Hello Online Marketers! This week's Featured Interview is with IVWCC member Jennifer Wright. Jennifer has a very unique business - I hope you enjoy!

---

KB: Jennifer Wright thank you for taking the time to participate in this interview for our readers.
To set the stage for this interview, would you please tell us a bit about yourself?

JW: I am a woman living the life she always wanted! At the age of 47, after years of doing all the “right” things, and years of being a good single parent, my children left home for their own endeavors. As a result (and another story!), I decided to disorder my logical, ordered, middleclass life and move to New Zealand to find adventure and myself! Five years on, I have found ME, as well as the love of my life! (married 2 years ago!)

KB: Wow, Jenn, that’s a pretty amazing “disordering”! I think New Zealand would be such a great place to go. In fact, I am thinking right now of the movie “Whale Rider” lol!

Okay Jenn, give us your elevator speech, or 30-second spiel, about what you do, about your business:

JW: I am a mid-life adventure guide for women! I help women slough off the baggage of their life, their sense of duty and replace it with a backpack of lightness of true choice.

KB: That sure is an interesting career you have! How long have you been in business for yourself? [Read More!]

The Best Advertisement For Your Business

by Mark Daoust

It is no secret among internet marketers that writing articles is a great way to market your website. With all the article distribution services and all the websites looking for free, unique content, writing a quality article can bring you more links to your website in one day than an entire month of working out link exchanges and submitting to directories. The benefits of writing articles have been written about time and time again. Yet in order to enjoy the benefits of article writing, your article must first be accepted by the publishers who receive your submissions. This article will focus on a few key points to help increase your chances of getting your article accepted by the Internet’s top publishers.

Proofread Your Own Writing

[Read More!]

What are Blogs, and Why Your Business Should Use One

by Richard Zwicky

A few weeks ago I was involved in a very strange conversation with some pretty bright people. One publishes a widely circulated industry magazine, another was an industry consultant, and the last was the CEO of a major corporation in the same industry. I'm not sure how the conversation evolved, but towards the end the consultant mentioned that another journal had done an excellent job syndicating their content through blogs and RSS feeds. The comment was quite unremarkable in and of itself. What happened next was not.

"What is an RSS feed?" asked the publisher; "I keep hearing the term 'blogs' and 'blogging' but have not paid much attention to them, what is a blog?" asked the CEO. A deep moment of silence ensued, it was broken by the consultant's almost sardonic voice "Jeez man, an RSS feed means Really Simple Syndication you should know all about it, it is core to your business." The CEO got off a bit easier.

[Read More!]

8 Benefits Of Helping An Online Business Newbie

By Rudy Cline

Do your remember when you first ventured out in the online business world? You probably had questions and problems along the way. Wouldn't it have been easier if you had help? When a newbie asks for your advice, educate them; answer their questions and help them solve their online business problems. If you do not have the knowledge to help them out, point them in the right direction.


You'll get many benefits from helping online business newbies. Below are eight possible benefits you could receive:

1. You will feel good knowing that you had a part in helping them build their business. You can sit back and say "I had a part in their success."

[Read More!]

Hello Online Marketers! Cathy Carlton and Kim Bloomer of Kick The Email Habit would like to wish you all a VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY!! Happy Holidays everyone!


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16 - 18, NIV The Bible

Strong Online Sales Predicted For Holidays
By Gavin O’Malley

Studies released yesterday by America Online and BURST! Media signal strong e-commerce sales this holiday season. AOL found that consumers who research and/or shop online intend to do 53 percent of their holiday shopping online, while BURST! reported that 57.6 percent of consumers surveyed online with a household income of $75,000 or more plan to do more than half of their shopping online.

To read this story in it's entirety CLICK HERE

26 Fatal Advertising Mistakes Everyone Is Making (and how to fix them)

by Andre Bell

Billions are spent on advertising every year. Most of it is wasted. This is because few advertisers really consider what it takes to get people to buy. Instead they attempt to be funny or clever, hoping the ad will be remembered over time.

That's a HUGE mistake.

As you are about to learn, getting people to remember you later is the last thing you should be shooting for.

So if getting people to remember you isn't the purpose of advertising, what is its purpose?

Read on and you will discover what 90% of Madison Avenue ad agents either don't know, or don't want you to find out. Fixing these mistakes in your advertising will increase your ads effectiveness and response by 500%-10,000% and actually save you money on over- priced "image" ads that do nothing but drain money out of your pcokets.

Read on and remove these mistakes from your ads and finally start making real, measurabe money from your advertising.

1. Failure To Understand The REAL Purpose Of Advertising.

[Read More!]

