And Article on Living Well...

Here's an article from a health minister I know, Gigi Ogans. She's a young African American woman who's looking to help people be in shape, live well, and be stress free. Read below. Her contact information is on the bottom should you have any questions for her.

Living Well

 

In a society of instant gratification and convenience we easily become creatures of habit. We forget to slow down, exhale, regroup and enjoy the good life! We forget to take time to treat ourselves well. With a few lifestyle changes and a new mental perspective we can evoke change. Following are a few simple suggestions:

           

           

            é Inspire               Be an example of excellence! You deserve the very best! Every one counts and every heart matters.  Just taking time to let someone know you care makes others smile! The gift of sacrifice not only shows that you care, it   inspires others to do the same. Open a door, give a compliment, give an unexpected gift, just because and watch someone light up with pure joy. No matter how great or small the task,  displaying thoughtfulness and kindness never get old. When you encourage…you inspire!

 

é Breathe     Exhale…let it go!!! Forgive, move on and get some air. Walk, enjoy the fresh air, take the time to think and clear your head. This not only means in a physical sense, but some times it is good to just walk away from a situation; especially when we are hurt, confused or offended. Usually we react. with family, spouse, boss, unhappy people, bad drivers, etc. Don’t be a reactor, take time and THINK!!! It creates an atmosphere for good choices and decisions.

 

é Enjoy          Take time for YOU!!! You cannot lead others if you don’t know the way yourself! There are so many free things to enjoy, (that are drama free!!!) First of all surround yourself with good things and good people. A dear friend says   don’t complain about what you allow!!!  Don’t just talk about it….…do something about it….action!

 

When we change our mindset and attitude, the possibilities are endless. Live well, feed your mind body and spirit with things that promote positive thoughts, positive energy and a positive atmosphere. Live the good life; choose to live healthy, wealthy and wise!!!!

 

From: The Desk of

Gigi Ogans

Health Minister

ladyhealth@vrcvip.org

(916) 647-1860

Why Offering Free Samples to Prospects are Important

Last Saturday I went to an Asparagus festival with my parents and a couple of my parent's friends in Stockton, CA. We went inside a building where there were booths of several different products and services. I was just waiting on my parents and their friends when all of a sudden my mom told me to come over to one of the booths. 

She told me to try a sample of Cosmos Caramel Corn a company called Planetary Food Group, Inc. was offering (www.cosmoscaramelcorn.com). When I went over there the man that offered the samples was energetic, friendly to everyone, and had a sense of humor. He also was putting the product out there for the people to try out, which was why a lot of people were around their booth. I tried a sample of the caramel corn and it was very delicious. I was sold right then and there, and I normally don't even eat caramel corn. 

Though I hesitated at first to buy a bag of their Cosmos Caramel Corn, I decided to buy two bags of it, just because I didn't know where their products are located. They offered one bag for $6, and two bags for $10, which meant they were offering a package discount. Though I bought two bags just so I could have two in stock for myself in case I ate one bag too fast, most people would have purchased the two bags for $10 to take advantage of that discount they offered. But from a consumer's perspective, had they not offered a free sample, I would have not purchased their product, mainly because I don't know who they are, and how they product differs from their competition. 

There was another booth right next to the reps of Planetary Food Group, and there were three people running that booth. Their products were caramel apples and chocolate apples with nuts and sprinkles on them. They were selling them for $6 per Apple. Immediately my mom thought that the price was too high, and I don't blame her. The price was too high for the apples, when you can purchase one bag of the caramel corn that tastes good and has more quantity and value. Second, they didn't offer a package discount like the reps of Planetary Food Group did. Most importantly, they offered no free samples of their products. 

So they weren't able to bring any people to their booth to even see what they had to offer, primarily because they didn't offer any free samples for them to try out. In fact I don't even think they had contact info in their booth, just the products they were selling. They were behind their booth just waiting for someone to come to them. In fact, one lady was asking them, "No free samples? Where's the free samples?' and one of the guys at the apple booth told them in a serious tone, "We don't have any samples. Go over there," and pointed to the Planetary Food Group's booth. If it was one thing the people at the apple booth did a good job at doing, it was referring people to Planetary's booth for them to get all the business. 

This is an example of how important it is to offer free samples to prospects, and let the product sell itself. But you also have to communicate effectively, have some sense of humor, and be friendly to prospects. If you do that people are more receptive to what you have to offer. Otherwise you won't get any business like the people at the apple booth, and your efforts and money would have been a waste. 

