tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100390631168454542012-01-14T07:26:34.259-05:00Making Sense of Business WritingWayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.comBlogger341100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-48310296663510145012012-01-03T10:49:00.000-05:002012-01-03T10:49:09.068-05:00

Is your sales copy bringing you the results that you expect? If not, it's because many small businessmen (and too many copywriters) forget that good sales copy isn't about what you want to say.  It's about what your prospect wants to hear.If you want to hire a copywriter who can effectively deliver your message, you need to know what separates effective copywriting from poor copywriting. Here's

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-23871070408266931152010-07-05T15:13:00.001-04:002012-01-03T16:02:40.330-05:00

How wonderful it is to watch one’s browser home page open and discover that the RSS feed is displaying one of your blog article titles. How disappointing it is to click on the title and find that it leads not to your blog, but to someone else’s blog: a blog belonging to content thieves who have ripped off your article and re-published it without giving you credit for your work. How can bloggers

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-23598407901652190432010-06-26T06:27:00.002-04:002012-01-03T16:25:30.293-05:00

You’ve accomplished what many have sought but few have achieved: a profitable home-based business. Now, you want to turn your sweat equity into cash by selling your business. Maybe you intend to travel & play, start another business, or just sit by the pool and relax. Whatever your intention, you will need cash to do it. There Are Plenty of Prospects for Your Business, but Few Are Buying In

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-45877798991035406802010-04-23T15:11:00.003-04:002012-01-06T11:24:16.517-05:00

Imagine that you are a songwriter. You have a musical phrase running through your head, so you pick up your guitar and start playing with the idea. You build upon each turn of the melody, instinctively drawn to chords that lend vibrancy and mood to your music. You have a nice hook, an interesting melody, and a catchy bridge. You are happy with the result, so you proudly publish your song

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-68127246638728413492010-02-07T10:31:00.002-05:002010-02-07T10:35:19.148-05:00

Which has more value: a glass of water, or a glass of diamonds? Most would say the glass of diamonds; but to a person three days in the desert with no water, the water is certainly more valuable. When placing a value on one's company, it is important to realize that value is not simply an accounting measure. The opportunity perceived by a potential buyer can dramatically increase or decrease the

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-14067338225289447742010-02-05T14:33:00.002-05:002010-02-05T14:39:55.238-05:00

Insurance companies love to accept premiums but hate to pay claims. Recently, CNN obtained the training manuals for Allstate Insurance. The training manuals procedures were based on the recommendations of the New York consulting firm McKinsey & Co... The manuals outline a plan for Allstate to increase profits by reducing claims payouts. According to reporter Anderson Cooper, the manuals train

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-9377638846388568202010-02-02T16:28:00.001-05:002010-02-02T16:33:41.442-05:00

Often, the difference between an amateur repair and a professional repair is having access to professional supplies and knowing the tricks of the trade. This is especially true in leather repair, where having the wrong supplies can result in making an absolute mess of your leather upholstery. Home remedies like olive oil, milk, and shoe polish will eventually cause your leather to rot and smell.

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-27417731026633995062010-02-01T16:05:00.001-05:002010-02-01T16:08:09.398-05:00

When I told him the damage to his new leather sofa probably wasn’t covered by his warranty, I thought he was going to cry. Or hit me; I couldn’t tell which.“But I used a leather cleaner” he pleaded. In fact, he did use leather cleaner; he bought it at an automotive supply store, and it said right on the bottle “Leather Cleaner”. Had he read the cleaning code tag on his sofa as closely as he read

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-52821688034678790112010-01-30T11:02:00.002-05:002010-01-30T11:07:17.376-05:00

Grandma goofed? Imagine that your great-grandmother owned a lovely mahogany buffet. She loved the piece; she waxed it twice a year and dusted it regularly, which was the highest standard of care in her day. Would great-grandmother be shocked to discover that her regular waxing and dusting created the dingy, dirty finish that is on the buffet in 2010?Antiques Are Covered With Old Wax and DirtYou

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-38776286289832377482010-01-29T12:34:00.001-05:002010-01-29T12:38:52.561-05:00

Most water rings on furniture can be removed by spraying the affected area with a product called No-Blush, available online or at most commercial refinishing supply stores. Sometimes, water rings can be removed by denatured alcohol. In rare cases, it is necessary to bleach the affected area. The technique used to repair water rings will vary with the type of finish and the type of water ring.

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-68230721626871094392010-01-28T16:08:00.001-05:002010-01-28T16:12:00.280-05:00

Did your last attempt to hang artwork leave your wall looking like Swiss cheese? Was your artwork’s placement less than ideal? If so, let me assure you that your next attempt to hang art will achieve a better result. There is an approach to hanging artwork that will place your art in the perfect spot, every time. As long as you have a general idea of where you would like the artwork to be

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-48156906788650796102010-01-26T09:28:00.003-05:002010-01-26T09:43:49.454-05:00

Few things are as disappointing as that first nasty scratch on a new piece of furniture. No matter how beautiful the piece is overall, all you see when you look at it is the scratch. Of course, it’s natural to believe that the scratch is the only thing your guests notice, too.Short of having the whole piece refinished or professionally repaired, what can be done about an unsightly scratch?

