Direct Mail Marketer » delicious

Affiliated Direct Mail New Jersey

admin — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:48:47 +0000

General Motors

Company overview

General Motors GMT800 truck assembly line.

In 2009, General Motors employs approximately 244,500 people around the world. The Renaissance Center located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, is the global headquarters of General Motors. In 2008, GM sold 8.35 million cars and trucks globally. GM is the majority shareholder in GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co. of South Korea and has collaborations with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation of China, AvtoVAZ of Russia, and most recently, UzAvtoSanoat of Uzbekistan. GM has had collaborations with various automakers including Fiat (see GM/Fiat Premium platform) and Ford Motor Company.[citation needed] GM retains various stakes in different automakers. General Motors' best success internationally has unquestionbly been its performance in China, GM sales rose 66.9% in 2009, selling 1,830,000 vehicles and accounting for 13.4% of the market.

GM received loans from European governments in 2009, and has reduced its ownership stake in European operations as part of its reorganization." As of July 10, 2009, the new GM has over $40 B in cash, with the company's reorganized liability total of $48.8 B which includes $24.4 B to be paid to the Voluntary Employee Benefits Association (VEBA) trust, $9 B to the U.S. and Canadian governments, and $15 B in liabilities to suppliers and other bills. GM is slated to pay $10 B to the VEBA trust in December 2009, with the remainder being paid in increments from 2012-19. GM isn't required to make contributions to its pension fund until 2013, but it may elect to if needed, since the company contribued $15.2 B to its pension fund in 2003. Stock market conditions cause the fund value to fluctuate. In February 2009, GM's combined pension fund had about $85 B in assets, $56B in assets for hourly pensions and $29B in assets for salaried pensions. The domain name gm.com attracted at least 7 million visitors annually by 2008.

GM worldwide vehicle sales by country 2008

(thousands)

Rank

in GM

Country

Vehicle

sales

Market

share (%)

Rank

in GM

Country

Vehicle

sales

Market

share (%)

United States

2,981

22.1%

Australia

133

13.1%

China

1,095

12.0%

Republic of Korea

117

9.7%

Brazil

549

19.5%

France

114

4.4%

United Kingdom

384

15.4%

Spain

107

7.8%

Canada

359

21.4%

Argentina

15.5%

Russia

338

11.1%

Venezuela

33.3%

Germany

300

8.8%

Colombia

36.3%

Mexico

212

19.8%

India

3.3%

Top 4 markets/regions by vehicle sales in 2008 (thousands)

North America

3,552

21.9%

European Union

905

12.3%

China

1,095

12.0%

South America

815

20.8%

Structure

See also: Cadillac, Buick, GMC (automobile), Chevrolet, List of GM factories, and List of GM engines

General Motors is structured into the following operating groups:

Group

Number of employees

March 2009

GMAP (GM Asia-Pacific)

33,000

GME (GM Europe)

55,000

GM LAAM (GM Latin America, Africa and the Middle East)

33,000

GMNA (GM North America)

112,000

Other operations

2,000

Total number of employees

235,000

Management

The Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan, is the world headquarters of General Motors.

On July 23, 2009, GM announced its new Board of Directors: Daniel F. Akerson, David Bonderman, Robert D. Krebs, Patricia F. Russo and Ed Whitacre (GM Chairman & Interim CEO) Board members who are not GM employees will be paid US$200,000 annually.

As of December 1, 2009, The General Motors Board Of Directors accepted Frederick Henderson's resignation. In January 2010, chairman Ed Whitacre was appointed permanent CEO after previously serving in an interim capacity.

On December 4, 2009, GM announced leadership changes in a press release.

Edward Whitacre, Jr. - Chairman of the Board of the Directors and CEO

Robert A. Lutz - Vice Chairman, advisor on design and global product development

Chris Liddell - Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer

Thomas G. Stephens - Vice Chairman, Global Product Operations

Mark Reuss - President, GM North America

David N. Reilly - President, GM Europe

Timothy E. Lee - President, GM International Operations (Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Africa, and Middle East)

Ray Young - vice president, International Operations

Edward T. Welburn - Global Vice President of General Motors Design, current and only the sixth head designer.

For additional Senior Management see GM Senior Leadership Group

General Motors is a conglomerate.

History

Main article: History of General Motors

General Motors was founded on September 16, 1908, in Flint, Michigan, as a holding company for Buick, then controlled by William C. Durant. It acquired Oldsmobile later that year. In 1909, Durant brought in Cadillac, Elmore, Oakland and several others. Also in 1909, General Motors acquired the Reliance Motor Truck Company of Owosso, Michigan, and the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company of Pontiac, Michigan, the predecessors of GMC Truck. Durant lost control of GM in 1910 to a bankers' trust, because of the large amount of debt taken on in its acquisitions coupled with a collapse in new vehicle sales. A few years later, Durant started the Chevrolet Motor car company and through this he secretly purchased a controlling interest in GM. Durant took back control of the company after one of the most dramatic proxy wars in American business history. Durant then reorganized General Motors Company into General Motors Corporation. Shortly after, he again lost control, this time for good, after the new vehicle market collapsed. Alfred P. Sloan was picked to take charge of the corporation and led it to its post war global dominance. This unprecedented growth of GM would last into the early 1980s when it employed 349,000 workers and operated 150 assembly plants.

GM previously led in global sales for 77 consecutive years (1931 to 2008), longer than any other automaker.

Chapter 11 reorganization

Main article: General Motors Chapter 11 reorganization

On July 10, 2009, a new entity, NGMCO Inc. purchased the ongoing operations and trademarks from General Motors Corporation. The purchasing company in turn changed its name from NGMCO Inc. to General Motors Company, marking the emergence of a new operation from the "pre-packaged" Chapter 11 reorganization. Under the reorganization process, termed a 363 sale (for Section 363 which is located in Title 11, Chapter 3, Subchapter IV of the United States Code, a part of the Bankruptcy Code), the purchaser of the assets of a company in bankruptcy proceedings is able to obtain approval for the purchase from the court prior to the submission of a re-organization plan, free of liens and other claims. It used in most Chapter 11 cases that involve a sale of property or other assets. This process is typical of large organizations with complex branding and intellectual property rights issues upon exiting bankruptcy. The new company plans to issue an initial public offering (IPO) of stock in 2010.

GM's remaining pre-petition creditors' claims are paid from the remaining assets of Motors Liquidation Company, the new name of the former General Motors Corporation, although the directors of that company believe its debts far outweigh its assets. This means that while the former GM's bondholders may recover a small portion of their investment, former GM shareholders (now shareholders of Motors Liquidation Company) will likely not receive anything.

Also on July 10, 2009, GM announced plans to trim its U.S. workforce by 20,000 employees as part of its reorganization by the end of 2009 due to economic conditions.

The following table is a comparison (estimates) of the new GM and the old GM:

Old GM (before July 10, 2009)

New GM (after July 10, 2009)

Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMDaewoo (48.2%), GMC, Holden, Hummer, Oldsmobile, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall

Brands

Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMDaewoo (70.1%), GMC, Holden, Opel, Vauxhall

5,900

US Dealerships

3,600

Common shareholders, bondholders and secured creditors

Ownership

The United States Treasury, the Crown in Right of Canada, Old GM bondholders, and UAW union

US Plants

US$94.7 B

Debt

US$17 B

91,000

US employees

68,500

North America

Core brand focus

In North America, GM will focus primarily on its four core brands Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, and GMC while selling, discontinuing, or scaling back its other brands. The White House characterized the GM restructuring as a shift toward a new leaner, greener GM, which will aim to break even with annual sales much lower than previously stated. President Obama declared that the restructuring "will mark the end of an old GM, and the beginning of a new GM; a new GM that can produce the high-quality, safe, and fuel-efficient cars of tomorrow; that can lead America towards an energy independent future; and that is once more a symbol of America's success."

In the middle of 2005, GM announced that its corporate chrome emblem "Mark of Excellence" would begin appearing on all recently introduced and all-new 2006 model vehicles produced and sold in North America. However, in 2009 the "New GM" reversed this, saying that emphasis on its four core brands would dictate downplaying the GM name.

Production of SUVs and trucks vs. cars

In the late 1990s, the U.S. economy was on the rise and GM and Ford gained market share producing enormous profits primarily from the sale of light trucks and sport-utility vehicles.

Following the September 11 attacks, a severe stock market decline caused a pension and benefit fund underfunding crisis. GM began its Keep America Rolling campaign, which boosted sales, and other auto makers were forced to follow suit. The U.S. automakers saw sales increase to leverage costs as gross margins deteriorated.

In 2004, GM redirected resources from the development of new sedans to an accelerated refurbishment of their light trucks and SUVs for introduction as 2007 models in early 2006. Shortly after this decision, fuel prices increased by over 50% and this in turn affected both the trade-in value of used vehicles and the perceived desirability of new offerings in these market segments. The current marketing plan is to tout these revised vehicles extensively as offering the best fuel economy in their class (of vehicle). GM claims its hybrid trucks will have fuel economy improvements of 25%.

Sales

U.S. sales figures

Calendar Year

Total U.S. sales

Chg/yr.

