Site Promotion – How to Drive Visitors to Your Small Business Website

As a small business owner, promoting your company can be a costly venture. Traditional off-line marketing strategies often require a high financial investment. For many companies, the Internet delivers the highest return on investment in terms of marketing and advertising. Below you’ll find powerful strategies for promoting your small business online without breaking the bank.

1. Have your small business listed in Google’s local search results. Listing your business with Google will also ensure that your company name appears when someone does a search for your neighborhood in Google maps.

2. Post special offers on online classifieds sites such as Craigslist.com. Craigslist is one of the most popular sites on this web, and you can harness this traffic by posting free advertisements.

3. Have your website URL added to all of your existing advertising and communications. List your URL in your yellow page listing, on stationery, business cards, flyers, and advertisements.

4. Promote your business with a pay per click advertising campaign. PPC programs such as Google AdWords allow you to pay for your website to be displayed at the top of the search engine results page (SERP) for target keywords. The best part of PPC advertising is that you don’t pay a dime unless someone clicks your ad. Click costs start as low as a penny per click (depending on the competitiveness of your target search terms).

5. Find blogs and forums focused on your city or region. Go to a search engine and enter your community name with the word “blog” or “forum.” Post comments with a link back to your site on these active online communities and watch the traffic flow.

Your E-Marketing Sweet Spot: How To Build an Internet Marketing Strategy That Really Works

We are living in the age of the virtual customer. The Internet has become a common medium for researching and buying goods and services. As people spend more of their time on the Internet, the need for online marketing for small businesses continues to grow.

Nowadays, most businesses rely not only on traditional marketing but also on online marketing methods. Many of the traditional marketing methods that worked for local small businesses in years past might not bring in customers or generate profits in today’s social media dominated environment. One of the biggest indicators in this growing trend in local search are the activities on Google maps. Google saw the rapid rise of consumers searching for local businesses online and created the local Google map to accommodate their needs.

Internet Marketing Is Essential for Small Businesses to Succeed

In this competitive world, Internet Marketing is essential for a small business to succeed. It helps small businesses become more competitive and visible in the virtual world. With Internet marketing, small entrepreneurs have a better chance at competing with bigger companies who have traditionally dominated the local markets.

Consider these three major benefits of marketing your business on the Internet:

1. Reach your audience effectively and affordably.

The Internet has become an integral part of the consumer’s shopping practice as more customers are searching online for products and services. Finding customers through print media, direct marketing or live broadcasting can be an expensive and time-consuming process. A small business with an online presence makes it easy for customers to familiarize themselves with the business’s offerings from the comfort of their home or office.

Additionally, Internet marketing is cost-effective compared to the expensive means of marketing and advertising through traditional methods. Most online marketing methods are very affordable, and many cost nothing at all. Those that have higher costs can still have a significant ROI (return on investment) as they are generally “pay for performance” models. This means you only pay when a customer buys or takes some other action.

2. Get 24-Hour Visibility

Another interesting aspect of Internet marketing is giving your small businesses 24-hour visibility. The Internet can keep your marketing campaign running nonstop and reach a wider, even global, audience. Consumers can get information on your products or services no matter what time it is or where they are in the world.

3. Choose from a large variety of ways to market your business.

There are a vast number of options available to you when you are marketing online. You can market through email, blogs, audio, video, social media, online communities, articles and newsletters. Businesses can also utilize search engine optimization; social media marketing, local search optimization, link building, answer sites, press releases, webinars, and on and on.

Choose the Right Internet Marketing Options For Your Business

The success of your Internet marketing program depends on your ability to utilize the power of the Internet. The most important decision you can make is a strategic one and can determine the success or failure of your Internet marketing efforts. That decision is the answer to this question: “What combination of e-marketing activities should I choose for my business?”

In order to have the best opportunity for success, your choice of Internet marketing activities must be based on specific analytical information about your business and your customers.

