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Destined for Atlanta

Posted by Lipstick Killers Collection on June 13, 2009 at 8:46pm

Wow, I finally took a leap of faith that will be life changing. I handed in my resignation for work this past Monday, cleaned out my desk on Wednesday and am now on my last stages of moving to beautiful Atlanta. Something is drawing me there. Recently, I received interest from clothing stores desiring my clothes, have a fashion show on schedule in August, and tons of networking events are all coming my way. Is it the secret finally working for me? Is it God answering my prayers of success? Well I don't know for sure, but all I do know is that this is where I need to be in order to take my business to the next level. I refuse to spend my 30s anywhere else, especially home in Delaware.So, if you are currently residing in ATL, please shoot me a note and let me know what is good down there. I look forward to meeting you and working with you!Peace and hair grease,Syreeta RiosCEO Big Gyrl Clothing, IncFashion for the Urban Plus Womanwww.biggyrlclothing.comtwitter.com/biggyrlclothingmyspace.com/biggyrlclothinginc

Work With Whatcha Got

Posted by Tangie Henry on June 14, 2009 at 2:10am

When I was growing up, Debutante pageants were real popular. They were supposed to be a ‘coming out’ ceremony for a young lady, but were more of a lesson in who could raise the most money. There was always a talent portion, which I dreaded. Most of the contestants would usually sing or display some musical gift. I, on the other hand, am not musically-inclined. My ‘special’ talent was always orating. (Yawn!) Anytime there was any display of talent, I was the narrator or speech-giver. Neither I nor the audience appreciated my talent. Even as I became older, I would secretly envy people with artsy gifts while I lamented about not having a ‘gift’.As I began to explore my purpose and really start focusing on what I was put here to do, I realized that my ability to relay stories, both on paper and in person, is INDEED a gift. Wow! What a revelation! It changed my whole perspective about how I saw myself. You may not be able to sing like Mariah, work it like Beyonce or look like Halle, but you do have that ONE thing that is unique to you and the world is waiting for it to manifest. There’s a quote that says, “When you undervalue who you are, people undervalue what you do”. Haven’t you seen that Confident Sistah who, by other people’s standards, may not have the greatest assets, but she’s always workin’ it? She’s tapped into the knowledge of who she really is and you can too. Stop looking at what you don’t have and capitalize on what you do have and then start workin’ with whatcha got!

Ideas are starting to flow

Posted by Lynn Lewis on June 14, 2009 at 1:31am

I signed up for LaShanda's free course and have been reading everything, everywhere in an effort to find my niche and business preferences. I have a long term goal that I can make short term moves toward and an old idea has popped back into my consciousness and needs exploration. I feel as if I've been blocked creatively but the ideas are beginning to find their way out of me now.It's also possible that I'm spreading my attention too far and wide and therefore haven't been able to focus my thoughts. And since when do I walk around trying to keep things straight in my head? I need to write and write and write or everything just spins around in my head without purpose.So starting tonight, my daily planner stays in front of me, not in my purse. I will carry a binder with me daily to jot ideas and journal.Meditation has also been neglected lately. That goes back on the to-do list.

Tax Breaks for Your Children This Summer

Posted by Ktasha on June 11, 2009 at 6:23pm

When school is out, what do your children do? Parents may send children to summer camp or special school programs or make other child arrangements. Some older children may go to work. There may be tax breaks for these activities.DEPENDENT CARE CREDITIf your child is under age 13 (or a child of any age who is physically or mentally incapable of caring for himself or herself) and you work full time or part time, you may be eligible for a tax credit. The credit, which is based on eligible expenses up to $3,000 for one dependent and $6,000 for two or more dependents, ranges from 20% to 35%, depending on your adjusted gross income (AGI). For those with AGI over $43,000, the credit rate is 20%. Thus, the top credit for those at the 20% rate is $1,010 for one dependent and $2,100 for two or more dependents.A variety of expenses incurred both in and out of the home can qualify for the credit.- Compensation to a babysitter, housekeeper, or au pair to watch your child. Also include employment taxes you may pay for a housekeeper.- Daycare costs.- Costs for day camp, including a speciality camp such as a soccer or computer campINELIGIBLE EXPENSES: The cost of sleepaway camp is not an eligible expense for purposes of the dependent care credit. Also, transportation costs to day care or paying for the transportation costs of someone working in your home does not qualify for the credit.SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDRENThe cost of education for special needs children, which may continue throughout the summer months, can qualify as a deductible medical expenses are deductible only as itemized deductions to the extent they exceed 7.5% of AGI). The schooling must be on a doctor's recommendation, so a physically or mentally disabled dependent can attend a program to alleviate or overcome the disability.Note: Outside-the-home care costs for a special needs dependent may qualify for the dependent care credit. However, the same expenses can only be taken into account once (either for a medical deductions or dependent care credit).PUTTING YOUR CHILD TO WORKIf you own a business, you may be able to employ your child this summer. Given the tight job market, this may be the only way your child can earn money and gain work experience now.Wages paid to your child are deductible by the business. Wages up to $5,700 in 2009 are not taxable to your child. If, for example, you paid your child $16 an hour for a 35-hour work week, he or she would reach the tax-free limit in about 10 weeks.What's more, he or she can use these earnings to get a jump on retirement savings. Up to $5,000 can be used to fund an IRA. It's probably wise for a child to opt for a Roth IRA; they usually won't need the tax deduction for a traditional IRA, and earnings in the Roth IRA build up tax free.If you're self-employed and your child is under 18, there are no FICA (Social Security and Medicare) taxes or FUTA (federal unemployment) taxes. There may, however, be taxes and other insurance obligations at the state level.Caution: Make sure you pay your child only reasonable compensation for work actually performed. Since the IRS pays extra attention to family-related write-offs, keep time slips and other records of your child's work.

Plus Teen USA

Posted by T Marlene on June 14, 2009 at 4:16am

I'm a Pageant Coordinator for Plus Teen USA. I'm looking for sponsors, vendors and contestants. Hit me up for more info.

