Article Writing Tips from SpongeBob SquarePants

Wisdom can be found in the most unexpected places. Today, wisdom bubbled up from a pineapple under the sea. I suddenly realized that everything you’d want to know about writing articles for your website can be taught by SpongeBob SquarePants and his friends.

When you write for your newsletter, blog, or website, which character are you most like?

Mr. Krabs: This crustacean is focused on one thing and one thing only, making more and more and more money. Only a cartoon could actually have dollar signs drawn in his eyes. He thinks of no one, only how he can benefit. Are your articles focused on you or on the reader? Are you providing information or do you have blinders on, thinking only about how you can make money from the article you are writing? If your article reads like an ad or is self-serving or full of affiliate links, you might write like Mr. Krabs.

Plankton: The smallest creature in the sea is also the sneakiest. He’ll do anything and hurt anyone to steal someone else’s work (the Krabby Pattie secret formula). Write your own material. Don’t be Plankton. Don’t copy and paste someone else’s work, edit it, and try to pass it off as your own. You will be caught, and it just isn’t worth it. Take the same amount of effort and work on your own thoughts and ideas. Plankton never gets away with his schemes, either. He’s on Plan “Z” and is still pathetically failing at his attempts to steal the secret formula.

Patrick: SpongeBob’s best friend, the starfish, has a good heart, but isn’t the brightest creature in the sea. Do your articles make you sound like an expert? Are you providing valuable content or just pushing out sloppy articles as fast as you can? Always double check for typos and grammatical errors. If you’re challenged by spelling and grammar, hire a Virtual Assistant or Copywriter to proofread and submit your article for you. Or slow down, set your article aside for a day and then reread it before you click the “submit” button.

Squidward: Squidward is B-O-R-I-N-G. When writing articles, are you a Squidward? Do you just get the words down on paper or are you finding a fun twist to entertain your audience and keep them coming back for more? Take time to make your articles stand out from the thousands of other dull articles out there by including personal stories or just having fun while writing. For instance, this article could be entitled “How to Write a Good Article”, but would it stand out from the hundreds of other articles about article writing? Probably not.

SpongeBob: This little guy always tries to do the right thing, and is a hard worker. He may not always end up getting the results he hoped for, but he bounces back and tackles his work with a renewed vigor. SpongeBob works very hard, he’s a good friend, he always thinks of others, and tries to have fun no matter what he is faced with. Hardworking, friendly SpongeBob is the guy to be when writing articles.

Although this is a silly lesson in article writing, I hope you’ll remember the important messages our underwater friends have taught us.

1. Write articles to help others, not with dollar signs in your eyes.

2. Write your own material. Don’t copy others.

3. Proofread your articles carefully, and provide valuable information.

4. Be entertaining. Not boring.

5. Be a SpongeBob! Hard work and persistence pay off.

Before you know it, you’ll develop a following for having informative and entertaining articles and you’ll be King or Queen of the sea.

How to be Rejected by the Article Directories

Article writing is one of the best ways to increase your traffic and get more sales. You’ve heard it a million times so you decide to finally just do it. You write an article and submit it to the article directories, eagerly anticipating the flow of traffic. Instead you receive the dreaded rejection letter.

What did you do wrong?

1. Did you proof-read your article before you submitted it?

Popular article directory sites receive hundreds of submissions each day. It’s much easier for the owner to click “decline” than to edit your typo-filled or unformatted article. Before submitting, proof the article and proof it again. If grammar and spelling make you sweat, then hire a Copywriter or ask a friend to help you before you click that submit button.

2. Is it an Advertisement or an Article?

Article directory sites are looking for informative, useful content, not press releases or ads. If your submission reads like an ad, it will not be accepted. And, think about it — even if was approved on a fluke, do you think that website owners will be clamoring to publish your 500 word advertisement? Not a chance.

If your goal is to write and submit a press release, then check out places like prweb.com.

3. Did you read the Submission Guidelines?

Each article directory has a different culture. Glance through the Submission Guidelines before setting up an account to make sure your article will be welcome before you submit it. If an article directory is based around a niche like gardening, then please resist the urge to submit your Mesothelioma articles. There are plenty of article directories that want your articles. It’s not an effective use of your time to submit unwanted articles to a niche site.

4. Is your article PG-rated?

Don’t submit sex-related articles, profanity, or general nastiness. Article directories are businesses and, therefore, exist to make money. This means they generally receive income through affiliate sales or advertising. So, if your article includes sex or contains words stronger than “darn”, don’t be surprised if

your article is rejected. Of course, if your article contains nastiness or anything illegal — don’t even bother.

