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YAY! I'M A PUBLISHED AUTHOR!!

Posted by Paris E. Tompkins on November 11, 2009 at 4:00am

At long last, I am proud to announce that my first children's book, "The First Trip" is online and available. The story is one of Bubba Oodle, the news reporter for the Oodleville News, and his arrival in "The Land Beyond" (our Earth) from his imaginary world of "Oodleville." There is also an introduction of the other "Oodles" and some of their adventures.In coming stories, Bubba will be exploring and making friends to share our lives with those in "Oodleville," and sharing the "Oodles'" lives with us. The other "Oodles" will also come to visit us and have their own storyline books and character dolls.The links below will give more information. A portion of the revenue from the sale of books and dolls will be dedicated to support my Restore Childhood Project to promote the maintenance and/or restoration of play for boys and girls. Play is very important for the learning, experience, and joy of children.To view the press release: http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=n...To purchase the book: https://www.createspace.com/3396371To introduce yourself to Bubba and the other Oodles: http://www.thefirsttrip.comArticle from my publisher: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Max_DunnFor a limited time, if you purchase the book, I will send you a complimentary, limited-edition collectible Bubba doll valued at $50.00. Just e-mail me your purchase order number under the subject: Bubba Doll. E-mail is inkyoodle@msn.comGod bless, Paris

Two Lessons I learned About Network Marketing Online

Posted by LaShanda Henry on November 10, 2009 at 8:32pm

The world would be a wonderful place if the average network marketer was actually making the money they want from their business, but unfortunately it doesn't always work out that work. Most Network Marketers online are making the same mistake. They are trying to sell their product to anyone with a pulse and no one is buying. It happens every day; the overselling, the random business plugs in inappropriate places, the clear desperation and desire for sales. The problem isn’t the product or even the pitch; it’s the people they are trying to reach. Here are a few things that I’ve discovered about network marketing and the internet: 1. People buy products from trusted brands they know. Moreover, when they are online its very unlikely they’ll buy a product just because you send them a link. When people buy online it’s usually because they are searching for something they can’t find offline, something they need quickly, something that was recommended, or something they have purchased before. The big problem with most network marketing products is they don’t easily fall into any of these categories. 2. When it comes to spending money online, people generally buy out of desperation or desire. They are either buying things they really want or buying into products/opportunities that might make them money. If you are a newbie network marketer trying to sell your products online, you already know how difficult it is to drive traffic to your website and get people to buy. I won’t say that it’s impossible (because people are making money as we speak), but I will say that it’s difficult because you have so many obstacles in your way. Chances are online consumers aren’t heavily searching for what your selling. And with the high competition, the people currently using your product probably already have a local representative that they buy from. Again, getting new people to buy your product online is challenging, which is why you to change two things; where you sell and who you sell to. How do you make the switch? Download and read my latest ebook: "How to Really Make Money Networking Marketing and Selling MLM Products Online" | Here is a $10 Off Discount Code just for reading my blog: EB10OFF Related posts:

What is Good Customer Service?

Posted by PB31 Woman on November 9, 2009 at 8:14pm

Entrepreneur Resources Network invites you to join us as we discuss topics concerning Women in Business. Whether you are just starting your business or you are an established owner, we encourage you to share your struggles and success with others.What is Good Customer Service?One of the most important customer service skills you can develop is the ability to understand and effectively respond to the customer’s needs and concerns. Excellent customer service starts by first taking the time to get to know the customer, his situation, his vision, his worries and his goals.Customers today are often treated like a nuisance, instead of the reason that a company is in business at all. Products and services continue to increase in cost. Customer service, on the other hand, continues to decline. We deal with surly cashiers who seem to have more important things to do than ring up your sale are the rule rather than the exception. Having a product delivered to your home means giving up hours out of your day to wait. It seems that businesses today have forgotten how valuable customers actually are. Without customers, no one earns a paycheck.So, here are some thoughts on ensuring that your business provides top quality customer service.Rule #1:When customers complain there is a reason. This is an opportunity to learn something, so hear them out without interrupting or arguing.Rule #2:Remember not to the complaint personally. A customer complaints are about products or service that did not live up to their expectations or the marketing hype. When you or your employee takes it personally, get defensive or angry it will only makes the situation worse.Rule #3:Provide your customer with a sincere apology for the inconvenience. Put yourself in your customer's shoes. Remember what it feels like when something you have purchased did not do the job it was supposed too.Rule #4:This is one of the worse thing that you could say to your customer “It’s not my job, my department or my responsibility.” If you work at the company that made the product or sold the service - it is your job! Make a personal commitment to do whatever it takes to fix the problem even if it is not in your job description.

