Adobe Tips and Tricks

2010-10-08T03:55:00.001-07:00

RT @leonita: The Leonita Ardhyan Daily is out! http://bit.ly/cgPm1T â–¸ Top stories today by @klaritidotcom @joinred

2010-10-08T03:01:00.001-07:00

i love this dog http://ow.ly/2Qv6t you will too!

2010-10-08T00:08:00.001-07:00

RT @SuzanneVara: RT @jonathanfields The McKee-Fields Story Sessions Part 2 http://bit.ly/91ITek

2010-10-07T14:52:00.001-07:00

RT @Ed_Dale: 5 Free Ways to Improve Your Typing Skills Online - http://j.mp/ddxOY8 -way cool

2010-10-07T03:03:00.001-07:00

Should Doctors Use Social Media to Friend Customers? http://ping.fm/ZWq2X

17 Email Marketing Mistakes To Avoid

2010-10-02T09:30:00.001-07:00

In the last sixteen years, email has helped me win more business than any other tool. Itâ€™s turned cautious readers into enthusiastic buyers. Itâ€™s brought in prospective customers from the edge and driven repeat traffic to the money pages. Here are some of the mistakes Iâ€™ve made and how to get around them.

Emails Mistakes To Avoid

One of the dilemmas for web marketers is how to know what their customers really want. Email is one of the best ways to form a strong relationship with your readers.

Itâ€™s an inexact science. Everyone has an opinion. Here are some of mine!

1. Plain Text v HTML

Some of worldâ€™s biggest web marketers send out plan text emails. John Chow and Yaro Starak are two good examples. Iâ€™ve experimented with this format and have to say that it does seem to work, well, for certain types of content.

If your readers are after tutorials, for example, plain text will be fine. If itâ€™s a Fashion newsletter or something up-market, then a splash of color is in order.

Plain text is also very powerful as the reader is â€˜forcedâ€™ to read the text. Maybe guided is a better word but you get the idea. Thereâ€™s nothing to distract them. Click-throughs can be very high if you use plain text with a single call to action.

2. Size Mattersâ€¦ kinda

The word count of your emails, and possibly the number of images, may also affect how readers respond. Some prefer short, snappy emails. Think Seth Godinâ€™s pithy observations.

Others prefer long, detailed articles. ProBlogger and CopyBlogger are both, on average, 800-1000 words per post.

Some of this depends on your readership. If youâ€™re sending 3 more emails per week, they may prefer short posts and/or abstracts.

But not alwaysâ€¦

3. Use Abstracts Rather Than Full Post

One way to address this is to offer an abstract, say twenty words and then a link to the site.

The advantage is that you get them to the site where they can add comments, interact and/or buy something.
The disadvantage is that they may not be curious enough to click-thru, have web access at their work office, or feel that youâ€™re trying to trick them into having to visit their site.
I give the full feed in my emails. I donâ€™t want people to feel short-changed in any way.

4. No Endorsements or Testimonials

Use testimonials as social proof that others enjoy your newsletter. Get the right balance here with the wording and photos. Text that sounds too polished and flattering will make the readers suspicious.

Use the real words folks have sent you (a few typos never hurt) to give it that authentic sound. Try to avoid re-writing what they said.

If you donâ€™t have testimonials for your newsletter, see if your current blog readers have favorable things to say about the site and then refer to this.

5. Hi, {Firstname}, we got your email!

Is there anything worse than a personalized email thatâ€™s gone berserk? If youâ€™re going to use it â€“ I donâ€™t â€“ be careful and test first. Most email software companies will have videos no how to do this right.

6. Not Testing Subject lines

Ever wonder how your email looked in different browsers?

Instead of setting up accounts on Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook, use this free tool to see how your subject line will look. It also shows how it will look on mobile devices. Great way to test your subject before you send it out.

Remember, if people donâ€™t like your subject line, the email doesnâ€™t get read.

All the effort youâ€™ve put into writing the article, finding the right image, creating links and so onâ€¦ all wasted. Test and test again until you see which subject lines work the best. See http://ping.fm/PtAHn

Tip: 5 words works best for me, especially if there is some call to action or pressure put on the reader to click Open.

7. Buying Email Lists

You can buy emails links if youâ€™re mad enough but why would you? Itâ€™s about as effective as walking down the high-street with a megaphone talking about your blog. Think anyone will buy?

Instead, learn as much as you can about email list building, write content the folks want to read, and test. I use the Reports tools in Aweber to see where Iâ€™m making progress and what needs to be refined. Feedburner is fine for broadcasting for your canâ€™t dig down segment the lists, schedule emails or broadcast followups.

If youâ€™re serious about using email to drive sales, invest in a Aweber or Constant Contact. Iâ€™ve also heard good things about MailChimp.

