Key traits of a parcel delivery person

Being a parcel delivery specialist is not as easy as it looks, nor is it suited to every man and his dog. There are many natural traits a person must have in order to excel in such roles; some of which are listed below.

Good timekeeping

As consumers trust parcel delivery people with getting their package to a certain place, at a certain time, good timekeeping is a must. People who are not great at turning up on time needn't apply, as they'll likely not last much past their probation period.

Sensible driver

The pressure is on for parcel delivery people to get to their desired location, however this doesn't mean you should speed or drive recklessly. It's all about driving sensibly but knowing when to push through the traffic - and how. Many couriers drive a motorbike in order to achieve this, so if you haven't already got a license allowing you to do this, it might be something worth considering.

Hard worker and trustworthy

Delivering parcels can be a job that requires a long day be put in. You might have to work a 12-hour shift and spend a lot of this driving (not the most exciting of activities) so you need to be a naturally hard worker. Also, you need to be able to be trusted by your manager. They need to know you'll do what you say you will, otherwise they won't be able to hand you over as much responsibility as you might like.

Commitment to excellence

All of the above really boils down to one thing: a commitment to excellence in all you do. You will need to be a person that strives to be the best. You need to be determined to succeed; knowing you'll do what's been asked of you to your best ability.

American Diabetes Month: Save Lives this November

New cases of adult diabetes reached almost 2 million in the United States last year, and almost 29 million people total are afflicted by it.

What can happen if I or a loved one gets diabetes?

People with diabetes usually have to take insulin shots everyday. If it's not treated, you can lose extremities like fingers and toes (sometimes whole limbs), especially once you've had it for a while. Also, you can lose your eyesight and your kidneys can fail.

But what can I do about it?

American Diabetes Month is a great time to spread the word about diabetes and help both those afflicted and their families. It's also a great time to make lifestyle changes in your own life that can help prevent diabetes: Simply reducing the amount of basic sugars you eat (in products like soda) can go a long way in helping prevent diabetes.

In support of American Diabetes Month, we are launching Diabetes Resource Page. You can go there and learn about how to support people with diabetes and make them live better lives. There's also great tips for healthy living and preventing diabetes. It's also a great place to share stories about family members with diabetes and what having diabetes is like. You can also save money on brands like Life Script, Remedy Life, and P&G, all diabetes-related brands.


Help save lives across America by promoting Diabetes Resource Page.

Guest post by Murray Newlands.

Disclaimer: My company, Influence People, does outreach for Diabetes Resource Page.

Networking Offline: Real-world Social Strategies for Techies

We bloggers know how to reach out to people online – that's what we do. But many of us don't utilize offline networking.

Next week, I'm going to PubCon in Las Vegas to hang out with my friends and meet new people. This has lead me to start thinking deeply about how important it is to meet people face-to-face in the offline world.

Can meeting other bloggers in person directly help my blog?

Chris Brogan calls people who are seen as authorities in their areas of expertise “trust agents”, which means that people take your word seriously and cite you as an expert. The result is that if you become a trust agent, bloggers might reference your blog online and you build free back links. In a way, these back links are Google's trust share since they will trust your blog more if more sites link to it, which will result in you getting more viewers through natural searches.

 Sharing is caring

Sharing readers – readers of one blog might start reading your blog once they're exposed to it.

Sharing trust – the readers of the bloggers who reference you might already trust the blog they read on a regular basis and are thus more likely to trust your blog.

Talk to strangers

Walking up to someone you don't know, shaking hands, and chatting not only creates good connections but also can be a learning experience for both parties. You can learn delicious kernels of advice, and you're there to connect with other bloggers; the best way to do this is to take a “shotgun approach” and introduce yourself to as many people as possible. Don't be discouraged if you don't meet anybody after a few parties; there's a lot of variance meeting new people and two people's ability to click with each other plays a big factor.

You can help the process by working on advanced conversation skills. One of my favorites is having an open loop conversation. By open loop, I mean that you don't immediately give people answers, and you don't ask questions that can only be answered in a closed way. For example, somebody asks you what your job is, you could respond by directly telling them, or you could describe your job and slowly reveal what you do without ever directly stating your title. This causes them to be interested in what you say, whereas if you'd simply said “I'm a blogger” the conversation is likely to become a series of awkwardness-breakers, or end altogether.“ It's a lot like saying “I have a secret” as a kid and then not telling anyone what the secret is: Everybody wants to know!

