CWAHD.com

Newsletters, or ezines, can be extremely effective marketing tools for your business. They put your name in front of your potential clients, regular clients, and peers while showing your expertise and professionalism. They are an excellent means to both market and grow your business and also show your existing clients your creative abilities.

Now the only drawback is to ensure your newsletter is worthy of being read. I subscribe to a lot of newsletters, but find I regularly only read a few upon their arrival. When I decided to create my own newsletter, one of the first things I did was to look at those newsletters I regularly read and determine what it was about them that made me want to read them. What sets them apart from the rest? Read the rest of this entry »

Identify the highest and best use of your time. If you’re in direct sales, the highest and best use of your time is probably when you are setting appointments or actually selling. If you’re a tutor, you make money tutoring. If you teach piano lessons, your teaching time is most profitable. Identifying the highest and best use of your time is essential so that you know which actions create income for you—and which actions don’t. This is essential for profiting from the next tip.

Hire help when possible. Early in my work-at-home career, I asked a successful Realtor® this question, “If you had one piece of advice to give someone who works for herself, what would it be? She was so certain of her answer she didn’t even pause to think. “Never do yourself what you can pay someone else to do,” she responded.

I asked her to explain. “I’m a Realtor®,” she said. “And the best use of my time is listing and selling houses. I hire someone to do everything else I need done.” A graphic designer creates all her mailings for her, and a mailing house applies the postage and sorts the brochures according to postal regulations. An assistant sets up showings and confirms appointments. She focuses on securing listings, working with buyers, and selling properties. And that’s how she has become successful. Read the rest of this entry »

Operating a successful home-based business is a time-consuming endeavor. This is doubly true as work-at-home moms in that we are responsible not only for the success of our business, but for our family as well. We must be self-reliant, self-motivated, and discipline ourselves in order to attain success in both areas.

When running a business from home, it’s easy to let the phone calls, emails and paperwork keep you tied down, making you feel that you don’t have time to take a break or to spend quality time with your family. Maybe you’ve noticed that you spend a little more time than you’d like in front of your computer or on the phone. Maybe you see your kids acting out, trying to gain your attention. Perhaps you are seeing that this isn’t the work-at-home dream you envisioned. You started out with such noble intentions, but maybe the excitement of success in your business has caused you to lose sight of the REAL reason do what you do each day. It happens to so many of us, but don’t worry, help is on the way.

Below are five ideas to prioritize your life and business: Read the rest of this entry »

We’re discussing the importance of practicing spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fasting, silence and solitude, confession, and more. Cultivating a strong spiritual formation helps you rely on the Lord as go about your duties as a CWAHM. Teaching our children to practice spiritual disciplines from a young age builds a strong foundation that they will build on their entire lives.

Today let’s look at silence and solitude. Wouldn’t you like a little of each now and then? When I was a full time CWAM we could have as many as eighteen people living with us and an average of twelve at the dinner table every night. Taking time alone with God in my day and teaching our children to learn to quiet their hearts before God became an integral part of our lives. Practicing the spiritual discipline of solitude takes self-control and determination, especially for active families. Jesus took his disciples to a “quiet place [to] get some rest” (Mark 6:31). Here are some ways we can “be still” and draw closer to God.

