Blogs

Forget the obvious holidays and observances. We will all probably cover Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Some of the minor holidays and observances could punch up your blog’s SEO (search engine optimization) as well as help in marketing your brand in a totally new way. Here are a few:

Chanukah/Hanukkah, Thursday November 28, 2013

You don’t have to be Jewish to discuss Chanukah. As Christians, we have an instant connection through the Savior. Share something special about this holy day with your readers. Teach them a blessing to share with their Jewish friends and co-workers.

Black Friday (11/29), Small Business Saturday (11/30) and Cyber Monday (12/2)

These are three of the busiest shopping days of the year. Offer a discount or a promotion to your readers. Encourage them to shop with some of your colleagues who own businesses. Spotlight businesses you utilize to say thank you.

November is the month of many things, but there is one observance that can keep your blog busy with traffic: National Inspirational Role Models Month. This is an odd observance, but it is a great one to forward as a movement and to celebrate your inspirations.

Rosa Parks Day, Sunday December 1, 2013

If you’ve ever had to stand your ground for justice or be the only one in an environment who is like you, then this day could make for some very inspiring posts. Read a biographical profile and find that one thing about Rosa that resonates with you and perhaps your readers.

National Bathtub Day, Thursday December 5, 2013

The fun you can have with this topic is endless.

National Chocolate-covered Anything Day, Monday December 16, 2013

Enough said.

Google “national observances and holidays” to find any number of sites with these and more days, weeks and months to add to your editorial calendar. Which odd observances do you write about?

Guest Blog provided by Robin Caldwell for SteppingIntoVictory.com

Sharon C. Jenkins is a motivational speaker, workshop facilitator, author, freelance writer, editor and the Inspirational Principal for The Master Communicator’s Writing Services and the mastermind behind the annual Authors Networking Summit and America’s Favorite Author Competition. Known as The Master Communicator, she is proficient in communicating in all forms of media: radio, newspapers, magazines, and spoken word.  She also hosts the Blog Talk Radio Program, The Literary Showcase.

Sharon has helped hundreds of authors get their message to the masses through workshops, webinars, her radio show and coaching.  Her new book Authorpreneurship: The Business of Writing was just picked up by My Book Therapy and is a culmination of everything she has learned from her literary journey and that of other authors. She is also master connector and is looking to connect you with her awesome network of thought leaders.

View Full Interview at SteppingIntoVictory.com

Morning Sunshine!

Tomorrow is our Books.Buzz.Business Webinar Conference plus:

• Sessions Kick Off with a Morning Tweet and Greet for you to share your books and build your following. Get full time and hash tag details when you register for sessions.
• Yes, when you register you will also get access to the replays, so you can watch them later in case you miss any or all of the live sessions.
• Who is this webinar conference for? Women and men who are Authors, Writers, eBook Creators, and Magazine Publishers - whether you are just starting or are looking for ideas we will cover a variety of topics. Full details on the website.
• Official event site: http://b2b.sistasense.com/

Hosted by LaShanda Henry
Creator of Sistasense, BBWO and the Black Writers Connect Network

As you know next Tuesday is our webinar conference for authors and writers (register here). We are kicking this off by sharing some great book promotion tips and techniques:

1. What to Do Daily, Weekly and Monthly to Brand Your Book
2. Tips To Run The Optimal Goodreads Giveaway
3. 5 Essential Book Marketing Tips

More featured tips from our speakers are on the way.

Until then be sure to get your virtual seat for our full day of great sessions for the Books.Buzz.Business Webinar Conference. Use the code '27OffB3' when you register today at http://b2b.sistasense.com.

See you inside our circle on Tuesday!

LaShanda Henry
Creator of SistaSense, BBWO and the Black Writers Connect Network

In my experience working with a range of women entrepreneurs, I've found that so many women want their businesses to run beautifully and yet ironically struggle to find the beauty within. The struggle I refer to is often times displayed in the form of a fear and resistance to being seen in photos or videos. I will often hear statements like "I want the business to run itself", "I don't want to be the face of my business" or "I hate the way I look on camera."

We live in a very critical world. I personally know that the fear of being judged not only by our businesses, but by our looks is more than most can bare. For years I didn't upload a photo of myself online and used a cartoon character to represent me. It got so bad one lady said, "I didn't know if BBWO was really run by a black woman, a white man, or a robot!" Today I honestly can't remember all the reasons why I was so resistant to being the face of my business. I just know that eventually I realized there is no place in business for shy entrepreneurs and further more, as entrepreneurs (like it or not) we are the faces of our businesses (period).

