Internet Business Blog

Hi Folks,

Here is a great article from Michael Young at http://mikeyounglaw.com/wp/on using testimonials relating to the new FTC guidelines. Micheal is a lawyer and also focuses on Internet and marketing law. Enjoy!

Michael’s Blog Post: (http://mikeyounglaw.com/wp/2009/10/16/testimonials-federal-trade-commission-ftc-websites/)

Two key website testimonial issues that the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines discuss are compensation and context. Let’s look at both issues and how to deal with them.

1. Compensation. Material connections are a big part of this issue. If the testimonial provider is receiving something of value from you (such as free products, free services, or cash), the conservative approach would be to disclose this relationship to your website readers.

Example: You solicit and receive a testimonial from someone you have given a copy of your $997 info product and free tickets to attend one of your $5K seminars. Do you think these types of freebies might influence what the testimonial provider is going to say about you, your business, and the quality of your products and services? Would the same type of testimonial be typical from those who did not receive the gifts from you?

There’s also a gray area where the testimonial provider has a relationship with you that could affect the content of the testimonial provided. Although the types of relationships will vary, here are a few examples.

Example: You’re paying for Internet coaching from a guru. One of the benefits of being coached is that the guru will promote your online business to his lists and provide you with testimonials that create third party credibility. This relationship is relevant to the testimonial’s content and even the fact the testimonial was given in the first place. Would the average reader want to know that the testimonial was potentially biased because you’re paying the provider for coaching?

Example: You and your friends have formed a mastermind group that promotes each others’ product launches. When one of your group has a launch, all the rest promote as affiliates and provide testimonials for that launch. Each individual member profits both as a product creator who has affiliates promoting his launch but also as an affiliate (or even super affiliate) on the launches done by other members. Would this type of relationship affect the content of the testimonials provided for your launch? Should a prospect know about this mastermind relationship because of its affect on both who provides testimonials and what is said in those testimonials?

2. Context. If your testimonial provider makes claims about results achieved with your products and services, what the testimonial doesn’t say could be considered a deceptive trade practice by the FTC because important facts were omitted from the testimonial. These are facts that are material because they were essential to the results achieved by the testimonial giver.

Example: Ima Guru provides you with a testimonial that she made $33,476 in just two days using your e-mail marketing course. However, the testimonial doesn’t disclose that Ima Guru and her two employees work around the clock for 48 hours to generate that income. The testimonial doesn’t say that Ms. Guru’s net income for those two days was just $11,948 after deducting labor, affiliate commissions, and other marketing costs. She also didn’t mention that the income was only possible because she had a pre-existing e-mail list of 40,000 subscribers to market to using your methods.

Example: You receive a testimonial from John Slim who claims that he lost 78 pounds over six months while drinking a weight loss shake that you sell. You receive before-and-after photos to use with the testimonial. However, the testimonial omits important facts. Mr. Slim’s diet the whole six months consisted of your shakes, Acai berries, and beef jerky. He also exercised a minimum of 3 hours daily with the assistance of a personal trainer. Would your prospective purchaser reading Mr. Slim’s testimonial want to know these missing facts before relying upon the testimonial as part of the buying process?

In each of the above examples, your typical purchaser will not be able to achieve similar results. The purchaser’s expectations are based on false assumptions because of material omissions. That’s the type of testimonial that can land you in trouble with the FTC.

Does this mean the death of results-based testimonials? Of course not. But how you provide them should change.

In Give Your Testimonials a Reality Check, copywriter Michel Fortin describes a great solution to this problem. Provide readers with context by converting your testimonials into case studies. With case studies, you’ll be able to disclose the material facts so that the reader can make an informed decision whether or not to purchase from you. Using the above examples, with the context provided in case studies, you can:

• disclose what has been been given of value to your testimonial provider
• tell the reader about the nature of your relationship with the testimonial giver
• reveal the resources needed to achieve the earnings your testimonial provider made
• inform your prospective purchasers what it really took to lose X pounds with your diet shakes

To learn more about this issue, you’ll want to get your complimentary copy of the new special report How to Comply with the New FTC Compensation Disclosure Guidelines (PDF file) right now.

