Get your logo WORKING for you

<div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-420" height="216" src="http://creativeinstinct.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/tradepro-card.jpg?w=288&h=216" title="tradepro-card" width="288" /></div><br /><em></em> <br />Business logos aren’t just for multi-national corporations! They’re for any business that wants to present a professional image and work on establishing customer recognition (otherwise known as branding).<br /><br /><b>How Does A Logo “Work” for You?</b><br />Your logo works for you on your business cards, your business stationery, your invoices and receipts, your business’ publications, and, of course, your advertising. Put it on your business’ signage, on your yellow pages ad, and on the side of your business’ vehicle.<br />If you have a web site, your business logo should be on every page of your site. Many business people also feature their business logos on any promotional materials they hand out, such as mugs, calendars, and key chains.<br /><br /><b>Why You Need A Good Logo</b><br />The purpose of all this business logo reproduction is to separate your business from the common herd of competitors and build brand recognition and preference. (Think of the golden arches.) A good business logo helps your customers remember your business and many people remember images better than they remember words.<br /><b>Where To Start…</b><br />Would you give yourself a haircut or leave it to a professional? The same goes for your logo. For a truly professional look, it’s best to hire someone who knows the software and can guide you through the steps to a polished and effective logo design. If you’re in the process of designing a logo or having one designed remember:<br /><br /><b>1. KEEP IT SIMPLE. </b>A business logo has to be simple. Simplicity of business logo design makes a logo easy to reproduce and makes it easier for customers to remember and recognize. Limit the number of colours in your business logo, and stay away from muddy colours or tone on tone designs. Think clear contrast and simple shapes when thinking of business logo design.<br /><br /><b>2. RELEVANCE. </b>Your business logo has to have some relevance to your business. For instance, a Christmas tree shape with a bolt of lightning striking it won’t be an effective business logo for a computer consulting business. The “picture” the logo represents just doesn’t have any association with computers.<br /><br /><b>3. SYMBOL vs INITIALS. </b>It’s no coincidence that so many business logos are the initials of the business’ name encased in a simple shape; relevant pictorial associations are hard to come by for many businesses, and a symbol that misleads will do more harm than good.<br /><br /><b>4. COLOR. </b>Colors are powerful. Different colors have different associations and can present powerful messages in themselves. Red, as we all know, is seen as fiery and energetic. But what about brown? No matter how much you like a particular shade, it may not be a good choice for your business logo design.<br /><br /><b>5. SCALEABLE. </b>Your business logo has to be scaleable to suit all your promotional needs. The logo you choose has to look good on a business card, on a brochure, and on the side of a bus, for instance, if that’s how you choose to advertise. Complicated business logo designs don’t scale well. This is another example of why you should hire a professional to design your logo. A graphic designer has the software needed to create a scaleable (or “vector”) logo that can be scaled to any size without looking fuzzy or pixelated.

Get your logo WORKING for you

Business logos aren’t just for multi-national corporations! They’re for any business that wants to present a professional image and work ...

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Create A Great Business Name

<span style="color: #999999;"><i></i></span> <br /><div><a href="http://creativeinstinct.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/nametag1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-519" height="231" src="http://creativeinstinct.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/nametag1.jpg?w=324&h=231" title="nametag" width="324" /></a>A great name is the beginning of a great brand. It should be memorable and create a certain feeling when heard. Here’s a quick how-to on creating one and making sure it’s not already used.</div><h3>Here’s How:</h3><ol><li><b>Brainstorm.</b> Think about how you want people to feel when they hear the name. Write down the words on paper and then categorize them by primary meaning.</li><li><b>Relate.</b> Think about related words and phrases that evoke the feelings you want. Hit the thesaurus and find all the synonyms for your words and phrases.</li><li><b>Relate more. </b>Find out the Greek and Latin translations of your words. Figure out what colors, gemstones, plants, animals, etc., relate to your words.</li><li><b>Experiment. </b>Start playing with combinations of your various words and partial words. Don’t be judgmental now – just make a list.</li><li><b>Reflect.</b> Review your list and just give some thought to each name. How does it make you feel when you hear it?</li><li><b>Communicate.</b> Go over the list with someone you trust. Have them tell you how each name makes them feel, and how memorable they think it is.</li><li><b>Prioritize.</b> Throw out any that just don’t fit and make a prioritized list of the rest.</li><li><b>Check trademarks. </b>Make sure no one is using that name in your line of business. You may be able to use the name in a completely different business, but be aware that it may create confusion for both you and them.</li><li><b>Check domain names. </b>You want to make sure that an appropriate domain name is available. You want YourCompanyName.com, of course. If that’s not available, you may want to reconsider.</li><li><b>Search the internet.</b> Even if someone doesn’t have the domain, you still want to see what else is out there that has the same name. That doesn’t mean you don’t use it if you find something, but you need to know.</li><li><b>Check company names.</b> If you’re planning to incorporate, check with the Secretary of State (or other appropriate office outside the U.S.) of the state you’re planning to incorporate in.</li><li><b>Check assumed names.</b> For sole proprietors, check for local assumed names (also known as DBA). In the U.S., you check this with the County Clerk.</li><li><b>Stake your claim!</b> Register your assumed name or file your incorporation papers right away. Also, start using either TM (trademark) or SM (service mark). You do NOT have to register them to use them.</li><li><b>Get the domain(s). </b>Find an inexpensive registrar and register your domain and any obvious variations on it. You shouldn’t be paying more than $10 a year for each, and at that, it pays to prevent poachers.</li><li><b>Protect your brand.</b> A U.S. trademark or service mark costs $325. It’s a drop in the bucket compared to trying to defend it later. It’s not really necessary, though, for a small local business.</li></ol><h3>Tips:</h3><ol><li>Avoid generic names based on names, such as Joe’s Bar, Sam’s Hardware, etc. They’re not memorable and are nearly impossible to trademark.</li><li>Avoid generic names that literally describe the product or service, like Computer Consulting Company, Appliance Sales and Service, Inc., etc.</li><li>Generally, avoid geographical names. Besides not generally being very memorable, what happens if you decide to move or expand? The exception is if you’re trying to create a strong local affinity like, say, a neighborhood bar.</li><li>Preferably, don’t restrict future product or service lines. Be broad enough to include your wildest long-term vision for the business.</li><li>Try to keep the name short and easy to pronounce</li></ol>

Create A Great Business Name

A great name is the beginning of a great brand. It should be memorable and create a certain feeling when heard. Here’s a quick how-to o...

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Tips to Creating SPEC ADS

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.kylesmithcreative.net/uploads/7/0/9/2/7092780/8249386.jpg?1302808175" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://www.kylesmithcreative.net/uploads/7/0/9/2/7092780/8249386.jpg?1302808175" width="320" /></a></div>Find any ad you feel is missing something. Are the words not packing a punch? Does the headline fizzle? Is the call to action weak? Not motivated to buy the product after you finish the ad? Choose an ad that is missing the key elements all copywriting projects need.<br /><br />You're going to use this original ad to create your own version. This is called a SPEC AD.<br /><br />In the advertising industry, a SPEC AD (for speculative ad) is an ad you created on your own. You didn't work with the ad agency or client to create the ad. You are simply using a SPEC AD to show your own take on how you would write the ad.<br /><br />SPEC ADS are very common for budding copywriters who have little to no experience under their belt. They are a great way for you to display your copywriting talent to a potential client or employer. Most copywriters who use SPEC ADS in their portfolio have limited or no copywriting samples to show in the interview process.<br /><br />For our example, we've selected a print ad in a magazine.

Tips to Creating SPEC ADS

Find any ad you feel is missing something. Are the words not packing a punch? Does the headline fizzle? Is the call to action weak? Not mo...

