Kreative Ramblings
Archive for the 'Tips and Tricks' Category
Monkey See
Author: Karen McGreeveyWant to write an 
article but you find you’re stuck–with no ideas in sight or mind? Then take a bit of time to “follow the dots” of those in your niche or to gather ideas from comments at membership sites, or the blogs of others.
And try one or two of these tips on for size:
1. Make an appointment with your doctor or dentist! Then arrive early. Really! When I go to the doctor I have a chance to read many magazines that I wouldn’t otherwise get my hands on. So I take my “early arrival time” to check out the Table of Contents, articles and even graphics in numerous publications to gather ideas for my articles and blog posts.
2. Subscribe to RSS feeds on a variety of subjects along the line of your niche or your products, as well as things that interest you. Then take some time to search through the feeds each day to select a few articles to read. Take notes on the material as you do so, and use them to come up with articles and blog posts.
3. Scan through the comments posted by others at online articles directories, membership forums, and blog posts at sites where you read regularly. Write down the interesting ideas, the pros and cons of an issue, and opinions of others. In fact, controversial comments make for a good pro or con article or blog post.
4 Use some of the online tools like Technorati, Digg, Delicious, etc. to help trigger writing inspiration. Also, check Yahoo’s buzz log to find out what people are talking about and searching for. Use all these resources to come up with new ideas.
Once you start looking, you’ll find there are lots of online and off resources you can use to crank up your writing gears.
Check out Douglas Roberts’ ebook, Quick and Easy Content Writing Tips for 99 ideas to help you with your writing projects.
Jewels of Life: Believe, Dream, Internet Marketing, Tips and Tricks, Working with a VA
read comments (0)“Killer Webinar” Tips 3-5
Author: Karen McGreeveyThe other day, I began a rather lengthy post 
with “Tips for Putting on a ‘Killer’ Webinar.
Because of its length, I decided to break the post into several parts and to encourage you to come back often to get the rest of the tips.
Thus, this post reflects “tips 3, 4 and 5″ you can use to enhance your viewer’s webinar experience:
1. You talk too much.
Let it not be said that trying to cram too much information into one Webinar is a detriment to your audience. But it can happen. As a result, you Webinar may go too long or there will be too much news for your target viewers to assimilate. Thus, they’re apt to lose focus, or you’ll find they click away before your time is up. So try to narrow your subject.
2. Your Webinar is not a sale.
Opposite to having too much information is not having enough to talk about. Which then puts you into the “selling” mode. While it’s true, you are conducting the Webinar to eventually generate sales, you don’t want to spend your entire session selling. It’s a major turnoff as your audience really would like to know a bit about your product, your service that they can use.
3. A wing and a prayer!
If you’re taking the time to put on a Webinar, you’ll want to go into it wholeheartedly by planning what you’re going to say. Of course, you don’t want to come across stilted but you do want to have some cohesiveness to your presentation. Notes are good and if you’re giving facts about your topic, include sources for them.
That’s it for today, folks! I’ll have the “final two” tips in a few days. See you then!
And in case you missed it, here’s that link to the “Ultimate Webinar Marketing Guide written by Lewis Howes.
Jewels of Life: Believe, Dream, Internet Marketing, Tips and Tricks, Working with a VA
Tips for Putting On A “Killer” Webinar
Author: Karen McGreeveyEverybody’s doing it; you know they are. 
And you know you ought to, too! Yet you’ve been holding off joining in on the fray. You know, however, you can only hold “them” at bay for so long.
So you might as well “get your feet wet”–and then do it handily with some of the following tips. Actually, I have seven tips that I’ll “spread” over several days–to give you a chance to “dig in to” the meat of them and to perhaps implement them as you go.
For starters, here are Tips 1 and 2:
1. Can you hear me now? What about “see” me?
How many webinars or online meetings have you sat in on that used the first 20, even 30, minutes or so trying to get everyone logged in, the “sound checked” and the visuals “pulled up”? Perhaps you’ve felt your precious time slipping away; time waiting you could have used to finish up that one report on the edge of your desk.
Instead of performing the many preliminary checks during the “live session”, consider using a checklist and preparing your sound and camera BEFORE the event starts.
