Kicking Off Our Next Group Coaching Session Next Monday!

It only takes 4 short weeks to create your own information product…

If you have an idea, then you can go From Idea to Information Product to Profitable and Very Successful Business in only 4 short weeks! Yes YOU! Even if you do not have a website or even one customer yet!

Hi! My name is Cindy Rushton. I am SO excited about this new group coaching session. We are counting down to begin another great coaching session on Monday, April 8, 2011. In this session, we will dig into the topic: From Idea to Information Product to Profitable and Very Successful Business. In just FOUR WEEKS during April, you can take those incredible ideas swirling in your minds and create not just an information product, but also set a firm foundation for your entire business! FOUR WEEKS!

This is one program that you are not going to want to miss!  I will personally take you by the hand and help you get that idea out of your mind and into the hands of those who need you like never before. Yep! I will teach you how to take your idea and create multiple products which can skyrocket your business to success.

You may have no idea where to begin, but that is the perfect reason to plan right now to join us!! Just read some testimonies from past coaching clients who took this course:

 

From Kimberly Ehlers….

Hi, Cindy!   I just got the Welcome e-mail, and am a bit panicked right now.  I do not have my website up yet.  I’ve been saving to be able to purchase Thesis Theme, and will finally be able to do that this weekend.  I’m hoping everything will go smoothly and I’ll get it up and running, but am afraid I won’t before class starts.  Will I be terribly out of it if I don’t have my website up?  I am loving the idea of having a product along with my book available when I do get my website going. Can’t wait for class! Love, Kimberly Ehlers

Now, just four weeks later the proud owner of: http://www.KimberlyEhlers.com Sweet huh?

From Sandi….

Cindy, I was wondering if you thought this course on creating info products might be something that would work for me. I would love to be able to create something and put it on auto-pilot, that would, in turn, bring in a cash flow without a lot of intervention once it is up and running. I’m finding that there are just not enough hours in the day between…four kids, homeschooling and trying to bring in an income to support us. I know God has the answer. I just want to be open and available when he sends it my way! Would love to have your input.
Love ya, Sandi<><

From Susan….

Cindy, I am so excited about this upcoming program. I’ve been in such a tizzy about getting my business off the ground because I was never sure what to do next. Now I feel a peace about it. Can’t wait to hear what you have to say.  I’m even doing a Once A Month Cooking this week to get my freezer stocked up with pre-made dinners and getting the bulk of the Christmas shopping done. Clearing the decks so I can focus on making some real progress this month!

I am hoping you will cover something along the lines of how to cut through the clutter and get at what is most important. I feel like I have all the pieces in place – websites, some content, squeeze pages, Aweber all set up, working on list building, etc – I just have so many pieces, I never know what to tackle first. Should I finish the ebook? Fix the header on my blog? Write a sales page? Write more content? Work on my site design? Put some articles on ezine articles.com? Add a blog to one of my niche sites? Write freebie reports? Create audio or video content? Arrrrgghhh. I know HOW to do all that stuff, I have the technology and the skills, I just need a plan of action. I won’t bog you down with all my details, but it sure would be great if, during the coaching, you can give some direction in this area.

Thanks for all you do.
Sue Scott

Look at her now at:
http://www.SusanScott.org

 

In this course, we will…

–> Start where YOU are today–even if you have never written or spoken one word! I will take away the “overwhelm” and give you a step-by-step plan that will work today for creating your own information products. You will be given a jump-start that will propel you to success!

–> Learn how to choose the very 1st and most important project to work on. I know that if you are anything like me, you have so many options, ideas, choices, and decisions floating around in your mind that it can be overwhelming and stop you in your tracks. Sweet friend, *I* always have my mind full to overwhelming with ideas–I do right NOW! Do you relate? Has it held you back from moving forward? Well, we will work together to get beyond that and show you what to do with all of those ideas while you focus on the very best project for TODAY. You won’t just benefit with THIS project, you will learn how to live as a productive, prolific, and very successful entrepreneur–beginning with this first project.

–> Learn how to organize yourself so you are ready to work each and every day! Get beyond overwhelm to productivity.

–> Dig into all of the options for producing Information Products! PRICELESS! You will learn how to do more than just write a book, set up an ebook, plan a seminar, or produce quality audios. You will learn how to build a rock-solid, profitable, productive, strong, and very successful business around your ideas. Only have one idea? Oh! We will work together to capitalize on that one idea like you have never imagined possible! I have been called “The Queen of Re-purposing Content” because I have uncovered secrets that can take any idea and build a business full of products that meet the customers’ needs and desires. I will show you how to do it step-by-step. You will leave this course ready to reach all of your customers with their preferred modality. Best of all, you will learn how to do it with out any learning curve–THE EASY WAY! That brings me to the next thing we will learn…

http://www.talk-a-latte.com/ebooks/MomOnline.jpg

–> Cover step-by-step how to create information products. Yep! I will take you by the hand and teach you how to create ebooks, audios, videos, subscription newsletters, e-courses, seminars, home study courses, membership sites, and more! EACH of these could be a course of its own, but in this course, you will learn everything you need to learn so you are ready to produce your own products in just FOUR WEEKS! I will take you step-by-step!

–> Get ready to succeed. This is something that you will not find in any other course or coaching program on this topic. Not only will you learn the “how-to’s” for creating your product, but I will also help you get ready to succeed. There is so much more to success than creating a product. You may have already experienced this. That is why we will dedicate an entire week to learning the keys to success. These keys will give you more content than 5 full courses. Well, you must join to learn more!

