Wedding Themes to Make Your Big Day Special

edding themes are used by more and more couples to turn their big day into an event that is both meaningful to them and enjoyable for their guests. You can always stick with wedding themes that are simple and elegant or go all out and do something that's never been done before to make your wedding truly special. Remember that a wedding is an important occasion for both the bride and the groom, and a wedding theme needs to reflect that. Take the time to sit down with your partner to explore possible wedding theme ideas that will make you both happy. Consider the mood and atmosphere you want to set for your wedding. Would you like it to be very traditional or fun and quirky? Sophisticated or relaxed? Then go a little deeper and think about your personal style, personality and interests. When you figure out a general direction for coming up with a theme, the ideas will come to you naturally. Take a look at some wedding themes below and the areas of your ceremony and reception that can be influenced by the theme you choose.

Time Period

Medieval - The perfect setting for this theme would be in historical churches or castles. The use of calligraphy is a great way to distinguish this time period. Decorations with a gothic feel and deep rich colors such as blue and purple work best.

Victorian - The ideal ceremony location for this theme is a Victorian style mansion or a garden with a beautiful gazebo, and there is nothing more fitting for the reception than having it in a grand ballroom. Lace can be used to adorn not only the bride's dress, but also the table setting and other elements for décor. Go with light colors in white, off white and pastels, and do not forget to add tea to the menu.

1920's - The bride can be very creative with her wedding day look by wearing unique headpieces or donning long strands of pearls. Bridesmaids can opt for a shorter dress that resembles the iconic flapper image of that era and groomsmen can sport a fedora to take them back in time. Your music selection for the reception can center around jazz, couple that with a uniquely cabaret style setting.

Destination

Beach - A wedding that takes place on a beach requires the dress code to be casual, with dresses preferably short. Seashells, starfish, flip flops and sandcastles are all popular beach related items that are frequently used in the décor for this wedding theme. Blues, whites and sandy colors typically represent this beautiful setting, and tropical exotic flowers should be used.

Cities - Whether you are having a destination wedding in a different city or just want to have your wedding feel as if it were in another location, you can include specific elements to make a certain city become your wedding theme. Make good use of colors, historical sites, cultural relics, flowers that represent the city and of course the fashion.

Interests

Rock & Roll - The most important aspect of this wedding theme is the music, let your guests rock and roll all night long. Instead of dressing like a classic bride and groom, go with something a little more rebellious. Think of your favorite rock songs and use elements from the song for decorating ideas.

Fairytale - Most girls who dream about their happily ever after need a wedding that is fit for a princess. Get ideas for your ceremony and reception from your favorite fairytale stories. You can go all out with horse drawn carriages and a grand ballroom or use subtle touches to create this theme.

Movie - The big screen is a great source of inspiration for many couples. If you want to capture the feel of a certain movie for your wedding, the possibilities are endless. From the wedding attire and music to the food and decorations, there are a lot of different things you can do to make the movie come alive. Some great movie themes include Alice in Wonderland, Grease, and Gone with the Wind. What are some of your favorites?

Culture

Asian - There are so many diverse cultures in Asia, each with its own unique wedding customs and traditions. If either the bride or groom is of a particular Asian ethnicity, it's important to incorporate the traditional dress of that culture into the wedding as well as food. Other cultural elements that can be used throughout include traditional patterns, artwork, colors, writing, etc.

Seasons

Spring - The weather is getting warmer and flowers are in bloom, there is no better season to have your wedding. A garden wedding would be perfect for this season, heavy use of flowers and butterflies are especially common for spring weddings. The colors that are used are usually light and so are the fabrics, pair that with food that contain a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs.

Summer - Everybody loves summer, that is why it is one of the most popular seasons to have a wedding. Outdoor ceremonies are perfect for this time of year and there are many different locations for you to choose from. The use of bright and vibrant colors is ideal for this season. Serve food and drinks that are refreshing, and let your wedding party wear something lightweight and comfortable.

