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Consumer Alert! Vista Print making unauthorized withdrawals from customer accounts! Read on...

Posted by Jubilee Jones on August 28, 2008 at 4:00pm

Good morning family!I have some urgent news about a well known internet business card company called Vista Print. This company offers low quality business cards with thier logo on the back for free but whem you sign up apparently you get automatically enrolled in a rewards program (unknowingly according to complaints) and get charged several monthly fees. If you have used Vista Print in the past check your bank statements for unauthorized withdrawals. The charges have several different names other than Vista Print. Good luck on receiving a refund! :D Check this website for more info or do a google search.www.consumeraffairs.com/online/vistaprint.htmlPlease don't sell yourself or your business short! Invest in professional marketing materials that reflect the true quality of your products and services. Contact me, Jubilee Jones at www.alluredesigngraphics.com or jubilee@alluredesigngraphics.com, to view our products, services, free samples, and to get more information on marketing products. No hidden fees here! :DThank you much,Jubilee Joneswww.AllureDesignGraphics.com

Becoming An Expert In Your Field

Posted by Audrey Bell-Kearney on August 27, 2008 at 7:59pm

Building Expert StatusBy Audrey Bell-KearneyWhen you are in business you want people to look at you as an expert in your field. If you are just starting out you may not see yourself as an expert yet. There is a way to build this status and you can do so by writing. You maybe saying what am I going to write? If you are doing something that you love and it is your business and your passion, I am almost sure that there is something that you can write about to help you start to build your status as an expert.Here are few ways to build expert status very easily.1. Write a column on your subject for a local paper. Most local papers are looking for good content and you will be surprised how easy it is to get your article published. If the article is really good you may even get your own column.2. Write articles and submit them on the Internet to article directories. There are thousands of publishers out there looking for good content for their website or their online newsletter so what you have to say may be of some interest to thousands of readers on the Internet.3. Set up a blog and start writing about what you know. This is a great way to build expert status and to also get others involved with the conversation when they leave comments on your blog. The key to blogging is to blog consistently. This means that you should be blogging at least once a day and even more if possible.4. Publish a report. You can create a report about something pertaining to your industry. The report does not have to be more than 24 pages. Your report could be your observation about a specific topic.5. Write a book. This is one of the absolutely best ways to become an expert. When you become a published author you are looked at differently and receive a different kind of respect and you will feel wonderful to have accomplished something as grand as writing a book.I do all of these methods and more. You don’t have to do them all at one time, but if it is important for you to become an expert in your field you should definitely try a few of these.Until Next TimeMuch SuccessAudreyAudrey Bell-Kearney is the President of Sister Inc Network and the author of The Sister Inc Blueprint For Starting And Running A Successful Business. She can be reached at 973-313-3121 or Audrey@Sisterinc.com http://www.sisterinc.com

Online Marketing for Beginners: 5 Ways to Promote your Web Site Without Pinching your Pocket

Posted by Rhonda Jai on August 30, 2008 at 6:22am

Increasing the visibility of your web site starts from getting a top listing in search engines which in turn increased traffic to your site which results in increase in sales.Here I shall outline 5 methods of increasing traffic and promoting your web site site without costing the earth.Create good content: On the internet Content is the king Create high quality content on something you have enough expertise on. It might be a niche are like candle making or opening a wine bottle without a cork screw or it might be on some general topic on “How to successfully run a a franchise”. Whatever your area is try stick to that. Remember you cant be everything to everyone. Select you niche audience and make sure they like you enough to keep coming back again and again. Remember the 80:20 rule in marketing. 80% of your business is generated by 20% of your visitors. Find them out and retain them like crazy.CLICK HERE TO READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE

Be Prepared

Posted by DawnKA on August 7, 2008 at 4:08pm

Whose motto was Be Prepared? Who knew that this motto would be effective for the rest of my life. As a young girl, I was a part of the Girls Scout and that was our motto. These two simple yet powerful words have made an impact in all areas of my life. Being prepared is something that is necessary to handle sudden changes, challenges and everyday issues.We are now offering training workshops to various businesses. Our initial target audience was to the health care facilities. The workshops are targeted to improve relations with the internal and external clients as this makes a marked difference in the success of one’s business.In sharing the growth and development at a networking event, I was asked to present the workshop for a corporate company. I accepted the opportunity as it occurred to me that the training would be beneficial for anyone in business. It was well received and now we are receiving more requests that are outside of the market we thought would best benefit from our service. Now we are traveling to cities/towns across the country.This is to encourage you to not only network but be ready to adjust to the requests that may assist you in the growth of your business. Remember you should always Be Prepared!

