Those of us who work from home don’t have to worry so much about transportation or traffic. It’s more like “walk-to-work” day every day.
I do ride my bike – now that it is warm enough outside – to the office supply store, bank and grocery store. In fact, the back pack I use has been filled to the brim (and beyond) so many times that the seam on the top has ripped and will very soon need to be sown.
I have a motorcycle, too, that I do use when going across town to get things that fit in my saddle bags. In fact, I plan to run a few errands today. Love the fresh air and comradery (is that a word?) with fellow bikers. I also SO enjoy paying less than $4 when I fill up the tank.
I’ve been wondering lately about my car, though. Poor thing gets driven 1-3 times per month. Hardly worth paying insurance for. I wish there were a way I could share my car with others and offset the cost of registration and insurance. Well, actually if it came down to sharing, I don’t know if I really would. I did, however, find a way to save 40% on my car/house insurance recently – part of my belt-tightening approach around expenses, which I’ll gloat about for a while.
On this special Bike-to-Work day, I won’t ride my bike to work, because I don’t need to. However, I will appreciate all those who do. I can hear that old “ching ching” bell from bikes in the past and imagine that that is money in your pockets.
Bike on!
Tags: Bike to Work Day, Guide to Home Based Business, guidetohomebasedbusiness.com, GuideToHomeBasedBusiness.com/blog, homebased business, Phil Johncock, work at home, work from home
A new report of public-facing blogs reveals key findings:
- 57 percent of nation’s top 100 charities have public facing blogs
- 42 percent of higher education sector have blogs
- 16 percent of Fortune 500 companies have blogs
Some other key findings include:
- 28 percent of Fortune 500′s blogs link to Twitter accounts (others have accounts but no links to blogs)
- Over 90 percent of the Fortune 500’s blogs take comments, have RSS feeds and take email subscriptions.
- 10 percent of Fortune 500’s blogs link to podcasts
- 21 percent of Fortune 500’s include videos
Click here to download full study
Findings will be published in the upcoming issue of the Society for New Communication’s Research’s Journal of New Communications Research. They will present findings via a web-based briefing.
Why blog?
Click Here to Sign Up for FREE Sneak Preview & Training on Thursday, May 14
Tags: blog, BlogCreationWorkshop.com, Blogging, Fortune 500, higher education, Phil Johncock, Twitter
Got stuff lying around the house that you could sell for cash?
One of my teachers, Ed Dale, buys and sells guitars and other stuff on eBay. He claims “It’s a great way to get some extra cash.”
In this video, Ed is videotaped while he drives to a “pack-and-send” business to send off a guitar he sold. He explains how he uses eBay and pitfalls to watch out for.
Enjoy!
Also, check out Ed’s baby … the 30 Day Challenge … a great “free Internet marketing” program. I learned about driving traffic to sites, social media like Twitter, and a lot about internet marketing.
What “home-based business” stuff do you have lying around the house that you could sell for cash?
Tags: eBay, Ed Dale, Guide to Home Based Business, GuideToHomeBasedBusiness.com/blog, Internet Marketing, Phil Johncock
I postponed creating a blog until last summer, when a co-author Debra Oakland turned me on to WordPress. It was easy to learn and navigate.
What is a blog?
Blog stands for “web log.” It is a website that allows you to write on topics of personal interest and of interest to your clients and niche market(s). Wired claims that “nine blogs are created every minute and 2.3 content updates are posted every second.”
You’d be surprised by how many websites you go to are actually blogs. WordPress had made the look of blogs rival, even surpass web sites created with Dream Weaver, Front Page and other web design software programs..
Here are the 7 top reasons to create a blog for your business:
Add Content in Minutes – If you’ve hired a webmaster in the past, you know how long it takes him or her to update your site. Creating your blog allows you to eliminate waiting around to get on someone else’s schedule. You can add posts, images, videos and pages in minutes, not days, weeks, or months.- Easy to Set Up, Customize & Change Design – WordPress blogs enjoy thousands of templates, plugins and widgets to choose from. You can test them out to see immediately how they will be viewed by visitors. It’s like plug-and-play.
- Search Engine Optimization – WordPress does all the work internally so that Google, Yahoo and other search engines can find your blog quickly and easily. For example, by adding keywords (called tags) to your URL’s, pages and posts, more people can find you, faster.
