Albuquerque, New Mexico hosts the amazing and spectacular Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (AIBF). It’s an annual 9 day event that features around 750 hot air balloons from all over the world.

The balloons show off their stuff by touring around the sky and participating in various competitions and events. Such events include The Fiesta Challenge which involves balloonists dropping markers to try and hit a target. There’s also America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race, which isn’t really a race. The winner is actually whichever balloon goes the furthest before running out of gas.

Hot air ballooning is actually kind of amazing in Albuquerque thanks to this air current pattern known as the Albuquerque Box. Balloons that lift off during the AIBF can usually make a perfectly continuous loop using the Albuquerque Box.

Going around in circles is fine if you’re hot air ballooning, but not if you’re looking for someone to help with a home repair project. No one likes reading online review after online review trying to decide on the best service professional. And, when you finally get on the phone with someone, it is always deflating to hear that the company doesn’t service your area or can’t do the job.

Sounds like a bunch of hot air, doesn’t it?

Now, there is TalkLocal, the online concierge service that is here to help Albuquerque natives find professionals to help with stubborn cars, ACs, leaky roofs and just about anything else. Watch this quick video to see how we can help.

Just go online to www.talklocal.com, put in some basic details about your service job and TalkLocal will handle the rest. We will find you up to three of the best local service professionals and connect you with them on the phone directly.

We guarantee they will be able to do your job on your time. All you have to do is set up the appointment. If you are unhappy with their work, we’ll convey your sentiments to ensure better quality the next time.

No more navigating without a compass. TalkLocal will help keep you floating.

Written by Krystal Moore

With Thanksgiving and other major holidays just around the corner, November 20th doesn’t  garner much celebration. Fortunately, this year, we’re celebrating the Great American Smokeout, which is marked annually on the third Thursday of November.

The Great American Smokeout began in the 1970s when Arthur P. Mullaney, a guidance counselor at Randolph High School in Randolph, Massachusetts, offered a challenge for people to quit smoking cigarettes for a single day and spend the money they would use on tobacco products to donate to better causes.

As the years went on, the Great American Smokeout became more popular and in 1976, 1 million people managed to quit that day – in the California division alone! Not only has it helped people drop the habit, but it also helped reduce secondhand smoke by promoting laws that prohibit smoking in certain public spaces.

So, in honor of the Great American Smokeout, here are four reasons you should quit smoking (or convince someone you care about to quit).

Better health – Without those noxious fumes poisoning your lungs, you’ll be able to feel better in all aspects of life. Your physical health improves with less chance of cancer and lower blood pressure and your emotional health improves because you’ll feel so much better not having bloodshot eyes or going on a date with smoky-smelling clothes.

More money – Do you know how much money is spent on cigarettes a month? Depending on how much you smoke, it can be hundreds. Just like what Mr. Mullaney said, why spend all that money on cigarettes when you can spend it on something you really want?

Good Example – Kids look up to adults and model their behavior on yours. So, even if you tell them not to smoke, when they see you doing it everyday, they find it a contradiction and do as you do, not as you say. That’s why your actions have to match your words.

Although it will never be a cake-walk, there are plenty of tools and resources to help you get through it like…

Medical aids – Nicotine patches, gum or lozenges, all of these are aids that are created to help you when the cravings kick in.

Medical practitioners – They can offer you a plan that will be best for you to kick the habit.

Alternative medicine – Some people have had great luck with things like hypnosis or meditation

Support groups – There are others who are going through what you are. You’re never alone in this journey.

Loved ones – Always remember them when you are trying to quit because they need you here, happy and healthy.

For help on any and all ways to quit smoking, take a look at the Great American Smokeout which provides a variety of tips and support. To all of you making the effort to quit, we know you can do it and thank you for taking on this rewarding challenge.

In our interconnected world where cause and effect is the law of the land, a small act of kindness can go a long way to making the world a better place. After all, an act of kindness is bound to brighten someone’s day, and who knows how the recipient will pay that good deed forward. So, a domino effect with positivity as its spark can potentially transform the world. So, it is in recognition of the power of positivity that November 13th is World Kindness Day.

So, now is the time to set aside any personal hang-ups and adopt an attitude of gratefulness and generosity.

Rediscover how making someone else’s day is the fastest way to make your own day great.

