Watch this video and learn how to get more exposure for your small business.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Saturday, August 6, 2011
PLR Articles: How to Choose a Good Service
By Nicole Dean
Private Label Rights (PLR) articles are hot right now. The only problem is that many people have tried them and been very disappointed. I can’t say I blame them. I’ve been disappointed, too. 
Oftentimes, the PLR services you may have tried are lacking in several areas. So, what makes a good PLR service and how can you make sure that you don’t waste you money on a bad one?
Here are some questions to ask yourself before investing any money into a PLR package or membership.
1. What topics are you getting?
I mean, seriously, if you are promised 100 articles each month, but you end up receiving a selection on Laser Hair Removal and Divorce, when all your websites are about cooking… You just wasted money.
2. What quality are you getting?
Say you’re lucky enough to get a series of articles on your topic. Take a minute to look at them. Are they pure fluff? I’ve paid for articles that had no original ideas, or worse, were written so poorly that there’s no possible way I’d put them on my website. Make sure your PLR package contains quality articles. Otherwise, you just wasted money.
3. How many other people are getting the exact same articles?
If 1000 other people signed up to get the same articles, are you really receiving any value? Perhaps, if you don’t mind reworking the articles. However, if you’d like more unique articles, then you may consider a more limited PLR service.
4. Does the PLR service give you any extras?
Are they offering training on ways to use their PLR articles? Do they provide you with ways to monetize the articles you’ve purchased? Some PLR sites will include recommended affiliate programs and training on how to use their articles to get the most benefits from their service.
Really assess the value you’re receiving when investing in any PLR package or service so that you don’t end up wasting your money. I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I did.
Article written by:
Nicole Dean is the owner of www.EasyPLR.com – where you’ll find high-quality PLR articles sold in very limited quantities. The PLR articles at EasyPLR are professionally written and professionally edited — top quality at an affordable price.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
“Marketing Your Business With Video – 7 Benefits”
You've heard that using video to market your business can bring incredible results. But do the benefits outweigh the effort it takes to put your video online? In a word, Yes! Shooting a video, editing and formatting it,%5B3%5D.png "youtube (6)")
1.Personal Connection – Especially for internet based businesses, the personal connection with your potential market is a huge selling factor. With video, your audience can truly get to know you, eye-to-eye. They get to see that you are indeed a real, live person. They start building a deeper relationship with you and feel as if they actually have met you.
2.Social proof – There's an old proverb: “Believe nothing of what you hear, and only half of what you see.” On the internet it's so easy to be a fake and a fraud. People are skeptical about claims they read online, and rightfully so. But video puts a face to your words and makes you more believable and trustworthy.
3.Traffic – People are watching 2 BILLION videos per day on YouTube alone! That's a whole lot of traffic you're missing if you're not marketing yourself with video. It's free and easy to add your video to a large number of the video sites available online.
4.Emotional Influence – The classic horror movie is a great example of how the audio has an emotional effect on us. The creepy music comes in, immediately cluing you in that something bad is about to happen. Now, imagine combining that audio with powerful video cues to influence the emotions of the listener and create a much more compelling message than with just text alone.
5.Portability – Maybe even more so then articles and ebooks, video is portable. iPhones, Smartphones, iPads and all kinds of other devices allow video to be seen on the go. You can also allow people to download video easily so they can view it over and over again.
6.Demonstrations – Reviews, case studies and examples are great ways to sell products and services. It's the reason why infomercials make millions of dollars. Now there's no need for you to be as annoying as the Sham-Wow guy to make money with video; you just need to create videos that show and tell your potential customers why your product will be helpful for them.
7.Engagement – There are many reports available online to show that video boosts response and conversion rates. When someone is watching a video, you have their full attention – eyes and ears. Unlike with the written word, they're not likely skip ahead or gloss over important information. Most people will watch a video from beginning to end, allowing you to clearly create a message and call to action that engages your audience.
Overall, video is an effective marketing strategy that is only growing in popularity. Since video is here to stay, it's time to check out the options and see how quick and easy video marketing can be.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
“So You Want To Master Social Media – Ten Tips to Help You Succeed”
By Jill Hart
It’s official. Social media is here to stay. It’s not a fad like so many initially thought and it isn’t going anywhere soon. Businesses have realized that
Ten tips to incorporate social media into your marketing plan:
Determine What Social Media Sites Are Best For You. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are the top three, but that’s only the beginning. Determine who your target market is and then meet them where they are. It’s okay to ask by taking a survey by email or on your website asking which social media avenue your clients prefer. Once you determine that, be consistent and realize that you can’t be everywhere all the time. Pick the ones that are best for your business and really engage.
