Well today I missed my flight to Newark as I queued at the wrong gate at Heathrow T5.  There are not words to describe how much of an idiot I am.  I can run a company but cannot get on a flight, maybe was the excitement of getting back to see the Mrs??

Anyway, Jacqui who was at the Terminal 5 connections Customer Service Desk helped me get the best priced flight, even though was 588GBP it could have been worse I suppose.

Big thank you to BA and I hope the flight to Miami today is as smooth as your service.

The top photos will be displayed on our website with the photographer’s name credited.

RIZES

1st Prize (1) – 6 nights lodging in Costa Rica!!!  Must be used anytime from May 1st – November 1st, 2010. 

– Stay 1 night just outside San Jose at the famous Finca Rosa Blanca
– 2 nights at Mountain Paradise near the Arenal Volcano
– 3 nights at the fabulous Latitude 10 boutique beach hotel in Mal Pais

This fantastic getaway has a retail value of over $1,300. All you need to do is book your international flights!  Our travel agency can assist you with transportation, tours and any other services you may require.

Runners Up (5) — $20 gift card with Amazon.com.

CONTEST RULES

By submitting the photo, you are ensuring that the work is your original work.  Photos must have occurred IN Costa Rica.  The theme of the contest is “The Unique Beauty of Costa Rica”.  Photos should reflect that theme.

Photographs must be in digital format. All digital files must be 1 megabyte or smaller, must be in JPEG or JPG format, and must be at least 1,000 pixels wide (if a horizontal image) or 1,000 pixels tall (if a vertical image).

Photographs must have been taken within two (3) years before the date of entry.  Only minor color correction and cropping is considered acceptable editing.

The photograph, in its entirety, must be a single work of original material taken by the Contest entrant. By entering the Contest, entrant represents, acknowledges, and warrants that the submitted photograph is an original work created solely by the entrant, that the photograph does not infringe on the copyrights, trademarks, moral rights, rights of privacy/publicity or intellectual property rights of any person or entity, and that no other party has any right, title, claim, or interest in the photograph.  The photograph must not, in the sole and unfettered discretion of the Sponsor, contain obscene, provocative, defamatory, sexually explicit, or otherwise objectionable or inappropriate content.

LICENSE

By entering the Contest, all entrants grant an irrevocable perpetual, nonexclusive license to Authorized Parties, to reproduce, distribute, display, and create derivative works of the entries (along with a name credit) in connection with the Contest and promotion of the Contest.

JUDGING

Judging will be conducted by a 5 person panel of Costa Rican Vacations staff members. The panel will rate the photos in the following categories:

– Photography skills
– Originality
– Best reflection of the contest theme

HOW TO ENTER

Email UP TO 3 photos to casey@costaricapages.com in Jpeg format, with file size NO LARGER than 1 megabyte.  Any entries submitted in formats that do not meet these specifications WILL NOT be considered. 

Please write “Costa Rica photo contest” in your email subject line.

Along with the photo, entries must also include in the email body:

– Photographer’s name
– Contact phone #
– Location and date of photo (ex: Arenal Volcano, Feb 2008)
– A caption describing the photo (ex: La Paz Waterfall at night)

DEADLINE

Contest deadline is April 30th, 2010 at 12am EST.  The winners will be announced May 15th, 2010.  The top 50 photos will be displayed on our website on or before May 30th, 2010.

Economics

One of the main reasons company go out of business during an economic downturn or recession is due to the fact that the sales departments of these companies are not selling enough.  This typically is not the fault of the sales department as I am sure every person on that sales floor wants to sell, there is no one that is not there to sell.  Essentially it is a matter of they need help in how to sell, especially during a economic downturn as buyers become more money concious and build barriers around themselves.

The easy reply would be work harder and sell more, however a sales manager who says this is not looking at the bigger picture.  If clients are have more barriers around them when parting with their money, how is working more hours going to solve the problem.  What needs to be done is that sales people need to be given the tools in order to break down these barriers.

If you are working for a inflexible company you will find that no new tools will be developed and you may want to start looking for a new job.  However if you work for a very flexible company that can make the tools needed then #1 you have a good company and #2 you will succeed during this time.

Some ways that managers can give the tools needed are suggested below:

1) Discounts – allow sales people more flexibility on offering these to close the client

2) Extra’s – if they are buying a product see if you can throw in something else to sweeten the deal

3) Emphasize value to the client constantly

Essentially the mind set of the buyer has been shifted that they have to see value, if they do not then they will not buy.

Good luck!!