I Wish You Merry Christmas

As we take a brief pause to celebrate the Christmas holiday, let us not forget the reason for the season, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ the Son of God, who was sacrificed for the sins of the world that we might live.

I wish to extend to each and everyone my sincere desire for you to have a blessed, safe and Merry Christmas. May you and yours enjoy your Christmas, and remember those who are less fortunate, alone, separated from family or friends, or grieving over the loss of a family member this year. Share what you have with others, even if it isn't much, and remember that truly the greatest gift that any one of us has to give to someone else is Love.

Thanks for sharing a part of my life through this blog and honoring me with the privilege of sharing with you.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Kimberly

P.S. I will be posting to the blog (although not as frequently) between now and the New Year, so please continue to visit and check in to see what's new, but also take the opportunity during this holiday "break" to view some of my previous posts from the archive.

Internet Marketing And SEO - Website Statistics - Drat! They Are Important

Yesterday, I was extremely frustrated. Here's what happened. I was busy doing my work, and decided to check on the stats for one of the sites that I've been working to promote. As I was scanning the information, I saw that another of my sites had experienced a significant spike in the visitor count that day. As I hadn't done anything in particular on that specific day in terms of promotions or advertising, I was very curious to know the reason for the sudden increase (basically, so that whatever it is I had done, I could repeat :), and so I began to look through the statistics to find from where the visitors were being referred.

Guess what? The stats didn't tell me! For nearly two hours I worked to find the referral source of the new visitors to my site. Long story short, I never found the referral source, nor the source of the problem as to why my statistical information had "skipped" the referral stats for the specific day for which I needed the information. The “rub” is that I lost a very valuable piece of marketing information. RATS!

Reading and analyzing statistics, testing, "tweaking" and tracking are not fun activities for me. Some people love that kind of thing, I don't. My energies and focus lean much more toward the creative and artistic realms, not mathematics, statistics or analysis. Why? Because they are things that don't come "naturally" for me. I have to work very hard to analyze and understand statistical information. I can do it, but I don't like it.

I that's probably true for many online marketers. Not everyone is a programmer, IT or computer science whiz. But, tracking certain information and statistics is crucial to the success of your online business. How else are you going to know who is coming to your site, why they're there, what it is that they're most interested in, and how can you supply it? How do you know what promotions work, what is ineffective and what needs to be reworked or repeated? These are the answers you find through your website stats.

If you don't necessarily enjoy combing through statistics, here are some basic stats that you need for getting information that is fundamental to your marketing efforts:

Count of unique visitors – This information tells you how many new people are coming to your site. It is an indicator of the effectiveness of your current marketing campaign or the combination of your current promotional techniques.
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Count of returning visitors – This statistic tells you how many people, who have previously visited your site at least once, have returned. It can be an indicator of how effective are your efforts to be viewed as a resource of information or as an expert, valuable or authoritative source.

Referrer – This information tells you where are your visitors are coming from. This is important, because from this information, you know where your marketing investment is giving you the best return, and where to focus future marketing to get the most benefit.

Pages visited – Tracking the pages your prospects and customers visit tells you what information and content your they're most interested in and attracted to.

Length of stay – The length of time visitors stay on your site is crucial to your success. The longer they stay, the more information and content they're exposed to, and the more likely they are to be persuaded to take action, whether that includes making a purchase, subscribing to your newsletter or some similar action.

Website statistics don't have to be overly technical and a "pain" to deal with. The important thing to keep in mind is that you shouldn't get hung up on trying to analyze every single aspect of your statistical information. Use as much of the information as you need to help you to track and measure your marketing efforts, and to ensure that your website is developed and utilized in such a manner as to make it your most effective sales and marketing tool.

Internet Marketing Tips - Email Marketing - A Few Tips

In recent years, email has become an accepted and often preferred method for business communications, however it does carry with it some "bugaboos". If you use email to communicate with prospective customers and to stay in touch with your established customers, then you want to be certain that you're using email in the manner most beneficial to you and your clientèle. Following are some helpful tips regarding emails to your business prospects and customers that will help you get the most from your email communications.

Once a prospect or customer has subscribed to your email or newsletter list (and I'm naturally assuming you're using double opt-in subscription methods), they have agreed to receive your messages. In other words, they have expressed a desire to receive more information from you. So, when you send email messages to your list, your primary concern or objective should be to offer something of value.

