Creativity, Concept, Imagination and Innovation - What Have They in Common?

By Tony Alonzi

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Too often today we focus on crafting interesting campaigns and ads that give the consumer 30 seconds of original entertainment. We may be missing the point by not giving them something to think about. If your brand is well established, your strategy should involve the use of other platforms that are designed to associate the imagination with the brand.
Video ads, the really good ones, win awards. Even if they are not honored at the Cannes Lions annual festival, they are recognized for their excellence. In these mass media ads, the consumer is targeted when their focus is on a network program, a sporting event or as a predicate to a film. Unless the audience is there specifically to appreciate the ads, they may be amused, but are most likely otherwise engaged in conversation or texting. You know texting - the digital age definition of thumbs up.
I do not suggest that it is time to consider plowing up the advertising fields, but perhaps it is time to cultivate some new options with a fresh approach. Where have we not sought to reach the consumer? Advertisements populate the Internet, cross every televised presentation, keep the newspaper presses rolling, reach you by satellite radio, appear on your gaming screen and may even invade your dreams.
Ads have become an annual showcase during the Super Bowl telecasts. A 30 second ad reportedly cost a cool $3.5 million. In the first Super Bowl, the same air time set you back less than $45,000. Add to that the cost to produce the ad and the investment becomes somewhat staggering. Do you have a favorite Super Bowl ad? Did it make you rush out to buy more of the product? What was the most popular ad in the 2012 Super Bowl? How about the 2011 Super Bowl? With the stiff competition for this distinction you have to ask; which comes first, the message or the recognition? Has advertising become entertainment in installments? Consensus hits in advertising may be a fungible commodity to the viewing consumer.
We still love to read; well thankfully most of us enjoy it. With the changes in technology, our reading choices and the reading process are undergoing a dramatic shift. We still read classic novels, but more and more these are read incrementally and simultaneously with other material. The trend in reading choices is to shorter reads that fit today's lifestyles, and we should focus at least a modest part of the marketing budget in this arena. The strategy needs variety, not just more of the same. Why not invest a small part of the budget in cultivating the relationship between the advertiser and the consumer audience with a digital age one-to-one relationship? It isn't mainstream you say. Well, when it becomes conversation at the cocktail party, you find yourself playing catch up.
The consumer is a more social creature today than ever. This sociability is not always in a personal setting. It is paradoxically becoming a virtual setting punctuated with sharing images, stories and items of interest. By using some creativity to produce these short stories and passages and to present them in a way that promotes the sharing process, a whole new and more personal avenue is opened to the reader. Every reader is a consumer. Every tagged and shared excerpt with embedded content grows your one-to-one relationships.
Embedded in the pages of carefully crafted content resides a fresh media and connection with the consumer. The reader most often will not see embedded content as a brand promotion (that is the objective) and it does not detract from their enjoyment. I've tested it with a focus group. If the ads were overt, they would be removed before they are shared and might completely negate the effectiveness of the placement.
How much do you buy from the flashing Internet banner ads? How many times have you clicked on one out of curiosity to find an impersonal appeal to buy something? This type of advertising does have a degree of success, but it is not a total or a long term solution.
Many campaigns have become defensive in nature. If everyone else is doing it, perhaps we should as well. What happens when everybody is doing the same thing? It starts going unnoticed at least as to its intended purpose. Mass media may have reached the point of oversaturation.
Creativity, concept, imagination and innovation are connected through reading. The brain is engaged in an entirely different way, and the introduction of the embedded message is promoted with the reader's interest in the topic and the story. If done well, creativity, concept and imagination will equate to innovation, and you have a fresh new medium and approach to add to the mix.

Books are the new venue for brand placement and advertising. Captive Marketing Concepts has created a model that merges corporate advertisers and ad agencies with authors and publishers. We retain the copyrights and can tailor full color print media books and e-books to fit the clients needs.