Consider these important points as you develop your E-Marketing strategy:

  1. Take a good look at your business’s profile. Write down all the facts about your business’s offerings, your physical presence, and your current marketing activities.
  2. Look at your customer profile, your buyer’s demographics and psychographics. Use this information to study your buyers deeply. This will help you to focus on your customers, understand their problems and define messages that explain how your products can help them.
  3. Look at all the options and e-marketing channels that are available to you. Understand how each one might help you position your business so that those looking for what you have to offer can easily find you.
  4. Identify your time and resource constraints. Be realistic about how much time you can commit yourself or your staff to work on your Internet marketing activities. This will help you choose which channels make sense for you to work on.

Your E-Marketing Sweet Spot

Use this information to find what we call your “E-Marketing Sweet Spot.” This is the unique combination of online communication tools that allow you to deliver your message to your customer, and provide the best chance for success.

Whether you’re a small business owner or an entrepreneur, you can build and create a complete e-marketing program for your business. Having a well-thought-out strategy means you have a much better chance of reaping the benefits of a targeted online marketing program.

For more information about how to build a solid online marketing program for your small business, visit us at emarketing101how.com/virtual.

3 Marketing Tips For the Home Based Business Owner

Running your business from home does not preclude you from many of the tasks that preclude other more traditional business owners need to do. One of the most important tasks that any business owner has to do, whether they work from home or have a staff of twenty, is marketing.If you are a home-based business owner then chances are that your budget is not as large as a company who has their own office and staff. This doesn’t mean that work from home entrepreneurs cannot mount an effective marketing campaign.The purpose of this article is to share with you three cheap yet effective marketing tips to help you grow your business.Here is what you need to do:Get online- If you want to effective market your business then you need to get on the Internet. There are quite a few things that you need to implement. You need a business website and you need to set up an email newsletter. People will get online to try and find out about your business and an email newsletter is essentially a free way to keep in touch with your existing clients. You also need to look at Social Media sites like Facebook and Twitter as many people are starting to use these websites and set up accounts.Letterbox drop for local houses or businesses- If you are a home-based business owner running an offline business, chances are that you are predominantly looking for customers in your local area. A great way to reach your prospective audience is through brochures delivered in to the letterbox of local businesses and houses. You can also leave flyers in your local take away food shop.Just make sure that you keep working on it- The most important tip that I can give you is to make sure that you don’t neglect your marketing. You need to make sure that you keep working on it. As a home-based business owner you need to dedicate time each week to marketing your business so that you can find more customers. You need to design your marketing plan in a way that all activities are measurable. You need to be able to ascertain whether your tasks are effective in getting you more customers.All entrepreneurs who work from home need to make sure that they spend a large part of their time on marketing. Marketing is important in reaching new audiences and getting more customers.

A Home Based Business? Isn’t That a Bit Risky?

When I was a little girl, growing up in a traditional European Immigrant family, I was taught from a very young age to be the perfect house wife, to clean, to cook, to sew, all before I was 8 years old. My education was merely a perk, as my grades were good, but it was very clear that my parents wanted and expected me to grow up and find a man with money to marry and make babies. Am I some fanatical feminist who is preaching her disdain for the roles thrust on her? No. I’m the owner of a Home Based Business, and I created my own destiny because I was forced to see a better path to what I wanted. What was being offered wasn’t enough.With no emphasis on my future career that didn’t involve my reproductive organs, when my parents passed away during my late teens with no other family in this country, I was forced to work every job I could get my hands on to make ends meet. I cleaned office buildings; I did a lot of restaurant work, bartending, a couple of call centre jobs, anything. But things changed when I was 25. Did I meet the man with money who was going to marry me and make life all better? Kind of.I met a man who was a young Captain in the Reserves, by no means rich, and after dating for a while we discovered that we were expecting. He had already introduced me to the world of the Home Based business; he had been trying for years to get his off the ground and worked on it mainly in his spare time. His Home Based Business was based mainly in product sales. But with our little bundle of joy coming soon, I was determined to not let my child fall prey to the will of the world. I would change the patterns I had been raised with, not all of them; just the ones that I felt were detrimental to success. The traditional routes would not work for me, and most of those routes weren’t available to me because of my lack of education.When my significant other and I decided to make a go of our Home Based Business, for our family’s future, he decided to retire from the Reserves and work on our Home Based Business full time. At times I thought things were going to get rocky, but I believed in myself.My unborn child’s grandparents both held wonderful Government jobs, senior positions with dream pensions and stability. Very unlike my side which had comprised mainly of fallen European socialites converted into run of the mill work horses over the past century. So when we announced, while I was 7 months pregnant, that my young Captain had retired to work on a Home Based Business, needless to say, we didn’t hear the end of it.Looking back, starting our Home Based Business was the best thing we had ever done. Was it hard? Not really. One thing I’ve learned in my 31 years is that things are as hard as we make them. “I can’t start my own Home Based Business!” Not with that attitude you can’t. It’s not impossible; you’ve just decided to limit yourself. Don’t let what other people say keep you from your dreams.Being able to work at home is certainly an accessible dream. To learn more about How to Work at Home you can visit this Free Resource website at: Work at Home