8. Keep It Consistent

Even if someone leaves your company, thereâ€™s an argument for keeping the email address active if that person has a large readership. Think twice about changing the name in the From field as you may confuse the readers and/or give them a reason to unsubscribe.

Donâ€™t change a winning team!

9. CAN-SPAM Compliance

â€˜Realâ€™ companies include their physical address at the footer of their email. I know this can be made up but most companies do comply with the Can-Spam Act and add their contact details in the footer. They also make it easy for you to unsubscribe.
If you donâ€™t include this in the email, aside from the legal obligation, it shows your subscribers that you have a legitimate identity and that can phone you if there is a problem. Remember to add the country code suffix as well.

10. Email Schedule. What Email Schedule?

Create a schedule and then stick to it. This â€˜trainsâ€™ your readers to expect your emails. I look forward to certain emails during the week and make time to read them. Your readers are probably the same.

Also, donâ€™t chop and change the schedule. Keep to the same schedule for at least a month. Donâ€™t push too hard or be over-ambitious. Try to get one out per week. If you can manage that for a week, try then and so onâ€¦

11. Donâ€™t Send on Wednesday

Choose the best day to send the emails based on YOUR stats.

9 out of 10 web marketers will tell you that Wednesday (or is it Thursday now?) is the best day to send emails. Their â€˜researchâ€™ shows it.

Well, if they all use that day, you choose another.

Makes sense, right.

Also, think of your readers. If youâ€™re sending out an Entertainment email, maybe Friday lunchtime is that best so they can plan their week.
Sunday also works for me as people have time to browse and arenâ€™t in a hurry.

12. Remove Deadwood

If they havenâ€™t read your emails for six months, delete them.

Why?

Different reasons. One is that large ISP counts the number of bounced emails (e.g. From dormant accounts) and may punish you if your negative rating gets beyond a certain level.

Again, my buddy Aweber has tools that let you do this.

13. Not Testing Before Sending

One of the advantages of Aweber is that I can sent test emails to different accounts before I sent it out.

It sounds like a small thing but it lets me see what the email will look like from the readerâ€™s perspective.

Sometimes I catch a typo. Other times I look at it and see it needs to be revised. The tone doesnâ€™t feel right or there are too many links.
Testing helps with this.

You donâ€™t get a second chance with first impressions.

14. Use Special Reports

Letâ€™s say you have a site about Travel. Send out special issues every quarter with tons on info getting your readers ready for special events. Focus on a single issue, say traveling to Asia for the first time. Include a link to a PDF version of the â€˜reportâ€™ so they can keep it with them and/or share with friends.

Sprinkle in some links to your money pages or affiliate sites.

15. Use Follow-ups To Sell Longtail Products

Create a list for each type of class you offer (Yoga for Strength, Qigong and so on). When members enroll at the beginning of each new rotation, ask them to sign up for that list.

With a follow-up series for each list, you can prepare students with tips they can use to succeed that particular discipline, clothing suggestions, links to buy any special equipment theyâ€™ll need and a short biography of their instructor

Hereâ€™s an idea. Say you run a site about Finance. Follow up after 5 days and tell the new readers that you have the 5 part free newsletter about Personal Finance. Send them a link to a sample issue. If they like than â€“ and take the course â€“ send them another email towards the end offering another free course about Buying Shares For the First Time.

You get the idea. Donâ€™t let your list sit there. Use it as much as you can. If the quality is good, no one will complain.

Then sprinkle some links into the newsletters that go to your money pages or affiliate sites.

16. Use Your Email Signature, Business Card and Stationery

My email address includes links to Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and my email account. I also add a PS for sales, discounts, and special offers that we run from time to time. And itâ€™s very effective.

Over the course of the week, Iâ€™ll email several 100 people. Some days I have 200 emails in my inbox when I arrive. Many of these are getting in touch with me for the first time.

Adding my contact details and social media sites to the email, makes it one step easier for them to contact me. It takes one minute to setup but can be very effective in the long term.

PS â€“ always use a PS. We all tend to scan down to the end of a document, report, or email from habit. Add a little â€˜linkbaitâ€™ there and some will take a nibble.

Donâ€™t forget to add your email to your stationery; you never know where it ends up. Business cards are the same, especially if you make them creative.

17. Impossible to Recognize â€œFromâ€ Names

My ISP sends me emails from nobody@nameofisp.com. This isnâ€™t the best way to engage with your customers. Personalize the emailâ€™s From field so it shows a real name.

As my name Ivan isnâ€™t that common, I use it where-ever I can. It stands out from others and helps reader remember my posts.

Even if youâ€™re a one-person company, you can create names for different functions in your business.

Rather that everything going to info@, create Sally, Tom, Stacy, Dionâ€¦ and use these for your Sales, Customer Support, Finance emails.

Youâ€™d be surprised how many small companies use this tactic to big themselves up!

Are You Making These Mistakes With Your Emails?