Each and every email or newsletter message you send to your list, no matter how brief or long, should provide your readers with information that, first and foremost, benefits them. Offering valuable information is what will keep your readers interested, engaged, and anticipating and opening your messages. This is very important! If the people on your list are not at least opening your messages, it doesn't matter how good your information, offer, or your sales pitch. You're "dead in the water" before you have a chance to begin. You have to get your subscribers into the habit of looking forward to receiving your messages in anticipation of what good things you have in store for them. It is from that position that you can then promote your "product of the month" or "service for the week". But this can be done only after you have offered or provided them something of value first.

You won't believe how many emails I get from complete strangers that just jump into a sales pitch without having given any background, established any type of rapport, or at least offered some type of information piece or "lead-in" first. And the usual result is the email gets deleted before I've finished reading the first one or two lines of the message. The same thing could very well be happening to your messages. For your greatest chance of success with email marketing, remember to offer something to your reader first, before asking something of them.

Helpful tip #2: Contact your list on a consistent basis. This action really accomplishes two objectives for you. First, regular contact trains your subscribers to expect, and then to anticipate, your messages. They begin to watch for your messages to arrive once every couple of days or twice per week They eventually look forward to the messages they receive from you. Second, by regularly reinforcing contact, in which you provide them with information or benefits they need or want, you establish yourself as a reliable and even authoritative or expert source. That means that the customer will look to you (ie your business, your products, your services) when they need information or to seek solutions.

Intermittent, sporadic or no contact with your list (until you want to promote something) leaves a disconnect. When no relationship has been built between you, the prospect or customer feels no particular inclination or desire to engage in contact when it is made, and certainly no loyalty in terms of purchasing your goods or services. Regular contact keeps you and your business "top of mind" and reinforces the perception of you as a resource/expert/authority.

Last, don't be a nuisance. Emailing your subscribers every day, two or three times a day is overkill! And that's just what you'll accomplish...the death of your relationship with that subscriber. Bombarding your readers with too much information and too many messages only causes confusion, frustration and exasperation on the part of your prospect. It also dilutes any specific message that you're attempting to focus them on. Badgering your clientèle will never make them more inclined to make a purchase. They'll simply delete your messages or unsubscribe altogether. In this case, remember that moderation works best.

Email can be an awesome tool in the hands of a skilled marketer. By following the simple advice outlined above, you'll be well on your way to more effective and successful email and newsletter communications with your business prospects.

Making Money Online - Customer Testimonials - Are They Helpful?

As a business owner and webmaster, there are a number of methods at your disposal to use in attempting to convert visitors to your website to customers who buy or subscribe to your product or service. One of the more popular methods of converting your visitors to customers is through the use of testimonials.

Testimonials are in essence another version of "word of mouth" advertising. When they're used appropriately, testimonials can be quite effective sales tools. Getting a "first hand" statement about another customer's experience with a product or service that you're considering buying or in some way investing in, is pretty much the next closest thing to having a personal product experience.

But the effective use of testimonials can be somewhat tricky. Learning to use them in such a manner as to lend a sense of honesty and integrity to your product claims can be a delicate balance. The following are helpful hints to keep in mind when publishing testimonials to support your promotions.

Unsolicited testimonials can be priceless. If someone has used your product or subscribed to your service and sent you an unsolicited testimonial to support it, you're in a wonderful position. Because of the very fact that someone volunteered to provide positive comments about their product experience, makes the testimonial all the more credible and thus valuable to you. It lends an added authenticity to the testimonial, which can certainly influence a potential buyer or subscriber.

Testimonials from authority figures are especially valuable. Although a testimonial from "John Q. Public" may be genuine and authentic, a testimonial from a professional or expert in the area related to the product or service can be much more effective. Why? Because the expert, even one that is not known to your prospect, is viewed as having more credibility than the average person. As an expert, they're assumed to be more knowledgeable and experienced, so their opinion and endorsement carries with it much more validity. But, be careful here. The testimonial still must be genuine, and an honest appraisal or review of your product or service.

Especially detailed or specific testimonials are most effective as a means of swaying the opinions of others. If someone who is eating a red apple were to tell you that the apple was good and you should have one, you may decide to do so assuming you like apples and you're hungry. But if someone holds an apple in front of you and tells you that it is without question, the most flavorful, sweet, delicious apple that they've ever had, you're more likely to ask them for a bite right then and there, even before they have a chance to make the offer. Get it? That's the difference in a detailed testimonial. The details make the statement much more powerful and believable in the eyes those who are scrutinizing it.