The Revolution of Home Based Business 2010

Over the last ten years, the boom of the Internet has broadened our horizons beyond our imagination.Home business is high in demand and we as people have pushed the Internet to new heights making the possibilities endless. It sparked a dream for many around the world to have and own an online home based business. Many have made this dream come true while just as many have failed and gave up. But today that dream of owning a home business is more alive than ever.With more than 90% of the opportunities being scams there are real and profitable home based opportunities. It’s all about research.In the midst of one of the biggest economic downturns in recorded history and millions losing their jobs. People have started to look for new opportunities online in hopes of getting their own “BAILOUT” package. But before you jump into the online business world and pursue your dream of having a home based business, here are a few pointers you need to clearly understand.1) A home based business is a real business and needs to be treated like one. That means..Yes, you will have to do some work!
2) Don’t believe everything that you read out there. It’s possible to make $25,000 a month,but it will take a little time. Again…You will have to do some work!
3) You will have to invest some of your own capital. A home based business may not have the overhead costs of running a conventional business and yes can be a lot less costly. But you will have to invest a little more than just your time into it. There’s no Such thing as a business that requires no investment.
4) You must be organized, having a home based business consists of managing different accounts and files. Keep all records of your invoices and receipts. Remember, you are still a tax paying citizen and you can make this work to your advantage. See your local tax consultant for details and benefits of having a home based business.
5) You must be passionate and willing to learn in order to thrive in this industry.So many people have failed because they don’t take action and follow through. The Internet is always subject to change, so that means business can change. So thinking that once the money starts coming in,your work is done. THINK AGAIN! If you want to have longevity in this industry you will have to start thinking with a business mind.As we start coming to the end of the year. A year that some will wish they could forget about I might add, people now look to 2010 for hope but there’s also the uncertainty that the new year may bring. What can the home based business industry see in 2010? Any bright opportunities on the horizon? Well a home business genius named Saj Purkayastha or Saj P as some may say well known for being a master of online home business and created revolutionary products such as The Site Rush. He is no joke, well respected and also disliked by some of the so called “Gurus” that he has exposed to help the average ordinary working man with little computer experience be successful online.His track record is undeniable and once again he has gone beyond the call of duty to deliver a stellar product that will raise the bar and take the online home based business world to a whole new level.

