| How to Make Mummy Hot Dogs Posted: 23 Oct 2016 05:00 PM PDT Mummy hot dogs (also called mummy dogs) make perfect snacks or treats at Halloween parties or events. They're not too hard to make and are juicy in the inside and moist on the outside. Topped with a bit of ketchup and mustard, these cute 'mummies' leave every Halloween celebrator with a smile. EditIngredients - Preheat the oven to 375° Fahrenheit or 190° Celsius.
- Fry the hot dogs. Preheat the stovetop to medium heat and spread olive oil over a frying pan or skillet. Place the ten hot dogs on the pan to cook for about 5-7 minutes, until they are lightly cooked but not thoroughly. Once cooked, remove the hot dogs using tongs and place them on a chopping board.
- Prepare the crescent dough. Roll out the crescent dough on a clean, floured surface using a rolling pin. Slice the dough into 5 inch pieces using a small, cutting knife.
- Wrap the hot dogs with crescent dough. Start making the 'mummies' by wrapping three or four of the crescent dough pieces over the hot dog. Tightly secure the dough by pinching the bottom edges. Add a piece of the dough on top of the hot dog and wrap it around. Place the hot dog on a baking tray. Repeat with all the hot dogs.
- Bake the hot dogs. Place the baking tray of hot dogs in the oven to bake. Have the 'mummies' bake until the crescent dough cooks and the hot dogs slightly crisp.
- Let the hot dogs cool. Remove the baking tray from the oven. Place the baking tray on top of a wire rack. Let the hot dogs cool for about five minutes.
- Decorate the mummies. Use the tomato ketchup and Dijon mustard to add a mouth and eyes to the mummies. Repeat with all the hot dogs and serve on a serving plate.
- Enjoy!
- Instead of hot dogs, you can substitute with sausage.
- For smaller mummies, slice the hot dogs in halves before frying them.
- You can also substitute the crescent dough with biscuit dough but do note crescent dough is more easier to handle.
- Avoid frying the hot dogs for too long. They will bake in the oven and will consume additional heat. Frying the hot dogs thoroughly will cause them to burn or blacken while baking.
EditThings You'll Need - Baking tray
- Oven
- Cooking board
- Rolling pin
- Small knife
- Frying pan or skillet
- Tongs
- Stovetop
- Serving plate
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| How to Build Trust in a Relationship Posted: 23 Oct 2016 09:00 AM PDT The happiest, most satisfying relationships rest on a foundation of implicit trust. If you want your relationship to be all it can be, both of you must learn how to create this kind of trust. Most couples only think of trust in terms of being sexually faithful, though essential, there's more to it than just that. [1] EditCommitting to Mutual Core Relationship Values - Stay faithful. If a partner is not loyal, a relationship quickly becomes unworkable. People do recover from an affair but usually need professional help to do it. Make a commitment to be faithful and stick to it. If you're not happy in the relationship, get counseling and not a part-time lover.[2]
- If you're faithful to someone, it means you're faithful on all levels. This means physically but also emotionally as well. Some people think it's okay to establish intimate bonds even though they may just be spending time with another person and nothing else; but it's really not. It will eventually cause problems in your relationship.
- Give your partner space and foster kindness. Trust builds in an atmosphere of security and safety. The cycle of hurting each other, either verbally or physically, and then rejecting the other person, creates a lot of fear which undermines trust. Also trying to control your partner's every move is another type of mistrust, so make sure you're not possessively clinging on. That will only push him or her away. [3]
- If your significant other wants to spend time with their friends, try to be okay with that. You can always talk about what's acceptable behavior and what's not, though. For instance, if your partner says that he or she wants to go to a dance club with friends and you're not comfortable with it, then it's something that you need to talk about both in this instance and for the future so that it doesn't keep happening again and again.
