How To Effectively Use Twitter To Promote Your Business

When I first heard about Twitter I thought it was a very cool idea.  The problems began when I decided to sign up ….

I had absolutely no clue how to use Twitter for business.  There are lots of business people on Twitter but when I read their “tweets” it became even more confusing.  Everything I do has to have a strategy and this was too hard for me to wrap my mind around, the concept was simple enough but it seemed so silly!

My thoughts were: How is anyone getting anything done?  And who cares what you’re eating for lunch!  These were my intial responses when I saw what entrepreneurs were tweeting about.  I just did not understand how you could sit there all day and write this mindless, useless nonsense and build a successful business.

So I decided that Twitter was not for me, but I kept hearing great things about it so I decided to take another look and this is what I figured out.  Most people don’t know how to use Twitter the correct way to build their business.  And I had no idea how to even setup or use Twitter when I began so I hired someone to help me.

But the other day I found the perfect resource for you to use if you’re new to Twitter and you don’t know how to get started or what to do.  This wonderful FREE e-book will teach you step by step how to use Twitter for your business and how to market using Twitter.

This 48 page gem is called: ” A Geek’s Guide To Promoting Yourself And Your Online Business In 140 Characters Or Less With Twitter” by Geekpreneur! 

Go… Run…  Grab It!  And Start Twittering Today!  http://www.geekpreneur.com

Animoto: Great Video Tool

Animoto is a web application that automatically generates professionally produced videos using their own patent-pending technology and high-end motion design. Each video is a fully customized orchestration of user-selected images and music. Produced on a widescreen format, Animoto videos have the visual energy of a music video and the emotional impact of a movie trailer.

The heart of Animoto is its newly developed Cinematic Artificial Intelligence technology that thinks like an actual director and editor. It analyzes and combines user-selected images and music with the same sophisticated post-production skills & techniques that are used in television and film.

Based in New York City with an office in San Francisco, the founders of Animoto include veterans of the entertainment industry and have produced shows for MTV, Comedy Central, & ABC, studied music in London, and played in indie rock bands in Seattle. They continue to innovate in the field of creative artificial intelligence.

Check them out, they have a free service and also a commercial license is available for $249/year for unlimited video.  http://www.animoto.com

 

• The buzz around Animoto

 

Hiveminder: Free Project Management Tool

Hiveminder is a free to do list software program that allows you to share your list with friends and family. It makes it easy to integrate your business life task lists with your personal life tasks lists and to organize them quickly and efficiently. Here’s how:

Step 1. Register by entering your name, email address, and creating a password. It’s free.

Step 2. Reply to the confirmation email and you’re good to go.

Step 3. Using the toolbar at the top of your screen visit preferences first. Set your time zone and choose when, or if, you want email reminders.

Step 4. Adjust your tasks by email and IM options if necessary in your ‘preferences’

Step 5. Visit the brain dump section and start typing the tasks that come to mind. This is the fun part! When you’ve exhausted yourself and created a list of tasks, hit create.

Step 6. Click on one of your newly created tasks. You can now:

• Tag it
• Add notes
• Add it to a group so folks can know how busy you are and offer to help
• Hide it until a certain date. This is great if you don’t want to feel overwhelmed.
• Give it a due date
• Set priority
• Add a comment
• See the history of the task, like when you created it. This is great for all of you closet procrastinators out there. Now you know how long you put off certain tasks.
• Establish whether it is a recurring task or a one time only task. This is great for tasks like invoicing or paying certain bills - now you won’t forget.

Step 7. If you want to share certain tasks with people like your virtual assistant or your spouse, you can create groups. In the top toolbar simply click on groups, enter a name for the group like the name of your business and description of the types of tasks that will go into this group. Once groups are established you can assign tasks by:

• My tasks
• Everybody else’s tasks
• Up for grabs
• All tasks
• Untagged tasks

Step 8. Invite collaborators. Once you create a group, you can now invite people to join and view your tasks. You can also assign them a role. The roles include:

Organizers who can:

• Invite and delete members
• Decide who receives email updates
• Perform all standard task actions (add, share, mark done, comment)

Members who can:

• Perform all standard task actions (add, share, mark done, comment)

And Guests who can:

• See what is happening in a group, but cannot perform actions.

Step 9. Review your tasks. In this screen you can:

• Comment on the task
• Say you’re already done
• Say you want somebody else to do it
• Say you’ll do it today
• Add new tasks
• Ask not to see it until later.