Having the Drive to be Successful

I had a lunch meeting with a marketing freelancer earlier this week,and she was talking about going with your inner gut, and doing everything from your heart. 

The reason she mentioned that was because I was asking her how to structure a campaign, how to sell, and how I was planning on sending flyers to a business association. She said to stop doing a lot of planning, stop reading a lot of books, and just go for it. 

She also mentioned about Paul Mitchell, and how he started selling his hair care products from his van. She said he got to where he is now because of he had the inner drive and will to succeed. He was putting himself and his product out there in front of the people. He took initiative. It's one thing to dream about where you want to be, but you have to also have goals and implement. 

From my experience, I've read a lot of books, and have developed plans and campaigns, but our business still needs to get off the ground through getting out there to our target market. If you own a business, you have to put your face and your product out there. Here are a few ways you can do so:

                 

                  - Through networking events

                  - Special events

                  - Setting up shop in front of a store 

                  - Trade shows

                  - Through Clubs

                  - Parties

                  - Through help of outbound sales reps

The main thing you must do, is eliminate the fear of rejection, eliminate the fear of what other people think of you. To be successful, you have to get out of your comfort zone, and do things you normally wouldn't do to get business.

Are You Sweating the Small Stuff??

Last Friday I was talking to a marketing freelancer that's assisting us with our Pure'ity hair care product business. We have talked about health tips, fitness and how important it is to have the right attitude. 

One of the topics she brought up was about how people get angry and frustrated over small stuff. One example is when driving on the road. When someone cuts you off, what is your reaction? For some people it can be very frustrating, and for some they maybe used to it. What about when someone close to you like a brother or aunt says something that offended you? Are you annoyed by that certain co-worker that won't leave you alone? 

The point that the marketing freelancer was making that day was the small stuff that happen to people has an affect on their attitude, their mood, and even their health. The small stuff that happen similar to what I mentioned can bring frustration, stress, anger, fear, etc. And when those little things happen all the time, it can add up. 

Like my Pastor once said when he was preaching, sometimes you gotta take a hit and keep it moving. So when you get hit with small stuff, learn to just let it go, and stay focused. I know it's hard. It's a struggle. People can be a pain at times. My Pastor also said that if people that are in your life are causing your frustration, stress, heartache, stay away from those people. They are a decrease in your life. Jealousy is also a factor. When people see that you're in a good mood, and they're in a bad mood, so they'll do something to you that'll ruin your mood. 

If for instance you're arguing with your spouse, walk away, get some fresh air, and come back and talk things out. Sometimes you have to get away from a situation, even those that are small, so that you can breathe and clear your mind. Tell yourself you're gonna have a good day. Ignore the people and the things that normally bother you for your sake, and for the sake of your health. 

How are you handling Depression?

This is a area a lot of people may not want to cover on. The economy has crumbled within the past two years. People are losing their jobs due to downsizing, losing their homes from failed payments of their high mortgage, losing their investments to the stock market, losing their 401Ks, losing their health care benefits, and are losing their minds cause of grief, loss, regret, and most notably, depression. 

The economy has gotten such a big grip on people today and are affected by it. People are killing their families and themselves due to their losses. People are regretting their choices they make and are dwelling off of it. Past experiences have got a grip on some. Fear has made people not want to go out of the house. 

But no matter what's going on in your life, you can get the things back that you lost and more. But you can't get your life back. And depression has caused many to take their own lives. Depression has caused sickness in people's bodies to the point that they have to be hospitalized. Depression is real. Depression can have a bad affect on your health. How are you handling it?

I can talk on this subject cause I've been through it. Depression can be painful. I remember I couldn't eat at times because of depression. I felt like I was going through the motion. And past experiences had a grip on me. I didn't know who I was after awhile. 

But I refused to take any of those anti-depressants, or find my peace through alcohol or drugs. When I was laid off last year in May, I went back to church to give my life back to God. I had so much fear, and pain, and unforgiveness in me that needed to be removed so that I could live more peacefully. And through Faith and Trust in God, he helped remove the depression, stress, and anxiety out of me. That's where I find my peace and my joy. He's my anti-depressant. Better than any medication could do. 

