Wow ~ it’s been one full year since I started this blog!  I still intend to get a Blogoversary post up, but had some WordPress technical issues the night before the actual date ~ of all things!

In that year’s time, I’ve learned so much about promoting my eBay business from the Community Boards, Forums and all the various social networking sites I’ve joined and participated in.  I was formerly a Moderator on eBay Coach Free Forum.  If you check my archives, you’ll find that some I’ve dropped out of for various reasons, and also that I’ve joined new ones.  The new ones are very different than the ones I’ve first joined, and for that reason ~ I’ve become very active in them.

Social Media Networking is no longer a buzz word, but an Internet phenomenon. It represents a way for people to interact without traveling half way around the globe or even leaving their home’s comfort. Read on to find out exactly what social networking is and its potential to enhance your life.

Think of it like this. We all have at least one friend. To keep in touch with that friend we call, write, and meet face to face. Through our jobs we meet other friends. The more interactions we have with people, the more chances we have of meeting more folks.

Social networking sites provide the platform for getting to know more “friends.” It is like our job or school or church. They supply the venue and we mingle to find people who have similar interests. Someone had the bright idea to package this not unfamiliar social concept into a cyberspace platform. Now, people can meet others they already know but have lost contact with and new people.

Social networking took off among the younger generation first. They found a way to talk to their friends when they weren’t within sight of each other. For guys, it meant meeting girls in a non-threatening social situation. For girls, the feeling was mutual.

My daughters graduated high school in 2001 and 2005, but while they were both in high school they were on AIM Instant Messenger night and day.  We only had one computer at the time, and it was impossible for me to coerce them to give up AIM so I could go online.

But, social networking is not just for the tweens or teens. Adults enjoy social networking as well. The first social networking sites we all heard about were Facebook and MySpace. This was mostly due to controversy surrounding what some Generation X kids were posting, but it made parents aware of the social networking craze.

Adults use social networking for a number of reasons. First, it is personal. We reconnect with busy friends and family. If you can’t reach Aunt Pookey because she’s always off around the world on one adventure or another, post new pictures of the kids on your MySpace page. Auntie can view them when she comes down from Mount Kilimanjaro.

Social networking gurus discovered that while finding old friends, business owners could form valuable alliances through their associations on social networking websites. Now, social networking has become valuable to anyone wanting to develop a website presence for their business. Social networking for business is akin to going door to door and telling people about your product. Create a compelling business profile and draw in the people you know by joining social groups with similar interests.

Social networking has a place in the life of both young and old alike. Use it to meet new people, make business contacts, stay in touch with family, or just to beef up your Internet presence. The wave of the future is social networking. Makes you want to join, doesn’t it?

Keep in mind though, that if you join too many, it can become overwhelming and time consuming.  The key is to focus on those forums you can actively participate in and develop a camaraderie with like-minded individuals.

Yes, this Baby Boomer is a social net-worker now.  You can find me at Mom Bloggers Club and Twittermoms as well as many others listed on my sidebar.

I’m lamenting that I started this week out with very good intentions, as I’m sure so many of us do.  I had the whole week planned for creating an upcoming Blogoversary Post, downsizing and offering sales at my Moomette’s Magnificents eBay store, and somewhat belated fall housecleaning.

However, family responsibilities and visiting family and grandkiddos seemed to take over and my good intentions got side-blinded.  Not to mention that I got a flu-shot, and appear to have come down with the blah’s from whatever illnesses are going around.  The perils of working at home!

There are many ways to manage time while working online. The computer, Internet, and various other types of activities that can be pursued while working may prove to be quite overwhelming when it comes to time restraints or deadlines. If your income is dependent upon the financial success that you achieve online, it is absolutely imperative that you take the time to ensure that you are maximizing each and every minute of your working time.

Productivity is an extremely important element to the overall success of an online business. In order to reach a high level of productivity, time management skills are a must for every home business owner. Here are five ways to help manage your time while working online in turn boosting your productivity and hopefully income.

One of the first methods you can implement to manage your time is reducing the amount of time spent on the telephone. One of the biggest time restraints that individuals experience are telephone calls. It is quite easy to experience a severe time lapse while working due to unexpected calls, long conversations, and even calls that are necessary for the overall functionality of your business.

One way to manage this aspect of your time is to turn off the ringer and purchase an answering machine or subscribe to voice mail. Then, you should set aside a time each day to check your messages and return calls as appropriate.

The next way that you can manage online work time is to avoid the act of constantly checking email. Just like the phone, this can take up a lot of your time. You should set aside small chunks of time on a daily basis where you can go through your email and respond when needed.

