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5 Hidden Costs of Blogging
By Kevin Conner Guest Contributor Blogging can be an amazing tool for your business or a way to start a new endeavor. But it isn’t as easy as opening a Google Doc and typing away. Here are five costs...
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I Discovered an Awesome GDPR-Compliant Privacy Policy
(This post has been updated for 2019). This is part 2 in my GDPR series. Read Part 1, Why You Can’t Ignore the GDPR Privacy Law, Even If You’re Not In The EU Get your free GDPR Checklist: 4 Steps to...
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The Difference Between a Webinar and an Online Course
I love attending webinars, not just for the content, but to study how webinars are structured. Now that I’m hosting my own webinars, I realized something significant: Most people don’t understand the...
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27 Articles to Help You Use Instagram Like a Pro
I’ve been teaching at writers’ conferences lately, and a lot of people are asking about Instagram: How can I use it to grow my brand? Do I need a business profile? How can I get the most out of...
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Leadpages Site Builder vs Self-Hosted WordPress
If you’ve ever signed up for one of my freebies, you’ve entered your email on a form I created using Leadpages. I’ve used Leadpages for several years to create landing pages and pop-up forms on my...
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5 Simple, Effective Ways to Promote Your New Content
Note: This article is Part 3 of a series. To get caught up, read: Part 1: The ideal length for a blog post Part 2: How often SHOULD you blog? Really? By Lisa Michaels Guest Contributor Savvy marketers...
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8 Essential Tips to Increase the Clickability of Call-To-Action Buttons
You’ve clicked on those bright buttons and links that ask you subscribe to an email list, learn more about a product or service, register for an event, or buy something. The way calls-to-action are...
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Why Your Email Subscription Form Is Failing Miserably
I visited the websites of the authors featured on The New York Times bestseller list and made a disturbing discovery. Most of these authors don’t have an email list. The ones who do use weak...
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Why the Know, Like, Trust Factor Works So Well (And How to Nurture It in Your...
A few days ago, I chatted on the phone with an author who has attended workshops I’ve taught at writers conferences. She was looking for help promoting her upcoming book – specifically, help with...
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The Professional Writer Podcast – Links to Episodes 1-42
The Professional Writer podcast has been a happenin’ place in 2020. During the 42 weekly episodes since its launch, my guests and I have discussed our struggles and successes as we plan, launch, and...
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Using Gender Labeling to Make Your Brand More Desirable
Products marketed to women can cost up to 50 percent more than similar products for men, according to a new article in Consumer Reports. We’re talking twin products – ones that have identical...
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10 Popular Phrases You Must Immediately Delete From Your Writing
I eagerly downloaded and printed a 30-page Special Report from a well-known blogger. Highlighter pen in hand, I began reading, expecting to find many nuggets. I did do a lot of underlining, but not the...
View ArticleNew Web-based List-Making Tool: TeuxDeux (Review)
I’m always looking for tools to help business professionals (including myself) stay organized. Discovered a new to-do list-making tool called, appropriately, TeuxDeux. I’ve been testing this free,...
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Social Media Icons for Your Web Site or Blog
If you have a profile at multiple social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc., it’s helpful to upload clickable icons to your Web site, blog, or e-newsletter. That way, if someone...
View ArticleFour Easy Steps for Creating a Great Promotional Campaign
What’s In It For Me? WII-FM. Every marketing piece you produce must answer this question.That’s because your customers don’t care about you. They’re far more interested in themselves. If you hope to...
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How to Become a Social Media Superstar
Well, folks, it finally happened. I am now a Cover Girl. It’s not Glamour or Vogue, but it is a magazine cover! Here’s a sneak peak at the cover for the May issue of the Snohomish County Business...
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New Site Publishes Detailed Personal Info About You
TMI. Too Much Information. That’s what people are saying about a new site called Spokeo. The site bills itself as “Not your grandma’s phonebook.” I’ll say. Spokeo says it is “a search engine...