Choosing the Business Model For Your Online Business

by Leigh Butler

If you really want to succeed online, then your must determine how you are going to generate revenue and make profit. Otherwise you won't be in business very long.

According to the small business administration, about 50% of small businesses fail each year, and 95% of small businesses fail within the first 5 years. I'm sure you don't want to be included in those statistics.

That's why if you haven't done it already, you should choose a business model, now. Ask yourself, how will my online business generate revenue?

Here are 3 business models frequently used for online businesses.

1)The Ecommerce Model

[Read More!]

As autumn races to an end, the air grows crisp and clear. It's a time for sharing, a time for thanks, and drawing family near. (Browser must be java enabled to view the slideshow.) Kickin' It Daily Brought to you by KickTheEmailHabit.com This Month's Sponsors: Business First Aid Kit Grab the Freebies 30-day free trial Keep the freebies http://ezinfocenter.com/8367685/IAHBE Wanted: QPublishers for New QCo-Op EZSetup. No fee to join or participate. Reasonably priced ads. Single syndication link to post to your Qchannel or website. Earn 30% on your sales plus benefit from publisher shares. No ads to format. No confirmations to send. Get more info at KickTheEmailHabit.com Tuesday, November 30, 2004 I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances, or my position. Author: Charles Swindoll Monday, November 29, 2004 We must reject the idea that every time a law's broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions. Author: Ronald Reagan Sunday, November 28, 2004 If the winds of fortune are temporarily blowing against you, remember that you can harness them and make them carry you toward your definite purpose, through the use of your imagination. Author: Napoleon Hill Saturday, November 27, 2004 Change is not merely necessary to life, it is life. Author: Alvin Toffler Friday, November 26, 2004 Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances. Author: Thomas Jefferson Thursday, November 25, 2004 As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. Author: President John F. Kennedy Wednesday, November 24, 2004 The addiction to the approval of others may be more life threatening, stress producing, and debilitating than drugs or booze. Choose to accept responsibility to others, but not for their attitudes, opinions or behavior towards you. If they like you, great. If not, it's not your problem. Author: Bill Gove Tuesday, November 23, 2004 Success has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It’s what you do for others. Author: Danny Thomas Monday, November 22, 2004 Too many people spend money they haven't earned, to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like. Author: Will Rogers Sunday, November 21, 2004 Keep your faith in all beautiful things; in the sun when it is hidden, in the Spring when it is gone. Author: Roy R. Gilson Saturday, November 20, 2004 You must not allow yourself to dwell for a single moment on any kind of negative thought. Author: Emmet Fox Friday, November 19, 2004 Nuture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think. Author: Benjamin Disraeli Thursday, November 18, 2004 Men succeed when they realize that their failures are the preparation for their victories. Author: Ralph Waldo Emerson Wednesday, November 17, 2004 Life reflects your own thoughts back to you. Author: Napoleon Hill Tuesday, November 16, 2004 Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest. Author: Mark Twain Monday, November 15, 2004 Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning. Author: John Henry Cardinal Sunday, November 14, 2004 The real secret of success is enthusiasm. Author: Walter Chrysler Saturday, November 13, 2004 People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them. Author: George Bernard Shaw Friday, November 12, 2004 It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves. Author: Edmund Hillary Thursday, November 11, 2004 To be successful you must accept all challenges that come your way. You can't just accept the ones you like. Author: Mike Gafka Wednesday, November 10 2004 God doesn't care about your ability but your availability. Author: Unknown Tuesday, November 9, 2004 Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships. Author: Michael Jordan Monday, November 8, 2004 Great minds have purposes, others have dreams. Author: Washington Irving Sunday, November 7, 2004 Balance, peace, and joy are the fruit of a successful life. It starts with recognizing your talents and finding ways to serve others by using them. Author: Thomas Kinkade Saturday, November 6, 2004 Happiness depends upon ourselves. Author: Aristotle Friday, November 5, 2004 A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on. Ideas have endurance without death. Author: John F. Kennedy Thursday, November 4, 2004 My belief is that personal freedom cannot grow beyond personal responsibility. The more people that learn to be fully accountable for their lives, the more freedom each of us can enjoy and the more fulfilling all of our lives will be. Author: Reed Konsler Wednesday, November 3, 2004 No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Author: Eleanor Roosevelt Tuesday, November 2, 2004 What we call the secret of happiness is no more a secret than our willingness to choose life. Author: Leo Buscaglia Monday, November 1, 2004 Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone. Author: Gladys Berthe Stern                                     This article or ad was created on behalf of a syndication marketing client of KickTheEmailHabit.com. Visit our website for more information. ©Copyright 2004 - KickTheEmailHabit.com All rights reserved.

