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10 Jun

Important Elements You Need to Consider for Your Kitchen Remodeling Plans

Posted in Massachussets on 10.06.10

In the quest to make better and improved standards of living, people continuously strive for improvements in almost all aspects in their lives. This concept persists even in an economy that is very restrictive that only a few could really make headway and attain these improvements that they are aiming for.

The same holds true for home improvement projects, particularly in kitchen remodeling or renovation projects. Such projects would appear to be a very complicated and surely expensive endeavor that would strain the homeowner’s resources and funds. The term kitchen remodeling alone would bring to mind costly custom home builders or contractors, the purchase of new and expensive appliances, and the installation of expensive additions and other improvements for the kitchen.

If careful planning and proper considerations were not made before starting with the kitchen remodeling work, the homeowner may find himself in a scenario such as the one described above and end up with a very large remodeling bill. However, making preliminary considerations with respect to the project should be done first in order to avoid such a predicament.

The Role of the Kitchen in the Home

Back in good old days before the American media defined what a kitchen should all be about, this part of the house was basically designated only for one single purpose – and that is food preparation. This is where all the dirty and extensive work are done in order to completely prepare, cook food, and the launching pad for serving meals to the dining table.

As the years progressed and innovative kitchen remodeling ideas and improvements were given birth to, the kitchen eventually evolved into something more than an isolated room to prepare meals. The kitchen has now become a central activity unit on its own where homeowners and friends gather to commune or where kids make homework while parents cook. In some modern homes, the kitchen has been transformed to include an entertainment center and even a small home office equipped with computers, wifi, etc.

With this new concept of the contemporary kitchen, homeowners from anywhere whether you live in Boston, Massachusetts or all the way down to Hawaii would like to have a kitchen remodeling project that would incorporate all these modern elements. The kitchen has evolved from a place where cooking is done to a completely vibrant and interactive living space in the modern home.

Preliminary Considerations for Kitchen Remodeling

Before jumping into your kitchen remodeling project, you need to make some preliminary considerations to make your project as successful and hassle-free as it can be. The following are some basic considerations that you need to make:

* Kitchen Design – a good designer should help you visualize what your final kitchen would look like. You can make changes during the design process so you do not have to make costly changes after you have constructed your new kitchen.

* Kitchen Remodeling Plans – you should have good technical drawings and construction plans that will guide your contractors on the specific items that you would like to have in your new kitchen. Your technical plans is also your way of communicating with your contractors on what you want to accomplish and would also be the basis for proper pricing and cost computations.

* General Contractors – to execute all your plans and designs and to bring everything into fruition would be the qualified contractors. One important thing that you should consider before hiring any contractors to perform the kitchen remodeling task is to completely understand their capabilities to complete the work according to your specifications. There might be complicated custom-built designs in your project that unqualified contractors would just mess up. To avoid this, there should be a clear-cut discussion at the start to check and confirm their capacities and qualifications before any work begins.

A kitchen remodeling project may be an overwhelming task if the homeowner tries to do everything according to his or her own capacity. Making these preliminary considerations will ensure that all important aspects and elements are addressed so that homeowners can finally achieve that dream kitchen they have always wanted.

Roger James Martin is a fully licensed General Contractor and Team Leader for Divisions Unlimited Inc, an environmentally conscious Custom Home Builder specializing in new custom home construction, custom home remodeling, kitchen remodeling, and bathroom remodeling for residential or light commercial properties.

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14 Apr

How did the Massachusetts constitution differ in important ways from those of other states?

Posted in Massachussets on 14.04.10

The Massachusetts constitution differed in important ways from those of the other states. Describe these differences.

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22 Mar

Important Considerations to Make Before Choosing General Contractors

Posted in Massachussets on 22.03.10

One of worst mistakes that homeowners could make in their home building or home remodeling projects is to choose and hire general contractors based on how low they offered their bids for a particular project. Hiring a contractor or a home builder with the lowest bid does not guarantee that you will get a high level of quality, an efficient construction schedule, good materials and even security.