Email List Hygiene: Keep It Clean

Posted by Paradise on June 7, 2009 at 6:00pm

Email List Hygiene: Keep It CleanBy Spencer Kollas, director of delivery services, StrongMail SystemsLast month, I provided best practices to maximize email deliverability with the first step in this series, data capture. The next logical, and critical step is applying effective list hygiene techniques. Maximizing email deliverability does require managing many factors, but once you understand the various components, the process is fairly straightforward.Even if you've followed all of my data capture advice, you still need to engage in list hygiene to ensure its quality. Without proper list hygiene, you risk losing contact with your customers, damaging your sender reputation and getting your emails blocked by the ISPs.For example, if you continue to send emails to accounts that have been closed for some time (i.e. to "unknown users"), ISPs will take notice, which could lead to getting your email blocked. You also run the risk of getting in trouble with spam traps. Essentially, an unclean list tells the ISPs that you don't care about your customers, or about following best practices. Maintaining a good reputation also requires that you respond to unsubscribe requests and bounce data immediately.Reputation aside, list hygiene also makes financial sense. Restoring customer connections and increasing deliverability leads to increased conversions. If you use an ESP, removing bad addresses will also eliminate the associated CPM charges.As a rule, you should always do an initial list hygiene check before you send from your database or begin working with the ISPs. Even if you don't have any bounce data, you can still verify if you're sending to domains that no longer exist, such as attbi.com and many others.Another item you want to look for is to see if your list includes distribution accounts such as sales@company.com or abuse@company.com. No one person should be signing up for your messages with a distribution email address; not everyone on that list has requested your content.List hygiene best practicesThe following activities are an essential part of a successful list hygiene program:• Scrub your lists regularly.Scrubbing your list is simply making sure that you are keeping it as clean as possible by running your list against a list of known bad domains and role accounts. While you should remove unsubscribes and relevant bounced email addresses immediately, you should also scrub your lists on a regular basis. The volume and frequency of your mailings will determine how often you want to scrub them. Scrubbing should go beyond removing duplicate addresses.• Remove and/or correct bad domains.Bad domains need to be removed or corrected right away. Closely review your failure reports, identify bad addresses and evaluate whether they are the result of a data capture problem or a nonexistent domain. If you're experiencing a high rate of failures, you'll want to determine how those addresses got onto your list and if they're indicative of a data capture problem. Simple data entry mistakes like misspelled domains (alo.com, hotmale.com, et cetera) can be easily corrected.• Remove distribution accounts.Mailing to a distribution account is never a good idea. Not only is it an unsuitable address for connecting with a customer (the equivalent of sending a letter to "occupant"), ISPs are looking for such behavior. Plus, it's also sure to facilitate spam complaints from members of the list. You can easily remove distribution accounts by adding "all," "sales," and other common addresses to your suppression list.• Remove "spam" email addresses.One simple step that can be easily overlooked is to remove email addresses with the word "spam" in them. These are most likely associated with spamtraps, which can lead to you getting blacklisted by ISPs or antivirus companies.• Remove inactive addresses.Review the email activity of your customers and compare open rates with the frequency of the email sent to them. One example might be, if you send a newsletter every two weeks and a customer hasn't opened one email in the last six months, you should remove the address from your master list. This type of program needs to be something that is specifically built around your company and your mailing practices. You can then add them to another list that is designed to reengage inactive customers with other types of communications.• Use data checkers.You can avoid a lot of bad addresses by putting some common data checkers at the point of data collection on your website. These checkers can ensure that the entered email address is properly formatted before it is accepted into the database. Identifying the errors at the point of entry gives you the opportunity to have users correct the mistakes as they make them. One common problem that many marketers run into is a customer entering an "!" instead of a "@" as part of the email address.Feedback loopsAlong with keeping your lists clean, you also need to set up all available feedback loops with ISPs and other receivers. Feedback loops will keep you from sending messages to customers who have indicated that they no longer wish to receive your communications. Not only is it a good idea to respect the wishes of your customer, it is also an important practice for maintaining a positive sender reputation. Abiding by feedback loop complaints can demonstrate to ISPs that you are committed to keeping your list as clean as possible and are not interested in spamming their customers.ConclusionThe importance of list hygiene cannot be overlooked as an essential email marketing practice. By employing the practices mentioned above, you can make great strides in improving your deliverability rates and safeguarding your reputation. Of course, it's just one aspect of deliverability, so be sure to check back next month for the next installment in this deliverability best practices series. Until then keep your lists clean and good luck.---Source: iMedia Connection Feb 26, 2007 (www.imediaconnection.com). Spencer Kollas is director of delivery services for StrongMail Systems (www.strongmail.com).Email List Hygiene: Keep It CleanBy Spencer Kollas, director of delivery services, StrongMail SystemsLast month, I provided best practices to maximize email deliverability with the first step in this series, data capture. The next logical, and critical step is applying effective list hygiene techniques. Maximizing email deliverability does require managing many factors, but once you understand the various components, the process is fairly straightforward.Even if you've followed all of my data capture advice, you still need to engage in list hygiene to ensure its quality. Without proper list hygiene, you risk losing contact with your customers, damaging your sender reputation and getting your emails blocked by the ISPs.For example, if you continue to send emails to accounts that have been closed for some time (i.e. to "unknown users"), ISPs will take notice, which could lead to getting your email blocked. You also run the risk of getting in trouble with spam traps. Essentially, an unclean list tells the ISPs that you don't care about your customers, or about following best practices. Maintaining a good reputation also requires that you respond to unsubscribe requests and bounce data immediately.Reputation aside, list hygiene also makes financial sense. Restoring customer connections and increasing deliverability leads to increased conversions. If you use an ESP, removing bad addresses will also eliminate the associated CPM charges.As a rule, you should always do an initial list hygiene check before you send from your database or begin working with the ISPs. Even if you don't have any bounce data, you can still verify if you're sending to domains that no longer exist, such as attbi.com and many others.Another item you want to look for is to see if your list includes distribution accounts such as sales@company.com or abuse@company.com. No one person should be signing up for your messages with a distribution email address; not everyone on that list has requested your content.List hygiene best practicesThe following activities are an essential part of a successful list hygiene program:• Scrub your lists regularly.Scrubbing your list is simply making sure that you are keeping it as clean as possible by running your list against a list of known bad domains and role accounts. While you should remove unsubscribes and relevant bounced email addresses immediately, you should also scrub your lists on a regular basis. The volume and frequency of your mailings will determine how often you want to scrub them. Scrubbing should go beyond removing duplicate addresses.• Remove and/or correct bad domains.Bad domains need to be removed or corrected right away. Closely review your failure reports, identify bad addresses and evaluate whether they are the result of a data capture problem or a nonexistent domain. If you're experiencing a high rate of failures, you'll want to determine how those addresses got onto your list and if they're indicative of a data capture problem. Simple data entry mistakes like misspelled domains (alo.com, hotmale.com, et cetera) can be easily corrected.• Remove distribution accounts.Mailing to a distribution account is never a good idea. Not only is it an unsuitable address for connecting with a customer (the equivalent of sending a letter to "occupant"), ISPs are looking for such behavior. Plus, it's also sure to facilitate spam complaints from members of the list. You can easily remove distribution accounts by adding "all," "sales," and other common addresses to your suppression list.• Remove "spam" email addresses.One simple step that can be easily overlooked is to remove email addresses with the word "spam" in them. These are most likely associated with spamtraps, which can lead to you getting blacklisted by ISPs or antivirus companies.• Remove inactive addresses.Review the email activity of your customers and compare open rates with the frequency of the email sent to them. One example might be, if you send a newsletter every two weeks and a customer hasn't opened one email in the last six months, you should remove the address from your master list. This type of program needs to be something that is specifically built around your company and your mailing practices. You can then add them to another list that is designed to reengage inactive customers with other types of communications.• Use data checkers.You can avoid a lot of bad addresses by putting some common data checkers at the point of data collection on your website. These checkers can ensure that the entered email address is properly formatted before it is accepted into the database. Identifying the errors at the point of entry gives you the opportunity to have users correct the mistakes as they make them. One common problem that many marketers run into is a customer entering an "!" instead of a "@" as part of the email address.Feedback loopsAlong with keeping your lists clean, you also need to set up all available feedback loops with ISPs and other receivers. Feedback loops will keep you from sending messages to customers who have indicated that they no longer wish to receive your communications. Not only is it a good idea to respect the wishes of your customer, it is also an important practice for maintaining a positive sender reputation. Abiding by feedback loop complaints can demonstrate to ISPs that you are committed to keeping your list as clean as possible and are not interested in spamming their customers.ConclusionThe importance of list hygiene cannot be overlooked as an essential email marketing practice. By employing the practices mentioned above, you can make great strides in improving your deliverability rates and safeguarding your reputation. Of course, it's just one aspect of deliverability, so be sure to check back next month for the next installment in this deliverability best practices series. Until then keep your lists clean and good luck.---Source: iMedia Connection Feb 26, 2007 (www.imediaconnection.com). Spencer Kollas is director of delivery services for StrongMail Systems (www.strongmail.com).

