achieve is walking for 20 minutes twice a week, then make that your goal for now. If you overdo it and push yourself by running when all that you are really ready for is walking, then you’re just setting yourself up for failure or even injury. Success is motivating, so set a goal that you know you can reach.

• Set short-term goals. If becoming a lean, mean fitness machine is your goal, it can be discouraging to find your endurance and strength are not yet where you hope to be. Instead of dreaming of athletic excellence right away, aim for small achievements such as increasing every other workout by one to two minutes (until you reach at least 30 minutes total). Or aim to increase your flexibility so you can reach your toes more comfortably by your next birthday. Once you reach one short-term fitness goal, then set another one, such as adding two more reps (at the same weight) or five more pounds to each exercise in your strength-training program.

• Make it complete. Fitness is more than just a cardiovascular workout. Eventually, attempt to incorporate all aspects of fitness into your exercise program. Aerobic activity two to three times a week, strength training at least twice a week, and flexibility and relaxation exercises are all part of a well-rounded fitness program.

• Drink up. Drink plenty of water before, during and after your exercise program, regardless of whether you are thirsty or perspiring.

• Up the intensity. As your body gets used to a particular exercise, your strength and endurance will increase. To stay challenged and to progress toward your goals, gradually increase the intensity of your workout. If you are a beginner who usually walks for 20 minutes three times a week, consider increasing the duration or frequency of your walks or walk faster and swing your arms. For strength training, add one or two pounds every few weeks, increase your repetitions or sets, or reduce or eliminate the rest period between sets. In general, you should lift a weight until you cannot complete any more repetitions using proper form.

• Listen to your body. A burning sensation in your muscles or fatigue is normal during exercise; sharp pain is not. If you feel pain, stop exercising at once. Often, rest, elevation, icing or basic anti-inflammation medications for the injury may be appropriate. Then consult a doctor if pain persists for more than a day or two.

• Reward yourself. Whenever you meet a short- or long-term goal, do something nice for yourself. For example, buy that new household item or CD you’ve been pining for. (Don’t reward yourself with an ice cream sundae, of course.)

• Have fun. Vary your workouts so you don’t get bored. Find forms of exercise that you truly enjoy, such as jogging through the park if you love nature or ballroom dancing if you love romance.

Check our personal trainer or sports instruction sections at http://www.serviceomni.com to find a local service provider to help you with your personal education or fitness goals.  We’re sure you’ll find a qualified professional to help you decide how best to improve your knowledge in a variety of subjects or personal conditioning while lifting your game a level or two.

We recently published the following article on Ezinearticles.com.  Click on the link below to take you to the article (it’s currently #2 on the list)

http://ezinearticles.com/?Getting-the-Most-Out-of-Online-Directories—Promoting-Your-Small-Business-Effectively&id=1067912

 Happy reading!

TIPS:  Finding the Right LocksmithHere are tips for finding legitimate locksmiths. Check to see if the company has received positive ratings from the Service Omni community.  Make sure to review as many rating comments as necessary to ensure you are making an informed decision. Get the business name.  If a company answers the phone with a generic phrase such as “locksmith service,” ask for the legal name of the business.  If it’s not forthcoming, hang up. Look for the Associated Locksmiths of America logo in advertising.  It’s not a guarantee, because some impostors use the logo without joining the trade association.  Call (800) 532-2562 to verify membership and still use caution even with members. The van or auto driven by the company agent should clearly identify the locksmith.  Most legitimate professionals work out of a vehicle market with the business name. Get an estimate before authorizing work.  Never sign a blank estimate. Insist on an itemized invoice. As to see the company license.  Locksmiths in California are required to carry state licenses on service calls.  (if outside California, please check your local government for regulations regarding disclosure of company license material) Detailed information regarding security oriented service companies located in California can be found at the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services website: www.dca.ca.gov/bsis/lookup. Do not allow work to be done if you are uncomfortable with the locksmith. Check our Locksmith section at www.serviceomni.com to find a local service provider to help you with your personal security needs.  We’re sure you’ll find a qualified professional to help you when that unexpected need arises.