Although cost-effectiveness is an important aspect in any home remodeling project and would be an important and vital factor in the selection process for general contractors, it is not your only or sole basis for selection. There are other considerations to make that involve checking out the company and getting guarantees of their work. This should be your basic process whether you plan to build or renovate a home in Boston, Massachusetts or anywhere else around the nation.

On top of that, there are certain qualifications and standards that your general contractors should adhere to, including green building standards and practices. These requirements are being applied by government entities in their own construction requirements and these should also be applied to domestic applications as well.

Green Building Qualification of Your General Contractors

The concept of environmental practices or what is more commonly called as green building has been an old concept already used in the past but it recently gained more attention and popularity in recent times. In line with this, the U.S. Green Building Council developed a Green Building Rating System which is more commonly known as the LEED certification. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is an important qualification that your general contractors should have.

General contractors that are qualified for LEED certification are expected to use environmental-friendly methods and procedures during their construction projects, including activities for home renovation or home remodeling. Such practices include the construction of energy-efficient structures, as wells as reducing or even eliminating the volume of waste materials generated within a construction site.

There are four levels of certification in LEED and this includes the Certified, Silver, Gold and the Platinum levels. General contractors with certain levels of LEED certification would be ideal for your home remodeling project, particularly if you are keen in having an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient home. The result would not only be good for the environment, but with your finances in the long run as well.

Other Considerations for Selecting General Contractors

Aside from LEED certification, there are other considerations that a homeowner could rely upon when trying to decide which general contractors to hire for their home remodeling projects. These considerations include:

* Membership in a reputable association or organization such as the National Association of Home Builders. As a member, general contractors are required to provide company information which will be scrutinized by the association in order to gain acceptance as a member. Homeowners can get required information from the association regarding a particular contractor.

* Check for any consumer complaints lodged against your general contractors from your state or local Better Business Bureau. Should there be a complaint, try to get in touch with the complainant and know the nature and reason behind the complaint.

* Avoid entities that have no apparent documented records in any associations, organizations or even in the Better Business Bureau. You might be dealing with a building scammer.

* Get as many bidders as you can, with three as a minimum. An indication of reputable companies would be a bid that would be at least closer or slightly higher with the rest of the bids. A bid that is considerably low than others are questionable in nature, so be careful and ask a lot of questions and background checks.

A home renovation or a home remodeling project is a worthwhile endeavor particularly if you have the design and the budget in place. However, you would need qualified general contractors who will get the job done and give you the results that you are expecting.

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18 Mar

Why Techhnology Professionals Are So Important to Your Company

Posted in Massachussets on 18.03.10

Of all the Technology Jobs in Massachusetts the CIO is one of the most important. Here is a little more information as to why they are essential to the success of any company:

CIO — Job Description: A database administrator (DBA) is responsible for installing, backing up, testing, securing and making changes to production databases within an IT environment. They work on ongoing development projects with developers and architects and, increasingly, with business-side workers. They also maintain operations on a day-to-day basis.

Why You Need One: A company’s data is its lifeblood and therefore it needs an experienced, skilled steward at the helm, says John Mahoney, a senior staffing consultant at Hollister, a staffing firm specializing in technology. “A good DBA—they really are tough to find,” Mahoney says. “You’re talking about the data integrity of the entire company.”

Desired Skills: Companies and recruiters prize real-world experience—from several years to more than 10—over certifications (although those do help, especially for popular platforms like Oracle and, to a lesser extent, SQL Server 2000 and 2005). “The database experience we look for most of the time is Oracle,” says Tom Hart, executive vice president of the operations and technology group at Veritude. “SQL Server is more of a ‘nice-to-have.’”

Demand for other platforms, such as DB/2 and open-source offerings like MySQL, is much softer, say specialists. There is also not yet a great deal of demand for the newer SQL Server 2008.

Where to Look: Go to the likely sources to find DBA candidates, such as job boards for Technology Jobs in Massachusetts and user groups. The main problem, says Hart, is that there are “more DBA jobs than there are people to fill them.”

