I recently worked as Special Features Manager for two lifestyle exhibitions, and as part of my brief, I had to deliver catwalk design shows for both a Spanish and Italian show.

The Italian show, Viva Italia, was a huge success, easy to source designer outfits - we had some fabulous clothes and everyone fell over themselves to show on the catwalk. There was a huge enthusiasm amongst retailers, designers and models. Everything was enthusiastically received by the viewing public and for the next show, I have people lining up to take part. Everyone in the fashion industry are proud to be Italian - I can’t wait until the next show.

The Spanish show, Viva Espana, was still a great success, but it was so difficult to source designs that were Spanish. I contacted the PR teams who mostly came back with a resounding ‘No’. Why? They want to be seen as International Designers. Refusals from Adolfo Dominguez, Mango and Zara were a huge surprise to me, as their clothes are very popular and would have been wonderful. Thank goodness for the wonderful PR team for Armand Basi - they were warm, friendly and incredibly helpful. Why are the Spanish not proud of their designs? Any ideas?

Pam Bates

Special Features Manager, Viva Espana/Viva Italia 2006

Your accomplishments are what distinguish you from your competitors in the job-search process. All things being equal, if a hiring manager were looking at two identical prospective employees who could handle the tasks of the job perfectly well, but one had accomplished more than the other, who do you think is going to get a phone call? Obviously, the person who accomplishes the most “wins”.

What exactly IS an accomplishment?

An accomplishment is when you do something successfully. If you make a positive difference at work, you are accomplishing something. From an employer’s standpoint, it is even better if you can state your achievements in a measurable or quantifiable way.

What does that mean? Use numbers whenever you can to state HOW you achieved the results you are affirming. Being able to quantify your skills and abilities makes other people perceive you in a very positive way. Why? Quantified accomplishments mean RESULTS.

Employers are all about results. Employers are all about the bottom line.

For instance, if you increased production of the best selling product at your company, by HOW MUCH did you increase it? 15% 20% 25% Quantify your statements whenever possible. Numbers SHOW results.

Remember being in kindergarten? Wasn’t it great when you could bring something to school for SHOW AND TELL? Lesson #1: It’s awesome to be able to bring something that no one else has. You get more recognition. Lesson #2: If you show your classmates something, it has significantly more meaning than if you tell them something. They literally have something to grab a hold of.

In your resume, you have to show the employer why you are the best person for the job. SHOW the employer that you have something to offer that no one else does. You have to be credible. You should never lie. You can, however, make yourself look better than your competitors. Use descriptive active language to engage the employer when reading your resume. Make your words jump off the page and grab the reader’s attention.

At the same time, you have to guide the employer through your resume clearly and eloquently so that only one conclusion can be reached: YOU are the best candidate for the job. if you simply state your previous job title and the duties you performed, you are not helping them to SEE who you really are. You’re just telling them. Quantify your accomplishments and let them see just what you can do for them.

Let your accomplishments sing your praises for you. When writing your resume, let yourself shine through the job duties in a way that resonates with employers. Show results by quantifying your accomplishments.

You will be the one getting the phone call for an interview - and isn’t that what it’s all about?

Carla Vaughan
http://www.professional-resume-example.com/accomplishments.html

Carla Vaughan is the owner of http://www.Professional-Resume-Example.com, a web site devoted to assisting candidates in the job-search process. She holds a B.S. in Business from Southern Illinois University and has authored a book titled, “The Do-It-Yourself Resume Kit” soon to be available on her site. Resume blog:
http://professional-resumes.blogspot.com/

Technical analysis and fundamental analysis are the two basic
areas of strategy in the FOREX market which is the exact same as
in the equity markets. However, technical analysis is by far the
most common strategy that is used by individual FOREX traders.
Here is a brief overview of both forms of analysis and how they
directly apply to forex trading:

Fundamental Analysis If you think it’s hard enough to value one
company, you should try valuing a whole country instead.
Fundamental analysis in the forex market is often an extremely
difficult one, and it’s usually used only as a means to predict
long-term trends. However it is important to mention that some
traders do trade short term strictly on news releases. There are
a lot of different fundamental indicators of the currency values
released at many different times. Here are a few of them to get
you started:

* Non-farm Payrolls * Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) *
Consumer Price Index (CPI) * Retail Sales * Durable Goods

You need to know that these reports are not the only fundamental
factors that you have to watch. There are also quite a variety
of meetings where you can get some quotes and commentary that
can affect markets just as much as any report. These meetings
are often brought out to discuss any interest rates, inflation,
and other issues that have the ability to affect currency values.