Internet Home Based Business – What You Need to Get Started

So you have been thinking about starting an Internet home business. If you have recently lost your job or unemployment insurance benefits have expired and you cannot get another extension, the time is right for you to start an Internet home based business.A lot of people are considering starting a business on the Internet and a home business opportunity is a great place to start. In a recent survey more businesses were started from home than in commercial sites (705,000 compared with 610,000). To immediately get your Internet business started out in the right direction, you must have a goal, a plan, a strategy and a system in place.You will also need a computer with broadband Internet connection and a basic working knowledge of computers and the Internet. It is crucial for you to have self-discipline, motivation, patience, dedication and a strong desire to succeed. In addition, you must understand that you will be in a constant state of learning when using the Internet because it is evolving and you need to keep updated on changes and new developments.More detailed resources include mentors and others who have been successful with business on the Internet. They can provide data on what kind of business opportunity is generally effective and what is used to start up an internet business. The main role in selecting your Internet business is the right business which best suits your earnings. More and more people are starting home businesses, for everything from marketing homemade products to keeping a home office for a consulting affiliate marketing business. A good start for your Internet business opportunity is by having a proper plan in place.Before starting your Internet business venture, investigate several different online programs and companies to root out the legitimate ones from the fraudulent ones. If you are the kind of person who can motivate yourself and work hard, then start an opportunity to build a business today and get out from under the thumb of your employer.Starting an Internet home business boasts numerous advantages over an office-based location. Many people who want to start home-based businesses never get past the thinking stage. Starting an affiliate marketing business today is easier than ever, thanks to the Internet. Improve your odds of security by moving slowly and carefully in starting a home business online.There is an Internet home based business opportunity out there with your name on it. Research opportunities thoroughly and find one that is a good fit for you. One that you enjoy doing; one that you know you can do and want to do will make your business venture progress smoothly.

How to Get the Best Small Business Bank Account for Your Company

There are several factors to consider before choosing a business bank account. Company size, location, and business plan are all important elements that affect the type of business account an owner should choose; these factors should be taken under serious advisement while making such an important business decision. There are several things that a business account should entail and the best business bank accounts encompass all of the following attributes.

Define and Explore Your Needs

Before choosing a financial institution, consider the reasons you need a business bank account in the first place. If you are interested in specialized services, research banks in your region that offers these services. Be prepared to perform online and in-person investigations; often times, online information only covers surface information and cannot answer pertinent questions you may have. Never assume something that isn’t clearly stated; don’t be afraid to ask for concrete answers to your business banking questions. Credible financial institutions won’t have any problems calming your nerves and satisfying your financial inquiries.

If you hadn’t considered this before, search for a bank with a financial adviser. Many financial institutions offer these services as an added perk; benefits can include aide and guidance in future investments and professional help to manage cash flow.

Compare Features to Find the Best Small Business Bank Account

Once you have firmly established what you are searching for in a bank, comparing and contrasting the financial institutions in your area is a relatively simple task. Don’t forget that once you’ve narrowed down your options, you can always call to request more specific information or to schedule a meeting to review information and address particular concerns you may still have.

Keep in mind the importance of availability and account services. A bank that offers great incentives but lacks a local branch doesn’t do much good if you prefer a face-to-face interaction. On the other hand, nationwide banks that offer online banking but lack your required account services will likewise do you no good. Determine the type of banking system you will prefer and find one that suits your small business account needs.

As you draw closer to choosing a financial institution, remember to focus on fees and service charges. In most banks, fees for business accounts are significantly higher than those for private accounts, even going so far as to charge businesses for online banking services but not charging individuals. Beware that universal truths pertaining to personal bank accounts do not hold true in the business account realm.

Bank Size Does Matter

At some point in the life of a small business, it is highly probable that the company will need to borrow money. Since the decline in the market, many banks are making it more and more difficult to get credit. Surprisingly, many small business owners have turned to community and small banks to get the loans they require. Small banks are more likely than world institutions to issue loans to indigenous businesses because it strengthens the local economy and supports the community. These minor institutions tend to meet a small business’s financial needs on a more personal field and provide a level of support that “outside” banks cannot.

Once you have evaluated each of these steps and determined what services and values best fit your financial needs, it is as simple as a visit or the click of a mouse to get the best small business bank account for your company.

Natural Supplements to Grow Taller Review – Herbal Facts and Marketer’s Claims Review

Why do many consumers take dietary supplements to grow taller? The reasons are varied-many times medically valid, sometimes not. In low or appropriate dosages, some supplements offer health benefits under some circumstances. Some people use supplements with good intention: perhaps in search of protection from or a remedy for health problems such as depression, aging skin, cancer, or arthritis. Still others seek added benefits: perhaps better athletic performance or sexual prowess. Too often, supplement use is based on scientifically unfounded marketing promises. But, some people still claim to undeniable scientific proofs.