All around the world people are challenging themselves to do an act of kindness to help make the world a better place. Fortunately, there are as many ways to be kind as there are people needing kindness.

Get inspired by those who practice kindness every day. Take the living angel who created a batmobile just to give sick children a once in a lifetime joy-ride. Even our own founder, Gurpreet Singh, is helping to raise a £1,000,000 to help a charity support those in need of care and counseling.

So, what can you do today? Donate or volunteer to support a cause that matters to you, buy a cup of coffee for the person behind you in line, or invite a neighbor over for dinner.  There’s no act too big or too small.

And, of course, every day can be World Kindness Day if you always take the time to do something kind.

So, do something nice every day and don’t forget to be polite, please and thank you. 🙂

Written by Dallea Caldwell

American veterans, now more than ever, can feel out of place in civilian life and culture. The greatest generation is all but a ghost and most support for troops is tinged with opposition to the wars they fight, from Vietnam to Iraq. Meanwhile, veterans face disproportionate amounts of homelessness and unemployment as the VA faces accusations of incompetence and corruption.

That’s why today is a day to truly remember and help those who have done so much. Today is November 11, Veterans Day, when we celebrate those who have served. So, America’s veterans get enough lip service in their support. Here are five programs you can become a part of to make a real difference in their lives.

Wounded Warriors Project – WWP’s main objective is to help veterans who have been injured. You can assist by becoming a Proud Supporter where you can organize your own campaign around something else you’re passionate about.

Operation Gratitude – Operation Gratitude provides care packages filled with food, toiletries and words of good wishes. These care packages are not only sent to soldiers abroad but also to veterans, their families and first responders.

Homes for Our Troops – HFOT builds homes for veterans that are mortgage-free and adaptable to any injuries they may have sustained. They have many ways to assist them which includes donations, helping build homes and fundraising.

Disabled American Veterans – DAV offers a variety of services to assist disabled veterans and their families. They have many ways for people to volunteer, including providing transportation and assisting in local hospitals.

Soldier’s Best Friend – Soldier’s Best Friend provides soldiers with post traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury with a therapy dog, usually rescued from a shelter. Donating to this cause helps not only a veteran in need but also gives a shelter dog a new home.

(Additionally, if you personally know any veterans who are showing signs that concern you, please visit this website so they are able to receive the help they need.)

So, this Veterans Day, answer the call of duty as so many veterans have done before. Your sacrifices will seem trivial compared to theirs, but your contributions will help prove this country worthy of all they’ve risked and given to protect it.

(For those of you who have served, we thank you. Here is a nice list of deals and freebies that you and your families can enjoy today.)

It’s great to hear that our users are empathizing with frustrated friends and business owners and responding by suggesting TalkLocal.

By all means, send us your frustrated, your ambitious, your favorite hometown businesses. Consumers and local pros could use the help and so could our marketing team.

But if you’re having trouble explaining the service, we can certainly empathize there. The team worked long and hard to craft a clear message and we still find ourselves fumbling for laymen’s terms in our talks with users. So, if you’re thoughtful enough to suggest TalkLocal, we want to help you put those thoughts into words.

Here’s a list of key descriptors for businesses, consumers, intellectuals and people who want to avoid talk all together.

Talk to Business Owners

Scenario: A business you’ve loved and raved about for years deserves more business.

TalkLocal is…

“a way to talk to prospective customers who match your location and schedule, but might not have found you via an online search.”

“pay-per-conversation, not per call or click like the rest.”

“commitment-free, so you can decline a lead or pause leads whenever you need.”

That’s worthy of a discount, for sure.

Talking to Consumers

Scenario: Your friend is clearly overwhelmed frustrated with searching for a wedding planner/real estate agent/handyman for home renovation/etc.

TalkLocal is…

“a search engine that gets you live phone conversations with matching companies you might not have found otherwise…in minutes.”

“protecting consumer privacy because you talk to businesses via a secure line and only you can share your contact info.”

“a vetting method that reads and compares business reviews of thousands of companies much faster than you could.”

Now, how about them [enter local sports team/scandalous celebrity couple/celebutante reality t.v. stars here]?

Joining Intellectual Conversations

Scenario: Believe it or not, there are many passionate and complex debates about the future of web and local search; and, just your luck – you found yourself in the middle of one. Great. Now, quick. Say something smart!