Team Up With Other Entrepreneurs.By teaming up, you allow easy access to retweets, Facebook posts, etc. Plus, it’s a great way to provide your audience with more valuable information on topics that would interest them by sharing information that is provided by the business(es) you team up with. Just make sure that your choose teammates with information that is a good fit for your audience.
Don’t Just Advertise, Build Relationships. – We’ve all seen them. The tweets and Facebook postings that we know are scheduled and we know are only trying to sell us something. We aren’t saying that you can’t promote your services or products. In fact, we encourage you to do that. But do it right. Don’t just be about landing the deal. Truly connect with your audience and show them why they would want to work with you. We know you’ve heard it a million times already, but it speaks for itself and bears repeating: Social media is meant to be “social.”
Make It a Two-Way Street. You post and you post and you post on Facebook. You’ve tweeted away on Twitter & you’ve updated your status on Linkedin. Finally you’re done. Social marketing is ready to be checked off the list. Not so fast! Realize that just like you are posting there are others out there posting and building relationships as well. Get out there and respond to others, too. When you think about it, how do you feel when someone posts on your Facebook posting or blog entry? It feels good, doesn’t it? When you see a Facebook posting that you like leave a comment – always making sure you add value and are not just promoting your business.
Make It Exciting. We see this often: business owners on Twitter who get on for 20-minute increments and during that time we are inundated with retweets. They will throw in an occasional tip or two, but basically it’s just 20 minutes of nonsense. Now we love a good retweet, but we don’t enjoy this at all. When you are marketing your business via social media, make sure that you engage with others and make it exciting. Give some good information and tips – don’t just retweet to be seen. Provide great value and your followers will not only enjoy your messages, but when they are looking to refer someone who needs your services, you will be on the top of the list.
Learn From Others. One of the best things about being in business these days is that you have the opportunity to follow the pros and see what they are doing right. They eagerly give out tips, videos, etc. Make it a point to follow those who you respect and can learn from. Sit back and take notes. But more importantly, take the action steps necessary to make these points work. It’s more than learning from them, you need to actually do what they recommend as well.
Contribute to Other Networks. Another great aspect of social media is getting your message out to more than just your audience. Offer to guest post for other networks in your area of expertise. You never know who may see your posts and become a client.
Create An Expert Status. Why do people follow you? Many times it is because they see you as the best at what you do and they want to learn from you. Therefore it’s important to always give solid tips and advice to really show your expertise. Create high quality blog postings, tips lists and posts to share with your audience. It may take extra time to create high quality work, but the effort will be well worth it in the end.
Spruce Up Your Page. Social media has come a long way in a short time. No more are you limited to a tiny avatar of your logo. Most of the social networking sites today allow you to fully customize your page with images, backgrounds and more. Spend the time to create a page that will draw in your audience and make them want to come back daily.
Be respectful. One of the things that most business owners value most is time. It’s important when you are on Facebook, Twitter and the other networks, that you be respectful of others’ time. A few ways you can do that: Don’t Expect An Instant Response. Sending an Instant Message (IM) to a colleague or respected leader is fine, but recognize that they may not be able to chat with you immediately. Often times that person has allocated a certain amount of time to be on the site. If they are constantly on an IM, they can’t get what they need done. We’re not saying you can’t IM, but be respectful when you do.
Don’t Take Advantage. Social media is a relationship builder and gives us instant access to industry leaders. However, be careful not to take advantage of someone’s goodwill by asking a zillion questions. Most business owners enjoy helping others, however, to provide personalized coaching is a different story. Always respect the person you are communicating with and we bet you’ll find you get way more back than you ever imagined.
See how easy social media is. When done right it can bring amazing results for your business. Not only will you establish yourself as an expert, but you will be promoting your products and services regularly. Make it a commitment to master social media marketing and we promise you next year at this time, you’ll be so glad you did.
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Jill Hart, Founder of Christian Work-at-Home Moms http://www.cwahm.com and Diana Ennen, President of Virtual Word Publishing, http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com have teamed up to write So You Want to Be a Work at Home Mom: A Christian’s Guide to Starting a Home-Based Business http://www.soyouwanttobeawahm.com . Start or expand your business today with their help.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
“10 Proven Ways to Optimize Your Facebook Page”
©Terri Seymour
Social media marketing is absolutely essential in today’s online business world. It has taken the internet by storm both professionally 
Social marketing involves a lot more than just signing up and pasting up your page. You need to maximize your page’s effectiveness and keep it fresh, updated and alive. Below are 10 things you can do to optimize your Facebook page to make sure your business is getting the maximum benefits.