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Manage Your Customer Relationships or Perish

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAaBdkuu6mNbK6RF3HhBoMnUmXSMuLA5SUJt0gILvaYGsWkvuWMVZXdIkGC7-4ianzU9rMUXzW4OKmhbHOqWug9LomaxVTOpZRY5UD0Xb_zcRSAUe5YnSN5b5LW6uuQjJ3jeLKpmEroyc/s1600/business-handshake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAaBdkuu6mNbK6RF3HhBoMnUmXSMuLA5SUJt0gILvaYGsWkvuWMVZXdIkGC7-4ianzU9rMUXzW4OKmhbHOqWug9LomaxVTOpZRY5UD0Xb_zcRSAUe5YnSN5b5LW6uuQjJ3jeLKpmEroyc/s320/business-handshake.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>With an explosion of choice in product and service selection winning more business is getting tougher each year. Reaching and nurturing customer relations are essential for a small business to survival. Central to managing any customer relationship is CRM or customer relationship management software. Discover the necessary survival strategy of managing customer relations with the technology of today.<br /><br />Gone are the days of marketing to your potential customer base and sitting back to reap the rewards of a great ad campaign. Gone are the days of grabbing the hottest leads and forgetting about the warmer less inclined to buy now clients. Gone are the days of using a simple notebook or excel spreadsheet to collect your lead list.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Customer Relationship Management: Share of Wallet</span>.<br /><br />The late father of management Peter Drucker, simply stated, “Shares in disposable income are the foundation of all economic information. Businesses keep figures on sales and know whether they go up or down. But practically none knows the truly important figure: the share of the disposable income of their customers that is being spent on the products or services that they produce and sell.”<br /><br />The battle for customers is a zero sum game. No matter how wonderful your product or service, your potential customers have a limited disposable income. Their disposable income is in a state of change with rising and fall incomes and living expenses. How can you get your share of their wallet?<br /><br />Companies poised to win their share of the wallet know customer relationship management is not a luxury but an essential to being in business. According to Forrester Research, businesses under 100 employees will account for more than 30% the CRM market reach in 2007. Is your small business CRM ready?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Overcoming the Hurdles to Successful CRM Implementation</span>.<br /><br />Customer relationship management or CRM is the methodology and tools of finding, communicating, and retaining your best customers. Software programs such as GoldMine or ACT! or subscription services like Salesforce.com help you build lead lists, merge mail, handle contacts, and assess the results of your marketing campaigns.<br /><br />Many larger corporations have failed at successful implementation of CRM. While it’s easy to blame the software or incompetent staff, the real issue lies with employee motives, time, and training. Use these success tactics for overcoming the hurdles you will encounter with CRM.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Spot Check:</span> My own experiences with customer relationship management tools found employees aren't only reluctant to adapt a new technology but outright resist the sales lead component of CRM software. For under performers, tracking leads reveals their true incompetence. I have witnessed sales personal enter in fake names and numbers to avoid the scrutiny of a sales manager. Successful implementation of CRM requires periodic spot checking of lead entries and even calling leads to see if they exist.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Make Time:</span> Whether you are the only user of CRM software or have a staff, it’s critical to set aside time each week for using the technology. Like any new business application, regular use will reduce time and help you see the rewards of CRM.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Get Trained:</span> A large part of setting aside time is learning the new tools of CRM. Learning typically follows a U-shaped curve with the initial phase being difficult till it peaks and learning accelerates. Be patient and in no time you will master the must have tools of CRM.<br /><br />Winning the customer game with customer relationship management tools is a necessary for any small business today. The more you know your customers and build a strong relationship, the greater your odds at winning the minds and wallets of your customers in the competitive market.

Manage Your Customer Relationships or Perish

With an explosion of choice in product and service selection winning more business is getting tougher each year. Reaching and nurturing cu...

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Ways to Make Money Online

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUlLf7VEzMGR45MuvR57nQ0hEojOhFvYTiA98BrjptPGSgALSFFzQs0TECoo1GdL4cE49jNCE5wafWznTDN3z36vqfsI1vkT0yJURVH1qLGUpCuzyRq5daShEwnvET09rEJl7F2Kuemw/s1600/Make+Money+from+Home+Online.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUlLf7VEzMGR45MuvR57nQ0hEojOhFvYTiA98BrjptPGSgALSFFzQs0TECoo1GdL4cE49jNCE5wafWznTDN3z36vqfsI1vkT0yJURVH1qLGUpCuzyRq5daShEwnvET09rEJl7F2Kuemw/s320/Make+Money+from+Home+Online.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>It might surprise you to hear that there are only two ways to make money online, but, its true. No matter how many methods of making money online there are, they all come down to 2 basic methods. The reason so many people fail to make money online, is simply because they fail to understand this concept. They waist their time and money, and never make a dime. If you want to succeed in making a living online, you need to understand that when it comes down to it, there are only two ways to make money online, and those two methods are:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Trading one’s time for money</span><br /><br />This is the first and I believe the easiest way for making money online. Online money making methods like, paid surveys, freelancing, GPT, writing for websites and blogs, designing themes and etc fall under this category. Of course, you could argue that you need some knowledge and know how to make money with most of these methods, which is true, but, all of these methods require you to spend time. So, when it comes down to it, you are trading your time for money. Simple as that!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Trading online traffic for money</span><br /><br />Another basic thing you need to make money online, is simply trading traffic for money. The goal is simple, drive traffic to a website, blog or what have you, and try to convert that traffic into sales. A lot of great online money making methods fall under this category, such as blogging, CPA marketing, affiliate marketing, ad sense revenue sharing and any other method that realize on traffic for making money.<br /><br />Yes, there are many ways to make money online, some can make you thousands of dollars, and some are only good for making a little extra cash. But, when you think about it, all of them come down to these 2 methods. Any online money making method that you can think of, that you or someone else is using to make money online, is possible either by trading time for money or trading traffic for money, and in some case both. So, if you can do either or both, congratulations! you have hunderds of possible ways to make money online.

Ways to Make Money Online

It might surprise you to hear that there are only two ways to make money online, but, its true. No matter how many methods of making money ...

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Get Customers to Buy Now

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbTOM4f5pPNSIGWCP8JtxjCeRYY8SU1u_3eIkSnKXY35wyPD6udnvSug8KZuKubzI2rYhQK1M16O37aH9I8guzgB5BoLAjl2tHml9EKFABRInzU-Acb1lVodxacPfJ7SInbtMwzsdB9Qv/s1600/Get-Customers-To-Buy-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbTOM4f5pPNSIGWCP8JtxjCeRYY8SU1u_3eIkSnKXY35wyPD6udnvSug8KZuKubzI2rYhQK1M16O37aH9I8guzgB5BoLAjl2tHml9EKFABRInzU-Acb1lVodxacPfJ7SInbtMwzsdB9Qv/s1600/Get-Customers-To-Buy-.jpg" /></a></div>You sent out the best direct mail piece you've ever seen. Your catalog belongs in the Smithsonian. Your brochure is so great you framed it and put it next to the pictures of your kids.<br /><br />So why aren't you getting sales?<br /><br />Take a look at your call to action. With any advertising materials, it's crucial that you get potential customers to act. Now!<br /><br />Use the following techniques to create a call to action that will have your phones ringing off the hook and your profits reinventing your sales graphs:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Give a Deadline for Ordering</span><br />We've all received some sort of promotional material that has a deadline for ordering. The offer could end on that date.<br /><br />Or you could use the deadline in conjunction with an upgrade or free gift. For example, order by the 15th and receive....<br /><br />Also, try to make the cut off date in the same month as your materials will be received. That way, your potential customers know they only have a limited time to respond and they won't fall victim to the "I'll do it later" syndrome.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Advise of a Price Increase</span><br />People want to get in on a good deal. If your price is going up on a specific date, let your customers know. They'll want to buy before your product's price increases.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Establish a Trial/Introductory Period</span><br />Trial periods are a great way to get new customers. Offer a special deal, extra service or a lower price during your trial/introductory period.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Free Gift</span><br />Nothing attracts new customers like free gifts. As an added incentive for ordering, offer your free gift to the first 100 or 1000 people that respond.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"No Risk" Trial</span><br />People want to know there's no risk involved if they're not satisfied with the product/service. Let new customers know they can cancel for any reason before the trial period expires.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Not Available in Stores"</span><br />Is your product exclusive to mail order? If your product's not available in stores, be sure to tell your customers. They'll know they can only order your product from you instead of visiting the local stores.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Offer an Upgrade</span><br />One simple line can boost your sales. "Order within 10 days and we'll upgrade you to the deluxe model."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Free Supplies/Accessories</span><br />You've seen this technique used with computer sales. Buy a computer and receive a free printer. This works with a whole range of products. But be sure to include a date on your offer. This politely urges people to take advantage of your offer before time runs out.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Use Action Phrases</span><br />No matter how you approach your own call to action, be sure to include action phrases:<br /><br />Call Now. Toll Free. 24 Hours a Day. Mail this coupon today in the postage-paid envelope. Fax your response card.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Avoid Passive Phrases</span><br />Be sure to avoid passive phrases like:<br /><br />You know how to reach us. Call when you're ready to order.<br /><br />Give your customers the perks of responding immediately. They'll grab their wallets. You'll see an increase in profits.

Get Customers to Buy Now

You sent out the best direct mail piece you've ever seen. Your catalog belongs in the Smithsonian. Your brochure is so great you framed...