Those are some of the ways you can get it wrong with email. I know I have and am still learning. If I were to nail down three things that really help, I would say:

Make the sign-up super simple. Donâ€™t complicate things and get too fancy. Place the web form in the top right of the web page. Use simple words like Sign Up! or Subscribe! Donâ€™t be clever, clever. Include a small benefit in the text near the form, such as free reports, discounts or gifts. Links to previous issues are another way for cautious readers to sample the goods first.
Write interesting headings. Study how others do it and write out 20 variations of their headlines. After a while, youâ€™ll get into the right mindset and see how they do it. Like all things it takes practice.
Stay in touch. I send out one personal email every month. I just say hello, share some info, maybe giveaway a free book. Something that lets the reader know that Iâ€™m not taking them for granted.
Thatâ€™s it for now.

What else would you add?

From: http://ping.fm/F0IPY

How Much Should You Pay For a 500 Word Article?

2010-10-02T09:18:00.001-07:00

Iâ€™m curious. How much would you pay me to write a 500 word article for you?

Ok. I donâ€™t do freelance work at the moment. But, if I did, how would you go about it?One way to scale your internet business is to outsource writing tasks to Virtual Assistants and Freelancers. The upfront cost (payment) is offset by the extra sales youâ€™ll make (returns) on the time you save.

From: http://ping.fm/hU4QT

Warren Buffett Business Plan Writing Tips

2010-10-02T01:26:00.001-07:00

â€˜The business schools reward difficult complex behavior more than simple behavior, but simple behavior is more effective.â€™ Warren Buffett

From: http://ping.fm/Pcc9D

How to Get Started on Your First Business Plan

2010-10-01T13:42:00.001-07:00

Writing a Business Plan can be intimidating at first. There is so much to cover and itâ€™s difficult to know where to start. One suggestion is to prepare yourself to go forward. What do I mean?

From: http://ping.fm/sJQy5

2010-10-01T13:35:00.001-07:00

Ernest Hemingwayâ€™s 10 Steps to Better Writing
One of tricks that Hemingway plays on the reader is that while the prose is â€˜ordinaryâ€™...
http://ping.fm/coelH

Content Strategy: Using Cards To Index, Organize and Structure Websites

2010-07-09T04:50:00.001-07:00

One of the alternative careers Iâ€™ve considered as a Technical Writer is Information Architecture. Information Architecture is worth considering if youâ€™re attracted to organization of data, for example, indexing, rather than writing. I get a bit tired to typing at times and enjoy other tech comms activities such as analysis, diagramming, and documentation planning. This short article gives some insight into how Information Architecture is used when developing websites. So, for those of who want to retain your writing skills and move into web-facing career, maybe Information Architecture is worth exploring.

From: http://ping.fm/BexuU

How to View YouTube Mobile on Your iPhone

2010-07-08T17:27:00.001-07:00

YouTube Mobile can be accessed by visiting m.youtube.com on your phone.

From Alex Chitu, "Google's services have a big advantage: a lot of mobile phones include applications for services like YouTube, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Search. Unfortunately, the native applications are rarely updated, so users miss the new features added to Google's services.

A good example is the YouTube application for iPhone, developed by Apple, which still uses 5-star ratings, doesn't support captions, annotations or search suggestions and offers a single sharing option: email. Google's YouTube application for Android is not much better, even if it's updated faster."

From: http://ping.fm/rQZWD

How To Write Case Study Analysis For Marketing Plans

2010-07-04T01:28:00.001-07:00

To prepare your case study analysis, you need to understand the four parts that hold the case study together. Once you have grasped how to structure your case study, you are then in a better position to refine this document and make the sections flow more smoothly from one topic to the next. Your case study should be built around the Situation, Problem, Solution, and Evaluation.

From: http://ping.fm/mZRiO

Is Apple The World's Most Popular Cult?

2010-07-04T01:26:00.001-07:00

Whatâ€™s the first thing that comes to mind when I say Cult? I was offered a job with Apple many years ago and turned it down. They struck me as a bit odd. Think different campaigns were somehow a tiny bit sinister. I couldnâ€™t put my finger on it didnâ€™t buy into it. Later I realized that most successful companies in the Valley are cult-like to some degree. Itâ€™s an Us versus Them mentality. Not my cup of tea.

From: http://ping.fm/rfxSP

26 Ways to Handle Customer Complaints

2010-07-04T01:25:00.001-07:00

The more you sell, the more complaints. Nothing personal. Oscar Wilde said, â€˜the only thing worse than being talked about, is not being talked about.â€™ Itâ€™s the same on the web. If you plan to run a business, you better get ready to deal with the complaints.

Google Webmaster Tips: Get Your Site Verified & Increase Your PageRank

2010-07-04T01:24:00.001-07:00

Google Webmaster Tools is one of the hidden secrets on Google. Use this to add your site directly to its index, verify that Google sees your site (and sub-domains), and also fix the errors it has identified. Split testing has shown me that sites indexed this way perform better than sites that rely on xml sitemaps. FYI you can also add sitemaps here.

