Many of you are starting up your own business, whether it is an online store or a brick and mortar, you will need a lot of new hardware and software. It is an important thing not to overlook is how your business will accept payments from customers, even in the early stages of the business development. It is crucial that you tailor your credit card processing service according to the specific needs of your business. A merchant account acts as a clearing account for credit and debit card transactions for orders made via the internet and/or a physical location. Now the question is: what do you need to know? Finding a merchant account provider can be tough, although, when you do a little research, you can find one right for your business.

For those that are just ready to open up shop, one way to go is with an independent sales organization. An ISO is a middle-man between your business and a financial institution. Many ISOs charge rates and/or fees for their services, although, it might be worth taking them on to reduce risk for the bank. Some of you have already started your business and want to research different merchant accounts and other possibilities. If you have a good sales history, you should be able to get an account with your own bank or one that concentrates on online sales.

Costing for merchant accounts vary. Most accounts have a fixed rate per month along with transactions (authorization) fees per sale. If you are a store front, there will most likely have extra fees for special transactions, terminal equipment and maintenance. Some merchant accounts have contracts where you are binded with that company for a specific term. The merchant account sector is competitive so just be careful of getting involved in an agreement that may not be best suited for your business structure. Rates are all based off of various assessments of your business, basically what is the risk of taking you on as a client. Some considerations include the products or services you are selling, average charge per sale, your projected monthly sales, what cards you will accept (visa, mastercard, etc) and your credit score.

When researching a credit card processing service, make sure you look for any hidden fees and then summarize the overall cost of the merchant accounts services to make sure it is within your projected budget. You should also inquire some of your own background checks to make sure the merchant service has not been reported by the government or consumer groups (ie. Better Business Bureau). A merchant account is an essential tool for all online businesses and it's crucial to explore all your options to find the right fit for your new endeavor.

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Article Contributed by Rob Stretch

With the Web 2.0 boom in recent years and the advent of social media, it is easier than ever today to start a business. And it is also possible to extend the marketing scope of your business to reach thousands, even millions of people each month.

So where do you start?

1. Research Industry Blogs

No matter what industry you go into, a plethora of blogs will be available. Start your search at Blogcatalog and Technorati, then expand by checking out blogrolls of related sites.

2. Buy an E-book

Many blogs will offer to sell you an e-book on how to get started in the industry. While many of these are overpriced to worthless, some offer invaluable information on starting your business. Do a Google search for reviews to see which one to buy.

3. Build Your Website and Blog

Companies today should have blogs! Maybe your business is your blog and you’re monetizing with advertising or affiliate links. Or perhaps your business is an online retailer. Either way, a blog is a tangible way that your customers can connect to your business. Blog about industry trends, what’s going on at the office, your goals etc.

4. Social Media

The two most essential social media platforms for the time-being are Facebook and Twitter. Take some time and get acquainted with both of these services. Make a fan-page on Facebook and invite all of your friends. Make a Twitter profile and start connecting to people in your industry. The sky is the limit on the exposure you can achieve with just these two services alone. The key is customization. Make sure to customize your profiles for each to fit the feel of your brand. See Mashable for more tips on social media.

5. Optimize, Optimize, Optimize

Start trying to get your site to rank on the major search engines. Whole books have been written on this subject alone but here are a few tips:

· Focus on your internal structure. Make sure every page is crawl-able, you have a clean and navigable site map, and that you’re linking internally using embedded text and not meaningless phrases like “click here” or “see this article”.

· Make sure you know the keywords you’re targeting.

· Start the link-building process. Reach out to fellow bloggers on related sites and offer to write guest posts. Many bloggers will often let you link your site in exchange for free content.

Starting an online business is time-consuming, make no doubt about it. But it is a relatively easy way to break into the world of entrepreneurship and small business. If you’ve ever had the urge to start your own business, this is a great opportunity for you. Once you earn your first dollar via your website, it will all be worth your time.

About the Author
Rob Stretch is currently a student at the University of Missouri. He works part-time as a search engine optimizer for VAMortgageCenter.com.

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Article Contributed By David Gruttadaurio

You spend a considerable amount of time and money producing your monthly client print newsletter. Having it tossed in the trash along with the 'B' pile (junk) mail is the last thing you want.

Yet this happens every day to small business owners just like you. In fact, it's probably happening to you right now.

Why? Because most monthly client print newsletters are not put together in a way that screams out "READ ME!"

Having Great Content is Just the Beginning

Ignoring your newsletter's 'packaging' or formatting is like giving your clients a lovely gift... and then wrapping it with duct tape and plain brown paper. The fascinating articles and interesting content in your newsletter must be presented in an appealing way to capture the eye's attention.

By following seven basic newsletter design rules you will ensure that your client print newsletter does not wind up in the trash.

7 Tips to Get Your Newsletter Opened and Read

1. Color attracts the eye. The only people who tell you color isn't important are the ones who refuse to use it. USA Today is one of the most popular newspapers in the world is - primarily because of its extensive use of color. Why? Because color animates everything! It livens up and attracts attention.

2. Use interesting formatting. Put your copy in a tinted text box. Use reverse text (white text on a black background) somewhere in your newsletter. Also use a multi-column format. With the proper use of shading, reverse text borders and bold fonts, you can design a professional newsletter template that grabs attention.

3. Don't go crazy with fonts. Stick to a maximum of three font types throughout your newsletter.

4. Headlines get noticed. Decades of newspaper reading have taught us to look for headlines. We look for them to get an idea of what to read. We scan the subheads to pick up on the key points. Powerful, punchy headlines get noticed and read.

5. Make your lead article interesting. This is critical. If the main article is boring (or sounds boring)... you can forget it. You've lost their attention and you won't get it back. Your customer or patient will simply stop reading your newsletter.

6. Position draws the eye. Without anything else to draw it, the eye comes to rest about two thirds of the way up the page and slightly to the left. That's a good place to put something interesting. Think picture or graphic.

7. Use pictures and graphics liberally. Everyone loves pictures. And they really are worth a thousand words because they capture our attention. That's why the captions on photographs are the most-read parts of ANY publication.

Hint: Use the "dollar bill" test. You shouldn't be able to lay a dollar bill down on your page without it touching a graphical element.

The Bottom Line

A successful client or patient newsletter is controlled by more than just good content. Your newsletter template design must be pleasing and attractive to the eye.

You can learn more about effective print newsletter design by going to our website at www.newslettersmadeforyou.com to see how the Exceptional Living newsletter uses each of these formatting steps in its template design.

Remember: A client newsletter is a powerful relationship marketing tool. When you follow a successful template, your newsletters will be well received. It will provide your customer with an interesting and fun experience. And, it will ensure that your monthly client print newsletters get opened and read every time.

About the Author:
When Print Newsletter Marketing Expert David Gruttadaurio discovered the power of publishing and distributing a monthly print newsletter to attract and retain clients, he instantly tripled the sales of his service business. Now, he is revealing his bullet-proof plan to survive the new, emerging economy at his Profit Exploding Newsletter Secrets Website: http://www.NewslettersMadeForYou.com

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"Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated." Mark Twain said that back in 1897.

Print newsletters have been saying it for the past ten years.

Why? Because many business owners feel...

1. With the internet, all they have to do is post content online; everyone will flock to their site to read it. Plus it's FREE!

2. Email is king! Just send an ezine. It's FREE!

3. Postage keeps going up along with printing costs... but email is FREE!

There's no question about it. Print newsletters should have died a long time ago.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the funeral. The print newsletter suddenly became Lazarus and a resurrection took place.

5 Reasons Why Print Newsletters Are Still Around

1. Printed mail gets delivered - It's never blocked or caught in spam filters.

2. It is proven that the majority of people prefer to hold, touch and feel what they are reading.

3. Studies show online readers retain much less of what they read compared to those reading printed material. So, if you have an offer with a call to action, wouldn't it be nice if it was remembered for more than 30 seconds?

4. Print newsletters have more perceived value. Think about it. How many companies are willing to do this? Your customers realize you're spending money to do it.

5. Print newsletters are sticky. They have great 'hang-time'. People keep print newsletters for further or future reading. Not only are they likely to be read from start to finish, they usually get passed around.

Email Newsletter Marketing Has Major Downsides

(By the way - for the record - I love the internet and I love my email. I can't imagine life without it or remember life before it)

With that being said, email is NOT the 'be all and end all' of modern marketing.

Yes...email is fast, easy and cheap. But who cares about that if it's not effective?

Here's the ugly truth: The vast majority of email lies unopened and untouched in the dark nothingness of cyberspace. Emails are routinely wiped out by the dozen in one fell swoop with the simple push of the delete key.

Even if your name is recognized, you still risk being deleted. Maybe your email got caught in a large chunk of junk mail. Or... maybe they're just having a bad day.

See, today everyone is bombarded by email overload. Spam accounts for about 90% of it. That means 9 out of every 10 emails in your in box is junk. Do you REALLY think your ezine is being read?

And, if your newsletter gets read, how much attention do you think it gets? A Nielsen Norman Group Report revealed the typical email newsletter gets 51 seconds of your reader's time. That was four years ago. Today, many say its less than 30 seconds.

So, Which One Should You Do: A Print Newsletter or an Ezine?

Now, I'm not suggesting that you stop your email marketing and newsletters.

You may want to do both. Send an email newsletter on a weekly basis. But, send a monthly print newsletter, too.

There is a gold standard to determine which one is best for you.

Simply ask your clients. Survey them to see which one THEY prefer. After all... isn't it all about what our customer wants?

About the Author:

When Print Newsletter Expert David Gruttadaurio discovered the power of consistently writing and distributing print newsletters to attract and retain clients, he instantly tripled the sales of his business. Now he reveals his bullet-proof plan to thrive in the new, emerging economy at his Profit Exploding Newsletter Secrets Website: http://www.NewslettersMadeForYou.com. Go there to claim your 3 FREE Real Gifts NOW!

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One of the systems I help my clients to implement is a schedule for getting on track with their ezine (electronic newsletter) as it’s so important that you have a systematic stay-in-touch strategy in place and a regular ezine is the perfect medium for achieving this!

However, the downside, and where so many solopreneurs fail, is that they don’t get into a regular publishing schedule and they start to lose their connection with their subscribers.

Today I’d like to share with you my top 10 tips for publishing a successful ezine and building that all-important know, like, and trust factor.

1. Create an editorial calendar – this is so that you can plan out in advance what topics you’ll be covering in each issue, and therefore avoid ‘blank screen/page’ syndrome.

2. Create a template – it’s so much easier to put your ezine together when you’ve got a template to work from. Plan which sections you want to appear regularly in your ezine and drop the appropriate content in each time. Hint: there are just two sections that are likely to change each issue – your personal note and your article – that’s it!

3. Keep an ideas section – in your newsletter binder create an Ideas section so that when you come across a resource or topic that you’d like to share with your readers you have a place to store the information, making it much easier to come up with articles and content for your ezine – you simply flick through your Ideas section.

4. Use an article template – when you’re stuck for ideas on what to write about, use an article template. It’s so much easier to write an article when you’ve got the outline done for you and all you need to provide is the content.

5. Use a title template – similar to number four above, but this time you’re just using a title as a basis for your inspiration, i.e. Top 10 Tips to [fill in the blank].

6. Utilize a list management service – this is a biggie! No sending out your ezine via your regular email program; you need to have a proper list management service for a variety of reasons, but the main ones being you need to comply with SPAM laws, signup for your ezine needs to be automatic, and when your list size gets above 50 most ISPs (Internet Service Providers) won’t allow you to send bulk emails via your regular email program.

7. Check hyperlinks – before you hit the ‘send’ button, ensure that you’ve thoroughly read through your ezine and check that all your hyperlinks are working properly. There’s nothing worse than asking someone to click through to a specific page and then find that the link doesn’t work.

8. Don’t include too many calls to action – if you include too many calls to action (i.e. click here to do this, click here to do that etc.) you’ll simply confuse your subscriber as they won’t know what they’re meant to be clicking on. So what will they do … nothing! Only ask your subscriber to do one or two things in each issue.

9. Deliver on time – this is so important. You need to publish your ezine exactly when you say you will each time. Not only does this build your relationship with your subscriber but they will also come to see you as being reliable – you do what you say you’re going to do, when you say it.

10. Seek feedback – And finally, ask for feedback from your subscribers. This is a great way to create one-on-one connections and also get valuable feedback on whether your ezine is providing the information your subscribers want.

Follow these 10 tips and you’ll ensure your ezine success!

About the Author
Online Business Manager & Virtual Assistant, Tracey Lawton, supports professional speakers, coaches, and authors to operate an efficient, organized, and profitable business. Learn how to create an efficient and organized office in 7 EASY steps, and receive free how-to articles at http://www.OfficeOrganizationSuccess.com.

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For a long time I was reluctant to add podcasting to my list building arsenal thinking it was simply another task on my already long To Do list and, to be honest, it sounded tedious… manually submitting my podcast episodes to the various podcast directories so that people knew they were there; I didn’t have time for that!

Little did I realize how easy it was to implement this strategy, and reach a whole other audience too – those who prefer to learn by listening! But now that I know how easy it is to create a podcast, I want to share that information with you!

What is a podcast?

A podcast is a collection of individual audio recordings saved as a digital file, such as an Mp3 or WAV audio file. Each individual audio recording is called an episode. People can listen to your podcast (collection of episodes) on the Internet, on their PC, or transfer the file to their portable device such as an iPod or MP3 player. You can also create your own radio show through using podcasts… think about all the Internet Radio Shows you’ve listened to online or read about.

People can subscribe to your podcast using RSS feeds and therefore receive new episodes automatically whenever they become available.

You can easily create your podcast episodes from your newsletter articles and once you’ve recorded several articles you’ll have a well-stocked podcast.

So now you know what a podcast is, let me tell you how you can create your own podcast in three easy steps!

Step 1: Create your template

When you record a podcast episode (i.e. your article), you need to include an introduction and a closing paragraph. It’s not enough to simply record your article without any beginning and end – even though the article itself has a beginning and end!

You need to tell your listener who you are, what you do, what your podcast is about, and at the end tell them where they can go for further information, i.e. your newsletter sign-up URL.

Step 2: Choose your recording medium

If you’re already using one of the online streaming media services check out their services. I’d been using my service for over a year before I realized that I could use the same account to create my podcast.

And the best bit… my service will automatically syndicate each new episode to the various podcast directories meaning that my episodes are published and accessible immediately – even to iTunes! I don’t need to manually submit each episode to the various podcast directories.

Step 3: Use a cueprompter

Now, I could just print out my podcast template (complete with article) and read off that into my microphone and record my episode. But the danger here is that you might not sound natural; in other words, you may sound like you’re reading from a page. What you want to do is let your authentic self come through to your listener.

And the best way I’ve found for doing this is to use a CuePrompter – like newsreaders do when they’re reading the news, or presenters when they’re presenting a TV program. Search “cue prompter” and you’ll find several to choose from!

So now you’ve created your podcast template, chosen a recording medium, and loaded everything into a cue prompter, you’re ready to record and create your very first Podcast episode!

The whole process takes me about 15 minutes tops! And reaches a whole new target audience too.

About the Author
Online Business Manager & Virtual Assistant, Tracey Lawton, supports professional speakers, coaches, and authors to operate an efficient, organized, and profitable business. Learn how to create an efficient and organized office in 7 EASY steps, and receive free how-to articles at http://www.OfficeOrganizationSuccess.com.

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Whether you love to write or not, the written word is still one of the most influential marketing techniques to help you reach your audience, get your message out to the world and give people an opportunity to resonate with you.

Thing is, even the best of writers can get stuck trying to figure out what to write about. Since my marketing strategy includes writing a weekly newsletter, posting on Twitter and writing blog posts in addition to composing sales letters, answering emails and more, I've had to learn how to stay in the flow with writing. I am constantly challenged to stay true to my "voice" while still creating a compelling marketing message.

What I've discovered is there's actually a secret to creating soul-rich writing that naturally springs from your true source and (this is the really cool part) gets the marketing job done.

Allow me to share with you what the secret is so that your writing projects will be simple, soulful and productive in helping you grow your business.

Tip #1: Check Your Mood Before You Write

Writing is a form of energy. That means if you're cranky, stressed or distracted chances are good those feelings will make your writing project tougher to complete. I love to play beautiful music while I write. Music is so uplifting and, for me, helps my brain click into that place of possibility and magic to become the source of all great writing.

I know this sounds a little wooo-wooo, but I believe on an energetic level your mood plays a huge roll. This is an even better reason to stay positive and in the spirit of gratitude when writing your articles and other marketing communications.

Tip #2: There is No Perfect Time to Write… So Don't Wait

Waiting until you're "in the mood to write" means you'll likely wait forever. Writing is like strengthening a muscle. The more you do it, the easier it gets. So when you have a writing assignment due (like your newsletter, for example) schedule it into your calendar for the same day and time each week. You'll quickly "train" yourself to think creatively during that time block, so you'll never get writer's block when faced with these types of tasks.

Tip #3: Connect to the Soul of Your Reader

Before you start to write, take a moment to connect to the spirit of your reader. In my imagination, I picture and feel a golden light from my heart to theirs. I ask, "What are her struggles, questions or needs on this topic?" Then, I just focus my article on information that will help my reader solve that problem. Simple, fast and easy.

Tip #4: Let Your Personality Shine Through

When I first switched from writing purely about marketing and began to include soul and spirit into my articles, I was scared. "Will people think I'm weird?" I wondered. But I knew that if I held back, I wouldn't be giving my best to you, my reader. So I boldly began to combine spirit with marketing and, as a result, my business has taken off into the seven-figure mark.

Stay connected to the spirit of your message and you'll never struggle with writer's block again. It doesn't matter if you're offering a coaching program, workshop or teleseminar. When you stay focused on the energy of your writing, your writing will flow from your spirit and contain a crisp, clear marketing message that will leave people wanting to hear more.

About the Author:

Kendall SummerHawk, the Million Dollar Marketing Coach, is an expert at helping women entrepreneurs at all levels design a business they love and charge what they're worth and get it. Kendall delivers simple ways entrepreneurs can design and price their services to quickly move away from 'dollars-for-hours work' and create more money, time and freedom in their businesses. For free articles, free resources and to sign up for a free subscription to Kendall's Money, Marketing and Soul weekly articles visit www.kendallsummerhawk.com.

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I was speaking with a consulting client yesterday about using the social networks. This client is somewhat new(er) to social media, and is getting a fast-tracked education. :)

We got on to the subject of Twitter, and started talking about Twitter do’s and don’ts. While I know what my personal pet peeves are, I was curious as to what other tweeters thought. So, in a highly unscientific survey, I asked.

Here are the responses I got:

1) Lack of engagement

Several people cited this as a major pet peeve, where people follow them without trying to connect with them or find out more about them. This came up most often. It does seem that people really do want to use the social networks to connect.

2) Automated messages after following

This was the second most cited pet peeve. People feel like these messages are clutter and kind of clog up the works. From my perspective, if I follow you, you don’t need to welcome me. Just give me some good information (i.e. be a good tweeter) and I’m happy. Likewise, I am certainly thumbs down on all the direct messages about making money with Twitter, joining your Mafia family, and the like.

3) Spam and porn

This was the third most commonly cited Twitter pet peeve. People, in general, say they are blocking and reporting people who spam or send out pornographic links or tweets. There are some things which should be left to the imagination.

4) Too much tweet repetition

This pet peeve relates to people repeating their tweets. There are various services which let you set up recurring tweets, but the latest news is that Twitter is cracking down on accounts which make notable use of repeated tweets. This means that you can’t really “set and forget” your Twitter account without running a higher risk of suspension. I imagine that occasional repetition is fine, but just keep in mind that people want new information. Every tweet you send out has the potential to build your brand, so be original.

5) Too many hashtags or @ names

This means that people don’t want to read tweets that have too many labels or tags. They also don’t want to read ones which seem blanketed with user names. I, too, notice that I tend to glaze over when I read a tweet that references multiple users. Maybe the balance is to use names, but maybe 3 or less per tweet.

If you want to get attention, gain followers, and be more effective with using Twitter, keep these pet peeves in mind- and don’t do them.

Special thanks to my Twitter connections who contributed to this post:

@paganmomblog, @adamsherk, @Agotthelf

@jodhikavespa, @driveindustries, @mollyzmommie

@SchereLLC, @GAStroz, @AdaMarcom

(If you’re looking to connect on Twitter with people who add value and like to engage, follow them!)

Dr. Rachna Jain is Chief Social Marketer at The Mindshare Corporation. Rachna works with speakers, consultants, authors, and small business owners to develop and execute effective social media marketing strategies. Her proprietary persuasive social media process (sm) focuses on building influence, credibility and visibility online. This translates into greater recognition, increased website traffic, faster lead generation, a shorter sales cycle, and more opportunity for her expert clientele. She blogs regularly at The Mindshare Blog

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Article Contributed by Eric Gruber

Do you ever find yourself staring at a blank screen or a blank sheet of paper when you’re supposed to be writing articles for your blog, for your ezine or newsletter and for article submission so you can promote your books, products or services?

How would you like to find ways to tap into a limitless supply of article ideas?

Yes, our imaginations run thin every now and then, and no, it isn't easy to come up with article ideas sometimes. But, I promise you that there are ways to tap into a limitless supply of article ideas. No matter what your expertise lies in, you can always generate new and interesting ideas for articles IF you follow these guidelines…

5 Ways to Never Run Out of Article Ideas

1) Get inspiration from magazines covers.

Find a magazine that is as close as you can get to your niche and look at the titles on the magazine cover. Look at the titles that jump out at you and make you say, "That looks like it would be a good article–I want to read that!"

Many times you can bounce an article off of a title you see on a magazine cover. Can you convert that title to apply to something in your specific niche?

Now, notice I'm saying, "find a magazine that is somewhat in your niche." Many of us have websites that are in niches that do not have their own magazines. For example, there is no magazine that I know of about Article Marketing.

But I sashay a short distance from my specific niche and look in related niches, such as Writing, Creativity, Productivity, and possibly even SEO. These are all issues that lie at the heart of article marketing, so they work as inspiration launching pads.

2) Don't forget about the newbies.

When we're writing on our area of expertise, sometimes we can overlook the obvious. We want to write helpful, educational articles, and our minds quite often go to topics that are more advanced.

Have you ever considered that someone reading your article might not even understand the basics of what you're talking about?

I have to remind myself of this all the time–not everyone knows what article marketing is, and not everyone even knows the reasons why it's a popular online marketing tool.

Could the same thing be true in your niche?

Think about it–although our articles are not sales oriented or promotional in any way, when we educate our readers on some aspect of our niche, we are increasing the likelihood that they will one day be our customers.

So, don't forget about the newbies who are in your target market but aren't knowledgeable about what you do. Try to think back to questions you had when you were first starting out. Think about what confused you. Think about the very basic things that you wish someone had explained to you before you became the expert.

3) Think about: "What are the 10 questions that my customers (or potential customers) most frequently ask me?"

Write those questions down and address each one of them in a separate article.

By completing this writing exercise, you're letting your target market tell you what to write about. This makes perfect sense since you're trying to appeal to them anyway.

4) Use template titles and fill in the blanks.

Here are some of mine:

* 10 Great Reasons Why ____
* How To ____ in 7 Easy Steps
* 3 Secret Tricks For _____
* How To Conquer ______
* The Top 10 Mistakes People Make When ____
* Reader Question: "[insert question here]"

You may notice that these titles are all List articles (any article that has a 1,2,3 etc list in it), How-To articles, and Question articles (articles that answer a question that is stated in the title).

These are my go-to article topic stimulators. Just seeing the format for the title gets the wheels of my brain moving (which helps creativity!)

Try filling in the blanks for the template titles listed above, and I bet you can come up with a compelling title to base a new article on.

5) Use Instant Article Writing Templates

You want to model proven article writing formats, such as those found in my Instant Article Writing Templates Kit. I did the hard work for you and identified more than 40 different formulas that will help you write your articles in 30 minutes or less – even if you think you can’t write articles.

Here are some of the article-writing templates that will help you…

* Myth Buster
* Top 10…
* How-To…
* Quiz
* Failure to Success
* Timeline
* 7 Things You Need
* What’s Hot, What’s Not
* 3 Stages
* Problem/Solution
* Differentiate Yourself - this template made PR Leads more than $10,000
* Plus many, many more

By following the five strategies above, you will:

· Gain the confidence to write articles whenever you want

· Banish writer’s block forever

· Remove all the frustration out of writing articles

· Develop ALL THE CONTENT you will ever need for your website, for your blog, for your newsletter and for article submission

So, are you ready to start writing your articles faster so you can get maximum exposure for your books, products and services?

About the Author
Article Marketing Expert Eric Gruber uses the power of articles to create online opportunities for Internet marketers, small business owners, authors, entrepreneurs and speakers who want more publicity, prospects and profits. Now, you can get his instant article writing templates that will help you write your articles in 30 minutes or less. Get 3 of his favorite article writing templates for free at: http://www.TryMyFreeArticleTemplates.com

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Members of my Easy Office Organization program and my private clients know that I’m a die-hard Outlook fan. I’ve tried many email and contact management systems over the years, but keep coming back to this one tool. Why?

Because it does everything that I could possibly need in order to effectively run my business. It’s my:

* Email manager

* Contact manager

* Calendar planner

* Task scheduler

* Notes space

In short, it’s my command central for running my business.

If you’re not fully utilizing Outlook, in other words if you’re only using it for email management and nothing else, then today I’d like to share with you five ways in which you can utilize Outlook to effectively run your business too:

1. Create email templates

If you find yourself sending the same email more than once then it’s time to take that email and create an Outlook template, which is simply your email saved in the special Outlook templates folder. This saves you time as next time you need to send the same email you simply retrieve it from the templates folder; ‘tweak’ as needed, and hit ‘send’. Some examples of what you can create templates for are:

* Thank you for requesting more information

* Confirmation of an appointment

* Requesting a client testimonial

2. Set up recurring tasks

This is a great way to build into your schedule those tasks that you do on a regular basis, such as:

* writing your ezine article

* updating your bookkeeping system

* submitting your articles

* or any other regular task

When you create a new Task, simply set it up to recur automatically and next time that particular task is due it will pop up in your task list – reminding you. What a great way to automate your To Do list!

3. Create reminders for follow-up appointments

By creating reminders for follow-up appointments you’ll never miss important deadlines again. There are two ways I utilize Outlook to create reminders for me to follow up with clients & contacts. The first is by right-clicking on the item and choosing Followup from the menu; and the second is to create a task and specify the date the task needs to be completed by. Either way works well.

4. Create Post-It Notes

The Notes feature in Outlook is the same as using the sticky post-it notes, so rather than have them stuck all over my desk I simply utilize Outlook’s Notes feature in the same way, and have them stored in one place in my Notes folder.

Use notes to jot down questions, ideas, reminders, and anything you would write on a sticky note or note paper. You can leave notes open on the screen while you work. This is especially useful when you're using notes for storing bits of information you may need later, such as directions or text you want to reuse in other items or documents.

5. Create Rules/Folders for filtering emails

This is probably the single most used feature in Outlook for me – having the ability to create rules to handle my incoming emails. By creating rules in Outlook you can filter and sort your email automatically as it comes into your Inbox. For example you can set up your rules to tell Outlook that if you receive an email from Client A automatically put this email in Client A’s Inbox folder – what a huge timesaver!

So now you know how you can use Outlook to effectively manage your business, increase your productivity, and save you time, what’s stopping you?

About the Author
Online Business Manager & Virtual Assistant, Tracey Lawton, supports professional speakers, coaches, and authors to operate an efficient, organized, and profitable business. Learn how to create an efficient and organized office in 7 EASY steps, and receive free how-to articles at http://www.OfficeOrganizationSuccess.com.

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Article Contributed by By Eric Gruber

The whole point to article marketing is to put your business on autopilot. You want to get your articles published on top websites, ezines and article directories that direct traffic to your website. You want to be able to capture prospect’s names and email addresses so you can promote to them over and over again without lifting a finger.

Now, the problem is most people have greatly increased their website traffic with articles, but they have NOTHING to show for it. No one is signing up for their newsletters. No one is buying anything. And, the prospects are lost forever.

It does NOT matter how much traffic you get from articles, if your website doesn’t convert.

Why Your Website Isn’t Converting

Most article marketers link to their homepage in the bio box. This home page has a small little newsletter sign up box in the corner that is so hard to find. There are times that you need a magnifying glass to find the newsletter opt-in box mixed up in all the clutter.

The page itself has so many links and calls-to-action that it confuses prospects that are at your site to receive a free newsletter, special report, ebook or whatever your offering is. Confused prospects become frustrated prospects who leave your site and are never to be found again. That’s why you need a focused squeeze page.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term squeeze page, it is a web page that is specifically designed to compel visitors to opt in to your list. A well-designed squeeze page can convert as many as half of the people who visit it, into opt-in email list subscribers.

How to Make Squeeze Pages Work for You

In order for the squeeze page to be able to do its work most effectively, there must be no other way for the visitor to get into your web site without opting in first to your opt in email list.

For example, check out:

http://www.TryMyFreeArticleTemplates.com

http://www.RestrainingOrder911.com

Notice to get to any of the other pages in the website above, including the sales pages, you must have to opt in to an email list first.

Now, you may be thinking, but what about all the others that didn’t opt in to the list? What if they would have bought something from me?

Well, let me ask you this. If they don’t trust you enough to opt-in to your list, to give you their name and email address in exchange for a free gift, do you really think that that person is going to whip out their credit card and give you their credit card number? Of course not!

Proof That Squeeze Pages Work

Now, the current conversion rate on the Restraining Order 911 sales letter since putting up a squeeze page is 20%. Before he created a squeeze page and auto-responder system that would continually educate his list and promote his product, Ron Lasorsa’s conversion rate was around 1%. So with my help, Ron has created a 2000% increase in revenue by sending his article marketing, video marketing, social media marketing and pay-per-click advertising traffic to a squeeze page.

Don’t you think it’s time that you setup a squeeze page to send your article traffic to? If so, check out my free video on squeeze pages at: http://www.livewebsitereviews.com/youtube

About the Author
Article Marketing Expert Eric Gruber uses the power of articles to create online opportunities for Internet marketers, small business owners and entrepreneurs who want more publicity, prospects and profits. Now, he invites you to check out his squeeze page – and in return for your name and email address Eric will send you 3 of his favorite article writing templates. Claim your free instant article writing templates at http://www.trymyfreearticlewritingtemplates.com

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Time for your best Dr. Evil voice... Why? Because YouTube is now streaming ONE BILLION videos per DAY! Want a piece of that incredible audience? Here are 5 easy ways to get a video on YouTube fast...

1. YouTube “Quick Capture!” - Just below the “upload” button on YouTube is the cleverly hidden “quick capture” function, which allows you to record your video “live” and on the fly with just your webcam. Give it a try!

2. Quick Flip – If you’ve got a Flip Video camera (get one at www.GetYourFlip.com), then uploading to YouTube is as simple as plugging the Flip into your computer. Flip gives you a direct upload button for one click posting.

3. Phone it in – If you’re an iPhone 3G owner, you’re in luck. The new iPhone with video not only lets you record video, it gives you the option to send your mobile video directly to YouTube – again with one click convenience.

4. Go Mobile – Even if you don’t have an iPhone, you can still send video to YouTube right from your mobile phone. Just look for the “Upload from Mobile” button, and YT will provide you with a custom address you can use to “call your video in!”

5. Animoto Mojo – With Animoto.com, you don’t even need a video camera to get a video on YouTube! Just upload some photos or text, select some music that Animoto provides, and the website mixes a slick video ready for YouTube.

So there are 5 easy ways to get in on the Online Video Revolution, and begin to market and promote your business to GAZILLIONS of viewers! Want someone to do it for you? Then be sure to check out my new, soooo easy solution at http://www.Good2GoVideo.com! See you online!http://www.Good2GoVideo.com

About the Author
Lou Bortone is an award-winning writer and video producer with over 20 years experience in marketing, branding and promotion. As an online video expert, Lou helps entrepreneurs create video for the web at www.TheOnlineVideoGuy.com. In addition, Lou works as a freelance writer and professional ghostwriter, with a ghostwriting site at www.GhostwriteForYou.com and a blog at www.GhostwriteGuru.com.

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Attention is mediated by a structure in our brains known as the reticular activating system. The reticular activating system (RAS) extends from the brainstem to the midbrain and is the primary controller of arousal and motivation in humans.

The RAS has afferent and efferent pathways, which means it sends data up the brain, and transmits data down the brain.

When sending information up the brain, it is functioning as a processing pathway. When sending information down the brain, it is driving action and behavior.

As the social media space becomes noisier and more crowded, getting attention is going to be more of a challenge.

The best way to get attention is to be relevant.

Adults focus almost exclusively on messages and information which will help them reach important goals, or which are immediately applicable to their current life or career situation.

The best way to get attention is to provide content and information which helps your viewers, visitors, or listeners make a behavioral change.

Whether you want them to start doing something, or to stop doing something, the more you can gain their attention, provide relevant and compelling content, and then make a recommendation for them, the easier it will be to create behavioral change.

And when you’ve been able to create behavioral change- whether it be in the way a person thinks, feels, or acts- you have gained influence with that person, and they are going to see you as much more relevant from then on.

Then your only goal is to remain relevant, which you can do by continuing to share powerful and useful information.

And so on.

Dr. Rachna Jain is Chief Social Marketer at The Mindshare Corporation. Rachna works with speakers, consultants, authors, and small business owners to develop and execute effective social media marketing strategies. Her proprietary persuasive social media process (sm) focuses on building influence, credibility and visibility online. This translates into greater recognition, increased website traffic, faster lead generation, a shorter sales cycle, and more opportunity for her expert clientele. She blogs regularly at The Mindshare Blog

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Even with the ongoing recession, building a business online remains a viable approach for any new start-up. Why? Well, while even online retailers are feeling the pinch of a tight economy, they are also expected to pick up market share at the expense of traditional retailers during this downturn. So, an online approach is both more sustainable during a slowdown and a way to get more out of the next economic recovery.

According to a recent study of 151 online retailers, most expect growth to slow over the next year, and most are seeing the recession impact their bottom lines. However, 80 percent of the survey respondents see online retailing as better equipped than traditional retailing for countering the effects of the recession. This is why online retailers should continue to take market share from more traditional competitors.

However, that does not mean that all online businesses will succeed. There are some fundamental steps that will help an online business get off the ground more smoothly.

1. Research Online Demand For Your Products and Services. Online Research should help you determine several quantitative facts about your potential market, including overall size, demographic makeup, growth rate, and income level. These facts can serve as an initial reality check on your business plan, as well as help you make initial projections about the scope of your business. Beyond the quantitative benefits though, some fundamental market research should help you form a mental picture of your typical customer. This mental picture can subsequently inform a variety of other business choices, from web site design and development elements, to where to promote your site, to what range of related products or services to offer.