Even changes in how things are worded when addressing certain
issues such as the Federal Reserve chairman’s comments on
interest rates; can cause a volatile market. Two important
meetings that you have to watch out for are the Federal Open
Market Committee and Humphrey Hawkins Hearings.

Just by reading the reports and examining the commentary, it can
help FOREX fundamental analysts to get a better understanding of
any and all long-term market trends and also to allow short-term
traders to be able to profit from extraordinary happenings. If
you do decide to follow a fundamental strategy, you will want to
be sure to keep an economic calendar handy at all times so you
know when these reports are released. Your forex broker may also be able
to provide you with real-time access to this kind of information.

Technical Analysis Just like their counterparts in the equity
markets, technical analysts of the FOREX trading market analyze
price trends. The only real difference between technical
analysis in FOREX and technical analysis in equities is the time
frame that is involved in that FOREX markets are open 24 hours a
day.

Because of this, some forms of technical analysis that factor in
time have to be modified so that they can work with the 24 hour
FOREX market. Some of the most common forms of technical
analysis used in FOREX are:

* The Elliott Waves * Fibonacci studies * Parabolic SAR * Pivot
points

A lot of technical analysts have a tendency to combine technical
studies to make more accurate predictions on your behalf. (The
most common method for them is combining the Fibonacci studies
with Elliott Waves.) Others prefer to create trading systems in
an effort to repeatedly locate similar buying and selling
conditions.

Choosing Your Strategy Most successful traders will develop a
strategy and perfect it over a specific period of time. Some
people will focus on one particular study or calculation, while
still some others use broad spectrum analysis as a means of
determining their trades. Most experts would likely suggest that
you try using a combination of both fundamental and technical
analysis, with which you can make long-term projections and also
determine entry and exit points. Of course, in the end, it is
the individual trader who has to decide what works best for him.

When you are ready to get started in the FOREX market, you
should open a demo account and paper trade so that you can
practice until you can make a consistent profit. Many people who
fail have a tendency to jump into the FOREX market and quickly
lose a lot of money because of a lack of experience. It is
important to take your time and learn to trade properly before
you start committing capital.

You also need to be ale to trade without emotion. You can’t keep
track of all stop-loss points if you don’t have the ability to
execute them on time. You must always set your stop-loss and
take-profit points to execute automatically, and don’t change
them unless you absolutely have to. Make your decisions and
stick to them. Otherwise you will drive yourself and your
brokers crazy.

You should also realize that you need to follow the trends. If
you go against the trend, you are just messing with your money
because the FOREX market tends to trend more often than anything
else and you will have a higher chance of success in trading
with the trend.

The FOREX market is the largest market in the world, and every
day people are becoming increasingly interested in it. But
before you begin trading, make sure your broker meets certain
criteria, and take the time to find a trading strategy that
works for you.

Hedonism is a term that implies living life to the fullest. Hedonism vacation lodgings are devoted to providing you with a sinfully delightful experience.

Hedonism Vacation Lodgings

The Hedonism vacation lodgings are a group of two hotels that are run by SuperClubs, the chain that also owns the Breezes and Grand Lido vacation groups. Hedonism vacation lodgings are all-inclusive lodgings, meaning that accommodations, food, beverages (including alcoholic) and even tips are included in one price that you pay up-front before going on your trip. All travelers vacationing at Hedonism vacation lodgings must be age 18 or older, no children are allowed at the lodgings, so this is an adult-only getaway spot perfect for your vacation or honeymoon.