5 Exhibitions for Networking in Dubai

By Catherine Gliddon

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IHF Dubai
This is an international hospital exhibition and attracts managers, doctors and healthcare specialists from around the world. Visitors to this show can mix with potential employers or employees or just tap into the vast amount of knowledge which abounds at the show. The event is held at the Atlantis and has the key aim of overcoming obstacles to healthcare in the modern world, an issue which brings key figures from governments and health boards around the globe. Private and public healthcare is covered.
Smart Electricity World Mena
The transmission of electricity is something which most people take for granted, but as the visitors and exhibitors at the exhibition are aware, electricity is an industry which generates huge amounts of money. Those who visit here can network with the aim of finding employment at electricity companies, finding investment opportunities and acquiring information to report back to bosses or partners back home. There are a number of events such as seminars and talks which are the best place to target people with an interest in the same specific area that you do.
Intersec Dubai
If you wish to network with people with great ideas and contacts within the safety and security sector then this event at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre is the perfect place to do so. There is plenty to learn from safety and security companies in Dubai as they are specialists in protecting high profile people including some of the richest people in the world. This is a huge scale event which takes place over 3 days and hosts over 900 exhibitors.
Aircraft Interiors Middle East
People who work for the many airlines around the world simply cannot afford to miss this show, especially those concerned with marketing and customer experience. The leaders in design, production and distribution from around the world meet here to discuss the best ways to equip the various different categories of planes.
Rehab Dubai
This is another exhibition held at the Dubai international Exhibition Centre and is concerned with the rehabilitation of disabled people in terms of the equipment and services available to them. Different countries have different approaches and ideas on rehabilitation so a visit here is a great opportunity to learn all about them, make useful contacts and learn about the latest technologies available.
There are many excellent exhibitions in Dubai annually and you can find more shows also by checking the Dubai Exhibition Centre main site.

Catherine writes about Dubai exhibitions and Exhibition News.

The Hype in Digital Marketing

By Shelly Rote

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There are a number of successful marketing tactics that tap into our mobile phone craze. Some of these tactics include mobile coupons, mobile videos, mobile display ads, branded smartphone apps, scannable codes and text message marketing. Text message marketing has become the number one most used tactic when it comes to marketers implementing a mobile marketing strategy.
Text Message Marketing or SMS Marketing allows businesses to short message service (SMS) text messaging as a medium of direct advertising. An SMS Marketing campaign involves collecting mobile phone numbers usually by customers. Once numbers are collected, you can prepare special promotion and send a mass message to all potential repeat customers.
When a company is considering the use of SMS text message marketing they should weigh all the pros and cons, including the cost of SMS marketing and how their target market will likely respond. Compared to traditional forms of advertising like billboards and radio, the potential audience for SMS marketing is a bit more limited, but this form of advertising can build a loyal customer base that will help advertise and build business through word-of-mouth and social media. SMS text messaging may give the impression that your business is technologically savvy, which will greatly appeal to some customers.
Scanned coupons or sometimes called Quick Response codes are another route within the mobile marketing industry. It's a bit more tricky than SMS text message marketing. These are encoded barcode image resembling a square-like maze. Unlike a UPC code, these 2-dimensional barcodes store data in both directions and can be scanned vertically or horizontally to be decoded.
One of the positives involved in Quick Response scanned coupons is that these barcode images can be printed on nearly any surface like newspapers, TV ads, billboards, product packaging and more. This enables you to drive traffic from anywhere. The digital marketing believes an even bigger advantage is the increase in user engagement. Digital barcodes create a more enticing, personal experience for users that is can't be replicated in other forms of marketing. They also have the ability to quickly show the success of a campaign based on the number of scans per location. Additionally, digital barcodes can drive quality traffic to a company's website, which was the ultimate goal.
To ensure campaign success, consider consulting with a mobile barcode and SMS marketing expert, especially if you have never ran a these types of marketing campaigns before. Technology, trends and tools in this arena are rapidly changing. A few hours of expert consulting can bring your team up to speed and give you a better chance at campaign success. You don't want to be embarrassed from poor implementation.