- Love your partner without any ulterior motives. Both of you need to feel sure you are loved for yourself and not for some other reason. That could be your family, your money, your looks or even fear of being alone. Make sure you're with your significant other for the right reasons.[4]
- Make your relationship a top priority. It can be easy to take each other for granted and neglect one another. Try not to give all of your energy and time to other people or activities. Keep your priorities clear. If being in a relationship is important to you, then make sure it stays at the top of your list.[5]
- Stay to the end. Misunderstandings, conflict and anger are going to occur. However, make if safe for disagreements and the careful expression of anger to happen without raising a fear of abandonment. You do this by never using the threat of walking out.[6]
EditEstablishing Trust on Your End - Keep your routine. A lot of people believe that mixing things up all the time makes a great relationship. In other words, he or she is always planning something new to surprise the other. Although surprises are nice from time to time, stability and uniformity are far more important in a relationship. Uniformity sounds boring, but you need to be predictable to make things work in the long run. Predictability builds trust.[7]
- Be reliable. Trust is just another way of saying you can rely on someone. You trust your partner to do certain things no matter what at all times. This trust builds security in a relationship. Make sure your partner can count on you.[8]
- If you say you're going to be home by 5 p.m., then make sure you are or at least let the other person know if something else comes up. The most important factor here is consistency. If 4 out of 5 times, you never bother calling and just come home as late as you want, then that's a strong indicator that your needs matter more to you than your partner. A happy, successful relationship is when both parties make an effort at keeping up their end of the bargain.
- Mean what you say. Your partner can read your face better than anyone else. If you are lying or trying to hide some true feeling by not quite saying all that is on your mind, he or she will be able to tell. The person might even think you're cheating. When the person knows he or she can trust whatever comes out of your mouth without hesitation, then you are building an unshakable bond.[9]
- Tell the truth. Don't keep anything hidden, nothing should be privileged from the other. You have to know that sooner or later all things come to light, and the consequences of not being completely truthful will kill the trust and ruin your relationship.
- Share how you really feel. Too many people never let their partners know what they need. Don't let your partner wonder, or try to guess what he or she should do for you. It is essential this happens with both partners. If only one partner is being catered to by the other, there is a chance one will feel smothered or the other might feel neglected. Either scenario is not good.
- Say no sometimes. It's okay to listen to your partner's needs and try to fulfill them, but sometimes it's just as valuable to say no. You can't do everything all the time, and you will actually earn some respect when you refuse to do something once in a while. Taking a stand, and imposing your own will can actually enhance the trust between you.
EditFostering Trust in Your Significant Other - Have faith in your partner's capabilities. In other words, if you believe at all that the person is not competent in some of the things he or she does, your trust will not be solid. If this is the case, you need to be up front with him or her on the issues in an honest and loving manner. This will allow you to work through this and keep the trust with each other.
- Trust your partner. How can your partner trust you when you don't trust him or her? Having trust takes two people, and without the other person building trust, too, it's like a fish without water.
- This is where you have the opportunity to practice vulnerability. Trusting another person often comes down to how you feel on the inside. In other words, if you tend to be insecure about things, then this could fall over into your relationship in a negative way. You have every reason to trust until the person actually does something that shows you cannot.
- Give the benefit of the doubt. One indicator of trust issues is the tendency to think of the worst case in every possible situation. Just because someone missed your phone call doesn't mean the person is cheating on you. When you trust your partner, it means you give him or her the benefit of the doubt. Each person deserves a chance to explain her or himself before coming to a conclusion. Only then can it be looked at objectively.[10]
- Leave your partner's phone alone. Do either one of you have passwords on your phone? If so, it could be a sign that you have problems with trust. While privacy is important, it doesn't mean your phone should be protected like it's Fort Knox. When there's real trust, the other person will respect your privacy even if he or she has access to your phone. But the bigger issue, however, is if you feel that the person calling your significant other's phone is a threat to your relationship, then there are definite trust issues that need to be dealt with.
- Allow your partner free reign in life. Often, when there are trust issues, you want to monitor everything the other person does and with whom. It's easy to feel territorial and feel threatened by everyone. However, trust is about having faith and allowing the other person free reign. When you trust someone else, it also means you trust yourself, which fosters healthier relationships in the long run.
- There will always be trials and tribulations in a relationship, but when you face difficulties with an open mind and actively work through the difficulties, the trust in your relationship will grow stronger.