What to Look For: Before the tech-bust, “clients just needed bodies,” says Mahoney. Now, “they want DBAs to interact with different business units in the company. Especially in smaller shops, they want their DBAs to be able to go out and speak to end users and developers and figure out the crux of the problem.”

Sean Gorman, who is a DBA with HiWired, a remote tech-support provider, agrees. “People who can sit down with business end users and collect requirements, that’s huge,” he says. “A lot of business users are big fish, and so you can’t get pushed around. You’re the expert and the one who’s got to solve the problem, so you have to be able to push back if it is necessary.”

Elimination Round: Mahoney says one of the first things he asks a candidate is about their knowledge and opinion of the client’s operation. What comes out of their mouth—or doesn’t—is telling, he says. “If they don’t have an answer, if they’re not prepared for me, why would they be prepared for the client?”

Salary Range: $65,000 to $130,000

Growing Your Own: Compounding the tight supply of outside candidates is the fact that it is difficult to cultivate DBAs within an organization, says Gorman. “I haven’t seen a whole lot of that personally. The only two sources of people who would fit that role are systems people or developers,” he says. “Typically, people in those two roles are in that because they want to be.” Big enterprises, which may have multiple senior DBAs that can provide mentoring, are more likely to have success in grooming junior employees for DBA slots, Gorman suggests.

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07 Mar

Nannies In Boston Ma – Important Tips On Finding A MA Nanny!

Posted in Boston on 07.03.10

Are you starting to think about utilizing the web for hunting for and locating nannies in Boston ma? Becoming aware of suitable candidates through the use of web-based nanny-matching companies will expedite the nanny seeking and screening process. A specialized tool for locating career nannies is something provided by online firms which is able to match you up with the best candidates compatible with your specific needs. While searching for employment, the safest and most reliable way for nannies to locate a compatible employer is to become a member of an online family – nanny coordinating firm.

A large number of families on the lookout for nannies in Boston ma do not always know about the many wonders of employing a high standard online nanny placement service. When beginning to hunt for a childcare provider, parents usually tend to think that the best childcare providers have already been placed! This notion is often a false one. An organization which seeks to match nannies and families nationwide is very often the best way to go about finding a reliable individual to mind your children near to your home. With the majority of sites that authorize the sharing of a considerable amount of nannies’ descriptions, you can choose to perform a no-cost search of the contents which will let you get to know some of the nannies.

Childcare specialists are usually situated between age 18 and age 50, and might even hold a university degree in early childhood development. Many among them will have a lot of experience in looking after infants and very young children and some will be just starting out. But in most cases they choose to work with children because they love their job – more than anything else, the relationship with the children. When the time comes to make a decision, make sure you consider not only their work background, but in addition your instinctive impressions of them.

A specialized nanny company will be able to assist you in a very significant factor in the process of hiring a helper – the research into the nanny’s past. Examining the history of a potential provider is a must in order to avoid the very dismal prospect of taking on a childcare provider with a record of being difficult. Be certain that this aspect of service is offered on the internet. To be sure of the accuracy of the information, be sure you don’t neglect to ask your candidates for recommendations from past families.

When you’re looking for nannies in Boston ma don’t forget that once you decide to take the step to hire a helper there are some important topics to be considered, such as – what to ask a potential childcare provider, how much to pay him or her, and creating a complete description of the nanny’s duties in order to avoid potential misunderstandings.

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02 Mar

Market Perishable Assets and Other Important Lessons Learned from the Streets of Boston

Posted in Boston on 02.03.10

Beyond its character, open markets, Freedom Trail and the scent of fresh bolognese simmering, Boston’s Italian North End street merchants offered me some of my most profound experiences of rustic but pure competition.  Long before Faneuil Hall Marketplace’s sheik restaurants and shops, street vendors dominated Blackstone, Cross and Salem Streets’ sidewalks.  This microcosm of entrepreneurs peddled fresh produce, cold cuts, Italian specialties, meats, and fish.  The occasional food vendors’ kiosks offered some of the very best sausages and pepper sandwiches, pizza, fried dough, Italian ice and pastries.   