1998

4,603,991

1999

5,017,150

9.0%

2000

4,953,163

1.3%

2001

4,904,015

1.0%

2002

4,858,705

0.9%

2003

4,756,403

2.1%

2004

4,707,416

1.0%

2005

4,517,730

4.0%

2006

4,124,645

8.7%

2007

3,866,620

6.3%

2008

2,980,688

22.9%

2009

2,084,492

30.1%

In 2005, GM promoted sales through an "employee discount" to all buyers. Marketed as the lowest possible price, GM cleared an inventory buildup of 2005 models to make way for its 2006 lineup.

SUV sales

In 2008, rapidly rising gasoline prices resulted in a 30% drop-off of sales of SUVs. These had been GM's most profitable product, often returning profits of US$10,000 to US$15,000 per vehicle. Sales of SUVs had been decreasing since 2004, and in May 2008, a US$2 billion investment program for a new SUV platform, the CXX program, was canceled. During the first 6 months of 2008, GM lost $18.8 billion; by late October, its stock had dropped 76%, and it was considering a merger with Chrysler. In only 12 months (October 2007-2008), GM sales in the US dropped 45 percent. GM's concentration on SUVs as a profit center dated from the 1990s.

General Motors plant in (in Arlington, Texas) produces its largest SUVs. On Tuesday, December 23, 2008, the Janesville, Wisconsin plant, which produced the Chevrolet Tahoe, the Suburban, and the GMC Yukon, and the Moraine, Ohio plant which produced the Chevrolet Blazer and the GMC Envoy idled production. GM has yet to confirm future product plans for the idled facilities.

Small car sales

"As part of General Motors Company (GM)'s restructuring, it plans to revive one of its idled U.S. factories for the production of a small car (the factories under consideration included one in or near the cars in busville and Orion Township areas of Michigan, one in Wisconsin, and one in Tennessee; the factory in Michigan was ultimately selected to be revived, but only 1,200 out of a former 3,400 jobs will be left). The new small car will add to a group of small and fuel-efficient vehicles that the company is planning to roll out in the near future. The retooled plant will be capable of building 160,000 cars annually, including both small and compact vehicles.

Canada

In March 2005, the Canadian Crown-in-Council provided C$200 million in incentives to General Motors for its Ontario plants to expand production and provide jobs, according to Jim Harris.[citation needed] Similar incentives were promised to non-North American auto companies like Toyota. Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, said the money pledged for the project by the provincial Crown of Ontario and by the federal government was well spent.

China

The Buick brand is especially strong in China, led by the Buick Excelle subcompact. The last emperor of China owned a Buick. The Cadillac brand was introduced in China in 2004, starting with imports from the United States. GM pushed the marketing of the Chevrolet brand in China in 2005 as well, moving the former Buick Sail to that marque. The company manufactures most of its China market vehicles locally through Shanghai GM, a joint venture with the Chinese company SAIC, which was created on March 25, 1997. The Shanghai GM plant was officially opened on December 15, 1998, when the first Chinese-built Buick came off the assembly line. The SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile joint-venture is also successfully selling trucks and vans under the Wuling marque (34% owned by GM).

GM plans to invest $250m to create a research facility in Shanghai to develop hybrid cars and alternative fuel vehicles.[citation needed]

Labor relations

Main article: 2007 General Motors strike

On September 24, 2007 General Motors workers represented by the United Auto Workers union went on the first nationwide strike against GM since 1970. The ripple effect of the strike reached into Canada the following day as two car assembly plants and a transmission facility were forced to close. Overnight a tentative agreement was reached, however, and UAW officials declared the end of the strike in a news conference at 4 a.m. on September 26. By the following day, all GM workers in both countries were back to work.

A new labor contract was ratified by UAW members exactly one week after the tentative agreement was reached, passing by a majority 62% vote. In the contract are several product and employment guarantees stretching well into the next decade. One of GM's key future products, the Chevy Volt, was promised to the GM Poletown/Detroit-Hamtramck plant in 2010. Also included is a VEBA (Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association) which will transfer retiree health care obligations to the UAW by 2010. This eliminates more than $50 billion from GM's healthcare tab. It will be funded by $30 billion in cash and $1.4 billion in GM stock paid to the UAW over the next four years of the contract. It also eliminates 70% of the labor cost gap with GM's Japanese rivals.

A strike at American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc. will result in lost production of an additional 230,000 vehicles in the second quarter, with an estimated $1.8 billion impact on earnings before tax, and a total strike cost of $2.81 billion.

Together with the United Auto Workers, GM created a joint venture dedicated to the quality of life needs of employees in 1985. The UAW-GM Center for human resources in Detroit is dedicated to providing GM salaried employees and GM UAW members programs and services related to medical care, diversity issues, education, training and tuition assistance, as well as programs related to work and family concerns, in addition to the traditional union-employer health and safety partnership.

2008 Canadian Auto Workers bargaining

In an unusual move, GM Canada and the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) union ratified a new collective bargaining contract in May 2008, four months before the expiration of the existing contract. As part of the agreement, among other production commitments, GM pledged to maintain production at the Oshawa, Ontario pickup truck plant. Less than three weeks later, GM announced that rising gasoline prices and falling truck sales made it necessary to close certain truck and SUV plants, including the Oshawa pickup plant. In response, CAW members staged a 12-day blockade of the GM Canada headquarters. After further discussions with the CAW, GM agreed to compensate workers at the truck plant, as well as making product commitments for the Oshawa car assembly plant.

Labor costs

GM announced elimination of lifetime health benefits for about 100,000 of its white collar retirees at the end of 2008.

Auto racing

General Motors has an extensive history in numerous forms of racing. In particular, the Chevrolet Corvette has long been popular and successful in international road racing. GM also is a supplier of racing components, such as engines, transmissions, and electronics equipments.

GM's Oldsmobile Aurora engine platform was successful in the Indy Racing League (IRL) throughout the 1990s, winning many races in the small V-8 class. GM has also done much work in the development of electronics for GM auto racing. An unmodified Aurora V-8 in the Aerotech, captured 47 world records, including the record for speed endurance in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. Recently, the Cadillac V-Series has entered motorsports racing. GM has also used many cars in the American racing series NASCAR. Currently the Chevrolet Impala is the only entry in the series but in the past the Pontiac Grand Prix, Buick Regal, Oldsmobile Cutlass, Chevrolet Lumina, Chevrolet Malibu, and the Chevrolet Monte Carlo were also used.

In touring cars (mainly in Europe), Vauxhall is a key player and former champion in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) series and competes with a Vauxhall Vectra in Super 2000 spec, although have announced plans to withdraw at the end of 2009. Opel used to participate in the DTM series and also in the 1980s in the World Rally Championship and other Rally Series with Group B Spec Opel Manta's before this category of Rallying was banned. Chevrolet competes with a Chevrolet Cruze in the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC). Tempus Sport and RML also compete with privately run Lacettis in the BTCC.

In Australia, there is the prestigious V8 Supercar Championship which is battled out by the two main rivals of Holden and Ford. The current Holden Racing Team cars are based on the Holden Commodore and run a 6.3-litre V8-cylinder engine producing 635 bhp (474 kW). These cars have a top speed of 294 km/h (183 mph) and run 0100 km/h in 3.8 seconds. The Holden Racing Team is Australia's most successful team in Australian Touring Car History. In 2006 & 2007, the Drivers championship was won by the very closely linked HSV Dealer Team.

Alternative propulsion initiatives

The company has long worked on alternative-technology vehicles, and has recently led the industry with ethanol burning flexible-fuel vehicles that can run on either E85 (ethanol) or gasoline. The company was the first to use turbochargers and was an early proponent of V6 engines in the 1960s, but quickly lost interest as the muscle car race took hold. They demonstrated gas turbine vehicles powered by kerosene, an area of interest throughout the industry, but abandoned the alternative engine configuration in view of the 1973 oil crisis. In the 1970s and 1980s, GM pushed the benefits of diesel engines and cylinder deactivation technologies with disastrous results due to poor durability in the Oldsmobile diesels and drivability issues in the Cadillac V8-6-4 variable cylinder engines. In 1987, GM, in conjunction with AeroVironment, built the Sunraycer, which won the inaugural World Solar Challenge and was a showcase of advanced technology. Much of the technology from Sunraycer found its way into the Impact prototype electric vehicle (also built by Aerovironment) and was the predecessor to the General Motors EV1.

GM supported a compromise version of the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard increase from 27 mpg-US (8.7 L/100 km; 32 mpg-imp) to 35 mpg-US (6.7 L/100 km; 42 mpg-imp), the first such increase in over 20 years.

Hybrid electric initiative

Main articles: Plug-in hybrid and Chevrolet Volt

Plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Volt.

Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid 2009.

In May 2004, GM delivered the world's first full sized hybrid pickups, the 1/2-ton Silverado/Sierra. These hybrids did not use electrical energy for propulsion, like GM's later designs. In 2005, the Opel Astra diesel Hybrid concept vehicle was introduced. The 2006 Saturn Vue Green Line was the first hybrid passenger vehicle from GM and is also a mild design. GM has hinted at new hybrid technologies to be employed that will be optimized for higher speeds in freeway driving.

