We are days away from spring.

Can you believe it? How is your year going? Are you reaching your goals, resolutions, and dreams? Have you been getting those projects done?

Or… Do you need a friend to help you troubleshoot, problem- solve, organize, and get out of your rut? Could it be time to Spring Clean and get some real help so you can make this year really count? Is it time to get a plan that will help you set and reach your goals…get things done…make those resolutions a reality…and live your dream? I can help!

I am so excited to announce our next coaching program which begins next Monday afternoon. This program is just perfect for wherever you are…

–> With an idea and absolutely nothing ready to have a business?

–> No idea where to begin?

–> Got everything ready to go, but just cannot find time to get it done?

–> Struggling with getting your family on board (Or at least busy so you can snag time to work)?

–> Been working, but just not getting response on the internet and have NO idea why?

Yep! If any of this is YOU, then this program is JUST FOR YOU. Instead of me writing any more, let me take you to the site so you can learn more about this coaching program. You will LOVE it! Learn more here….

>>>> http://www.Writers-Nook.com/SpringClean.html

See ya there!

With much love,
Cindy
http://www.Writers-Nook.com

Time to Spring Clean Your Business!
Join us! This is the year to go for your dreams!
http://www.Writers-Nook.com/SpringClean.html

Practicing good Christian business principles is essential to having a business that honors God.  As a Christian business owner, don’t you want God to be pleased with how you do business?  After all, your business is a gift from God, and it is only right that you run it in a way that gives Him honor.

As you look around today at businesses, especially those on the internet, I think you will find many that do not adhere to Christian business principles.  They may not even know what they are.  You will see businesses that make false claims or are run in way that is totally self-serving.  Not to mention all the scams that take people’s money and promise them things that they cannot follow through with.  It’s very sad.

However, we have a chance to be different and to stand out from the rest in our business dealings.  Don’t ever think that your business is separate from the rest of your life and doesn’t need to follow Christian principles.  This is not so.

We need to be honest and fair when we are dealing with others in our business, whether it be customers or employees.  We should treat them with kindness and respect and go the extra mile to help them.  Offering excellent customer service is a basic Christian business practice that you should consider.  Don’t be surprised if you see your business take off as a result.

Other business principles that we, as Christians, should be exhibiting are looking out for others’ needs, even at the expense of making a sale.  If we cannot give a customer what they really need, we should be happy to recommend another product or solution. “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:4

Giving is another area where we can please God with our business.  God wants us to share and help each other when there is a need.  Giving part of the income from your business is one way you can be obedient and help others in the process.  However, don’t let people take advantage of you.  Some people believe that, as Christians, we should give everything away and not make money on it.  I do not believe this is Biblical.

Adopting good Christian business principles will not only honor God, but will also bless your business.

Want more insight into Christian business ethics?

Laurie has created a 34-page eBook that gives Scriptures and insight into running your business in a way that honors and pleases God.  You can pick it up at http://www.christianhomebusinessconnection.com/christian-business-ethics.html at a discount until Feb. 3 – only $9.95! Don’t miss it!

What is a brand? It is your unique stamp. With big product companies like Pepsi-Cola or Nike, it is their trademark product and tag lines. But, they didn’t start that way. No one knew who either of them was or that they were solid products until they were marketed and that brand reinforced with endorsements and such from people we did know.

So, how can guest blogging help?

Well, first of all you have to have a blog or website of your own. You can’t establish a brand unless you have a place to showcase it in the first place. It may take a while, but your blog can establish a loyal following you can count on to follow you other places.

Bloggers are smart people. They will know if you are just after them for their name. Before you approach them with your request (probably one of hundreds more popular bloggers get), get involved in their blog. Post comments on a daily or weekly basis. Pose thought-provoking questions.

All of this shows that you are attempting to understand what has made them such a valuable brand on the Internet. Also, they get to know your “face” as it were because you are always around. The only thing that works better for a new blogger trying to establish them self is nepotism (and it is always welcome!).

Okay, so there is one thing that is almost as good – offering free services. If you ever want an endorsement for your brand later (and you will), offer the blog owner a free product or a trial of your services. Doing so is a courtesy that will pay off for you in the end.

Writing for another blog gives you a chance to talk about other topics in front of a new audience. If you talk about the guest spot on your own blog, many of your loyal fans will pop on over for a look see. And, through your bio blurb, the existing audience on that blog will know where to find you. This is not to steal their readership but to share it since you are not necessarily in a competing market.

In an effort to put your stamp on the world of Internet business, try guest blogging. When done correctly, you can gain increased traffic and new business connections that will serve you well into the future.

Want to join us here at Writers-Nook? We would LOVE for you to join us here at our site. Just contact Cindy and join us to make Writers-Nook THE SPOT for Christian Writers!

What are Christian business ethics?  In simple terms, it means running your business in a way that is upright and based on Christian principles.

Today, there are many dishonest dealings done by businesses.  They may have prices that are way too high,  less than quality products, or make claims made that are simply not true.  I shudder at the scam business opportunities that prey on people who are desperate for a better way.   This is not the way to please people or God.

Christian business ethics must include honesty, fairness and treating others with kindness and respect.  I believe these are the basics, but if we really want to run our businesses on Biblical principles, we should go beyond the basics.  What about outstanding customer service and turning the other cheek when someone is nasty to us?

Running our businesses based on Christian standards doesn’t mean letting people walk all over us.  I think we can look at Jesus for our example in this.  Jesus was firm but kind.  He didn’t let people get away with just anything, but always reacted in a way that stood for what was right.  He gave when He had the opportunity, but He also worked as a carpenter for a living.  So, I believe He worked to provide for His needs and to also have something to give to others when they needed it.

There will be times when, as a Christian business owner, you will have the opportunity to share some of your earnings with others who need it.  Don’t let those opportunities go by!  You will be blessed in the long run when you give to others willingly.

There may be other times when you feel someone is trying to take advantage of you, asking for everything for free.  You will need to be discerning about when God is calling on you to help someone out and when you need to be firm and not give everything away.

