INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Despite the name, cold sores aren’t caused by colds. The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is most often the cause. You get it from contact with an infected person’s skin or body fluid. Once contracted, the herpes virus stays with you for life. There is nothing you can do to eliminate the virus, but you can reduce the frequency of outbreaks.   The herpes virus damages your skin as it reproduces. That leaves behind weepy sores that last about a week. Between outbreaks, HSV-1 hides inside nerve cells, so it’s never completely cured. About two-thirds of us have been infected with the HSV-1 virus. Once the skin turns itchy and red, the virus is present and you can spread it. You’re most contagious when the blisters show – especially just after they burst. You can’t spread the virus skin-to-skin once they’ve healed again, though you can pass it through your saliva at any time. The virus usually comes from kisses from relatives or romantic partners – that is, through body fluids. It’s usually present on an infected person’s lip, even if there’s no obvious sore. This is why you need to know how to identify the signs of a cold sore appearance, so that you can avoid passing it along to another person.  Never share eating utensils or beverages with anybody, especially when you have an active cold sore. The virus often lives in saliva, so you can also spread it if you share kitchen utensils or drinking glasses. Never share towels or razors or toothbrushes. Never share chap stick, lipstick, lip balm, lip gloss, lip anything. Avoid kissing your significant other when your cold sore is active. Switch to butterfly and eskimo kisses for a while, until the coast is clear. Oral sex, especially during an outbreak, can transmit the herpes virus from the lips to the genitals or vice versa.

SUMMARY: Know that cold sores are caused by several variations of the herpes simplex virus (HSV). Take precautions not to spread the herpes simplex virus.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: A customer is like a prized possession. In order to keep them, you must know what they like and why they like it. While respecting your customers' privacy, gather as much information as you can.  In-person — This works especially well if your business allows for frequent, direct interaction with your customers or clients. Talk with them. Ask them questions, and feel free to be direct. For example, ask them why they spend their money at your business, or ask for suggestions for improvement. Surveys or questionnaires — Whether you provide your customers with hard copies of questionnaires, use phone surveys, or take advantage of online tools, this technique can provide valuable information and identify patterns or trends related to the experiences, likes, and dislikes of your customers. Do not forget about your customers. Your customers will appreciate receiving communications and information from you beyond the original purchase. There are many ways to keep in touch with your customers.  Newsletter — You can promote your business through newsletters provided to customers through the mail, email, or on your website. Blog — You may want to start a blog to provide additional information to your customers. Blogs can be excellent marketing tools.   Updated information — Always send existing customers new information on your business and its products or services. Use their preferred method of communication — Some customers may prefer not to receive phone calls, but would rather receive information via email. Make sure you use the method they prefer. Remember birthdays and holidays — Send cards or small gifts to valued customers on special days. Be patient with your customers and attentive to their needs. Keep up a cheerful, positive attitude even in the face of an annoyed or frustrated customer. They'll eventually calm down and remember your patience and cool head, giving them a positive experience with your business. Always use positive language to put a good spin on a not-so-great situation. For example, if you're telling a customer that an item they want isn't available right now, avoid saying, "That product isn't available right now. It's back-ordered until next month." Instead, say, "That product will be available next month. We can place the order now to make sure it gets to your house as soon as it's in stock." Communication with customers needs to be a two-way street. Feedback from customers, good or bad, is valuable to a small business, so you need to present a way for them to provide it.  Available contact information — Nothing can be more frustrating for a customer than not being able to find contact information for a business. Make sure your address, telephone number, and email address are readily available online, on marketing materials, and other places where customers can find it. Suggestions box — Having a suggestion box provides a physical means for customers to give immediate feedback. Make sure you read and respond appropriately to any suggestions. Website and Social Networks/Media — Your website and social media sites can provide a quick and easy way for customers to provide feedback. Be careful, though, as this type of feedback, even negative criticism, is public. Try collecting customer feedback through a call center. For tips read: Collect Customer Feedback Through a Call Center. Read through comments in batches and start to separate them into categories such as speed, accuracy, courtesy, price, product choice, availability, hours, location, etc. Look for patterns of what went wrong and try to determine the root cause of the problem pattern before attempting to solve it.  You may want to try the "5 Whys." Start with a problem statement like: "I don't like the way my salad tastes." Then ask yourself, "Why I don't like the way my salad tastes?" The answer might be because it is soggy. Then ask yourself, "Why it is soggy?" The answer might be because you put on too much dressing. Then ask yourself, "Why did I put too much dressing?" The answer might be because you were distracted when you were making it. Continue asking yourself why until you find the root of the problem.

SUMMARY: Get to know your customers well. Provide your customers with valuable information. Provide excellent customer service. Offer a way for customers to provide feedback. Analyze customer feedback.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Before doing anything with the wood, you should have a suitable place to work in, where you can make a mess and it doesn't matter. Use a table or other surface that is comfortable to work on and that you’re okay getting a splash of dye on. Cover it with a plastic cloth or some other protective surface. You'll probably want to put on an old t-shirt and some plastic or rubber gloves, too. With rubber gloves on to prevent staining your hands and fingers, add a package of drink powder to water to create a dye. Adjust your ratio of water to powder until you get the shade that you want.  Cherry drink powder will come out red, grape will come out purple, etc. If you want a darker, deeper shade, just add less water. You can also combine colors (red and yellow make orange, for example) if the color you want is unavailable in flavor form. The best perk of using drink powder as your dye? It smells delicious. Using a foam brush, spread the paint everywhere on the wood, wherever you need the dye to be applied. It will soak right in and smell fruity too. Remember that it will get lighter as it dries, so wait a minute to see if you need to apply another coat or two. You'll probably need a couple of layers, so be patient. Be sure to coat the entirety of the wood before you move onto coating it a second time to keep the color even. Wait for 16-20 minutes after you have finished spreading the dye. This will give the dye time to soak into the wood. Then, put the drying wood in a sunny or windy place to dry quickly. When that time is up, your art is ready. Check the color. When the wood dries completely, see if the color is dark enough for your liking. If it isn't dark enough, dye the wood again.

SUMMARY:
Set up your workspace. Prepare the drink powder. Paint the dye onto the wood. Let the wood dry.