GM currently offers two types of hybrid systems. The first type, used in the Saturn Vue, Saturn Aura, and Chevrolet Malibu, is what GM calls the BAS Hybrid system a type of mild hybrid which was canceled in 2009. The second hybrid drive system, co-developed with Daimler AG and BMW, is called a "Two-Mode Hybrid". The two-mode is used by the Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon and will later be used on the Saturn Vue (cancelled), Cadillac Escalade, GM 1/2-ton pickups and possibly other vehicles.

GM's current hybrid electric models:

2009 Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid (discontinued)

2009 Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid (discontinued)

2009 GMC Yukon Hybrid

2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid (discontinued)

2009 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid

2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid

2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid

2009 GMC Sierra Hybrid

GM has recently introduced the concept cars Chevrolet Volt and Opel Flextreme, which are electric vehicles with back-up generators, powered by gasoline, E85, or fuel cells. According to GM, a production Chevrolet Volt will be available by late 2010 as a 2011 model.

The GM Magic Bus is a hybrid powered bus.

GM sold 843 hybrids of all types during the first quarter of 2008, according to the industry newspaper Automotive News. Compare that with Ford, which sold 5,225 hybrids during that time. CSM Worldwide, expects GM to seriously increase its hybrid output, turning the automaker into a serious contender within the next few years. He expects it to produce 40,000 to 50,000 hybrids this year, more than doubling last year's production.

All-electric vehicles

Main article: General Motors EV1

Electric car EV1 shown plugged into charging station

GM was the first American company (in the modern era) to release an all-electric automobile. In 1990, GM debuted the revolutionary "Impact" concept car at the Los Angeles Auto Show. It was the first car with zero-emissions marketed in the US in over three decades. The Impact was eventually produced as the EV1 for the 1996 model year. It was available through dealers located in only a few regions (e.g., California, Arizona, Georgia). Vehicles were leased, rather than sold, to individuals. In 2003 GM decided to cease production of the vehicles.

General Motors has announced that it is building a prototype two-seat electric vehicle with Segway. An early prototype of the Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility vehicleubbed Project P.U.M.A. -- will be shown off in New York a day ahead of the press previews for the 2009 New York International Auto Show.

Plug-in hybrids

Main article: Plug-in hybrid

On September 16, 2008, as part of its 100th anniversary celebration, GM unveiled the "production" version of the Chevrolet Volt at the GM headquarters in Detroit.

Battery packs for electric vehicles

GM will build battery packs with LG Chem in Michigan. GM also plans to build an automotive battery laboratory in Michigan. GM will take full responsibility for all the battery management systems and power electronics. The company will build a new factory in Michigan, but a specific site has yet to be announced, in part because negotiations are ongoing with state and local authorities on the usual financial incentives and approvals. LG Chem's US subsidiary, Compact Power of Troy, Michigan, has been building the prototype packs for the development vehicles and will continue to provide integration support and act as a liaison for the program.

Hydrogen initiative

Sequel, a fuel cell-powered vehicle from GM.

GM has prided its research and prototype development of hydrogen powered vehicles, to be produced in early 2010, using a support infrastructure still in a prototype state. The economic feasibility of the technically challenging hydrogen car, and the low-cost production of hydrogen to fuel it, has also been discussed by other automobile manufacturers such as Ford and Chrysler.

In June 2007, Larry Burns, vice president of research and development, said he's not yet willing to say exactly when hydrogen vehicles will be mass produced, but he said it should happen before 2020, the year many experts have predicted. He said "I sure would be disappointed if we weren't there" before 2020.

Flexible-fuel vehicles

North American market

The E85, FlexFuel, Chevrolet Impala LT 2009.

GM produces several flexible-fuel vehicles that can operate on E85 ethanol fuel or gasoline, or any blend of both. Since 2006 GM started featuring a bright yellow gas cap to remind drivers of the E85 capabilities, and also using badging with the text "Flexfuel/E85 Ethanol" to clearly mark the car as an E85 FFV.

GM is the North American leader in E85 flex fuel vehicles, with over 3 million FlexFuel vehicles on the road in the U.S. As of 2009, GM offers 18 ethanol-enabled FlexFuel cars and trucks in the US, and produce more than one million new FlexFuel vehicles. GM's goal is to have half of their annual vehicle production be E85 or biodiesel capable by 2012.

Despite the significant amount of flex fuel vehicles sold in the US and Canada, the percentage of users actually using ethanol has been very low as many owners are not aware they owned an E85 flex or not enough E85 fueling stations are available nearby, except for the Corn Belt states, where there is a great concentration of E85 stations, as most corn ethanol is produced there. A 2005 survey found that 68% of American flex-fuel car owners were not aware they owned an E85 flex. Several critics have argued that GM and the other American automakers have been producing E85 flex models motivated by a loophole in the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) requirements, that allows for a fuel economy credit for every flex-fuel vehicle sold, whether or not in practice these vehicles are fueled with E85. This loophole might have allowed the car industry to meet the CAFE targets in fuel economy just by spending between USD 100 to USD 200 that it cost to turn a conventional vehicle into a flex-fuel, without investing in new technology to improve fuel economy, and saving them the potential fines for not achieving that standard in a given model year.

Brazilian market

Brazilian Chevrolet Celta FlexPower.

GM's largest overseas subsidiary is General Motors do Brasil, which started producing flexible-fuel vehicles since its inception in the Brazilian market in 2003. Like other Brazilian flex-fuel vehicles, GM's flex fuel cars and light-duty trucks are optimized to run on any mix of E20-E25 gasoline and up to 100% hydrous ethanol fuel (E100). GM launched its first flex fuel in June 2003, the Chevrolet Corsa 1.8 FlexPower, just two months after the first flex car was launched by another Brazilian carmaker.

GM do Brasil also introduced the MultiPower engine in August 2004, which was capable of using natural gas (CNG), ethanol and gasoline (E20-E25 blend) as fuel, and it was used in the multifuel Chevrolet Astra 2.0 model 2005, aimed at the local taxi cab market. The Brazilian GM Powertrain unit also developed the EconoFlex technology, used for the first time in the Chevrolet Prisma 1.4, which allows the flex fuel engine to maximize fuel economy and power.

Due to the success and rapid consumer acceptance of the flex versions, GM sold 192,613 flex vehicles and 135,636 gasoline-powered automobiles in 2005, jumping to 501,681 flex-fuel vehicles, while only 949 cars and 6,834 light trucks powered by gasoline were sold in 2007, and reaching new car sales of 535.454 flex fuels in 2008, representing 97 percent of all cars and light duty trucks sold in that year.

Philanthropy

Since 1996, General Motors has been the exclusive source of funding for Safe Kids USA's "Safe Kids Buckle Up" program, a national initiative to ensure child automobile safety through education and inspection. Through 2002, the Pace Awards program led by GM, EDS, and SUN Microsystems, gave over $1.2 billion of in-kind contributions which includes computers to over 18 universities to support engineering education. In 2009, the GM led group has helped the Pace Awards program worldwide. General Motors is a leading contributor to charity. In 2004, GM gave $51,200,000 in cash contributions and $17,200,000 in-kind donations to charitable causes.

Politics

In the 2008 election cycle, General Motors contributed $802,414, with 52% of that amount going to the Democrats and 48% to the Republicans. GM's Saturn division put up a display at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show congratulating Barack Obama on his election as the first African-American president of the United States.

Environmental issues

In the middle of 1999, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) removed 23,000 cubic yards (18,000 m3) of contaminated sediments and soil from the General Motors site in Massena, New York for disposal at a licensed facility in Utah. The amount contained 13,000 cubic yards (9,900 m3) of contaminated sediments dredged from the St. Lawrence River. The sediments had been stored on the site since 1995. There was also 10,000 cubic yards (7,600 m3) of contaminated sludge from the active wastewater treatment plant on the General Motors property. The Political Economy Research Institute ranks GM 18th among corporations emitting airborne pollutants in the United States. The ranking is based on the emission quantity (8 million pounds in 2005) and toxicity.

In September 2006, the state of California filed suit against General Motors, Chrysler, Nissan, Toyota, Honda, and Ford. The companies were accused of producing cars that emitted over 289 million metric tons of carbon per year in the United States, accounting for nearly 20% of carbon emissions in the United States and 30% of carbon emissions in California. This lawsuit was dismissed by a judge in September 2007.

The Union of Concerned Scientists ranked General Motors as seventh out of the eight world's largest automakers in 2007 for environmental performance. The report noted that GM manufactured the most vehicles achieving 30 mpg-US (7.8 L/100 km; 36 mpg-imp) or better, but also the most vehicles under 15 mpg-US (16 L/100 km; 18 mpg-imp).