–> Get moving and keep momentum. If there is one thing that most people need, it is this information. It is so easy to get overwhelmed by our ideas. We get excited. We see their potential. But, we get overwhelmed and have no idea where to begin. Or, we dabble with it, get frustrated by all that needs to be done at the same time and lose our motivation. That is why this program is being offered as a coaching program. Not only will you learn how to create information products, but you will also learn how to get moving and keep the momentum for the long-haul–beyond just the first project into a lifestyle. I want to see you succeed in business. The key to success is not just learning how to create ONE product, but getting momentum to build a very successful business. You will learn how in this course.

–>That is not all! We will learn what to do after you have finished your product. We will talk about how to launch your product, create buzz, reach your prospective customers with your salesletter, joint venture with others, develop a strong affiliate program, and market yourself and your products. I will teach you how to create a no-fail project. Well, more than that–a no-fail business!

Just look at the topics…

WEEK ONE: From Idea to Information Product to Profitable and Very Successful Business
Covers the following topics:
Who are You?
Which Topic TODAY?
Ideas! What Do I Do with Them?
My Idea–A BUSINESS???

Also, includes Question/Answer Session recorded in our coaching session.

WEEK TWO: Information Products–YEP! YOU Can Do It!
Covers the following topics:
What Can You Do With Your Ideas? Let’s Make it Easy!
Tips and Practical How-To’s for Creating Your Own Products
What Do You Need?
What Do You Do With Your Information Product?
How Do You Get It All Done–With the Hubby, Kids, and a Busy Life?

Also, includes Question/Answer Session recorded in our coaching session.

WEEK THREE: Get Ready for Success! Secrets that will EXPLODE Your Business!
Covers the following topics:
Setting Up Your Site to Sell!
Building a Responsive Mailing List
Stepping into Social Networking
Taking it Uplevel!

Also, includes Question/Answer Session recorded in our coaching session.

WEEK FOUR: Finished! Now What????
Covers the following topics:
Now WHAT???
Getting Ready to Launch
Lining Up Your Help
Marketing: Getting the Word Out
Marketing Mistakes

Also, includes Question/Answer Session recorded in our coaching session.

That is not all!

  • NEW! Weekly Action Guide! Last session, our biggest questions were  “What do I do each week to get things done?” and  “Give me step-by-step to-do’s each week.” Well, great news! This session, we are adding very specific guides that will help you to take action. You will LOVE these! Not only do they feature handouts to help you follow along (and find information later), but they also include really helpful checklists and step-by-step things to do each week. Priceless!
  • Access to our previous Personal Study Set on this topic--We have already hosted this group coaching course before. When you join this group, you not only receive access to our live group coaching sessions in April, but you also get immediate access to the Membership Site with all of the audios, tutorials, and videos from the last group coaching course. You will LOVE this!
  1. Video Tutorials on setting up your website step-by-step!
  2. Video Tutorials on setting up and using WordPress!
  3. Video Tutorials on how to set up your mailing list!
  4. Bonus Audios and Ebooks!

You CAN Get Started TODAY!

Ok…wondering if this course is like so many out there–just out of reach? You are going to love this!

I want to see hundreds of you reaching for your dreams THIS YEAR! Oh, and I KNOW that there are only a few weeks left in this year.

You may have worked hard year-after-year, all year long and not quite got there. You may have studied and set your goal to publish your first product next year. Oh! Don’t wait even one more day! There is no reason to keep plodding along that way!

I will come alongside of you in the next four weeks teaching you everything so that you can get started on the right track with your very 1st product. FOR REAL! IN JUST FOUR WEEKS! I am going to take you by the hand and help you learn everything necessary to be a success, plus I will show you how to balance a busy schedule and still produce great products every month! You will not want to miss this course! Best of all, you can dig in and get started TODAY AND enjoy our live sessions each week in April!

You can access this entire course today and dig into the lessons at your own pace. You will be able to dig in and enjoy this course self-paced for years to come!

BONUS! Before you order this set, you have one more perk to grabbing it NOW! When you order this set, you will be a part of our Group Coaching on this topic COMPLIMENTARY every time that we offer group sessions (we try to offer this course regularly–you will learn even MORE each time we offer it!). Yep! Each time we offer this course,  you get access to all of those audios, downloads, and goodies too! SUPER DEAL! Ok…grab this set and join our April session!

Four Options (PLEASE DO NOT USE ANY COUPON CODES ON THESE PURCHASES–THEY ARE ALREADY DISCOUNTED FOR YOU):

From Idea to Information Product to Profitable and Very Successful Business - Group Coaching
Join us for our live Group Coaching Sessions. Also gets access to Membership Site for last session AND for this session--Super offer! Just $149.95

From Idea to Information Product to Profitable and Very Successful Business - Group Coaching PLUS Personal Coaching
Join us for our live Group Coaching Sessions/also gets access to Membership Site for last session AND for this session/PLUS, get four weekly private personal coaching sessions with Cindy--Super offer! Just $299.95

From Idea to Information Product to Profitable and Very Successful Business - Personal Study
Study on your own without the live group sessions or personal coaching/also gets access to Membership Site for last session AND for this session--Super offer! Just $99.95
From Idea to Information Product to Profitable and Very Successful Business - Personal Coaching
Were you a member of our last session? You can join us for this session completely free. If you want to add Personal Coaching during this session, just grab that option here. Get four weekly private personal coaching sessions with Cindy--Super offer! Just $199.95


 

Encouraging, Inspiring and Equipping You to Step Up to the Call!