5. Is your Article original and written by you?

Submit only original articles. Please do not copy someone else’s article, edit it, and submit it. That’s stealing and you will be caught. And, do not submit articles from shared content sites. Article directories want original, unique content. Public domain is ‘public’ but think how ineffective article directories would

become if there were 500 versions of the same public domain piece. Instead of wasting your time figuring out how to reinvent other people’s content, just write your own.

Now that you know what not to do, start writing the kind of articles that article directories dream of — and watch your business grow.

How to Outsource Parts of Your Internet Business

One of my favorite topics to discuss is outsourcing.

You’d be amazed how thinking about outsourcing and where to begin outsourcing flummoxes everyone from the newest newbies to the seasoned gurus and everyone in between.

Buy why? Why is it so very confusing? Most of us manage to outsource quite nicely in our day to day lives.

I oftentimes pose these questions to my coaching clients –

When you go to a restaurant, do you head back into the kitchen and cook your own food? (That’s just silly.)

And, if your appendix burst right now, would you go online to find out how to remove it yourself? (Please say “no”.)

Of course not!

But, why do we think it’s ok to do everything ourselves in our businesses?

I can’t figure out what it is, but I think I’m starting to narrow it down.

* Fear of losing control.
* Not knowing who to outsource work to. (Needing a recommendation.)
* Not wanting to take the time to outsource. (You think: “It’s quicker to do it myself.”)
* Costs. (Oftentimes, though, you can get help for a lot less than you think it’ll cost.)
* Lack of confidence in ourselves.
* Lack of confidence in the potential of our business.

No matter which of those it is, there comes a point with all of us, where you HAVE to outsource — at least if you ever want to be able to go on a real vacation where you leave the internet behind and relax with your loved ones.

I know. I know. If you’ve been following me for any amount of time – you’ve heard this song and dance before. BUT! While outsourcing isn’t perfect, it’s a heck of a lot better than putting the chains on your wrists from a job that you’ve created for yourself – one where you can’t escape.
So, my #1 tip for outsourcing is to try it.

Choose something small and work from there.

•     Submitting some articles that you’ve written to the article directories.
•     Finding blogs to guest post on and contacting the owners.
•     Answering some emails regarding customer issues.
•     Graphics to promote your products.

It really doesn’t matter where you start. The big thing is taking that first step so that you can enjoy the FREEDOM that comes with the online lifestyle.

Start small. Don’t go crazy. But, when you find someone who you work well with – build on that relationship so you have access to great people who know your style and who you’re comfortable working with. When I need a project done, I have my own personal rolodex of fabulously skilled people who I turn to on a regular basis. Not only does it save me time – but it also helps me to get great prices because they already know what I like, they know that I’m easy to work with and that I pay on time.

I hope this inspires you to start outsourcing in your business.

Dream of Being a Blogger? The First Thing You’ll Need is a Great Web Domain Name!

More and more moms are getting into the blogging scene. Some for fun, some for profit, and some for both. Why not make money while you’re blogging about your favorite stuff, right?

It’s easier than ever to get started blogging. But the first thing you need before you begin is an idea for your domain name.

What is a domain name?

It’s the “www (dot) SOMETHING (dot) com” that people will type in to get to your blog. It’s like your address.

How do you Know What is a Good Domain Name?

There are some standards for what is a “great” domain name verses one that makes you wonder what on earth that person was thinking!

In order to help you to come up with a great web name that you’ll love for years, here are my unbreakable rules for choosing a domain.

1. No hyphens. Avoid dashes and hyphens. I’ve been there. Done that. Regret it to this day.

2. No numbers. Do I spell it out “seven” or is it the number “7??

3. Avoid words that are difficult to spell. Although I once was really excited about using a domain with the word “catalyst” in it — I found that no one could spell the darned thing.

4. Domain should end in .com. I don’t bother with other endings like .info or .biz. People tend to type in .com at the end of everything, so it’s usually best to stick with a .com ending.

5. Domain must NOT have any copyright names in it. I would not recommend using “Starbucks”, “Disney”, or any other company name in your URL or you may get a “cease and desist” email. Yes, even though you’re starting as a little mom blogger, eventually you might get huge. So, it’s best to plan for success in advance and avoid using trademarks in your URL.

6. If I’m looking to sell your blog down the road, it must be generic enough. For instance, I wouldn’t buy “NicoleKnowsFootball.com” to talk about my favorite football team if I planned to sell the site ever, because I’d have to find someone named Nicole to buy it.

And my big, bad unbreakable rule.

7. It must pass the Oprah test.

What exactly is the Oprah test? Well, I picture Oprah saying it out loud. “Today I have with me, Nicole Dean, author of Blah blah blah and owner of NicoleontheNet.com”. Is it memorable? Easy to spell?

