We have provided some helpful tips to put you on the right path to list building and increasing your business.

1.  Share your expertise.

Internet users are seeking information and your job is to provide that information by sharing what you know.  Provide your readers with “how-to” tips, guidance and articles that will solve a particular problem.  Give your best, top secret information on your niche.  By providing your best, you will see many returns as you begin to establish yourself as an expert in your field and niche.

2.  Set up a blog.

There are sites where you can set up a blog for free and start capturing email addresses for your list building adventure.  Use this as your platform for spreading the news and information about your niche or product.  At the end of each blog post, be sure to add a “call to” action and a link to your site or sales page.

3.  Create a “Q&A” feature.

This list building technique can be used in a newsletter or set up on your blog as a poll.  Invite your readers to interact by having them submit their hottest, burning questions they just can’t seem to find the answer to.  You’ll be regarded as a hero and have more return readers than you know what to do with.

4.  Conduct product or service reviews.

This valuable list building technique is one way to provide your readers with trusted and valuable information.  Pick a product or service, actually use it and then write a review about it.  What you liked or disliked, give accurate details and explain exactly what you think about it.  Ask yourself, “What do my readers really need to know about this product or service?”

5.   Commenting on blogs and forums.

Search blogs and networks for those of interest to you and related to your niche and set them up in your RSS feed.  When you see an interesting post, leave a comment….no spam.  Be sure to add good and solid opinions relating to that topic.  Offer some of your tips or advice and you will find that like-minded people will click on your link to see what you have to offer.

6.  Signatures.

This is one of the easiest methods to create and should be used on all your email correspondences.  Create something inviting that will link back to your squeeze page, blog or website.  Have something valuable to give them, such as a free eBook or list building tips.  Also, when leaving comments on blogs and forums make sure you have a well-crafted signature line as well.

7.  Article marketing.

One of the best ways in building a list is article marketing and it’s FREE.  Write unique and original content with SEO optimization and submit to the top article directories.  Provide “helpful tips” or “how to” or “secrets of” or “warning signs”, something that captures their attention and compels to their emotions.  These articles do not have to be long and boring; something in the 400 word range works perfectly.  In your resource or BIO box, include a link back to your email squeeze page or web site with an “opt in” box.

8.  Success stories.

Show your readers how your business has changed the lives of others.  Post case studies or testimonials showing how that particular person has been successful by using your product or service.  This is one way to build the “know, like and trust” factor that is critical in internet marketing.

With the many ways of list building, (and most of them being free), choose the ones that work best for you and your business.  Track your results, engage in these free techniques we have offered and watch your list grow exponentially.

You have made it this far, leave us a comment on your ideas or tips for list building.

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Good news…there is a solution that will give you back the time you deserve and need for those precious and enjoyable moments in life.  Outsource your article writing and content blogging to a professional and experienced freelance writer.

How do you choose a writer and one that is perfect for your content needs?  Read on for some helpful tips.

1.  Prepare a set of interview questions.

Be prepared on your end as well.  Have a particular and specific set of questions you’d like to ask your potential writer.  Have you ever written “xyz” content?  What is your turnaround time on articles or blog posts?  What areas or topics are you experienced with?  You will need as many details as possible to determine the perfect writer for you and your business.

2. Speak with your potential writer directly.

Arrange a meeting to discuss some of the details over the phone.  Get a feel for their personality, demeanor, attitude and professionalism.  Do they listen without interruption, (listening skills are paramount)?  It’s the little things that make a real difference.

3.  Make sure the content produced is original and unique.

You want and need original information created just for you within your specific guidelines.  Do not hire someone that cannot produce 100% original content.  You want to be sure that your article is the only one like it and that there is no duplication whatsoever.  This could hurt your search engine ranking if you do not have original and unique, written just for you information.