Ask God for wisdom in this and He will give it to you.  “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”  James 1:5

Christian business ethics are not meant to put a burden on you, but rather to give you life and blessing.

Want more insight into Christian business ethics?

Laurie has created a 34-page eBook that gives Scriptures and insight into running your business in a way that honors and pleases God.  You can pick it up at http://www.christianhomebusinessconnection.com/christian-business-ethics.html at a discount until Feb. 3 – only $9.95! Don’t miss it!

Hello Sweet Friends!

Very quick note sweet friends!

A few weeks back, we had a discussion on our Christian Blog and Podcast Yahoo Group that has had me digging around in my computer. They were looking for a good program to use when creating 3-D E-Covers. Well, I have been looking for the software details since then. I feel horrible it has taken so long! Well, you have to KNOW what my computer looks like right now. Hehe!

Last week, Sue asked a great question in our group coaching session. She wanted to know if I had a suggestion for a good software that could help her create those nice 3-D Ebook covers for her sales pages and web pages.

Well, it has now been TOO LONG since you guys were talking about it AND OVER a week since she asked.  I have turned my computer inside-out–well, something like that!

NOW! I have found the link. AND…you guys have got to check this out QUICK! The program is normally $99.95, BUT it is on sale until Christmas for only $39.95. You have GOT TO SEE IT! (It now has capabilities to even make a cute graphic that looks like a computer monitor–for your online events, podcasts, radio shows, classes and $1 Seminars!!!!)  (SEE TO THE LEFT!)

Can you tell I am buzzing? (I am excited about the new computer monitor capabilites–you WILL see this on my sites ASAP!)

Here is the link:
CLICK HERE

Grab this one! It is SWEET!

Back to my fiddling around here! hehe!

Love,
Cindy

PS–Did you peek? Isn’t it SWEET???
CLICK HERE

PPS–Wishing that you had joined us for the Group Coaching OR even the Personal Study through our Information Product Course? It is NOT too late! REALLY! Join the Personal Study Course today and you can access all of the sessions up to date, along with their bonus goodies. You can kick off the New Year with a blast. PLUS! Even if you sign up for our Personal Study this week, EVERYONE can join us for the last group coaching call next week. Don’t miss this study–it WILL change your business forever! Join us here: http://www.writers-nook.com/InformationProduct.html

Hi!

What are you going to do in the last few weeks of this year? The choices will influence how you kick off the New Year:

Big Kick-Off?
Great Start?
Off Strong and Solid?

We have a program set up for 4 weeks in December that you will not want to miss! I will personally take you by the hand and help you get that idea out of your mind and into the hands of those who need you like never before.

Yep! I will teach you how to take your idea and create multiple products which can skyrocket your business to success.

You may have no idea where to begin, but that is the perfect reason to join this group!

In this course, we will…

–> Start where YOU are today–even if you have never written or spoken one word! I will take away the “overwhelm” and give you a step-by-step plan that will work today for creating your own information products. You will be given a jump-start that will propel you to success!

–> Learn how to choose the very 1st and most important project to work on. I know that if you are anything like me, you have so many options, ideas, choices, and decisions floating around in your mind that it can be overwhelming and stop you in your tracks. Sweet friend, *I* always have my mind full to overwhelming with ideas–I do right NOW! Do you relate? Has it held you back from moving forward? Well, we will work together to get beyond that and show you what to do with all of those ideas while you focus on the very best project for TODAY. You won’t just benefit with THIS project, you will learn how to live as a productive, prolific, and very successful entrepreneur–beginning with this first project.

–> Learn how to organize yourself so you are ready to work each and every day! Get beyond overwhelm to productivity.

–> Dig into all of the options for producing Information Products! PRICELESS! You will learn how to do more than just write a book, set up an ebook, plan a seminar, or produce quality audios. You will learn how to build a rock-solid, profitable, productive, strong, and very successful business around your ideas. Only have one idea? Oh! We will work together to capitalize on that one idea like you have never imagined possible! I have been called “The Queen of Re-purposing Content” because I have uncovered secrets that can take any idea and build a business full of products that meet the customers’ needs and desires. I will show you how to do it step-by-step. You will leave this course ready to reach all of your customers with their preferred modality. Best of all, you will learn how to do it with out any learning curve–THE EASY WAY! That brings me to the next thing we will learn…

–> Cover step-by-step how to create information products. Yep! I will take you by the hand and teach you how to create ebooks, audios, videos, subscription newsletters, e-courses, seminars, home study courses, membership sites, and more! EACH of these could be a course of its own, but in this course, you will learn everything you need to learn so you are ready to produce your own products in just FOUR WEEKS! I will take you step-by-step!

–> Get ready to succeed. This is something that you will not find in any other course or coaching program on this topic. Not only will you learn the “how-to’s” for creating your product, but I will also help you get ready to succeed. There is so much more to success than creating a product. You may have already experienced this. That is why we will dedicate an entire week to learning the keys to success. These keys will give you more content than 5 full courses. Well, you must join to learn more!

–> Get moving and keep momentum. If there is one thing that most people need, it is this information. It is so easy to get overwhelmed by our ideas. We get excited. We see their potential. But, we get overwhelmed and have no idea where to begin. Or, we dabble with it, get frustrated by all that needs to be done at the same time and lose our motivation. That is why this program is being offered as a coaching program. Not only will you learn how to create information products, but you will also learn how to get moving and keep the momentum for the long-haul–beyond just the first project into a lifestyle. I want to see you succeed in business. The key to success is not just learning how to create ONE product, but getting momentum to build a very successful business. You will learn how in this course.

–>That is not all! We will learn what to do after you have finished your product. We will talk about how to launch your product, create buzz, reach your prospective customers with your salesletter, joint venture with others, develop a strong affiliate program, and market yourself and your products. I will teach you how to create a no-fail project. Well, more than that–a no-fail business!

Ok…wondering if this course is like so many out there–just out of reach? You are going to love this!

I want to see hundreds of you reaching for your dreams THIS YEAR! Oh, and I KNOW that there are only a few weeks left in this year.