A great chance to meet people is at the PubCon after party. I’m throwing at Zuri Bar in the MGM Grand on the night of Wednesday, November 9^th. You're invited and I'd definitely like to meet you!

About the author:

Murray Newlands and his company Influence People do blogger relations outreach for a variety of clients. Murray is also the author of numerous blogging and online marketing e-books, including Content Monetization.

How to Monetize Mobile Apps

Unlike the I Phone app market, the market for Android apps is wide open for developers wanting to monetize mobile apps. That means endless opportunities for any developer looking to monetize mobile apps.

How do you monetize mobile apps? Developers usually use at least one of three key strategies.

Strategy #1: In-app Advertising

In-app advertising is a good way to monetize mobile apps for consumer apps with big audiences and highly targeted mobile apps and some publishers are able to use ads to earn decent money solely from ads. In-app advertising works especially well for making money with mobile apps if your app is targeted apps, but ads work for apps with broad audiences as well. While it's possible to make money with mobile apps by negotiating with individual advertisers on ad placement, it's easier and more profitable to go through an advertising company like Moolah Media. Think of it like choosing between AdSense and putting up a banner that says “Advertise Here” and crossing your fingers that somebody finds it.

Strategy #2: In-app Transactions

In-app transactions, especially micro transactions, are a great way for mobile commerce apps, gaming apps and publishers with a large number of apps in their portfolio to make money with mobile apps. Developers have now started to utilize the power of in-app transactions thanks to recent advancements in in-app transaction technologies. Mobile app developers can cross-sell to another portfolio app, up-sell to a more expansive version of the app or generate online or offline leads. Keep in mind that in-app transactions are much more than just the one-time purchase. The transmission of information is a very powerful—and monetize able—transaction.

Strategy #3: Subscription Models

Subscriptions are best used for new content apps, professional and consumer services apps and telecom apps. The most successful examples of monetized subscription are from telecom apps (like Skype) but the trend is picking up. The subscription model helps developers keep their customers’ life value up. It’s a good idea to lower customer acquisition costs and reduce churn over time. Monthly trials and free offers are also great approaches.

Guest post by Murray Newlands

Disclaimer: I work for Moolah Media

How to Defrag Your Disk Volumes in Windows XP-edited

People who own a computer must be aware of the fact that Disk Defragmentation is just part of the essential computer maintenance tasks. This is essential because, theoretically, it could improve the performance of a particular PC. This article describes how to defragment your disk drive volumes as well as describes the limitations of using Disk Defragmenter Microsoft Management Console (MMC) that is included with Windows XP.

Microsoft Management Console (MMC) is a component of Windows 2000 and its successors provide system administrators as well as provide advanced users interface for configuring and monitoring system.

Disk Defragmenter MMC is the free utility that comes installed with Windows XP. Because it does not require downloading and installation of a separate defragmenting program, it is convenient and adequate for most XP users. It is also based on the full retail version of Executive Software Diskeeper. The version that is included with Windows XP and later provides limited functionality in maintaining disk performance by defragmenting volumes that use the FAT, FAT32 and NTFS file system.

To start Disk Defragmenter MMC, use one of the methods that is described in this article.

Method 1: Use the Properties of Your Local Disk

1. Open My Computer
2. Right click the local disk volume that you want to defragment, and then click Properties.
3. On the Tools tab, click Defragment Now.
4. Click Defragment Now.

Method 2: Use Computer Management MMC

1. Start Computer Management MMC (Compmgmt.msc).
2. Click Disk Defragmenter.
3. Click the volume that you want to defragment and then click Defragment.

Method 3: Use Disk Defragmenter MMC

1. Start Disk Defragmenter MMC (Dfrg.msc).
2. Click the volume that you want to defragment and then click Defragment.

The version of Disk Defragmenter MMC that is included with Windows XP has the following limitations:

• It can defragment only any local volumes of disk.
• It can defragment only one volume at a time.
• It can’t defragment one volume while it is scanning other.
• It can’t be scheduled. If you need to schedule disk defragmentation, use the Defrag.exe command line tool.
• It can run only one MMC snap-in at a time.