From: http://ping.fm/osWVm

Checklist: How To Value Your Website or Blog

2010-07-04T01:20:00.001-07:00

Create a handover checklist. Itemize what you need to do (and dates) and what they need to do (and dates). See this as a small project that needs to be coordinated. Create a list of tasks, allocate them and assign dates. Share this with the new site owner.For example:

From: http://ping.fm/XAEyh

Getting Things Done: How To Make Friday Your Busiest Day

2010-07-04T01:17:00.001-07:00

Friday is my busiest day. Most folks power down and go into weekend mode. Not here! Ask yourself, â€˜why do I go down a gear on Friday?â€™, â€˜How does this benefit my career?â€™ Ok, letâ€™s be honest. We do this because others do it. Right? This is a high-risk way to manage your career. Youâ€™re letting others determine how you behave. And it damages your career in many, many ways. Hereâ€™s an alternative approach.

From: http://ping.fm/Nz0rT

12 Step Plan To Get Started as a Small Business Consultant

2010-07-04T01:14:00.001-07:00

Most people think itâ€™s difficult start a career as a business consultant. I used to think the same in my early 20s when I started in IT.

In retrospect, I should have made more efforts to establish myself as a consultant earlier; the benefits certainly outweigh the downsides. As luck would have it, I was forced into a consultancy role when I lost my 9-5 job.

Time to learn to hustling and bring in business. Harvard Business Review refers to it as The Hustle Strategy.

From: http://ping.fm/mQcit

How To Write Content For Your Blog Every Day of the Year

2010-07-04T01:13:00.001-07:00

In this short video I explain how to create content and to remove the barriers that stop most people from creating content on a daily basis. Itâ€™s not difficult but you do need to have a system that lets you maximize your opportunities to create content and reduces the barriers that stop you from doing this. For example, you can create more content for your blog â€“ and generate more business â€“ if you work in batches.

From: http://ping.fm/PNtqz

GTD: 37 Tips to Increase Your Business Writing Productivity

2010-07-04T01:11:00.001-07:00

This article on business writing reminds us that our sales, marketing, business, and proposal development does not stand alone. It is process of a larger process that involves planning, research, writing, editing, proofing, submission and acceptance.

This list gives 37 ways to improve your next proposal. Scroll through it and tell me what I missed.

Show that your response is logical and organized
Make the information easy to find. Cross reference against the Request For Proposal
Include a table of contents for proposals over 10 pages in length
Ensure that your Proposal is in compliance with the RFP
Arrange material in order of priority to the reader (see Audience Analysis guidelines)

From: http://ping.fm/CBNCA

How to Make Six Figures, Part 2

2010-07-04T01:05:00.001-07:00

What do soloists who make six figures have in common? To find out, we asked this weekâ€™s guest, Mike Koenigs. Mike is best known as the guy who created the Web 2.0 syndication service, Traffic Geyser that distributes over a million videos per week and generates top ranking, web traffic and leads in minutes by sending video content to over 70 video sites, social bookmarking, social media, blog and podcasting directories.

From: http://ping.fm/iZb1W

Case Study Writing: 20 Great Tutorials

2010-07-02T23:58:00.001-07:00

Twenty articles to get you started with your case study writing. Itâ€™s all here.

Case Study methodology, SWOT, grounded theory, interviewing SME, Media Kit, Marketing Plans, how to promote your products and services, raise its market profile, and construct, format, design and publish your document.

From: http://ping.fm/euKdr

Inside SEO: Why the About Us Page is the Second Most Important Page on Your Blog

2010-07-02T23:57:00.001-07:00

You find a blog you really like. You want to learn more. Youâ€™re thinking of buying from them. What do you do? Click About Us, right? Most people do. Now, pretend youâ€™ve never visited your own site. Remember, you know nothing about you. Nothing. Look at your About Us page? Be honest, whatâ€™s the one thing thatâ€™s wrong with it?

From: http://ping.fm/8VuVg

5 Entrepreneurs like Kobe Bryant Who Overcame Discrimination To Succeed

2010-07-02T23:55:00.001-07:00

Should you use a role model to develop your business?

Maybe you should: the top business magazines say, â€˜be yourself, be authentic, share your storyâ€™ Or maybe you shouldnâ€™t. For entrepreneurs, using a role model creates a dilemma.

Does it mean youâ€™ve sold out? Do you lose street cred? Can you really copy someone else and be true to yourself?

From: http://ping.fm/IwfKt

My Top 10 Worst Money Making Ideas from Neil Patel at Quick Sprout

2010-07-02T23:54:00.001-07:00

I know most of these ideas sound foolish, but I was a kid/new entrepreneur when I came up with most of these business ideas. The point I am trying to make is that you to will come up with a lot of dumb business ideas, which means that you will fail a lot. Just donâ€™t get discouraged because sooner or later youâ€™ll learn to come up with good business ideas.

