Associate Professor James Bartlett, Ph.D., is examining the steps community colleges are taking to prepare the workforce in a recently published American Council on Education report entitled Preparing the Workforce in Todays Community Colleges: Issues and Implications for Higher Education Leaders,.

Co-authored by Bartlett, the report examines how community colleges are helping to reduce the skills gap through credit-based, non-credit and technical education programs while offering four strategies for enhancing the workforce development mission of community colleges.

With this brief, I hope that we have more community colleges looking at local labor market demands and that theres more alignment with labor market demand for careers that have family sustainable wages, Bartlett, director of the Charlotte adult and community college doctoral cohort, said.

The report closely analyzes the courses of study selected by community college students and compares that data with projected growth in those fields.

The data shows that community colleges are producing enough students in certain areas, such as health sciences, to closely align with labor market needs. However, when it comes to fields like information technology, human services, and hospitality and tourism, which show high projected growth rates through 2026, community colleges are not graduating enough students with the skills necessary to meet demand.

While there are areas where we do have some alignment, theres still room for improvement and we have other areas where there are some large gaps, Bartlett said.

The report argues there is also room for improvement in the transfer process for students who earn an Associate of Applied Science degree and then plan to matriculate to a four-year institution. According to the report, the Associate of Applied Science degree is the fastest growing degree in the North Carolina Community College System, but students who earn this degree often lose credits in the transfer process and graduate within four years at lower rates.

The Associate of Applied Science degree is the fastest growing; however despite the success, theres no common articulation agreement for those degrees, which is a huge concern, Bartlett said.

The report also examines how community colleges can improve outcomes through various practices, including offering apprenticeships and credit for prior learning gained through things like military service.

Were actually seeing a growth, especially in North Carolina, in the use of apprenticeships. They naturally align with labor market demand because theres such a strong connection with employers, Bartlett said.

Read this article:
Associate Professor James Bartlett Examines Role of Community Colleges in Reducing the Skills Gap in New Report - NC State College of Education

The Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) official account also changed its public bio description to Fact checking Labour from CCHQ as Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn went head-to-head on ITV. The Tory HQ presented itself as an Independant fact checker and then spammed its Twitter timeline with pro-conservative and anti-Labour tweets which appeared under the Twitter name factcheckUK when seen by other users. However the move has prompted a backlash on social media TalkRADIO broadcaster and Brexiteer Julia Hartley-Brewer wrote on Twitter: It is just plain wrong for @CCHQPress to rename themselves as FactCheckUK for this #ITVDebate. Stop it.

Labour MP David Lammy said: The Conservative Party press office @CCHQPress rebranding themselves as FactCheckUK shows what disdain this party and this government has for the truth.

The Electoral Commission must investigate and punish this blatant attempt to decieve the public. #LeadersDebate #ITVDebate

LBC reporter Matthew Thompson wrote on Twitter: This is extraordinary. The Conservative Party press Twitter account has renamed itself factcheckUK as if to give the impression it is a genuine fact checking account. Unbelievable.

Tory party chairman James Cleverly defended the move and CCHQ has since changed its Twitter account back.

Mr Cleverly told Sky News: We make it absolutely clear it is a Conservative party website we are checking the claims put forward.

Boris Johnson kicked off the debate and hit out at Mr Corbyn in his opening speech and said a Labour Government would bring more deadlock and division to the UK. The Prime Minister said the Conservatives are the only party who can get Brexit done and then unleash the potential of this entire country.

Mr Johnson said a potential coalition between the Labour Party and the SNP would bring more dither and delay and two more referendums on the EU and Scottish Independant.

Mr Johnson told the ITV debate: There is only one reason why we are having this election and that we have a deadlocked parliament that will not deliver Brexit.

And whether you voted for Leave or Remain people want to get Brexit done and to unleash the potential of this entire country and we Conservatives can, because if you vote for us, we have a deal that is ready to go, approved by everyone of the 635 Conservative candidates standing at this election.

And as soon as we can get that deal through parliament as we can in the next few weeks we can get on with the peoples priorities and thats the choice dither and delay, deadlock and division under a Corbyn-Sturgeon coalition with two referendums.

Another one on the EU and then another one on Scotland or we can end this national misery break the deadlock, get Brexit done and make 2020 a year of prosperity and growth.

Where we invest in our NHS and deal with the cost of living, together lets take this country forwards.

Follow for live election updates:

10.15pm update: Swinson rules out forming a coalition

Jo Swinson vowed to revoke Article 50 on her first day in office if she were to be elected prime minister.

The leader of the liberal democrats also ruled out forming a coalition with either Labour or the Tories.

Ms Swinson said: "Liberal Democrat votes are not going to put either Boris Johnson or Jeremy Corbyn into power because I believe our country deserves better than either of them."

She said she could not envisage working with either party even if they were to change their leadership, saying: "Both men are a product of their party.

"Even if they changed their leader I don't think there's any guarantee that they would be a more moderate figure."

9.30pm update: YouGov poll finds narrow victory for Boris

A YouGov snap poll suggested 51 percent of Britons believed Boris Johnson won the debate compared to 49 percent for Mr Corbyn.

Those who answered "don't know" were removed from the result, with YouGov adding the figures are so close as to be within the margin of error.

Chris Curtis, YouGov's political research manager, said: "Our snap poll shows that the public is divided on who won the debate, with most Labour voters thinking Jeremy Corbyn won, most Conservative voters thinking Boris Johnson won, and very few people changing their minds.

"But given the Conservatives went into this debate in the lead, they will hope the lack of a knockout blow means they can maintain this until voting day."

9.20pm update: Raab: Boris 'proved the doubters wrong

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: "Trust in British politicians is not particularly high but what they do want to see is what you do, what you are capable of delivering.

"He has shown in three months that he got the deal that no-one said could be delivered, everyone said it was impossible - he proved the doubters wrong."

9.10pm update: Patel reacts to debate - Boris was the only prime minister on the stage

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: "It was quite clear Boris was the only prime minister on the stage this evening.

"But actually I think he was very strong on the NHS and challenging Corbyn quite frankly on Brexit where Corbyn effectively refused for nine times to outline what his plan was, whether or not he was going to be for Leave or Remain."

