Saturday, November 27, 2010

Drive Traffic with a Tell-A-Friend Script

More and more webmasters have the recurring dilemma about increasing the traffic flow on their websites. Many methods have been developed in the past few years to solve this predicament, and while most of those methods would work there are those that would not make even a small impact.

Viral marketing is one of the methods that have spawned many success stories as far as driving website traffic. This method uses the tendency of someone to share something informative, entertaining, or amazing.

Many companies bank on this behavior to spread the work about their products and increase the popularity of their company and their website. Viral marketing uses many mediums to entice this behavior. It might be in the form of an interesting story, an addicting flash game, an amusing video, and whatever else may catch a person’s interest.

This ingenious form of marketing is typically low cost and is a wonderful tool for any company to utilize. The benefits greatly overshadow the cost or efforts to initialize this marketing scheme. Therefore, any website would greatly benefit from viral marketing.

Tell-A-Friend Script

One of the easiest methods of viral marketing is using a tell-a-friend script. This is a simple script you can attach to the HTML of JavaScript on your website. Generally, tell-a-friend scripts are installed on pages where a medium is placed so a person can easily send the medium to his or her friends or family members.

The basic concept of a tell-a-friend script is where a person may input his name, e-mail address, and the recipient’s e-mail address and send the medium to the intended recipient much like an e-mail with an attachment. As the recipient receives the e-mail he or she wouldn’t think of the e-mail as spam because he or she would see the sender’s name as someone he or she knows and trust.

Tell-a-friend scripts greatly eliminate the chances of being blocked because they use the information input by the sender. This allows for widespread marketing using the viral marketing method. It can be quite sneaky, but it is very effective.

With the e-mail sent and opened the sent medium will either be read, viewed, or played. Also, along with the e-mail would be a brief description of the company or site that sponsors the medium that was sent. This allows for introduction of the site, the company name, or its products. Along with it is another tell-a-friend script.

The process then begins again. As more people use the tell-a-friend script, more and more people will know of the existence of the sponsoring company or site. People who read the ads inside the e-mail who liked what they saw would go and click on the link and visit the site. This drives traffic onto the site resulting in a great number of potential customers.

Tell-A-Friend Script Availability

A tell-a-friend script is very simple and does not require a complicated method of programming. In fact, you can copy paste a piece of code and simply put it on an intended page. Finding one is even simpler. All you have to do is go to a search engine and type in the search box “tell-a-friend script”, then press enter or click go.

The search results will show you many links that will direct you to a site where you can obtain a tell-a-friend script. It’s just a simple matter of searching for the script and copying it to your intended web page.

With a tell-a-friend script viral marketing strategy you can drive traffic onto your site which could potentially spell profits. This is a simple script that offers great benefits for low cost along with great creativity and foresight.

It is imperative that you have patience in using a tell-a-friend script. If your chosen medium doesn’t get the mileage that is expected of it, it may take some time before it gets spread or shared. On the other hand, many people will see your ads, and there is great probability that they will visit your site increasing your traffic flow.


Search Amazon.com for Drive Traffic

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

10/14/2010 PRESS RELEASE

IRVINE, Calif. - Oct. 14, 2010 - RealtyTrac (realtytrac.com), the leading online marketplace for foreclosure properties, today released its U.S. Foreclosure Market Report for the third quarter of 2010, which shows that foreclosure filings - default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions - were reported on 930,437 properties in the third quarter, a nearly 4 percent increase from the previous quarter but a 1 percent decrease from the third quarter of 2009. One in every 139 U.S. housing units received a foreclosure filing during the quarter.

Foreclosure filings were reported on 347,420 U.S. properties in September, an increase of nearly 3 percent from the previous month and an increase of 1 percent from September 2009. A record total of 102,134 bank repossessions were reported in September, the first time bank repossessions have surpassed the 100,000 mark in a single month.

"Lenders foreclosed on a record number of properties in September and in the third quarter, taking a bite out of the backlog of distressed properties where the foreclosure process was delayed by foreclosure prevention efforts over the past 20 months," said James J. Saccacio, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac. "We expect to see a dip in those bank repossessions - and possibly earlier stages of the foreclosure process - in the fourth quarter as several major lenders have halted foreclosure sales in some states while they review irregularities in foreclosure-processing documentation that has been called into question in recent weeks."

Impact of lender foreclosure halts:

Foreclosure activity in the 24 judicial foreclosure states most affected by the foreclosure documentation issue accounted for 40 percent of all foreclosure activity in the third quarter and 36 percent of bank repossessions, or REOs.
"If the lenders can resolve the documentation issue quickly, then we would expect the temporary lull in foreclosure activity to be followed by a parallel spike in activity as many of the delayed foreclosures move forward in the foreclosure process," Saccacio said. "However, if the documentation issue cannot be quickly resolved and expands to more lenders we could see a chilling effect on the overall housing market as sales of pre-foreclosure and foreclosed properties, which account for nearly one-third of all sales, dry up and the shadow inventory of distressed properties grows - causing more uncertainty about home prices."