4.  Do you know how to optimize articles?

Most businesses have a set of keywords based around their products or services.  It is critical that your content be SEO optimized with your specific keywords in order to rank in the search engines.  You’ll need to supply those keywords to your writer and then they need to know how to work those into that content seamlessly.

5.  Ask for samples of their work.

You may choose to ask for samples of work they have previously written, or have them create a short 200 to 300 word article specifically for you.  Keep in mind if you have them draft an article for you with your guidelines and you like and want to keep that particular article, be prepared to pay for it.  Did they follow instructions in detail?

6.   Ask for references.

Get references from people they have written for in the past.  Did they provide specifically what you asked for?  Did they meet all deadlines?  Would you rehire them?  What sort of results did you obtain from using their writing services?

7.  What is their writing style?

If your brand requires that someone portray a hip, fresh, laid back style, then make sure your content matches that strategy.  If your brand is more conservative or technical, then that will require a different voice as well.  Find the voice that matches your branding strategy.  You want a writer that can get to know you and what you care about, someone that can learn and understand your market and be able to bounce ideas off of.

8.  Copyright or no Copyright?

Most writers will keep the rights of the content and you are then limited with where you can publish and the amount of times you can publish that content.  If you are interested in keeping the copyright to your content, then find a writer willing to give you the rights.  In these cases, I have seen where this might cost a bit more to do; however, it is worth it in the long run.

9.  What are their rates?

There are many ways writers charge and you need to know which one will fit your business the best.  Do they charge by the word or page?  While there are article writers that charge a very low price for their articles, be very careful of this.  This could be content already previously written or content they have plagiarized.  Remember, you want original and unique content well written.   One other thing to consider is whether or not they are native English writers.  This is very important as well when it comes to proper sentence structuring, proofreading, grammar and ease of reading.

There you have some helpful tips in finding your perfect article writer.  Look for someone with patience and a strong desire to understand your business, your brand and details of your product or service.  Choose someone who will not give up easily when things don’t go well.  Writing is hard work and it takes diligence, patience, understanding and communication to get the results you are seeking.

What are some of your guidelines in choosing a writer?

You’ve made it this far, please leave a comment.  I don’t like to talk to myself all the time…LOL.

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2. Explain your characters?-There are four females in this story. The main character is Ari Jennings. She’s the link between the four females. She met them all at different point in her life. Ari is currently in college. She’s battling putting herself through school and working. Her mother is an alcoholic. Ari is taken down a journey that tests her faith. Marissa is a married women working as an intern at dental office. She has a lot of skeletons in her closet that are eventually revealed. She will ultimately learn how to love and trust in God. Katora is a single mother but living with her sons father. All she wants is happiness and a good life for her son. She has doubts about her boyfriend but can’t put her finger on what he’s doing. Her Grandma J, the source of her spirituality, helps her see things in the right light. In the end, Katora will be tested and a big bomb will drop on her to reveal the truth about those around her. Heaven, the youngest and youngest minded of the females is a spoiled rich girl. She is currently in college but still living with her parents. Heaven cares about no one but herself. Her mother has instilled morals in her that will constantly haunt her. Heaven gets involved with the wrong person who makes her grow up and make a touch decision.

3. What message do you want this book to send?-I want anyone who reads this book to be inspired. I’m sure this book will hit home for a lot of people. I want people my age to see that living and striving to be all God wants you to be even when you’re young has it’s benefits. Trust in God no matter. He takes us all through things for a reason.

4. What are you currently working on?-I am currently writing a novel called Concealed Betrayal. I am working on my magazine From a Writer’s POV and expanding it all over the internet.

5. What’s in the future for Dominique-More books! The sequel to “Too Much Untold” is next! Get ready! Expect to see more events for From a Writer’s POV.

6. Tell us about your magazine, From a Writer’s POV is a place that’s become a home for a lot of writers, authors as well as business owners. We are helping people get their business and books out to the public. We offer so many things that benefit the author and business owner. We do book ads, business ads, and event ads. We give daily advice and tips on writing as well. We are all over the place and encourage all writers, authors and business owners to check us out! www.fromawriterspovmagazine.com

I will then open the floor for any questions or comments from our guest readers.