Brands and subsidiaries

Current brands (as of 2010)

Marque

Years used

Markets

Buick

1908resent

North America, China, Israel, Taiwan

Cadillac

1909resent

Global (except South America, India, SE Asia, Australia)

GMC

1912resent

North America, Middle East

Chevrolet

1917resent

Global (except Australia)

Vauxhall

1925resent

United Kingdom

Opel

1929resent

Europe (except UK), Russia, South Africa, Middle East, Singapore

Holden

1948resent

Australia, New Zealand, Middle East (not Kuwait), South Korea, South Africa, UK

Daewoo

2002resent

South Korea, Latin America, Europe

Defunct brands

Welch (19031911)

Rainier (19051911)

Welch-Marquette (see Marquette)

Cartercar (19051915)

Elmore (19091912)

Rapid Truck (19091912)

Reliance Truck (19091912)

Welch-Detroit (19101911)

Marquette (1912)

Peninsular (1912) (see Marquette)

Samson Tractor (19171922)

Scripps-Booth (19171923)

Marquette (1930)

Oakland (19091931)

Viking (19291931)

LaSalle (19271940)

McLaughlin (19181942)

Yellow Coach (19251943)

Beaumont (19661969)

Envoy (19601970)

Acadian (19621971)

Ranger (19681976)

Bedford Vehicles (19291987)

General Motors Diesel Division (19381987)

Passport (19881991)

Asna (1993)

Geo (19891997)

Oldsmobile (18932004)

Pontiac (1926-2010)

Saturn (19852010)

Hummer (19922010), after a failed sale to Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Company Ltd

Sold brands

Frigidaire (19191979), sold to Ohio-based White Consolidated Industries

Lotus (19861993), sold to Luxembourgish A.C.B.N. Holdings S.A.

Saab (1989-2010), sold to Dutch supercar manufacturer Spyker Cars NV

Former affiliates

Fiat (20002005), GM owned 20% at one time with put option

Fuji Heavy Industries, manufacturer of Subaru (19992006), GM owned 20% at one time

Isuzu (19712006), GM owned 49% at one time

Suzuki (19812008), GM owned over 20% at one time

Spin-offs

GM Defense 19502003 was once part of General Motors Diesel Division and as General Dynamics Land Systems division of General Dynamics

Electro Motive Division of General Motors was also once part of General Motors Diesel Division and now known as Electro-Motive Diesel

Detroit Diesel sold to Penske Corporation; broken up and portion sold to the former Daimler-Chrysler AG (now Daimler AG); now part of Daimler AG

Transit division was sold to Motor Coach Industries and Transportation Manufacturing Corporation

RTS and Classic bus rights owned by MCI And TMC were sold off to Nova Bus; now produced by Millennium Transit Services

Diesel Division of General Motors of Canada Limited spun off and later acquired by General Motors Canada as Diesel Division of General Motors of Canada Limited

EDS Electronic Data Systems

Hughes Electronics (Now The DirecTV Group[Liberty Media]

1999 GM spun off its parts making operations as Delphi

Subsidiaries

AC Delco

Adam Opel GmbH

Vauxhall Motors

GMAC (less than 10%)

General Motors Canada

General Motors do Brasil

General Motors India

Global Hybrid Cooperation

General Motors South Africa

GM-AvtoVAZ

GM Daewoo (70.1%)

General Motors Europe

GM Holden Ltd

GM Performance Division

GM Powertrain Europe

OnStar

Shanghai GM (50%)

SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Joint venture in China.

Direct Mail Success Statistics

admin — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 23:39:52 +0000

Direct Mail Marketing - Can it really worth? Step 3: Do you know the correct estimation of effort?

Definition of "right effort estimation "

What is the correct estimation of effort for marketing? Do you know the answer to that question? Find out what your business is relatively easy once you've done some test emails. For owners of most businesses, including mortgage brokers, the marketing is so clear and safe as blindfolded in the middle of a six-lane highway. Because of this, make assumptions that are far from the base in the areas of how much to spend and how much mail. There is a mathematical formula that I have found it works to the core. When I use it, never be in darkness again.

I remember a time in my business they were sending out 2,500 cards per week to our potential customers. We did very well - until we reached a plateau. A plateau which was totally frustrating. We wanted to grow and beat your head against the wall trying to figure out why, no matter how hard I pushed, they were unable to push up the next level. Then one day in a fit of passion thinking outside-the-box, executives at me and I decided to double the number 5000 a week! That simple action We broke through that seemingly impenetrable barrier and my company will never stop expanding since then.

What I learned in that case was very valuable. Could determine the correct estimation of my marketing effort to control my company quickly expanded. I learned how to project the amount income that could make testing and tracking my postcard marketing. Then I realized what I had to do to get more leads and more based on my close monitoring of results. Thus, by tracking the number of potential customers, how many of those potential customers closed and for what dollar amount closed for, I had the opportunity to know the future number of potential customers, the future is closed and the return on investment (amount dollars) for each mail increased. He became a science and that science has borne fruit. (BTW: My company now e-mail to 76,000 postal week.)

How can I pay off for you too

This is a very simple mathematical formula:

• Start by finding out what your gross monthly income is or has been in recent months. We will use $ 100,000 as an example.

• After destination so the amount you want to be. Be realistic. To begin with, in this example, let's go for $ 150,000.

• Next, determine the difference between your target and actual gross income. This is the amount you need to put in your company with your direct mail campaign. For example, in this example we have been using we must create an additional 50G a month with our marketing campaign.

After seeing how much income you need to create your marketing campaign, now need to start your particular electronic test methods. I recommend doing a trial shipment of 5,000 cards and tracking your results.

How many calls came in? Like many mortgage closing? What were the gross proceeds from these sales? And what was the amount of commission average? $ 1,000? $ 2,000?

It is a fact of life in the world of marketing, which test items are important - very important. Be willing to devote some of its mass to see what works and what does not.

novice sellers give up when your mail did not go as expected - and frankly, he hoped that was not realistic. You can not count on the total abundance of reply which is just starting out. You can rocket there, but you should be able to maintain. Marketing is a game gradual increase, if you do well, for testing and monitoring of all time. That way you not going to overwhelm and are able to organize your business structure as it expands from the new steady but gradual business.

Well, time tracking results

All right, which has begun testing. Now you need to track. Take for example a situation where you decide to start a marketing campaign for your business cards. The first week sent 5,000 postcards. When they started hitting the houses that received 50 calls. Do all these wires come from the postcards? Probably not. Because the week before getting 8 calls and had not sent a postcard yet. So how I can say they actually have a postcard?

The answer: All you have to do is ask. "So how did you hear about us?" The difficult thing is to ensure that any employee in your company answering the phone and speak with a new perspective reminds the question each time. The outlook less to answer this question, the less accurate their information is when making future marketing decisions.

Now let's assume you've been sending postcards per week for a while and have a number of calls coming in daily. If you ask the question "How did you hear about us?" can be answered, "I have a postal mail. "But now they have sent postcards to 4 different lists, three times each. How do you know the mailing list and that this customer was?

The answer: Put a code of marketing of postcards that will tell you what specific card they received and when it was mailed. Example: LISTA102005

In the example we used above, "Schedule A" worked the code date on the market. So the only thing to their representatives have to do is "Would you mind reading me the marketing code above your address?" This code should give you all the information you need know and will help keep the Commercialization of monitoring results as accurate as possible.

How Others track their shipments?

You can get the ultimate in this as you want. Or you can keep it very simple.

One of my customers track their shipments by simply having the receptionist to ask "how do we find the questions before routing the call to a sales representative. The receptionist keeps track carefully written hand in a notebook.

We do it in a spreadsheet format simply because we are mailing several designs to several different mailing lists.

Of Either way you do, you have to know two things:

• How they learned that
• What promotional piece that is actually is called

Now, determine how many shirts to go to make your Gross Income Goal

This is the fun part. It's where you find you need to be email to hit the income target it has set for itself.

First determine:

• How many Sales have to do to make your destination. Example: At an average commission of $ 2.000 per sale, sales will have 25 more per month for an extra 50 thousand.

• Then: How postal needed to make a sale? Take 5000 divided by the number of sales that closed when we mailed to 5,000 postcards. Such After a total of 50 calls only 25 were really good tracks and closed maybe just 5. Thus, if 5000 produced five cards and 5 closes closes gave 10G ... well, you figure out!

• Now multiply the number of sales you need the number of cards you need to make sales.

Here is where most people begin to recognize that there have been budget for marketing. They have set asides or reserves to pull in this area. Most times when you think in the promotion because they are not making enough money. What a Catch 22! I can say for a hard-won experience, the trouble is not promote. Finding the money to promote and find ways to cut spending - not the reverse. A renowned philosopher, L. Ronald Hubbard, taught me that. He was a genius when it comes to business sense. In one of its principles states that if you want to reverse the decline in the statistics or the statistics does not change, the first major action taken to promote broad!

What percentage of your income go towards the needs marketing?

So now you have figured out how postcards that you need to send out to achieve the income you have planned for yourself, you need to put that expenditure budget.

• Find the cost of sending the number of postcards that came to that conclusion. Usually, an average of 0.30 per card including shipping, depending on the quantity shipped.

• Take the number of cards you need to email and multiplied by 0.30, then add to your current marketing budget.

• Then take your new marketing budget and divide by your current gross monthly income. This is the percentage of your gross monthly income you need to spend on marketing each month!

A Small Business Council

I built my company using this mathematical formula from the time they discovered it. Please do not be fooled by all this. If you heed my advice and put into practice what you learn here you can grow your business. Unfortunately, sometimes we make things more complicated than it should be. The only "complication" in all this is not the formula, but the ability to carry out the actions needed to achieve success once you see what to do.

Now Some of you may not even have that amount budgeted - especially if you've never drawn up a marketing budget. In that case, you're going to have to get by a phased approach. Choose an amount to spend on marketing you can do - push a little, but it is viable. Then increase each month until achieved the target originally set for yourself. Persevere and ignore any fear.