2. Understand Who Is Your Competition. Your market may look attractive in isolation, but next you need to assess the competition. Who are the market leaders, and what are their strengths and vulnerabilities? Who are the new entrants into the market, and which ones are picking up market share? Knowing your competition will help you determine where you fit into the marketplace, and this in turn will influence your product, promotion, and pricing strategies.

3. Back-Office Infrastructure Payment Processing. For one thing, an online business relies on a technology infrastructure that is affordable and yet will stand up to spikes in volume due to seasonality or successful promotions. Then there are key details such as credit card processing -and a merchant account- things that make the buying process as seamless as possible. For most start-up businesses, basic infrastructure issues such as the technology platform and credit card processing are outside their primary areas of expertise, so outsourcing solutions should be considered. Always compare credit card processing prices and merchant account prices before you select the one that best fits your business needs.

4. Attractive Website Design to Increase Traffic and Conversions. Now you can think about setting up shop. That's precisely how you want to think about web site design--it is your place of business. The look and navigation of that Web site help you project an image to your customers. Are you hip, or are you traditional? Are you complex, or easy to access? Different positioning calls for different images, but there are two universal rules to website design: don't look amateurish, and don't make it difficult for visitors to make a purchase. This is another area where outside, specialized help can make a big difference, as opposed to spending time on something beyond your reason for being in business.Compare Web Site Design Prices to select the one that best meets your needs.

5. Use Internet Marketing and SEO to Promote Products On Your Web Site. An online business should focus its promotional strategies on capturing an online audience. This means some non-traditional promotional strategies, such as search engine optimization (SEO) and internet marketing. SEO helps associate your product or service with Internet searches on related topics. Internet Marketing allows you to pay for Internet advertising according to the amount of activity it generates, and to monitor the results of that activity. Because the Internet is still a relatively new business medium, promotional techniques and consumer behaviors are changing rapidly. Fortunately, there are internet marketing specialists who can help you stay abreast of evolving strategies in Internet marketing. Use an online service to find and compare SEO prices and internet marketing price quotes.

Summary

Overall, there are two important principles to apply when starting an online business:

1. Your business plan should represent a combination of traditional business methods and techniques specific to the online medium

2. You should identify the tasks where your organization can add value, and outsource functions outside your primary expertise.

Applying these principles using the steps described above, should help you get your online business off to a successful start.

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Most people think article marketing is just about getting links. They couldn’t be any more WRONG!

Article marketing is about getting your messages (in the form of articles) out to as many prospects as possible in as many ways as possible.

Here are 21 ways to use your articles so you can build your business:

1. Send your top article placements via email to current clients.

2. Send your top article placements via email to former clients.

3. Send the top article placements via email to prospects. This is how PR LEADS Article Marketing Expert client Kevin Berchelmann scored a $50K+ client!

4. Post reprints on your website. Note – Turn your article placements into PDFs. Do NOT link to your top article placements. This will take people off your website!

5. Include your article placements in book proposals. Roxanne Emmerich, Dr. Vicki Rackner, Dr. Karen Sherman and many other clients of mine have used this strategy to win major book publishing deals.

6. Include your articles in new business proposals.

7. Include your article placements in new business PowerPoint presentations.

8. Add your articles and/or mention your placements in your blog.

9. Add the articles to your newsletter. Remember, your newsletter isn’t ALL about selling. It’s about building relationships based on trust. The way to earn trust is to educate your prospects with powerful knowledge that only you can provide in articles,

10. Mention your article placements on the front page of your website. For example, put across the top of your website: As see on About.com, MarketingProfs, CEO Refresher and Small Business CEO Magazine. Then down the right hand side of your website, put links to your PDF versions of your article placements.

11. Send print copies of your article placements to your current clients.

12. Send print copies to your former clients.

13. Send print copies to your prospects.

14. Mention your article placements in you website bio.

15. Mention your article placements in your speech introduction.

16. Create a list of all the top article placements and post it to your website's "newsroom' section.

17. Add your articles to your Facebook page.

18. Twitter about your article placements.

19. Turn your articles into video articles and post it to YouTube, Viddler and other video syndication websites.

20. Use your articles as a list building mechanism. Check out how Shane Ellison uses his articles on his website: www.thepeopleschemist.com/articles to build his list.

21. Mention your article placements in the P.S. of your email signature. For example, put…P.S. My article, “25 Ways to Make Money Using Articles” was just published on About.com. Now you can read it at (put your website URL where you put the text or PDF version of the article)

You don't have to do all these steps. If you do only ONE of these steps, you will be doing more than you are now to build your business. Take action today to build your business with article marketing!

About the Author:
Eric Gruber uses the power of articles to create online opportunities for Internet marketers, small business owners and entrepreneurs who want more publicity, prospects and profits. Now, you can get his instant article writing templates that will help you write your articles in 30 minutes or less. For a limited time, you can get 3 of his favorite article writing templates for free at: http://www.TryMyFreeArticleTemplates.com

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Social networking sites originally became popular as a way for friends to stay in touch with one another and to keep up-to-date with what was happening in their lives, but they quickly became a place for business owners to grow their networks too. These days you can use these sites as a business building tool, but, more importantly, you can get to know your prospects, clients, and colleagues in a more relaxed and friendly environment.

This means that if you’re active on these sites and regularly contributing and seeking out new connections you can very quickly build your network and have a ready audience of contacts who are interested in what you have to say, your services, programs, and products.

However, I hear of many solopreneurs saying that they’re spending hours of time on their social networking activities, whether that’s on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, or one of the other popular social networking sites, but are not seeing any benefits as a result of their time i.e. the amount of time they put into social networking is not comparable to the returns they are seeing. And so they lose interest and wonder what all the fuss is about.

As with any of the list building strategies that I teach, the real key to success is consistency. If you decide that social networking is one of the lead generation strategies that you want to implement then you need to be consistent in your approach to make it successful. You need to be spending time each week (several times a week) visiting each of your social networks, contributing, and building relationships.

Even though there are many, many advantages to this latest marketing strategy, there are several pitfalls that can easily be avoided if you’re aware of what they are.

Today I’d like to share with you my top four social networking pitfalls so that you can avoid making these mistakes and so utilize this strategy to grow your network:

1. Not updating regularly. If you’re a beginner in this area, then you may believe that all you have to do is sign up for an account at one of the more popular sites, add your details, and you’re all set. In order for this strategy to be effective, you need to be a regular contributor to the network, actively seek out new connections, and participate and post regularly.

2. Your profile is lacking in information. Add pictures; make yourself sound interesting and fun! People want to know about you, what your interests are, and see you. Always include a photo, and, the beauty with social networking is that because it’s informal, you don’t always need your photo to be a professional head shot – a more informal photo works just as well; let your contacts see the ‘real’ you.

3. Not thinking relationships first! Social networking is all about building relationships with those people in your network – it’s not about getting new clients. Although you’ve probably heard of colleagues getting new clients via social networking, it really is about creating and building relationships with those people in your network. Remember… relationships first!

4. It’s not about sell, sell, sell! If all you’re doing when you visit the various sites and post your updates is pitch your latest program, product or service then it’s no wonder you’re not seeing results. Share information with your network, whether that’s your own information or you’re passing along information from clients and colleagues. The more you share, the greater your results will be.

Whichever social networking arena you’re active in (and it may be more than one) remember the “social” in social networking – it’s to build relationships, make new contacts, and socialize. Inform your network, not sell to them.

About the Author
Online Business Manager & Virtual Assistant, Tracey Lawton, supports professional speakers, coaches, and authors to operate an efficient, organized, and profitable business. Learn how to create an efficient and organized office in 7 EASY steps, and receive free how-to articles at http://www.OfficeOrganizationSuccess.com.

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One of the biggest benefits of social media marketing is how easy it is to get started. Anyone can sign up for a Twitter account, or a Facebook account and start using them right away. It’s easy to put up a blog, and, of course, to engage in the conversation.

But the thing to remember is that the ease of use of social media tools does not directly correlate to how effective they will be for your business objectives. Stated another way, you need to think social media strategy first, and tools second.

Very often, people get overloaded with social media simply because they don’t have a strategy. Someone says they should be on Facebook- so they join. Someone says to get on Twitter, so they do. Someone else says to stay connected via LinkedIn- and they do. And it goes like this, on and on, because the number of sites you “should” be on will never stop increasing- and there are hundreds more social media sites coming online each day.

If you constantly jump from site to site, you risk wasting time and losing money.

Instead, start by considering your social media strategy. If you don’t have one yet, let me offer some suggestions and advice for building one:

1) Understand what business objectives you want to reach by engaging in social media. Business objectives might include outcomes such as increasing your network, becoming more visible, positioning yourself as the top expert in your field. Business objectives may also include outcomes such as growing your database, increasing blog visitors, and improving your online reputation. While several of these can be accomplished in parallel, for the most part, stick with one objective at a time. What is the one outcome right now that would move your business forward in the most significant way?

2) Acknowledge the time frame for your business objective. Social media is not a quick hit strategy and it can take a certain amount of focused effort to start seeing returns. If your time line for results is too short, you will feel like you’ve wasted time. If your time line is too long, you’ll feel frustrated, when it seems like results aren’t happening fast enough. For example, if you want to add 100 names to your database, you can probably accomplish this in 4-6 weeks. If you want to position yourself as the top authority in your niche, it will probably take a bit longer, especially if there is a reasonable amount of competition. Right-size your time line to the size of your business objective.

3) Focus on depth rather than breadth. While it can be tempting to be join 100 social media sites, you risk spreading yourself too thin, and diluting your resources. Better to select 2, 3, or 4 sites which you can commit to participating on regularly, than joining 100 sites you never have time to access. Repetition is an important element of building recognition and reputation. Focus deeply on a select group of sites, and participate as fully as possible.

4) Test your levels of participation to define how much is enough. There will be a sweet spot in terms of time put in and results obtained. This is true for any business process. Try participating very fully for two weeks, and see what your results are. Participate slightly less often in week three, and see if your results change. By focusing on measuring one specific business objective, you’ll have a good sense of how much effort you need to make on the social sites in order to reach your desired results.

5) Adopt new technology thoughtfully. There are multiple tools you can use to implement your social media strategy. Typically, you want to use the tools which are easiest, most cost-effective, and which provide the best results. Don’t adopt every new technology blindly, but then, on the other hand, don’t delay when a new technology can help you accomplish your business goals faster or easier.

Remember, the ease of use of social media tools does not correlate with their effectiveness in your business. Craft your strategy first, and then use tools to execute it. That’s the right order for business success.

Dr. Rachna Jain is Chief Social Marketer at The Mindshare Corporation. Rachna works with speakers, consultants, authors, and small business owners to develop and execute effective social media marketing strategies. Her proprietary persuasive social media process (sm) focuses on building influence, credibility and visibility online. This translates into greater recognition, increased website traffic, faster lead generation, a shorter sales cycle, and more opportunity for her expert clientele. She blogs regularly at The Mindshare Blog

  

Have you heard any of these?

* A guy who works part time for the Eagles Football team updates his status report by saying something to the effect that the Eagles suck due to a trade they made. The Eagles fire him.

* A woman gets a job offer from Cisco. She tweets "Got a job offer from Cisco. Now have to decide between a fatty paycheck versus a long commute and hating my job." One of Cisco channel partners sees it on Twitter and comments. I didn't hear how it turned out but I'm fairly certain Cisco rescinded the job offer. (And chances are she's going to have a heck of a time finding another job since this story was all over the place to such an extent it will take awhile to get it out of Google.)

* A guy who I think is the agency owner travels to the headquarters of one of his biggest customers for a presentation (ironically on social networking). He tweets an unflattering tweet about the city where his client is headquartered. The employees spot it, call him on it and he ultimately loses the account.

I'm sure there are more of these stories, but you get my point. Social networking can give you credibility, visibility, leads and can help grow your business. It can also lose you jobs and customers.

So what do these stories have in common? Simple -- the person forgot social networking was public.

And that's the point of today's article. What you do on social networking is public.

Now, I know that sounds obvious but, like most obvious things, it gets overlooked. And it's easy to see why. I mean, half the time (or even more) you get no response to things you do on Twitter or Facebook. So it's easy to start thinking no one's watching.

And the moment you slip and think no one is watching, no one cares, that's when it bites you. You think you can say whatever you want, and you do. Only to discover much to your dismay that people really ARE paying attention.

The same thing that makes social networking such a powerful networking tool is the same thing that can ruin you. Remember, your biggest strength is your biggest weakness. And that's true here as well. The power social networking has to get your name out there in a big way can also replicate your unfortunate choice of tweets or posts in a big way and ruin your reputation faster than you can say "to tweet or not to tweet."

Now, I'm not saying you should run scared of social networking. This isn't about you agonizing over every comment, tweet, post, etc. you put out there. This is about being smart. It's about never forgetting you're dealing in a public arena and people are paying attention, even if there are days where you wonder where all that social networking love went.

And if you DO screw up and say something you shouldn't? Well, depending on what exactly it was, you might have to do some damage control, and/or just come to grips you've put a black mark on your reputation and have to do some cleaning up. You CAN come back, it might not be easy or fun, but it doesn't have to be the end of the world either.

About the Author
Michele PW (Michele Pariza Wacek) is your Ka-Ching! marketing strategist and owns Creative Concepts and Copywriting LLC, a copywriting and marketing agency. She helps entrepreneurs become more successful at attracting more clients, selling more products and services and boosting their business. To find out how she can help you take your business to the next level, visit her site at http://www.MichelePW.com.

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Part of running an efficient and organized business is making full use of the technology and resources available to you. It’s great to set up systems and processes and have them work for you, but in order to fully automate your business you also need to know which technologies are going to work best to support you in that.

Over the years I have worked with many different automation tools (either in my own business or for my clients) that have helped to support an online solo business owner, and today I’d like to share my top five favorite ones with you. All of these tools I use in my own business today – and they’re a huge timesaver as well as creating a more streamlined and automated business for me.

1. 1ShoppingCart – this is my shopping cart, autoresponder, broadcast, and database management systems all rolled into ONE system. I especially like this service because everything is done in one place which really does make for a more streamlined business. It is possible to use one service for your shopping cart activities (i.e. product sales) and another service for your autoresponder/broadcast (i.e. sending out your newsletter) but the danger with this is that you are running two different databases and at some point it will become cumbersome and may even start to become unmanageable.

2. TimeDriver – this is probably my favorite find and is such a huge timesaver for me; I’m so grateful to one of my clients for putting me onto this service. It’s a system whereby you can get your clients to self-schedule their appointments with you, avoiding the back and forth of emails that happens when you’re trying to arrangement appointments and, of course, the time spent doing this. You simply give your clients/colleagues the special link that’s generated by TimeDriver and they are able to see your availability (which you have pre-determined) and therefore schedule accordingly with you. It works with both Outlook and Google calendars.

3. Submit Your Article – this service is an article submission service (notice I said ‘service’ not ‘software’) that submits your articles to hundreds of different article directories and ezine publishers on your behalf. You simply upload your article to your account and they do the rest. It’s a really great way of getting your articles out to a lot of places in the shortest amount of time possible, and again is another huge timesaver.

4. BYOAudio – as well as using this service to record and host all my teleclass audios, I make full use of their Podcast feature. You can record your podcast episode directly into your podcast, and they will share and syndicate it with the top podcast directories – even iTunes – immediately it’s published! Those directories, in turn, come and get your podcast, index it, and make it available to their visitors. All this takes is about 10/15 minutes of my time to record my podcast episode and publish it to my podcast. Another great strategy for building my list that really takes no time at all to implement!

5. OnlyWire – this is the service I use to create social bookmarks for my blog entries – they even post to Twitter and Facebook. Social bookmarking is a method for Internet users to store, organize, search, and manage bookmarks of web pages. It works in two ways: i) When someone stores a bookmark to one of your blog posts they have an easy way to access your information again; and ii) because these bookmarks are stored on the website's of the social bookmarking sites, i.e. Technorati, Digg, etc. etc. they provide backlinks to your blog/website. If you wanted your bookmarks to appear on each of these social bookmarking sites you could do it all manually, i.e. create an account, log in to your account, post your bookmark, and repeat this process for every social bookmarking site you have an account at. Where OnlyWire comes in is that you provide your account login details at the various social bookmarking sites, submit your blog post URL for bookmarking, and OnlyWire will do the publishing for you! One or two clicks and you’re done!

About the Author
Online Business Manager & Virtual Assistant, Tracey Lawton, supports professional speakers, coaches, and authors to operate an efficient, organized, and profitable business. Learn how to create an efficient and organized office in 7 EASY steps, and receive free how-to articles at http://www.OfficeOrganizationSuccess.com.

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Knowing how often to send emails to your mailing list is a big dilemma that many solopreneurs face. You don't want to bombard your subscribers with emails, but neither do you want them to forget you. One of my own subscribers recently emailed me to ask me about how often you should send emails to your subscriber.

Here’s an excerpt of what she said:

"Your article piqued my interest today, and offered solid advice. It is interesting to note that I just attended a teleseminar where it was said that emailing your list daily was imperative and that every email needed to be full of outstanding content. Since I am shortly beginning my first online business, I felt overwhelmed by that directive to insure my online success.

The first thing that came to my mind was that weekly should be often enough. How would I ever come up with outstanding content on a daily basis to send my list and still have enough time in the day to do everything else?"

From my experience and working one-on-one with many clients I know that this is a big dilemma for many solo business owners – after all, you want to build a relationship with your subscribers, but you don’t want them to forget you, and neither do you want them to unsubscribe because you’re bombarding them with so much information. It’s all about striking a balance!

I honestly think that those ‘experts’ who tell you you should be emailing your list daily have nothing else to do! And how you can you put out valuable, quality content on a daily basis – it would be draining both emotionally and time-wise! Plus the flip side to that is that your subscribers are going to feel completely overwhelmed by the sheer volume of emails you’re sending them and are more likely to unsubscribe.

If you’re going to publish a regular ezine (newsletter) then it’s important that the frequency fits best for you and your business. My contact with my subscribers has been gradual in it’s frequency. When I first started I emailed once a quarter, then moved across to monthly (first of every month). Then a while back I decided that I’d do twice a month (1st & 15th) and it stayed that way for about 18 months. At the start of this year I decided to publish my ezine every two weeks on a Friday, and then a couple of months ago I decided that I’d publish weekly, but rather than produce a full-blown ezine every week I would create in-between issues that simply directed my subscribers to one of my blog posts – I have such a lot of content on my blog that wasn’t being fully utilized. Therefore this strategy was two-fold, first I was staying in touch with my subscribers on a weekly basis, and secondly I was repurposing the ton of content that was readily available on my blog!

Conclusion: Create a schedule that is the best fit for you and your business, and one that works in frequency for your subscribers too!

About the Author
Online Business Manager & Virtual Assistant, Tracey Lawton, supports professional speakers, coaches, and authors to operate an efficient, organized, and profitable business. Learn how to create an efficient and organized office in 7 EASY steps, and receive free how-to articles at http://www.OfficeOrganizationSuccess.com.

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What do computer giant Dell, gourmet food basket maker Tastefully Simple, and organic brewer Honest Tea have in common? Though all three are now multi-million dollar companies, all were originally started within the founder’s home. You’ve probably heard how Michael Dell worked out of his garage to build his empire, but equally inspiring are the stories of Jill Blashack Strahan- who assembled gift baskets on the pool table of her backyard shed- and Seth Goldman- who brewed tea at his kitchen sink and presented homemade samples to clients in thermoses.

The home-based startup story has a certain magic to it that often glosses over the particulars: where to set up office equipment (computer, printer, copier,etc.), whether or not you should dedicate a business phone line or switch your VoIP service to include “follow” features so you’re always available, and how many hours you should put in when your office is in your kitchen. What does a stay-at-home entrepreneur really need? Here are a few necessities:

1. A Separate, Dedicated Workspace. Whether it’s your garage, a toolshed in the backyard, or just an area off the den, you will need a space that’s just for work.

2. A Separate Phone Line. Small business VoIP service plans are cheap and easy to sign up for. You can also add an extension or line to your existing residential VoIP service arrangement.

3. A Fast Internet Connection. For businesses based online, this is non-negotiable. Your internet connection should be fast enough to support online activity and VoIP calls, if you use an internet-based phone system as your method of business communication.

4. A Door…or Earplugs. If you can’t physically separate your workspace from the rest of the house, you can mentally separate it by using earplugs to tune out audio distractions, or a folding screen to tune out visual ones.

5. A “Do Not Disturb” sign. If you’re working while others are at home, make sure they know when you’re “unavailable.”

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The first time I heard the saying "How you do one thing is how you do everything" I didn't get it. (Actually I think my exact response was: "Yeah, yeah, yeah.")

However, as I continued to work on myself and my business over the years, this statement has finally sunk in. And now I see how it relates to pretty much everything in my life. (After all, the state of your business is just a representative of what's going on in your head at any given moment.)

So, what does any of this have to do with social networking? Well, it occurred to me as I look around at what people are and aren't doing with their social networking that this is a microcosm of your entire business.

Let me explain. How do you approach your social networking?

* Are you someone who set up a bunch of social networking accounts months ago and haven't touched it since? Where else has this shown up in your business? Are you someone who has a bunch of half-finished information products or books sitting on your desk? Or maybe you finished them but you haven't put up the sales letter or did any other marketing so you're not actually making any money off of them.

Needless to say, with this habit, you've simply wasted a bunch of time without anything to show for it. You're not making any money with your social networking nor are you making any money selling products.

* Are you someone who does your social networking in bursts? You ignore it for weeks, then for a couple of days you're on it in a frenzy, only to go back to ignoring it. (Or you only jump on and do anything on it when you're feeling stressed about cash flow and lack of clients.)

So where else does this show up in your business? Are you someone who sends out an email newsletter once in a blue moon? Or you only pick up the phone to follow up when you're desperate for new clients?

With this habit, while it's good you're doing something, you're only going to see consistent results when you're consistently doing your marketing tasks. Communicating with people once in a while and/or only when you're looking for something (i.e. for them to give you money) is an excellent way to have a feast-or-famine business model.

* Are you someone who is pretty good on one social networking platform but doesn't do anything on any other one? For instance, you love Facebook but your Twitter account sits there unloved and you pretty much never update your blog, never mind anything else.

So where else does this show up in your business? Are you someone who's really good at going to live networking events and collecting business cards but doesn't follow up? Or maybe you send out an email newsletter fairly regularly but you don't do anything else with the articles you write for your newsletter (although you keep meaning to). And you don’t use any other methods to touch your prospects (i.e. direct mail or teleclasses.) You're getting part of it right but if you followed an entire system you would see far more results. (And, in many cases, it's not about YOU doing more but simply having a system and a team in place to support you so you get the biggest bang for your marketing time.)

Now, this isn't about making you feel bad about what you are or aren’t doing. This is about looking at one piece of your business and using what you see there to make your whole business more successful.

About the Author
Michele PW (Michele Pariza Wacek) is your Ka-Ching! marketing strategist and owns Creative Concepts and Copywriting LLC, a copywriting and marketing agency. She helps entrepreneurs become more successful at attracting more clients, selling more products and services and boosting their business. To find out how she can help you take your business to the next level, visit her site at http://www.MichelePW.com.

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Can Microsoft compete with the search engine giant, Google? It may have looked doubtful before when looking at Microsoft’s Live Search, but things are looking good with the new release of Bing, Microsoft’s new search engine, aka “decision engine”. It was released on June 3, 2009 and has an extensive marketing campaign in place, estimated to be at nearly $100 million. Major television ads are running promoting Bing.

Bing’s simple interface with a colorful background mimics that of Google, but with a more ambiance t it. The background is always changing with hot spots that are clickable. Luckily, you can always go back to a past image and find the hot spots, in case you saw something important there. It does not make much sense to have these hot spots and they can be quite confusing, especially since they are constantly changing. There is no warning of when and where these hot spots are until you scroll over them. Then a question related to the image appears with a link to click on, usually answering the question proposed.

When comparing Bing to Google there are more similarities than dissimilarities. For starters they both have a simple interface with a large search bar in the middle of the page. They both display Images, Videos, Shopping, News, and Maps on the homepage. The difference is Google also has Gmail and Bing has travel. The big difference is that Bing has changing images, where as Google has a changing logo against a blank interface.

Bing has decided to market itself as a decision engine, rather than a search engine. What this means is that Bing incorporates ecommerce websites search bar into a fully functional search engine. Microsoft believes that searchers are ready to move beyond the search stage and Bing will help them make better decisions. The search engine results are categorized to make it easier to find results.

The decision engine has been creating tons of search engines ranking for many of my clients with a lower bounce rate than the other major search engines. Does this mean that Microsoft has succeeded with an advanced algorithm that is superior to the major three’s? Or is it a fluke that the bounce rate is visibly lower than the other search engines.

The big question is how do we optimize our websites for Bing? We all want to be ranked at the top of a new search engine, which has the potential to take on the other major search engines. It is simple, do what you do for the other major search engines. From my observations domain age plays a big role. Bing wants to see websites that are established and have been around for a long period of time.

The decision engine, Bing, seems to like websites with tons of original content on the landing pages. Make sure your page titles are keyword rich and appropriate for the subject matter. Bing loves titles with keywords searchers are using. Make sure to have a good, unique title for all your websites pages. Unlike other search engines, linking out seems to be favored. This means linking to other sites from your own site is good for ranking. This may show to Bing that your site shares useful information with its users. This is not to say reciprocal linking is good, but linking to sites that your users may deem valuable is a good idea.

Sign up for an account with Bing and manage your analytics and start a pay per click campaign with them. Their PPC rates are significantly lower than other PPC campaigns because there is not as much competition and keyword dilution occurring. In a few months to a year PPC costs will begin to mimic those of the other search engines, but for now the prices are superb.

SUMMARY: The new decision engine from Microsoft, Bing, is sure to be a major competitor with Google and the other search engines. Since it is brand new many of you are wondering how their algorithm works and how to get to the top organic search results. It seems like Bing looks at back links more than it does at a pages actual content. Read other observations and advice here.

About the Author
Brandon Leibowitz is a professional search engine optimization and search engine marketing consultant with over five years of industry knowledge. Read news, tips, tricks, and anything else related to search engines in his SEO and SEM Blog.

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Pay per click (PPC) advertising is a huge market, especially for new companies that have not yet established themselves in the organic search engine rankings. The downside is that PPC can be quite an exhausting and overwhelming task when it is really broken down. For the most part you can enter your keywords and create ad variations, but there is so much more to PPC than just that.

In these tough times you want to make sure your bottom line is at optimal conditions, and PPC can assist in these goals. Specified will be some tips and tricks to help you increase conversions and reduce costs. In essence, you want to persuade the buyer that you have the highest quality item for the lowest price compared to the competition.

1. Research Competitors Ads

There is a wealth of free, valuable information out on the web waiting to be used. PPC ads are shown on most, if not all search engines and can give you some insight into how your competition is advertising and what ad text they are using. If you want to go deeper than this you can purchase tools that show you what your competitor’s keywords are, what they are bidding, their ad text, and much more. With this information you will have a good starting point for your PPC ads.

2. Explore Keyword Variations

It is imperative for any successful PPC campaign to search for keywords, look at competitor keywords, and use proper keyword matching. It is important to know what keyword matching is and understand the difference between broad, phrase, and exact keywords. Each has a different effect and using the wrong one can ruin your entire ad campaign. Broad match keywords allow your ad to show up on similar phrases and relevant variations. Phrase match keywords allow your ad to show up on searched that match the exact phrase exclusively. Exact match keywords means that your ad shows up for that exact phrase exclusively. Negative match keywords are used to prevent your ad from showing up on specific keywords.

3. Focus on Low Cost Keywords

Overpriced keywords can cause a leakage in your PPC marketing budget. If you sell a product or service with a low profit margin then you need to do everything in your power to avoid high cost keywords. You cannot afford to pay $1 per click when your profit margin is only $0.75. Some keywords can cost over $5 a click! You do not want to spend this much unless your profit margin is large enough and you know you can compete with the competition. For the rest of us internet advertisers we want to look for highly searched keywords that are not overly priced. This can be done by looking at the competition. Do a search for your keyword in your desired search engine and look at how many paid, or sponsored, listings appear. The fewer, the better off you are.

4. Avoid Hyper-Competitive Keywords

Keywords with a large search volume may be a viable keyword choice, but if the competition is too high it may not be the best choice, unless you have an extraordinary budget set in place. The greater the competition level for keywords, the more you will have to pay per click. There are tons, both free and paid that can show you a keywords competition level, monthly traffic, and cost per click. A reliable, free tool is Google’s keyword tool. It is an effective medium for discovering profitable keywords that have not been tapped into yet.

5. Make your Ads with Consumer Savings

People love to see words like sale, save discount, free, promo, buy 1 get 1 free, etc. when looking at paid search results. The more you use these words, the greater visibility your ad will have in the consumer’s eyes. The bigger the savings, the more likely you are to obtain a click through and ultimately a conversion. Make sure to include good values, low prices, and timely promotions in all your ad groups. This is especially if you have a product or service that is being marketed to highly price sensitive shoppers.

6. Be upfront with your Ads

I cannot stress this enough. This is the biggest mistake advertisers can make when placing participating in pay per click advertising. You do not want to lie, or fluff up your ads, in hopes of making more sales. This actually has the opposite effect, in which people will click through expecting what was outlined in the ad and come to see that it was false and misleading. This may get more clicks in organic rankings, but it will still result in an extraordinarily high bounce rate. They will leave the site in frustration that you mislead to them to your site, and you lost money for the cost of a click. Now image this happening on a daily basis for months at a time. How much wasted money can there be before someone steps in and says, “STOP, you are doing this in the complete wrong way!” You need to be upfront and honest to prevent excessive click from searchers expecting something else.

7. Make your Ad Groups Targeted to the Landing Page

To get the best quality score for your PPC ads you will want to make sure the keywords and the ad text relate to one another. You also want to make sure the landing page, where the searcher is taken when clicking on your link, is highly related to your keywords and ad text. This will get you the best results and ensure searchers do not get taken to the wrong page. Do not bunch all your campaigns together; rather separate them into appropriate categories. Then create pages on your website specifically designed for PPC users to land on. You should not send PPC ads to your home page, but rather have targeted landing pages specifically designed for each PPC campaign. These pages should have a call to action inducting the searcher to perform some sort of action that is beneficial to your business, whether it be a email address, or an actual sale. Your end goal is to have the user do something. This will reduce the bounce back rate and increase the chances of converting leads into sales.

8. Review and Analyze your Ads Performance Overtime

This seems obvious, but so many people do not take the time to sit down and really analyze each campaign to see what is succeeding and what is leaking money. Once this is discovered you will want to fix the problem ads and leave the successful ads be. This seems so obvious, but is not done often enough. I encourage reviewing your pay per click campaign once a day. If this is too much, then at least 2-3 times a week. This is your money and you do not want to see it wasted with no returns.

9. Refine your Ad groups to Focus on High Performers

After you have run your PPC campaigns for a few weeks you can analyze the results and see what the top performers and failures are. To make sure this is an accurate representation make sure to use many different ad variations and have them set to rotate evenly at first. This will give you an idea of what selling points are working and which are draining your funds. Look at cost per conversion and make sure this does not exceed your profit margin. If so stop the ad or make some major modifications to it. If an ad group has a low cost per conversion keep this running and let it rake in the money. Refining your ads should be done on a regular basis to avoid failing campaigns and focus more on successful campaigns.

10. Look at the Bottom line

Conversions are king for PPC, just like content is king for organic rankings. If you are doing all of the above and still are not converting sales then it may be time to take a step back and contact a professional to review your campaign and look for any flaws. If you do not have the budget to do this, then pause your ads and just focus on refining one at a time. This will ensure you do not use your entire budget and can spend more time figuring out why you are not succeeding. Once you figure out why one campaign is failing it is much easier to spot other trouble campaigns.

About the Author
Brandon Leibowitz is a professional search engine optimization and search engine marketing consultant with over five years of industry knowledge. Read news, tips, tricks, and anything else related to search engines in his SEO and SEM Blog.

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“I see you everywhere!” Yup, I get that a lot! Colleagues and clients tell me all the time that I seem to be “everywhere.” They see me on YouTube, Facebook, on blogs and on Twitter. I am definitely visible! But my online visibility is no accident. My visibility strategy is simple: I leverage the power of video to increase my exposure – and you can, too!

Online video is the perfect tool to maximize your web presence because it’s highly visible and viral. You can create one video and have it spread from YouTube to Facebook to your own website and beyond. It’s the ultimate leverage resource, because you create it once and use it in many different ways, and in many different places.

Best of all, creating a video to enhance your visibility is quick, easy and inexpensive. Armed with only a webcam or an affordable Flip Video camera, you can shoot a simple video message and upload it to YouTube in minutes. All you need is a (high-speed) Internet connection and a free account on YouTube.com.

Once your video is posted on YouTube, you can send it to Facebook and MySpace with one click! Other free video hosting sites like Blip.tv give you easy sharing and cross-posting functions to add your video to your own website, or to social sites such as Digg and StumbleUpon. To really leverage your time and energy, use another free service, TubeMogul.com, to blast your video out to over a dozen sites with one click! You get the idea: One video to many sites means leverage and visibility across the web!

Keep in mind that even just posting your video to Facebook is going to give you video some mileage. As others comment on your video on Facebook, the video then appears on their Facebook page in addition to your own. That’s the “viral” in viral video!

And let’s not leave Twitter out of the video party… While you can’t post the video itself on Twitter, you can certainly promote the link to your video on Twitter. Better yet, there are several free services, such as Tweetube and Twiddeo, that will notify Twitter for you whenever you put your video on their sites.

Finally, if you want the ultimate, maxed-out, super-charged version of video visibility, be sure to get in touch with me about a free trial of Veeple.com. Veeple is the video hosting platform that I use to make my videos clickable (with live links) and interactive. Veeple’s new deal with TubeMogul means you can even blast your video from Veeple.com to a boatload of popular video sites. It’s one-stop shopping for massive video visibility! You can find more info on Veeple here: http://tinyurl.com/ltdjgv.

If you’d like more information or a quick crash course on video visibility, please feel free to visit my “Video Traffic Blast” website. There you can find out more about my step-by-step viral video process. Be sure to get your video online now! Start sharing your video on the web and soon, you too can be seen “everywhere!”

Lou Bortone is an award-winning writer and video producer with over 20 years experience in marketing, branding and promotion. As an online video expert, Lou helps entrepreneurs create video for the web at www.TheOnlineVideoGuy.com. In addition, Lou works as a freelance writer and professional ghostwriter, with a ghostwriting site at www.GhostwriteForYou.com and a blog at www.GhostwriteGuru.com.

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Recently, Lou Bortone, a.k.a. “The Online Video Guy,” was interviewed on Blog Talk Radio about the explosive growth of online video, and how entrepreneurs can use web video to promote and grow their business. Highlights of that interview are below:

Q: Tell us in one line what you do…

Lou: I help entrepreneurs build their brands and boost their businesses using online video.

Q: Why is video branding an important concept for solopreneurs to embrace?