You may have worked hard all year long and not quite got there. You may have studied all year long and set your goal to publish your first product next year. Oh! Don’t wait even one more day! There is no reason to end this year that way!

I will coach you in the next few weeks so that we end this year with your very 1st product. FOR REAL! THIS YEAR! IN JUST FOUR WEEKS! Yes, smack-dab-in-the-middle of the busy holiday season–there is a reason for that too. I am going to show you how to balance a busy schedule and still produce great products every month! You will not want to miss this course!

Plus! THREE OPTIONS PERFECT FOR EVERY BUDGET AND NEED! LEARN MORE HERE

Wondering how? It is easy! Recycle. There’s no need to just use great content once. Recycling your content benefits everyone in a way that builds your business while reaching those who learn best by different modalities–visual, auditory, hands-on. A good way to do this is to think about each piece of content and how you can reuse it to the max.

A few ideas may be:

#1 – Take a special download report and use the content for article distribution. The report is only available for download on your website but you can use several articles within the report to distribute to article directories. That content will then work to bring you new subscribers to your site. When they come, you will have visitors who are looking for more of your ideas.

#2 – Use product content to create an autoresponder series. If you have an info product available for sale (or a free one) you can take snippets of that content and turn it into an autoresponder series. This way your customers can preview the content through the AR series and the AR series can promote the actual product. Always think of creative ways to use your ideas again and again!

#3 – Use the content on your website for a product. If you have articles on your website or blog you can easily turn these into a product. Simply choose a collection of articles you’ve previously written and make them available in download format for customers.  You can choose to use this content as a free giveaway to gain more subscribers, or you can turn it into an actual product for purchase. Not everyone is likely to look through your whole website or blog to find the content. Also, people will often pay for the convenience of having the information at their fingertips without having to search for it.

#4 – Use your newsletter to attract search engines. If you have a regular newsletter which you send out make sure you also add it to your website or blog pages after sending. This will help you attract more search engine traffic and will give customers an archive to view previous newsletters.

#5 – Turn your audios into content. If you have audios on your website, use them to get more free search engine traffic. Have the audios transcribed and place them on your website or blog pages. This also gives your customers options, as some people will prefer to read rather than listen to an audio. Don’t forget to take your outlines and write “companion” articles or re-purpose into other products like ebooks, audio sets, bundles, etc. Don’t use those ideas just once. Re-purpose! You spent the time and hard work thinking it out, use it again and again.

#6 – Use your ideas for your own podcast. Got articles or ebooks? Why not re-purpose the content for a podcast. Talk about a great way to reach more people with your message. And, what a super way to continue to grow your business. Don’t forget to promote your articles, ebooks, mailing list, ecourses that continue learning the topics. Re-purpose and promote and re-purpose! Build a strong business.

#7 – Take your ideas and make companion information product. All it takes is an idea to begin a whole line of products on a topic. Take those outlines and use them to the max! Write articles. Compile an ebook. Record an audio series. Set up a Membership Site. Compile a home study course. Develop a coaching program. Think BUSINESS not just article. Think BUSINESS not just book. Take your ideas and build a strong and profitable business.

With a little thinking and planning you can make your content go a long way. Your idea can become more than just an article or a book. Your idea can become an entire business that is very, very successful. Why not dig into one of your “oldies” and repurpose it today?

It is time for our “Mailbag” show again! Talk about a great show!

Join us today as I dig into your questions! We covered a TON of material today. Here are some of the topics:

About finished with my book, WHO do I get for feedback?
Been blogging, want to make money, where should I write?
Using the “MORE” tag in Wordpress
Beginning a podcast, so what do I choose–Blog Talk Radio…Feedburner…or iTunes???
How to promote a podcast
I AM writing!
Writing when the traditional publishers reject you
Ideas for domain names
What do I do with MY story???
What about shipping costs?
How to get your book in E-book format?
Finished the book, now how do I reach my market???
How to make your download pages private?
What is a conversion rate?
AND MORE! Of course!

You will LOVE this show! It does go into “overtime” but it is loaded with great information. We had a blast!

Still don’t cover your question OR need more help? Just zip me an email at cindy@cindyrushton.com and I will be sure to dig into your question next time.

Don’t miss this one!

Download by Mp3

SHOW NOTES:

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Jane’s Website:
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Anne Elliott’s Website:
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http://www.AnneElliott.com/blog

Jerilyn’s Website:
http://abroadcastblog.wordpress.com

Debbie Ball’s Website:
http://www.bethel-nz.blogspot.com

Beth Jones’ Website:
http://www.BethJones.net

Janet Eckles Website:
http://www.JanetPerezEckles.com

CUTE PDF

Patti Handy’s Website:
http://www.TeensCashCoach.com

Join Us For Our Next Show!
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Writers-Radio-Show

Staying positive, even in the face of adversity, can help you conquer challenges.  When you think positively, you are envisioning your success.  Failure will not be an option; you will move past the obstacles in your way.  When a person thinks positively, they will attract positive people and positive outcomes in their life.

When you find yourself facing a roadblock, try to find a way around it.  It can be easy to give up.  Giving up will not bring you any closer to accomplishing your goals.  In fact, giving up can make you feel even worse and cause more stress.

Finding a way to forge ahead and reach your goal or accomplish your task will help you grow as a person.  You will feel more confident and able to take on new, more difficult challenges.

It can be difficult to take on a new positive personality.  It is not realistic to expect anyone to change completely overnight.  Taking small steps toward positive thinking will create big changes.

When you wake up in the morning, envision a few positive thoughts.  Imagine yourself having a great day.  Think about all of the wonderful things that will be happening to you.  Think about what you would like to see happening–attracting new clients or being contacted by a reporter who wants to feature you in a magazine story.

You may want to consider creating a “dream board” or a “dream book”.  Write out all the things you would like to accomplish.  Look through magazines and find pictures that correspond with those goals.  When you find a picture you like, cut it out and pin it to a bulletin board or paste it into a scrapbook.