Biz Enlightenment: Start a Service Business

Posted by S. Marigny on November 10, 2009 at 3:42pm

Who can sell a service? The answer is simple--anyone and everyone. Everyone is qualified because each of us has skills, knowledge or experience that other people are willing to pay for in the form of a service; or they're willing to pay you to teach them your specific skill or knowledge. Selling services knows no boundaries--anyone with a need or desire to earn extra money, work from home, or start and operate a full-time business can sell a service, regardless of age, business experience, education or current financial resources.What Are the Advantages of Selling Services?There are many advantages associated with starting your own business selling services. Perhaps the biggest advantage is you become your own boss, take control of your future, and in effect become the master of your destiny. I've been self-employed for a number of years, and for me the lure of self-employment is the freedom and independence that calling the shots affords, which can be difficult to achieve when you work for others.Operating your own business also gives you the potential to earn more money, in some instances two, five or even ten times more than you're currently earning. Why? Simple duplication. When you work for someone else, there is only you and only so many hours in the day to work for an hourly wage or a salary. When you operate a business, you can duplicate yourself by hiring employees and salespeople to increase revenues; you can duplicate your customers and find more just like them to purchase your services; and you can duplicate your business model and open in new geographical areas to service more customers and earn more profit. These are all things you can't do when you work for others, and if you do, chances are it will financially benefit the boss a lot more than you.Capitalize on Your SkillsDon' t worry if you lack business skills and experience in areas such as time management, personal-contact selling, negotiating, bookkeeping and the ability to create effective advertisements. There's no question these are all important skills to have, but at the same time they're also skills that with practice can be learned and mastered. More important is the question, "What skill(s) do you have that can be sold as a service?" Any skill(s) you possess can be your best, and by far your most marketable, asset. If you know how to safely walk a dog, that's a skill people are willing to pay you for. If you know how to plan and throw one heck of a party, that's also a skill people are willing to pay you for as their event and party planner. If you know how to play the piano, this is a skill other people will pay you to teach them. If you know how to sell products and services online, once again that's a skill that people are willing to pay you for as an online marketing consultant. All are examples of skills that people pay other people to perform, or teach them how to learn.Every person has one or more skills other people are prepared to pay for in the form of a service provided to them, or to learn. However, with that said, most people have a tendency to underestimate the true value of their skill sets and experiences. You have to remember, what may come naturally to you may not come so naturally to others. Likewise, you might think your particular knowledge or expertise may be of little value, but if someone else needs or wants to learn about that knowledge, it's very valuable to them.Selling Services Part TimeThe first option is to start off selling your services on a part-time basis, which is a good idea because it enables you to eliminate risk by limiting your financial investment. It allows you to test the waters to make sure that being self-employed is something you enjoy and want to pursue. If all goes well, you may decide to transition from your current job, devoting more time to your new enterprise each week, all the while decreasing the time at your current job until you're working at your new business on a full-time basis. There are many advantages to starting off part-time, including keeping income rolling in, taking advantage of any current health and employee benefits, and building your business over a longer period of time, which generally gives it a more stable foundation. If it turns out you're not the type of person who's comfortable being the boss, you've risked little and still have the security of your job.Of course, if your ambitions are only to generate extra money to pay down the mortgage, save for retirement, put yourself through school, or pay off credit cards, selling services part-time is the perfect choice. It's important to do what you want to do and what best suits your individual needs. If selling services part-time works for you, then go for it.Selling Services Full TimeYou can also jump in with both feet and start your new business selling services full-time. This option would appeal to people without a current job or people who are confident about being the boss and operating a business. There's nothing wrong with starting off full-time, especially if you take the time required to research the business, industry and marketplace. You must also develop a business and marketing plan, and have the necessary financial resources to start the business and pay yourself until it becomes profitable.The main downside to starting full time is risk. If you jump ship and leave your job, you risk loss of current employee benefits and have no guarantee of steady income, contributing spouses or partners excluded. The upside to starting off full-time is potential rewards, including the opportunity to make more money than you can at your current job, and to gain control of your future. Your decision to operate your new business on a full-time basis will largely be determined by your current financial situation, your own risk-reward assessment, and your goals and objectives for the future. Jumping in full-time will appeal to the true entrepreneurial mindset--people who prefer to blaze the trail rather than follow behind in the wagon train.Selling Services SeasonallyAnother option is to start a seasonal business selling services, which can be operated with a full- or part-time effort. But most are run full time to maximize revenues and profits over a normally short time span. Examples of seasonal businesses selling services would include snow removal in winter, yard maintenance in summer in northern climates, income tax preparation service in spring, and serving as a vacation property rental agent. Just about any business can be run seasonally or occasionally, but some are obviously better suited than others.A seasonal venture will appeal to people who want the ability to earn enough money during part of the year in order to do as they please with the remainder of the year--travel, pursue education, or work a job in another season. The potential to earn a very good living operating a business only part of the year is a genuine opportunity, as proven by the thousands of people who are currently doing it. The main downside to a seasonal business, especially one that can be operated year-round, is that you don't want to spend thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours promoting your business only to shut it down for half the year, sending current and potential customers running to your competitors while your business is closed. It may prove very difficult to lure them back when you reopen for business.Selling Services to Supplement Your RetirementThe fourth option is to sell services to supplement your retirement income or just to have fun and stay active in your golden years. Retirement businesses have become extremely popular in the past decade, mainly because the cost of living has dramatically increased, often outpacing wages and retirement savings. The result is that many people head into retirement needing a little extra income to cover expenses and provide an adequate lifestyle or to maintain their pre-retirement lifestyle.People are living longer and much healthier now than in decades past, and because of this many are seeking new challenges; starting and operating a business is a way to stay active physically and mentally. Older people also have a proverbial ace up their sleeves when it comes to starting a business and selling services: a lifetime of knowledge and experience that can only be acquired by spending lots of time on this planet. Because of the value of these skills, many people are willing to pay big bucks for them. This is why many people who are reaching or have reached retirement age have chosen to start a consulting business selling their experiences, knowledge and skills for the benefit of their clients.Before you decide to get into business for yourself selling services, there are two issues to consider regarding financial compatibility--income and investment money. First, when deciding what type of service to sell, you have to consider how much money you want to earn and how much money you need to earn. If you need to earn $75,000 per year to pay your personal expenses, there is little sense in starting a dog-walking service. Perhaps there are a few dog walkers earning this much, but it's not a realistic expectation. How much money do you want to earn--that is, how ambitious are you? Again, you must be realistic and relatively sure the service you choose to sell has the potential to generate enough income to live on in the short-term, and the potential to match your income goals in the longer term. Income doesn't have to factor into the business startup equation for everyone. If you want and need to earn only a little money from a part-time or retirement business, the income equation will not factor as heavily as other issues.The second big financial compatibility issue affecting your decision about which business to start or purchase is the amount of money needed to start or purchase the business. Not only will you need to have or have access to the investment needed to get rolling, but you'll also need extra money for working capital to cover day-to-day operating expenses until the business achieves positive cash flow. This can take a week, a month or even a year.Ultimately, financial compatibility is important when starting a business and deciding what services to sell. If you cannot afford to start the business and don't have the financial resources to pay operating expenses and your wages until the business can break even, you'll probably have to look at alternative options, such as starting part time, choosing a different business to start, or waiting until you have acquired the money needed to get started.By James Stephenson