If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your followers on Twitter and other Social sites! I appreciate it, and I’m sure those who get it as a result of you sharing it will appreciate it too!

Until next time, great success in all you do!

-Craig

Make sure you visit Article Marketing Boot Camp to learn the difference between writing articles to generate money and just writing articles. It’s so amazingly powerful, you have to try it!

Sign-up and learn how to make money online with a Blog Centered Business.

If you haven’t signed up yet to receive email notifications of when I post new blogs, please do on the sign up form found in the sidebar. I also encourage you to sign up for RSS feeds where you can view the post in full through your favorite reader.

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P.S. Be sure to Hit-Me-Back with a comment while you’re here. I always look forward to your thoughts and feedback. So I’m listening… Hit-Me-Back.

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Isn’t that what everyone usually wants to do! More sales means more fun.

Here are some great posts that were highlighted on Problogger. Enjoy!

An Open Letter to Marking Newbies

Ben Settle is an email marketing maniac. In this post he shares tips for the newbies to make more money online. Pay special attention to his last tip. Also love this one, “Consume a good “how to” product at least 10x’s before buying the next one.” There are very few books I’ve read ten times (Claude Hopkins Scientific Advertising is one) but I do go through the best ones multiple times. It shocking what you pull out the 2nd and 3rd time you go through it.

Another Reason Internet Businesses Fail: The Myth of Work Versus Play

Glenn obviously hit a nerve with his audience on this one as comments keep coming in. While I don’t agree with everything Glenn says here, he makes some very good points. Perhaps Glenn and I will get together and discuss this if you are interested (where I would share a little bit different of a viewpoint and how it relates to each of our personalities).

Which Subject Line Won?

Ryan Healy talks about going deeper than just surface testing of subject lines. This is an important one for EVERYONE who tests. You do test, don’t you? It’s easy to misinterpret the results or look at the wrong numbers if you’re not careful. Notice how he pinpoints something I’ve been talking a lot about lately – everyone on your list is NOT going to be a buyer. Write the ones who will be.

Website Redesign Pulls in More Sales?

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away design wasn’t that important. It was all about the copy. In my recent tests, this isn’t true anymore. Presenting a professional appearance to your website is becoming more and more important today. Read about how Michel Fortin is currently generating 4 times as many sales by doing a redesign on one of his sites.

5 Social Media Lessons I Learned from Working With a Hollywood Actress

Some very good tips are included here. I especially like the finding your blog’s core purpose. Focus. That’s what it is all about. What is your bullseye phrase? What is your goal? What is the purpose of each element in your business? Don’t promote or do anything online simply because “others are doing it.” What is the right focus for you?

If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your followers on Twitter and other Social sites! I appreciate it, and I’m sure those who get it as a result of you sharing it will appreciate it too!

Until next time, great success in all you do!

-Craig

Make sure you visit Article Marketing Boot Camp to learn the difference between writing articles to generate money and just writing articles. It’s so amazingly powerful, you have to try it!

Sign-up and learn how to make money online with a Blog Centered Business.

If you haven’t signed up yet to receive email notifications of when I post new blogs, please do on the sign up form found in the sidebar. I also encourage you to sign up for RSS feeds where you can view the post in full through your favorite reader.

Follow me on Twitter at:

http://twitter.com/craigsandrews

P.S. Be sure to Hit-Me-Back while you’re here. I always look forward to your thoughts and feedback. So I’m listening… Hit-Me-Back.

Technorati Tags: internet business blog, internet business, business, internet marketing, article marketing, article submission, affiliate marketing, blogging for profit, home based business, online business, internet home business, work at home internet business, make money online, blogging, traffic generation, craig andrews, andrews

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F-R-E-E Special Report! 22 chapters and 48 pages covered on How I Built A Profitable Internet Business Blog packed with vital and actionable information to produce the maximum income. Grab your copy now by clicking on the link directly over to your right in the sidebar!

Please spread the BUZZ !

If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your followers on Twitter and other Social sites! I appreciate it, and I’m sure those who get it as a result of you sharing it will appreciate it too!