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How to Recycle Blog Articles for Trade Magazines
My son and I were in the waiting room of his physical therapist when we spotted Horse Illustrated, a magazine for equine enthusiasts (the cover horse was quite handsome!). What’s your specialty?...
View ArticleThe 1000 Most-visited Sites on the Web (according to Google)
Trying to figure out where to establish your social media presence? Check out Google AdPlanner. Every month, Google updates its list of the 1,000 largest sites worldwide, based on unique visitors. The...
View ArticleMost Popular Blogging Bistro Posts of August 2010
If you look at the publication dates of my 8 most-visited posts from August 2010, you’ll notice that many of them were published a year or more ago. Just goes to show that people DO read posts from...
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8 Customer Service Lessons I Learned from ‘The Grocer’s Son’
When Antoine’s father has a stroke, Antoine – the prodigal son – reluctantly returns from life in the city to his rural French village and takes over the family store. None-too-happy to be time-warped...
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6 Critical Components of Your Online Marketing Plan
A novelist who writes romantic suspense has her first book deal in the works. Her primary goal is not what you’d expect. Instead of fretting about editing her manuscript, she’s focused on growing a...
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How to Grow Your Business through Giving Away Great Content (Review of...
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Michael A. Stelzner doesn’t come right out and state the Golden Rule in his new book, Launch, but the Bible verse from Luke 6:31 is at the heart of...
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Our School District Banned Flier Distribution. How Will We Survive?
When my sons were in elementary school, they brought home dozens of fliers per week that urged them to sign up for karate, junior cheerleaders, swimming lessons, crafts camp – you name it! The same set...
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6 Tips for Author E-Newsletter Marketing
By Melissa K. Norris Guest Contributor If you’re an author your e-mail list is the most important thing you own. Because it’s the one list of contacts of potential customers you do own. If Facebook,...
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Your Product’s Early Adopters Might Not Be Who You Think They Are – Lessons...
When my sons were pre-schoolers, VeggieTales® — particularly the Silly Songs like “The Hairbrush Song,” “Song of the Cebu,” and “The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything” — were an integral part of our lives....
View ArticleBuy and Sell Professional Services for $5 at Fiverr.com
Did you just go through a bad breakup? Have an ex you’d like to make jealous? Head on over to Fiverr.com and hire a cute young woman – for only $5 – to be your Facebook girlfriend for one whole week....
View ArticleJC Penney Comes Up with a New Use for QR Codes (Video)
JC Penney came up with an ingenious use for QR codes — those square, 2-dimensional bar codes you scan with a smartphone. Called a “Santa Tag,” these QR codes allow you to record a personalized voice...
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Santa Now Available by Web, iPhone, and iPad
When you were a kid, did you pen a Christmas wish list and mail it to Santa? Well, now you can circumvent the U.S. Postal Service and send your missive directly to the North Pole by visiting Santa’s...
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Black Friday Has Become Black Thursday
Remember that day we used to celebrate — the one where we’d join with family and friends to thank God for our many blessings, eat turkey, take naps, and watch football? Some retailers would have us...
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The Truth About Elevator Pitches and Brand Messaging
How should you develop — and deliver your brand message? How can you prove to your boss that social media is, indeed, a wise investment? How do you plan an effective social media strategy– without...
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9 Critical Marketing Lessons I Learned from the Kirby Vacuum Salesman
Picture this scenario: My workday opened with a two-hour meeting at the offices of one of my clients. On the way home, I swung by Costco to pick up some essentials (we have teenage sons, so milk,...
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Panhandler Marketing: Six Things Hobos Get Very Right
“Hey Lady, can you spare a dollar? I need to feed my kids.” In my town, panhandlers have become fixtures. I’m not a huge fan of their blight to small business who spend precious time shooing them away....
View Article‘Fly, You Fools!’ Hobbit Fans Will Get a Kick out of this Unexpected Briefing...