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Phone Answering Tips to Win Business

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif6xOij5qU66SLn8G9SDr4URgYGxKm4VHzc_U4WYAdllybOJ0qPqNzMWzXdXs7P-TEp741G3Kl2zwFRxuW2o9DGGoe29E4uV6nsMWy3NvB4xRF0IlK62HSQexghzeT9Q7Fx6752ol5klT2/s1600/phone-answering.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif6xOij5qU66SLn8G9SDr4URgYGxKm4VHzc_U4WYAdllybOJ0qPqNzMWzXdXs7P-TEp741G3Kl2zwFRxuW2o9DGGoe29E4uV6nsMWy3NvB4xRF0IlK62HSQexghzeT9Q7Fx6752ol5klT2/s320/phone-answering.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Phone answering skills are critical for businesses. The telephone is still most business's primary point of contact with customers. And the way you answer your company's phone will form your customer's first impression of your business. These phone answering tips will ensure that callers know they're dealing with a winning business:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li>Answer all incoming phone calls before the third ring. <br /></li><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li>When you answer the phone, be warm and enthusiastic. Your voice at the end of the telephone line is sometimes the only impression of your company a caller will get.<br /></li><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li>When answering the phone, welcome callers courteously and identify yourself and your organization. Say, for instance, "Good morning. Cypress Technologies. Susan speaking. How may I help you?" No one should ever have to ask if they've reached such and such a business.<br /></li><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li>Enunciate clearly, keep your voice volume moderate, and speak slowly and clearly when answering the phone, so your caller can understand you easily.<br /></li><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li>Control your language when answering the phone. Don't use slang or jargon. Instead of saying, "OK", or "No problem", for instance, say "Certainly", "Very well", or "All right". If you're a person who uses fillers when you speak, such as "uh huh", "um", or phrases such as "like" or "you know", train yourself carefully not to use these when you speak on the phone.<br /></li><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li>Train your voice and vocabulary to be positive when phone answering, even on a "down" day. For example, rather than saying, "I don't know", say, "Let me find out about that for you."<br /></li><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li>Take telephone messages completely and accurately. If there's something you don't understand or can't spell, such as a person's surname, ask the caller to repeat it or spell it for you. Then make sure the message gets to the intended recipient.<br /></li><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li>Answer all your calls within one business day. I can't emphasize this one enough. Remember the early bird? The early caller can get the contract, the sale, the problem solved... and reinforce the favorable impression of your business that you want to circulate.<br /></li><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li>Always ask the caller if it's all right to put her on hold when answering the phone, and don't leave people on hold. Provide callers on hold with progress reports every 30 to 45 seconds. Offer them choices if possible, such as "That line is still busy. Will you continue to hold or should I have ________ call you back?"<br /></li><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li>Don't use a speaker phone unless absolutely necessary. Speaker phones give the caller the impression that you're not fully concentrating on his call, and make him think that his call isn't private. The only time to use a speaker phone is when you need more than one person to be in on the conversation at your end.<br /></li><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li>If you use an answering machine to answer calls when you can't, make sure that you have a professional message recorded, that does the same thing as tip # 3, and gives callers any other pertinent information before it records their messages. Update your answering machine message as needed. For instance, if your business is going to be closed for a holiday, update your recorded answering machine message to say so and to say when your business will reopen.<br /></li><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li>Train everyone else who answers the phone to answer the same way, including other family members if you're running a home-based business. Check on how your business's phone is being answered by calling in and seeing if the phone is being answered in a professional manner. If they don't pass the test, go over this telephone answering tips list with them.</li>

Phone Answering Tips to Win Business

Phone answering skills are critical for businesses. The telephone is still most business's primary point of contact with customers. And...

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Make Easy Money On The Internet with Writing

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXg5-DR9FmQ4sgJEZQhcXmVrmj0f5Up6dMLN55tyyzMLL4nHUvov7iq22bxmO40C16fEhIaWVwV-HqvB5EbkF4kyQykwfmaQhbE8lQQQRxOchwBQvfqqgvKaz0gSYk1lTCQ8ZBSaBuc0AY/s1600/anonym0us.tk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXg5-DR9FmQ4sgJEZQhcXmVrmj0f5Up6dMLN55tyyzMLL4nHUvov7iq22bxmO40C16fEhIaWVwV-HqvB5EbkF4kyQykwfmaQhbE8lQQQRxOchwBQvfqqgvKaz0gSYk1lTCQ8ZBSaBuc0AY/s1600/anonym0us.tk.jpg" /></a></div>Here are some easy ways to make money, if you like writing.<br />Probably should have said simple ways to make money, rather than easy ways to make money, because there is a difference between simple and easy. But who cares, this is about how to make easy moneyquickly.<br /><br /><b>1. </b>Make easy money online naming domains. The original idea comes from Dane Carson’s blog. While you can earn money as a contributor for services such as PickyDomains.Com, here is a better idea. Go to Google or any other search engine, find sucky domain names and contact their owners directly, offering them your services. The key to success is to make it 100% risk free. Inform your prospective clients that you’ll accept money only if they like your domain name. If you come up with one approved domain name a day and charge what PickyDomain charges, you can make $1500 a month. Another twist – come up with cool domain names, like SiteToRemember.Com or ItsMe.Com, register them yourself and sell them on the aftermarket.<br /><br /><b>2. </b>eBay arbitrage. A lot of people like buying stuff on eBay, because it’s cheap. And some people never buy on eBay, because they are afraid of being ripped off. Here is your solution to making easy money on eBay. Go to Craigslist.Com and see what items people buy and sell most often. Look at prices. Then go to eBay and see, if you can get it cheaper. Once you find your niche, you can buy things on eBay (or better yet, act as a representative for an eBay powerseller) and sell them for a profit using local classifieds and Craigslist. You can do this online as well. Set up a proxy store, and when you get an order, simply buy the same item on eBay for less, substituting shipping address from your own to that of your buyer.<br /><br /><b>3.</b> eBay copywriting. If you are good at copywriting, go to eBay and look for highticket items, like boats. Find auctions with totally sucky descriptions. Contact an owner and inform him or her that good description of his or her item is likely to increase the chances of that item being sold. Then offer your services for a 1% of the selling price. You can use free eBay software<br /><br /><b>4. </b>Get Paid Writing Reviews. This idea comes from a blog called Business Ideas That Work. A site called SoftwareJudge.Com pays up to 50 dollars per good review. However, if you are good at reviewing software, you can do this on your own. Go to CNET or any other site that lists software. Find sites that don’t have any reviews or testimonials. Contact developers directly, offering them your review services. Good reviews and testimonials increases sales, so you shouldn’t have any difficulties convincing developers that they need your services. And you get free software and games too! Oh, and you don't have to limit yourself to software alone.<br /><br /><b>5.</b> Social Bookmark Whoring (oops, I meant to say PR). This is really easy money online. RedDit and Digg can bring a crapload of traffic. And traffic means money. If you have experience creating linkbate titles and getting to the top, why not offer your services? Say, you charge 10 dollars for submitting news to RedDit, Digg, StumbleUpon, Furl, NewsVine, Fark and all the other social bookmarting sites. The key is to work only with interesting stories, so you don’t become a spammer. 10 news a day and you are 100 dollars richer. You can probably work out a deal with online PR agencies, because they are totally clueless about this.<br /><br /><b>6.</b> Writing Google AdWords Ads. Every time I see “Cake Icing. Used And New. eBay.Com” type ads or “Four best sites on killing your wife”, it makes me wonder. Aren’t there any GOOD AdWords ads copywriters? Look’s like a great job to me. The ads are only three lines long and if you charge 10 bucks per ad, you can make a lot of money. And the customers are easy to find, too. Just look at all these terrible ads that Google displays on their search engine and contextual network.<br /><br /><b>7.</b> Wacky blogs. Steve Pavlina gets over 300 dollars a day from AdSense alone, writing on wacky topics, like polyphasic sleep, astral projection and psychic development. Or take David Icke, who claims that president Bush in an alien and a reptilian. Your blog doesn’t have to be true, it just has to be interesting.<br /><br /><b>8.</b> Blog whoring. There are a number of services, like PayPerPost.Com, that pay for promotional blogposts. Once again, you can do the same thing, cutting the middleman out.<br /><br /><b>9. </b>Unique Personal Ads. Write memorable personal ads for online daters. Most personal ads suck. “Hi, my name is Bambie, I’m a Vergo, I’m 19 and I love dogs.” Here is my favorite personal ad. If people pay for resume writing, they might pay for a great personal ad.<br /><br /><b>10.</b> Poet For Hire. This is nothing new. Still, if you love writing poetry, why not make some money with your rhymes.<br /><br /><b>11.</b> Don’t EVEN THINK about majoring in English, Medieval Literature, Journalism or GET A REAL JOB, IF YOU WERE DUMB ENOUGH TO DO SO. Just kidding. If you love writing, just write, and the money will follow.

Make Easy Money On The Internet with Writing

Here are some easy ways to make money, if you like writing. Probably should have said simple ways to make money, rather than easy ways to ma...