From A Writer's POV Magazine of the year!

Posted by Dominique on November 10, 2009 at 6:18pm

Hello Family & Friends!Please vote for From A Writer's POV as Magazine of the Year. The more votes I receive the greater chance I have of being in the top four. Here are the details:Vote for From A Writer's POV as Magazine of the Year on AAMBC Literary Award. Simply email your nomination to aambcvoting@gmail.com and put From A Writer's POV magazine-of the year in the body of the email. So friends and family, please vote for my company as magazine of the year!Thanks so much for the support!Dominique

Looking for Black Women Who Love to Blog...

Posted by LaShanda Henry on November 10, 2009 at 5:33pm

I recently created Social Media Sistas, a space for black women / women of color in social media to collectively blog what’s going on in the black community online and around the world. SMS is very new, and free to join. I am currently working on reaching out to my fellow Black Women who are into social media to join the network and be a part of something new and exciting. To review the website and/or join visit: http://socialmediasistas.com LaShanda Henry

[Webinar Replay] How to Boost Your Holiday Sales

Posted by LaShanda Henry on November 9, 2009 at 4:05pm

I honestly think business owners and entrepreneurs love the holiday season more than kids! This is the time when pocket books are open and people are spending whether they can afford to or not, so make sure that you and your business are getting a piece of the 'Holiday Sales Frenzy'. Last year, my partner Richelle Shaw and I did a great free webinar for our Women of Color Small Business Coaching Program that was all about boosting your sales for the Holidays. I thought you could benefit from watching this webinar replay this year too! Click the link to watch the webinar replay: Why are your Holiday Sales Slow? How to Boost Your Holiday Sales this Year!