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-34273661387637918392010-01-14T12:11:00.002-05:002010-01-14T12:15:05.803-05:00

Funeral homes will generally recommend what they call a "traditional" funeral: embalming, casket, vault, public viewing, funeral ceremony, procession, graveside service and ground burial. The truth is, there is nothing traditional about this type of service. This sequence of events provides the highest profit to the funeral home. Funerals of this sort are a relatively recent commercial invention

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-6350185643585546312010-01-14T11:54:00.001-05:002010-01-14T12:02:59.347-05:00

The executor whose decedent has pre-paid his funeral and cemetery expenses is lucky indeed. When the decedent's wishes are made clear, there is no second-guessing by friends and family as to what the decedent "would have wanted". In truth, it’s rare that a decedent will provide the details of their funeral arrangements. When details are not provided, a family member or executor must step in to

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-77510266712802356672010-01-14T11:20:00.003-05:002010-01-14T14:07:29.919-05:00

The decedent's directives for funeral arrangements are addressed in the Will. Generally, the Will gives the executor authority to hire the mortuary, purchase the cemetery plot, and organize the funeral service. Sometimes, the Will cannot be located. In cases where the decedent had no Will, the funeral will be long over by the time an executor is appointed. Each state has laws prioritizing the

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-73537159623745054602010-01-10T12:27:00.003-05:002010-01-14T14:08:43.732-05:00

Estate probate is a process. Your job as executor is straightforward: locate all the assets and debts, sell what property can be sold, use the money to pay all the confirmed debts, distribute what is left over, and file a tax return. By straightforward, I do not mean easy. The ease of settling an estate will depend on three things: how much money is involved the type and location of the assets

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-10381683983338657932010-01-04T13:04:00.006-05:002010-01-14T14:09:27.219-05:00

There is much debate surrounding cruise ship art auctions and whether or not the art sold represents a good value for the art purchaser. Some folks think that cruise ship art auctions are the spawn of the devil, and others are delighted with their experience. Reading posts on the web about cruise ship art auctions is like reading posts on politics and religion: everyone has their own opinion.

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-29005780238870744412009-12-21T11:18:00.013-05:002010-01-14T14:10:03.526-05:00

The World's Fair held in Paris in 1867 must have been a sight to behold. The principal building was almost two football fields in length, containing a central pavilion crowned by a dome and surrounded by a garden. Over 50,000 exhibitors displayed in more than 100 buildings. Among the exhibitors were 400 piano manufacturers, all competing for the gold medals that would assure their brands' future

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-72918939416456510272009-12-16T16:03:00.006-05:002010-01-14T14:14:50.840-05:00

We have all heard the stories: An elderly couple finds a very nice highboy at a garage sale, but it has a bad finish. They take the highboy to a refinisher who strips and refinishes it in a beautiful mahogany. After the refinishing, the couple finds that what they have is a 200 year old Philadelphia Highboy that would have been worth $230,000 if they had just left it alone and not refinished it

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-34697309681611538572009-12-10T15:28:00.004-05:002010-01-14T14:12:33.800-05:00

In 1993, Encyclopedia Britannica had the most profitable year in the company's history. Two years later, the company was nearly bankrupt and was sold for below book value. What happened in those two years? Most folks would say that Britannica was done in by Microsoft Encarta. In 1993, Microsoft purchased rights to the Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia, created an electronic version, changed the name

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-61581421396415113752009-12-05T11:02:00.003-05:002010-01-14T14:13:12.193-05:00

For those who do not follow the antique trade, let me bring you up to speed: the antique business is in the toilet. Prices are at their lowest level in a decade, following the boom of the 1990s. Antique furniture is selling for 70-80% less than it sold for in 1998. Inventories are piling up. The customer base is shrinking, because the new Gen X buyers are not that interested in antiques,

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-54082352619828046642009-11-30T16:52:00.003-05:002010-01-14T14:16:26.341-05:00

Today, the antique business has a new problem: old customers. Boomers and their parents, who have been collecting antiques for decades, no longer have the room or the inclination to buy more antiques. Their Gen-X successors do not seem to care for antiques. "The trend is away from antiques", says Red Whaley, owner of an antiques business in Forney, Texas since 1968. "I think it skips a

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-22031458374224806192009-11-25T15:21:00.008-05:002009-11-25T15:41:22.730-05:00

I continue to read horror stories from consumers about their bad experiences with moving companies. The refrain is always the same: the big, bad, moving company overcharged me, damaged my goods and will not pay up. Well, I have appraised moving damage claims for over 25 years, and I can tell you that the problem is not just the moving companies. Consumers invite problems, because they do not