The Green Office

By Eric Monson

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As sustainability issues gain increasing importance, commercial developers and facilities management companies have a unique opportunity to make significant improvements in sustainable building design by incorporating eco-efficiency principles into their strategies.
Exploring sustainable design scenarios, green technologies and sustainable management features for green office buildings - carbon, energy, waste and water management systems, will not only ensure greater efficiency but will also improve occupier well-being.
Core design components could include green roofs, on-site renewable energy generation (solar PV, micro-turbine co-generation), materials that keep the building's interior climate more controlled such as triple-glazed windows, and building management systems and technologies that provide detailed views of operational metrics.
Some key considerations that may shape the green office of the future include;

• Increased collaboration between stakeholders - developers consulting closely with leasing agents and potential occupiers in order to create a more holistic view of green building design priorities


• Strategies that encourage more use of passive lighting and ventilation - increased use of glass with reflective or glazed coatings and other building components that maximize the amount of natural light than can penetrate a building


• Geographic site selection that embraces sustainable lifestyle principles - reducing the commuter energy "intensity" of building occupants by ensuring reasonable proximity to public transportation systems


• An emphasis on construction materials with a low environmental impact - efficiency and environmental footprint considerations need to become an essential part of the green procurement process, increasing usage of recycled materials in the building design and minimising waste during the construction phase


• On-site energy generation and water reduction options - developers can help businesses reduce their dependence on grid utilities


• Greater reliance on digital building information models - software that helps provide a view of physical or functional aspects of a building before it is constructed and for examining the impact of different design scenarios


• Integral building management systemsto provide a detailed level of building performance analysis, including, automated systems which optimize building performance


• Remote management services and technologies which provide external information about weather conditions, utility prices, etc....

If the green building design argument is not convincing enough in itself, there are an increasing number of studies which show that employees who work in buildings that are eco-efficient are also more productive.
Perhaps this has as much to do with increased environmental awareness as it has to do with the building design. It does suggest however, that more companies will seek to incorporate sustainability considerations into their office building design, if for no other reason than to increase productivity.

EMC Business Solutions aims to assist businesses in the development of environmental management systems, providing a platform for sustainable development and business growth.
Find out more at http://www.emcbs.co.uk
You can also visit our blog at http://emcbs.co.uk/blog/tag/environmental-management

Things to Consider When Buying Wholesale Dresses

By Noah Riley Whittaker

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Starting your very own apparel boutique was problematic before the world wide web became widely used. You required a large capital in order to pay for your first stocks, your boutique or store space, and your workers' paychecks. There were hardly any providers offering wholesale clothes and wholesale dresses back then, which made it hard for shop owners to acquire stock unless they were handy with the sewing machine.
In recent times, you can easily start your very own online dress store without knowing how to sew. Different websites and social networking sites make it simpler for you to sell your products on the net, and it is relatively easy to search for wholesale clothes suppliers to buy your products from.
One thing you have to try to remember is looking for a supplier is simple, but selecting the right one is much more difficult. You should consider a handful of things before placing a wholesale purchase order.
Item Quality and value
When supplying wholesale clothes like dresses, many providers focus on volume over quality. You must think about the quality of the products the sellers provide before you even consider placing an order. This does not mean you should just browse their internet catalog and scrutinize the images of their products. Locate product critiques published by their clientele and their clients' buyers, or see if they can provide free samples before you purchase something from them.
When you study the quality of their wholesale dresses and garments, it's also advisable to assess if their items are actually worth the prices detailed on their site. Purchasing products at wholesale rate should be less expensive than getting the same amount of products for their retail price. You may want to find some other wholesale providers to compare and contrast their price lists before proceeding.
Return and Exchange Policies
Receiving a complete wholesale bundle packed with ruined or defective goods is never a positive thing, specifically if you cannot even return them or have them replaced. When visiting a web-based wholesaler's site, be sure to examine their return and exchange policy thoroughly. If you don't, you could risk the loss of a ton of money by wasting it on wholesale dresses you cannot even market.
Contact Details
If you cannot even get in touch with the vendor, don't bother purchasing something from them. Interaction is important in this kind of deal, specifically if you would like to monitor your purchases or if you will need your supplier to fulfill certain needs. Always be cautious about sellers who are constantly inaccessible if you try to contact them, or who don't include any contact details on their site besides their order forms.
Shipping Time
Seek out sellers actually delivering their goods on time. A number of wholesale suppliers may assure their products are going to arrive within a certain period of time, but fail to follow through on their claims. Regardless how excellent the product quality and prices of their products are, wholesalers are not really worth buying from if they cannot deliver by the due date. Search for testimonials or ask one of their customers directly to find out if the sellers you're considering deliver their merchandise on time.