• Schedule daily time with God. If you’re not doing so already, this truly can become a discipline, but one worth establishing. Even just a short time, alone can make all the difference. Setting the example in this shows children the importance of seeking first the kingdom.
• Set extra solitude times just for you—even if this mean soaking in the tub. Take a solitude walk or drive. Schedule a prayer retreat. Send the kids to grandmas for the day and take time to read, garden, pray, and just simply quiet your soul.
• Give your kids a prayer closet. Set up a “quiet corner” or build a “tent” of sheets and chairs where your child can read silently or listen to tapes of Bible stories. Designate a special chair, corner, or closet for each child to have their prayer time.
• Withdraw your children to have time alone. Allow times of independent play away from television, siblings, and other distractions. Our sons would often take walks or bike rides alone to shake off their busy days. As a teen, this translated with Joshua as long drives in the mountains, where he wrote songs about God.
• Play silent games. What parent hasn’t reverted to the old ploy of “Let’s see who can be the quietest?” Make this more productive by adding “How many things can you silently praise God for?” Some good family fellowship has resulted from this “game.”
• Let nature speak to you. Sit outside on a starry night or on the porch during a rain storm, with the only rule that everyone must remain silent. Take a walk and designate 10 minutes of silence listening to the wind blow in the trees and the birds singing.
• Be quiet in church. Teach your child to “Guard your steps when you go to the house of the Lord,” (Ecc. 5:1) and to enter the sanctuary in silence.
• Pray silent prayers. Spend times of contemplative prayer as a family by praying silently together. Afterwards, ask each member to pray one word or one sentence prayers expressing their feelings for God, such as awesome, wonderful, I love you or Thank you Lord.
• Be still on your bed. Turn off all technology before going to bed. Teach your child Psalm 63:6 “On my bed I remember you,” and encourage him to be silent on his bed. Don’t allow him to cover his bed with lots of toys and be selective to the music he listens to before falling to sleep.

As the writer of Ecclesiastes said there is “a time to be silent and a time to speak,” (Ecc. 3:7). Practicing solitude and silence as a family will quiet your hearts. It will calm your heart as you go about your many duties as a busy CWAHM. Silence and solitude are the sweetest of all spiritual disciplines, because our hearts can hear God.

About the Author:
Carla Williams, writer, speaker, and mentor has writing credits in curriculum, devotions, articles, and books. She and her husband have been in ministry for over thirty years. Carla now enjoys working closely with her family in the Christian publishing industry. Her website can be found at www.thespiritualmom.com.

Over the last several years, I have written a great deal on the topic of listening.  Most people know that listening is an important skill but they don’t really know why.  Here are a few of the sayings I have written that I have used in various articles over the last several years.

“1 speaker + 1 Listener = an effective communication equation.”

In order for effective communication to take place, we need at least one listener. The most articulate person will have no success in communicating his thoughts if there isn’t at least one person who is truly listening.  Hearing isn’t listening.  If you have children, you’ll understand this.  Johnny hears you, but he doesn’t understand what you’ve asked him to do.  He may have given the appropriate response, but he wasn’t really listening.  You know this because he eventually comes downstairs with his half empty hamper instead of taking the garbage out.

Hearing is when the individual recognizes that sound has left your lips.  Listening is when he comprehends what you’ve said.  True communication is when he understands it the way you had intended.  Johnny not only takes the garbage out, but he does it with a happy heart because he knows you were asking respectfully though you had to yell up the stairs to get his attention because he was listening to the radio.

“Sometimes the most intelligent thing to say is…nothing.”

There are times when we are tempted to fill the peaceful sound of silence with chatter.  There are situations in which we feel compelled to give an answer though we have no idea what the question was.  There are statements that are better left unsaid.  These are the times that try men’s mouths and we should ask ourselves if the situation is better served by speaking up or standing down.  Remember that not every question requires an answer and there are times when the most articulate thing to say is “I don’t know.”

“When your audience is no longer listening, it’s always best to stop talking!”

How many times have we been guilty of overstaying our welcome in a conversation?  Have there been times when you where having a great discussion only to find yourself in an awkward situation where neither the speaker nor the listener agree?  You’ve both voiced your opinions and explained your positions but neither of you is currently willing to accept the other’s idea.  There is a line beyond which you cannot remain cordial.  In an effort to persuade and in the heat of a great debate, that line can be crossed.  It’s this line that can threaten any further amicable discussion.  It’s this line that can end a friendship.  There is a line beyond which discussion may easily turn to argument.  When that line is met, it’s best to agree to disagree for the time being.

“You will not persuade another by cutting off his argument. You will only stifle your understanding of how to answer him.”

