Do you have a vision for your business or are you getting bored with it? Have you ever thought about what your dream life would look like? Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision the people perish.”
One thing that will help you stay excited about your business is writing out your dream life. What would your life look like if you had unlimited time, money, and means? How would you spend your days? What kind of house (or mansion) would you live in? How much money would you be giving to your church every week? What type of vehicle would you be driving? How many people would you have impacted for Jesus?
Take some time- a few days or weeks or even a month to figure out your heart’s desire concerning your life and your business. Proverbs 37: 4 says that if you delight yourself in the Lord, He gives you the desires of your heart. To me, this verse has a double meaning. He will give you your heart’s desires but I also believe it means He will put certain desires in your heart in line with the plan He has for your life.
After you have decided what your aspiration are, write them out as a story. Put in all the details that matter to you. Here is an example of what a dream story might look like:
It is Monday morning October 1, 2012. My family and I are flying to _________in our private jet for a three week vacation. I am wearing_____________. I now weigh ____ pounds, my perfect body weight. I feel good and always have lots of energy.
I thoroughly enjoy working in my ____________business. It is highly successful and our yearly income is $ _____.
I spend at least _____hour(s) praying and studying the word of God every day.
My children are saved and love God with all their hearts. My son has fulfilled his lifelong aspiration of becoming a scientist and he is very successful.
We give over $________to our church every week. Last month we wrote a $_______check to help with a new building project.
Make your dream story personal and fill it with the details that matter to you. Read it once or twice a day. It will need to be tweaked periodically as your goals are reached and you get more insight into your life’s calling.
Doing this exercise will change the way you think, act and feel. It will be easier to say no to those activities that waste your time and you’ll be able to see opportunities that other people miss and boredom will become a thing of the past.
*If you are still trying to decide what His plan is for your life, consider reading a book called Holy Discontent by Bill Hybel. This book will give you some practical ways to discover what you are called to do.
As a writer you often come across job ads which ask for SEO writing, or writing using a keyword density. These ads can seem quite confusing, and at times, intimidating. But don’t be (confused or intimidated). The following is a list of what clients really mean when they ask for certain SEO specifics.
SEO: Search Engine Optimization is the result driven process of increasing the traffic volume or audience flow to a website via natural or organic search strategies, as opposed to using paid marketing techniques (SEM: search engine marketing). Put in simple English, it means using certain strategies to get a higher Google or search engine ranking. You can use the principle of SEO for images, videos or text. For more on how to do this, visit http://writechoiceforyou.blogspot.com/2009/10/seo-tactics-for-site-optimization.html
Keyword: Keywords are specific words which are typed in by someone doing a Google search. By typing those words into your article, you automatically increase the chance of gaining a higher ranking, and attracting an audience to your site. Used appropriately, Keywords provide you with the correct words for the correct context. For more on how to select the right keywords, visit this link: http://writechoiceforyou.blogspot.com/2009/11/what-makes-keywords-important.html
Key phrase: A keyword is a single word, while a key phrase is a set of words together. Example: A keyword could be Real Estate; a key phrase, Real Estate in Vancouver
Keyword density: A good keyword density depending on the length of your article or web text is 3%-8%, and most clients will ask for this. Higher, and you risk flooding the page and directing Google and search engines away from it. You can check your keyword density here: http://www.keyworddensity.com/
So now, armed with this knowledge, go ahead and apply for SEO specific jobs -remember, they do pay a higher fee.
You can if you include this blurb: Freelance writer Usha Krishnan Sliva has years of article and copywriting experience. To get more free tips and writing ideas, sign up for her ezine Getting It Write! on http://writechoiceforyou.com
1. Stay abreast of the latest news and trends in your field. By following the leaders in your industry you can stay on top of the information that’s important to you.
2. Find people who are interested in your niche. By using the various tools that are available you can discover people who are talking about your niche topic.
3. Market your products. You don’t want to abuse this, but an occasional tweet about the benefits of using your product or service is totally acceptable.
4. Drive traffic to your website. Let your followers know when you have written a new article or blog post. Give them enough information to make them want to keep reading.
5. Stay in touch with your clients. Find out how they are doing and make yourself available to answer questions they may have.
6. Build your reputation as an authority in your particular niche. Give out good information and links to helpful resources.
7. Network with other business people. Get ideas, find joint venture partners, and solve problems by tapping into the resources offered by Twitter.
One of the biggest challenges faced by website owners is getting traffic to their site. You may have the most beautiful website on the Internet but if no one sees it, what good is it?
Here are 25 ways to get people to your website.
1. Use good keywords. You will want to use phrases that a lot of people are searching for that have the least amount of competition. You can find good keywords by using a free keyword tool such as the one offered by Google Adwords.
2. Use social media. You can let your friends on Facebook and Twitter know when you have published a new article on your website. Give them enough information about the article to make them want to click.