Content is Queen?

Posted by Samantha Gregory on August 12, 2008 at 6:44pm

You've probably heard it time and time again, content is king. Well let me tell ya, that saying is true, but I'd like to say content is queen because you, my sister, are queen of your domain (name that is). Everybody wants and needs traffic to their website and I'm sure you are no exception, but putting up a pretty site is not enough. You need content and that content should be search engine friendly.A few great ways to get content are to add articles, blog, have contests and giveaways, and exchange links. That’s nice, just remember that to keep it relevant to your site and be useful. An article about your garden when your site is about jewelry making is not very relevant, but an article about the how to make vegetable or flower shaped beads is relevant (and can be marketed to garden lovers). This type of article is also a prime candidate for using keywords to make it search engine friendly. More keywords another time.The problem many people have with content is that they think they can't write or don't have time to write. Well let me tell you, there are at least three ways around this. First, you can learn how to write. Here's a quick and dirty lesson. Take a subject that's relevant to your site, then think up three related topics and write a few sentences about it, next sandwich those topics between an introduction about the topic and an ending that tells what you just talked about. Voila! You have an article. It's not always that simple when it comes to doing it, but it's a good start.Second, you can go to an article marketing site like ezinearticles.com and grab one of their articles. The catch with that option is that your readers may click off your page and go elsewhere. You want them to stay on your site and respond to your call-to-action. We'll talk about that another time.Third, you can hire someone to write content for you. Hire someone who has written before, has samples, and charge a reasonable price. You don't want anyone who is charging pennies because you will get what you pay for. Yes, consider your budget, but don't get caught up in thinking you don't have enough to pay a quality. There may be times when you have to bite the bullet and hire that writer anyway. Web content writers are pretty reasonable so don't shy away from this option.So I've discussed the importance of content to you website, now take out that pad and pen (or keyboard) and start writing. Pretty soon you'll be the queen of your content.Samantha GregoryThe SEO Content Queen

Copywriting for Pay Per Click Ads

Posted by Rhonda Jai on August 12, 2008 at 5:02pm

When developing pay per click ads for your marketing campaign, you will have a limited number of characters at your disposal to work with. However, this can actually work in your favor…For your ad title, you will have about 25 characters to use in order to compose something eye catching and effective. Usually, for the body of you pay per click ads you’ll have roughly 70 characters to create your ad body copy with (35 characters each for two lines of text).These character caps truly level the playing field when it comes to the use of ones overall copy writing skill or ability. The less word space available for use the less opportunity there is to bring true skill at creating ad copy into play. In fact because of the limited ad space you have to work with the copy writing novice will have much the same capability to produce effective Pay per click ads as the seasoned copy writing veteran...Learn More

Do You Squidoo?

Posted by Christine on August 12, 2008 at 3:56pm

Ok, yes, it does seem like i" have a new gimmick every wook, right? But this is a good one. As I am trying to nurture my inner writer, I accepted, with great pleasure and more than a little trepidation, the 60 day Squidoo Challenge. I "met" the originator of this challenge on Twitter and joined right away. I am on day 4 of the challenge, and believe me, writing on a different topic every day is not easy, but somehow it is rewarding.

What is Squidoo?

Briefly, Squidoo is a website where everyone can be an expert. As a member, or lensmaster you create a page called a "lens" and on this page you write about your topic of choice. You can write on anything from your latest museum visit to how to train your dog. You are also able to add video from YouTube, pictures and even add your Twitter feed.

Why Build a Lens?

Building a lens is helpful for a number of reasons. With a lens on Squidoo, you can"

show what you know about a particular subject or subjects
increase traffic to your website
earn money for you or your organization

Best of all, it's free to join and to create. The only thing that you have to give up is your time and the energy it takes for your brain to create/find topics to write about. (And sometimes that's the hardest part!).

For all of you who are nurturing your inner writer, this is a good place to begin. Check out the 60 day Squidoo Challenge or my lenses here:

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MiniMizz Shorts ::: Cuz it needs to be said...

Posted by Rikki on August 13, 2008 at 11:30pm

and I don't have time to go into great detail, but I need to put it out there before my short term memory lapse kicks in.When promoting your business by providing the URL to your website, be sure that the URL points to a functional website. If you are in the process of finding the right web solution, find a free site (TEMPORARILY) to put up a page with your company's bio and contact information. You risk losing future clients when a link does not work.Additionally, increase your potential sales base by asking visitors to sign up for your mailing list. You don't have to go all out with fancy newsletters and emails, but use your list wisely to announce special happenings with your business, more importantly when you have that website up and fully functional.Click here to get 60 days free Email marketing campaign managementThis MiniMizz Shorts was brought to you by MizzEllaneous.com - as a public service announcement.