It’s human nature to want to quell any dissenting opinion.  The need to be heard is quite strong which is why we have written the right of free speech into our Constitution.  But think a minute about the consequences of your right to bear words.  Hubert Humphrey said, “The right to free speech doesn’t automatically include the right to be taken seriously.”  I must add that the right to speak also doesn’t preclude the other’s right to disagree or take offense.  Once you have crossed the line of civility, your listener has the right to be offended.  Remember what the Lord tells us in Proverbs 18:19, “An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city, and disputes are like the barred gates of the citadel.”

Often the right to free speech is trumped by the right to remain silent…or rather the choice!

About the Author:
JoJo Tabares holds a degree in Speech Communication, but it is her humorous approach to communication skills which has made her a highly sought-after Christian speaker and writer.  Her articles appear in homeschool publications, such as Homeschool Enrichment Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, which also endorses her Say What You Mean curricula.  You can also find JoJo on web sites such as Crosswalk.com and Dr.Laura.com. For more information on communication FUNdamentals and Christian-based communication skills for the whole family, please visit ArtofEloquence.com

How many links are there to your website?

Every link is another opportunity for clients and connections to find you and your business!  Links also help build your website’s authority, credibility and search engine positions.

So are you looking for ways to get more links to your website? Of course you are.

Here are 10 ways you can get more links to your website:

1. Get listed in search engines.
Search engines are the starting point for most searches online so you definitely want to get your website listed in them.

Most search engines will find you if you’ve got links to your website from other sites. If you really want to submit directly you can visit each site and find the submission page, or use a website like www.addme.com I’ve found the quickest way to get Google to notice a new page on my site is to share it on Twitter.

You’ll also want to get listed in local search engines if you do any local sales/services.

2. Get listed in directories.
There are general directories like DMOZ as well as niche directories like EcoFirms (for earth friendly companies) and Technorati (for blogs). ÊFind the ones that fit well with the audience you want to reach and submit your website.

Here are some free directories you might consider submitting to. Some offer upgraded options so it’s up to you to decide if it’s worth it. I haven’t paid for any directory listings but would consider it.

General Directories
www.dmoz.org
www.joeant.com
www.jayde.com

Local Directories
www.yelp.com
www.brownbook.net
www.merchantcircle.com
www.insiderpages.com

Blog Directories
www.technorati.com
www.blogcatalog.com
blogs.botw.org
www.blogged.com
www.blogflux.com

Green, Earth-Friendly Directories
www.fairgreengrade.com
www.greenopia.com
www.greenmaven.com
www.ecobusinesslinks.com
www.bestgreenblogs.com (only free for non-commercial)

Crafters and Artists
www.bust.com/Girl-Wide-Web
www.artzee.net/accounts.php
www.youcraft.org/
www.byhand.me/create-new-item.html
www.votehandmade.com/submit
www.craftsitedirectory.com/addlinksform.html
www.creativity-portal.com/bc/molly.childers/creative-careers.html
www.craftytips.com/psubmitting-a-site.html
www.artscollab.com/main/submit_profile.php

3. Comment on blogs.
It’s great for building links, traffic, and most importantly relationships!

Do follow blogs especially help you. And watch for ones who have the Comment Luv plugin. They’ll give you two links: one to your website and one to your latest blog post.

4. Exchange links with other websites.
You can swap links with other website owners. Exchange blog roll links, links on your resources page, or whatever works for you.

5. Be active on social networking websites.
Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social networks are an excellent way to build more links to your site.

If you’re a blogger, visit this post for suggestions on how to automate sending your content out to the networks: Blogging Like a Clover: Syndication.

6. Submit articles to article directories and other information portals.
A nice percentage of my traffic comes from articles that I’ve written and submitted to sites like EzineArticles.com, SelfGrowth.com, and WAHM-Articles.com.

EzineArticles & WAHM Articles are among a large group of ‘article directory sites’ where you can submit an article you’ve written and give permission for others to republish it. For example, I’ve submitted articles to these sites that ended up on sites like CWAHM.com.

