If you’ve been around the social media circuit for any time, you know Twitter is the phenomenal micro-blogging platform revolutionizing the way people network and market their business. Twitter gains somewhere between 250,000 and 500,000 new users every month. The recently elected American President, Barak Obama, made Twitter a household name as the political pundits across the country marveled at the way his campaign team used the tool to reach millions of Americans with Obama’s message.

For all the people using Twitter effectively, there are also huge numbers of people who either don’t make good use of it at all or who try to overpower the platform and its users with unwanted spam.

Here are three of the best business practices for using Twitter effectively:

1. Use a complete profile. Twitter gives every user a profile page. Make the most of this space by uploading an actual photograph of yourself, providing your real name in your biography and offering information about and links to your website or blog.

People look at your profile page to decide if they want to follow your updates. They may also take a look when you post a message particularly relevant to them. When they get there, make sure you give them what they need to make an informed decision about your business. It may be the only shot you get.

2. Interact. Don’t just broadcast. Twitter is a social networking tool with the operative word being social. Don’t just blast your site information or the link to your sales page every time you use Twitter. Talk to people. Ask them what they do and how you can help them or ask about their family members or interests.

Twitter is great for conversations kept open enough for everyone to join in. General talk about a specific industry, process or training is a great way to get others involved in a discussion. If you engage in banter and chat on Twitter every time you use it, you may even find it a bit tough keeping up with all the followers you gain.

3. Share your expertise. The people with the highest rankings on Twitter are the ones who aren’t afraid to give away some of their best stuff.

Share tidbits of real information related to your area of expertise. If you’re a marketer, don’t just push products. Instead offer tips on how to build your list or ways to help your affiliates. If you’re a writer, offer tips on how to write an effective headline or what to say in an email campaign. Share enough of your knowledge to let people know you’re the real deal. It’s the fastest way to draw them to your website where you can sell then sell your products.

If you consistently follow these three business practices while interacting on Twitter, you are all but guaranteed to grow your business. Twitter is really all about interaction and relationships are all about give and take and showing respect. Using good business sense and common courtesy in your Twitter affairs will gain you not only followers and clients, but respect for your business as well.

It Keeps Getting Better All The Time…

I just logged into my Sweetie Saturday Report Club membership to grab my February goodies and as always, I’m impressed. If you’re not familiar with the The Report Club, it’s put together by one of my favorite and ultra-practical Internet marketing teachers, Alice Seba. The club is an incredibly affordable way to receive concise, no-fluff, no fad guidance for your online business.

This month’s report is all about creative ways for using Wordpress – and was put together guest writer and tech expert, Lynette Chandler. There’s tons of information to get you set up to work at home, or start a blog for your business. The quick guide offers 40 types of sites you can build with Wordpress (it’s not just for blogs anymore) and tons of suggesting for adding features and functionality to your websites.

But there is more…Alice also puts together her monthly Essential Biz Notes which are personal thoughts, ideas and strategies from her about online business. Once again, she gave me a virtual boot kicking and shares a very useful rant about breaking out of the profit-limiting mold that we can sometimes be forced into.

Anyway, I’ve got some more reading to do…and then will be getting some work done. Click here to learn more about this month’s reports and the Sweetie Saturday Report Club.

And hey, there’s also a recently added a private members-only forum where you can ask questions and share ideas – it’s another great perk to this valuable membership.

Until YouTube came along, there was no social networking site that promoted user content in the form of video. This niche has catapulted YouTube to the forefront as a leading social networking site. Because of its ease of use and popularity, YouTube has become a launch pad for many business viral marketing campaigns as well.

Do you have a digital camcorder or webcam? If so, you can make a video that can be shared online. People like to see what others are doing. There is no better way to allow others to do just that, than through video media. YouTube is the largest generator of user video content on the web.

Yes, YouTube is another hot spot for kids on the Internet. They can create their own videos to upload or watch videos generated by their friends. Comments can be left on videos either praising or denouncing what they have seen. This feedback can be extremely useful for future video productions and marketing campaigns.

The best thing of all is that it is free to become a YouTube member. Once a member, it only takes a good video camera to create quality film capture for the public. The best videos are those from a wide angle for lots of movement like sports videos or still shots where someone performs a demonstration from a single spot. The more interesting you can make the video, the more hits it will get on the Internet.