Lou: Video branding is important because online video is becoming such a pervasive part of business. Right now, more people are watching online video than are watching traditional television. In fact, MediaPost recently reported that in typical week, online video viewing has overtaken TV viewership of all the networks combined! In addition, time spent watching video grew over 50% in 2008. Small business owners can capitalize on this trend by getting into online video now – while it’s still easy and inexpensive.

Q: You have helped many different small businesses start and expand their visibility on the web, so what are three of the most important factors in doing this effectively using video over the Internet?

Lou: Three of the keys to success in online video are:

1. Focus on the message – Be sure that you create compelling content.
2. Keep it short – The shorter your video is, the better. Under 2-3 minutes!
3. Don’t get bogged down by technical issues. “Done is better than perfect!”

Q: One of the things that you’re known for is your strategies that give professionals unique ways to marketing and promote their business. Can you talk a little about your video branding approach?

Lou: Video is very effective as a visibility and credibility tool for a few reasons:
First, video is visible. It’s up close and personal, so it makes you more familiar to your clients and customers, and it builds a strong connection.

Second, video is viral. Video has the ability to share and spread quickly over the Internet, so it’s viral by nature. You can create one video and blast it out to many sites at once. This leverages your time and effort. Your one video can serve many purposes in many different places. I explain the entire process in my Video Traffic Blast video tutorials. (http://www.VideoTrafficBlast.com)

Finally, video gives you a global online presence, 24/7. Your video can be working for you and promoting you all over the world, even while you sleep!

Q: What is the biggest mistake business owners make when they put a video on the web and expect people to find it?

Lou: The biggest mistake people make is not sharing and spreading their video across various platforms. You can get a lot of mileage from one video if you distribute it properly. For example, look at all the ways you can leverage one YouTube video: From YouTube, you can:

• Share the video to Facebook, MySpace and Twitter
• Email a link to your video to your clients or fans
• Use the “embed” code that YouTube provides to add the video to your blog
• Share the link to your video on Ping.fm
• Blast your video out to several video hosting sites from TubeMogul.com

Q: What is the most important thing that you recommend an entrepreneur does as they develop a video branding strategy?

Lou: I advise my video coaching clients to do three things starting out:

1. Begin with the end in mind. What are your online video branding goals?

• Increase your online visibility?
• Establish credibility?
• Extend your brand?
• Increase your search engine rankings?

2. Focus on content over quality. Online viewers are pretty forgiving of web video quality. Make sure that your message is compelling and relevant – You can worry about the Hollywood effects later!

3. Get it out there! Just get it done! Your video doesn’t need to be perfect. It’s more important that you get started and get some video online. You can learn and improve as you go!

Lou Bortone is an award-winning writer and video producer with over 20 years experience in marketing, branding and promotion. As an online video expert, Lou helps entrepreneurs create video for the web at www.TheOnlineVideoGuy.com. In addition, Lou works as a freelance writer and professional ghostwriter, with a ghostwriting site at www.GhostwriteForYou.com and a blog at www.GhostwriteGuru.com.

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Can Microsoft compete with the search engine giant, Google? It may have looked doubtful before when looking at Microsoft’s Live Search, but things are looking good with the new release of Bing, Microsoft’s new search engine, aka “decision engine”. It was released on June 3, 2009 and has an extensive marketing campaign in place, estimated to be at nearly $100 million. Major television ads are running promoting Bing.

Bing’s simple interface with a colorful background mimics that of Google, but with a more ambiance t it. The background is always changing with hot spots that are clickable. Luckily, you can always go back to a past image and find the hot spots, in case you saw something important there. It does not make much sense to have these hot spots and they can be quite confusing, especially since they are constantly changing. There is no warning of when and where these hot spots are until you scroll over them. Then a question related to the image appears with a link to click on, usually answering the question proposed.

When comparing Bing to Google there are more similarities than dissimilarities. For starters they both have a simple interface with a large search bar in the middle of the page. They both display Images, Videos, Shopping, News, and Maps on the homepage. The difference is Google also has Gmail and Bing has travel. The big difference is that Bing has changing images, where as Google has a changing logo against a blank interface.

Bing has decided to market itself as a decision engine, rather than a search engine. \ What this means is that Bing incorporates ecommerce websites search bar into a fully functional search engine. Microsoft believes that searchers are ready to move beyond the search stage and Bing will help them make better decisions. The search engine results are categorized to make it easier to find results.

The decision engine has been creating tons of search engines ranking for many of my clients with a lower bounce rate than the other major search engines. Does this mean that Microsoft has succeeded with an advanced algorithm that is superior to the major three’s? Or is it a fluke that the bounce rate is visibly lower than the other search engines.

The big question is how do we optimize our websites for Bing? We all want to be ranked at the top of a new search engine, which has the potential to take on the other major search engines. It is simple, do what you do for the other major search engines. From my observations domain age plays a big role. Bing wants to see websites that are established and have been around for a long period of time.

The decision engine, Bing, seems to like websites with tons of original content on the landing pages. Make sure your page titles are keyword rich and appropriate for the subject matter. Bing loves titles with keywords searchers are using. Make sure to have a good, unique title for all your websites pages. Unlike other search engines, linking out seems to be favored. This means linking to other sites from your own site is good for ranking. This may show to Bing that your site shares useful information with its users. This is not to say reciprocal linking is good, but linking to sites that your users may deem valuable is a good idea.

Sign up for an account with Bing and manage your analytics and start a pay per click campaign with them. Their PPC rates are significantly lower than other PPC campaigns because there is not as much competition and keyword dilution occurring. In a few months to a year PPC costs will begin to mimic those of the other search engines, but for now the prices are superb.

SUMMARY: The new decision engine from Microsoft, Bing, is sure to be a major competitor with Google and the other search engines. Since it is brand new many of you are wondering how their algorithm works and how to get to the top organic search results. It seems like Bing looks at back links more than it does at a pages actual content. Read other observations and advice here.

About the Author:

Brandon Leibowitz is a professional search engine optimization and search engine marketing consultant with over five years of industry knowledge. Read news, tips, tricks, and anything else related to search engines in his SEO and SEM Blog.

• 0 Comments

  

Pay per click (PPC) advertising is a huge market, especially for new companies that have not yet established themselves in the organic search engine rankings. The downside is that PPC can be quite an exhausting and overwhelming task when it is really broken down. For the most part you can enter your keywords and create ad variations, but there is so much more to PPC than just that.

In these tough times you want to make sure your bottom line is at optimal conditions, and PPC can assist in these goals. Specified will be some tips and tricks to help you increase conversions and reduce costs. In essence, you want to persuade the buyer that you have the highest quality item for the lowest price compared to the competition.

1 Research Competitors Ads – There is a wealth of free, valuable information out on the web waiting to be used. PPC ads are shown on most, if not all search engines and can give you some insight into how your competition is advertising and what ad text they are using. If you want to go deeper than this you can purchase tools that show you what your competitor’s keywords are, what they are bidding, their ad text, and much more. With this information you will have a good starting point for your PPC ads.

2 Explore Keyword Variations - It is imperative for any successful PPC campaign to search for keywords, look at competitor keywords, and use proper keyword matching. It is important to know what keyword matching is and understand the difference between broad, phrase, and exact keywords. Each has a different effect and using the wrong one can ruin your entire ad campaign. Broad match keywords allow your ad to show up on similar phrases and relevant variations. Phrase match keywords allow your ad to show up on searched that match the exact phrase exclusively. Exact match keywords means that your ad shows up for that exact phrase exclusively. Negative match keywords are used to prevent your ad from showing up on specific keywords.

3 Focus on Low Cost Keywords - Overpriced keywords can cause a leakage in your PPC marketing budget. If you sell a product or service with a low profit margin then you need to do everything in your power to avoid high cost keywords. You cannot afford to pay $1 per click when your profit margin is only $0.75. Some keywords can cost over $5 a click! You do not want to spend this much unless your profit margin is large enough and you know you can compete with the competition. For the rest of us internet advertisers we want to look for highly searched keywords that are not overly priced. This can be done by looking at the competition. Do a search for your keyword in your desired search engine and look at how many paid, or sponsored, listings appear. The fewer, the better off you are.

4 Avoid Hyper-Competitive Keywords – Keywords with a large search volume may be a viable keyword choice, but if the competition is too high it may not be the best choice, unless you have an extraordinary budget set in place. The greater the competition level for keywords, the more you will have to pay per click. There are tons, both free and paid that can show you a keywords competition level, monthly traffic, and cost per click. A reliable, free tool is Google’s keyword tool. It is an effective medium for discovering profitable keywords that have not been tapped into yet.

5 Make your Ads with Consumer Savings – People love to see words like sale, save discount, free, promo, buy 1 get 1 free, etc. when looking at paid search results. The more you use these words, the greater visibility your ad will have in the consumer’s eyes. The bigger the savings, the more likely you are to obtain a click through and ultimately a conversion. Make sure to include good values, low prices, and timely promotions in all your ad groups. This is especially if you have a product or service that is being marketed to highly price sensitive shoppers.

6 Be upfront with your Ads – I cannot stress this enough. This is the biggest mistake advertisers can make when placing participating in pay per click advertising. You do not want to lie, or fluff up your ads, in hopes of making more sales. This actually has the opposite effect, in which people will click through expecting what was outlined in the ad and come to see that it was false and misleading. This may get more clicks in organic rankings, but it will still result in an extraordinarily high bounce rate. They will leave the site in frustration that you mislead to them to your site, and you lost money for the cost of a click. Now image this happening on a daily basis for months at a time. How much wasted money can there be before someone steps in and says, “STOP, you are doing this in the complete wrong way!” You need to be upfront and honest to prevent excessive click from searchers expecting something else.

7 Make your Ad Groups Targeted to the Landing Page – To get the best quality score for your PPC ads you will want to make sure the keywords and the ad text relate to one another. You also want to make sure the landing page, where the searcher is taken when clicking on your link, is highly related to your keywords and ad text. This will get you the best results and ensure searchers do not get taken to the wrong page. Do not bunch all your campaigns together; rather separate them into appropriate categories. Then create pages on your website specifically designed for PPC users to land on. You should not send PPC ads to your home page, but rather have targeted landing pages specifically designed for each PPC campaign. These pages should have a call to action inducting the searcher to perform some sort of action that is beneficial to your business, whether it be a email address, or an actual sale. Your end goal is to have the user do something. This will reduce the bounce back rate and increase the chances of converting leads into sales.

8 Review and Analyze your Ads Performance Overtime – This seems obvious, but so many people do not take the time to sit down and really analyze each campaign to see what is succeeding and what is leaking money. Once this is discovered you will want to fix the problem ads and leave the successful ads be. This seems so obvious, but is not done often enough. I encourage reviewing your pay per click campaign once a day. If this is too much, then at least 2-3 times a week. This is your money and you do not want to see it wasted with no returns.

9 Refine your Ad groups to Focus on High Performers – After you have run your PPC campaigns for a few weeks you can analyze the results and see what the top performers and failures are. To make sure this is an accurate representation make sure to use many different ad variations and have them set to rotate evenly at first. This will give you an idea of what selling points are working and which are draining your funds. Look at cost per conversion and make sure this does not exceed your profit margin. If so stop the ad or make some major modifications to it. If an ad group has a low cost per conversion keep this running and let it rake in the money. Refining your ads should be done on a regular basis to avoid failing campaigns and focus more on successful campaigns.

10 Look at the Bottom line – Conversions are king for PPC, just like content is king for organic rankings. If you are doing all of the above and still are not converting sales then it may be time to take a step back and contact a professional to review your campaign and look for any flaws. If you do not have the budget to do this, then pause your ads and just focus on refining one at a time. This will ensure you do not use your entire budget and can spend more time figuring out why you are not succeeding. Once you figure out why one campaign is failing it is much easier to spot other trouble campaigns.

About the Author:

Brandon Leibowitz is a professional search engine optimization and search engine marketing consultant with over five years of industry knowledge. Read news, tips, tricks, and anything else related to search engines in his SEO and SEM Blog.

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So, you’ve written your ezine article and published it in your ezine – now what? Do you just let it sit there, never to see the light of day again, or do you repurpose it and let it really work for you to grow your list?

I say the latter – repurpose your article and let it build your list!

You know I’m a huge fan of repurposing your material and really leveraging your time, and using your articles in this way is one of the most effective strategies you can implement to build your business and grow your online community, a.k.a. your list.

Today I’d like to share with you 3 easy steps as to how you can take your ONE newsletter article and use it in a variety of different formats to reach more of your ideal clients and customers.

Step 1 – Post it to your blog

After you’ve published your article in your ezine (hint: let your subscribers be the first to read your brand-new articles – one of the perks of signing up to your list!) take your article and post it to your blog. This is a great way to reach a whole new audience to let them know about your ezine, and to reach those people who are subscribed to your RSS feed.

If you also include your Author’s Resource Bio at the end of your blog post you will provide an additional way for your blog readers to sign up to your ezine.

Tip: If you use a blogging platform such as WordPress, this is hosted on your website. Each time you post to your blog you are creating fresh content for your website, which the search engines love!

Step 2 – Link your article to your Social Networking Profile(s)

If you’re active on Facebook and Twitter and other social networking sites, create a link to your newly posted blog article and let your social networks read your article too. Encourage them to also post comments so that you can engage with them on your blog.

If you’re using Facebook, you can set up your profile so that it automatically pulls all blogs posts into your Facebook account each time. This is done via the Notes feature.

And, because you are also driving traffic to your blog via your social networks, this is going to help improve your search engine rankings.

Step 3 – Create a Podcast

Reach those people who prefer to listen rather than to read, and create a podcast episode out of your article. A podcast is simply a digital recording that is made available on the Internet so that people can listen and download the files to their iPod or Mp3 player.

And if you’re using the services of a streaming media company such as BYOAudio creating your podcast becomes a cinch!

The three simple steps that I’ve outlined for you above all work very well on their own to help you repurpose your articles, but if you put them all together into a system then you have the foundations for your online marketing system and these strategies, if implemented regularly, will drive traffic to your website and build your list.

Online Business Manager & Virtual Assistant, Tracey Lawton, supports professional speakers, coaches, and authors to operate an efficient, organized, and profitable business. Learn how to create an efficient and organized office in 7 EASY steps, and receive free how-to articles at http://www.OfficeOrganizationSuccess.com.

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Article Contributed by Lori Olson

Business goals need to be defined. Startup business plans always need to include what the expected destination will be. Image that you are going on vacation and have no idea where you are going as you get in your car. How do you pack for such a trip? You might end up in Florida with a suitcase full of ski clothing. As obvious as this may seem, many online businesses start out pretty clueless about this.

Step 1 - Pick an online business monetization model.

The four ways to make money online are:

- Ecommerce model - this applies to any business that has a product or service to sell online.

- Lead generation model - this is the cost per action (CPA) approach where information is sold to other businesses

- Advertising model - this applies to sites that are rich with content and attract lots of information seekers and repeat visitors. The site makes money through pay per click and affiliate products. It relies heavily on high traffic and repeat visitors.

- Support - this applies to businesses that specialize in solving customer problems

Once your business model has been defined ("your travel destination") you can figure out the steps needed to get you there. In some cases, there will be overlap of models but one will prevail as dominant.

Step 2 - Identify the steps you need to accomplish your goals.

Here are the minimum requirements for online success:

- Keyword research - This is a crucial first step that is most often skipped or done in a shoddy manner. It accounts for the majority of startup business online failure. It is so critical to be done right, yet most startups fail to take the time to fully research it. They make the mistake of brainstorming keywords that "sound" right. If they do any keyword research they usually stop after identifying keywords that are highly searched. They don't continue the investigation by finding out how much competition exists for those keywords. They don't determine whether the people searching on those terms are information seekers (and will never buy anything) or actual buyers. Keyword research needs all three of these components. If one of these is missing, it is extremely likely that the website will not succeed.

- An SEO friendly website - Failure to develop a search engine optimized (SEO) website is another typical and huge mistake that startup businesses make online. Unfortunately, the main focus is on a website’s looks (whether that be "pretty", "trendy", or professional). Many startups make the mistake of using web designers who know little or anything at all about SEO. They are graphic designers who will make a site look terrific but will be a coding nightmare for search engine spiders. They often include excessive amounts of flash (spiders are just starting to be able to make some sense of it) and dynamic scripts (e.g. spiders cannot read JavaScript). The focus should not be on creating the most beautiful website but rather on the most functional one that has high visitor usability.

- Great content - Sites need to provide the content that is highly relevant to the expected audience and that is also of great quality. It must contain the right keyword weight, frequency and proximity. The content needs to be chunked in a way that makes it easy for visitors to find and consumed. It needs to have correct spelling and grammar.

- An obvious call to action that is easy to execute. Anything that is frustrating to your visitor is likely to send them away (even if they are in the midst of your shopping cart).

- Web analytics - Business owners need to follow the Japanese concept of kaizen. This is looking for ways to make continuous improvement. Web analytics is essential for all web businesses. It can tell you about the way visitors enter and exit your site, how long they stay, what pages lead them on and which ones cause them to leave and so forth. Web analytics will tell you where your site needs to make improvement otherwise you will be completely clueless as to why the traffic your site gets does not convert.

- Marketing strategies - This includes developing organic search engine traffic (developing back links etc.), PPC and Social Media strategies.

- Business processing software - Systems that automate your business will cut down costs, prevent follow up failure and make your business manageable. This is important even no matter what size business you have. If you are a solo entrepreneur, it can be the difference between having free time or not.

Step 3 - Evaluation of your resources:

The first thing to realize is that there a lot of technical steps that need to be done. Startup businesses need to determine what in house skill sets exist and what needs to be outsourced. Solo entrepreneurs and small business owners typically have the "must do it yourself" attitude. This can be a formula for online businesses that are unprofessional looking, never get found online, and never get passed the formulation/beginning stage of development. It is not necessary to learn HTML, JavaScript and PHP. It is not necessary to become and SEO or analytics wizard. It is however, essential to know that you need these things. This is why so very many of online businesses fail. They are missing so many crucial elements because of not knowing or by doing things in an incomplete, haphazard and non-professional manner.

Evaluation of resources includes determining what can and should be done by whom. It includes deciding on how to allocate funds so that your business will grow. The reality is that most individuals to not have all the skill sets that are needed to do the required tasks of a successful online business. Getting the help of experts is the most cost effective route. Fortunately, getting expert help for an online business is highly affordable; especially compared to the costs of starting an offline business. Many so-it-yourselfers turn to "magic bullet" solutions. Startup businesses need to evaluate the benefits of the many do it yourself type of products that are available from internet gurus. While many of these products do have value, the cost in terms of time to learn how to effectively use them (and the energy involved) must be considered. How many products will be needed for the do-it-yourself approach? Will the product do what it says? The reality is that the cost of hiring professionals is often the same or less than attending workshops and buying products. After the workshop is over, small business owners still need to attend to execution of the details whereas hiring a professional accomplished this.

There is no doubt that startup businesses who follow this three step blueprint will distinguish themselves from the vast majority of new online businesses that fail.

About the Author
Lori Olson has a passion for helping small businesses develop strong online presences with a team of 250 professionals who analyze & implement SEO, SEM, PPC Campaign Mgmt, Social Media, Copy Writing & Web Development strategies which are customized to fit any needs, wants & budget. Update Small Business also provides leading edge employee & sales assessment & training; & CRM solutions. http://updatesmallbusiness.com or call 877.265.6568.

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Young Entrepreneur by Adam Toren: While getting traffic to your website is important, the most essential goal is turning that traffic into sales. If visitors are not buying your products or service, then it’s time to evaluate your website. There may be some roadblocks on your site that might be preventing visitors from becoming customers. Review these 6 essentials that a website sales page must have to ensure that it is positioned for profitability.

1. Less clicks.

How many times does a visitor need to click through your website to get to the product page? The less navigation tabs, the easier it is to land the sale because there are fewer distractions to take away from the viewer’s focus.

2. Convincing sales page.

Your sales page needs to be persuading in a concise fashion. Create a headline that will attract attention and encourage further reading. The copy that follows should show how your product or service will meet the customer’s needs. Illustrate why a visitor should buy from you rather than the thousands of others online offering similar products or services. Keep the tone causal and conversational. Use words that spark emotions and, where applicable, compare benefits to results. The sales page is where you need to establish trust and credibility with the visitor and show why you are far superior to all the rest.

3. Provide testimonials.

Testimonials from actual customers praising your product and service carry much more credibility than words in your sales copy. These testimonials can be either audio or visual, but it is essential that they are on the sales page and contain the customer’s name, hometown and photo in order for them to carry any persuasive weight.

More sales tips can be found under: Essentials For Turning Sales Page Visitors Into Clients

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Article Contributed by Experienced-People

The dot com bust proved convincingly that business models involving a lot of gloss and very little prospect of consistent and growing profit find themselves on the scrap heap - and rightly so. However, in the years that followed, some internet businesses made it so big they forever changed how people buy products and how they live their lives. From Amazon's colossal grip on the world of books, to Paypal's hugely successful online payment system, to YouTube's massive user base, many Internet businesses have innovated their way to fame and success. However, the big Internet Business Success Story isn't any of those. Some of those leviathans have profit more in their imagination than in their bank.

The Facts and Figures

That the Internet population is growing by the day is not in doubt. From 2000-2008 the number of people online skyrocketed by 342%.1 Not only are more people online but users are spending more time on the 'net, accessing more goods and services there, integrating their offline world with "social networks" and moving their spending online too. In 2008, nearly 900 million people bought something online and that number is growing at the rate of 40%2. The US accounts for less than 16% of global internet users, yet in the US alone people will spend over $160,000,000,000 online in the recession hit 2009.

The bulk of that money is not, as one would imagine, going to a few large companies that straddle internet commerce. For every dollar the Google behemoth makes from the Adsense ads seen on so many websites, a large chunk goes to the owners of those sites. In the first quarter of 2009 Google paid out $410 million every month to these small businesses3. For every £1 eBay makes in commission on goods sold, the "small" eBay retailer pockets up to £10 in profit. The top 1000 eBay sellers generated revenue of £785,000,000 in 2008, with an average turnover of £440,0004.

The Opportunities

Businesses like eBay and Google account for only a small fraction of the business transacted online. The big story is the millions of small businesses - from firms developing applications for Facebook to companies creating and providing electronic delivery goods like software and ebooks, to businesses supplying consultancy services to SMEs, multinationals and governments. There are huge opportunities, there are successful businesses showing amazingly healthy growth, and there's a business in this sector to suit every taste and budget. They include

- small, low cost, work from home, part-time businesses making just a few hundred dollars a month
- information websites that have steady revenue from contextual ad programmes such as Adsense. (It's like income from copyrights and patents - no active management required)
- "drop ship" retailers of everything from candles to yachts but without a warehouse, logistics or customer service
- domain businesses consisting of nothing more than a collection of domains earning steady income from "domain parking"
- franchises without the employees, premises, bureaucracy or tedious hours
and
- traditional businesses selling high street goods and services but conducting the advertising, selling, order processing etc., entirely online giving them a significant competitive advantage over older, more established players

Why Now?

Clinton Lee, author of 101 Ways to Make Money Online, has been involved in online businesses for the best part of the last decade. In his words, "I've moved from buying and developing B&Ms (Bricks and Mortar) to buying Internet businesses partly because they are so much better value. The P/Es are a lot more attractive. It's not uncommon for a quality website to sell for less than a year's EBITDA. There are real bargains to be had. Yet, these businesses are higher growth, more flexible, more scalable and better able to adapt to changing market conditions."

The lack of geographical restriction when choosing a business makes for phenomenal amount of choice. Most can be run from anywhere, even if the owner decides to emigrate. The ownership of online business and their cash flow can be directed outside a home country making them ideal tax planning vehicles. Internet businesses are easier to grow than local businesses, can grow much further, can employ talent anywhere in the world and tap into the larger global market.

So why are do online businesses sell for what would be considered bargain basement prices elsewhere?

Traditional valuation principles still apply. It's still about quantifying future Profit and Risk. The values exist ...but the buyers don't.

There is still a mind-set among buyers that associates Internet businesses with new-fangled, high risk or requiring specialist technical skills to own/manage. Nothing could be further from the truth. While no Internet business can boast the 50 year history that some cafes, hotels or pubs take pride in, many have been generating substantial and growing profits for several years. With staff to do the technical work, long-term contracts in place with blue chip companies, solid business plans and motivated management teams, many of these businesses have everything that excites buyers.

Except the Marketplace

There's another price dampener: the lack of a proper forum for the buying and selling of these businesses. Apart from particularly large businesses, Internet concerns are unlikely to catch the attention of the right audience when listed in a general business-for-sale publication. A typical website owner wishing to sell needs to contact owners of similar sites or post threads on webmaster community boards - hardly the best places to find savvy business investors.

What's very evident in these website-for-sale threads is the average sellers' obvious inexperience with selling businesses. Their pitch is targeted squarely at their audience of webmasters and usually refers to Page Rank, DMOZ listings, site design and backend, how high the PPC is etc.. but rarely a proper analysis of the profits, cash flow or projections. Presenting a proper financial case is a turn-off for that specific audience. The experienced business buyer would ask the right questions to get at the figures.

The new Daltonsbusiness sector devoted to Internet businesses should bring these business opportunities to a wider audience and expose business buyers to a largely untapped sector.

Isn't it time you considered buying an Internet business?

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There are thousands of forums on the web ranging from any subject imaginable. Forums are a collection of people interested in specific subject collaboration with one another. Forums even have top experts in those fields answering questions and offering advice at no cost. Forums allow for user interaction through question and answer boards. These boards have moderators to prevent spammers from ruining the forums goals.

Forums are becoming more popular every day as people want to communicate with one another via the web. Forums are a great place to find an answer to technical questions or get some expert advice. Larger forums receive thousands of visitors a day, bringing together a community of experts in a specific field or industry. Besides helping you find answers, forums can be a valuable tool for site promotion (search engine optimization), increasing traffic (search engine marketing), and proving that you really are an expert in a specific field (building credibility).

The more exposure you and your business receives, the better off your company will be in the long run. As more and more web users see your company they will be inclined to view your website and learn what you have to offer. This can ultimately lead to increased sales for your business and higher search engine rankings. You must remember that every customer has the potential to negatively impact your business with a negative rating or feedback, so be sure to treat each customer with the upmost respect and courtesy so they will recommend you to others.

Search Engine Optimization Benefits

Forums are a great way to get a new site indexed by the major search engines. Since the search engines require a listing fee and have extremely long waiting periods to be indexed in their results, forums make a great alternative. Forums can get a new site indexed in the search engines at no cost and in as little as 3 days. All you need to do is find a high traffic forum that is indexed frequently and place a link of your new site in a post or signature. Signatures are a place at the bottom of every post you make that is reserved for customized note, saying, or link. If you want to utilize the signature for Search Engine Optimization purposes then you want to find forums that do not have the No Follow tag and place a link to your website in the signature. You will get a one-way link to your site, which is very good. To make the link even more valuable, make sure you are posting in a forum related to your website and you have keyword rich anchor text in your signature.

I have compiled a list of some of the top forums that currently do not use the No Follow Tag. Posting in these forums will get you a back link to your website, which is very helpful for search engine optimization.

techsupportforum.com/
v7n.com/forums
webproworld.com/
http://forums.digitalpoint.com/
webhostingtalk.com
forum.mambo-foundation.org
simplemachines.org

Search Engine Marketing Benefits

Forums benefit Search Engine Marketing plans as you can easily market your company and build up positive feedback for yourself. There are hundreds of forums you can post in. You want to look for forums that are relevant to your industry. Do not sign up for comic book forums, when your company is selling medical equipment. Sign up for the comic book forum on your own time with another user name. You want to build up your company’s reputation through forums that are related to your line of business.

When you post frequently in forums you begin to build up a reputation for yourself. Building up a positive relationship with your fellow forums members can establish a positive feedback towards you and your business. As we all know in this Web 2.0 world where users can interact with one another it is imperative to have positive feedback. Even one bad complaint can have irreversible negative ramifications upon your business. To avoid this be respectful to each customer and treat them as you would expect to be treated.

Posting new threads and responding to questions posted by members can build up your reputation and make you an authoritative figure, assisting with your search engine marketing. Make sure your posts are relevant to the thread. Do not spam every thread trying to build up your reputation.

Forums display the number of posts a member made next to the user name and avatar. The more posts shown by you, the more respected you become. Members with certain amounts of posts receive badges given out by the forums. Basically, the more you post in the forum the higher badge, deemed as credibility, you will be awarded.

In essence, forums are a strong marketing place. Not only do forums benefit search engine optimization, but they also help with search engine marketing. Any webmaster should take place in some sort of forum posting, whether it be for building links or obtaining a positive reputation for your company, forums are imperative to a websites success.

About the Author:
Brandon Leibowitz is an expert search engine optimization and marketing consultant. For a complete list of do follow forums visit his website at http://www.SeoOptimizers.com. Read his SEO and SEM Blog at http://blog.seooptimizers.com

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YouTube has become a dominant force in on the web. According to comScore, in March of 2008 over 11.5 billion videos were watched by 139 million Unites States viewers. YouTube has become one of the top viewed websites in quite a short time. Google’s purchase of YouTube shows us how valuable of a tool YouTube is and the potential it has. YouTube videos are starting to show up on Google natural search engine results, surpassing the top spots. A YouTube video properly optimized can outrank sites such as Amazon and EBay. This is an internet marketer’s dream tool and it is so simple to use. This is why you must properly optimize your YouTube videos.

A good starting point for YouTube optimization is to make videos that are short, sweet, and straight to the point. People want instant gratification, not wanting to sit around watching a 30 minute video on how to use a cell phone headset. Videos should be kept to a few minutes to reduce production time, upload time, and download times. Have a script prepared so you do not mutter or stumble upon your words. Film the video in the highest quality format you can. Crisp, clean videos will receive more attention than grainy, hard to see videos. Do not make videos private and always allow for comments. This user interaction can help increase video views and move you up the YouTube video rankings. Using Annotations, text boxes in your video, can help deliver your message or promote your website or company. Make sure not too over use annotations as they can become annoying and distracting from your videos main purpose.

Since the search engine spiders cannot read or comprehend videos you must use the text fields to optimize your videos appropriately. This means doing keyword research and making sure your keywords appear in the title, description, and tags of your video is imperative to a successful YouTube marketing campaign. Maximize on the amount of text you can have in these fields. More text means a better chance of someone finding and clicking into your video. Make sure you use original titles and descriptions otherwise your video will get lost in the millions of videos with similar names. Original content is what YouTube wants to see. The more originality you add the better off you will be. You also want to have a user name with your brand or website name so it is easily remembered.

You have to put everything into perspective to increase views, as the average video only receives one hundred views annually. According to YouTube guidelines there are many factors that influence rankings and can help optimize your videos. These include the video title, the description, tags, incoming links, comments, subscribers, ratings, playlist additions, flagging, embeds, shares, age of video, channel views, subscribers, views, and the number and quality of sites that host or point to your video. You want to interact on YouTube by watching other videos, commenting, subscribing, creating channels, and making friends. Interaction helps with the viral marketing, where one person tells another person about the video. This person tells five others and so on. Doing this will increase your video network and views. All these factor into ranking high for YouTube optimization.

If your video appears on an outside website you want to make sure that it is relevant and appropriate for your video. Each time your video is viewed from an outside source it still counts as a view, so keep posting your videos on blogs and other sites. Basically, you need links from outside pages leading to your YouTube videos. You want the links to have strong anchor text, meaning that the link leading to the video contains keywords related to your video.

To increase your videos views, subscriptions, and favorites you can send out an email blasts, place your video on your website and other websites, engage in the community, build a following, connect with other members, provide valuable content, participate in social networking sites. Basically the Web 2.0 created a heaven place for video sharing. Your ultimate goal should be to reach YouTube’s homepage under Spotlight, Most Viewed, Most Discussed, and Top Favorite Videos.

You can submit your video to the major video sites at once using programs such as Tube Mogul and Traffic Geyser. These software programs submit your video to all the major video sharing sites for you, saving time and energy. Simply enter the tile, description, and tags for your video and it will appear on all the major video sharing sites. They offer analytics and tracking for your videos in one place making it easy to analyze and tweak your videos.

The best analytics would have to be the one given to you for free, YouTube Insight. This will give you all the stats and detailed information you could ever ask for. With Insight you can see how many page views you have, how popular it is, where people found your video, what country people watching your video are from, what sections of your video are most watched and least watched, and so much more. This statistical data should help optimize your current video and plan for future videos. There are many articles written about YouTube Insight and how to take advantage of it. I suggest reading up on these.

There is a program called video tube automators, which is designed to build hundreds of YouTube accounts so you can view, comment, subscribe, and vote on your own videos. This run into the black hat area of marketing and is seen as spam. This is unethical and can get your account permanently banned from YouTube.

Monetizing your YouTube videos is quite easy. You can easily set up your Ad Sense account in accordance with YouTube so you can start receiving money every time an ad is clicked next to your video. The main source of income from YouTube comes from the fact that you can show product reviews and sell features that could not be described in words. Electronic gadgets are a perfect match for YouTube video reviews.

About the Author:
Brandon Leibowitz is an expert search engine optimization and marketing consultant. For a complete list of do follow forums visit his website at http://www.SeoOptimizers.com. Read his SEO and SEM Blog at http://blog.seooptimizers.com

• 4 Comments

  

As the saying goes, you only get one chance to make a first impression. This is especially true when it comes to web design. A recent Nielsen NetRatings survey sets the average webpage view at 60 seconds- meaning that internet users decide in less than a minute whether or not to continue browsing your site! This makes a well designed website is an absolute necessity- you need to reel customers in at first glance and keep them browsing with a site that’s easy to navigate and pleasing to the eye.

How do you make sure your site is what customers are looking for? Can you just buy one of those “Websites for Dummies” books and do it yourself? Probably not, if you want quality results. When it comes to web design, it’s a good idea to hire a professional- someone who can work with you, using their own experiences and skills, to craft the site you want.

Professional web design isn’t out of reach for businesses with stretched resources. Here’s a quick guide to making the most of your web design budget, so that you can get the site you want at a price you can afford.

Set up a basic contract
You don’t need to hire a designer to design a full site all at once. You can split up the design process to accommodate your resources by contracting for site architecture or homepage design only, and then moving forward when you’re able to afford additional services. Breaking the contract into phases also gives you more negotiating power- when services are finished, you can negotiate prices on the next phase of design.

Negotiate
In the initial stages of contract formation, you’re in the best position to negotiate. During your first meeting with a designer, you should discuss your goals (better ecommerce functioning, better graphics, etc.) and how you want the site to look and feel. You’ll also discuss timelines and budget, and might even work on forming an agreement draft. Try to get an idea of the total cost for the site, getting a written quote for services if possible. Consulting with at least a few different web designers will allow you to get an idea of pricing structures, and help you negotiate a better deal.

What to ask for
One of the best ways to save money on a web design contract is to ask for a project cost rather than an hourly billing structure. With hourly billing, the designer bills you for the time it takes to design the site- a factor that’s completely outside of your control. If you end up requesting changes or making modifications to design work, costs can quickly increase. By asking for a total cost, you’ll know exactly how much you’re paying.

