The Fourth Of July

On this, our nations ‘birthday’, I would like to wish every one a Happy Fourth Of July!

I would also ask that you remember all those who have fought, and continue to fight, for the freedoms we enjoy — Freedom Is Not Free!!

There is a cost to this ongoing fight, not just that borne by our armed forces, but by you and I! It is your and my job to ensure that cost has not been in vain.

Read the rest of this entry »

5 Benefits of Outsourcing for Online Business Owners

Being in business for yourself, especially one that is conducted online, you’ll find there are a number of different things to learn about that can save you time and make you money. One of the more exciting things to discover and put to use is ‘Outsourcing‘.
Read the rest of this entry »

Your Marketing Tool Kit…The Top 5 Essential Tools

When marketing on the internet, sometimes you feel like your head is going to explode! The amount of tools, systems, and services out there can make your head spin.

Every day, there seems to be another “magic tool” that pops up promising millions of visitors to your site and large sums of money in your bank account….effortlessly.

It can get overwhelming and take focus away from what you should be doing to build your business. But there are tools out there that not only make your life easier, but keep your business running on auto-pilot for you.

The trick is to know which ones to focus on and which ones to stay away from! In today’s market, these are tools that you can’t afford not to have and that you will use on a daily basis

Let’s go through the essentials that every top internet marketer depends on a daily basis to run their million dollar businesses…

1) Hosting Your Web Site

Without hosting, the internet would be a pretty boring place to hang out and more important – no one knows you’re there! If you have a domain name, you need a place to host it so others can find you.

Hosting companies range from free all the way to over $500 a month for dedicated hosting.

Two necessary keys to your success are:

A): a hosting company that provides 99% uptime

B): 24/7 support. The Internet isn’t perfect and ‘challenges’ will pop up. You need to know you can count on your hosting service to help you overcome those challenges.

Of course, like anything else, you get what you pay for.

2) Your Auto-Responder:

“The Money Is In The List” and that brings up the next needed tool – an Auto Responder.

Having an autoresponder to build a list that knows, likes, and trusts you, is the fastest way to literally pushing a button and having money coming into your bank account… faster than you can say… Hot Biscuits! And your auto responder makes that possible! It lets you ‘keep-in-touch’ with your audience automatically.

Follow this simple formula:

You give away something of huge value for free, such as a free report, a video lesson, an audio interview, or a live webinar. Important – make sure this is something of REAL value.

Then, in exchange for your free information, the visitor will give you their name and email address. Presuming that what you gave your visiter had ‘real value’, then the magic happens.

You’ve now established a trusting relationship with your new customer. Now, you can follow up with them automatically and offer more value and get them to buy your product! One caution; don’t make every email you send a sales letter. Remember, treat your customers as you want to be treated.

This is all done using an auto-repsonder, all automatically and efficiently for you. Again, companies providing auto-responders range from $20 a month up to $99 a month.

3) Video Hosting

Today the internet is becoming all about video. And without some type of video on your website, most people will simply not hang around.

Video allows you to bond with your visitor and create more trust than just words on your site.

We’ve all heard of YouTube for sure. But is a free service known for pranks, jokes, and music videos the right image for your business?

There’s a reason the top marketers host their videos through paid services and you should too.

4) Website Builder and Prospecting System

It’s time consuming to create a website or a prospecting page. Trying to learn website design and html code is not the best way to spend your time. Even if you know how to do these tasks, it’s not time well spent.

You want to spend your time educating your potential customers about your product or service.

Here is where a website builder can come in. You simply customize your pages with your own video, product info, auto-responder, and you’re done!

5) Live Webcasts

One of the most powerful ways to sell is face to face. You get instant feedback and customers can ask questions and get their answers immediately.

Since we can’t possibly meet all our visitors in person… Webcasts are a great way to interact with them..

Sitting in the comfort of our own home office we can present to people all over the world. Product demonstrations, video overviews, live questions and answers are all possible with your Webcasts.

If you’re not using Webcasts in your business, you are missing out on thousands of dollars of sales. Typically companies charge between $49 to $99 a month or more.

These are the top five tools that every top marketer uses and depends on a daily basis to make sales on auto-pilot. And you can too.

You can get all these tools from different companies and pay between $150 to over $350 each and every month. Or, you can make the smart decision and get them all from one company saving a huge amount of time and money. The choice is yours.

The Jedi’s Grandpa

====================================================
Interested in an All-In-One Website Service Provider?

Go here and test drive the best:

http://tinyurl.com/yourwebservices

====================================================

The Bane Of Our Existence – Or Not – Plastic!

We’ve all seen the bottles and other plastic waste along our roadsides, in our parks, at the beaches, etc. Many say plastic is the bane of our existence. There are organization calling for the banning of such items. As these efforts move forward (or don’t as the case maybe), we still need to contend with the here and now.

There are those looking for innovative ways to recycle such waste. People have built houses out of plastic bottles, for instance, as well as other waste materials.

Many of these plastic bottles end up in our oceans and waterways. Recently I came across a news story on one of innovative way to recycle plastic bottles, one way to put them to good use (see link below). Though, admittedly, this won’t cure our waste problem. At least folks are thinking of ways to reduce the present waste while looking for better ways to manage our plastic waste.

For me, plastic bottles for water, soft drinks, juices, milk, etc. just do not do it for me. Ever notice how a number of Coke commercials use the old, classic style glass bottles. Truly, I wish they would go back to those glass bottles – I like my cold drinks cold!

Check out this innovative way to use plastic bottles here: http://www.theplastiki.com.