Preliminary RealtyTrac foreclosure sales numbers for September show that overall foreclosure sales - including pre-foreclosure sales and REO sales - accounted for 31 percent of all sales during the month. REO sales alone accounted for 18 percent of all sales. Foreclosure sales in the 24 states most affected by the foreclosure documentation issue accounted for 32 percent of all foreclosure sales nationwide, based on the preliminary September data.


Foreclosure Activity by Type:

During the quarter a total of 269,647 properties received default notices (Notices of Default or Lis Pendens), a decrease of 1 percent from the previous quarter and a decrease of 21 percent from the third quarter of 2009, when default notices peaked at more than 342,000.

Foreclosure auctions were scheduled for the first time on a total of 372,445 properties during the quarter, the highest quarterly total for scheduled auctions in the history of the report. Scheduled auctions increased 5 percent from the previous quarter and were up 4 percent from the third quarter of 2009.

Bank repossessions (REOs) also hit a record high for the report in the third quarter, with a total of 288,345 properties repossessed by the lender during the quarter - an increase of 7 percent from the previous quarter and an increase of 22 percent from the third quarter of 2009.
Nevada, Arizona, Florida post top state foreclosure rates in third quarter:

As it has for the past 15 quarters, Nevada continued to document the nation's highest state foreclosure rate in the third quarter of 2010 despite a year-over-year decline in foreclosure activity. One in every 29 Nevada housing units received a foreclosure filing during the quarter, almost five times the national average. Nevada foreclosure activity increased nearly 1 percent from the previous quarter but was down nearly 20 percent from the third quarter of 2009.

Arizona posted the nation's second highest state foreclosure rate for the fifth consecutive quarter, with one in every 55 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing, and Florida posted the nations third highest state foreclosure rate for the fourth consecutive quarter, with one in every 56 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing.

With one in every 70 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing during the third quarter, California documented the nation's fourth highest foreclosure rate, followed by Idaho, with one in every 86 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing during the quarter. A total of 7,424 Idaho housing units received a foreclosure filing during the quarter, an increase of nearly 20 percent from the previous quarter and an increase of nearly 14 percent from the third quarter of 2009.

Other states with foreclosure rates ranking among the top 10 in the third quarter were Utah, Georgia, Michigan, Illinois and Hawaii.

Five states account for more than 50 percent of nation's third quarter total:

California alone accounted for 21 percent of the nation's total foreclosure activity in the third quarter, with 191,016 properties receiving a foreclosure notice - the nation's largest foreclosure activity total. California foreclosure activity decreased nearly 1 percent from the previous quarter and was down nearly 24 percent from the third quarter of 2009.

Florida foreclosure activity increased 12 percent from the previous quarter and was flat from a year ago, giving the state the second largest foreclosure activity total, with 157,026 properties receiving a foreclosure filing.

With 49,103 properties receiving a foreclosure filing in the third quarter, Arizona posted the nation's third largest state foreclosure activity total. Arizona foreclosure activity increased nearly 8 percent from the previous quarter but was down 2 percent from the third quarter of 2009.

Illinois posted the nation's fourth largest foreclosure activity total, with 47,802 properties receiving foreclosure filings, and Michigan posted the nation's fifth largest foreclosure activity total, with 46,100 properties receiving foreclosure filings. Foreclosure activity in both Illinois and Michigan increased on a quarterly and annual basis in the third quarter.
Other states with foreclosure activity totals among the nation's 10 highest were Georgia (41,231), Nevada (38,429), Ohio (36,677), Texas (34,187) and Washington (17,670)
Report methodology:

The RealtyTrac U.S. Foreclosure Market Report provides a count of the total number of properties with at least one foreclosure filing entered into the RealtyTrac database during the month and quarter - broken out by type of filing. Some foreclosure filings entered into the database during a month or quarter may have been recorded in previous months or quarters. Data is collected from more than 2,200 counties nationwide, and those counties account for more than 90 percent of the U.S. population. RealtyTrac's report incorporates documents filed in all three phases of foreclosure: Default - Notice of Default (NOD) and Lis Pendens (LIS); Auction - Notice of Trustee Sale and Notice of Foreclosure Sale (NTS and NFS); and Real Estate Owned, or REO properties (that have been foreclosed on and repurchased by a bank). For the quarterly report, if more than one foreclosure document is received for a property during the quarter, only the most recent filing is counted in the report. Both the quarterly and monthly reports check if the same type of document was filed against a property previously. If so, and if that previous filing occurred within the estimated foreclosure timeframe for the state where the property is located, the report does not count the property in the current month or quarter.



RealtyTrac - Foreclosure Data, Q3-September 2010


Start searching for your next home today with RealtyTrac and save money. Join now!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Experience Family Camping in France

Experiencing France for the first time is something every family should try. Touring the main cities and seeing the known landmarks can be quite a memorable experience, but what’s more exciting awaits outside the busy streets of the urban landscape. A family camping experience in France is a great opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors while at the same time getting a chance to see France in a whole new light.

