This Week’s Articles Of Interest
This has not been the best month for me. Oh, nothing horrible or disastrous has happened, and for that I am very grateful. However, for all of the planning I’ve done, very little of it is happening. Real life has temporarily taken over and I am not making progress on my business – and specifically my blog – like I want to. Fortunately, tomorrow is another day, and next week is another month, and I will keep trying.
I did find some very interesting articles on the web this week. Here’s this week’s round-up:
Top 5 Business Blogging Mistakes – are you making any of them? You may be, because they are easy to do, so take a look and see what you can change to get better results.
Also from Mashable, a guide to setting up a Facebook Page for your business. If you don’t have one, this will get you started. If you do have one, see what tips you can learn to make it better!
Once again, Seth Godin has provided excellent information that is really making me think about how to market my business and that of my clients.
Still not sure if Twitter can help your small business? Think it can help but not sure how to start? Take a look at this article to see how one small business used Twitter to grow and expand their business.
And once you do get on Twitter, you need to find ways to manage it. This article on Time Saving Twitter Tools from TargetStars blog provides a nice round-up of twitter tools. Be sure to check out the comments on that post for more suggestions.
Those are just a few of the articles and blog posts I found interesting this week. What caught your attention? Please share in the comments!
This Week’s Articles Of Interest
It’s been a busy week at GS Business Resources, but I’ve still come across some excellent information on the internet that I want to share. Take a look:
Anatomy of a Successful Small Business Blog is a great article on how small businesses can benefit from a blog and lots of tips to help you find topics and craft the post. I’ve bookmarked this to refer back to often.
What is the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com? Watch “Julia Child” in this hysterical video to learn more! And then read the rest of the post for more details.
FYI – I have a more positive view of WordPress.com than in the video and post. It was a great way for me to get a blog/website for my business going without having the expense (however minimal) and worry of hosting when I started last spring. I am moving over to WordPress.org because I want to take the next step and have more flexibility on my site. I know this is not the best way to go for every business, but for some it can be a great option.
I keep trying to tell clients and potential clients about the things they could begin doing online to connect with their current and potential customers. Often I feel like I’m talking to myself, so I think I’ll begin refering them to Chris Brogan’s excellent post. By the way, how many of these are you doing today? Which one could you add?
Redoing your website? As I mentioned, I’m in the process of moving my site and blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org and while most of it will remain the same, these are some great questions from Seth Godin for me to keep in mind as I redo and update.
That’s my list for this week. What articles/blog posts have you found that you took note of? Please share them in the comments!
Finally!
This blog is moving!
I started this blog in February 2009. I bought my domain name in March 2009. It is now September 2009 and I have finally bought hosting for the blog! So I’m transferring this over to WordPress.org and running it through my domain name.
I was in the middle of a blog post when I got this worked out, so things may be a bit quiet this week. Well, even quieter than normal. Once everything is up and running, I’ll post all the details.
My week is certainly off to an exciting start – hope yours is as well!
This Week's Articles of Interest
Happy Friday!! When you run your own business, the days often seem to blur together, but I think I’ve spent enough years working on a regular schedule that Friday always seems special. Of course, my 13 year old son is also quick to point out when it is Friday since he will have two days off from school and extra time to play video games!
If you do have some free time this weekend, here are some articles I saw this week that I found especially interesting. Maybe they will be helpful to you, or someone you know. I’ve emailed one link to a potential client to help him sort out some social media issues.
And this week’s articles are:
Five Social Media Marketing Mistakes That Companies Make from Denise Wakeman’s Biz Tips Blog. How many are you guilty of? What can you do to eliminate it/them?
Twenty Not-So-Obvious Blogs for Freelancers I love lists like these! Not only do they provide great information, but I like seeing how many things I already know about or am doing.
Sadly, this is one I really need to read often – Email the Great Time Waster. My inbox is totally out of control, and I spend far too much time checking it just in case something urgent came in. I think I need to read this post at the beginning of each day.
Great controversy over the president addressing kids in schools, but this blog post focuses on some good advice he gave regarding social media. Wonder if it will be followed?
Unfortunately, my time is limited and I’ve missed some great stuff out there. What articles and blog posts did you find interesting this week?
Going To Camp
Social Camp Memphis
Where will you be on September 19th? I’ll be at Social Camp Memphis and you should be too!
Why should you be there? Because it will be fun, because it will be informative, and because you will get to hang out with some really cool people! Trust me on this – if I choose to spend an entire day inside, it must be worth while.
Here’s the details:
Saturday, September 19, 2009
8:00 – 5:00
Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering
1254 Jefferson Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104
For more information, go to Social Camp Memphis. To register click here. And follow on Twitter @socialcampmem.
Hope to see you there!