Hiveminder is a great project management tool, whether you’re part of a group of people all striving toward a common goal or an individual that needs a little help organizing your life. This software is a great resource.

Twitter Alerts By Email

Twitter Alerts!

TweetBeep is like Google Alerts for Twitter! Put in a keyword or website, and get emails when others tweet it!

Free Twitter Alerts by Email!

If you love Twitter, you’ll love TweetBeep! Keep track of conversations that mention you, your products, your company, anything! You can even keep track of who’s tweeting your website or blog, even if they use a shortened URL (like tinyurl.com).

Great for online reputation management, catching all your @replies, finding job/networking opportunities, keeping up on your favorite hobby, and more!

http://www.tweetbeep.com

Hire a Team To Be Successful In Business

 

In most large businesses, employees perform specialized functions. Secretaries handle all of the filing and related tasks. Marketing people handle the advertising and public relations. Accountants keep the books. Salespeople make the sales.

Many small businesses do not have the luxury of being able to hire employees. So the business owner must handle everything herself. While this may work out reasonably well in the initial stages, as the business grows it gets more difficult to keep up with it all. There are some compelling reasons that business owners should consider outsourcing.

1. You can’t learn everything. No matter how smart you are, you simply can’t. Even if you could, learning takes time, and there are only a set number of hours in a day. If you try to learn every minute aspect of the things that need to be done for your business, you’re going to end up disappointed and frustrated.

2. You have a life outside of your business. Everyone needs time to spend with family and friends, even if they’re running a business. If we try to tackle everything ourselves, we won’t have time to enjoy the finer things in life.

3. The stress of trying to do it all can adversely affect your health. There are enough stressors in life that we don’t need to add to them unnecessarily. But if we put pressure on ourselves to run a business on our own with no help at all, it can really stress us out. Besides affecting our state of mind, too much stress can cause high blood pressure and put us at risk for many other ailments.

4. People who are trained well in their fields may be able to do a better job. If you barely know HTML, it would take you quite a while to learn how to make a good-looking and functional website. An experienced web designer could have your entire website up and running before you were finished learning what you need to know. In situations such as this, it makes more sense to outsource than to try to do it yourself.

5. Outsourcing can save you money. Some tasks require special equipment or software. If you’re not going to need these things in the future, it doesn’t make much sense to buy them for one project. Hiring someone else that already has what is needed to get the job done is usually more economical.

In many cases, outsourcing makes good business sense. It allows us to concentrate on the things we’re best at, and it can save us time and money. So the next time you find yourself with an overabundance of work, consider outsourcing.

How to Set Up Skype

 

Skype is software that enables people from all around the world to communicate with each other for free via their computer. Skype to Skype calls are free however it isn’t all that you can use Skype for. Skype enables you to make inexpensive long distance phone calls, send text messages, video conference, forward phone calls and much more.

Skype is also a valuable business tool, enabling free internal phone calls, text messages from your computer, and inexpensive calls to land lines and cell phones. Whether you own a business or would like to use it in your personal life, setting up a Skype Account is easy to do. Here’s how:

Step 1: Visit http://www.skype.com  and download the software onto your computer. There’s a big DOWNLOAD button so you can’t miss it.

Step 2. A window will open on your computer. Save the file SkypeSetup.exe. on your computer.

Step 3. Once the download is complete, open the Skype setup application.  The setup wizard will launch guiding you through choices and settings for your computer.

Step 4. Your next step is to Start Skype.

Step 5. You’ll now be asked to create your account. It’ll ask for your name, Skype name, and password. It’ll then ask for an email address and location information.

Step 6. You’re now able to make Skype calls. You can also take a peek at their getting started guide which will walk you through making a test call and your first phone call. With Skype you can also import contacts from Hotmail, Yahoo, Outlook and more.

Skype can be the one stop communication solution for busy people who are tired of spending too much money on phone bills and text messages and using Skype is easy to do.

There are several Skype Management Tools that you might want to implement as well:  http://www.pamela-systems.com and http://www.prettymay.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Home Based Business Ideas

 Have you been looking for a way to earn money from home? Why not take the skills you currently have and build a business around them? You will be able to create your own work schedule and can choose to work with local businesses or with people you meet online.

People that are proficient in web design can easily find work. Many people want to start an online business but don’t know the first thing about building a website - just visit any work at home message board and you will see many posts asking for help.