Being resistant to sharing your true self can really block your blessings and have damaging effects on the growth of your business. As a matter of fact, on the topic of "fear, body image issues and resistance to your true greatness", I had a chance to interview power circle expert Jai Stone. In addition to being a speaker at our 2014 Power Circle Conference, Jai also happens to be talking about the topic of a Healthier You on TD Jakes new show airing this Sunday at 2pm on BET.

Jai, tell us more about your topic on TD Jakes upcoming show:
Healthier You is the show title. In short, I finally found the courage to publicly address my private struggle with obesity. What a platform, right?! I mean TD Jakes and BET -- go big or stay home I guess (shrugs).

What has been your personal lesson learned with respect to body image issues and being a healthier you?
My primary lesson was that there is power in vulnerability. Shame can't exist in the light. But I had to have lots of coaching from my life coach Akilah Richards and therapist Jack A. Daniels. They were basically a tag team to get me to break down my walls and tell my REAL story. I spent several days crying and nervous before the show. I was about to share my greatest humiliation with the world. Things I had not even shared with my closest friends and family.

What is one thing you would encourage other women to do with respect to their personal fears and concerns about their health and body image?
EVERYONE has a fitness journey, even if its NOT weight. Find the right support professionals to help you get your life on track.

What was it like being on the TD Jakes Show?
Whaaatttt??!! (High pitch squeal). It was one of the most amazing and life altering experiences of my life. BET treated me like a Rock Star. They sent a car for me, I had my own dressing room. They even set me up with the Glam Squad from the Monique Show. 5-star treatment all the way. A girl could get used to that real quick!

One woman entrepreneur to another, how did you get on the show?
One of the assistant producers follows me on Twitter. She saw a post I wrote for Essence.com where I put a different spin on the battle of the bulge. She passed it on the the show producers. They contacted me the day after the post went up on the site. THAT is the power of social media and creating strong meaningful content. You get seen and folks will invite you to share your story. My blogging has led to some amazing opportunities including this one.

Do you have any advice for other women entrepreneurs looking for opportunities to gain media exposure for their business and/or brand?
I have tons of advice. Chose your platform and dominate it. For me its Blogging and I use social media to promote my blogs. But it could be radio, television or speaking engagements. Just make sure you follow rule #1 BE FREAKING AMAZING!!!

Is there anything else you’ve got planned or coming up in the near future?
Well you know me, I always have SOMETHING cooking on the back burner. But what's hot right now is the new book that I'm launching in December. Eating Cupcakes Naked is a collection of 13 parables chronicle some of the most pivotal and life altering experiences in my robust life. I'm excited to share my stories with the world.

SistaSense Shares
I've known Jai Stone for several years now and to see how much she has stepped into her greatness as a woman and a blog entrepreneur I am truly impressed. I remember when she attended one of my previous 3 day conferences and talked about her resistance to being in front of the camera for fear of commentary and cruel criticism. I incorporate mobile video marketing sessions within my events, so I made it a point to get her behind that camera and show how dynamic she was and how amazing her story truly is, so its wonderful to see her not only creating videos but now speaking on nationally syndicated shows, sharing her story.

Whether it be blogging, photos or video marketing as an entrepreneur eventually you will have to step into your greatness. It is essential that you become comfortable with sharing your story and also being the face of your business. As we watch Jai's journey together, clearly you can see she is proof in the power of being vulnerable and striving towards a healthier image of you.

Ladies are you ready to let go of that fear and those body image issues that are holding you back on the path to being a healthier you?
Leave a comment and share your thoughts with us. Plus remember to join Jai, myself and all the wonderful women attending our 2014 Power Circle Conference. This is truly a one of a kind mastermind style event for serious women entrepreneurs and our topic this year will be Unblocking Your Blessings to build your best Business.Life.Self.

About Jai Stone
Emotional Nudity was birth from Jai Stone’s struggle with a life of suppression, her message was carved from the pain of rejection. After decades of trying to fit in, Stone finally found the courage to break free from the social norms that threatened to smother her soul. Now Jai has dedicated her life to helping others find their personalized path to fulfillment through the Emotional Nudity Lifestyle (ENL). The ENL brand focuses on promoting authentic living in every aspect of life. Ever so humble, Jai Stone ALWAYS refers to herself as an OBEDIENT VESSEL and believes her work is her divine calling. Visit EmotionalNudity.com to learn more about Jai Stone and her amazing story.

Related post: Power Circle Expert + Conference Speaker Carol Sankar on the Steve Harvey Show discussing hot topic: Can Women Really Have it All?