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Looking for a Professional Book Reviewer

Posted by Dominique on June 7, 2009 at 5:48pm

From A Writers POV is looking for a Book Reviewer that conducts professional book reviews for authors. We are looking for someone that has a professional website and back ground in the business.From A Writers POV will not pay or ask for payment from the book reviewer. We are looking to hire someone (non-profit) to display their book reviews on our magazine and allow From A Writers POV to help the reviewer get sales and customers. We will hire this person as our recommended book reviewer and place their reviews on our site.This job lasts for as long as the reviewer and From A Writers POV want to participate in the services. With this position, From A Writers POV will always reserve spot on our magazine for the reviewers reviews and contact info.Skills: This person must have experience in reviewing. Operate a professional website, reliable and prompt. People person and have the motivation to help others.Fill out an application if you are interested!

Payments All The Time...Everywhere!

Posted by Michelle McBride on June 8, 2009 at 1:00pm

It’s blustery cold outside your home office, you gaze out the front window and see that snow and ice has completely hidden your car from sight. You could attempt to go outside and clear away the 15+ inches of snow off your front porch and car. After all, business must go on despite the weather. As a small business owner, you know that every day you must grow your business in terms of revenue and you need cash-flow to pay the bills.You glance down at your desk and notice that you have collected a pile of checks from customers that paid you recently for some products they purchased. It might be a day or two before you can get out to the bank to make a deposit.So what do you do?You grab a large cup of hot chocolate, turn on your computer and login to your Virtual Terminal, all from the comfort of your home office.With your Virtual Terminal, you can process all those checks and have them remotely deposited into your business checking account. You can easily check the status of those checks daily with the use of customized online reports. You can even download those reports into an Excel or Word file for analysis.Now, what about those two customers that you met at a tradeshow yesterday? You suddenly remember that they didn’t have their credit card information in hand but they really wanted to do business with you. They kind of hinted that they would purchase a substantial amount of product from you if you accepted credit cards. You had scheduled an appointment to meet with them today but that was before all this snow and ice that suddenly appeared overnight.No problem, you can call them on the phone today and get their credit card information so that you can finish processing their orders. There is no need to have costly hardware to swipe their credit cards because the Virtual Terminal will verify the cardholder information and generate an online approval or reject code to you within milliseconds. You can process credit cards online with a sense of assurance that you will get paid.Wow, its 5pm and you have certainly accomplished a lot of work today. You search the online reports on your Virtual Terminal and see that you have processed over $5000 in credit card and check payments all from the comfort of your home office! As a small business owner, you have certainly improved the productivity in operating your business through the convenience of processing customer payments online.It’s Easy to Get Setup with the Virtual Terminal Today!Pay Bizness (888) 992-5551www.paybizness.comemail: info@paybizness.com