Autumn - This season makes us think of falling leaves and rich colors such as red, orange, gold and brown. If the weather is not too chilly where you are, outdoor weddings can still be very appropriate. The menu should include meals that are made with foods common during this season such as pumpkins and apples. Centerpieces featuring autumn leaves and candles are also great for the reception.

Winter - Winter wonderland wedding themes are popular among many couples. With white being the primary color, it's easy to have the décor look both sophisticated and elegant especially using silver or gold accents. Think of ways to incorporate snowflakes into the decoration of your venue and for your wedding favors.

Wedding Color Scheme - After deciding on a theme, selecting the color combination to use throughout your wedding becomes a lot easier. Choose colors in shades that are representative of your theme.

Wedding Location - Wedding themes also play a major role when choosing a venue for the ceremony as well as reception. Having a theme helps to narrow down the options you have for holding your wedding.

Wedding Attire - Wedding themes can influence the attire for the bride, groom, wedding party and sometimes even the guests. Whether you decide to wear something traditional or unconventional, formal or casual,it all depends on how it fits in with your theme.

Wedding Decorations - Looking for one of a kind centerpieces and table settings? Let wedding themes inspire the décor of your entire reception.

Wedding Menu - Wedding themes can greatly affect the food that you serve your guests during the reception. Your menu can reflect a certain time period, culture, location or season.

Wedding Favors - Give your guests something special to take home as a little token of your appreciation. Gifts that are related to your wedding theme will remind them of the great time they had.

Wedding Floral Arrangement - With so many flowers to choose from, having a wedding theme makes it much easier to settle on a color combination for your floral arrangement and narrow it down to a specific style.

Wedding Cake - Wedding cakes have become a piece of art in and of itself. Your wedding cake can be one of the best representations of your theme. Discuss your ideas with the expert and let them work their magic.

Wedding Invitations - Let everyone know what to expect on your big day by incorporating the wedding theme into your invitations. It's a great way to get people excited and looking forward to being there.

Wedding Website - After the invitations go out, your guests can get updates about your wedding, take a look at what you are doing to prepare for the big day and get more information on what to expect through your wedding website. Grab their attention and keep them excited by creating a website entirely in the style of your planned theme.

Elements of a Strong Corporate Travel Program

In order to make the most of your corporate travel budget, it is critical to plan for leveraging your program for all it is worth. Telling travelers to select the lowest logical airfare is just not enough. Here are the elements that should be considered when planning or evaluating your travel program.

1. Travel policy

A well written and disseminated travel policy is the foundation of any good travel program, and I am consistently amazed that so many corporations have such an outdated and poorly conceived travel policy, if they have one at all. It is not difficult to find a well written policy. One can be found online quite easily. All that remains is that it is edited to reflect corporate culture, and disseminated within the company so that everyone understands and agrees to follow it. For this reason, it is a good idea to have everyone sign a copy of the travel policy to ensure that it is read, understood and owned by all company staff. I suggest that everyone in the company signs a copy of the travel policy, whether they travel or not. They may change positions in the company later and be required to travel. A travel policy need not be long or complex. Some of the best travel policies I have ever seen were only a few pages long.

2. Centralized travel internally and externally

Many companies do not centralize their travel program, and they pay a price in terms of a loss of expense reduction opportunities and internal efficiencies. Many companies that do not centralize travel have a fear of requiring travelers to do something they may not want to do, along with the idea that centralizing travel will require hiring a Travel Manager. Both of these may be legitimate concerns but they do not have to be in most cases. By requiring travelers to book centrally, you are not necessarily causing them to lose flexibility. You can centralize travel while still allowing travelers to book on their own, either with a travel agency of your choice, or online through a provider that you have partnered with and have confidence in. By assigning someone with the responsibility of overseeing travel, you are getting a single point of contact both internally and externally for travel issues. If your company spends less than $1 million in air travel, you probably do not need a full time travel manager. In these cases, travel oversight can be given to the finance department, human resources, or even an executive level assistant. Here is a look at the advantages to be gained by centralizing travel.