Businesses have found a way to use YouTube to increase their bottom line as well. Videos are a great to head up a viral marketing campaign. What is viral marketing you might be asking? We do it all the time and many don’t even realize it.

When someone shares a good review of a product with us and we go out and buy it, that’s viral marketing. Essentially, it is word of mouth advertising. It also works on the negative. Poor reviews lead to lower sales of certain products. On the Internet, negative statements spread like wildfire.

With YouTube, the negative to a viral marketing video campaign is not being seen by anyone. Creating interesting footage of your business products and links pointing back to your website can drive traffic your way. Many YouTube business users have special landing pages on their websites just for people who discover them on YouTube.

Another way that many people create a viral marketing campaign via YouTube is to create their video, upload it to YouTube and at the end of the production, send visitors to their website to pick up a free report, product sample, or the ability to sign up for more information about their business.

Think about some of the ads that you see on television. How many times have you gotten to the end of the commercial and wondered what it was even about? A viral marketing video will talk about your business but present the material in an eye-catching way. Remember the Crazy Glue guy hanging from a beam by his hard hat? You might want to hang from the side of your garage instead of fifty stories in the air but you get the idea.

YouTube provides opportunities for businesses to market their business in a viral fashion. With high quality video and a bit of social networking around the site, traffic and sales will benefit. If you haven’t begun advertising your business via video, YouTube is the perfect place to start. It doesn’t cost a dime to put your business in front of millions, but can produce a return that maybe even you could never have imagined.

Customized Tweets!

Twitter is the hottest Social Network on the web and a prime opportunity for you to establish Networking connections and grow your exposure on the Internet.

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Develop and promote your brand niche by taking advantage of all that background space!

If you’re looking to promote and advertise your business without spending a lot of money; have an ecommerce website, or are a Work-at-Home Mom, sell on eBay, Etsy, Bonanzle, customized Twitter Backgrounds are the way to go!

For more information, visit: TwitterWebs

Becoming a mom – it’s the most life-changing event we go through. Our children become the center of our lives, and we must make adjustments to in our schedules and priorities make sure they’re cared for. Instead of hiring nannies or using day care services, more and more moms are choosing to start their own online businesses so they can be there for their kids and still contribute to the family income.

This is especially true right now during the tough economic times we’re living in. Even if you’re comfortably existing on one income, you may find yourself on no income soon enough if your husband gets laid off, downsized, rightsized, outsourced or whatever they’re calling it these days. Do you have the recommended 6 months’ living expenses tucked away in savings in preparation for this event?

Statistics show many of us do not. This is all the more reason for mom to look for ways to make money online before the disaster strikes.

Starting an online business has a number of advantages for moms. These include:

• Start-up costs can be kept low. So even if you are not currently working outside the home, starting an online business is usually within reach with small adjustments to the budget. Setting up a website means acquiring a domain name and hosting space – and with tools like Wordpress available at no cost, you can literally be up and running for around $20. You will also want to invest in some education. Learning the basics of how to market your website online are not difficult, but be careful where you get your information.

The Natural Mom Business Guide is one solid source of info. It includes an ebook with detailed information about researching your target market, the various ways to make money with a website, and how to get the traffic you need to earn income. It even has video and audio tutorials as well as printable “cheat sheets” you can keep by your computer to remind you of the essential steps you need to take in your business to build traffic and make more income.

• Doing business online doesn’t require one to keep regular hours. You can work early in the morning before the kids get up, during the baby’s nap, or late at night when everyone is in bed. And with the automation that the Internet has to offer, orders can be processed and virtual products delivered while you are sleeping or taking care of the kids.

• You can get some work done with the kids right by your side. Older children may even be able to help you with simple tasks. Did you know that the IRS allows you to deduct wages (up to a certain amount) paid to a child who is age seven or older to work in your home business from your taxes? I have even trained my oldest son to add articles to my websites. He earns a nice wage for doing so, far more than an allowance, and is providing a valuable service to me.

There are all sorts of online businesses that are great for moms. You could sell your crafts or start a recipe website, or you could start a podcast. You might offer services such as writing, transcription, web design or virtual assistance to customers around the world. Or you could create and sell information products. Even blogging offers impressive money-making potential. The possibilities are many, and there’s sure to be something out there that’s just right for any mom.