I also submit articles directly to some websites, like Frugal Fun. Here’s one I’ve published there: Setting Up Your Home Office on a Shoestring Budget. SocialBrandWagon is another site I’ve submitted content directly to.

Many sites accept direct submissions and that can be a great way to get your content in front of the readers you’re looking to connect with.

You can also check out sites like HubPages.com and Squidoo.com to share your content and build links.

The benefit for you is that you’re getting your content to a wider audience. The benefit for the directories and other web sites who publish your articles is that they’re getting quality content free.

I’ll be blogging more about article marketing later this month since it was a requested topic when I asked you want you want to read about. If you’re in a hurry, I’ve got a guide to article marketing here.

7. Use social bookmarking websites.
My personal favorite is StumbleUpon. You can also check Digg, delicious, and others. I notice that StumbleUpon can generate a significant amount of traffic, but it comes with a high bounce rate. Still, if 100 people click to visit and only two stick around to subscribe then then 2 seconds it took to bookmark on SumbleUpon was worth it.

If you want to follow me on StumbleUpon, here’s my page: http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/MichelleShaeffer/?grid.

8. Guest blog post for other blogs.
This is one of my favorite strategies for getting in front of the audience I want to bring here. Since I work with work at home entrepreneurs I look for opportunities to post on sites that have that audience like Solo-E.com, CWAHM.com, WAHM-Articles.com, RaisingCEOKids.com, and similar sites.

Guest blogging benefits you in several ways:

• you’re reaching a wider audience to share your expertise
• you’re building links back to your website
• you’re establishing credibility

It also benefits the blogs you visit because in addition to getting your content they’re getting your promotion and visits from your audience. When I’ve had guest bloggers featured here on my site, traffic spikes as they share their guest blog posts and their followers stop by to visit.

So it’s really a win-win for both the blogger and the blog.

If you’re interested in guest blogging and want a step by step plan to follow, you’ll like my guide: Become a Web Celebrity with Guest Blogging.

9. Write and submit press releases.
Press releases can help you get media attention (obviously, right?) but they can also help you build links! Many online press submission websites are free and when you submit your press release you get a link back to your website.

Here are some sites you can submit press releases to (these offered free options last time I checked, but most require you to setup an account and will offer upsells so you’ll need to decide if that’s a good idea for the specific release you’re submitting):

www.prlog.org
www.free-press-release.com
www.free-press-release.info
www.pr-inside.com
www.theopenpress.com
www.clickpress.com
www.newswiretoday.com
www.1888pressrelease.com
www.24-7pressreleases.com
www.free-press-release-center.info
www.pressmethod.com
www.express-press-release.net

You can also submit your press releases directly to news websites (like NPR.org) but please be sure they’re really newsworthy with an interesting angle before you do that. You’ll get more bites from the press by developing your own media list of contacts specific to your niche and/or local area, or going after interviews/quotes through a service like Help a Reporter. But the online press release directories can be a good way to build links to your site and get some press attention.

Want to learn more about press releases? Sign up for my free ecourse here: http://michelleshaeffer.com/resources-2/press-release-power/

10. Post link bait on your website like great freebies, tipsheets, lists, and other resources.
A few weeks ago I wrote about self care and linked to a free massage guide. I’ve also linked to other freebies and giveaways. Creating valuable content that you give away (either free with opt-in or just free to download) encourages others to share your site and link to you.

What can you create? Here are some examples of what I could create from the 10 Ways to Get Links post (the one you’re reading right now):

• a PDF version of this post as a ‘special report’
• a 10 day ecourse where each day I offer one strategy with tips on how to make it work
• an audio version where I read this posts and turn it into an MP3
• a YouTube video with a slide for each strategy and either voice over of me talking or just background music
• a slideshare presentation with a slide for each strategy
• an article that’s free to reprint (with credit to me)
• an action guide that offers each tip with space to make notes and check it off as it’s done
• a checklist of directories to submit to, adding check boxes

See how easy that is? These are just 8 ideas off the top of my head that could be done from two blog posts.