Need Help Creating Killer Graphics?

Ask Cindy: Hiding Directories and Folders in Your Website

Hi Cindy Dear!

I have a questions re uploading products to my page.

I have uploaded a few mp3 files to my page, however, the entire directory shows up and anyone can access it. This is what I mean:

http://Xoxoxoxo.com/Products/

I don’t want anyone to have access to this.

Also, I want to sell these audio messages, so I don’t want them indexed by the search engines. I read the your instructions, I just can’t seem to find out where to paste the NOFOLLOW code since they are not in a page but mp3 files.

Am I doing something wrong here?

Hope to hear back from you =)

Hi Karisa!

Thanks so much for your email. What a great question! AND, a question that I had a while back and had a very hard time finding an answer.

Great news! It is easy to fix this. In fact, we all need to put on our calendar a time to make sure that all of our directories are secure. It is easy to add a new folder/directory and forget to secure it from being indexed–which is what has happened here. Any time that it is not secured, someone can type in the link with the backslash and see everything that is in that directory. Then, all they can do is add those file names to the end and they can access your files. Let’s take a few minutes to secure your files in all of your directories. Here is how you do it:

Login to your CPANEL for your site. Something like this: http://www.TheBizMentor.com/cpanel

Next look for INDEX MANAGER. Click to open.

Then, you will see all available directories/folders. Click on each directory/folder. If you see more directories/folders, then you have more levels that you have to go down (more directories/folders that you have created inside of that particular directory/folder). When you get to the place where it gives the following options, Default System Setting, No Indexes, Standard Indexing (text only), Fancy Indexing (graphics), just choose NO INDEXES and click SAVE.

Do this for each of your directories/folders. Then, your files will not be found this way.

One other thing, so there is no confusion, the NOFOLLOW code is used on your HTML PAGES to keep Google from indexing your private download pages or other pages that you do not want added to the search engines. Hope this makes sense.

AND, yes! Get out there an sell your awesome teaching. You have so much to offer. I am excited to see that you will be adding audios to your business. The sky is the limit! :)

Hope this helps. Any time that you have a question, just hop over to my site here at http://www.TheBizMentor.com and ask your question. AND, don’t miss peeking there for questions that others ask. It may offer you a short-cut in your business. At least, maybe it will save you from pulling out your hair! :)

Blessings!

With much love,
Cindy…Your Biz Mentor
http://www.TheBizMentor.com

WordPress Plugins You CAN’T Miss!

Good morning dearies!

I just got a super question from Stephanie about plugins. She was asking about plugins that can integrate our sites with our Social Media. And, there are other questions–I will dig into those next time. I thought you would want to peek at my answer. You will LOVE these new plugins. Let’s dig in…

Hello,

I’m finally getting to the point where I’m working on social media. I know these have been discussed before and I could probably find these, but I’m tired and I’m hoping someone will take pity on me and simply point me directly to the sources.

A while back, there was a discussion on a plug-in called Facebook Connect. When I search, I see several that are similar. Can someone give me the precise name and maybe the author so I know I have the right one? (Is there anything I should know about installation/use?) Do the comments go from blog to FB or from FB to blog? I couldn’t quite figure that out.

Also, how do I get the share buttons on my site? I am on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, but have never added the share buttons because I wasn’t really active in those yet. I think I’m ready to take the plunge. Where do you find the various icons to use? I’ve seen some really nice ones, and others that are not so nice.

One last question. What is the best way to integrate all your social media? I seem to remember there is a single plug-in, but I’m not sure if that is still current or if something newer and better has come out?

Thanks,
Stephanie

Good morning dearie!!

I am soooo sorry that it took me so long to get to this email. I have had a very busy week. I worked ALL DAY on email yesterday and had to just go to bed without finishing everything again—ugh! I am SO sorry to not jump in on this discussion. Of course, I LOVE all of the super ideas that everyone has shared. You guys just ROCK!  (I am talking about our private Coaching Clients Discussion Group–if you are not a member, join any coaching group or personal study course and you can connect with us!)

Of course, I didn’t want to miss sharing on this topic.  I just wanted to drop a line an share some of my favorite plugins and other apps that I have been using to make things easier for me to manage my “SOCIAL LIFE” online.

First, plugins! I haven’t been HUGELY supportive on a lot of plugins because it is sooo easy for them to get out of date or to be hacked. DO watch them. Make sure that you pick plugins that are going to be serviced by their developers. Of course, if you ever have any problem, just uninstall and delete their files. It is easy, peasy to get rid of them.  Now, for some of my NEW favs….

DISQUS…Oh! I LIKE THIS ONE! (Beth, this may be one that you may want to add to your site—for helping people comment but not making the comments wide-open for spam.) Disqus manages your comments. I love that people can log in with a multiple of options—from their social networks to even Disqus. The neat thing, they have an option to share their comment on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks. I LOVE IT! The best part is that it also enables DISCUSSION on your site. A visitor can comment on another visitor’s comment. I LOVE THAT! Why not hop over to http://www.TheBizMentor.com and join the conversation! (Give me some blog love!!)

SEXY BOOKMARKS…OH! I LOVE THIS! I have swapped it out for SHARE THIS. NOW, it DOES need to work on updated WordPress. Also, watch some of your old plugins. I forget which ones I had to disable—but they were ages old. I love, love, love this plug in). I have installed it on a bunch of my sites so far. It enables visitors to share your posts and pages (which I disabled on sites that have product download pages with my shopping cart—don’t want those shared!! ) on just about any social network imaginable. AND, I mean IMAGINABLE! I love that it also keeps stats on how many times your site has been shared. That is sweet too!