If you’ve ever slumped in your airplane seat, half listening to the flight attendant explain how to buckle your seatbelt, you’re going to appreciate this video. Air New Zealand partnered with WETA...
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Why the ‘Spray and Pray’ Marketing Method Doesn’t Work
By Laura Christianson When authors ask me to help them with their online marketing, they usually open with: “My agent told me I need a Facebook ‘fan’ page, so I had my son create one for me. But I...
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The Psychology of Color for Effective Marketing
By Gary L. Bezella Guest Columnist Color changes people. Colors affect our mood, personality, and buying choices. The right color can boost your advertising effectiveness, but the wrong colors can...
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The Psychology of Color, Plus a Few Bizarre Color Factoids [Infographic]
Quiz: What is the color of intellect, knowledge, and wisdom? What color are bees unable to see? What is the “happiest” color in the color spectrum? What color most attracts mosquitos? You’ll find the...
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Blog: The Most Powerful Tool in Your Marketing Toolbox
By Laura Christianson Thinking about blogging this year? Websites that include a blog integrated into the site (NOT hosted separately on Blogspot or some other blog hosting service) typically have 434%...
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How to Use BuzzSumo To Find Influencers
By Bruce Harpham Guest Columnist The right person at the right time can transform your business. Influence can be as simple as a friendly journalist who writes an article about your company. In this...
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BriteVerify: An Inexpensive Tool for Shaping Up Your Email List
If you’ve been collecting names and emails for your e-newsletter and are now ready to begin using them, it’s a good idea to verify that the emails are valid before you import them to your e-newsletter...
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7 Often Overlooked Tips for Promoting on Social Media
By Ginny Jaques Guest Columnist Want to improve your chances of getting noticed on social media? Try these seven simple, yet often overlooked, techniques for increasing the success of your promotional...
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Turn your $16 book into a 6-figure business! Or not.
Susy Flory Note from Laura: Susy Flory and I met about eight years ago at a writers’ conference. Little did we know that a few years later we would be serving on the board of West Coast Christian...
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How to Protect Your Computer in Case of Disaster, Plus 10 More Excellent...
In this updated version of helpful blog posts from around the web, you’ll find links to 11 excellent tutorials about website security, search engine optimization (SEO), e-mail marketing, and website...
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4 Content-Distribution Strategies That’ll Supercharge Your Blog
By Pierre de Braux Guest contributor Even if you have the writing skills of Ernest Hemingway combined with the professional knowledge of Steve Jobs, you’re going to need a solid distribution strategy...
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5 Important Questions to Ask Yourself Before Selling Your Blog
By Jock Purtle Guest contributor When someone asked me if I’d ever thought about selling my blog, my reaction was a mixture of shock and anger. “Why would I do that?” I asked. My blog is my baby. It...
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[Video] Essential Contact Info You Must Display on Your Website
Have you ever gone into a store with the intent to buy, but can’t find a salesperson? I have. More than once. I’ve even walked the entire perimeter of the floor, looking for someone – anyone – to ring...
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Why You Can’t Ignore the GDPR Privacy Law, Even if You’re Not in the EU
Get your free GDPR Checklist and watch my video tutorial first for an overview of the four steps. If you collect email addresses or sell a product, service, or program, you’ll most likely need to make...
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Why and How to Measure Your Social Media ROI: Useful Tips and Tricks
By Lilach Bullock Guest Contributor How do you know whether your social media efforts are paying off? It can be difficult to measure your social media ROI (return on investment), particularly if you’re...
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Essential Information to Include on Your Business Card
I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met at events who moan, “Ohhh, I forgot to get business cards made!” They smack themselves upside the head for not having the foresight to bring along those...
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Why Podcasting and Blogging is Worth The Effort
As a blogger of 18 years and podcaster of 2+ years, I’ve learned that serving my audience rarely results in awards, accolades, or even acknowledgment. I do a happy dance every time a reader or listener...
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