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“I left Heaven’s house a couple of minutes after Marissa. I hoped everything was ok. I was glad to hear that things were good with Katora. I hoped she called soon so I could come over and see them this weekend. When I got home I saw my mom’s car parked outside. “Finally”. I thought. I hope she wasn’t out acting up. I figured she’d be up and would want to chat for a minute. She stayed all in my business…” excerpt

Join us and follow us during this exciting 7-Day virtual book tour, today, January 13, 2010 at 6:00 pm Central time.  For more information about our guest author, Dominique Watson, and her book visit her at www.dominiquewatson.webs.com.

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Sherry McGinnis has an eloquent way of writing and conveying her powerful message.  I hope you enjoy and learn from the knowledge she has obtained from this tragedy and go out and inform others of what is happening to our kids in today’s world.  If we can keep one child from ever experimenting with their first drug…then Sherry’s mission is well on the way!

I’ve decided to add this topic to my blog, along with my passion to help single mothers and abused women, because it is also something that has impacted my life as well.  My brother’s experience with drugs nearly destroyed our family and my hope is to also join Sherry in spreading the word about this disease.

Please welcome Sherry McGinnis, you will enjoy her message!

Into each life some rain must fall
But too much is falling in mine
Into each heart some tears must fall
But some day the sun will shine
Some folks can lose the blues in their hearts
But when I think of you another shower starts

If you’re a Baby Boomer or even a bit older as I am, you may recognize those lyrics from a song by Ella Fitzgerald and The Ink Spots.

Although written as a torch song of sorts, the words can apply to any of us, for any loss that we’ve experienced. For me, the song speaks to my personal loss of my son.

On December 2, 2002, at 1:15 in the morning, we received THE PHONE CALL.  That phone call that every parent dreads; the call that tells you that your life as you know it is now over. You will never be the same. There is now a huge black hole in your heart surrounded by enough muscle and tissue to keep you breathing and functioning to a certain degree but that’s about it.

You go through the motions. Everything you do now is done on autopilot; getting out of bed, dressing, perhaps taking care of other family members, eventually returning to work. You have no desire to do any of these things. You just want to stay in bed, in the fetal position, lights out, with no contact with the outside world, the so-called normal world.

Your world is no longer normal, why should anyone else’s be? Why should we have to interact with them? Why should we have to look at their smiling, happy faces – smiles that once adorned our own faces – now replaced by such a sad countenance that nobody wants to look at us?

Who can blame them? Nobody wants to be around sadness and despair. After all, if we get too close, the same thing may happen to us. We may become the person who nobody wants to be near. Yes, we may be the one who lost a child. That thought is so unbearable, so incomprehensible that we try to avoid all contact with anyone who has suffered this most egregious of happenstances.

Our children die from a variety of causes; illness, accidents, suicide, and homicide. When you get right down to it, it doesn’t matter that much how our child died, although some situations do seem sadder, but the bottom line is the same – our child is dead.  They are gone from our lives. All we have are our memories. As Cicero said – The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.

One particular illness, a rampant disease actually, a proven brain disease, that is killing our children by the thousands each year is Addiction; drugs and alcohol. In some places death from drugs supersedes death by vehicular accidents, a major killer of kids.

Heroin and cocaine deaths have now been supplanted by deaths from prescription pills. Yes, the meds we keep in our medicine cabinet for legitimate purposes are being stolen by our kids who use them not for medicinal purposes but to get high.

I could go on and on about the dangers of prescription pills and also the dangers of street drugs but space does not permit.

My son was a paramedic and an RN who had the world by the tail.  One mistake that he made, doing a line of cocaine given to him by a friend on his 17^th birthday, followed him for the next 14 years until death put him out of his misery. Sadly, ours endures.