Don’t be afraid to reach for the stars with this project.  If you see a picture of a house you would love to live in, put it on your dream board.  Find a picture of a car you’ve always wanted or a picture of a place you would love to travel to.

Take a moment each day to look at your dream board or flip through your dream book.  Think positive thoughts such as “one day, I will own that car” or “one day, I will take a vacation here”.  This can inspire you and motivate you to work hard and achieve success.  Your dream book is giving you a glimpse of your rewards.  Now, it is up to you to take action.

How do you decide if coaching can benefit you? Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

#1 – Could I use an impartial person to run my ideas by?

Your friends and family may be great to turn to for help, but remember they are slightly biased. You have heard it said that they will tell you what you want to hear–this is not the time for that! Even if they gave great ideas, it doesn’t help if they don’t specifically understand the inner dealings or your business or market.

Having an impartial person dissect your ideas and plans can be very beneficial, particularly if that person is in your field and has already achieved the success you hope to achieve.

#2 – Could I use help with the smaller picture and details of my business?

For many entrepreneurs the “big” picture is easy to see but it’s the smaller details that can tie them up in knots. What shopping cart to use? What pages to include on your website? How to start a PPC campaign? How to begin an online teaching ministry?

In this instance an online coach can offer help and guidance – from helping you choose the right software to actually helping you plan your first pay-per-click marketing campaign to helping you plan and present your first online class.

#3 – Could I use motivation and guidance?

For many of us, this is the part of business that’s the most difficult. It’s easy to write down a to-do list and business plan, but much harder to actually do it, much less make it a success. A good online business coach can help you overcome these hurdles. If you have someone that you’re accountable to, then you’re more likely to follow through and get things done.

This isn’t a situation that should make you feel bad or shameful; many, many people struggle with accountability and find that having a person they are accountable to or a deadline is the best way to achieve their tasks. Once I hired my first coach, I saw so many differences in such a short time that I made the commitment to always have a coach to work with me along the way. I have one helping me right now. Coaching will take you further than you can imagine. They will help you will take your business uplevel.

These three questions should help you decide whether coaching is right for you. If you do decide it’s something you’d like to try, it’s important to find the right coach – as not all are created equal.

Here’s what to look out for:

* Find someone that has already achieved what you aspire to. Make sure the person has a proven track record and can back up their talk with references, testimonials and REAL results. You should be able to easily “SEE” their success–look at their website… their products. Look them up on Google. See how much they have out there for themselves. Tune into their webinars. You should be able to see real results or keep on looking!

* Find someone you can relate to. A coach with a harsh style or “bootcamp” mentality may or may not be right for you. Only you can determine that. Perhaps you’d respond more to someone that approaches things from a gentler approach. Or maybe you really respond well to tight deadlines and someone who pushes you through the phases. Whatever the choice, it has to be right for YOU. Taking the time to find the right coach FOR YOU is really important.

* Ask any potential coach specific questions and read their answers carefully. This will help you choose the right person for your needs.

* Find someone who wants to see you succeed. It’s unfortunate, but there are some coaches who keep their students in a certain place. This ensures that the person doesn’t outgrow them and continues to use their services. This is not the right coach for you.  A good coach will push their students to succeed beyond their wildest dreams. A good coach accepts that at some point their student may outgrow them and need to move on. It’s important to look for this in a coach, as this way you can be sure that they will always advise you on what is ultimately best for you and your business.

Ready for a business coach? This is the year to take your business uplevel. If you need that boost, a business coach just might make the difference in getting where you need to go.

Announcing! We are on the countdown for our first online group coaching session! YEP! We will be sharing details early this week. This session just might be the perfect topic for you. If you are not on our mailing list, scroll back up to the top of the page and sign in. Our subscribers will be sent a very special offer early next week–it only last for one week, so don’t miss it! Sign up for our mailing list TODAY!

Recently I asked our Blog and Podcast eGroup what their biggest struggles/needs as a blogger/podcaster were. I came away with some great feedback. One of the top questions was, “How do I get traffic to my site?”

A blog without readers is pretty much useless. If you’ve been blogging for a while and have only been getting a trickle of viewers to your posts, you need to put a traffic building plan into action. Building traffic is just as an important skill to bloggers as writing quality posts is. Many bloggers are terrific at creating content but don’t know a thing about building traffic. Here is a quick guide to the five most popular (and most effective) traffic building techniques.

1. Get SOCIAL!

Social networking and blogging go hand in hand. Your blog posts can be distributed across social networking channels in many different ways. Sign up for Twitter and tweet about your posts as soon as they are added to you blog. Update your Facebook status with a link to your new blog posts. Submit your stories to Digg.com, Reddit.com and StumbleUpon.com. Remember that in order for social networking to be effective, you need to participate with other people on your list. If you visit their links and respond to their updates, they’ll be likely to do the same for you.

2.  Get SEEN!

Find blogs in your niche and start following their posts. Make sure to add insightful and interesting comments on their posts. Not only will the blog owner take notice and visit your blog, other commenters will visit your blog to get more of your great insight into the topic. Don’t spread yourself too thin with blog commenting, but make it a point to comment on a few related blogs each week.

3.  Get SENT!

RSS feeds are a way to syndicate your blog’s content so that it is sent to many different people in their own blog readers or on their own sites. Most blogging systems have RSS feeds automatically included but you can add a lot more functionality to your feed by using a free service like FeedBurner.com. With FeedBurner you can add things like sharing the feed via e-mail so it will pull in new readers and encourage previous visitors to come back to the blog again.

4.  Get SYNDICATED!

You may think that by being a blogger you can ignore article marketing. However, you can get a lot  of traffic to your blog by tweaking some of your popular blog posts and adding them to article directories. You can post your popular posts as articles with a link back to your blog in many different article directories. Not only will you get a valuable backlink but your article may also be used by ezine owners which will bring you more traffic.

5.  Get SITELINKS!

Speaking of backlinks, you should work to build backlinks to your blog through several different means. By creating backlinks to your blog, you’ll improve your blog’s ranking in search engine results. You can get lots of traffic from search engines if you are within the first group of search results for your keywords.