And if that doesnâ€™t encourage you, just look at Mark Cuban. At one point he had a business idea that revolved around selling powdered milk. In his eyes, it tasted as good as the real thing and you wouldnâ€™t have to worry about expiration dates. But as you know, that isnâ€™t how he made his billions.

PS: If you are looking for more bad business ideas, check out this post by Jeremy Schoemaker and this post by Brian Armstrong.

From: http://ping.fm/NFXC1

For Better Market Research Get Real Clicks not Fake Answers

2010-06-29T23:39:00.001-07:00

For real information, watching what people do is way better than asking them what they think, what they did, or, the worst case, what they intend to do. Thatâ€™s why I like this new click-based and search-based research so much. Donâ€™t go with what people say; go with what they do.

A great recent example is Marketing Profsâ€™ In Social Media Era, Facebook Rules.

The data is fascinating; but the methodology, and the tool used, is even more so.

From: http://ping.fm/jc1Gg

How To Submit Your Video to YouTube?s Editors

2010-06-19T06:24:00.001-07:00

While there are several ways to get your videos on the YouTube homepage, this is the simplest, the more legit and the most rewarding. To do so, you need to understand how the Spotlight Videos option works in YouTube. The screenshot below is an example.

From: http://ping.fm/mr6sw

Inc.com: The 5 Types of Entrepreneurs

2010-06-18T17:57:00.001-07:00

Home-run sluggers want to change the world in a big and obvious way, says serial entrepreneur John Warrillow. They are not thrilled with incremental success, and the trend toward serial entrepreneurship is not necessarily appealing to them. Sluggers would rather make a single business their lifes work, and make it big (if at all.) They are not as amenable to early exits or succession planning. Fred Smith of FedEx is an obvious example of a slugger.

From: http://ping.fm/ge4gA

Why I Won?t Buy From You!

2010-06-18T17:56:00.001-07:00

Actually the answer is pretty simple. You havenâ€™t given me sufficient reason to choose you over your competitors. Todayâ€™s customer has more choice, more knowledge, and even tabbed browsing to evaluate you and distinguish you from all of your competitors. In the few seconds theyâ€™ll invest in your website, if they canâ€™t decide why you might be the solution to their want or need, theyâ€™ll close that tab faster than your Flash promotion can ever engage them.

From: http://ping.fm/6iJLb

Checklist: Buying Your First Digital Camera

2010-06-17T20:17:00.001-07:00

You want to buy a digital camera but not sure where to start. The options are to go low and buy something inexpensive (but maybe youâ€™ll regret the quality), get a mid-price camera, learn how it works and then get a top of the rank camera. Or bite the bullet and get the best digital camera.

From: http://ping.fm/zArao

Google Docs and Backwards Compatibility+ new document editor, code-named Kix

2010-06-17T02:08:00.001-07:00

When Google announced a new version of Google Docs in April, it was obvious that not only the user interface has been changed.

The new document editor, code-named Kix, is so different that Google had to change the way documents are stored.

"The new Google document editor doesn't use the browser to handle editable text. We wrote a brand new editing surface and layout engine, entirely in JavaScript. (...) To you, the new editor looks like a fairly normal text box. But from the browser's perspective, it's a webpage with JavaScript that responds to any user action by dynamically changing what to display on each line," explains Google.

From: http://ping.fm/foYHx

Growing a Business Franchise with Podcasts

2010-06-17T00:12:00.001-07:00

The audience for podcasts is growing. Fun and simple to produce, podcasts are an effective way for a franchise to connect with and attract more customers.

From: http://ping.fm/N9RJX

Why I Returned My iPad

2010-06-16T09:03:00.001-07:00

Being bored is a precious thing, a state of mind we should pursue. Once boredom sets in, our minds begin to wander, looking for something exciting, something interesting to land on.

And that's where creativity arises.

My best ideas come to me when I am unproductive. When I am running but not listening to my iPod. When I am sitting, doing nothing, waiting for someone. When I am lying in bed as my mind wanders before falling to sleep. These "wasted" moments, moments not filled with anything in particular, are vital.

From: http://ping.fm/4PWMc

Harvard Biz: How to Translate Training Plans into Results

2010-06-15T22:08:00.001-07:00

Ask yourself these questions: Are the participants in your management development programs "on the hook" to apply their learnings to real issues back on the job? Will the content of your programs give managers new insights into getting things done? Do the designs of the programs allow time for participants to create implementation plans? Are your program instructors pushing past casual discussion and facilitating specific back-at-work application of learning?

Have you built in follow-up to make sure that managers translate their learnings into action?