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-39727603960736582832009-11-09T12:21:00.010-05:002009-11-10T15:39:59.673-05:00

I have spent the last six months as a Fine Art Auctioneer aboard cruise ships sailing in Northern Europe, the Caribbean, and Alaska. The crowds at my auctions were a mix of veteran art collectors, newbie art collectors, the curious,the bored,and the lost. Some of them bought art, but most did not. Those that did not buy had a similar refrain: they were not comfortable enough in their knowledge of

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-22663598251424270662009-11-06T12:50:00.001-05:002009-11-06T13:29:22.808-05:00

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration estimates that only about a third of all internet moving brokers meet federal registration requirements. That means that two out of three moving companies are operating outside the rules. Yet, most people start their search for a mover online. Yes, there are many reputable companies to be found online. The company you hire will most assuredly

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-4134450438001968352009-11-05T11:14:00.010-05:002009-11-05T13:57:25.556-05:00

Moving companies are often wrong when it comes to estimating the weight and value of your household goods shipment. Some estimators do a pretty good job, but there is such high turnover in the industry that you never know how experienced your estimator really is. If you make your contract decision based on price, you may be in for a big surprise when the driver hands you the final bill at your

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-76916033166055123172009-11-04T11:45:00.006-05:002009-11-04T12:37:44.857-05:00

About five years ago, I was asked to inspect a moving damage claim on Maryland's Eastern Shore. The movers' truck had flipped over on an exit ramp and rolled down a hill. When I arrived at the customer's home to inspect the damage, I found the worst mess I've ever seen on a moving claim. I found the metal sleeper sofa frame twisted and unusable, and wooden furniture crushed and broken. The

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-39211845428273527532009-10-29T14:31:00.004-04:002009-10-29T14:43:39.203-04:00

As an appraiser, the question I hear most often is: what's it worth? I don't just hear the question at work; I expect to get the question there. I mean I hear it at the mall, in line at the grocery store, at parties, and sitting in the doctors office. What is my antique furniture worth? What's the value of my art? What can I get for my collectibles? In a social setting, I find the question

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-25812855662607297292009-10-28T12:33:00.000-04:002009-10-28T12:41:16.360-04:00

On my last Alaska cruise as an art auctioneer, my friend Tamara, the ships' Port Shopping Ambassador, related the following story: a passenger purchased an item of jewelery from a store in Skagway for around $10,000. The following day, the passenger got a serious case of buyers remorse, and sought to return the jewelery on the basis that the item was misrepresented and overpriced. To prove the

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-24070311667881672412009-10-23T09:51:00.000-04:002009-10-23T11:05:30.129-04:00

O.K.; you've been appointed Executor of the Estate. You don't know if this is a blessing or a curse. There is a stack of bills to pay: utilities, mortgage, funeral expenses. Heirs and relatives are clamoring for "their share". Before the bills can be paid, you have to collect all the money that is due the deceased, and liquidate all the possessions that won't be distributed to heirs. What's

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-30756850703823109682009-10-22T12:27:00.000-04:002009-10-23T11:04:40.585-04:00

There's an old saying that goes "What's the best way to eat an elephant? One bite at a time!" Personal property is the "elephant" of an estate. It's the responsibility that can take up most of your time, and it provides the estate with the least amount of money for the effort involved. But, dealing with the personal property cannot be avoided. The property must be inventoried, valued,

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-86668810133668032142009-10-21T13:56:00.000-04:002009-10-23T11:03:45.582-04:00

I just got off the phone with Nancy. She is feeling a bit overwhelmed. Her mother has just died, and Nancy has been appointed executor of her mothers' estate. Nancy has a full time job and a family of her own. Her mom lives in a different state. Nancy doesn't see how she will have time to be an executor, but her sense of loyalty to her mother and responsibility to her family compels her to "

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-5355776147508163492009-10-15T16:41:00.000-04:002009-10-16T15:26:20.230-04:00

Your teenage grandkids probably don't want to inherit the collectibles you now cherish. but don't despair; the value one places on family heirlooms changes as one matures. To a 15 year old, grandpa's journal is just a dust collector. When that 15 year old reaches 45, the same journal becomes a treasure of family history.What treasures are stored in your home that you want to pass on to members

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-310039063116845454.post-38695633556845377632009-10-15T13:27:00.000-04:002009-10-15T14:28:45.056-04:00

I told my wife that the url for my new blog was going to be "downsizing-mom.com". She grimaced and I got "the look". "Downsizing Mom"? she said; "sounds like a weight loss blog".She's right, in a sense. Throughout our lives, we tend to accumulate "stuff". Clothes, furniture, appliances, vehicles. We surround ourselves with the things we love. Our "stuff" reflects who we are. As the

Wayne Jordanhttps://profiles.google.com/116019373337737139712noreply@blogger.com0