By Nigel Bullers
Frustrated about wasting money on advertising that doesn’t work? Want to know how to get patients/clients and grow your practice?
As a professional you already know that most of your business comes from referrals or word of mouth and let’s face it, that’s the best source of advertising and it’s FREE. But you can’t wait for it, that just takes too long. Your clients’ want to use a professional they can trust and that’s why word of mouth is the best advertising. It’s not like buying an appliance or car where the consumer sees an ad and acts on it.
Social Networking
Today effective marketing is about social networking. Well, lets be honest it was always about that, but of course years ago we did not have a name for it. The truth is that years ago when customers found a professional that they liked they would promote that person or company to all of their friends and business contacts. However, more and more people do not actively promote the people that they do business with in this fast paced world. There just is not enough time. So you have to take charge of your campaign and proactively build your network and brand. The good news is that your customers will support your efforts if they like your business.
Build Your Brand
You need to build your image, you are your brand. More and more professionals are beginning to understand that becoming a public expert is a way of growing their business.
An easy first step to do this would be to call your local newspaper and/or magazine and submit articles or press releases. Simply write about different problems people face and how you can help them overcome it. If your local paper or magazine does not have a special monthly Health Section, suggest it to them. They are likely looking for more content for their publication and will welcome the opportunity.
Get Connected
The world has moved to the internet of course and most of your clients and potential clients are looking on the web. People like to do a little research before they pick up the phone. Building your image in this area is critical. If you do not have a website you should launch one. It is much easier than most people think. You can do it yourself or contact Advantage Solutions If you do have one then this needs to become the main forum for all of the Social Networking and Brand Building that you are going to do. Articles that you write for the local newspaper or publications should be included here as well and Q&A’s and tips etc. You can also include a detailed list of your services, credentials, methods of payments, testimonials or references, hours of operation etc.
Connect With Your Community
Join the local Chamber of Commerce, and/or the Board Of Trade and get involved in your community. Get exposure for yourself by attending at least one event per month. Be seen as someone who engages with the community. If you can coach a sports team, that is ideal. If you do not have the time, then attend charity functions and meet the community. Usually events are looking for door prizes or silent auction items. You could donate a gift certificate or a free session. It’s a great way of
a) getting your name out there as someone who is involved
b) exposing a large number of people to your name and business
c) A great way to have a new customer walk through your doors for the first time to try your service.
People will generally remember professionals who take the time to participate in the community even in small ways. Another way to bring in more clients is to promote any other services you offer…eg Registered Massage Therapists, Naturopaths, Special Supplements, Orthotics etc. Again have these specialists write articles and submit for publication with a picture of themselves as well. Graphics always work better than none. It grabs your attention, people are curious and more and more like the idea of “one stop shop” so they like businesses working together in a symbiotic relationship.
Developing an email campaign is an effective, low key, low cost way to keep your business in the forefront of your past customers’ minds. You could include health tips and facts. I was amazed when I learned that the number one reason for knee replacement is improper foot alignment, and that this can easily be prevented by getting custom orthotics. When you promote your practice always talk about and include all your services. People constantly need to be reminded of what different businesses offer.
You may also want to devise a standardized checklist when you get a new patient for any potential add-on sales eg. Orthotics, massage therapy, cold laser therapy, etc. The Yellow Pages are also very important. When people are ready to call you they need to find you and that’s where they will look. The person who is referring you to their friends does not have your number memorized. It also gives you more credibility.
Finally Ensure that you pull of these ideas together in one place. Your new or re-engineered website is an ideal place for this. It’s building your brand. Customers will understand that you are actively building your business and will be more inclined to help you. Not one of these ideas alone will change your profile much, but doing a little in each area will likely make a significant impact on your brand awareness and may contribute to your overall business growth.
Additional Resources
For more information on the value of networking and brand building read “Working the Pond” by Darcy Rezac. Darcy is a Canadian author and the managing director and chief engagement officer of the Vancouver Board of Trade.
Nigel Bullers is a senior operations and marketing expert with a background working with large entertainment and specialty retail companies, as well as independent consulting.
Written by Joanne on April 29th, 2010 with 1 comment.
