Fellow Canadians: Happy Canada Day!

If you live in Canada, I hope you’re taking Sunday off and enjoying all the festivities. Whether you’re having a cookout, enjoying some fireworks or just kicking back for the day, have fun.

We’ll probably do our usual visit to the park and barbecue back home to celebrate the day. The other day, my 5 year old asked me, “When is Canada Day?” and I told him it was in about a week. He was absolutely beside himself. He said, “Canada Day is my favorite day of the year, except for my birthday.”

Interestingly enough, his current favorite song just happens to be “Oh Canada.” He loves this song so much that even if a different song is on the radio, he’ll just sing the words to Oh Canada to the beat of whatever is playing. Even when we’re out shopping, he sings “Oh Canada” down the aisles…and it brings smiles to everyone’s faces.

I’m proud of my proud little guy!

If you need some Canada Clip Art in a hurry you can grab it at:
Canada Day Clip Art.

It's even available for commercial use with a simple link back to the site.

FAQ Update: How Do I Turn A Virtual Service I’m Providing Into A Full-Fledged Business?

I received a question from a reader asking the following question about turning the service she provides into a business. I’ve given her a few tips to getting started online along with a few pointers for keeping a virtual service-based business from feeling like the dreaded J-O-B in the FAQ section.

Find out how you can turn a virtual service you’re already providing into a business.

If You Requested My Ten Commandments: Check Your Mailbox Soon

On Monday, as promised, I sent out 8 laminated copies of the original Ten Commandments of Being an Internet Marketing Sweetie. I also threw in a little something extra as well, but can’t say what because then it won’t be a surprise now will it? I think you’ll like it!

I received more than 8 requests (a bunch of them actually) and I couldn’t let everyone down just because they may have missed out and not read my blog post of last week soon enough. Sheesh, I’d think that this was the first place you dropped by each and every morning! ;-)

In true “sweetie” fashion, I had to send a little something to those people as well.

Be on the lookout for a little somethin’ somethin’ in your mailbox from one Sweetie to another. Just remember, I live in Canada so give it a bit of time before you shoot the email over thinking I’ve forgotten you! I haven’t, I promise.

Can You Believe We Are Almost Half Way Done?

In just a few short days we’ll be half way through 2007. Wow, time flies doesn’t it? Seems like just yesterday I was wishing everyone here a Happy New Year and talking about business goals for the year.

I’m happy to report that I’m crossing my goals off one by one and, with an exception here or there, I just might meet all of them this year. Growth and progression are good (and necessary) in your business. But, if you haven’t reached as many of your goals as you had hoped to by this point, don’t give up. Sit down and find out what it is you need to do to make things happen. Get that New Year motivation back and then use it to make the second half of the year better than the first!

If you’re on track or have exceeded your goals so far this year, way to go! Take a bit of a break and relish in your accomplishments. You deserve a pat on the back so give yourself one and enjoy the hard work you’ve invested so far this year.

And hey, even if you’re a little behind, don’t let that get you done. Take pride in what you’ve accomplished and keep doing more of it.

So what about you? How are things going at halftime 2007?

What Flavor are You & Your Business?

As an Internet Marketing Sweetie, you probably already know that even though we make money from being kind & giving. However, more importantly, we also know that we can't be ALL things to EVERYONE and that sometimes we offend people or cause them to disagree with us.

It's just the way human nature works.

Even if you're in the checkout stand and it's taking a long time because the cashier is a little slow on the go, the people behind you will still blame you and curse you. You did nothing - but people still get annoyed.

And even every time you send out an email, no matter how vanilla and politically correct you try to be, someone will get rubbed the wrong way. There is nothing you can do about it. They could be having a bad day, they could have different views than you or whatever.

So, why get hung up on these things and why have a vanilla business?

Even if vanilla might be one of the most popular ice cream flavors that appeal to the general public, people don't really get passionate about it. Believe it or not, you don't want to reach the most people, you want to reach the most passionate people who can't wait to hear from you and buy stuff from you. People get passionate about New York Super Fudge Chunk, not vanilla, so don't be afraid to be New York Super Fudge Chunk.