1. Create an Effective Profile – Do not use a half-done profile. Fill in your profile completely. This is for your business so be professional yet show people you care about your customers and will be there for them. Make sure your photo (if of yourself) is professional. You could also use your logo. Let people know what your business can do for them. Write an effective mission statement. Let your visitors know why they should do business with you but be careful what you reveal for security reasons.
2. Get Your Visitors Involved in Discussions – This is a great way to get your visitors to “Like” you and to keep coming back. Start helpful and informative discussions about topics related to your products or services. For example: if you sell home décor, start discussions about home decorating ideas, budget decorating, home improvement, etc. Encourage people to join the discussions and leave their business signature for more exposure.
3. Customize Your Page – Don’t let your page be one of the cookie cutter pages like everyone else. Customize it to fit your business needs and the needs of your visitors. Use images that brand you and your business and make it enjoyable and memorable.
4. Events and Contests – Keep your page alive and active with special events and contests. Each time a fan RSVP’s the event, it shows up in his profile. And so on and so on. Thus creating a ripple effect for your business.
5. Special Offers and Sales – People are always looking for good deals and special offers so don’t disappoint. Show your visitors you want to give them the best possible deal on your products/services.
6. Multi-Media Integration – Use audio and video content for your page. Audio and video can be extremely effective in capturing and holding the attention of visitors. According to webnox video is 58% more effective than just using plain text!
7. Make Your Tabs More Memorable – Facebook does allow you to change the usual boring tabs to more suit your needs. Make them unique to your page and business. You can also change the order in which you present your tabs. You can find easy to follow online tutorials on how to do this.
8. Utilize Your Sidebar – Take advantage of your sidebar space. This is a great place for testimonials or newsletter sign-up forms. You can also use this space for affiliate links, a survey for your visitors to help improve your page/business. Add links to your main website or special offers you may have going.
9. Add a Poll to Your Page – People like knowing their opinion matters so add interest to your page with a poll. You can add them using a free poll creator from Vizu. Polls can attract attention and encourage your visitors to interact with your page.
10. Post Regularly – I cannot stress this enough! Do not start your page and then let it sit for weeks at a time. You have to be there every day updating, adding new content, checking things over, and finding ways to improve your page. I recently started using social marketing and unfortunately need to take my own advice on this one. I have just not been involved enough with my Facebook page but that will soon be changing. The hold that social media has on the internet is astronomical so do not be left out in the cold!
So far I am involved with Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn so feel free to come over and see me. I would love to see your page as I am learning more about this phenomenal marketing tool. I hope we all can use these types of sites to help each other improve our business and increase our sales!
About the Author:
Terri Seymour (also known as “The eBook Lady”) has over ten years online experience and has helped many people start their own business. Visit her site at http://www.seymourproducts.com for resources, $1 and $2 resell ebooks & software, articles, affiliate programs, RSS feed, and a free business ebook with Master Resell Rights.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
“New Twitter vs. Old Twitter – “Who to Follow” Feature”
Image via Wikipedia
The absolute best thing about Twitter is the connections you make with other people. The new version of Twitter has a new menu item called “Who To Follow”.
Old Twitter
Old Twitter included the following options under “Find Friends”.
New Twitter
The new version of Twitter now calls this “Who To Follow” and it does not include the option to “Find on Twitter” or “Invite By Email”.
In the new version, click on Who to Follow.
You are given three options: View Suggestions, Browse Interests, and Find Friends.
Let’s look at “View Suggestions” first. Click on the link that says “interesting accounts” to see some suggestions from Twitter.
The next “Who To Follow” option is “Browse Interests”. As you can see in the screenshot below, there are categories to choose from and Twitter will also suggest certain twitter accounts.
The final option under “Who To Follow” is “Find Friends”. This option allows you to connect to various email accounts you own as well as LinkedIn. When you click on one of the choices, you will be presented with a screen to enter your login information. For example, if you choose Gmail, you’ll need to enter your Gmail login to access that account. Only those people who have agreed to be found by email address will be shown.
Monday, March 14, 2011
“How to Use Video for Business Promotion”
Everyone loves watching videos online. If you need proof of that just look at the success of YouTube. Here are a few stats “2 billion videos viewed per day, 24 hours of video uploaded every minute and the average person spends 15 minutes per day on YouTube.” Fore more see 
If you have a business and a website, then you've likely considered video marketing. If you haven’t, you really should. Once you're convinced of the power of video the next step is to decide how to use them to promote yourself. There are a number of ways to implement video marketing into your marketing plan.