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Want to get your phone ringing? Get bigger, better paying jobs?
Not sure where to start?
It’s hard to find the time to market yourself, quote jobs, and then do the actual work. You may consider qualifying your customers before you even go out to see them. You can do that by coming up with a brief list of questions to ask them when they call you. You don’t want to sound like you are interrogating them, but it’s good to ask them things like when do they want to have the project done, size of rooms, how much repairs to the walls etc. to get a basic sense of the potential work. You do not have to do business with everyone that calls you. You can pick and choose!
Word of mouth is the best advertising and it’s FREE. In order to help develop your referral business you may come up with a referral system where you compensate people who bring you business. In Joe Girrard’s book How To Sell Anything To Anybody, he outlines a effective ways to do this. Let’s face it you are in the sales business too.
Repeat Business
A lot of times we overlook this important source of leads. The good news is that you can pick the ones who you want to deal with again in future. If your customers are happy with your work they will want to call you when the next room or whatever needs to get painted! You may think that because you gave them a business card that they will remember you. Let me ask you, have you ever received a business card from someone who you intended to do business with in future but lost it or forgot where you put it. I know I do that all the time. We all have good intentions but life just gets in the way.
What I would suggest is to develop a system where you send monthly or seasonal email promotions to your customers. You could send them the latest trends in colors or other décor tips, which you can easily get from the internet. First you have to get your customers’ email addresses. You can say to them that it was a pleasure doing business with them and you want to put them on your preferred customer list so that you can send them promotions etc. In this way you can get jobs without having to drive all over the place in the evenings after a full day’s work.
If you brand or position yourself as the go to person for decorating/color consultation you will be able to charge for more for you work. People prefer one-stop-shopping solutions. It saves them time and energy. Some may want help with this and others may not. Whether you do it or not I would suggest that you build it into your pricing anyways. People don’t mind paying for quality work, and they will see you as an expert.
Advertising
Craig’s List has become one of the number one ways that people find service providers in their market. And it’s free to put a listing there.
When people are ready to buy they will go to the Yellow Pages. They may already know that they want to call you but may have misplaced your card, or a friend told them about you. 60% of Yellow Pages usage is when people already know who they want to contact. When considering to place an ad in there go to the book and see what your competition is doing. You don’t need a half page if everybody else is doing a small ½” ad. Do something slightly larger or the same as your competition. Consider the wording in your ad. If you want to do more expensive jobs convey that in your advertising message. If you are going to do color consulting etc, put that in your ad. It will make you stand out from your competition!
This can be a very effective tool. It works really well if you have the right offer. If you have Val Pak available in your area I would suggest that. And mail the same area over and over again. People have to see you more that once before they necessarily do business with you. To find out more about Direct Mail read about it in the Direct Mail section on this site or contact Advantage Solutions.
Display advertising in the newspaper is hit and miss. Instead I would suggest just doing a weekly classified ad.
On Line Exposure
If you do not already have a website, it may be important to get one. Start by accumulating pictures of your work, before and after stories and shots are a great way of highlighting your work. With digital cameras it’s not hard to do. If you are a tech savvy and have time, you could do it yourself.
There are a lot of free resources on the internet. Or contact a company that can create the site a for you: Advantage Solutions.
Call around for rates. Since your business is aesthetic people need to see your work. Get testimonials from past customers as well.
By using these different media mixes you will be able to set up a successful and cost effective advertising plan. As a matter of fact, when you combine Yellow Pages advertising with your direct mail campaign, you increase your ROI on the direct mail by 15%.
Much success on growing your business!
Bst, Joe.
Written by Joanne on April 13th, 2010 with no comments.
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Not sure how to put together a Strategic Marketing Plan for your Interior Decorating Business?
A good media mix makes sense when you are looking for small business marketing tips. Having a strong internet marketing strategy, along with traditional print media like direct mail, magazines, Yellow Pages or other directory advertising, trade shows, seminars, etc., work with this type of business.
Get a Good Website and use Web Marketing Strategies
This is an important and effective way to promote your business. Use graphics, your portfolio and before and after shots of your work, testimonials from happy customers, and pricing on packages that you offer, on your website. You do not have to stick to these prices but it is a way to get your foot in the door. You can always up sell from there.