When you centralize travel with a single agency, you gain in a number of important ways. You will have a single point of contact for problems while travelers are on the road, and you will have one entity to go to for all your travel needs. This eliminates the problem of consolidating a travel report from among several sources. By bringing travel together, you will gain significantly from economies of scale. If you can measure total travel among various divisions or locations, you can get more for your money from travel suppliers. This will allow you to gain more from airline soft dollar programs, which means more free tickets and upgrades, get a higher percentage discount from our preferred airline, and get better negotiated rates from your hotel and car contracts. Your fulfillment costs will decrease as well, as your travel agency will often discount their fees for a higher overall volume of travel.

3. Mix of online booking and personal service

This is an addendum to the previous element, which calls for centralizing travel with one travel agency. This is important, but in doing so, you need not require travelers to use an online booking system, and you need not require travelers to call the agency directly. By offering travelers the option of doing either, you are accomplishing several goals. You will reduce your fulfillment costs, as online booking is cheaper in terms of a service fee. By giving travelers the option, you are giving them a sense of control, thereby increasing morale and standing a better chance of a high adoption rate. Thirdly, you leave open a best practice of using your online booking engine for less complex itineraries, and allowing senior executives, frequent travelers, and complex itineraries to be booked directly with a travel agent that can offer a higher level of service and a better overall travel experience where it is most warranted.

4. Look under every stone

While the bulk of most travel programs revolve around the air budget, there are several other areas one can investigate to find savings opportunities. There are a couple of more obvious areas to look, such as negotiated hotel rates at your favorite hotels, or car rental discounts with a favored supplier. Often your travel agency will already have discounted rates through consortia affiliations and agency car contracts. There are also some less common areas that should be investigated. For example, if ground transportation is a concern, most suppliers will offer discounted rates and a direct billing option. Direct billing arrangements with hotels and car rental agencies are also a great way to increase efficiencies and make the job of the accounting department easier.

5. Leverage hard dollar and soft dollar contracts

Most major airlines today offer hard dollar discounts as well as soft dollar incentives in exchange for company loyalty to their product. If your travel program is over $1 million in air spend, you can secure a discount off of the lowest fares of your carrier of choice in return for a market share commitment. For your secondary carriers, or if your volume is less than the minimum required by the airline, you can enter in to soft dollar programs for free tickets and free upgrades, as well as traveler status enhancements or airport club passes. These programs require little in the way of volume, but they are not well publicized so you may need to hunt for them or ask Baker Travel or your current agency to point you in the right direction.

6. Do not neglect hotel volume

Hotel volume is sometimes overlooked but it should not be. Negotiated rates can be had through your travel agency or directly with the hotel properties of your choice. Individual hotels near corporate locations will negotiate discounted rates for you in exchange for a minimum room/night commitment. By utilizing a travel agency, you are likely to receive discounts of 5% to 50% on thousands of hotels worldwide.

7. Have at least one car rental contract

Rental car contracts are easy to enter into and require little in the way of commitment from the corporation. Choose a partner that has airport locations and a reputation for excellent customer service. You can save 5-10% very easily and can also negotiate frequent renter membership for all your employees. This will make them more efficient and enhance morale. You can also enter in to direct billing agreements at the same time that can make the jobs of your travelers and accounting staff much less stressful.

8. Understand group and meeting contracts

Airlines and hotels will discount your fares and rates when you have groups traveling together or meeting at a single destination from multiple points of origin. These meeting contracts can bring you airfare discounts of 2-10%, and if you have enough travelers on a single airline, you may be able to negotiate for free tickets to be awarded at contract completion. The minimum requirement is usually 10 travelers going to the same place at the same time. Some airlines have higher minimums so be sure to ask before a contract is generated. Hotels will discount their rates in a similar way with a minimum of 10 room nights. These discounts can range from 10% to a much higher discount depending upon occupancy rate and seasonal variances.

9. Use reporting to consistently improve metrics

Well managed travel programs require constant monitoring and financial controls to be properly leveraged. Insist on timely and customized reports that can be designed to bring you the information you need most. By receiving regular reporting on traveler behavior and provider contract performance, you will be in a better position to fulfill contract obligations, achieve cost reduction objectives and see where opportunities for future savings may lie.