Hello Online Marketers! This week we are featuring another IVWCC member, Laura Gonzales and her business Virtual Business Solutions. Laura is an expert in Quickbooks and anything to do with keeping your books in line on your business. She really knows how to keep it all together for you and your business.
I'm getting to know Laura and she is very efficient and professional in all she does. She learns it all. In fact, she's learning all about Quikonnex right now and I believe it won't be long before she is adding Quikonnex as another service to her clients.
If your business needs some organizing and proficiency added,Virtual Business Solutions would be the company for you to hire.

---

KB: Laura C. Gonzalez, thank you for taking the time to participate in this interview for our readers.
To set the stage for this interview, would you please tell us a bit about yourself?

[Laura C. Gonzalez] I have over 15 years of experience in accounting and small business management. I own my own company Virtual Business Solutions that provides strategies, business solutions, software implementation, business transformation and operational solutions for clients managing their business. I have worked with many companies, managed new setups and solved countless issues - every day. My accounting knowledge, combined with expertise in QuickBooks, Peachtree, Timeslips, MS Office, PC Anywhere and Small Business consulting, makes me a powerful partner for any business.

KB: You’re sure right about that Laura- better to hire someone who is not only good at this sort of thing but someone like yourself who likes doing it. Okay, give us your elevator speech, or 30-second spiel, about what you do, about your business:

[Laura C. Gonzalez] This time of year many companies are scrambling to get their books ready for their CPA. Virtual Business Solutions can be the source to help them through this stressful time. We can also set up systems to make any business more productive and run smoother throughout the year. If you know someone who might be interested in any of our services, I would be happy to contact them to address their specific needs.

KB: Thanks for asking Laura, and I’m sure we’ll all keep you in mind during that awful time known as tax season! How long have you been in business for yourself?

[Read More!]

5 Reasons Why Link Swapping Is Killing Your Website

by Michael Cheney

created my first website in 1995 - it was so long ago I built it out of rock and wood, not HTML.

Shortly after it went live I realised that nobody apart from me could see it and it started to dawn on me what this 'Internet thing' is all about. It is not about having a stand-alone website plonked somewhere that nobody will ever see - it is about being part of an INTERconnected NETwork of other websites. INTER-NET. The penny dropped - I needed to start getting connected to other websites.

Much has changed since then (my hair got longer, shorter and has since started to recede further up my head for one thing) but it seems the desire and pressure you face as a website owner to exchange links shows no signs of fading. But link swapping is killing your website! Here's 5 Reasons why...

Reason No. 1 - It's Addictive!

[Read More!]

Sales Copy Tips

Copyright 2004 Adam Waxler

Writing good sales copy is not an art, it is a science. There is no reason to get creative here. You want to follow the formula that has been proven to work.

Nevertheless, I am always surprised at how many sales letters on the internet can be improved upon.

Here are a list of some helpful tips when writing your own sales copy:

1. Make your Unique Selling Point (USP) very clear. Separate yourself from your competition. What is it that makes your product stand out from the other’s?

[Read More!]

RSS Explained

by Mark Daoust

A lot of fuss has been made over RSS and the vast benefits it can bring to webmasters on both ends of the RSS syndication. However, a lot of webmasters have absolutely no idea how to create an RSS feed or how they can incorporate an RSS feed on their website. A tool is not very useful if you do not know how to use it. It is with this motivation that this article is written, to give you a basic enough understanding of how you can both create an RSS feed and how you can incorporate an RSS feed into your website. First, we will look at what RSS really is. Secondly, we will explain how you can create your own RSS feed. Finally, we will look at how you incorporate RSS feeds into your website.

What is RSS?
[Read More!]

Hello Online Marketers! If you want a brand new way to market yourselves I suggest you try out the new audiozines by Encouraging Entertainment.
I've been participating in these great new audiozines for a while now and it does get easier and more fun as you get used to recording.

This is getting ready to go worldwide so if you want to jump in and try it, now is your chance. There are variety of audiozines you can particpate in and instructions on how to include all your business info will follow. Here are the genres:
[Read More!]

Advertisers Muscle Into RSS

by Daniel Terdiman

Create a useful technology, and it's only a matter of time before advertising worms into its heart.

Really Simple Syndication, or RSS, is inviolate space no more. A new pilot program from FeedBurner embeds ads in the feeds of a number of the company's content-publishing partners. And while some RSS users are screaming bloody murder, they're likely going to have to get used to the inevitable.

To read this article in its entirety CLICK HERE

How To Get Press To Come To You

by Paula Gardner

Have you ever noticed how the same people’s names always seem to appear in magazines and newspapers articles which quote them as a source of info and advice on their own particular subject, whether it is web functionality and design, cosmetic surgery or investment banking?