The most established vendors, and perhaps the wealthiest had shops.  As inviting as they were, especially during winter shopping, it was the hustling push cart vendors, seemingly everywhere that attracted most shoppers.  The locals came for the bargains.  Some of the out-of-towners, many were students also came for the deals, but the folks from Beacon Hill and Back Bay came for the authenticity and culture, often bringing friends to witness and experience its theater. 

Friday afternoon through Saturday night were their money days.  In fact, most only set up shop those two days.   

None departed from their specialties.  Many built loyalties through differentiation and trust.  Although most butcher shops sold home made Italian sausages, Lucia, my mother only bought from one.  “I can’t be there to watch what they’re putting in that grinding machine”.  She only trusted Gino.

Like caricatures accentuating dominant facial features, Italians like to use nicknames describing something about each person.  Some meanings were a lot more obscure than others, some obvious.  Johnny scissors cut hair and Joe shoes was a door to door salesman.  Tucked away in a basement store on Salem Street near the corner of Richmond, Joe Bananas sold bananas; only bananas.  No one knew where Joe lived, his nationality, whether or not he had a family, or his real name for that matter, but when you wanted bananas, you visited Joe. 

Joe would receive 200 pound bunches of bananas from Central America.  They were carefully transported in refrigerated cargo ships, protected, maintaining temperatures between 57 and 59 degrees for their 3 week journey to Boston.  Joe continued to store them on meat hooks in his controlled basement ripening room. 

By introducing ethylene gas in this room, he could cut ripening time but he was limited on what he could do to delay the ripening process.  Joe was well aware his customers would not buy bananas when they were deep green and hard, they didn’t want to wait a week until they were edible.  They also wouldn’t buy bananas when they had brown spots.  Joe knew he had a small window and had to sell his bananas at their peek ripeness, slight hints of green at their edges, firm and bright yellow.  If he didn’t, his bananas would rot.  Each rotten banana cost him as much as the perfect ones he sold.  Too many making it to his dumpster, there went his profits.

Joe also attracted customers by finding differentiation.  Most bananas imported are Cavendish.  They have a longer shelf life and are more durable in transport.  However, there are sweeter and better tasting varieties.  Joe also sold limited quantities of red and other bananas.  Fortunately, this old section of Boston did not have any large grocery store chains convenient to local shoppers and residents preferred the relationships they built with  trusted vendors like Joe.

Here are five profound lessons I learned from Joe:

Urgency, sell now, tomorrow maybe too late.

Ownership, in addition to selling, Joe was CEO, CMO, CFO, head of procurement, VP of sales, office manager; you get the picture!  He owned the entire process and had sole responsibility for selling.

Creativity, Joe knew when inventories were dangerously high and would stay open a little later than normal.  He discounted prices, and gave “trial” samples of red bananas with purchase. 

Execution, he knew when to hasten the ripening process.  He had to order his inventory three months out and took forecasting seriously.  His display tables were always detailed and clean.  Articles talking about the health benefits of bananas were everywhere and he was always available to discuss the changes in growing habits of bananas and new varieties.  He was the banana king and everyone knew it.  If he didn’t do everything needed to be done, it simply did not get done.     

Passionate.  Above all, he was passionate and nobody knew and cared about bananas like Joe.                 

What does this have to do with my business?   Maybe everything!  Hotel rooms not filled when the lights go out, rental cars sitting in lots after the last flight lands, or unfilled airline seats when the doors are closed for takeoff are all obvious examples of market perishable assets.  Although they don’t spoil, unsold, they are no less perishable. 

Whenever an opportunity is lost, that revenue is lost forever and consequential revenue losses may go on for a very long time. We choose television program providers, cable verses satellite.  Once one or the other is chosen, the loser not only lost the first month’s  revenue but a revenue stream measured in years. 

A computer comes off an assembly line packed with components.  You’re in the component business.  If those computers ship without your parts, isn’t that opportunity just as perishable as Joe’s bananas?  Future deals won’t replace it either.  It’s like the Giants’ surprise Super Bowl win against my beloved Patriots in 2008, stealing a perfect season.   Although an incredibly sweet victory for New York fans, does it really make up for all their losses since their 1991 victory over the Bills?  
If we think about every sales opportunity, whether a service or a tangible product in market perishable terms, perhaps we will approach them differently.  You can’t win every sale but we can improve winning averages.    