3. Put a “share this” button on your website. This will encourage your readers to share your articles with their friends either via e-mail or social media.
4. Make it easy for people to have your latest posts delivered to their inbox. Many people don’t know how RSS feed works but most can figure out how to put their e-mail address in a sign up box.
5. Create an e-mail signature that links back to your website. This is a short message that gets put at the end of all your e-mails. You may want to make several so you can pick the one that’s most appropriate for the intended recipient.
6. Write interesting and original articles for your website. This will not only make people keep coming back for more but it will also encourage other website owners to link to you.
7. Use article directories. Submit high quality, interesting and informative articles with a compelling offer in the author bio box. Not only will your articles get read and published by other people but some will click through to your website.
8. Create a free report that will be of interest to your target market. Put a link to your website in the footer and encourage people to share it with others.
9. Write “How to” articles. Think about issues that your customers are dealing with and write articles that show them how to overcome these problems.
10. Link to other blogs by leaving comments. Make sure your comments are informative and relevant. This will cause people to want to find out more about you.
11. Create a short video to post on Youtube. Something interesting, funny or helpful that’s related to your website topic.
12. Join forums that are related to the topic of your site. Put a link to your website in your signature, and after you have a feel for what the site is about, start sharing helpful information.
13. Create and print out a free checklist to hand out to potential customers. Include your website URL somewhere on the page.
14. If you send out a newsletter, make sure to have a link back to your website on every issue.
15. Write a “101 ways to… ” or “101 Tips to…” article. People will flock to these types of articles and often other website owners will link to your site.
16. Put your website URL on your name cards, business cards, letterhead, checks etc.
17. Offer to give a free talk on your area of expertise at schools, colleges, churches, businesses or other organizations. Give out free handouts with your URL on it.
18. Put an ad for your website on a bumper sticker. Consider offering friends and family a small fee to have it displayed on their vehicles.
19. Write “How to” articles. Think about issues your customers are dealing with and write articles that show them how to overcome these problems.
20. After you have posted a new article, send a link to your friends and ask them what they think.
21. Create an account on Hubpages and link your pages back to your site. Make sure your subject is related to your website.
22. Join Yahoo Answers. Respond to the questions you are knowledgeable about. When appropriate, list your website as an additional resource.
23. Host your own internet talk radio show. This is a great way to establish yourself as an expert and promote your website.
24.Offer free giveaways at local events. Along with the gift, include your URL.
25. Keep business cards with your website address with you all the time. Look for opportunities to give them out.
Guest writer Jill Hart gives some practical tips on how to take care of business without neglecting your family and home.
Juggling Work and Family When You Work at Home
By Jill Hart
Q: I have been having my home based business for three years now and I still am struggling with how to juggle business and being a mom, wife and housekeeper. How do you juggle these? I want to make this a success, but so far it’s only been frustration.
My children are four and two years old and they are more challenging than most (not as in spoiled, but as in needing more time than the average kid). Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
A: GREAT question. My kids are now seven and four, so I now have a little bit of help in my seven-year-old. But, I found something that I had written a few years ago. In it, I listed my kids’ ages as four and one. I could tell when reading it that I had been very frazzled. I think I lived in a state of frazzled during those years when they were both so small.
My main advice would be to cut yourself some slack. Things will get easier and more manageable as your kids get older.
My practical advice is this:
1. Plan out menus each week.
I literally spend about two minutes on this. I have a small magnetic dry-erase board that I keep on my refrigerator. Each Sunday, I write out the days of the week and what we’ll have for supper that day. (Lunches almost always consist of sandwiches or something easy like that since it’s just me and the kids.)
This makes grocery shopping a breeze because I know just what ingredients I need. It also alleviates the nagging thoughts of “what are we going to eat tonight?” If possible, have one or both of your kids help you decide what to put. You’ll be surprised at how much they like having a say in what goes on that board!
2. Set a day for everything.
My days look something like this:
* Mondays – Housework and laundry (and business tasks as time allows)
* Tuesdays – Grocery shopping and business tasks (this used to be during naptime, but is now during preschool time)
* Wednesdays – Bible study and lunch with hubby (and business tasks as time allows)
* Thursdays – Business tasks as much as possible with playtime in between
* Friday – Take it Easy Day (and business tasks as time allows)
* Saturdays – Laundry
* Sunday – Church and a good, long nap
It seems a little boring on paper, but I can’t tell you how much this little schedule has saved my sanity. I know when I get up in the morning what I have ahead of me and it is broken into manageable segments. You’ll find that scheduling things amongst these “main” schedule items will get easier and easier as you get used to the schedule.
Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com. Jill is co-author of the upcoming book So You Want To Be a Work-at-Home Mom (Beacon Hill, Sept. 2009). Jill welcomes work-at-home questions at http://AskJill.cwahm.com.
This site offers a free 16 part course on starting a business. It covers topics such as deciding whether a business is right for you, writing a business plan, financing your business etc.