Noah Whittaker is an aspiring entrepreneur seeking wholesale clothing and wholesale dresses.

Crucial Documents in a Sales Pitch

By Rick Wilmath

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Sales does not have to be a strictly yes or strictly no proposition. Many times a prospect will tell you they "want to think about it." Most salesman regard this as a kiss of death. But it doesn't have to be.
If you could go home with the prospect you could keep on selling couldn't you? You could elaborate on the advantages of your product and you could continue to knock down objections. But that is not possible. You may only get one chance to go eyeball to eyeball. But the selling does not have to stop there.
If you give the prospect some sales literature as they are walking out the door then you can keep right on selling despite not being within earshot of them. You can also do some things with the sales literature that you couldn't do in person. Graphics and Photographs will add interest and also give compelling evidence of the excellence of your product.
Great advertising copy is "sales in print." This technique will work especially well in industries where it is common for the customer to get price estimates such as roofing. When a roofing contractor goes to a home to give an estimate he has an obligation to make a good impression and to also give a good price.
The price doesn't necessarily need to be the lowest but if it isn't the contractor had better show his bid offers the best value. Most people are smarter than business people give them credit for and they know that the cheapest may also be the crappiest. Buying a roof that will soon leak is hardly a bargain.
On the other hand, most people don't mind spending a few extra dollars for superior craftsmanship if it will result in a better roof. Showing people how long you have been in business is one way of demonstrating quality. This tactic will work for both residential and commercial roofing.
If you are doing a good job of demonstrating value then you will get more work even if the number of bids stays the same. Instead of trying to have the phone ring more often try to provide higher perceived value to the existing number of bids.
The problem for the contractor is to communicate this value to clients. Almost all contractors say they provide quality work, the customer hears it from everybody that bids on the work. The smart contractors know that it is far better to demonstrate quality than to talk about it.

Rick has worked in construction for over twenty years and can give you some more ideas on making bigger impact with less money. Please check out this website.
http://rubiasales.com/