Time was Joe’s enemy.  Joe knew how many bananas he had to sell and when.  If his sales were behind, he had to drive more volumes.  If his sluggish sales proved to be a trend, he could adjust future supplies. 

Unlike Joe, our biggest enemy might be what we don’t know.  It’s difficult exposing all traditional opportunities, but more challenged finding less obvious, different and creative channels, other ways to get to market.  You may have products traditionally not sold through retail and don’t understand how to package, price, and customize presentations to traditional brick and mortar, catalog or internet.  Help is readily available.   

Remember the five lessons learned from Joe?  As you walk through the different novelty and gift stores in and around Boston, you might find gourmet banana nut bread, packaged in cellophane like fine cologne with a distinctive red ribbon and a tag telling us it’s contents were hand crafted with only the best ingredients.  Did Joe Bananas find his way to incremental profits, salvaging those over ripped bananas? 

Please visit us at http://www.amherstmkt.com.com

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27 Feb

Read Music – Music Seems to be More Important Today Than Ever Before!

Posted in Music on 27.02.10

Possibly because it taps into our emotions in a way that technology and science, which increasingly inhabit our lives, DO NOT.

Then again, perhaps music simply offers an escape from tensions of an increasingly pressurized society.

Too often, however, the repertory of the traditional theory programs strikes you as arcane, foreign (literally), and unrelated to the music that commands your day-to-day attention.

This situation has been a long time brewing, and it often leads students to question the relevance of music theory to their personal musical goals.

The result is a fundamental disconnect, and if students are not reachable, then they are not teachable.

An adult piano lesson program should attempt to bridge that disconnect by engaging YOU on a familiar ground (though music that surrounds YOUR daily life) and leading YOU toward the body of art music that comprises your heritage.

Part of this effort entails a recognition that popular music and jazz can be vehicles for conveying music of what traditional theory teaches and that apart from its own intrinsic merit that repertory can serve as a conduit to other musical styles.

WHY MUSIC THEORY?

Music has probably always come easily to you. I mean, you could always sing a Nursery Rhyme in tune when you were a child… you’re lucky!

If it has, then you probably have difficulty understanding how utterly mysterious it can be to others, that can’t sing in tune.

The fact is that the special mix of physical and mental attributes that translate into musical talent is a fit given to relatively few of the more than six billion inhabitants of this planet.

It makes you a member of a special group that sees and hears in music the things most others do not. Your decision to further you study of music indicates your desire to express yourself creatively.

MUSIC ENGAGES US PHYSICALLY

Music engages us physically (muscle memory and coordination are necessary to sing or to play an instrument) and mentally (we read music, we memorize it – we feel it).

Music theory aims to deepen our mental involvement. That’s necessary because to communicate all that YOU hear and FEEL in music, YOU need to understand it on may levels. A deeper and broader understanding will make you a more effective player.

MUSIC ENGAGES US EMOTIONALLY

Just remember, that human emotions are translated into musical motion. Our bodies express these internal feelings through posture, gestures, and movements of various kinds.

Some are automatic, spontaneous and others are the result of thought or will.

What is the first instrument that must be trained in music?

The human body! 

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22 Feb

Massachusetts Nannies – Important Tips On Finding An MA Nanny!

Posted in Massachussets on 22.02.10

Thinking of applying the potential of the internet for seeking and locating Massachusetts nannies? Becoming aware of suitable candidates by employing the assistance offered by internet nanny firms will take much of the stress out of the nanny seeking and screening process. A program designed to locate professional nannies is a function of online nanny organizations which can locate suitable candidates to care for your children who will meet your expectations. When seeking suitable jobs, the safest and most reliable way for nannies to locate a compatible employer is to register with an online family – nanny matcher service.