They don’t just get there by accident. They, or their PR Company, have put in a pretty concerted effort to become an expert in their field. And here’s how you can become one too...

1. Your first step is to define your niche. Don’t just choose the whole of your industry. Choosing a particular area that has relevance for people’s lives (or their money!) means that you will be more appealing to a journalist or editor. For instance if you are a life coach choosing one area of coaching (say helping people find a new job) is going to be more successful than trying to set yourself up as an expert on everything. Likewise if you deal with investing people’s money, talking about investing for your children’s education and further education will bring you better results as specific situations and articles will bring you into the mind of the journalists.


[Read More!]

The free vs. subscription debate
Commentary: Did the online ad model win?
By Bambi Francisco, CBS.MarketWatch.com

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) - One of the oldest debates on the Internet -- whether subscription or advertising business models best support media sites -- is getting fresh attention these days.

Based on fresh reports Monday, the ratio of online ad dollars spent vs. content paid for will end the year at roughly 10 to 1.5, a significant leap from several years back.

"I can recall noting three years ago that online advertising was about three to four times the amount spent on paid content," said Michael Zimbalist, president of the Online Publishing Association.

On Monday, the OPA reported that web surfers spent $853 million in the first half of this year on paid content. That was a 14 percent increase from the same period in the previous year. The increase was due in large part to a surge in music downloads, such as people buying songs from Apple's (AAPL: news, chart, profile) i-Tunes, for instance. Subscription fees for business investment content fell 6 percent in the same period.

To read this in its entirety CLICK HERE

How To Write Little Tiny AdWords Ads That Bring Giant-Sized Profits

by Karon Thackston

It seems to be a phenomenon. You try Google AdWords Select, your ad gets "disapproved" by the powers that be at Google, you count your losses and give up. It doesn't have to be that way. There are two primary factors to succeeding at Google AdWords. The first is getting the right keywords. The second is writing little tiny ads. Neither is all that easy, but they can both be done.

Mark Twain said it best. "If I would have had more time, I would have written you a shorter letter." The point. it takes much more skill, and much more time to write short copy than long copy.

Let's go through the process together and I'll show you a few tricks of the trade that have brought me AdWords click through rates of 7.1%, 8.0%. even 25%.


[Read More!]

November 14, 2004

The holiday season is almost here. Before you get lost in the holiday fun, there are a few more opportunities for you network and boost your ebiz savvy compliments of the International Virtual Women's Chamber of Commerce.

Our Women's eBusiness Roundtable will be held on November 18. This month we will be discussing how to use RSS Technology, improving our online newsletters so they produce a high ROI and creating affiliate programs to boost our profits. Visit the Women's News Bureau to review the calendar for more details on how to participate.

To celebrate its third anniversary, the International Virtual Women's Chamber of Commerce will give the 2005 Hire-A-Businesswoman Expo in metro Atlanta on April 30. With the help of a dream team of metro Atlanta businesswomen, IVWCC has laid the foundation for a truly magnificent business event that will educate small businesswomen on the cost saving and time reduction benefits of hiring a virtual staff comprised of e-biz savvy self-employed women. [Read More!]

RSS Edges Into the Bureaucracy

By Daniel Terdiman

One thing that many people agree on is that government bureaucracies are usually very slow to adopt new innovations.

So when the little-known National Agricultural Statistics Service last week began offering RSS feeds of some of its news, it was the latest sign that the technology, which allows anyone to subscribe and automatically receive dynamic content on their computers, has hit the mainstream.

To read this article in its entirety CLICK HERE

How To Keep Your Business Healthy
by Charlie Cook

Can you imagine you're ninety years old and still hiking up mountains with your grandchildren, bench pressing more than most twenty year olds, and making millions of dollars? Recently Jack LaLanne, America's first TV fitness guru, turned ninety. Not only is he still sound of mind, in great shape, he's made millions and is still earning more. How does he do it?

You know it is important to eat your fruits and veggies, exercise regularly, avoid drinking and smoking and get enough sleep to stay healthy. To that list Jack LaLanne would add, set clear goals, exercise with weights twice a week, avoid eating between meals and keep your mind active.

Of course you can't just eat well and skip the exercise or avoid the drinking and smoking and skimp on sleep. Jack LaLanne is still going strong at 90 because he does ALL the things required to stay healthy every day.
[Read More!]