I urge everyone who reads this to understand that there is no guarantee of the perfect family, the perfect child who would never do drugs. Good kids do drugs too. The “not my child’ families may find themselves in for a rude awakening one day when they discover their beloved child is indeed doing drugs.

I can’t tell you how to spare your child from my son’s fate. After all I couldn’t save my own son. But my advice to you is to learn all you can about drugs and addiction because you never know when this scourge may affect you and yours.

I miss my son with every beat of my heart. As Rose Kennedy said when JFK was killed, it’s unnatural. No parent should outlive their child.

I would love everyone to visit my website – www.theaddictionmonster.com.  I’ve written 3 books on drugs and addiction.  My children’s book – The Addiction Monster and the Square Cat is consistently on Amazon.com’s Best Sellers List in Substance Abuse.  If you have young children, ages 10 and up, I hope you will consider reading this and sharing it with your child.

Remember – Doing drugs is easy – Quitting drugs is hard.

Thank you Sherry for a heart-felt story, we appreciate your candor and sharing a little of your personal journey with us.

Can you relate to this story? Do you know someone that has experienced the horrible tragedy that Sherry has gone through?  Are your children experimenting with drugs? Is there someone in your family that may be crying out for help?

Please leave us a comment, suggestions or thoughts.  We would love to hear from you!

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My husband, Joel D Canfield, and I co-authored the book to help newer and aspiring virtual assistants understand what it takes to run a successful business. Over the last two years, I found that many newer and aspiring virtual assistants were asking for and following my advice on how to run their business. Though they had the skills to be a virtual assistant, many had no idea how to run a business, write a business or marketing plan, how to market, and other basic business skills. Since my husband had already written a book for small business owners on how to be the best foundation for their business, we decided to add to the material and focus on the virtual assistant industry in our new book.

Tell me about yourself

I’ve worked as an administrative assistant for over 25 years and began my virtual assistant business in 2005 before I even knew there was such a thing. This past year I added virtual assistant coaching to my services to help newer virtual assistants succeed in their businesses. My husband and I work together from home along with our five-year old daughter in Roseville, California.

What qualifies you to write this book?

Joel and I have more than 50 years of combined experience supporting and operating small businesses. My success as a virtual assistant is in large part due to the advice I received from Joel. Our success in our businesses provides testimony to our qualifications.

What is the book about?

The book helps virtual assistants to understand that they are now business owners, entrepreneurs, no longer employees. Successful business owners need good business sense and a good understanding of what it takes to run a successful business. The book provides basic, commonsense information every entrepreneur needs to know along with advice specific to virtual assistants.

What do you want the readers to get out of the book?

The most important concept I would like my readers to understand is that they are now business owners and what that means. After reading the book, readers will have a clear understanding of how to set rates, manage their time, and market their business.

How can the readers contact you if they want further information?

Joel and I can be reached toll-free at 877.771.7746 or by email at Contact@BizBa6.com. They can also visit our website athttp://www.bizba6.com.

How much does your book cost? $19.95.

Where can the readers purchase your e-book?
They can visit our website at www.bizba6.com.

Sue, thank you for stopping by my blog.
You are very welcome. Thank you for having me.

About the Authors:

Joel and Sue have more than 50 years of combined experience supporting and operating small businesses. They operate BizBa6 Small Business Support Services and love not only their work but the life it allows them to live. This book (Joel’s third business book, Sue’s first) shares how they think about business–it’s a ‘why to’, not a ‘how-to’ because it focuses on how people think and what they want–not just your clients, but you, too.

Book Summary:

So, you want to be a virtual assistant. The virtual assistant industry is growing rapidly. Just about anyone can say they are a virtual assistant. You have a computer, internet access, and the desire to work from home. Voila! You’re a virtual assistant. But is that enough to succeed as a virtual assistant? Do you have what it takes to run a business? Yes, a virtual assistant is a business owner. Successful business owners need to have good business sense. As a business owner, you, the virtual assistant, need to understand what it takes to run a business. Pick up your copy for $19.95 at http://www.bizba6.com.