8.57pm update: Boris gives closing remarks - Corbyn unfit for PM

Boris Johnson accused Mr Corbyn of being "unfit" to be prime minister.

He added: "Mr Corbyn, you've heard tonight, cannot answer the fundamental questions. Is he for Remain or Leave and what price would he pay to secure Nicola Sturgeon's support to enter Number 10?

"If he can't answer those questions tonight, I don't think he's fit to lead our country."

8.54pm update: Corbyn gives closing remarks - once-in-a-generation election

In his closing remarks, Jeremy Corbyn urged viewers to register to vote in a "once-in-a-generation election".

He added: "This is a once-in-a-generation election to end privatisation and give the National Health Service the funding it needs.

To give people the final say and get Brexit sorted.

"To tackle the climate emergency that threatens our futures. To invest good jobs in every region and nation of our country.

"I ask that you vote for hope and vote Labour on December 12."

8.48pm update: Two leaders respond to Prince Andrew question

Asked if the Duke of York is fit for purpose Mr Corbyn said: "Before we discuss Prince Andrew I think we should discuss the victims that are there because of what Epstein was doing.

"I think there are very, very serious questions that must be answered and nobody should be above the law, but the primary position ought to be the proper treatment of those people who were victims of the most appalling behaviour by apparently Epstein and many others."

Boris Johnson Johnson said "all our sympathies" should be with the victims of Epstein, adding: "The law must certainly take its course."

8.45pm update: Corbyn says Labour will end austerity

Mr Corbyn said: "We will end austerity, I am absolutely clear about that because it is so brutal on the lives of so many people."

8.42pm update: Boris vows to invest in public services

Boris Johnson said: "I believe in spending, investing massively in our public services because we support ... a dynamic wealth-creating sector."

8.35pm update: Boris hits out at Labours four-day working week plan

Boris Johnson said: "What could be more ruinous for the NHS than a crackpot plan for a four-day week, which would add massively to the burdens not just of the NHS but of every public service in the country?"

8.28pm update: Corbyn addresses anti-Semitism allegations within the Labour Party

Jeremy Corbyn said: "Anti-Semitism is an absolute evil and scourge within our society.

"Racism in any form is a scourge in our society. I have taken action in my party where anyone who has committed any anti-Semitic acts or made any anti-Semitic statements, they either suspended or expelled from the party and investigated every single case. We do take this very, very seriously indeed."

8.25pm update: Corbyn rules out coalition

Jeremy Corbyn said: "There's not going to be a coalition between Labour and anybody else.

There are no deals that have been done and there will be no deals that are done."

Mr Corbyn added: Ive said there would be no deal with the SNP, there would be no support for a Scottish referendum in the early years of the next Labour government because I want to invest in Scotland and give Scotland the 70 billion it needs in capital investment."

8.22pm update: Boris defends Brexit deal

Boris Johnson said: We have a deal that keeps the whole of the UK together as we come of the EU and, of course, Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party, be in no doubt about it, in order to secure power and the keys to number 10 are going to do a deal, or probably already have done a deal with Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP to form Corbyn-Sturgeon coalition and the price of that deal ... would be a second referendum on the union with Scotland."

8.20pm update: Corbyn asked is the union worth sacrificing for Brexit?

Jeremy Corbyn said: "The agreement that the Prime Minister ... has put to Parliament was about creating a border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, and creating a different customs arrangement for Northern Ireland with the rest of Ireland, having promised to the Democratic Unionist Party he would never do that.

"Clearly, there is an issue there. Clearly, there are issues all around about this deal he has proposed."

8.18pm update: Boris says NHS not for sale

Boris Johnson has said the NHS is not on the table in any future trade deals.

The Prime Minister said: "This is an absolute invention. It is completely untrue.

There are no circumstances whatever in which this Government or any Conservative government will put the NHS on the table in any trade negotiation."

8.15pm update: Corbyn challenges Boris on the NHS

Jeremy Corbyn accuses Boris Johnson of trying to sell the NHS

The Labour leader said: "What we know of what Mr Johnson has done is a series of secret meetings with the United States in which they were proposing to open up our NHS markets as they call them to American companies."

8.10pm update: Boris says Tories have Brexit deal that is ready to go

Boris Johnson Johnson told the ITV debate: There is only one reason why we are having this election and that we have a deadlocked parliament that will not deliver Brexit.

And whether you voted for Leave or Remain people want to get Brexit done and to unleash the potential of this entire country and we Conservatives can, because if you vote for us, we have a deal that is ready to go, approved by everyone of the 635 Conservative candidates standing at this election.

And as soon as we can get that deal through parliament as we can in the next few weeks we can get on with the peoples priorities and thats the choice dither and delay, deadlock and division under a Corbyn-Sturgeon coalition with two referendums.

Another one on the EU and then another one on Scotland or we can end this national misery break the deadlock, get Brexit done and make 2020 a year of prosperity and growth.

Where we invest in our NHS and deal with the cost of living, together lets take this country forwards.

8.05pm update: Corbyn says Labour offering real change

Jeremy Corbyn has said the general election gives you a real choice".

The Labour leader said: "A choice about your future, the future of your community and of your country.

"Labour is offering real change and real hope."

8.00pm: ITV debate begins

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn have begun the ITV debate in Salford.

7.30pm update: Raab reacts ahead of ITV debate

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab wrote on Twitter: Up in Salford for the ITV leaders debate. Will be working the spin room, and making the case for @BorisJohnson for PM and a majority @Conservatives govt to unleash Britains potential.#BackBoris #LeadersDebate."

6.20pm update: Corbyn arrives ahead of ITV debate

Jeremy Corbyn has arrived for the ITV debate with Boris Johnson.

Mr Corrbyn told ITV: Its going to be, I hope a respectful and informative debate, am I am looking forward to it.

5.45pm update: Boris Johnson snatches back election popularity from Labour as Kensington rejects Corbyn

Boris Johnson appears on track to snatch back the Kensington from the Labour Party as voters in the London constituency voiced their support for the Conservatives to Express.co.uk.

Boris Johnson is hoping to keep a stronghold on the constituencies the Conservative Party won in 2017 in addition to targeting seats in traditional Labour heartlands.

The Prime Minister is also on track to regain the marginal constituency of Kensington, which the party lost to Labour in the snap election his predecessor, Theresa May, called two years ago.