You can’t do that with MyNumber1-BestHome-Remedy-Treatments4New-Mothers.net.

Why is this Important?

A difficult domain is actually wasted opportunity and wasted traffic slipping through your fingers. If you’re promoting via audio or video (maybe on podcasts or on YouTube) – you need a domain that is EASY to remember. It has to make it into the person’s ears and to his brain and stick. Heck, even if you run into an old college friend and say “Stop by my site www (dot) somethingcool (dot) com” – you’ll want her to remember long enough to actually come to your blog, right? So, make it simple. Make it memorable. And you’ll be glad.

Plus, honestly, it’s a credibility issue. Would you really buy something from MyNumber1-BestHome-Remedy-Treatments4New-Mothers.net? I hope you wouldn’t even think of getting out your credit card for a site like that. SCARY. And would you feel comfortable referring it to your friends? Not a chance.

How do you get a domain name of your very own?

You can get a domain at www.MomWebs.com which is also my recommendation for Web Hosting. As you sign up for your domain, you can get hosting at the same time. And… they’ll even set up your blog for you for only $10. Plus, there’s a phone number that you can call if you have any questions.

With all of that help, there’s nothing stopping you from setting up your first blog.

I hope this has been helpful. And, I really look forward to seeing YOU on Oprah!

Brain Excellence Comes From Training Just As Physical Excellence Does

Not only does a twenty-six-year-old graduate student at the University of Miami have a fabulous memory due to lots of effort in developing it, he is training to climb Mt Everest next year.

Nelson Dellis won the 13th Annual USA Memory Championship held March 12, 2011 in NYC with fifty mental athletes competing. None of the competitors claim to have super memory talents, but claim that it is just from regular mental exercise.

We’ve heard the term photographic memory, often confused with the phenomenon called eidetic memory. There is no such thing as truly photographic memory. Eidetic memory does actually occur in 2 – 15 percent of children and rarely occurs in adults.

An eidetic image is an afterimage that lingers in the mind’s eye for up to a few minutes before it fades away. Children who do have eidetic memory do not have even nearly perfect recall. What they visualize is typically not nearly detailed as a body of text.

It’s just all about practice and determination for these contestants.

Ronnie White, the winner in the memorization of two decks of cards, said he has a person in mind to pair with every playing card in the deck. To memorize anything you really need that picture in your mind.

To prepare for the championship, contenders go into serious training even changing their eating and living habits. Dellis said he stopped drinking alcohol three months prior to the competition and started eating blueberries and taking omega 3’s every day.

Nelson Dellis also broke the record for number memorization, remembering the first hundred and seventy-eight digits of a randomly generated five-hundred-digit number, with just five minutes to study it. Dellis uses memorization techniques giving cards and numbers associations he can visualize-the name of a famous person, an action, an object.

One of the tasks was to memorize playing cards in order and be able to remember that order.  There are a number of different brain exercises where we can use ordinary playing cards.  You can sort them by suits or numbers and work at increasing your speed.  Just doing the memorization as Dellis did is a great exercise for your brain.  The associations you create in order to recall certain cards form new neuropathways in your brain.

Nelson’s  grandmother died of Alzheimer’s disease and the climb up Mt. Everest will earn money for research to help find a cure for this widespread disease. It was difficult for him to experience seeing his grandmother go through such drastic changes. He decided he wanted to make a difference in conquering this disease.

USA Memory Championship chairman and founder Tony Dottino, chairman and founder of the USA Memory Championship says that anyone who has the determination can have a good memory.

Nelson Dellis certainly has shown his determination with not only the mental training for this championship, but also with taking on the challenge of hiking Mt. Everest!

If you’re ready to start improving your memory and your brain health, you need to check out the comprehensive  Jump Start Course For Your Brain In this three-part audio course, you will learn more about what you can do for your brain and create a simple plan for yourself to get started.

Take Care of Your Brain to Avoid the Dinosaur Syndrome

We all know the demise of the dinosaurs … they became extinct!

Think of the anatomy of the dinosaur.  They were huge creatures and had very small brains.

Ironic that what research is showing us is that as our bodies get more and more overweight, our brains get smaller.  Dr. Daniel Amen came up with the “Dinosaur Syndrome” name to paint a clear picture of the danger of being overweight.

With obesity comes more frequent diabetes, sleep apnea, and often high blood pressure.  All of these health problems are associated with a higher incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Dr. Amen has written a number of books, the most recent one  The Amen Solution: The Brain Healthy Way to Lose Weight and Keep It Off. And he recently opened an online site that offers ongoing support to those who choose to take the steps to get their weight down to a healthy level.

Recently, I heard Dr. Amen talk about a church he has helped to create a program for weight loss.  Saddleback Church is one of the largest churches in the United States.