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This article is from one of our dear friends, Michelle Mangen who owns and operates The Virtual Assist.  Her article is packed full of great advice and time saving tips for blogging and social media.

Read on to learn how you can incorporate this valuable information that will help your social media campaign and blogging schedule.

On Wednesday I attended the Social Media Rock Star event in Green Bay. By far my favorite class was the one    taught by Todd Lohenry, the reformed German teacher and #1 Twitter in Algoma, WI (admittedly there are only 8 people from Algoma on Twitter).

Aside from being really funny he was hurling out so many good tips on how to make blogging quicker and more efficient that I quit Tweeting for #smrockgb and started an email to myself with all the things I wanted to look into when I got home.

1. If you use Google Reader to get ideas and inspiration for your own blog posts then you want to get through the content as quick as possible. Use these GOOGLE READER SHORTCUTS (I just copied the information from Google’s FAQ into a document so you can easily save this PDF on your own machine)
2. Feedly allows you to put your RSS feeds into a magazine type format (I love the Feedly FireFox Add-On for tweeting articles quickly – if you don’t have this one, do it now….you will thank me for the time it saves you in Tweeting)
3. ScribeFire FireFox Add-On – hey, I’m using it now for the first time – it allows you to write posts without going into the backend of your WordPress
4. Zemanta FireFox Add-On – couple this with #3 and you have the absolute coolness of having Zemanta pick up related articles, YouTube videos, etc. and incorporate them into your post (just look at the bottom of mine). It also allows you to find images to insert and will always give credit where credit is due!
5. Zemanta WordPress Plugin – helps with tagging your post

I can’t tell you how to use all of them yet…but a future post will give more insight as I get more familiar and comfortable with them myself.

Gasp…you missed “Be a Social Media Rockstar” event in Green Bay? Hop over to this post and read more about it.

Related articles by Zemanta:

• 7 Time Saving Firefox Add-ons
• Feedly Mini Learns How to Search
• Top 5 Ways to Use Social Media/Technology for Good
• Google Reader Gets Updated; Now More Social

Your Everything Services wants to extend a huge thank you to our friend Michelle! She has provide some great tips that we will incorporate into our blogging and we hope you have found them as helpful as we have.

Readers, what are some of your tips and tricks for making blogging easier? Do you outsource this task or do you find you would rather do it yourself? Share your knowledge and let us know what saves you the most time and at the same time becoming more efficient.

Thanks for stopping by!

Author Bio:

Michelle’s vast talents and expert skills in accounting, bookkeeping and Excel, far exceed the average assistant’s scope of knowledge; thereby further enhancing not only her backend office, but those of her clients.   Extending administrative and other remote admin services to her global client base, Michelle creates personalized virtual assistant solutions for each and every client, ensuring 100% customer satisfaction, loyalty and professionalism.

Her core services are: Social Media Management, Aweber, WordPress site management, Bookkeeping and Excel spreadsheets. Additionally she offers administrative services as well.

In an effort to stay current in the ever changing online world, Michelle is consistently attending a variety of seminars and webinars, in addition to scrutinizing the Internet for the newest techniques on Social Media, time-saving applications, or administrative software to bring you only the best in services and virtual solutions.

You can reach Michelle at michelle@thevirtualasst.com or www.TheVirtualAsst.com

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Edward Rall – We Will NEVER Forget!

As September 11 approaches my hope is that you will remember an American Hero that was tragically lost on that day 8 years ago.  I am honored to have Your Everything Services be part of the Project 2,996, a national recognized movement among bloggers to memorialize and remember each of the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.  Project 2,996 is a way that we can all contribute in some small way to these fallen heroes and their families that have suffered every day since that horribly tragedy.

I’m sure most of us can remember exactly where we were and what we were doing that very moment we learned of the attacks.