For the average eight hour work day, it’s recommended that you set aside up to four intervals of fifteen minutes a day to handle the task of dealing directly with email. While this may seem like an awful lot of time at first, you will find that it actually saves you time in the end.

Do you work at home? Do you have children or grandchildren? If so, you may consider setting up a schedule in a way that works well with the schedule of your partner. This way, your partner can contend with the kids and you can focus on your work instead of sitting down to work and getting interrupted after 5 or 10 minutes. If this is not possible, you may consider implementing the services of a babysitter, daycare or mommy’s helper a few days a week. This way, you aren’t neglecting your business or your family.

If you want to learn ways to manage your time while working online from home, it’s important to express to family members, friends, and neighbors that you work at certain times and it is important that you are able to maintain a sound level of productivity while working. Come up with times that these individuals may call you to chat or come by for a visit.

Although not always intentional, these friends and family will end up testing you initially and drop by and call anytime. However, if you let them know it is not acceptable and set up appropriate times for these activities, you will find yourself getting more accomplished during these times.

The last way for you to better manage your working time is to take breaks. Believe it or not! You may not believe that by taking a break you can actually increase your overall productivity, but it’s quite true! Why do you think employers allow their employees to take small breaks?

It allows the employee to experience a short time of relaxation and also provides them with the opportunity to refresh! You can experience this too, so be sure to work in those breaks and take them – you can always finish what you started when you get back!

Clearly, there are a number of ways to successfully manage your time while working at home online. Sometimes, all it takes is a little creativity and persistence to come up with successful time management techniques. Here’s to a better organized and more profitable online working environment.

Reporting on my work-at-home experience, I can say I’ve finally become more comfortable using Twitter.  I’ve made many friends, developed a sizable following, and have received a Twitter Grade of 97 from Twitter Grader!

Micro-blogging is a good thing and using Twitter makes it even better. However, Twitter will never take the place of a blog. The bottom line is that Twitter is not a full fledge blog. It is simply a way for you to get your words out to the masses in a more expedient manner. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons Twitter will never replace a blog.

The number one reason why Twitter can never replace a blog is because you can only post up to 140 characters at any one time. There’s just no way to squeeze 1,000 words into such a small space. Not to mention, trying to send 7.14 tweets back to back, will not go over well with your followers. There is nothing like a person who tweets excessively. Doing so will cause you to lose followers and your goal with Twitter is to gain a friends not turn people away. You want Twitter to be tool that leads to your platform – your blog – the place where you share your story, product, or business.

Another reason why you can never replace your blog with simple tweets is because you just don’t have the same control to customize. Sure you can create a profile that says something about you but not the way you can with your blog. For example, here’s my About Me page where I go into detail about who I am, and why I blog. With a blog you can also customize the whole kit and caboodle. You can add tools, plug-ins, and even more networking opportunities through your blog.   I have links to the various forums and social networking sites I can be found participating on ~ Mom Bloggers Club, Twittermoms, Mom Masterminds, etc.  You can’t do all that with Twitter alone.

Then we have the website name issue. You can’t attach a domain to twitter. My domain is Moomettesgram’s Musings. I also try to use Moomettesgram as the moniker for all the forums in which I participate.

On Twitter you will always be www.twitter.com/whateveryournameis and that is it. Your username or extension is how people will recognize you on Twitter, but it’s not the same as a domain name for an entire website. In essence, Twitter owns your profile, not you.  But your domain name – now that’s all yours.

If you’re an affiliate marketer or belong to many of the wonderful websites that offer coaching resources, you want to talk about what you are promoting and, as was stated earlier, you only have 140 characters to say what you really want to say. That’s not as effective as a blog post or blog series that can send the message more effectively. That’s just one more reason Twitter can never replace a blog.

Don’t try to replace your own blog or website with twittering. Instead, learn to use Twitter as an effective tool that makes people want to learn more about you. Your blog is where you get down to the nitty-gritty and allow people to become more knowledgeable about your life, your product, service or whatever it is you are promoting.

Want to know what I’m doing?  Follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/moomettesgram

By now you’ve either decided to sign up for Twitter, or you may still be on the fence.  I would say ~ Go For It!  I actually came across this valuable information by being referred from a Tweet, and thought, I must share.  It’s the most succinct set of guidelines that I have seen yet.  Don’t forget to Follow Me on Twitter ~ Moomettesgram ~

Be a Model Twitizen: A Twitter How-To

by LaSara Firefox, MPNLP, www.lasarafirefox.com
(Follow me: http://www.twitter.com/Yoga_Mama)

I was skeptical at first, but now Twitter is my golden city. As a busy mom and entrepreneur, I can take a few minutes and digest a handful of posts from my favorite Twitter friends, or post a bite-sized delight about my own day – all condensed to 140 characters or less. Who doesn’t have time for that?