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How To Make A Website

<div class="entry">Are you a beginner looking to learn how to make a website?<br />This free tutorial shows you how to build a website in as little as 5 easy steps.<br />Everything is laid out for you in a step-by-step way so you can have your website up and running in 60 minutes or less. <br />Before you can create a website you have to make sure you find an appropriate domain name and a reliable web hosting service. You have to be very careful when deciding what services to choose, as this can play a big role on the overall performance of your website (stability, speed, up-time…). We will show you exactly where to find the best deals as we go along.<br />After you’ve successfully set up your domain name and web hosting service (which are both required for ANY website), it all comes down to configuring your new site. We will be using a free Content Management System called WordPress. It is a very simple platform that enables users to build professional looking blogs or websites within minutes!<br />Are you ready? Alright – let’s get started!</div><div class="post-8 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-step-by-step-guide" id="post-8"><h2>Step 1 – Register Your Domain Name</h2><div class="entry">Your domain name is one of the most important parts of your site, most visitors get their first impression about your website based on your domain name. So it’s a good idea to make sure your domain name:<br />a) Is relevant to the content of your website or business<br />b) Is simple & easy to remember (preferably a catchy phrase)<br />c) Is short and descriptive<br />d) Has the right extension (.com, .org, or .net)<br />Your domain name also plays a role in the search engines. For example, when someone uses Google to search for ‘dog training tips’, a website whose domain contains these exact words has a much bigger chance of appearing in the search results for that particular term than if your domain doesn’t include those words.<br />I hope that makes sense, now let’s get started!<br />The first thing you will need to do is to decide who to use as your domain registrar. Personally I use and recommend <a href="http://x.co/ZPrx" target="_blank">Godaddy.com</a> the worlds #1 domain registrar. So to get started, click on this link:  <a href="http://x.co/ZPrx" target="_blank">http://www.godaddy.com</a> (it should open on a new page and leave this page behind it)<br />You should land at a page offering you to search for available domains and purchase them. That’s exactly what we’re here to do.<br />The domain name search box should look something like this:<br /><a href="http://x.co/ZPrx" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-67 aligncenter" height="81" src="http://www.makeawebsiteguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/search-domain-name.jpg" title="searchdomains" width="538" /></a><br />Type in your desired URL and hit GO to check if it is available! If it is, you will see a green tick like this one:<br /><a href="http://x.co/ZPrx"><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-996" height="61" src="http://www.makeawebsiteguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/success.jpg" title="Domain Available" width="605" /></a><br />If the domain you have chosen is not available you will see something like this:<br /><a href="http://x.co/ZPrx"><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-997" height="54" src="http://www.makeawebsiteguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/domain-taken.jpg" title="domain-taken" width="418" /></a><br />If your first choice for a domain is not available, then just keep trying other variations of it until you find one you are happy with.<br />If your domain is available,  click ‘Continue to Registration’. You will be asked if you wish to purchase additional extensions for your domain, just click – No, Thanks! (Domain Registrars often try to upsell you on more products, but for this example we will just ignore everything else, and just register our domain.<br />You will then be taken through a registration process that is quite simple to follow. You’ll be offered few different payment methods, as well as an option to choose how long you wish to purchase the domain for.<br />You can select 1 to 5 years registration length, it’s up to you, and doesn’t make much difference to your site.<br />Important: You will also be offered to choose between multiple privacy protection services, as well as web hosting services – we suggest you decline all of these for now, especially the web hosting option!<br />Godaddy is a powerful domain register, and although they do offer web hosting, I prefer to use a separate company for hosting. (explained in the next step).<br />Once you’re done purchasing, you will be sent a receipt with all the important information in it. It is a good idea to save this receipt, you might need it later.<br />Your domain will be ready for use within 24 hours, usually much sooner. (sometimes immediately)<br />You are now a proud owner of your brand new domain! Congratulations!<br /><br /></div></div><div class="post-12 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-step-by-step-guide" id="post-12"><h2>Step 2 – Set Up A Web Host Account</h2><div class="entry">Alright, now that you have your domain ready, it is time to put it in use!<br />How to choose the best hosting provider? There are <b>two simple rules</b> you want follow when making this decision:<br />1) Avoid cheap offers,<br />2) Choose an established host!<br />If you look around a little, you will find tons of hosts offering incredibly low pricing, but is it really worth it? Simply put – if you want your website to run smoothly and not to have large periods of down-times, then no – it’s definitely not worth it.<br />We would like to suggest a reasonably priced, well established hosting service called <a href="http://secure.hostgator.com/%7Eaffiliat/cgi-bin/affiliates/clickthru.cgi?id=brhamo">Hostgator</a>.<br />Hostgator has been around for quite some time now and has a reputation of being fast, reliant and a very customer-friendly host. It also offers unlimited bandwidth (very large traffic support) and unlimited disk space (no limit on the upload capacity).<br /><a href="http://secure.hostgator.com/%7Eaffiliat/cgi-bin/affiliates/clickthru.cgi?id=brhamo"><img alt="Hostgator Coupon" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-773" height="150" src="http://www.makeawebsiteguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/hostgator-coupon.jpg" title="hostgator-coupon" width="597" /></a><br /><b>- Here’s how to set up a web hosting account with Hostgator:</b><br />1) First you need to visit the hostgator website by clicking this link: <a href="http://secure.hostgator.com/%7Eaffiliat/cgi-bin/affiliates/clickthru.cgi?id=brhamo">http://www.hostgator.com</a><br />When you land at their site, you will notice a big ‘View Web Hosting Plans’ button right in front of you. See it? Go ahead and click that.<br />Since you only have 1 domain you wish to host, select a <b>‘Hatchling plan’</b><br /><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-61" height="221" src="http://www.makeawebsiteguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/hatchlingplan.png" title="hatchlingplan" width="587" /><br />Choose how long you wish to use their service for, and then hit <b>Order Now!</b><br />2) You will be asked if you wish to register a new domain name, or use an existing one. Since we have already registered a domain name, choose an existing one:<br /><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-62 aligncenter" height="189" src="http://www.makeawebsiteguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/havedomain.png" title="havedomain" width="346" /><br />Enter the domain name you’ve purchased and press <b>Continue to Step 2</b><br />3) Fill in the account and billing information, and hit Create Account!<br />Your hosting plan will become active and ready for use as soon as it is processed and configured (this usually takes up to 1 hour).<br />You will also be sent an e-mail containing vital information such as your login info and name servers (which you will need later to link up your domain), so remember to store it somewhere safe.<br />It’s as simple as that! Was this hard? It literally took you 5 minutes to do it…<br /><br />Now that you have these two pieces of the puzzle (the <b>domain name</b> and the <b>hosting service</b>), it is time to link them together!</div></div><div class="post-15 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-step-by-step-guide" id="post-15"><h2>Step 3 – Point Your Domain To Your Web Host</h2><div class="entry">his is a really simple thing to do, but most people freak out when they hear about messing around with their domain, changing stuff like DNS, name servers, etc.<br />Don’t worry – it is easier than you think. We will guide you every step of the way!<br />1) Go back to your domain provider, type in: http://www.godaddy.com<br />If you are not already logged in, go ahead and do it at the top of the site:<br /><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-60 aligncenter" height="99" src="http://www.makeawebsiteguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/godaddylogin.jpg" title="godaddylogin" width="541" /><br />2) Put your mouse over the Domains tab and select GO TO… My account… Domain Management:<br /><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-56" height="418" src="http://www.makeawebsiteguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/domainmanagement.png" title="domainmanagement" width="587" /><br />3) Click on your domain name and you will be taken to a new page where you can configure everything about your domain, including the scary name servers!<br />Look for something like this:<br /><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-64 aligncenter" height="431" src="http://www.makeawebsiteguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/nameservers.png" title="nameservers" width="399" /><br />4) Click on Set NameServers and this little window should pop up:<br /><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-73 aligncenter" height="301" src="http://www.makeawebsiteguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/nameservers11.png" title="nameservers1" width="538" /><br />Select ‘I have specific nameservers for my domains’ and type in the information you were given upon registering your web hosting plan for both Nameserver1 and Nameserver2. Leave the other two blank.<br />You can find this information enclosed in the e-mail you received from Hostgator when you ordered the hosting service.<br />Click OK to confirm. Changes will usually take 2 hours to take effect.<br />5) You’re done!<br />Congratulations – you have just successfully linked a GoDaddy domain to a Hostgator hosting account! Note that the change might take some time to become effective.<br />If you experience any further problems regarding this issue, feel free to contact the Godaddy help staff and ask for assistance. They will be glad to help you out.</div></div><div class="post-17 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-step-by-step-guide" id="post-17"><h2>Step 4 – Install WordPress On Your Site</h2><div class="entry"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-69 alignright" height="230" src="http://www.makeawebsiteguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/wplogo.jpg" title="wplogo" width="230" />First of all, what is WordPress and why should you install it on your website?<br />WordPress is a free platform that has been commonly used by bloggers for many years. It basically allows you to build websites with very little effort on your side. It is a highly customizable, user-friendly and above all – very powerful tool when it comes to the website creation process.<br />WordPress allows you to use free pre-designed themes so you don’t have to spend a nickel on hiring expensive web designers to make your site look professional. It is also very friendly in terms of search engine optimization. You can install various 3rd party plugins such as the famous ‘All in one SEO’, which greatly increases the search visibility of your website, and so forth.<br />However, manually installing WordPress can be a hard and time-consuming work, especially if you’re new to this concept…<br />This is one more reason why we recommend Hostgator!<br />Hostgator has a built-in, automatic WordPress installer. All it takes is one click, and it is set and ready for use! It’s really that simple.<br />This is a free feature that comes included with every Hostgator hosting plan.<br />Steps for installing WordPress via Hostgator auto-installer:<br />1) Assuming your Godaddy domain is already pointing to the Hostgator nameservers (as covered in the step 3 of this tutorial), go and type in this URL:<br />www.yourwebsite.com/cpanel<br />2) Use the login information for Hostgator cpanel provided in the e-mail received upon purchasing the Hostgator web hosting plan.<br />Once you’re successfully logged in, you should be able to see the Hostgator cpanel. This is definitely a place worth exploring, as it offers tons of great features…<br />3) Scroll down, under the Software/Services category, click on Fantastico De Luxe (the blue smiley guy).<br /><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-58 aligncenter" height="188" src="http://www.makeawebsiteguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/fantastico.jpg" title="fantastico" width="514" /><br />4) Pay attention to the left sidebar, under the Blogs column, there should be a WordPress link:<br /><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-59 aligncenter" height="286" src="http://www.makeawebsiteguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/fantasticowordpress.png" title="fantasticowordpress" width="596" /><br />5) Click on New Installation and follow the instructions provided.<br />You will be asked to fill in certain information such as your e-mail address, desired wordpress username & password, and some other base configuration stuff.<br />Warning! – There will also be a field called Install in Directory – Make sure you leave this field blank!<br />Once you’re done, click Install WordPress!<br />On the next page, you will provided with the Mysql user name and an access URL. You typically won’t need this stuff at the moment, but you can save it for future reference if you wish.<br />Click Finish Installation<br />6) Voilà – You’re done!<br />WordPress is now successfully installed on your website, along with the default ‘twenty-ten’ theme which you’ll be able change easily, as soon as you regain access to the site (due to the WP installation process).</div></div><div class="post-21 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-step-by-step-guide" id="post-21"><h2>Step 5 – Configuring Your Website</h2><div class="entry">Once you can access your site and you can see the default theme, just add /wp-login to your main URL and log in using the information you’ve just set up. Another option is to simply follow the login link located in the right sidebar of your homepage.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>www.yourwebsite.com/wp-login</b></div>You should come up with a page that looks like this:<br /><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-68 aligncenter" height="269" src="http://www.makeawebsiteguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/wordpress_cp.jpg" title="wordpress_cp" width="400" /><br />This page is called the WordPress (WP) Dashboard.<br />Get familiar with this interface – you will be using it a lot. It is the matrix of your website. Every single change on your website will be made using this dashboard.<br /><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-66 aligncenter" height="302" src="http://www.makeawebsiteguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/quicklinks.png" title="quicklinks" width="531" /><br />The first thing you will notice are the quick-links to posts, pages, category, tags and comments, as well as a quick link that you can use to change your WP theme.<br />On the left hand side, you can see a lot of sub-menus that all serve their purpose, but for now let’s only focus on the most important ones:<br />1) Posts – These most commonly used when you are running your website as a blog. When you create posts within WP, you can decide what page they will show up on, along with the exact date of publishing, the publishers name and an option for visitors to comment on each post. You can also set up different post categories.<br />2) Media – This menu is used for managing pictures and videos you add to your website.<br />3) Links – Here you can create different links and link categories that you can later use to form customized sidebar widgets!<br />4) Pages – Used for adding new, fresh pages to your website. You can also browse the options for choosing the page slug, enabling/disabling comments, changing the page order, modifying the page template, etc.<br />5) Appearance – Allows you to completely customize your website’s appearance, starting from the theme you’re using, all the way to sidebar widgets and menus. There are a million ways to customize your website. Knock yourself out!<br />6) Plugins – These can be a very useful tool if applied properly. There are tons of 3rd party plugins that enable you to speed up your website’s performance, enhance the search engine visibility, improve visual styling & appearance and much more!<br />7) Users – This section is for adding new or modifying existing user settings, such as user passwords, profiles, e-mails, etc.<br /><img alt="8)" class="wp-smiley" src="http://www.makeawebsiteguide.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_cool.gif" /> Settings – A place where you can set up stuff like your blog’s name, description, date format, front page display, monitor comments and media settings, etc. You will also be able to access and re-configure your 3rd party plugins from this menu.<br /><br />source : <a href="http://www.makeawebsiteguide.com/" target="_blank">makeawebsiteguide.com</a> </div></div>