10. Use all avenues to enhance traveler comfort and efficiency

Lastly, any well managed travel program will take in to account the comfort and productivity of their travelers. When travelers are comfortable, they can focus on their main priorities that help propel your business forward. If travelers are happy, they perform at a higher level. Ask if your travel agency can upgrade traveler status on a preferred airline. Look in to purchasing blocks of airport club passes so they can be used strategically during long and complex itineraries. There are many ways to reward travelers for the difficult and often grueling chore of travel. These kinds of rewards generate feelings of loyalty and increased productivity and efficiency.

4G Mobile Technologies Demystified

Until recently, we have witnessed the evolution of mobile technologies from the radio frequency technologies right up to the 3G technologies that are currently making waves all around the world. A new technology has now come to us, 4G mobile technology. This technology is nothing but a new technology for the next generation of mobile phones. It was made available commercially in the USA from the year 2009. But, in India it is a relatively new wave that has not yet reached a crescendo. In India, right now we are in the midst of the 3G wave of mobile technology.

To simplify matters, 4G refers to the fourth generation of mobile technologies. We have got to this stage due to the evolution of technology from its primitive 1G version, through to 4G technology. In other words, 3G mobile technology covers the carrying of data in its digital formats. This activity leads to enhanced information services like websites in their original formats, etc.. The famous Apple iPhone is a silent testimony to the success of 3G mobile technology. Although we have not reached there yet, the 4G mobile technologies are the next wave of improvisation in mobile technology.

This technology has not yet established itself, and it does not have any agreed set of standards and rules, not to talk of protocols. However, it is sure to revolutionize the way people use the internet on their mobile phones. This technology is not yet fully defined, and so it cannot be said to be totally discovered. This new technology involves enhanced security features since data transfer is increasingly being done through fiber optic cable networks, wireless networks, etc.. 4G technology talks of the security measures to be provided by these enigmatic technologies.

One of the primary goals of 4G mobile technology is to minimize the blips in transmission when devices are taken from one area to another. Another goal of this new technology is to leverage the power of IP networks for increased safety and security of the data that is being transferred through a fibre optic cable network. If 3G made e-commerce a reality, then 4G will make uninterrupted internet access a reality for all and sundry. The USA uses 4G technologies in two ways- WiMAX technology, and the other is Long Term Evolution or LTE technology.

4G technology is primarily used for data and voice transfer over the internet and fibre optic cable networks. Customers who have a strong 4G network in their homes can use it to access high-speed internet access through Wi-Fi networks that are built into routers and switches. This facility does not need the use of cables for data and voice transfer. Unobstructed Internet access, through external networks apart from those being offered by coffee shops, airports and libraries will be made a reality, thanks to the advent of 4G networks.

An aspiring pmp professional who is a graduate in civil engineering and has experience and qualifications on the commercial side of engineering, seeks to express his opinions and views based on his experience of the world.

Apart from being a full time worker in the construction industry, he is also a freelance writer who writes for blogs and websites.

Home Improvement And Repair Projects Have Never Been More Popular And Easier To Accomplish

The popularity of HGTV (Home & Garden Television) has created a 
thriving market in do-it-yourself home improvement and interior 
decorating. All sectors of the home improvement industry have 
benefited since HGTV started airing in 1975.

The real estate boom was followed by a home improvement boom. 
People would buy a old house and want to redecorate the house 
from floor to ceiling. People who had lived in their houses for 
a while wanted new kitchen cabinets. The home improvement shows 
were an impetus for a massive movement by homeowners to start a 
remodeling revolution

The home improvements that people take on include makeovers from 
the attic to the basement. They perform functional repairs like 
fixing a leaky roof, replacing windows, and adding more room to the 
house. Then there are the projects that are just for the 
beautification of the home like updating kitchen, remodeling a 
master bedroom.

Some people use home improvement as a creative outlet. They paint 
and redesign just for the satisfaction of improving their living 
space. HGTV has been a large contributor to the home improvement 
revival.