This reminds of some recent controversy sparked in the Internet Marketing community regarding a "Rich Jerk Party at the Playboy Mansion". I've never mentioned the Rich Jerk on my blog before (I don't think!), cuz he's not my style and I'm pretty darned sure he's not trying to appeal to me. Personally, I think he's after the Early to Mid-Twenties Male Chocolate Crunch Crowd that I'm just not part of. And no, that's not a Ben & Jerry's flavor, I think that's a flavor this "Rich Jerk" character came up with all by himself. ;-)

Frankly, I was a bit surprised that John Reese sent out a promo about this, but he included all kinds of disclaimers and illustrated why he stood behind the idea of the event. Jason Moffatt, one of the "bad boys" of Internet marketing also sparked some controversy with his more "raw" promotion of the Playboy party. He even called for some extra controversy by posting on a popular Internet marketing forum asking why all the ladies were unsubscribing from his list. Some people told him he deserved what he got because he was demeaning women. Some men said that they were married and this was inappropriate, but the vast majority were SILENT.

Out of the 10 or so people who posted on that thread (presumably before it got deleted....correct me if I'm wrong), there were many, many more that certainly had opinions. In my experience, when you do something controversial, it's the people who hated what you did that will speak the loudest. But often, if you targeted your market well, it's the silent majority that usually gives you the direction you need. These silent people are the ones who order what you recommend or email you privately to say, "thank you".

You need to learn your audience and how to speak to them, in order to bring out the passionate people. Now, I'm not saying you should send out an email promoting The Rich Jerk's party to your mailing list of craft business owners, but what can you do that ignites some excitement for your readers?

Interestingly enough, I guess the Rich Jerk Playboy Party did spark enough negativity that they did launch a more family-friendly version of the event sales page to fill the seats and that's probably smart marketing on their part. Offline events can be a tough sell and adapting to the needs of your audience is important...but don't totally sacrifice yourself and don't sacrifice your original target audience. I doubt that the Rich Jerk will never show that page to his hard core fans because they won't appreciate it. That page is for those who might want to cross over to the "other side" and just need a reason to do so.

Think what you want about it, but that is SMART marketing. Geez, I can't believe I just said the Rick Jerk was smart. *Sigh*

Why Did She Do It?

Lots of people have asked me why did I sell my baby at InternetBasedMoms.com? Wanna know why? Listen to WAHM Talk Radio this week to find out. :-)

Thinking of Starting a Business in the Wellness Industry?

If so, you’re choosing a great niche that is growing each and every day. But with so many different opportunities out there, how do you know which one is the right one for you?

With the help of the new Direct Sales Directories free guide, you’ll find out what you should be looking for, steps to finding the right opportunity and even specific questions to ask in order to gain a clear understanding of what each opportunity has to offer. You’ll also receive a fill in the blank chart that helps you easily compare your options all in one place.

Get one step closer to starting your own wellness business today by downloading your free copy of the guide. Guide to Starting a Business in the Booming Wellness Industry.

But Do I Really Need A Business Phone?

Recently, I’ve been asked whether I think an Internet business owner should have a business phone. Depending on the nature of your business, you may or may not need one. A lot of Internet business owners don’t have a business telephone and get along just fine.

If you’re a solo service provider, I don’t really think it’s necessary to have a publicly available business line. Now, some may disagree with me and say that you can lose clients by not being available by phone.

Sure, you can lose clients. You can also lose your time by answering questions from people who will never hire you. I know it sounds harsh, but open yourself up like that and you'll have people calling you expecting free advice and all kinds of help and you have no time do your own stuff. That’s not what you started your online business for was it? You can have more clients than you can handle by keeping your business just online.

Of course, if you have established clients who want to discuss details on the phone, that’s a completely different ballgame. In the case of an ALREADY paying client, I’d make exceptions.

In a consumer product business, it is more reasonable to have a phone number for customers. Because they are more than likely interested in things such as placing an order, clarifying features and those types of things those calling are less likely to drain your time.

If you do own a consumer product business, I would definitely outsource the customer service part of the calls. You are busy and have better things to concentrate your energy on. There is no need to handle calls that can easily be handed over to someone else.

Now, you might notice that I have a phone number on my websites, but it is voice mail only. Does this put some people off? Sure it does, but people who respect my need for privacy are the type of customers and clients I would rather do business with.

Will I ever go away from strictly voice mail for my business? I might but only if it were phone support that was handled by customer service staff and not me, so I can continue to concentrate on what I do best. What about you?