Yes, often those posts will contain a link that may lead to an off-site exploratory mission, but so far it’s the most organic and dynamic way I’ve found to keep to my finger on the quick-beating pulse of the magical and diverse interwebs, and at the same time keep a constant stream of interest in what I have to offer.

If you’re new to Twitter, or have yet to join the chorus, here are a few ground rules that will help you to make your tweets harmonious.

1. Follow me, and I’ll follow you…and vice-versa:
If I follow you, please do the community-oriented thing and follow me, too. That way it becomes a conversation, a collaboration, a community. For us dedicated tweeters, Twitter is about building relationships. Build one with me!

Most of us don’t tweet to hear the sound of our own voice. No one wants to be shouting into a well. Consider my follow an invitation into my world, as well as a tip of the hat to your skill in presenting a doorway into yours.

2. Write a good bio:
In the beginning, this tiny bio is all we know about each other. 160 characters of character. The bio is often an under-utilized aspect of Twitter. I’m encouraging a bio revival! Make me want to know you. (It’s great practice for your elevator pitch, too, right?)

I encourage you to include something about your openness to new followers, or the reason you’re on Twitter. I put “Follow me, I’ll follow you,” in my bio. If you only want people you already know to follow you, you can protect your updates. In addition, you could say “I only follow people I know.” This little step will save both of us time, energy, and pride.

In addition to the bio, there’s a spot for a url. Add a link to a place where I can find out more about you; your blog, your website, an article you’ve written, your facebook profile.

3. Building your “Twitterverse”:
The way to build your network is to follow people. Yet, you ideally want a good balance between following and followers. So there’s a rhythm to building your twitterverse. Here’s how mine goes:
a. Find prospective Twitter friends (see step 4 on some tips on that), and follow them.
b. Allow a few days for the prospective community member to follow me in return.
c. If they follow me back, I make personal contact through a direct message (aka, “dm”, see section 6 for more info) and all is good. If they don’t, I evaluate whether they’re worthwhile to follow without the benefit of a two-way conversation. If they are, I keep them on. If not, I unfollow them.

4. Finding your twitter-posse:
You want to follow people you find interesting. You want to be followed by people who will find you interesting. Whether this is for work, fun, community building, or all of the above, your skill in creating your personal Twitterverse predicts how rewarding your Twitter experience will be.

There are worlds of possibility in every moment, but even more so in Twitter. Bloggers, and moms, and marketers, oh my! Really, you can find followers and followees from all walks of life, and with interests that run the gamut. These people are going to be getting into your head, and introducing you to new worlds day by day. Choose accordingly!

First off, click on the Find People tab on your home page (upper right, see it? good!) you might want to follow your irl (in real life) friends. You can search them by name or e-mail address. You can also invite them to join twitter, if you think they’d enjoy the experience.

Next, you’ll want to choose a few terms that indicate shared interests. For me, those terms were mom, mommy, mama, momma, and the dad variations, too. Then yoga. You can either search by terms at http://search.twitter.com/, or you can use the Find People tab again.

When you search your terms, the search will bring up profiles that list terms in the Twitter user name, in a tweeter’s bio, or even sometimes in a tweeter’s tweets. I found pages and pages of members listed on most of the terms I searched.

I chose selectively from the tweeters listed. Some of the parameters I used to decide whether I should follow someone or not were;
* The date they last tweeted - if someone hasn’t been on in months, what are the chances they’ll respond to a follow alert from a stranger?
* What their most recent tweet said; for example, if the tweet said “Why the hell are all these strangers following me? Creepy!?!”, that member is not a likely candidate for community building!
* Their bio, and whether it sounded like we’d be a good match.

Most often I would choose not to follow people with protected updates, but in rare cases I’d risk it and request permission to follow. I recommend that you judge that one on a case-by-case basis.

Another way to find like-minded tweeters is to go to a like-minded tweeters page, and follow the tweeters they follow, and those who follow them. You can see bios by placing your cursor over a tweeter’s name.

I would follow as many tweeters as I felt inspired to in one fell swoop (I think my “following” list got up to around 2000 once), and see who followed back. After a few days, I’d go back check out which tweeters had responded, and go through the evaluation of whether I would keep following tweeters who had followed back, or not.