It would be great, but boosting your nutrient intake won’t cause your cells to produce extra energy or more brain power. Only three nutrients carbohydrates, fats, and proteins supply energy or calories to grow taller. Vitamins don’t. Although B vitamins do help body cells produce energy from the three energy nutrients, they don’t produce energy themselves. Many powerful drugs and toxic chemicals are plant-based. Varieties of mushrooms can be classified as “culinary delicious” or “deadly dangerous.” In the same vein, herbal supplements should be used with caution! Any healthy natural supplements to grow taller, without proper doctor acknowledgement and governement authority approbation sounds really fishy to me.

Athletes and other physically active people need about the same amount of nutrients as others do to grow taller just more energy, or calories, for the increased demands of exercise. The extra amount of food that active people eat supplies the very small amount of extra vitamins needed to grow taller and have more energy production, too.

Although protein needs are somewhat higher for some athletes, especially for those in strength-training sports, food can easily provide the extra. On another note, physical activity, not extra amino acids (protein), builds muscle. For more on nutrition for athletes and ergogenic aids.

Dietary supplements to grow taller won’t protect you from the harmful effects of smoking or alcohol abuse. Here’s the real scoop: Smoking does increase the body’s need for vitamin C; drinking excessive amounts of alcoholic beverages can interfere with the body’s use of most nutrients. If soil can grow crops, the food produced is nutritious. When soil lacks minerals, plants don’t grow properly and may not produce their potential yield. Growing area does affect a food’s iodine and selenium contents.

Supplements won’t give you instant grow taller results, it would take at least a 2-3 months training for instance. For vitamins and minerals to do their work, they need several hours or several days to interact and do their work in your body. For any benefits from other dietary supplements to grow taller, you likely need to take them even longer. Supplements to grow taller are easy to spot. By law, they must be labeled “dietary supplements.” About eighty thousand dietary supplements are marketed in the United States with multivitamin/mineral supplements being the biggest product category-and with an average of 500 new products launched each year. They’re sold in many forms-for example, tablets, capsules, softgels, gelcaps, liquids, powders, and bars.

Do you consume a varied, balanced diet to grow taller? With some exceptions, supplements usually aren’t necessary. If you’re healthy and if you’re able and willing to eat a balanced, varied diet. You probably can get the vitamins and minerals you need from smart food choices. According to national studies, most Americans have enough healthful foods available to do that, yet they may not. Under some circumstances, vitamin/mineral supplements offer benefits and are advised; like those for growing taller.

A woman with heavy menstrual bleeding? You may need an iron supplement to replace iron from blood loss. To enhance absorption, take iron supplements with water or juice on an empty stomach. If nausea or constipation are problems, take iron supplements with food. Absorption may be decreased by as much as 50 percent when taken with a meal or a snack. A woman who’s pregnant or breast-feeding? You need more of some nutrients, especially folate and iron-and perhaps calcium if you don’t consume enough calcium-rich foods. Check the label’s Supplement Facts to make sure you get enough for a healthy pregnancy. Ask about a prenatal vitamin/mineral supplement.

Someone unable or unwilling to regularly consume a healthful diet to grow taller? You likely need a dietary supplement to fill in the nutrient gaps. However, eating smarter would be better if you don’t have food-related health problems! Take a supplement with the advice of a doctor or a registered dietitian. For example, pre-menopausal women who don’t consume enough calcium to grow taller and stronger bones from food likely need a calcium supplement-unless they’re willing to improve their diet. Some babies after age six months, children, and teens may need a fluoride supplement to grow taller and perhaps iron or vitamin D.