Playing More Video Games Than Internet Marketing? Here's Something...

Often I'm asked to review Internet marketing related products, but due to my schedule it's tough to get to them all. Recently, Darren Chow sent me a politely worded and also intriguing invitation to review his VRE Empire Game. With the house moving and other things going on, I couldn't do it, but we had a member of our team check it out and this is what she had to say:

----START REVIEW----

VRE Empire – Learn Valuable Knowledge While You Play

If you’re considering an online business in any way, shape, or form, the game VRE Empire is definitely a great place to start! The game, while entertaining and fun, also has valuable teaching tips that can be translated to real life business practices.

Product information/description:

The game VRE Empire takes a person just starting out in an online business through a virtual year of activity. You start the game with $1,000 dollars in your VRE account. Then, you choose what to do with that money, just as if you were starting your business. The benefit of the game, however, is that you won’t actually lose anything if you make a mistake. Of course, the reverse is true, as well. You won’t get to keep the profits that you make, either.

Features:

The game is very user-friendly and simple in its approach. Everything is shown on one page, with pop ups that give real, usable tips that you can apply to your current business marketing situation.

You also start with ten points in each of three categories: Internet Marketing, VRE Development, and VRE Building. As you play the game, your positive actions will add points to those categories. There is no limit to the points you can accumulate, and there is no limit to the amount of money you can amass during the 365 day virtual year.

To play the game, you choose only two activities from various drop-down boxes per game day. You may choose to Market, Develop or Build your VRE. You may also choose Training and Rewards. All actions are saved and viewable should you choose to review your History. Viewing your History will allow you to go back and see which activities were most profitable, and which ones weren’t as profitable.

Under the heading Market VRE, you may choose from a variety of activities including: Submit 1 article to 10 article directories manually which costs nothing, Submit 5 articles to 150 article directories which costs $10.00, along with other choices. Each activity has a cost value associated with it.

If you choose Develop VRE, you will see activities such as Write your own sales letter, Invite guest bloggers to post entries, and Start a PPC campaign to recruit affiliates. Each of these actions also has a cost. Just like in real business, you must weigh the cost of the activity with the potential to generate revenue.

You may also choose Build VRE. In this option, you may choose from activities such as Set up a community forum, Set up a free blog + 1 free email list, and Engage a web designer to build a professional website. Again, each activity has a cost, and you must decide if it’s worth it to spend the money or not.

After you have chosen your two actions for the day, you choose the button that appears and tell it “I’m done for the day.” The game then shows you what type of outcome your actions for the day have had – Net Gain or Net Loss. There is also a “News” section that lists possible things that would affect your business such as losing search engine rankings or someone choosing to do a Joint Venture with you. All of these things will affect your Net Gain/Loss for the day.

Thoughts and Criticisms:

I think the game would be beneficial for anyone considering starting an online business. The tips throughout the game, associated with the various activities, are very helpful. There are also links to different websites that would help to further educate the player so they make the best decisions when they actually start their business.

One of the other things I liked is that the game had an area where you can download helpful reports such as “Top 10 Principles for Successful Internet Marketers” and “Press Release Made Easy.” These reports could easily generate income, but they’re being given to those who choose to join the game.

While the game is not free, the $37 price is not too steep that people who are serious about starting an online business wouldn’t be able to afford it. And, if you glean anything from the game to aid you in your online business (which I believe you will), talk to your accountant to see if the price of the game could be counted as a business expense.

Summary:
I would highly recommend the game VRE Empire to anyone considering or just starting out in an online business. The tips are helpful, the ability to see what actions are profitable without having to take financial risk is so beneficial, and the free reports are outstanding.

Within a couple of hours of play, you can learn what many people have worked years to learn. You’ll have had fun, learned a lot, and have solid knowledge to apply to your business and watch it grow! Click here for more details and get access to the game.

----END REVIEW----

Sounds like fun...maybe I should get my World of Warcraft husband on it! ;-)

Tips from the King of Copy: Michel Knows Press Releases Too

We all know Michel Fortin is a copywriting genius and if you don’t…just trust me the man knows what he’s talking about and a quick gander at his blog proves it. :-)

Over at his blog, Michel posted awhile back about how press releases work, but only if done right. I couldn’t agree more.