Prospective voters appear to be leaning back towards the Tories after several locals told Express.co.uk they are planning to put their trust in Mr Johnson and back Conservatives in December.

READ MORE: Boris Johnson snatches back election popularity from Labour as Kensington rejects Corbyn

5.05pm update: YouGov poll cuts Tory lead to 12-points

See more here:
Election 2019 LIVE: Tory HQ forced to backtrack after mocking Corbyn on Twitter - Express.co.uk

Three strategies to create a special link with strangers and collaborators across almost any distance.

November 20, 2019 7 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

When we do business, we do it through relationships. We select whom we want to engage with, and whom we come back to for more. The ability to make a real connection, and make the other person like you is a big part of your success or failure.

It can be useful to look at it from the angle of positional and personal power. Sometimes positional power makes it possible for us to engage in any way we want. The people we are trying to reach simply have to respond. But the way they do, of course, is affected by our likeability, or lack thereof. In the new gig economy with more and more entrepreneurs, we cannot lean on positional power only. Even for employees inside organizations, an entrepreneurial mindset is often desired. Part of that mindset is knowing how to navigate and connect, while making ourselves likeable.

Ive supported several stellar professionals make the transition from a big corporate position to create their own venture and brand, witnessing their surprise when they discover a need for a whole new approach. On the journey of acquiring personal power, likeability changes from a nice-to-have to a vital career resource. Defining likeability is a strange thing; at the same time, an intuitive gut feeling, and a series of different traits. In his book, The Popularity Illusion, Mitch Prinstein describes likeable people as cooperative, able to keep a conversation going, while giving others a chance to speak, and creative at solving awkward dilemmas. In short, theyre good at being part of a group. Its finding that gentle balance of feeling comfortable in our own skin to share and lead, without the need to dominate.

The road to get there starts right at home. Before anything else, we need to like ourselves. In the same way as the instructions for oxygen masks in the airplane, we need to put our own mask on first, and then we can begin to help others. When we let go of judgment towards ourselves, its so much easier to like people around us. The relationship between the two is parallel. Once weve landed in a safe haven of self-acceptance, we make it easier for other people to join in and like us, too.

Related:In Defense Of Influencers: The Importance Of Protecting Your Personal Brand

Here are three strategies that have made it possible for me to create that special link with strangers and collaborators across almost any distance, be it geographical, socio-economical, or among different business sectors.

1. BE ROOTED When we meet a new person, the first thing we pick up is a quality of trust: friend or foe? And the way we know is that feeling of presence. When it comes to trust, it doesnt typically show up in grey scales or a continuum, its an either-or. One of the reasons its not always that easy to come across to others as authentic is because we tend to be in a mental space. Or, using the poignant description by James Joyce, Mr. Duffy lived a short distance from his body. When we stay up in our head, its easier for others to manipulate us, both physically and on an emotional level. Without connection to our core, we have a hard time drawing boundaries when confronted with a strong will we dontagree with.

And its not all feelings and sensations. Modern science has named it the gut brain, or the little brain. We have an enteric nervous system inside our intestines, impacting our immune system, decisions, and our presence in the room. Most of us havent been taught to tune in with our gut brain, and the messages it has for us. During your days with different conversations and meetings, find your own way of integrating that question inwards. What does my gut brain say to this? You might have some startling insights. And its easier to like someone when theyre bringing their whole self along.

2. BE REAL One of the factors that have the strongest oscillation on the scale of likeability is the voice. When was the last time you were listening to an automated voice assuring you of how much it cares, while cringing inside? Its almost violent to sit through a longer call with robotic recordings, each menu option pushing us further into frustration. And the opposite? The magic of an auditorium joining in the wordless mixture of heartbreak and promise of a new tomorrow, as they are showered by the velvet in a human voice. Nothing touches us the way the voice does. Its not only when we listen to beautiful concerts that the voice has an impact on others. In everyday conversations, each time we speak, our voice is telling a story on top of or under the words we are using. Its the story of what we are feeling. Feeling about the words were saying, about the person were talking to, and feeling about ourselves.

When we make a call, and our conversations are pure audio without facial expressions and body language, all of our nonverbal signals are concentrated into the voice. Its so obvious to us whether the person on the other end of the line believes in his or her own words. Even in situations when we all know that the words are part of a formality, we can still hear if the person is adding that personal touch. During your days with different conversations and meetings, pause in between to check in with yourself. Are you choosing the words that resonate with your personal truth, and if not, is there a way to align your words and your voice? Its such a likeable trait to say what we mean and mean what we say.

3. BE RESPONSIVE In the cult movie Pulp Fiction, Mia Wallace asks her guy: Do you listen, or do you wait to talk? Unfortunately, we have a tendency to do just that- theres a lot of waiting to talk. Not necessarily because we are selfish, but because listening requires discipline and dedication, its not easy. As listeners, we have a longing. Make this moment memorable. Tell me something thats relevant. Make me feel like you have never told this story to anyone else in this way. We want to feel special. We want our exchanges to have meaning.

One of the most tangible ways of creating that meaning is to listen to the person were talking to, and adapt our content along the way. Its the opposite of repeating the same old script. During your days with different conversations and meetings, make sure to make space for the part of the exchange that no one knows where will land. Youll be more likeable for sure, and youll have more rewarding conversations as well.

Related:Marketing Yourself: Developing Your Personal Brand

See the original post here:
Likeability In Business: Why We Need It More Than Ever - Entrepreneur

Boss Manufacturing Company has agreed in principle to sell its glove, boots and rainwear business to Boston-based Protective Industrial Products Inc, a supplier of personal protective equipment. No financial terms were disclosed. PIP is a portfolio company of Audax Group.

PRESS RELEASE

KEWANEE, Ill., Nov. 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ Boss Manufacturing Company (Boss), a national supplier of personal protection equipment, announced today that it has reached an agreement in principle to sell the assets of its glove, boots, and rainwear business to Protective Industrial Products, Inc. (PIP) of Latham, New York. Specific terms of the deal have not been announced with the transaction expected to close within thirty days.