Through this strategy, I built my list of followers up to over 700 in a matter of days.

5. Ethics for business (and personal) networking:
Some disagree with me on this, but I believe that even - or perhaps especially - if “you” are a business, you should follow in return. Yes, Twitter is free advertising, and it’s SMART advertising – JetBlue, Zappos, Vans and thousands of entrepreneurs can’t be wrong!

But, as always, there needs to be some buy-in. In this case, imnsho (in my not so humble opinion), the buy-in is this; I’ll pay attention to your posts, but I expect you to pay attention to mine, too. It’s a give and take, baby!

Besides, think of the marketing information you’ll be able to gather. Two-way communication with your demographic is just plain smart business sense.

Also, it’s not good manners to follow me, and then turn around and unfollow me when you think I’m not looking. I will come back and check from time to time, to see if those I follow are following me. (I do the same for those who are following me, too. I go and check my followers and make sure I’ve returned the follow.)

Not only that, there are tons of third party systems coming into being that are created to augment the Twitter experience. One of these even helps twitterers keep track of their follower activity. And, there are sure to be more of them as time goes by, and Twitter’s popularity continues to soar to new heights.

There are a few exceptions to the rule, but I generally don’t follow those who aren’t willing to follow me in return. I cast a line out, and if you grab hold I’ll hang on too. However, if there’s no resultant tug on the rope, I’ll reel it back in and cast in another direction.

If you have something amazing to say, and I just can’t live without your voice, I’ll stick around. But I tell you, it’s so much more fun when we can all sing out together!

6. A few easy commands that will be useful to know:
@username: this creates an automatic link to a tweeter’s profile, and alerts the user that you have sent a public post that cites them. If you’re replying to a tweet, including @username (like @yoga_mama) is great. It both promotes the tweeter, and creates a connection between you and the tweeter in question.

#tag: (like #gratitude, #palin, #debate, etc.) makes it easy to search an item, and get all the tweets that are relevant. It’s also is an easy way to see relationships between tweets by multiple tweeters.

rt, or retweet: when you repost someone’s tweet, it’s proper to add “rt @username” and then the retweet. Basically, it’s a way to give credit where credit is due. And again, it promotes tweeters who are tweeting things you appreciate or agree with.

d username: direct messages are the way to send a private note to another tweeter. Remember, it’s “d(space)username(space)message”. You’re only able to “dm” tweeters who are following you.

In closing:
Twitter is a community. In some way more profoundly than any other networking site I’ve ever been part of, the tweeters I follow have worked their way into my heart.

Maybe it’s the often unguarded, haiku-like quality of the “microblogging” experience. Maybe it’s the frequency with which I see the words of a given tweeter. Maybe it’s the fact that the Twitter experience has the contour and context of a conversation drifting in through the kitchen window.

And this in a country (the USA) where we often don’t have a sister or best friend living next door, or a neighbor we could easily ask for advice on a moment’s notice. Much less, hundreds of neighbors, many of whom might send well wishes when you need them, and heartfelt advice when you ask for it. (Or, just like any family, sometimes even when you don’t!)

Twitter has brought us into one another’s living rooms. It’s allowed us to share our vacations, our kid’s Big Game, our successes and heartbreaks.

It’s opened a window into a community that never goes to sleep - tweeters live all over the world, as one tweeter tweets her last missive of the night, another wakes up to a brilliant new day. A community that is always willing to give a shout out, send a smile, talk about politics, and lift one another up in a challenging moment.

Remember this as you build your personal Twitterverse. You are creating a new world, from nothing. Build it, grow it, nurture it with intention and care. And you know, everything will be just right.

About the author:
LaSara FireFox, MPNLP, is a coach, trainer, and published author. LaSara helps clients find balance in their lives, and alignment with their personal and family-held values. She teaches and coaches internationally. She’s wife to an outstanding man, and mom to two brilliant girls.

You can find out more about LaSara at www.lasarafirefox.com. While you’re there, be sure to check out LaSara’s weekly conscious parenting podcast; Yoga Mama Satsangha.

(Please feel free share this article, in its entirety. Repost, send to your list, share with your friends. Please include all links, and LaSara’s bio. Quoting is always welcome, and should be executed in accordance with basic MLA quoting guidelines.)

Related:

So You’re a New Blogger: What Makes Twitter so Hot?

How-To Tips for Incorporating Twitter into Your Daily Business Routine

Continuing in my chronicles of trying to develop a work-at-home lifestyle in preparation for retirement, I’m going to address the issue of “getting your family on-board” and used to the idea that the dining room table is no longer for dining.  It has now become my “staging area.”