How are you dealing with depression? For the sake of your health this is an area that needs to be dealt with. And it's a daily thing. A few other ways of dealing with it are: reading the bible, being around positive people, reading positive books, staying away from negative people, gossipers, and those who try to remind you of your past experiences, exercising, eating healthy foods, listening to positive music, and stop watching the news are some of the ways you can handle what you're going through. 

It's the little things in life that can make all the difference. Simple steps to removing depression is always over looked. Find out what's causing you to be depressed. And find out how you can remove it out of your life.

Need Up to Ten Hours of Energy?

In today's hectic hard working world, people are working long hours and are having a hard time keeping their energy levels up. 

What are some ways people are trying to get energy whenever they need it? Well the first thing that might come to mind for most people are energy drinks. The energy drink market became a $5.4 billion dollar market in 2007, and is predicted to reach $10 billion by 2010. There are the leading companies, like Rock Star, Monster and of course, Red Bull, that have been dominating the energy drink market with their set of drinks. Do these drinks give you energy? Yes. Do they provide energy for a set period of time? Yes. Are they healthy? No.

There are a few things wrong with the current energy drinks out today. For one, they have caffeine, empty carbs, and excess sugar. Two, they don't provide a substantial amount of energy. And third, and this is the most important, they are not good for you, due to the synthetic ingredients that they have in the drinks that can cause health issues from excessive use. 

And for the fact that they can make you fatigue after the drink's effects wear off as well doesn't make them effective to drink during the day. How do I know? Cause I've tried Red Bull before, and it didn't give me much energy, and plus I felt fatigue after its effects wore off.

However. One energy drink that I tried, called GotX, stands apart from the other energy drinks out on the market today. This drink has six super fruits mixed in, gives you 7-10 hours of energy, and is outright healthy. What makes it healthy is that it has antioxidants that help improve your cardiovascular system, your digestive system, your immune system, and helps reduce cancer. And the fact that it substantially increases your energy, vitality, stamina, and alertness for up to 10 hours makes it all the better. Lastly, from most people who I know that have tried it, they love the taste and think it tastes like Kool-Aid. 

Who can use this product? Anyone working tough hours at a job, athletes, body builders, etc. From drinking it one time, I was up and ready to do anything physically intensive. One tip when drinking this energy drink: Never drink it at night, unless you work the graveyard shift. Because you will have a hard time falling asleep. GotX will keep you awake. 

Want to try a free sample of GotX? Contact me at 916-647-7039. And for more information on how GotX will benefit your energy and health needs, visit www.yougotx.com/sheldon.

The Benefits of Using Pure'ity

"Pure'ity. Beauty Without Allergies." 

Like many people, I'm one of those people who can't use just any shampoo and conditioner. Everyone has their own type of hair structure. And me being an African American male, my hair is hard to manage, and requires good intake of the right ingredients for a healthy scalp and healthy hair.

Are there several different kinds of shampoo and conditioners made specifically for different types of people? Yes. Do they do a good job in washing the hair and cleansing it of the grease, dandruff,  dirt, and anything else harmful to the hair? Not all of them but most. But can I use any kind of those shampoos and conditioners? Not.

What is it about most of the hair products today that cause people like me to search for the right hair product? A big reason is because companies put in synthetic chemicals and substances into their hair products that can actually harm the hair and scalp. Also the fragrances put in the products can cause a wide range of allergic reactions. 

However, there's one hair product specifically for ethnic hair with no synthetic ingredients, limited fragrance, and is hypo-allergenic so you won't experience allergic reactions from its use. And that hair product is called Pure'ity. It's available in Citrus and Peppermint, and contains natural ingredients for manageable hair and replenishment of your hair's natural oils. 

Before I used Pure'ity, I was using other products like Head & Shoulders, Selsun Blue, and Suave for Men (the last product I used before Pure'ity).  I remember getting my hair cut six months ago. A day after my scalp was extremely irritated and I was scratching to the point that my scalp was gonna peel off. I had a large bottle of Suave left, but threw it away and said that it was time to use something better. When I used the Pure'ity, my scalp could breathe. The irritation was gone, and my hair felt soft and manageable. 

Want to find out for yourself how this new product called Pure'ity can make a difference with your hair care needs? Try a free sample of the product. you can apply for them at www.heavenlyessence.net, or call for sample at 916-501-3766. Or call your nearest beauty supply store and find out about them having Pure'ity in stock. And be ready for the great results you'll feel.