While most designers will charge for additional services not specified in the contract, you can ask that potential additional design costs be specified in your initial agreement. That way, if you want to make changes, you’ll know exactly how much they will add to the total cost.

You can also ask to pay in installments as each stage of the project is completed. Smaller company or a freelance designers are generally more flexible when it comes to payment timelines, so you might be able to request extensions or modifications to the payment schedule even after you’ve signed the contract.

What should be in the contract?
The contract should contain a description of services, a timeline for completion, a breakdown of total costs, and a description of ownership rights. It should also address web hosting issues. It’s also helpful to specify the procedures for approval of completed work, or notification when changes need to be made. The contract should not contain an outline of design specifications or web programming elements. Usually, designers retain the copyrights to a site they have created, unless they are “working for hire.” It’s important to make sure that you can make changes to the site if you need to- even if you hire a new design company.

Merrin Muxlow is a writer, yoga instructor, and law student based in San Diego, California. She writes extensively for Resource Nation, a company that provides resources for business owners, and is a frequent contributor to several sites and programs that offer tools for entrepreneurs, including Dell and BizEquity.

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TonyAdam: For companies and individuals alike, there is a major need for reputation management. It’s the reason that conferences have panels specifically on the topic. That reason is that individuals and businesses alike can be affected by negative reputation. This isn’t just an issue of popularity either, it’s an issue of brand perception, an individuals brand perception, or even the ability to be hired/fired from a job.

Having Online Reputation Management concerns can cause revenue losses and/or income.

I really want to state that if you have not dealt with this or have no experience in understanding the Reputation Management space, then please, do not write about why it is not important.
Who are these people?!

Rather than continuing to tell you why ORM is so important, I’ll answer the question you might ask: “who are the people or companies that care about online reputation management?” Lets run through a few of these right here to provide a better understanding of why ORM is important:
CEOs

An organization with a CEO that has negative perceptions in the press or social atmosphere can lead to the organization or the brand of that organization having negative sentiments or perceptions. I’m not just talking about the SERPs here, but, in terms of Social Mentions in blogs, microblogs, and/or news results that surround that individual. Did you know 87% of people believe a CEO’s reputation reflects on the overall company’s reputation?
Political Figures

Think about the number of times have you seen a political figure that gets tons of bad press and has led to the downfall of his/her campaign or election/re-election to office. Social Media is now playing a part in the political climate and because of that we saw now President Obama reach millions of people.

But, to take this to the next level, lets look at an example that deals with President Obama. How many of you can say you know that he is a smoker? (Now, I am not judging him on this, but using it as a point of reference). This was downplayed a ton during the elections again because of the fact that his team did not want to create a negative perception of the candidate during the elections. This becoming an issue could have, hypothetically, led to the loss of many votes, especially from anti-cigarette and anti-smoking groups.
Companies and Brands

Companies and the brands of those companies alike experience the most pain when it comes to reputation management. Something that is a hard fact: Companies and Brands with negative search results tied to brand related queries will see a drop in revenue because a user/customer is likely to switch products/services based on that negative result. Even more interesting is that queries relative to corporate figures will also lead to a dip in revenue/sales. It’s estimated that 58% of searchers will visit a competing website after seeing negative search results.

An example of this is tied to PayPal and my experience working there. PayPal saw 4 of it’s top 10 search results tied to the brand query “paypal” go to flame sites. Working internally, there was an estimated figure in net revenue losses per negative search result. That is where that 58% number above comes in…because of this negative reputation caused by search results, users were switching.
Celebrities

Celebrities make the news all the time for the stupid things that they do. Whether it is someone driving drunk or who’s sleeping with who, it is all things that affect their personal brand. And, in this case, their personal brand is like that of a business, their personal brand is the most important thing to their livelihood.

Because I am all about examples, lets continue down that path and look at the sports figure that we all know I can’t stand: Kobe Bryant. He was accused of raping a girl in a hotel room back in 2003/2004. Luckily for Bryant this was during a time when Social Media was not as prominent, but, unluckily for Bryant it still effected him financially. He lost endorsement deals from companies like Nike because of the negative press and negative reputation.
The Job Market

The economic climate is horrible at the moment. Unemployment is at astonishing highs and it’s tough to find a job right now. Now, to add to that, recruiters and HR teams are getting saavier and understanding Search and Social Media extremely well. What does that mean for you? It means that Online Reputation Management is important to your personal brand. Because, not only are they looking, but 78% of recruiters research a candidate online and 35% actually reject a candidate based on this. Andy Beal even wrote a post on why your Google Reputation can hurt your career.

Creating a personal brand is even more important as researchers and experts in the job market reference this all the time. I can’t tell you how many times I’m watching CNN, (and let me tell you, I caught a lot of it while I only had a few channels the last couple months!), and these experts mention Facebook, Google, search, and your personal brand being EXTREMELY important, not just now during economic uncertainty, but, forever.
Don’t be silly, Online Reputation Management does matter:

Again, this is another situation where we have someone that is creating a post that is possibly baiting for reactions or what not. Or, we have another person in the industry that is writing something without actually researching the topic. But, please please please people, if you have no experience or expertise on a topic, then stay away from writing it, it just makes you look like you haven’t done your research. And, if you look at the stats above, then it’s pretty obvious that ORM does matter.

Online Reputation Management DOES matter [TonyAdam]

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If you’re starting a business right now, marketing can be one of the first efforts to take a hit. After all, why should you market products aggressively to customers who aren’t ready to spend?

Cutting back on marketing efforts right now is actually a pretty risky move- studies show that companies who increased or maintained marketing budgets during lean times are rewarded with more sales as the economy begins to pick back up. According to McGraw-Hill research, companies who increased or did not change marketing budgets during the ’81-’82 recession saw significantly higher sales growth within five years- over twice as much as those companies that chose to cut back.

So how do you design and implement an online interactive marketing strategy on a shoestring budget? What can you save on when contracting for services? Here’s a quick primer on choosing an online marketing company and forming the contract you want- at a price that’s within your budget.

Evaluate your requirements.
Do you already employ online marketing strategies such as email blasts, customer follow-up emails, or search optimization strategies? If you’re already working with an online marketing firm and are unhappy with the services you’re receiving, the price you’re paying, or both, figure out exactly what you need before you switch or begin to negotiate. Do you want to build relationships, increase brand visibility among certain customer groups, or stay in touch with existing clients? Evaluate your needs before choosing- or choosing to stay with- a company: List the services you want and how much you’re willing to pay.

Re-negotiate.
If your current online marketing firm is meeting your needs, you can still negotiate on price. Most of the time, this means contracting for additional services or a longer term- a better deal in the long run if you’re working with a reputable company. You may be able to get discounted services simply by asking, especially if your contract is about to expire. Trying to re-negotiate your existing contract- if you have one- is a step you should take before looking for a new provider.

Use smart bargaining tactics.
If you’ve narrowed down the field of providers to a few worthy contenders, try to negotiate with each to get the best deal for services. Most vendors are a bit more flexible and open to bargaining near the end of the month or the end of a sales quarter. You can ask for more services, an extended agreement, a payment plan, or any other compromise that reduces your out-of-pocket-cost. Up-front payments (retainers) are usually not negotiable- most vendors will require some monetary outlay before beginning work.

Get a written estimate or service quote.
These usually serve as previews for the final contract. It should be specific, but not too specific- it can be a good idea to split projects into phases if you’re using several different strategies. You should have access to all necessary information (graphics, advertising agreements, affiliate information) in the event that you ever decide to use a different company for later efforts. Make sure that you compare several different service quotes to get an idea of the “going rate” for services- this places you in a better position to negotiate.

Make sure you can track efforts.
Make sure you know how results are tracked. Will you be able to monitor key information (web traffic, conversions, etc.) yourself? Make sure you know how results of the marketing strategy will be measured.

Online marketing is one of the most effective methods of sales generation. Make sure you shop around for a company, compare price quotes, and ask for references. A good firm won’t ever “guarantee” a certain search engine result or output, but will be able to accurately track the results of their efforts. Spending on marketing is effectively investing in future sales- make sure you invest wisely.

Merrin Muxlow is a writer, yoga instructor, and law student based in San Diego, California. She writes extensively for Resource Nation, a company that provides resources for business owners, and is a frequent contributor to several sites and programs that offer tools for entrepreneurs, including Dell and BizEquity.

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Over the years I have worked with many solopreneurs helping them to create their online marketing systems and stay in touch with their audience via a regular ezine (or electronic newsletter). Usually they come to me having already started to build their list, and have even subscribed to an email list management service so that they can deliver their ezine on a regular basis.

But what has happened several times is that the email list management service that they’re using isn’t working as well as they hoped it would, and they’re faced with the dilemma of either muddling through with their current provider, or switching over to a different provider and risk losing a large percentage of the list they’ve worked so hard to build up in the process!

It’s a difficult decision, and it’s not always clear what you need to do for the best. I too have found myself in this situation, and ended up moving my list across to another provider who I knew would be better for the long-term growth of my business.

So, what happens when you choose the WRONG list management service?

1. No flexibility.

The service you are using doesn’t offer the flexibility you need in order to grow your business. For example, you could be using a list management service that does a great job at sending out broadcasts (your ezine), but doesn’t offer autoresponders. So that means you’re either left with not having the option of adding autoresponders to your marketing toolkit (which are a solopreneur’s secret weapon!) or paying for an additional service that does offer autoresponders and then choosing to either run two different databases, or move your current list across to the new service.

2. Doesn’t grow with your business.

The service you are using only offers one type of package so as your business grows and you add new income streams, products, programs, and services, the list management service that you’re using doesn’t grow with you and you become stuck!

So, how can you avoid making the wrong decision?

By planning ahead and thinking about where you want your business to go; what products and programs you want to develop; what additional services you want to offer etc. you’ll easily be able to avoid making the wrong decision.

You’ll also need to do your research into the different email list management services that are available and see what they offer. Create a list of what you’re looking for and then make a comparison chart so you can compare each of the different services side-by-side.

So, what should you do instead?

Sit down and really plan out your business! In your planning think at least two years ahead – you don’t have to have your plan set in stone, but you do need to be clear in which direction you’re headed in order to avoid making the wrong decision.

For example:

* Do you currently just produce a newsletter, but in the future you’ll be wanting to host teleclasses? If so, you’ll want a service that allows for multiple custom web forms to be created (for participant signups), and has an autoresponder feature (so that you can automatically send out teleclass details).

* Will you be planning on offering digital products for sale via your website? If so, it would make the process a whole lot smoother if the service you used also had a shopping cart feature that you could upgrade to at a later date. That way you only need to manage one database.

* Will you be adding additional income streams, such as a membership site or other continuity program? In addition to being able to upgrade to a shopping cart, the list management service that you use would also need to be able to accept and process recurring payments.

By being clear ahead of time on exactly which direction you are going in your business and what programs, services, products, and other income streams you want to offer within the next two/three years will save you a lot of headaches further down the road. I can vouch for this both from my own experience, and my client’s too!

Believe me, it causes more headaches than you need if you choose the WRONG list management service!

Online Business Manager & Virtual Assistant, Tracey Lawton, supports professional speakers, coaches, and authors to operate an efficient, organized, and profitable business. Learn how to create an efficient and organized office in 7 EASY steps, and receive free how-to articles at http://www.OfficeOrganizationSuccess.com.

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According to Forbes Magazine, businesses that don’t accept credit cards lose as much as 70% of sales to competitors who do allow this method of payment. With the number of Americans that use credit cards to make purchases increasing every day, you can’t afford to lose this many potential customers or clients. Here’s a quick and easy, real-world tested guide to accepting credit cards:

Merchant Accounts: The Basics

The merchant account is the “middle man” between a credit card account and a business’ bank account. Businesses that only process cards online usually use gateway software that collects credit card information, where retail businesses typically use credit card swipe machines. Whichever method you use, it’s necessary to have a merchant account to collect the information, verify it with the customer’s credit card provider, and make the transfer of funds from their account to yours. Merchant account providers often “bundle” the costs of online processing software into the account service costs.

Billing
Generally, merchant account providers will assess a fee for each transaction, whether a sale or a return (a “chargeback”). These fees are a portion of the transaction amount or a specified dollar amount. Many companies require monthly minimums, and will charge your business the remaining amount if this minimum is not met. Billing occurs automatically, as each “batch” of transactions is processed, typically at the close of each business day. Vendors provide reports detailing transactions, charges, and payments made at specified intervals.

Transaction Types

The fee assessed for each transaction typically depends on the way the sale or return is recorded. Swipe machines or those with signature capture devices carry the lowest risk of fraud, and thus transactions are less expensive to process. Online transaction s or those that are “keyed in” are typically more expensive, depending on the security measures taken to record the transaction. Vendors assess higher fees for “chargeback” or return transactions.

Service Contracts

Most businesses sign a service agreement that covers a specified period of time. Canceling your account before the service term expires generally carries penalties and fees, much like breaking a lease. Your per-transaction and monthly minimum rates are set when you apply for an account and sign the service agreement. The best rates are reserved for those businesses with a stable financial history and high credit card sales volume- many vendors offer “tiered” rate structures, where the per-transaction rate decreases the higher your sales volume rises. Though newer businesses just starting out might not be eligible for the best rates right away, they can negotiate for better terms as the business becomes more profitable.

Equipment and Software

Credit card processing equipment and software costs are often included in the service contract you sign with a provider. If you own or manage a retail store, chances are you’ll only need hardware, such as a swipe terminal or a signature capture device. Businesses that sell products online can puchase “gateway” software that is billed along with the merchant account service bill. Credit card terminals can be purchased, financed, or leased. It’s always a good idea to ask if there are any discounted models, or if a certain model is included with an account agreement.

Choosing an Account Provider: Where to Start

The most popular places to find a merchant services provider are through referral or using a vendor match service. You can consult businesses similar to yours in terms of size and sales volume: Ask who they use as a provider, if they are satisfied with the service they receive, and if they have any particular recommendations. A vendor search service allows you to compare several different companies, ask for quotes, and choose a vendor based on your requirements. Make sure you compare several different merchant account providers before signing a contract for services.

Merrin Muxlow is a writer, yoga instructor, and law student based in San Diego, California. She writes extensively for Resource Nation, a company that provides resources for business owners, and is a frequent contributor to several sites and programs that offer tools for entrepreneurs, including Dell and BizEquity.

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Making the decision to sell a business is an extremely important one but many business owners do not realize just how important it is until it is their business. It is absolutely imperative that you take the time to consider your options before making a decision, regardless of whether you built the business from nothing or bought into it and made it your own. There are plenty of factors to consider but if you decide to sell your business, you should do your research before marketing your business for sale.

There are several tips that could help you when selling your business, and ten of them are outlined below. This information is essential so make sure that you adhere to the following points:

1. Plan Your Exit Strategy – Experts agree that you should always plan ahead when you want to sell the business, and begin to prepare at least three years in advance where possible. This allows you to prepare for the handover, both personally and regarding the business for sale. It will allow you to maximize profit and get your paperwork in order.

2. Prepare The Business – If you want to get a higher price when selling your business, you need to make sure that it is well prepared. Any outstanding issues should be solved, new policies and strategies implemented, and fulfilling training will get you up to 10% more on your business than would otherwise be possible.

3. Disregard Your Own Valuation – You are emotionally involved in your business so any price expectations you place on it would be emotionally affected. As such, you are likely to over inflate the price and no buyer will want to know how much you believe your business is worth. The only valuation that matters is that of a valuation specialist or qualified appraiser.

4. Protect Yourself – Have your attorney draw up a confidentiality agreement with no possible loopholes before you make any disclosures pertaining to the business. This will protect your business no matter what and ensure that you are not stung if any sale falls through.

5. Inform Your Shareholders – Shareholders and other individuals with an interest in the business, such as board members, could actually stop any sale of your business going through. Advising them in advance and taking steps to ensure that their influence is ultimately muted is essential. Failing to do so may leave you with your business in your name along with a huge bill for costs incurred by brokers, accountants, and attorneys.

6. Prepare Your Conditions – Many business owners wait until a bid is made on their businesses before preparing their own terms and this can hold up a potential sale. It may even be the cause for a sale falling through. Preparing your written terms and conditions before you put your business on the market will inform buyers before they place a bid. You will then be able to negotiate.

7. Consider Your Retirement – Selling a business may only be the start of your retirement but it could lead to problems in your personal life. You need to consider what you will do following the sale of your business for your own peace of mind and general health. Do not neglect this point. Although it may not sound important now, it will be following the sale.

8. Do Not Give Priority To Price – You should never look at the sale of your business in immediate financial terms. The bids offered may be distinguished as the highest monetary bid and the lower ones, but accepting the former may mean you lose out. Lower bids may have clauses by which you earn a percentage of profits for so many years or even retain shares, As such, the cash amount should be placed behind the content of the bid terms when you consider them.

9. Full Disclosure – No matter what the weaknesses are for your business, you should always make a full disclosure, including warranties, about the state of your business. Be sure to include “to the best of your knowledge” in your contracts, and qualify all disclosure made so you and your buyer know exactly where you stand.

10. Choose The Deal – Approving a deal structure is of paramount importance when selling your business. You need to ensure that you are completely happy with every aspect of the deal. For example, you may want to retain a certain aspect of technology from your business for your future interests so this should be qualified in the terms. You may also wish to keep certain business interests out of the sale. Whatever your decision, you should always act in your own best interests so only offer the deal that you feel comfortable with.

About the Author:

GlobalBX provides a FREE business for sale exchange connecting business buyers, sellers and lenders. Search over 32,000 businesses for sale and franchise opportunities. Sell a business for free with no listing fees and zero commissions. We have all the top franchises as well as franchise resales. Find franchise reviews and get free franchise information. You can also contact over 300 lenders directly and get a business loan.

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Before you get involved with a franchise and commit to a future within a specific brand or business, there are essential elements of the law that you need to know. That law is determined by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which requires franchisors to present all potential franchisees with a specific document offering disclosures at least ten days before a contract is signed or money changes hands. That agreement is known as the Uniform Franchise Offering Circular (UFOC). It is designed to help potential franchisees decide whether an opportunity is the right investment for them and, as such, contains a total of 23 sections.

The Franchisor and its Predecessors and Affiliates – This is the first section and provides specific information about the franchisor. This includes the location, the products / services available, and the experience of personnel working for the company.

Business Experience – This is the second section and it provides you with employment histories for all of the franchise brokers, board members, executives, officers, and management. This is to demonstrate their experience and provides specific information for the previous five years.

Litigation – This is the third section and provides information about any and all litigation that any of the officers, board members, management and executives, as well as the franchisor itself, have previously been involved in. Your attorney should fully investigate any issues arising here.

Bankruptcy – This is the fourth section and is similar to litigation in that it will detail bankruptcy issues instead of litigation proceedings.

Fees – The fifth section informs you of any upfront fees and charges that are applicable to you, including any initial franchising fee that must be paid.

Ongoing Fees – The sixth section details all costs, fees, and payments that are required to be paid following those in section five. This may be royalties, advertising, maintenance, construction, and even staffing costs.

Initial Investment – The seventh section details how much you will need to plough into the business to get it off the ground. These figures are essential for applying for financing and compiling your business plan. Of course, the figures here are typical rather than actual and more of an investment may be required.

Restrictions on Sources of Products and Services – The eighth section is complex on paper but is easy to understand as it details the goods that you are obligated to purchase or lease from the franchisor or its partners. There are often details like the quantities of goods you have to purchase, so you will have an insight into the running of the business.

Franchisee's Obligations – The ninth section details your own personal obligations relating to the business and may or may not include policies, sale figures, training, and the site itself.

Financing – The tenth section will detail an outline of financial plans and arrangements that are available to you as a franchisee.

Franchisor's Obligations – This eleventh section will take some reading as it is easily the longest area of the UFOC. It is also extremely important because it details the franchisor’s obligations to you. It includes various information and all of it is vital to your interests. Pay particular attention to the part outlining the advertising policy.

Territory – The twelfth section of the UFOC details your legal territorial obligations and rights. It outlines whether you have exclusivity or whether you will or may have to share a location with your competition.

Trademarks – The thirteenth section outlines the trademark rights held and whom they actually belong to. It also includes legal details of how the protection works, and thus how and when you will be able to use it.

Patents, Copyrights and Proprietary Information – Further to the above section, the fourteenth section covers ownership of patents and copyrights, and the conditions under which you may use them.

Obligation to Participate in the Actual Operation of The Franchise Business – This may sound complex, but the fifteenth section basically outlines whether you have to be involved in the business personally and the extent of your involvement.

Restrictions on What The Franchisee May Sell – Section sixteen outlines the products you will sell if you invest in the franchise, and gives ideas of further products that you may be able to sell at a later date.

Renewal, Termination, Transfer and Dispute Resolution – Section seventeen is there to protect the franchisor and franchisee because it tells you how and why you may be terminated as well as determining your rights. Should a conflict occur, it would also inform you of how to proceed with a complaint or issue.

Public Figures – The eighteenth section highlights the celebrities or public personas that will be involved in any marketing campaigns, as well as the way in which he or she will receive compensation.

Earnings Claims – The nineteenth section of the UFOC is an important one because it details typical profits, sales, and information about other franchisees. This is not required so it may not be there, but if it is not then do some research to satisfy your suspicions because you need to know these figures.

List of Outlets – Section twenty of the UFOC details statistics about the system that the franchisor employs, including the number of outlets and the location details of at least 100 of them. There will also be information about closures and contract terminations over the past three years.

Financial Statements – Category twenty-one of the UFOC relates to the franchisor’s financial background and the full statements of accounts for the previous three years. It also includes the current balance sheet. All of the above has to be certified by an accountant to maintain their validity. Your own accountant should examine them for you.

Contracts And Agreements – Section twenty-two is exactly what it says it is, so be sure to consult with your attorney to ensure that they are in your best interests.

Acknowledgment of Receipt by Respective Franchisee – The final section is literally an acknowledgement that you received the Uniform Franchise Offering Circular and is of no other consequence.

Although the Federal Trade Commission requires that all of the above be sent to you in the form of a Uniform Franchising Offering Circular (UFOC), they will not have reviewed or approved the information within the document. As such, it is your responsibility to check its accuracy via your attorney and make sure that the franchise business is really in your best interests.

About the Author:

GlobalBX provides a FREE business for sale exchange connecting business buyers, sellers and lenders. Search over 32,000 businesses for sale and franchise opportunities. Sell a business for free with no listing fees and zero commissions. We have all the top franchises as well as franchise resales. Find franchise reviews and get free franchise information. You can also contact over 300 lenders directly and get a business loan.

  

You have two big decisions to make when deliberating over whether to use a franchise opportunity to set up a business. If you have already determined that a franchise may be the way to go for you then you have to choose the right one, but how can you do that?

First, you have to analyze yourself in depth to ensure that you have the personal skills, wants, and needs. You have to know exactly what you are capable of and the extent of your business aspirations. Brainstorming is a handy tool to use in this situation and it is essential that you do so before investigating current franchise opportunities that are available. Starting with industry analysis is the best route because you can then match your skill set to the industry requirements. As such, you can then narrow down your options to a few select industries before assessing whether those franchise options would work in your local geographic area. Only then can you begin to contact the franchisors and create a business plan.

When contacting franchisors about possible opportunities, always ask them to send you franchise information. If they are to be trusted then this should be available at no cost. When you receive the information, be sure to read it extremely carefully, paying attention to every detail. Do not take anything at face value and research every detail given in depth. After all, this is your future and no stone should be left unturned. You can use trade magazines, Internet profiles, professional journals, and annual reports. You should also contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and local authorities to make sure that there are no issues with the franchisor. You should extensively look into the reputation, financial health, growth, management, and day to day running of the business because it will be passed onto you as a franchisee.

When you have digested all of the above information and you are happy with it, ask for details of existing franchisees. It is essential to speak to them because they can give you an accurate viewpoint of how the franchisor runs the business, what the management is like to deal with, insider secrets, how the business is faring, and so on. Any good franchisor will be more than happy to provide this information whereas others may be reticent. Franchisees provide critical information so again only pursue franchises that are accessible. Only then should you assemble a legal team and accountant to answer any legal and financial questions you may have. They will also be able to find any holes that you have yet to discover, thus protecting your own interests.

About the Author:

GlobalBX provides a FREE business for sale exchange connecting business buyers, sellers and lenders. Search over 32,000 businesses for sale and franchise opportunities. Sell a business for free with no listing fees and zero commissions. We have all the top franchises as well as franchise resales. Find franchise reviews and get free franchise information. You can also contact over 300 lenders directly and get a business loan.

  

Driving traffic to your website is only one side of the coin; once you’ve got visitors there you then need to get them onto your list! Having a sign-up box on your website detailing your ‘free taste’ in exchange for their name/email address is one way that you can do this, but deciding WHERE to place your all-important sign-up box for maximum impact is also just as important.

Depending on whether your page is a sales page, an information page, or some other type of web page will determine the strategy you use for enticing your web site visitors to sign up to your list.

I’d like to share three different, but very effective, sign-up page strategies with you.

1. At The Top Of Every Web Page

Your sign-up box should appear at the top of every single webpage on your website – the top right-hand corner has been researched to be the most effective place to put this.

Why?

Because you never know where someone will enter your website from. As your site grows and more pages get added, it will be getting picked up by the search engines for different terms or key phrases – and they might be phrases that aren’t on your home page, but on one of your other pages instead.

Someone could enter your website and leave via the same page (in other words they don’t stop to look around), and if you haven’t got a sign-up box on that page, you’ve got no chance of getting their name and email address – and they won’t know you offer a ‘free taste’.

2. Using Exit Grabber Software

Another sign-up strategy that I’m currently using is Exit Grabber software. This is a clever piece of software that knows when a visitor is about to leave my website and only pops up just before they leave.

The popup box reminds a visitor not to leave without first grabbing their free report.

3. Adding A PS To A Sales Page

Internet marketers have done their research and the conclusion is that a lot of visitors to your sales page are going to scroll straight down to the bottom of your sales page first to read your PS’s!

So, if the first two strategies aren’t suitable for a particular page on your website or one of your sales pages, be sure to include a PS that tells your visitor what your ‘free taste’ is. And rather than include the sign-up box in the PS, provide a hyperlink that takes them to your sign-up page.

All three sign-up page strategies offer something slightly different, depending on your particular web page, and are very effective for getting your web site visitors to sign up to your list.

So once you’ve got traffic coming to your website ensure that you’re capturing your visitor’s information by implementing at least one of the three different strategies I’ve shared with you today.

Online Business Manager & Virtual Assistant, Tracey Lawton, supports professional speakers, coaches, and authors to operate an efficient, organized, and profitable business. Learn how to create an efficient and organized office in 7 EASY steps, and receive free how-to articles at http://www.OfficeOrganizationSuccess.com.

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Blogtrepreneur: Today I’d like to talk to you about a technique for generating more search engine traffic. This is something I stumbled on in my own blogging and I am shocked at how well it works. Obviously it isn’t fool-proof, but if it is done right, you will see a huge amount of supplemental traffic coming to your blog. For lack of a better term, I’m going to call it “blogging with micro niches.”

Most bloggers have identified at least one niche in their industry and have based their blog on it. For example, simply blogging about “Business” would be difficult to develop and focus in-depth content unless you further defined it as “Online Business” or “Home Based Business” or “Women Owned Business.” Each of these niches provides you with a substantial enough subject that you can write every day—yet it limits your topics and gives your blog clarity. Blog readers are often drawn to niche blogs that speak to them personally, and are more likely to subscribe to these blogs as well as recommend them to other people.

Bringing in Blog Traffic With Micro Niches [Blogtrepreneur]

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Your next newsletter is due out this Friday! You’ve got your newsletter template in front of you; you’re sat at your PC all ready to go, and, horror of horrors… you’ve got blank page syndrome a.k.a. writer’s block. Your mind is a complete blank and you can’t think of a single thing to write about!

Writing articles is one of the main reasons why many solopreneurs put off producing a newsletter – they think they won’t have anything to write about and writing an article is too time consuming anyway!

WRONG!

You would be surprised at how easy it is to come up with writing your own articles, and how much fun it is too!

Let me share with you today my top three tips for overcoming writer’s block:

Tip 1: What is your area of expertise?

A great source for coming up with an article is to think about your area of expertise. Can you write an article on, say, ‘Ten Top Tips for [put in your area of expertise here]’.

Brainstorm some ideas.

Example: I could write an article called Ten Top Tips for Organizing Your Office.

Tip 2: Use article titles for inspiration!

Some great article titles, which will also get you thinking, are:

* [Number] Top Tips For …

* How To …

* The [number] Key Ingredients for …

* [Number] Mistakes to Avoid to …

Where you need to insert a number, odd numbers always seem to work best – try 3, 5 or 7. Top 10 Tips articles are also good too!

Try and come up with three or four article ideas – you will probably find that you can think of a lot more!

Example: I could write an article called The 5 Key Ingredients for Organizing Your Office.

Tip 3: Visit the article submission sites and see what other’s are writing about.

Head on over to any one of the top article submission directories and have a look around at the articles that have already been written on your chosen niche. Let me be clear, I don't advise copying those articles or any parts thereof and passing them off as your own, (I know you wouldn’t do that, but I just have to say it anyway) simply do this as a way of researching possible article topics and inspiring you to write your own original article.

Perhaps you’ve found an article of interest to your niche but you can present the topic from a different perspective – one that’s not already been covered. Or you’ve read an article on your particular niche, but the author hasn’t covered a specific area that you know a lot about. Write an article that covers that area!

Example: There are many articles on office organization and general organizing tips, but my particular niche is in office organization for online solopreneurs, so I can write office organization articles specifically for solopreneurs. It’s a slightly different angle to general office organization.

Online Business Manager & Virtual Assistant, Tracey Lawton, supports professional speakers, coaches, and authors to operate an efficient, organized, and profitable business. Learn how to create an efficient and organized office in 7 EASY steps, and receive free how-to articles at http://www.OfficeOrganizationSuccess.com.

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Search engine optimization can seem like a big black hole to solo entrepreneurs. On the one hand, the cost of most professional SEO services are beyond our budgets; and it’s difficult to assess the effectiveness of these services before you buy. On the other hand, if we try to do it ourselves, the process can be bewildering! There is so much to learn about: new terminology; a myriad of “rules” for optimizing your website (that change constantly as search engine algorithms change); lots of tools for analyzing and measuring all kinds of things that may or may not be helpful. Below are a few tips I’ve learned over the last several years as a solo entrepreneur optimizing my own site; I hope they help you navigate the maze of search engine optimization, and save some money in the process.

1. Beware SEO services that promise to get you top ranking for a particular keyword.

Aside from the fact that they are often quite expensive, what they are promising is often not even effective. It doesn’t help much to rank highly for “blue ceramic frogs” if only a dozen people search for that term in a month! Also, search engine optimization isn’t a one-time activity; it’s an ongoing process. If you’ve paid someone to do the work for you, and three months later there is a change to search engine algorithms or in your website focus, you’ll be faced with paying for this service all over again!

2. Don’t fall for tools, tricks and “secrets” that attempt to game the system.

Known as “black hat SEO”, these tricks are usually only helpful for a short while; they can also get you in trouble (i.e., lower rank) with the search engines. Examples include “keyword stuffing” (filling your page with keywords to the point that it no longer makes sense), tools that help you build links by blindly pushing content onto other people’s blogs, and automatic link exchange tools.

3. Be careful with accepting paid advertisements on your website.

I learned this one the hard way earlier this year, when I agreed to put 4 links at the bottom of every page on my site. The links turned out to have nothing to do with my website content; Google penalized me heavily for that mistake! That’s not to say that you can’t accept any paid advertising; just get advice from a professional before you do so.

4. Learn your keywords.

Keywords and keyword phrases are the foundation of any SEO strategy. There are many keyword tools available to help you discover and evaluate potential keywords; try a few tools and pick the ones that make the most sense to you. Then use those tools to compare different keyword phrases. Check your website stats (if you don’t have Google Analytics yet now is the time!) to see what keywords are already bringing you traffic, and compare how well different keywords convert (i.e., the visitor buys something, or signs up for your newsletter.) Look at sites similar to yours to see what keywords they are using, too.

5. Write for your audience, not the search engines.

Start with your keyword phrases, but don’t let them overly influence how you write your copy. It’s more important to provide content that is relevant to your desired visitors and easy for them to read. Get feedback and revise and improve; this is a never ending process! Hire a professional copywriter to help you. Even if you never learn anything else about SEO, if you keep tweaking your copy to be better and better for readers, you’ll do well – because ultimately, search engines want to serve up pages that their visitors will find helpful!

6. Keep your content fresh.

Search engines love new content; it’s also what will keep visitors coming back to your site! A blog is an easy and efficient way to do this. If you add new posts often, the search engine spiders will visit more often, too – meaning that your latest post will get attention sooner, too!

7. Get professional help.

Luckily, there are ways to do this that aren’t expensive; some are even free! I recommend the biweekly High Rankings Advisor newsletter, which explains SEO in a laymen-friendly way, all white-hat and practical. And definitely check out George Ajazi’s free search engine optimization consulting for small businesses! A SEO veteran with lots of big-business experience, George knows his stuff, and is willing to help the small business owner. The only thing he asks is for a link back to his site. I’ve worked with George, and highly recommend him.

Terri Zwierzynski is a self-employed business strategist and marketing consultant to solo entrepreneurs, and a grassroots promoter of the solo entrepreneur lifestyle. She runs Solo-E.com, the resource website for the self-employed which attracts thousands of solo home business owners monthly from over 100 countries on six continents (and was recently named a finalist for “Website of the Year” in the 4th Annual Stevie® Awards for Women in Business). Terri is also the co-author of 136 Ways To Market Your Small or Solo Business.

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Article Contributed by Stephanie Fish

Perhaps you've got a small business and it's been thriving with your own marketing and research efforts. But if you want to boost your business marketing, consider the services of a virtual assistant.

Virtual assistants who've been trained and experienced in marketing research and business marketing -- particularly through the Internet -- can be invaluable to growing your business. It would take time for you to learn and do everything yourself, time that you could put to better use by focusing on the aspects of your business that you enjoy and are an expert at.

For example, not everyone is adept at using Web 2.0 for business marketing. Besides, it can eat up a lot of your time every day. Wouldn't you rather use that time to develop your business in other ways or even relax and enjoy your family?

Here are a few marketing and research tasks that a virtual assistant can perform for you:

* promote your business in social networking sites, a very time-consuming task
* produce a podcast which will expand your business' web presence
* look at competitors' websites and report on what they're doing - so you can analyze what your competitors' approaches and come up with strategies to outdo them
* find information you need to grow your business, such as identify affiliate programs that are relevant to your business and could increase your market reach
* look for websites or blogs relevant to your business where it might be profitable for you to advertise your products or services

Could you do all this yourself and still live the life you want? Probably not. Yet these things could take your business to the next level and ultimately increase your income. You should certainly be familiar with these processes in order to effectively hire and supervise somebody to do them for you. However, you don't have to do them yourself.