Business Lessons From Rockstar Celebrity Obama

Posted by blacksynergist on July 31, 2008 at 2:42pm

Hello Sistapreneurs!McCains newest goofy ad inspired me to share some awesome marketing information on my blog. Please take a moment to read over the post on blacksynergist.com. I think that you will find much of the information very helpful.Blessings,Crystal

Five Search Engine Optimization Strategies for Newbie’s

Posted by Rhonda Jai on August 11, 2008 at 10:29pm

Search engine optimization is a lot easier than you think. Although you need to gather a certain amount of information about your site, preferably before you build your site, once you have the right information, you can quickly and easily build a search engine optimized website that will get you traffic.Below are five tips for optimizing and submitting your site to the search engines:1. Know your market.This step is absolutely crucial. You need to know exactly who you are marketing your business to. If you don’t, you can’t drive targeted traffic to your site.The difference between targeted and untargeted traffic is glaring. Targeted traffic comes from those who are looking for your products and services. If you know exactly who you are marketing to, you’ll optimize your site for that market...Learn More

Don't Be The Last One To The Party

Posted by Audrey Bell-Kearney on August 1, 2008 at 4:42pm

By Audrey Bell-KearneyAs a business owner one of the keys to success is having a great marketing plan that is working. There are so many ways to market your business it is impossible to do them all, unless you have a team working with you that you can delegate to. I try to practice about 5 marketing techniques on a regular basis and I will share them with you.1. Article writing2. Blogging3. Publishing an Internet newsletter called an e-zine4. Sending out press releases5. Flyer and post card distributionRecently I got into using video to market my business and this is a great way to get your name and your face in front of potential clients. I know some you maybe thinking I don’t have a clue about how to use video and I will tell you it is as simple as buying a web cam or Flip video. Figure out what you want to say and record. Once you record you can upload your video to the Internet in a matter of minutes. A note here; make sure that your video is no longer than 10 minutes. Most of the video sharing sites will let you upload only 10 minutes of video footage. This process is so simple that my 9 year old niece can do, so I know you can. There are so many places out there that you can upload your video. You can actually have your own TV show right on the Internet. I’ve video on my website, I video on my social networking pages and my TV channel on a few of the video sharing sites. You owe it to the success of your business to check this technique out. Don’t Be The Last One To The Party.I will be holding a workshop on Internet marketing in October. If you are interested in attending please email me and I will send you more information.Until next monthMuch Success.AudreyAudrey Bell-Kearney is the successful author of The Sister INC. Blueprint To Starting & Running A Successful Business, with 2 other books in The Sister INC. Blueprint series. She is also the Publisher of Sister INC. Magazine. Audrey is a speaker and home-business coach. To contact Audrey visit www.SisterINC.com or email her at Audrey@SisterINC.com

MLM Education-Are You Ready To Own Your Life?