28 Ways to Build Permission-Based Email Lists

Posted by Paradise on June 5, 2009 at 1:18pm

Loren McDonaldDeveloping a cost-effective email list poses a challenge for all email marketers. Because email addresses change at a rate of 30 percent or more on most lists, marketers must adopt an aggressive approach to expand their list and yield a significant return on investment.As you browse the list below please keep these helpful tips in mind:* Consider All Touch Points: Use every point of contact with customers and prospects.* Obtain Permission: Always obtain permission with the confirmed (double) opt-in method for online contacts. For offline contacts, update your database with when, where and how the contact was initiated. Confirm their permission in the first email.* Required Information: Obtain email address, name, format preference and logical interests/preferences.* Focus Equal Attention on Existing Lists: Implement strategies and incentives to transform inactive subscribers into active ones.* Provide Valuable Benefits: Convince potential subscribers of the valuable benefits they’ll receive.* Convey Trust: Clearly state your privacy/email policies.1. Feature a Sign-Up Form on Each Page of Your Site – Be sure to remember this basic concept. Sign-up opportunities should be ubiquitous throughout your site.2. Promote Benefits on the Sign-Up Page – Enhance subscription value with sample emails, testimonials and strong call to action copy.3. Offer Opt-In Incentives – Incentives like white papers, discounts and special reports significantly increase conversion rates.4. Optimize Your Site for Search Engine Placement – Optimize current and archived newsletters for search engines to increase traffic and subscriptions.5. Pay for Search Engine Services and Promote Your Email on the Landing Page – If you pay for search services like Google AdWords be sure to include email subscription information on the landing page.6. Add Opt-in Check Boxes on Demo Requests, White Papers and Registration Forms – Well-executed forms and pages may improve conversion rates by 50 percent or more.7. Include “Send to a Friend” Options – Generate new subscribers with minimal effort if bundled with promotional campaigns.8. Use Direct Mail and Catalogs – Encourage email subscriptions on all print ads.9. Direct Employees to Include Messages and Links in Email Signature Lines – Add “Subscribe to the Company X Email Newsletter” to employee email signatures.10. Direct Call Center and Sales Employees to Obtain Permission and Capture Email Addresses Over the Phone – Instruct call center and sales staff to ask customers and prospects if they’d like to receive newsletters or promotional email.11. Send Post Cards to Customers Encouraging Them to Subscribe to Email – If you have postal contact information for customers but not email addresses, send a post card with opt-in sign-up offer and URL.12. Hand Out Sign-Up Forms at Public Speaking Engagements and Seminars – Promote your newsletter in presentations and handouts.13. Implement Rented List Campaigns and Subscriptions – Promote your company in email campaigns and landing pages when you rent email lists.14. Promote Sign-Ups in Confirmation/Transaction Emails – Add messages and links to opt-in pages of all confirmation and transaction emails.15. Include Opt-in Line on Credit Card Receipts – Not an obvious method, but may be quite effective.16. Add Opt-in Message to Warranty and Product Registration Cards.17. Add Sign-Up Message to Invoices.18. Display Opt-in Forms at the Cash Register – An approach used by restaurants and retailers to advertise weekday discounts, catering services etc.19. Promote Your Email/Newsletter in Articles and Article Attribution – Include a reference and link to your newsletter after the byline on articles in trade and consumer publications.20. Include Opt-in Message and Check Boxes on Shopping Cart Pages – Remember to ask for email format and product/information preferences.21. Promote Your Email/Newsletter in Other Company Publications – Promote online newsletters in print newsletters, magazines and brochures. Add “Sign up for our monthly newsletter at www.companyX.com/subscribe.html” after “Visit www.companyX.com for more information.”22. Include Newsletter Subscriptions in Trade Show Lead Generation Forms – Obtain permission to send your monthly newsletter to booth visitors.23. Promote Your Newsletter/Promotional Emails in Industry Directories and Sites.24. Distribute Press Releases Based on Newsletter Articles – Newsletters with topical articles may warrant a press release. Make sure the press release includes links and information on how to subscribe.25. Include Information and a Link to Your Newsletter in Press Releases – A good option for smaller companies. Include your company newsletter and other resources in press release copy.26. Include Opt-in Information on Customer Satisfaction Surveys – Ask permission to communicate valuable information via email newsletters and promotions.27. Include Opt-in Forms in Product Shipping Boxes – Advertise email promotions on packing slips and direct mail cards with links to your site. Many retailers and catalogers also include promotional offers from non-competing companies.28. Employ a Reputable Email List Service – List services obtain email addresses and permission to email existing customers. Be sure you obtain permission before – or as part of – the first email you send.

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Having an Intimate Shaving Cream Drawing

Posted by Weekley on June 6, 2009 at 12:03am

Intimate Shaving Cream Drawing

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Wouldn’t you like to receive a free 8oz bottle of Coochy Body Shaving Cream. Coochy Conditioning Shave cream is a rash-free body shave for all areas of the body (legs, underarms, pubic area and face). Coochy leaves skin smooth and soft. Coochy Shave is also a highly moisturized hair conditioner that will soften the coarsest body hair. Beards too!To be put in for the drawing sign up for the newsletter at http://www.cellassweetandsexytreasures.com Contest starts from June 1, 2009 until July 1, 2009. On July 2, 2009 a winner out of the sign up will receive the 8 oz bottle of Coochy Cream. Please check out our blog at http://sweetsexytreasures.blogspot.com/ . The winner will have 7 days to contact me with the information to send their prize. If the winner fails to contact me and new name will be drawn.

Destiny Speakers Bureau's Edward Foxworth Debuts Radio Show

Posted by Shirley Hogsett on June 7, 2009 at 2:08am

Join Destiny Speakers Bureau's Edward Foxworth III as he debuts "The Sunday Foxworth Report" live on The New 107.5 WGPR Detroit and streaming live on-line at www.wgprdetroit.com.Sunday, June 7, 2009 at 1:15 p.m. Edward and his guest Talk-Show Host, Dr. Phil (taped interview) Ms. Donna Darden-McClung, will discuss "How to determine if Entrepreneurship for YOU?