Hedonism II and Hedonism III are located on the island of Jamaica, in the Caribbean. Hedonism II is located in Negril, while Hedonism III is situated in Runaway Bay. Both lodgings offer many different activities and amenities to make your stay in Jamaica a perfect one, and they both cater to your wild side.

Hedonism II, in Negril, is an 18 and over vacation party for singles and couples. While here, you can enjoy the many pools (some with swim-up pool bars) and Jacuzzis, along with spa services and a fitness center. There are many different activities and forms of entertainment at Hedonism II, and the website offers a look at what’s going on when. You can choose to have your trip coincide with one of these fun couples or singles themed weeks.

Hedonism III, the second of the Hedonism vacation lodgings, is located in Runaway Bay, Jamaica. Also open to singles and couples 18 and over, this resort promises to be as wild as Hedonism II and then some. All of the rooms here have Roman tubs, and there’s even a see-through waterslide that runs through the disco! Interesting twists such as a pool table in the pool and a nude pool with swim-up bar make this place definitely adults only. Different events and themed entertainment also happens at Hedonism III.

If you’re looking for a trip that’s a little naughty and out of the ordinary, be sure to check out the Hedonism vacation lodgings on the island of Jamaica. These lodgings really spice up the Caribbean, and are great for those who are planning a honeymoon, even if it’s the second time around. Hedonism isn’t just for couples, though, and there are many different singles events scheduled throughout the year. Hedonism is the place to be for adults who want to let loose!

Yesterday I received an email: “I have been following your
strategy CoinCollector for the past two weeks, and it seems that
the strategy is down by $360. Did your strategy stop working?”

When trading a system you need to maintain a long term
perspective. In the past two weeks the system made 14 trades.
That’s definitely not enough to judge the performance of a
system.

Trading a system means playing a number’s game: You need to
place at least 40 trades before you can look at the performance
of the system. Most traders only evaluate their performance once
a month and try to have as many profitable months as possible.
Hedge Funds evaluate their performances quarterly or yearly. If
you look daily at the results of a trading system it will drive
you crazy.

Sure, nobody likes going through a drawdown. But losses are part
of our business and you need to deal with them. The famous
Richard Dennis once said: “It is totally counterproductive to
get wrapped up in the results. You have to maintain your
perspective. Being emotionally deflated would mean lacking
confidence in what I am doing. I avoid that because I have
always felt that it is misleading to focus on short-term
results.”

Many traders focus on short term results and lose their
perspective. That’s why they fail: They experience a loss or a
bad week and shop around for the next system. And while the
trading system they just abandoned is recovering from the
drawdown, the new trading system might produce first losses, and
they start looking for the next system.

They are like the dog chasing many rabbits: At the end of the
day he’s totally exhausted and didn’t catch a single one.

Maintain your perspective!

The NCAA Tournament is fast approaching and the next three weeks
the Field of 64 will begin to take form. Tonight’s three
national TV games all feature “bubble teams” as Michigan,
Xavier, Alabama, and Arkansas are all battling for those final
postseason spots with critical conference games tonight.

Below is a look at each game on ESPN and ESPN-2 for Tuesday.

ILLINOIS (-1 , 135) at MICHIGAN (ESPN)

Illinois was the national runner-up last season and despite
losing two of their best players, the Illini are once again a
Top 10 team and stand 22-4 SU on the season. This is a tough
spot for Illinois as they must travel and play their second game
in three days, following a big home win over Indiana on national
TV Sunday afternoon.

Illinois won the first meeting versus Michigan, 79-74 on January
14th, but Michigan got the pointspread cover as a 10 -point
road underdog. Michigan outshot Illinois 46-42 percent overall
and 46-39 percent from three-point range.

Michigan is just 1-4 SU/ATS over their past five games, but
three of those four recent losses were on the road. The
Wolverines have been strong at home this season, going 12-2 SU.
Michigan is battling numerous injuries and three key players
Chris Hunter, Jerret Smith and Lester Abram are all listed as
questionable tonight.