How To Make A Website

Are you a beginner looking to learn how to make a website? This free tutorial shows you how to build a website in as little as 5 easy steps....

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Tips success Internet Business

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFgpM-UJzbvuRq23Fq5RG9tziqyp1DR_v9At73kXJZYJWBzhwWZugqKJ9J9jtQgbOL4vsFpHbQ2l9ydnQEefVLT4P1DbWutxLsa_abktxnjSkTlSQUCA7Vzr_mqBnWfdI_jgCcoTxB_N0/s1600/Business-Consultants.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637192011987397922" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFgpM-UJzbvuRq23Fq5RG9tziqyp1DR_v9At73kXJZYJWBzhwWZugqKJ9J9jtQgbOL4vsFpHbQ2l9ydnQEefVLT4P1DbWutxLsa_abktxnjSkTlSQUCA7Vzr_mqBnWfdI_jgCcoTxB_N0/s320/Business-Consultants.jpg" style="height: 242px; width: 320px;" /></a><br />Many successful Internet business is readers like you. They only have one idea about Internet Marketing and Affiliate Marketing: Money! With a capital idea, people have been able to use the Internet as a resource, reading shaped ebooks, videos and articles about how other people have done the right way.<br /><br />Do you feel tired after browsing here and there? Internet Marketing is not your soul mate is! You must have a thick skin, kesabran and the power to make a new breakthrough. You also have an innovative, you need to innovate even remarkable, though not to have extraordinary intelligence. Successful marketers are simple people, they just think of how other people do it, change it slightly, add something new, something old is removed and copied, and finally …. they soared.<br /><br />Want to know a simple recipe?<br />The first rule: READ.<br />Rule two: TAKE ACTION.<br />The third rule: Keep RHYTHM.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQcvuEXwV7ZwxP5rsKqUoUqPe5BdYg7c4nfcd2rw7nM8rx1tdtO0zSCPdLg_jEF8PrU1cAvCEt75n8UTzcLCvWa7QYZWGHUnX1VXB7HDIhX4Q6_Th0Vzwc35vYhlRLZiFGdMmOpwbqQk/s1600/Internet-business.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637191423997446962" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQcvuEXwV7ZwxP5rsKqUoUqPe5BdYg7c4nfcd2rw7nM8rx1tdtO0zSCPdLg_jEF8PrU1cAvCEt75n8UTzcLCvWa7QYZWGHUnX1VXB7HDIhX4Q6_Th0Vzwc35vYhlRLZiFGdMmOpwbqQk/s320/Internet-business.jpg" style="height: 317px; width: 320px;" /></a></div><br />These rules for you who want to do something new. The first rule consists in reading. Documentation and knowledge is essential, in every way will the marketing world.<br /><br />Reading the experiences of others is very important, namely, learning from people who took the long road and fell into various errors and made many mistakes will help you avoid it from your path. The best place to read is through forums, blogs, newspapers or books. The book is a very general talk about the many theories. Blogs also, but in certain discussions and sometimes provides many useful solutions, while the paper discusses the daily realities, solutions and experiences. Forum to discuss issues more real.<br /><br />Forum is the last point and that is the starting point from which you will start and take action to your plan. You have to wisely choose the forum. Members of the forum are people who are generously giving you a solution. Despite the fact that nobody really wants to share experiences with others; most are people who want to get something without giving. Find a community where members exchange information and provide enlightenment.<br /><br />Taking action requires a plan, and guts. If you decide to do something, then decided to run, try to do as much as you can. Taking action is like building a building and is the first step that will track what you will achieve in your building. Believe me, you will be able to, change, delete or add something to increase conversions and sales. <br />Please subscribe, leave a comment, follow this blog and share this article with your friends and colleagues.

Tips success Internet Business

Many successful Internet business is readers like you. They only have one idea about Internet Marketing and Affiliate Marketing: Money! Wi...