If you choose to use testimonials as a part of your online promotions, make certain to include the complete names of contributors as well as any other information that might be considered helpful. People want to believe your testimonials, but they are always skeptical of their validity. The more information you give, especially with regard to names, locations and businesses (where appropriate), the more believable is the testimonial. As an Internet marketer, I always like to see links to the websites of people leaving testimonials. I almost always click through to the sites of one or two individuals to check out their site's content and quality as an added indicator of whether or not their testimonial can be considered credible information.

Using testimonials on your website can be very beneficial in promoting your products and services. The more information you can offer in support of the testimonials you publish, the more credibility you have.

Making Money Online - Sales Conversions - Is Your Website Design Like A Can Of "Raid"?

Okay. The title question may be a bit dramatic, but it's intended to make a point. Are there elements of your website design that are repelling visitors and killing your conversions (sales)?

The fundamentals of good website design include building a site that immerses your visitors in a comfortable environment - a place they find comfortable, informational, that's easy to navigate, that engages them, that caters to their interests and their wants and needs. That's a good website. And I guarantee, that any website that provides that type of "atmosphere" for its visitors is an active and profitable one.

So how does your website measure up, and are you the agent of your own defeat in terms of increasing your sales conversions? Let's take a look at some areas of website design where there may be problems that are causing your conversion ratios to be less than they should be.

How is color used on your site?

I can tell you from experience, that whether you realize it or not, the color scheme of your website can greatly affect whether or not visitors stay at your site for any length of time once they've arrived. Although your visitors may not be conscious of it, they can be highly affected, either favorably or negatively, by the colors that are included within your site design.

As an example from my own experience, I have landed at websites where the predominate color is black, and I've noticed that I usually leave almost immediately. Black is not normally inviting, it can be very difficult to attempt to read any color text against a completely black background, and often designs can come off harshly against a black backdrop. However, when black is used as an accent color or when it is combined with degrees of color (varying depths of black or shades of gray), it can be highly effective.

Red is another color that must be treated carefully in terms of website design. And while it's been my experience to visit some very well-designed sites using a red color scheme, red can be very overpowering when used as the main color for a site. In addition, text can also be very hard to read against a red backdrop, so the color red has to be used with great care. Browns and grays, when used as a site's overall colors can seem dull and lackluster. Pinks and purples can easily give a site a juvenile or less-than-professional feel, depending on how they're used. So the lesson here is to choose colors with care, and remember that "less is often more" relative to color and web design. Don't send you visitors screaming in the opposite direction of your site.

Another web design "boo boo" may be found the a website's text and content. Chronic misspellings, text size that's too large (amateurish) or too small (just plain hard to read), paragraphs that are a mile long, and terminology that's too industry-specific or not easily understandable are all factors that, alone or in combination, can cause visitors to quickly leave your website.

Make certain that your website's text is of a size and font that may be easily read by the majority of your visitors. Keep your paragraphs short. Bite-sized information blocks, as well as bulleted lists are wonderful for online readers. This helps your visitors, who usually want to get to "the bottom line" sooner rather than later, to quickly make the decision as to whether or not it is worth their time and effort to explore your website further.

And the last on this list of things that can repel would-be customers from your site is lack of information about who is behind the company (website) and/or contact information. Talk about a death knell...How would you feel about walking into a store to make a purchase blindfolded and gloved. You can't see, feel or examine the product you want to buy, nor can you see or make any determination about whom you're purchasing the product from. How likely are you to buy under those circumstances? Not likely at all. So why do you expect your potential customers are any different? They're not. Providing ample information is a demonstration that you have nothing to hide, nor are you attempting to hide anything.

Conversion rates are much more than a simple matter of getting traffic to your site and "selling" them. The sales process includes much more than just your "pitch". The overall experience of your visitors and prospects has a great deal to do with whether or not they make a purchase, become a subscriber or patronize your service. Be certain that you are putting your "best foot forward" as you invite them to your website and encourage them to develop a relationship with you.