Let a virtual assistant declutter your mind of the minute but essential details of business marketing and research. Then you can focus on work that have greater impact on your business, such as monitoring and evaluating your marketing efforts and those of your competitors, formulating strategies, and mapping out growth directions.

About the Author
Stephanie Fish is the owner of Buckeye V.A, she works from her home office in Ohio. After completing her Associate of Applied Business Degree from KSU,she launched her own virtual assistance business. To learn how Buckeye V.A. can help your business please visit http://www.buckeyeva.com

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Article Contributed By Adam Hommey

As an internet marketer and a webmaster for internet marketers, I get frustrated when I visit a website and end up flipping through pages of content that doesn't lead to anything. Most people's website content doesn't tell me what the next steps are. And, they don't tell me what actions I should take. So how can they expect to convert their website traffic into more customers and sales?

Every page on your website - regardless of its purpose or content - needs to guide your visitor to the next step.

Obviously, your sales page leads visitors to click to the secure shopping cart order form so they can buy from you.

Your special report download page guides visitors to enter their name and e-mail address and hit "Submit" so they can be added to your mailing list.

But what about your "About Us" page (which contains your bio), your "Media" page (which lists all the major outlets in which you've been featured), and your "Contact Us" page?

Here Are 3 Easy "Calls to Action" to Convert More Website Traffic into Sales on the About Us, Media and Contact Us Pages

1. On the "About Us" page, after your bio, add a powerful client testimonial praising your expertise and your measurable and specific impact on the client's bottom line. Then add the line "Ready for these kinds of results in your organization? Click here to get started now!" (This links to the contact page).

This call to action, in fact, can be used for any page that does not have an obvious "next step." Just make sure the testimonial ties in to the page content. If the page is a list of your keynote speaking topics, have the testimonial be about how your keynote set an awesome tone for the entire conference, not about how helpful your sales department is to your customers.

2. Your "Media" page should not just be a collage of logos. It should contain short videos of your TV appearances, audio clips of your radio interviews or featured-expert interviews on teleseminars. It should also include links to the articles where you were quoted or links to your articles that got published on the top websites. Let the world see what a sought-after, in-demand expert you really are.

With that being said, a simple, but effective call to action would be, "Sarah B. Marketer looks forward to being the featured expert on your next program. To schedule her appearance right now click here." (This links to the Contact page.)

3. The Contact page, by definition, is a call to action. It needs to take your visitor by the hand and lead them through the next step.

It should not just be a page that displays your mailing address, phone number, and main corporate e-mail. Rather, it should lead with a paragraph that congratulates the reader for their decision to take action. Then, it should explain the process for getting in touch with you. It should also describe what someone should expect once they contact you.

Next, guide them through a simple web form that asks specific questions. This way you can do your homework and present prospects with a specific response and action plan. Make sure to keep this form as brief as possible, and only ask questions that directly inform how you and your visitor would do business together in the near future.

Having a web form, rather than just a link to your e-mail address, guides your visitor to take a specific action. This raises their level of commitment to you and increases your chances that they will buy from you.

Bottom line: Make sure that every page on your website provides a roadmap for your visitor with a specific call to action. This is the only way your prospects will reach the destination that you prepared for them. And, it's the only way you will increase your website sales conversions.

About the Author
The Website Surgeon, Adam Hommey, increases website sales conversions for entrepreneurs, small business owners and Internet marketers just like you who want to make more sales now. To see where you're actually losing money on your website, get a live website review at http://www.livewebsitereviews.com

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Article Contributed by Robert Skrob

Business owners across any and every industry are constantly on the lookout for effective (and cheap) ways to market their products and services online. Looking beyond the inundated world of advertising many have found the email newsletters or ezines to be one of the best, inexpensive online sales tools.

Alexandria Brown, known as the Ezine Queen and Author of Boost Business with Your Own Ezine, is one of them. As one of the leading authorities on email publishing, she is a proud advocate of using the ezine to drive sales.

According to Alexandria, offering a free ezine is important because most people are surfing the net for information, not with the intent to buy something. She calls ezines the "bait". If you can establish yourself as a credible source for information and build a large list of people who are interested in your information, you will create "built-in" buyers. Now, anytime you introduce new products and services you will market to an already-existing customer base.

Here Are The Ezine Queen's 7 Reasons to Grow Your Business with Ezines Now

1. Ezines Make It Possible to Grow a Mailing List Full of Sales Leads.

By offering a free ezine, you make it possible to collect contact information from tons of current and prospective customers, allowing you to market to them all at once. In every issue of your ezine, you can share information about your products to a targeted audience you already know is interested in your service.

2. Ezines Provide an Effective Means for Promoting Your Products.

Ezines give you the opportunity to demonstrate how great your product is by sharing free examples of what you have to offer.

3. Ezines Help You Position You as an Expert in Your Niche.

Your subscribers will come to see you as an expert simply because you offer good information. Experts sell more and can charge more.

4. Ezines Help You Keep in Touch with Customers.

Ezines help you stay on the radar screen of every past, present and future customer. It's your job to remind your customers that you are still in business. So keep yourself in front of your prospects so they think about you first when they are ready to buy.

5. Ezines Spread the Word About Your Business Effortlessly.

When you share quality information with your subscribers, they will forward that information to their friends, family and colleagues with just a click of the mouse.

6. Ezines Are an Ideal Way to Get Contact Information from Your Website Visitors

Most people visiting your website will not buy during the first visit. That means you should do anything you can to contact these prospects again. It takes several times for potential customers to see your message before they will take a chance and buy. An ezine gives customers a reason to stick around, and you the opportunity to continue marketing to them.

7. Ezines are Cheap and Easy to Publish

Ezines are easy to design and there are no printing or postage costs. Best of all, you can get your messages out much more quickly than traditional mailings.

About the Author:
Robert Skrob, President of the Information Marketing Association teaches new entrepreneurs and small business owners how to build 6 and 7 figure income information marketing businesses simply by modeling top experts like Bob Regnarus. Now you can get his FREE Video revealing how 5 info-marketers easily created and marketed fast-selling products & how you can too. Get free access now at http://www.infomarketingstartup.com

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Article Contributed by Robert Skrob

The sheer number of e-commerce websites that exist today is enough to overwhelm any consumer and make the Internet marketing challenge for business owners seem insurmountable. Bob Regnarus, also known as "The Leads King," has made a successful business out of helping business owners drive more traffic to their websites and inspire visitors to buy once they get there.

Bob was selected to offer his web marketing expertise in "Start Your Own Information Marketing Business," a new book from the Information Marketing Association. This new book is an essential how-to guide for anyone interested in starting an information marketing business, and features insight from 12 of the biggest names in the industry. In it, Bob shares his secrets for maximizing online sales through search engine optimization and more.

Here is the Leads King's 3 Basic Phases to Getting More Website Traffic and Sales Now

1. Understand What You Really Need from Your Website

Determining what your website can and cannot do is the first phase. Setting the right expectations for a site can help businesses invest their time and effort into marketing to target customers. The point is to avoid wasting time on people who will never become customers.

Remember your website should be a lead generation tool. So, you want to focus on targeted leads that are a perfect match for the products and services you provide. Make sure you build an opt-in option on your website's landing page. This is where you make an offer in order to collect contact information from visitors. You might offer free, valuable information such as access to a newsletter or a complimentary lesson or session. This is important to your strategy for making building your list and starting a customer relationship that leads to more sales.

2. Build an Attractive Site With Your Objective in Mind

The second phase of a web traffic campaign is to build or alter a website so it fits the new strategy for generating sales leads and attracting target customers. An attractive website is easy to understand, and is interesting and engaging. It does not mean you should spend money on expensive graphic design or Flash animation – in fact Bob strongly advises you not to waste your money on elements that will not directly help you increase your website sales conversions. Instead, focus on communicating to visitors what your business offers and why they should be interested.

3. Drive Additional Traffic Through Advertising, SEO and Promotion

The third phase of the campaign is to make it easy for potential customers to find your website through search-engine optimization (SEO), article marketing, pay-per-click advertising and other advanced promotional tools.

Investing in online advertising is crucial to promoting your website, but there are also many low-cost strategies. Effective SEO tactics include creating external links, regular website updates and keyword saturation. Other little known channels for driving website traffic include promoting sites through blogs, articles and press releases. According to Bob you don't have to be a technological wizard or a marketing genius to improve your search engine ranking and generate traffic to your website.

Follow Bob's step-by-step directions and you will get more website traffic and sales. To learn more about SEO opportunities and discover how to create effective advertising campaigns with search engines look for more advice from Bob in Start Your Own Information Marketing Business. This information marketing how-to guide is available in bookstores now.

About the Author:
Robert Skrob, President of the Information Marketing Association teaches new entrepreneurs and small business owners how to build 6 and 7 figure income information marketing businesses simply by modeling top experts like Bob Regnarus. Now you can get his FREE Video revealing how 5 info-marketers easily created and marketed fast-selling products & how you can too. Get free access now at http://www.infomarketingstartup.com

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Article Contributed by Adam Hommey

According to a recent Stompernet study, the industry average for shopping cart abandonment is 59.6%.

Shopping cart abandonment" means that someone goes to a website, reads the sales letter, and clicks on the buy link to go to the secure order form, but they don't finish filling out the form. So, this means that for every 10 people who click on a "buy" or "order" link to go to a shopping cart, only four (4) actually complete the transaction.

And that's in an OPTIMAL environment, assuming the overall site traffic is high-quality and targeted, and the order process is crystal clear and caveman-easy.

Pretty sobering, eh?

Where do they all go?

We usually have our clients start by checking on their shipping rates. The Stompernet study also reveals that one of the top causes for shopping cart abandonment is that shipping is too high, or numerous options make it too confusing.

There are some fast adjustments you can make WITHOUT having to get into programming or custom software if you use a solution like MyEasyOnlineStore.com or Infusionsoft.com,

3 Easy Ways to Stop Shopping Cart Abandonment Resulting From High Shipping Prices:

1) Avoid real-time shipping tables that offer too many shipping choices

Here's something we actually encountered.

To buy a $14.95 CD, the "real time shipping" on a shopping cart gave them prices anywhere from $6.82 to $68.44 for various air, ground, and rush options for shipping. Of course customers would leave.

It's just too much to think about. And seeing the option to pay $70 to get a $15 CD the next day really jumped out at the customer. They left, saying "shipping's too expensive." Even many customers who bought said "wow, that's a lot to pay to have it shipped."

2) Have only one or two shipping options

Replace that long shipping table with statements like:

"It's $2.50 shipping, and you should get it in the mail in 2-3 business days."

"Price includes all shipping and handling. Orders are typically shipped the same day we receive them."

See the difference?

We recently had a client end their real-time shipping calculations, end rush-shipping options, and simply offer two rates (one domestic and one international.)

Their shopping cart abandonment rates dropped and their conversion rates went up a consistent 5% with just that one change. And, the fulfillment house said that the client is having far few instances of collecting "too little" shipping than they did when it was real-time.

3) Don't do rush shipping – offer instant downloads

If there's any reason why a customer would "need it right now," instead of rush shipping, how about adding an instant download option?

This way, not only can your prospects have it RIGHT NOW (instead of "tomorrow") but then you're also spared the headache of making sure "rush" orders, indeed were "rushed."

Bottom line:

When it comes to shipping, get to the bottom line and make it easy. When interested customers have to stop and think about shipping, they hesitate. It gets right in the way of the sales momentum.

Give prospects too much to think about and they'll think about buying somewhere else. This means you lost customers for life!

So, keep it simple – and you will reduce shopping cart abandonment fast.

Now of course, there are many other factors that will affect your website sales conversion and shopping cart abandonment rates. And, that's why I, now invite you to get a website review "live" on screen capture video that will reveal right in front of your eyes easy, understandable and proven shortcut secrets to plug your specific profit draining leaks. Just for going to http://www.livewebsitereviews.com we'll give you our new, free e-Book: "Top 10 Deadly Mistakes That Will Cost You Traffic & Sales."

Here's to decreased shopping cart abandonment rates and increased website sales conversion rates!

About the Author
The Website Surgeon Adam Hommey increases website sales conversions for entrepreneurs, small business owners and Internet marketers who want to stop shopping cart abandonment and make more money now. Now, just for checking out his new "Live" website review service that reveals right in front of your eyes why you're losing money, Adam will give you his new eBook, "Top 10 Deadly Website Mistakes That Will Cost You Traffic & Sales." Get this FREE eBook now at: http://www.livewebsitereviews.com

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According to the Harvard Business Review, 91% of small businesses do absolutely nothing to retain their existing clients. That means only 9% of small business owners 'get' these facts:

- The average American business loses 50% of its customer base every 5 years.
- An existing customer spends an average of 67% more than new customers.
- It costs 7 to 9 times more to acquire a new customer than it does to retain an old one.

Mailing a monthly newsletter can eliminate all of these problems -- if you do it correctly.

A successful newsletter doesn't just 'happen'. It's composed of very specific elements. Without them, you might as well be sending your clients a comic book.

7 Elements Your Newsletter Must Have If You Want to Retain More Clients

1. Content that IS NOT all about you. Many businesses feel compelled to tell everyone how wonderful they are. Forget it. People don't like braggers. Instead, feature content that is interesting and useful. When you've engaged your reader with articles they actually want to read, you'll have earned their trust and respect. This will lead to more sales.

2. Exciting, new and original content. Your readers should look forward to your newsletters each month. If your articles are boring, people will stop reading -- and you won't get any of the benefits that sending a regular newsletter can bring.

3. Sense of professionalism. Your newsletter is an extension of your businesses. You pride yourself on providing personal, professional service or selling quality products. Your newsletters must match your reputation. Make sure there are no spelling mistakes. Write appealing articles. Have an attractive layout design. Print your newsletter on high-quality paper. If it looks like it was published by your 7th grader, you've wasted your time and money.

4. Personal touch. Continue the initial connection you made with your client by revealing a little about yourself in your newsletter. A personal touch will get your newsletter remembered and enhance your image as an expert. Some people choose to reveal something about their personal lives (maybe they play golf or went on a vacation) or share tidbits about their families.

5. Offers and calls to action. You should give people a reason to act NOW. If they wait, they'll probably do nothing. So make a special offer available only for your clients. And place a deadline on it, for example, for one month only. Changing your offer each month will also help you track the effectiveness of your newsletter -- you'll easily see who buys and who buys consistently.

6. Consistency. Many businesses try to save money and send their newsletters quarterly or even semiannually. Don't bother, if that's you. You're wasting your time and money. Sending your newsletter out every month just like your clients favorite magazines will help make your newsletter part of your client's daily lives.

7. Print it. Yeah, yeah, yeah… printed newsletters are more expensive. But think about this: How many companies are willing to do this? Your clients aren't stupid. They understand the value of receiving a great newsletter every month. Plus, printed newsletters are more effective than email newsletters because:

- They don't get caught in spam filters
- Everyone is sick of being bombarded by content online.
- Printed newsletters have a physical presence in someone's home. This means they are likely to be kept, acted upon in the future and will probably get passed on to others because they are viewed as literature.

So put an end to your dwindling client base. Save tons of dollars by marketing to proven buyers. Capture and keep customers that would love to spend their money with you forever.

Just send your clients a proven marketing tool: A well-written monthly client newsletter.

About the Author
David Gruttadaurio was sick and tired of wasting money on marketing that didn't work. So he searched for a profit-producing, client-retention & referral-generating tool until he found newsletter marketing! Now go to http://www.NewslettersMadeForYou.com & get his FREE "Profit Exploding Newsletter Secrets Report" that reveals how to retain more clients and reclaim tons of money now simply with newsletters.

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Article Contributed by Mark Walsh

Are you confused about when you should upgrade your E-commerce site? How do you decide when is the right time to tweak things. Obviously you do not wish to spend money during the present liquidity crisis and recession.

You probably still remember the pain and efforts that went into building your site and making it live. You do not wish to revisit the same trouble again. Right? Wrong. This obvious reluctance to make do with the existing site without any changes, upgrades or tweaks can have disastrous results.

With rapid technological innovations taking place, online browsers expect and demand instantaneous online services. You need to show your customer that you care for their comfort and you are aware of their wants and desires.

Following are the 8 signs that can help you decide that it’s time to make changes on your site:

1) Website is not compatible on major browser platforms:

An e-commerce website is a virtual shop for your business. Imagine if it looks disfigured on different browsers (IE, Fox, Netscape, etc). Issues with different browser might not surface immediately, but when the browser’s upgrade their own software, the results can affect your website negatively. Problems could be as minor as graphic design defects to major issues like functional problems, shopping cart problems, problems with online payment etc. If these problems are not found and attended immediately, you will lose potential customers who might be using such browsers to surf for their online shopping expeditions.

Never forget to ask your website designer to check your website on various platforms and personally test this periodically to ensure the coding is compatible on all browser interface for best display of your website. If your website looks distorted or functionalities are not working completely, you need to rectify the same.

2) Changed or Diversification of Business Model:

‘A rolling stone gathers no moss’. Similarly a business that is flexible and changes with time survives, while the stagnant businesses go down the hill.

Innovation, research and development are part and parcel of today’s business world, ensuring products/services stay in line with the current demands. Your site might require minor changes with regards to graphics and additional features or major ones like offering completely new products line or services, or when you diversify and enter altogether different industry vertical.

Never forget to update the information and content in your website according to the changes occurring in your business model. Try and be as accurate, lucid and factual about the data displayed on your site as possible, as your site is the source of information for all your clients, industry experts and even competitors. You cannot afford to goof up here.

3) Site has become dull and old:

With the arrival of web 2.0 online browsing experiences are undergoing many changes. Online visitors are bombarded with creative gimmicks, flash and images to attract attention and motivate them to take the desired marketing action planned for them.

If your website looks like it has come straight from the 90s with a dull layout, slow loading graphics, table like frame with each panel taking its own sweet time to load, your visitor will say sayonara before your first product is displayed. They will go off to your competitors site which is faster, convenient and more user friendly.

Never forget to keep your customer as the focus of your website activities. Ensure you take help of technology to make online visitor’s experience on your site as happy, error free and convenient as possible.

4) Your website bugs your customers:

Yes, website can annoy online visitors. A recent online survey displays the following pet peeves of online visitors:

>>93% of consumer said POP-UP ADS extremely annoyed them

>>89% were annoyed by REQUESTS TO INSTALL EXTRA SOFTWARE

>>83% noted LOG-IN / REGISTRATION PROMPTS (to access content).

The result was: 75% of customers said they'd never return, 74% of customers said they would unsubscribe from the company's messages, 71% said they viewed the company in a negative way and 55% said they bad mouthed the firm to friends or associates. (That’s dangerous!)

Other extreme irritations include:

-Dead links (86%)

-Confusing navigation (84%)

-Slow-loading pages (83%)

-Ineffective site-search tools (80%)

-Moving text (59%)

-Poor color, fonts and format (55%)

Never forget the simple rule ‘Keep your site simple and user friendly’ . Don’t go overboard with too many features, confusing navigations and too many irrelevant choices

confusing your visitor from finally placing that order. Make it as simple as possible for them to order online.

5) Textual Content on your site is boring:

Sit down and read the content of your website out loud? Does it sound right? Do you come across as sincere? Do you make sense to you? How about the language? If your content sounds insincere, misleading, confusing, you definitely need to hire a professional content writer to take care of this problem.

Never forget content is very important to make your site meaningful and interesting. Interesting copywriting helps to grab attention and convince visitors to turn into customers. Also proper content is required for search engine optimization to ensure your site is picked up by the major search engine and right kind of traffic is drawn to your site.

6) Your site embarrasses you or your employees:

If you find yourself feeling apologetic when referring your ecommerce site or handing out your business card, then it’s obviously time to change your site. Your website should be a source of pride for you and your employees. If you find yourself apologizing for outdated information, broken images, poor design, difficult navigation or anything else on your site, redesign the site without delay. Your website is an easy access to information for your customers and affiliates so make it good for them.

Never forget, your website represents your business. You cannot afford to get shoddy and compromise on quality of your ecommerce site.

7) Current Navigation has turned confusing:

Websites grow with changes in your business model, and this might increase the visual hierarchy of links. Your site may have started with only a few web pages and now you realize you have so many links that it's hard for visitors to navigate through all your content. An overgrown or scattered link structure is a good reason to redesign your existing site. Below are some solutions to interface design:

· Drop Down Menus

· Collapsible Navigation

· Dynamic Flash Menus

· Good Hierarchy Layout

· Site Map

Make it possible for your clients to seek information within maximum 3 clicks. Do not confuse them with too many complicated navigations. Use web statistics tools to find out your popular pages and analyze why they are so popular. Try and duplicate the benefits and good points of those pages on your entire website.

8) Lack of proper customer service:

There are still many trepidations bothering the online shopper and it can get tricky for an ecommerce site to overcome all those prejudices and barriers. As an website owner think of the problems, fears and complications faced during shopping online. One of the major issue is the inability to touch, feel, see the product before buying. Online browsers have to pay in advance and that too basis the description and photograph shown on your site. Your site lacks the human interaction factor that is available when going physically to shop.

One of the major way to tackle this problem is to have strong support and customer care service in place. If possible have ‘live help’ available on your site to guide your visitors. If not, see that toll free numbers are prominently displayed on all the web pages and there is a friendly and helpful customer care rep to guide and solve your visitors problems. Ensure your FAQ section address all the major and minor problems associated with ecommerce sites and helps alleviate the fears of your visitors. No problem or doubt is too small or stupid to prevent you from attending them ASAP.

The above indicators will give you an idea on when your site requires tweaks, upgrades or complete redesign to turn into a source of profit center and pride for your business.

About The Author:
Mark Walsh is the marketing manager at Analytix Solutions (http://www.analytixsolutions.com/it/index.asp). Analytix team consists of IT experts and Internet Marketing professionals who help small business owners take their business online through website designing, ecommerce site designing and search engine optimization services.

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I often read debates on forums about whether you should have just a blog or just an ezine, with questions like,

“I currently publish an ezine and a blog, but I’m thinking of dropping the ezine and going with just the blog.”

My answer... you need both!

And here’s why:

Creating a blog post is much easier to do than going down the whole ezine publication route; however, as you do not know who is reading your blog you cannot begin to build a relationship with the reader in the same way you can when publishing an ezine. Therefore you are missing out on building the like, know, and trust factor that is so important for a solo service business owner.

That said, a blog is also an essential online communication tool simply because there are some people who do not wish to subscribe to a regular newsletter, but will subscribe to a blog’s RSS Feed.

RSS Feed? Put simply, anyone can come along to your blog, and subscribe to your RSS feed thereby receiving any blog posts that you submit as soon as you submit them. By not publishing a blog you are missing out on this whole other target market reach.

My preferred tool for blogging is WordPress and I’ve been using this for the past three years. The main reason I use it is because it’s hosted on my website so each time I post to my blog, I’m creating fresh content for my website, which the search engines love, and all of this goes towards improving my search engine rankings.

A blog allows you to interact with your target market as readers can leave comments. However, as it’s not directly delivered to your target market’s inbox, it can be much harder to develop a relationship.

So let’s just take a look at some of the pros/cons of a blog vs. a newsletter:

Pros

* You can really show off your expertise by posting on a regular basis.

* Blog posts don’t need to be very long – approx. 200-350 words.

* If you have some important information to share, you can instantly create a post – no waiting for your next newsletter to make your announcement!

* If you use a blogging platform such as WordPress, this is hosted on your website. Each time you post to your blog you are creating fresh content for your website, which the search engines love!

Cons

* You need to post regularly - at least once a week – in order for this to be an effective marketing strategy.

* You need to feel confident that you will be able to write fresh content regularly.

* It can be difficult to build a direct relationship with your reader.

When And How Often To Post

Now, this can be a dilemma. It’s important that you post to your blog regularly in order to provide fresh content to the search engines; some experts say you should be posting at least two to three times a week!

Now that’s a big commitment if you’re not really a writer, so here’s what I advise to get your blog going…

Each time you publish your newsletter and write a fresh article for it, post that article on your blog.

And then try and make other posts throughout the month so you’re keeping your blog content continually updated. Posting to a blog is not as rigid as publishing an ezine so it can be difficult to create an editorial calendar or some other system. You want your blog posts to be spontaneous wherever possible. You also want to have in place a sign-up box to your ezine on your blog either in the sidebar or at the bottom of every post.

Some possible topics for your blog posts:

* Links to other blog posts of interest to your target audience

* Any new products or services that you’ve launched

* Any places where you’ll be speaking

* Events that are taking place within your industry

* An opinion that you have about something that is happening within your industry

* Links to resources that you’ve found to be invaluable

Conclusion: A blog + an ezine = more targeted traffic to your website, more subscribers to your list, and positions you as an expert within your niche!

Online Business Manager & Virtual Assistant, Tracey Lawton, supports professional speakers, coaches, and authors to operate an efficient, organized, and profitable business. Learn how to create an efficient and organized office in 7 EASY steps, and receive free how-to articles at http://www.OfficeOrganizationSuccess.com.

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In this brand-new article I'm going to share with you three, often over-looked, but very easy, list building strategies that I use and have helped me grow my subscriber list by a whopping 374% this year.

My clients and regulars to my ezine have heard me say many times that the gold in your business starts with the list. Having a list of interested potential clients, who want to know more about you and your services, will provide you with a long-term, successful, business.

And guess what?

When you have a list in place of potential clients who are interested in you, your services and your products they come to you! You don't have to go out and find clients - they're right there!

And to achieve this you need to create a List Building System, so that you can continually add people to your list, and have a ready pool of clients who want to buy your products and services.

There are many different strategies that go towards creating your successful list building system, and today I'd like to share with you three free, and often overlooked, list building strategies. And they're all easy to implement too!

1. Leverage the power of Amazon. I bet you didn't realize you could use Amazon as a list building strategy! It's very easy to do. If you have an account there, simply click on Your Profile along the top, and update your profile. Include as much information as you can about you and your business, and include a link back to your website. Then set about:

* Writing book reviews. If you have favorite books that you've read and have found invaluable to you in your business, write a review about them. You don't need to have purchased your book from Amazon to write the review either. Simply find the listing for that book and write your review. The author will appreciate the positive comments, and your profile will be hyperlinked in the book review - giving readers the opportunity to find out more about you!

* Building a Listmania. A listmania is simply a collection of books/audio products that you have found useful and you've pulled them altogether in one place, so that anyone looking for books/products on a particular topic can view your listmania to see what you recommend. It saves them having to trawl through the website researching the information themselves!

2. Trade 'Thank You' page space. When someone signs up for your newsletter, what does your Thank You page say? I'll bet it says something like, 'Thank you for signing up to my newsletter' - not very inspiring! Instead, use this space to recommend colleague's newsletters. You could add, 'Here's a list of newsletter I find invaluable and I'd like to recommend them to you too'. And better still, ask those colleagues whose newsletter you're referring to do the same for you! This is known as co-registration (or trading 'Thank You' page space), and is a wonderful way to build your list quickly.

3. Use the power of Email Signatures. This is a very simple way to build your list. At the bottom of every email you send out make sure you include a link to your newsletter sign-up page and a snippet of what your free taste is about. The beauty of this strategy is that you never know who your email will get forwarded to, and who will read your email signature and sign up to your list.

Now that I've shared with you three simple list building strategies, pick one of them and implement it TODAY! Don't waste any more time in building your list.

Online Business Manager & Virtual Assistant, Tracey Lawton, supports professional speakers, coaches, and authors to operate an efficient, organized, and profitable business. Learn how to create an efficient and organized office in 7 EASY steps, and receive free how-to articles at http://www.OfficeOrganizationSuccess.com.

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As a solopreneur, one ingredient you need for a successful online business is traffic… and lots of it! But there are so many websites out there, all competing for the same traffic, that it can be difficult to attract visitors to YOUR website!

Today, I’d like to share with you my top five strategies for attracting highly targeted visitors:

1. Offer a Free Taste

Your free taste is something that you give to someone in exchange for them giving you their name and email address, and signing up to your list. Your free taste is also your chance to show off your expertise, and give your new subscriber a sampling of what it is you offer.

It must be something of value to your subscriber, without giving away the whole shop!

Then you simply promote your free taste on your website, in your email signature, in your Resource Bio, and any other place you can think of! Place a call to action and people will read it, and click through to your website to get what it is you’re offering.

2. Get Others To Promote Your website For You

If you have products and programs for sale then you can easily get other people to promote them for you by offering an affiliate program. People will sign up to your affiliate program and promote your products and programs through their website, newsletter, and/or blog. In exchange you offer them a percentage commission for each sale that your affiliate makes – and make it a generous commission so that they have a real incentive to promote you.

If you’re currently using a shopping cart service, check out everything they have to offer – they may have an affiliate program included as part of their service. Mine does!

3. Participate in a Joint Venture (JV)

This is an excellent way to drive highly targeted traffic back to your website, and very easy for you to organize. Gather together some of you colleagues who offer complementary products and services to you and agree to promote each other’s products and services to your list.

I participated in a joint venture earlier this year where the organizer created a dedicated web page for this promotion. Everyone’s promotional ‘blurb’ was listed on the website, and each ‘joint venturee’ sent an announcement out to their list during a specified period directing their subscribers to this webpage. I got a TON of new subscribers as a result!

4. Article Marketing

This is one of my all-time favorites… one of the most successful and cost effective online marketing strategies you can do is to submit your articles to various online article submission websites. This is a great way to:

* promote your services;

* elevate you to ‘expert’ status within your chosen niche; and

* grow your subscriber list.

It has been well documented that one-way links to your website increase search engine rankings more than reciprocal linking, and article submission is an excellent way to achieve one-way linking. It works by creating backlinks to your website, which the search engines love! With each article you submit, you include a resource box that contains information about you, your business, and an active hyperlink back to your website, newsletter sign up page, product, or special offer – you choose where you want to direct your readers. For example, my resource box directs readers to my newsletter sign up page.

5. Host a Free Teleclass

Hosting a free teleclass is a great way for you to get out in front of your target audience. They actually get to listen to you presenting your information, and have the opportunity to ask you questions on the call – all of which can’t be achieved just by writing articles!

And it also gives you to chance to interact with your target market, and find out valuable information about their struggles and pains. It all goes towards building the like, know, and trust factor that is so important when building a solo service business.

All of these strategies work well on their own, and I’ve had a huge amount of success with each one of them! You can choose to implement just one strategy, or use a combination. Whichever you choose, they all achieve the same goal… to drive highly targeted traffic to your website!

Online Business Manager & Virtual Assistant, Tracey Lawton, supports professional speakers, coaches, and authors to operate an efficient, organized, and profitable business. Learn how to create an efficient and organized office in 7 EASY steps, and receive free how-to articles at http://www.OfficeOrganizationSuccess.com.

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Article Contributed by Robert Skrob

There have never been greater, more diverse, more lucrative opportunities in the field of information marketing for everyone from experienced, successful entrepreneurs to beginners with little start up cash.

If you can name a topic, there is a market for providing information and solutions simply by creating an information marketing business. You can even work from home.

The key is to find a responsive market and then package information that customers want in convenient forms such as DVD's, books, ebooks, CD's, magazines, Web sites, teleseminars, webinars, coaching programs, seminars, and conferences.

And that's exactly what "The Traffic Guys" Ethan Kap and Brett Kitchen did with unprecedented successes. That's why the Information Marketing Association recently selected them to be two of the 12 experts featured in my new book, "Start Your Own Information Marketing Business." This book is an easy-to-follow manual that gives the steps to building a successful info-business from the ground up.

3 Myths Ethan & Brett Debunk

Myth 1: You have to be a certain age to start your own business and be successful.

Truth: Ethan and Brett are proof that you do not have to be a certain age. They are in their 20's.

Myth 2: You need experience with a niche.

Truth: You don't need experience or affinity with a niche. Ethan and Brett were in the insurance business before they started working with furniture retailers

Myth 3: You need a lot of money to get started

Truth: The pair built a million-dollar business in 11 months and they had very little start-up cash.

After growing their business from zero to $100,000+ per month, Ethan and Bret can tell you that there are six main advantages of starting an information marketing business:

6 Reasons Why You Should Start an Information Marketing Business Now

1. Replace Manual Labor

With an information marketing business, you create a product once, and you're done. It takes a lot of work to create the product, but you can sell it many times, often over a period of several years, without having to do additional work.

2. Buyers of Your Information Products Will Buy More

People who buy your information products are much more likely to hire you to perform services than any other customer you market to. Quite simply, having your own published information product makes you the obvious expert. It shows the customer the complexity of the services and the special ability you have to perform them. The only possible conclusion for the buyer is that he should hire you when he needs help with his business or hobby.

3. Limited Interaction with Customers

This means you can work from home with your computer in a closet or build your information product on your kitchen table. As long as you've got a way to create a product, you don't have to be in any particular location for people to buy it.

4. Few Staff Members Are Necessary

The information marketing business is a terrific business because you don't need a lot of people to run it. Many info-marketers have no employees and instead pay an independent contractor to help maintain the customer database, ship products, and handle customers' questions.

5. Small Investment to Get Started

The information marketing business does not require fancy offices, furniture, or multiple computers. It doesn't require special licenses (in most cases). And it doesn't require special education or degrees.

6. Large Profit Potential

Many info-marketers just like Ethan and Brett are making million-dollar incomes through their information marketing businesses. This is a completely scalable business. This mean you can make it as small or as large as you want.

What You Need to Get Started in Information Marketing

To get started in information marketing you need something of value.

Ethan and Brett knew how to generate traffic.

They also knew how to evaluate a prospective niche. In my "Start Your Own Information Marketing Business" book, they share these five criteria that they used to decide where to build a profitable info-marketing business:

1) Is there competition in the niche?
2) Does your product help you prospects more money?
3) How large is your prospect's transaction size?
4) Do your prospects currently spend money on products and services similar to what you offer?
5) Are your prospects in pain?

Once you have the answers to these five questions, you will be ready to decide if a niche is a good fit for what you have to offer.

Follow this advice and you can grow a profitable million-dollar information marketing business in 11 months just like Brett and Ethan.

About the Author
Robert Skrob President of Information Marketing Association, and co-author of The Official Get Rich Guide to Information Marketing, reveals for the first time an easy 9-step formula to build a million-dollar information marketing business within 12 months. Go to http://www.InfoMarketingBook.com now to start getting rich in information marketing today!

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Article Contributed by David Gruttadaurio

Are you making this dreadful newsletter marketing mistake?

The typical client newsletter is one of the most mind-numbing, agonizingly boring pieces of mail ever sent to consumers.

The main reason is that most companies think what they do is incredibly fascinating to their clients. So based on this false assumption, their newsletters cheerfully discuss the latest equipment purchase or the new back office operation and how Mary Sue has moved from Payroll to Marketing. While this might be riveting stuff internally, I can assure you that your clients just don't care.