Watch video of Artist Ananda Leeke's author chat about her artwork in her new book, That Which Awakens Me

Posted by Ananda Kiamsha Madelyn Leeke on November 9, 2009 at 3:05am

Streaming Video by Ustream.TV

Greetings All,Here's a video of my author chat that aired on the November 7th episode of Ananda Leeke Live!, my new UStream.tv showm (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/anandaleeke). It discusses my artwork in my new book, That Which Awakens Me: A Creative Woman’s Poetic Memoir of Self-Discovery (available on Amamzon.com in December 2009). To learn more about my online book party for That Which Awakens Me, visit www.anandaleeke.comEnjoy!Peace and Creativity,Ananda

erin shell anthony's WRITE, PUBLISH & MARKET YOUR BOOK 12-month Private eCourse

Posted by Erin Shell Anthony on November 9, 2009 at 4:00am

Greetings! I am happy to announce my new 12 month Private eCourse, created especially for those who are serious about wanting to write a book and create profit from it!I have a few questions for you:Do you have a book inside of you?Have you always wanted to write a book but never knew where to start?Do you have a book concept that you don't know how to market?Would you like to make money daily, weekly & monthly from your book?When I wrote my book Nappturosity: How To Create Fabulous Natural Hair and Locs (www.naturalhairbook.com), I had no idea how amazingly successful it would be. I wrote this book because I wanted to help & contribute to the natural hair community, and now, I'm offering this course for the same reason.You will learn the techniques that I've used to sell thousands of books & eBooks around the world, and these same techniques have enabled me to also earn money every day! It's a wonderful feeling waking up, checking your email and seeing orders that have come in overnight. I want you to experience this too, and you will, as a part of my private coaching program!I don't believe that we have to participate in the "recession" and I know that you have a phenomenal power within you to manifest the gifts that you've been given. This divine calling is special, and should be honored and treasured.This eCourse is not for you if you want to write a book and produce an info product to make a quick buck, or if you're interested in overnight success stories or get rich quick schemes.This eCourse IS for you if you want to:o Be: Possess a sincere desire to help people with your topico Do: Are willing to be coached and follow a simple -yet profound - plano Have: Would like to generate regular income from your workI am offering this program as a PRIVATE 12-MONTH eCOURSE, which is limited to only 40 participants, at a reasonable monthly investment.As a part of this special eCourse:By Month 3, You will have written your book!By Month 4, your website will be up, and you will be profiting!By Month 6, you will have implemented several marketing strategies and leverage your new-found expertise into other info-products!If you are interested in applying to be a part of this exclusive private coaching group, please email my Executive Assistant, Marie, at wpmbook@gmail.com.Love & Success,erinshellanthony

How I Doubled my Online Profits in One Month

Posted by LaShanda Henry on November 6, 2009 at 11:04pm

To learn everything I know about making money online, click here and grab my 15+ web business and marketing ebooks while you can. I’m a digital diva. Most of the products that I sell online are in one digital form or another, ranging from eBooks and banners to web templates and ad space [browse my ebooks for entrepreneurs]. When I started making sales online, I felt like I was floating on cloud 9. When I figured out how to double my sales in less than a month, I felt like I was on top of the world. Let me let you in on a few simple tips that can help you tap into the profit potential of your business. Here are the five things that I did to double my profits in one month: 1. I took my best selling eBooks and put them in bundles. I went from making $10 per sale to $20 per sale, and even more than that with my bigger eBook packages. I used the same system in my graphics design business. My most popular product was the $20 medium sized banner. I quickly realized that many people didn’t know how to upload their banner to their website, so I added on an additional fee of $10 for html code. Then I realized that some people wanted animation added to their banner, which meant I was doing more work, but not getting paid extra. At that point, I decided to charge an additional $10 for animation, so now my average banner design profit is $40 instead of $20 and that profit gets even bigger when customers by in bulk or purchase larger banners. 2. I started to recommend other products to my buyers when they asked questions, just before checkout, and after their purchase. Simple recommendations and follow-up emails turned small sales into up sells, which again resulted in more profits. 3. I stopped spending the majority of my time trying to find new business. I started email marketing campaigns, inviting old customers to check out new products and I started giving them exclusive discounts. I took my new $20 bundle and gave old customers exclusive $10 discounts which resulted in return sales. By staying in contact with old customers and giving them the incentive to buy new things at a discounted rate, I was able to generate return sales in addition to new sales. 4. I started my first subscription website, the Web University, where fans of my eBooks could get one new eBook from me every month in addition to monthly how-to articles and videos. My subscription websites opened up a new world of residual income and constant cash flow. Instead of having customers buy one eBook, I had them on auto-payment, which meant I was receiving payments every month. I used that same system to create my banner rotator, my black girl click ad network, and my other coaching programs to ensure that every week I was generating residual sales. 5. I started to actively promote products I used to people in my network. From Google Adsense to my top Affiliate Products, I figured out how to generate a new stream of residual income by recommending affiliate products to my list. Selling digital content, taking advantage of email marketing, affiliate marketing, and subscription programs are all really simple sales solutions that I used to double my profits in one month. Stick with me, and I will explore each of these strategies in more detail on the SistaSense Blog. To learn everything I know about making money online, click here and grab my 15+ web business and marketing ebooks while you can.