Boss, a wholly owned subsidiary of Boss Holdings, Inc. (BSHI), is the oldest U.S. work glove company with operations dating back to 1893 and has been a leading supplier of work gloves and personal protective gear to both the consumer and industrial markets, including CAT branded work gloves and safety products. PIP is an international supplier of personal protective equipment and is a portfolio company of Audax Group, a diversified private equity firm headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts with over 20 years of middle market experience and strategic investments in over 130 companies.

Boss Chief Operating Officer, Richard Bern, stated, We feel a deal with PIP will be a natural fit for both companies. We believe the synergies of a combination of our businesses will position this partnership for future success. The acquisition of Boss will further solidify PIPs position as a global leader in hand protection and general safety products.

Boss plans to utilize a portion of the proceeds from the sale to pay off its existing debt and credit facility. After the sale, Boss and Boss Holdings would retain their Kewanee, Illinois headquarters, warehouse facilities and the majority of its operating staff. If completed, the transaction will provide Boss Holdings financial flexibility for its remaining businesses and working capital needs.

Other subsidiaries of Boss Holdings Inc. include: Boss Pet Products, Inc. and PetEdge LLC, headquartered in Oakwood Village, Ohio and Beverly, Massachusetts, respectively, nationwide distributors of a broad line of pet toys and pet supplies to retailers and an industry-leading ecommerce marketer of pet grooming products to pet groomers, boarders, veterinarians and individual consumers through PetEdge.com.

Galaxy Balloons, Incorporated, based in Cleveland, Ohio, a leading supplier of imprinted balloons, sport balls, ornaments and drinkware to the promotional products industry.

Boss Tech Products, Inc. d/b/a Aries Manufacturer, a distributor of a wide range of cell phone accessories, including Cat branded chargers, power packs, cords and speakers.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release may contain various forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those matters expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. They involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, which are in some cases beyond the control of the company.

ABOUT BOSS MANUFACTURING Over 125 years of excellence. Building great things takes trust. Trust in talent. Trust in skills. Trust in tools. Since 1893, industrial workers, retailers, hobbyists and distributors have trusted Boss Manufacturing to deliver the safety wear and support they need for every situation. Today, Boss continues to respond to the urgent needs of our customers. Boss keeps up with emerging technologies to continue to offer innovative glove designs for changing work environments. As the oldest glove company in the United States, Boss has developed the infrastructure, inventory and relationships needed to ensure our customers and partners always have everything they need to succeed -as soon as they need it. Additional information about Boss Manufacturing is available at http://www.bossgloves.com.

ABOUT PROTECTIVE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS PIPs global mission of Bringing the Best of the World to You is fulfilled every day by way of its portfolio of companies and brands. Protective Industrial Products (PIP) is a leader in providing innovative safety products to wholesalers and distributors in the industrial channels. PIP, along with its recognized leading brands: G-Tek, Assurance, Kut-Gard, QRP, Maximum Safety, Dynamic and most recently, Uniform Technology and Boss Manufacturing, are relied upon for personal protection by workers every day. West Chester offers safety products to leading retail customers under the Safety Works, Brahma; Mud; West County Gardener and Hearos, brands as well as some of the worlds most recognized and licensed brands. Additional information about PIP is available at http://www.pipglobal.com.

ABOUT AUDAX PRIVATE EQUITY Audax Group is a leading alternative investment manager with offices in Boston, New York, and San Francisco. Since its founding in 1999, the firm has raised over $26 billion in capital across its Private Equity and Private Debt businesses. Audax Private Equity has invested over $5 billion in more than 130 platforms and 825 add-on companies, and is currently investing out of its $3.5 billion, sixth private equity fund. Through its disciplined Buy & Build approach, Audax seeks to help platform companies execute add-on acquisitions that fuel revenue growth, optimize operations, and significantly increase equity value. With more than 250 employees and over 100 investment professionals, the firm is a leading capital partner for North American middle market companies. For more information, visit the Audax Group website http://www.audaxgroup.com.

Read more from the original source:
Boss to sell glove, boots and rainwear business to Audax-backed PIP - PE Hub

Good copywriting can not only help a company define its own identity and convey its core message to its target audience, it can also educate potential and existing customers and ultimately drive sales by persuading people to buy.

But good copywriting is not as easy to accomplish as one would think. Creating strong, persuasive copy goes beyond merely writing down what a company stands for -- it has to do with truly understanding the target audience and crafting content that speaks to them and their pain points.

While mastering the art of copywriting may take years of practice, there are a few tested tricks of the trade that any writer can benefit from. Below, 13 members of Forbes Communications Council explore a few foolproof copywriting methods that any business can use to drive their sales.

Members share their top copywriting tips that they use to boost sales.

1. Always Make It About Them, Not You

Most email marketers make the mistake of starting an email with something like, "I just wanted to..." or "I'd love to get some time..." but that focuses on your needs, not your buyer's. A more effective approach would be "You recently wrote on your blog that..." or "Congrats on your recent promotion!" That's the kind of stuff that grabs people's attention. - Udi Ledergor, Gong

2. Be Authentic And Consistent

Consistency in your brand, tone and voice is key. You need every single employee in your company to understand and be educated on your brand, tone and voice. If all the brand campaigns, marketing emails, website pages and solution briefs have one voice but the release notes, outage and renewal notices all have different tones and voices, you will not be seen as authentic. - Seema Kumar, servicechannel.com

3. Make A Personal Connection

Remember there is always a person receiving your marketing message. Even if you are in business-to-business marketing, the goal is to connect with an individual. Align your messaging with what will actually resonate with recipients, which often involves more than clearly articulating your value proposition. Communicate how you will have a direct and positive impact on the recipient and make that personal connection. - Tom Wozniak, OPTIZMO Technologies, LLC

4. Keep It Conversational But Concise

Keep your copy short and sweet. Effective messaging is achieved best with concise, punchy and powerful language. Moreover, when thinking strategically and working to inform or persuade your audience, use conversational language geared toward your targeted demographics to drive engagement and ultimately, sales. - Maura Kennedy, Pond Lehocky Stern Giordano, LLP

5. Speak To The Individual Customer

Rather than speaking in broad strokes, you must use copy to make every potential customer feel as though you're speaking directly to them. That includes everything from the nouns and pronouns used (i.e. "your") and their particular business to including particular content or items they've shown interest in previously. - Jason Wolfson, VuPulse