A press release, or as Michel prefers to call them news releases, are only as good as the way they are written. Hence the reason he prefers the term news release. It has to be news not a blatant advertisement. If people want to see an ad, they can easily flip to the classified section of their newspaper or the yellow pages of their telephone book.

If you want the media to pick your release out of the hundreds of others it receives it must be newsworthy, grab their interest and the interest of their viewers/readers.

There are also specific guidelines that you must follow when submitting your releases and the quickest way to get yours landed in the editor or reporter’s trash can is to not abide by those guidelines.

To get tips for writing a press release that will make media outlets want to learn more about your business, check out Press Release Profits.

Unpacking & Organizing the Office

Even though I was talking about my outdoor office for the summer as we moved into our new home, we ran into a couple of rainy days and I decided to get started on the indoor office. And as I unpack boxes, it's been an interesting stroll down memory lane.

Over the past few years, the space in our old place seemed to get smaller and smaller and that meant more things going back into boxes. Some of the things that went into boxes were my office belongings. A lot of courses, supplies, etc. just got packed away. It was a real blast from the past when I unloaded everything and started putting them on the new shelves (I'd take a pic, but at this point, I haven't a CLUE where my camera is...this move is taking for-EVER). I had to cut out a lot of the fat, but what remains on my shelf is the solid content from John Reese, Michel Fortin, Jeff Walker and a handful of others. I'll show you later, but you might have to remind me.

Another interesting thing I found is 8 laminated copies of the 10 Commandments of Being An Internet Marketing Sweetie. These are 10 simple, yet quite profound guidelines (if I do say so myself) to running a long-term profitable business. These are the same commandments that come with my original Internet Marketing Sweetie course. I'm not quite sure what to do with these copies, but thought you might want one. It's just something to keep near your computer and help keep things on the positive...and profitable.

If you want one, I'll walk my little ol' self to the post office and send it to you directly. Just email (OFFER NOW CLOSED) with your request and snail mail address and I'll get it out to you. I only have 8, so do it quick...but even if you're late, I might have something to send you anyway, so please do write!

But word of warning: This laminated sheet is a collectors item. ;-) I can't believe it, but I found a typo on it. It's very minor, but it's there, so that must mean this will be worth a ton of cash in the future. Seriously, I can't promise anything...but if you follow the advice in the commandments, it may just make you tons of cash.

Okay, back to organizing my office...

EDITED June 21, 2007 -> Well, I got way more than 8 requests, but no biggie...I'll mail something to everyone and envelopes will go out Monday. Look for me in your snail mail inbox soon!

FAQ Update: Why Am I Attracting Freebie Seekers?

I get a lot of questions from people asking how to deal with people on their lists who refuse to spend money or are only around for the free stuff. There is a way to handle situations such as these and you can find out how by visiting the most recent addition to the FAQ section.

FAQ: How to Handle Subscribers Who Want a Free Ride

The "Alice Seba" Bidding Wars - Is It Working, Guys?

I always find it interesting when I see people bidding for ad spots on my name at Google. Once in a while I check what's happening on my name. Call it paranoia, a need for approval...whatever...I just like to see what's happening to my name and I'm not likely different than most humans on this planet.

I haven't updated a Google campaign in a while, but I was under the impression that the ads needed to be relevant? Now it seems you can post anything to a keyword. You'll see the first page of results to the left. None of them have anything to do with me. There's even a battle going on between some dude that apparently got scammed on an Internet deal and some guy who didn't. LOL. Just see positions 2 and 5.

Interestingly enough, when I search Yahoo, the results show people actually using my name, but neither ad has anything to do with with me, especially number #2. The bugger is trying to suggest that I actually endorse his product. His ad appeared a moment ago on Google, but seems to have disappeared (maybe they do have standards?!).



MSN gets interesting too. Apparently, there is an "Alice DVD" set I'm not aware of. ;-) I'm assuming some of these are the automated type of ads you see on Technorati.



I just hope these dude are tracking their ads. Cuz seriously, it's nice to be important (a la having people buy ads with your name), but it's more important to be PROFITABLE.

Need a Graphic for Your Father's Day Promotion?