Money, Power and Respect is one thing, but what about Money, Motherhood and Marriage? Steve Harvey talks to a panel of real-life women, including SistaSense Power Circle expert Carol Sankar, about how they handle the balance of motherhood, career and marriage. Plus life coach Paula Davis-Laack weighs in on this hot-button issue, so be sure to watch the show and get all the details over at http://www.steveharveytv.com.

Did you know that Carol Sankar is one of the lovely ladies speaking at our 2014 Power Circle Conference? Today I had a chance to talk to Carol about her thoughts on being a mompreneur and this is what she told me:

What was your take on today's topic: can women really have it all?
One of the things we discussed is the fact that today women can have everything: family & careers (I talked about my business) and how I balance it all. My perspective is that your children will adjust to knowing Mom is doing everything possible to create a better life for the family, while still keeping up with maternal obligations, such as school functions, PTA etc. Also, I discussed the fact that my husband and I find a way to make it work as full time entrepreneurs by finding a way to balance on our limited time together.

Do you really think women can have it all?
Yes, we can have it all. We have to know the difference between overwhelm and efficiency. It is all about balancing and how you eliminate the factors that do not benefit you as a mother, wife, entrepreneur, etc. We have to learn how to delegate and manage our time wisely.

How do you try to achieve balance?
I try to achieve balance by "working while I am working and being mom when I am being mom". I believe in being there for my son as much as possible, but there is work time and mommy time. Most of all, we make it a point to have our son involved in the process every step of the way so he can see firsthand how we provide for him. This allows us to balance with him instead of around him.

How did you get on the Steve Harvey Show?
I wrote an article and about women being more aggressive in business, which I will be elaborating on in more detail at the 2014 Sista Sense Power Circle Conference and less than an hour after it went live, I got a call from the producers at the Steve Harvey Show to form a topic for a debate.

What was it like being featured on the Steve Harvey Show?
There are no words that I can use to describe it other than amazing.

What’s one thing you would advice women entrepreneurs do to start making their businesses better now?
Ask bigger questions. Many women procrastinate when it comes to asking bigger questions that enable them to open bigger doors to leverage bigger contracts and opportunities. We have to be less passive, and find our voice. I want to see women WIN at the table rather than watch others win.

More About Carol Sankar
Carol Sankar is an internationally renowned success entrepreneurship consultant & real estate investment expert who focuses on strategic implementation strategies to assist today's start-up and mid-level entrepreneur become successful. Mrs. Sankars' business and wealth tips have been featured in publications in Finland, Australia, Germany, the United Kingdom and the USVI. Her international client-base range from aspiring entrepreneurs to seasoned veterans who are seeking new and innovative methods to reinvent their businesses. In addition, Ms. Sankar is considered an expert in the field of marketing and branding.

Carol hosts a variety of training workshops, live and virtual events world-wide on a variety of topics relating to success, marketing and entrepreneurship. She has been featured in numerous magazines, radio shows, articles and webinars; including a recent features in Madame Noire, LearnVest Magazine, EBONY Magazine, CNNMoney.com, Harvest Magazine and Essence Magazine. You can learn more about Carol and her coaching services at www.carolsankar.com.

What do you think? Can we women entrepreneurs truly have it all?

SMART MOVE FOR WOMEN, MINORITY, AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS: INVEST IN REAL ESTATE THROUGH THE FDIC

Beyond buying a home for your family, it may never have occurred to you to invest in real estate. You may think that you do not have the experience or the money to even know where to begin. However, a small initial investment could result in high returns for you, by either giving you the capital to grow your business or a new professional direction. There are a number of reasons investing in real estate may be a smart move for your business or your personal finances:

• Fixing up and flipping low cost homes could be an added source of income

• One-time or ongoing property investment offers a high ROI

• Finding cheap commercial assets or land to expand your business

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) offers an affordable way to invest in real estate, as they regularly hold auctions and have an online marketplace where they sell assets from failed banks. As there are no bid minimums at the auctions and bids can be placed in person or online, the FIDC offers an easy and affordable way for first time investors to get involved in real estate.

Why is it good for women, minority and small businesses?

To ensure a diversity of participation in the Owned Real Estate (ORE) program, the FDIC welcomes and strongly encourages small, minority and women investors and individuals to participate in the bidding under the program.

As minority-owned businesses typically receive less capital than non-minority-owned businesses, investing in real estate is an alternative way to build capital. Women are also becoming increasingly empowered to invest in real estate and they’re finding that there is always a profitable strategy regardless of the current market. You no longer have to have a wealth of experience or a lot of initial investing money because of the opportunity to buy affordable previously owned properties and flip them for a high return.