My Business Behind the Scenes

Posted by LaShanda Henry on June 1, 2009 at 8:15pm

One of my online followers told me she wanted to “pick my brain” (smile), and “see how my business works behind the scenes.” She went on to say that she “really admires what I do” and “wanted to be like me when she grows up” (lol). However, she also pointed out that “I do so much online,” so she didn’t know if it was possible for her to really “do what I do.” I thought about her and you for quite some time. I’ve been building my online websites for so many years that I know to some, what I do seems to be bigger than life. But truthfully everything that I do is built on simple, practical, affordable (in many cases free) solutions, that just about an internet entrepreneur can master. With that thought, I decided to take my online work a step further by taking you behind the scenes of my business. I want to show you EXACTLY What I'm doing today to Make Money Online. I’m not a network marketer; I didn’t learn internet marketing from a book or a “guru”. I’m not trying to sell you something that someone taught me. I learned how to market my internet business by building it click by click. I turned my part-time side hustle into a full time work at home job and I want to show you how I keep it all together and keep that income steady every single day. I want to give you access to my actual web examples and marketing revelations, which is why I’ve created Smart Business Sista Behind the Scenes. SBS was originally just a newsletter, but I’ve revised it to include a digital publication in which I can tell it all and give you access to videos in which I show it all. In the first issue of Smart Business Sista Behind the Scenes you will discover: 1. How I Doubled My Profits Online in One Month 2. How I Market My Online Businesses for Free 3. Plus What No-cost / Low Cost Marketing Strategies Work Best for Me When you subscribe to Smart Business Sista Behind the Scenes, in addition to sharing my secrets, every month you will get how-to marketing videos, the weekly newsletter, and a Web Business eBook or Smart Business Magazine. To sign up or get more details visit: http://smartbusinessistas.com/

I want to establish my non profit, now what?

Posted by Alive Inc & ALIVE Magazine on May 31, 2009 at 5:14pm

Dear Coach,I want to establish my non profit entity to provide technology training to individuals with disabilities. While this is my passion, I don't have a client base and I know it takes time to receive your status as a 501 c 3. I am not sure of what steps to take. Help!-- Bridgette, MaineGreetings Bridgette,Thank you for writing in Bridgette. Great mission. Have you thought about volunteering with an NPO providing services to individuals with disabilities - filling a service gap they may have? Also, you want to take the time to design your program while you complete IRS Form 1023 to apply for your status as a 501 c 3.After you design your program, you could contact NPOs in your area and secure a collaborative partnership with one of these organizations so that they are your fiscal agent until you receive your status? If you decide to establish a collaborative partnership with an organization, you want to be sure the expectations for both parties are clearly defined.CoachAlive Inc.coach@aliveincorporated.comThe Savane Groupwww.thesavanegroup.com

7 Steps to Successful Article Marketing

Posted by LaTosha Johnson on May 31, 2009 at 12:47am

Entrepreneurs are always looking for cheap ways to market their brand. Well you can not get any cheaper then article marketing! Article marketing is a subtle way companies can gain exposure for their business by writing articles that provide information about news and trends occurring within their industries. It is a cost effective form of promoting your products and services because it does not require you to spend money and it enables you to build a relationship with your readers. Companies that incorporate article marketing into their marketing campaigns will demonstrate their expertise within their industry while simultaneously attracting new customers.For example, if I am a hair stylist I could write an article about what products people should use to have healthy hair. When your readers are seeking services within your industry (i.e. hair); your company name will be a part of their evoked set because of the articles you have shared with them. If you plan on incorporating article marketing into your marketing campaign you have to produce quality content (emphasis added on quality). Therefore, if your goal is to have people remember your company based upon your articles, remember to keep the following points in mind:1. Pick a topic that will interest your readers. Obviously this topic should be related to your industry in order to resonate with your audience. Your readers want information that they will be able to apply to their own business. Therefore, you need to put yourself in the shoes of your readers. Think about questions that your readers are seeking to have answered. The ability and the degree to which you answer these questions will determine how much your readers value your expertise, so choose your topic with care and stick to what you know.2. Why is your article different? Chances are your topic has already been written about by someone else . Therefore, you need to choose an angle that has very little to no coverage. You can get a lot of ideas of the various viewpoints people have regarding your topic by visiting forums within your industry, blogs, etc.3. Get backup. Once you have identified the angle you want to take for your article, seek out sources whose opinions will further reiterate the angle you are trying to convey regarding your topic. Not sure where to find your sources? Head on over to Help A Reporter Out. The title of this website is pretty self explanatory. It is a website where sources help journalists complete their articles. Those writing the articles get the sources they need and those who are sources are able to gain notoriety in their respective industries.4. Mind your SEO. Article marketing is an excellent way to optimize your website. Take this opportunity to think of keywords that your readers will use in order to find your article. It is imperative that you take some time to think about this step because the key words you choose will decide whether people are even able to find the article you have written.5. Write on. You picked your topic, you got your back up and are minding your SEO so now it is time to write. The first thing I recommend doing is choosing a title. I know some people like to choose a title after they write their article, but I find choosing a title first helps me to stay focused on what the article is supposed to be about (It is up to you in how you choose to proceed). When choosing a title make sure it will grab your readers attention and uses your keywords (remember mind your SEO). While you are writing your article, make sure you do not lose focus of your angle. There is nothing worse than for your readers to feel like they wasted time reading your article because they felt it was incoherent.6. Tell them who you are. An author box should be at the end of all your articles. This is your “elevator pitch” on paper. Tell your readers who you are, what your represent and where they can contact you for more information. This is your chance to subtly self promote your company.7. All done. Now what? You have written your masterpiece and now you need to share it with the world. You need to submit your articles to as many industry specific websites, article directories, blogs, etc. However, you need to alter each version you send to these websites in order to avoid sending duplicate content (i.e. use different words that do not take away from the point of the article).Article marketing is not difficult, but it can be time consuming. My next post will share how you can receive all the benefits of article marketing without you doing any writing at all (in case you’re wondering you did read that last sentence right!).