Hello Online Marketers! I want to share with you a great new business newsletter by my friend, business associate, and soon my very own business strategist, Kim Beasley of Agape3.com.
There is some very excellent and sound advice offered in this newsletter, I hope you will all subscribe! Kim also publishes a column on my Christian RSS channel, Sharing Spirit so please go check out her "Tapestries from the Heart" column.
Our very own Cathy Carlton did all the design for that channel also!
To go read it CLICK HERE

---

the newsletter for small business owners

Table of Contents

• Tidbits submissions
  • Featured Article: Kim Bloomer (by Kim Beasley)
  • How You Can Sell Yourself Without Selling Yourself Short (by Susan Harrow)
  • Newsletter: Don't Let the Spam Filters Trap Your Newsletter (by Jessica Albon)
  • Time Management 101, part 1 (by Terence Kierans)
  • How Do I Pay Taxes - Home Business Helps (by Kay Green)
• Tales submissions
  • For Moms: A Mommy Moment (by Kim Bloomer)
  • Words of Wisdom
    • Biana Babinsky
    • Diane Carter
    • Kim Beasley
    • Gina Badalaty
    • Penny Haynes
  • FAQs
    • Where can I get free clipart?
    • Where can I find free training to help me start my business?
    • I've heard a lot about adding audio to my website, where can I find details?
• Subscribe to this newsletter

Do I Need An RSS Feed?
by Sharon Housley

Do I Need an RSS Feed? RSS has been around for more than 10 years but has only recently become popular. RSS provides headlines and summaries of information in a concise and standardized way.

Benefits for Publishers

1.) Avoid Spam Filters
Statisticians estimate that 70% of the email transferred each day is spam (unsolicited email). With that statistic, even opt-in users risk losing valuable messages in the cesspool of spam. RSS feeds effectively nullify spam as an issue. Requesting feeds allow users to maintain complete control over the content they view. Users can easily opt-in and out of feeds that provide content of interest or importance.
[Read More!]

Hello Online Marketers! This week we are featuring Diane Carter of Sam101.com. I really enjoyed doing this interview with Diane. In fact, I think I got way more out of this interview than Diane may have!

If you need an ebook developed and done for you, Diane is the "go to" person for you. She can also develop a custom logo for your business, a slogan, and well a lot of other things. She's been teaching me all about "Branding" my business. When you're done reading this interview, go check out Diane's website.

---

KB: Diane Carter, thank you for taking the time to participate in this interview for our readers. To set the stage for this interview, would you please tell us a bit about yourself?

DC: You waste no time getting to the point Kim. So here goes. With more than twenty-three years of sales and marketing experience, I assist clients in their growth, to reach and sell beyond their limits.

As an entrepreneur I co-founded and acted as the Chief Creative Officer in a very successful design studio from 1986 to 1996. Clients ranged from the corner Mom and Pop shop to Mohawk Carpet, Georgia Pacific and beyond.

In 1997 I focused my energy and passion on sales coaching and training. I trained nationwide for corporations, and their clients including Verizon, TMobile, Cingular, MCI, CompUSA, Circuit City, Best Buys, Office Depot and Staples.

Today I have merged my multiple talents and skills in sales and marketing and founded sam101.com the premier sales and marketing site for entrepreneurs and small businesses worldwide. Our mission is to improve the quality of entrepreneurs and small business sales and marketing efforts for their greater revenue.

I can tell you about me all day but I think to really know who I am and how I work readers should visit sam101.com and click on the “Testimonial” link to experience the personal journeys of a few who have benefited from my passionate and motivational style.

KB: Diane, I feel your energy in and all through your words, wow! Okay, give us your elevator speech, or 30-second spiel, about what you do, about your current business: [Read More!]

How To Write A Killer Press Release

by John Jantsch

One of the primary tools still used by PR professionals to garner media coverage is the press release. Now understand the purpose of a press release is to grab the attention of an editor, not to offer a word for word story to a publication. Most professionals as well as small business owners misunderstand this concept and are therefore frustrated when they can't seem to make it work for them.

If you understand that the purpose of a press release is to grab attention then you might also begin to realize that there is a bit of an art to writing an effective one.

[Read More!]

Crazy Like a Firefox
› › › What's The Buzz?

Sponsored by washingtonpost.com

BY Rebecca Lieb | November 12, 2004

Fans of Mozilla's free, open-source Firefox browser make the ardent Apple faithful look like a bunch of slackers. Their community-generated Spread Firefox (SFX) campaign, launched less than two months ago, is already one of the watershed campaigns in interactive marketing history. It's helped generate over a million downloads per day since Firefox went out of beta on Tuesday; registered over 25,000 volunteer marketers; encouraged about 100,000 Web sites to display promotional buttons and banners; generated wall-to-wall coverage in the blogosphere and mainstream media; and raised a quarter of a million dollars for a full-page ad in The New York Times.