Years ago when we were young, childless and full of energy, I used to entertain quite frequently (and quite elegantly, I might add.)  Those days are over, and I now need my dining room for my eBay Store shipping area, as well as for all the items for my product reviews.  Convincing the family that I am indeed, quite serious about this venture, has been to say the least, challenging.

Taking on a home business venture is difficult enough. Getting your family to support you may be the difference between your business success and failure. From your family’s point of view, this working at home thing has both it’s good and bad points.

Your “too young for school” age children love having you at home because they like doing things with you, whether it’s baking cookies or playing in the sandbox.

Your school age children find it pretty handy having mom at home to drive them to their soccer games or have their friends over to play. They even like having you come to school to volunteer in their classroom.

Teenagers are a harder sell. They like that you can drive them to the mall or bring them to work. They however may not be really fond of the fact that you always seem to be around.

If, like me, you might be a Baby Boomer Grandma, working at home might seem like an open invitation to drop the grandkiddos off at a moment’s notice when a babysitter is needed.

Now your husband probably sees both sides. He loves that his wife is home taking care of the house and the kids and making a nice supper each evening. He’s even proud of what and says he supports you in what you are doing and may even be amazed at how you manage to pull it all off and make it seem easy.

He’s not as keen on the fact that your income has dropped if you used to have a “real” job and are not making the same amount of money as a WAHM. He probably is not too crazy about the idea of having to pitch in more in the evenings so that you can get some work done. You’re busier when he wants some attention and he has trouble understanding why, when you’re home all day, you need to work in the evening.

The hardest person to get on-board may be your husband. He may not be convinced that you’ll actually make any money with your venture.

So how do you overcome your family’s objections to your working at home and get them on your side? Holding a family conference to discuss the issue is probably a good first step. During this conversation it’s important for everyone to have their say and to share their feelings. By hearing what your children and husband think and how they perceive your home business venture, you’ll know how best to explain your ideas.

Try to elicit a promise of your spouse’s support for at least a period of several months, so you will have some time to get up and running. If he is very much opposed to your venture at least try to arrive at a compromise with him. Perhaps suggest that if you’re not showing an income after a specified period of time, you’ll give it up, put it on hold for awhile, or go back to work.

Come to some mutual agreement that you can both live with. This is how it becomes a win/win situation. You’ll work even harder to prove you can do it and he’ll be happy knowing that there will be a resolution.

Your family needs to realize the benefits of you working at home rather than outside the home. Point out how much extra help you’d need and the extra chores they’d have to do if you weren’t working at home. This is usually a pretty persuasive argument when it comes to the kids and maybe even your husband too.

Talk about your feelings regarding having your own home business, whether you are considering a career as a real estate agent, eBay entrepreneur, boutique online store owner, or Etsy owner.  Discuss how important it is to you that they support you. The guilt card, when used properly, can be very effective.

Involve everyone in the decision about your venture. Listen to each and every family member and take their feelings into consideration and ask that they do the same for yours. You can even try offering rewards for their support. They don’t have to be monetary awards either, spending time together and showing them how readily available you can be to them when they need you will help you be on the way to getting and keeping your family squarely on your side.

If you’re one of my Twitter followers, you’ve probably seen my posts lately that my daughter went back to work since having her second child this past August.

Although I do still work full-time at my cubicle job, I’m also very much a work-at-home mom with my Virtual Assistant and other online businesses when I’m not at the office.  I’ve been doing a considerable amount of babysitting this summer for my daughter, and while I love my grandchildren dearly, the responsibility of caring for young children has impacted my ability to work at home during the daytime hours.

For young mommies considering a work-at-home option, the dilemma is even greater.

Working at home is similar to a two sided coin. On one side are the advantages while on the flip side of the coin are the disadvantages. Let’s look at a couple of the main factors that can affect work at home mothers.

One advantage of being a work at home mom is the amount of time you will have to devote to your home business. No time spent stuck in traffic commuting to and from work (unless of course you count the stop off at the coffee pot between the bedroom and the office every morning a traffic jam). You can say goodbye to the eight hour day that quickly turns into ten or more by the time you pick up the kids from daycare and rush home to make supper.

Yes, as a work at home mother you definitely have more time. You will be able to work at your own pace and set your own schedule. Want to go workout at the gym or spend time biking with your children? How about cleaning out that closet? But, wait a minute. What about your home business? Therein lays the potential problem. You DO have lots of time but you will need to manage this time to be able to effectively work from home.