These five ways of building traffic can be used over and over again to help build traffic to your blog and increase your readership.

Need more help?

Join our eGroup! It is FREE! Find us at Yahoo Groups!

Come and join in!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ChristianBlogandPodcast/

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CLICK HERE

1. Get a vision. First things first. Who are you? What are YOU all about? What is YOUR message? When others come to you, what do they ask you? Take some time to really think this one out.  Your blog will only be a success when you find YOUR voice. Pull apart and get a vision. Keep your blog simple, clear, uncluttered, and focused. Stick to who you are. Don’t change up every day. Don’t add in content that does not go along with your message. Get a vision for what you are to be all about and be ONLY that.

2. Set it up right. Don’t take short-cuts. If you want to build a successful business, invest in your “home on the web.” This is not an area to skimp by or put off. Grab your own domain and host your site yourself. The reasons are more than I can cover in an entire article, but the biggest reason is that you are building a business. Build your business with a solid foundation. If you are a writer, invest in your own name TODAY as a domain. If you are setting up a site for a particular business venture, grab your domain for it. My favorite hosting service is Mom Webs: http://www.writers-nook.com/MomWebs.html You can grab your domain and set up your hosting account in just a few minutes. Also, ask them to install Wordpress for you. They will even install an adorable theme for you for around $10. If you have a blog that is hosted by a free service, they can even help you to pull your RSS Feed (all of your past posts) into your new site–PRICELESS! They are super! Wordpress is another big MUST that will help you get started on the right track. I love that you can set up your site and add a good theme in just a few steps. Again, set it up right. A good design will take you along the path to success. It will make a huge difference in YOU and your audience. Don’t skimp on this step. Set up your site for success. Invest in a good, solid home on the web.

3. Keep growing and learning. A great site takes time to build. Keep it growing. Commit to add fresh new content to your site every day–articles, audios, videos, tip sheets, downloadables, printables, etc. Keep it growing and expanding. Stay on the cutting edge! The best way to do that is to keep on learning. Right now, I am studying through a new set on blogging. I can’t believe all of the new ideas for plug-ins, social networking options, etc that are new THIS YEAR. I set aside time each day to learn new things either through reading or listening to shows/seminars. Talk about a great way to make my site all it can be. You won’t be there immediately, but you will get there. Commit today to grow and learn. Never stop. Stay creative. Stay on the cutting edge.

4. Make sure that your site reflects YOU. Make sure that your site helps others get to know you and your heartbeat. Include your pictures, your audios, your videos, your writing, and what you love. Let them get to know YOU–your heart, your interests, your knowledge, your life, your expertise. Let your site help to build your brand. Instill in peoploe who you are and what you have to offer. Be the Google-the place people go to search–for your market. Be the place they go when they need help.

5. Don’t be shy about what you have to offer. Now, first, be mindful that some things are annoying–banners/blocks all over the page, apps all over the page, flashing letters, crazy fonts, etc. BUT, some things really work to make your site profitable–

–>  Offer Q/A–have a spot/category just for answering questions. As you answer questions, don’t shy away from linking to resources that you recommend. Hyperlink words or resources to pages with more information. Watch the responses.

–>  Post articles–not only can you link to any recommended resources/products within the article, but you can also have a nice pitch for products in your resource box at the bottom of the article. ALWAYS pitch something–one of your products, your mailing list, your radio show, etc. Give them access to other things that will help them with that topic.

–>  Link to your store–make it easy for people to find what you have to offer. Keep it neat. Keep it simple. Keep it prominent.

6. Bring others in to help you. Feel overwhelmed? Let others help you. There are so many ways that you can get help as you build your site. You can bring in guest bloggers–those who love the same topics and can share their articles, audios, and videos on your site. I have many friends who are always ready to share fun freebies–they help my site to be a great spot on the web, but they also promote what they have going on. It is win-win-win! You can even get the visitors to the site to join in and share great content. I began offering what I call “Mommy Homework” years ago. “Mommy Homework” is a weekly topic of discussion on my blog. Those who participate earn credit toward our products. Of all of the things I read each week, “Mommy Homework” is my most favorite. Imagine how awesome it is for those who visit my site. Before I go on, you can also use affiliate tools/resources on your site. Many affiliate programs offer great articles, audios, and downloads to help you promote their products. If they are complimentary to your site, use them! A good example of resources that are ready-to-go is found in my affiliate program. Join me at: http://www.CindysAffiliates.com.  You don’t have to be a lone-ranger. There are lots of options for content to use on your site.

7. Build a great site. Remember that your site will grow for years to come. Keep building! Keep your content fresh and alive. The best way is to take time in solitude to brainstorm, develop your message, and pour your heart out into your writing, audios, and videos. Take that time! Pour your heart out! Make your site a place of ministry. You won’t be there immediately, but I promise that in 6 months you will look back and be so proud of your hard work.

Happy blogging!

Need more help?

Check out these great shows (and others!!) on blogging that have been featured on my Writer’s Radio Show:

Blogging and Podcasting

Mailbag: Websites, Blogs, and MORE!

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Does it always seem like you are under the gun to get things done?  Time seems to get away from you and you don’t know why.  Maybe what you need is a way to effectively manage your time.

Time management is an age-old problem.  Remember Wimpy in the old Popeye cartoons?  He’d pay on Tuesday for a hamburger today.  Why not pay now?  Procrastination is the enemy of all who try to manage their time.  If you have been bitten by the procrastination bug, it’s time to take an antidote.

Time management issues can be dealt with in three stages:  planning, tracking and assessing.  Just like with other issues in life, the best way to handle them is head on, before the problem gets to be too big for us to even want to look at it.

1.  Planning – Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.  We’ve all heard it and it’s true for the most part.  You have to have somewhere to start or you’ll spend half of your day deciding what to do.  Planning begins with the end – deadlines.  Know how much time you have for each task you have to accomplish.  Within that timeline, you can break down the larger goal into more manageable pieces. 