From: http://ping.fm/0JZzS

Tips for Email Procrastinators + Spend Time on Your Subject Line

2010-06-15T21:15:00.001-07:00

If your subject line doesn't compel readers to open the email, the rest of your content goes unseen. Make sure it clearly presents the email's value while staying consistent with your past subject lines.

In fact, you can use existing messages to guide you.

Keep track of patterns in open rates to see which subject lines earned the most opens, then mimic the format with your new one.

From: http://ping.fm/iNyE8

The subscription economy is here. Are you ready?

2010-06-15T08:42:00.001-07:00

Subscriptions used to be just for newspapers and magazines, but not anymore. The last 10 years have seen a dramatic increase in companies using the subscription model to offer everything from music, movies and textbooks to even cars for a monthly fee. Every day, more and more traditional players are joining the â€œsubscription economyâ€ in response to changing consumer habits. For most companies, this shift means relearning a lot about selling, pricing, packaging, and building customer loyalty. As we move to this new economy, companies need to move away from a manufacturing-oriented, product-focused way of thinking, and embrace a world of services that fundamentally change customer relationships.

From: http://ping.fm/GFuX1

A Short Lesson in Attaining Excellence

2010-06-15T00:24:00.001-07:00

In sales and life, it takes a little extra effort to go from satisfactory to excellent.

From: http://ping.fm/5wThq

9 Tips on Marketing Travel Websites

2010-06-15T00:11:00.001-07:00

The hotel industry is characterized by the fact that there are literally hundreds of affiliate reservation sites you can list your hotel with. These sites take a small percentage of your booking fee for the promotion they provide your business. Its worth taking a little loss here as theyâ€™re working their butts off to market your services. Since youâ€™re getting someone else to do all the hard work for you, it stands to reason they be compensated for itâ€¦

From: http://ping.fm/pMXIM

Robert Scoble: Is It Time To Give Google Buzz Another Look?

2010-06-14T18:05:00.001-07:00

Robert Scoble posed the question, â€œShould we give Google Buzz another look?â€ Last week at SMX Advanced, Matt Cutts said almost the exact same thing when answering a question posed by Danny Sullivan. Here is what Matt said:

From: http://ping.fm/JCSje

The Gil Grissom Guide to Microsoft Word 2007

2010-06-14T17:18:00.001-07:00

She wants to update her new business plan and add Notes, Messages, Quotes and other pre-formatted styles. The Styles in Microsoft Word 2003 and 2007 seem to be different.

Even Gil Grissom would have a hard time doing this.

Sheâ€™s right. The Microsoft Word user interface in 2003 and 2007 is very different.

From: http://ping.fm/8VFM3

How a ?Middle of the Road? Mentality Will Grow Your Online Business

2010-06-14T07:55:00.001-07:00

Iâ€™ve been guilty of throwing out the baby with the bathwater in this space many times. I remember being asked to speak at an internet marketers conference in the USA 4-5 years ago and coming away from the experience feeling sick in my stomach. The hype, trickery and manipulation of some of those presenting turned me off completely.

From: http://ping.fm/RIsLw

Three Ways Business Can Scale With Social Networking Technologies

2010-06-14T07:54:00.001-07:00

Why canâ€™t businesses scale with social technologies? If you work for a healthy company, youâ€™ll always have more customers than employees. As social network adoption continues to move â€œup and to the rightâ€ in adoption graphs, the amount of discussion generated from customers is only going to increase while your internal social strategists and community managers may only marginally increase.

From: http://ping.fm/J5T1A

Your Niche Is You - Forget What the Experts Say

2010-06-14T03:52:00.001-07:00

A Life Coaching case study that explains why you are a niche.

From: http://ping.fm/x9RZx

Why Bill Gates Chose Warren Buffet as His Role Model

2010-06-13T21:11:00.001-07:00

Should you use a role model to develop your business? Maybe you should: the top business magazines say, â€˜be yourself, be authentic, share your storyâ€™ Or maybe you shouldnâ€™t. For entrepreneurs, using a role model creates a dilemma. Does it mean youâ€™ve sold out? Do you lose street cred? Can you really copy someone else and be true to yourself?

From: http://ping.fm/l9pYL

How to add a Flickr Slideshow to your Wordpress Blog

2010-06-13T21:08:00.001-07:00

You can add a Flickr Slideshow to your Wordpress Blog using this single line of code. All you need to do this is a Flickr account, the tag you want to use and youâ€™re done. Thatâ€™s it. Hereâ€™s how to create the slideshow.

From: http://ping.fm/gWDbi

Sherlock Holmes Guide to Finding Hidden Styles in Microsoft Word 2007?