The country’s rural landscape, scenic vineyards, valleys, beaches, and mountain landscapes can give your family the perfect holiday memory that will last a lifetime.

However, bringing your whole family to France for a holiday camping trip can be quite tricky. This is especially true when you are on a budget. This means you may have to look for various means to shave the expenses. You will need to plan the trip in advance to get discount airline tickets. Planning ahead will also help you find a good campsite and will give you some time to book or reserve camp accommodations if necessary.

Some campsites in France do require advance bookings, especially the more popular ones that have a limit to the number of campers allowed at the site. Nonetheless, there are smaller and more personal campsites scattered in France so I do believe that you will not fail in getting a campsite for your family.

Probably the best way to go about selecting a campsite is to decide where in France you would like to visit. Brittany, for example, has several great campsites that offer discount prices for family campers and tourists alike. It is a good idea to decide ahead of time so that the experience becomes worthwhile and memorable.

After you decide where to go, it would be a good idea to determine the best time to go. May to September is usually the open season for campsites in France with July and August being the most ideal time due to the wonderful weather during these two months. You will find more entertainment and attractions open in these two months, so if you want a more quiet vacation for your family, you might want to book earlier in the season or even in September.

When you set out for France be sure to bring your camping gear with you although some campsites do have camping facilities including tents or similar camping accommodations. It would be best to ask the campsite for details regarding the facilities and services being offered so you will know the specific camping gear and equipment you should bring. If you opt for a campsite that offers the bare necessities, then it is recommended that you bring all of your camping gear with you. Camping equipment can be quite expensive to purchase in France, especially during the peak season.

A family camping experience in France is something you can tell to your grandchildren. It is definitely a great and unique experience. It is also a good vacation trip that is certain, with proper planning, that your whole family will enjoy.

Search Amazon.com for Camping in France

Saturday, November 6, 2010

The Wrong Reasons for Getting into a Relationship

Do you feel that all of your relationships have perpetually gone down hill, even though it is not your fault? Then you should stop and think whether you are getting into a relationship for the wrong reasons. Getting into a relationship for the wrong reasons may well bring about a lot of heartache and potential future disaster.

A common mistake is getting into a relationship because you are lonely. Many women hang on to their boyfriends out of a sheer fear of loneliness, even if their boyfriends don’t treat them well, are abusive, immature, and disrespectful. A lot of women think that a bad boyfriend is better than no boyfriend at all. A lot of men think the same way.

However, this is a route leading to potential future disaster and is best avoided. If you can see yourself approaching someone just to have someone to enjoy the weekend with, then reproach yourself because this is a big mistake. Instead, get together with your single friends and spend time. Have a girls or guys night out.

A lot of people get into a relationship out of peer pressure. As more and more of your friends find boyfriends and girlfriends, and they get deeper into their relationships, some even getting engaged, you may often feel sad or depressed as to why you are not able to experience the pleasure they do. You may often feel that there is something wrong with you if you are still single.

There are even a few women (and men) who have an intense need to be like their friends so they often get into a relationship with the first person they see. However, there is nothing wrong with being single. There are many people who are single and happy, so find a hobby or something to engage yourself with.

Another common reason for people to rush into a relationship is they feel that they are missing something, and often they think that it is a male or female presence. However, as they soon find out, a boyfriend or girlfriend rarely solves the problem. The empty space that they used to feel usually still remains, maybe not physically, but mentally and emotionally.

The presence of these empty feelings may damage the relationship further down the line. When they enter a relationship, the man or woman will sooner or later detect these insecurities, and he or she will not likely want to take the relationship further. This leads both partners in that relationship to be hurt.

As you can see, getting into relationships for the wrong reasons may damage your relationships later on, causing many problems and a lot of heartache. When you do get into a relationship, do so not because you need to but because you want to. Getting into a relationship should never be done under any sort of duress.

Search Amazon.com for Relationships

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Countries With The Best Climate #7 -- Argentina

Here is #7 for Countries where the weather is perfect year round according to Jackie Flynn. Seventh place belongs to Argentina.

Argentina’s climate ranges from subtropical in the north to humid and steamy in the center to cold and temperate in the south. The Andes region has erratic rainfall, flash floods in summer, searing heat, snow at higher elevations, and the Zonda—a hot, dry wind.


The lowlands receive sufficient rainfall to support swampy forests and upland savanna, but rainfall decreases from east to west. Shallow summer flooding is common in the east. Also, the dry winter season is pronounced, and the summer heat can be brutal. The flat Pampas areas are also vulnerable to flooding. Patagonia is mild yearround in the east and glacial in the south.

“The Short San Juan Summer” is an unusual meteorological phenomena that occurs in June in the middle of Argentina’s winter. The inhabitants of Buenos Aires gave it this name because it reaches the area by June 24, the date when San Juan el Bautista was born. This weather rarity can last between three and seven days with temperatures sometimes as high as 75°F (24°C). Therefore, it is not unusual to see people lying in the sun at city’s squares in the middle of the Argentine winter.

While it is summer in North America, it is winter in South America.

Search Amazon.com for Argentina Weather