Remember: To promote the first, save more later. In fact, only you have the whole story, there are four remaining steps that Hubbard said the shot I've used every time they have reached a new level, or had a slight decrease or no change situation:

2. Change your way of functioning.
3. Economize.
4. Then prepare to deliver.
5. Tighten discipline.

If you look at # 2 (after starting the Promotion Step # 1), take a look at what needs to change. If you have not been promoting, promoting. If you do not have one, get one. Any changes you need to do first to be identified so that you can recognize the reason for which only began falling out of inertia rather than expansion. And then you better prepare to give everyone the new influx because once the first three business steps begin to roll in. After doing all this, there is one last step: the rigid discipline. If you do not make the wind back up starting point - The reduction or immutable.

In summary:

You have to do:

• Test items
• Monitoring results
• And make sure you do the actions that the organization I mentioned above to ensure they move steadily in a maximum of a wider range of income.

These things work like magic. But you have to discover for yourself. I can only tell you what I learned, what worked for me and the company of all who have helped to grow. I do not where I am now doing something else.

I leave you with a challenge: determine the "correct effort estimate 'is for business, grow your business and get out of being pedestrian to be what it was meant to be - prosperous. And if you want more information business on the principle above, email me and I'll see you get a booklet that explains in detail.

PS You can go to my website and then get the "Effort Estimation" Worksheet for calculating easily start your marketing budget.

About the Author

Joy Gendusa founded PostcardMania (www.PostcardMania.com) in 1998, her only assets a computer and a phone. By 2005 the company did over $12 million in sales, employed over 100 people and made Inc. Magazine’s prestigious Inc 500 List as one of the 500 fastest growing companies in the nation. She attributes her explosive growth to her ability to choose incredible staff and her innate marketing savvy.

Top 6 Tips for Direct Mail Success - FrugalTech

Direct Mail Short Term Medical

admin — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 18:10:41 +0000

What are the benefits of Outsourcing Medical Billing Services?

Does your valuable time for patient care consumed in the medical billing process? Are you confused by constant changes in billing codes? Want to improve efficiency of medical billing system? Outsourcing medical billing services is the solution to all problems.

At present the structure medical billing outsourcing services in the health sector precise and accurate medical bills and insurance claims on time and receive a refund. In addition, These services reduce the workload of medical experts to maximize their effectiveness.

Many outsourcing companies offer a reputable and well known quality of services medical billing needs of multi-specialty hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, pain clinics, long-term care, comply with health, nursing homes, acute hospitals, individual physicians and group practices.

Some companies Medical billing services also offer financial and health care financing to adjust their liquidity problems in the short term flow. products companies external medical billing to facilitate various direct cost savings and long term. By hiring medical billing provider, you remove the need hiring full-time staff for their billing needs.

Some providers of medical billing services also offer management medical practice and electronic medical records software for integrating the differential diagnosis and billing information. Billing Medical Services Price depends on three factors, the volume of assets, the average level of claims and types of services.

Benefits of medical services Billing:

Data security and confidentiality
Quality Assurance
Paperwork reduction unit health care
HIPAA
effective solution
24 / 7 time frame of services
Secured file access and regular facilities of data backup

Price and availability is another feature that can be used to evaluate the different services medical billing. In addition, these services save time and allow them to focus more on treating patients. Your company billing services care, should, with a clear, easy to deliver reports that can be easily filtered and sorted for different types of information to read.

Outsourcing of medical services for health centers can save money that would be required to maintain additional manpower and infrastructure to perform these tasks in practice. Should be outsourced to a reliable service provider with the expertise to deliver quality services to meet the needs at the lowest price.

Get a free quote for your medical billing contact requirements: http://www.medicalbillingoutsource.com/contactus.php , Or e-mail to: info@medicalbillingoutsource.com

About the Author

This article has been offer consideration of medical billing services in http://www.medicalbillingoutsource.com , in medical billing and medical coding more than 15 years.

Interview with a TB Germ 1940

Genesis Direct Mail Florida

admin — Sun, 09 May 2010 04:51:12 +0000

Authors@Google: Ayelet Waldman

Direct Mail Marketing Services California

admin — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 03:36:26 +0000

Why Use Email Marketing

In 1867 the Pony Express made its fastest delivery - 7 days and 17 hours. Route: St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento California. Average speed: 10 miles per hour.

The message was President Lincoln's inaugural address.

The riders were 11 to 40 years old and all weighed less than 125 pounds. To make this delivery, the horses had to be changed every 10 to 15 miles.

By contrast, U.S. Postal The provision services and takes at least a day, and further from the destination, Federal Express can get there the night before 10am the next business day.

It is likely that many of you out of this session and return to his office in which to open an email that was sent around the country, even around the world within minutes. Only a fax machine can be compared with the speed of email.

The simple truth is that 94 million American adults use the Internet every day, the number one reason for going online is to check your email. According to a DoubleClick survey, 81% of Internet go online every day to check email. That's too large a number to ignore.

Why is e-mail is so popular?

Because it's easy, quick, cheap response, direct and immediate causes. When you add email to your mix marketing that you spend less time, money and resources than with traditional marketing vehicles like direct mail or print advertising.

From the point of view of marketing, e-mail was initially used primarily to acquire new customers - often through spam techniques. Since then it has passed promotion and customer relationship marketing.
Consumers expect emails to confirm transactions and shipping, and are open to the ideas of their e-mail address is used to promote additional offerings.

Customer service is another area of opportunity for e-mail.

According to a survey in October 2004 Doubleclick, nearly 8 in 10 consumers have used email customer service. A Consumers expect a response from research service, right away, but up to 24 hours is acceptable.

More than that, companies spend 80% of its budget marketing to win new customers but the crop of current customer base costs less and generates more revenue. Each e-mail contact with a prospect or customer is an opportunity market in which it is a brand building and relationship building tool.

So what is the difference between a campaign effective email marketing and one that is contaminated?

The email recipient is the only decision maker what constitutes spam. And the beneficiary pay by electronic mail. Among the main reasons an email will be considered spam: deceit and unknown senders (of course), the frequency and irrelevance (Although permission was granted).

1) You must have some connection with the beneficiaries. The relationship is a broad term in the eyes of the FCC.

If, for example, has a list of email addresses belonging to people who are members the same membership or the organization as it may be a relationship. If you have a list of email addresses belonging to people who have done business with you that is a relationship. If someone has emailed asking for information about your product or service that constitutes a relationship.

The final relationship is the exclusion from the list, people who have specifically requested or "opted" to receive email from you.

When you send these groups is a good idea to make it clear what the affiliation or relationship is to reduce the risk of be considered spam.

Bottom line: relevance, emails sent to the valuable people who requested or agreed to do that are the best people to the market through email.

2) Second, you must have an "opt-out in every email. The best way to manage is an automated process so you do not have to deal with the search for each address when removed from the list. This is one of the reasons why many companies use a mail service to handle broadcast email marketing.

Using a broadcasting service

Another reason to use a broadcasting service is that the email sent does not reveal the addresses of the people who sent the email. This number is an important privacy.

Many professionals are under the impression that Outlook hide the addresses to which e-mail was sent. This is not the case.

Design for the recipient

When designing an email marketing the first thing to consider is the recipient, of course.
Different email programs will interpret your message differently. For example, are based on the web email programs such as the Horde and SquirrelMail will not read images so that the mail is either distorted or filtered as spam. (Handout mail sckansas e)

Other mail programs offer the option to view or not view the images. So your email may appear with several blank spaces.

The solution is to have two versions of the email that was sent to the couple. That way the email program the recipient can determine what version of screen.
Knowing what words to use (Examples 1.2 and triggers)

Another thing to consider is the subject line. Because the words trigger spam filters, the subject line and the message has to be free of these words - in fact, free speech is often a trigger. The header can not o. misleading

The message

By structuring the message, again we must remember to stay away from certain words, phrases or dollar signs. Now this part can be a challenge. Therefore, you may see legitimate email messages with special characters.

e-mail messages should be concise, to the point and make a strong call to action. The idea is to get the receiver to interact with your company to give a lot opportunities and incentives to do so.

Remember, email is a branding opportunity to make sure that reinforce brand messages, foster communication and interaction through web page links to support and respond to email addresses.

Track results

Be sure to follow the performance of your email marketing program. This is another reason to use an email service broadcasting. Through third party service you have the ability to see how many people opened the email, number of people clicking the various links in the e-mail etc. This also allows you to better target your emails to a specific audience or provide more information that people are really interested in.

Like any advertising, e-mail must be done consistently. And, like many marketing strategies, the program must bend to the new challenges and new opportunities. Do not be afraid to vary the format, timing and offers to find the email that works best for your business. And finally integrate email marketing along with marketing - loyalty programs, print ads, etc. "join our newsletter and get further discounts, the savings, etc. "
-----------------------

This article written by Kimsey Teajai Stradley, interenet Marketing Strategist, title = "Internet Marketing Ideas That Work"> Internet Marketing Ideas That Work - May 2005. First introduced to professional communicators Wichita, May 2005
It may be reproduced and reprinted provided the author information including web link is kept intact.