A 10 Minute Drive: From Phenomenology To Situational Truth

By Jimmy G

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I picked up Christopher from work. As soon as he got into the car, he asked me - as he always does - a philosophical question.
"Dad, what is the way to Truth?"
"What do you mean?" I asked
"Well, I'm not asking for the nature of truth," Chris explained, "How does one deal with truth? I mean, how does one stay on the right path?"
"You're asking for a certain way of finding the truth? An approach? A method?" I asked.
"Yeah, you can say that. Dad, you mentioned phenomenology the other day. What is it?"
It takes about 10 minutes from his work place to arrive home. How do you explain phenomenology in 10 minutes or less?
"Well, phenomenology is a method of understanding the essence of things, that is, the meaning for being what they are. Everyone has biases and prejudices, whether they are derived from studies or they are irrational. Some of these judgments are not false. Some are scientifically verified. But, these scientifically verified statements were formed from a standpoint that may have nothing to do with the essence of a thing.
By exploring an essence of a thing, I am referring to our immediate experience of an essence of a thing. By immediate experience, I mean, an unadulterated experience prior to the formation of biases and prejudices. To focus your attention on the immediate experience, you need to put aside or 'bracket' out these biases and prejudices. Bracketing them out does not mean that they are false or that you are skeptical of them. On the contrary, bracketing is a way of suspending your judgment as you go on your own finding the essence.. Eventually, some of them are taken into consideration after realizing that some of them may after all be part of the essence of a thing."
"But, can we really let go of our biases and prejudices? Asked Chris, "We can try, but there's no guarantee that we can put aside all of our biases and prejudices."
"I don't think that you or anyone can completely put aside your biases and prejudices, especially the ones that you're blind to, despite your efforts. It's the deeply rooted biases and prejudices that escape scrutiny. Now, is phenomenology a total failure? It depends on how you look at it. Insofar searching for the essence, I think phenomenology failed. However, I like its spirit, its intention. Phenomenology assumes that a lone individual can find the truth. That's a problem. However, if you desire to be truthful, then you'll realize that you can't do it on your own. No one individual can."
"What do you mean? Are you saying that an individual, a specially gifted individual like Gandhi, Mandela, Jesus, or Confucius, in his moment of silence, contemplation, of seclusion, didn't discover the truth?" Chris was puzzled.
[It contradicts the common notion of a lone wise person, who leaves the pack and stays secluded for a number of years in a place known only to him, only to resurface and reconnect with the multitude who are in need of a moral compass.]
"Chris, I have no doubt that they have a great capacity for knowing the truth, more than most people. But do you think any of them has the monopoly of Truth? I am pretty sure that one knows something that the other has overlooked. Maybe, it's my bias, but I consider them human beings. But, if you consider one of them to be a god, then I will just have to say, Amen. I cannot pretend to know what only the gods know.something. Socrates was aware of his ignorance.. He said: 'I know nothing beyond this earth and below it. I only know what is human.' Or, something to that effect. So, neither you nor II can talk or should want to pretend to know about things that only non human beings know. For instance, 'is there life after life? It sure is tempting to say that it exists. In all honesty, I do not know about it the way I know my experiences and the steering wheel in front of me, and the driver's seat I am sitting on, and you beside me, and home, and we're just about 5 minutes away."
So, let us talk about human beings, and limit ourselves to what they can know. I am pretty certain that every individual has his own set of biases and prejudices. All he can do is minimize their influence or at least be aware of them; Whatever he claims to be truthful will always be influenced by his history, background, education, to name a few. In other words, he can arrive at truthful statements that others can learn from him; but there will be others who, unlike him, have their own and equally valid interpretation. Each interpretation, it seems to me, has a blind spot that others can fill. Others, needless to say, have their own blind spots. Nothing wrong with blind spots. It is part of being human, limited to time and space.
I think it's a humble way of looking at truth - that is, truthful statements - and of recognizing that there are various interpretations of a given situation. It's a humble way because when you realize that no matter how honest and earnest you are in finding the truth (truthful statement) that you believe not only applies to you but to the others well, you will also learn the habit of being critical and open to other ideas.
"Well, we're home."
Chris got off first and head for the door. He has work the following day, and I am expected to pick him up. I don't have to be fortune teller to know that, when I pick him up, he's going to greet me with another question.

For other articles, please visit http://livingreexamined.blogspot.ca/2011/11/i-didnt-want-to-blog.html

