Andre W. Klein reports:

"What is a simple way to let Google and other search engines send you lots of targeted, relevant, free traffic? The answer lies in writing your pin descriptions in a very specific way. First off, make sure your descriptions are long enough. One study that looked at thousands of pin descriptions shows descriptions with 200 to 300 characters were the most repinnable. You should also use very specific words and phrases to convey your message...Your description should be full of keywords, phrases and terminology that relate to the business, market or niche you are in. If your blog or website is all about underwater basket weaving, you should use the phrase 'underwater basket weaving' and any relevant phrases and keywords in your pin descriptions. This tells Pinterest and web search engines exactly what the focus of your website is, improves your search engine ranking for those terms, and helps drive traffic. It should go without saying, but you should include a link in every description. If someone finds an image interesting enough to stop and read the description, they are engaged in what you have to say. Give them a call to action, a link to the related blog or website. Clicking on a Pinterest image expands that image, and then clicking on it again sends you to the webpage related to that image. Don’t make someone go to all that trouble to get your website. Include a link to your website in your description to make things easier for them. We mentioned a link as a call to action. That brings up a very important point. Your descriptions should all include some call to action. People want to know what you expect of them. Tell them exactly what you want them to do, then make it easy for them to do it. Asking  ‘Please Repin’ or ‘Please Like’ is simply done, and you may be surprised at how much this simple tactic can increase engagement. Use hashtags. The humble # (hashtag) added before a keyword or phrase you want to get ranked for in Pinterest and search engines works wonders to that effect. This is one way that Pinterest’s search engine understands what a particular pin is about. Combine the hashtag with important keywords and phrases relevant to your business and the traffic Pinterest sends to your site is 'warm', receptive and laser-targeted."

Rick Suttle reports:

"The process of writing a walk-through audit for a retail store entails creating the form and completing the write-up. Auditors must consider several key elements when composing the form as they relate to specific retail operational standards. The retail walk-through audit is often conducted by an area or zone manager. Outside auditors may be hired in some cases to alleviate bias. Whatever the case, the retail walk-through audit, unlike a formal audit of financial records, is primarily used to measure a retailer's effectiveness and efficiency...Decide which variables you want to measure, including those related to operations, adherence to company policy and safety. Meet with other area and retail managers. Get their input to ensure that you include all the important variables on your retail store's audit form. Divide your retail audit form into various sections such as exterior, front-of-store operations, departments, if applicable, back room management and safety...Create certain performance standards for retail stores when composing the audit form...Use a rating scale of 1 to 5, with '5' being the highest and '1' the lowest. Set an overall score of '4.0' as passing if you use the rating scale, for example...Start composing your questions for the walk-through retail store audit. Begin with the exterior appearance and maintenance, for example. Ask questions that can be answered by a '[Y]es' or '[N]o,' such as, 'Is the store's exterior clean and inviting?' Move [on to] questions regarding customer service and the front registers. Include rating questions where the auditor needs to listen to several interactions between employees and customers...Include questions related to the presentation of merchandise...Add questions that measure the friendliness of department employees, or how well the store is managed...Ask questions related to how efficiently shipping and receiving operate. Write questions related to inventory, including whether the oldest food items were displayed first for perishable foods -- if the retail store sells food items. Include at least a few questions on the accuracy of bookkeeping records...Work safety-related questions into your audit, as they pertain to certain Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards. Quiz employees on various safety standards, such as how to lift objects properly. Have the auditor observe whether employees are using lifting belts or knee pads when carrying products around...Summarize the results of the audit after it is completed. Recommend areas in which the store can make improvements. Include certain strategies that may help the retail store improve its ratings for the next walk-through audit. Share your results with managers and employees affected by the audit, according to the University of Wisconsin's NIATx model, which stands for Network for the Improvement of Addiction...Download your audit form to an electronic reader to eliminate paperwork."