Most of us were doing the exact same things that some of the fallen were doing.  Thinking of our children, parents, husbands and wives, making phone calls to express our love and to comfort them in any way we could.  Every person that lost their life that day in spite of their imminent death, were focused on their cherished loved ones and most importantly on love.  There is no doubt that Edward Rall and his fellow brothers had the same sort of thoughts in those heroic final moments.

My tribute is to Edward Rall, 44 years old, who was a Firefighter for the New York Fire Department and lost his life serving others on the ground of the World Trade Center.  Rescue 2 is known as an elite group of firefighters with a serious mission: to save fellow firefighters or civilians who are trapped in blazes or endangered by urban disasters.

Rall and his fellow firefighters proceeded on that day with the same urgency, commitment and determination to rescue any one involved in the 9/11 disaster.

New York lost 340 firefighters, two retired members, the chaplain, and two paramedics on that horrific September morning.  These men and women bravely laid down their lives to rescue, serve and protect their fellow Americans.  Words escape me in trying to express my deepest appreciation for their bravery and selfless acts.

An interesting comment I found recently was:

I was doing a concert the other day and on the stage I saw a dog tag so I picked it up.  It read, “F.D.N.Y. Edward Rall, Missing in Action, September 11, 2001”.  I had to look up the name and read about him.  I am so honored to have found this and I want his family to know how much I appreciate what he did and the sacrifice he made for the City of New York and for his Nation…Thank you and God Bless. (Anonymous, dated June 14, 2009)

I truly hope this person was able to make contact with Rall’s family and give them a cherished memento.

A comment I found on his Legacy Guest book dated, August 26, 2009.

It’s been 8 years now and a day doesn’t go by that we don’t think of you and miss you. Things haven’t been the same since 9/11 and they never will. When I think of Ed I see him with a Coors light in one hand and a cigar in the other with a big smile on his face. We had a lot of good times together and a lot of laughs. Miss you buddy. Always in our thoughts and our hearts until we meet again. (Joann and Paul Bader)

Other comments from various sites regarding Rall that showed the man of honor he truly was:

• “I just finished the book “The Last Men Out” by Tom Downey. This is how I came to know of Eddie Rall, and the ultimate sacrifice he made for our city – and our nation – on September 11, 2001. I guess I just wanted to put a face with a name. I highly suggest that anyone read this book. You will get just a small glimpse of essence of this man, and the brothers he perished with. You will learn not only of the events of this tragic day, but also of the countless “smaller” emergencies they respond to that don’t make the headlines. This world is a better place because of them.”
• “I didn’t know you Ed, but your name comes up every year when my team participates in the tournament that has been named in your honor. Some of the young player’s dads are firefighters. I stumbled on this sight and was very happy to be able to finally put your face with the name. Thanks for being there and doing what had to be done on that day which showed the worst and the best of humanity. Your sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
• “To Mr. Rall’s son Dan, Often people look at a singer or a sports player and call them heroes. Now I realize that heroes don’t have to be famous to be recognized. The courage that your father showed on that day made me realize that he was and still is a hero.”
• I know Ed and his family for over 20 years now. We miss him terribly and our hearts go out to his wife Darlene and his sons Joe, Matt & Dan. We will never forget all the good times we had over the years. I can’t help but feel the loss of the times we should be sharing and the memories we should still be embracing. As my husband once said ” we were suppose to grow old together” but that came to an unexpected halt and know we grow old without our good friend and try to carry on and be there for Ed’s family as much as we can . We miss and love you always. WE WILL NEVER FORGET

What an amazing man! My heart, thoughts, prayers, appreciation and compassion go out to his wife Darlene, sons, Joe, Matt and Dan.  How fortunate you were to have such an honorable hero in your life and we thank you for allowing us to honor Edward Rall and the awesome man he was.  May God Bless each and every one of you.

WE WILL NEVER FORGET!

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