Moms make up a large portion of the people who are making money online. This allows them to take a hands-on approach to raising their children while still making money to support the household. They don’t have to count on a sitter to take care of their children’s needs, and they don’t have to make a commute part of their daily routine. It’s no wonder that the number of moms starting online businesses is growing in leaps and bounds.

If you need some assistance choosing a niche, get some coaching from an experienced online marketer. Take the leap – you’ll be glad you did!

Carrie Lauth is an internet marketing mom who loves to help other moms launch profitable websites. She created the Natural Mom Business Guide for women who want to market to the “natural family” niche. To learn about how she can give you one-on-one coaching, visit Natural Mom Business Guide today.

The small business sector is on fire. There are thousands of new businesses springing up every day and the ease and affordability of Internet access has made much of the growth in entrepreneurship today possible. This is wonderful news for freelancers and here’s why.

As business continues to heat up for online companies, managers are feeling the pressure to have quick access to reliable specialists who can

* Update the design of a website
* Write content for web pages, article marketing campaigns and brochures
* Proofread ebooks, manuscripts and promotional copy
* Provide customer service for web based or telephone help centers and
* Manage administrative and accounting tasks with ease and professionalism.
* Assistant with Blog maintenance, forum maintenance and article writing for niche blogs

Many small businesses can not afford to hire employees. They may not have the office space or have enough work for a full time person. This makes temporary help so attractive.

The challenge today for a business owner is knowing where to turn to for this temporary or “as needed” assistance. A temporary employment agency can be costly and putting an advertisement in the newspaper can be time consuming and costly without necessarily providing the person that is really needed.

As a freelancer you know this already, but now there’s a freelancer’s directory that is helping to make that message loud and clear for you—the highly skilled female freelancer.

Shelancers is an online directory of professional female freelancers including graphic designers, bookkeepers, copywriters, virtual assistants, marketing specialists, website designers and many other professionals. This is a directory on a mission to help female freelancers push their businesses to the next level of success. Promotion and education go hand in hand at Shelancers.

“I decided to join Shelancers as a cost effective means of building up my client base. Shelancers is positioning itself as the “go-to” online directory for small businesses looking for the right professional to get the job done on time. They are also passionate about helping women to achieve financial success by sharing information on the best ways to succeed as a freelance professional today,” explains CAM Virtual Assistant Services.

Business owners who choose Shelancers are selecting a directory that features freelancers who are benefiting from the professional information and resources created specifically for Shelancers’ members. Resources include monthly reports, audio recordings and an active online discussion board where members can pose questions and discuss best practices in their fields.

The Shelancers directory also offers users easy online navigation tailored specifically for the needs of business owners/hiring managers. Service providers are listed according to service categories (e.g., accounting, web design, copywriting, virtual assistants, marketing, etc.). Each listing provides freelancer contact information and available client feedback to help hiring managers/owners to readily secure references, quotes and samples of relevant work.

If you’re a freelancer looking for a directory with the right services and support to position you for long term success it’s time for you to visit Shelancers

2008 is winding down…

And most all those resolutions we began earlier this year are now just distant memories.

Life gets kind of blurry this time now… as we charge into the much-anticipated ‘new’ start…again.

Lots of changes for most of us, new schedules, new plans, new goals…

And as the kids prepare for the holidays we love, we also consider how expensive things are getting and have been…and perhaps how things will change in our job, our life, our business in January.

Before you focus too far into the future, take a good, hard look at today.

Are you where you need to be to make this your best year yet?

To reach your full potential in life, family, and business?

It’s OK if you can’t answer yes.

Maybe you plowed right through the last few months, taking care of business as usual, but still not seeing the results you want…

Maybe you’ve been studying internet marketing, buying big box homestudy courses, reading every newsletter with great interest and wondering why you’re not having the same results as ‘the big boys’…

Or maybe you’re starting out, doing your research, plotting, planning and hoping that something about this ‘internet marketing stuff’ will work for you.

Whatever the reason, you are ready to:

• Focus on your online business without losing sight of your life.

• Find out what it takes to make your site, your offer, your product unique and set yourself apart from the rest.

• Layout your step-by-step plan for growing a strong, profit-generating online business.

• Get more done AND have more time each and every day.

• Connect with other positive online marketers, men and women with the same interests that you have.

• Bust through those mental walls (and or technical hangups) that have been holding you back.

You know it’s time to pull out the stops and make it all happen.