To read this article in it's entirety CLICK HERE

Receiving Kindness - At Last!

— Local businesswoman, Kim Bloomer, teams with Nancy Boyd of Briarcliff Manor, NY to create a new product to help abused animals recover: “Receiving Kindness – At Last!”*
—

Albuquerque, NM – November 1, 2004 – Kim Bloomer of Aspenbloom, a natural pet care consultant, teamed with Nancy Boyd of Bright Wings, Inc. to create a product for abused animals – “Receiving Kindness – At Last!”*

Bloomer met Boyd in the International Virtual Women’s Chamber of Commerce
(IVWCC) online. Boyd is gaining national notoriety in her approach to bringing
wellness to pets. Her work has caught the attention of a regional pet magazine and a cable network pet show.
Boyd contacted Bloomer with an offer to joint venture and they must’ve been on the same page that day because Boyd only beat Bloomer to the “punch” by minutes! “As soon as I noticed that Nancy was involved in natural pet care, I of course, wanted to contact her and see what we could do together” says Bloomer. “Although Nancy is a Life Coach by trade, she creates custom-blended natural flower essences** to use in
her approach to wellness for both people and pets*. Not only is she kind and caring, but very talented and creative as well” commented Bloomer. [Read More!]

Protecting Your Web Site's Email Address(es)

by Maria Marsala

Did you know that there are software programs that view web sites and steal email addresses? It's called "harvesting" because they're harvesting your email address from your site. This may be one of the reasons your web site email address is receiving more s*p^a#m than wanted email.

When I first started teaching web design classes, I strongly suggested that students place their email address on each page - it makes your site a bit more "trustable." But it turns out this is just leaving you wide open to harvesting.

[Read More!]

Firms warn of new Mydoom worm
McAfee says new e-mail worm spreads via Web links; Microsoft looks into the threat it poses.

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Anti-virus software maker McAfee Inc. is warning about a new version of the Mydoom worm that infects computers of people who click on a link in e-mail they receive.

The new version is a mass-mailing worm that does not contain an attachment, as some earlier versions of the worm program have done.

To read entire story CLICK HERE

Want To Expand Your Business? Try Walking Barefoot in the Grass!

by Diane Hughes

I hear it all the time. "I want to expand my business, but I don’t know how." Many online small business owners have this challenge. In all actuality, it’s not a business problem... rather a creativity problem.

For any given industry, there are dozens of ways to expand, reach new customers, develop new products, and offer more services. However, the struggle comes with trying to think of new ideas. "Where do I expand to?" "How do I reach new customers?" "What products or services should I add?" These are all questions that can seem overwhelming to someone stuck sitting in front of a computer all day.
[Read More!]

Pheedo Launches RSS Ad Server With Paid Listings By Kanoodle

Pheedo, an advertising technology firm for Weblog publishers and their RSS/Atom feeds, Monday released a new ad serving product that allows bloggers, micro-publishers, and larger media outlets to insert paid ads into their RSS/Atom feeds, and track both ad and feed activity. Called SimpleAds for Feeds, the new product is a full-service ad server that manages, serves, and reports on the performance of ads in feeds. It will also provide publishers with information about circulation size, total views, and click-through stats on content and ads. Kanoodle, a sponsored listings provider for search results and content pages, will provide Pheedo with listings from its ContextTarget program. Pheedo will then automate the insertion of ads into syndicated content feeds.

Pheedo Launches RSS Ad Server With Paid Listings By Kanoodle

---

© 2004 MediaPost Communications. All rights reserved.
16 W. 19th Street, 9th floor New York, NY 10011
phone: 212-204-2000 fax: 212-204-2038
feedback@mediapost.com

Aliens Help Me Earn $10,000 Per Month Online
by Stephen Brennen

What are you laughing at? Are you laughing at all? I wouldn't be too surprised if many weren’t the least bit ‘tickled’ by such a headline. After all, I’ve seen claims that are as ridiculous, or almost as ridiculous, describing one Home Based Business opportunity or another. I’m really just wondering how much of it people who are searching for that elusive ‘Work At Home’ dream will continue to swallow.

Most would agree that as little as ten years ago, people who worked at home (i.e. earned their living) were a very rare bunch indeed. They were a ‘lucky few’ that had somehow managed to get themselves into a position where they could manage their business and/or market their products from the comfort and convenience of their own home. Of course, the communication and immediate access to information wasn’t available in the average home ten years ago nor were people spending billions of dollars purchasing any and every product imaginable at a fledgling ‘nerd’ hangout called the ‘Internet’.
[Read More!]