This method is less of a drain on your resources and your brain.  Use a planning tool like a calendar.  The calendar, preferably a computerized one, needs to have the capability of looking at a several views:  daily, weekly, monthly and yearly.  Use the calendar to map out work and personal tasks so that nothing gets overlooked.

2.  Tracking – How are you using your time?  Use tracking software to monitor how much time is spent on business projects and how much is devoted to each project.  Tracking lets you see where time is being lost.  Maybe it takes too long to do the research for a project or the final organization of it.

If your desk is unorganized, you could be losing what amounts to hours just trying to find what you need.  Time tracking software allows you to create categories for the way that you spend your time so you can easily follow.  If you don’t want to make that investment, create a time tracking spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel to prioritize tasks each day and track the time you work on them.

3.  Assessing – So, where did the time go?  Are you spending more time on minimum priority projects and less time on high priority ones, or is it vice versa?  Take a look at where you are developing black holes of lost time.  On your logs, choose a place for comments about what exactly you did during the time spent on each category during the day.  If writing up a proposal is supposed to take two hours but it is taking you four, what is being missed?

It is easy for time to escape us.  For a business, time is money that you are losing.  Re-evaluate how you spend your time and tighten up on projects that are taking too long.

What is a Blog?

A blog is actually an online journal of sorts. With a blog you can upload daily posts about anything that you want. Some people create personal blogs as a way to keep in touch with family members. Pictures, videos and other information are uploaded so your loved ones are current with what is going on with you.

Here we are going to talk about business blogs. This is a blog that you begin to attract traffic in order to sell products or services. To be interesting to others, your blog will need to:

•    Have updated content for visitors
•    Be marketed to draw traffic
•    Register with search engines so it can be found in the rankings

How to Start

If you are new to blogging or web design, there is a great option for you! Mom Webs is offering blog installation and set up services for only $10 when you host your site with them. You will be up and ready-to-go. Best of all, you will be ready for success. You don’t want to host your sites with “free” blogging options out there. You want to get started on the right track.

Before you start posting, decide what will be the theme, or niche of your blog. A jack-of-all-trades type of blog doesn’t do as well as one that is geared towards a certain niche. If you like crafts, that can be your niche. Create posts that talk about how to craft, what to craft, how to make crafting profitable and so on. Once you have decided on a path, it is time to create that great content.

How to Make Money While You Blog…

In order to make money with your blog, you need to have people visiting it. That is where marketing comes in. To draw traffic to your site, you have to get the word out about your blog. Tell all of your friends and family members that you are online with your blog for a start.

Also, begin today to include the link to your blog on each and every article that you write. Take the time to write up a bio to include at the end of each article. In that bio, tell a bit about yourself, tell what they can find at your blog, and share the link to the blog so they can find more information on that topic.

What Next???

Any money-making venture will take place once you have built your readership with interesting posts. Then you can put into play a number of profitable additions:

•    Google AdSense
•    Selling Advertising
•    Affiliate Marketing
•    EBook and Special Report Marketing

The simplest one to pursue is Google AdSense. You are using targeted advertisements to create revenue for your blog. You are paid per clicks on the ads.

There are other options where you can get paid when someone makes a sale on that website. That is more likely to happen when you join an affiliate program. Join affiliate program that work well with your website niche.

EBooks are downloadable electronic books that you can create yourself and sell on your website. They can be on a variety of subjects but in order for them to sell, you must be able to offer new information to your customers. Don’t have enough information yet for a whole book? Why not create a mini-ebook or a special report. Set it up the same way as an ebook. Do be sure to clarify exactly what the customer gets–if it is an ebook (number of pages) or a special report.

Blogs can be used to build revenue. Start with your chosen niche and market your blog to find the traffic you need. Then, utilize these ideas to turn a profit.

One useful tool for managing time and getting work done is time boxing.  No, there won’t be any violence here.  Think of the geometric shape of a box, instead of the ring and fighting gloves.

For some tasks, you might spend five hours completing each one.  Did you need five hours or did you spend that time getting it perfect?  Between breaks, your mind wandering, and other distractions, you might only have worked half that amount of time on the project. 

Time boxing is a concept mostly used by software developers, but it can be adapted for other projects in the workplace and in personal use at home.  It involves assigning necessary tasks a certain measure of time in your day.  Within those time constraints you accomplish what you can and then move on to something else.

For the office, time boxing helps you whittle away at a task list that might be long.  Usually a long list brings on the pangs of procrastination.  Since the task is so large, anxiety sets in that can keep you from wanting to do any work at all.  Time boxing takes care of anxiety that leads to procrastination and perfectionism.

Here’s what you do…

Decide what needs to get done.  It could be on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis depending on deadlines for your projects.

For daily tasks, you can set aside time for each task throughout the day.  The time period allotted may be enough to complete the job or it may not.  If it is not, allocate more time later on.

On a weekly basis, projects with priority can have a longer stretch of time.  Work on a large project for a couple of hours a day.  Keep using allocated time each day until it is finished.

Time boxing works for open-ended projects that have a deadline, but no other milestones in between.  Tackle a large project in small chunks so that everything is ready for delivery by the due date.

Time boxing allows you to focus on the task at hand.  For 30 minutes or an hour, you are working as hard as you can to get the work done.  After that, the project sits until its turn comes around again.

Utilizing time boxing increases productivity.  Instead of going from task to task aimlessly, you have a purpose throughout your day and adequate time to make a dent in your work.  At home, doing chores can actually take less time with this technique.

Are you interested in time boxing?  Give it a try when managing your home life, as well as for work projects.

Who are your customers?  That would depend on who you are trying to reach with your product.  If you’ve done a test run of your product, you may have an idea that the ideal customer for your business is women aged 18-50, for example.  That is a broad category, but you have to start somewhere.

Your advertising begins in areas where women are likely to see and give you a second look.  Your advertising begins to pay off when the traffic to your business website increases along with sales.  But the commitment to your customers doesn’t end here.