TIPS to Find Tutors:

• Shop around.

Rates for professional tutoring will vary. In the major cities,
such as New York City, rates will be higher than in
other parts of the country.In general, the higher the tutor’s level of education is, the higher
the rate they charge will be. For example, you
can expect that a math tutor with a Ph.D.
will charge more than a math tutor with only a B.A.

Some tutors will charge a reduced fee for
group sessions when there are two or more students
being tutored together.

• Ask questions of the tutor.

If you are not familiar with the tutor, ask for
references from previous students. If you are considering a tutoring
company, ask for information about their
track record. Some questions you can ask the tutor: How do you
work with the students? How much experience do
you have? What is your educational background?
What kind of results can you expect to see in a
reasonable amount of time?

• Consider your needs.

The best tutor is the one that works best for you.
Not every tutor can tutor every student. The student’s
personality and the tutor’s personality must be a good match.If you need help in a highly specialized subject,
like engineering, look for a tutor with extensive
training in that subject. If you just need help with study
skills, you may do fine with a tutor who has a
general education background.

If your child has a learning disability or other special
needs, you will want to be sure your tutor has the training
and experience needed for this type of tutoring.
You may want to contact a college with a Special Education
teacher training program and ask at that department
for resources in your area.Many tutoring companies advertise that they hire only
certified teachers as tutors. It is important to remember
that not everyone who has been certified has been
employed as a teacher. It is possible to have a teaching
certificate and have no professional experience at all.A teaching certificate is granted by the state in which
you live. The state reviews the applicant’s educational
records and certifies that the applicant has enough
training to apply for a job in the state’s public school system.
A certificate means permission to work. It is not proof that
the person has had a job in a school or that the tutor is a good teacher.

Some parents feel more comfortable having a tutor with
a teaching certificate. However, there are also many
excellent educators who are not certified teachers.
For example, very few college professors have
teaching certificates, because a certificate is
not a requirement to teach at the college level.

Requirements for a teaching certificate vary from
state to state. To find out what the requirements are
in your state, call your state’s board of education.

Whether or not the tutor has a teaching certificate,
it is always wise to ask about the tutor’s professional
background. Check our general tutor or sports instruction sections to find a local service provider to help you with your personal education or fitness goals.  We’re sure you’ll find a qualified professional to help you decide how best to improve your knowledge in a variety of subjects or personal conditioning while lifting your game a level or two.

 Tips on Finding the Right Personal Massage for You! 

What are some examples of massage and bodywork?

a. Swedish massage (which is a proper name, not a reference to Sweden) refers to a collection of techniques designed primarily to relax muscles by applying pressure to them against deeper muscles and bones, and rubbing in the same direction as the flow of blood returning to the heart. The lymph system and veins (which carry blood back to the heart) both rely on muscle action, rather than heart pump pressure, to operate. Many believe it is safe to apply light pressure in the opposite direction.
Friction is reduced by oil, or lacking that baby powder. Some practitioners claim benefits from vegetable rather than mineral oil while others disagree. Swedish massage can relax muscles, increase circulation, remove metabolic waste products, help the recipient obtain a feeling of connectedness, a better awareness of their body and the way they use and position it.

The strokes and manipulations of Swedish Massage are each conceived as having a specific therapeutic benefit. One of the primary goals of Swedish Massage is to speed venous return from the extremities. Swedish Massage shortens recovery time from muscular strain by flushing the tissue of lactic acid, uric acid and other metabolic wastes. It improves circulation without increasing heart load. It stretches the ligaments and tendons, keeping them supple. Swedish Massage also stimulates the skin and nervous system while at the same time relaxing the nerves themselves. As it can help reduce emotional and physical stress it is often recommended as part of a regular programme for stress management. It also has specific clinical uses in a medical or remedial therapy.

b. Shiatsu, on the other hand, is a system based on the body’s energy meridians. Shiatsu massages are normally done fully clothed and involve pressing points on the body and stretching and opening of the energy meridians. Shiatsu is somewhat related to acupuncture, which is a form of anaesthesia and therapy used in Chinese hospitals for surgery. Its proponents view it as a form of treatment alternative to medicine or surgery.