6. Have A Call To Action

Always incorporate a call to action in your sales copy. This is what you need to really seal the deal and push your audience to take that next step. A call to action will also help you track the success of that particular copy or marketing piece, whether thats a dedicated number, promo code or trackable booking link. - Dana Baasiri, AIC Hotel Group

7. Match The Voice Of Your Audience

Copywriting is not one-size-fits-all. For copywriting to be effective, you need to articulate that content in a way that resonates with the reader. The delivery is just as important as the content itself. Consider the language and jargon of your audience, and mirror that voicing in your copywriting. By matching their voicing, your content will resonate as familiar, informative and authoritative. - Devin Henry, Nomadic Real Estate Investments, LLC

8. Play Devil's Advocate

Put yourself in your customer's shoes and explore any concerns they may have about using your products or services. Now address these concerns and add positive advantages to working with you. Allow your counterarguments and positive additions to serve as a guide to help you create copy that will naturally lower their subconscious resistance by the time they reach your call to action. - Karla Larraga, Champions School of Real Estate

9. Serve Up Value And Actionable Advice

The sales pitch is dead. Yes, your site needs a strong value proposition. You should even talk up those products and/or services. But within reason. Consumers are bombarded with sales pitches every 10 minutes, and they have stopped listening. Instead, deliver content that your target audience finds useful -- content they can consume and run with to solve a problem, fix something or ponder deeply. - Stephen Seifert, Seifert Media

10. Lead With What They're Feeling

Great copywriting is the output of truly understanding your buyer's story and their pain. That's why it's so critical to lead with it. And with research telling us time and time again that consumers buy on emotion, leading with it in your marketing will be the difference between eliciting the kind of emotional response that causes a buyer to click through rather than continuing to scroll. - Yoni Solomon, G2 (formerly G2 Crowd)

11. Leverage AI Tools To Streamline Copy Editing

We're living in an amazing time where there's a tool for everything. With tools like Grammarly and the smart compose feature on Gmail, there's no reason to have unnecessary mistakes in correspondence. Make it a company policy to leverage these tools to help your team present your brand with excellence and professionalism in written correspondence. - Holly Tate, Vanderbloemen Search Group

12. Consider Search Engine Optimization

When mocking up copy for sales use, consider keywords your competitors are using to differentiate themselves and use them to your advantage. Gain web traction by implementing words that are currently used in your brand's repertoire -- remember, organic search engine optimization is your friend. - Harrison Eaton, Backbone PLM

13. Make The Copy Accessible To Your Team

Copywriting is a natural skill for some but a labored skill for others. Regardless of wordsmithing skills, document automation software can help all employees deliver crisp and impactful copy to your customers. Ensure that the entire sales organization has access to best-practice content to build pitch presentations or send compelling business emails, pre-crafted by your best copywriters. - Lucy Mehrtens, Templafy

See the rest here:
13 Foolproof Copywriting Tricks To Drive Sales - Forbes

Charleston, SCs Little Bird plays Bourgie Nights alongside Wilmington favorites Team Player and Lauds. Photo by Georgia VanNewkirk

Jay Hurtt always has answered to the name Little Bird. I was born James Henry Hurtt IV, and Jay Bird was a family nickname growing up, the singer explains. So when he decided to start a bandfirst with guitarist James Rubush, and later as a five-piece with Rubush, bassist Ben Mossman, drummer Oleg Terentiev and keyboardist Noah Jonesthe choice of name was a no brainer. We just never thought to change it, he says.

Both Hurtt and Rubush grew up in Annapolis, Maryland, and began making music together as high schoolers in 2014. In 2015, they released Groovea seven-song LP of slackerish acoustic tunes in the style of G. Love and Special Sauce. The album earned Little Bird early praise, and gigs at music festivals up and down the East Coast. When the time came for both musicians to go to collegeHurt to Savannah College of Art and Design, where he studied film and television, and Rubush to College of Charlestonthey decided to start over. We didnt have the same members available eight hours away south, Hurtt explains.

The unfamiliar surroundings allowed them a fresh perspective. They expanded with new members Mossmann, Jones and Terentiev, which allowed them to broaden their sound, too. Jones, who is currently on hiatus from studying jazz piano at College of Charleston, brought in R&B and soul influences. Mossmann brought new bass sounds and knowledge of electronic music. Terentiev brought his love of hip-hop. Theres just so many different directions we could go, its kind of overwhelming sometimes, the drummer says.

Those influences are rampant on the bands second album, Familiar. Opener Honey Leak recalls the ambient R&B of Hiatus Kaiyote and Nick Hakim. Standout track Made in the Shade (Fool) sounds like Kings of Leons Pyro, filtered through a neo-soul lens. The album shows the band growing up in more ways than one: Hurtt says hed recently returned to Annapolis for the first time, and wrote the albums lyrics with the nostalgia that comes with visiting ones hometown after being away. Everythings the same but its all sort of different, he says. Theres new buildings. Its like the first time in your life you can acknowledge as a different time than growing up.

The band also found inspiration in Charlestons music scene. With the exception of Hurtt, all of Little Bird lives together in a house on James Islandon a street called, poetically, Meander Road. The area is full of musicians; Hurt says its not unusual to pull onto the street and see several tour vans lining the road. You can stand in the street and hear multiple people singing in their houses. Its pretty funny.

At Bourgie Nights on Saturday, Little Bird will play Familiar in its entirety, as well as material from its forthcoming album, Proxima. Beginning with the song Ghost, available now on Spotify, the band will release a series of five singles, followed by a 10-song record in 2020. The album owes as much to British writer and philosopher Alan Watts as it does pioneering musicians like DAngelo and LA-based neo-soul trio Moonchild.

I think its about how we try to perceive the world through our own opinions, says Terentiev, who describes the new record as a space odyssey taleIts about social media and self-awareness and time and the way we perceive time linearly, and just a lot of random stuff.

Hurtt says the album name came about while he and Jones were discussing the bands future on their porch one night. I said something like, Whats next? And Noah heard the word proxima recently, referring to Proxima Centauri, the next star system, says the singer. So we were like, Whats next? Proxima.