Here are a few free blogging videos I found on the internet. Hope you find them helpful.
Blogging: How to Get Started. This guide on how to set up a free wordpress blog is presented by the students from AUW’s Access Academy BlogShop class. While I do not recommend using free blogs, it is a good way to get familiar with the process and see if blogging is right for you.
How to start a free blog on blogger.com
How to Get Started Blogging
Here is a short video in which 3 bloggers share their ideas on what makes a successful blog:
Here is a video on 3 Successful Blog Marketing Tips
How to sell stuff on Ebay by Bob on January 20, 2008
7 steps to put your stuff on eBay
As part of my de-cluttering process, I unload a lot of my stuff and random items by selling it on on Ebay. If you have never done it before, you will probably be surprised at how easy it is and how quick you can make a little money. Last time I de-cluttered, I made over $200 for only a few hours worth of time. This is a perfect follow-up to some major closet simplification. So, if you have a few hours of spare time, this may be a good way to make a few bucks.
1. Open an eBay account
This is a very quick and easy process. Click here to get started.
2. Buy a few items to get some positive feedback
(This step is optional, but it will probably help) -Small items are fine, anything you can find will work. The reason is that your credibility as an Ebay seller is primarily determined by your feedback score. By purchasing a few items and paying for them quickly, you will be able to get some positive feedback, thus giving you at least a little bit of credibility. Think about it, if you are buying an item wouldn’t you rather buy from a seller has feedback proving that he actually delivered his products rather than a seller who has never used eBay before?
3. Decide what to sell
I only sell name brand or easily defined unique items. When selling, you have to think like the seller and ask “how would I search for this item?” If the answer isn’t clear, it may not be a good item to sell. For example, I had a pair of fake leather pants (don’t ask) that weren’t a brand that anyone would care about, but I knew that people would be searching for leather pants, because it is such a unique item. Often times buyers will search for a brand name and a size, and this is why brand name items are good to sell.
Oh, and I also don’t sell items that aren’t in great condition – you can, but one person’s definition of “small hole in sleeve” can be completely different from another’s. I consider it to be dangerous territory, so proceed with caution.
Just FYI, about the fake leather pants, I had gotten them for about $3.00 on a clearance rack and ended up selling them for about $15.00. So, the $12.00 profit helps offset all the harassment I received for owning them in the first place.
4. Get Pictures of your items
Grab your digital camera (if you are still taking Polaroid pictures, then see step #2 and make a digital camera one of your purchases) and start shooting. Use a well lit room, with the simplest, nicest looking background you can find; e.g. a hardwood floor or a plain wall. Take a few pictures of each item and get close ups if needed. Check out this article for more tips about Ebay pictures.
5. List your item
Now you are ready to list your items. I suggest doing all of your listings on the same day. This will enable you to do the shipping all on the same day, eliminating wasted trips to the Post Office.
Be as detailed as possible in the listing title. Include as many that apply to your item:
item names and similar names
Brand names
Model names or numbers
Sizes
Colors
Men’s, women’s, or kids
material
any other details that stand out about your item
At the time of this writing, if you search for “dress shirt” on eBay it will yield over 12,000 listings. However, if you search for “M banana republic dress shirt blue” we only get 5 results. As sellers, this is what we want – limited competition when people search for our item. If your listing title just said “dress shirt,” then your shirt would now be thrown in the world’s largest bargain bin with 12,000 other shirts for people to dig through. The more detail you put in the title, the easier it is for your buyers to find it.
The first picture is free, but Ebay does charge to add additional pictures. I suggest adding at least one additional picture, unless you are convinced that the item doesn’t need it. Buyers like to see products from different angles and with detail.
Use the description field to fill in any and all detail that you couldn’t squeeze into the title section. The more detail the better. I learned the hard way when selling my wife’s clothes that a lot of the eBaying women like to know the measurements of each item before bidding on it.
A few more things to keep in mind:
open a paypal account (free, simple, and will make it easier for buyers)
Check for misspellings in your title (this could dramatically affect sales)
International shipping can be expensive and time consuming, so you may want to limit your shipping area
6. Answer buyer’s questions
Buyers may email you with questions about the product, it is in your best interest to respond quickly to them. They are clearly interested in buying the product, otherwise they wouldn’t have spent the time emailing you about it. You can respond to their questions and see what each item is going for from your Ebay account.
7. Ship your eBay items
Try to get your items shipped ASAP to get positive feedback from your buyers. Look for old boxes (without writing on them) or for some items you can use brown paper bags to package it in.
I have had the best luck with the good ‘ol U.S. Postal Service. The standard shipping at that Post Office is almost always cheaper than UPS and FedEx. There are some occasions where this is not the case, but from my experience, the USPS is the best way to go.
As with anything, the more you do it, the faster you will get at it. And of course, some items will sell, and some won’t – I just give the unsold items to Goodwill.