Initiate the help of a friend or colleague and ask him or her to log in to the room with you beforehand.
* Do a trial run with him or her to see what glitches might materialize during your “trial”.
* Check microphones especially, and if you plan to record the event, test your recording equipment, too
* Lighting and background noise should also be considered.
2. Is it time yet?
If you’re scheduling a webinar do a bit of research before you set a date, then decide upon a date and time when your target audience is most apt to be available to show up. You’ll want to consider different time zones and countries as well. U.S. Eastern, mid-afternoon, midweek is a good time to attract viewers.
Be sure to stop back here this week for our additional tips.
And take a look at the Ultimate Webinar Marketing Guide written by Lewis Howes.
Jewels of Life: Believe, Dream, Internet Marketing, Tips and Tricks, Working with a VA
Say Good-bye to “One-Trick Pony” Writing
Author: Karen McGreevey
Got you intrigued?
You’ve often heard that a good way to market your business is to an write article and to publish it at some of the article directories. Or, you can write blog posts and post them on your blog. And when you’ve done that, you “rinse and repeat” with another article or blog post.
That’s all fine and dandy, and might get a bit boring after a while but in essence by JUST doing that, you’re “leaving money on the table”; you’re not making the best use of your time and your finished work.
So instead, look for ways to reach a different audience, ways that might be a bit out of the norm, off the beaten path. Here are a few things you might try to help you set a new course:
1. Checking In. Try “repurposing” one of your older articles or blog posts–instead of re-writing it, divide it into bullet points and make it a checklist. Step by step, you then point out to your reader various methods they can take to get to a specific goal or idea they may have in mind.
2. Questions Are Good. Using a “worksheet” you’ve devised from your article, figure out the main idea of one of your article. And then write your worksheet and pose your questions so your readers can get involved and can add their answers in the spaces on the worksheet. Read the rest of this entry »
The Case for the “I”
Author: Karen McGreeveyI don’t know about you, but for about as long as I’ve been involved 
in this Internet thing, I’ve more often than not read that when you’re writing articles or creating ebooks or content for your website, one of your major focuses must be that “it’s not about you”!
In fact, the mantra is often, “leave the “I” and the “me” and the “we” at the door. Instead, use “you” as much as you can.
However, this “no I’s allowed” slant can quite effectively and justly be tossed aside in some instances. As long as you still work toward keeping your prospects and clients at the forefront.
For instance, there is often an “I” or “we” dilemma when setting up a website. Perhaps you’ve struggled with it. (I know I did, so much so that for now I’m still using the “we”. Although I think it may now be time to go more with the “I”. Or at least to try it for a time to see whether there is a difference in traffic.)
Here’s why. When you set up your site, if you’re a Solopreneur you may be inclined to want to look a little more traditional, to give the impression you’re not working solo, that you have others on staff.
On the other hand, if you go with the “I” you are, of course, correct. You can also then talk about your own knowledge and experiences in certain situations; you can show your readers, prospects and customers and peers that you do know what you are talking about.
With the “I” you will also be presenting the case that you are an expert in your field. Further…
• You will be able to build a trust for what your know and the products you develop.
• You can foster long-term relationships with your customers
• You’ll also create a venue your readers and colleagues, etc., can use to ask you for interviews for their projects
For more guidance, you’ll want to check out Jim Edwards’ ebook, 10 Fast and Easy Tips & Tricks That Massively Increase Sales and Profits On Any Website or Blog.
Jewels of Life: Believe, Dream, Internet Marketing, Tips and Tricks, Working with a VA
If I’ve Said It Once…
Author: Karen McGreeveyI’ve said it many, many times…and you’ve probably 
heard it from many others as well. One of the best ways to create an online presence is to have a blog. And to post content to that blog on a regular basis.
However, all the good content on that blog doesn’t do you much good if no one is around to read it. (It’s not like the trees in the forest.)
So here are a few “tried and true” ideas to help you to get readers and maybe buyers to your blog (or other website creation):
1. You gotta post, and in the same century. Think about it; if you visit a blog and discover the last post showing up was written in 2005, how likely are you going to be to return to that site anytime soon? Update your blog content at least two times a week. Of course, this can become tedious if you’re doing other things so consider writing several posts ahead of time and setting them to “drip” at regular days and times.