Hunter is second on the team in blocks (21) and fifth in scoring
(7.0 ppg). Smith is third on the team in assists (41) this
season and Abram is the team’s fourth leading scorer (11.5 ppg).

XAVIER -1 at DAYTON (espn2)

Xavier enters this game off a three-game home stand in which
they went 2-1 SU, but just 1-2 ATS. The Musketeers lost the
first game versus LaSalle, 79-70, as an 11 -point favorite, but
then bounced backed with easy wins over Fordham, 84-64, and
Duquesne 91-70. Xavier easily covered as a 10 -point favorite
versus Fordham, but failed to cover an inflated 22 -point line
versus Duquesne.

Dayton has one of the most extreme home/road dichotomies in the
nation this season as the Flyers stand 11-4 SU at home, but just
1-10 SU away. Dayton stands just 4-8 SU in conference play this
season, but they have beaten each of their past four Atlantic-10
home opponents.

Both teams are solid defensively as Xavier is allowing just 62.4
points per game and 39.4 percent from the field (versus
opponents that average 66.3 ppg and 43.1 percent overall) and
Dayton is permitting just 61.0 points and 40.0 percent (versus
opponents that average 67.0 ppg and 42.9 percent overall).

Xavier won the first meeting this season, 60-55, but failed to
cover as a 12-point home favorite on January 28th. The
Musketeers led 29-23 at halftime and outshot the Flyers 41-35
percent from the field. The difference in the game was a 21-8
free throw advantage (attempts) for Xavier.

ALABAMA at ARKANSAS (-7 , 137) (ESPN)

A battle between two “bubble teams” in the SEC tonight as both
squads are on the fringe of making the NCAA Tournament. Alabama
is currently ranked 38th in the RPI, while Arkansas is ranked
57th. The biggest difference has been Alabama’s stronger
schedule as the Crimson Tide has faced the fifth toughest slate
of opponents, while Arkansas has only faced the 73rd toughest
schedule. Alabama is also 3-4 SU versus top-50 opponents and 8-8
SU versus top-100 clubs, while Arkansas is 3-6 SU versus top-50
teams and just 5-6 SU versus top-100 foes.

Alabama underachieved during November and December and have
actually played better basketball since losing their leading
scorer, Chuck Davis (15.4 ppg) to a knee injury in early
January. Since their loss on January 7th in Davis’ final game,
the Crimson Tide have gone an excellent 8-3 SU and 6-3-2 ATS.

Arkansas lost at Alabama, 78-75 in overtime, as a 1 -point
underdog on January 18th, despite outshooting the Crimson Tide
42-40 percent from the field. Arkansas is just 3-7 SU on the
road this season, but a much stronger 14-1 SU at home, including
an 85-81 win over Florida on Saturday.

STEVE MERRIL is a professional sports handicapper and a
documented member of The Professional Handicappers League. Get
his Premium plays here.

Copyright 2006 Quick Turn Marketing International, Ltd.

Following are 19 rules you can use to write headlines that will reach out and force the prospect to read your website and sales letter.

1. Your headline must offer somethign that your target market wants very badly.

2. Your headline must include something of self interest to the reader.

3. If your product is new or improved, say so in the headline.

4. Do not just invoke curiosity in your headline, you must also include something of interest to the reader.

5. Avoid negativity in your headline. Always turn the negative into a positive statement.

6. Your headline shoudl suggest a quick and easy way to achieve the benefit(s) stated.

7. Your headline should be believable.

8. Determine what would make you buy your product, and then try to incorporate that idea into your headline.

9. Avoid making your headline so short that you don’t get the main point across.

10. Avoid clever headlines that makes the reader think “how clever.” Cleverness rarely gets people to read your web page or spend money.