Preparing for a Long Distance Bicycle Tour

By Tina Saldiran

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There is a variety of cyclists out there with a steadily growing number, but no two are alike. True, they have all caught the cycling bug at one time or another, but the different approaches to it can be stunning. There are those who only commute on bikes for economic, environmental or convenience reasons. There are others who are obsessed with the athletic aspect of it (always in search for the half a pound lighter tire to give them the tiny boost in speed). Some take it up because they want to work out and running is too stressful on the joints, others because everyone else is doing it, some because the traffic is hell where they live (tens of thousands of Chinese bike to work for this reason alone!) and others because they can't afford a car. Whatever the reason, I suspect most of them can't help falling in love with it (I'm sure there are exceptions to this but hey, why talk about those guys?). I know I did because my impulsive purchase of a bike is the beginning of the road that eventually led me to starting a long distance cycling company.
So yes, I belong to the tribe for whom a bicycle is more than a tool to get to the supermarket. I like to explore on my bike - the farther, the better!
There are dozens of websites and forums today where you can easily find information about what a long distance bike rider needs - the number of bike tourers is larger than ever! But I do admit that it can be daunting and a little overwhelming from time to time. So I decided to write something for the newcomer who wants to set sail (or wheel, if you prefer) to the far off hills and doesn't quite know what this takes. Keep in mind that these are humble opinions of a biker who doesn't match up to those who traveled the world on a bicycle and came home to write a book about it. In fact, as you will learn further below, as much as I like biking I have never really engaged in the more robust form of it that includes a whole lot of camping in some pretty wild places. For me, maybe because I did most of my trips alone as a woman, the options were a little more limited and became clear preferences over the years.
Long Distance Touring - The Literature
I think when you are reading through the material out there (and there is a lot of it these days!) the first thing you have to understand is that whether its books or blogs, almost all current 'long distance biking' literature is based on the assumption that you are traveling with your own tent and cooking pot, ready to play Survivorman in the wild. This was surprising to me because although I enjoy the occasional sleeping under the stars, I never was and still am not a huge fan of camping. I know this raises eyebrows in the hardcore biker community where the hardship and pain is worn almost like a badge but to be perfectly honest, because I like my hot shower after a long ride and my soft bed without critter problems in the night and I do like good coffee (or tea - depends what country you are riding through) in the morning just as much as I like riding and sweating long hours. As someone who passionately loves biking I can understand the appeal of being a true nomad and completely self-sufficient to go where no man has gone before on two wheels, but since I rode alone for most of my adventures, I do appreciate not only the comfort but also the security of adding hotels and pensions to my long distance rides. Since this is where my experience lies, this style of long-distance riding is the one I will focus on in this article. There is tons of literature for the bikers who want more from their adventure, but not so much for those who like to go the distance in a more convenient manner.
Both kinds of tours extend far beyond the home-to-work commute though, so there are requirements you should always take into consideration.
What kind of Bike?
While wading through the long list of must-haves in forums and books for long distance riders, you should always keep in mind that by choosing not to camp, you practically eliminate a huge number of those items. The way I see it, instead of putting the money into a ton of gear I will have to maintain, repair and re-buy (and probably trip over in the non-touring winter months), I'm putting the money into nice hotels with open buffets and AC. For one thing, you don't have to invest into a super-sturdy-best-of-its-kind-the-ultimate-and-only touring bike (which most surely comes with an outrageous price tag) when you are not planning to carry all your camping gear for the next week(s) around with you. Although it's always a plus to have a good bike for obvious reasons, it is not a MUST if you are not planning to carry heavy load. All the professional touring bikes are built to maximize your load capacity as well as offering very sturdy (and often a little on the heavy side) frames, front and back racks, drop down handsets. If you are like me and are not a fan of one or more of those features, you actually have the option to take a bike you find much more comfortable on long distance tours when you decide to stay in hotels overnight. My first bike as an adult was a Dahon Mu and ever since, despite having listened to the voice of the forums and having bought a proper touring bike for a few thousand dollars, I still feel most comfortable and efficient on bikes with straight handlebars and lighter on the scale. I don't know if this is because I rode that Dahon anywhere and everywhere and it left an imprint on me or if it is simply because my riding style and body anatomy finds it easier to handle a Dahon than the heavy and somewhat big touring bikes.