12 Secrets to Making the Sale Online

Posted by LaShanda Henry on November 6, 2009 at 10:45pm

Originally posted on the online guide: Create a Website for Profit I believe that effective internet marketing is not just about generating traffic, but also making the most of the traffic that you get. Too many web entrepreneurs spend time and money focusing on marketing, and not enough time on actually making the sale, which is why most of them aren’t making any money. I decided to come up with a listing of things that I believe contribute to making web sales online: 1. Trust: When you present yourself as a professional who understands business and only sells quality, you develop a trust factor among your customers and readers. People refer friends to me because they trust I will do a good job. People open my emails because they trust my judgment and respect what I have to say. When you focus on building your reputation and earning people’s trust, rather than simply marketing yourself to anyone who comes along, you find that more people pay attention. Every time I send out a marketing email I know that I am guaranteed a certain percentage of sales based primarily on the size of my market and the trust factor between myself and my readers. Businesses don’t just add the word ‘trust’ to their brand because it sounds good. Trust truly adds to your ability to make sales. 2. Connect: When you connect with your customers on a relatable level you increase your chances of making the sale. Much of the attention I have gained online is from connecting to people on a level of mutual understanding. I am a black woman so I know how to relate to my target audience, which is Black Women. Whether you are a part of your target audience or not, you have to learn how to connect with them. Beyond trying to sell them something, my goal is to say something that speaks to my target audience, which is how I tend to grab their attention. With that connection and acquired trust comes an increased chance of a sale. 3. Quality: Product Quality and presentation go hand in hand. People buy quality products. If you are selling online, a space on which people can’t actually touch your product or service, then you need to show them that quality in any way you can. Satisfied customer testimonies, awards or press exposure, amazing product images, and/or video can help to show others the type of quality that you stand for. 4. Professionalism: If you present your business in a professional manner you have an increased chance of making more sales. From your design to your customer service, presentation to web navigation, the easier it is for people to understand what you are selling and how to buy, the more effective your business. 5. Navigation: As I previously mentioned a professional design is so important. I have visited several sites on which I couldn’t figure out where the products were or how to buy them. And I have seen sites where my purchase process failed because there was a technical issue. These are all things that decrease your sites profit potential. If you need to work on your design, make it a priority because sites with hassle-free payment pages tend to generate more revenue. Remember that when dealing with the general public, the easier the better. To review all 12 of my tips, download my eBook: How to Sell Your Products and Services Online | Click here to grab this eBook plus 15 others in my Special 2009 Close Out Offer.

Online Business Conference

Posted by Dominique on November 6, 2009 at 2:48pm

Three business owners will be speaking during the days of November 9th, 11th, & 12th on www.fromawriterspov.ning.com The business owners will be be speaking about different areas of business; giving advice and tips on business.The conference will be held online at www.fromawriterspov.ning.com Chatroom. This conference is free and open to all of our members.To RSVP for one of the days during the conference, check out our events here: http://fromawriterspov.ning.com/eventsConference Speakers are:Pamela KingDana NealBrandy AdamsonOrganization: Online Business ConferenceName: Dominique WatsonEmail Address: publisher.ceo.povmagazine@gmail.comWebsite Address: www.fromawriterspovmagazine.com

Why Success is for the Unlucky?

Posted by Tia Jackson Harley on November 3, 2009 at 11:45pm

Too many people go through life like they’re playing the Mega Millions. They make a small investment, and then sit back hoping to hit the jackpot. More often than not, they’re left disappointed and defeated, because the luck they expected to swoop in and change their lives, never showed up. Success is not a matter of chance. It's not something you just bump in to and obtain overnight.Beyonce didn't just wake up one morning and choose to be a singer. Serena didn't just decide to play tennis, and Lebron didn't just happen to be good at basketball. Sure, they make it look easy on TV, but don't be fooled. Their success was earned as a result of a strategic and well-executed takeover. They had a plan. They put in the work. They got the right people around them. They practiced when others were sleeping. They ignored the haters, and stayed focused on their ultimate goal...to be successful enough to live out their dreams.Success is not guaranteed to anyone. It's not something you get, just because you think you deserve it. You have to want it, breathe it, live it, plan it, and dedicate yourself to it. Here are four personal brand principles that separate those who dream about success from those who actually achieve it.1. I am where I am, because of how I am.  Meaning, if I'm not rich, if I'm not successful, if I'm not happy, if I don't have the things I want in my life, then it is up to me to take responsibility for my situation. I have to make adjustments in my life, step my game up, and pound the pavement even harder until I get the results I want. Instead of complaining, look inside yourself and evaluate why you're not where you want to be. It’s important to take responsibility, and make sure you're putting in the work to change your situation.2. It’s not the will to win that matters, everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters. –Paul Bryant  You can't do the same thing everyone else does and expect to stand out and get noticed. If you really want to have success, you have to plan your path and be willing to take the less desirable road. Again, if success was easy to get, then everyone would have it. Show how much you want it by putting in the blood, sweat and tears to prove it. If you're serious about reaching your goal, you won’t hesitate to dedicate the hours, days, weeks, months, years, and whatever else it takes to reach your goal.3. I will not be outworked. Period. –Will Smith Don't be afraid or too cool to work harder than everyone else. Even after you achieve success there is always someone waiting to take your spot, so you have to keep putting in the work to stay on top. Actor, Will Smith, often says he’s willing to die on the treadmill, because he will not be outworked. His determination is a reminder to push harder even when you think you’re already giving 100%. When you push beyond your self-imposed limitations you force yourself to grow and discover new possibilities for your life.4. I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. –Thomas Edison. Too many people want success right away, and quickly give up when the road gets tough. Keep taking risks and stay motivated even in difficult times. Roadblocks are often the best teachers, because they recruit your creativity and ingenuity to help you navigate around them. Don’t be afraid to stumble. As long as you’re willing to learn the hard lessons on your path…your rise will be greater than your fall.Only you are responsible for whether or not you achieve success. No one can do it for you, and no one else is to blame if you fall short of your goal. It takes an extraordinary effort to reach higher than those around you. Stretch yourself to discover all that you’re capable of being. Don't limit yourself by taking the easy route in life. Put forth the extra effort to be your personal best. The world needs you!