If you're making this newsletter marketing mistake, don't worry. It's not your fault. No one ever taught you the system, until now…

4 'Set in Stone' Rules to Publishing a Winning Client Newsletter:

Rule #1: Never make your business or company the focus of your client newsletter. This concept is difficult for most business owners to wrap their minds around. Read my words: Our clients don't care about how our business operates! The sooner we accept this fact, the sooner we will be sending them something that they actually want to read.

Rule #2: Focus on article content that people grab hold of and actually use in their lives. That means you must provide appealing and interesting content that is relevant, useful and engaging. The goal is to create involvement. The more time they spend with your newsletter, the more likely they'll take action.

Rule # 3: Be consistent. If you tell your customers to expect a newsletter from you every month, you better do it. And ask yourself: How often do I want my customers and prospects to think of me? While daily would be wonderful, it's not going to happen. Following a monthly newsletter schedule is perfect. They will expect to receive it just like they do their favorite magazines.

Rule #4: Never forget that a client newsletter is a marketing tool. Within your compelling content weave client testimonials and the names of people who have referred your company. Have contests that give away free services or gift cards to create further goodwill between you and your clients. And always, always, always have a compelling offer just for them.

Follow these rules and you will have a winning client newsletter that will get you more sales. But, you have to keep in mind that...

You Must Take a Long-term View on Using Newsletters as a Marketing and Customer Relations Tool.

Be aware that the results will not happen overnight. In fact, it will take several months for your customers to develop the 'habit' of looking for it.

But over time, your clients will come to expect getting your newsletter. And they will hound you if you missed sending them an issue! You will definitely see the desired results with the payoff being client retention and more purchases from you.

Client newsletters that include the four rules listed above will build relationships with your customers and create a sense of reliability and professionalism. You'll be sending literature that your clients will look forward to reading every month.

And since your rivals don't understand my newsletter success system, you will create a powerful marketing machine that will blow your competition out of the water.

About the Author
David Gruttadaurio was sick and tired of wasting money on marketing that didn't work. So he searched for a profit-producing, client-retention & referral-generating tool until he found newsletter marketing! Now go to http://www.NewslettersMadeForYou.com & get his FREE "Profit Exploding Newsletter Secrets Report" that reveals how to reclaim tons of money that should be sitting in your bank account now simply with newsletters.

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Article Contributed By Barry Plaskow

These are difficult economic times for almost everybody. Many people are looking to the Internet to find an easy way to build an information marketing business that will solve their problems.

Unfortunately, there are too many scams that are successful in luring people into joining opportunities that do not provide real value. However, many are unaware of any real alternatives.

But, because you're reading this article you'll be able to build a successful online business without spending thousands of dollars on little informational value.

3 Steps to Building an Information Marketing Business Online

Step# 1: Understand the World of Information Marketing

You can only be successful online when you understand what people are looking for on the Internet. People use search engines in order to look for information on a variety of topics. Ranging from a review of a specific product to details about a holiday resort, the Internet has become the source of information.

Many people are prepared to pay for this information for various reasons. Firstly there is a higher perceived value for paid material. Many potential customers will not even look at your free information, as it is perceived as being cheap and lacking. There is a large market that will only buy information that the author feels comfortable to charge for.

Here is the key: If you know what people are looking for then all you need to do is create a product and market it. Plain and simple. And, this is easier than it seems as long as you follow the next two steps.

Step 2: Learn only from real marketers

Real marketers are aware of which niches are profitable to go into and they are aware of the marketing strategies needed to succeed in those areas. You need a complete plan.

The problem is that there is so much fluff on the Internet today even in the real business world of information marketing. There are people who claim that they can make you rich if only you follow their systems.

They claim that they can teach you how to create a product and market it as well.

With experience, I can tell you that many of these "marketers" are not telling you the entire truth. Many of these systems are selling you the dream. But they lack real informational value. They merely want to take you to the next level of purchase. It often turns into a never-ending circle of buying.

Now, don't get me wrong. I am not saying that you should not buy e-Books and other products online. I'm just opening your eyes to the real truth and suggesting that you be careful before you buy. Do your homework and make sure the person or company you want to buy products from are real experts and NOT self-proclaimed experts.

Step #3 –Find out who the real marketers are

There are some great marketers out there. The problem is that in order to employ them you would be charged anywhere between $500-$2000/hour for their services. Most people starting on a small budget cannot afford such high prices.

Fortunately, a low budget alternative does exist. There are teleseminars available that offer advice from some of the best-known marketers often for free.

Teleseminars make sense for marketers as they get exposure to a wider audience. The audience wins because they receive some fantastic training from marketers who often reveal some of their best information.

If you want to succeed on line then you will need to receive an education from true marketers. Before buying any material, you will want to review what is being offered. One of the best ways of doing this is through a teleseminar.

If you follow these steps, you will build a successful information marketing business online. It's how I'm growing my business and I'm a newbie. So, I'm learning just like you. But the difference is I'm following the above three steps and I'm learning from real experts.

Don't you think it's time for a change?

Although Barry Plaskow-is a relative newbie to internet marketing, he has succeeded in getting 12 of the world's top Internet marketers including Jay Conrad Levinson, Kenneth A Macarthur and Dan Janal to appear on his teleseminar series. Now you can discover the tactics, strategies and secrets needed to create and sell products, build a huge list and generate a mountain of cash on the Internet at http://www.prleads.com/IM4Newbies

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One of the most frustrating “facts of life: if you are trying to make money online: a significant percentage of visitors who sign up for your double opt-in newsletter will never confirm. (Of course this ignites the debate over single vs. double opt-in -- but that’s a subject for another article.) It feels like you are leaving money on the table…or if you prefer, it’s the equivalent of meeting a nice guy at a bar and then having him never call.

There are always going to be people who won’t confirm; you’ll never approach a 100% confirmation rate. But there are definitely steps you can take to improve your ezine confirmation rate significantly. Here are the four steps I took to raise my own confirmation rate by 50% in just 8 months:

1. Your thank you page: tell your subscriber what they need to do next. They’ve taken the first step -- filling in your subscription form. The very next thing they should see is your thank you page; use this real estate for three important messages:

A) Remind them of what they are signing up for, using most of the same language as on your signup page.

B) Remind them they have to click the confirmation link when they receive it in their inbox – otherwise they won’t receive the freebie they want (you are offering a freebie as incentive, right?)

C) Tell them how to make sure they receive the confirmation email by whitelisting; you can copy my whitelisting instructions if you like.

2. Use memorable language in the confirmation email. I’m not talking about clever wording or hype-y language; in fact, quite the opposite! You want the wording in the confirmation email to closely resemble the language on your signup and thank you pages, even lifting entire phrases word-for-word. This will mark the third time they’ve seen that language, making it much more likely that they will remember it and take action, i.e., click the link.

3. Deliver what you promise after they confirm. Once they click the link in your confirmation email, take them right to the page where they can access the freebie you promised. If your freebie is a downloadable ebook, for instance, put the download link right on the page, front and center; don’t make them wait to get a link in their email! Include download instructions; feel free to copy mine at the bottom of this page if you like. If your freebie is an audio or video, it’s a good idea to offer the option for them to listen or watch right from your webpage OR download for later use.

4. Tell them what you told them. On your post-confirmation thank you page, remind them one more time about your ezine title, frequency, etc., so they’ll recognize it when they get the next edition. Include a link to download or access the freebie, in case they didn’t see it on the thank you page or had trouble downloading. Include an email address where they can reach you if they need help or have a question. This is also a good place to remind them that they can unsubscribe from your newsletter anytime by clicking the link at the bottom (or top, depending on your newsletter design) of every mailing they receive from you.

Taking these steps is sure to improve your ezine confirmation rates (although your results may vary.) You may find that you don’t have to respond to as many “I didn’t get my ebook” complaints. And, you might even decrease the number of people who unsubscribe or mark your email as spam!

Terri Zwierzynski is a self-employed business strategist and marketing consultant to solo entrepreneurs, and a grassroots promoter of the solo entrepreneur lifestyle. She runs Solo-E.com, the resource website for the self-employed which attracts thousands of solo home business owners monthly from over 100 countries on six continents (and was recently named a finalist for “Website of the Year” in the 4th Annual Stevie® Awards for Women in Business). Terri is also the co-author of 136 Ways To Market Your Small or Solo Business.

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How does my martial arts training directly relate to my success as an article marketing expert?

When I was seven, I was a scared, scrawny cry baby. Kids in the neighborhood stole my hat and I ran home crying! My younger brother, who was only four at the time, knocked on the bully's' door to get my hat back.

My parents enrolled me into Chirico's School of Karate, where I learned steps that took me from NOTHING to a SELF-ASSURED 4th DEGREE BLACK BELT.

I also learned secrets on how to become a champion in the martial arts. I discovered that these same secrets helped me become a champion in all areas of my life.

So do you want to know what these life-changing, business-evolving secrets are?

7 Black Belt Secrets for Article Marketing Success

Secret #1: Watch who you hang around with

One of our black belts drives all the way from Pennsylvania to New Jersey to practice. That's a 3-hour round trip.

Why?

The furious energy at Chirico's School of Karate is undeniable as soon as you walk in the door. You're surrounded by a true grandmaster with more than 40 years of martial arts training and black belts who are determined to succeed.

Who are YOU hanging around? Where are your articles being associated? Are you just blasting articles out there? Or are you carefully selecting websites and ezines which your targeted audiences and prospects read? Remember, who you associate with will determine the level of success you can reach.

Secret #2: Consistency is the key for long-term success

When I don't train consistently because of traveling or personal issues, I lose karate tournaments. If you want to achieve your business goals online, you have to consistently write and submit articles. You have to be in front of your audience on a regular basis. Otherwise you will lose sales to your competitors.

Secret #3: Ups and downs are part of the process

During my martial arts training, I learned that there is NO possible way that you can win every tournament. Yes, I can't even tell you how many trophies, medals and plaques I have won throughout my more than 20 years of martial arts training. But, I also lost count of how many tournaments I lost in the very first round.

Not every article you write and submit online will be a success. You will have ups and downs with your article marketing efforts, but you have to keep writing consistently. It's the only way you will win in the long term.

Secret #4: Hard work is part of the game

It took me ten years of blood, sweat and tears to get promoted to the rank of black belt. I learned that there are NO obstacles that I couldn't beat if I consistently persevere.

How many of us secretly wish our success would be handed to us on a silver platter? Get real. There is work involved. The solution is to make the hard work FUN by doing what you love to do (sharing your expertise) and delegating what you don't (the mind boggling, manual article submission.)

Secret #5: Model others who are already successful

My instructor is a 10th degree black belt grandmaster. Yet, he doesn't try to reinvent his own martial arts training programs from scratch. He adapts training techniques, forms and strategies that were created from the ancient masters who have proven their immense success.

When writing your articles, model article templates that work for others and then adapt it to your own writing style.

Secret #6: Don't put all your eggs in one basket

When we practice self-defense, we train for a variety of attacks from the front, sides and back. We do grappling and ground techniques. And, we even practice fighting against multiple attackers. So we're ready for all situations.

Just like we want multiple fighting strategies, you want multiple streams of income that will help you fight the recession. You can easily turn your articles into products like special reports and eBooks.

Secret #7: Find a mentor or coach for faster results

I would not have been a state champion for two years in a row, if my instructor didn't walk me through every step of the way. I know many entrepreneurs who have wasted thousands of dollars on marketing programs that got them nowhere. Don't make that mistake. Invest in someone to show you the way - the right way - the first time. (Not sure where to start? Join my Write Your Way to Profits Insiders Circle)

Follow these secrets, and you will reach article marketing success. You will be found online. And, you will get more prospects, publicity and profits

Article Marketing Expert Eric Gruber uses the power of articles to create online opportunities for entrepreneurs who want more publicity, prospects and profits. Now, Eric is sharing the exact roadmap, broken into 5 easy-to-follow steps that thousands have used to launch and build their businesses online with articles. And, he's giving this knowledge for FREE, with his new e-Book at: http://www.BroadcastYourArticles.com/freebook

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Article Contributed by Eric Gruber

Most new online business owners think that Internet marketing is their magic pill to making more money.

I have news for you...It's not magic. It's a process.

But once you WORK that process, it CAN work like magic!

Here's the Internet Sales Cycle Broken Down into 5 Simple Parts

1. Collect Leads

The absolute best way is to get leads online is to write unique, original articles that position you as the expert in your specific niche. And, it's not that hard. All you have to write is a simple 500-word "how-to" or "top tips" article that will solve your prospect's pain. Wonder what a "how-to article" is? You're reading one!

Then, you want to submit your articles to the top websites, ezines and article directories that your targeted audience is reading. This way, you will be able to drive more website traffic and build your list.

2. Get Them into Your Sales Funnel – And Build Your List

Once you've written your article, you need a way to get prospects into your "sales funnel." The best way to make this easy is to offer a special report, e-Book, e-course, checklist, audio, video or anything else your heart desires. You will not charge for the product. Your goal is to get names now, and make sales later. You will put this information at the end of your article in what we call the bio box.

In the bio box, you can promote your:

- Website
- Products
- Services
- Specific "call-to-action" that leads them to the special product you offer

For an example just read my bio box at the end of this article.

Most people make the mistake of trying to sell high-priced products and services in the bio box. Getting visitors on your list should be your number one objective! Why? Up to 99% of your first-time visitors will not buy from you. They'll take a quick look and then they'll click away. If you did not capture their names and email addresses, you will have lost them forever.

3. Follow Up

Marketing studies have always shown that your prospects need to be exposed to your message at least 7 times before they'll take any action! That's why you need to build and maintain relationships with your list.

This is where ezines, e-course and autoresponders work like a charm. They will follow up for you automatically. In fact, with the marketing and shopping cart system My Easy Online Store, you can schedule email messages up to two years away! It's like putting your marketing on autopilot, so you can just set it and forget it!

4. Close the Sale

Your ezine, e-courses, special reports and autoresponder messages should drive readers to what you have to offer. However, don't forget to provide useful content and information. That's why they gave you their names and emails and that's why they'll stay on your list.

Here are two reasons why you shouldn't make the mistake of trying to sell from the actual email:

1) You don't have the room in an email to fully explain what you're selling and demonstrate its value to the prospect

2) It can turn people off who aren't ready to buy yet. You'll instantly lose those prospects from your list.

The idea of the email is to get them excited about your offering and to get them to CLICK. Once they click, then they should be taken to a sales page that you set up specifically for that product or service you're promoting. It's THERE and ONLY THERE that the prospect will get the full scoop on how great your product, book or service is, why they need it, how much it costs and how to order.

5. Upsell, and Upsell Again

Here's the biggest mistake I made when I started to sell my first information product online, "The A to Z Article Marketing System." It was the ONLY product! I didn't even have a membership club in place. So once people bought my product, I had nothing else in my funnel to sell them. I had to work extra hard at finding new prospects all the time. It's been said for ages: "It is easier to sell an existing client a new product than to find a new client."

That's why you need to continue turning (churning has a bad connotation) out valuable new products and programs that your customers will eat up like crazy. You can simply create new products by recycling the articles you used to collect leads.

Now, you have it -- the Internet sales cycle broken down into five easy parts. Now, you should see the missing links in your own Internet sales cycle. Have patience, keep learning and don't stop writing. You'll begin fill in these gaps, and start to see the magic of article marketing work for you.

Article Marketing Expert Eric Gruber uses the power of articles to create online opportunities for entrepreneurs who want more publicity, prospects and profits. Now, Eric is sharing the exact roadmap, broken into 5 easy-to-follow steps that thousands have used to launch and build their businesses online with articles. And, he's giving this knowledge for FREE, with his new e-Book at: http://www.BroadcastYourArticles.com/freebook

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Article Contributed by Eric Gruber

Article marketing has many perks and benefits. We can communicate with people on a global scale. We can reach many targeted customers very easily. And we have the added bonus of showing our readers that we're experts in our niches. This builds customer confidence.

But one of the challenges of marketing our businesses online is figuring out how to reach through the cold, mechanical computer screen and make a real human connection. Remember, people want to do business with people they trust.

So, what can you do with your articles to establish trust online with people you may never see or meet in real life?

5 Ways to Build Trust & Win Customer Confidence with Article Marketing

1) Don't stop writing.

You can't submit one or two articles and then expect to be regarded as an expert in your niche. It is the accumulation of repeated positive experiences with you that makes a lasting impact. As you're doing your article marketing, you should regard each article as a way to grow your relationships with prospects and clients. Decide on an article submission schedule that you think you can consistently complete long term. Once a month is a good goal.

2) Show readers that you're worthy of trust.

To build trust online, you want to show authenticity. So, before you write one word, think how you want to come across as a person. The more you're willing to let your guard down and portray yourself as a real person, the more you'll be rewarded.

3) Connect with readers by showing them that you started out just like them.

Remember, most people buy on emotional impulses and not on logical, intellectual decisions. That's why during my speeches to large Internet marketing conferences and in my articles, I explain how I couldn't find a job and how I put my parents into debt as they tried helping me pay my bills. I explain how I even had to ask my grandparents for money. And I talk about the mistakes I made.

After the connection is made, then I show my audience how I've become an article marketing success. When you show readers that you started out just like them, you will build an instant connection and you will give them hope. This will make it a whole lot easier for them to buy your products or services.

4) Show your results.

You have to give readers a reason to believe your advice. So quantify your results as much as possible and proudly show them. For example, you can end our article like this way:

"By following my advice above, Marketing Expert Scott Glatstein went from just 8 links on Google to more than 2000 links in just one month. His website traffic quadrupled from year ago levels. After the second month of doing article submissions, his traffic increased another ten percent to set a new 5-year high water mark on web traffic.

5) Realize the huge impact recommendations bring.

When we write articles, we're trying to make connections with people who we may never meet or talk to in person. It's natural for anyone looking at information on the Internet to think, "Hmmm, can I trust this?" This is why third party recommendations pack a punch, especially if you're trying to promote a book, product or service.

For example, here's a bio box we created for "America's greatest sales and marketing executive" Chet Holmes...

Jay Levinson of Guerilla Marketing says, "Business Growth Expert, Chet Holmes has the best ideas you will ever hear on super-fast business growth.

Article Marketing Success You Can Experience and Enjoy If You Follow My Advice

By following my advice:

• Distribution Industry Technology Expert Dani Kaplan had his best year of business in 27 years of business.
• Lesley Mattos tripled her website traffic
• Kevin Berchelmann, CEO of Triangle Performance acquired a new mid-5 figure client

That's just a small sampling. Many more results can be found at my website at IWantMoreProspects.com. You, too, can experience these article marketing successes if you follow my article marketing system.

Article Marketing Expert Eric Gruber uses the power of articles to create online opportunities for entrepreneurs who want more publicity, prospects and profits. Now, he's revealing his top secrets to writing articles so you can boost your website traffic, get more leads and create multiple, profitable streams of income. Go to http://www.BroadcastYourArticles.com and let Eric teach you step-by-step, how to write your way to profits!

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Article contributed by Debbie Dragon

Times sure have changed. In my lifetime, the transition from cash, to check, to plastic has been astounding. In today's financial society, it is rare to find many who do not have a credit card, or at the least, a debit card. Either a credit card or a debit card is required at many business locations. For example, it is hard to rent a car without one. In addition, you will find it hard to buy an item over the phone, say off of the television, without plastic. You will run into the same obstacle, while shopping online. Plastic has become a necessity. If not a necessity, then definitely a financial asset on many occasions. You will find it hard, without the card.

I see a day, when cash will no longer be utilized. A day when everyone's check will go directly onto plastic. You will use plastic for every transaction, from buying a soda to paying your mortgage. However, that may be a while down the road. For now, the credit card customer's of the world are still trying to adjust. Still attempting to become comfortable and efficient with them. Credit cards are well worth having. They are a great way to build credit. Credit cards empower the customer to purchase some of the things in life, they normally could not afford. I would like to say this however, and I know you have heard this somewhere before, but with power, comes great responsibility.

It seems simply unthinkable, that a business today would not be set up to accept credit cards. In saying that however, I know there are still locations that do not. In recent years even the fast food industry had to jump on the band wagon. It cannot be ignored. Plastic is the future. If you intend to be successful in business, at some point you will have to take credit cards. There is no way around it. This is no different for someone who owns, say a online business. If you want to compete with other business outlets, you will have to be set up to take credit cards. I own an online Freelance Writing Business. I am set up to accept credit cards. Business transactions are much easier online, if you use plastic and accept it as well.

Sure you can except a check from a client. However, if you do, it is not going to be a quick transaction. A credit transaction is immediate. That is what you want in business. Quick return on your investment. Credit cards are safer as well. Let's face it, most people that write checks are honest and upstanding. Then again, there are those who think as long as they have checks, they have money in their account. Utilizing a credit card for your online business and accepting them as well, makes you legit It is beneficial to your customers and clients, as well as for you. It does not take much foresight to realize, that credit cards are the future of business.

About the Author
Debbie Dragon is a writer for CreditorWeb.com, where she writes about credit cards, credit card offers and general personal finance.

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Blogtrepreneur: Most bloggers would love to get more traffic with social media, regardless of how much they’re getting now. Unfortunately, a relatively small percentage of bloggers ever see significant results. If you’re looking to get more out of social media it’s important to know what’s holding you back so that you can fix it.

1. Lack of a Network

A strong network can help you with just about any aspect of blogging, and social media marketing is no different. There are a few specific ways that your network can help you to get some exposure through social media. First, members of your network are more likely than others to vote for your posts.

2. Lack of a Plan

Social Media Marketing is like any other type of marketing, it requires strategy and execution. If your current plan only involves submitting your posts and hoping that they get a bunch of votes, that’s not much of a plan.

Your social media plan should be defined by what you want to accomplish. The most obvious benefit of social media marketing is traffic, but the traffic means very little if it doesn’t convert into something. Otherwise, you’ll be left with some impressive stats for a few days, but nothing of real value to show for it.

3. Lack of an Audience

If no one sees your content, no one will be able to vote for it. I mentioned earlier how building a network can help you to build a larger audience that will be willing to vote for you content. I’m sure you’ve noticed that most of the submissions that reach the front page of Digg are from major sites (like TechCrunch, Gizmodo, Smashing Magazine, etc.).

4. Poor Content

One of the obvious reasons for not succeeding with social media is the content itself. I know when I started using social media I submitted a few things that completely did not fit with the audience. Not everything will draw attention from social media users. The content not only needs to be of high quality, but it also needs to be something that will appeal to these users.

5. Forcing Content

As I mentioned in the previous point, not all content will work with social media. If you’re trying to force the content, you’re unlikely to get results. I use a few niche social media sites for web design and development, and every now and then I’ll come across submissions that are completely out of place. None of these submissions will ever make it to the front page and they’ll never get any type of exposure. It’s simply a waste of time for the person submitting the content.

6. Lack of Focus

While your social media plan is important (point number 2), it’s also critical that you stay focused on your plan. Over the course of time it’s easy to get distracted by the numbers involved with social media and forget about what’s really most important to you.

7. Poor Timing

Timing is often overlooked by bloggers that are targeting social media traffic. Most of us learned quickly that blog traffic in general is lower on weekends, and that also applies to social media sites. So if your submission is featured on the front page of a social media site over the weekend you will get less exposure and less traffic than you would if this happened during the work week. On the other hand, less bloggers are targeting social media on the weekend, so getting to the front page might be a little easier.

8. Submitted by the Wrong Person

Many social media sites will make it easier or harder for a submission to have success based on the profile of the user that submits the item. If this is the case, your chances for success will be greatly improved if you can get a user with a strong profile to submit your post. You may have friends with strong profiles, or you may have one yourself. If you’re targeting Digg you’ll probably want to have someone specific submit your best posts, otherwise you’ll be taking a big risk if someone with a very weak profile submits a post that you were hoping to get to the front page.

9. Ineffective Titles

Standing out at a social media site is pretty difficult because there is so much content competing for the attention of users. The strength of your title will have a big influence on how many people click-through and how many people vote for you.

9 Barriers to Success with Social Media [Blogtrepreneur]

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Article contributed by Diana Ennen

You would have to live under a rock to not hear about the latest craze that is spanning the globe - Virtual Assistants. With the economic outlook diminishing, and more and more companies working with fewer employees, businesses are flocking to find the right virtual assistant for their team. The need is simple: Someone that can do the work virtually, professionally, and with the upmost of confidentiality. Fortunately, Virtual Assistants meet all those needs and more.

Virtual Assistants, like their clientele, are highly skilled professionals working as independent contractors from their home offices. Virtual Assistants use leading edge technology to communicate work assignments via the Internet, e-mail or disk transfer. Traditional methods such as regular mail and overnight shipping are also used. While most Virtual Assistants will never meet their clients, it is not unusual to find a VA providing pickup and delivery service in their local area. Many have found success in a combination of the two, local and virtual clients. And what is even more impressive, is that most Virtual Assistants now realize the amazing power of the Internet and their client base spans globally.

The ultimate goal of Virtual Assistants is to partner with their clients. By partnering the VA learns all they can about their clients' business to become a trusted and valued member of the team—an extension of their organization. At the same time, the VA only charges for time on tasks so it ultimately saves the client in overhead expenses while affording them the necessary time to take care of more business.

A perfect example of a Client/VA partnership is the sole proprietor; let's say a consultant, who charges $300 an hour for his consulting services. The consultant is spending time each week preparing presentations and teleseminars, rummaging through paperwork, marketing his business, keeping up with the social networks, generating mailings and sorting through the tons of email he gets on a weekly basis. Since the consultant is doing this work himself he is paying $300 an hour for these services when, in reality, it would benefit him to partner with a VA at a rate of $40 to $95/hr (depending on specialty) and save tons of money a year. Plus, he could be generating more revenue because he would have more time available for doing what he does best—consulting. See how it works? As evidenced in this example, clients can't afford NOT to have a virtual assistant on their team.

In addition to the financial rewards for the client, the following list reinforces other areas clients benefit when working with a virtual assistant.

Personalized attention – The virtual assistant works one-on-one with clients and often knows their clients' business better than they do. That personalized attention allows clients to keep things under control and more organized and often relieves the pressure of having to do it all and remember it all. How great would it feel to just say to your VA, please handle this for me and know that it was done.

Exceptional service – Virtual Assistants are a proud bunch and take great pride in the Virtual Assistant Industry. One of the ways that VAs protect the integrity of this Industry, is to always offer exceptional services. Virtual Assistants want their clients to tell others about them and how having a VA on their team is one of the best business investments they have ever made. Therefore, most Virtual Assistants go above and beyond what is expected of them to make sure the work is done accurately, professionally, and successfully.

Experience in the latest technology – A virtual assistant knows that there's always an easier and better way to do things and are constantly looking for those ways. Most continue to update their skills and network extensively with others to learn the latest and greatest tools out there.

A colleague to brainstorm ideas with - Have you ever had this great idea, but just couldn't bring it to fruition because you couldn't get it all together? Not anymore. Virtual Assistants are there to brainstorm and work with you to help you bring those visions to reality.

No benefits/no equipment/no office space - That's a given. It's obvious that clients won't be paying for their Virtual Assistants' office space or equipment. But in today's economy, think how truly important that is. By not having to pay for someone's electric and office use, that saves money. Money clients can spend in growing their businesses.

Specific knowledge of your niche – This is perhaps one of the greatest benefits that a virtual assistant can offer - specific knowledge of a clients' particular niche. Virtual Assistants specialize in different areas, fine tuning their skills always striving to be the best in that niche. Therefore, when you partner with a virtual assistant that specializes in the area of your business, you have someone who knows the lingo and knows the ins and outs and what works and what doesn't. It's a win/win for all.

What types of services can a virtual assistant perform? Sit back and be amazed. Virtual Assistants can assist with tasks as simple as transcribing every day correspondence to as detailed as implementing an entire marketing campaign. Virtual assistant services include the following: publicity and marketing, article and press release writing and distribution, social networking updates, legal, medical and general transcription, bookkeeping, web design, administrative tasks, and so much more.

As Virtual Assistants become as commonplace in the workforce as the computer in everyone's office is now, there's never been a better time to analyze what your business needs are and how the right virtual assistant will meet those needs. Stop by our site at Virtual Word Publishing, www.virtualwordpublishing.com for complete information on what a virtual assistant is and how you can find that virtual assistant to add to your team. Also, if you feel a career in the Virtual Assistant Industry is right for you, email me at diana@virtualwordpublishing.com for our free business informational package. Today's the day to start running your business better. The start begins with one simple step – Hire a Virtual Assistant.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Diana Ennen is the co-author of numerous books including Virtual Assistant: the Series, Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA with Kelly Poelker and Words From Home: Start, Run and Profit from a Home-Based Word Processing Business. She specializes in publicity and book marketing and is president of Virtual Word Publishing. Email us at diana@virtualwordpublishing.com for a free business informational package.

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Article contributed by Don Daszkowski

Buying an online business is very different than buying a brick and mortar business. Your due diligence process when buying an online business will actually be easier than when buying a brick and mortar business.

Before buying any business all buyers should investigate all aspects of the business, this is what we call the due diligence process. When buying an online business you should investigate all of the sources of revenue the website takes it. Since all transactions including sales of products, ad revenue and affiliate sales are all done online, all of these transactions will be well documented and accurate. Be sure to ask the seller for access to these reports. With a brick and mortar business many transactions are not documented and it is very difficult to prove these sales are really taking place.

If you are buying an online business based on the amount of traffic or visitors the website receives or because the seller claims to make millions of dollars, you must review the website's monthly web analytic reports. The web analytic reports will tell you the number of unique visitors, number of page views, the keywords that users type in to find the website and much more valuable information. If a seller is not willing to share any of the above information with you, you should be very weary and consider not buying the business.

In addition, it is strongly suggested you gain access to live reports to few current and past data. If the seller is uncomfortable giving you access to this sensitive information suggest you meet in person and review the reports together. There have been cases where individuals have altered screenshots of reports to show false revenue data. So if the seller can only offer you screenshots of the reports be very careful.

Since an online business is primarily online you can do thorough research through search engines, on other websites and on online forums about the business. If the business has a following you will most likely find a lot of feedback about the business on other websites and in the search engines. With a brick and mortar business it is usually very difficult to find actual customers that can give you their honest opinions on the business. Since online shoppers are accustomed to new technologies you will find more information on an online business than you would with a brick and mortar business.

The bottom line is... If an online business is generating revenue it will be well documented and easy to view past history and stats for the business. If you are thinking about buying an established online business that is already making money, there will always be data to back up these earnings claims. If the seller is hesitant to share these reports with you, look elsewhere.

About the Author

Don Daszkowski is President and CEO of BusinessMart.com. BusinessMart.com has thousands of businesses for sale, franchises and small business articles. Don is also About.com's Guide to Franchises. About.com is a New York Times Company.

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To see an ONLINE VIDEO version of this article, please visit: http://tinyurl.com/3jj5f7

I lived and worked in Hollywood for many years, right in the shadow of the famous HOLLYWOOD sign. Los Angeles is the undisputed entertainment capital of the world… or is it?

With the proliferation of video hosting sites like YouTube, and live video streaming sites like UStream.tv, these days anyone with a webcam and an idea could be the next online video sensation! You could become an Internet superstar right from your own home or office…

If you’d like a shot at web TV stardom, or if you’re just looking for new ways to promote your business, then you should be taking advantage of new web resources that make it easy to shoot and upload your own video to the web.

YouTube has delivered online video to the masses, but now there are even ways to “broadcast” live from the web. One of the more popular web streaming sites is UStream.tv.

Ustream makes it easy to do a live broadcast right from your computer. Just sign up for a free account, fire up your webcam and click the “broadcast now” icon. Then, boom! You’re “on the air,” instantly, streaming live over the web!

Once you’ve got your own channel on UStream, you’ve got to drive viewers to your show. You can do that by sending out an e-mail with the URL to your list, or by posting your show’s unique URL on Facebook and Twitter.

The great thing about UStream is that it’s interactive – your viewers can ask you questions or make comments in real time using the chat function. This makes UStream a great way to host live teleseminars or Q & A sessions with your clients and “fans.”

In addition, you can record your UStream show so that your customers can watch it later. In fact, you can submit your “saved” show to Technorati, Digg and StumbleUpon. Of course, you can also upload it to the usual video hosting sites like YouTube.

One final tip to increase the viral nature of your show: Sign up for a free account at TubeMogul.com. When you upload your video to TubeMogul, they will then blast it out to bunch of other video sites like Blip.tv, AOL Video, Revver, MySpace and several other video sites.

Last, but not least, remember to take the “embed” code provided by YouTube or the other video sites and copy and paste it into your own blog. That way, you’ll get extra mileage out of your video by including it and promoting it in your blog.

Take the plunge into the world of online video and live streaming video, and you’ll be hooked! You’ll improve your search engine rankings, publicize your business, and maybe even become a web TV star!

Lou Bortone is an award-winning writer and video producer with over 20 years experience in marketing, branding and promotion. As an online video expert, Lou helps entrepreneurs create video for the web at www.TheOnlineVideoGuy.com. In addition, Lou works as a freelance writer and professional ghostwriter, with a ghostwriting site at www.GhostwriteForYou.com and a blog at www.GhostwriteGuru.com.

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Article contributed by Michelle Ulrich

1.Social networks – how to work it
a.http://www.craigslist.com
b.http://www.fastpitchnetworking.com
c.http://www.ryze.com
d.Ning.com is a create-your-own social network site

2.Free Classified Ads
a.Backpage
b.Craigslist
c.MySpace – need to be a member with a profile, I believe

3.Teleclasses/Podcasts
a.These can be pre-recorded if you don’t want to interact with others
b.Teleclasses are great for getting the word out about your products/services; guest speakers can promote you to their list and increase your list on a monthly basis
c.Use www.fullcalendar.com to promote teleclasses and events

4.Joint Ventures – co-creation of…
a.New products
b.New teleclasses
c.New workshops
d.New podcasts
e.New ebooks
f.Limitless ideas…

5.Strategic Alliances
a.Promote one another via banner ad exchanges
b.Promote one another via ezine or newsletter mentions

6.Article submissions
a.Write an article – submit online
b.Repurpose into an ezine article or ezine series if article is long
c.Repurpose into a podcast
d.Repurpose into an ebook with additional resources
e.Repurpose into a speech/presentation for live events

7.Ezine submissions
a.Write an ezine – submit online to ezine banks
b.Repurpose into an article
c.Repurpose into a podcast
d.Repurpose into an ebook with additional resources
e.Repurpose into a speech/presentation for live events

8.Ezine with tips, resources, trends
a.Submit to ezine banks for additional subscribers

9.Blog
a.Blog or have someone else blog for you no less than 3x/wk
b.Pick a theme for each month to make it easy
c.Base the theme on your teleclasses and ezine, etc. to make all items/tasks easier to complete

10.Affiliate accounts
a.Amazon – book store, software store, web store, etc.
b.Commission Junction
c.Create your own affiliate account – essentially provides a means for others interested in your product a way for them to make a small percentage while you gain a virtual sales force

11.Blogtalk Radio – 15 mins – longer monologues or full blown radio show; record to podcast
a.Repurpose into an article
b.Repurpose into an ezine piece
c.Repurpose into a podcast
d.Repurpose into an ebook with additional resources
e.Repurpose into a speech/presentation for live events

12.Get involved; share your passion
a.Share your passion with others
i.Online
1.Social networks
2.Forums
3.Message boards
ii.In person
1.Networking
2.Volunteer opportunities in community
3.Church
4.Youth groups
5.Etc.
iii.Don’t forget to share your projects and/or websites with others

About the Author
Michelle Ulrich is the Chief Villager and founder of The Virtual Nation™, an educational destination for Virtual Professionals around the globe. Michelle is an avid believer in giving back to her industry and she does this by offering coaching, teleclasses, resources, and tools, in addition to providing a community of learning, a nation of culture, and a virtual village for her members.