And incorporate search engine optimization website promotion. This can be done on a local geographical level so you can target where you want to get business from. It is one of the least expensive and most effective ways to promote your business. If you need help with this contact Advantage Solutions.
Traditional Print Media still works for some types of Businesses
One of the great things about Direct Mail is that you can pin point where you want to advertise. Promote your website on your marketing piece, and offer something that will make the customer pick up the phone and call you or go to your site. Include some pictures and testimonials. Keep it simple as in this type of advertising less is more. People prefer bullet points to paragraphs. It is better to mail the same area twice than to try another area. Repetition works.
Do some research to see if there are any home decor magazines that would make sense for you to advertise in. Ask them how they are distributed, whether it is through subscriptions, which is the most preferred, mailed out to homeowners, or just dropped at various retail locations. Look who else is advertising in there. Maybe call them and ask how it works for them. Also, always ask for a discount when negotiating the price with the sales rep. They expect you to do that. In print media that is very common.
When people are ready to buy they will look for you in the Yellow Pages
They may have seen your advertising somewhere else and just didn’t need your service at that time. Your rate of return on Direct Mail advertising increases by 15% when you combine it with Yellow Pages advertising. It also gives you credibility. Don’t miss out by not being in there as your competition will get the calls. You don’t have to be the biggest, you just have to be in there.
Do some Trade Shows and get some Speaking Engagements
Have a reason for people to come to your booth and talk to you. Maybe a draw for a room makeover, free consultation, painting supplies, etc. Quite often they have free seminars at these trade shows. Look into being one of the guest speakers. Become an expert in you field.
Build relationships with Realtors and Home Builders
And finally, building relationships with whomever you come in contact with will always help you. Realtors and Home Builders are a good source of leads as they are constantly in touch with potential clients for your business. You may want to offer and promote home staging services to get more customers.
I wish you a very successful year ahead!
Best, Joe
Written by Joanne on March 29th, 2010 with no comments.
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Like most people you want to start your own business and be your own boss for a variety of reasons. Mainly you want freedom to do your own thing, have control over how much money you can make, control over how hard you work, or are just passionate about a certain field of interest.
Developing Your Business Name
There are so many choices out there. I would recommend doing this while exploring a website address as well. Your name must describe your product or service, your uniqueness, and your level of expertise or quality of your offering. You may have to consider trademarks and; therefore, may consider hiring a professional. Once you have your name you need to look into licenses and permits to operate your business within your geographical area.
Develop a Mission Statement
A mission statement describes what you do and what you stand for. It should be brief and to the point. The mission statement keeps you focused in the right direction.
Branding
Your image is important. It is a powerful statement of who you are and what your business is about. You need to develop a consistent brand image. Think of how you want to be perceived by your customers: A business that offers savings or quality, etc. Who is your target market? What will attract them? Your signage, collateral, business cards etc. must be consistent.
Business Plan
As part of your strategic marketing plan, one of the first things you must do when looking into how to start a small business is to put together a game plan. Create a business plan or road map of how your business will be built from the ground up. There are many resources out there to help you do that. If you are going to need a large amount of funding I would suggest getting a professional to help you with this.
Business Marketing Ideas
These should be included in your business plan. Know a head of time how to promote your business and what you budget is.
Internet marketing is the least expensive way to promote a business. Most people don`t does it because they don`t know how. Look at what your competition is doing.
I would suggest hiring a professional who also offers search engine optimization website promotion. The reason for this is that you do not want to get a designer to do the site and then find out it has not been optimized. It might have to be re-done and that will cost more. For more information contact Advantage Solutions.
Self Intro Statement
When people ask you what it is you do have a 30 second or less intro statement that will pop and stand out. Make you memorable. Use it whenever you are talking to a prospective customer. Talk to people`s wants, not their needs.
Wishing You Much Success, Joe
Written by Joanne on March 21st, 2010 with 1 comment.
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Mapping out your web marketing strategies and knowing what you want to accomplish is key. There are so many things to consider and they may not all be relevant to your business. Whether you are going to incorporate social media marketing, affiliate marketing, email marketing, and most importantly search engine optimization website promotion, will make the difference when designing your website. Work with a professional who knows how to lay this out for you.