Marketing Your Business in a Recession

Posted by PB31 Woman on November 4, 2009 at 9:28pm

In this recession, many businesses are shying away from spending a lot for advertising. We all can agree that in order for your business to grow – we must continue to attract new customers and keep your old customers also. Here are some proven tips used by colleagues to market their business. Target Marketing: This method uses a certain demographic to market their products or services. The advantage to using target marketing is that you have a better chance at getting new customers because you can focus on certain characteristics such as race, age, gender etc. Blanket Marketing: Blanket Marketing is used by large businesses. If you choose this, marketing method means that you advertise to everyone. Those businesses that use this method advertise in magazines and newspapers. This method is suggested if you have plenty of advertising dollars. Social Marketing: This is the newest and considered the cheapest way to market your business and reach millions of people. Social Media Marketing is BLOGGING. Your biggest challenge is to make sure that you keep feeding your readers with up to date information. No Marketing: The final way of marketing is to do NO MARKETING. Although, you think that you will be saving money. When your business fails, you lose. Therefore, it’s important that you place advertising money in your budget.Share your Marketing tips with us!

7 Ways To Attract More Money!!

Posted by LaKeisha Hankins on November 6, 2009 at 12:34am

7 Ways To Attract More Money!!Wow! I am so excited another great day ahead. I started off my day by reading an awesome article by Dr. Joe Vitale about how to attract more money! I wanted to share a few of them with you that it might help you once you start applying the laws of attraction in your life.If your like I was you might be at a point in your life feeling like your working your butt off in your business and doing everything that you were taught you should be doing but your not attracting more money.When it comes to the Law of Attraction, generally people want to use it to attract more money.In order to attract more money effectively, You have to GIVE AWAY MONEY . You heard me right. See the more you give, the more you receive. But you have to have an open heart and give openly and freely with the expectation of return. I don’t mean go broke giving away all your money…the rule of thumb to give 10% of whatever you receive and give more when you feel inspired to do so. Give In Love. Not In Fear!GET SUPPORT one of the wisest things you can do to achieve any goal is create or join a mastermind group devoted to working together to achieve a goal. You need to surround yourself around people who keep your energy and inspiration high and keep your focused on growing and improving. Support will help you attract money.BE GRATEFUL. Wow this is huge, start being grateful for the money you have and you will begin to attract more money. Show gratitude for anything in this moment that you can be sincerely grateful for.Look around and ask yourself what you are grateful for right now. Then start to feel gratitude for it right away.Next, DO WHAT YOU LOVE. Following your passion is the greatest secret of all when it comes to attracting wealth. There is no point in doing something you hate. Passion is your ticket to financial freedom.Ask yourself what you would do even if you were not being paid for it. That's a clue as to what you should be doing and finding a way to be paid for it. You can attract more money from love.Hopefully this helps you to start attracting more opportunities and more money your way…. and remember by Expecting Success you will keep your brain on the look out for more opportunities.Stop by and check out the >>>>>Leaders Group for more Cool Tips and Great Ideas!Be Back With More Goodies LaterLaKeisha Hankinswww.lakeishahankins.comEmail: lakeishah@hotmail.com

What is a "PROMPTING"?

Posted by Donna on November 6, 2009 at 4:13am

A prompting is a feeling, nudge, a fleeting thought, or an inner voice that gives each of us personal insight. By acting on promptings we can touch lives, reach out to those in need. more tomorrow!!!!!!!!

The #1 Marketing Essential Most Entrepreneurs Forget!