Richard Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life, is the pastor there.   They have a comprehensive website to support their congregation in getting fit.  Here is a link to Dr. Amen talking about the Dinosaur Syndrome:

http://www.saddleback.com/blogs/thedanielplan/avoid-the-dinosaur-syndrome/

When adults take the lead to eat consciously, children see this as an example of what is the appropriate way to eat and will follow suit.  The current statistics on obesity in our youth is disturbing.

Below are some statistics from the William J. Clinton Foundation, an organization that “focuses on worldwide issues that demand urgent action, solutions, and measurable results,” that will open your eyes to this huge problem.

•     Almost 25% of our children do not participate in any free-time physical activity.
•     Less than 25% of high school students take daily physical education classes.
•     Healthcare payouts are three times higher for treatment of obese children
•     Nearly 25 million children are overweight or obese
•     Currently, there are five times more obese children, ages 6 – 11, than forty years ago

Think of the heath problems that will develop for these young people if they do not change their lifestyle.  Health care costs are high now but, what will they be in another 15 -20 years when these young people are going into their middle ages and older years.

It’s a wonderful thing that attention is being brought to this issue at the high level of Michelle Obama. There are efforts being made all over the country.

Kids love dinosaurs but, will they love having the Dinosaur Syndrome which results in shorter, unhealthy lives?

If you’re ready to start improving your memory and your brain health, you need to check out the comprehensive  Jump Start Course For Your Brain In this three-part audio course, you will learn more about what you can do for your brain and create a simple plan for yourself to get started.

How To Detox Your Body For Better Health

It is a must to detox your body these days. A detox program enables you to cleanse your body of harmful chemicals that build up and result in many different diseases. Cancer, Parkinson’s Disease, heart disease, high blood pressure, lung disease, kidney problems, and fatty liver deposits are just a few of the conditions that have been blamed on toxins.

Harmful toxins come from our environment – pollutants from the air we breathe, the water we drink and the products we apply to our skin.  The food we eat is also a source of toxins, like the pesticides that are used in the vegetables and the hormones, antibiotics and other medicines that are injected in the meat and poultry. These are just some of the sources of harmful toxins that enter our bodies.

Although your body has its own detoxification system it cannot cope with the amount of chemicals that we are bombarded with every day. This is a major reason why it is a good idea to take steps to detox your body, to get rid of these harmful substances and eventually optimize your health and well being.

To detox your body, it is important remember that the goal is to help the body in its natural function to detoxify and eliminate toxins via the bowel, the urine and sweat. Planning to detox your body will mean undergoing a special diet regimen that will help support the detox organs.

This diet should include:

    High fiber – fiber provides bulk in the stools, prevents constipation and promotes regular bowel movements. Dietary fiber helps to prevent diabetes, lowers blood cholesterol and risk of heart disease. It also gets rid of harmful toxins which cause colon cancer.

    Organically grown fresh fruits and vegetables

    Foods which are rich in vitamins and minerals that are needed for detoxification and a great source of antioxidants that acts as the body’s cleansing agent.

    Increased consumption of clean pure water to help the kidneys flush out toxins.

The ideal way to detox your body is to start avoiding sugar, processed foods, junk food, fatty food, red meat and alcohol. You should also gradually reduce coffee if you drink a lot of it and replace with herbal teas, green or white tea and pure water.

At the same time you should increase your intake of fresh fruit, vegetables, salads, whole grains, beans and lentils. Then, you can start a week of more intensive detox. Eating abundantly foods that are fresh and organically grown, consume lots of fluid, and avoid eating processed food.

Contrary to what you may think you don’t have to starve yourself or eat unusual foods when you detox your body. Simply changing the way you eat will give your detox system a chance to work better.

Discover more about how to detox your body in The Definitive Detox Diet Plan  by nutritionist Sandy Halliday. She recovered her own health with detox and has coached clients to achieve their health goals for over 20 years.
http://www.DefinitiveDetoxDiet.com

Note to publishers –

3 Smart & Simple Keyword Selection Strategies

If you’ve been involved with search engine optimization (SEO) for more than a day, you’ve probably already figured out that everything revolves around keywords.  From title tags to anchor text, the entire SEO process is centered on keyphrases.  That means you have to be well-equipped to select the best search terms for the right pages (or articles or blog posts) or you might come up short.

There’s a Method to the Madness

Call me picky, but closing your eyes and blindly pointing to keywords on a screen is not my idea of professional-level keyword selection.  There are specifics you want to consider before opting to use certain search terms in the content you write.

1. Broad vs. Narrow

The broader the keyphrase, the further away from the point of decision your reader is.  That means you’d be better off (in most cases) to use broad terms on your Home page, About us page or other top-level pages.  There are exceptions to every rule, but generally speaking, broad keyphrases don’t convert as well as more narrow ones.