A surprising amount of families looking for Massachusetts nannies do not always know about the great advantages of using a quality internet-based nanny – family matching service. When looking for a nanny, parents are often of the opinion that the best caretakers for their children are already situated in families! Many times this is untrue. A nationwide nanny finder assistance program is in most cases an excellent solution for finding an independent nanny in your region. In the case of most sites that permit retrieval of a large quantity of nannies’ profiles, you will be given the opportunity for a free care provider search in order to start making your decision.

Most of the time, a nanny is in the age between 18 and 50, and may hold some degree in early childhood development. Many of the applicants will have a lot of experience in taking responsibility for infants and youths and some will be just starting out. But you’ll find that most of them choose to work in this field because they love what they do – above all the close relationship with the kids. When you’re interviewing candidates, be sure to look not only at their work background, but in addition their politeness and positive attitude.

A childcare provider company with a good reputation will be very capable of facilitating in perhaps the most crucial part of employing a nanny – the research into the nanny’s past. Examining the history of a potential provider is a must if you need to be 100% certain you are not employing someone who may have had problems with past employers. Establish that this service can be provided on the web. In order to verify this information, be sure you don’t neglect to request that your candidates provide references from other families.

When you’re looking for Massachusetts nannies you have to be mindful of the fact that if you decide to hire a nanny there are several essential subjects to be dealt with, including – what to ask a potential childcare provider, how much to pay him or her, and in addition, to agree on a list of job requirements so that no disagreements arise down the road.

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22 Feb

A Massachusetts Nanny Agency – Important Tips On Finding MA Nanny!

Posted in Massachussets on 22.02.10

Are you starting to think about utilizing the web for hunting for and locating a Massachusetts nanny agency? Becoming aware of suitable candidates through the use of web-based nanny-matching companies will expedite the nanny seeking and screening process. A specialized tool for locating career nannies is a useful function of many web-based nanny sites which can locate suitable candidates to care for your children who will possess the necessary skills and job requirements. When looking for work, the safest and most reliable way for nannies to get set up with a suitable family is to sign up with a web-based group which matches families with nannies.

Many families who wish to find a Massachusetts nanny agency do not always know about the great convenience of utilizing a high standard online nanny placement service. When beginning to hunt for a childcare provider, parents routinely have the notion that the best childcare providers already have positions! This is often not the case. A national nanny matching organization can frequently be the best method for locating a private caregiver in your locale. In the case of most sites that permit retrieval of a considerable amount of nannies’ descriptions, you will be allowed to search among the database of members to be able to look at the included nannies.

Ordinarily, a nanny is between the ages of 18 and 50, and many hold a degree in early childhood development. Some of the candidates will perhaps already have considerable training in the specialized caretaking of babies and youngsters while others will be newer at it. But you’ll find that most of them work as child-raising as because their job is important – and especially the contact with the children. When you’re interviewing candidates, pay attention not only to their past record, but also to their personality and general bearing.

A childcare provider company with a good reputation will be able to assist you in one of the most important steps in hiring a nanny – the evaluation of a nanny’s suitability. Examining the history of a potential provider is a must in order to make sure there’s no chance of employing someone who may have had problems with past employers. Confirm that there is an opportunity to do this online. To verify that what you’ve learned is truthful, be sure you don’t neglect to make it a requirement that candidates supply feedback from other employers.

When you’re starting to look for a Massachusetts nanny agency always remember that when you decide to employ a caregiver there are some important topics to be considered, such as – the questions to ask the potential nanny, deciding on a suitable salary and contract, as well as carefully defining the nanny’s duties to ensure a long and harmonious relationship.

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20 Feb

College Radio: The Most Important Radio Level for Independents

Posted in Radio on 20.02.10

For the self-promoting independent artist, the idea of taking on a radio promotion campaign can, in itself, become overwhelming. But, this idea is usually based on such artists attempting to obtain worldwide airplay on a local budget.

And, in doing so, self-promoting independent artists quickly discover another factor not usually considered previously…that engaging in a worldwide radio promotion campaign translates to hundreds and, possibly, thousands of CD units for media contacts alone.