Making Money Online - Reciprocal Linking - Is It Still Relevant

A few years ago, exchanging links with other websites was a highly "touted" and much-used strategy for webmasters working to improve search engine results through optimization techniques. Then things changed, as they constantly do on the Internet, and the strategy of exchanging links (reciprocal linking) took a "backseat" to the cultivation of one-way links, which are now widely seen as more valuable and effective for improving a website's search engine rank. So the question that is now often asked by business owners and less experienced webmasters is "Is reciprocal linking still valuable to my website?". The short answer is of course "yes", although its overall value in relation to SEO is often debated.

In my view, reciprocal linking is still valuable in terms of SEO, because as you link to, and thus associate your website with, other high quality sites that are closely related to your niche, you make your site more valuable and important merely by that association. But, I think the real importance of reciprocal links is not so much the SEO value or importance, but the importance of and opportunity to attract and build a network of highly targeted traffic streams to your website.

If you're creating relationships with other, similar or related websites it's essentially the same principal as networking and community-building. You are effectively enlarging your sphere of recognition and influence within a "warm" market (those who are likely to be most receptive to your marketing message, products and services).

Here are a few helpful hints for getting the most benefit from your reciprocal links:

Build link relationships with sites most closely related to yours.
This seems a simple and "common sense" enough concept for most people to understand, but it's still an important point that more than enough people miss. The reason most often behind individuals decisions to link their websites to unrelated sites is that they tend to concentrate, and place such specific importance, on a potential link partner's page rank. And in doing so, they disregard the value in whether or not the potential link site is relevant to their own site in any way. An easy way to keep things in context is to think of reciprocal links in terms of relationship-building. You benefit most, and receive the highest value, when you build relationships with those sites most closely related to your own.

Page rank of your link partner is/is not important.
In terms of SEO, page rank is important. Exchanging links with sites that have a page rank equal to that of your website or higher will be of benefit, because the higher the page rank of the website you link to, the more important the search engines determine that site to be (and, the more important and valuable will be your site by association). However, choosing to link to a website that is closely related to your site in terms of niche and especially content (similar keywords), that is of high quality, regardless of the fact that it may have a low page rank, can still benefit you. And chances are will still reflect positively in terms of SEO value.

Choose your "anchor text" wisely.
The words that are contained in the actual link between your website and that of a link partner are very important. Use your keywords based on those for your website and the particular page of your website to which you are linking (In order to develop the most beneficial link strategy, you should create links to a variety of pages on your website, not just your home page).

Reciprocal linking, while not as fashionable as it once was, is still an important and viable strategy in the development of your website and online presence. You won't see results overnight, the rewards of reciprocal linking are seen over a period of time. But, when completed thoughtfully and with care, it's a technique from which you'll receive great benefit.

Making Money Online - Copywriting - Cha Ching?

Copywriting is often a "least favorite" type of writing for business owners and entrepreneurs, but it shouldn't be. In fact, considering its purpose, copywriting should be the type of writing we love most. Why? Because that's where the money is. Effective copywriting is what gets you paid.

What exactly is copywriting? Copywriting is one of those terms you hear quite often if you're a marketer or entrepreneur, even if your enterprise is a small one. But, it's interesting that many people don't really have an understanding of exactly what copywriting is. Copywriting is simply promotional writing. It is defined as the process of writing words and text that promotes a person, business, opinion, or idea. (Source: Wikipedia)

If you've ever attempted to hire a copywriter, you know that copywriting services can be extremely expensive. The reason for this is because effective copywriting can literally be the difference between success and failure in terms of sales. Copywriting is that important, and that effective.

The whole basis of copywriting is to persuade the reader to take some form of action. In our line of work (small business/sales/online marketing), that usually means persuading a prospect to make a purchase or to subscribe to a list or idea. Let me give you an example. Let's say you are promoting a line of breakfast muffins. Take a look at these two copywriting examples:

Example 1: "Please buy Mrs. Baker's Muffins. They're really good and you'll really like them."

Example 2: "Try our new and scrumptious Mrs. Baker's Muffins. Choose from any one of our 12 delicious varieties of oooey-gooey goodness, made fresh every morning just for you!"

Now, I'm not the best at copywriting, but I think you can see the difference between the two examples. It's easy to see that given a choice, most people would be more persuaded to make a product purchase based on the second example.

So if you're not a natural born copywriter, how do you "pep up" your copy to make your product or service sound more appealing (without being dishonest)? The difference in writing effective copy is in the words you choose. Several different words can mean the same thing or be used to convey an identical meaning, however they way in which the words influence or affect people can be completely different.