SOCIAL PROFILES WIDGET…this is nice! This plugin offers a widget in your list of widgets that gives a quick listing of where your site visitors can find you on the social networks. It has buttons on your sidebar that lead them to all of your social networks. You can even choose the style of your button. You can see this in action on almost all of my sites. Peek at http://www.TheBizMentor.com on the sidebar under FOLLOW ME ONLINE. Aren’t they cute? All you do is install the plugin, then look for it listed under your widgets, then drag/drop on your sidebar. Set up is as easy as adding all of the links to your social networks. I LOVE THIS ONE!

WordPress eStore…You guys know how much I LOVE WP eStore. Kimberly first shared it with me. NOW, I swear by it. I have developed 4 eStores—plus 2 more for my clients. It is a ROCKING plug in. Instead of getting off on my tangent about how much I LOVE IT, read more about it here: http://thebizmentor.com/my-big-find-easy-estores

CONTACT FORM 7… I LOVE this one too! I am using it currently for my site contact forms AND even for surveys and my ASK CINDY pages. It is easy to set up AND easy for my site visitors to use. Harold is getting A LOT of internet contacts from this plug in on his site. Look at it at: http://playmasters.info/?page_id=13

PRETTY LINK….OK! This is another plugin that I am currently installing on EVERY SITE! :) I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this one! You guys are going to BUZZ over this one! This one enables you to take those long, long urls and shorten to bitty links or links with terms you want. It can even be used to cloak affiliate links or redirects. It is SOOOOO SWEET! Just yesterday I used it again for a project. I have just revamped my Marriage 911 Flight Plans. I wanted to redirect the old link because the old sales letter was no longer valid and the link was out there EVERYWHERE. I just deleted that old sales page (which I normally don’t recommend) and redirected that link into the new page. It was easy, peasy! Also, another cool feature was when I shortened my links this week for our IP-Chat, I was able to create different links for the different places that I shared about the chat and the coaching program. It immediately began showing me stats on where people are coming from (I was just wondering last week if Twitter was worth my time—BUT, within 2 minutes I had over a 100 click throughs to my site. I LOVE knowing that that few seconds on Twitter was worth my time). Great way to test your responses to headlines or to where you post. Did I say that I LOVE this one?

WP-THREAD COMMENT…This is another plugin for comments, I was using it until I tried Disqus. I think I am going to switch to Disqus. But, this one is SUPER! Look at it on http://www.CindysDesktop.com. On it, you can comment on the other comments and carry on a discussion. Of course, it requires a WordPress login. I like offering the multiple options for logging in to comment—Disqus does that.

FACEBOOK LIKE…I am using that on my sites. I think it is really helping to grow my pitiful fan pages. :)

And, on my sidebar….

FACEBOOK SOCIAL PLUGIN
GENESIS LATEST TWEETS (inside Genesis—Studio Press).

There are also a few Plugins that I am using with my Studio Press themes–  Dynamic Content Gallery, Featured Content Gallery, WP-Cycle.

I LOVE plugins! I am sure that I am forgetting a bunch, but these are the ones that I am playing with a lot lately. Hope you have fun with them too!

Love,
Cindy…Your Biz Mentor
http://www.TheBizMentor.com

5 Essential Elements to Successful Websites by Cindy Rushton

Your website is absolutely essential. It is absolutely important. It will make or break your business. So, let’s look at 5 essential elements of every successful website…

1. Focused–If you want a successful website, you must be focused. The website must have a purpose. It must be very clear. It must clearly communicate the purpose.

CHECK-UP:
What are you all about?
Does your website focus on your message? Does it communicate your purpose?
When a visitor comes to your website, does your site clearly communicate what you are all about?

2. THE Go-To Site--There are thousands of websites on the internet on any given topic. Wondering how you can set yourself apart? Want to know the secret to propelling yourself into your niche? Become THE “Go-To” site on your topic. Become the “Go-To” person. Become THE SPOT to find help on that topic. Set up your site as the ONE STOP SPOT to find everything a person needs on that topic. Fill your site with articles, audios, videos, and downloads on that topic. Provide everything that a person will need in a convenient, clear format.

CHECK-UP:
How can you set yourself apart?
What are you offering on your topic?
Is it easy to find on your site?
Are you developing information that gives your readers everything that they need on that topic?
Brainstorm everything that is needed on your topic and begin developing your site into THE Go-To Site.

3. Growing–Now, repeat after me–”I will never be finished with my site.” Want a site that is a success? It must be growing at all times. Every successful website has a plan for adding new, fresh content–articles, blog posts, audio podcasts, video podcasts, regular downloads, etc. The best sites are always growing.

CHECK-UP:
What is your plan to consistently add content to your site–will you blog? Will you create videos? Will you offer a podcast? Will you offer regular downloads?

4.Connected–Fifteen years ago, a website could be developed and just offer information about a company. Today, a site MUST connect with the visitors and keep the visitors connected with the site. There must be an intentional plan for staying connected–mailings lists, eCourses, events, classes, podcasts, RSS feed, blog discussion (back and forth), and social networking. With so many options for daily perusal, we MUST be connected with our visitors or they will not likely find us on a regular basis–if ever.

CHECK-UP:
Essentials first–do you offer a mailing list on your site?
What are you offering your site visitors so they can stay connected with you–is it obvious when they arrive at your site?
How many ways do you have for a guest to stay connected?
What can you add to your site today?