If you’re a first time investor, starting with an FDIC auction is great because of the lower prices of property sold through their Owned Real Estate Marketplace and the no bid minimum.

The FDIC’s Minority and Women Outreach Program also exists solely to make investing in real estate a reality for women and minorities who may not have been aware of the opportunity. They are eager to offer assistance and education so that you’re well informed on your opportunities for growth.

What if you have no idea where to start?

The FDIC holds information sessions specifically designed to expose and educate small, minority- and women-owned businesses to investing in real estate, as well as individual investors. The sessions focus on the process of acquiring real estate through the ORE Marketplace and any upcoming auctions. In November, there are three information sessions in Birmingham, AL (Nov. 12^th), Hickory, NC (Nov. 13^th) and Atlanta, GA (Nov 14^th). The information sessions are free and also provide a great networking opportunity for attendees.

If you’re not located near or in any of those states, the FDIC also offers 30-45 minute webinars. There are five webinars in November, on the 5^th, 7^th, 18^th, 19^th, and 21^st. As space is limited, you will want to register for your desired date as soon as possible.

To learn more and register, visit the information session and webinar registration page.

Do you follow our Better Business Women Weekly Newsletter?

Every week BBWO shares active members, great reads, product photos, videos and events from our network of women entrepreneurs. There are people online in need of what you have to offer, but you have to make yourself visible to them IF you want to be seen.

Get featured on BBWO by sharing more. As part of your weekly routine to market your business, be sure to add your updates to our network. New and interesting businesses are featured weekly in the newsletter (subscribe here) + our Facebook page with over 66,000 fans!

And did you know that you can also add your services, books and products to our BBWO Directory for additional exposure?

Be Seen & Get Featured -Take a moment and add:

• Your photos: products, you in action, flyers
• Your videos: events, how-tos, promos
• Your events: conference, meet ups, workshops,virtual teleconference, webinars
• Your posts: press releases, blog re-posts, how-to articles, questions

Better Business Support Available This Week

• Get your threeBies Today
  These are 3 GREAT BBWO Beautiful, SistaSense success sessions available to you at 47 dollars for the next 48 hrs (full details here).

Not a BBWO member OR do you know some one who should be?

• Use or share the code BBWO30 when you sign up here.

Books.Buzz.Business. is the webinar conference of the year for authors (men and women), writers, aspiring self-publishers and those interested in learning how to sell, setup, package, promote and profit from their books, eBooks and magazine style digital publications.

We are going to have some serious speakers and best selling author entrepreneurs inside our circle showing you exactly how to tap into your best selling author potential.

For full details and/or to register go to: http://b2b.sistasense.com

Right now 10 members can use the code '27OFFB3' to get 27 off registration now and I've got two bonuses for the first 25 registrants including my 7 part audio series on how to set up and sell ebooks online.

Reserve your virtual seat today, so we can get inside our power circle for authors and writers.

Hosted by LaShanda Henry
Founder of SistaSense, BBWO and the Black Writers Connect Network
http://b2b.sistasense.com

As part of my "Unblock Your Blessings 90 Day Challenge" - today I am presenting a free webinar on 'Blessings and Business: How to Get What You Want + Live How You Please' at 7pm EST.

What do web women entrepreneurs really want? Based on my personal experience plus my time mentoring other women I'm pretty sure we want it all, but here are some desires that immediately come to mind:

• Adequate payment for time, skills and services
• Appreciation for hard work, commitment and dedication
• Ability to empower and inspire other women; turning passion into purpose and profit
• Abundance in the form of true happiness; doing what one loves for the people one loves
• Accomplishments otherwise defined as the fruits of our labor; seeing those dreams become real and long desired destinies fulfilled

During this SistaSense Webinar Session I will shed more light on how you can unblock your blessings, get what you want and ultimately live how you please.

You can participate in today's webinar via computer, phone or the SM mobile app. Follow the link below to register.

Reserve your webinar seat at http://mad.ly/signups/92500/join

Also note: if you are interested in attending our 2014 SistaSense Power Circle Conference, there are only 2 early bird seats left and virtual tickets are available if you'd like to watch via webinar live stream.

Larry sits down with media mogul Oprah Winfrey to talk about her personal experiences with racism, the future of the Oprah Winfrey Network, and her new role in the civil rights film, Lee Daniels' The Butler. Watch video via Hulu player below.

by Lisa Richardson, YouCanFlow.com

Here is a great guide created by Lisa Richardson, who took the time to pick out just five tools out of the many that Google provide so that you can kickstart your marketing strategy and get further along the road to profit. Your passport to all of these tools is your Google account, so use your GMail or Google+ login to gain access.