Posted by Monique Hawkins on July 31, 2008 at 1:03am

When it comes to mlm education, my friend and mentor Michael Dlouhy, author of the ebook "Success in 10 Steps", is someone to pay attention to.He has a special invitation I wanted to share with you. If you accept it, you can change your life!I wish you success in all you do!Monique Hawkins540-858-2885 anytimementormonique@gmail.comSkype: Monique371http://www.mentormonique.comHello Professional Network Marketers,Michael Dlouhy here with Mentoring For Free.Your Success will happen when You accept thePersonal Responsibility for Your Success.Thequote below from Mac Andersen of The SimpleTruths Newsletter says it best.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Something magic happens when we accept personalresponsibility for our behavior and our results.But, it's not easy, because it's human nature to"pass the buck". I ( Mac ) know there have beentimes in my life when my business was strugg-ling where I found myself blaming others, blamingthe economy, blaming this, blaming that!But as I've gotten older(and a little wiser) whenthings go wrong in my business, or my life, I canalways find the culprit...in the mirror.In every instance, it always comes back to choicesI've made in my life that put me exactly where I amtoday.... I have to say, that this one "tweak" inmy attitude may sound like a little thing, but ithas made a big difference in my life.What does all this have to do with change? Plenty!As a manager, one of the most important things youcan do in times of change is to get your people tounderstand how their taking personal responsibility,their recognizing problems as opportunities, willnot only help the company, but will help them asindividuals. In other words, sell the idea of...what's in it for them?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Please take Personal Responsibility for Your Lifeby investing the "Next" 30 Days in Yourself. YouDeserve a Life that most people only dream of...You are Welcome to invite anyone that wants toOWN their life,to this FREE skills training call.We are starting on Chapter One of the 30 DayMental Cleanse call this Wednesday July 30th2008 at 3:00 and 8:00 PM EST.Just register at::>>-- http://www.30DayCleanse.com --<<Your lack of Success is NOT Your fault and Iwill "Prove" it to You over the Next 30 days.Send Your Lessons learned from each chapter tome at this special E-Mail address and I willCoach and Mentor You personally for free.>>-- July2008@MichaelDlouhy.com --<<The only way I will know about Your Personalcommitment to Yourself and me is by sendingYour Lessons learned directly to the SpecialE-Mail address above.....I will "NOT" share Your Lessons Learned withthe group if You don't want me to so You canDig as Deep as You Want or Need to for Youranswers to Your Success.We Believe In YouMichael & Linda Dlouhy352--799--8779 anytime~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Michael Dlouhy19108 Powell RoadBrooksville, Florida34604US

$5, $10 & $15 Advertising Available On Fatest Growing Online Womens Magazine

Posted by Empressmag.com on July 15, 2008 at 7:30pm

Does your product or service target women or the urban community? Do you need exposure at a affordable price?BBWO members because of your continued support we are offering 80% off of our advertising pricing and have $5, $10 & $15 advertising packages available for you. Why? Because it was through BBWO that we have met the most inspiring and helpful fellow small business owners who have truly stood behind Empress.Email advertising@empressmag.com for more info for your ad to be featured in our weekly newsletter reaching thousands of our readers and our online platforms, www.empressmag.com and www.empress-socialclub.com. (We also can design ads for as little as $10 if needed)LOVE + POWER + RESPECTEMPRESS MAGAZINE

Cool Find

Posted by Uzuri Designs Lifestyle Company on July 19, 2008 at 8:22pm

While perusing the web, I came across an awesome way to create a portfolio that stands out from the crowd. Its a hardcover coffee table style book that you add artwork, photos, and text and it can be done for as little as $12.95 per book for a soft cover and $24.95 for hardcover depending on the size you choose. What an excellent idea for the creative types to showcase your work. Your prospects would certainly be impressed! For more info visit Blurb.Be Free,Sharonda

Get More Exposure for Your Black Business

Posted by Rhonda Jai on June 20, 2008 at 3:11am

More and more people are searching for Black businesses online everyday. If they can’t find your Black business that means you are missing out on all of your potential clients. To help people find your business and learn more your services or products you should have a professionally designed web site with several incoming links from reputable sites that relate to yours.

Your Black business site should reflect a professional business image and contain persuasive sales copy that leads your visitors through a path of action. Do not settle for amateurish designed site with second rate graphics, even if you have an extremely small budget.

Several designers are more than happy to provide you with a high quality designed site with informative and persuasive content with out breaking your budget. If you are unable to get a custom designed site then it is ok to start your Black business site with a template. Just make sure that it is not of those plain jane templates that are common on the internet.

After you have your professionally designed site that gives vital information about your business and convinces visitors to use your services it is time to exchange links. Exchanging links with reputable sites that relate to yours is a great way to increase your exposure online. Link exchanging is also a great way to increase your search engine rankings. Finding sites that you would like to exchange links with can be time consuming and sometimes frustrating. But it is definitely worth it.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/online-business-articles/get-more-exposure-for-your-black-business-434825.html

About the Author:

Start your search for a web site template or ready made web site start with the Black Business Community Network.

Visit the Black Business Community Network and join their free Black Business Link Exchange.

If you would like more information about marketing your Black business online feel free to visit the Black Business Community Network.