If you are not able to meet your calcium and vitamin D recommendations with foods to grow taller, you may need calcium or vitamin D supplements to grow taller. Ask a dietitian or your doctor about the right dosage and type. And enhance their absorption by taking them with food. Only food can provide the mixture of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and other substances for a health quality that can’t be duplicated with dietary supplements to grow taller alone. Fortunately for most Americans growing taller, there’s plenty of quality, quantity, and variety in the food marketplace.

Enjoy plenty of calcium and vitamin D-rich foods. They provide more for bone health calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D and overall health than supplements do. And a varied, well-balanced eating plan offers other nutrients that appear to promote bone density, including magnesium, potassium, and vitamin K

Supplements to grow taller carry labeling, showing the amounts of vitamins and minerals in a single dosage. If you already eat a healthful diet, you probably don’t need any more than a low-dose supplement. Taking a multivitamin/mineral supplement, with no more than 100 percent of the Daily Values (DVs) as a safety net, is generally considered safe. Most nutrient supplements are produced in low dosages.

Supplements with water-soluble vitamins or minerals can be risky if taken in excess, over time. For example, taking extra vitamin B6 has been suggested to help relieve premenstrual tension. Yet there’s limited evidence to support large vitamin B6 doses for relief of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Many women have viewed large vitamin B6 doses as harmless, since they are water-soluble. Instead, they may cause irreversible nerve damage when taken in very large doses above the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL): 500 to 5,000 mg vitamin B6 per day.

That said, can you overdose on vitamins or minerals naturally as you grow taller with food? That’s highly unlikely. As we mentioned, taking very high doses of dietary supplements or taking too many, too often can be dangerous. The vitamin and mineral content of food is much more balanced fortunately. In amounts normally consumed, even if you enjoy extra helpings, you won’t consume toxic levels of nutrients. So eat a variety of foods-and enjoy! Note: Nutrient amounts to grow taller can add up if you consume a lot of highly fortified foods.

You may take dietary supplements to grow taller for potential health benefits. It’s not uncommon for people diagnosed with cancer, AIDS, or other life-threatening health problems, who are desperate for a cure, to put their hopes and healthcare dollars in alternative treatments, including dietary supplements. However, supplements may offer a false sense of security-and a serious problem if you neglect well-proven approaches to health or delay medical attention.

Drink plenty of fluids with calcium supplements to avoid constipation. The lactose and vitamin D in the milk help to enhance calcium absorption. If you don’t drink milk and want an alternative to calcium pills, consider calcium-fortified juice or soy beverage. One cup of calcium-fortified juice or soy beverage can contain about 300 milligrams of calcium, the same amount as in a cup of milk, and provides vitamin C, folate, and other nutrients. Still, you need a vitamin D source to aid absorption; some calcium-fortified juices and soy beverages are also fortified with vitamin D.

Calcium supplements help to protect against osteoporosis (brittle-bone disease) It can’t make up for your lifestyle choices or poor health habits. Regular weight-bearing physical activity is important to grow taller and obtain healthy bones. For healthy bones, avoid smoking, too.

Vitamin nasal sprays or patches are effective to grow taller? No research evidence says so, even though they’re promoted for faster, more efficient absorption. In fact, they may not be absorbed at all. Here’s the reality check: Fat-soluble vitamins need fat from food to aid absorption. Vitamin C in your intestine aids iron absorption-a problem if vitamin C comes from a spray. Vitamin B12 binds with intrinsic factor made in the stomach during digestion. That cannot happen with a spray or a patch! So that means all the place that try to claim that you could grow taller with that are just scam.

Indeed, herbals and other botanicals have known medicinal qualities helping us grow taller; 30 percent of today’s drugs come from plants. Yet, herbals and other botanical supplements also are sold as dietary supplements rather than regulated as drugs. Like many plant-derived pharmaceuticals, these supplements can offer both positive health benefits and harmful side effects.

On the up side, enough scientific evidence has been collected on a handful of botanical supplements to support their limited use. For example, under a doctor’s guidance, gingko biloba may be used to help treat the symptoms of age-related memory loss and dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease); green tea extract may help reduce cancer risk. A growing body of research evidence is being gathered about their safety and effectiveness, as well as their limitations and dangers.