As you span from broad to long-tail, you’ll want to look for opportunities to include those keyphrases on pages with a tighter focus.  Although it applies to all forms of copywriting, ecommerce copywriting is a good example of what I’m talking about.

2. Your Page(s) & Product(s)

Think about what happens as you click through a website.  You start at the Home page which offers general info about the company.  Next you may click to the Services page or, on an ecommerce site, to a category page.  These are a little more specific.  Then you could click to a specific service or product that interests you.

As you move through the site, you get more and more focused.  So should your keywords.  Here’s an example.

“Microwave Oven” – Very broad.  Possibly use on a Home page, a blog post with general information about microwave ovens, etc.

“Stainless Steel Microwave Oven” – Great for a Category page specifically about the various stainless steel microwaves offered.  Too narrow for a Home page because your site offers lots of different types of microwaves, not only stainless steel.

“Samsung 1200watt Stainless Steel Microwave Oven” – Laser specific, long-tail phrase.  This person has figured out exactly what she wants and is trying to decide who to buy it from.  Great phrase for an individual product page, a review article about this particular oven, etc.

See how the search terms are applicable of the product itself?  Whether in a broad sense or a very narrow one, they describe what’s being sold because you’re dealing with a consumer-based target audience.  If you were approaching a B2B audience, you might have gone with keyphrases like “microwave manufacturer,” etc.

3. Your Business Model

Which types of search terms you use will also depend on your business model.  For example, if you operate a niche affiliate site, you’ll want to focus on niche keyphrases (as the name implies).  Going after broad keywords on a niche site is rather an oxymoron, you know?

If you run an information-based site that generates revenue from AdSense ads, you may need to concentrate on broader search terms in order to pull in more traffic to the site.

There are lots of other scenarios that could determine the types of phrases you’d want to focus on.

As you scour your list of potential keyphrases, remember these 3 strategies.  Running your options through the 3 filters above will make your selection process easier and more effective to boot!

Attract More Customers with Bonus Offers (They’re Not Just for Sales Letter Copy)

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve suggested that a client use bonuses with their copy only to hear, “But I own an ecommerce website.  I don’t use sales letters.”  Bonus offers are not by any means exclusive to sales letters.  In fact, bonuses were around long before direct mail or online sales letters came into being.  And they’ve stood the test of time because everybody loves getting something free.

Retail & E-tail Bonuses

Whether you’re walking through a store or shopping online, you can find bonuses at every turn.  Gold Toe just ran a promotion where you could buy a six-pack of athletic socks and get one bonus pair free (making it a seven-pack).

Computer manufacturers are famous for loading up on bonuses especially during the holiday and back-to-school seasons.  For example, you can find laptops that come with a free printer or digital camera in just about every store during these times.

Travel Bonuses

Cruise companies got in on the bonus act many years ago.  It’s typical to find packages where you purchase passage on a voyage and receive a free excursion or free cruise dollars to use onboard.

Even Disney – who is famous for charging full price for everything – is now offering bonuses to attract more visitors to its parks.  A click to their website as I was writing this article uncovered a free Disney dining plan with the purchase of a four-night package.

So, as you can see, bonuses are not just used in correlation with info products and sales letters.  Does that mean you should throw everything you can think of at your site visitor in an effort to get his/her attention?  Absolutely not.

The Unwritten Rules of Using Bonuses

If you ask most copywriters who have had success with using bonuses, you’ll find we play by many of the same unwritten rules.  The bonuses you offer must:

1.  Be Applicable – If you’re selling steaks, you wouldn’t want to offer a personal CD player as a bonus.  Why?  It makes no sense.  It’s not related to what you’re selling.  A better idea would be a grilling utensil set, an apron branded with your company name or maybe a collection of marinades and rubs.

2.  Have Perceived Value – Whether it cost you a lot or a little, the bonus needs to be valuable to the recipient.  Using a bonus ebook or report is a great example here because the ebook didn’t cost you anything monetarily.  It took some time to pull all your thoughts out and put them into book format, but the digital product itself doesn’t have a cost.  However, the information you share through the ebook with your customers may be extremely valuable to them.  With the information you provide, your customers may gain new skills that make them more profitable, etc.  Even though the ebook had little or no tangible cost, it was perceived as valuable.

3.  Not Overload the Customer – I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen information products in particular that offer a long, ongoing list of bonuses.  I kid you not… 10, 15, 20 ebooks or reports: way too much for anybody to practically use.  This type of hype may work on newbies and those unfamiliar with the Internet, but for the most part they are viewed as a lame attempt to garner sales.  Many times, the bonuses offered in these situations are given away free on almost every other website of a similar nature and, therefore, their value has significantly declined.  (Go back and reread rule #2.)  More is not better.  Better is better.