About the Author

Teajai "T J" Kimsey Stradley has been an internet marketing strategist since 1999. Teajai holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from Friends University, 24 hours towards a Master of Science in Management and an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Wichita State University with emphasis on human factors.
She is recognized as a leader in internet marketing having been a featured expert on the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce website, a featured contributor to the Wichita Independent Business Association newsletter, and featured as the expert on 2 episodes of Minding Your Own Business, a statewide television program. Teajai has also taught as an adjunct at Wichita State University and Cowley County Community College. She has been featured in a number of articles and called upon as an expert on internet related topics in the Wichita Eagle and Wichita Business Journal. Follow on FaceBook, or @tkimsey on Twitter

Direct Mail Marketing Fresno CA : Direct response ads

Design for Response -OS

$5.45

This book gathers some of the world's best direct response programs from a range of media to give designers and clients a comprehensive, strategic understanding of why and how successful campaigns work. Includes detailed case studies followed by print, three-dimensional, and electronic examples. Reveals the strategy and creativity behind seven highly successful, highly inventive projects. In...

Direct Mail Success Stories

admin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:12:36 +0000

Does the use of Direct Mail Postcards to anyone or to promote your business?

I've been told to use this type of e-marketing tool, but have no idea how it works .. please let me know your ideas / success stories .. and please tell if you are using this tool. thanks

Visit www.realestategrowth.com, www.realtychat.com and www.brokeragentnews.com and resort to any real estate agent or broker, I personally recommend ProQuest system along with the Mike Ferry (www.mikeferry.com) system to create a profitable business in real estate.

A Direct Mail Success Story

How to Become Smarter

$0.99

You can download and read this book for free and you will have to pay only if you enjoy the book (copy and paste the link into your browser): rapidshare.com/files/2792552997/H015.zip or depositfiles.com/files/tisodhbgg This text describes techniques for improving mental abilities. Some of the things it can help you to achieve include the following: Depending on circumstances, use different lifesty...

Marketing Secrets of a Mail Order Maverick : Stories & Lessons on the Power of Direct Marketing to Start a Successful Business, Create a Brand

$39.95

Many so-called marketing experts wrtie books on how to market products. But it is rare to find an actual practitioner who not only has acheived marketing success himself (and many times over) but is able to express himself so beautifully in prose. Joseph Sugarman has written a book that every marketing person or anygbody in business should definitely read. The book is filled with marketing st...

Fundraising Direct Mail: A Success Story.: An article from: Campaigns & Elections

$5.95

This digital document is an article from Campaigns & Elections, published by Campaigns & Elections, Inc. on April 1, 2000. The length of the article is 1427 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.Citation Detail...

A Woman's Guide to Natural Hormones

$14.95

Do you own a home-based business or plan to start one? Can you invest ten minutes a day to guarantee the success of your business? In the time it takes to read just one of the thirty essential truths about marketing your home business in this book, you can find the key to prosperity.Bringing Home the Business shows you how to increase your income and grow your business over time. Kim T. Gordon distills thirty fundamental principles to help you win and keep more customers or clients. She includes the best ways to position your business; build a winning company image; market on the Web; create better brochures, direct mail, and sales letters; close more sales; and live and work successfully under one roof.Filled with money-saving and income-generating ideas used by home business owners in a wide range of ventures, the book features field-tested concepts that can be tailored to your individual needs. Complete with insightful and illuminating real-life stories, it helps you separate fact from fiction -- debunking the misconceptions that can lead to business failure and providing the truths that will put you on the path to financial and personal satisfaction.

Confessions of Shameless Self-Promoters: Great Marketing Gurus Share Their Innovative, Proven, and Low-Cost Marketing Strategies to Maximize Your Succ

$7.78

Breakthrough ideas that won''t break the bank--the super-selling secrets behind Chicken Soup and other success stories! To be leading edge, you must be shameless. This book will show you how. --Mark Victor Hansen, cocreator of theChicken Soup for the Soul series How did Mark Victor Hansen build his ChickenSoup series into a multimillion-dollar empire? How did Jim Cathcart grow a successful business out of The Acorn Principle ? This practical handbook offers a wealth of low-cost, step-by-step strategies for Internet marketing, direct mail, networking, services, products, and much more. Filled with personal success stories and specific hands-on advice, it gives you all the tools you need to take your business to the next level of success.

Permission Marketing

$26

Called the ultimate entrepreneur for the Information Age by Business Week , Godin explains Permission Marketing, a concept that shapes a sales pitch so that consumers winningly accept it. From the Publisher Seth Godin takes the concept of one-to-one marketing to the next level in this exciting introduction to permission marketing -- a dynamic new technique that encourages consumers to seek out information and allows businesses to direct their efforts in the most efficient and effective way. Drawing on his own experiences as founder and president of Yoyodyne -- the first company to create promotions and direct mail campaigns on-line -- and on the success stories of companies like American Airlines and Amazon.com, Godin shows that permission marketing breaks through consumer resistance, creates trust, builds brand awareness, and greatly improves the chances of a sale. Permission Marketing explains how any company -- whether or not they use the Internet -- can take advantage of innovative methods to: -- Establish a database of customers (and potential customers) and get vital messages to the right people in a timely way -- Develop marketing materials that give consumers the information they need -- and the incentive to buy -- Grasp every opportunity to increase communications and build a strong, on-going relationship with customers About the Authors Seth Godin is Vice President of Direct Marketing for Yahoo. He founded Yoyodyne, the first company to creat promotions and direct-mail campaign on-line. He has degrees in computer science and philosophy from Tufts Univ. and a MBA from Stanford Business School Don Peppers is the president and founder of Marketing 1:1, Inc.

The Transcript

$0.99

4+~~IndiaNIC Infocom Limited~~IndiaNIC Infocom Limited~~http://itunes.apple.com/app/the-transcript/id340113586?uo=5~~IndiaNIC Infocom Limited~~1.0~~2122241~~1459495~~http://www.indianicinfo.com~~http://dashboard.indianic.com/

Advertising Direct Mail Colorado

admin — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 03:15:29 +0000

Money Mailer, Advertising and Marketing - Advertising In Col

Advertising Direct Mail Mn

admin — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 02:14:17 +0000

Management of ICT transformation in university education in Uganda: Rationale, challenges and way forward

Century XX was witness to many technological advances in many areas of society, from the discovery of radio, the airplane, the atomic bomb and the apex was going to the moon. All these technological advances had adverse effects on the lifestyles of communities around the world. However, most importantly, is the invention of Internet and intranet which has greatly impacted historic achievement in the academic life of many universities around the world. The period of the 1990s marked the beginning of a new order world, the beginnings of the idea of globalization and its immediate effects on the evolution of higher education. Globalization represents the international system is shaping most contemporary societies including programs of the university. It is a process that is "super charge" interaction and integration of cultures, politics, business and intellectual elements worldwide.

This article examines the effects of globalization in terms of transformations technological development of the universities. The quest for technological transformation in higher education is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa with wide spread of global networks like the Internet and Intranet as a struggle of institutions to prepare students for effective participation in the emerging economy global knowledge. Technologically based education is more seen as a way to cope with increased global demand for tertiary education. The university A new week is needed to keep pace with global population growth, but the resources are not available. For example, from the time of registration increased student overwhelming many public universities in Uganda since the 1990s and beyond, resources and existing infrastructure have not increased in line with the same increase in the capacity of students. classrooms and libraries are floods and infrastructure and instructional materials and staff are limited to population student increased alarmingly. Higher education must develop more profitable so that public resources can be increased and used effectively. A conference room at a public university that is more than 300 students who attend an economics class will not be effective if there is more public address systems not installed to allow each student and each benefit from the conference.

Similarly, if a university lacks Internet facility to serve its population increasing student, then it would be very hard to ensure the quality of learning and research. By using technology for education, universities can serve the public more cost-effective and, in particular, to better prepare students for a technology-based society. In view of increasing globalization and transnational exchanges in many fields. In these circumstances, politicians, policy makers and citizens must make demands on education systems to reform. Open learning and distance education are at the forefront of educational responses to the changes that are occurring at local, regional, national and internationally.

Information processing technology in universities, however, has important systemic implications and must be carefully managed. As soon as an organization takes the first steps from data to information, their decision-making process management structure, and even the way he manages his work began to be transformed. Attempts to introduce significant reform will impact all its subsystems. The advent of information technology in any large university all have a huge impact on internal and external operations of the university. This implies that with the advance of information technology, universities have to prepare to welcome such crucial events. Systematically related to the fact that university management has to train or hire labor to operate the technology and the universities themselves must change teaching methods to meet the requirements of the new information technology.

Using technology to extend the global campus will affect all aspects of a university or college, but particularly administrative systems. Similarly when it comes to the need to see innovations in the context of institutional development. Introduction e-learning will ask for a thorough re-examination of the basic practices of a university organization, whether for advertising, or registration, or the design and delivery materials, or the student or the student evaluation and research, in order to reach the most efficient way to provide these services in a networked environment, multimedia.