5. Friendly and Welcoming–So many people feel intimidated when setting up an online presence. This intimidation can make our writing seem dull and lifeless if we are not careful. Again, people want a connection when they come to a website. They want to get to know other REAL PEOPLE who love the same topic that they love. More than likely, if they arrive at your site, they are interested in the same topic as you, so the big essential is to be friendly and welcome the visitor. The more friendly, welcoming and authentic our site, the more likely people will stay there and keep coming back.

CHECK-UP:
How does your site feel when a visitor comes to your site?
Can they SEE YOU and YOUR FACE on your site–yep, are your pictures and videos there?
Can they hear your voice in your writing and through podcasts and videos?
Are you letting people into YOUR LIFE through your website–there is a reason that a website is called “Your HOME on the Web”–are you hospitable?

So, how are you doing? Do you have any ideas that can help you to freshen up your website? I pray so.

Why not leave a comment and share some things that you are going to do today to take your website uplevel?

Have any questions? Ask them here too OR call into our Voicemail Line at:  (256) 273-9576 (Our NEW show launches the first week of April–be a part!)

Blessings!
Cindy, Your Biz Mentor

WordPress – Using Tags and Tag Clouds in WordPress Websites

QUESTION FROM OUR PRIVATE COACHING CIRCLE.

NOTE: We have a private discussion list for all of my coaching clients. There, they may ask any of their questions along the way. I think you guys will want to see this one. My prayer is that it will help you to make your website even better. Let’s dig in…

Hi, Cindy, I believe in the Info Products class you briefly mentioned using the tags feature in WordPress. What are your thoughts on tags and how to use them, or if to use them? Thank you.  Stephanie [Read more...]

WordPress–Setting Up Private, Unlisted Pages

Good morning sweet friends!

I just got a great question in my email. It comes from one of my dear friends who is a part of my private coaching client circle. I thought that you might want to see my answer to her–it is actually something that I just found for my sites a few weeks ago. You will love this!

Does anyone know if you can make a “blind” page on WordPress?  I want to create one page just for family and friends.  I usually send out a Christmas letter each year but want to drive them all to my site this year.  I don’t want the general public to be able to view it, I just want to send an email to family and friends with the “private” page. I’ve messed around with it some in WordPress but thought I would go to the experts.  Hope you all are doing well!  Kay

Good morning Kay!

This is a super question! Actually, this was something that I researched just a few weeks ago. AND, I found a SUPER plug-in that does this for me. It is called: [Read more...]

Getting Started (or RE-STARTED) Blogging!

The image “http://www.cindyrushton.com/images/Cindy2.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.Blogging. Ready to begin your own blog, but totally overwhelmed? Not sure where to begin or even what to do? Have no idea of how to get started (or restarted) on the right track? Well, dear friend, this article is FOR YOU! Let me take you by the hand and share some ideas that have worked for me…

1. Get a vision. First things first. Who are you? What are YOU all about? What is YOUR message? When others come to you, what do they ask you? Take some time to really think this one out.  Your blog will only be a success when you find YOUR voice. Pull apart and get a vision. Keep your blog simple, clear, uncluttered, and focused. Stick to who you are. Don’t change up every day. Don’t add in content that does not go along with your message. Get a vision for what you are to be all about and be ONLY that.

2. Set it up right.
Don’t take short-cuts. If you want to build a successful business, invest in your “home on the web.” This is not an area to skimp by or put off. [Read more...]

Time to Start a Blog for Profit!

http://www.cindysdesktop.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/MomWriting.jpgAn online presence is important these days for whatever enterprise you engage in. to connect with a wide variety of people there is no bigger forum than the Internet. If you are looking for a way to show off your expertise and also make a little money while doing it, consider starting a blog.

What is a Blog?

A blog is actually an online journal of sorts. With a blog you can upload daily posts about anything that you want. Some people create personal blogs as a way to keep in touch with family members. Pictures, videos and other information are uploaded so your loved ones are current with what is going on with you.

Here we are going to talk about business blogs. This is a blog that you begin to attract traffic in order to sell products or services. To be interesting to others, your blog will need to:

•    Have updated content for visitors
•    Be marketed to draw traffic
•    Register with search engines so it can be found in the rankings [Read more...]

PREVIEW CHAT: From Author to Multiple Stream Entrepreneur with Milana Leshinsky

http://www.talk-a-latte.com/ebooks/MomOnline.jpgJoin us as we record live tomorrow! Our guest for tomorrow is Milana Leshinsky. Her show is a MUST! Here are the details:

TOPIC:
From Author to Multiple Stream Entrepreneur with Milana Leshinsky

DATE/TIME:
March 3, 2009 at 1PM CST

Join Us Live Online:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Ultimate-Writers-Expo

Call-in Number:
(347) 205-9175

You will want to join us live for this one!

Get ready for a blast!

Get Started (OR RE-Started) Writing On the Right Track!
http://www.Ultimate-Writers-Expo.com/

Easy How-To's: Add a Button to your Sidebar

The image “http://www.talk-a-latte.com/ebooks/MomOnline.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.Sidebar buttons are a quick and easy way to affiliate with, promote, or endorse a company or website you believe it.

How you add a button to your sidebar depends in large part on the type of site you have.  For example if you have a WordPress blog then it’s going to be a different process than if you have a HTML site.

Here it is in a nutshell –

First you’ll want to click on the button image and save it on your desktop.  If you’re using Blogger then you’ll have to upload the image into an image host like Photobucket or Flickr.
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Help with WordPress Blog Look

The image ?http://www.cindysdesktop.com/wp-content/uploads/CoffeeLaptop.jpg? cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.Hey!