Until next time, great success in all you do!

-Craig

Make sure you visit Article Marketing Boot Camp to learn the difference between writing articles to generate money and just writing articles. It’s so amazingly powerful, you have to try it!

Sign-up and learn how to make money online with a Blog Centered Business.

If you haven’t signed up yet to receive email notifications of when I post new blogs, please do on the sign up form found in the sidebar. I also encourage you to sign up for RSS feeds where you can view the post in full through your favorite reader.

Follow me on Twitter at:

http://twitter.com/craigsandrews

P.S. Be sure to Hit-Me-Back while you’re here. I always look forward to your thoughts and feedback. So I’m listening… Hit-Me-Back.

Technorati Tags: internet business blog, internet business, business, internet marketing, article marketing, article submission, affiliate marketing, blogging for profit, home based business, online business, internet home business, work at home internet business, make money online, blogging, traffic generation, craig andrews, andrews

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Hi Everyone,

Hope your all having a great Friday!

I thought I would toot my horn a little before this Labor Day weekend. Hey, you can’t blame a guy for feeling a little proud of his accomplishments can you?  After all, that’s what makes it all worth it.

I just checked Google rankings for “Internet Business Blog” and there I was at #3 right behind Terry Dean and Fred Black. Two of the top Internet Business marketers that I have full respect for. They both have great blogs and provide great advice and lessons to learn from.

I’ve been trying some new SEO stuff lately, and it’s definitely paid off. I need to do some more testing before I feel confident to tell you all about it. Stay tuned into my blog for details to come.

Just to give some of you a boost of confidence, I started with nothing and now ranking #3. Life is schweeet!

Have a great Labor Day weekend. Be safe and come back and visit soon!

If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your followers on Twitter! I appreciate it, and I’m sure those who get it as a result of you sharing it will appreciate it too!

Until next time, great success in all you do!

-Craig

Make sure you visit Article Marketing Boot Camp to learn the difference between writing articles to generate money and just writing articles. It’s so amazingly powerful, you have to try it!

Sign-up and learn how to make money online with a Blog Centered Business.

If you haven’t signed up yet to receive email notifications of when I post new blogs, please do on the sign up form found in the sidebar. I also encourage you to sign up for RSS feeds where you can view the post in full through your favorite reader.

Follow me on Twitter at:

http://twitter.com/craigsandrews

P.S. Be sure to HitMeBack to me while you’re here. I always look forward to your thoughts and feedback. So I’m listening… HitMeBack.

Technorati Tags: internet business blog, internet business, business, internet marketing, blog, article marketing, article submission, affiliate marketing, blogging for profit, home based business, online business, internet home business, work at home internet business, make money online, blogging, traffic generation, craig andrews, andrews

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The marketing landscape has shifted radically since the
arrival of the internet – and at amazing pace. After all,
just ten years ago people would have asked “what’s Google?”

Here are seven crucial ways that the internet has changed
marketing forever:

1) Cost

There was a time when even the most basic marketing
campaigns cost money - and lots of it. Direct mail, for
example, meant paying to have materials written, designed,
proofed and printed - then delivered to thousands of
addresses.

It was expensive, with a relatively poor return on
investment. Now, at the touch of a button, you can send an
email to everyone on your mailing list – for free. And,
it’s measurable…which brings us onto the second point:

2) Measurability

With extra pressure to justify media spend, marketing
departments need ways to track defined metrics.

Through analytics programmes and other software you can
measure your traffic, conversions and ROI – and make
immediate strategic decisions about your website. It’s not
that traditional marketing can’t be measured, it’s just
that you have so many more options and metrics to control
and analyse online.

3) Reach

The internet isn’t bound by geography. A small business in
Devon could easily market to customers in San Diego. While
businesses can still use the internet to target local
traffic, marketers can now cast their nets into areas and
demographics that they wouldn’t have dreamed of a decade
ago.

Plus, people can engage with a company any time they like.
It can be midday or midnight – a website should always be
accessible, unlike high street shops constrained by their
opening times.