The Diva Business Boutique

Posted by Karen on May 29, 2009 at 2:41pm

How to Create eBooks People Want to Buy

Posted by LaShanda Henry on May 29, 2009 at 4:00pm

The Problem: Slow eBook Sales When I first started self-publishing and creating eBooks, I was all mixed up. I wanted to sell what I wanted to sell, whether people wanted to buy it or not *lol*. My hubby had a lot more experience in the retail industry than I did, so he kept telling me, “You can’t sell that one LaShanda, you have to sell the one that People Want to buy.” Being the stubborn gal that I can sometimes be, I stuck to my guns and pitched the Books I wanted to sell, until I bought a vendor table at the Harlem Book fair and got the biggest shock of my life! The Solution: Create eBooks that People WANT or NEED to Buy At the time all I wanted to do was sell my educational guide for Black Parents and Students, but all everybody else wanted was my cute, children’s book! Of course you know the hubby gave me the “I told you so look!” And that’s when it hit me! Whether you are selling print books or eBooks, you have to sell what people want to buy, NOT what you want to sell. At the Harlem Book fair I realized that people wanted to buy my African American Children’s Book, that was the definitely the best seller of the bunch. On the flip side, online, people really want to buy my how-to eBooks for Entrepreneurs. Many entrepreneurs want and need to know what I know, which is why my eBook sales continue to increase every month. The Question: How do you increase your eBook Sales? If you really want to know how to create eBooks that sell, I suggest reading the one eBook that tells it all, “Desperate Buyers Only” by Alexis Dawes. I almost fell out of my chair when I saw that this eBook was $77, but I grit my teeth and bought it because I NEEDED to hear what Alexis had to say and honestly, my purchase is a testament to her point. When you cater to desperate buyers, people who have problems that you can really fix, they are the easiest people to sell to because Need and Desire trump price every time. Trust me when I say, simply knowing that you need to sell to desperate buyers, is not enough. In order to understand the system behind steady and increased eBook Sales, you have to read the book, “Desperate Buyers Only”. While you are reading, you feel like Alexis is taking you by the hand and giving you an all access, step by step understanding of how eBook Sales and Internet Marketing actually work. As soon as you start, on the very first page, Alexis jumps into the how and why of creating eBooks that sell. She breaks down how you can:

Find a Profitable Topic and a Target Audience who wants to Buy what You are Selling
She Details Her Own Sales Copy, so you can see how to write down your pitch
She goes over pricing and how you can charge big bucks for Free content
She shows you how to research your topic and really connect with your buyers
Plus her system can truly be applied to any Internet Marketing System, not just selling eBooks

If you seriously want to learn how to create eBooks and sell eBooks, this one is a must buy. The price ain’t pretty I know, but 3 eBook Sales at $20 a pop just about covers the cost. Plus it sets you up for more sales in the future. Here is the website link for Desperate Buyers Only eBook. Related Article by SistaSense: How to Create eBooks Online Additional Tip: Use E-Junkie for ebook delivery and your affiliate program. It all ties into PayPal (or other payment processors) and it’s only $5 a month.

E-junkie Shopping Cart and Digital Delivery

We are looking for article writers! Contact us about it today!

Posted by Dominique on May 29, 2009 at 11:30pm

My magazine From A Writers POV is looking for article writers. We are looking for writers that give tips and advice for writers and authors as well as business owners.If you would like to submit an article today and have you and your article be featured in an interview on our blog, The POV Lounge, check out more details here: http://fromawriterspov.webs.com/guestarticleform.htmWe look forward to hearing from you!God Bless,Dominique

The Gospel View

Posted by Denise Bethune on May 29, 2009 at 7:15pm

Etiquette and Ethics – How Do They Compare In Your Social Networking?

Posted by Marjorie Janczak on May 29, 2009 at 8:56pm

I have for some time been studying the conversations on some of the social networks I belong to and have noticed the buzz about building relationships first when you are joining these social media for business.That is so true and great advice yet what I see is that some people do not stop to think about whether their relationship building is ethical and with the proper etiquette.So my question is – How far will you go to build a relationship to benefit your business?Will you be “the gentleman criminal” like Al Capone with all finesse yet a sociopath or Dr Gregory House of the “House” TV series with great ethics yet no manners and etiquette at all?I can help you here, why not be the likes of Dr Kofi Annan whose manners and etiquette are spot on and in addition has sound ethical principles.Now before I continue, I will like to state some facts and definitions here:1.The basic principles of etiquette is to do things the right way and..2.Ethics is basically doing the right thingCertainly there are those who will exhibit impeccable etiquette meanwhile they have no ethics what so ever at all. Possibly that works well with their goal but I will wonder for how long.On the other hand, you will, and I see a lot of people with great ethics yet they have no idea of proper etiquette at all.This makes them to send the wrong signals to people they meet for the first time and they miss out on a lot of opportunities.Their first impressions just puts others off and they most of the time really do not get the chance to proof themselves otherwise.Others also do have the charm and grace yet do not have good ethics at all to support it.However, I want to mention that although proper etiquette and ethics are at an all time low now, there are still those who practice both and do reap the juicy rewards that comes with both proper etiquette and good ethics.No matter how you see this, I will like to state that both ethics and etiquette work hand in hand to create a man or woman of integrity, repute and good image in any circumstance or media.You cannot be a person of great polish and yet deep inside your ethics are clothed in question marks. That to me is a criminal in disguise.Also no matter how good hearten you may be and you keep doing the right thing, not have some polish, in my opinion does not do you any good because you keep sending the wrong messages that, deep inside, are really not true and will only take a patient and enduring person to discover the true you after a while.Unfortunately, the world today is not that patient and is moving so fast that people simply do not have the time to wait and see.Remember that people judge you by what they first see and as they accept you in their company, they then start to study your principles.No matter what media it may be, being on any social media for business and not having good etiquette and ethics is a big minus that you must do your best to change.No matter how long you try to play the good person without being truly authentic will eventually come to light.So whether you are starting a new business or you are a veteran, stick to good ethics and practice proper etiquette.With these two you will never go wrong and you will build the appropriate relationships and reputation and will build your business for long term gains.