Creating Target Market Profiles Improves Your Content & Copywriting

I have an amazing team of writers I work with on a regular basis.  Each has his/her own specialty from article writing to technology.  It’s fun to watch these pros go through the process of creating copy that speaks specifically to the target customer we’re aiming to attract.  Sometimes everything flows smoothly, but occasionally we hit a bump or two before getting the details nailed down.  Here’s an example.

One client sells a car-care product.  They told us that their target customer was a guy in his mid-twenties who loved his car.  The overall picture of who we were writing to, however, really didn’t click until we got down to the nitty-gritty and developed a complete profile.

We wrote the article this client commissioned and turned in our first draft.  “Too serious and too complex,” was the response.  So I asked a few more questions (the only way to create a truly accurate profile) and found out that this was the guy next door.  Not only did he love his car, he   * l  o  v  e  d *  his car.  If it came down to a choice between eating or fiddling with his car, the car would win.  What’s more, he was (most often) a blue collar worker.  Whether he drove a VW or a BMW, he worked a regular job.  He was not an executive or career professional.

Going Deeper Makes All the Difference

With that in mind, we made some additional changes.  While the response from the client improved, they felt the article was still written on too high of a level to hold the interest of their target customer.

“We need a picture.  We need to actually see what this guy looks like,” was my thought.  We’d given him a name, but something about him wasn’t clicking.  I went on a hunt to find a photo online that would represent our car fanatic.  It didn’t take long to find a guy in his mid-twenties standing by a car engine.  Clad in a flannel shirt and jeans, hair rather tasseled, this dude was the epitome of our man.

I could just envision him every Saturday out in the driveway meticulously washing, waxing or otherwise detailing his vehicle.  He lives for his ride and it is pretty much the sole source of his pride and joy.

This particular guy knows his car inside out and wants nothing more than to care for it, and keep it looking and running like new.  With the photo available to round out the profile, it was easier than ever to write to our guy and the millions of others just like him that fall into the target segment.

Developing Profiles Pays Off

Creating profiles helps give you an inside look at who your customers are, what they want and how they will use your products/services.  And you can certainly have more than one profile.  Look at Jenny Craig (the weight loss company).  They’ve matched the profiles of their target customer segments to celebrity personalities including Kirstie Alley, Valerie Bertinelli and Jason Alexander.

With physical attributes, personality quirks, habits, likes, dislikes, photos and other details in hand, you can create personas of your target segments.  This simple exercise takes only a few hours of research and work to compile, but can pay off enormously in profits once your copy or content really hits the mark.

Want to learn how to craft spot-on profiles and personas so you can write exceptional web & SEO copy?  Karon’s Step-by-Step Copywriting Course can help. Visit http://www.CopywritingCourse.com for details on this self-paced and self-scoring home-study course that lets you learn by doing real-life practice assignments. Compare your answers to Karon’s in the back of the book so you’ll know you’re on the right track.

Continuity in SEO Copywriting Improves Rankings and Conversions

It has become a fundamental principle of Internet marketing.  When sending a prospect from some form of trigger (banner ad, pay-per-click ad, tweet, etc.) to the landing page, there must be continuity: the message must flow.

For example, when constructing pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns, there has to be continuity between the ad and the landing page.  The use of the same keyphrases, copy that flows seamlessly from ad to landing page and other factors can make or break your campaign. If these elements aren’t in place the disconnect your visitors will suffer will confuse them and send them packing.

Why then do we rarely see any consistency in these areas when writing search engine optimized (SEO) copy?

Create Links in a Chain

On most web pages the tag sets are scattered.  Take note the next time you’re surfing.  You’ll see title tags that are unrelated to the description tag, both of which are distant from the headline of the copy on the actual page, etc., etc., etc.  There is no flow.  Nothing exists to usher the prospect from one step to the next.

It should work just like links in a chain.  One is directly connected to the next and so forth.  The basis of writing organic SEO copy is developing and following the same topic from your visitor’s first exposure to your site (the organic Google/Bing/Yahoo! listing title) to the call-to-action on the web page itself.  It should – in essence – work exactly like the process when writing a paid ad/landing page combo.

Take it One Step at a Time

Create a plan before you write pages with optimized copy.  Don’t view it with tunnel vision; strictly from the standpoint of what’s happening on the page.  Take it one step at a time and walk the path your prospects will walk.

    Where will the site visitor come from? An organic search engine listing.
    What’s the first exposure to your site? The title tag of the organic listing.
    If the title tag captures their attention, where will they look for more information? The description tag underneath the title tag.
    When they click to your web page, how will they know they are in the right place? The message (copy) and keyphrases will be carried through from the search engine results page (SERP) to the web page.