To review these 5 Great Google Tools click here.

Related post - Got Google Juice?

Here is an interesting article I recently discovered: 5 Online Marketing Trends Affecting Small Businesses Beyond 2013.

The last few years have been crazy for small businesses. Five to ten years ago the approach to online marketing was pretty straightforward. Companies would invest a certain amount of the marketing budget in paid search ads and perhaps try a little bit of search engine optimization. Cost per click on paid ads was relatively low and it only took a few links to rank for important keywords. Website traffic would roll in and the business would earn new customers.

But things have changed and small businesses now face different challenges.

Today, there are so many different aspects of online marketing. Search has changed. SEO has changed. There are a million different social media networks. It’s hard to know what is important and what is best left alone. However, there are a few key areas where you can feel safe investing your time and money.

Click here to continue reading.

Through this inspiring and painfully real account of challenge and triumph, Dr. Pamela McCauley Bush shares her story that is guaranteed to encourage and uplift any reader. This is no "rags to riches" tale but a moving account of her experiences in going from an insecure teen mother, abused wife, welfare recipient and struggling engineering student to successfully completing her engineering degree and winning one of the largest National Science Foundation graduate fellowships in the history of the University of Oklahoma. This book has "motivation and inspiration leaping from the pages" and will encourage anyone doubting whether or not they can really make their dreams come true.

Book available on Amazon.

About the Author
Pamela McCauley Bush, Ph.D., a nationally recognized motivational speaker, entrepreneur and technologist is President & CEO of Tech Solutions, Inc. and an associate, tenured professor in the Industrial Engineering and Management Systems at the University of Central Florida. Dr. McCauley Bush previously held the position of Martin Luther King, Jr. Visiting Associate Professor of Aeronautics & Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Using the principles in the Winners Don't Quit Kit, in 1993 Dr. McCauley Bush became the first known African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in Engineering in the state of Oklahoma.

Dr. McCauley Bush has been described as a role model, leader for our times, truly inspirational woman and a catalyst. While she is appreciative of these accolades it does not begin to compare to the joy she feels when someone actually realizes that they, too can really make their dreams come true. One of her greatest desires is to "help others realize their true inner potential". She has traveled around the country to give inspirational lectures and keynote addresses to conferences, universities, churches, community organizations and professional societies.

She shares her story of determination, faith in God, and diligence to achieve her goals despite financial difficulties, disappointments, and being a teen mother. Her activities have led to national awards including the Saturn/Glamour Award, Millennium Woman of the Year, Black Engineer of the Year and Annual Woman of Color in Technology Award for Educational Leadership. Additionally, she has been recognized in national magazines including Ebony, Essence, Jet, Career Engineer, Black Engineer Magazine, the National Society of Black Engineers Magazine, the Institute of Industrial Engineers Magazine and various others publications.

Dr. McCauley's website: http://pamelamccauleybush.com/book/

http://www.socialmedialivesummit.com/

As part of my "Unblock Your Blessings 90 Day Challenge" - today I am presenting a free webinar session on 3 Steps to Real Profits + Better Sales online at 1pm EST.

You can participate in today's webinar via computer, phone or the SM mobile app. Follow the link below to register.

url - http://mad.ly/signups/92500/join

Do you follow our Better Business Women Weekly Newsletter?

Every week BBWO shares active members, great reads, product photos, videos and events from our network of women entrepreneurs. There are people online in need of what you have to offer, but you have to make yourself visible to them IF you want to be seen.

Get featured on BBWO by sharing more. As part of your weekly routine to market your business, be sure to add your updates to our network. New and interesting businesses are featured weekly in the newsletter (subscribe here) + our Facebook page with over 66,000 fans!

And did you know that you can also add your services, books and products to our BBWO Directory for additional exposure?

Be Seen & Get Featured -Take a moment and add:

• Your photos: products, you in action, flyers
• Your videos: events, how-tos, promos
• Your events: conference, meet ups, workshops,virtual teleconference, webinars
• Your posts: press releases, blog re-posts, how-to articles, questions

Better BBWO Networking - Related Posts:

• HerCoupons - Share your monthly offers
• What's your Upcoming Event - Promotion Tips
• Get Help - Online Sales Training + Mentorship
• Promoting Your Business on BBWO

If you are not BBWO official yet, feel free to use the code BBWO30 when you sign up here.

LaShanda Henry

p.s. Want to connect with our members live? Don't miss the 2014 Power Circle Conference for the SistaSense and BBWO Community. 4 seats left for early registration + virtual tickets also available.