The third party products that are discussed in this article are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no implied warranty regarding the performance and reliability of these third party products.

Restructure Debt and Pay It Off: Know How

The recent unfortunate recession has caused severe financial hardships like job loss, wage reduction and underemployment due to which people are increasingly falling into debt. When people are drown under the sea of overwhelming debt and want to come out of it, it is best to restructure and consolidate the debt. This helps you reducing the debt, managing finances and accelerating the path of improving your fiscal situation.  

So let us now have a look at how to restructure and consolidate the debt. 

• Before you begin restructuring your debt, accumulate all your exiting debts and make a list of it. Make sure you include the amount you owe, the interest due and the monthly payments in the list. This will give you a clear picture of where you are standing financially.
  

• Then contact your mortgage lender and request him to restructure the terms and conditions of the loan. This will not reduce the amount you owe to the lender but will certainly make your repayment plan manageable.
  

• In general, credit union provides loan at a much lower rate of interest so you can consider the option of borrowing loan from credit union and consolidating debts into the loan. This will lower your monthly payments and will make things convenient for you since you can handle one loan instead of multiple debts.
  

• Borrowing money against an insurance policy and consolidating debt with it is another viable way of restructuring your overwhelming debt. This is a great way since you need not have to pay the loan back. In case you do not repay the loan your beneficiaries will receive a smaller payout when the policy matures.
  

• You can also perform a credit card balance transfer. Find out a credit card company who offers low interest rate and allows balance transfer. Then transfer all your credit card bills onto the new card, and pay off as much monthly payment as you can in order to pay off the loan fast.
  

• If you have equity in your house, take out a home equity loan at favorable terms and conditions and use it for debt consolidation.
  

Keep these above mentioned tips in mind and restructure your debt so that you can more conveniently pay off your outstanding debt.

Online Savings Strategies

With the influx of technology in modern society, more consumers are foregoing traditional shopping practices and are going online to purchase a variety of goods and services. The online marketplace offers consumers many opportunities to save. Cash back sites, coupon codes, and daily deals are among the most popular saving strategies that make online shopping easy, convenient and budget-friendly. What Are Cash Back Sites? It is important to understand that cash back sites are a legitimate money saving strategy; Cash back sites are not a scam. They provide retailers with the traffic and sales they desire and the cash back sites receive a commission in return. Cash back sites then pass along a portion of that commission to consumers.

How Do Cash Back Sites Work?

Opening an account is free and using their services does not cost a dime. If you plan on making a purchase online, visit a cash back site first. They have offers for major retailers and smaller shops alike. Simply click on the store from the cash back site and you will be routed there immediately. Make your purchase and the designated cash back percentage of the purchase price will be deposited into your site account. While some cash back may be credited as quickly as within 48 hours, others may take 90 days or longer to show up in your account. Depending on the individual cash back site and merchant, the time it takes to access your accumulated savings differs. Ebates sends out their "Big Fat Checks" every quarter, whereas, Fatwallet has earnings accessible within 120 days of the purchase date. If you would like to donate your earnings to a favorite charity or family member, you have that option as well.

What Are Coupon Codes?

Coupon codes are a website-specific and time sensitive savings code that you can use toward purchases made online. These codes range from a percentage off the total amount purchases to free shipping. Enter the code in the coupon or promotion field upon checkout for instant savings.

How To Maximize Savings With Coupon Codes

In order to maximize the savings that coupon codes create, it is best to use them in conjunction with a sale or promotion. This will ensure that you are taking full advantage of both the sale and the coupon code. While some online retailers allow multiple coupon codes to be stacked with one another, this is not a standardized practice. Check your retailer's Frequently Asked Questions for more information on the specifics of their coupon code policy. Cash back sites and coupon codes are a viable way to save money when so many people are looking for ways to stretch their budget dollars. They make online shopping both affordable and easy for savvy consumers. Now that you know how to utilize cash back sites and coupon codes, what will you do with the extra cash?