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Working for the weekend… Top five Labor Day weekend projects.

CHICAGO, GURNEE, NAPERVILLE, TINLEY PARK, IL …

The initial intent of Labor Day was to provide a day off for workers. For many homeowners, that “off” day provides a perfect opportunity—three full days—to start and finish home improvement projects. Sometimes the largest question to ponder is which home improvement project to take on for the long Labor Day weekend.

“It’s nice to be ambitious and to try and take advantage of that extra day off, but the biggest mistake homeowners can make with the Labor Day weekend is starting something that bleeds into the next week,” said Dave Kushner, owner of DirectBuy of Northern Illinois. “The goal should be to pick one project that you can easily finish in one day so there’s still enough time to enjoy the weekend and rest up.”

Some simple Labor Day weekend projects Kushner recommends include:

  • Paint and wood protection – Painting or finishing wood surfaces usually works best in warm weather. While this summer has been unusually warm, you never know when the weather will turn. So, take advantage of the long weekend to stain/seal your deck.
  • Concrete protection and sealing – Another area where homeowners fail to take precautions before winter. Whether it’s your driveway, walkway, patio or the surface of your storage shed, a coat of sealer can prolong the life of the surface. You can find concrete sealer at most hardware stores and home improvement centers.
  • Clean carpets – You can rent a steam cleaner at your local supermarket or home improvement store. Be sure to start this one on Saturday so your carpeting has time to dry by Monday.
  • Mulching and winterizing flower beds – While most consider mulching to be a spring time activity, mulching again in the fall accomplishes a few things. First, mulch tends to fade in the summer heat, so “refreshing” your mulch is not a bad idea. Second, mulch offers a layer of protection for plants during the winter.
  • Paint – Painting remains the home improvement project that reaps the largest return on investment (a 250% return on your investment for freshly painted interior walls, according to HomeGain.com). Limit costly mistakes and spills by using drop cloths and painter’s tape.

“There really aren’t many days off when you own a home,” added Kushner. “But completing one of these projects can improve the look and feel of your home and give you plenty of time to enjoy that Labor Day cookout.”

About DirectBuy Club

Since 1971, DirectBuy has helped hundreds of thousands of families enjoy a better quality of life, enabling them to buy directly from more than 700 manufacturers or their authorized suppliers. Buying direct makes members’ hard-earned money go much further, while having the selection and choice not available at any retail store. Access to confidential prices, local suppliers, and unparalleled selection helps make members’ dream projects a reality. The DirectBuy Clubs serving the greater Chicago area are part of more than 150 locations throughout North America.

Consumers interested in becoming members may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting http://www.directbuy.com. 

Locations of the DirectBuy clubs serving the greater Chicago area are: DirectBuy of Chicago North, 6325 North Avondale Ste. 110, Chicago, IL; DirectBuy of DuPage County, 1864 High Grove Lane Ste. 124, Naperville, IL; DirectBuy of Northern Illinois, 3900 Washington Street, Gurnee, IL; and DirectBuy of Tinley Park, 18400 S. 76th Avenue Ste. B, Tinley Park, IL.

To learn more about the superior value and benefits of a DirectBuy membership, visit www.directbuycares.com.

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The Customer is KING – Action Bearing Renovates Shipping Department to Provide “Six-Sigma” Level of Service

Action Bearing, a Boston based bearing company catering to OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Operations) markets in New England and beyond, has recently renovated their entire shipping department in an effort to ensure the highest level of customer service and satisfaction in the industry.

Customers are KING

To further enhance the customer experience at Action Bearing, the company has renovated their entire shipping department. From intake and processing of orders with state-of-the-art technology to a revamp of the stock rooms, Action has made every effort to streamline shipping operations so they may continue to exceed the demands of a growing national and international customer base.

Action relies upon UPS and FedEx to assure that product(s) arrive at the customer’s door in 100 percent perfect shape. Action is proud to say that they are able to get bearings to far off places in short order. Whether the bearings and related products are slated for oil fields in Russia, ship repairs in Guam or mines in Brazil, the company makes every effort to connect with their customers, even via satellite, to ensure they receive exactly what they need, when they need it.

Action offers 24/7 customers service and gives customers the capability to find and order what they need through their website. Their full product catalog is now online and may also be downloaded as a super-handy reference tool for all bearings and related products. Technical drawings, specs with load ratings, and the ability to compare parts side by side are a few of the new catalog features.

To learn more about Action Bearing, visit their website at www.Actionbearing.com.

The Action Bearing Difference
In a proud tradition, the same families that started the company in 1957 keep Action Bearing rolling by specializing in bearings for OEM and MRO markets across the country. Action Bearing has a staff of 22 and a 23,000 square foot facility to provide bearings ranging in size from 3mm to tunnel-boring 15-foot-diameter giants.