Social Media Marketing
This type of promotion is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s strategic marketing landscape. It is a great way to get out there and get noticed, become an expert in your field, and to start building links.
Affiliate Marketing
This is such a great way to generate income from your site. It takes time and effort to build this up but it is so worth it. By increasing traffic to your site and; therefore, driving traffic to your affiliates’ sites, you both benefit! It’s truly a win win.
Email Marketing
As far as small business marketing tips go, email marketing is relatively easy and inexpensive. Make sure you are upfront, have a brief and relevant subject line, and clearly identify your company so that your recipients do not think this is spam. It is also very important to have an opt-out feature.
Search Engine Marketing
Search engine optimization website promotion is an excellent way to gain business if your customers’ are looking for you on the web. It is one of the least expensive ways to market and promote your business. The reason why most people don’t do it is because they are afraid and they don’t know how. If you are internet savvy and have time to learn it is a good investment, but personally, I would hire a professional who knows what they are doing. The ‘rules’ of internet search ranking are ever changing and it’s next to impossible if you don’t keep up with it if you are not involved with it every day.
Happy Marketing!
Best, Joe.
Written by Joanne on March 7th, 2010 with no comments.
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Not sure where to get small business marketing tips? Should you even consider web marketing strategies?
There are so many options out there. How do you know what will work for you?
Referrals, referrals!
Word of mouth advertising is the best advertising and it’s FREE! But you can’t just sit around and wait for it.
Several years ago I saw a struggling landscaper start out his business in my neighbourhood. He was quiet spoken, determined and drove an old clunker. He got one job at a time and did excellent work. Then he did something that really propelled his business. He got signs and posted them on the lawns of his customers. The little plastic ones. They were simple. All he put on them was his business name and logo, cell number, and web address. He did not have to ‘sell’ himself. He let his work do that for him. That’s what people want. They want to hire someone who will do a quality job. They may start by asking you how much it will cost, but that’s not really what they want to know. They want to know if you do quality work and won’t rip them off. People are afraid to make decisions, and even more afraid to make bad decisions.
Today that landscaper has several trucks, heavy equipment, and a waiting list of customers. Way to go! I love seeing people succeed.
Get a website and incorporate a Search Engine Marketing Strategy
You are in the aesthetic business and people need to see your work. Take before and after pictures to showcase the results that you can achieve for their living space. Make sure your site is clean and easy to navigate. People will get frustrated very quickly and will move onto another site, so you have to have great visuals. Testimonials are also very important. Include pictures of your past happy customers if possible.
It is important to use search engine marketing strategies as you build your site rather than try to incorporate it after your site is built. It is well worth the investment.
Internet advertising and marketing is the most cost effective way to build and promote your business.Most people don’t do it because they do not know how.For more information on how to do this contact Advantage Solutions.
One way to get free internet advertising is to post an ad on Craig’s list or Kijiji. See what your competition is doing and make sure you include your website address.
Yellow Pages Print and On-line Directories
Everything that is printed in the Yellow Pages Print Directories automatically gets published on yellowpages.ca as well. It is a very good media mix to have both on and off-line. Typically people will go to the print and look at all the ads and then do on-line searches of the ones they are interested in. Since the average person sees, reads, and hears 35,000 ad messages a day the Yellow Pages have an advantage in that when people are ready to buy they will look for you in the Yellow Pages. 72% of adult Canadians use the Yellow Pages print directories at least once a month.
Direct Mail
You should include Direct Mail in your strategic marketing plan. If you have a Val Pak in your area I would suggest that. For more information on how to successfully use direct mail read the article that goes into more detail under Marketing Tips, or use the search tool. It is important to incorporate the steps in order to have a successful campaign.
It is important to plan your work and work you plan. Know how you are going to promote your business at the beginning of the fiscal year. And set a budget. In this way you will get the best results.
I wish you all the best for the 2010 season!
Joe.
Written by Joanne on February 24th, 2010 with no comments.
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There are several keys to developing a strategic marketing plan.