The participation of academics in technological reform in universities

Educational institutions exist to open minds and challenge the doctrine, but at the same time, the workforce occupied by these institutions is very resistant to change. Higher education can be described as much bureaucracy and bureaucracies, by definition, resist change. I remember an incidence in my college life, when my old teacher hated something called a computer and a projector used in teaching. When I told him my analysis of the research was based on computer packages he responded negatively "He is doomed to failure investigation, please use the formulas I gave in class." The phrase and the reaction shows a "last academic fashion "that is not willing to accept the recent global changes in the field of academics in universities. Many other students, in recent times, they face the wrath of the teachers themselves as blind. Due to the wide resistance to changes in the institutions as education, technological innovation has often been implemented as an isolated initiative, from top to bottom of university administrators for reasons of efficiency. In this scenario, the most powerful systems in the higher education are often not considered and not affected by the innovation.

Technological innovations have also had difficulties, which may prevail main offices in Educatio university. Higher education, similar to other sectors of society, has often responded to new ICT applications based on efficiency instead of using more strategic considerations. Some IT staff members have resisted promoting the use of other former processing systems work students. They typewriter and the old methods of record keeping are still in use, creating management inefficiencies in the office "transcription" and the departmental testing office. This traditional approach records management tends to stifle the operational efficiency. More changes in education in the twentieth and twenty first centuries there have been changes of the first order, whose goal was to improve efficiency and effectiveness of current practices. One of the first-order change is the introduction of Internet and information technology in managing the work and methodology of teaching. Therefore, attempts to oppose that development of any institution-profit world are a way in the wrong direction, because the technology is here to stay.

To ensure ownership of the sound quality of teachers in ICT and e-Learning, it is important that educators and educational policy and processing unit direct technological higher education. Therefore, the structures to support technology-based education have to ensure an educational focus and prominence of educational principles and policy of land on the wishes of management and attitude change. The literature on nontraditional forms of education delivery superior to the state of the art technologies, indicates that extensive use of ICT in education raises above unencountered in pedagogy and andragogy, which are the attitudes. Moreover, these problems are mainly to do with the wisdom of those who fear technological change. Technological decisions should be preceded by political and educational decisions, highlighting the importance of bottom-up approaches and more organic for technological transformation in higher education in the developing world.

Involve academics to appreciate ICT is an important management issue in education reform and that reform is based on the development of "learning communities". This means that the current process of reform must engage academics in real learning how to use new technologies and know that this technology is continuing to promote the creation of individual initiative to strengthen self-esteem and participation. In most cases, ICT training should be mandatory for all academic and gift. This requires serious bottom-up approaches to promote and implement reforms. Top-down efforts to achieve educational reform in the technological perspective, have failed and is doomed to failure until the face of traditions and educational and cultural beliefs that underlie current practices and the provision of the organization. In the technological transformation in higher education seems necessary to address the concerns and perceptions of academic staff in the light of the need to change their attitude and to ensure ownership by academic staff.

Ownership of the technological transformation of academic staff is critical as it requires major changes in professional roles. This points to the need specialized roles and the need for academics to gain the skills and knowledge for the effective use of new technologies and the need for extensive training. University staff have to change attitudes towards technological advancement and the need for more complex training session in how to use these technologies and come to appreciate them. New technologies in global education point to a new role for the teacher to the student and the course material. It focuses on building knowledge by the student. A teacher becomes a facilitator and promoter and the information becomes something to work, think, discuss, negotiate and discuss with partners.

The expertise needed to develop technology based learning materials more point to the rationale for using development teams. production technology based on good quality learning materials requires people who can combine teaching practice with a good understanding the strengths and weaknesses of different media and technologies. Course design teams are the accepted model in distance education and Open University uses equipment being developed widely. The dominant model in the computer course, distance education and the main advantage of this model is that it works with high professional standards.

The technological transformation in higher education, implementation and innovation based on new approaches to organizational processes. An innovation can be described as an idea or behavior that is new to the organization adopting it. Implementation and adoption of something new to a culture requires commitment, patience and acceptance of change. Thus, bottom-up process of innovation in ICT development is important because it promotes the development of will among members and generates the collective participation of the low tables in the main decision-making to build a consensus. It is difficult to resist change that comes from the bottom of the consumers. The importance of a bottom-up process for successful innovation aims at dissemination of leadership. If it is not proposed to the right shared leadership from the beginning, so such technology is unlikely to be able to establish in the university system.

Moreover, there is a need to ensure diffusion of innovation in strong systems of higher education. The theory of diffusion of innovation provides a general explanation of how that new institutions and ideas such as IT and technology based education over time, diffuse through social systems in higher education. The theory of diffusion of innovation is essentially a bottom-up approach based on individual responses that can be used as a starting point to describe the transformation technology in higher education. Initially, there is a start-up phase during which introduces an innovation in a social system. A business group called innovators often then taken. During the next phase of the maturation of the adoptive parents 'early', who are change agents and leaders of opinion between the system social, will enter the process thereby legitimizing innovation and opening up the possibilities for all members of the system. The final stage of saturation in the adoption of an innovation is characterized by wide adoption. Innovation permeates the social system and growth declines. This process can be represented graphically as a curve growth form of S.

We have seen that technology can not be separated from development of the university, as it is transient with globalization and its intentions. Therefore, there is a need to overcome any resistance of staff and management of technology it impossible to take root, especially where there is resistance to computer and age of the Internet in the teaching of flow of most major, planning and record keeping. In order to create a vibrant attempt to allow the era of ICT and e-learning to take root, there are several policy directions that should be taken at first hand and are as follows:

Promoting up and down and bottom-up strategies that promote ICT development and use in universities through diffusion of innovation. The level of resources available to promote the use of ICT would not have been possible without senior management and support staff. When typical political problems such as irrational resistance to change found, senior management is able to intervene and direct affairs. Middle managers and staff, ie, heads of academic and administrative departments and teachers play an important role in the control of resources and implementation support.
The spread can be maintained through the use of a distributed application structure. An e-learning center, for example, should be created for the central support and to coordinate the advance of technology promotion project in universities. Even learning strictly be adapted to these technologies in teaching methodologies should acquire ICT strategies and course work will be carried out easily ICT.
Universities should take time to ensure the personal property of technologies, including the most rigid and conservative type of staff should see the benefits of e-learning and ICT in the development of higher education. Ensure ownership by academic staff is essential in the dissemination of e-Learning strategies that promote effective teaching and learning.
To ensure ownership of e-learning in universities for academic staff, is important for educators and educational policies to promote technological change. Staff development can be used as an important strategy to advance the transformation higher education.
The application of educational technology into the curriculum requires the introduction of a robust technology infrastructure. All staff must have a Pentium computer, printer or access to a printer, Internet access and e-mail with the power outages and the closure of the minimal network. Library should also create a learning environment rich in technology.

In conclusion, the creation of a permanent vision and strategic framework rules for the effective implementation of technological innovations seems crucial. However, it requires institutional leadership to promote the use of technology in university education. The most important function of institutional leadership may be the creation of a shared vision that includes widespread input and support faculty and administration, articulates a clear educational purpose, has validity for stakeholders, and reflects the broader mission of the institution. If universities Africa can not exploit the information revolution and surf this great wave of technological change, can be crushed by it. The catch this wave will require visionary leadership in most universities in the continent.

References

Ackhoff, R. (1972). A note on systems science. Interfaces, August 1940. WP Press, Wellington, New Zealand.

Barnard, J. (1997). The World Wide Web and higher education: the promise of universities and virtual libraries online. Educational Technology, May-June 30-35.

Bates, AW (1983). Trends in the use of audiovisual media in education distance, 55-72, 227-241. In Sewart, D., Keegan, D. & Holmberg, B. (Eds.). Distance education: international perspectives. London: Croom Helm.

Bates, AW (Ed.) (1984). The role of technology in distance education. London: Croom Helm.

Bates, AW (2002). Technology for distance education, 241-265. In Tait, A. (Ed.). Key issues in open learning. Harlow: Longman.

Bates, AW (2003). Theory and practice in the use of technology in distance education, 213-233. In Keegan, D. (Ed.). Theoretical principles of distance education. London: Rutledge.

Bates, AW (2000) technology change management. Strategies for academic leaders. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass.

Berge, ZL & Schrum, L. (1998) The strategic planning related to the implementation of distance education program. Cause and effect 21 (3), 31-38.

, R. (2003). Caladin Overseas experience in non-traditional means of transport for delivery in higher education with the state Art Technologies: A Literature Review. Canberra: Australia Government Printing Service.

Cannon, RA (1986). Perspectives theoretical change of tertiary education. In Jones, J. & Horsburgh, M. (Eds.). Research and development in higher education. Kensington, Australia: Herds.

Daft, RL (1989). Organization theory and design. 3rd edition. St. Paul, MN: West Publishing Company.

Daniel, JS (1998) Mega-universities and knowledge media. Technology strategies for higher education. London, Kogan Page.

Drucker, PF (2005). Innovation and entrepreneurship. London: Heinemann.

Drucker, PF (1998) Peter Drucker on the profession of management. Boston, MA, Harvard Business School publication.

Evans, FJ & Franz, JB (1998, April). Administration change in the global university. Towards the Development of Global University: Strategies for the Third Millennium. Tours: University of Central Lancashire.

Evans, T. & Nation, D. (1993). Reforming open and distance education. Critical reflections. London: Kogan Page.