- RSS Feeds & Email Subscriptions – Really simple syndication (RSS) and email subscriptions allow people and media to get updates when you have made a change in your website. Instead of having to create a Constant Contact newsletter and email list, this is done for you. Syndication is a great viral marketing methods that attracts visitors fast.
- Web 2.0 – You may have seen reference to Web 1.0 and Web 2.0. One of the main benefits of a Web 2.0 blog to your business is that you can have 2-way conversations with your customers and prospects. Invite clients to comment on your posts. Include polls and surveys to keep interest high. Use your blog as the hub of your online money-making wheel. Social media, commenting strategies, teleseminars and other marketing strategies are the spokes that can drive traffic to your blog.
Make Money – There are many ways to make money with your blog. Here are four: Google Adsense ads, affiliate programs, membership sites, special events and selling your own products and services. There are plugins and widgets that make adding these to your site super easy. - Instantaneous – When you have your finger on the pulse of your niche market, you can offer “how to” tips and solutions that will have immediate results. For example, a colleague created a “how to” video, posted it on his site, put a couple of tweets on Twitter, and got over 3,500 hits on his site in less than 3 hours.
Click here for Blog Creation Sneak Preview
Tags: blog, Blog Creation Workshop, BlogCreationpreview.com, BlogCreationWorkshop.com, Guide to Home Based Business, guidetohomebasedbusiness.com, GuideToHomeBasedBusiness.com/blog, Phil Johncock
I postponed creating a blog for my business because I didn’t know what a blog was. Plus, I didn’t feel like I had the time to learn. When author Debra Oakland suggested a blog for our Guide to Home Based Business eBook 11 months ago, I could feel my shoulders scrunch and all the stories why this was not a good idea came flooding to the surface.
So, the greatest challenge for me was creating time to learn.
Recently, I asked participants in a “blog creation” sneak preview to tell me what their greatest challenges are for creating a blog. Here are two that I will paraphrase and answer.
CHALLENGE #1 – TIME
I hear that once you start, you have to commit a certain amount of time every day. How do I find time to do it with a full time job and other commitments? (Jim, from Reno, NV)
Great question, Jim. Most of us commit to creative projects when we have deadlines and the material engage us. Here are two suggestions:
1) Create a deadline with specific goals, like every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, I will spend one hour on blog-related play. Then, hold yourself accountable. One way is to tell another person. Then, report back to that person once a week with how you did.
2) Spend most of your time at the beginning “commenting” and writing “posts”. Doing this will engage you with others. Comment on other blogs in your niche market at least 1-2 times per week, like Monday and Wednesday. Post on your blog at least 1-2 times a week, like Tuesday and Thursday. Do these first, then reward yourself with Internet play.
CHALLENGE #2 – HOW
How do you create a blog? (James, Spanish Fork, UT)
I teach 4 basic steps to creating a blog:
- Get Organized & Prepare For Success – This means putting into your schedule time for learning, organizing files on your computer and creating a folder in your email box for the information you will receive. Choose the perfect URL. Learn basics of the anatomy of a blog. For example, there is some WordPress-specific terminology that is helpful to know, like dashboard, sidebar and tags.
- Build Your Site – I recommend WordPress, the most popular blog creation system in the world. Building your site involves learning about and trying out widgets, themes and plugins that you like. Learn to crawl; then, you can walk and run.
- Strengthen Your Site – This is the “walking” stage. In addition to more plugins and widgets, that are really just plug-and-play gadgets (most free), learn the power of commenting and attracting people to your site.
Convert Prospects into Paid Customers – This is the “running” stage. There are some simple proven ways you can start to make money with your blog. Popular methods include Google Adwords, affiliate programs, special events, and upselling products and services. Learning conversion secrets will help you make money faster by converting traffic you attract into paid customers. Once you make your first $1 dollar, you are a pro. So, put a $1 bill on your computer monitor or on the wall. That’s the goal: make your first $1 dollar!
What’s your single greatest challenge in creating your blog?