c. By mixing scents with the oil, various pleasing moods can be created. Aromatherapy is the use of fragrant substances for health and beauty treatment. It is often combined with massage since oils can be used to carry fragrances while also allowing more pressure to be applied to muscles. Its proponents claim that health benefits are associated with specific choices of scent. For example, clary sage can be used to combat depression.

d. `On-site massage’ is one name for a short (15-20 minute) massage of a client sitting in a special, portable massage chair. The client remains fully clothed and no oils are used while their shoulders, neck, upper back, head and arms are massaged. On-Site is popular at some offices as an employee benefit and for some conferences, workshops and certain social events.

e. Erotic massage is really a sexual foreplay technique, rather than a form of massage. Massage focuses on muscles, whereas erotic massage focuses primarily on skin. It’s been said that 95% of erotic (or sensual) massage is the same as other massage. There is nonetheless some information specifically about erotic massage in the archive.

f. Trigger point and Myotherapy are pain-relief techniques to alleviate muscle spasms and cramping. The therapist locates and deactivates `trigger points’, which are often tender areas where muscles have been damaged or acquired a re-occuring spasm or `kink’ that worsens painfully when aggravated. The major goals are to reduce spasm inducing new blood flow into the affected area. The spasms are partly maintained by nervous system feedback (pain-spasm-pain) cycle. Spasms also physically reduces blood flow to the trigger point area (ischemia), reducing oxygen supplied to the tissues and increasing the spasm.
Pressure is applied to trigger points, for a short time (between about 7 to 10 seconds per point), which can be momentarily painful but is greatly relieving. It is common to hit the same trigger points several times during a session, but you won’t be leaning into a sore spot for several minutes. Often ice or another cooling agent is used to reduce nervous system response, making the area easier and more comfortable to work. Then the muscles are gently stretched to complete the relaxation process, hence the name `spray and stretch’. Myotherapy aims to erase pain and soothe tightened muscles. People with acute or chronic muscle tension and the associated pain are likely to benefit greatly from this type of treatment.

g. Polarity therapy is a holistic approach to natural health care. It asserts that energy fields exist everywhere in nature, and that the flow and balance of this energy in the human body is the underlying foundation of health. Stress, tension, pain, inflexible thinking, and environmental stimuli are among many factors that can contribute to the restriction of this energy flow in the human body. According to Polarity therapists, such energy blocks can be released by the use of four therapeutic methods: bodywork, diet, exercise and self-awareness. The founder of Polarity Therapy, Dr. Randolph Stone DO, DC, ND, emphasized the interdependence of body, emotions, mind and spirit. Polarity therapy includes gentle body manipulation and holding pressure points (poles) as well as counselling on developing positive thoughts and attitudes, understanding the principles of food combining and easy exercises to increase energy flow. Polarity is often used by care givers in conjunction with many other therapies.

h. Myofascial release is used to evaluate and treat restrictions in the body’s contractile connective tissues (muscles) and non-contractile supportive connective tissues (fascia) by the application of gentle traction, pressures and positioning. Fascia is a complex supportive web throughout the body affecting all components of the musculoskeletal, nervous and visceral (organ) systems. It surrounds groups of muscle fibres, and entire muscle groups and organs. While it is not contractile, it can be passively elastically deformed. That is how it retains tensions from physical and emotional traumas. It is also involved when a person suffers chronic pain or physical dysfunction. Chronically tense muscles restrict blood flow and fatigue the body. Both fascia and muscle tissues can become shortened if they are improperly used. As well, layers of fascia can stick together.
Myofascial release techniques are used to coax muscles in spasm to relax, and break adhesions in the fascia. Bodies respond to these therapies by releasing tension that has been stored in the fascia, thus allowing more functional flexibility and mobility of the muscles, fascia and associated structures.