- Trust cannot be maintained if you are doing something behind your partner's back (e.g. cheating). Your partner will find out eventually and the trust will be broken. And once trust is gone, it can never be re-established, there will always be a bit of doubt in place of complete trust.
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| How to Write a Sales Plan Posted: 23 Oct 2016 01:00 AM PDT When your business is sales, many of the factors that determine success are out of your control. Whether you are trying to develop an overarching guide to your sales business strategy, or are a salesperson seeking to define your goals and tactics for meeting (and exceeding) your targets, writing a sales plan can be of great value. By briefly but thoughtfully considering your business, market, customers, competition, and plans, you can take a bit more control over your position within the unpredictable world of sales. EditWriting a Sales Business Plan - Create an executive summary. Business plans — sales-oriented and otherwise — are often initially created by new enterprises that are seeking investors or financing, then revised over time. An executive summary is a standard way to quickly introduce the key details of your business.[1][2]
- The executive summary is the introduction to your business. It defines the problem or need in the market, and explains how you are uniquely capable of solving / providing for it. It tells people unfamiliar with your business what you do and why you will succeed.
- It should also touch on your marketing, financial, and management strategies, and projections for your business going forward. Essentially, it should provide a "taste" of the information included in the business plan as a whole.
- Take, the "summary" part seriously, though. It should be brief, at most a couple of paragraphs. It is also acceptable to use bullet points, graphics, or other means to making the key points clear and accessible. You want those outside the field to clearly understand it.
- Define your business and product. After the executive summary, your sales business plan will need to flesh out the details in that initial section. It is smart to begin by providing more information on who your are and what you sell.[3]
- Provide brief details on when and how your business was formed, where it is located, and its legal structure (sole proprietorship, LLC, etc.).
- Define the value of your product or service. Identify the unique and specific benefits your product or service provides for your target population. Your product may save people money, improve their health or advance their knowledge. Clarify the exact need that you are meeting.
- Analyze your industry. Once you've explained who you are and what you do, you need to identify the other players in your field and your relative position among them. What other companies sell the products or services you do?[4][5]
- Establish your position in the market. Determine the exact niche for your product or service. Your product may be an innovative tool for solving a common problem in a particular demographic. Or it may be similar to other products, yet more affordable for a specific demographic.
- If you provide small-business IT services, for instance, you want to provide an overview of the larger industry and the any ongoing or likely changes within it.
- Consider the trends in your industry and market in order project your future growth or success (hopefully) moving forward.
- Consider your customers. In this section of the sales business plan, you want to zero in on the target demographics for your products or services. Who do you sell to (or want to sell to), and how many of "them" are there in your market?[6]
- If you sell relaxing bath products, for example, you target population may be working mothers between ages 25 and 49. Provide brief demographic and geographic information, along with projections moving ahead.
- State your competitive advantage. Once you have identified who you are, what you sell, who you sell it to, and who else is doing the same, you need to establish specific reasons why you will succeed. Whether it is to lure investors or provide a vision for your sales business, you need to express justifiable confidence in your position.[7][8]
- If, say, you are a regional snack-food producer, you should outline the strengths and weaknesses of your main competitors, and delineate why you have (or will have) the upper hand. It could be an innovative product line, marketing strategy, distribution technique, pricing model, and so on.
- Be realistic in your analysis, but don't be shy to state why you will "win." Now is not the time for modesty.
- Lay out your sales and marketing plans. This section is particularly vital for a sales-oriented business. You have just explained why you are going to "win," and now you need to describe how.[9]
 - Examine your pricing structure. Writing a sales plan is an opportunity to establish a pricing strategy. Research similar products and services in the industry and set prices accordingly. Prices should allow you to remain competitive and still generate profits. Include plans for incremental price increases in line with manufacturing costs.
- Outline your long-term and short-term revenue goals. Be as realistic as possible in your forecast. Use your recent revenue history as a guide, accounting for significant changes in the market that may decrease your revenue or create new opportunities in the future.
- Identify ideal locations for your products and services. Opening a new store location and making your products available to resellers are possible options. Your sales plan should include where all of your sales activity will take place and the costs associated with each location.