Testimony of a Born Again Thug

Posted by Michelle Diane on May 29, 2009 at 7:00pm

He was tall, barely tan and at forty-five, his thick wavy hair already gleamed like new chrome. Old Spice tickled my nose when he held me close; it is still the sexiest scent I know. Even then my parents weren’t particularly fond of me. I was the source of their mutual resentment, the “accident” that forced them into violent union. But, until that moment, I’d felt safe; until that moment, I was his Mike and I knew my uncle loved me.I’d been to the doctor that afternoon. Of course, I don’t remember why, but I remember getting a, “this won’t hurt a bit,” shot. Uncle stopped by to check on me, but too soon his attention was focused on momma. Like any self-respecting three year old, I wasn’t having him giving away my attention. So, moaning, I climbed off the couch, limped over to him at the dining room table and tried to tell him the shot she said wouldn’t hurt did. He laughed at me; when I protested and reached for him, he scolded me. My beloved uncle sent me back to the couch with a swat; then he and the woman who regularly reminded me I was a mistake shared a long, loud laugh at the little faker. Never since have I felt so shamed or betrayed.Fast forward ten years, I don’t remember what the yelling was about, by the time I was thirteen all the screaming and tears kind of ran together. I remember momma had this skinny beige belt she used to whip me with. She was standing in her bedroom door lecturing me and popping that belt when time stopped and the world went dark. “I wish I’d had the courage to abort you.” She yelled that a back alley abortion, after my sister was born, nearly cost her her life, and only her fear of reliving that experience or worse forced her to bring me into the world. “I wish I made a different decision. I wish I’d never brought you here.” Those words, the fear that they would someday come flying out of my mouth and murder some innocent child, deeply colored my decision to abort my own children,“You little bitch.” I heard daddy yell just before my head hit the wall so hard the plaster cracked. He was shaking me by my throat, swearing he’d kill me when I passed out, thinking he had.Daddy beat up everybody in the house; there was no protection and nobody was safe. Whenever he was done venting his rage, he’d tell whoever he’d left in a broken heap, “If you don’t like it, you can get out.” My mother and siblings not only stayed but they groveled and scraped to please him. Me? I wanted him to be crystal I didn’t like it and I left. Years of being molested by my dad taught me that my body had the power to make men do things. After that beating, I put my knowledge to practical test and talked a Navy man I knew into sending for me. The night I landed in San Diego was the night I lost my virginity. It was painful and bloody, but it was alright, because he said he loved me. I was fourteen. Next morning he left me sleeping and went to work; I awakened to police bursting through the motel room door. The manager, who’d let them in, stood there gawking, as they hand-cuffed me, still naked in a bloody bed. A cop told me my navy man had called. Later, when I got the chance to ask him why, he told me my cherry was worth the price of a plane ticket, but better I went to jail then him. The promiscuity began then and there; in that moment I knew daddy was right – the only thing about me that was any good at all was the little hole between my legs.My daddy used to tell me that I was such a worthless bitch I wouldn’t even make a good whore.I broke away from my dad’s house just to find myself living with a bigger, angrier brute. He beat me so regularly nobody needed a calendar. Michelle’s eye is black; Michelle’s in the emergency room it must be Sunday. I left him the day I finally realized one of us was going to die; on that day I was pretty sure it wasn’t going to be me. I picked up my then two year old daughter and walked out the door. He reached over my head, snatched her from my arms and told me if I turned around he’d kill me. Not wanting my child to watch one of her parents die at the hand of the other, I pilled my t-shirt over my head, flung it backward into his face, told him he could have everything I had but my car keys and ran. By the time he regrouped to chase me, the car door was locked and the engine running; he claimed I ran over his foot when I took off.Over the years I’ve been beaten, raped and kidnapped at gunpoint. My momma, who’d been watching my oldest daughter while I worked and struggled to grow up, stole her. She had me declared unfit and served me with papers, on my job, that immediately terminated all access to my baby. I hired a lawyer who’d been a long time “friend”; I found out some years later my parents paid him to botch the case.Discovering that stealing my children had been a carefully laid plan destroyed whoever I had been. It was the first time I was confronted with I set before you life and death. Choose…even in the depths of that dark insanity, I had enough sense to know if the teacher gives you the answer, take it. From that day to this I’ve been fighting to break the cycles and stay the generational curses. Twenty-one years later, here I sit telling horror stories to you.It’s that hell fire and pain that makes me do what I do. Not because those who were “supposed” to love me most betrayed me and left me for dead, but because, by grace, I’m still here.Folks who have no experiential knowledge of hell are generally of one of two mindsets. They either believe it’s an inescapable forever sentence or that escape is merely a simple decision away. Though I’ve met many who seem irrevocably stuck, I know there is a road out. And like you I’ve heard the tales of those whose life turned one hundred and eighty degrees with just a touch, but I’ve never met anyone who was Enoched out of the fire. It’s a bloody, sweaty, painful process that demands more from you than you think is with-in your capability to survive. Cool water is respite afforded the warrior who desires it above even life.Nearly fifty years ago I told God that I didn’t know what the truth was, but I knew the folks around me were lying to me. I told God I’d do anything he wanted me to do, if he would just show me Truth. For all ya’ll that don’t know, be very careful what you ask of Divinity, and more careful still what you promise. That which you ask you will receive and you are accountable for your word and all you are given.Ya’ll know I don’t allow no preaching in the pages of Not Ur Momma’s News; that’s because I see too often the names Jesus and Allah are hurled with the same divisive venom as house saggin and field saggin. So, I hope ya’ll will forgive or excuse me as needs be, but I’m gonna take a little momma license up in here and show ya’ll my heart.See me and God we got this thing; it’s my Daddy and my