Continued here:
EXPANDED WINGSPAN: Charleston indie soul outfit brings new sounds to ILM ILM's Alternative Weekly Voice - encore Online

Zoltan Istvan, a transhumanist journalist, is running for the U.S. presidency as a Republican in 2020, challenging President Donald Trump in the primary.

Istvan, who also ran for president in 2016 on a lesser scale, has written for The New York Times, Vice, and National Geographic, and describes himself as the founder of the Transhumanist Party, the original author of the Transhumanist Bill of Rights, and a frequently interviewed expert on AI, genetic editing, tech policy, and futurism.

His campaign policies for 2020 range from the relatively normal to the quite absurd, from ending the drug war, beating China in the artificial intelligence race, restoring the environment, and providing universal basic income for all, to the development of artificial wombs, nearly open borders, stopping mass shootings and terrorism with drones, robots, AI scanners, and other technology, and licensing parents, or as Istvan explained, requiring prospective parents to pass a series of basic tests, similar to a DMV driving test, to quality and get the green light to get pregnant and raise children.

As a passionate transhumanist (or, as philosopher Max More explains, someone who supports the evolution of intelligent life beyond its currently human form and human limitations by means of science and technology), reportedly with a microchip in his hand that allows him to open doors and use his phone, Istvan also wants the Republican Party to reclaim transhumanism from the far-left.

This week, Mediaite got the opportunity to talk with Istvan about his 2020 campaign and the policies within.

Your campaign policies are very interesting. Typical libertarian policies mixed with some quite out-there stuff like artificial wombs, nearly open borders, and stopping borders with drones. What was the inspiration behind such an odd variety of campaign focuses?

I was busted for dealing marijuana I guess maybe 26 years ago, where I was convicted of a felony conviction for distribution of narcotics, which also made me highly libertarian kind of from the start of my adult years. And then as I went through the National Geographic days I began to try to think about what would be better policy so we didnt get in these wars all the time and the government sort of left us alone. But at the same time, its not that I want to be left alone entirely. I think there should be some safety nets.

If you look through some of my 2020 plans youll see theres a lot of liberalism built into it, so it kind of tries to take the very best parts from all the different ideologies that are out there and put it in one. To be honest, I just dont understand why there cant be conservative people like myself who are totally socially liberal, and while thats classic libertarianism, the reality is that the Libertarian Party just doesnt have enough connections, money, and all these other things to run campaigns that can actually win office, which is ultimately why Im now with the Republicans trying to make a difference, trying to get people that might be fiscally conservative to have some sensibility when it comes to being more open-minded.

You say on your campaign website that youre trying to reclaim transhumanism from the far-left. What do you mean by that?

Thats probably my number one policy goal right now, and its because whats happened recently, at least in the last four or five years, is it seems like transhumanism has been growing dramatically. Im excited about that, but its also growing dramatically to the left, and if it continues to grow and grow in that direction it means that it will be almost this socialist dystopia, in my opinion, where everyone thinks they own everything and they can just do what they want.

Innovation, capitalism and Im saying this from an entrepreneur of twenty years it requires free markets in many ways to come up with these creative ideas in the first place. We all love going to Europe. We all love the quasi-socialism that they have there when were there. But Europe hasnt really created anything innovative in fifty years. I mean not much when you compare to, lets say, America. We want to be careful that in order for transhumanism to survive, it doesnt fall into the hands of the new breed of socialists that America is contending with. Silicon Valley is going that direction, Ive been watching that happen over the last ten years, and so I thought it was finally time somebody stood up and said, Wait a second, we need a better balance here. We need a balance of people who are willing to innovate in libertarian-minded economical ideals without bowing down to the far left.

So do you think transhumanism would die out if we did end up with a socialist society?

No. I dont think it would die out. I just think so you gotta understand the number one goal of transhumanism is really to try to overcome biological death by finding technology. And really, what happens when you put socialism into medicine and some of these other things, innovation dramatically stops. So somebody like myself whos 46-years-old, and of course all the other older people that have been involved in the movement forever, if innovation and science and all that other stuff stopped just even for ten or fifteen years, or doesnt go as fast as it is, a huge amount of extra people wont make it to this new generation where well have all these different techniques to keep people alive.

So theres actually a race going on. A race to keep transhumanism in kind of this capitalistic, libertarian somewhat framework so that innovation continues to move forward and that people like myself will have a chance in thirty years to actually benefit from these life extension medications and innovations that come out.

If we are able to overcome death with science by 2030 versus the year 2050, over one billion lives will be saved. So the meaning here is incredibly important, which is why Im very cautious about socialists being in charge.

Are you not worried that we could end up with a Fallout: New Vegas Mr. House situation, where you have a really really rich guy, or a bunch of rich people who are practically living forever, while no one else can get access to this technology?

That is one of my number one fears.

First of all, from a transhumanist perspective, if everyone lives forever, were going to have overpopulation problems, and I already believe we have overpopulation problems. You can see the climate changing and things like that.

But I think the other one is, whats to keep the Mark Zuckerbergs and the other people of the world from taking this radical technology, using it on themselves, and leaving the rest of us behind? This is where I lose a little bit of my libertarianism, and all the libertarians get mad at me. I actually think under these circumstances there should be some government mandate when it comes to healthcare, when it comes to different types of rights to life extension. That we should all have some type of a universal right to life extension and some of these medicines, even it requires government grants and things like that, because the very last thing that I want to do is create a world where only the one percent has access to these technologies, or even beyond the one percent, and the rest of the people get left behind in some kind of dystopia.

So, this is where I kind of break down and say a little bit of big government is fine, especially if its going to protect and make sure everyone has benefits to this new future that were talking about: the Transhumanist Age.

Do you think there are already some minor life extension schemes going on in the one percent?

I dont believe that theres a conspiracy going on with the one percent, because if it is, I havent heard about it. There are companies like Human Longevity. They cater only to the very wealthy But its not that they dont cater to the super poor, its just that their prices are expensive and theyre not covered by insurance, so only the very wealthy use them.

I would be very surprised if even someone like Peter Thiel has a very strict regiment of kind of undercover, secretive longevity people. I think were all working on this together. We realize the humanitarian aspects of making us all live longer. The person who could come up with the magic pill, or 3D-printing organs, however were going to keep ourselves alive longer, I think not only is it the most important capitalistic thing someones going to become a trillionaire off these kinds of innovations but I also think theres a very deep humanitarian aspect to share with your family, your friends. So I dont think people are hording this technology. I just dont think weve come up with the right technologies yet.