11. Avoid headlines that sound dead, or like they should be at the bottom of the statue like “To Server Humanity Better…”

12. Suggest in your headline that your copy contains useful and valuable information.

13. Use your headline to reach out and grab the reader’s attention.

14. Avoid hard to grasp headlines that require the reader to think about what you are saying.

15. NEVER trust your own reaction to your headlines. Instead, get the reaction of someone else.

16. If you emphasize a word in your headline, make sure that word means something and is important.

17. Remember that large type words act as a stopper. They get people to stop and pay attention, so choose the best words that will get the most attention.

18. Don’t let an artist or layout person decide which headline words to emphasize. An artest thinks in terms of color contrasts and tones, not in terms of making money!

19. Avoid writing an ad that attracts the wrong people. Make sure your headline attracts the people that are most interested in what you have to offer.

If you will follow these simple guidelines for writing your headline copy, you will be more likely to have a successful headline and a successful ad! Take some time right now and look back over these guidelines.

Then, try to write your own headlines. When you have a few that you think are wonderful, run them by a friend. If that friend asks to see the rest of your copy, you know you have written a true killer headline.

Dan Lok is widely known as “The World’s #1 Website Conversion Expert!” But what do you care? Well, if you rush over to his site… I think you’ll come to your own conclusion that he’s the real deal when you see how much FREE (yet extremely valuable!) profit-producing info he’s giving away. Check it out now at: www.WebsiteConversionExpert.com

Child have constipation just like adults and perhaps more often
since they don’t like to eat food that has a lot of fiber -
vegetables and more vegetables. Children with constipation can
use the same natural remedies as adults, but in lesser amounts.

You can use these guidelines for children 3 and older. Children
should have a bowel movement everyday. It would be best for them
to have at least two, if they are eating three meals a day. If
your child is having three or less bowel movement per week, it
is time to get worried and take action.

If you use some natural remedies, and your child still has only
3 or less bowel movements per week, then its time for you to
take your child to see a doctor. Continual constipation can
reflect a more serious condition, especially if your child is
eating the foods that promote natural bowel movements.

Here is a list of things that you can do for your child with
constipation. In fact, these recommendations are also good for
you if you have constipation.

1. Drink more water - children are very active and will perspire
more than an adult during the day and lose water. If the body
needs water it will take from the stools and make them hard and
difficult to expel. 2. Eat more fiber - fruits and vegetables is
where the fiber is. Using artificial fiber and laxative products
is not a good idea. The body can become dependent on these
products and lose its bowel sensitive and colon wall tone. 3.
Having a bowel movement when it is time - teach your children to
go to the bathroom when they get the urge. A lot of times they
will put it off if they are playing or doing something they
like. Putting it off will de-sensitize the colon and it will
stop giving the bowel movement signal after a time. This will
lead to constipation. 4. Use natural products that promote bowel
movements - there are many fruits and vegetables that promote
bowel movements. Use these as snacks. In cases where you use a
natural remedy that is bitter, remind your child that it is
medicine to help them go to the bathroom more frequently.

Drinking Water

Have your constipated child drink more water throughout the day.
Use distilled water. Minimize the use of sodas, tea, and sweeten
juices, as these are not water. Eating fruits and vegetable
provide the body with distilled water since they contain up to
70% water. Drink unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices provide
water and promote bowel movements.

Eating Fruits and Vegetables

The best time to give your child fruits is in the morning. From
the time they wake up to noontime is when the body is
detoxifying. Heavy foods like meat, milk, cereal, and eggs
hinder the detoxifying process. Fruits and their juices
accelerate the detoxifying process and promote bowel movement,
provided no protein or carbohydrates are eaten. A good breakfast
is simply a bowel of fruit. A glass of juice can also be
provided.

When in season use a big bowl of watermelon and cantaloupe
slices. Otherwise, use a variety of seasonal fruits. Use fruits
as a snack between meals. But do not give fruits after a meal as
desert. Wait 2-3 hours after a meal before giving fruit. This
helps digestion and promotes bowel movements.

Vegetables should be eaten with each meal at noontime and
dinner. Vegetables provide water, fiber, and an array of
minerals and vitamins necessary for good digestion and colon
function.