See how it works?  With each glance, with each click, the visitor takes a new step toward conversion.  That’s because, just like with paid marketing campaigns, you’ve laid out a clear path for your prospects to follow rather than forcing them to navigate a rocky and confusing road.

How You Do One Thing Is the Way You Do Most Things

One of the highlights at Miraval Resort in Tucson, Arizona is the Equine Experience.  I did NOT want to miss this opportunity.  I gave up my appointment for a spa treatment because it conflicted with this activity.

Purple Sage Ranch is just a dusty road away from the main resort.  Wyatt Webb, best-selling author and psychotherapist met us, loaded us up in the van and off we went to meet the horses.

We weren’t there to ride the horses, but to do simple tasks with them.  Interacting with a horse gives you insight into yourself.  The idea of the Equine Experience is that the way you do one thing is the way you do most things.

Although I hadn’t had any traumatic experiences with horses, I really didn’t have much confidence because I hadn’t even been riding for over 30 years.  And I’ve never groomed a horse.

So, our assignment was to pick out dirt from a horse’s hooves, brush him a couple of different ways, and lead him around the ring.  Later, we did another activity, lunging,  that I’ll describe in my next blog post.

Cherokee was my horse, a beautiful brown and white.  He had quite a personality, seeming to talk to us and often interacting with the fence to get our attention.

HOWEVER, he was not about to lift his hoof for me to clean it.
I followed the described procedure.  Hoof stayed firmly planted.
I felt as though I was assertive and he should have gotten the message.

When he didn’t, I started feeling as though this wasn’t going to work for me.
AND caught myself.  Yes, I can do this.   I walked away from the horse and approached him again with the thought in my mind that he definitely was going to need to pick up his hoof and he did!    And I did the same with the second hoof.  First try.  Yay!
So, when I was really DECISIVE, he got the message.

The same thing happened when I was about to walk him around the ring.
Hmmm, I’m pulling and he is standing still.
“OK, Cherokee.  We are going for a walk and here we go.”  My assertive steps soon had his following mine very nicely.

It was really clear to me that if I were more decisive in the actions I take in my business, that I would most likely see more positive results.  Doubt and uncertainty can certainly make an announcement to all involved that they don’t want to go along with an indecisive person!

Our attitude has a lot to do with our brain health.  Thinking positively and focusing on what is going well can make a huge difference in the clarity of our thinking.

If you’re ready to start improving your memory and your brain health, you need to check out the comprehensive   Jump Start Course For Your Brain

In this three-part audio course, you will learn more about what you can do for your brain and create a simple plan for yourself to get started.

Finding the Power of Your Own Energy

Miraval Resort in Tucson, Arizona is known for its luxury spa treatments, exciting rope challenges, and experiences with the horses at the nearby Purple Sage Ranch.

What’s great about most of the challenges and the Equine Experience is that they are all included with your ample overall cost for the stay. Although the spa treatments were amazing ñ including a thermal mud wrap ñ what stands out most in my memory of the time at Miraval are the “Swing and a Prayer” rope challenge and the Equine Experience.

And, believe me, the mud wrap was memorable – black French mud mixed with spirulina. coated over my legs, arms, and torso, followed by being wrapped up in a cocoon and having my head massaged. This was followed by my taking a shower in the treatment room and trying to become white again. Then, an amazing massage to end the pampering.

Back to the horse story! After we had all done the first part of the experience, grooming our horse’s hooves, brushing, and walking; we moved over to another ring where we would be lunging a horse.

As I watched our instructor demonstrate what we would be doing ourselves, I was convinced that there was no way I could get the horse to do this. She pointed the center of her body (belly button) at the horse’s rear end and he amazingly started to walkÖ She went a little faster and he moved faster. She turned and pointed toward his side instead of his behind, and he stopped. Amazing!

And then, she walked around in such a way that he totally reversed directions and moved quite rapidly. And then she turned again and he stopped. Wow! I was totally impressed.

Amazing power in that energy being pointed in various directions. I watched as another woman did the same movements without quite such accuracy in the horse movements that resulted from her actions.

And then it was my turn. I concentrated on the energy in my body and confidently aimed my energy toward Bailey’s behind. And, what do you know? He moved. I moved more quickly and so did he! I aimed at his side and he stopped. AND, after a reminder of just exactly how to do the turn operation, that worked also. Bailey did a total turnaround. I was feeling so energized running around the ring!

What a powerful metaphor for how we can use our energy. When we connect with our internal power and direct it well, we can move mountains.