- Define your advertising approach. Websites, print publications, television advertising and banners are a few advertising options. Evaluate the performance of each marketing strategy throughout the history of your business and include the successful options in your marketing plan.
- Outline the activities of your sales and marketing team. Include the sales strategies that have proven effective in the past. Cold calling, attending trade shows and partnering with organizations are examples of sales and marketing activities. Describe the approach that your sales team will use both in the short-term and long-term to generate leads and close deals.
- Put it all together. Truth be told, there is no single standard format for a sales business plan. Generally speaking, the content is more important than the style. That said, there are some common ways of laying out your plan.[10]
- This is not an essay, so, as mentioned, bullet points, graphics, tables, and the like can be used to provide key information succinctly and explicitly. Try to keep a consistent style for readability.
- Some may extol the virtues of the one-page sales business plan,[11] but if you find that this is too restrictive, don't fret. There is no real standard for length either, although brevity is indeed valued.
- Break down your plan into clearly-titled sections. Here is one example of section headings to consider:
- I. Executive Summary; II. The Business and Its Products / Services; III. Industry Analysis; IV Customer / Market Analysis; V. Competitive Analysis
- Alternatively, you could also consider the following, which may be even more appropriate for a sales business:
- I. Executive Summary; II. Company Overview; III. Industry Analysis; IV. Customer Analysis; V. Competitive Analysis; VI. Marketing / Sales Plan
EditWriting an Individual Sales Plan - Consider what you can do to reach your sales target. Every salesperson has a sales target he or she is expected to meet. In all honesty, practically every salesperson has a sales target he or she is expected to exceed. Creating an individual sales plan helps define the strategies and tactics that will be utilized to meet and exceed the target.[12][13]
- Start your plan by establishing your sales target — weekly, monthly, yearly, or otherwise — and then outline several overarching strategies that you will use to achieve it.
- Strategies for enhancing sales might include increasing awareness in the community, obtaining more referrals from existing customers, or adding to your number of weekly "cold calls" to potential customers.
- Define your tactics for increasing sales. If the strategies you lay out are your general guidelines, then the tactics you describe are the specific ways in which you will make more sales.[14]
- For instance, if one of your strategies is to increase community awareness, your tactics may include attending a set minimum of community events and volunteering at least so many times per month / quarter / year in the community.
- If one of your tactics is to enhance your social media presence, you should provide specific details. For instance, how many social media posts do you intend to average per day?[15]
- Determine how you will stay relevant to current customers. For many engaged in the sales business, holding onto current customers is as vital as recruiting new ones. Here again, you want to begin by laying out some key strategies that you will employ, then add some specific tactics which you will utilize.[16][17]
- One strategy, for example, may be to increase your opportunities for at least monthly interaction with each of your existing clients.
- If so, your tactics could include calling once per month with a relevant idea or tip, setting up an interactive newsletter, or taking a minimum number of existing clients to lunch per month.
- Explain how you will "prospect" within your existing customer base. Obviously you want to at minimum retain your existing sales with existing clients. Even better, however, is to mine this fertile ground for increased sales with existing clients and new sales to additional clients.[18][19]
- Your strategies here could in fact be listed as "increase sales within my existing client base" and "identify new clients through my existing client base."
- Your tactics could include meeting with the key decision-maker for every account you hold, scanning client social media outlets daily for useful news, or including promotional materials with every delivery of goods or services.
- Lay out your individual sales plan. Individual sales plans should be brief, and generally shorter than sales business plans. One page is a reasonable length. For clarity and convenience, straightforward subject headings and succinct, specific bulleted points are recommended.[20]
- Simple and direct is key. You want something you, your boss, or anyone else who wants to look can scan quickly and understand. Think of it as something you can (and may actually want to) post on a bulletin board.
- Simple and direct plans are also easier to revise as times and circumstances change. You should indeed revisit and revise your individual sales plan regularly.
- Consider the following example for four possible subject headings for an individual sales plan. Each section would include three to five bulleted strategy or tactic examples:[21]
- I. New Business Acquisition Strategies
- II. New Business Acquisition Tactics
- III. Existing Business Growth Strategies
- IV. Existing Business Growth Tactics
EditSources and Citations
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