To make the salad more appealing for your child add raisins or
pieces of apple to it.

Look to my other articles for Natural Constipation Remedies. Use
those that I discuss. For a child, any herbal products that are
used as a constipation remedy should be used at 1/3 the amount
listed for an adult.

Those of us business owners who do it all, whether we are home based or a small business have it made. With today’s technology we can look as big as we want. With the web, faxes, video conferencing and all the burgeoning technology you don’t need to be a big business to succeed today. We can do a lot that our competition can’t or won’t do. So let’s take advantage of being small.

In fact, being small has its advantages. The mom and pop or one person operation only has to worry about themselves not employees. If we have a bad month, someone else is not depending on us to pay them. We tighten our belts and work harder next month.

We can also take risks that a larger company might not. A different marketing technique, a new and innovative strategy. We can go with our creative ideas. We don’t have anyone to answer to but ourselves. So our creative process doesn’t need to go through channels or get someone else’s approval.

Another advantage, especially for those of us in a home based business; we don’t need the fancy trappings of larger companies. For many of us home based businesses owners our office is in the kitchen, dining room, family room, part of their bedroom. Even for those of us using a second bedroom or den as an office, we keep our costs down. We don’t need the high priced rents, fancy furniture or luxury cars. We can keep our costs down by working out of our home, buying used or discount furniture. We keep costs down, cut corners and count our pennies. We are frugal rather than extravagant.

We can also make alliances with other business outside our area, network or form a partnership relationship with them. We compliment each other. These businesses are typically in a related but not competing field. However, we can also work with our competition. There are many word processors who network with one another, so if they have overflow work, they have someone they can give the work to. Lawyers who can’t handle a particular case, refer it to another. An example of a great alliance would be a travel agent with B&Bs, spas, resorts. Or, let’s say you have developed an exercise machine you have been selling through your website and mail order. Why not try to develop an alliance with a sporting goods store to sell your product. Or set up an alliance with exercise newsletters or magazines who could send a mailing to their subscribers about your product.

You could also check with organizations that can help you showcase your product. What about Weight Watchers, or Ediets.

If you were selling promotional items ask your local Chamber if they would be interested in getting T-shirts or hats imprinted. Catering businesses could offer their services to a local charity or a restaurant could give any left overs to a local food bank.

Giving away prizes, your time and services is something we have discussed in a number of other articles.

For those of you in business whose competition has been around a while and is bigger and more powerful, what do you do? Well, we would ignore them and go about our business. Never, ever bad mouth your competition. When students ask us about other coaches we never bad mouth them. Whatever you think personally of your competition is your business and it should never be shared. Run your business in an honest, and ethical manner and let your customer decide who they want to do business with. Remember, you are smaller so you can offer them more personalized attention, cater to their needs. Many times as businesses grow bigger and more powerful they forget what got them where they are…attention to their customers needs. You don’t have that problem, you have all the time in the world to give your customers your undivided attention. Your business depends on it.

Always research your competition. Know what products they sell, how they market them, distribute and sell them. Be sure to keep this material and update it periodically. You should have examples of their promotional materials, pricing, their services, products, etc. Update on a quarterly basis. Reading periodicals in your area and joining groups in your area of business give you the opportunity to ask questions about how people got started, the problems they had. You need to make it your business to learn as much as you can from others in your area. Depending on your business you might also have an industry publication that contains information on your competition. If so, subscribe to it.

We can do a lot that our competition can’t or won’t do. So let’s take advantage of being small, being courteous, offering better service, trying harder and offering our personal attention. Very compelling reasons for customers to do business with us rather than our competition.

Copyright 2004 DeFiore Enterprises

Interested in having your own successful, home based creative real estate investing business? Chuck and Sue have been helping folks start successful home based businesses for over 19 years, and we can help you too! To see how, visit http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com for the latest FREE tips and tricks, educational products and coaching in creative real estate investing and home based businesses. No time to visit the site? Subscribe to our “how to” Home Business Solutions Digest, it’s like having your own personal coach: subscribeHBS@homebusinesssolutions.com

Yaw, more commonly known as sway in the RV industry, is a bad word for trailer owners. The definition of yaw or sway is a side-to-side movement. Nothing will ruin the way you feel about camping faster than the first time you experience trailer sway.