Try studying videos done by others in a similar niches to get those creative juices flowing and spark some ideas.
Here are just a few ideas:
1.Testimonials – Ask your customers or clients to give you quick 1-minute videos of their feedback. You can also interview them about your business for a more structured testimonial.
2.Product Demos – One of the biggest drawbacks to buying online is that you can't actually test the product. Bypass that objection and demonstrate your product on video to help increase sales.
3.Case Studies – If you're involved in some kind of before-and-after (website design, fitness, SEO, etc.) case studies are an excellent way to demonstrate your expertise. Seeing an example helps the potential customer understand exactly what impact your service or product can have on their business.
4.Product Reviews – Video brings an added element to product reviews, particularly if you're reviewing a physical product. But hearing you talk about a book or piece of software is effective too.
5.Education – Use video to educate your market on the use of your products. Lead them towards the sale by answering their most frequently asked questions and objections.
6.Entertainment – People love to be entertained! If you can entertain in your video and combine that with a call to action, you'll have a winning combination. If it’s funny people will be more likely to pass it on to their friends.
7.Webinars – If you provide webinars or other video presentations to your market, capture them via video and offer a replay to generate leads or even sell as a product.
8.Commercial – Done correctly (meaning compelling with a clear call to action), commercials for your product or service can be very effective.
9.Business Overview – One of the first things many people look for is who they are buying from and what they stand for. Let your potential customers learn about you and your business through a business overview.
As you can see from the list above, there are many ways to use video to promote your business. Just creating video is not the only step to effective marketing. You must craft a video that responds to the wants and needs of your market. What’s in it for them? They are looking for solutions to problems and questions. It's your job to figure out how to use a video to solve issues, answer questions, provide the right solutions and lead them to the next step.
Friday, February 18, 2011
“Google Now More Social Then Ever”
Image via Wikipedia
How would you like to search Google for something and get the opinions of people you know and trust right along with the normal search results. With Google you can. This service was first launched back in 2009 but social results were only shown at the bottom of the page. Now they’ll be mixed in with the regular search results.
In order to see posts made by those in your social network you’ll need to make sure you’re logged into Google before starting your search. So if they’re sharing things on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter or their own blogs and it’s relative to the search you’re doing , it will come up.
If you’ve been doubting the power of social media marketing, with Google now putting more emphasis on it, all of those postings you’re making on Facebook or Twitter could now help you to be found higher up in their search results. And as Martha Stewart likes to say “That’s a Good Thing”.
For more see Google’s Blog Posting at:
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/update-to-google-social-search.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FMKuf+%28Official+Google+Blog%29
Or watch this helpful video.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
“Podcasts, Online Radio Shows and Recurring Video Casts: All Great Ways to Promote Your Business”
Part of promoting your website business is getting in front of as many people as possible. While you are there, give them something interesting to read, listen to or watch that will direct them to your website through a link. One of the ways that people like to hear about new sites is through podcasts. 
What is a Podcast?
A podcast is a multimedia tool that people can follow. Think of it as audio or video information that you can listen to or view on your computer, your iPod or any other multimedia enabled device. It’s like having your own radio show on your website.
Podcasts can be syndicated using RSS (really simple syndication). This is the same process that people use to keep up with blogs and websites. The RSS feed allows them to receive updates when changes are made on the site so they don’t have to visit every day.
See http://www.how-to-podcast-tutorial.com/what-is-a-podcast.htm
http://www.podcasting-tools.com/
Creating your Podcast
There is software available to help you create your audio and video files. You can embed code for them on your website so others can view them.
Beyond the technical aspects, the purpose of the podcast is to present interesting information to your readers in a new and unique way. People browse the Internet to find useful items. They like to read, but would admittedly like to watch or listen as it is a more convenient way to get the same information.
So what will make your podcast stand out? Use engaging dialogue, present relevant topics and use visually appealing props and sets for video casts.
See http://www.podcastrevolution.com/
Going Viral
For one, don’t forget the keywords. You want people to be able to find your podcasts when they use their search engines. Even if you are using mainly audio, include keyword optimized titles, tags and links in your podcasts.
Submit your podcasts to directories. Use every avenue to get yourself in front of the public. That includes creating press releases to announce your podcasts if you are introducing them for the first time. Optimizing your press releases and submitting them to free press release sites keeps people finding them even after you are through using them.
Let your existing customers in on the new podcast. Use your email list to keep them in the loop as you unroll your podcast project. Give them links directly to the podcast so they can view it and hopefully pass the link on to others.