Hello Online Marketers! This week's interview is with Heather Bresser of Assistant For You! Heather is a dynamic and focused businesswoman. If you're looking for a VA who also has a gift service, and several other services to help the online business, then you will not only enjoy this interview but you may just want to give Heather a call and see how she can help your business!

---

KB: Heather Bresser thank you for taking the time to participate in this interview for our readers.
To set the stage for this interview Heather, would you please tell us a bit about yourself?

HB: I have a well-rounded background working for the past 16 years in many industries from Aerospace, Construction, Coaching, and Medical/Health Care fields. I have a BA in Law & Justice and plan to start my MBA soon.

KB: Wow that is impressive Heather! Okay, give us your elevator speech, or 30-second spiel, about what you do, about your business:

HB: Assistant For You!™ is a virtual assistance company that provides business support services from website design and promotion to administrative services and executive gift buying.

[Read More!]

Control Your Fear Before It Controls You
by Michael Lee, CPA

by any one or more of the following reasons.
[Read More!]

Removing Obstacles To Sales

by Charlie Cook

During the summer Olympics I watched the men's and women's hurdles. I'm always impressed by these athletes' ability to run at full speed and leap the hurdles without breaking stride. But each time I watch this track event, I have the same reaction. If they just went out on the track and removed those barriers, it would be a heck of lot easier to get around the track. The athletes could run faster, more smoothly and wouldn't risk falling (as the accomplished Flo Joyner did).

If you are struggling to attract clients, you may feel like you're running the hurdles. Obstacles like limited promotional budgets, ads that don't sell, web sites that don't generate leads, prospects that aren't ready to buy or who think your prices are too high, all get between prospects and the sale.

[Read More!]

UPDATE!!!!
This class will be postponed until mid-January due to recent developments.
Please stay tuned as we will be posting the new date coming in January!
This will be a GREAT time to come and learn how to keep your marriage strong and focused, not to mention to be energized for the New Year!!

Hello Everyone, my friends Joanie Winberg and Sharon Wilson are offering this teleclass for those who are having some struggles in your marriage or just want a "tune-up"!

---

Two friends of mine, Joanie Winberg (successandlifecoaching.com) and Sharon Wilson (coachingfromspirit.com) are excited to offer a free teleclass on how to re-energize your marriage. They have also put together something extraordinary (complimentary gifts) for all the participants! When you register for the class at http://www.successandlifecoaching.com/freecall.htm will receive bonuses worth over $1,600.00.

Three Secrets To Re-energizing Your Marriage NOW!

Dates,Times and Locations

Dec 6, 2004 and Dec.13, 2004 from 7-P.M. to 8-P.M. EST- telephone

Speakers

Sharon Wilson and Joanie Winberg

[Read More!]

10 Electrifying Ways To Explode Your Orders
by Rudy Cline

1. Persuade visitors to link to your web site. Give them a freebie in exchange for them linking to your web site. It could be content, software, etc.


2. Link to web sites that provide useful information or services for your visitors. If you have many useful links on your site, they may make it their start page.


3. Spice-up your web site's wording using plenty of adjectives. It gives your visitors a clearer vision of what your explaining or describing to them.

[Read More!]

Swotting For Success
by Dave Collins

Not so long ago, I impressed the daylights out of a friend, by showing him his face on my PC's screen. As I tapped away at the minus key, the picture slowly zoomed-out, revealing that it was a picture of the two of us, and it soon became clear where the picture was taken. As I continued to zoom out, more details came into view; the picture was actually a small part of a scanned photograph of the two of us sitting by my desk, watching the monitor. The photo was merely lying on the desk when the high-resolution picture was taken.

Aside from the fact that even just viewing this high-resolution picture took up obscene amounts of disk space and memory, and slowed down my PC to the speed of a Sinclair ZX-81, the story also serves as a fairly long-winded analogy to an important business concept. We constantly lose track of the big-picture; we forget what we're trying to achieve, and get sidelined dealing with email enquiries, financial issues, bug-fixes, submitting our site to the search engines and other day to day tasks. All part of running a small web-based business. The bigger companies have staff to deal with the correspondence, answer the phone, market their products and spend day or weeks on getting their new logo just right. We do not.
[Read More!]

Hello Online Marketers! Please come join this incredible teleclass happening Thursday, November 4, 2004 at 1PM EST. Now I've invited you to a fanastic PR teleclass AND the IVWCC networking Meet & Greet -guys you can come too!!!