Believe it or not, there have been a number psychological studies that test how words affect people, and they have proven that certain words influence people on a psychological level to motivate them.

Here is a short list of just a few influential words that can be used in your copywriting:

New – most everybody loves the idea of getting something new
You – The use of this word in your copy is exceptionally powerful. Readers want to feel that you are speaking directly to them, and using “you” allows to to make that one-to-one connection.
Guaranteed - People want security and reassurance. This word, backed by corresponding action, accomplishes that.
Free – Who doesn't love getting something for free, especially when the perceived value of the freebie is high.
Fast – Nobody has enough time these days, so fast is always good.
Discover – People love the idea of finding something new and wonderful.
Easy – Do you know anyone who doesn't want things in their lives to be easier?
Yes – This is a permissive word, and a word that also means right and good. People love it.
Benefit – What's in it for me is always a question your prospects have, and the use of this word tells them unmistakably that there is something in this for them.

Effective copywriting isn't the easiest thing in the world, but it doesn't have to be that difficult either. The most beneficial thing to remember is that you have to think about what you're writing. You can see from the examples presented above that there wasn't that much difference in terms of work to write the two different versions of copy. It was simply a matter of me thinking of words that provoked more emotion (goodness, just for you), appealed more to the senses of the reader (scrumptious, delicious), and directed the reader to action (try, choose) that made the difference.

Take a look at your website and promotional copy. See what adjustments you can make in writing better and more effective copy that can improve your site, make it more appealing and help to boost your promotions and sales.

Making Money Online - How To 'Big Brother' Your Own Website (A Handy List of the Top SiteChecker Tools & Sites)

The following is a reprint of an article by Titus Hoskins. Titus is a full-time online marketer who has numerous websites, including two sites on Internet marketing. For the latest and most effective web marketing tools try: Internet Marketing Tools Or why not try these excellent free training manuals and videos: Free Marketing Courses.

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How Well Do You Really Know Your Website?

If you're like most webmasters, you have probably spent years building your site. You have spent years adding content, building links and cultivating traffic - but how well do you really know your website?

How well do you know the intricate details of your website's traffic? Where do your site's visitors come from? How long do they stay on your site? Just where do they go to on your site and how well do they convert into buyers or subscribers?

Do you know your site's rankings in the major search engines? What are your site's top keywords? What's your site's Google PageRank? Who are your IP neighbors? What your site looks like in other browsers? How much is your site worth?

These are just some of the questions you should know, mainly because the more knowledge you possess about your site, the better equipped you will be at improving it. So here's a simple list of free site checking tools/sites that will let you "Big Brother" (monitor and watch) your site.

1. Google Analytics

Perhaps one of the most helpful analytical tools you can use on your site. Google Analytics will give you a wealth of information about your site's traffic. Where it comes from, how long it stays on your site, where it goes on your site, how well your content converts... invaluable information every webmaster should have in their possession. ( www.google.com/analytics )

2. NetMechanic Toolbox

Check your site's mechanics - find broken links, check browser compatibility, find bad HTML code, spot slow-loading pages, and check your spelling... all by using the NetMechanic Toolbox: ( www.netmechanic.com )

3. Keyword Suggestion Tool

This free keyword suggestion tool will tell you how many searches are done in WordTracker and Overture for your site's keywords. Extremely valuable information since much of web's traffic and ecommerce is keyword driven. (www.digitalpoint.com/tools/suggestion/)

4. Iwebtool

This is another free site which offers many valuable webmaster's tools that will give you information about your/any site. Google PageRank, PageRank Prediction, Link Popularity, Search Engine Positions for Keywords, Backlink Checker... also Visual PageRank where you can see all the PR values of all the links on a given page - both internal and external. ( www.iwebtool.com )

5. Alexa Traffic Rankings

Alexa tracks the web's traffic by using the Alexa bar in a surfer's browser. Most people know it is not an accurate assessment of the traffic on the net but is a handy measuring stick, nonetheless. It is also a handy tool for comparing sites and seeing the long-tern traffic trends of different sites, including your own. (www.alexa.com )

6. Your Site's Traffic Logs

Most webmasters know your raw traffic logs are worth checking and reading. It contains valuable information about your site. Especially helpful if you're checking for broken links on your site, you don't want to see those 302's everywhere. Close examination and regular checking of your traffic logs and stats will point out the profitable keywords on your site.