Trying to run a successful business from the home is very time consuming because you generally have to do everything yourself. There’s no co-worker sitting at the desk beside you to confer with on a problem or pick up your slack if you’re just not feeling up to it or don’t understand something.

Another drawback is that because you’re at home, with so many other things clamoring for your attention, it may be difficult to have large blocks of uninterrupted time to spend on your business. There are always lots of things that need doing around the house to consume the time you planned to use for your home business venture.

The second factor that can be both an advantage and a disadvantage is money. Because you’re working at home, you will save money. There will be no need for an extensive wardrobe for work and you won’t have to pay for daily transportation. If your children are not old enough for school, you could save a bundle on daycare.

Of course, there is a downside to this. Because you don’t hold down a regular job in the traditional sense, you won’t have that steady paycheck to depend upon. Nor will you have a benefits package, unless your spouse has one at his place of employment. Until you get your home business going smoothly and more predictably, you probably won’t make much of an income. Even then, unless you can consistently dedicate a significant amount of time to actually working your home business, your income may be much less than what you made at your previous job.

Whether you’re considering starting a blog, opening an eBay store, or exploring any multitude of other business ventures, working at home, just like any other thing in life, has both it’s advantages and disadvantages. Only you can determine whether the benefits outweigh the drawbacks making it the right choice for you and your family.

Related:

Are You Ready to Quit Your Day Job ~ Is the Work at Home Life Really Your Cup of Tea?

How to Incorporate Twitter Into Your Daily Business Routine

Now that Holiday Selling Season is getting into full swing, here’s a tip I’d like to pass along to help your sales and get some FREE ADVERTISING.  Online Shopping is going to be very popular this year, given the exhorbitant cost of gas, and many people are going to be looking for ways to stretch their hard-earned dollars.

When you go to post, most bump sites require the following:

1. The picture of your Auction or Fixed Price or Store Inventory item that is in your computer.

2. Your title of your auction (just copy and paste the title of your auction that you created in eBay)
a. with the mystery auction site, the last word of your title can be “mystery”
b. when you cut and paste your title from eBay, just delete the last couple of words & type in mystery.

3. The item # of your auction (usually found on the right hand side of your auction)

VOILA! YOU JUST DID FREE ADVERTISING!!!

http://www.auctionbump.com/
http://www.askmrbump.com
http://www.auctionpimpin.com
http://www.auctionwonderland.com
http://www.bumpyourauctionshere.com
http://www.magiesplace.info
http://www.powersellingmom.com
http://www.theirishshamrockcompany.com
http://www.dejacreations.com
http://www.paulajeansjewelryandcloset.com/
http://www.dorkauctions.com/
http://www.ebwiz.com
http://www.fetchbid.com/free-ads/
http://www.freeauctionbees.com
http://www.funtasticauctions.com
http://www.inspiremeauctions.com
http://www.learn2earnok.com
http://www.marvinjoe.com
http://www.MysteryAuctionBump.com
http://www.onlinestorelinks.info
http://shareyourwares.kftbdesign.com
http://www.shawnsbidness.com
http://www.storepromoter.info
http://www.wheresyourbid.com
http://seasonedwithtime.com/AuctionBumpPage.html

http://www.MysteryAuctionBump.com

http://www.paulajeansjewelryandcloset.com

OK readers, friends & bloggy buddies ~  today’s Rant of the Week is we’re going to have a little lesson in how to ‘Play Nice With Others.”

See the little banner on the top right of my sidebar that I recently relocated due to an unfortunate incident?  Above it in red, it says “Don’t Even Think About It.” Underneath, it says “Yes, It’s Copyrighted.”

What that means, kiddos, is that we have to revisit what we all learned in Grade School:

You Do Not Copy Other People’s Work. Period.

• That means, you don’t look over your shoulder at the person sitting behind you and copy the answers off of their paper for a test;

• You don’t strain cross-eyed and look to your next-door seat-mate and copy their paper;

• And you don’t copy a fellow Blogger’s posts and pass them off as your own without giving proper credit to the author when due.

Now I’m sure this has happened to many bloggers before me.  But, being the Baby Boomer that I am, and having my policy re sugar-coating clearly stated in the Disclaimer on my About Me Page ~ I don’t put up with any carp.

I spend quite a bit of time on many of my posts, writing into the wee hours of the night.  I try to find just the right words and nuances, and research synonyms, grammar, all those neat things I learned along the way in life.  Some of my readers obviously were out to lunch in school, and didn’t pay attention.