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Tips for Secure Online Shopping

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw4LVOwwsz9HMlqSMd4CC5GytHa9LlDvRu_NvkJPL6VTf14Y7Bknt-XINbThMlpKPFRvBL6GmjrtryrAN_yOrFDjy5FAEFq9iyZ6SWUgb5HFN1JrJgJdCaqfPBi76NGfS6cE1vxXxGokU/s1600/onlineshopping-430x272.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637254923291779954" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw4LVOwwsz9HMlqSMd4CC5GytHa9LlDvRu_NvkJPL6VTf14Y7Bknt-XINbThMlpKPFRvBL6GmjrtryrAN_yOrFDjy5FAEFq9iyZ6SWUgb5HFN1JrJgJdCaqfPBi76NGfS6cE1vxXxGokU/s320/onlineshopping-430x272.jpg" style="height: 202px; width: 320px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%;">No matter how many times you hear about identity theft and emptied bank accounts on the news, you can’t help but continue your online shopping habits. Maybe, if it wasn’t so convenient and affordable, you’d be able to give it up.</span> <span style="font-size: 100%;">Luckily, following a few safety tips can protect both your identity and your savings while allowing you to satisfy your cyber shopping needs.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 100%;"><em>Follow these tips for the safest experience possible:</em></span><br /><h3><span style="font-size: 100%;">Use Only Trusted Websites</span></h3><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mGCr4geYulrUGlxWadAGUXpfKPFabqu5j1S6DAukGoibsVSjYWEfghm88zjPTP_yZ8jOY2-8qk8AXyD96wJV1W_9awjPMU1MphTgdQCzuDk21d5z_4yPBhhD6Hr0eSIkWhv0ZPFdnVA/s1600/200px-Check_mark_23x20_02.svg_.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637255687940208098" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mGCr4geYulrUGlxWadAGUXpfKPFabqu5j1S6DAukGoibsVSjYWEfghm88zjPTP_yZ8jOY2-8qk8AXyD96wJV1W_9awjPMU1MphTgdQCzuDk21d5z_4yPBhhD6Hr0eSIkWhv0ZPFdnVA/s320/200px-Check_mark_23x20_02.svg_.png" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 189px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%;">With virtually every major retailer represented on the Internet, there’s really no reason to shop with an unknown ecommerce site. You might be thinking, “but, what if I see the deal of a lifetime?” It might be a good idea to pass it by no matter how much you think you’ll save. After all, JoeShmoUnbelievableDeals.com could be a scam site or might sell counterfeit goods.</span> <span style="font-size: 100%;">When a cyber deal appears to be too good to be true, shoppers often end up paying the bill without receiving the promised goods. As a bonus, shopping from a known retailer usually means you can buy online and return at the store for added convenience.</span><br /><h3><span style="font-size: 100%;">Choose Your Card Wisely</span></h3><span style="font-size: 100%;">When making an online purchase, never reveal your bank account information or use a high-limit credit card. The best bet is to keep a very low limit card just for online purposes or use a prepaid credit card. In fact, <a href="http://www.thereachcard.com/benefits.html" target="_blank">secure online shopping with the REACH card</a>, or other cards like it, is one of the easiest and most affordable options. It will protect your money and your identity.</span><br /><h3><span style="font-size: 100%;">Only Shop on Secure Sites</span></h3><span style="font-size: 100%;">Even if you’ve shopped at a store your entire life, don’t enter any personal or financial information if the page isn’t secure. There are two easy ways to check this. First, look for the locked padlock icon in the status area of your screen, generally in the lower, right corner. Next, make sure the URL for the page starts with “https” instead of just “http.” Both of these features indicate that the page is using SSL (secure socket layer) technology to protect your valuable information. Or, you can go <a href="http://info.ssl.com/article.aspx?id=10068" target="_blank">the old school way</a>.</span><br /><h3><span style="font-size: 100%;">Don’t Tell Them Everything</span></h3><span style="font-size: 100%;">While online retailers do need to know your payment information, your address and sometimes your phone number, they don’t need to know other pieces of information like your birth date, your social security number, or your mother’s maiden name. In the wrong hands, this combination can lead to identity theft and financial ruin.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 100%;">While you’re at it, create a unique password that’s hard to guess on every site where you need to register. If you make a habit of always using the same one, it wouldn’t be too hard for someone to hack into your accounts. This is especially important on any site that requires the use of your email address as a user-id.</span><br /><h3><span style="font-size: 100%;">Install Virus Protection</span></h3><span style="font-size: 100%;">A good security program can protect your computer from virus and spyware infections. This will not only protect your identity, but make your entire computing experience better.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 100%;">By taking precautions and following simple rules, you can shop online as much as you want and protect your valuable information.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 100%;"><em><strong>What safety steps do you follow during your cyber shopping sprees?</strong></em></span><br /><br />Please subscribe, leave a comment, follow this blog and share this article with your friends and colleagues.

Tips for Secure Online Shopping

No matter how many times you hear about identity theft and emptied bank accounts on the news, you can’t help but continue your online ...

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10 Tips for Successful Business Networking

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZV05jRCn_7_065itBUFyCVffeGp7afi7O0ArqahjmZSwTK87jp3wdw4EEJeRUNW98x6Fh5Jygp9exVoFPtc71IaOsNpKmMW1Uu8POKg1qbIozjM-YtTDB5zqYCXph-D7eH5QSO0vz1c/s1600/boost-your-income.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637347565213231714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZV05jRCn_7_065itBUFyCVffeGp7afi7O0ArqahjmZSwTK87jp3wdw4EEJeRUNW98x6Fh5Jygp9exVoFPtc71IaOsNpKmMW1Uu8POKg1qbIozjM-YtTDB5zqYCXph-D7eH5QSO0vz1c/s320/boost-your-income.jpg" style="height: 195px; width: 214px;" /></a><br />Effective business networking is the linking together of individuals who, through trust and relationship building, become walking, talking advertisements for one another.<br /><ol><li> Keep in mind that networking is about being genuine and authentic, building trust and relationships, and seeing how you can help others.</li><br /><li>Ask yourself what your goals are in participating in networking meetings so that you will pick groups that will help you get what you are looking for. Some meetings are based more on learning, making contacts, and/or volunteering rather than on strictly making business connections.</li><br /><li>Visit as many groups as possible that spark your interest. Notice the tone and attitude of the group. Do the people sound supportive of one another? Does the leadership appear competent? Many groups will allow you to visit two times before joining.</li><br /><li>Hold volunteer positions in organizations. This is a great way to stay visible and give back to groups that have helped you.</li><br /><li>Ask open-ended questions in networking conversations. This means questions that ask who, what, where, when, and how as opposed to those that can be answered with a simple yes or no. This form of questioning opens up the discussion and shows listeners that you are interested in them.</li><br /><li>Become known as a powerful resource for others. When you are known as a strong resource, people remember to turn to you for suggestions, ideas, names of other people, etc. This keeps you visible to them.</li><br /><li>Have a clear understanding of what you do and why, for whom, and what makes your doing it special or different from others doing the same thing. In order to get referrals, you must first have a clear understanding of what you do that you can easily articulate to others.</li><br /><li>Be able to articulate what you are looking for and how others may help you. Too often people in conversations ask, "How may I help you?" and no immediate answer comes to mind.</li><br /><li>Follow through quickly and efficiently on referrals you are given. When people give you referrals, your actions are a reflection on them. Respect and honor that and your referrals will grow.</li><br /><li>Call those you meet who may benefit from what you do and vice versa. Express that you enjoyed meeting them, and ask if you could get together and share ideas.</li><br /></ol><br />Please subscribe, leave a comment, follow this blog and share this article with your friends and colleagues.

10 Tips for Successful Business Networking

Effective business networking is the linking together of individuals who, through trust and relationship building, become walking, talking...

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7 Steps to More Customer Referrals

<br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOyfMjfvK2X0C7tMuXnRj0GUdY19Vo3FWDw3FG1GeoHjZpRVrtXW_kUP4WpnUpqY9PzuXpVlUWCcAYRFY-0Mwy_W80qzoKVW7snYZ23L2WxPWOjZ7o3IXQke8hsrfCbRXlA3N_J-Llpw/s1600/images.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637351757672000658" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOyfMjfvK2X0C7tMuXnRj0GUdY19Vo3FWDw3FG1GeoHjZpRVrtXW_kUP4WpnUpqY9PzuXpVlUWCcAYRFY-0Mwy_W80qzoKVW7snYZ23L2WxPWOjZ7o3IXQke8hsrfCbRXlA3N_J-Llpw/s320/images.jpg" style="cursor: move; height: 225px; width: 225px;" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">One of the best ways to increase revenue and profits in a tough economy is to get more new customers who are already sold on your product, service or brand. These customers can be hugely profitable because they require very little marketing or sales costs. By the time they reach your door they have already heard good things about your business and they are interested in learning more. If handle them right a high percentage will  become customers with little effort on your part.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Here are seven things you can do to increase customer referrals at your business. They’re not complicated and they won’t cost you a fortune. And if you do them well and consistently, they’ll help you build a better business.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Talk to your customers.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Have real person-to-person conversations with as many customers as you can. If you have a lot of customers relative to your employees, then you’ll need to prioritize. Find ways to have real, meaningful and ongoing conversations with them.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">This might mean inviting some to lunch. It might mean hosting get-togethers at your business. It might start with a survey and end with a phone call or a meeting. For others it might be virtual conversations using email or Web 2.0 tools.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Serve their needs.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Of course you’re doing this to make your company better. But everything you do in your customer referral effort needs to be useful from your customer’s perspective. Educate them while you engage them.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Engage your customers.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Find multiple ways to get your customers involved. For some people, just a regular phone call or lunch will be enough. For others you might get their help finding solutions to challenges you’re facing (using brainstorming or other facilitated meetings). Create communities for your customers to participate in. Forums and blogs are great for this. Software and online companies have done this for years but so can small businesses.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Get your employees involved.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Let your employees participate. Don’t script them or micro-manage their involvement. Let them get to know your customers and vice-versa. The more your customers know and like your employees, the more likely they  will tell others to do business with you.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Hire customer friendly.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">You can train, teach and coach a lot of things but being friendly is not one of them. And beyond just friendly, you should look for employees who make a habit of focusing on the customer, who go out of their way to take care of customer’s needs. One of the best ways to do this is to keep your eyes open when you are a customer. When you meet people who are very good, tell them what you do. Start a relationship so if they look for other work they might call you.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">6. Post reminders.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">This sounds basic but it works. Make posters of the top things your customers want from you. Include your “customer service standards” so everyone knows what the expectations are. Place them around your business so everyone can see them. Also, use post-it notes, emails, customer service calendars and any other fun ways you can think of to refresh your employee’s memories.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">7. Celebrate good news.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">When customers give you and your staff good feedback, share it. Have a party! Let all your staff know about it. Show your employees how important it is. Post it where people will see it. Send emails. Talk about it at staff meetings.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">When your company is driven by service, your customers will notice. And they’ll like it. Serve them well and they’ll keep coming back. Even better, they’ll tell their friends too!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Please subscribe, leave a comment, follow this blog and share this article with your friends and colleagues.</div>