The first step is to define who your target market is. Who is your ideal customer? You cannot effectively go after everybody and be successful. You cannot be everything to everybody. It just doesn’t work. The businesses who become profitable know who their niche is. Look at what the demographic is of your ideal customer, whether it be their gender, age, income level, geographical location, sports or hobbies, interests, etc. Keep your target market in mind when promoting your business.
Next you need to decide how you are going to market or promote your business in order to get customers. You also have to know how much money you will need to budget for this and plan this out a year in advance.
Look at what your competition is doing in order to get business marketing ideas. Do they promote heavily in print or do they use an internet marketing strategy.
Ask yourself “where or how would my customers look for my type of business or service“.
Another important step is to develop a mission statement. It does not have to be lengthy, it just has to define who you are and what you stand for as a business. Why you are in business. This will also help to keep you focused.
There are several inexpensive small business marketing tips you can use to promote your business such as having a referral program, become an expert in your field by writing articles for blogs and local print media. I would also recommend using web marketing strategies. Internet marketing is becoming more and more important and if done correctly is one of the least expensive ways to promote your business.
Referral Program
You may want to implement a referral program where you would reward your current customers when they get a new client for you. It could be monetary, gift cards, simple thank you note. You decide how valuable this is for you. Or simply, get into the habit of asking for referrals!
Become the Expert in Your Field
Write articles and get them published in your local newspaper, magazines, or on-line. This is free publicity and it works! People are more likely to read an article than look at an ad, and it gives you credibility.
Internet Advertising and Marketing
This is a great way to promote your business. It is very cost effective. The first thing you need to do is get a website. I recommend building it with search engine optimization in mind from the beginning. You do not want to have it redone later on if you want it to be optimized. Some web designers say that they can do this but you need to find someone that does it all the time. The search engine marketing strategies are always changing so you need to hire someone who is doing it every day. There is a lot of competition out there. By using an effective internet marketing strategy you will have an edge on your competition!
Best Wishes to You As You Grow Your Business!
Joe
Written by Joanne on February 17th, 2010 with no comments.
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Looking for ways to promote your Hair Salon more effectively?
There are many small business marketing tips and ideas available to you. Not everything will work for your type of business. The trick is to know which types of promotions will work best for your business without spending and wasting a tonne on advertising that doesn’t work. Any advertising, no matter how cheap it is, is too expensive if it doesn’t work.
Here are some key ingredients for a Strategic Marketing Plan for a Hair Salon
After you’ve done your business plan you should know what type of clientele you are looking to attract to your salon. Always keep that in mind for everything else you do moving forward. It is important to develop a consistent brand. The reason why is that if it is not consistent your customers will get confused and when people are confused they will not make a purchase.
Choose your location, if you haven’t got one yet, with your target market in mind. Does it need to be trendy, lots of parking, etc. Most salons do not rely on walk by traffic so it is not necessary to pay high rent for high traffic. It just depends on your clientele.
The atmosphere and appearance of your shop is important. Use music and aromas to convey the mood you want. Good lighting and fixtures are important as well.
Develop a Referral Program and Frequent Member Card Program
You could develop a program where your customers get a free haircut, hair product, or spa treatment if they refer a friend. This is such an inexpensive way to advertise and promote your business, and more importantly you are rewarding the person sitting in your chair!
A frequent member card works really well too because it develop a buying habit. Studies have shown that people need to shop at a business three times and then it becomes a habit. You could reward them the same way as the referral program.
Get involved in Local Charity Events and Fashion Shows
Get out there and introduce your business to people who would not be normally exposed to you or even to remind people that you are still there. This is also a great way to develop relationships with potential customers.
Follow Industry Trends
Stay current and continue to take courses on the latest fashion trends. Display and talk about your recent courses. This gives your clientele the confidence to trust you and they will be willing to pay more for your services. They will also tell their friends.
Keep a mental check list of things to promote when talking with your customer. Try to find a need a fill it. Do they have problem hair, need a special conditioner? Would they be interested in any spa treatments that you may offer? Are they getting married or have another special event coming up that they may want extra services for? Get into the habit of promoting other products and services. It’s hard to get into the habit but will have a big impact on your bottom line. That’s why I suggest developing a mental checklist.