Momma I’m talking about. Yin Yang, if you need a picture. This ain’t no pulpit, ceremonial relationship either and I’m not talking to you about something I read somewhere. I know who held/holds my hand. I know who so often picked me up and protected me from the worst of the flames. God has many names, many faces spanning myriad centuries and cultures. And I know all of those names describe and refer to the God whose name is above all names, to the God, my God, whose name is simply…Love.My mom and dad told me they planned to name me Gloria Blanche after my grandmothers. I always thought it was a very kool name, but my Dad and my Mom had other plans. For reasons the earthly pair could never quite explain, the named me Michelle Diane. It means Warrior Angel, Hunter Goddess ya’ll and I am my Parent’s daughter.I am here, NUMN is here because I have lived, survived and largely overcome nearly every kind of pain imaginable. I failed at or destroyed everything I touched; I can write tomes on how to muck stuff up. I am here because in a moment of abject darkness, Love whispered to me.Ya’ll, I could have been, should have been dead. I’ve looked down the barrel of five different guns, and no, I wasn’t cleaning them. I could have, should have been under the jail, but Love got me out of a money case that might have cost me twenty-five years. I coulda/shoulda been in a mental institution; ya’ll read the history. I coulda/shouda had A.I.D.S.; I won’t count the lovers if you won’t. But Love…Can I talk to ya’ll just a little about Love?I’d seen, lived a whole lot of miracles, but none of them really registered until that afternoon I realized Love, despite of all I’d been and been through, Love covered every ugly thing I’d ever done. Love loved me without judgment or condition, Love loved me.I love you like that, no matter who you are or where you’ve been, because more than anything I want you to see my Mom and Dad whenever you see me. Let’s not get it twisted. I ain’t sistah super spiritual and I need a dictionary to even spell perfect. I get mad and tired, lazy and moody. Sometimes I pump a whole lot of arrogant hoping nobody will notice I’m overflowing with fear. I come to give freely what has been given me, a simple and abiding love.The other day Belinda and I were working on the business plan and the question arose, “What qualifies you to lead?” Messed my head up and I couldn’t come up with an answer. Until that moment, I hadn’t stopped to consider whether I possessed the expertise to publish NUMN and TBBU or organize a community micro-funding plan. I was just merrily and rather haphazardly doing what I do. I had to stop and think; you’re reading where the process led. Bear with me just a little longer please. I want to share a little about the middle with you. I know you’re getting tired of me talking, because I’m getting writer’s cramp.Anyway, in short, my qualifications are thus: Ten years on staff journalism experience as an investigative reporter and copy editor and thirty plus years experience as a freelancer. I am an award winning, Tony Robbins and Brian Tracy trained, sales professional, with over seven years, ranked in the top twenty percent, experience. And with a partner, owned and operated one of the most successful Adult Entertainment businesses in South West Florida – legally – with a business license and paid taxes, mine anyway, and without drama or arrest, for six years. We were averaging a couple grand a night and I admit I did ask my dad once if that made me a good enough whore for him. Lord knows he wasn’t turning down any of the money.There you have it ya’ll. I suffered; so I recognize pain when I see it. If I can make it even a little easier for someone else than it was for me, I’m there. I know what it is to be in a pit so deep and dark you begin to question if light is a mere figment of imagination. I’ve fondled many a razor blade ya’ll, but I know the way to the light, because I’ve walked the road. Perhaps my pain can/will show another that there is more than hope, there’s a way out.I know the roots of the horrors that once shattered me are largely the roots, the curses pervading and fragmenting African America to this day. The rape my great-grandmother likely endured is the same rape my mother endured. The same rape that made her indifferent when she knew my dad was molesting me. The frustrated rage that caused papa to beat her for what the massa had done to her is the same festering psychosis that fueled daddy’s violence and made my black eyes a time piece.My momma used to say, “The time has came and something definitely gotta be did.” I’m here to turn over the tables in the temples. I hear somebody singing, “Waiting, waiting, waiting on the world to change.” I came to break up choir practice; just stopped by to tell ya’ll, waiting ain’t fixin to change nothing. Barack Obama cannot and will not fix it. Must we be reminded so soon? Obama isn’t our savior, merely the public face of the force that is us. I’m here to tell you the days of waiting on them and somebody are over. We are them and you, you, you and me, we’re somebody. I hear to tell you yes we can, while everybody is focused on a suntanned version of the same old government posturing, yes we can create and secure economic autonomy. In scant two years, we raised 800 million dollars to buy the Oval Office; surely in these next four we can accumulate enough dollars to buy back our communities. I have a dream that one day little black boys and little white boys will truly come together on an equal playing field, because both are in complete control of their own destiny. Yes we can take advantage of the larger economic fiasco to free our entrepreneurial spirits to soar from the ashes. This country was built on the backs of our innovation and creativity, and it is with that same innovation and creativity we can and must claim what is rightfully ours, Yes we can stop begging for reparation and protesting in Jena and in front of Rent-a-Center like a spot on the evening news is gonna get us a little extra justice. America is reeling. The economy is in shambles; there’s a … Barack Obama in the White House and Stephen, oops Steele figure heading the GOP. The “silent majority” is freaking out; look at ‘em they’ve got Rush Limbaugh in charge. Al, Jesse, Tavis and the boys have been rendered as immaterial as they have been ineffectual. The old dichotomy is shattered; social chaos and general confusion abound. While the focus is on whether we are ready for a lesbian on the Supreme Court, I say the time has came to take a page out of that old book. No, not the Bible, Soledad Brother; the time is come for us to march on long ago given orders. Yes we are the masters of our fate and I say, right now, yes we can infiltrate and overtake.Reprinted by Permission of Not Ur Momma's News

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.