You’ve probably already got content you can turn into a cool piece of link bait!  Make it happen.

About the Author:
Michelle Shaeffer has been a work at home mom for more than 10 years and loves to share the tips and strategies she’s learned to help other home based business owners balance, manage, and market their businesses. Connect with her at http://www.michelleshaeffer.com.

When you post a tweet on Twitter you want as many people as possible to retweet your post.  This is a great way to instantly increase your exposure and attract more people to your site/blog/business. When Twitter first started out, there weren’t many posts worth retweeting.  Who wants to retweet when what a person watched on TV or what they bought when they went to the store.  But people are now tweeting more relevant and helpful info.  Below are ten things you can do to increase your chances of getting retweeted!

1. Give and You Shall Get – If you want people to retweet you then you do the same.  Anytime you see an interesting or resourceful post, retweet it.   More than likely the person whose tweet you retweeted will return the favor.

2. Ask for an RT – Don’t be afraid to ask people to retweet you.  Just put a “Please RT” at the end of your post.  This has been proven to work.  Be sure to leave room at the end of your tweet for an RT and username.  If there isn’t room, people will have to edit your post and then you probably won’t get the RT.

3. Offer a Free Gift – Giving something away for free is always a good thing when trying to build your network.  Be sure it is something useful and helpful so people will think it is worth retweeting.

4. Make Your Tweets Useful – As mentioned before nobody wants to retweet what you bought at the store or what movie you’re watching on TV.  Be sure to tweet things that will help people and benefit their business.  Quotes are popular with retweets so tweeting good quotes is a plus.

5. Use Hashtags – Hashtags are similar to keywords.  It is a way to categorize or group your tweet with other similar tweets so people looking for your category can find your tweet easier.  For example: if you are tweeting about ebooks then you would add the hashtag #ebooks to your tweet.  You can find out more about hashtags at hashtags.org. If people can find your tweet then it is more likely to get retweeted!

6. Sell for a Retweet – Offer a product or service for a tweet. This is an effective way to get a lot of RTs.  If you have been offering a free report or ebook to get people to subscribe to your newsletter and/or feed, then you are familiar with this process.  You simply let people know they can download your product for a simple retweet.  You can make a “Pay with a Tweet” button here:  paywithatweet.com

7. Make RTs Easy – You can make it easy for your wordpress blog visitors to tweet your blog posts with a TweetMeme Button.   The tweetmeme button will even show how many times your post has been retweeted.

8. Timing is Everything – Studies have shown that there are certain times when tweets are more effective and will be more likely to be retweeted.  RT action is highest from about 2:00 pm through 6:00 pm EST.  The best days of the week for retweets is Thursday and Friday.

9. Free Guide – Download a copy of Dan Zarrella’s free report “Science of ReTweets”.  This PDF report contains a lot of helpful data and information on tweaking your ability to get more retweets.  You can find it at danzarrella.com

10. Build Relationships – Network, network and network.  Building relationships is extremely important in all facets of business.  Get involved with your followers and with those you follow.  Nothing builds a business better than a solid foundation of relationships.

Once you have implemented all these tips into your tweeting you can see how well your retweets improve by going to retweetrank.com. Simply type in your Twitter name and it will tell you how many times you have been retweeted.

Social media is exciting and can do wonders for your business but you must get involved and work at it.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t come to those who (just) wait! 

©Terri Seymour

About the Author:
Terri Seymour has over twelve years of online experience and has helped many people start their own business.  Visit her site for free articles, resources, information, resell ebooks and more.  Sign up for the RSS Feed for a free business ebook with MRR. http://www.SeymourProducts.com

Article marketing is a method of online and offline marketing in which you write informative articles and make them available for reprint and distribution to various webmasters and print publications.  If your article is well-written and contains helpful information it has the potential to give you an enormous amount of exposure for your business.  These articles can also help build your reputation as an authority in your field which can help bring you more customers.