She maintains her private practice where she specializes in working with authors, coaches and speakers who struggle to keep up with e-commerce and new technologies. Clients can check out her services at www.virtualbusinessmarketing.com, while Virtual Assistants can find her over at www.thevirtualnation.com. She can be reached by telephone at (916) 536-9799 in the Pacific time zone.

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One question I get asked a lot is which online marketing service should I use (or variations thereof):

"I use Constant Contact for my newsletter but want to start selling products via my website. Do I need 1ShoppingCart to do this?"

"Which is the best service to use for my newsletter – Constant Contact or Aweber?"

"I want to use an autoresponder service. Do I need 1ShoppingCart or Aweber?"

You get the idea!

This is something that many solopreneurs find a difficult decision to make; after all there are so many different choices and services available and the cost of each one varies a lot too!

So, which one to choose…

- Should you go with a service like Constant Contact that is purely for newsletter broadcasts and doesn’t have an autoresponder or shopping cart feature?

- What about a service like Aweber for your newsletter broadcasts and also comes with autoresponders, but no shopping cart feature?

- Or should you just go with a service like 1ShoppingCart that has all the features you need but with a hefty price tag?

I sound like an episode of House Hunters don’t I… (If you don’t watch this program you won’t know what I’m talking about!)

To help you decide the best service for you I have put together a list of the Pros and Cons of Constant Contact, Aweber, and 1ShoppingCart (although these are by no means the only services available!) I’m using these examples because they're the ones I get asked the most about, and I also know each of these services very well having used them all over the past few years.

Whichever service you want to use, before you decide…

Ask yourself these two crucial questions:

1. What are the long-term goals for my business? (For example do you plan on just sending out a newsletter or do you want to sell information products via your website and have the ability to follow up with your customers via autoresponders?)

2. Which of these services will meet my long-term goals?

From my own experience I can tell you that going a cheaper router can be a false economy and can lead to its own headaches as your business grows, so carefully consider all of your goals, and the options each service provides, before making your decision.
What I’m sharing with you here is a quick overview of each of the three services I mentioned above and the benefit of my experience of each of these systems. When you read through this list, please note that this is only a very broad overview of each service; you’ll need to refer to each one for specifics.

Constant Contact (http://www.constantcontact.com)

Pros

* Has 100’s of HTML templates for you to choose from

* Will automatically convert your HTML email into plain text format

* Has the ability to create as many different interest categories as you need

* Can schedule broadcasts ahead of time and to go out at a set time of day

* Can create a custom sign-up web form for visitors to be automatically added to your database

* Has very detailed click through statistics

Cons

* Is an email marketing-only service, so you cannot create follow-up autoresponders

* Does not have any shopping cart functions

Aweber (http://www.aweber.com)

Pros

* Has many HTML templates for you to choose form (although not as many as Constant Contact)

* Ability to create as many different lists as you need, i.e. one for your newsletter, another one for your teleclass sign-ups etc.

* Can schedule broadcasts ahead of time and to go out at a set time of day

* Can follow-up with your clients via unlimited autoresponders

* Can create a custom sign-up web form for visitors to be automatically added to your database

* Provides click through statistics

* Has a very high email deliverability rate

Cons

* Does not automatically convert your HTML newsletter into text – you have to copy and paste the information

* Does not have any shopping cart functions

1ShoppingCart (http://www.1shoppingcart.com)

Pros

* You can manage your entire business through this one service – newsletters, autoresponders, shopping cart, affiliate program

* Offers different levels of service depending on your needs

* Can follow-up with your clients via unlimited autoresponders

* Can create a custom sign-up web form for visitors to be automatically added to your database

Cons

* No HTML templates so you will either need to get someone to prepare your broadcasts for you, or have your own HTML software and prepare your broadcasts in this program and upload to 1SC

* Doesn’t have the ability to create a text version of your HTML newsletter – you will need to do this yourself and upload to 1SC

* Has a technical interface, so if you’re not comfortable using technology you may find this service difficult to use

* Can schedule broadcasts to go out ahead of time, but can’t set a specific time of day

Conclusion: Carefully consider all of your options before deciding on a service and see if that service will meet your long-term goals. It is possible when starting out to use a service such as Constant Contact for sending out broadcasts, and find a shopping cart service later on as your business grows – I do know of business owners that run their businesses this way. Keep in mind though that if you do go this route you will be running and maintaining two separate databases – one for your newsletter broadcasts, and the other for your online product sales.

Online Business Manager & Virtual Assistant, Tracey Lawton, supports professional speakers, coaches, and authors to operate an efficient, organized, and profitable business. Learn how to create an efficient and organized office in 7 EASY steps, and receive free how-to articles at http://www.OfficeOrganizationSuccess.com.

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With the proliferation of video sites and social media sites like Facebook and MySpace, more and more of us are making web videos – and that’s a good thing. However, an amateur or poorly produced video will not put you or your business in the best light. Fortunately, there are a few little things you can do that will make a BIG difference! If you follow this simple advice, your videos – and your business - will look much more professional online.

1. Watch your background!

Now, I realize you may not be able to use all the special effects that I do on my “LouTube” Videos (http://tinyurl.com/6lslh7) but you’ve still got to consider your environment! Where is your camera? What’s behind you in the background? Nobody wants to see your dirty laundry or your velvet Elvis painting in the background! Just use a plain or professional-looking background.

As another alternative, do what my friend Travis Greenlee does, and shoot your video outdoors. Most of Travis’ videos come from outside his home in beautiful Steamboat Springs, Colorado!

2. Light it up!

Very simple: You’ve got to have more light in front of you than behind you. Otherwise, you’ll look dark and shadowy – which is fine if you’re doing a horror video, but not for your average videoblog! Too much light coming from behind you will trash your video. Even regular household lighting or a lamp placed in front of you should be adequate.

3. Are YOU ready for your close-up?

Before you hit record, how do YOU look? Just because you can work at home in your pajamas doesn’t mean we want to see them! Nancy Marmalejo at VivaVisibility.com does a beautiful job with her backgrounds and her overall presentation. She looks like a pro, because she is a pro.

4. Keep it simple!

More often than not, a webcam is more than adequate to shoot your video. I just use the iSight that’s built into my Mac. However, you could also invest in a neat, little $150 dollar Flip Cam. If you really want to take it up a notch, get a Sanyo Xacti camera like video pro Sherman Hu uses.

5. Be interesting!

Try to offer some interesting or unique content! To keep your viewer’s attention, you have to deliver some value. Keep your videos short and compelling… Remember, we’ve all got IDD – Internet Deficit Disorder!

That’s really all there is to it! Follow these five simple steps, and your online videos will be a lot more “watchable!” And remember, search engines love video, so keep on making better videos!

For more free tips and tricks, please feel free to visit my website anytime at www.TheOnlineVideoGuy.com.

Lou Bortone is an award-winning writer and video producer with over 20 years experience in marketing, branding and promotion. As an online video expert, Lou helps entrepreneurs create video for the web at www.TheOnlineVideoGuy.com. In addition, Lou works as a freelance writer and professional ghostwriter, with a ghostwriting site at www.GhostwriteForYou.com and a blog at www.GhostwriteGuru.com.

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Blogtrepreneur: Social Media Optimization is one of the most common methods for getting significant exposure for bloggers. Sites like Digg, StumbleUpon, Reddit, and Delicious are constantly sending large volumes of traffic to submissions that are the most popular with users.

An effective Social Media Marketing plan can help to take a blog from nowhere to being well-known in a short amount of time. However, social media isn’t a good fit for every blog, and not all bloggers choose to participate. For those who would rather draw traffic in other ways, there are some traffic sources that are capable of giving you the same type of exposure as a front page appearance on a major social media site.

In this post we’ll look at five ways that bloggers can quickly gain tremendous exposure without social media, and without paying for any advertising. Just like social media, these methods won’t be for everyone either, but you may find something that fits very well for your niche and for your audience.

1 - Get Mentioned by Google News
2 - Submit a Press Release
3 - Get a Link from a Major Website
4 - Write a Guest Post for a Major Blog
5 - Get Listed in Web Design Galleries

5 Alternatives to Social Media Marketing [Blogtrepreneur]

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I started blogging over a year ago and a common question most folks have (me too) is how to drive traffic to your blog so people will read what’s being posted. If you’re writing to market your business, one of the great tools I’ve found to get known is StumbleUpon.

Are you familiar with Stumbleupon groups?

Up until 8 months ago, I hadn’t a clue about them until I was invited to join one. Bloggers get together to stumble each others articles each week.

Right now I’m in three Stumble groups. The rules for each one vary slightly.

Here’s how it works depending upon the rules of the organizer:

1. The organizer creates the master email list of everyone in the group. The size of the group might be small or larger with a mix of blogging topics or a more focused group like one of mine with all personal development bloggers.

2. The post is either submitted to Stumbleupon first (by you) before sending it to the group, or a person in the group discovers it (writes a review) for you. The amount of Stumble requests might be limited to two per week so stumbling requests are minimized.

3. You might be asked to include your Stumbleupon ID, the category to submit the thumbs up to, with a brief description of the post and suggested keyword tags.

4. You choose which articles you’ll stumble and you may elect not to Stumble them all. If you are expected to stumble posts you don’t really like, feel offended by, don’t relate to, you might want to rethink joining that specific group if stumbling them all is a member requirement. Yup - some may have that expectation.

5. Stumbling other people’s posts is key to being able to continue having your own articles stumbled.

That’s pretty much it! I often ask folks to leave a comment and write a review to open up the conversation. I LOVE when they become subscribers!

How to find a group? Ask around your blogging community.

Can’t find one? Start one!

Look around at the bloggers you like and form your own group. It’s a great way to increase your visibility and create a supportive circle of friends.

Last week there were four of us in one on my groups that wrote on a common theme of lifting a negative mood. It was pretty cool to see we were all on the same wave length!

While things have leveled out a bit, I definitely think the groups help to increase the unique visitors to blog on my website each month.

Have fun with it!

Dr. Lorraine Cohen, President of Powerfull Living, brings more than 25 years experience in personal and business coaching, psychological counseling, and sales to thousands of spiritually minded business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders from a wide range of industries. Learn more about Lorraine’s services, success products and programs.

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This article is contributed by Michelle Ulrich.

1. Website
a. http://smallbusiness.officelive.com/ - FREE
Microsoft Office Live Basics is the easy way to get started on the Web. If you have always wanted your own Web site, Microsoft Office Live has just made it easier — much easier.
- Free domain name and Web hosting
- Easy-to-use Web site design tools
- 500 MB of Web site storage space
- 25 company-branded e-mail accounts
- Web site reports
- Search advertising tool with $50 credit* - (I do not recommended to start)

b. Go Daddy’s Website Tonight for as little as $4.00/month

Go Daddy has THREE plans (or so) to choose from!

Blog instead of a website
c. Blogger.com – Free
d. WordPress.com – Free
e. TypePad.com – Basic Level is Free
i. With TypePad Basic you’ll be blogging in minutes. Choose your design from dozens of professional templates. TypePad makes it easy to include pictures and links, manage comments, and categorize your posts. Includes 100MB of storage and 2GB of bandwidth per month.
ii. $4.95 per month for higher level of service (more storage space, etc.)

Benefits of a blog versus a website
- No web designer needed
- Pick a template and start adding content
- Useful for selling one product (i.e. a book, ebook, info product, etc.)
- Useful for selling a relationship with potential clients
- Useful for opinion writing – be careful what you put out there; people read blogs!
- Hone writing skills
- Post at a minimum of 3x/wk for higher Google rankings
- Can also be a link from a website, which also increases traffic to your website

2. List capture form on your website and ezine delivery
a. iContact.com $9.95/month for up to 500 subscribers; 15-day free trial
i. Non-profits receive 20% discount and may pay by check monthly, quarterly, or annually
ii. Templates or design and paste HTML code
iii. Surveys
iv. Auto Responders
b. ConstantContact.com $15/month for up to 500 subscribers; 60-day free trial
c. CampaignMonitor.com
i. For each campaign you send with more than 5 recipients, you pay a flat delivery fee of $5 plus 1 cent/recipient. Any campaigns you send to 5 or less people are free of charge.
ii. Let's say you're sending an email newsletter for a client to their database of 4,500 subscribers. To send this newsletter, you will be charged $5 plus a cent for each recipient, $45 in this case, making a total of $50. All prices are in US dollars.

3. Shopping Carts and eCommerce
a. Mals-e.com
i. Shopping cart, digital downloads and affiliate program ONLY
ii. FREE for up to 1000 digital deliveries per month; you can purchase more as you increase your sales.
iii. $8/mo option for unlimited orders per month
iv. $95 flat one-time fee for their mOrders plus version for a desktop application for downloading and ‘databasing’ orders properly and permanently. www.mals-e.com/morders.php
v. Reporting
vi. Numerous third-party add-ons

b. E-Junkie.com
i. FREE 1-week trial
ii. $5/mo for 10 products/50 MB storage space; rates go up to $125 incrementally based on the number of products
iii. Product storage and delivery
iv. Easy to use, pop-up free, installation free
v. Shipping and postage calculations
vi. Sales tax and VAT calculations
vii. Inventory management
viii. Product promotion
ix. Discount codes
x. Affiliate management
xi. Customization (even works with an existing cart for digital downloads)
xii. Tracking, logging and notifications
xiii. Global acceptance
1. download page and email in language of your choice
xiv. Extras
1. send out free expirable download links
2. Works with eBay and MySpace, too!

c. Payloadz.com
i. Digital downloads ONLY
ii. FREE for up to $100 transaction limit / 50MB of storage
iii. $15/mo for $500 transaction limit / 100 MB of storage

d. WAHMcart.com
i. Full shopping cart very similar to Professional Cart Solutions (see below for full list of options, but you get EVERYTHING for $29.99/mo – no tiers

e. Professional Cart Solutions (aka – 1shoppingcart.com and many other private labels)
i. FREE 30-day trial or $3.95 for 30-days depending upon private label partner
ii. Four tiers of service
1. Starter $29
2. Auto Responder $29
3. Basic $49
4. Pro $79
iii. Shopping cart
iv. Broadcast (ezine, email announcements, etc.) delivery
v. Auto Responders
vi. Digital downloads
vii. Affiliate program
viii. Ad tracking
ix. Reporting
x. Payment processing with PayPal as well as a large list of merchants such as Authorize.net; QuickBooks/Intuit will be on the list soon (poss. Fall 2007)
xi. Templates for ezine delivery to come out soon (poss. Fall 2007)

4. Online Publishing Centers
a. CaféPress.com
b. LightningSource.com – Most recommended by traditional publishers if you must do Print On Demand (POD).
c. Lulu.com

5. Miscellaneous online services
a. CentralDesktop.com – Free online collaboration tool for up to 3 users; $25/mo for up to 10 users and other various packages. Use this tool to work with a virtual team to delegate the projects or pieces of larger projects.
b. EventBrite.com – Event management program. First event is free, then up to $9.95 each event. For paid events, your PayPal, Google Cart or merchant fees shall apply. You can specify donations or payments, number of ‘seats’ available, reporting, and lots of extras.
c. Evite.com – Free event management tool where you can pick a template, customize one on your own, add your Outlook contacts, track responses, and it even integrates with PayPal for paid events.
d. Foldershare.com – Free folder sharing application from Microsoft (a bit clunky to set up between two parties, but is an awesome program for sharing documents with clients, subcontractors, etc.)
e. Google.com – Google offers email, word processor, spreadsheet, calendar, classifieds (Google Base), groups, Blogger, Desktop and lots of other programs for FREE.
f. OpenOffice.org – Free office suite similar to and compatible with Microsoft office. Includes a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation manager, and drawing program. Interface similar to other office suites.
g. SurveyMonkey.com – Free up to 10 survey questions with 100 responses allowed; $19.95/mo for unlimited questions per survey and 1000 responses allowed, $200/yr to have unlimited questions and responses.
h. TheBasementVentures.com – Host teleclasses, teleseminars, etc. with this free tool. You can even record your own audio and then copy and paste the html code on your website, download the mp3 file and burn it to a CD for info product sales.
i. Thumbstacks.com – Free webinar presentation tool. This is for PowerPoints or various incarnations of PowerPoint only.
j. YouSendit.com – Free file sending program; $4.99/mo for 2 GB file sending, send multiple files, and no ads on your ‘send’ invitation.
k. Zoho.com – Office suite with free and $5 on up for other options. Word processing, spreadsheet, presentation tool, Wiki, notebook, Meeting (desktop sharing, web conferencing, online meetings, etc.), projects, CRM, database creator, planner (online organizer), chat, mail, and more.

About the Author
Michelle Ulrich is the Chief Villager and founder of The Virtual Nation, an educational destination for Virtual Professionals around the globe. Michelle is an avid believer in giving back to her industry and she does this by offering coaching, teleclasses, resources, and tools, in addition to providing a community of learning, a nation of culture, and a virtual village for her members. Education is the foundation of her organization as well as for her own personal and professional development. Michelle has been a community college instructor teaching a Virtual Assistant certificate program online. Aside from coaching and teaching, she is also a speaker and soon-to-be author on the subject of Virtual Assistance. She maintains her private practice where she specializes in working with authors, coaches and speakers who struggle to keep up with e-commerce and new technologies. Clients can check out her services at www.virtualbusinessmarketing.com, while Virtual Assistants can find her over at www.thevirtualnation.com. She can be reached by telephone at (916) 536-9799 in the Pacific Time zone.

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According to a recent study of online advertising by Nielsen/NetRatings and WebVisible, search engines such as Google and Yahoo are the #1 resource used by consumers looking for products and services from local businesses. This presents a tremendous opportunity for local businesses to use the Web to promote their business.

The survey goes on to demonstrate that consumers are switching from traditional types of advertising such as yellow pages, newspapers and television. In fact, 73% said they would rather use a search engine to find a business than to have marketing materials sent to them, like direct mail. The survey suggests that consumers are feeling inundated by advertising, and perhaps are using search engines as a means to avoid other types of advertising and zero in on the specific type of business that they are seeking. Overall, 86% of consumers have used a search engine to find a local business, claims the survey.

WebVisible is giving away the survey findings in a free report that you can download here on GetEntrepreneurial.com. Click the following link to download your free report:

About Webvisible:

WebVisible is a global leader in local online advertising for small businesses. Our business philosophy is local business owners are too busy minding their stores to successfully navigate the complexities of creating and managing their own online adver­tising, whether pay-per-click, banner ads, call-based products, or ROI measurement tools. WebVisible solves this problem by offering turn-key, fully managed local interactive advertising solutions with predictable pricing and guaranteed results. By employing a world-class software platform and creative services, we provide the local business owner with the value of a focused team and the experience of over 50,000 small business marketing campaigns. WebVisible can be reached at 877-932-8476 or www.webvisible.com.

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Are you a Twitterholic or a Twitter newbie? Are you using Twhirl to update your Twitter tweets? Whether you’re just dipping your toes into the water or diving in head first, there’s no doubt that Twitter has become the latest darling of the social networking scene. Aside from the ability to post your own, brief, 140-character updates, Twitter offers a few fun surprises. By now you may be wondering how you can use this neat, little tool to connect and communicate with the rest of the online world. Well, here are five new ways you can use Twitter (and Twhirl) to maximize your connections and boost your business…

First, a quick heads-up on Twhirl (www.twhirl.org): Twhirl is a Twitter “client,” or desktop application, that makes Twitter even easier to use. Twhirl sits on your desktop and basically mirrors the Twitter interface, so you can post updates and monitor your friends’ posts without having to log-in to Twitter. Twhirl also gives you the option of replying to your friend’s “tweets,” or sending them a direct (private) message.

As for new ways to use Twitter, consider the following:

1. Your own personal search engine – You can use Twitter like a private search engine by asking your friends and followers to point you in the right direction.

2. Instant feedback – Twitter can also act as your own, personal focus group. Just post a quick question and use Twitter to solicit surveys, opinions or ideas.

3. Links in a blink – Use Twitter to link to your latest blog posts, sites of interest, etc. Twitter will even shorten the URL for you.

4. Continue conversations – As mentioned above, Twitter and Twhirl make it easy to communicate with your friends via their direct message and individual reply tools.

5. Instant Info – Use Twitter to sign up for updates or breaking news from your favorite websites such as CNN.com (http://twitter.com/cnnbrk).

Lou Bortone is an award-winning writer and video producer with over 20 years experience in marketing, branding and promotion. As an online video expert, Lou helps entrepreneurs create video for the web at www.TheOnlineVideoGuy.com. In addition, Lou works as a freelance writer and professional ghostwriter, with a ghostwriting site at www.GhostwriteForYou.com and a blog at www.GhostwriteGuru.com.

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Article contributed by Leah Nevada Page of MicroMentor.org, an organization that helps emerging entrepreneurs grow their businesses through mentoring and advising relationships with experienced peers and business professionals.

Sturdy McKee’s journey to small business success started with a pink slip. The hospital where he had been working as a physical therapist downsized and after a frustrating job search, Sturdy sat down with his wife and had a conversation about what it would take to open his own physical therapy practice.

Once started, Sturdy rapidly built a successful business, and was soon operating at the full capacity of his staff and building space. But when Sturdy began looking for a loan to help him open additional offices, banks were refusing to finance his planned expansion. Then Sturdy found MicroMentor. MicroMentor is a pioneering web-based community and social network that helps aspiring entrepreneurs build successful businesses by matching them with volunteer business mentors from around the country.

After signing up online at www.MicroMentor.org, where he described his business and mentoring goals, Sturdy was matched with a mentor, Jayshree Miller, who had worked as an accountant in the U.K. and was now looking for an opportunity for skills-based volunteering.

As Sturdy’s mentor, Jayshree worked with Sturdy through a series of phone calls and emails to help him make sense of his balance sheets, cash flow statements, and profit & loss statements. She also helped him identify areas in need of expansion. “She reinforced our opinions that we were a healthy company and that we were viable, even though we were unable to secure funding from a bank. [It] gave us the confidence to fund our own growth from our own profits.”

Now, just six years after opening its doors, Study’s physical therapy company has 5 branches and over 20 employees. And just two years after he first sought help on MicroMentor, Sturdy has returned to MicroMentor as a volunteer mentor. “Moving the business to profitability changed a lot of things in my business and my life and I hope to help other people to do that. I want to help people figure out how to plan and make their businesses viable.”

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If you publish your ezine through one of the emailing list services then you will also be provided with tracking stats for each issue. Are you happy with the open rate, or does it seem exceptionally low for each issue? Not only is it important that you publish your newsletter regularly, but equally important is that your subscribers receive it.

Is your list a double opt-in list?

Do you send both a Text and HTML version of your newsletter?

If you have answered NO to one or both of these questions you could be sabotaging your own newsletter efforts!

Why do I need a double opt-in list?

Double opt-in is the process whereby when someone signs up to receive your newsletter via your website they receive an email from your email list provider, which asks them to confirm their subscription by clicking on a link in the email. Once they have clicked on this link they are then confirmed as a subscriber to your list.

This process is known as double opt-in as:

:: they opt-in once via your newsletter sign up form on your website; and

:: they opt-in again by clicking the link on the email that they receive from your email list provider.

It is very important that you have this process in place as it avoids a subscriber being signed up to your newsletter by a third party, and therefore reduces the number of spam reports that you are likely to get. Your subscriber has had to confirm for a second time that they want to be on your mailing list.

The downside to this is that your subscriber may not confirm their subscription, in which case you would lose the subscriber. But if they really do want to receive information from you they will be on the lookout for your confirmation email. And isn’t it better to have 100 subscribers who really do want to receive your information rather than 1,000 subscribers who aren’t that interested?

Just recently I had a conversation with support at my email list provider and asked them about their double opt-in process. They told me that those lists that are set up as double opt-in lists are sent via a secure server that has been approved by the ISPs thereby resulting in a higher deliverability of your ezine. Lists that are not set as double opt-in get sent out on a different server and could result in your ezine being blocked by the ISP.

So even if your subscriber has you on their white list (or friends list) if your list is not a double opt-in list they may not even receive your ezine as it could be blocked by their ISP.

Check with your emailing list service as to their policies on double opt-in.

Why do I need to send both Text and HTML versions of my newsletter?

Again sending both versions of your newsletter ensures that it will get through to your subscriber. Some subscribers have their email programs set up to only receive text emails, and if you only offer a HTML version of your ezine they are not going to be able to read it.

Also, if you've sent your broadcast in both versions there's a good chance it won't be viewed as spam/junk email as spammers don't usually send emails in both formats.

Conclusion:

To fix low newsletter deliverability there are two things you can do right away:

1. Ensure your list is set to double opt-in.

2. Send out both Text and HTML versions of your ezine.

Online Business Manager & Virtual Assistant, Tracey Lawton, supports professional speakers, coaches, and authors to operate an efficient, organized, and profitable business. Learn how to create an efficient and organized office in 7 EASY steps, and receive free how-to articles at http://www.OfficeOrganizationSuccess.com.

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I recently ventured into the world of creating digital information products and selling them via my website. One of the biggest dilemmas I faced was deciding which shopping cart provider to go with.

Having worked on various shopping cart systems for clients, I knew my way around setting these up, but when it came to my own online shopping cart system I couldn’t decide the best way forward.

Ultimately I ended up making a poor choice by going a cheaper alternative route, than the service I really wanted. The reason I made this poor decision was lack of confidence on my part – I wasn’t sure how well my product would sell and didn’t want to invest heavily in a service that I may not need or use!

The reality of going the cheaper route? I had customers who weren’t able to download their product or make a payment and I lost revenue because of this!

To save you the same trouble I went through, here are my top 6 tips for ensuring that you get the right shopping cart system for YOUR business.

1. Think about your long-term goals. Having a shopping cart system that grows with your business is crucial to your long-term goals, particularly if you’re planning on launching more products and services in the future.

You'll want to ensure that the shopping cart system you choose can easily handle additional products and services.

2. How simple is the shopping cart to set up? Can you easily do the product setup yourself, or does it require you to hold a degree in computer programming! You don’t want to be spending huge amounts of your time on the phone to tech support, or getting frustrated because the shopping cart isn’t easy to set up.

If the shopping cart system provides you with HTML code that you have to add to your website, consider how comfortable you feel adding this. You may decide that this is a service to outsource to your Virtual Assistant.

3. Accepting online payments. If you’re going to be selling products/services online, whether they’re digital or physical products, you will need a system that can accept online payments. These days customers want instant gratification, which is why digital products are so popular, and you need to be able to accept payments instantly too.

Think about this situation - you go on to a website and in order to buy a product you have to print off an order form and fax it in, or call to place an order! That's not easy for your customer and you will have just lost the sale! The best solution is to get a merchant account, and ensure that your merchant provider’s services are compatible with your online shopping cart system.

4. Cost of your Online Shopping Cart System. It can be a false economy to go the cheaper route, particularly if it doesn’t offer all the features and functionality you want. Come up with a list of what you would like in an online shopping cart system, and then find a service that will meet ALL of your needs.

5. Customer Service. You want to make it as quick and easy as possible for your customers to purchase from you and get instant access to their product. An online shopping cart system that offers digital download of your products will do this for you.

And if you have a physical product ensure that your shopping cart service can calculate postage and print shipping labels too.

Don’t make your customers jump through hoops just to make a purchase from you!

6. Autoresponders and follow-up messages. It’s much easier to sell future products to existing customers – after all they already know, like and trust you. In order to do this you need your shopping cart to be able to keep a database of your customers so that you can follow up with them. Autoresponders are a great way to do this. You can follow up with your customer several times after they’ve made a purchase and check in with them to see how they’re getting on with your product. And you can do this very easily and quickly if your shopping cart has an autoresponder feature.

Keep all of these points in mind when choosing your online shopping cart system, and you will find the perfect solution for you!

Online Business Manager & Virtual Assistant, Tracey Lawton, supports professional speakers, coaches, and authors to operate an efficient, organized, and profitable business. Learn how to create an efficient and organized office in 7 EASY steps, and receive free how-to articles at http://www.OfficeOrganizationSuccess.com.

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Marketing your business is one of the biggest challenges for any solopreneur – it’s a task we all find quite daunting, and are simply overwhelmed by all the information that’s available. Below I have put together some information on 3 simple and low cost marketing ideas, which you can easily implement right away to create more visibility for your online business and web site. They all work well for me!

To help you decide which is the best strategy (or strategies) for you, I have listed the pros and cons of each one.

Create a Blog

Pros

:: You can really show off your expertise by posting on a regular basis.

:: Blog posts don’t need to be very long – approx. 200-350 words.

:: If you have some important information to share, you can instantly create a post – no waiting for your next newsletter to make your announcement!

:: If you use a blogging platform such as WordPress, this is hosted on your website. Each time you post to your blog you are creating fresh content for your website, which the search engines love!

Cons

:: You need to post regularly - at least once a week – in order for this to be an effective marketing strategy.

:: You need to feel confident that you will be able to write fresh content regularly.

:: It can be difficult to build a direct relationship with your reader.

Publish an Ezine

Pros

:: Unlike a blog, readers sign up to receive your newsletter so you already have a connection with them.

:: You can build a relationship with your newsletter reader and encourage one-on-one communication.

:: You can go into more depth in your newsletter article than you can with your blog posts.

:: Your clients/target audience can get to know you through your newsletter.

Cons

:: You have to make a commitment to publish on a regular basis, otherwise your subscribers will see you as unreliable, and may even forget about you!

:: There is more work involved in putting together a newsletter than writing a simple blog post.

:: You will need to subscribe to one of the ezine distribution services – I strongly recommend you do this and not send your ezine via your email client!

Article Marketing

Pros

:: If you are already blogging or publishing a newsletter, you have your articles written.

:: It is highly likely that once you submit your article to one of the article submission sites, it will be picked up and published on other article submission sites.

:: Regularly submitting your articles will elevate you to ‘expert’ status within your field/niche.

Cons

:: You have to write the articles if you’re not publishing a newsletter or posting to a blog.

:: It takes time to manually research suitable article submission sites and submit articles.

:: In order for this strategy to be effective, you have to submit your articles regularly – at least once a month.

Conclusion: You can just pick one strategy to focus on, or you can do all three! Whichever one you choose make sure it’s the right one for you. The key is to be consistent in your approach. If you decide to go with a blog make sure you have the time and motivation to add new posts regularly – at least once a week. Don’t start a newsletter if you know you won’t be able to keep to a regular publishing schedule! And for article marketing to be effective you need to submit articles on a regular basis.

Online Business Manager & Virtual Assistant, Tracey Lawton, supports professional speakers, coaches, and authors to operate an efficient, organized, and profitable business. Learn how to create an efficient and organized office in 7 EASY steps, and receive free how-to articles at http://www.OfficeOrganizationSuccess.com.

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As a solopreneur being able to follow-up with your clients and potential clients is crucial in growing and sustaining your business, and keeping a steady flow of new clients coming on board. However the downside is the time it takes to follow-up with each and every one of your contacts – after all spending all day following up with clients isn’t a good use of your time; you also need to spend your time on income generating activities and generating cash flow for your business.

So what is a time-starved solopreneur to do in order to maintain follow-up with customers and clients?

Autoresponders are perfect for automating your follow-up and freeing up some of your time. If set up correctly they will follow up with EVERY SINGLE customer who has ever purchased a product from you; or EVERY SINGLE subscriber to your ezine list! Would you be able to undertake that task yourself? The answer is no, you couldn’t, it would be impossible.

This is where you need to get smart and take advantage of technology to automate your follow-up. Create the systems and let them run on autopilot.

What is an autoresponder?

Put simply an autoresponder is a piece of software that will allow you to send email messages to people on your list. Don’t confuse this with spam or unsolicited mail though. These messages are sent to people who have already confirmed that they want to receive email from you; they have either signed up to your ezine list or they have bought a product from you. They have given you permission to email them as they have confirmed their subscription to your list.

The autoresponder is an email that is sent out automatically in response to an action taken by your customer/subscriber, and it can either be just one message or a series of follow-up messages that you set up to go out at certain intervals – you choose what those intervals are.

For example, you could set the first message up so that it goes out immediately someone confirms their subscription to your list, the next message could go out seven days later, and the final one two weeks after that. The beauty of using this system is that you decide how often and what messages are sent out.

The autoresponder doesn’t write the messages for you, you have to do that yourself, but the opportunities using an autoresponder opens are invaluable.

Once you’ve taken the time to set up the autoresponder it all runs on autopilot!

How can you use autoresponders in your day-to-day business?

There are many ways you can use an autoresponder in your day-to-day business, but just to give you a couple of examples:

Ezine Signup. When someone signs up for your ezine you will generally create an autoresponder that immediately gets sent out to them welcoming them to your list – once they’ve confirmed their subscription, of course! Add a second message to go out a few days later, and ask them how they found your free taste, what their biggest challenge is, or if there is a particular topic that they would like to find out more about.

Product Purchase. When someone buys one of your products create an autoresponder and a series of follow-up messages to ask them how they are getting on with your product, are they working through it okay, send them a ‘surprise’ bonus, or ask for a testimonial. Span these messages so that they go out over the course of a few weeks. If you offer a home study system set the final message to check in with them about six/eight weeks after they’ve bought your product to see if they were able to implement the steps, or if there’s anything they need help with.

The secret to autoresponder success

Even though your autoresponder may be going out to several hundred customers (or even thousands), don’t let that deter you from making your messages personal – let your personality come through in your messages, encourage feedback from your recipient, give them a call to action in your messages.

When putting your autoresponder and follow-up messages together write them as though you are writing to just ONE person. Think about the tone you use. Do you keep it informal? Chatty? Light? If you find this task hard pick a contact/client you know really well and imagine you’re writing an email to them. What tone do you use when writing to this person?

Go one better, and actually send your messages to this contact/client and ask for feedback from them. Chances are if they really like the way you’ve written your messages your other customers and clients will too!

I rely on my autoresponders to follow up with my customers, clients, and ezine subscribers – without them I’d find it impossible to follow-up and may end up losing valuable relationships.

I know that many of my relationships with my clients/customers have been established as a result of them replying to one of my autoresponder messages. I would find it impossible to make contact with each and every one of these people personally; the autoresponder does that for me, but then I am able to create a relationship with those customers who do reply to my messages.