i. Craniosacral therapy can be considered to be a type of myofascial release that is especially suited to addressing tensions in the Craniosacral system: the membranes that contain the cerebrospinal fluid within the head and spinal column, as well as the cranial (head and face) bones to which these membranes are attached. Release of restrictions in these membranes and at the sutures between the cranial lobes is deeply relaxing and may relieve certain types of headache, spinal nerve problems, tempororomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ), and stress in the nervous system. Other body functions can also benefit and emotional tension may be discharged through the process of Somato-Emotional Release.

j. Reiki is a gentle hands-on healing technique to reduce stress, relieve pain, and facilitate healing. Practitioners hold that the vital energy of the universe is channelled through the practitioner to energize the various body systems on levels that promote healing and wholeness. The hands (and intuition) are used to scan a client’s body, and to perceive and treat areas of reduced vitality.
There are two principal aspects of Reiki practice. As one successfully builds a strong practice of Reiki, one also learns how to convey this ki energy to others who need it. One aspect is called practice `for oneself’, which is emphasized in First Degree Reiki practice. The other is called practice `for others’ and is emphasized in Second Degree and Master level practices.
For most daily stress, tension, minor illness, trauma, etc., First Degree Reiki practice is very effective. For life-threatening illness — in which severe physical manifestations have already materialized (e.g. cancer and AIDS) and congenital diseases (e.g. cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy) it is often very difficult for a person to effectively practice `for oneself’ therefore help from a more advanced Reiki practitioner is often required for the best results. Second Degree and Reiki Master level practitioners have acquired considerable ability in directing and focusing ki energy through practice and study with persons with severe illness. Such practitioners will have specific, advanced techniques with which to help the ill person.

k. Trager Psychophysical Integration (usually just called Trager) uses light, gentle, non-intrusive movements to facilitate the release of deep-seated physical and mental patterns. Each part of the client’s body is moved rhythmically so that the recipient experiences the possibility of moving lightly, effortlessly, and freely on their own. A Trager session should help reduce stress from chronic tension, teach more effective ways to recover from stressful situations, enhance conscious awareness and flexibility, improve self-image, expand energy, restore free flowing movement and full self-expression by reducing constriction and rigidity. A Trager session can bring about the experience of peace and serenity — a high-energy state of well-being beyond relaxation.

l. The Hakomi method is a body-based psychotherapy using special states of consciousness to help clients probe non-verbal levels where core beliefs direct and influence their experiences. Body-mind awareness and touch are used to explore the body as a deep source of information, empowering the client to change their attitudes.

m. Jin Shin Do (transl. the way of the compassionate spirit) is derived from acupressure. The technique involves applying gentle fingertip pressure to thirty specific points along the body to release, smooth and balance vital `chi’ energy. Practitioners meditate and try to transfer chi to clients by using knowledge of where energy flows and patterns meet. According to its practitioners, Jin Shin Do pervades all aspects of our being by affecting general muscle tension, improving circulation, balancing emotions and raising the spiritual state of being.

n. Neuromuscular therapy uses advanced concepts in pressure therapy to break the stress-tension-pain cycle. It aims to relax muscle so that circulation can increase and the body will return to normal neuromuscular integrity and balance. The St. John Method is a type of NMT.

o. Pfrimmer deep muscle therapy was developed by Therese Pfrimmer. Once partially paralysed, she overcame her disability through deep muscle manipulation and spent the next 30 years developing this technique. Pfrimmer Deep Muscle Therapy works across the muscles manipulating deep tissues, stimulating circulation and regenerating lymphatic flow, thus promoting detoxification and oxygenation of stagnant tissues.

Check our massage therapy section on http://www.serviceomni.com to find a local service provider to help you with shake off the effects of a stressful day.  We’re sure you’ll find a qualified professional to help you unwind in a peaceful and relaxing way.

Today, small businesses are looking for creative and cost effective ways to promote their company online.  After all, customers are already there looking for them there and for good reason; the internet’s pervasive, it’s easy, fast and most of all convenient. 

Therefore, how does a business get itself found online?  It is first important to understand the current landscape of business marketing. 