If you're running a quick Father's Day Promotion (hurry...just 2 days left!), here are 5 nice looking (and print-quality, should you need it) graphics for Dad's special day. They are available for commercial use, but a link back to the site is requested.

Grab your Father's Day Clip Art here.

And Happy Father's Day to all the great daddies out there!

A Little Brag: Is All PLR Created Equal?

We just had an All Private Label Content member post this to the APLC forum:

"I am new to the forums but have been subscribed to the all mom content since it was first created. I just wanted to say that I appreciate the great content you have provided! In fact I just purchase 100 articles from another source that sounded like such a steal but not one of them was something that I could really use. I will stick with your products and plan to purchase more. Judy"

Gives me warm fuzzies inside...it really does. The PLR industry has been given a bad rap by some who just don't care about the quality. But that's because they can get away with it because:

• A lot of PLR buyers probably never use the content (for shame!)
• A lot of PLR buyers are too lazy to review the content before it posted to their website.
• A lot of PLR buyers don't really give a crap if the content is good...they just want to slap Adsense on it & hope for some traffic and clicks.
  

The good news is that the PLR sellers and buyers who do CARE are the ones that will do best in the long run. As John Reese recently said on his blog (and what his Daddy told him long ago) - always do more than is expected of you.

Wise and timeless advice.

How Do You Thank ‘Em?

If you have contributors, featured guests, partners, etc. what (if anything) do you do to thank them for taking the time to work with you?

My friend and business partner, Kelly McCausey, host of WAHM Talk Radio, has started something really cool for her show guests each week. She Swags ‘Em! Take a look and see what I’m talking about in case you are like me and don’t know what swags are. :)

As sad as it is, sometimes we online business owners take for granted that the work we do with partners or the advertising we do for guests, etc. is enough.

If you’ve been guilty of this, don’t worry we all have, me included…but I promise I’m getting better. Why not take the time to let your online pals know you appreciate everything they do for you?

I actually sent a small bunch of flowers to one of my assistants a few months back and here’s what she sent me when she received them.

“What a wonderful surprise to come home to this afternoon, after grocery shopping and stressing all morning! Thank you so much for the flowers. They are GORGEOUS! I love the purple color and they add some much, much needed color and liveliness to the office. Thanks again Alice, you're the best and your timing is perfect!”

Of course I had no idea that she was having a bad day or that her and her office were both in need of a pick-me-up, but it made not only her, but me feel good too!

Now, I’m not saying you have to send flowers or anything really expensive… even something as small as a card in the mail that says “Thank You” brightens someone’s day more than you may ever know.

Another great thing to do is pick up the phone (if you’re a phone type of person) and give them a call just to tell them Thank You!

It’s just a fact of human nature that we like to be appreciated and it’s also a fact in today’s busy world that sometimes we forget to tell others how much they are appreciated…but make a conscious effort to do better if you don’t already.

Before I go bury myself in more unpacking of boxes (I’m starting to see some light at the end of tunnel), if you missed last night’s Hot Summer Seminar Series chat with Lynn Terry, you can still sign up for the upcoming seminars for free here.

You can also grab the recording of Lynn’s seminar while you’re there.

Tonight’s The Night: Hot Summer Series Kick Off

Last week I told you this year’s Hot Summer Seminar Series starts tonight.

Kelly’s starting the series with a bang, right out of the gate this year, as Lynn Terry opens up with a conversation about writing content that will drive traffic to your site and help generate sales.

You won’t want to miss this one, as the topic is essential to the success of your online business. This week’s seminar begins tonight at 9PM EST.

If you haven’t had a chance to sign up do so now before you forget. All of the calls (there’s one every Wednesday night throughout the summer) are free to attend. If, like me, you know there are some calls you can’t attend, but want the information you can buy recordings of all the calls with a Season Pass. Then you can join me in cheating off Kelly’s notes too! She’s making her personal notes available for those who purchase. ;-)

Sign up to receive the call in numbers and dates or pick up your Season Pass here:

http://HotSummerSeminarSeries.com

FAQ Updated: Article Writing Software

I recently received a question from a subscriber of mine who thinks he just is not writer material when it comes to writing his own articles. He is looking for an easier way to get articles written and asked the following question.

“I am not a great writer. Where can I obtain article creating software?”