Sorry to be SO QUIET. I have been swamped with getting ready for the holidays, then I have taken family time the past two weeks—my soldier is HOME! :) We look like a family of geeks. We came to Elisabeth’s coffee shop to visit and the WIFI is soooo good that we have to succumb to the temptation to get online for a bit. LOL [Read more...]

Guard Your Domain!

The image “http://www.talk-a-latte.com/ebooks/MomOnline.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.Any website owner knows how precious his domain name is.  It provides a way for visitors to get to the site, and in the case of a business domain, it contributes to the company’s brand.  That’s why we’re so careful to protect our domain names.  We choose them carefully, mark the renewal dates on our calendars, and check to see who is linking to us.

When you have a popular website, it’s important to protect your traffic and good name.  But if someone registers a domain name that is very similar to yours, he can profit off of the popularity of your site to your detriment.  He could set up a site that looks like yours in an effort to scam visitors who mistakenly end up there.  He could post derogatory statements about your business.  Or he could simply set up a site that is filled with advertising in an effort to make money. [Read more...]

YouTube as a Marketing Tool

The image “http://www.talk-a-latte.com/ebooks/MomOnline.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.YouTube has only been online for a few short years, but it has quickly become one of the hottest destinations on the Internet.  Once a little-used medium due to slow Internet connections, the widespread use of broadband has made online video a popular attraction.  YouTube is one of the first sites to have been built around online video, and its ease of use and variety of videos has made it extremely popular.

Marketers were quick to catch on to the possibilities presented by YouTube.  They began to create “viral videos”, clips that were intended to draw interest and spark widespread distribution.  YouTube’s embed feature allows anyone to place videos on his blog or website, so by creating funny or informative videos, marketers could spread their message far and wide.
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The Biggie: How to "Properly" Exchange Links with Others

The image “http://www.talk-a-latte.com/ebooks/MomOnline.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.Incoming links offer your business website two main benefits.  Incoming links increase your website traffic which of course means your conversions and sales increase.  Incoming links also increase your search engine ranking because search engine spiders from all the search engines including MSN, Yahoo, and Google, all use incoming links as part of their ranking and indexing algorithm.

One of the best and most popular ways to increase incoming links is to exchange links with other relevant and trustworthy businesses.  Relevancy and trustworthiness are both important not only to maintain and increase your own website credibility but also with search engine rankings.  Links which come from websites which are relevant and trustworthy have more weight than non-relevant links.  [Read more...]

How to Check for Dead Links

The image “http://www.talk-a-latte.com/ebooks/MomOnline.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.

A dead link, also known as a dangling link and a broken link, is defined as a link which leads to an error page or a web page or server which is unavailable.  While the occasional dead link may not seem like too much of a big deal all it takes is a single dead link to lose a customer.

A website visitor’s attention span is typically limited to about twenty seconds.  If you can’t capture their attention in those first twenty seconds – click, they’re gone.  They’re onto the next website or gasp – your competition.

Now imagine you’ve done your job as a webmaster and captured the attention of a visitor.  They’re reading your content and liking what they see.  A link or button captures their attention, they click it and oops, [Read more...]

Branding Friend or Foe

The image “http://www.talk-a-latte.com/ebooks/MomOnline.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.

Branding is the process of using logos, taglines, and marketing to get your product or service to become a household name.  we all know how branding works even if we don’t know that we do.  But, is branding a plus for your business or a liability?

When you think of certain products, a picture begins to form in your head.  Take, for instance, Nike.  “Just do it” comes to mind.  That is the result of product branding.  Now, if you hear a brand name and it conjures up an image of poor customer service the last time you called, that is also a result of branding but a negative one. [Read more...]

Writing for SEO Without Losing Readability

The image “http://www.talk-a-latte.com/ebooks/MomOnline.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.Copywriting is one significant factor when you want to achieve excellent search engine ranking. Yet, a lot of times website owners think that all that they have to do is to incorporate keywords in page tags and include some keyword mentions in their articles. While SEO copywriting not exceedingly hard, writing for search engines is more complex than that.

“Search engine optimization copywriting” or SEO, is a method of writing viewable or easily scanned text on your web page which is very acceptable and readable for the internet user as well as targets certain or exact search terms, having the purpose of ranking high in search engines.
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How to Make Your Blog More Appealing to Your Readers

The image “http://www.talk-a-latte.com/ebooks/MomOnline.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.Every blogger who earns income from their blog knows that the only way you can make money is by getting and keeping the traffic coming. Without your readers, you wouldn’t be making money at all.

There are lots of ways to get them there, but the question is – how do you keep them returning? If a reader isn’t impressed by your blog at all, then they’ll leave your blog, never to return again.

With them goes their blog’s traffic that you could’ve benefited from if they’d linked to you. Here are some tips to make your blog appealing enough to keep the traffic there to earn you some money.

Evaluate Your Design!

The most common mistake some bloggers make is in their blog’s design. Blog readers not only look for interesting and informative content – they also want to come to an inviting space to read it. [Read more...]

Basics of SEO that You Need to Know

The image “http://www.talk-a-latte.com/ebooks/MomOnline.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.Today, even the smallest company uses the Internet as their main tool in building a customer base, keeping in contact with their clients and as their most basic means of advertising.

Designing a company web site is cheap and effective, not to mention essential because the world wide web is the only medium that offers instantaneous information access to millions of users around the globe.

Any web developer worth his salt should know about search engine optimization or SEO.