But what you may not know is that you don’t have to do it alone…

NOW OPEN – Internet Marketing Barefoot Boot Camp registration!

Six INTENSE and interactive sessions of coaching that Carrie Wilkerson, The Barefoot Executive created specifically for internet marketers, LIKE YOU!

Six power-packed strategy sessions, exercises, and a host of resources that will transform your mindset, your business, and your life.

Her easy-to-understand (AND PROVEN) blueprint model that will get your profitable as quickly as possible. She doesn’t promise you overnight riches, but she DOES promise to teach you what works for her!

Where you are at next month, next year, five years, and even ten years from now, all starts with today.

You can get more details at Barefoot Boot Camp

Carrie is not the same-old hypey, aggressive marketer you expect to hear from… there is something different about her – but you need to check it out for yourself!

Go to this page and let her tell you in her own words! You will be glad you did!

But hurry – Carrie limits these classes for maximum interaction and there will only be 75 total slots sold! (last I checked, there were
just 62 left)

Do you have a product you currently market or are contemplating marketing?

We all need technology and new programs to make our online businesses run more smoothly. After all, computer technology is what allows us to sell our products online to our audiences. But sorting out all the details of new programs and determining what programs best suit our businesses and budgets can be very time consuming.

As an online product seller, one thing is true across the board: you need a shopping cart program. However, not all shopping carts include the same features nor are they priced the same. At one extreme you have free carts that may not be secure and offer no extra business features but the other extreme is the shopping cart that has many features but costs well over $100 per month.

With such disparities, it is important to do your research and price comparisons but if too much time is spent on research, then you are not able to focus on the money-making aspect of your business. Or, if you commit to a certain program and then determine it’s not right for you, you will have lost some hard earned money.

If you need a guide to explain the different features of an online shopping cart and what extra features will help your business grow, join us at the Shopping Cart FAQ teleseminar on December 17, 2008 at 9pm EST. Your personal guide is Regina Baker, your ecommerce solutions advisor who will answer all your shopping cart questions.

Over the years Regina has heard from numerous home based business owners the despair about not having $100+ per month to pay for an online shopping cart. Or feeling like they’ve wasted money on carts that had so many features their small businesses just could not use. Before you make a mistake in choosing your shopping cart, hear first hand how Regina has become the ecommerce solutions advisor overcoming some mistakes she made along the way, and her strategies for choosing the right shopping cart.

If you are new to internet marketing, you will leave the teleseminar with a full understanding of how an ecommerce website and shopping cart work in unison. Discover how to fully automate your ecommerce business so you can truly make money while you sleep.

If you are an experienced internet marketer, you might evaluate your current shopping cart and learn from Regina how you can make your ecommerce business run more smoothly and more efficiently. Improving your business automation will leave you more time to develop other money-making projects.

Don’t miss this opportunity to have access to Regina Baker’s e-commerce expertise at the Shopping Cart FAQ Teleseminar — for only $1 come and learn something new, ask your burning questions, and leave with a better understanding of how your business can grow with the right shopping cart.

To register for this informative Shopping Cart FAQ Teleseminar on December 17th at 9pm ET, simply Click here!

As a Paralegal, my favorite area of expertise was in the coordination of real estate closings.  I worked very closely with Real Estate Agents, mortgage lenders, attorneys, and of course, clients.

The real estate industry can be very lucerative, and many people think it’s just a matter of showing either residential or commercial property, and then collecting a commission check.  But there’s far more involved than meets the eye.

If you’re interested in entering the real estate industry, you need to know the real costs involved. From license fees to initial business cards and signs, you want to know how much to budget so you can become a real estate agent.

Start-up Costs a Mommy Can Expect When Entering the Real Estate Industry

by Tina McAllister

Are you a Mom interested in entering the real estate industry? If you’ve ever pondered jumping into real estate, you want to have a good idea of what kind of costs you will incur as you start your business. Because there are costs involved in becoming a licensed agent.

First and foremost, you will have to pay for schooling. You probably have some options in terms of where (online vs. offline) and their respective pricing. But you will still have to pay. You’ll be looking at anywhere from $250 to $800 for the licensing classes.

There are a few instances where brokers may pay for your education. Especially if you are currently working in the industry in some capacity and your boss wants you to become licensed. In that situation, you should definitely get your employer to foot the bill. Some brokers even have their own school where tuition will be refunded if you sign with them as a licensee.