7. BetterWhois

You can use this site to find out the domain information about your site. Do you have control of your domain? Many webmasters buy their domain name thru their web hosting company, while this is not a problem in itself, however, if any dispute should arise who has administrative control of your domain; you or your hosting company? Can you change hosting companies?
( www.betterwhois.com )

8. Google Alerts

Another valuable tool from Google which notifies you by email when your link or site is found anywhere on the web. Great for keeping track of any new links your site is getting. Many webmasters also use this handy tool to keep track of their competitor's sites. They also use Google Alerts to keep track of whenever their own name is mentioned anywhere on the web. This one would even make Orwell proud. ( www.google.com/alerts )

9. IP Neighbors

Many webmasters have their site hosted on shared hosting plans, which means there can be hundreds of sites sharing the same IP address. This site lets you discover who your IP neighbors are. Why would you want to know your IP neighbors? Well like neighbors everywhere; there are good ones and there are bad ones. For example, if you have a neighboring site that uses email to spam, it could get your IP address blocked or shut down. ( www.myipneighbors.com )

10. Any Browser

Use to this handy site to discover what your site looks like in different browsers; you could be in for a real shock. ( www.anybrowser.com )

11. Google Toolbar

The Google Toolbar can be placed on your browser so that when you're surfing you can see the Google PageRank of each page/site you're visiting. Many SEO experts believe Google is not giving us the true PR of a page and this bar is rather useless. However, like the Alexa rankings it is a handy measuring stick, nonetheless.
(www.toolbar.google.com )

12. What Is Your Site Worth?

Please take this last analyzing tool with "a large grain of salt", but it is fun to use and to see how much your site is worth. Measurement here is done largely by the amount of links you have coming into your site. (directory.sootle.com/website-worth)

In conclusion, all of these free handy tools/sites will give you a better, more complete picture of your own site. Remember, the more knowledge you acquire about your own site and your competitor's sites, the more equipped you will be to succeed. This is one case where being a "Big Brother" can truly benefit your site.

Internet Marketing Tips - Get More Traffic

Lisa Irby, author of 2createawebsite.com, a website that features step-by-step information on website creation, has a great little video short she's published about getting traffic to your website. Lisa is a successful Internet marketer, earning a full-time living from her online enterprises. Thought you might want to take a look:

Making Money Online - Determine Your Resource Focus

One of the hardest things to do as an online marketer searching for help and resources, is to determine where your focus should be. There is so much "noise" on the Internet, especially in the Internet marketing niche, that's it is often very difficult to determine who you should listen to, and where to focus your efforts. Here are a few points that might help:

• Look for "authority figures"; individuals who have a proven measure of success and or experience in the marketing niche you're involved in (or one that is closely related to yours).

• Look for authority figures outside of your niche. Observable patterns of success come from a variety of areas. Don't limit yourself to one "box".

• Select two to five resources on which to really concentrate. You're only one person and can only absorb and process so much information. Based on your predetermined goals and objectives, select those sources that you feel will be of most benefit, and “tune in” to them. This doesn't mean that you won't find ideas elsewhere, but your main focus should be on the sources you have chosen (if you later discover sources that are a better "fit", you can simply replace one of your original choices).

• Filter your incoming email. You can quickly and easily be overrun by email messages and newsletters from numerous sources. Again, stick to your chosen sources of information. Do not sign up for newsletters or other lists unless you are certain the information they provide directly relates to what you are doing and attempting to accomplish, and that you will actually use the information (that means put it into ACTION).

• The same thing goes for products and software. Only buy what you will use, no matter how tempting the offer. If you purchase a product that simply sits on your computer's hard drive, it's not helping you nor is it increasing your profitability. So, before you buy or download, be certain you need the tool or information.

Resources can only help if you use them. Knowing how and where to focus your attention helps to keep you on the right track and moving forward.

By the way, for those information products that are on your computer, here is a way to get organized and help your focus:

http:www/DesktopAcquisitionManager.com

It's Your Turn...Speak Up

Today, I'm turning the tables a bit...I'd like to hear some comments from you.

What do you perceive as your biggest challenges in starting or maintaining a successful business online?

What are you doing to overcome them?

What one thing or resource have you found to be most helpful/useful and why?