On the down side, like other supplements to grow taller, herbal and other botanical supplements are regulated differently from pharmaceuticals, which are meant to cure or prevent disease. You aren’t as protected from misleading claims as you might think. When you think about the quality and effectiveness of these grow taller methods; you can see that the marketer’s are absolutely in control of the quality…

According to current law and regulations, herbal and botanical remedies to grow taller and other dietary supplements to grow taller can enter the marketplace without FDA approval. The burden is on the FDA to remove a dangerous dietary supplements to grow taller from the marketplace. Currently dosages of herbal remedies aren’t standardized, so dosages vary among products. Some are even copies of the actual real-product that is made by legitimate herbal company; they put the same product name change what is inside and put the same label. Be very careful, you can look up grow taller 4 smarts free scam alerts to be ahead of scammers.

Although packaging claims can’t say that a supplement to grow taller cures or prevents disease, it may carry claims for its purported health role. Many claims have only limited scientific evidence. Are herbal supplements or botanicals are safe during pregnancy and nursing? There’s not enough scientific evidence yet to recommend safe levels for herbal supplements for pregnant or nursing moms. However, some are known to be harmful to a baby.

How to Detect Drug Abusing Teenagers

The effects of substance abuse in teens are not only individual; they can also be seen on the society. They may face problems at school or college and may involve in criminal activities. It is therefore very important to detect drug abusing teenagers. Drug testing should be conducted on a regular basis at schools and homes to identify and save them from harmful drugs of abuse.

Signs of drug abuse
Identifying certain signs helps you to detect if the kid is addicted to the drugs. Some of the common physical and emotional signs are:

• Change in sleep patterns
• Poor motor coordination
• Poor hygiene and illness including nausea and excessive sweating
• Irregular heartbeat
• Impaired thinking
• Mood swings
• Hyperactivity or overtired
• Depression

Drug abusing teens lose their interest in family activities, often abuse verbally and physically at home or school, and disrespect the family or school. In addition, abrupt decrease in grades, memory and attention loss, and lack of interest and concentration on studies are some of the signs at school. The moment you observe any of the above mentioned signs, you need to immediately check if the kid is abusing drugs. Drug testing is one of the safest and easiest ways to detect the drug abuse among teens.

Types of drug tests
There are different types of methods to detect the teens who are using drugs. Some of the common ones are urine, saliva, hair, and blood tests.

Urine drug test
Of all the types, urine testing is used most commonly as it is inexpensive method used to detect a drug user. You can use urine test kits at home or school to check if the child is addicted to illegal drugs. Quick and accurate results are obtained by these test kits.

Saliva drug test
It is more advantageous as it is relatively non-intrusive. Saliva from the mouth is taken through a swab and is checked for the presence of drugs. Most recent drug abuse can be detected by saliva tests. Conducting saliva test is very easy and also provides accurate and immediate results.

Hair drug test
This method is also non-intrusive. A hair sample of 1.5 inches in length is enough for conducting the test. Drug or its metabolites deposited at the hair shaft are detected by hair tests. You can get very reliable and accurate results by this method.

Blood drug test
You can also use a blood sample of the teen to detect illegal drug usage. It is however expensive and you need to approach laboratory as you cannot conduct it at your home.

Detection periods
The detection period depends on the method of test conducted. These detection periods vary from the type, dosage, and frequency of drug used.

Urine drug test can detect drug or its metabolites for 30 days in frequent users and for 2-3 days in occasional users. The test detects Cocaine for 4-5 days, Heroin for 2-4 days, Methamphetamine for 3-5 days, PCP for 3-7 days, and Codeine for 2-4 days.

A saliva test is mostly used to detect recent drug usage. However, it can also detect drugs consumed 3 days back. Of all the methods, hair drug test has a longer detection period. It detects illegal drug consumption for about 90 days.

What if results are positive?
Once the kid is tested positive by drug test kit, talk to him/her about the result. You can get a confirmatory result through laboratory tests. Communicate with him regularly regarding the effects of drug abuse. Ask him to leave companions or friends who are habituated to drugs. If necessary, send him/her to substance abuse treatment program.