2. Keep things fresh. This “harkens” back to #1, ^^. Once you’ve got your blog posts or articles written, make them work for you even more by submitting them to the article directories. And while you’re at it, be sure to include a link in your resource box as it will direct the reader to your site. Read the rest of this entry »
Tell me a story
Author: Karen McGreeveyOne of the 
stumbling blocks for those who want to write an article or blog post can be coming up with ideas of something to write about.
However, there are other concerns you might have that cause you pause. For instance, what format to use.
A couple thoughts come to mind; like,
You can best accomplish these by “sitting down with your reader” and “just chatting”, figuratively speaking of course.
The important thing is that you be natural and not include any “selling” script in your article. Your “sell” can be added to your bio at the end of your article. And if you’re posting your article on your blog, consider adding a link to your product.
Douglas Robert has an ebook with 99 Quick and Easy Content Writing Tips to help you get started with your writing.
Jewels of Life: Believe, Dream, Internet Marketing, Tips and Tricks, Working with a VA
More Traffic Is Not Necessarily Better
Author: Karen McGreeveyOkay, so you’ve heard the “old saw” that you 
need to get lots of traffic to your site!
After all, that’s the way you get customers and eventually sell products. And those visitors tell others that come to visit and the snowball grows!
However, “more traffic” isn’t necessarily better. If your traffic doesn’t do anything but come by then click away and never comes back, what have you gained?
Or, if visitors stop at your site, get your “freebie” and then leave, again with no other activity, you’ve missed out again.
This tells you the numbers don’t matter as much as you’ve been led to believe. So you’ve got to do something to keep your visitors interested in staying at your site. Or have something that persuades them to come back frequently.
So your goal is to create new, relevant, in-real time pertinent articles, blog posts and reports that will promote the return of quality folks. Those who can use your information; those in your market.
And once your visitors figure it out that you are the “go to” for quality information, they’ll beat it back to you when they need your product or want to learn something new. Which means you’ll then be getting quality traffic, and lots more customers.
Ming Jon Tey has written a book, Free Website Traffic – 10 Proven Free Traffic Techniques To Promote Your Website to help with getting traffic.
Jewels of Life: Believe, Dream, Internet Marketing, Tips and Tricks, Working with a VA
Using Twitter? Let ‘em see the whites of your eyes!
Author: Karen McGreevey
If you want to “have a presence” on the Internet to market your business, one of the popular ways to do so is to use Twitter.
When getting started with Twitter, it’s important to “get off on the right foot”, which you can do by setting up an account that helps you to “brand” yourself, much like you would do for your website.
If you’ve studied the various websites and blog sites, as well as Twitter and Facebook accounts, you’ve discovered there are those who include their photo and/or their logo as a way to brand themselves. Others have nothing of the sort–neither photo nor logo!
Think about it.
When you are ready to purchase something or to work with someone on the Internet, is seeing what they look like a part of your buying choice? For me most times it is, as I like that connection to see who I am working with.
A logo is okay in some instances, but an honest-to-goodness head shot is even better. Even when I am interviewing a client prospect, I will first research that person, look at their head shot and then have it in front of me during the interview.
A head shot helps to promote trust for the client’s products and credibility.
Want more tips on how to use Twitter? Check out Paul McFedries’ ebook, Twitter Tips, Tricks, and Tweets
Jewels of Life: Believe, Dream, Internet Marketing, Tips and Tricks, Working with a VA
Highlights Aren’t Just for Hair
Author: Karen McGreeveyEasy peasy writing tip:
When you’re putting the copy together for your Web site or your sales letter, you know the old “saw” – to be sure to provide your readers with lots of content about the “benefits” they’ll receive using your product(s) or services.
In short, said “benefits” are the “highlights” of your copy.
You can also bullet point your benefits to make sure your site or sales page is easy to read. And to help your list of benefits to stand out.
Want some more tips for writing copy? Check out Tami Metzler’s ebook, Profitable Newsletters: The Step-By-Step Guide to Attracting Eager-to-Buy Clients With Your Email Newsletter
Jewels of Life: Believe, Dream, Internet Marketing, Tips and Tricks, Working with a VA