There’s no such thing (at least not worth anything) and you can find out other ways to write articles, including tips for writing your own at the FAQ, here:

Help! I Can’t Write FAQ

Who's Been Linking to My Private Forum?!

Hey...this is kind of a public service announcement, but today I received a bunch of notifications that people are trying to sign up for the private forum I have for my IM Spring Cleaning Coaching students. The forum itself is publicly accessible, but you have to be approved to post and have certain permissions to access any areas of the forum. In other words, it's a private forum, but you can see the main page and attempt to register if you visit.

At this point...I don't have a public forum, so if you're registering and not receiving approvals please understand it is now simply a private discussion area for my coaching students. I am definitely not dissing you. I just don't have a discussion area to open up to you.

If you think I SHOULD have a public forum where we can chat, please post in the comments area and tell me why. There are so many other forums online...why do you think that I, in particular, should open one up?

A Cool New Development in PLR - Research Bundles

From listening to feedback from PLR/ Ghostwriting service buyers, we've decided to introduce a brand new type of PLR (private label right bundle) that is designed to help people save money and a whole lot of time.

Our research bundles include ideas/facts on 15 focused topics per bundle and allow the user to create original content for their articles, reports, ebooks, audio recordings and even videos. Really, the opportunities are limitless.

With the growing concern that many have for original content, this might just be the perfect solution to creating original content quickly.

Our first two research bundles are family-related and we'll be adding more in the future. Check them out at:

• Kid Fun & Parent Sanity
• Empowered Moms

If there are any research bundles you're itching to get or you have any feedback on making this idea even better, please do leave your comments below.

Make Things Easy…And Get More Users

I was conducting my weekly browse over at IM Newswatch, and came across this post, in which the author, Nick Usborne, talks about how making things easy will make him try something.

He discusses how some sites have taken old ideas and made them easier to put into action. The fact that it’s easier makes it even more popular. For instance, creating video and uploading it to the net has been around for ages, but because sites like YouTube have made the process so simple, more and more people are doing it.

Sometimes when we create products, write copy or send emails we tend to assume our customers and readers already understand things that we take for granted. That’s not always the case however.

Here’s an example:

You’re the owner of a site all about Affiliate Marketing. Because you redirect your affiliate links all the time, without realizing it you simply tell your visitors that redirecting is a great way to hide those long, yucky links.

But…are the majority of your visitors new to affiliate marketing or are they old pros like you? Chances are if your site is ALL about affiliate marketing, then you have a mixture of the two. Instead of assuming, whether consciously or not, that your visitor knows how to redirect their affiliate links, why not place the HTML code necessary to do so somewhere on your site?

This covers all your bases. If the visitor doesn’t need the code, they simply don’t go to it. If they are setting up their redirects for the first time, by supplying them with the code to do so you aren’t sending them somewhere else to find it.

The easier you make things for your visitors, the better your chances of keeping them around! :) And, if you’ve done your job right, when the time comes for them to purchase, you’ll be the first one they turn to.

Quick Newsletter/List Tip: You need to really target your visitors and separate your lists where possible. If you have visitors with lots of experience on the same list as complete newbies and are giving them lots of details they don’t need, the chances of the old pros unsubscribing increases.

It’s Almost That Time Again (Hot Summer Seminar Series)

I just finished sending this email about the Hot Summer Seminar Series to my subscribers, but in case you missed it, here you go!

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

Subject: It’s About To Get Hot In Here :)

It’s that time of year again. The weather’s warming up and that can only mean one thing…The Hot Summer Seminar Series is coming.

http://HotSummerSeminarSeries.com

The once weekly series kicks of next Wednesday, June 13th, with Lynn Terry of SelfStartersWeeklyTips.com. Lynn is one of my favorite Internet marketing bloggers and has been working online for 10 years. She has created a very successful business for herself in that time. You won’t want to miss her seminar, as you will definitely take a lot of valuable information away with you.

Each Wednesday, for the following nine weeks, you’ll hear from some very influential and successful women in the Internet Marketing world. Women such as Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero, Lynette Chandler, Nicole Dean and yep, me too, will be holding seminars on various topics to help you move your business to the next level.

Here’s the full line-up. Be sure to mark your calendars today.