And don’t forget to ask the school (whether online or offline) if there is any tuition assistance available. For example, active duty military can typically get discounts or assistance. It never hurts to ask. There’s a lot of competition out there. In fact, some online schools will beat out their competition’s price by 10% if you show them the numbers. So it pays to do a little legwork in order to save a few bucks on the schooling.

Another cost that you won’t be able to shake is the state exam and the state license. Each state has an exam you will be required to take and pass before a license will be issued to you. Exam fees can range from $25 to $200 but can also include other fees, such as the state license, so it’s important to understand what is included. Each state has a department of real estate website, or at least one page dedicated to professional licensing and all your education, exam and fee requirements will be found there.

Additional up-front costs can include fingerprinting and background check fees. Again, this information may be found at your state’s department of real estate website.

But what about after you have the license in hand? When you interview brokers and decide where to hang your license, you will find that each broker is different in terms of what you can get and what is expected of you. Many will expect you to attain membership in the local Association of REALTORS and the fees associated with that will also gain you membership into the state and the national associations as well. But you may have to fork out anywhere from $100 to $200 for the annual fees. Not only will this provide you entry into the largest professional association in the nation, but it will also provide you access to the MLS, also known as the Multiple Listing Service. This is important, as most homes for sale and rent can be found in your regional MLS.

Other start-up costs can be business cards and signs. There are ways to cut costs. You can have some temporary cards made inexpensively online through websites such as VistaPrint. And the same is true of signage. With a little bit of searching you can save $20-$100 on your initial order of signs by just looking around online.

You will also need a lockbox key. This will run you somewhere between $80-$120. This is the gadget that will allow you access to homes with keys kept in lockboxes. This is pretty much a must-have. And if you plan on working with sellers, you will want at least one lockbox in your inventory. This will also run about $80-120. But it’s good to have on hand so you’re ready when a client is listing his home with you.

Starting up a career in real estate isn’t expensive, but it does take some money. You’ll want to budget at least $500 to $1000 to begin your real estate business, but if you think of it as an investment towards a long and successful business, it’s well worth it!

Tina McAllister is a ghostwriter for busy professionals and the author of The WAHM Agent. She also runs WAHM Biz Tips, a site providing business tips and more to work at home moms.
Article Source: WAHM Articles

When I network with small business owners and online marketers, I often find myself asking them if they’ve launched their blog yet. Adding a blog has so many important benefits and it’s no wonder that huge corporations and megastores are also getting into blogging. Especially for the micropreneur however, blogs have several distinct advantages. Here are a few.

1. A blog is search engine food! Google and the other big search engines love content and a blog can help you get free search engine traffic. Recently search engines are giving more weight to blogs because they want to offer the freshest, most relevant content to Internet searchers.

2. Blogs create community. Because they are interactive, a blog draws people back to your site again and again. Your visitors will read your post then leave their comments, read comments left by others, and come back to see how the conversation is flowing. Blogs are much easier to manage than message forums too. With RSS (Real Simple Syndication), people can subscribe to your blog feed and be notified automatically when you update your blog.

3. Blogging puts you in control of your site. Posting to your blog is as easy as typing an email or a word document. Why pay a designer to add a page to your website when you can update your site whenever you like, easy as pie? You can blog as often or as rarely as you like to serve your particular needs.

4. Blogs help you grow your bottom line. There are many ways you can add additional monetization streams to your blog so you can make more money in your business without working harder.

5. Your customers love blogs. They can ask you questions, read info about your products and services, and share their opinions. A blog has a more friendly feel than a website.

6. Blogs help you know your target market. As you observe who is leaving comments on your blog, you get to know your market better. This education helps you be a smarter marketer.

7. Conduct market research. A blog is an easy way to conduct surveys and polls to help you get inside the mind of your customers. This information is invaluable to you.

8. Blogs help your customers get to know you. A blog gives your customers a chance to see your personality shine through. People buy from people they like!

9. Blogging is fun. I’ll admit it, blogging is addicting once you get going! There are so many benefits to your business. What’s not to love?

10. As a small business owner, you have a limited marketing budget. Blogging is a free marketing tactic – it only costs you a little of your time.

Get help setting up your blog, learn what you should blog about, and get marketing tips to get more blog traffic at To take advantage of this special 4 week Coaching Package, click here