Also, touring bikes are expensive. And they usually look it, too. I do have one and chaining it outside on a New York street or a country I don't know well or a country I do know well enough to know there are bike thieves lurking in every shadow always made me feel uncomfortable. The idea that I could walk out a store 5 minutes later and realize my bike was gone brought a certain panic with it because a) the price tag makes them very painful to replace and b) now you are stuck in the middle of nowhere without a commute. Thankfully this never happened to me, but riding around in a very expensive looking bicycle added an extra layer of discomfort and stress to the journey.
I think it is important to really know what you like and what you intend to do on your trip to come to an opinion of what kind of bike you will need. I like comfort and I like to have the peace of mind of leaving my stuff in a hotel to go out and stroll around the town I'm in or scout through ancient ruins when I'm touring. Others enjoy something fewer and fewer people get to experience in our day - self-isolation from the increasingly high-traffic life of modern 21st century life and the luxury of self-retrospect in the midst of a very crowded world. Make sure you try both to decide what suits you best (and perhaps you enjoy both at different times) and build your trip around that idea.
For long distance riders who prefer residing in hotels and pensions overnight, the needs for a long trip are far fewer. You will still have to carry a good number of items on you, but these are nothing compared to a camping tourer.
For one thing, make sure you choose a bike that allows a back rack to be installed. Not every bike frame allows this so picking one that does is essential! Chances are you won't need a front rack (unless you are a pack rat) but a back rack on a bike is necessary. You can choose to bring a backpack along and most likely will have to for longer rides, but backpacks can get very uncomfortable after the first 10 miles, therefore I do recommend letting the bike carry most of your load and keep lighter (and more important items such as wallets, phones etc.) in your backpack. A simple rack is good enough because you can find simple panniers to clip on it without having to add a ton of fancy gadgets. A pannier on each side of your bike and a light backpack should cover all your needs if you pack smart.
Biking Gear
The necessity of wearing a helmet is a continuing debate. I understand how constricting they are, but I am convinced that they can avoid some serious injury if you get into an accident like I did. There is a substantial difference between your head hitting asphalt naked or with a helmet on. So to me, helmets are a must. I do like the airy and lighter versions though because sweating on long rides definitely makes helmets uncomfortable - the more so if they are closed and tight. Always buy helmets from stores because a good fit is important. Once you know your size and preference you can opt for online shopping.
Most people swear on biking shoes and the corresponding pedals. Just like the bigger and more refined touring bike, I found both the shoes and the pedals very uncomfortable. I was told that there is substantially less effort spent with them and I don't doubt it. But despite trying for many weeks, I just could not overcome the fear that when I needed to step on the brakes very quickly and sharply, I would not be able to un-click them fast enough to put my feet on the ground. But I think what made it really impossible was the fact that when you are touring long distance, you do get off your bike often to take pictures or walk into a corner grocery or walk your bike if you are very tired and the hill is simply too steep. During these times biking shoes felt very uncomfortable to me and even if you resign to the inconvenience of changing your shoes for those activities, you really can't afford to carry a second pair of shoes on you if you want to pack smart and light. So if you are already used to them and feel more efficient with them, go for it but if you are like me and prefer regular low-heel sneakers, I can tell you that they won't be a problem on a long trip.
When you first start biking, you really need almost nothing at all. When your rides begin to get longer and start to serve other purposes than just commute, you realize you actually need many things. As someone who rode long enough with a simple short and t-shirt, I can say with confidence that biking gear and gloves will make your ride MUCH more enjoyable. The moisture absorbance of your clothing and a good pair of cut-finger gloves are far more important in long rides than they are on short commutes. Although one can argue that they are not essential, I believe that the better you feel at the end of the day, the more you will enjoy your trip, which is the objective of the adventure in the first place. If you feel sore and miserable after each day, cycling will turn into an ordeal, not a vacation.
Bring water - yes. Tons of it? That depends. Unless you are riding through a really barren and uninhabited landscape, chances are you will get a chance to stop and buy more water very often. Therefore I only keep a single bottle on me and replenish it as needed. A more important thing to me is food, because I'm picky with mine. Being both vegetarian and sensitive about nutritious food, I discovered in my earlier years that most groceries or delis outside of New York don't offer a huge variety of snacks for me. If you don't want to feel sudden dizziness due to lack of nutrition and opt for the greasy donuts or the sugary chocolate bar, I suggest you have some good energy or granola bars and perhaps some fruit on you. Again, not enough to sustain you for days! Just enough to energize and finish the daily mileage.