Posted by LaShanda Henry on October 30, 2009 at 5:53pm

You know me ... I like to talk about struggling entrepreneurs because for starters I'm no stranger to the struggle (lol) AND I want to help those who are trying to make money and work at home (the successful entrepreneurs don't need me). That being said, I want to fill you in on a coaching session I had with the wonderful women in my Women of Color Coaching Program.The topic that I REALLY wanted to discuss this month was the #1 Marketing Essential that most entrepreneurs forget. While trying to promote their product or service, folks often focus on:

Packaging
Pitch
Promotion
Profit

During my time as a web coach, I have discovered that entrepreneurs struggling to build their exposure and generate sales online often skip an important step in between the promotion and the profit. Before you start to generate the sales you want, you have to show potential buyers PROOF. You know as well as I do that most consumers (even you), don't like to be the first one to buy a new product. SO you have to really do a good job at showing consumers offline and online why your product or service is right for them. I did a WHOLE webinar on how to PROOVE to customers that your product or service is the BEST and then yesterday we did a Q&A Session for our WOCC members about that very same topic. I love that you love my blog SO I want to give you a sneak peak of the WOCC. Click here to watch the webinar: The #1 Marketing Essential Most Entrepreneurs Forget - Q&A Session

Boost Traffic To Your Blog

Posted by Tamyka Washington on October 31, 2009 at 4:47pm

When I created my first blog a little over a year ago, I spent a lot of time to make it look appealing. I included a few posts on a variety of subjects, video, photos, links and a few other trendy widgets and ads. I was so proud of my accomplishments and just knew my creative genuis would pay off. I could hardly wait for the equally excited stampede of visitors that would soon follow.But that herd of traffic never came. Sure, I got an occassional visit here and there. But what happen to the masses that I had predicted? After a short time, I sat back and reanalyzed my lonely blog situation. I finally came to realize what had gone wrong. I had gotten hooked on the idea that having a blog meant making money. I had become infatuated with the idea of having a blog instead of having the passion to share my blog. I knew it was time to lay my blog to rest and invest some time into learning how to create a blog people would really want to read.Here are some of the things I have discovered along my blogging journey:Decide who your audience will be. What is it that you are passionate about and want to share with others? Is is cooking? Then your audience will be individuals who love to cook (or eat)! Yes, we all want to make money with our blogs but that can not be your motive. If you learn how to blog with a purpose and have a desire to share your knowledge with your readers, the money will soon follow. Once you have dertermined your audience, you can then begin to implement some targeted marketing.Create content with substance. Your readers will want to follow your blog for a few reasons, the main one being your content. They want to read valuable information that will help them learn something new or entertain them. Your cooking blog should be richly filled with topics such as; cooking tips, reciepes, food reviews and even pictures of your favorite freshely cooked dish! The quality of your content will not only help your blog stand out, but it will also allow your readers to relate to you and trust your expertise.Define your niche. This is where it can get a little tricky, especially if you are new to blogging and online marketing. If you are a mom who blogs about cooking, you may want to define your niche market to moms who love to cook. In order for your blog to attract your specific audience, you need to learn how to find your niche. A great way to start is to find a few social networking sites online that cater to your market. Social networking sites are great tools to help you and your blog gain exposure as well as help increase targeted traffic to your site.These are a few ways that will help you create and increase traffic to your blog. The important thing to remember is to be consistent in your efforts. It takes time to build a following but can be easier when you understand the benefits of applying targeted marketing strategies. When you enjoy what you do, your work seems effortless and you will reap the rewards. Happy blogging!For more blogging tips and work at home resources, vist the Mom2Mom Network

Watch video of Author Ananda Leeke's first author chat about the making of her new book, That Which Awakens Me: A Creative Woman's Poetic Memoir of Self-Discovery

Posted by Ananda Kiamsha Madelyn Leeke on November 1, 2009 at 10:17pm

Happy November!Today I launched my first author chat on Ananda Leeke Live!, my new UStream.tv show: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/anandaleeke. During my author chat, I discussed the making of my new book, That Which Awakens Me: A Creative Woman's Poetic Memoir of Self-Discovery, outlined the ten chapters, shared juicy insights about my creative process and books that inspired my work, and read an excerpt from the introduction. See the video below. The author chat is approximately 40 minutes. So get something good to drink and eat before settling into my show. Enjoy!FYI: I have scheduled author chats on November 7 and 14. Click here to learn more about the chats and online book party events for That Which Awakens Me: http://tinyurl.com/yd2k3gd.Enjoy your November!Peace and Creativity,Ananda

My "Extra Money" Success Story!