You have gained customers but they have haven’t been properly identified.  How did they hear about you?  What are their lives like?  This sounds like a big job to tackle but you can figure out this information with a little effort.  Your advertising dollars are precious and spending them on advertising forms that won’t pan out is unwise.

Offer customer surveys to learn about the people who buy your products.  This type of communications gets customers talking to you about you.  Ask them to evaluate everything from the checkout process to the types of products you offer.

For a more targeted approach, mail email confirmations that link to an online survey for everyone who buys a product from you.  The information helps to flesh out a more detailed picture than just women aged 18-50.

Track customers with monitored offers as well.  Monitoring customers lets you find out where they are from and by what method they reach you.  Offer coupons with barcodes, online offers, and perks for referrals.  You can determine how the customers shop, what you have that they want, and what advertising strategies to pursue next.

A referral is one of the best endorsements you can get from a loyal customer.  Someone who shopped with you has recommended that others do so, too.  When customers register with the site, ask them if they were referred by anyone.  Reward those referrals with free merchandise or an extra percentage off on their next order.

Now that you know how to track customers, take the time to read their survey answers and referrals.  Their answers are important and can also better your customer service to them.

Lastly, stay ahead of the technology game.  Keep up with new breakthroughs in your industry so you can offer better products that your customers will love.  When your website stays current and fresh, customers will continue to visit.

Do you know anything about your customers?  Use the above advice to learn all you can about them.  Cater your advertising efforts to your customers when you find out how they reach you and what will keep them coming back.

Why do you procrastinate?  There are several reasons and some might surprise you.  Fear of failure is one reason.  No one wants to be make mistakes but they are a part of life and they do happen to everyone.

Fear of success is also a reason why you might procrastinate.  Here is the rationale:  If you succeed you will be expected to do so all the time.  The pressure alone can stop your work.

Stress causes procrastination, too.  It is easier to deal with a problem by hiding and pretending it will go away than meeting it head on.  The problem is that the day you are ready to deal with it never comes.

Use the following tips to stop procrastination from hindering your work.

1.  Make a list. Use dashes instead of numbers so the items on the list aren’t ranked in any particular order.  Add deadlines so that you can prioritize the list.  As you finish a task on the list, cross it off with a colorful pen.  Every time you look at the list you will get a sense of accomplishment.

2.  Set aside time for other tasks. All work and no play, as they say.  Sometimes when you work, you’ll notice your mind thinking about taking a break and doing something else.  We’ve all done it.  Avoid those breaks in productivity by scheduling time to get away and take a break.  Knowing that you will get a break makes you want to stay focused on your work until that time.

3.  Don’t overload your schedule. If you have too much to do in a small span of time, procrastination will surely creep in.  No one wants to slack off at work, but biting off only as much as you can chew is not the same thing.  You are more productive when you can manage your tasks instead of drowning in them and missing all of your deadlines.

4.  Find coping mechanisms. Stress can lead to procrastination.  Deal with the stress before it affects your work.  Learn breathing techniques; take an exercise class; chant a mantra.  Whatever will relax you can also keep you working.

5.  Stay organized. A desk piled with papers, folders, and sticky notes is not what you want to see every morning you walk into the office.  Keep your desk neat and everything where you can find it when you need it.  Organization stops you from abandoning the task at hand because of a misplaced file.

Procrastination is hard to beat because it comes from within us.  Use the above tips to regain your level of productivity in the workplace.

ON THE SCHEDULE:
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Tuesday, March 17, 2009
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12PM CST
Ultimate Writer’s Expo 2009
Meet Jon Berry with GOT Hosting
(Ask your questions about web hosting and web design.)

Join Us Live Online:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Writers-Radio-Show

Call-in Number (Call in on your phone, cell-phone, or SKYPE):
(646) 727-1339

***********************************
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
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1PM CST
Ultimate Writer’s Expo 2009
10-Great Ways to Jump-Start Your Sales before the Book is Finished with Felice Gerwitz
Join Us Live Online:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Writers-Radio-Show

Call-in Number (Call in on your phone, cell-phone, or SKYPE):
(646) 727-1339

***********************************
Thursday, March 19, 2009
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10AM CST
Writer’s Radio Show
So…You Have Been Asked to Speak, NOW WHAT??? with Cindy Rushton

Join Us Live Online:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Writers-Radio-Show

Call-in Number (Call in on your phone, cell-phone, or SKYPE):
(646) 727-1339

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Friday, March 20, 2009
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10AM CST
Ultimate Writer’s Expo 2009
Re-purposing and Monetizing Your Online Writing to the Max! with Nicole Dean
Join Us Live Online:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Writers-Radio-Show

Call-in Number (Call in on your phone, cell-phone, or SKYPE):
(646) 727-1339

Want to SAMPLE our Ultimate Writer’s Expo? Well, here is a wonderful session that will give you a taste of the wonderful speakers and workshops featured during our Ultimate Writer’s Expo. Stephen and Kerry Beck accidentally discovered a step-by-step formula for creating profitable information products. Want a peek into their “formula?” Well, you MUST join us for this session! Stephen will join us for the morning for a crash course on how we can create best-selling information products. Don’t miss this one!

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Get to know Stephen online:

http://www.8WeekstoProfits.com
http://www.FamilyeBiz.com

Get Started (OR RE-Started) Writing On the Right Track!
Pre-order Your Set NOW!
http://www.Ultimate-Writers-Expo.com/

Grab your set today!

DATE/TIME:
March 3, 2009 at 1PM CST

Join Us Live Online:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Ultimate-Writers-Expo

Call-in Number:
(347) 205-9175

You will want to join us live for this one!

Get ready for a blast!

Get Started (OR RE-Started) Writing On the Right Track!
http://www.Ultimate-Writers-Expo.com/

Let’s begin by looking at the basic or ordinary places you can place your logo:

- Your website. This is kind of a no brainer. If you don’t have your logo on your website then where to you use it?  Your website is quite often the first place people become aware of your business – it’s their first memory and your first opportunity to brand your business.

- Your blog. Again, this is a chance to link your blog brand with your website brand.