Are you creative? If so, you can find work as a graphic designer. Many people need help designing logos and advertising for their businesses. If you enjoy writing, you can find work as a copywriter - the person who writes the information you read on websites.

If you would rather work offline, there are still plenty of opportunities for you. Just market your services creatively - let businesses know how you can help them. For instance, if you were a teacher, now you can be an “Educational Consultant” and coordinate lesson plans for local daycares! If you were the manager at a restaurant, you can turn that into a “Catering Consultant” and help caterers and restaurants come up with new recipes or help brides plan their wedding menus.

Moms are expert organizers - offer up your skills as a “professional organizer” and get paid to clean out closets, attics and garages. Are you an expert at throwing birthday parties? Many busy parents would hire you to take care of planning their children’s parties.

Are you good at sewing, knitting or scrapbooking or some other craft? Hold classes to teach others. If you do not have room at your home, ask your local hobby shop if you can hold classes there.

As you can see, there are many ways to turn your skills into ways to work from home. Once you decide on something to do, get out there and let everyone know you are available for hire! If you do not ask for work, you won’t find any!

Copywriting Do’s and Dont’s

The Do’s of Copywriting

No matter where it’s found marketing copy is written to sell. So there are certain standards that are universal to copywriting whether it’s done for online or offline purposes. Internet copywriting has some of its own unique requirements as well. Here are some of the most important “dos” of Internet copywriting.

1. Do include information that is useful to the reader. Whether you are writing a sales page or articles to market your website, your readers want to read things that are beneficial to them. It’s true that the underlying intent is to sell something but in order to do so you need to provide value to the reader.

How this is best accomplished depends upon what you are selling. If you are selling a tangible product, articles that show readers ways that they may use that product give them both useful information and an incentive to learn more about the product and buy it. A sales page for an information product may include information that is supplemental to that offered in the product for sale or short snippets from the info product itself.

2. Do write as though you are writing to someone you know personally. The Internet is a rather impersonal medium and anything you can do to make your writing feel more personal will make your readers feel more comfortable purchasing from you. Pretend that you are trying to sell something to your brother or sister if it helps.

3. Do use action words and phrases. This type of language will excite the reader and compel her to buy. Instead of “If you would like to purchase this product and get a free gift, you may do so by clicking this link,” try “Click here to order now and receive your free gift!”

4. Do include testimonials. Seeing that other customers have tried your product and found it useful will lead readers to expect the same if they purchase it. If possible get testimonials from high-profile people or experts in a field related to yours. Include the person’s name (at least the first name and last initial), location and picture if you can get permission to do so.

The best testimonials include quantifiable results. If you have testimonials but they do not include any concrete evidence of your product’s benefits, ask the people providing them to elaborate. Buyers respond better to numbers and percentages than to a generic statement that a product is good.

5. Do utilize keywords. Choosing the best possible keywords and using them in headlines and text will increase your search engine rankings. A well-ranked page could potentially get a large number of visitors from the search engines without requiring pay-per-click campaigns. If you’ve done everything else correctly a significant percentage of these visitors will become customers.

Successful Internet copywriting involves getting readers, keeping them interested and enticing them to buy. Taking these things into consideration will help you get visitors to your pages and turn them into customers.

The Don’ts of Copywriting

Just as there are certain things you should always incorporate into web copywriting there are some things that should be avoided. Certain mistakes can be deal-breakers for your potential customers. Here are five things to look out for when you are writing copy.

1. Don’t focus on product features. This may sound counterproductive but features are not what will sell your product. The benefits of your product will. Focusing on what a product can do for your potential customers will create a need for your product. This need will result in more sales.

For example, let’s say you are selling automated budgeting software. This software can take the information you give it and compare multiple different scenarios. Instead of just stating that fact think of a way to state it as a benefit for the customer. “This software makes budgeting a cinch by allowing you to compare multiple scenarios automatically,” for example.

2. Don’t write in an overly complicated manner. Using big words will turn your reader off and might even confuse them. Simple yet powerful words used in short, easy to read sentences and paragraphs get your point across much more effectively.

Don’t go overboard with the adjectives and adverbs. While these are an important part of a successful sales campaign, it’s easy to get carried away with them. Instead of using more words use more powerful words.

3. Don’t go off on a tangent. Stick to the subject at hand and don’t stray too far from it. While throwing in a story from your own experience can add a personal touch to your writing, don’t forget what you’re writing about. Doing so will cause you to lose your readers and losing your readers means losing sales.