HGTV reaches 89 million households every week and over 800,000 
nightly prime time viewers. The format of the show has been copied 
several times and spin offs like Trading 
Spaces, Extreme Makeovers. Viewers sit for hours watching 
"Design on a Dime" "Devine Design", "Landscapers Challenge". 
The home improvement shows just keep coming.

HGTV provides instructions for thousands of home improvement projects. 
They provide video clips for everything from garden projects to 
constructing a bed. HGTV is the one-stop resource for finding anything 
you need for expert help with "doing it yourself" projects.

HGTV makes home improvement look easy and fun. HGTV gives viewers 
new ideas and inspires the week end warrior to do some type of home 
improvement project. HGTV mission is "to provide ideas, information, 
and inspiration for decorating and home improvement".

The impact that HGTV has on home improvement can be measured in these 
statistics.

Furniture sales grew by 75%, between Between 1995-2005

These items included soft goods as well, carpets, lamps, area rugs, 
linens, glassware

People all over the country are decorating their homes to look like 
these superbly beautiful fantasy creations that they view on HGTV. 
If you are not a "do it yourselfer" you can just imagine the way your

home might look when you go on tours of million dollar home all 
across the country. You see people who look like you making grand 
improvements to shacks that end up looking like your dream home.

HGTV has had a dramatic impact on the home improvement industry 
because HGTV appeals to the age group of people who have the money 
to pay for major home improvement projects. The demographics of the 
typical HGTV is a female age 35-64 years old. Over 70% of HGTV 
viewers are females. 
That means that the female viewers are encouraging husband, fathers, 
brother to do the work so they can enjoy the benefits. 
The additional general consumer demographics for home improvement by 
female indicate:

The target demographic for the Do It Yourself Website is:

The home Improvement Research Institute studies show that both men 
and women are active participants in the planning of home improvement 
projects as well as the purchase of those products used for 
improvement.

Sales of home furnishings increased 97% in this same period.

They shop more often

Visit more stores

Spend more than the typical shopper

Homeowners

Ages 25-54

Incomes of $60,000

Internet access

Propensity for home improvement

The Increasing Surge of Health Care

While sitting back in her blue jeans and wearing a heavy workout sweater at the Legacy Emanuel Hospital's Emergency room, Angela Jones has her feet prompted up and crossed atop of a small table. When asked about health care issues and how they affect her, Angela explains that there is a portion of people who suffer from not having health care insurance. She makes it clear that some of those who suffer most are young people. Jones, who is a college student, declared her passion for the young because it falls under her own age group.

Says Jones, "The Oregon Health Plan should be open to more people who are under 21 years old. Private insurance shouldn't be so expensive for young people."

According to national surveys, the primary reason people are uninsured is the high cost of health insurance coverage. Notwithstanding, nearly one-quarter (23 percent) of the uninsured reported changing their way of life significantly in order to pay medical bills. Economists have discovered that increasing health care costs correlate to drops in health insurance coverage.

Jones believes that some of the greatest challenges that people face across this nation is obtaining affordable health care. "I would open an Oregon Health Plan to a variety of people who don't have insurance. It is hard to get health insurance."

Terri Heer, a registered nurse at a local hospital, claims that in order to improve America's health care system a key ingredient is to "make sure that everyone (has) access."

This would include cutting out on expenses that are not palpable to so called "health care needs". Heer says, "First, we spend a lot of money servicing people for illnesses that can be prevented. Some of the money spent can go to other things."

Over the long haul, should the nations health care system undergo significant changes, the typical patient may not necessarily see the improvements firsthand. "I would love to say there will be a lot of changes. I am not a pessimist, but I don't think there will be any change," says Heer. Heer does allude to the fact that if more money were spent for people in the health care arena, she says that there is a possibility that the necessary changes would be more evident.

Whether health care is affordable or not is an issue that affects everyone. According to a recent study last year, health care spending in the United States reached $2.3 trillion, and is projected to reach $3 trillion by 2011. By 2016, it is projected to reach $4.2 trillion. Although it is estimated that nearly 47 million Americans are uninsured, the U.S. spends more on health care than any other nation.