It’s way too easy for those types of people to see a good post ~ and in this computer day and age ~ just do a “copy, paste” and voila ~ it’s on their blog page ~ as if they had written it themselves!

NOT.  You see, kiddies, I check to see if anyone is plagiarizing my material.  I take pride in my work, and the words I choose.

Bloggers cover the whole demographic spectrum.  Teens, Home-Schoolers, Moms, Dads, Businesses, yes, even Grandmas & Grandpas.  We are everyone ~ we are everywhere.

So now I’m going to get ugly.  Why?  Because I wrote what I considered a very nice post about my friend Suzanne, the eBay Coach, and a very generous giveaway contest for $120 worth of CVS products she recently sponsored.  Now granted, I didn’t pontificate on the State of the Union, the upcoming political conventions, the Olympics, or how the universe was created.

However, Elaina Rodriguez Stanley, who “writes”  Small Figures in a Vast Expanse saw fit to come along and copy my post.  http://elainarodriguez.blogspot.com/2008/08/cvs-products-contest.html You see, I posted my article on August 21, and low and behold, there were my words, copied verbatim, posted by her on August 24.  No mention of any credit to me as the author.

If I see an article worthy of being mentioned in my posts, I give a “Hat Tip” to the author, with a link back to them.

Duh ~ it’s called “linky luv,” or a “back link,” or how about ~ being honest and giving credit where credit is due?

Plagiarism is a serious offense, not to mention it says a lot about the ethics, morals, and integrity of the writer who stole the work.  I know a wee bit about the law.

Now I’m not going to go off and write all the words I really want to write about how I feel about plagiarism, because this is a family blog.  Gram is not above spewing a few little profanities now and then whenever I’m hot-flashing.   But just to let you know ~ Elaina Rodriguez Stanley, occupation listed as “Assistant Librarian,” on Blogger,  not only got two comments on her blog from me indicating she stole my work, she also got an e-mail from me.

Her response?  “Sorry, Charlie.”

Go Suck an Egg, Elaina.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Keeping Things Simple for Entrepreneurs

Local Virtual Assistant Shares Tips

Wethersfield, Connecticut –September 10, 2008 – Answering phones. Reviewing emails. Billing customers. Updating websites. For many entrepreneurs, the daily grind of running a business is getting in the way of doing business. But according to one local virtual assistant, a small business owner can focus on profitable business tasks by simplifying their to-do list.

“Most entrepreneurs didn’t start their business thinking about all the time wasters they would need to do to keep the business running,” says Cynthia Matthews, owner of C A M Paralegal Virtual Assistant Services in Wethersfield. “By outsourcing those things to a virtual assistant, you will reduce stress – and focus on work that actually brings in money.”

Virtual assistants (VAs) are professional office assistants who provide office services and support without being physically present by using the Internet, fax, and telephone. Since much of their work is done online, they can work locally or globally. Founded in 2008, C A M Paralegal Virtual Assistant Services offers a variety of services including :

Basic Services-

* Data Entry

* E-mail Management and Drip Campaigns

* Bulk Mailings

* Basic Word Processing

Professional Services-

* Document Creation

* Proofreading and Editing

* Mail Merge

* Basic Transcription

* Online Calendaring and Scheduling

* Advertising Assistance- online and offline

* Online Task Management w/E-mail Reminders

* Ordering Client Gifts and Scheduling Delivery

* Customer/Client Follow-up incl. Satisfaction Surveys, Thank you Cards/Correspondence, Postcards, etc.

Specialized Services

* Internet Research

* Blog Posting, Forum Posting, Forum Moderation

* Press Release Creation and Submission

* Newletter/E-Newsletter creation and distribution

* Power Point Presentations

Premier Services

* Blog Setup, Monitoring and Maintenance- Wordpress or Blogger

* Drafting of Legal/Real Estate Documents

* Human Resource Services- Posting job opening ads online and newspapers, organization of resume receipts, initial contact with applicants, scheduling of interviews, follow-up correspondence with applicants, etc.

• Event Planning & Coordination

According to Matthews, the benefits of outsourcing to a qualified VA are plentiful. VAs only charge for actual time worked. VAs use their own equipment so there is no wear and tear on your office equipment, nor is there a need for special equipment.

Matthews offers the following steps to discover what to outsource:

Figure out what your time is actually worth. “Whether you bill hourly or not, you need to start by figuring out how much your hourly rate is,” says Matthews.