Action Bearing offers customers a one-stop shopping experience. With an online product catalog with over 3 million bearings; a vast inventory of bearings; worldwide sourcing; a fixed price program; a knowledgeable staff dedicated to delivering; same day shipping and 24/7 service, Action Bearing has become the leading provider of bearings to OEM and MRO markets in the U.S.

Action Bearing maintains headquarters at 201 Brighton Ave. Boston, MA. For more information, contact 617-782-1400 or toll free, 800-225-4587, email info@Actionbearing.com or visit www.Actionbearing.com

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Drop down and give me 10. Biz Boot Camp.

Drop down and give me 10.
Concord, Mass.-based Success & Profits Boot Camp gets you back to business starting Sept. 16.

DATELINE: CONCORD, MASS.

Not satisfied with the level that your business is at? Success & Profits Boot Camp, an eight-session program starting on September 16, is just the regimen you need.

The first session commences on Thursday, September 16th from 4:30-6:30 pm at the Best Western Hotel in Concord, 740 Elm Street, Concord, Mass. Subsequent classes are every other Thursday at the same time.

Investment is $900 and a portion of the proceeds will be donated directly to the Alzheimer’s Association. There is a money back guarantee after the first session if you don’t agree the workshop is worthwhile.

The Boot Camp is directed by Van C. Smick, founder of Success and Profits Coaching based in Concord, Mass.

But “what” can you do to increase your business profits massively? You need to utilize 4 profit generating strategies – which you’ll learn in the workshop. But this eight-session program will not just teach you “What” you need to do but you’ll leave this program knowing “How” to do what you need to do to maximize your successful & profitable. And you will have DONE much of the planning work in the program itself.

Topics include results-producing marketing; S.M.A.R.T. goals (You’ll learn what SMART means), the difference between cash flow, cash gap & break-even; how to sell like a pro — without feeling dirty; leverage — how to do more with fewer resources; creating a winning team so you don’t have to work; five steps to freedom — have a biz you can sell; and more.

Register by visiting www.SuccessAndProfits.com and clicking on “Upcoming Events” or email workshop leader Van Smick at Van@SuccessAndProfits.com

Success And Profits coaching provides clients with passion, guidance, mentoring, strategic and tactical planning and the accountability to achieve their desired results. Clients achieve their goals of increased sales, profits and effective time management through practical and proven solutions.

Van C. Smick, a Carlisle, Mass. resident, is the founder and director of Success and Profits Coaching. He brings an enthusiasm and passion for helping others. He has more than 25 years of business acumen and 12 years of coaching and leadership experience in large and small businesses.

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“Maximize Your Profits” – Sept. 9 and 10

“Maximize Your Profits” workshop hosted by Success & Profits Coaching –
Sept. 9 and 10 at Best Western, Concord, Mass.

There are only four strategies which can increase a business’s profits. At the “Maximize Your Profits” workshop hosted by Success & Profits Coaching participants will learn those 4 strategies of increasing profits and dozens of proven tactics to increase profits by a minimum of 50%.

Entrepreneurs can choose from one of two workshop dates including Thursday, Sept 9th, 5:30-7 p.m. and Friday, Sept 10th, 7:30-9 a.m. at the Best Western of Concord, 740 Elm Street, Concord, Mass.

Investment is $25 and a portion of the proceeds will be donated directly to Alzheimer’s Association.

The workshop will underscore how to increase your leads with only a nominal investment, how to land 100% of the best prospects, how to get customers to spend more and how to increase your profit margins.

Previous attendees to this workshop have rated this workshop a 9 or higher out of 10 for the past 5 years. Participants are guaranteed to learn $1,000 worth of easy to implement strategies or the $25 investment is refunded — although you still get all the proven tactics you have learned.

Register by visiting www.SuccessAndProfits.com and clicking on “Upcoming Events” or email workshop leader Van Smick at Van@SuccessAndProfits.com.

Success And Profits coaching provides clients with passion, guidance, mentoring, strategic and tactical planning and the accountability to achieve their desired results. Clients achieve their goals of increased sales, profits and effective time management through practical and proven
solutions.

Van Smick, a Carlisle, Mass. resident, is the founder and director of Success and Profits Coaching. He brings an enthusiasm and passion for helping others. He has more than 25 years of business acumen and 12 years of coaching and leadership experience in large and small businesses.

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Lori Skinner RN of South Shore Skin Center and Children’s Melanoma Prevention Foundation featured in DERMASCOPE Magazine

The Children’s Melanoma Prevention Foundation of Hingham and South Shore Skin Center teamed up at the Special Olympics held last week at Weymouth High School to educate children and their families about skin cancer prevention and sun safety.
DermaScope Magazine

Lori Skinner RN of South Shore Skin Center and Children’s Melanoma Prevention Foundation featured in DERMASCOPE MagazineRead More

20-20 vision…PR Works celebrates 20 years in business

Steve Dubin
Steve Dub9in, owner of PR Works

KINGSTON, MA…

A lot has changed in the 20 years since Steve Dubin launched PR Works, a public relations agency based in Kingston, Massachusetts. Snail mail was just mail, the fax machine was the new kid on the block, and New Kids on the Block was the hottest group around. Twenty years later, PR Works is still going strong while the Internet has changed how everybody does business and the New Kids on the Block do reunion tours.