4. Don’t be vague. Readers are much more impressed with specifics than they are with vague generalizations. The use of statistics and real figures makes your writing much easier to identify with. Real-life examples of people who have benefited from your product take that a step further.

Which would be more impressive to you? “People make a lot more money using this system than they did without it,” or “Sue Jones increased her profits by 75% using our system”?

5. Don’t overuse “is” and other forms of “to be.” These are not action words and they do nothing to excite the reader. If you find yourself using these words in a sentence try to come up with a way to say the same thing using action words. If you can find a way to do so while still making sense, it can result in a much more positive response.

For example, instead of “Our product is the highest in performance of its kind,” you could try “Our product outperforms all others of its kind.” Don’t forget to back it up, as shown above.

The purpose of copywriting is to sell something. Successful salespeople are not dull and boring. They engage the consumer, hold her attention and create a need for the product. By remembering what causes readers to go elsewhere and avoiding it, you can do the same.

6 Tips To Organize Your Home Office

Organization is essential to productivity. The less time you have to spend searching for the things you need, the more time you have to concentrate on getting your work done.

While keeping your files organized is of great importance, it is also vital to keep your workspace organized. A neat desk that has a place for everything and everything in its place helps you work more efficiently. It can also reduce stress, and a well-organized desk makes a better impression on clients.

Different people have different ways of organizing. But there are some things that we could all benefit from keeping in mind.

1. Small compartments are great for items like paper clips and staples. There’s nothing worse than having to dig around in a drawer for one tiny yet vital object. Some desks have compartments built in. If yours doesn’t, you can find trays with compartments for small items in most office supply stores.

2. Supplies should always be close at hand. Pens, staplers, sticky notes and other things that we use regularly need to be where we don’t have to look for them. A shelf or drawer just for this purpose would be ideal, but keeping them in a designated corner of the desktop will do if necessary.

3. Keep paper to a minimum. Storing documents electronically is not only good for the environment, it also reduces clutter astronomically. Organizing computer files is just as important as keeping paper files in order, but it is often easier and always requires less space.

4. In and out boxes or baskets are a great way to organize papers and files that you need close at hand. It’s fine to “think outside of the box” and use these in ways that best suit your needs. It’s your workspace, so the key is to organize things in a way that makes sense to you.

5. Things that you are finished working on do not belong on your desk. Filing them away will reduce clutter and confusion.

6. A trash can should always be within easy reach of one’s desk. If there’s no trash can nearby, it’s much easier to accumulate unwanted and unneeded items.

Keep in mind that organization is highly subjective. If you gave five people the same items to organize, each person would have his own unique way of organizing it. Neither way is wrong or right. As long as the person using the items is able to find what he needs quickly and easily, that is what counts.

Getting organized allows us to make the most of our time. By following some simple guidelines and coming up with an organizational system that works for us, we can get more done with less effort.

How to Form a Nonprofit Organization

1. Choose a name for your nonprofit. (While you’re at it, select and reserve a Web domain name.)
2. Form your incorporating board of directors (often only three people are needed).
3. Write Articles of Incorporation including a statement of your purpose and submit them to the appropriate office in your appropriate state government with the required fee.
4. Wait for a response from your state. (In some states you can expedite the process by paying a surcharge.)
5. Obtain a Federal Employer Identification Number, submitting IRS Form SS-4.
6. Develop organizational bylaws-the rules by which you will operate.
7. Hold your first board meeting.
8. Review IRS Publication 557, instructions for filing for tax exemption. (call 1-800-TAX-FORM.)
9. File IRS Form 1023 if you are applying to become a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization (preferably within 15 months of the date of incorporation). Other kinds of nonprofits organizations may file Form 1024.
10.Pay filing fees of $500 if you anticipate having revenue of over $10,000 per year, or $150 if you anticipate having revenue of less than $10,000 per year and the accompanying Form 8718.
11. Sit back and relex. Celebrate when your letter of determination arrives!
12. Register as a charity within your state.  While you’re at it, check your state’s laws: some require you to apply for a separate (in addition to federal) tax exemption.

Along the Way to your Nonprofit Status

1. Consider using a fiscal sponsor so you can begin offering programs and developing a reputation.
2. Once you’ve incorporated and filed IRS Form 1023 you can begin to operate and even solicit contributions as long as you tell donors the application has been filed.

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