Assess how many hours you are spending on non-revenue generating tasks. She suggests taking a few days and actually writing down every task done, and how long it takes to do. “Once you have this task/time list, look at which items are helping you build revenue,” she says. Usually reading/answering emails, answering phones, scheduling, etc., do not generate income.

Calculate how many more billable hours you can have. “Take your non-revenue generating tasks and times and multiple them by what you estimate your time is worth,” she says. “Most people are quite surprised by the amount of money that they are ‘using’ up.”

Find a VA to do those tasks. “Delegating those tasks to a VA is cheaper in the long run, and allows you to spend more time working on building your business,” says Matthews.

For more information on organizing and delegation, contact Cynthia Matthews at: paralegalvirtualassistant@gmail.com

###

Contact: Cynthia Matthews

Paralegalvirtualassistant@gmail.com

*******************************************************************

As a Baby Boomer, I’m trying to get my “ducks in a row” and develop a supplemental source of income for my pending retirement.

As a professional Paralegal for over 30 years, I established CAM Virtual Assistant Services.

Recently I was interviewed by the Connecticut Law Tribune, and I’m very excited and would like to share that interview with you. You can read the entire article HERE.

Currently I’m in the process of having a new web-site makeover, and switching to a new host for my Virtual Assistant site, so stay tuned!

If you think being a Work At Home Mom is something you’d like to do and and are looking for information on starting a  Virtual Assistant Business; are looking for a Guide to Writing for Pay, or perhaps a Proofreading Guide, check out these links or visit Moms Talk Network for more information on how to get going.

I’m open for business, so please stop on by and check out my services at Paralegal Virtual Assistant Services ~ I offer freelance Virtual Assistant Services for not only the legal specialty field, but also Administrative, Business, and Blog and Forum Maintenance.  I’m also available to assist you with eBay Listings and postings.

I promised I’d share my tips on how I’m jump-starting  my second career and planning for my retirement.

Now I’m going to let you in on a cool webinar that’s going to be taking place August 27th at 9 pm EST that can help you promote your business in time for the upcoming Holiday Season ~

The Cost?  Only USD $1.00 ~ yes you read right!  SPACE IS LIMITED to 40 people!

You get:

• The chance to ask as many press release/public relations questions as you want
• An mp3 copy of the event so you can listen as many times as you need to
• Special attendee only bonuses and discounts

How can you pass on this?  If you’re seriously trying to market your products and are interested in public relations and media attention, give this a shot for $1.00~

Hope to be ‘talking’ to you!

Read more on this terrific opportunity ~

Press Release Mis-steps – What you don’t know can make all the difference
By Patrysha Korchinski

As a publicist, my job is to help my clients get media coverage. The tool I use most often on their behalf is the simple, but highly effective, press release. What I do isn’t rocket science; seeking publicity can be an in-house job for most small business owners.

Press releases can seem like a panacea for small business owners. The prospect of getting free publicity in exchange for a couple of hours of writing and submitting a 400 word release seems like a great deal. And on the surface – it is a great deal.

The publicity generated from one release picked up by a major media outlet can increase awareness and sales with a far greater impact than buying advertising in the same outlet.

Under the surface though, lurk thousand of disappointed publicity seekers who for one reason or another did not get the coverage they desired.

I used to believe that the reasons for the failed attempts lay mostly, if not entirely, on the message within the release.

The headline wasn’t strong enough
It read like a sales pitch rather than news
The subject wasn’t newsworthy

While those are definitely factors that will get your press release a one-way ticket to the circular file, most serious business owners I’ve met don’t fall victim to these mistakes. They took the time to craft newsworthy releases that were topical, relevant and well-written. They had the initiative to create a targeted media list to submit to – and yet still they struggled to get coverage.

What was going on?

It was only when I dug deeper and examined other aspects of their failed efforts that a few trends began to emerge. There are factors in press release pick up that the professional publicist innately utilizes for the benefit of their clients that most small business owners just aren’t aware of.

The timing of your submission is one component that is often to blame for poor results. You see, each media outlet has what is called a lead time. This is how far in advance they need to start working on stories that will eventually appear. Magazines with a large circulation tend to have the longest lead times, often 9 months or longer. If you send out a release geared towards Christmas to a major magazine in November, you’ve missed your window of opportunity by eight months!
You don’t necessarily need a publicist to get over these hurdles, you just need to be aware of what hurdles exist. Overcoming them is usually a fairly simple matter. As I said before, getting media coverage is not rocket science. You can improve your odds significantly with a little fine tuning.

—
For more tips on turning the odds in your favor, you’ll want to grab the free special report.

Click on the link for the FREE IMMEDIATE DOWNLOAD !