June 13: Lynn Terry – How to Write Content That Drives Traffic & Makes Sales


June 20: Kerry Beck - 5 Secrets to Finding Products to Sell on eBay

June 27: Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero - How to Run a Successful Copywriting Business from Home for Freedom, Fun, and Profit

July 11: Yours Truly, Alice Seba - Finding the Right Info Product Idea (I’ll tell you how to find out if your info product is a profitable one, along with ways to be successful in your selling efforts)

July 17: Shannon Cherry - Happy Holidays: Publicity Tactics for the Holiday Season

July 25: Nicole Dean - Does Your Affiliate Program Suck?

August 8: Lynette Chandler - Find Out What Your Customers Are Thinking
August 15: Nell Taliercio - Proposing Telecommuting 101

All calls take place at 9pm EST and are free to attend. Just sign up to receive the call in number and password for each of them here
http://HotSummerSeminarSeries.com

If you can’t make one of the calls don’t fret. Simply visit the site to see how and when you can get the optional upgrade and receive recordings of each call.

Ghostwriting FAQs: It’s Not a Mystery Anymore

Ghostwriting is a huge part of many successful Internet marketing businesses. I receive questions about using ghostwriters in online business quite a bit so I thought I’d take a minute two answer some of the most common ones.

“Is it ethical to have someone else writing your material?”

This is a question that gets asked more than any other when it comes to hiring ghostwriters. The short and simple answer is: Yes, it is fair and legal, but if you have any doubts, consult the appropriate legal counsel because I am not a lawyer. But here’s why.

If you stop and think about all the people that use ghostwriters, you might be surprised at how many do. Here are just a few examples.

Authors: Many authors hire ghostwriters to write their books.
Brick & Mortar Stores & Companies: How many company owners do you know that run a company AND create advertising material, type up inter-company memos, or other written material for their employees? Not many because they are busy managing the company and there simply aren’t enough hours in the day for them to do it all. Not to mention, there are people in the company who are stronger in those aspects of the company than the CEO’s.

“What do you do when you've hired a ghostwriter for a project, she completes it -- but when she's done, it's not as good as you expected?”

One thing you need to remember is that no one person will write exactly like you do. That being said, here are a few tips for getting your finished product as close to what you would write as possible.

Clear & Concise Details
Give your ghostwriter as many details as you possibly can about the project. Even if they seem like they are a given, the more detailed you are with your request, the better the finished project will be.

Request & Give Samples
Before hiring a ghostwriter, ask for samples of their writing. If they have written on the topic you are looking for, ask for specific examples. You’ll get a better idea of the way they write.

Don’t forget to send them to some articles you’ve written too. This will give them a better idea of the approach and voice you take in your articles.

Review, Request Changes, Rework Content
As with any outsourced work, you must check the work. Once the material is returned, review it and if there are things you aren’t happy with, request that the changes be made by the writer (check their policies however because if it’s just a matter of preference, you may need to pay more) or simply make the changes yourself.

If the article is not at all what you requested and it’s obvious, let the writer know. Simply point out what you requested and how the content is different. Many times it’s a matter of miscommunication and the writer will be happy to make the changes.

If the changes are minor, such as a few words you wouldn’t normally use or rewording a sentence to make it sound more like you, you can quickly and easily make the changes yourself…but you might mention them to your writer, so she can learn from the suggestions.

“How do I deal with a ghostwriter who is unreliable?”

When working with a ghostwriter, you need to set specific guidelines as to when the work will be completed and returned to you. Some writers will let you know right on their website what the turn around time is for your project, others you may need to ask. If it’s not clear to you, simply ask in an email. Realize that if you need your material yesterday, you will probably pay a rush fee to be pushed to the front of the line.

If you’ve begun work with a writer and all of a sudden he or she isn’t returning things as quickly as before, don’t be afraid to find out what’s changed. Don’t automatically think the worst. It only takes a second to send a quick email asking if everything is ok and if there is anything you can do to make their job easier.

And hey, if you want to avoid the hassle, you know that All Custom Content, will help get rid of many of these concerns. ;-)

Have You Seen This Internet Marketer?

Meet "Jake Maxwell" and read what he has to say about his struggle to build an online business at DearAliceAndMila.com. I think we can all relate to Jake and perhaps see a little bit of him in ourselves.