7 Steps to More Customer Referrals

One of the best ways to increase revenue and profits in a tough economy is to get more new customers who are already sold on your product, s...

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Business Blog Posts Made Easy

<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2yNFHbVHYhvP6mhFK_7v4eopx3b0Uq8ji_Qr1UT_G31Awo6-yy0PATP_4ImrQwl6Y07F9fCXDMsQY4oE_fynDCeNBdyk_VKkYUkFT5efNHZF7WSIfC3gj1bWrznU09cI8WRk6hFMDmqs/s1600/images.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637671787914206946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2yNFHbVHYhvP6mhFK_7v4eopx3b0Uq8ji_Qr1UT_G31Awo6-yy0PATP_4ImrQwl6Y07F9fCXDMsQY4oE_fynDCeNBdyk_VKkYUkFT5efNHZF7WSIfC3gj1bWrznU09cI8WRk6hFMDmqs/s320/images.jpg" style="cursor: move; height: 194px; width: 259px;" /></a></div></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">One thing every entrepreneur and most small business people struggle with is too much to do and too little time to do it in. Our (<span style="font-style: italic;">yes I fit into both of those categories myself</span>) plates are full already so the thought of having to add time to write content for a business blog can be enough to keep many businesses who could benefit from a blog from even getting started.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Effective business blog posts can be short and sweet!</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I know exactly how that goes. My posting frequency here on SuccessCREEations has been erratic to say the least. I’ve gotten so “busy” with client work that I don’t post much at all. I would joke that “<span style="font-style: italic;">the cobbler’s kids have no shoes</span>” and explain that’s why I neglect my own blogging.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Yet I tell my busy clients that blogging for their business is easy and there is time to do it because it’s an important part of their overall online marketing strategy. This weekend it occurred to me that I was being a bit, um, hypocritical telling business owners that they have time to blog if I’m not going to make it a priority myself!</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The good news is, writing blog posts for your business blog doesn’t have to be some long, drawn out affair. They can be short and sweet.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I tell my clients that a business blog post only needs to be between 180 and 300 words to be effective. That means they only need to be a few short paragraphs, about the length of a typical email.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">That means most business blog posts can be written in a few short minutes.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">In fact, this post took me right at 10 minutes to write, including time to find the image and resize it, and is 329 words long, which puts it at the “long” end of a typical business blog post.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">When posting to your business blog is made that easy, there really is time for it!</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Please subscribe, leave a comment, follow this blog and share this article with your friends and colleagues. </div></div>

Business Blog Posts Made Easy

One thing every entrepreneur and most small business people struggle with is too much to do and too little time to do it in. Our ( yes I fit...

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10 Powerful Networking Tips Using Business Cards

<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpg86DzMBZxYDAyb3DXDvtfk1yEJuDyIH6t40LUROYlkOOsKRSSrEkj5Xhm_fMabnm31x_CySyitDlpbjSfejnSF-reS-4ACLP2X4PMJPR8k6TLIJPwJ6Orj7Awk05pbeI4Iqd4HnL5Q/s1600/images.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638304209153819682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpg86DzMBZxYDAyb3DXDvtfk1yEJuDyIH6t40LUROYlkOOsKRSSrEkj5Xhm_fMabnm31x_CySyitDlpbjSfejnSF-reS-4ACLP2X4PMJPR8k6TLIJPwJ6Orj7Awk05pbeI4Iqd4HnL5Q/s320/images.jpg" style="cursor: move; height: 185px; width: 273px;" /></a></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Whether you are looking for a job or running a business, giving out business cards is crucial to marketing your skills or services. Even as a job seeker, develop the mindset of running the business of YOU, Inc. Business cards speak volumes about who you are, what you offer and how serious you are marketing YOU, Inc. as a business. Oh! So, you have a resume and don't need business cards. Can you carry 10 resumes in your wallet' Do you or can you carry your resume everywhere you go' A church bell ringing lets people know they are open for business. Your business card is your bell. Here are some proven tips using business cards to increase your chances of landing a job or creating a business opportunity.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Never leave home without them. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Before leaving home, your checklist should be expanded to include business cards, as part of "do I have my wallet/money, house keys, driver's license'" Any 'per chance' meeting is an opportunity to give out a business card. A morning run or a quick trip to the local store could be an opportunity to network. My wife and I always ask each other 'do you have business cards', before leaving the house. Make it a habit to carry business cards.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Insert a business card when mailing bill payments. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Bills contain advertisements. Why can't you advertise your skills or services the same way' Insert a business card with your payment. You may not think a person in South Dakota who opens your credit card bill payment can help you. Never underestimate the power of networking. A movie, entitled '6 Degrees of Separation' points out we are 6 people away from knowing someone of influence. You could be 6 people away from knowing the President of the United Sates, your favorite movie star or someone who is in a position to hire your skills or services. Each of us knows someone, who knows someone, who knows someone etc. Developing this powerful networking attitude will be a fundamental source of continued success.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Use proper business card etiquette.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Whenever you give a business card, ask for a business card. When given a business card, don't just take it and place it in your pocket. Make the person feel important by looking at their card for a few seconds. You might see something that could be a topic of discussion. Write comments on the card such as date, location and common points of interest. These comments will prove valuable when following up with that person. This  also demonstrates a sincere interest in the other person. Then place it in your wallet. This lets them know they reside in a special place with you. "Skill with People" by Les Giblin is a book that expands on this approach. Make people feel important, in order to make yourself important to them.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Be generous. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Give business cards out to everyone, including family and friends. Don't let vanity stop you from giving out your last business card or giving 2 at a time to each person. I have met many people who have totally missed the purpose of a business card. I once asked a person for a second business card, so I could refer his services. His response was "I only have a few cards left and I need them", as he looked again at his name on the card. Hoarding your business cards only makes your wallet feel full, not your bank account.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Ask for referrals. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">When giving a business card, people feel more comfortable when you ask; 'I would appreciate a referral, if you know anyone that could use my services'. Don't make people feel like they are on the spot. This approach disarms people much better than asking them, 'is your company hiring'' People naturally like to do favors for people. Saying 'could you do me a favor by referring my services to someone'. This always places you in a better position with them. They will feel better about helping you. Give them 2 cards.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">6. Maximize every "per chance" meeting. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">You never know when you might meet someone who can help you. Family or friends social events could produce unexpected encounters with people. Don't discount those events. So you're going to a birthday party for your friend's kid. You never know who you might meet. At a family holiday gathering last year, I met someone that has been instrumental in developing our business this year. Who would have thought this could happen by giving him a simple business card.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">7. Place yourself at the right place at the right time. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Have you been to a job fair or business conference and been disappointed with the networking results' Turn the tables around. Consider volunteering to help out at the job fair or other types of events. This puts you in a better strategic position for presenting your resume or business card. Company representatives might view you differently, if they know you are willing to go the extra mile in helping them make their presence easier to manage. Get involved by visiting Eventme.com, TheLunchClub.net, Craigslist.com or view the calendar of events for JacobJavitsCenter.com to place yourself in opportunities for giving out your business card. Volunteering for events has been a very successful resource for my business partner and I to expanding our business. Zig Ziglar, one of the most successful sales trainers in the world says "if you help enough people get what they want in life, you will get what you want in life".</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">8. Use "In Your Face" follow up. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Did you ever have a job interview or meeting with a recruiter, potential client or employer and wonder why they never called you back' 'Out of sight, out of mind' is the operative phrase to remember. Today's economic climate dictates you might be competing with 20, 50, 100 or more other people for the same position or contract. It's quite a task for people to keep track of each individual meeting. So it's up to you to give a person a reason to call you back. Immediately after a meeting snail mail a hand written note thanking the person for their time. Insert your business card. Now you're in the driver's seat in standing out from other people. If you get no response, do it again. Patience and persistence pays off.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">9. Use promotions to promote YOU, Inc. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Newspapers often have stories of people being promoted to high levels in different organizations' This is an opportunity for you. Consider getting some invitation size blank greeting cards. Use the Internet's search capabilities to find out the address of the company's executive offices. Send the blank invitation type card with a hand written note sincerely congratulating a person on their promotion. Insert your business card. For the cost of a 37-cent stamp, you have just made someone's day and may create an impression that makes a person feel compelled to respond back to you. Make it a habit to do this once a week. Remember '6 Degrees of Separation'. You just never know . . . People open invitation type envelops faster than any others.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">10. Brand yourself with a slogan. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Print a slogan on your business card that answers the question 'Why should I hire you' Or "What makes you different from everyone else'" A catchy phrase or slogan insures people ALWAYS associate a company name with their product or services. People remember even after the commercial is over. That's called branding. Companies pay big bucks to advertising agencies to come up with these lasting slogans. Consider doing the exact same thing on your business card. This is your insurance people remember you, after you meet. Don't just put Hortence Smiley, Accountant on your business card. Add something like "Financial Services With Integrity". A slogan makes all the difference between getting hired or not, because people will remember you long after a meeting.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Please subscribe, leave a comment, follow this blog and share this article with your friends and colleagues. </div>