*****Thursday Teleseminar*****

Next Level PR Web Strategies:
The Components of Building A Powerful PR Web Wire

Distribution Campaign with SE0-PR Co-founder, Greg Jarboe and National Publicist Annie Jennings
Thursday, November 4, 2004
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Eastern
10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12N CT)

** All who sign up are offered the free publicity CD "Be A Hot Radio Guest-The Secrets The Pros Know Revealed"

** All who attend are offered the complimentary digital recording of "PR Myths: What The Media Loves & Hates" during the teleseminar.

[Read More!]

Form Joint Partnerships & Strategic Alliances With the Members of the International Virtual Women's Chamber of Commerce on November 4, 2004

I would like to invite you to participate in IVWCC's November 4th Virtual Meet & Greet. The event is complimentary for nonmembers who have NOT participated in an IVWCC Virttual Meet & Greet within the past three month. This is your opportunity to find out if IVWCC membership will be beneficial to your business. Review the announcement below for the full details.

On Thursday, November 4 the International Virtual Women's Chamber of Commerce ( http://www.ivwcc.org ) will hold another Virtual Meet & Greet. Companies that are interested in forming joint partnerships and strategic alliances with IVWCC members to expand their marketing reach in the women in business market are invited to participate. The 24 hour virtual networking event will begin at 3 p.m. eastern and will continue all day Friday, November 5. Networking will take place on a private ListServ.

[Read More!]

Investor's Business Daily

Blogs Bring A Boost To Jupiter Research
by Doug Tsuruoka

There's an emerging form of media out there, beamed from Jupiter and called a blog.

This Jupiter isn't a planet. It's JupiterMedia (NasdaqNM:JUPM - News), a seller of Internet research and related services. And blogs, short for Web logs, aren't alien e-mails. They're personal online journals where writers comment on just about anything.

To read this article in its entirety CLICK HERE

How To Write Better Solo Ads
by Jeremy Gislason

Writing responsive ads may seem like an exact science, but there are some simple things you can do to increase your response rate. Here are some tips on how to write better solo ads.

Start with the subject line. Your subject must be compelling and exciting and entice the reader to open your ad, but you do not want to mislead the reader because if you do, it does not matter whether they need your product or not, they will not buy from you.

There is a Spam email that I get a couple times a week with the subject line that reads: How to stop getting emails just like this one. Cute and a unique approach, but there is no way I would ever buy anything from a company that uses this type of sales approach. This would be like a doctor making you sick for free and then telling you he can cure you for $50.

[Read More!]

3 Steps To Effectively Increase Your Marketing Response
by Frank Bauer

It's well known that internet marketers are in the business of marketing. To become successful in business, it's crucial to actively promote your business to gain new customers. Let's face it... No promotion, no new customers. It's a simple as that.

If you've ever spent money on advertising before, you will know that it can be a costly process. Whether the cost is measured in time, effort, money or a mixture of all three - the one thing that counts the most is the results. A lack of results from a marketing campaign can be a real disappointment.

More often than not, it is a case of hit-and-miss which leads to frustration and a wasted advertising budget.

[Read More!]

Shattering the Branding Myths

by Diane Hughes

If you've been online long, you're sure to have seen many "gurus" give their ideas about branding. However, much of what you read simply isn't true. Over the years, many myths about branding have taken hold in the online world and spread like wildfire. The fact is: They are doing you more harm than good.

Branding is not one aspect of your marketing campaign. It is the combination of everything your business stands for. Branding is not created with a single, stand-alone event -- rather it is created over time through a series of strategically thought-out actions.

Let's take a few minutes to shatter a few common myths about branding and to introduce constructive, proactive branding principles that you can build on.

Branding Myth #1 - Your USP Is Your Brand

[Read More!]

Blogs play critical role in campaigns

By John Borland
Staff Writer, CNET News.com

In the right corner are the Free Republic's self-described "FReepers." On the left, the legions of Kos. At stake are the hearts and minds of millions of American voters.

Free Republic and the DailyKos are two of the ideologically driven Web logs, or blogs, that collectively have captured hundreds of thousands of readers, helped shape and speed the presidential campaign's dialog, and have contributed substantially to the powerful grassroots mobilization that many analysts say could tip the balance in Tuesday's election.

To read the rest of this news CLICK HERE

Things To Do When You Feel Like Quitting Your Online Business
by Tal Fighel

There are many business skills that need to be learned during your online business venture, but there is one that needs to be mastered. That skill is the ability to not give up, despite many failures along the way.

Here are 9 things that you can do when you feel like quitting your online business. It has worked well for me and others. It can help you too.

1. When you do feel very stressed out, frustrated, angry, and about to quit, take some nice, deep cleansing breaths. This will relax your mind and body.

2. If you feel like quitting, step back and give yourself some breathing room. Don’t spend too much time online. Instead, spend shorter times going through your business (15 minutes each time).

[Read More!]