Many people have doubts when it comes to writing and distributing articles but with a little time and effort it can be done.  Below are ten tips for establishing your article marketing campaign.

1. Keep It Simple – Craft articles that are simple and straightforward.  Be sure it contains relevant and helpful information for your readers.  There is no need for big, fancy words.  Write as if you were simply telling a friend all about the article subject.  Let your personality shine through in your words and watch your article come alive!

2. Research Thoroughly – One mistake some people make is to publish information that is outdated or inaccurate.  Be sure to research all your facts and be sure everything is up to date and accurate.

3. Keywords – Using relevant keywords in your writing is important for search engine placement so people can find your articles more often.  But do not make the mistake of overloading your articles with keywords and phrases to the point that your article will not be well-written or make any sense.  Be sure to read your finished article and watch for keyword overload.

4.  Attention Grabbing Titles – Your article title could be the deciding factor to whether or not your article gets read.  I know when I am sifting through articles the title is what helps me decide which article to read.    Use power words in your title to grab and hold a person’s interest.

For example:

Which article would interest you more?

“10 Ways to Increase Your Income”
“10 Guaranteed Ways to Make Money Now”

Both sound interesting but I would probably go after the second title.  It has that something extra that gets my attention.  Using power words like “Guaranteed” and “Now” will spark emotion in the reader and draw them in.

5. Always Proofread – Even though you are writing an article containing basic information, you want it to look and sound professional.  Be sure to use proper grammar and make sure all words are spelled correctly.  Unfortunately I have seen some articles that looked as if a 5 year old had written it.  Please be sure to check it over at least once.  I like to proofread twice as I have missed a thing or two over the years.

6. Effective Resource Box – Always write your resource box in third person format.  You want your name to get etched into the reader’s memory.  Tell a little about yourself and then list a compelling reason for people to visit your site/business.

Example:

Jane Doe has 15 years experience as a business coach and has worked extensively with major corporations.  Visit Jane’s site for free information on how to improve your business and her award-winning book on how to triple your company’s sales.  Add your link here.

7. Quality Not Quantity – Some people will say to submit your article to as many places as possible, but I disagree.  I would submit each article to a dozen or more of the higher ranked, quality ezine directories.  You can see a list of the top ten at my site.  It would be impossible, time-wise to submit to all the article directories so making a list of the top 10 or 20 or so would be the best thing to do.   I personally submit my articles to a list of 30 with the top one being EzineArticles.

8. Social Bookmarking – Social bookmarking is a way for people to share your articles with friends and/or business associates.  This can greatly increase the power of your article.  One of the best sites for social bookmarking beginners is Blinklist.

Some others are:
Delicious
Digg
StumbleUpon

9. Follow Guidelines – All article directories will have guidelines for you to follow.  Be sure and abide by each site’s guidelines or your article will be rejected.  Most directories will require a 500 word minimum with links only being allowed in your resource box.  Do not put your site info or link in the article body.  Most sites will not allow links of any kind in the article body.

10. Article Spinning: Good or Bad? – Article spinning is taking an article, and using software to change parts of it in an attempt to make it another unique article.  In doing so, one article can become 5 or 10 (so-called) unique articles.  To me, this is the lazy way of writing articles and in my opinion does not do much for your reputation.  Some people say it works for them but it is something I would neither do nor recommend.  Writing a true unique quality article can be done in an hour or two and will be much more beneficial than wringing out one article to try to get several.

I have been writing articles for about 12 years or so and still try to learn more on how to improve my article marketing.  The above ten tips will go a long way in improving your article marketing success.  Much luck to you in your campaign efforts.

©Terri Seymour
About the Author:
Terri Seymour has over twelve years of online experience and has helped many people start their own business.  Visit her site for free articles, resources, information, resell ebooks and more.  Sign up for the RSS Feed for a free business ebook with MRR. http://www.SeymourProducts.com