Jered Slusher reports:

"A well[-]written personal value statement can help you hold yourself to a higher standard of personal character as well as give yourself a measuring stick to chart your progress in sticking to your core beliefs. A personal value statement is a short description of the values that are most important to you. You may choose to keep your personal value statement private, share it with your close family and friends, or even use it as a motto to show others what you stand for. Following a few simple steps, you can create your own personal value statement. Write a list of five or six of your past successes and what values you think contributed to each success. Use an online list of core personal values to spark your imagination...You may identify multiple values for each success. Don't be afraid to list the same value multiple times if you believe that particular value was responsible for your success. Extract all of the values that you identify and record them on a separate list. Note which values appear most frequently by placing a star next to those values. Review your list of core values and rank your values in order of importance to you. Select the most important values and list them in descending order from highest importance. If you are unsure which values are most important, return to your past successes and ask yourself what mattered most. If you still have trouble, give your best guess as to where the value should appear on the list. Define each value and why it's important to you on a separate sheet of paper...Write a sentence for each value, or a paragraph if you want to go into more detail. Give each value its own separate line, and put the most important values at the top. Read your personal value statement out loud and listen for places that sound awkward. Revise your personal value statement for grammar and mechanical errors to make it easier to read. Ask a friend or family member to read through your personal value statement and provide feedback. Ask the reader if he can spot any place in the personal value statement that sounds odd or that could be worded better. Make all desired changes and save a copy of your personal value statement."

Louis Kroeck reports:

"A cleaning contract can cover a personal residence, a business office or a large facility. Whatever the case, it should clearly define what cleaning tasks are to be performed, when and how often they should be done, who will be responsible for cleaning supplies, how the cleaners will enter the facility or home and how they will be compensated. Your contract should say which individuals in the cleaning business will have access to the premises and how the parties will handle matters such as cancellations or damage to the property. If the cleaning business does not have a form contract, you can develop an agreement of your own for its review...To be enforceable, your cleaning contract must be formed by capable parties, exchange something of value, represent the intentions of the parties, have a legal purpose and be accepted by both parties. To be considered capable, the parties must be at least 18 years old and of sound mind. To avoid misunderstandings, the cleaner should agree to all essential terms before you draft the contract. Have a meeting with the cleaner before drafting your agreement so you can discuss major business points...At the top of your agreement, state the names and addresses of the parties and note that the parties are entering into the agreement for the purpose of providing cleaning services in exchange for payment. You should also state when the agreement will begin and when it expires. If you want the relationship to continue indefinitely, you may state that the agreement will last for one year and then continue thereafter unless the parties determine otherwise. Name the individual in the cleaning organization who will be responsible for your building key and when access to the premises will be granted. At the bottom of the agreement, provide signature lines for you and the cleaning company as well as a space for the date the agreement is signed...Your agreement should clearly list all areas that must be cleaned and what services will be provided...If you have special considerations, such [as] hardwood floors, you may also wish to specify the type of cleaning supplies that must be used in each area and who will provide them. In addition to routine tasks such as mopping, your agreement should also cover how frequently the cleaner will perform nonroutine tasks such as window cleaning, baseboard cleaning, furniture polishing and shower scrubbing...Your agreement must state how much the cleaner will be paid per visit or how much the cleaner will be paid per hour depending on the structure of your arrangement. Also, if the cleaner will be providing special services, you may wish to clarify that compensation will vary based on the visit. State how cancellations will be handled and how disputes will be resolved."

Owen E. Richason IV reports:

"If you receive a collections notice from a debt collection agency and do not believe the debt to be yours or [you believe] the amount to be inaccurate, you may dispute the debt with the collection agency by writing a letter formally declaring that you contest the debt. While this may result in an end to collection attempts, it may possibly amplify them...Verify the debt and the collection agency. Go to each credit reporting agency's...website and navigate to their dispute page and file a dispute request. By federal law, credit bureaus must verify the debt is accurate and send you a confirmation of its validity or remove the item from your credit report. In addition, verify the collection agency is legitimate. According to William E. Lewis, Jr., a credit repair expert, you should verify not only the debt, but [also] the collection agency itself, since there is an increasing trend for fake collection notices. Use the Secretary of State or Division of Corporations website in the state where the collection agency operates to search for the agency. Each state regulates these businesses, and they must be registered to operate legally...Phone the collection agency and ask to speak with a manager or supervisor. Speak with a person who has the authority to make decisions regarding collection accounts. Should the representative be unwilling to transfer your call, politely thank him for his time, note his name and time of call, [and] then end the call. Continue calling back until you can speak with a manager or supervisor. Upon speaking with a supervisor or manager, ask him to send you verification of the debt and notify him you intend to dispute the account...Include the essential elements of the dispute letter. Format the letter [thus]: 1) Your full name and address 2) The collections agency's name and address 3) A request for the amount of the debt claimed to be owed 4) A request for the name of the original creditor 5) A request for the judgment information (if applicable) 6) A request for proof of the company's license. The dispute letter should also include a citation to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act--particularly Section 809(b) and a disclosure that you are keeping records of all communications initiated by the collection agency, advises The Consumerist website. Close the letter with your signature...Send the dispute letter to the collection agency. If the collection agency responds to your dispute letter, it must under federal law provide proof the debt is valid or refrain from further attempts to collect. If the collection agency cannot verify the debt, under federal law it must inform each credit bureau of the inaccuracy...Order your credit report from each credit bureau. If the debt cannot be validated by the collection agency, do not assume the account will not continue to appear on your credit report. Allow at least 60 to 90 days after disputing the account with the credit agency and order a copy of your credit report from Trans Union, Experian, and Equifax to ensure the item is no longer being reported."