4) Search and keywords

Search is one of the most powerful forms of online
marketing. Getting high rankings in the search engines for
terms relevant to your business can have a huge effect on
sales. The beauty of search engine optimisation is that it
helps you discover what your customers want through keyword
research and helps you deliver the appropriate results.

Analysing keywords is also free market research. By mapping
what users enter into search engines you’re getting a window
into your customers’ minds. Instead of paying for focus
groups and surveys, or relying on sheer guesswork, you can
find out what they want – and give it to them.

5) Direction

With most traditional marketing the message is brought to
the consumer - sometimes known as “push marketing”. Online,
things are much more complex. Users decide what they want
to reach via search engines. They block ads and shy away
from hype. Internet marketing is more about engagement – or
“pull” marketing. This is why the following is so
important…

6) Content

Content reigns supreme on the web. You could look at Google
as the ultimate content provider – and Google’s ability to
deliver relevant content enables it to generate billions
in online advertising.

Consumers now use the internet to research, find
entertainment, share opinions, read, watch videos,
socialise and educate themselves. Customers demand
information. An abundance of info can be skimmed, but a
lack of information cannot be remedied.

Be useful, meaningful, genuine and open – and you’ll avoid
getting lumped in with the avalanche of spam and pointless
content. You can use SEO and PPC (Pay Per Click) campaigns
to help ensure that you deliver relevant content that users
love.

7) Interaction

When marketers throw around the words “social” and
“web 2.0” they aren’t just using buzzwords
(well, maybe just a little.)

The internet is build on interactivity – whether that be
through social networking sites or simply clicking on a
hyperlink. Internet users now demand the ability to connect
with each other online – through blogs, comments, personal
profiles, reviews, favourite lists – anything that allows
individual expression.

The significance of this for the canny marketer is that you
can’t push products on people online. Customers are now
encouraged to engage with a company and its brand, offering
feedback, connecting with like-minded people and even
joining social networks. Ultimately, your customers are
your best marketers online, and treating them well can be
extremely productive.

Paul Son is a consultant in Vertical Leap who has immense
knowledge on ppc search engine promotion, ppc, pay per
click advertising.

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/
7-Ways-the-Internet-Has-Changed-Marketing-Forever/823444

To Your Online Success-

Many Blessings,

Craig S. Andrews
“The Article Marketing Professor”

Make sure you visit Article Marketing Boot Camp to learn the difference between writing articles to generate money and just writing articles. It’s so amazingly powerful, you have to try it!

Sign-up and learn how to make money online with a Blog Centered Business.

If you haven’t signed up yet to receive email notifications of when I post new blogs, please do on the sign up form found in the sidebar. I also encourage you to sign up for RSS feeds where you can view the post in full through your favorite reader.

P.S. Follow me on Twitter at:

http://twitter.com/craigsandrews

Technorati Tags: internet business blog, internet business, business, internet marketing, article marketing, article submission, affiliate marketing, blogging for profit, home based business, online business, internet home business, work at home internet business, make money online, blogging, traffic generation, craig andrews, andrews

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Here is a free MP3 audio file for your own listening enjoyment. These are 7 Core Principles that you must apply in order to drink of the “Milk and Honey” of sweet Internet Success!

Enjoy!

7 Very Valuable Internet Business Core Principles

Like what you’ve read so far? Then we encourage you to subscribe to our RSS feed. The feed shows my latest Internet Business posts in full and can easily be viewed in your favorite news reader.

Sign-up and learn how to make money online with a Blog Centered Business.

To Your Success!

Many Blessings,

-Craig

P.S. Follow me on Twitter at:

http://twitter.com/craigsandrews

Technorati Tags: internet business blog, internet business, business, internet marketing, article marketing, article submission, affiliate marketing, blogging for profit, home based business, online business, internet home business, work at home internet business, make money online, blogging, traffic generation, craig andrews, andrews

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Our theme of late has been “making the most out of an internet business”. It is time to look at a few simple strategies that can be employed when the economy is down.  As you will soon see, weak economic cycles come with their difficulties. However, they do not automatically ruin a business. Actually, there are a number of ways to boost revenues. Let’s look at some….