2010-06-13T21:03:00.001-07:00

How to find hidden styles in Ms Word

From: http://ping.fm/98PIV

Viktor Frankl: Why to believe in others from TED Talks

2010-06-13T09:15:00.001-07:00

From the TED Talks video series

From: http://ping.fm/IRx9V

HOW TO: Download Google Pac-Man Game for Free

2010-06-13T09:13:00.001-07:00

If Fridayâ€™s Google Doodle didnâ€™t feed your Pac-Man fever, you can now download the special Google version of Pac-Man and play on your own time. Over at StackOverflow, users worked together to figure out how to extract and host the special version of Pac-Man, created by Google in honor of the yellow guyâ€™s 30th birthday, for play online or off.

From: http://ping.fm/Eloml

5 Marketing Techniques Luxury Real Estate Agents Use

2010-06-13T09:12:00.001-07:00

Throw in an unexpected benefit/offer. One thing I love about luxury real estate is that the "freebies" are often completely unexpected and sometimes irrelevant things, but could sway the right buyer. For example, I saw one property listed where purchasing it would also mean that the title of "Count of Carbona" would convey to the new owner.

From: http://ping.fm/yFvJz

North Korea Develops Anti-Aging Super Drink - No side effects, so far...

2010-06-13T05:41:00.001-07:00

According to North Korea's official news agency, a drink produced by North Korea's Moranbong Carbonated Fruit Juice Joint Venture Company can cure aging and all disease. 'It, with effects of both preventive and curative treatment, helps improve mental and retentive faculties by multiplying brain cells. It also protects skin from wrinkles and black spots and prevents such geriatric diseases as cerebral hemorrhage, myocardium and brain infarction by removing acid effete matters in time.' It also has no side-effects." Last month North Korea announced its fusion breakthrough, and now it has a super drink. One can only imagine what wonders may come in July â€” perhaps self-buttering toast.

From: http://ping.fm/iE5j8

How To Permanently Delete Your Account on Popular Websites

2010-06-13T05:34:00.001-07:00

Deleting a Facebook account is a bit more complicated than many other services. There are two options for getting rid of your FB account, one thatâ€™s permanent and complete, and one that lets you change your mind later.

From: http://ping.fm/s9V9u

What your email address says about your computer skills

2010-06-13T05:33:00.001-07:00

if you use AOL, dont read this...

From: http://ping.fm/IqeZL

How to Challenge Your Industry Dogma

2010-06-13T05:31:00.001-07:00

What makes Apple so revolutionary? Why is it able to disrupt industry after industry, and topple the mightiest of incumbents? Steve Jobs is, from an organizational perspective, more Che Guevara than Jack Welch: he's always challenging dogma, instead of complying with it. Apple's rivals, like most companies, do exactly the opposite: "this is how things are done," they think â€” and then try to do it harder.

From: http://ping.fm/2NbIo

No Killing Litter: Caution Sign in China (pic)

2010-06-12T19:05:00.001-07:00

Dont kill me with yer litter!

From: http://ping.fm/MVc9m

How Much Is a Facebook Fan Really Worth?

2010-06-12T18:33:00.001-07:00

An average fan may participate with a brand ten times a year and will make one recommendation. But an active fan may participate thirty times and make ten recommendations. The impact this has on fan value is quite dramatic. In the case of Coca- Cola, the best case for fan value reaches $316.78 but is $137.84 for an average fan. In the worse case scenario, a fan is worth $0.

From: http://ping.fm/ackHP

The Most Successful Teen Celebrity Entrepreneurs

2010-06-12T18:14:00.001-07:00

The recipe for success is to do one thing really well, diversify and go viral.

From: http://ping.fm/NhhN5

2010-06-12T18:08:00.001-07:00

Pepsi Hides Video In Barcodes - barcode app for iphone scans Pepsi cans and shows secret links http://ping.fm/msKrd

2010-06-12T18:06:00.001-07:00

21 Secrets to Top Converting Websites & How to Monitize http://ping.fm/2kQqr

2010-06-12T17:38:00.001-07:00

10 Money Myths That Keep You From Making Big Money: Myth 3 http://ping.fm/daCGL

2010-06-12T05:17:00.001-07:00

Why Women Stay Single, pics of kinda odd guys... http://ping.fm/twAxZ

2010-06-12T05:11:00.001-07:00

Google Video Best Practises http://ping.fm/TXJpc

2010-06-12T04:47:00.001-07:00

Funny Infographic - World Cup Team Strategies, see England team http://ping.fm/BfdQc

2010-06-12T04:23:00.001-07:00

Lifehackers! Step-by-Step Guide to Digitizing Your Life howto http://ping.fm/W8Ku5

2010-06-12T04:17:00.001-07:00

Video: How to Absolutely Tank Your Next Interview hr http://ping.fm/utBlu

2010-06-12T03:45:00.001-07:00

Fujitsu's 3D desktops hits Japan stores http://ping.fm/23HA0

Tips For Effective Public Speaking

2010-06-12T03:34:00.001-07:00

More often than not all of us tend to get nervous upon hearing the word â€˜Public Speakingâ€™. The very thought of facing a mass of people and speaking to them is intimidating enough. Public speaking, however, is a skill and like all other skills it can be acquired and made better and better through persistent and focused efforts.