This is the key towards building an effective web site that would get a lot of hits and visitors. A web site that nobody visits is useless so the challenge lies in leading Internet users to visit your web site.
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Blogs are GREAT for Search Engine Optimization!

The image “http://www.talk-a-latte.com/ebooks/MomOnline.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.Originally conceived to be something like an online journal for individuals has become yet another tool businesses can use to market themselves online. Web logs or blogs are now being used not just for the sheer purpose of writing, but also as means SEO (search engine optimization) experts use to increase a website’s ranking on search engine results pages (SERP).

 

An interesting thing about keeping and maintaining a blog (also known as blogging) is that anyone can blog. What will make a blog more successful than most is simply a keen sense of its target readership. Of course, it will not harm the blogger (a person maintaining a blog) to possess a few basic skills navigating the Internet and creating links to other websites and blogs.

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Quick Tips for Better Search Engine Results…

The image “http://www.talk-a-latte.com/ebooks/MomOnline.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.Is search engine optimization a mystery? This past week, Leslie emailed me to ask why her WordPress blog was not getting ranked in some of the areas that she specializes in. We wrote back and forth. I shared some things that immediately came to mind. Since then, SEO has been on my mind. Want some quick tips to help you get the best search engine results possible? Here are a few…

1.    Expertise. Follow your strengths. Sites you set up must be on subject you consider yourself an expert on. Be specific. Be focused. Keep it simple and on that topic.

2.    Plan the site. A good layout for the site can improve usability. But, it does more. It helps your search engine rankings too. Why not take a couple afternoons this week to “spring clean” (yes, I know it is fall) your site. Simplify. Categorize. Prune. DELETE. [Read more...]

Where Do You Begin with Your Website???

Question:

Hi Cindy

You mention that Elisabeth likes web designing. Did she use Steve’s DVD’s to teach her web design? I would like to learn how to make a website, however I have no idea how. I wanted to find out how comprehensive is Steve’s DVD’s – will I know everything I need to know from just using them.

I would so appreciate your advise of this.

Regards
Susan

Cindy’s Answer:

Hi!

Thanks for your email. I am happy to help. :)

Yes, Elisabeth has used Steve’s DVD Set. She loved learning from it. We actually learned from them together. It was a fun course. Steve did a fabulous job on that course. It includes SO much! I am amazed at all he covered. It was very good for her.

Of course, Elisabeth was already designing sites before that course. She really has a great gifting with them. Most of what we build together uses WordPress. It is very, very easy. We found a great course that walks you through each step. Many of the ladies in our classes have used it as well, with very little web experience. They have beautiful sites. We found a great program that they have all used. It is by my friend, Lynette Chandler. It is called the Blogging Starter Set, but don’t let the name fool you. You can use WordPress to build a traditional looking website or a blog. Plus, the programming is so much better for getting your website to the top of search engines. Here is the link so you can check it out:

http://tinyurl.com/2sthhj

We recommend that you also look into GOT-Hosting. They have Fantastico installed that helps to make setting up and updating WordPress much easier. You can use it alongside of Lynette’s set and have your site up over the weekend—probably in one evening. :) Here is a link to get to GOT-Hosting:

http://tinyurl.com/3295aj

I hope that this helps you. If not, just ask and we will help more! :)

Have a super day!

With much love,
Cindy

So…You Wanta Be A Writer? Get a Website! By Cindy Rushton

http://www.CindyRushton.com/images/Cindy2.jpgWant to write? There are a few things that are absolute MUSTS a website is one. Websites today are VERY easy. There are so many options. You have just GOTTA have a website. If you are challenged in the area of computer literacy or even financially, you can still have a website very easily.

Try a Blog!

One option is to begin a blog. A blog is an informal website. You can post articles, tips, journal entries, or anything that you want. I have several reasons that I recommend this to you-

1. You can set it up for quickly and easily.
2. You can post your material yourself without a web designer.
3. You can become more familiar with web design.
4. You have a place to keep your work online!
5. You have a place to send people who are interested in your work.
6. You can write every day or as you can!
7. Oh! You CAN DO IT!

Get Your Own Website!

Another option is to get your own website. I cannot recommend highly enough that you invest in your own website. It is one of the most important things that a writer can do. It is like a home on the web for you! Invest in that cyber-real estate today! Here are some pointers that will make your website all it can be¦

==> Invest today at MINIMUM in your own web address ”buy YOUR NAME.
If your own name is available, invest in it today even if you are not building the website immediately. For years, I wrestled with a vision for my website. In that time, I did NOTHING! For real! When I decided that I wanted to move forward, I was blessed with some of the best advice ever from a dear friend. I was advised to set up my website with MY NAME as the web address for real: www.CindyRushton.com. I felt SO awkward in doing so. It just seemed a bit self-promoting exactly! If you are a writer, you MUST promote yourself. You have to get beyond the fears and trepidations. Think for a minute. If you wanted to find me on the web, what would you look for? I have now written almost 80 books, would my website be titled under one of them? I produce 6 ezines? Would my website be best set up under one of those? What about my business name? We have three businesses at this time and we are considering expanding into a couple of others? Which one would you look for? Do you even know their names? Yes, the most reasonable name for all I do is MY OWN NAME  http://www.CindyRushton.com. It tells who I am today and tomorrow! And yours will too! Invest in YOUR name as your website!

==> Create a HOME on the Web. Don’t just make it a website with information about products I HATE THOSE! Don’t you? They give NOTHING for the reader to enjoy today or to come back for later. If they do not buy the product at that time, you lose them. Rather, make a website that is a HOME on the web! Make your website a reflection of YOU! Include your articles/poems/tip sheets. Include fresh material through an ezine or a blog. Set up your website with a sampling of who you are and what you love to write on. Then, you will create a successful website that makes your readers want to buy your work as it comes out in print.