Lisa Bigelow reports:

"If you feel your employer wrongfully terminated you, filing a grievance for the purpose of reinstatement is an option. If you are a union member, a union representative may handle your case and will seek to bring your case to arbitration. If not, you can still file a grievance, but it may require hiring an attorney...Contact your union representative immediately [if applicable] to tell her of your wrongful termination. Verify her contact information. You may only have a few days to file a grievance, so acting quickly is essential. Request a copy of the collective bargaining agreement in the first paragraph of your letter. Describe your role at the company in the second paragraph, including your tenure, and succinctly describe the incident or incidents that led to your dismissal...Note in the third paragraph that you believe termination should only apply for 'just cause' and your actions could not be described as 'just cause.' Request that the union file a grievance on your behalf; also request that the representative inform you of the outcome of your request by a certain date. Review, sign and date the letter. Use certified mail for proof of delivery...Review the employee handbook to determine if your dismissal is a breach of contract or wrongful termination [if you are not a union member]; handbooks routinely include descriptions of 'just cause' terminations. Review the dispute resolution procedure, if there is one. If so, proceed according to the directions given in the handbook. Contact an employee relations attorney and verbally describe your case. Write the attorney a brief, factual description of the events surrounding your termination. Note that you believe the company did not have just cause to terminate you according to the provisions in the employee handbook. Sign, date and mail the letter...Keep your comments unemotional, succinct and factual. Keep documentation that backs up your assertions in a safe place. Hire an attorney if you're not represented by a union delegate."

Stacey Schifferdecker reports:

"Federal law requires that nursing homes develop care plans for all residents. A care plan, which can address both medical and nonmedical issues, outlines how the nursing home staff will help a resident, listing what each staff member will do and when it will happen...A good care plan facilitates communication between nursing home staff and ensures that residents' needs are met. Someone unfamiliar with the resident should be able to pick up the nursing home care plan and know how to care for the resident...Complete a comprehensive assessment of the resident's physical, social, emotional, and mental needs. Each nursing home may have a set of standard protocols to use when assessing a resident's needs. Assemble a Care Plan Team that will work together to develop the Care Plan. The Care Plan Team may include nursing home staff, the resident's physician, the resident's family, and the resident. Develop a list of the resident's problems. The problem list can include medical diagnoses, physical weaknesses, family problems, social withdrawal, and any other items affecting the resident's health and well-being. For each problem listed, determine if it can get better with appropriate steps and action, is unlikely to improve but can be maintained, or is unlikely to improve and will probably continue to deteriorate. For each problem that can be improved, develop specific, measurable, and attainable goals for improving the problem. For each problem that can be maintained, develop specific, measurable, and attainable goals designed to keep the problem from getting worse or from developing complications. For each problem that will probably continue to deteriorate, develop specific, measurable, and attainable goals that will delay or slow deterioration and that will provide the resident with optimal comfort and quality of life. Develop interventions and plans for achieving each goal. The interventions and plans must incorporate physician orders, facility policies, and accepted standards of care. The resident and the resident's family may also provide input into the interventions and plans...A facility should complete an initial nursing home care plan within 24 hours of a resident's admittance to the nursing home. A full care plan should be in place within 21 days. Both nursing home residents and their families can participate in meetings to develop and review nursing home care plans. Nursing home care plans need to be reviewed and modified as the resident's needs change, or at least every year."