My compliments on one novel idea and I wish them Good Fortune on their voyage!

Related articles by Zemanta

• Plastic…plastic…plastic Everywhere (bigdaddyrichard-swirlingthoughts.blogspot.com)
• Does This Recycle? What to Do If You’re Not Sure [Recycling] (lifehacker.com)

Massachusetts Vote

I don’t often comment on politics, because I believe a persons politics are their own business. I do sometimes eschew that people exercise their right to vote.

There is a special election coming up on Tuesday, January 19, in Massachusetts. I urge those of you living there to vote, to exercise your right to self determination. To often we feel there is nothing one person can to do change things for the better, myself included.

More importantly, today those in government forget they work for you and me, not the other way around — You can make a difference!

We make all kinds of excuses for not participating, but voting is one of your fundamental rights in a free county like ours. Please, don’t let it go to waste! I don’t.

I’m not sure if all states support permanent absentee ballots but California does and I take advantage of it. My ballots are mailed to me which makes for a much easier process. But if I want to vote ‘in person’ and take advantage of the community of people one finds there, I can hand carry my ballot to my polling place. It’s the best of both worlds. Consider doing  absentee ballots if it makes your life easier.

Earthquake In Haiti

As you know there has a been a major disaster in Haiti in the form of a massive earthquake. A massive aid operation, involving the World Community, is under way to help the people in Haiti.

Having lived in Northern California since 1957, I’ve been through quite a few temblors and know how devastating they can be. An earthquake takes a toll on infrastructures, but the biggest toll is on the people and their psychological well being. A feeling of ‘absolutely no control’ over your well being occurs during an earthquake. A quake isn’t predictable like a hurricane or tornado where you can seek safety or shelter.

In 1989, I was several blocks from home, driving on a city street, when the Loma Prieta quake hit and had no control over what my vehicle did until the shaking stopped. After the shaker the neighborhood spent several nights ‘camping’ on the front lawns, due to safety concerns.

My heart goes out to the people in Haiti as I look at the pictures coming from there, with their basic life needs unfulfilled. I believe, that with what they have been through over the last few years, the people have the capacity to rebound and come back better than ever – with the help of the International Community!

Having been in search and rescue for some 30 years in my local community, I also know some of the frustrations the rescue people feel with the delays. I know that everyone wants to help in whatever way they can. The people of the United States are the most generous in the world when it comes to help their fellow World Citizens in time of need.

The best thing you can do right now is to send a money donation. Please act with caution though, as at times like these scam artists will try to take advantage of a horrible situation. I have already received email solicitations from unrecognized folks. Send your donations, marked for Haiti relief, only to agencies you know are legitimate.

The below links may be of some help but I am sure you can find many local agencies to assist in this tragedy.

http://www.imcworldwide.org/Page.aspx?pid=183

http://doctorswithoutborders.org/

http://www.haitianhealthfoundation.org/

http://www.medicalteams.org/sf/Home.aspx

http://www.opusa.org/

http://www.actionagainsthunger.org/

Related articles by Zemanta

• A Mini Marshall Plan Is Needed for a True Resurrection of Haiti (dailyfinance.com)
• Obama Pledges $100M Aid to Haiti (time.com)

Thanksgiving – Turkey Day

Unlike Christmas, which is a day of giving, Thanksgiving is a day to celebrate that which we hold
dear – Our Families, Our Friends and our surroundings!

It is hard today to find things to be thankful for but family and friends will always be reasons for
Thankfullness, for they give us their unconditional love.

I sincerely wish everyone a Happy and Blessing Filled Thanksgiving!

***********************************************************************************************

Anne Frank: “I do not think of all the misery, but of the glory that remains. Go outside into the fields, nature and the sun, go out and seek happiness in yourself and in God. Think of the beauty that again and again discharges itself within and without you and be happy.”

Special Election Day – Tuesday

Tuesday is an important day in a number of states.

When I look at recent election fraud in foriegn nations, it makes me appreciate the fact that we have an election process in this country which allows us to make choices. Despite the faults in our system we are The One Nation many others look to and would like to become more like. I take pride in that.

We are a nation that  can correct those faults through our actions, including voting. We are a ‘Work In Progress‘!

Yes, like it or not we – individuals, nations, religions, corporations, etc. – all make missteps. The trick is to realize, acknowledge and correct them so as not make them again.

There are times when I see things not going the way I feel they should in our great county and yes, become ‘less than enthusiastic’.

Whether I am enthusiastic or not one thing I always do and that is I Always Vote! In my local, state and national elections.

In New York, New Jersey, Virginia and California you have a chance to make a difference. It matters not to me what your political leanings are, I simply urge you to get out and vote – Make A Difference!

Halloween Face Paints Warning

Just in time for halloween, a report on healthfinder.gov – http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.aspx?docID=632369 – is expressing some concern about facepaints for kids. Given that many more kids probably use these products at this time of year than at any other time, you may want to check out this report.

If your kids, or you, are planning on using face paints this halloween It’s best to be as knowledgeable as possible about this possible hazard.

Do a search for ‘Naturel Face Paints’ on your favorite search engine and you will find a number of sites on the subject, including this one I found with recipes for making your own paints at home – http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/3-31-2005-67868.asp!

The Best Hosting Ever Has Just Gotten Better!

Be Forewarned – I Like These Guys and today they change

the way we look at web hosting!

Picking a hosting provider is one of the most
critical decisions your customers and clients
will make.

You, your customers and clients need a company that
not only provides the necessary hosting services but
one that cares about the success of all your ventures.

Read the rest of this entry »