Fullan, MG (1991). The new meaning of educational change. 2nd edition. London: Cassel Education Ltd.

Gabel, MR & Feego, V. (2006). Institutional academic staff development in educational technologies to improve teaching in the classroom: the launch of the pioneers and guides IDO. Proceedings of the ED-MEDIA 96 World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications. Boston, MA: AACE.

Garrison, DR (1989) Understanding distance education. A framework for the future. London, New York, Rutledge.

Goldenfarb, M. (1995). Critical success factors in the diffusion System of a Campus Wide Information. Paper presented at AusWeb95 - Australia's First World Wide Web Conference [online]. Available: http://www.scu.edu.au/sponsored/ausweb/ausweb95/papers/education4/goldenfarb/ [1998, June 20].

Gunn, C. (1998). Virtual technologies in higher education: vision or reality? 134-145. In Peters, M. & Roberts, P. (Eds.). Virtual Technologies and Tertiary Education. London: Rutledge.

Hart, I. (1999). Restructured redesigned and realigned: Managing media in the digital age. Process-99 ED-MEDIA World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and telecommunications. Seattle: AACE

Holmberg, B. (1995). Theory and practice of distance education. 2nd edition. London and New York: Rutledge.

Johnston, R. & Challis, K. (1994). The relationship of learning: a study of staff development and satisfaction with education distance learning. International Journal of University Adult Education 33 (1) :62-76.

Katz, R. (Ed.) (1997). The human side management of technological innovation: a collection of readings. New York: Oxford University Press.

Katz, R. and Tushman, ML (1997). A study of the influence of gatekeeping on the proposed technical implementation and results of race in an R & D, 331-346. In Katz, R. (Ed.). The Human management side of technological innovation: a collection of readings. New York: Oxford University Press.

Marquard, MJ (2006) construction of the learning organization - a systems approach to quantum improvement and overall success. New York, McGraw-Hill.

Mason, R. (2008) globalization of education. Trends and applications. London and New York, Routledge.

McCullagh, A. (2005). What are the risks? (1). Paper presented at New Media and On-line Commerce conference, Brisbane, Australia.

Munitz, B. (1997. The New Paradigm Education. Magistral in the 18th World Conference of the International Council for Distance Education. Pennsylvania: ICDE.

Naidoo, V. & Schutte, C. (1999). Virtual institutions of the African Continent, 89-124. In Farrell, G. M (Ed.). The development of virtual education: a global perspective. Vancouver: The Commonwealth of Learning. [Online]. Available: href = "http://www.col.org/virtualed/index.htm"> http://www.col.org/virtualed/index.htm [2000, January 08].

Pastore, R. (October 1, 2005). Interview: Michael E. Porter. CIO Magazine. [Online]. Available: http://www.cio.com/archive/100195_porter_print.html [2000, January 1919].

Randle, K. & Brady, N. (1997). Continuing Education and the new managerialism. Journal of Higher Education, 21 (2): 2, 229-238.

Rayport, JF, and Sviokla, JJ (1995). Exploiting the virtual value chain. Harvard Business Review, November-December 1995: 75-85.

Richardson, JM, Jr. (1979). Information technology serving society: past, present and future, 119-124. In Chartrand, RL & Morentz, JW (Eds.). Information technology serving society. Elmsford, NY: Pergamon Press.

Rogers, E. (1983). Diffusion of Innovations. 3rd edition. New York: Free Press.

Swanson, EB (2004). Information Systems Innovation between organizations. Management Science 40 (9): 1069-1092.

Szabo, M., Anderson, T., & Fuchs, A. (1997). A changing system: training, infrastructure and empowerment system: (TIES). [Online]. Available: http://www.quasar.ualberta.ca/edmedia/TIES/TIES_Report.html [1999, July 10].

Tapscott, D. (2006) The digital economy: promise and peril in the age of networked intelligence. New York, McGraw-Hill.

Taylor, P., Lopez, L. & Quadrelli, C. (2006). Flexibility, technology and "Academic Practices: Tantalising Tales and Muddy Maps, Evaluations and Investigations Program, Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth

Tillema, HH (2005). Changing the professional knowledge and beliefs of teachers: a study of the formation. Learning and Teaching. 5:291-318.

Thomas, O., Carswell, L., Price, B., Petre, M. (2008). A holistic approach to supporting distance learning via the Internet: transformation, not translation. British Journal of Educational Technology, Vol 29, No 2, 149-161.

Uys, PM (2000) Towards the virtual class: key management issues in tertiary education. PhD thesis, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

Willmot, M. & McLean, M. (1994). Evaluating flexible learning: A study case. Journal for Higher Education 18 (3) :99-108.

About the Author

Minneapolis Ad Agency Tips - ME Ad Tip #1

BrandAbout: A Seriously Playful Approach for Passionate Brand-Builders and Merchants

$9.99

BrandAbout is an experiential, do-it-yourself, creative playbook for energizing brands and their product lines and/or services. With 10 practical lessons based on more than 25 years of hands-on, in-the-trenches merchandising and marketing experience, BrandAbout provides companies of all sizes-from startups to Fortune 500s-with more than 40 creative homework exercises that can be customized to thei...

How To Sell Almost Anything To Almost Anybody In 20 Words Or Less

$0.99

Online & classified advertising genius who has sold everything from airplanes to caskets and 1,000's of real estate properties will show you key words for online marketing, define your market, shotgun broad-spectrum & rifle shot ads, headline thought starters, feature & benefit selling, 6 tips to give your ads extraordinary pulling power, two-step marketing to save money & make more sales, key you...

An Insiders Guide to Successful Direct Mailing: Ten Basics of Direct Mailing

$0.99

An Insiders Guide To Direct MailingThere have to be at least a gazillion rules & quotes for writing effective direct mail copy. And, unlike other forms of advertising, these rules are proven to be effective through measured response. There's nothing new here. These rules have been around since Mr. Sears first gave a postal carrier a hernia by sending nine pound catalogs through the mail.Expert Cha...

Direct Mail Printing Texas

admin — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:19:04 +0000

Find affordable, effective and measurable engine optimization

Fahrenheit Marketing announces the launch of a new SEO promotion service for new customers. The promotion allows customers to see tangible results before you pay for services. After a business firm for href = "http://www.fahrenheitmarketing.com/seo.php"> search engine optimization by clicking management pay, Fahrenheit Marketing is to identify the keywords driving the most qualified traffic service is offered free of charge until one of the yields selected keywords on a page for the first time the particular business. Then, optimizing keywords for Google searches. Page web ranking in Google.com.

Search engine optimization, or SEO, as well as Google pay per click offers a viable alternative for those who looking to expand their businesses or build from scratch. Fahrenheit Marketing of Austin, Texas has successfully provided services engine optimization companies to increase visibility and raise awareness among potential customers. This has led to significant increases in new customers and benefits for those taking advantage of SEO.

Search engine optimization, or SEO, as well as Google pay per click, offers a viable alternative for those seeking to expand business or build from scratch. Fahrenheit Marketing of Austin, Texas has successfully provided engine optimization services to companies to increase visibility and raise awareness among potential customers. This has resulted in significant increases in new customers and benefits for those taking advantage of SEO.

The objective SEO is to increase the visibility and ownership of companies and their websites online. Specific terms or keywords related to the business are oriented Search engines like Google or Yahoo. This allows websites that appear high in the rankings of the page when potential customers use these keywords to search for products or services related to a business. This proves more effective than traditional forms of advertising, and can specifically target customers prospects who are looking for products and services that a particular company offered. SEO provides targeted exposure unlike other forms of advertising such as radio or television that are now just other forms of spam. XM radios Tivos and have done radio and television are simply not worth pursuing further. Not only are considered a shot "gun" approach to advertising, but still very expensive, especially considering that the ads are not direct.

SEO increases the web traffic which translates into increased business and name recognition. Fahrenheit Marketing offers free estimates to determine if your company can benefit from SEO or other marketing related services.

# # #

Fahrenheit Marketing is a full service marketing support a set of services including SEO, web design, public relations, direct mail and printed material. For more information or a free quote, www.FahrenheitMarketing.com visit.

About the Author

"Laurel Casas
Public Relations Editor

Laurel has been involved in many aspects of public relations ranging from non-profits to political and business related assignments. She works on research and corporate consulting, primarily identifying new market trends and competitive analysis."

Direct Mail Printing

Direct Mail Marketing Boston

admin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:02:24 +0000

Webster One Source™

Prescription for Advertising (Kindle Series)

$8.95

Prescription for Advertising is written specifically for the business owner or manager who needs to advertise but really doesn't know HOW to make it happen. It's a comprehensive guide to the complete world of advertising -- everything from positioning to printers, budgeting to billboards, creativity to conventions -- even logos and signage. The 30 easy-to-read chapters will be a great step toward ...

Symphony conducts winning campaign. (Boston Symphony Orchestra) (Non-Profit Echo Award Winners): An article from: Fund Raising Management

$5.95

This digital document is an article from Fund Raising Management, published by Hoke Communications, Inc. on December 1, 1989. The length of the article is 475 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.Citation Deta...

Optimal cooperative advertising decisions in direct-mail operations (Working paper series / Boston University, School of Management)

...