Click Here for a Free Blog Creation SNEAK PREVIEW Teleseminar | Thursday, April 9 – 6 pm PST
Tags: blog, Blog Creation Workshop, BlogCreationWorkshop.com, Phil Johncock
If Only Napoleon Hill Had This 83 Years Ago …
If you can have a conversation on a telephone, or interview someone with a simple microphone, then you’re 70 minutes away from becoming a Successful and Profitable Podcaster. Podcast marketing will get you there fast, easy and with minimal cash outlay.
It took Napoleon Hill 23+ years to write his time-honored masterpiece, Think & Grow Rich.
But by utilizing Podcasts, you can interview top business leaders and publish your own Business “How To” Podcast on Apple iTunes Yahoo, and dozens of others Podcast directories – in just a few hours.
Find out how during our “live” $20 teleseminar with Podcast Marketing Experts, Alex Mandossian and Paul Colligan. The event will take place on Thursday, April 9.
We’ve made a special arrangement to SAVE you $70 off the normal $99 tuition with your VIP Discount Code.
* * * Your VIP Discount Code is: PC916 * * *
To get the full story, click this link now:
http://cli.gs/PodcastSecrets
Jaime Davis is The Pod Medic. Even as an avid podcaster to begin with, see how Podcasts Secrets helped him more than triple his income while his neighbors are struggling to keep their homes. See his story …
REMEMBER: Thursday, April 9 $79 Off Click Here
* * * Your VIP Discount Code is: PC916 * * *
Tags: Alex Mandossian, GuideToHomeBasedBusiness.com/blog, Paul Colligan, Phil Johncock, Podcast, Podcast Secrets, podcasting
As you know there has been some controversy over Facebook of late. The young man Mark Zuckerberg, who if the face behind Facebook is being interviewed in the video below by Matt Lauer. I won’t go into the details which are in the video. I just wanted to put my 2 cents in on the matter. I spend equal time on Twitter and Facebook. I enjoy both as each has a different feel and purpose. Twitter is short and sweet with the content contained in a very small space. Facebook shares many applications, photos, galleries, fan pages, blogs, profiles, gifts, gardens, You Tube and pretty much anything you can come up with. A virtual playground. There was controversy around Facebook owning the rights to Facebook users personal information. What happens when the playground is redesigned? Many people take offense, don’t like change (if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.) Others love it and then there is every opinion in between, because we all have them. Enjoy the video and make up your own mind.
It is easy to go on a social networking site to follow or be followed. My intention is to meet and greet each person I follow with a message (not automated.) What happened to quality versus quantity? My goal is not to add people for numbers sake, but to connect with real people – one by one. Granted, this takes much longer. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but it is my way. No judgment. Just letting you now how I roll. There are 2 new books about all things Twitter. I would like to share them with you. Twitter Revolution by Deborah Micek and Warren Whitlock has great info, is fun and upbeat. The glossary of Twitter Terms are golden, some great humor and wit involved. Deborah and Warren teach you how to Tweet, to use Twitter for business/how to benefit. There are even Twitter Success Stories in the “Real World.”
Twitter Power is written by Joel Comm on How to Dominate Your Market One Tweet at a Time. This book is packed with ways to leverage the power of Twitter. This book is more business oriented. The information is timely and valuable for branding, business, marketing strategies, increasing sales and dealing with competitors. You get the idea. I recommend purchasing both books to learn about the power of social networking as they are both excellent. This is the future. Don’t be left behind, your business my depend on it.
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In Courage,
Debra Oakland
Founder of www.livingincourageonline.com
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Twitter Revolution by Deborah Micek & Warren Whitlock
Twitter Power by Joel Comm
Tags: Book Review, Deborah Micek & Warren Whitlock, Debra Oakland, Debra Oakland @ Living in Courage Online, Facebook, Joel Comm, Mark Zuckerberg, Matt Lauer, The Facebook Debate, Twitter, Twitter Power, Twitter Revolution
Here’s an inspirational movie that shows how it takes just 1 more degree of heat for hot water into boiling water (and steam). The task of heating your business to 211 degrees may seem like a daunting task. Have faith! Just put in that 1 more degree of effort, and you’ve reached the boiling point, the magical 212th degree.
Enjoy!
Phil
Tags: 212 degrees, Alex Mandossian, Guide to Home Based Business, guidetohomebasedbusiness.com, GuideToHomeBasedBusiness.com/blog, Inspiration, Phil Johncock
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