- Your business cards. Business cards are becoming less and less common however you still don’t know when you’re going to run into your next great customer.  Keep a few up to date business cards in your wallet and make sure they have your logo on them.

- Your product packaging. If you ship any products then include your logo on the packaging.  This doesn’t have to be elaborate; it can simply be included in your return address.

- Your letterhead. Okay if you have an online business chances are you’re not communicating via snail mail too often however even if you’re emailing an agreement or a proposal it can have your logo in the header.

- Your invoices too can have a header with your company logo.

- Direct mail pieces. If you utilize direct mail like postcards or even long sales letters, there are many opportunities to include your logo.

- Your company newsletter. Your logo can be used in your newsletter’s graphic header to unify your brand.

- Promotional giveaways like Frisbees or pens.

Now let’s explore some of the not so ordinary locations to place your business logo:

- On your car. Many business owners have taken to painting their car as a rolling advertisement.  While you don’t have to go so far as to make your car look like a rolling billboard you can have a magnet created to stick to your car when you feel like doing a bit of drive by advertising.

- Twitter, Facebook and other social media often allow users to upload avatars or images to represent their business or themselves. You can use your logo as your avatar or image.

- Email signature. A little creativity and you can include your logo in your email signature.  This way each communication helps increase brand awareness.

- Sponsor a team or organization locally and place your logo on promotional tools like t-shirts or hats.

Have your logo travel with you.  If your business is represented anywhere your logo can tag along.  It doesn’t matter if it’s something as simple as a business card or more advanced like your social marketing avatar.  Just don’t paint it on your dog!

Auto responders are great “assistants” for the busy writer. The use of auto responders is quickly becoming standard.  Given the digital age we have come into at full speed, it is becoming more and more time-consuming to be checking voicemails and answering machines.  The digital age is now allocating and advocating the use of these responders as a fax-on-demand-type of system.

An auto responder is an automatic messaging system, generally used in instant messaging systems and emails, to generate an automatic response to an incoming message or a scheduled outgoing message to those who have requested this information.  They can be configured in many different ways to include not accepting the incoming message yet shooting a message back, letting the sender know that messages aren’t be accepted and when they will be.

These responders can also be set to accept the incoming message. The automatic message from an auto responder can say anything, letting your reader be aware of a circumstance, a vacation or other information as deemed necessary.

More and more people are leaning towards email and instant messaging versus traditional voicemail and in this it would be prudent to work smarter, not harder.  Auto responders are a smart way of dealing with a messaging system and can eliminate the time of having to call your cell or home machine to retrieve messages when it can be done at a glance.

Auto responders can also be used as a simple and very cost-effective way of advertising.  While I don’t have an auto responder and use a signature with my email, auto responders reach farther and quicker to target markets, more so than a simple email can.  Why?  Most people don’t read an entire email to see the signature.

Responders are also especially useful in support, such as “call a number if I am unavailable” – an encouraging statement for those who are under professional help or trying to quit smoking, for example.  They can even give useful information on how to solve a problem with software or hardware.  Responders are also used to confirm a subscription or cancellation.

Unlimited auto responders can also be used to target specific consumers or other people.  In an organized mailing list, auto responders can be “attached” to certain emails so that certain people get certain messages and not all people get the same message.  If you sign up to receive a daily devotion  each day or once a week, for example, these daily devotions are sent out using an auto responder.

In the end, auto responders provide effective communication with customers and clients, as well as other staff and even family and friends.  They give an edge to providing free advertising and getting your name or company more exposure.

In this whole scenario, you do get to work less and make more, and that is what everybody wants.  Look around – there are tons of free auto responders.  Programs offer different options, so make sure you find the one that will work best for you.

Novelist Holly Lisle walks you live through the creation of your own characters in this 2-hour workshop: at the end of the workshop, you’ll have a deep, fascinating protagonist, an exciting antagonist, a secondary character or two…and maybe even a plot. Bring a notebook and a pen, write while you listen, and participate in the workshop discussion. Get to know Holly better online: http://HollyLisle.com and http://HowtoThinkSideways.com/

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For many of us, nothing is more simple or instinctive than calling someone up to chat.  While we may want to keep it professional, there is a good chance that we will spend a lot longer on the phone than we thought we would, and before we know it, the day has sped by and our efficiency is shot. The work we intended (our intentions are always good in the beginning aren’t they?) to get done is being put off until later.  Have you ever experienced this?  This may be a sign that you need to think about your phone use and how it is affecting the bottom line in your business.

There are many tell tale signs that your phone calls are distracting you from your real work.  One way to determine just how much affect phone usage has on the productivity of your business is to time your phone calls.  How long are you spending on the phone?  Keep in mind that when you get on the phone, you are breaking up your work. Once you finish the call and head back to the task at hand, time is also spent refocusing on what you were doing prior to the phone call.  Put together all the time that is devoted to your phone calls during the course of the day, from getting the number, to talking on the phone, to getting back to work.  The time that you spend “on the phone” just might surprise you.

Next, think about how often you actually take calls.  Do you feel as though the number of calls that you are taking detracts from your ability to work, or do you feel as though it contributes?  You may find that other phones ringing is enough to distract you, or that if the phone stays silent for too long that you get nervous or antsy.  Any of these symptoms might be a sign that you need to form a plan to get out of this productivity killing dilemma.

All hope is not lost however, even if you live with your phone what seems like attached at your ear. In order to combat the time wasting telephone and start making your phone calls and in turn your other tasks productive for your business, try putting this practice into place.

Begin by setting up a rough call time limit based on your average call time. You will need to find out just how much time you spend on the phone using the steps mentioned above beforehand.

Next, make sure that you know what topics need to be discussed before you call anyone.  This is an important way to make sure that your call is not out of control and lasting longer than it should. This step alone will make planning your time better and get more done during your work time.

Although it’s not always easy to determine when someone else will call, you can implement these same strategies for calls you receive. Screening calls will also help reduce or even diminish wasted talk time. Remember that your time is valuable and your business is important, so don’t let the telephone distract you anymore than you have to.