One of the best ways to boost business during leans times is to offer deals and specials.  Simply offering 10% or 20% off on a product or service will work wonders for stimulating business. In some cases, you can offer discounts on bulk orders. So, even while your profit margin is reduced you still make earn significant income via volume.  That is to say you will make less profit per order but you will more product.  This is a very simple concept, but it is also one that works well.  In fact, it can be employed successfully during economic downturns as well as boom periods.

Often, the promise of “free things” will work wonders for stimulating interest. Some may assume that this refers to “buy one, get one free” type offers. Actually, while such offers are definitely helpful in terms of stimulating interest, they will not automatically make a sale. For example, providing a number of free things on the website itself could prove quite helpful. Providing free (entertaining) pod casts on your website can work wonders for attracting a large audience. But, only a small percentage of the audience will purchase. This is fine as it would not be realistic to assume 90% will purchase. So, if the percentage of paying customers declines during lean times, simply raising the size of your potential customer base might increase sales. After all, 10% of 100 is 10 and 10% of 1000 is 100. So, if you increase your potential customer base with an entertaining website then revenues might very well increase significantly.

Make no bones about it; lean economic times can harm an internet business. However, there are ways to make the most out of lean times. Best of all, the ways to circumvent these problems are sometimes very simple.

Until next time, great success in all you do!

-Craig

Sign-up and learn how to make money online with a Blog Centered Business.

If you haven’t signed up yet to receive email notifications of when I post new blogs, please do on the sign up form found in the sidebar.  I also encourage you to sign up for RSS feeds where you can view the post in full through your favorite reader.

P.S. Follow me on Twitter at:

http://twitter.com/craigsandrews

Technorati Tags: internet business blog, internet business, business, internet marketing, article marketing, article submission, affiliate marketing, blogging for profit, home based business, online business, internet home business, work at home internet business, make money online, blogging, traffic generation, craig andrews, andrews

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Previously, we mentioned the benefits of an internet business when the economy slows down. The low overhead of an internet business provides the potential for success during lean times. Granted, while this is definitely an attribute it can never be a substitute for revenues. That is to say, for a business to succeed it must have sales. If the business is not moving product then it is not going to be profitable for very long. Obviously, earning revenues can prove difficult when an economy slows down. However, with an online business there is a unique component that can circumvent a number of economic woes that traditional businesses must contend. Specifically, an internet business is not constricted to a particular geographic area where the economy is weak.

Another plus to an internet business is the fact such a business is global in scope. That means that you can reach potential customers all over the world. This would prove to be quite helpful if domestic business started to dry up. Actually, the notion of looking overseas for potentially successful markets is not a new concept. It is not uncommon, for example, for rock bands to tour extensively overseas when their domestic popularity declines. Smart members of the entertainment business are always looking at the big picture with the hopes of expanding their potential revenues.

This is not to infer that all internet business will automatically earn huge money because of globalism. For a business to be successful – online or otherwise – it must offer a product or service people want and/or need. If it does have such a product or service then the business will not make any sales regardless of the size of its distribution channel. However, in a global market a merely “decent” product can have a chance at being a moneymaker simply because it is reaching a huge marketplace. And, as previously mentioned, it gives the proprietor the leeway to circumvent those locales that may be suffering economically. While this may not be the most optimum strategy to employ it does keep a company in the game even while the Dow slows down dramatically.

Until next time, great success in all you do!

-Craig

Sign-up and learn how to make money online with a Blog Centered Business.

If you haven’t signed up yet to receive email notifications of when I post new blogs, please do on the sign up form found in the sidebar.  I also encourage you to sign up for RSS feeds where you can view the post in full through your favorite reader.

P.S. Follow me on Twitter at:

http://twitter.com/craigsandrews

Technorati Tags: internet business blog, internet business, business, internet marketing, article marketing, article submission, affiliate marketing, blogging for profit, home based business, online business, internet home business, work at home internet business, make money online, blogging, traffic generation, craig andrews, andrews

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If you are worried about the recent economic downturn and how it will affect your internet business, here is some good news: The mere fact that you are operating an online business puts you in a good position. Now, this is not said that make you feel better or to boost you up at the expense of someone in poor financial straights. Instead, it is merely a statement of fact.  One of the major benefits of an internet business is the fact that it operates a very low overhead. When the economy takes a downturn the costs eliminated by the low overhead can make fiscal survival far easier.