==> Set up an Ezine or Blog.
Have fresh new material on a regular basis. Reach your readers either through an ezine that is emailed to them each time you send it out, or through a blog that they can visit regularly.

==> Begin to Develop your Mailing List.
One last thing! Don’t lose those that come by your website. Be sure to set up a form for capturing their addresses. Make it easy to use. Offer them something for free a subscription to your e-zine a free e-book a free bonus. Just adding a form on your website or blog will capture hundreds of people who are interested in following you through the years. Begin yours TODAY!

A website may seem very intimidating, but you can do it! Find a company with easy templates or find a neat web designer who can help you get started. Set it up to be a reflection of who YOU are. You will find it to be your favorite tool as a writer!

~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Want some MORE help?

So! You Want to be a Writer???
Check out our NEW Audio Seminar and Membership Site!
Sign up and get STEP-BY-STEP Help through Setting Up Your Own WordPress Website!
Click Here

Blogging Starter Pack
Includes an Awesome Video Tutorial for Using WordPress!
http://tinyurl.com/2sthhj

GOT-HOSTING
Our Web Hosting Service (offers WordPress Scripts at the click of a button!)
http://tinyurl.com/3295aj

So…You Wanta Be A Writer? Get Your Website! by Cindy Rushton

http://www.CindyRushton.com/images/Cindy2.jpg Want to write? There are a few things that are absolute MUSTS—a website is one!

Websites today are VERY easy. There are so many options! You have just GOTTA have a website! If you are “challenged” in the area of computer literacy or even financially, you can still have a website very easily.

Try a Blog!

One option is to begin a Blog. With a blog, you buy your domain name, set up hosting with a service like GOT-Hosting, and set up WordPress (I recommend Lynette Chandler’s Blogging Starter Pack for step-by-step help).

Just set up your domain, install WordPress, choose a template, and begin your own Blog. A Blog is an informal website. You can post articles, tips, journal entries, or anything that you want. I have several reasons that I recommend this to you-

1. You can set it up easily.
2. You can post your material yourself without a web designer.
3. You can become more familiar with web design.
4. You have a place to keep your work online!
5. You have a “place” to send people who are interested in your work.
6. You can write every day or as you can!
7. Oh! You CAN DO IT!

Get Your Own Website!

Another option is to get your own website. I cannot recommend highly enough that you invest in your own website. It is one of the most important things that a writer can do. It is like a “home” on the web for you! Invest in that “cyber-real estate” today! Here are some pointers that will make your website all it can be…


o Invest today at MINIMUM in your own web address—buy YOUR NAME.
If your own name is available, invest in it today—even if you are not building the website immediately. For years, I wrestled with a vision for my website. In that time, I did NOTHING! For real! When I decided that I wanted to move forward, I was blessed with some of the best advice ever from a dear friend. I was advised to set up my website with MY NAME as the web address—for real: www.CindyRushton.com. I felt SO awkward in doing so. It just seemed a bit self-promoting—exactly! :D If you are a writer, you MUST promote yourself. You have to get beyond the fears and trepidations. Think for a minute. If you wanted to find me on the web, what would you look for? I have now written almost 80 books, would my website be titled under one of them? I produce 6 ezines? Would my website be best set up under one of those? What about my business name? We have three businesses at this time and we are considering expanding into a couple of others? Which one would you look for? Do you even know their names? Yes, the most reasonable name for all I do is MY OWN NAME— http://www.CindyRushton.com. It tells who I am today…and tomorrow! And…yours will too! Invest in YOUR name as your website! Create a HOME on the Web. Don’t just make it a website with information about products—I HATE THOSE! Don’t you? They give NOTHING for the reader to enjoy today or to come back for later. If they do not buy the product at that time, you lose them. Rather, make a website that is a HOME on the web! Make your website a reflection of YOU! Include your articles/poems/tip sheets. Include fresh material through an Ezine or a Blog. Set up your website with a sampling of who you are and what you love to write on. Then, you will create a successful website that makes your readers want to buy your work as it comes out in print!

o Set up an Ezine or Blog. Have fresh new material on a regular basis. Reach your readers either through an Ezine—that is emailed to them each time you send it out, or through a Blog—that they can visit regularly.

o Begin to Develop your Mailing List. One last thing! Don’t lose those that come by your website. Be sure to set up a form for capturing their addresses. Make it easy to use. Offer them something for free—a subscription to your E-zine…a free E-book…a free bonus. Just adding a form on your website or Blog will capture hundreds of people who are interested in following you through the years. Begin yours TODAY!

A website may seem very intimidating, but you can do it! Find a company like GOT-Hosting with WordPress Scripts. Take time to learn how to set up your site with WordPress–I love the video tutorials in Lynette Chandler’s Blogging Starter Pack.. You will get going over the weekend! Not only will it be easy to manage, it will be a true reflection of who YOU are. You will find it to be your favorite tool as a writer!


Need a Website host?

We suggest Green Olive Tree. They are THE BEST! And…a Christian Internet Company to boot! Well, just see their website for their perks…but, we give them our THUMBS up! Sign up here: http://tinyurl.com/3295aj

If you are interested in help beginning a blog/website, my friend Lynette has the best resource available (and offers CONTINUAL help!). Here is her link–Blogging Starter Pack: http://tinyurl.com/2sthhj