You have tent camped for years and now you decide it’s time to move up to a pop-up. You go to your local dealership and find a pop-up with the perfect floor plan for you and your family. The sales person knows that it will be close to the maximum weight that your vehicle can tow. He really needs a sale because things have been slow. Rather than risk losing the sale he decides not to explain the added expense of the proper hitch work to safely tow your new trailer.

You’re all packed up for a weekend getaway. You made all of your pre-trip checks and you’re ready to go. You load the most precious cargo you have, your family, into your tow vehicle and head out on a new venture. Everything is fine when you leave the house. You take the on ramp to the interstate. You’re cruising at the speed limit enjoying the music on the radio. Suddenly out of nowhere a transfer truck going twenty miles over the speed limit is passing you as if you’re sitting still. The pop-up is pulled into the draft created by the truck. In an attempt to correct this totally unexpected event you over steer and the trailer begins to go the opposite direction. Not really sure what to do you hit the brakes and turn the steering wheel to the left, then to the right. Now, that one-ton trailer behind your sport utility vehicle is veering sharply from side to side and begins to affect what little control you have over the vehicle. The results are catastrophic.

Ok, since this is just an article, let’s start over and fix this before you even realize there is a potential problem. You purchased your pop-up from a reputable local RV dealership. At the risk of losing the sale your sales person explains that you will require some specialized hitch work to pull your new trailer safely. You are a bit skeptical, feeling like they just want more of your money. Besides, your father never needed any of this stuff. He just hooked the trailer unto the ball and went.

You decide to give the sales person the benefit of doubt and listen for a minute. He shows you in his book that your tow vehicle is rated to tow a maximum of 3,500 pounds. Then he explains what you must factor in to that tow rating. It includes the weight of your new camper, any after market accessories, like the roof mounted air conditioner and battery the dealership is going to install, all of the cargo and personal belongings that you load in the trailer and in the tow vehicle, and the weight of the passengers in the vehicle. Now all of the sudden the sales person has your undivided attention. You had no idea that all of this had to be considered.

He shows you the weight label on your new trailer. The unloaded vehicle weight (UVW) is 2,100 pounds. The air conditioner weighs 100 pounds and the deep cycle battery weighs 50 pounds. To be safe he estimates that you will carry about 300 pounds of cargo, and then adds another 300 pounds for your wife and two children. You are amazed how fast things add up.

Now you have 2,850 pounds instead of the 2100 pounds that you thought it was. It isn’t over yet. Your sales person starts to explain that every state has different requirements on how much a trailer can weigh before it requires trailer brakes. In your state the weight is 3,000 lbs., but your dealership has brakes installed on any trailer they order that weighs over 2,000 pounds. He explains that even though your vehicle is rated to tow 3,500 pounds the brakes on the vehicle were designed to safely stop the vehicles weight, not an additional ton and a half being pulled behind it.

He takes you to the parts department and shows you a brake controller and explains that this is what activates the trailer brakes and the dealership will install it when they do the wiring for the trailer lights. You like the features that he explained about the brake controller. The fact that you can manually adjust the amount of braking action so that when you hit the brake pedal the tow vehicle and the trailer work together to stop the weight in a reasonable amount of time. What you really like is the part he explained about the manual override lever that activates the trailer brakes without using the vehicle brakes.

He said if you’re on a steep grade and you don’t want to prematurely wear out the vehicle brakes you slowly slide the lever and the trailer brakes will slow you down. But what really sold you on it was when he explained that if the trailer starts to sway you could gently move the lever, activating the trailer brakes, to help straighten the trailer out. He went on to explain that trailer sway is one of the biggest potential problems that you can encounter while towing a trailer. He points out some of the factors that contribute to trailer sway.