How significant are the costs saved by are now living through an internet business?  Well, look at all the cost saved and by eliminating commuting to work. $60 a week in gasoline expenses comes out to $3,120.00 a year. That is an enormous amount of money eliminated from a yearly budget. Additionally, by eliminating a commute to work there are a host of other automobile expenses that are saved as well. Oil changes are drastically reduced. Car insurance premiums are reduced. Repairs on wear and tear to the car are reduced. The need to replace the tires are reduced, etc. And these are the only the car expenses that are eliminated! There are obviously a ton of other benefits that running an internet business provides and they all become quite noticeable when the need to shave expenses from a budget is required.

It should come as no surprise that as our economy continues its roller coaster ride that more and more people will start to look into internet business options. If you are currently already running your own business then you are well ahead of the curve. That means you are in a far better economic position that many others who have been caught by surprise by the current economic downturn. So, consider yourself lucky. Your internet business can make lean economic times a lot easier to handle.

Like what you’ve read so far?  Then we encourage you to subscribe to our RSS feed.  The feed shows my latest Internet Business posts in full and can easily be viewed in your favorite news reader.

Sign-up and learn how to make money online with a Blog Centered Business.

To Your Success!

Many Blessings,

-Craig

P.S. Follow me on Twitter at:

http://twitter.com/craigsandrews

Technorati Tags: internet business blog, internet business, business, internet marketing, article marketing, article submission, affiliate marketing, blogging for profit, home based business, online business, internet home business, work at home internet business, make money online, blogging, traffic generation, craig andrews, andrews

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Is internet marketing for small business strategies a wise one?  After all, what is the point of promoting a small business on the internet?  If it is small in scope or provides local services how would it benefit from a marketing campaign that reaches all over the globe in via the internet?  These are a number of questions that can all be answered in one single statement: marketing on the internet certainly would not hurt.  Actually, as the saying goes, “No publicity is bad publicity”.  Then, really, no internet marketing strategy is a bad one no regardless of the type of business that is being promoted.

No business, regardless of its size or scope, can survive in this day and age without a reliable presence on the internet. There are a number of reasons for this.  One common reason is the fact that the internet is quickly replacing the local yellow pages as a source for locating regional businesses. That is a logistical fact. There are, however, psychological aspects that need to be taken into consideration as well. In other words, even if your business is a small one it should still employ an internet marketing strategy. Lacking such a campaign could leave a very negative opinion on potential customers.  That is, the lack of an internet presence will create the impression your small business is falling behind the times.  Such an opinion would hardly aid in boosting sales.

Then, an internet marketing campaign could be a major factor in allowing a small business to grow significantly in scope.  This is obviously because the internet aids in expanding the sales environment beyond previously geographically or budgetary restricted boundaries. So, it goes without saying that internet marketing for small business strategies has much value. That is why they are so highly recommended.

Like what you’ve read so far?  Then we encourage you to subscribe to our RSS feed.  The feed shows my latest Internet Business posts in full and can easily be viewed in your favorite news reader.

Sign-up and learn how to make money online with a Blog Centered Business.

To Your Success!

Many Blessings,

-Craig

P.S. Follow me on Twitter at:

http://twitter.com/craigsandrews

Technorati Tags: internet business blog, internet business, business, internet marketing, article marketing, article submission, affiliate marketing, blogging for profit, home based business, online business, internet home business, work at home internet business, make money online, blogging, traffic generation, craig andrews, andrews

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How well did you live up to your 2008 Goals and Expectations?Did you accomplish everything in 2008 that you set out to achieve?

If you did - congratulations to you!

If you didn’t - what do you think are the 3 biggest things that
held you back from achieving your 2008 Goals?

Send me a quick email and let me know or leave a comment below!
email: feedback@craigsandrews.com

To your success,

-Craig

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/craigsandrews

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