TalkLocal is…

“an algorithm-based virtual concierge service which filters businesses based on consumer reviews, call analytics, etc. and uses VoIP to connect consumers and businesses via phone in real time.”

“an innovator in the call monetization market due to its Pay-Per-Conversation revenue model – a competitive advantage amidst high-churn rates industry wide.”

“responsive to the 61% of businesses which consider phone calls the most valuable form of incoming leads, according to BIA/Kelsey. On a related note, about 75% of businesses don’t even have websites, according to the 2012 U.S. Census.”

Indubitably!

Changing Subjects

Scenario: The questions, especially from the business owners, just won’t end. You’re fresh out of SAT words and Steve Jobs quotes. Your friends aren’t the only people with problems; your mother has convinced you to set up a play date with your daughter and the chicken pox kid and today is the calm before the storm. Moving on…

TalkLocal is…

“online at talklocal.com. ”

“Come on. It’s spelled – nevermind, here.” (whips out smartphone- texts link)

“I don’t know. Ask them. Here.” (whips out Facebook app, go to our fanpage, enter friend’s name, click Invite).

Why didn’t you do that sooner?

Thank you for helping to share the good news about TalkLocal!

Written by Dallea Caldwell

How we respond to telemarketers largely depends on our mood when the phone rings. Sometimes, we take the calls and politely listen for the earliest opportunity to say, “No, but thank you and goodbye”. Other times, abruptly abandoning all propriety, we either let the dial tone do the talking or, more often than we’d care to admit, let loose a day’s worth of frustration and pent-up aggression.

Interestingly, because The Do-Not-Call Implementation Act exempts solicited calls; marketers are free to strain the definition of consent. All kinds of consumer behavior legally justifies companies in their repeated, unwanted calls to your residence or cellular devices. Worse, many of our protests leave businesses undeterred as even they can be interpreted as further solicitation. Just take a look at a few of the most commonly twisted consumer replies that  lead to follow-up calls.

 –

Reply: “I’m not interested at this time.”

Translation: “I’m going to be interested any day now, so I look forward to hearing from you again and again until I finally relent!”

Reality: Although polite company would easily read your intent- which is to let them down easy, unless marketers take you on your word, they risk your business going elsewhere. If you’re serious, try scheduling a call-back to avoid their pointless attempts in the mean time.

Reply: “[Dial tone]”

Translation: “Oops! I’m clearly busy and rude. Try back when I’m bored and bursting with desire for that product I inquired about.”

Reality: Although telemarketers are universally despised, they are neither subhuman (exempt from common courtesy) nor superhuman (endowed with mind-reading abilities). Plus, not only might they reschedule such a call, they might retry sooner. Think about it. Unless you spoke, how can you be sure that they noticed you picking up in the first place? And, since they didn’t get a chance to fully introduce themselves or the nature of their call, why should they assume your disinterest when your documented expressed interest provided them the ability to call you in the first place? So, as our mothers used to say: use your words.

Response: “[Expletive]! [Loud, incomprehensible jibber jabber] and [personal attack jibber jabber], you [offensively improper noun]!”

Translation: “I’m so, so sorry! Maybe I just had a bad day. There’s obviously a huge, gaping void in my life. So, please call again because I submitted that consumer inquiry in the hopes that the product in question will change my life as advertised. Plus, taking out my pent-up aggression on you is highly therapeutic!”

Reality: Of course anyone on the receiving end of a verbal beating wouldn’t want a repeat for themselves or their colleagues, but it’s not always up to them. Supervisors may blame the caller for your aggression and may even call in an attempt to fix the apparent customer service mishap.

 –

Ultimately, the one response that’s sure to stop the phone from constantly ringing off the hook must include your number, the words “Do not call”, or any explicit variant thereof. To soften the blow and retain your self-respect, be polite about it and add “please” and “thank you”. Furthermore, if the call happens to be unsolicited, get your number added to the Do-Not-Call-Registry or report a violation.

Remember: every time you contact a business, you risk a months-long cat and mouse game of lead follow-up. Want to inquire about a local service need without getting calls and emails from local businesses for months on end? Visit www.talklocal.com, submit your inquiry, and speak to a local professional through a secure line. Under no circumstances does TalkLocal share your contact information – that’s always up to you.