Today, the need for consumers to locate and engage local service providers continues to grow. Surveys of consumers indicate that that their jobs require them to work longer hours (88%). Many (75%) said they take care of personal responsibilities while on the job and 36% say they do this daily. Most importantly, it takes an employee nearly two hours to take care of personal business on company time. Consumers are looking for alternate ways to get their personal business handled.At the same time, small businesses continue to grow in the U.S. In 2002, there were approximately 22.9 million small businesses in the U.S.  Of these, there was an estimated 550,100 new employer businesses, a 0.9 percent increase over the previous year.As consumers and daily workers continue to lead busier and busier lives, they are looking for ways to streamline their opportunities.Some online services, such as Angieslist.com, yellowpages.com, kudzu.com, etc. have attempted to fulfill this need. However, among other shortcomings, these and other sites receive their fees either from the consumer or in the form of monthly or annual listing fees charged to the business itself.

As the number of small business service providers grows, these businesses are seeking a way to reach their customers more economically.  For the small business owner it is fundamentally a marketing problem – how do they reach their customers in a manner that provides them the greatest return on investment of their marketing dollars. The historical and traditional marketing channels (Radio, Newspaper, Magazines, Flyers, Internet, etc.) are so numerous that they represent a problem for a local service provider. The service provider cannot effectively engage all of them. Furthermore, customers are constantly surfing channels and are able to block content at will and thus are able to avoid exposure to marketing messages. A further need of a local service provider is the ability to reach the exact demographic/geographic market they are targeting.  Many marketing opportunities are too broad and hence very inefficient.  Since it is too costly to use all marketing channels, the service provider must cherry pick the best options (or what turns out to be the least costly options) and usually experiences poor ROI as a result.  A limited marketing budget is not effective in a local market since using traditional channels since the local service provider will have to pay for a larger market and waste ad dollars. Therefore, most businesses start with a website.  However, there’s an incredible mis-conception about having what I’d call an “effective” web presence.  A lot of businesses have a web page but most think it ends there. They’re wrong!   Heck, after they’ve spent the $500-$1000 (a reasonable looking site with no features) to have their website built (not mentioning maintenance costs for updating), paid the $300/year for hosting - not to mention trying to get a .com URL that matches their name (good luck for Joes Plumbing) - you haven’t even touched the tip of the iceberg in terms of cost to get your site noticed on the web.  Without costly internet marketing campaigns that cost upwards of $15-$25k a month (for more competitive search terms it can be more costly than that) companies that have their own website quickly find out that it’s like having a billboard in the middle of the desert.   Sure a business can do a little organic SEO (Search Engine Optimization), however there’s still a lot to learn about doing that well and it takes a long time to create meaningful results.

Enter online directories such as yellowpages.com, angieslist.com, yahoo local, kudzu.com and merchantcircle.com to name a few.  However, the most popular online directories are charging businesses as much as $750 per year for little more than obscure placement on their site and a promise to land them on the first page of each search engine.  Once they get your money, however, it seems they completely forget about your business and owners are left crossing their fingers - wondering if they’ll ever see new customers from the directory.

Those days are gone!   As of today, subscription based online directories are slowly giving way to “pay-for-performance” based directories like an interesting newcomer to the online directory, www.ServiceOmni.com is positioning itself to be.

Pay for Performance is here!  The new breed of PFP directories are not charging a penny for your business to list (see Craigslist success).  Rather than pay up front, the premise is simple: list your business for free and If no one clicks on your site, you don’t get charged.  Period!    Another feature of these sites is they market on a larger scale for the businesses themselves.  They drive new eyeballs to their site to find plumbers, dog walkers, auto detailers and more - and in the process, the smaller business has a better chance of being seen - and hired.

The bottom line is businesses now have a choice in online directories that don’t charge up front fees - from Craigslist to ServiceOmni.com - the climate is changing for micro-businesses and its time for every business to have the opportunity to get more online exposure and only pay for customers that click on their information in the directory.  These PFP directories are the wave of the future and small local businesses will be well served by this new online strategy to capture new customers.