• First and foremost poor trailer design contributes to trailer sway. When there is too much weight behind the trailers axles causing the tongue weight to be less than 10% of the trailers weight it has a natural tendency to sway.
 • Incorrect tire inflation
 • Improper weight distribution hitch adjustments
 • No sway control on the trailer
 • Crosswinds
 • A transfer truck passing from the rear of the trailer
 • Descending inclines
 • Towing speeds
 • Tow vehicle not properly matched for the trailer
 • Improper loading, overloading and poor weight distribution

He took the time to explain that for the trailer to pull properly the manufacturer recommends that the tongue weight resting on the ball mount should be 10 to 15% of the total trailer weight. He said if it is more than 15% they have what is called a weight distribution hitch that takes the additional tongue weight and distributes it to the axles on the tow vehicle and the trailer where it should be, and if it is less than 10% when you load your cargo you distribute it to add some additional weight on the tongue. He looked up the pop-up you were buying in the brochure and the tongue weight was 305 pounds. With the air conditioner installed and your cargo loaded you would be between the 10 to 15% range. He explained that a weight distribution hitch was more commonly used with heavier trailers and in some cases with pop-ups depending on the tow vehicle, but in this case it would not be required.

The next thing he asked was if your vehicle had a receiver. You reply, do you mean a hitch? He explains that the part that is bolted to the vehicle is called a receiver, and he shows you a chart that has several different classes of receivers depending on the amount of weight you will be towing. The class II receiver was rated for 3,500 lb. gross trailer weight and 300 lb. max tongue weight. For a small difference in price he recommended a class III receiver rated for 5,000 lb. gross trailer weight and 500 lb. max tongue weight since your trailers tongue weight exceeded 300 lbs.

With that done he said let me show you the one component that our dealership strongly recommends to anyone purchasing a pop-up. He walked over and picked up a part from the shelf. This is called a friction sway control. We mount one end of it to the ball mount and the other end to the tongue on the camper. You adjust the amount of friction by turning the lever clockwise for more friction and counter clockwise for less friction. He explained that you turn it in 1/8″ increments until you get it adjusted where you feel comfortable. This will not totally eliminate sway, but once the forces of sway are in motion it will dampen the sway and help you control it when you’re towing your camper.

Well, he said, that about does it. For less than 10% of the price of the pop-up you can get all of the hitch work done and ensure that your family is safe when you go on a trip. At this point you’re convinced that the sales person has your best interest in mind and was not just trying to make more money.

You’re all packed up for the first weekend getaway with your new pop-up. You make all of the pre-trip checks that the dealership explained to you and you’re ready to go. You load the most precious cargo you have, your family, into your vehicle and head out on a new venture. You take the on ramp to the interstate. You’re cruising at the speed limit enjoying the music on the radio. Suddenly out of nowhere a transfer truck going twenty miles over the speed limit passes you as if I you’re sitting still. You feel a slight movement behind you. It was just enough to remind you that you’re pulling the pop-up. You look at you’re watch and tell the family that you should be at the campground in a couple of hours.

Knowing how to react when a trailer begins to sway can be the difference between your safety and disaster.

Copyright 2006 by Mark J. Polk owner of RV Education 101

RV Expert Mark Polk, seen on TV, is the producer & host of America’s most highly regarded series of DVD’s, videos, books, and e-books. http://www.rveducation101.com/

Mark Polk is a retired U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Three, specializing in wheeled and track vehicle fleet maintenance operations. In addition to owning and operating RV Education 101, (based in North Carolina) since 1999, Polk also has a very extensive RV background working in RV service, sales and management. Polk has a degree in Industrial Management Technology and his 30 plus years of experience in maintenance includes working as an RV technician, a wheeled vehicle and power generation mechanic, an automotive maintenance technician, Battalion and Brigade level Maintenance Officer, an RV sales manager and also in the RV financing department as the Finance & Insurance manager. http://www.rveducation101.com/