The rising tide of health care stems from several factors that has an affect on us all. First, there is an intensity of services in the U.S. health care system that has undergone a dramatic change when you consider that people are living longer coupled with greater chronic illnesses.

Secondly, prescription drugs and technology have gone through significant changes. The fact that major drugs and technological advancement has been a contributing factor for the increase in health care spending. Some analysts suggest that the improvement of state-of-art technologies and drugs increase health care spending. This increase not only attributes to the high-tech inventions, but also because consumer demand for these products has gone through the roof, so to speak.

Thirdly, there is an aging of the population. Since the baby boomers have reached their middle years, there is a tremendous need to take care of them. This trend will continue as baby boomers will qualify for more Medicare in 2011.

Lastly, there is the factor of administrative costs. Some would argue that the private sector plays a critical role in the rise of health care costs and the economic increase they produce in overhead costs. At the same time, 7 percent of health care expenses are a result of administrative costs. This would include aspects of billing and marketing.

Terra Lincoln is a woman who was found waiting in the Emergency room at the Providence Portland Medical Center. When asked about the rising costs of health care, she said, "If you don't have medical coverage, it'll cost you too much money. If I leave the hospital right now and I need to buy two (types) of medicines, I couldn't afford it." Lincoln says that she is a member of the OHP, but she believes that there are still issues that need to be addressed.

Terra recognizes that to reduce medical costs, she would have to start by getting regular checkups. "Sometimes people of color wait till they're in pain before they get a checkup," she said.

A national survey shows that the primary reason why people cannot afford health care is because of soaring costs of health care coverage. In a recent Wall-Street Journal-NBC survey it is reported that 50% of the American public claims that their highest and most significant economic concern is health care. Consequently, the rising cost of health care is the number one concern for Democratic voters.

Regarding the rising tide of health care, Kristin Venderbush, a native Wisconsin, and another patient in emergency at Providence says, "I worry a lot about what happens to the working poor. They don't have OHP. If you can't advocate for yourself, you will not get the health care you need...on every level."

Harvard University researchers conducted a recent study that discovered that the out-of-pocket medical debt for an average consumer who filed bankruptcy was $12,000. This study noted that 68 percent of those who had filed for bankruptcy carried health insurance. Apparently, these bankruptcy's were results from medical expenses. It was also noted in this study that every 30 seconds someone files for bankruptcy after they have had some type of serious health problem.

In spite of all the social and economic bureaucracy in the health care arena, some changes were made in Washington on January 28, 2008. In his State of the Union address, President Bush made inquired Congress to eliminate the unfair bias of the tax code against people who do not get their health care from their employer. Millions would then have more options that were not previously available and health care would be more accessible for people who could not afford it.

Why You Should Have Auto Repair Tools in Your Car

Having basic auto repair tools can really be nice when your car starts to have car troubles. Having some repair tools can save you from having to run to your local Utah auto repair garage. You don't want to have to run to a Utah auto shop for every single mechanical problem that goes on with your car.

Be sure to carry auto repair tools in your car with you whenever you drive. As discussed in a previous article, major car repairs may be saved by keeping up with the general maintenance of your car. Yet, even doing that does not guarantee that your car will never break down.

It is inevitable that your car will need some minor repairs every so often. Even when they are cared after very well, cars will need some mechanical work done. However, keeping good care of your car and bringing it in to your local Utah auto shops to replace oil and other maintenance checks will make it more plausible that you can save money when your car does have smaller issues because you will be able to do the repairs on your own.

You can usually find a good set of auto tools at most Utah auto stores. Stores that deal with car accessories are always a good place to look for auto repair tools. A lot of supermarkets are also selling auto repair tools.

Basic tool kits will allow you to do basic mechanical repairs yourself. Before trying to repair anything on your car yourself, you need to make sure you have a basic knowledge of car repairs. Local classes, online tutorials, and basic videos are a good place to start when studying how to do repairs on your car.

Some procedures should never be tried by a novice. For example, you would never want to try to replace a broken clutch by yourself. The type of repairs that novice car owners can easily do are things such as replacements on spark plugs or fuel filters.