Posted by Khadijah Adams on November 3, 2009 at 1:30am

I'm posting my "extra money" success story for the many educated, dedicated and hard working people who have been forced into unemployment by this horrible economy!Okay, so I needed to make extra money, but I wasn't trying to get rich quick, nor was I looking for work outside of my home. I was looking for a real company (licensed, bonded, etc), one that was stable, and one that actually paid on time. In my search, I found several excellent companies to work for, but apparently so did everyone else. I mean, every time I would ask someone if they heard of this product or that product, or this service or that service; they would say, "Yeah haven't you?" So I thought, "okay I missed those opportunities!” I became so frustrated that I just gave up and began looking for a JOB!!!!! I dreaded going back into corporate America, but I had to do what I had to do, right?One evening, an associate called me very excited, telling me that I needed to try this new healthy organic juice. Saying that anyone looking to lose a little weight, look a few years younger, have more energy or just maintain overall health could drink this juice. She shared amazing testimonies she had collected from people who have type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure and for a brief moment, she had me thinking about how my family members could benefit from drinking this juice. I have a family history of cancer, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure and although I was amazed by the stories she shared; I told her that I was in no position to afford an organic health juice or any juice for that matter! I mean seriously, we were struggling with only one income as it was; how would I explain the purchase of an organic health juice? I could literally hear the argument starting with my husband already LOL! Finally, she persuaded me to taste it. It really tasted great! There was no after taste and after the third sip; I was hooked! I couldn't believe that an organic health juice could taste this good because every other organic juice I had tasted in the past was greenish/brown and tasted awful! NO OFFENSE TO ANYONE, but let's keep it real.Then she told me she gets paid weekly for sharing this juice with other people. I said, “That’s nice, you go girl, but my hands are tied and I have too much on my plate as it is; besides I need a real job and one that pays me every two weeks!” And I wasn't playing either; I really needed to know that when I put in 8 hour days; that a paycheck would be waiting for me every two weeks. Anyway, she convinced me to take a look at the company before making a final decision.I searched the Internet; I called the Secretary of State to be sure they were licensed; I called the Better Business Bureau to see if they had any complaints against them. I called the State Comptroller's office to see if they were in good standings; and I checked out MLM Watchdog.com to see if they were a legitimate network marketing company and not a “fly by night scam” or something. There was nothing bad mentioned about this company ANYWHERE! Finally, I decided to check with a few people I know personally who have built huge work at home businesses to see if they had ever heard of this company. I was shocked to find that none of them had! I couldn't believe that my associate had turned me on to an actual “basement” opportunity! This was not a “ground floor” opportunity, but a true “basement” opportunity because hardly anyone had heard of this company or the organic health juice! This all seemed “too good to be true” so I continued to do more research.I found out why so many people hadn’t heard of this company before. It is because the company had only reached a few states in the U.S., but they broke all kinds of sales records in other Countries like: Hong Kong, China, Japan and Canada. The company was 13yrs old with a less than 2yr old “debt-free” network marketing division. Finally, I called their office to see what kind of customer service department they had and I was floored! A LIVE person answered; she was very professional. She confirmed everything I had uncovered during my research. She told me that the organic health juice was less than 45 days old at the time. Then she told me that they offered weekly online (webinar) trainings and conference call (over the phone) trainings in the evening. This was perfect for me because I still wanted to find a full-time job. After a series of questions, I decided to join their team as an Executive Level Business Owner and they assigned me to “a personal coach”. I was promised that I would always get a live person when calling their office and only on very rare occasions would I ever get a voicemail. In which case, someone would call me back within an hour! This was HUGE for me because I hate voicemails and automated systems! (Grrrrrrrrrrr)The company sent me a Business Success Kit that contained a training manual so I could follow along with the weekly trainings. There were samples of marketing materials/business tools which allowed me to market the juice professionally. They gave me my own replicated website with “a back office” that allows me to access corporate marketing material that I can actually print right at home. It keeps a record of my sales, my weekly pay and my referrals! The back office even gives me an accounting record and payroll history.I joined their team in July of this year; working only part-time from home. So far, I've earned over $3,000 in retail sales and weekly commissions. I know this doesn't sound like a lot to some, but when you do the math, it’s an extra $750 per month! I work part-time and not at a fast food place; not at a clothing or department store, not in another office, and not cleaning someone else’s toilet. Although there’s nothing wrong with working these kinds of jobs; I’d much rather work any extra hours at home, so I can still spend time with my family. As far as I’m concerned, an extra $750 per month could mean paying off a bill or two; it could also mean getting that new car because now the note and insurance can get paid; but for some people, an extra $750 per month could mean not missing a meal or having to ration what little you do have until next payday. Listen, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t need extra $ in this economy. Do you? Anyway, thought I'd share my “extra money” success story with anyone interested in earning some extra $ in this economy. Besides, what can an extra $750 or more per month do for your household?Here is the website www.MaquiBerryBuilt.com Do the research for yourself. Oh and while you’re at it, pick up a copy of the Network Marketing Business Journal at any major bookstore or on any major newsstand. This company has been named “Company of the Month” for the month of November 2009!

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.