Your podcast can be turned into a radio show with regular guest spots. Interview other business owners in your niche and notable online personalities who would be of interest to your readers. A recurring show can increase your traffic and your following.
Want to get people to your website? Create a podcast. Turn it into a radio show or recurring video cast to create a following and gain more traffic to your business.
See http://www.masternewmedia.org/podcast_directory/
http://www.podcastalley.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=109
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Wednesday, January 26, 2011
“5 Fresh Innovative Marketing Ideas”
Guest post by Terri Seymour:
©Terri Seymour of www.SeymourProducts.com
When you own a business it is extremely important to get your name and business brand out to the public. We, as business owners, are always looking for new and cost effective ways of doing that. We do not want to settle into a routine because it works. We should always be looking for
Below are five innovative ideas that you may or may have not yet seen to help get you more traffic, more sales and more income.
1. Introductions in Blog and/or Ezine – This is an effective method of cross promoting for you and fellow online business owners. Search for sites that compliment (not compete with) your site. Email the owner and introduce yourself, let them know a little about you and your site and then ask them if they would be interested in a cross promotion with you. You would introduce each other on your blogs/sites/ezines and tell a little about their business. This would be better than just an ad because it adds a personal touch which people tend to pay more attention to than just ads.
2. Swap Article Resource Boxes – if you write and submit articles, swapping resource boxes with other article marketers could be a great way to increase your traffic, sales, etc. As with the introductions, search for complimentary businesses and then contact the owner. A good place to start would be some of the better article directories. Find quality articles and consider contacting the authors for your proposal.
3. Compile an Article Portfolio – Article marketing is very effective and by compiling your articles all in one convenient portfolio would be a good way to get more of them used by ezine publishers, webmasters, etc. Group your articles together in one large word file. Then convert it to pdf. This is a great way for people to be able to access your articles easily as well as choosing the subject they are interested in. Provide download links to your portfolio in your email signature, on your website, in your ezine, on your blog. Post in on forums, your Facebook page, twitter, etc. The possibilities are endless!
4. Ad Pool – Contact a group of fellow blog owners, ezine publishers, etc and discuss the possibility of forming an ad pool with them. Each person puts in an ad and you all rotate the ads in your ezine, blog, etc. Be selective in the types of ads you accept so they are taken more seriously by your readers.
5. Swap Video Ads – This would be similar to link exchanging and ad swapping but taking it a step further. Choose complimentary businesses and you can actually help bring each other more business by swapping video ads for your site or blog.
It’s not always easy to find, new innovative ideas for your marketing campaign but by putting a new spin on some old ways, it can turn out to be very successful for your business. Helping yourself by helping others is always a plus and the above mentioned ideas all will help you accomplish that!
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Terri Seymour (also known as “The eBook Lady”) has over ten years online experience and has helped many people start their own business. Visit her site at http://www.seymourproducts.com for resources, $1 and $2 resell ebooks & software, affiliate programs, free ezine and free business ebook with Master Resell Rights. http://www.seymourproducts.com/free.shtml
Monday, January 24, 2011
“Government ID Card???”
Image by clappstar via Flickr
We all know how well the government runs things. Just take a look at the Social Security mess or how about this country’s debt. Let’s just say there are something’s better left alone. Take the Internet for example. We all know that if the government took control of it what a nightmare it would become. Well, hold onto your seat as Mr. Obama has a plan for that too as announced last week by his administration.
Right now when you buy something online, pay a bill or leave comments on a discussion board you go to each site and log in with a separate user ID and password? In this new proposed plan by “Big Brother” you’ll be issued a “Internet ID Card”. This “Smart Card” will have its own user ID and password to verify your identity and track everything and anything you do online, all in one central location. How does that sound? Greeeeaaat. Yes, I know what you’re thinking. Who wants the government snooping over their shoulder every time you post on Facebook or purchase something for personal use. Maybe it’s just me but I’m thinking it’s none of their business.
Is it me or does it seem that the government is sticking their nose in places they just don’t belong. The Internet ran just fine all these years and one of the reasons it has is that it has been allowed to grow without government intervention. Each day in this country we are losing more and more of our personal freedoms. With each new stupid law that is passed, you and I lose. It’s time for people to wake up and see exactly what is going on or it won’t be long before just being out after dark may have you in handcuffs.
What do you think?
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
"Getting Back to the Basics of Social Media"
If you run any kind of business and aren’t implementing some sort of social media marketing in the mix you’re missing out on a lot of traffic and new customers. You don’t have to have a masters degree to get started in social media, you just need to know the basics.
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