I’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling – Tips to Get You Back in the Outsourcing Mood

A lot of people tell me they are turned off by outsourcing because they keep getting ripped off. Some have horror stories of paying and work never being done, the work was horrible or worse yet, the work caused them to be banned by the search engines.

Don’t let one (or even two) bad apples spoil the whole bunch. Here are some tips for getting those warm tingly feelings back for outsourcing because seriously – YOU HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR TIME!

1. Don’t pay in full up front. Some contractors will require an upfront fee, especially for large projects, but never, ever pay the full cost before the work has been completed.

2. Get samples of past work first. This will give you a better idea of the type of work the contractor has performed in the past and whether or not it’s the quality and type of work you need.

3. Give small jobs first. Don’t start out with large amounts of work for one contractor. By giving them one or two smaller tasks you’ll get a feel for how they work. If you’re happy then slowly add more tasks to their list.

4. Check the work. Outsourcing is no excuse for being lazy. Most mistakes are not intentional and contractors will be more than happy to fix them. They can only make corrections if you tell them about it.

5. Be available to them. Right up front, let the contractor know you are there to help or answer questions. A good one will be more than willing to ask questions should they require assistance or get stuck on a task.

Outsourcing is not always a breeze and you may go through a few contractors before you find one you are satisfied with, but don’t get discouraged and ban outsourcing in your business all together. Remember, it’s a learning experience every step of the way. Live, learn and use the tips above to avoid making some of the same mistakes that others of us weren’t so fortunate to have missed. In the end, the freedom in your business will be well worth it!

By the way, if you haven’t already, be sure to claim more free outsourcing tips.

FAQ Update: How to Edit Your PHPBB Forum Header & Footer

If you're new to the phpbb forum format, it's one of the first questions you'll probably asked. I've updated the FAQ with a step-by-step illustrated guide to help you do simple customizations to your forum:

Click here for your guide.

A Critical Solution for the Busy Marketer Who Is Expected to Do EVERYTHING!

I just emailed this out to my Internet Marketing Prescriptions subscribers. If you missed the email, here are the details:

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This is just a tad off-topic, but I'm sure you'll agree, it is
*crucially-relevant* to the busy Internet marketer. And since
it's the weekend, I thought it was a good time to get back to the
basics in regard to working from home.

I don't have to tell you that it's not always easy trying to
balance everything in your life. As the person who works from
home in the household, a lot of tasks are probably automatically
assigned to you. Problem is, we're working hard all day and it's
not always easy to keep up with it all. Meal-planning is one of
those challenges.

If you're like me, you can get wrapped up in your work and the
things you have to get done. And BAM! Suddenly, it's like 4:30
and you have no idea what's for dinner. There's nothing to cook
or you just don't feel like you have the energy to do it. You can
order in or go out, but that adds up and often causes us to
choose really unhealthy choices. And geez...as people who sit on
our rear ends all day, we need more healthy foods in our lives.

Over the past couple years I've made some changes to ensure meal-
planning isn't so overwhelming. One of the things I've done is to
make sure I know what's for dinner first thing in the morning and
prep the meal as much as I can. That way, when dinner time creeps
up, I'm totally ready to make it happen!

That's just one of the things that can make that sometimes
difficult part of your day easier. For more help with planning
your meals, here's a report to take the stress out of meal-
planning, help you save money and even make it more enjoyable:

Free Menu-Planning Report

There is no charge for the report. All you need to do is sign up
with your first name and email address...then you'll instantly
get your report.

Be sure to grab yours. It'll make the upcoming work week a whole
lot easier.

Organization: Another Benefit of Outsourcing

We all know the many benefits of outsourcing. How could you not, when I try to remind you as much as I can? :)

We know by getting help with our work, we get more done in a day, there’s no need to learn complicated programming or other tasks, which keeps us from having to do things we hate and allows us to concentrate on marketing. Well, here’s another added benefit.

Outsourcing forces you to plan ahead and be organized. When I know I have admin help, writers and other contractors relying on me each week to give them work, I have no choice but to get to it and plan ahead.

Honestly, if I worked on my own, I’d probably just procrastinate. It’s so much easier to put things on the back burner when you don’t have someone else depending on you. I know that many of my contractors hold me accountable to give them work so they can make their living and I would never intentionally take food from their mouths.

Do you find that you’ve become more organized since outsourcing?