Small Business Tip: Education-Based Marketing, How to Make Business Come To You

Posted by Ktasha on July 5, 2008 at 3:00pm

There is a misconception in small businesses that your marketing's most important function is to promote your products and services. In fact, the most important function of your marketing should be to establish that you are knowledgeable and can be trusted.Most of us don't do business with people we don't trust. Even if you have the lowest prices, if your prospect doesn't trust you, it will be difficult to close the sale. This is the basis for Education-Based Marketing.Education-Based Marketing is a powerful marketing strategy that establishes trust and credibility using educational messages. It is the direct opposite of traditional marketing, which uses selling-based messages.People are tired of hearing worn-out, old sales pitches. Barriers shoot up the moment you begin delivering a sales pitch. In contrast, people sit up and listen when you share important facts and expert information that helps them make a good buying decision.Determining Your Educational MessageImagine stepping into the mind of your prospect and listening to their mental conversation at the very moment they decide to begin shopping for a spa or pool. What questions are they asking themselves? The secret to attracting qualified prospects early in the sales cycle is to find out the answers to those questions and use them as the basis for y our educational marketing message.For instance, if you were to offer your prospect the choice between two free special reports, one titled "Why brand A is the best widget on the market" and the other titled "Six Little-Known Secrets to Purchasing the Right Widget for Your Family", which do you think would be chosen?To continue reading this article, click here and look under Small Business Resources.Be blessed and feel free to send your questions to khardge@gmail.com.--Ktasha N. Hardge is a Tax Professional and Home Based Business Expert who is establishing herself as a Lifestyle Enhancement Specialist. She is on a journey of financial freedom and time freedom and wants to help others do the same. Visit Hardge Connections, LLC for interactive financial tools and resources that can help you grow personally and professionally. Visit Global Connections Travel to learn about an amazing opportunity that can transform your life as well as finding some of the best travel deals online. Request a free eBrochure or video to your dream destination.

You need to Listen to Leonard Johnson, He walked across the USA at 75!!!

Posted by Rickey on June 19, 2008 at 5:21am

Hello BBWO, I know this site is for enterprising ladies to communicate. Not trying to intrude. However, for everyone who has a special guy in their life ( Dad, Brother, Cousin, Friend who is way up the Road of Life, with some us right behind) this interview has to be shared. One of the reasons Leonard embarked on his walk across the USA, was to honor his deceased wife. Leonard is one of my strong examples of what one person can accomplish that can influence so many more. Enjoy. Networkingly yours.This radio interview was great!!!!! You have to hear the travels of Leonard , who will be 80 years of age this august. This gentleman can teach you a thing or two about living.Find out what was going on when he walked across the USA, with no sponsor, but the CREATOR!Find out how he manages to do more in his Senior Year than most of us do in our Junior Years. Baby Boomer Alert, you really need to listen in.Ok, go to www.jusmcc.com and click on the radio!!!!Look forward to sharing this great interview.Networkingly yours,Rickey

Black Business Search - Add Your Business Web Site For Free!

Posted by Rhonda Jai on June 29, 2008 at 4:05am

In an effort to help Black Business Owners effectively promote their businesses to consumers the Jaidonmedia.com in partnership with the BlackBusinessCommunityNetwork.com has recently launched the Black Business Search - www.blackonlinebusinesses.com.

The Black Business Search directory is an online business directory that has a main purpose to bring Black business owners and consumers together.

Click Here To add your business for free!

**Please note you must have a web site in order for your listing to be considered.

Who are You and Why Should the Media Care?

Posted by Beverly Mahone on June 24, 2008 at 4:04pm

Who cares if you wrote a book or started a new business that you’re really excited about? Is your enthusiasm going to pay your bills and earn you the kind of status you’ve been working hard to achieve? Is that gung-ho attitude going to allow you to break “even” on the money you’ve already invested in your project?While having a positive attitude is important to pursuing your goals, you’re going to need some help along the way. Let’s be realistic. Your book (business) may do OK by word of mouth and press releases but just think of what could happen with something called “mega publicity.”No, I’m not talking about one radio or newspaper interview in your community. I’m referring to your ability to reach the masses. How do you do that? You could try calling Oprah and if she calls you back–the rest is history. Of course, for the vast majority of us, Harpo will never call but that shouldn’t stop you from putting a plan of action together that could, very well, get Oprah’s attention in the future.Build a media plan complete with a list of mainstream radio and television stations as well as newspapers. Also include internet radio stations and podcasts. Then start mapping out your strategy for making valuable connections.If you believe it’s your time to shine, let me help you turn on the spotlight!

Juniques Multi Cultural Connections provides additional outreach for your Radio Show

Posted by Rickey on June 9, 2008 at 1:47am

Hello and Great Day,If you have a radio show , you are welcome to have it listed on my multi cultural site.take a look at our current listings.www.jusmcc.comto be addedjust provide your show link or code and I will add.Blog Talk Radio host , just provide your show and I will get the code.May this be a benefit to your business growth.Networkingly yours,Rickeywww.juniques.us

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.