As you can see, this can also quickly become a nightmare for indie artists, particularly, if the promotion budget only allows for the purchase of 1,000-CD packages at a time.

Starting in the 1980’s, college radio became a dominant force in not only discovering independent recording artists, but also in introducing new artists to the general public. Hundreds of these particular artists have gone on to become established ‘household’ names.

Likewise, the college radio level has a continued history of presenting, practically, all forms of music, much of which would never see the proverbial light of day at the commercial radio level and, in many cases, neither at the non commercial level.

Therefore, if an artist has limited funds for radio promotion, it is highly advisable that the he begin exclusively with college radio for the following reasons:

* Far easier and faster access to airwaves

* Far more plentiful specialty and mix shows and programs

* Greater chances for both in-studio and telephone interviews to promote music releases

* More possibilities for station ID checks for further publicity

* Corresponding college campus newspapers that will more readily accept and support music aired on their campus stations for creating a campus-wide buzz

* A ready and built-in market in the campus community for repeated live performances to further support and supplement campus airplay and campus press coverage

* An opportunity for grassroots distribution through supplying both campus bookstores and campus music stores with music releases

Is the college market a viable market for your music sales?

Though the question is rhetorical in nature, please review the below U. S. college population statistics:

* There are 631 public 4-year colleges and universities that have a combined student population of 6,236,455.

* There are also 1,835 private 4-year colleges and
universities with a combined student population of 3,440,953.

* Additionally, there exists 1,081 public 2-year colleges with a combined student population of 5,996,701.

* Even further, 621 private 2-year colleges host another 253,878 students.

This brings the average U. S. student population total to a whopping 15,927,987 minimum every year. And, more
people are attending some form of higher education than
ever before.

Now, even the least popular music genres are certain to find a financial comfort zone with a market of almost 16 million unique principals.

So, what results could really popular commercial music
genres experience, simply by working the various entities of the college market, i.e., campus radio, campus press, campus bookstores, campus music stores, campus live performances? Quite pleasant ones, I would suspect.

But, remember! The above statistics only reference the
United States college/university potential listenership. College radio also has a respectable portion of listeners who are *not* students.

Add to that, listeners of college radio who strictly listen to the streaming portion of college radio online, and who may, or may not, be in the college’s geographical area, i.e., military service members.

Plus, there is lot more of the college market abroad, of which U. S.-based artists would do well to approach English-speaking nations first, i.e., United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, subsequently, moving into additional nations.

While it may (or may not) be true that it is possible for commercial radio stations to be the primary driving force behind most retail sales, that theory may not be so valid today, given the fact that:

* With the Internet, artists are no longer required to sell millions of CDs to make a great living financially

* Artists have greater and easier access to far more radio stations (broadcast, satellite, internet, college)

* With the college community, and all of its combined
promotion and sales aspects (radio, bookstores, music stores, live performances), if conducted correctly, the college market campaign can equalize and, in some cases, even supersede commercial radio results.
______________________________________________

[---Additional Statistics---]

Top 10 College Enrollment:

Miami-Dade College (51,717)
University of Texas at Austin (50,616)
Ohio State University (48,477)
University of Minnesota—Twin Cities (46,597)
University of Florida (46,516)
Arizona State University (45,693)
Texas A&M University (44,618)
Michigan State University (44,227)
University of Wisconsin Madison (40,912)
Pennsylvania State University at University Park (40,828)

(The above figures were reported in Almanac 2004-2005,
published by the Chronicle of Higher Education,
August 27, 2004.)
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What College Students Spend on Music:

According to a recent Harris Interactive survey, college students spend $200 billion…that’s right…BILLION dollars per year, with 76% of the students having spent $2,746,000 on music alone.

Note: As an added advantage, the self-promoting independent artist should also create an Internet radio promotion campaign simultaneously, since most ‘net stations are accepting of MP3 files for airplay, thus, reducing packaging and shipping costs
of CDs to stations.

Kenny Love is president of MuBiz.com, a promotion and media publicity firm for musicians. Get complete details at MySpace.com and at the MuBiz.com website.

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