It’s really an inside job. Concentration is essential. And the knowing that we do have the power actually GIVES us the power. Thank you, Bailey, for the amazing experience at Miraval.

If you’re ready to start improving your memory and your brain health, you need to check out the comprehensive   Jump Start Course For Your Brain

In this three-part audio course, you will learn more about what you can do for your brain and create a simple plan for yourself to get started.

Free Website Graphics? Totally Do-able With Gimp!

One of the most difficult parts of starting a new website is making the online visual match the offline creativity and talent you possess!

You know that people judge a book by it’s cover. It also stands to reason that people judge the quality of a website by it’s graphics. You have literally seconds to make an impression and every pixel on your screen counts towards that.

In order to get people to remember what they have seen, you need lots of images with color to spice up your site. A text only site will cause you to lose some customers. People are by nature visual learners.

How do you take your knack for making beautiful things and turn it into a visual, digital medium for everyone to enjoy and react to?

Graphics! And lots of ’em!

So the next question then becomes: How do I get graphics for my website, for cheap (or free).

Well, graphic designers are NOT free. While it is great to hire a professional it’s just not always possible on the small business owners budget.

There is a faster and cheaper way to get graphics for your website: Do It Yourself!

How?

With Gimp

What Is Gimp?

It’s a free software program that rivals Photoshop in function but not in price. You can use gimp to create:

Headers – Use these to draw your readers in to your website and convert them into enthusiastic fans of your business.

Ads – Create graphics that sell your stuff. Getting people to click and convert.

Buttons – Want people to link back to your website? Create a simple button that they can copy and link to you with.

Accents – The same ol’ boring text puts your readers to sleep. Break it up with graphics or images that accent your point perfectly!

Product Covers – Selling a digital or even a physical product? You can use great graphics to help make sales by showing a digital representation of what you have for sale.

Now you might wonder how you can possibly do it yourself when graphic designers literally spend years honing their skills. Believe it or not you can learn some very simple graphic techniques that will allow you to create professional and useful graphics that get clicks and make more money.

Want to add personality to your website and make a profit for your business? You can learn a few simple techniques to create high quality graphics that add the personality to your website. Don’t be caught with bad graphics!

You don’t have to do it alone either. I’ll show you how, step by step, how to use Gimp with my program created to help the newest of beginners to get great graphics in no time. Plus you’ll get a bunch of button and banner starter templates to get things moving even faster.

What Does Organization Mean for a Virtual Assistant Business?

You have a busy day ahead of you with two proposals due, several phone calls to make and overdue marketing activities that you can no longer put off.  As you sit down at your desk, you slowly scan the pile of folders you’ve been meaning to file, the stack of business magazines and newspapers you’ve been meaning to catch up on, the mess of business cards from recent networking events, and the vertical hanging file that has receipts from the past two months sticking out in all directions because you haven’t had time to log them in.  

Suddenly your office seems very small and you can actually feel your stress level rising.  Ever had a moment like this?

For a small business, moments like this are bound to occur, but there are many methods of organization a virtual assistant can depend on that will reduce and potentially alleviate these moments.  First, there is organization in the physical sense.  This applies to keeping your desk clear of clutter, keeping important information easily accessible and keeping the means of accomplishing this simple so you stick with it.

Another method relates to organizing the back office management of your business so at those times when your physical office may be in disarray, you do not stress about the tasks you need to accomplish that day.  How is this possible?  Simple.  You have already taken the time to sit down and assess what it takes to run your business.  As a result, you have developed replicable and sustainable business processes, systems and tools that keep your day-to-day activities organized.

Therefore, those proposals you need to send are practically done.  Your template is in your operations file directory, and based on the steps you have documented regarding proposals, all you need to do is customize sections 3 and 5 so they apply to the client, add the client’s name to the signature line, save the file as a pdf and email it!  At this point, this process is like clockwork.

Oh, and that mess of business cards from the events you attended over the last couple of weeks?  Today is the day you will eliminate that mess.  How you ask?  Again the answer is simple because you only need to refer to your highly organized administrative procedures document on contact management.  Your steps outline how to categorize contacts and what type of follow up is necessary along with the text used for written follow up or follow up via phone call.  All that remains is entering the contact into your database which, by the way, also tracks each stage of your contact management system so you know the status of each contact.  You are a highly organized machine!

Now the question is how do you get to this place?  As a virtual assistant, the first step towards success is ensuring your own business is organized so your day-to-day operations are efficient and not overly time-consuming.  This enables you to dedicate your time to prospecting and managing billable client projects.  The VA Resource (http://www.thevaresource.com) is where you can find Simple, Customizable, and of course Affordable business templates, documents and tools that are exactly what you need to organize your virtual assistant business administrative and operational processes.  The clock is ticking so don’t lose another minute!