“You can make a case that the Internet affected PR perhaps more than any other industry, from how we research and distribute releases to the news organizations where we send those releases,” said Dubin. “What hasn’t changed about the business is it’s still about the stories. If your client has one to tell and you’re doing your job, coverage typically follows.”

Beyond the advances in technology and media by which to get your client’s message out—e-mail, social media, online newsrooms, etc.–there’s another area where Dubin has seen growth: cause-related marketing. Some of the causes PR Works clients have embraced include The Boys & Girls Club, The Arbor Day Foundation, The Home for Little Wanderers, Cape Cod Cares for Our Troops, local food pantries and Toys for Tots to name a few.

“Consumers want to patronize and do business with companies they feel good about. By actively encouraging your clients to give back to the community and not be shy about it with your PR and marketing, you can create considerable goodwill for your firm. It really is a situation where everybody wins and nowadays, those are the situations you want to be in,” said Dubin.

PR Works offering The Works
For 20 years, PR Works has been providing a wide expanse of public relations services including strategic PR planning, news releases, feature story development, media placement, media coaching, newsletters, case studies, grand opening management, product and service launch management, press tours, and press conference management. In addition to public relations, PR Works provides complete marketing services such as brochure development, advertising campaigns, direct mail, and telemarketing.

For more information, you can visit our new website at http://www.prworkzone.com or become a fan of PR Works at http://www.Facebook.com/PRWorkzone. For FREE brochures entitled “How to Talk to the Press”, “Making Newsletters Noteworthy”, and “Seminars Lead to Motivated Prospects”, please contact Steve Dubin at (781) 582-1061, sdubin@prworkzone.com, 51 Lot Phillips Road, Kingston, MA.

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Feeling the heat… Radiant heating for your home

MERRILLVILLE, IN …

It’s been a hot summer across North America. Yet with autumn only a few short weeks away, the focus will soon switch to heating your home. For many homeowners, especially those who don’t enjoy stepping onto a cold floor in the morning, radiant heat delivers an interesting alternative.

Radiant heating systems involve supplying heat directly to the floor or to panels in the wall or ceiling of a house. In contrast to the way a forced air heating system warms a room by circulating hot air, radiant heating warms a room from the heat emanating from a specific heat source (e.g. –  a hot stove). Consequently, radiant heat warms the items closest to the source first, which is why most people install it in the floor.

“Radiant heat offers many benefits in both form and function. Besides avoiding a cold floor in the morning, radiant heat offers a quieter alternative to a noisy furnace,” said Mike Georgeff, of DirectBuy. “The other nice feature of radiant heat is that it allows you to program the temperature for certain zones of the house, like the bathroom first thing in the morning, rather than heating the entire level.”

Typically, radiant heat comes in three forms: electric, hydronic (water), and solar. The most common are electric and hydronic. When the radiant heat system is turned on, energy is forced through a conducive material embedded in floor tile or floor board (if installing the radiant heat in the floor). Both electric and hydronic systems require electricity (the water used for hyrdonic radiant heating is heated by electricity).

In addition to programmable thermostats, most radiant heating systems will also have an ambient thermometer. So, once the desired heat is achieved, the system can be sustained or turned down accordingly. With forced air, the ambient temperature and the programmed temperature aren’t always the same.

“Radiant heat is one of the more efficient forms of heating available and requires significantly less operating time to maintain the desired warmth compared to furnaces and other methods of heating. That keeps operational costs to a minimum,” said Georgeff. “Couple radiant heat’s efficiency with the negatives associated with forced air—noisy furnaces, dust, etc.—and you can dramatically improve your living environment.”

In addition to radiant heating systems, DirectBuy Club offers many products to improve the energy efficiency of your home—all at direct insider prices. DirectBuy also employs product specialists and designers, so if you need some assistance in selecting products or taking on a home improvement project, you have seasoned professionals at your service.

For more information on a DirectBuy Club membership, you can visit directbuycares.com.

About DirectBuy Club

For more than 39 years, DirectBuy Club has been showing thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furnishings, home improvement and flooring, to entertainment and outdoor products, accessories and much, much more. With more than 150 locations in North America, DirectBuy Club offers its members access to more than 700 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in the US, and more than 500 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in Canada.

Consumers interested in seeing DirectBuy Club’s savings, service and selection up close may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting directbuy.com or directbuycares.com.

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