Please feel free to share! Someone else may very well benefit from what you have to offer.

Toodles.

Money Management - Not Wealthy Just Yet?

If you're someone whose on the way to wealth (aren't we all), but hasn't quite reached it yet, someone with a family who's still working to make ends meet, a student just getting started in "the big bad world", or a single or couple looking to live within your means the best way you can until you can do better, there's a website you might enjoy visiting called FrugalVillage.com.

The website is the brainchild of Sara Noel, a freelance writer and owner of a network of sites focused on "getting back to basics" which feature varied topics including natural family living and gardening. Sara expands her focus on these topics through her blog, FrugalVillage.net
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The website, FrugalVillage.com includes useful, informational and sometimes entertaining information about subjects that include living on a budget, simple living, entertaining or surviving the holidays without breaking the bank. It's worth a look.

Toodles.

Internet Marketing Tips - Keep Your Computer Virus Free

I recently experienced a frustrating and potentially very harmful situation with my PC. I had been having recent problems with my computer's performance (running slow, "quirky" things happening, etc.), so I suspected that my system might be infected with a virus. It was.

I try to be cautious, so as not to make myself vulnerable to viruses and infections, but no matter how vigilant your are, sometimes they get in. It took me trying three different anti-virus software programs to get the mess cleaned up.

If you suspect that your computer might have a virus, run the latest updated version of your anti-viral software. If you don't have that available, or if you don't get satisfactory results, I recommend Panda Security's online antivirus scan.

Panda's online antivirus program scans and eliminates nearly 200,000 viruses, Trojans and worms from your system. It also detects spyware and other malware that you probably aren't aware of. The scan is FREE, and although it takes more than just a few minutes, it's time well-spent in ridding your equipment from harmful infections and potentially devastating consequences.

You can scan your computer now by following this link:

http://www.pandasecurity.com/homeusers/solutions/activescan/?

And again, it's free! To your computer health!

Toodles.

Internet Marketing Tips - Problems Attracting New Prospects? An Idea For Generating New Traffic

Sometimes as entrepreneurs and marketers we become so focused on attracting our "target audience", the people we know will be most interested in our messages, products and services, that we unwittingly exclude other, potential customers by making our focus so narrow.

I came across an excellent article, "Stepping Outside Your Niche: How to Reach New Readers And Potential Customers" recently posted on DoshDosh. The article discusses avoiding the pitfalls of "over-focusing" on your niche, and the art of attracting new audiences by creating content that appeals to a variety of interest profiles.

It's certainly worth your time, and quite possibly can help you to improve your specific business situation.

Internet Marketing Tips - Search Engine Optimization For Blogs

Are you working on optimizing your blog for the search engines? Here's a great cache of SEO information, written by Aaron and Giovanna Wall, especially for bloggers. I thought you might find it helpful. Check it out here:

http://www.seobook.com/bloggers

Holiday Charity - PlantingPeace.org

In a featured show on Larry King Live yesterday, I saw an interview with a very passionate and intelligent young man who was talking about the work of an organization called PlantingPeace.org.

One of the main projects of the organization is to de-worm the children of Haiti, a country so close in proximity to the United States, but the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere.

Intestinal worms is the third largest disease in the world with billions of people infected. According to the World health organization a worm eats up to 20% of a child's nutritional intake a day. World Health Organization studies also show that by de-worming a community you can improve that community's health by 20%.

(Source: Planting.Peace.org)

While de-worming the children of a nation may not be the sexiest charity you come across this year, it's certainly a worthy cause. The elimination of starvation, and the safety and education of children are fundemental ways of bringing about progress, economic empowerment and stability in third-world countries.

How much to de-worm a child

$1 = 50 children
$5 = 250 children
$10 = 500 children
$20 = 1,000 children
$50 = 2,500 children
$100 = 5,000 children
$250 = 12,500 children
$500 = 25,000 children
$1,000 = 50,000 children
$3,000 = 150,000 children
$6,000 = 300,000 children
$10,000 = 500,000 children
$20,000 = 1,000,000 children
(Source: PlantingPeace.org)

One of the greatest lessons of wealth building is cultivating the habit of charity and helping others. This is something that you can do something about, with even the smallest contribution. PlantingPeace.org. It's worth checking out. Visit their website for more information about this project, as well as similar projects (orphanage assistance, sustainable schools, medical relief) in Haiti and other countries.

charities