Even when I was younger I had joint sensitivity. I discovered this quite painfully when I tried to join the popular trend of running in New York. Despite being told that the discomfort and pain would diminish as my muscles got stronger, it never did and I finally gave it up. In the winter months I speed-walk on treadmills to stay fit and in the summer I bike. But as the years passed, opting for these gentler exercises wasn't enough so I finally caved in and started joint pills. I must say that the right one really does wonders for your body. I tried a lot of different brands and am currently very happy with Bio-flex. But I also make sure to bring along tiger balm or muscle pain gel along with me wherever I go. An application before the ride and, if necessary, in the evening after a shower helps me to ride a mileage that would be torture without them. On longer rides, I highly recommend them.
One of the most frustrating things on road trips is getting lost and it happens more than you can imagine. I have been a New Yorker for 15 years and I would be lying if I said I did not get lost at some point on an overwhelming majority of my weekend trips to the beach or a park. If this sort of thing happens to you often in cities as uncomplicated as New York, you should know that riding a bike with a single printed map is not an option for you. Maps are very nice, but they don't always give you an idea of where you are and how to get back on your original route. A gps or a device that has a gps is very important. I use my iphone for almost everything and I can't imagine going anywhere without it. Other than the obvious need for a phone and a means to connect to the internet, it serves as my guide on tours. Mobile phones are very useful in the US and most European countries where you will rarely have connection. But remember that they are less effective in other countries so make sure that you bring along an updated map (this is important because some countries, like Turkey, will change comparatively fast so the hotel in the older version might not be there when you finally make it to your destination) along with your phone/gps. I also recommend the phone for the music feature. As minimal as it sounds, music can add a lot of energy and enthusiasm to your journey.
Some people ride without goggles and are perfectly fine. I am not a fan of sun glare and runny eyes, so I wear sunglasses. The important thing is to pick something that is light, prevents glare and is not too dark. After several pairs I settled for the HD glasses I saw on tv. Yes, they are cheap but they do the job remarkably better than some of the far more expensive goggles I have. Also, sometimes cheap is not so bad because you can have 2 and replace a broken or lost one without regret.
And last but not least, some essential repair tools for your bike are a must. The most common mishap is a flat tire, easy to fix with very few and simple tools. Despite being a cycling enthusiast I am not a very skilled in mechanics and the repair of more complicated bicycle problems is beyond me. Believe it or not, even learning how to fix a flat tire was a challenge for me. I did, however, watch dozens of YouTube videos on the most common bike problems and practiced them on my own bike before I started long tours. Everything can be found on the internet these days so if you cannot find a class or lecture in your hometown for a hands-on education, make sure you watch some videos and feel confident enough before you plan anything else. To this day there is a lot I don't know how to fix on a bike but I never needed to, because I do avoid the fringes of a country so I know that there is always a bike repair shop somewhere close enough to go to.
These are my essentials. You can add the legally required items on this list of course (front and back light and a bell in New York) as well as common sense stuff like extra clothing (one extra pair should be enough. Clothing is not very expensive and can be obtained in any town if yours becomes unusable. You should, however, bring along several pairs of underwear because you might not find a laundry shop everywhere you go), some rain gear such as a light raincoat and longer pants, charger for your phone (yeah, it is left behind more often than you would imagine), extra cash (outside of the big cities and especially overseas always cash>credit cards. It gives you buying power where credit cards are not accepted and bargaining power where they are. Do not bring along a huge amount but always have some on you and withdraw more from banks or ATM machines if you run low), a light jacket to put on when you take a break and especially when you go into a store with AC (I always put my jacket on when I stop riding. Although it might look ridiculous in the summer, it is very easy to get sick because you might not feel cold but your body will), a rag and chain lube to apply to your bike every few hundred miles (theoretically these can be found in cities and towns but unless I have a mechanical problem, going around looking for bike repair shops is a waste of time for me on my vacation, so I will bring these along and the oiling makes a huge difference in the quality of your ride).
I hope I have managed to touch the most important points for those who wanted to have a quick idea about what long distance bike touring my way requires. I'd be happy to hear your input and include oversights if I haven't!
Happy Cycling!

Tina Saldiran has done solo and group cycling tours all over the world and she now leads cycling tours in Turkey. Contact her for information on the ride of your life in this beautiful country.