From: http://ping.fm/TWepo

2009-10-11T19:33:00.001-07:00

Flickr Tip: Make a Slideshow & Gallery of other People’s Photos http://ping.fm/wjUfA

2009-10-11T18:00:00.001-07:00

A Handy Tool for Adding Screen Captures in Gmail and Google Docs (http://ping.fm/Jrb5z)

2009-10-10T20:39:00.001-07:00

Searchtastic Aims To Extend Twitter Search Results With New Engine (http://ping.fm/yr6sp)

2009-10-10T20:26:00.001-07:00

What is Social Media Optimization? (http://ping.fm/xKr5m)

2009-07-14T06:00:00.001-07:00

How to fix Error Message: "Task Manager has been disabled by your administrator" http://ping.fm/DtEdZ

2009-07-14T05:57:00.001-07:00

Word Tip - To update all fields in your document, click Select All on the Edit menu, and then press F9.

2009-07-13T20:38:00.001-07:00

BBC, When the Bank's computer says NO http://ping.fm/Np3pE

2009-07-13T20:32:00.001-07:00

Yahoo Japan, eBay team up in online auctions http://ping.fm/Zurrg

2009-07-13T20:27:00.001-07:00

How to Quickly Reduce Microsoft Word File Size – Secret #1 http://ping.fm/9cTHr

2009-07-13T20:12:00.001-07:00

Software Development Template Pack. 14 templates to help developers, testers, tech writers http://ping.fm/rQjte

2009-07-12T23:15:00.003-07:00

How to Become a Top StumbleUpon User (or Why You Really Shouldn’t Bother) http://ping.fm/jokgH

2009-07-12T23:15:00.001-07:00

Create charts online. Chartle.net tears down the complexity of online visualizations http://www.chartle.net/

2009-07-12T23:12:00.001-07:00

Requirements Traceability Matrix and Data Model templates in Microsoft Word, Excel and Visio http://ping.fm/ddvcG

2009-07-10T19:17:00.001-07:00

Google's Marissa Mayer on the importance of real-time search http://ping.fm/BLMzV

2009-07-10T00:49:00.001-07:00

Web-based project management tool to help web designers, writers, bloggers manage projects http://ping.fm/owis1

2009-07-10T00:48:00.001-07:00

4 Project Mgt Tips to Boost Your Project’s Bottom Line http://ping.fm/ULdX0

2009-07-10T00:46:00.001-07:00

Use digg.com site to digg your stories (posts), use an attractive description to describe your post. This will increase your site visitors.

2009-07-10T00:32:00.001-07:00

The Microsoft Office Word Team's Blog http://ping.fm/c1LbV

2009-07-10T00:31:00.001-07:00

Flickr DNA http://ping.fm/xB7P3

2009-07-09T01:55:00.001-07:00

5 E-Commerce Tips To Maximize Online Sales For SMBs http://ping.fm/A2qR8

2009-07-09T00:00:00.001-07:00

Gmail Should be the Hub of Your Company's Social Media Strategy http://ping.fm/w7GmC

2009-07-08T21:40:00.001-07:00

Gartner. Mobile Payment Users Worldwide to Increase 70% in 2009, up 70.4% from 2008 (43.1 m) http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=96074

2009-07-08T21:37:00.001-07:00

Why the Music industry begs Federal Court To Reject "Double-Dip" Royalties http://ping.fm/4XWba

2009-07-08T21:23:00.001-07:00

UK e-tailers losing business due to limited payment options http://ping.fm/osldP

2009-07-08T21:14:00.001-07:00

Sony select payment service provider & pay musicians http://ping.fm/DiiHt

2009-07-08T21:12:00.001-07:00

WIRED - Virtual Cash Breeds Real Greed http://ping.fm/E6lH3

2009-07-08T21:10:00.003-07:00

How to Earn Linden Dollars in Second Life http://ping.fm/dtGK3

2009-07-08T21:10:00.001-07:00

Value of Linden Dollar rises against the Euro. Virtual life currency takes over real
http://ping.fm/6ZZ8F

2009-07-08T21:07:00.001-07:00

Try the new Google News timeline app http://ping.fm/JryRP

2009-07-08T21:06:00.001-07:00

Employee Handbook, how to write policies and procedures http://ping.fm/sEpll

2009-07-08T21:04:00.003-07:00

How to feed your blog into Twitter automatically
http://twitterfeed.com/

2009-07-08T21:04:00.001-07:00

PayPal Report – Download free Podcast on What Gives Online Shoppers Cold Feet? http://ping.fm/1caSo

2009-07-08T21:03:00.001-07:00

Paypal Launches Developer Programme in Australia http://ping.fm/G8fYQ