When you buy a basic auto repair tool kit it should have some form of tutorial included with it. Tutorials will help you understand the tools and their uses. The more detailed the tutorial, the better.

You can ask your Utah auto repair technicians what tools are the best to have for basic maintenance work. Most will tell you the need for jumper cables, screwdrivers, set of wrenches, thick gloves, and breaker bars. When you go in to talk to your technician, compare the pricing between their basic auto repair tool kits and others you can find online or at the supermarkets.

Ten Important Things To Keep In Mind Before Starting An Online Business

These ten factors may not necessarily appear in the same order as listed below but certainly, they are vital for the issue at hand.

HERE ARE THE TEN QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF:

1. What type of online business do I want to engage in? 
2. What do I have on offer that will be better than my Competitors in my niche? 
3. Do I need to prepare a business plan for my business? 
4. How much will it cost to set up my business? 
5. Is my business online based or BOTH online and offline? 
6. Do I need a dedicated website for my business and how much will it cost? 
7. How will I market my business whether online or offline? 
8. What is the right strategy to use to market my business? 
9. Am I getting value for money in advertising my business? 
10. Am I reaching the right audience with my advertising?

Having a positive answer for all these questions can only lead you to the next stage of your pursuit of running an online business.

Engage yourself in research into the business you want to get involve in and have a go at it. Take for instance, the Mobile Phone Industry. Statistics have shown the total number of mobile phone users worldwide from 2013 to 2019. For 2017 the number of mobile phone users is forecast to reach 4.77 billion. Customers and potential customers use their mobile phones to browse the internet for Products and Services more than a Laptop or Desktop computer, so it make sense for business owners to utilize this piece of technology for marketing their products and services. This could suggest that there is an opportunity to tap into the mobile app industry to meet the needs of these businesses requiring mobile apps.

Millions of apps for almost anything you can think of, are now in circulation whether for free download or at a cost. You might ask, why don't I have a slice of the pie and start a mobile app business? The excitement kicks in, but one has to have some kind of knowledge about the whole App design process. This will probably force you to dig deeper into your research on the whole aspect of mobile app development. With this being established, my first question is answered; through study and research, you have made an informed decision to get involved in Mobile App Design and Development. But, what will you be offering that will be better than your Competitors? This is not a simple question to answer, but to say the least, strive to offer quality products and services to customers, and simply make your Products and Services more affordable while maintaining quality.

Starting a business without some kind of a business plan is like driving onto a very long motorway with 1/4 tank of fuel, with the hope that it will take you to the next service exit. The business plan will give you a breakdown of what you need for the business even though success is not guaranteed, as there are a number of opposing factors along the way.

There are a lot of businesses with little or no startup cost as opposed to other businesses with huge startup cost. It also depends on whether your business will both be online and offline. You have to decide if the business you want to indulge in, has minimal startup cost.

To setup an online business, does not have to cost an arm and a leg, if you take the time to do extensive research into the business you want to get into.

If your business is online based, advertising it to the right audience can be a huge task. Finding the right sources to advertise your business, can be quite challenging and risky as this is where you can spend huge sums of money to advertise, but yet get little return on investment if the advertising strategy is wrong.

Advertising a business to a targeted audience involves a number of factors like;

1. Google Indexing 
2. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) 
3. Domain Authority (DA) 
4. Page Ranking (PR) 
5. Back links 
6. Social Media 
7. Joining Forums 
8. Blogging 
9. Google AdWords 
10. Google Analytics 
11. Keywords Research

To do all of these stuff can be demanding and boring, but if you need success in any business, you just have to get on with the task at hand.

Handing over this challenging task to an SEO Expert can be quite expensive. If you put the time and effort in and do your research and utilize the available SEO tools on the Market, believe me, you can bring your online business to life without 'breaking the bank'.

To conclude, I would say to minimise business startup costs, try to do as much as you can yourself. When you have exhausted all avenues, seek help.

I did not need any website design experience to build the Apptitecture's website. Therefore, not having to ask a web designer to build a website, has saved me some money which I was able to channel elsewhere in the business. Starting an online business can be quite daunting but with hard work and determination, you can have a successful business in the end.