But if you look at the statistics, five years ago this was maybe a one or two billion dollar industry when you talk about longevity, and Bank of America recently said its going to be a 600 billion industry by 2025. I mean it is skyrocketing in terms of venture capital and investment. A lot of money is coming into it, so I hope by now in the next two to five years youre going to have a lot more innovation and announcement.

It seems like youre putting up more of a fight this primary to beat President Trump. Last election you put up a fight, but you werent listed on the ballots, whereas this time youre going to be listed on some the ballots, right?

Yeah, were going to be on basically all the ballots we can be until Super Tuesday, and were going to see how we do. Were spending a lot of our funding for ballot access right now, but thats okay. What happened is the first time around, I had some unique ideas. Of course, I had been a writer for a lot of major media, and so people listened and they liked those ideas, but for the Transhumanist Party as an independent, you really cant make any ground unless you have ballot access.

Were hoping that if we do well in New Hampshire, and were hoping that if we do well in Iowa, maybe get a few delegates here, then we could all of a sudden take it to the next level and make a real push to try to compete against Trump.

Id be lying to you if I said, Look, I think were going to win this thing. Thats not really what were trying to do. What were trying to do is get the attention of the Republican Party and say, Isnt it time there could be a new way of looking at things? Does it always have to be fiscally conservative and also conservative moral values? Why doesnt the Republican Party open itself up to socially liberal values? They would make a lot more room for people like myself who fit right there in the middle. Who dont want to necessarily give up all their money to the government, but also want to say to people, Hey you can do exactly what you want to do with your body. This is something that I dont think the Republican Party has had yet from any kind of public figure or anyone whos run a real viable campaign.

If you could address Republican voters right now with a short statement, what would you say?

The premise here with Trump is that we were promised greatness, and that sounded kind of neat in the beginning, and I was excited not to have an attorney at the top of the chain of command in America, but it turns out that Trump didnt really deliver that.

All we have are these squabbles in America. It seems like peoples views are just attacking each other. I really think its time not only just for a professional to be in the White House, but for somebody with really brand new ideas. And I dont mean empty the swamp. I mean lets fly above the swamp. Why do we even need to be in the swamp anymore? This is the kind of thing Im trying to bring.

Photo courtesy of Zoltan Istvan.

This interview has been edited and condensed for content and clarity.

Have a tip we should know? [emailprotected]

Read the original here:
Meet the Microchipped Transhumanist Cyborg Whos Running Against Trump in the 2020 GOP Primary - Mediaite

It's that time of year again, Thanksgiving. How do you show your thanks and appreciation?

In addition to winter sports beginning to enter full swing, the holiday season has also arrived. Its the time of year when families sit down, have a wonderful dinner, and be thankful for all the things that have happened throughout the year.

Many times around the holidays, or even in everyday life we forget to have a little perspective in life. We are all guilty of this. Life moves so fast and we have so many things going on with seemingly less and less time each day. We all have the same amount of time each day, we all just prioritize it differently than others. There is nothing wrong with that. However, Thanksgiving can tend to give a brief reminder to have an attitude of gratitude. Be thankful for the things we have in life, the ups and downs, the challenges in life. Perhaps even the things in life that come easy, we can be thankful for, as that allows us to put our minds at ease and keep our mental health in check, without going insane.

There are a few things that Iforget to show appreciation for that mean a lot to me. Family. We all have our families to be thankful for. Family is the foundation. Whether it be grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews, nieces and grandkids. We all have a piece of our family we are thankful for.

I will keep it short this week, but Ichallenge you all to make a list of gratitude. Mentally, on a sheet of paper, wherever. Make a list of things you are thankful for this year. Maybe not just this year, but everyday. Whether it be a roof over your head and a floor beneath your feet, or whether it be friends and family, a pet, good health, etc. Write down a list of everything you are grateful for. Dont get caught in the trap of social media and the perception that everyone has it better than you. You will eat yourself alive doing so. Be thankful for what you have; youll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you dont have, you will never, ever have enough. If you made a list of all the things you could be thankful for, the list would undoubtedly be longer than your misfortunes.

I close it out with a quote from JFK, As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

See the original post:
Balls and Streich(s): The attitude of gratitude - Monte News

We have all heard the old saying "The luck of the Irish," so the real question is whether the Irish are luckier than people from other countries?

Well, it all depends on who you ask. Ask a lucky Irishman and he will no doubt confirm the sayings authenticity. Ask an unlucky Irishman, however, and he will no doubt scoff at the saying and will probably throw in a few choice swear words for good measure.

In other words, luck is in the eye of the beholder. Think about it. How often do people attribute luck to things or circumstances when they are going well, or when things just happen to work out? The answer is too often to count.

Likewise, many people attribute bad luck to situations that havent gone their way or when things or circumstances havent worked out.

But as to the question of whether the Irish are in general luckier than people from other countries, the answer is a categorical no sorry to burst your bubble. That is except for one lucky fella who had a life-changing visit from Lady Luck.

When trained chef Sean Doyle of Newcastle, County Down in Northern Ireland logged into his favorite online slots casino like those featured on this popular site, little did he know that he would soon be given the chance to exchange his knives for close to 5 million.

For the plucky Irishman, Mars Attacks' online slot game (based on the 1996 Hollywood film of the same name) turned out to be his lucky charm in February this year when he won its eye-watering 4.86 million progressive jackpot at his favorite online casino.

Surprisingly the 33-year-old did not resign from his job immediately after racking up the windfall but turned up for work the next day to help feed diners who were celebrating St Valentines Day. Perhaps Mr Doyle has what it takes to be a saint.

But back to the question of where did the saying the luck of the Irish come from? Well, thats an interesting story in itself and one that originated believe it or not in the United States of America of all places, way back in the mid-19th century.

It was a time when gold fever reigned supreme and intrepid miners from all over the globe traveled long and far to be a part of the latest gold rush, including the one that gripped the U.S. state of California between 1848 and 1855.