Importance of intervention
Detection and intervention of drug abuse at primitive stages can prevent further damage. Drug intervention is an attempt made by family members or school authorities to help the teen get out of drug abuse or addiction. The main objective of intervention is to make the teen understand the physical and mental destruction caused by drug abuse. If you are not able to speak to the kid on this, you can take help of your friends or relatives. You can also consult specialists who counsel drug abusers and help them get back to their normal life.

Parents and school authorities should always keep an eye on the behavior and activities of the teens. Necessary measures have to be taken in order to prevent them from taking drugs.

Prevent Teen Drug Abuse Using Drug Testing Kits at Home

Teen drug abuse became a serious health problem in United States. It is hurting the healthcare system, burdening the economy, and causing millions of deaths every year. Of the many causes that promote drug abuse among teens, lack of parental supervision is a major one. Teens should be guarded properly by their parents as they are still immature.

Since, early intervention leads to effective prevention of this unhealthy habit, parents should identify drug abusing habits in teens and take preventive measures. Parents can take help of home drug testing kits which are effective and easy to use.

In this article, we will discuss about teens and their vulnerability to drug abuse; how to identify teen drug abuse and how important are drug testing programs at home to prevent teen drug abuse.

Teens – vulnerable to drugs abuse: Many scientific studies have already proved that teenagers are more prone to risk taking and are vulnerable to drug abuse when compared to adults. This typical behavior of teens during adolescence is because of the major changes in parts of the brain that are responsible for functions such as self-control, judgment, planning, organization, and emotions. Since teen brains are not yet fully developed, they cannot take proper decisions and fall victims to unhealthy habits like drug and alcohol abuse.

Signs and symptoms of drug abuse: The primary step towards prevention of drug abuse in teens is to identify their unhealthy habits. Prominent changes, both in their behavior and in physical appearance can be noticed even at the early stages of abuse. Following are the warning signs:

Physical and emotional changes:
• Red eyes
• Finding difficulty to speak
• Sudden fall or rise in weight
• Lack of hygiene and showing less interest in personal grooming
• Aggression and arrogance
• Depression and irritation

Social and behavioral changes:
• Dissociation from old friends and acquiring new social group
• Sudden anger or depression
• Poor attendance and academics at school
• Spending time lonely
• Abnormal odor in breath or clothing
• Pipes, needles and other suspicious substances in their room

Importance of home drug test kits: The moment you see the signs that indicate drug abuse in your teen, it is the time to confirm drug abusing habits using reliable methods. They are useful devices for the parents to confirm these unhealthy habits in teens. They are simple, easy to use, provide instant and accurate results, cost-effective and above all ensure privacy. Some multi-panel drug testing kits can detect multiple drugs of abuse at a shot.

Best drug test methods to implement: When it comes to home drug testing, urine and saliva tests are considered to be the best methods. There are two other methods – blood and hair tests also, but they need special devices and expert supervision, hence are not recommended for home testing.

Urine test can detect the drugs in your teen’s system up to three days after use. If you believe that your teen has taken drugs during the last few days, then this method is effective in offering accurate results. However, it is necessary to check that your teen is not providing fake urine sample which can lead to false results.

Saliva drug testing is an ideal drug test if you suspect that your teen abused drugs on that particular day. These kits can detect drug use up to 48 hours.

Need for random drug testing: If you are conducting drug tests on your teens at regular intervals, following a regular pattern, your teen may notice the pattern and either try to manipulate the sample before the test or stop abusing drugs few days before the test. Hence, practicing random drug tests is always an ideal way to identify the drug use which effectively helps in detecting the drug abuse among your teens. Random testing makes teens say ‘NO’ to drugs as they know that you can conduct drug testing any time at home.

Home drug testing kits can be considered as effective solutions in controlling and preventing drug abuse in your teens. So, make sure that you have some of them at home to test your teen to help him stay away from drugs.