10 Powerful Networking Tips Using Business Cards

Whether you are looking for a job or running a business, giving out business cards is crucial to marketing your skills or services. Even as ...

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SEO Tips For PR Agencies

<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOkqLvFgS4A0ILkUtrbiJyFRAIu1SZTbRR-kK17kw9rFtkHqHdf86Ct9Tlg_8-8m4Q-Ok7v6ufdYk8K1NEjhCYORETtQIMLp0FoGPJywwnTusUddEBCXrxo7Md2CyBxab3idyv8izZl0/s1600/images.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640200898485827586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOkqLvFgS4A0ILkUtrbiJyFRAIu1SZTbRR-kK17kw9rFtkHqHdf86Ct9Tlg_8-8m4Q-Ok7v6ufdYk8K1NEjhCYORETtQIMLp0FoGPJywwnTusUddEBCXrxo7Md2CyBxab3idyv8izZl0/s320/images.jpg" style="cursor: move; height: 203px; width: 240px;" /></a></div></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Our Online Marketing agency at TopRank has been providing practitioners in the Public Relations industry information and insight on Search Engine Optimization for nearly 10 years.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Starting with adding SEO to our media relations services in 2001 to providing SEO consulting to PR industry leaders like Vocus, PRWeb and The PRSA, we’ve been in the thick of SEO and PR for some time.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The demand for smart Social Media and SEO information from PR agencies and corporate communications organizations has amplified significantly this year. We’re talking with numerous companies, helping them get up to speed with strategy, road mapping and training. One of the most useful insights we can provide is guidance on what to avoid when it comes to incorporating SEO and SMO (social media optimization) into PR content strategies. No one likes to #fail, so here are several things to avoid:</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Shiny Object Keyword Syndrome</span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">SEO advice is easy to find online including suggestions of doing keyword research using tools like Google’s AdWords Keyword Tool. There’s a temptation to focus only on the most popular words and phrases even if they aren’t 100% on target. Or worse, if the website that PR staff can contribute to and edit isn’t anywhere near deserving of being known as THE authority for a highly competitive topic.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Those high popularity count keyword phrases are like shiny objects that distract from the language that is most relevant and realistic to achieve. It’s fine to have highly popular (and competitive), relevant keyword phrases as targets, as a long term goal and contingent that there’s a commitment to creating the content and attracting the links necessary. In the meantime, go after phrases that reflect the intersection of the topic your promoting and the most relevant queries being made. In fact, extend that search keyword research to social topics for more long tail concepts to optimize for.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Many journalist inquiries are pretty niche. They’re often looking for something very specific, and if you’re chasing high popularity keywords that will take a year to achieve, you may be missing out on a lot of search visibility that could inspire media coverage in the meantime.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">One-Off SEO</span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Another temptation is to approach SEO very tactically and try new SEO knowledge on a single web page or press release. There’s nothing wrong with experimentation, but optimizing a single or a handful of documents isn’t what drives significant search traffic.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">An extension of that would be to optimize a newsroom or website without planning to revisit keyword lists and whether refinement is necessary. I’ve heard comments like this many times, “Oh, we optimized our site already. In 2004.” SEO, like Social Media and Content is a journey – not a destination.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Missing Links</span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Google PageRank introduced the online marketing world to the importance of links beyond those that simply drive direct traffic. Today, PageRank isn’t as much of a focus, but links are still very important. Especially links from social networks and media sharing sites. Many PR professionals consider the keyword optimization of web pages, press releases and digital assets all that is necessary – discounting the need to attract links.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Links are like electricity and help search engines discover new content. They also serve as a signal for use in assigning importance for ranking. PR professionals are in a unique position to attract some of the most valuable links possible – from online media websites. Asking journalists to link back to a website takes little effort and might result in a highly valued link that can send the most significant kind of signal or link juice to what it is that you’re promoting.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Additionally, sending out press releases through a news release distribution service like our client PRWeb, that are properly optimized with links to content that is being promoted can result in link acquisition as well. Sometimes it’s 5 or 10 links and sometimes 100′s of them. Optimization with keywords is just the start. Link building and social promotion are what create awareness to journalists and bloggers directly as well as through improved search visibility.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Falling Short on Measurement</span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Improved search visibility is often measured with a ranking report. With personalization, those reports are not as useful as they once were. Web analytics tracks visitors to a website and where they came from, like from a search engine. That’s about as far as most PR and Corporate Communications pros will go when it comes to measuring the impact of their SEO efforts.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">However, there’s a lot more. Especially since increased, relevant traffic to the corporate website or news content can not only reach the media but end consumers looking to buy. If the content can warrant a link to a “buy page” where a conversion or inquiry can occur, PR practitioners would do well to make sure web analytics tracking is setup so that new business inquiries can be attributed to optimized PR content when appropriate.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">How powerful would it be to show not only media coverage, but improved web traffic and new business inquiries as a direct result of PR’s SEO efforts?</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Waning on Training</span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">You don’t just flip a switch and become SEO savvy, I’m sorry to say. Achieving SEO competence takes training, practice and persistence. At <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">TopRank Marketing</span>, we have a consulting service but we’re in the business of helping PR firms and corporate public relations staff get up to speed with SEO and Social Media SEO skills. But there are many other places to get useful knowledge ranging from the upcoming SES conference in San Francisco to the online training provided by Market Motive you see in the right side bar of this blog.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The key thing is to understand that to gain momentum, providing SEO skills training to those in your organization in a position to create content online will be especially helpful. Going it alone as the sole SEO savvy person in a large agency is tough to scale. However you get that training is up to you, just be sure to get it for yourself and for your team.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frugal SEO Tooling</span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I’ve noticed there’s a tendency with many PR agencies and departments to be a bit conservative on paying for tools. It’s true that there are many free tools out there, but over time and without a business model to fund them, they get neglected and can become irrelevant or go away altogether. Then you’re up a creek without a paddle, scrambling for some other free tool, not knowing what really works and what doesn’t.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">That’s why I like to pay for tools. I know they’ll be around and will have an obligation to provide some kind of service level and support. Whether its paying for WordStream for keyword research or SEOMoz Pro or Raven Tools for a host of SEO functionality and campaign management, don’t skimp on the tools. The impact of great SEO, especially SEO and Social Media Optimization, can have a tremendous impact and maybe even a multiplier to online media relations efforts. Tools will help you do quality work and more importantly, scale!</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">To Be Optimized, You Must Socialize</span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">A big part of today’s optimization for better search performance means active social media content creation, curation and engagement. Building networks that you can share links with and inspire link propagation is essential for the social link and content signals being increasingly considered by Google and to some degree, Bing. Optimizing social media content improves the search visibility of brand content on the social web. The social network participation on sites like Facebook, Twitter, Quora and Google+ that goes along with brand social media efforts also provides Google with signals that can be used for ranking content on Google.com. Optimize and Socialize!</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Conclusion</span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">There are many more ways than this to fail at SEO and SMO for Public Relations, but as a foundation, these tips can serve to help PR Agencies and Corporate Communications avoid some of the pitfalls and become more productive, more quickly with their SEO efforts. Realistically, these tips are appropriate for any industry, but the boost in inquiries we’re getting from PR firms and business Comms pros, motivated me to create this post just for you :)</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">If you work at a Public Relations firm or in Corporate PR, have you hit on any of these areas to avoid? How did you get back on track, or did you?</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Please subscribe, leave a comment, follow this blog and share this article with your friends and colleagues. </div></div>

SEO Tips For PR Agencies

Our Online Marketing agency at TopRank has been providing practitioners in the Public Relations industry information and insight on Search E...

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