Miners made their way to the U.S. from all over including Ireland. So it came to be that many Irish miners struck it rich during the California Gold Rush. This was the cause of much jealousy among the mining population, spawning the now infamous phrase.

While Californias gold rush is long forgotten and solely the domain of the history books, museums, and Wikipedia, that saying has continued to not only live on but to thrive and propagate. Perhaps the reason is the large contingency of Irish Americans in the United States today.

That and the fact the Irish are renowned for many other luck-related icons, beliefs and folklore.

For instance, ever heard the expression the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Well, that is also Irish and is closely connected to the magical and mystical leprechaun.

Leprechauns have always been depicted as elusive little bearded men usually dressed up in green coats, matching hats and black buckled shoes, always with a ready smile and a mischievous glint in their eye.

As the legend goes, leprechauns are very successful shoemakers who like to hide their profits (in gold coins) in great big pots at the end of rainbows on account of how hard they are to find.

If ever a leprechaun is caught by a human he has to grant said human three wishes in exchange for his freedom. The trick, however, is to get hold of a leprechaun because they are notoriously difficult to catch.

Hence it is believed that to catch a leprechaun or indeed discover one their pots at the end of a rainbow, would make one a very lucky person indeed.

A four leaf clover is said to bring the holder luck.

Another symbol connected with Irish luck is the four-leaf clover. There is little doubt that the association was made because of the similarity to the shamrock, a young three-leaf clover sprig and a well-known symbol of Ireland.

The reason for the four-leaf clovers fame is the fact that it occurs much less frequently than the regular three-leaf clover. In fact, according to a recent survey just one out of 5,000 clovers has four leaves which makes them very rare, and thus especially lucky for the people that come across them.

In some quarters it is even believed that four-leaf clovers grant their finders the ability to see fairies. (Perhaps with the help of a glass or ten of Guinness or at least a few shots of absinthe).

Incidentally, while the four-leaf clover is considered to be particularly lucky, the three-leaf clover is also highly regarded in Ireland on account of it being a symbol of the holy trinity in the Christian religion.

Although lucky horseshoes may not have originated in Ireland, they are prevalent in the Emerald Isle. The story of how a horseshoe nailed on the door (typically with the open end pointing skyward) has to do with the Devil himself.

As the tale goes, Dunstan, a 10th-century saint and one time Archbishop of Canterbury, was a blacksmith before he found his calling. One day the Devil entered Dunstans forge and asked him to shoe his horse. Dunstan complied, but recognizing the Devil, he could not pass up the chance to nail the shoe to Satans foot instead of that of his horse.

Dunstan only agreed to remove the shoe (which was causing the Devil excruciating pain) in exchange for a promise from Lucifer that he would never enter any house with a horseshoe nailed to the door. That is why until today many superstitious folks in Ireland and beyond have horseshoes decorating their doors.

In addition, horseshoes with 7 holes are considered to be especially lucky on account of 7 being perceived as one of the worlds luckiest numbers.

As to the even bigger question of what is luck, many people define it as success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one's own actions. For our two cents, however, luck has everything to do with a positive mental attitude and hard work than most people realize.

Read the original here:
Is there really such a thing as "The Luck of the Irish" - IrishCentral

EATON The act of gratitude is the act of focusing on the good in life. If we perceive our current life to have more good, we will also believe our future life to have more good. Optimism is correlated with gratitude because those with an optimistic disposition are biologically more likely to focus on the good (gratitude) than on the bad (personal disappointment, anxiety, etc.).

A grateful person takes kindness at face value, believing themselves to be a person worthy of receiving no-strings-attached kindness. Being on the receiving side of gratitude and kindness can be challenging. Which beckons the inquiry how good are you at receiving? Keep this question in the back of your mind as we move forward on this path of gratitude.

There are a million reasons why to be grateful. The research has been done time and time again listing the benefits of gratitude. Basically, when you choose to be grateful, you are choosing to be happier. In a heated moment, an angry, sad or emotional moment find your path to gratitude. In a moment of stress, or not getting your way, find the path to gratitude. That being said, I feel its best to practice paving the path to gratitude so you can easily and efficiently get to it when you need it.

When it comes to your personality gratitude strengthens your emotions, makes us more optimistic, reduces materialism, increases spiritualism, makes us less self-centered, and increases self-esteem. As for gratitude and your health it improves your sleep by increasing sleep quality, reducing the time required to fall asleep, and increases sleep duration. Basically, gratitude helps with insomnia. Gratitude also helps you stay away from the doctor, lets you live longer, increases your energy levels, and makes you more likely to exercise (What?!?!? Gratitude can make me more likely to exercise? I may have to do a little personal research on this one). Those who engage in gratitude practices have been shown to feel less pain (which beckons the question, do you want to feel less pain?), have lower blood pressure, and be less likely to develop a mental disorder.

Emotionally, gratitude helps us bounce back, makes us feel good, and makes our memories happier (that gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling). Socially, gratitude reduces feelings of envy, helps us relax, makes you friendlier, helps your marriage, makes you look good, gratitude helps you make friends, and deepens friendships.

Last, but not least gratitude in your career makes you a more effective manager, helps you network, increases your goal achievement, improves your decision making, increases your productivity, gratitude is no cure-all, but it is a massively underutilized tool for improving life-satisfaction and happiness.

Overall, gratitude makes us happier humans, people like us, we are healthier, and we get a career boost when we are grateful. I invite you to take the time in your daily life to work your gratitude muscle, begin practicing gratitude by thinking, writing and speaking what you are grateful for, I am grateful for I invite you to be willing and able to receive gratitude and kindness as well. As for those of us at the Senior Activities Center, we are practicing gratitude this month, stop in and practice gratitude with us.

Resource: http://www.happierhuman.com/benefits-of-gratitude/ To stay up to date on all of our activities, trips and senior news sign up to receive our bi-monthly newsletter the Senior Scene. Membership at the Senior Center is $10 a year. In addition to other benefits, members automatically receive our bi-monthly Senior Scene newsletter which features all our latest news and activities, additional benefits are discounts on trips and select activities. Like our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/preblecountycouncilonaging/ or give us a call at 937-456-4947. Visit our fabulous new website at http://www.PrebleSeniorCenter.org.

.

Read the original:
Senior edition: 'The Attitude of Gratitude' - Register-Herald