Online Business Manager & Virtual Assistant, Tracey Lawton, supports professional speakers, coaches, and authors to operate an efficient, organized, and profitable business. Learn how to create an efficient and organized office in 7 EASY steps, and receive free how-to articles at http://www.OfficeOrganizationSuccess.com.

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This article is submitted by Heike Delmore, President of Jack in the Web - Web Design, www.jackintheweb.ca

We are living in a day and age where doing-it-yourself is all the rage, from do-it-yourself home renovation to do-it-yourself business card design. And now most recently, we have do-it-yourself website design. The question is, is doing it yourself web design better than getting a professional web designer to do it?

In this article we will examine the advantages and disadvantages to building a website yourself.

Complete Creative Power

When building your own website with either template software you have purchased, or a free online application, you get to choose from a set collection of colors, font styles, and fancy backgrounds etc. So it is easy to fully customize the look and feel of your website, right?

Well, not so fast. No doubt you are given a selection of styles and frills, but you are falling short on your company branding. What do these styles and frills say about your branding? Does your website illustrate a recognizable and professional brand that sets you apart from your competition? The answer is no.

Web surfers can easily tell a professional website from an unprofessional one. And when given the choice, web surfers may be more inclined to trust and do business with the more professional looking company.

If you are a student, hobbyist, or the purpose of your website is personal, a do-it-yourself templated website may be the perfect solution for your needs. However, if you are a business, or you are a selling a product or service, hiring a professional to create your website is a must for branding purposes and for setting yourself apart from the competition.

HTML is not that hard to learn

It's true, basic HTML is not that hard to learn. If you have a lot of extra time and energy to pour into learning HTML, you could probably create your first webpage within a few days.

But what will that webpage look like? Professional or amateur? Chances are your webpage will look amateur in comparison your competition's, if your competition used a professional web designer.

Also, what if your code has left serious security loop holes, or your webpage displays incorrectly in some web browsers? Not everyone uses Internet Explorer. And not everyone uses a PC.

If it is important to you that your website reach a large audience - and make a positive and professional impression, then it is a good idea to hire a professional web designer. There is a reason why web programming and web design are professions.

A professional web designer can ensure that there are no security loop holes in your code, make sure users across all platforms with different browsers will see your site correctly, and ensure that search engines such as Google will be able to read your code and index your website!

Let's compare this scenario with that of a recreational photographer: Your Uncle just bought a new professional camera. He has no experience taking photos other than candid vacation snap shots. But he has read the manual and taught himself how this new camera functions. He says he is ready to start charging people to do their wedding photos. Do you hire him to do your wedding photos? The point is, just because someone learns how to use something new, doesn't suddenly mean they have the creativity or expertise to use well.

A professional camera does not make a professional photographer. Just as learning to code HTML doesn't mean your website will look professional.

So now that the HTML is out of the way, how will you create your professional looking logo and or customize the graphics for your website? To do this you will need a graphical software program such as Photoshop.

Is Photoshop hard to learn?

Again, if you have a lot of extra time to learn and master graphic programs such as Photoshop and learn programming languages such as HTML, designing a website yourself may be the perfect solution. Further, your new web design knowledge could be advantageous in understanding how, for example, coding and website content affects how your site will be indexed by Google or other search engines.

Saving Time and Money

If you bought a web design do-it-yourself kit, it probably seemed like an affordable and easy to use solution. Simply fill in the blanks and the program will do the rest for you. Seems quick and easy, right?

The first question you should consider is, how much money is your time worth? If you have a lot of extra time and taking on website design seems like a fun and reasonable thing to do, then this option may be right for you.

But you should keep one thing in mind before you start. What if you invest your time to create your own website and it doesn't work properly, or doesn't to look professional? Then what?

Let's compare this scenario to a home renovation project: You went to Home Depot and bought new shingles for your roof. The price of the shingles were somewhat affordable and they came with a user manual - which is great because it is your first time roofing. Perfect you are on your way. So you take the time and learn how to re-shingle your roof and you complete the job. Congratulations! The only problem is that your neighbors and potential future home buyers can see that it doesn't quite look professional… and when it rains parts of the roof leak… sometimes.

Now what? You have to find a professional to fix the mistakes and the leak. So not only do you have to pay a professional roofer to re-do the job, you also lose money on the shingles you purchased, and you wasted your time.

Doing it yourself may save you money at first, but if you have to hire a professional to correct any problems later, it may end up costing you even more money.

Either avenue you choose, whether you do-it-yourself or you hire a webdesign professional, we wish you the best of luck and all the success with your web design project.

* * *

This article is submitted by Heike Delmore, President of Jack in the Web - Web Design, www.jackintheweb.ca

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You know that having a double opt-in* process for your newsletter/ezine list is a "best practice" in permission based email marketing. Several reasons:

• less chance of being called a spammer by someone who doesn't remember filling in the form (or because someone else filled out the form with their email address);
• fewer bad email addresses in your list;
• some mailing list delivery services require it!
  

BUT--sometimes your subscribers don't click that link they receive from you in the confirmation email. And so you lose 10, 20, even 50% of your "subscribers". Arghh!

How can you improve your opt-in rates?

Generally, the more compelling and relevant your "offer" is to folks, and the easier it is for them to complete the process, the better opt-in rate you will enjoy.

• Have some really strong copy that describes your ezine and the benefits they will receive.
• Provide an incentive for folks to subscribe. A free ebook, ecourse, etc.
• Remind folks that they must confirm (click the link in the confirmation email) to receive the incentive. You can do this on the signup or thank you page.
• Help them make sure they receive the confirmation email, by offering a page explaining how to add your ezine to their whitelist.
• Show them how to confirm. A snapshot of the confirmation email, with the confirmation link circled, is one way to make it crystal-clear.
• Make sure your confirmation email matches the description of your ezine. Use the same wording, etc. Nothing will reduce your confirmation rates like using the generic confirmation email text!
  

Get more marketing and small business tips for Solo Entrepreneurs

*Double opt-in defined:

1. new subscriber fills out a form on your site
2. your list management software sends a confirmation email with a special coded link
3. new subscriber clicks the link
4. subscriber is added to your list
   

Single opt-in eliminates steps 2 and 3.

Terri Zwierzynski is a self-employed business strategist and marketing consultant to solo entrepreneurs, and a grassroots promoter of the solo entrepreneur lifestyle. She runs Solo-E.com, the resource website for the self-employed which attracts thousands of solo home business owners monthly from over 100 countries on six continents (and was recently named a finalist for “Website of the Year” in the 4th Annual Stevie® Awards for Women in Business). Terri is also the co-author of 136 Ways To Market Your Small or Solo Business.

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The trend of telecommuting is on the rise as employers begin to see the savings involved in both gas and office space. With gas prices at an all-time high, many Americans are looking for ways to do less driving and more companies than ever before are offering telecommuting options to their current employees and searching for at-home employees to fill open positions. The question for the job seeker is now how to find these opportunities. Below are five methods you can use to find a telecommuting position.

First, check your local newspaper. When I began my search for an at-home career, I found my first employer through the Classified Ads section of our hometown paper. I was wary at first, but after thoroughly researching the company through means such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB), visiting the corporate office and meeting some of their current employees I found the company to be legitimate.

Second, search online using website such as Monster.com and Dice.com. However, listings found online must be researched carefully to avoid the scams that abound on the Internet. There are also websites that will you allow to do job research in your own community. One such website is Craigslist.com on which you can choose a city and then refine your search with keywords such as “telecommute.”

Posting your resume on websites such as Hotjobs.com is a third way to locate at work-at-home job. Putting your resume online can bring employers to you, depending on your skills and qualifications. Another bonus of an online resume is that you can easily direct prospective employers to view it. It also makes life a bit simpler when applying for jobs, because you can attach your online resume instead of typing out your job history, qualifications, and so on, each time you apply for a job.

When posting your resume on the web, be sure to create an accurate and impressive representation of your abilities. You don’t want to be wordy when describing past job experience, but you do want to be specific about the roles you’ve held as well as your accomplishments.

A fourth option when looking for at-home employment is to open a phone book and call businesses in your area. For example, if you’re interested in doing administrative work, you might contact churches and small businesses in your area to see if they are looking for office help. Even if they are not currently seeking help, they may know of another business owner who is.

Along those same lines, the fifth way to become a telecommuter is to create your own opportunity. For example, instead of finding a company that will hire you as an administrative assistant from home, consider starting your own business as a Virtual Assistant. You can offer your services to many companies, which can both increase your income potential and allow you the flexibility of deciding which jobs you’d like to accept.

You can also create your own telecommuting position by talking with your current employer about work-at-home possibilities. More and more companies are finding that at-home employees are just as productive as those in the office, if not more. Companies also benefit financially by lessening office space and avoiding the costs of many office supplies. Many companies who are not ready to hire at-home workers will allow their current employees to work one or two days from a home office, so be sure to discuss this option.

The telecommuting field has become highly competitive as more and more people find that working from home is a possibility. Searching for a telecommuting position can be daunting, but by looking in strategic places such as online and in your local newspaper, you’ll have a much better chance. No matter, how you find your telecommuting position, make sure it’s something you would enjoy doing and also something you can make money at.

Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com. She graduated from Grace University with a Bachelor's Degree in Human Development and Family Studies/Bible. Jill has worked from since 2000 and started her own home-based business to assist other Christians who desire to work from home while maintaining a godly life.

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Continued from Part 1

Adding Structure, Accountability and Community to Your Self-Paced Classes

In Part 1 of this series, I offered various ideas for designing your live classes to offer maximum value to your students. Beyond just learning the concepts, students have a much better chance of actually applying your wisdom in their business. If you provide these three important elements in your classes:

• a schedule to do the learning (structure);
• a modest work assignment each week, and a place to post completed assignments (accountability);
• and a rich network of fellow students to share with and learn from (community).

Applying these elements in self-paced classes (i.e., written, audio and video content available to the student on their own schedule) is quite different, and perhaps more challenging, than in a live, scheduled environment. A further challenge is that often, you've designed these courses to be hands-off for you - truly passive. On the other hand, your self-paced classes could be a funnel to more intensive, live classes or coaching/consulting - in which case a dose of you, live, could be the tipping point.

He.re are some suggestions you can incorporate into your own course design; most can be automated, although they may require some intervention or assistance from your VA.

Structure

Live classes come with their own built-in structure, in the for.m of a fixed schedule. However, the student purchasing a learn-at-your-own-pace course has to make a real effort to schedule time to read, listen to the audio, or review the video -- and resist the temptation to do something else instead. As the course designer, how can you build in structure for your customers/students?

• Release the content on a schedule; i.e., don't give it all to them at once. This is the concept behind an ecourse - delivering a little bit at a time.
• Send scheduled follow-up emails. In the introduction to the course, you can suggest a schedule (one chapter a week?), then follow up once a week with a tidbit about that chapter - a case study showing actual results, a teaser, etc. I've seen this done by one of the big internet marketers - I signed up, and once a week I got a nudge email, something like "Have you checked out this technique in chapter 14; it could triple your sales!"
• Help them commit to a schedule. At purchase, ask them to commit to a time/day each week to cover the content of the course. Then, send them an email with an attached Outlook recurring appointment with that schedule! They open the attachment and save it to their calendar, and viola, it's scheduled for them.

All of these techniques can be easily automated with an autoresponder! Remember to customize the messages to make them more personal. And be prepared to respond if they reply -  or have your VA ready to handle this responsibility.

Accountability

Getting folks to read/listen/view/study the material is one thing; getting them to apply it in their business is quite another. Some of the techniques mentioned for live classes will work he.re too:

• Ask them to sign a statement of intent to do the homework (this can be an automated part of the purchase checkout process, for instance).
• Follow up with encouraging messages via autoresponder.
• Offer something extra for a limited time after their purchase: a fre.e review of their homework; fre.e laser coaching to help them overcome a roadblock or problem; a regular live call where they can ask ques.tions.
• Provide an incentive. Encourage the student to complete the course by asking them to send you their completed worksheet(s) and offering a fre.e report, audio, or even a rebate or coupon. Tie this in with structure by giving them deadlines for sections of the work. Again, your VA can handle fulfillment of these incentives.

Community

Providing peer support can be much more challenging when there are no live classes where folks meet each other, but with the proper encouragement from you, I believe it can be done!

• Set up a bulletin board (or listserve) for all purchasers. You'll need to be more active, especially at the beginning, to encourage folks to join and share with strangers. Autoresponders might help; but they may not be enough. This is one area where you might need to be involved directly in answering questions and providing feedback, although as your board/list "ages", peer leaders may emerge naturally (you may even want to approach a few of them to provide continuous, paid support instead of doing it yourself.)
• Offer a free/trial membership in your existing community. This adds value to the course; you are already interacting with your community so it's not extra work. If this is a limited time offer, you can even upsell to your monthly community at the end of the trial.
• Mastermind calls. Again, this requires your time- unless you can hire it out. Either way it can be very effective.
  

Summary

All of these techniques still require commitment on the part of the student - you can't force students to do the work, and you also shouldn't take it personally if a significant number of your purchasers never follow through. But you can make it easier, and going that extra mile will set you apart as a supportive, caring individual that they might want to buy from again.

Terri Zwierzynski is a self-employed business strategist and marketing consultant to solo entrepreneurs, and a grassroots promoter of the solo entrepreneur lifestyle. She runs Solo-E.com, the resource website for the self-employed which attracts thousands of solo home business owners monthly from over 100 countries on six continents.

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Technology gives us all kinds of wonderful tools to enhance virtual classes for solo entrepreneurs. Teleconferences, audio and video recordings, both streaming and downloadable, interactive multimedia, online learning environments, automated learning tools - all great options. But while the bells and whistles might abound, what is it that REALLY makes for a great virtual learning experience?

Last January, I was having lunch with my friend/advisor Sherry Essig. We were talking about a virtual course I was taking at the time that I was really enjoying. The subject matter of that course (marketing) was one I was pretty familiar with as an MBA student, in consulting with clients, and even co-writing an e-book on the subject. So why the heck did I pay several hundred dollars to take a class on a subject I already knew a lot about? And why, when I was finished, did I feel more capable of using that knowledge to improve my business than I might have after reading another book?

As we talked, Sherry started noticing the elements I was raving about: structure, accountability, and community. What I was really paying for wasn't the knowledge (although I definitely learned). I was paying for:

• a schedule to do the learning ( structure);
• a modest work assignment each week, and a place to post my completed assignments ( accountability);
• and a rich network of fellow students to share with and learn from ( community).

Here is a look at these three elements - and how you can apply them to your own course design.

Structure

I think of structure as the element that gets me to sit down and "do the learning"; usually, in the form of a scheduled appointment, with myself or someone else. For a live class, this is a no-brainer. The scheduled classes provide the structure.

However, the trend toward offering recordings shortly after the live class can undermine the urgency of being on the call live. Recordings are invaluable when there is truly a conflict for the student (and can add value to the course overall) -but it also makes it easy for students to rationalize when they get busy (and when are solo entrepreneurs not busy?) and skip the class, knowing the recording is there whenever they get around to listening. (I'm guilty of this!) And then suddenly there is no structure, no timetable to listen to the recording. (Sometimes this means I never do get around to listening to the class.)

How do you solve this dilemma and provide the structure your students really want? I haven't seen anyone with a good solution to this yet, but here are some ideas to experiment with:

• Make the recordings available "on-request". Each week anyone who needs the recording has to contact you. Most students will, I think, shame themselves into not missing more than a couple, just to avoid having to ask each week! If not, you can perhaps challenge them after the second or third request (a great coaching moment!) If the recordings are a valuable part of your offering, upload them to be available to all a week after each class, or at the end of the course.
• Give some incentive for being on the calls live. Something above and beyond what they are paying for (i.e., you can't penalize them for not showing up!) Free ebooks, audios, CD, etc.
• Give an incentive for attending all the calls - sort of a perfect attendance bonus. Maybe even a modest rebate on the cost of the course!

Accountability

AKA homework. Learning and retention is enhanced when the student does something to practice what they've just learned; even better, if they can implement it in their business right away. So how can you encourage students to complete the homework?

• Have students email their homework to you. You could even provide an incentive by offering valuable feedback to your students.
• Provide a space online to post homework. Nothing like peer pressure to get some people moving! This also offers a rich opportunity for the student to ask for help; feedback, etc. (see Community, below). You can implement this with something like Moodle, a bulletin board, etc.
• Ask students to "sign" a statement of intent to do the homework. This can help them make a promise to themselves to work hard to keep up.
• Assign buddies to trade homework. For some, knowing that someone else is waiting can be motivating. This can also backfire if neither student complies - letting them both rationalize away the work. A threesome might work better.
• Check in with students. Send an email and ask them how the homework is going. Sometimes they are just stuck and a few words of wisdom from you could quickly get them back on track.

Community

Just as it's easier to stick with an exercise program with a buddy or a regular workout group, interacting with fellow students can provide the "I'm not in this alone" feeling that they sometimes need. Community can also be an excellent side benefit of taking the class; it can provide a richer learning experience as additional wisdom is shared, and students may even make connections that last long after the final class. You can create community environments for your students:

• Create a bulletin board. Students can post homework, ask for feedback, ask questions, and share their own knowledge. Password protection is recommended, to provide a "safe" environment without fear of a silly question getting aired via search engine later.
• Set up mastermind calls. These are calls, facilitated by you (or your teaching assistant), that are open to whatever the student(s) need to talk about, ask questions, etc. Depending on class size, you might need to break students into groups, each with their own call time, to ensure everyone gets the air time they need.
• Set up mastermind groups. These can be very effective especially in long-running programs. You create the groups, or let students form their own. They will probably need either live help or some instructions on how to set up a powerful mastermind group.
• Establish buddy pairs or triplets. Trading homework, weekly check-ins, giving feedback, are all possibilities to explore. For a long program, mixing up the groups midway can liven things up and give a second chance to students who just didn't mesh with their first buddy.

Summary

We can't make our students learn and use what we teach them. But we can provide a supportive learning environment with the structure, accountability and community elements that make true learning more likely.

Terri Zwierzynski is a self-employed business strategist and marketing consultant to solo entrepreneurs, and a grassroots promoter of the solo entrepreneur lifestyle. She runs Solo-E.com, the resource website for the self-employed which attracts thousands of solo home business owners monthly from over 100 countries on six continents.

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Accepting credit cards online is a great way to boost the success of any online business. Once your business begins to accept credit cards over the Internet, you’ll enjoy greater sales, increased revenues, and better cash flow, among other benefits. This article describes the main benefits of accepting credit cards online, and then presents an overview of the process and all the terminology and background information you’ll need to get started.

The Benefits of Accepting Credit Cards Online

Most business owners choose to begin accepting credit cards as a convenience to their customers, but they are often pleasantly surprised by all the other benefits that accrue to the business. Most notably, accepting credit cards online causes sales to increase. In a traditional bricks-and-mortar store, credit card users make impulse purchases more often than do customers who are paying with cash, because it doesn’t feel like “real money.” Online, this effect is multiplied by the fact that online shoppers can make their purchases within seconds of finding what they want to buy. In contrast, if your site doesn’t accept credit cards, the potential customer who is browsing your website has too much time to rethink the purchase during the time that he or she is calling customer service or filling out the order form and writing a check.

With greater sales, your business’s revenue increases. Even more importantly, your cash flow improves. When customers pay with a check, you may have to wait up to one week for the funds to be made available in your bank account. Credit card payments, however, are processed much quicker, giving you access to the cash you need to run your business.

Another benefit of accepting credit cards online is that you’ll have to deal with fewer bounced checks. The credit card’s available balance is verified at the moment of the purchase, so there’s no chance that you’ll make the sale and then subsequently find out that the customer didn’t have funds to cover the transaction.

What You’ll Need to Accept Credit Cards Online

If you’ve never accepted credit cards online before, initially it can be intimidating, but in essence you will need only four things: an online shopping cart, a payment gateway service, a credit card processor, and an internet merchant account. Let’s consider each of these in greater detail.

An online shopping cart is the platform though which customers make their product selection(s) and input their credit card information. It comprises the catalog of products that you sell, the “cart” to which customers add their desired purchases, and the checkout/payment page where customers provide their credit card information. The online shopping cart is the user-friendly side of things that customers see on the website. It needs to appear professional and secure, so that your customers feel confident entering their financial data on your website. The online shopping card automatically submits customers’ credit card information to a payment gateway service.

The payment gateway service collects that information and securely transfers it to the credit card processor (i.e., the acquiring bank) to request the transaction’s approval. The customer is unaware of the payment gateway service, as it is primarily a tool that allows your online shopping cart to communicate with financial institutions and credit card companies. When selecting a payment gateway service, be sure that it is compatible with your online shopping cart and pay attention to the fees and the level of security offered.

The credit card processor accepts the data from the payment gateway service and then contacts the bank that issued the credit card to verify that the requested funds are available. Once the transaction is approved, the credit card processor sends the results back to the payment gateway service, which sends the results to the online shopping cart system for the customers’ review. (Although the process described above seems long and complicated, it is fully automated and can be completed in just a few seconds.) The credit card processor also deposits the funds into your bank account.

The Internet merchant account, provided by the credit card processor, gives you the authorization to collect funds from your customers’ credit card accounts. All funds will either be deposited into a bank account of your choice or one that you will have to open at a bank designated by the credit card processor.

Unfortunately, if you are only accepting credit cards online (not in a traditional bricks-and-mortar store), many banks view your business as being more high-risk and therefore charge exorbitant fees for the Internet merchant account. The increased revenue of credit cards payments may or may not offset these high fees. Consequently, many online retailers opt to use the services of a company that specializes in e-commerce, as described below, rather than try to obtain an Internet merchant account on their own through their local bank.

All-in-One E-commerce Packages

If you aren’t experienced in the world of ecommerce, getting an online shopping cart, payment gateway service, credit card processor, and Internet merchant account can be confusing, overwhelming, time-consuming, and expensive. Fortunately, as online sales have grown in popularity, many full-service merchant account providers have arisen in the marketplace. They provide all-in-one ecommerce packages, allowing your business to quickly and easily obtain an online shopping cart, payment gateway, and even arrangements for processing credit card payments through a bank. In the long run, many of these companies’ fees are expensive, but the peace of mind is usually worth the price, at least during the first few years that you’re accepting credit cards online. Of course, there are affordable full-service merchant account providers so an investigation is warranted.

When shopping around for one of these all-in-one solutions, take the time to do your research. If a company doesn’t respond to your inquiries promptly, eliminate it from consideration. Ask about the application process and all the fees (application fees, setup fees, discount fees, transaction fees, monthly fees, etc.). Know what the total start-up cost will be, as well as your ongoing maintenance costs. Finally, be sure you know exactly what services you’ll receive and whether there are any limits on the volume or amount of your monthly transactions. Once you have all this information, you will be ready to select an ecommerce package and begin enjoying the many benefits of accepting credit card payments online.

Andy Lax has worked in the credit card processing industry for over five years and is now an Account Manager at IntelliCollect, a merchant account provider that enables business owners to accept credit cards and electronic checks.

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RajeshShakya: E-commerce web site design is nothing different than a traditional web design, but requires a few more extra functionalities and components to handle financial transactions. For those additional services, you will have to rely on third parties. Many startups are intimidated by the process and they do not build web sites that are capable of e-commerce transactions. I am trying to give you just a brief idea of what it takes to design e-commerce sites. I will write different aspects of online business in my future posts. Suggest you to study some of the these aspects of e-commerce site development before you start.

Transaction Security

One of the most important aspects of e-commerce web site design is security that creates confidence in consumers doing online transactions. You need to make sure that your visitors can safely and securely input their personal details, credit card information and shipping information into your online payment system.

Payment Gateway

To build web sites that accept online payments, you will need to incorporate payment gateway services for processing credit/debit cards into your ecommerce web site design. Payment Gateways are connected with your bank through your merchant accounts in those banks.

Look and feel

Aesthetics is another important aspect of e-commerce web site success. It helps to make your visitors spend their time in your site. Competition is so fierce on the Internet.

Software and Applications

There are many different software products and e-commerce applications that can be purchased and even available in the for of free and open source software to help you with your e-commerce web site design and run your online business.

Hire the professionals

If you want to build websites that are e-commerce ready, but don’t have the e-commerce web site design experience needed to accomplish the task, you can hire an e-commerce web site design professional to help you with the trickier portions of site development.

Five Important Aspects of Online Business [RajeshShakya]

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Inc.com: Anyone who does business online worries about how to boost Web traffic. But traffic is only part of the story. Equally important is the conversion rate - the percentage of customers who actually buy something. On average, companies report that only 3 percent of Web surfers actually buy, according to a survey by Shop.org, a division of the National Retail Federation.

Fortunately, there are new tools that can help companies convert browsers into buyers. A company can design several versions of its website and use one of many new software packages to track how each design affects the conversion rate. It's called multivariate testing, and many consulting firms specialize in it. But free tools also are available, including Google's Website Optimizer.

Below, we look at how two companies boosted conversion rates. Stamps.com, which allows users to print postage and shipping labels from any computer, redesigned its website after testing 12 versions of its site with consultancy OTTO Digital. The company's conversion rate rose by 20 percent. Vitamin maker Jigsaw Health tested 10 different designs, with help from consulting firm Future Now. The result: The conversion rate rose from 10.3 percent to 19.6 percent. Take a look at the lessons both companies learned from the process. The changes on display may seem small and subtle, but the effect on conversion rates has been anything but.

Turning Browsers Into Buyers [Inc.com]

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BusinessWeek: Startups scrambling for domain names—the shorter and catchier, the better—find themselves in negotiations with owners of desirable Web addresses. Andrew Frame had several criteria for the name of his VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) startup. It had to be universally pronounceable, memorable, and short—ideally, no more than four letters and two syllables. Of course, the dot-com domain name also had to be available.

Some of these quirkily named young startups—Bebo, the social-networking site, and Etsy, the online crafts marketplace, for example—have caught on. Yet the naming trend has also drawn considerable eye-rolling among Web denizens, inspiring tongue-in-cheek pages like Web 2.0 Name Generator and the quiz "Web 2.0 or Star Wars Character?"

Among these domain-name buyers is Steve Luo, a hardware engineer from California. Luo started buying up four-letter domains early last year after he noticed that the relative scarcity of four-letter domains meant that even random combinations like rmnd.com were selling for many times the $9 or so they cost to register. Luo now owns several thousand four-letter domains, which as of recently included peeb.com ($4,000), qurr.com ($400), and wwuw.com ($900).

The idea that shorter domain names are more memorable, more "brandable," and therefore more valuable has become so widely accepted that many entrepreneurs take it for granted. Domain-name reseller Sedo advises buyers that "a shorter domain means reduced risk of typo errors, easier memorability, faster type-ins, and more flexibility in promoting the domain. For these reasons, most businesses who can afford it buy a domain of five characters or less." But are those businesses really getting what they pay for?

Does Success Hinge on a Domain Name? [BusinessWeek]

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Inc.com: Small retailers who want to take their companies online can now build a store on the Web for free with a new service from FastCommerce.com. Business owners follow a simple step-by-step process to create a store template, and can have their online businesses up and running in a short amount of time.

FastCommerce.com provides business owners with a fully integrated package on the Web that allows them to run their entire operations -- from order processing to sales to inventory control -- without purchasing additional computer software. Online businesses can also customize their storefront with other applications available on FastCommerce.com, including order management and customer management, shipping rate calculator for UPS and FedEx shipments, and automatic e-mails for order confirmations.

The service is free for the first 250 products posted.

A One-Stop Shop for Setting Up Your Own Online Shop [Inc.com]

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CashBulge: 1. Comment on other blogs in your niche.
Probably one of the most powerful ways to get noticed early on and to establish ties & contacts with people that have similar interests. Make sure you post relevant comments.

2. Join forums & communities.
Same as before, join forums and communities that are in your niche. Some useful forums I always reference (for SEO and Marketing) are DigitalPoint and EarnersForum.

3. List your blog in directories and top sites.
BlogFlux is a great blog directory and free to submit to. Start out with this and then expand.

4. Promotion & SEO Blog Plugins.
Depending on which blogging platform you are using you should have an array of tools at your disposal. Get the plug-ins that you need and scrap the ones you don’t.

5. RSS Feed conversion.
Use FeedBurner, its the best in the RSS industry right now and used by all the top bloggers such as ProBlogger and others.

6. Use Technorati.
Technorati is a powerful resource for bloggers. You can see who has linked your story and how powerful your blog is compared to others.

7. Social Bookmarking - your powerhouse.
Getting to that front-page of Digg or Reddit is a gold-mine and will create a tsunami of visitors. A great social bookmarking plug-in is AddThis.

8. Traffic Exchange websites.
Sites like BlogExplosion are a powerful way to drive some new traffic. Basically you browse other bloggers blogs and earn ‘credits’ which you can then redeem for traffic or review posts. It’s good stuff.

9. Linkrolling.
BlogRolling is a link manager service that helps you organize and evolve your list of links. It also makes it easier for people browsing your site to add you with a quick button :).

10. Using Flickr to host your images. Save space.
Well that tag-line basically did it. By using Flickr to host your photos, you can save web space and bandwidth each month and even get a few incoming links depending on how good your photo is.

And many more...

33 Useful Ways to Promote & Improve Your Blog [CashBulge]

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StartupJournal: Start by figuring out what phrases people are typing into search engines when looking for your type of products online. Once you know that, you can buy paid search ads, such as pay-per-click ads, using those phrases and pepper your site with them to boost its search-engine rankings.

Showing up high in search-engine rankings is very important since most people use search engines to shop for products online.

There are some key-word suggestion tools that help identify popular search phrases, usually available free. For instance, Google Inc.'s AdWords Keyword Tool and Wordtracker.com let you type in words and see which related phrases get searched most often. Type "Made in America" into the AdWords Keyword Tool, for instance, and you see phrases like "clothing made in America" and "toys made in the USA" have been searched fairly often recently. But "toys made in America" was searched hardly at all.

You also can experiment with various search phrases by signing up for an advertising program, like Google AdWords. The programs let you bid on various phrases. The price you bid is what you pay the search-engine provider each time someone clicks on your ad. The more you bid, the higher an ad for your site appears on the right-hand side of a search-results page. These programs have monitoring programs that let you see what phrases are most effective in generating traffic and customers on your site.

Increasing Traffic To Your Web Site [StartupJournal]

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EcommerceGuide: Widgets are generating a lot of buzz in the industry these days as more e-tailers begin to capitalize on how these snippets of code can expand the exposure of online businesses — and make them more money.

These mini-applications generally come packaged in a little window, can be dragged and dropped onto a Web page, and offer a scaled-down version of features you would ordinarily get at a full-fledged site.

For e-tailers, this means you can, for instance, showcase your eBay listings on your social networking page, bringing your merchandise to interested shoppers who might not have found your storefront. Those who like what you're selling can even pass your widget on to their friends. Another way e-biz owners can earn extra revenue is by using affiliate marketing widgets at their Web store sites or blogs.

In the latter case is an impressive new widget — officially launching July 23, called PopShops — that promises to make managing affiliate partnerships a snap. Simply put, you can build affiliate storefronts in three clicks: Pick from more than 15 million products from across the top four affiliate networks, click to customize the showcase of products for your site and "pop" the storefront application into your site or blog.

New Affiliate Tool Promises Pick, Click and Pop [EcommerceGuide]

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Reveries: Google may be the world’s dominant search engine, but in South Korea it claims just 1.7 percent of all searches, reports Choe Sang-Hun. The search-engine leader in South Korea, with 77 percent of searches, is a home-grown site called Naver.com. Founded in 1999 by NHN, an online gaming company, Naver capitalizes on both the lack of Korean-language content online as well as the interest amongst Koreans to try to help each other out. In a nutshell, Naver is building its own database of information by letting its users answer each other’s questions.

So far, Naver has “accumulated a user-generated database of 70 million entries.” Cho In Joon, a dedicated user, explains the appeal: “When people I have never met thank me, I feel good … No one pays me for this. But helping other people on the internet is addictive.”

Neighbour + Navigate = Naver.com is what makes the online business tickes!

Naver.com [Reveries]

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BizReport: New data released by PayOffline, from market research conducted by Shape-the-Future, demonstrates just how many U.K. shoppers avoid online shopping for fear of identity theft and credit card fraud.

When told of a new offline payment system, PayOffline, that is soon to be introduced in the U.K., the interest from those surveyed was huge with 80 percent asking to be informed when the service was launched.

“PayOffline has mass market appeal; all our extensive research indicates that there is a huge pent up demand from all sections of the U.K. population,” said Steve Berry, Managing Director, PayOffline. “PayOffline will also make Internet prices available to everyone and provide a safe and secure payment option without the risk of fraud or identity theft."

The new service will allow those in the U.K. who have no bank account (c. 4 million) and the one-third of the population who have no credit card, to shop online. It is also an option for those worried about giving out their personal financial information on the Internet and the youth market that may not be eligible to use credit services.

The offline payment system is also an opportunity for online retailers to increase business from existing online shoppers, 65 percent of those surveyed claimed they would shop more online if an offline option was available.

Offline payment system for online purchases to launch in U.K. [BizReport]

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About Entrepreneurs: Here's the thing about making money online..

Simply put, there's no magic bullet. The ways you can make "big money", i.e., more than, say, about $10-$15 an hour, typically require at least two of the following three things:

Investment - Free tools are typically advertiser supported, which means you can't run as much advertising yourself and can't make as much money. Or they're open source software (like the WordPress blogging tool I described in the article you referred to), which require some degree of skill to use. You could build your own full-fledged e-commerce site, selling affiliate products, running advertising, blogging, and so on, for just the cost of very cheap hosting (less than $20 a year). But if you want to do that with no technical knowledge, no HTML knowledge, you're going to spend more like $20-$30 a month or more.

Skill - If you know what you're doing, there are a lot of free tools available. There's also a whole genre of ways to make money by doing free trial offers and then canceling them. While that doesn't take a great deal of skill, you have to be extremely organized in order to stay on top of them and do all the steps required to get the prize. People aren't really going to give you a free XBox 360 or iPhone just for answering one little survey. Come on -- think about it -- the economics just don't work.

Risk - There's no absolutely sure, easy way to make money online at more than about $10-$12 an hour. To make more than that, you run the risk of making less than that, or even of losing money if you're investing in tools (remember - I said you need two of these three).

Making Money Online [About Entrepreneurs]

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CNNmoney: Jake Nickell and Jacob DeHart were fresh out of high school seven years ago when they had the idea that would make them millionaires. After entering an Internet T-shirt design competition, the two Chicagoans thought maybe that was the way all T-shirts should be made.

Most stores print a bunch of shirts and lose money on the ones people don't like. Instead, they figured, why not let customers rank designs ahead of time and then print only the winners?

The idea grew into an online store called Threadless that struck a chord with Web-savvy designers in Chicago and beyond; last year Nickell and DeHart sold $16 million worth of T-shirts.

The key to their success? High profit margins -- the shirts cost as little as $4 each to make and sell for $15 and up -- and a business model built on the care and feeding of an online community.

'Project Runway' for the t-shirt crowd [CNNmoney]

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