Crystal Green reports:

"Personalize your greeting. Use his or her name in the opening line. When thanking multiple people who attended the lunch, issue each person his own card. For group thank yous, address everyone as a whole, like, 'To the Team at Jones Wallace,' or for a wittier alternative, 'To John and the Dynamic Duo' in your salutation...Get to the point. Thank you notes are just that: notes. Keep your message short and sweet; it’s not a letter. Thank your colleagues for their time or, in the case where they picked up the bill, for the lunch. Mention how you enjoyed meeting with them or how good it was to see them if it has been [a while]...Personalize the experience. Follow your initial thank you line with a reference to the ambiance, service, meal or special occurrence during the lunch. Perhaps your guests were impressed by the venue you chose for the luncheon. Mention your delight with them being pleased by the venue. Allow even unexpected happenings to serve as [memory builders] to bond you and your lunchmates together...Give one more thank you. Wrap up your note with an additional thank you for them scheduling the time for a great meal or just for getting the chance to meet again. Mention the next venture, if any, or now is the time to suggest any additional call to action such as a personal meeting, another lunch or participation in an event. Sign off on the note with your farewell and signature. It is okay to sign just your first name following a 'Sincerely yours, Respectfully yours,' or more casual, 'Can’t wait until the next time.' Now that the note is complete, address the envelope formally, add a stamp and drop notes in the mail for delivery...Do not type thank you notes. Keep the concept personal by writing each note by hand. If you have dozens to send, get started promptly so you have time to [handwrite] each."

Legal Beagle reports:

"If you are traveling and don't have the time to consult a lawyer, you can create your own last will and testament to ensure that your wishes are carried out should you pass away. State laws vary, but in most cases the courts will accept a do-it-yourself will, provided it is created properly. When you get home after your travels, you can then see a lawyer and make a new will, which will then be your new last will and testament, replacing the temporary will you made yourself...By law, the most recent will that you write is the one that will be used when you pass away, hence the name 'last will and testament.' The only thing that makes your temporary will temporary is your intention to replace it later. Most states allow handwritten wills, or fill-in-the-blank forms, to be used, provided they are written properly...A temporary will should...spell out who you would like to be in charge of your children [if any] if you both should die [if married]. It should tell where important papers are and where a primary bank account is and who should have access to those funds and documents should you pass away, named as the executor of your estate. The will must be signed and dated. In most states, two uninterested parties not named in the will must also sign and date it...In addition to a will, you may want to write a power of attorney to name someone to care for your children [if any] and manage your finances and property, and make medical decisions on your behalf, should you become incapacitated during your trip...You need to sign and date this document and have it witnessed and dated by two uninterested parties. If it's a medical power of attorney, the witnesses should also not be your doctor or anyone else involved in your healthcare...These last[-]minute documents should not be considered a permanent solution. A formal will and power of attorney is best when time permits. This is just a good option if you do not have the time to do them yet. To revoke a temporary will or power of attorney, you need only to create a new one with a more recent date. Destroying all copies of the documents will also revoke them."

Jake Shore reports:

"While it may appeal to some students to have complete freedom over [an] essay topic and subject matter, many students find comfort in clearly defined essay rules. An allegory is a symbolic representation, and an allegory essay offers students a clear central focus in addition to many freedoms...Whether you’re given a text to analyze or you’re able to choose one, the first step when writing an allegory essay is pinpointing the allegory that will be the central focus of your paper. When dealing with a text with an allegory, most narrative elements, central characters, settings and symbolic objects will be part of an overarching meaning that isn’t directly addressed in the narrative...At the foundation of a well-constructed allegory are carefully crafted parallels between two separate issues. To properly analyze an allegory it's important to identify these parallels and explain why the parallels are such strong indicators that an allegory exists...A well[-]constructed allegory is focused around a specific moral issue. What the moral issue is and how you know it is a significant part of an allegory essay. Analyze and interpret the fundamental conflict to identify what the text’s allegory is commenting on. The central conflict will reveal a moral conundrum having to deal with any number of issues such as death, innocence or righteousness...In a text with an allegory, central characters many times represent abstract ideas. For example, if the protagonist is a social worker, she may be a symbol of charity and generosity. These examples of personification often interact fundamentally with the allegory, and are integral in understanding the prominent parallels between the direct plot and the meaning that exists outside of the text."