Invest in a Website
A good media mix of internet advertising and marketing, as well as traditional methods work. They feed off each other. Get a website and include great graphics, hours of operation, map, all your services and pricing, and customer testimonials. Also boast about any current courses you and your staff have taken. Maybe even talk about the latest trends.
This is such a service industry and that’s why it is so important to treat your customers like gold. Make them feel special and they will always come back!
Wishing you lots of success in your small business marketing endeavours!
Best, Joe.
Written by Joanne on February 7th, 2010 with no comments.
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Mapping out your web marketing strategies and knowing what you want to accomplish is key. There are so many things to consider and they may not all be relevant to your business. Whether you are going to incorporate social media marketing, affiliate marketing, email marketing, and most importantly search engine optimization website promotion, will make the difference when designing your website. Work with a professional who knows how to lay this out for you.
Social Media Marketing
This type of promotion is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s strategic marketing landscape. It is a great way to get out there and get noticed, become an expert in your field, and to start building links.
Affiliate Marketing
This is such a great way to generate income from your site. It takes time and effort to build this up but it is so worth it. By increasing traffic to your site and; therefore, driving traffic to your affiliates’ sites, you both benefit! It’s truly a win win.
Email Marketing
As far as small business marketing tips go, email marketing is relatively easy and inexpensive. Make sure you are upfront, have a brief and relevant subject line, and clearly identify your company so that your recipients do not think this is spam. It is also very important to have an opt-out feature.
Search Engine Marketing
Search engine optimization website promotion is an excellent way to gain business if your customers’ are looking for you on the web. It is one of the least expensive ways to market and promote your business. The reason why most people don’t do it is because they are afraid and they don’t know how. If you are internet savvy and have time to learn it is a good investment, but personally, I would hire a professional who knows what they are doing. The ‘rules’ of internet search ranking are ever changing and it’s next to impossible if you don’t keep up with it if you are not involved with it every day.
Wishing you much success as you grow your business!
Best, Joe.
Written by Joanne on January 31st, 2010 with no comments.
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As a business owner you are good at what you do, whether it be a contractor, landscaper, restaurant owner, lawyer, or whatever. What you may not be an expert in is marketing your business. How do you create a strategic marketing plan? This is so important and it can cost you way too much if you use the trial and error method. It is never a good idea to try a little of this and a little of that. Do your research, or if you do not have time, hire a professional consultant. It will give you a much better return on your investment.
An obvious way to generate business marketing ideas is to do on-line and research. There are so many resources out there. A really good resource is ezinearticles.com. They have so many good articles. Use your own common sense when deciding which ones will work for you.
Business Marketing Ideas
Some ideas include email marketing, blogging, search engine optimization website promotion, networking, traditional print media, radio and television, and directory advertising. There are so many to choose. They all work for some but not all businesses.
Marketing Trends
Obviously the internet has changed the way we live, communicate, do business. Email marketing is a really cool way to promote your business. Work on building your email list. One way to do that is to blog about your business and expertise. You want to develop a following. This also helps in getting traffic to visit your website.
Developing Relationships
Networking is a really fun way to promote yourself and your business. Get out there and meet people. Go to a couple of different groups first to get a feel for the group, and then decide which ones to join. Some are better than others and you’ll know which ones you click with. It’s been said that people will not care how much you know until they know how much you care. Focus on developing relationships first by being sincerely interested and ‘other’ focused. Eventually people will ask you what you do and will want to help you. If you have the mind set to go to a meeting and tell everybody about you and your business right off the bat, then they will not be interested in anything you have to say. 80% of the reason why we do business with someone is because we like them! I find that networking is a great way to get new business. And it’s fun!
Traditional Methods
Some people believe that traditional advertising such as radio, television, magazines, yellow pages, newspapers, billboards, etc. don’t work anymore. Ask yourself this question then: ‘Why are there still so many companies using it?’ It’s because they do still work. The problem is that if you do not know how to use them effectively they can be very expensive.
Generating business marketing ideas it can be both fun and intimidating. As a general rule using a good media mix works best.
I wish you much success as you grow your business!
Best, Joe.
Written by Joanne on January 26th, 2010 with no comments.
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