Blog Tour – So You Want To Be A Work-At-Home Mom
Today I am pleased to be a part of the blog tour for So You Want To Be A Work-At-Home Mom by Jill Hart and Diana Ennen! As a mom who works from home a lot of the time, this book sounds like something I definitely need to check out. Keep reading for an overview of the book, information about the authors, and a Q and A section with them.
Interested in purchasing the book? Just follow the links in the article!
Home-based businesses are estimated to be a $427 billion-a-year industry. In recent studies it was found that as many as 105 million people in North America alone were working at home. Considering this information, it is obvious that home-based businesses can be successful and authors Jill Hart and Diana Ennen will help you succeed with your own.
So You Want to Be a Work-at-Home Mom details all the basics of starting a business in a spiritual, motivational, and comprehensive manner. From deciding what type of business to start to keeping your family and faith first, this helpful tool details every aspect of establishing a business. With proven success tips utilized by the authors and others who own work-at-home businesses, this inspiration approach will provide you with the resources you need to start your own home-based business.
So You Want to Be a Work-at-Home Mom includes:
* Detailed information on types of businesses to start
* Ideas and assistance for setting up, operating, and marketing your business
* Definitions and descriptions of work-at-home terminology and processes
* Help for developing your Website
* Explanations of the business nuts and bolts, including bookkeeping, taxes, and more
About the Authors
JILL HART is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com. Jill is a co-author of So You Want To Be a Work-at-Home Mom. Jill has published many articles and is a contributing author in Laundry Tales, The Business Mom Guide Book, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, and Faith Deployed. She holds a bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies. Learn more about working from home at http://www.cwahm.com/work-at-home/ .
DIANA ENNEN has been a leader and mentor in the work-at-home industry since starting her business, Virtual Word Publishing, in 1985. She is the author of many books, including Virtual Assistant the Series; Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA and Words from Home: Start, Run, and Profit from a Home-Based Word Processing Business. She resides in Margate, Florida, with her husband and their three children.
Below is an interview with the authors of So You Want To Be a Work-at-Home Mom – Jill & Diana.
If have questions they are happy to answer your questions anytime. Leave a comment below or email Jill@cwahm.com or Diana@virtualwordpublishing.com
How long have you been working at home?
Jill Hart – I’ve been working at home since 2000. I had to go back to work full-time for a brief period in 2003 when my husband got out of the Air Force. At that point I got even more serious about making my business work and I’ve been home full-time since then.
Diana Ennen – I’ve been working at home since 1985, when my son was born. He’s now graduated college and already working towards his own career. I absolutely love it. I can’t imagine doing anything else.
What types of businesses do you operate?
Jill Hart – I run Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com, a website full of free resources, job listings and information about home businesses. I also write articles and books (yes, more books to come!) and am a blogger for sites like Time/Warner’s Christian Momlogic.com and a member of the Guideposts blogger team
Diana Ennen– I’m the President of Virtual Word Publishing. I’m a virtual assistant and specialize in marketing & publicity. I’ve also written numerous books on how to start a VA business and offer PR and VA Coaching.
Tell us about your book? How do you think it can benefit those who want to start a business?
Jill Hart – The book has been such a “God thing.” He orchestrated the entire sequence of events – from putting Diana and I together as co-authors to bringing us to the right publisher. The book is a hands-on practical guide for anyone who wants to build a business from home. We cover topics ranging from how to select the right type of business for you, to how to get started, to how to market and grow your business.
Diana Ennen – I think one of the best features of our book is that it’s not only informative, but motivational as well. You’ll feel like friends are helping you on your journey to success. Also, we discuss numerous types of businesses to start and provide proven methods to achieve success. We also often hear how starting a business can be so overwhelming. That’s why we pay special attention to all the how tos. We feel very confident our book will help, not only those starting a business, but those already in business wanting to expand it.
What types of businesses are featured in your book?
Jill Hart – We have such a great range of contributors – everything from direct sales companies like Southern Living at Home and Avon to unique product-driven businesses like BSM Media and GrillCharms. These woman are amazing and give readers a great insight into how they’ve grown their businesses in very different ways.
Diana Ennen – We cover everything from direct sales companies to specialized areas such as medical transcription and virtual assisting. Also, Jill shares detailed information on starting a community based membership site. We think you’ll get a lot of helpful tips too from such work-at-home powerhouses as Maria Bailey and Lesley Spencer Pyle.
Do you have any tips for success for Christian entrepreneurs that you’d like to share?
Jill Hart – I think my favorite tip – shared with me by one of our contributors, Tammy Degenhart, almost ten years ago is that working together benefits everyone. She told me, “Jill, what you give to others God brings back tenfold” and I’ve seen that hold true time and time again. It may not be in financial gains and it may not look like what we expected but God is so faithful in that when we work together there is no competition – it’s a win-win situation.
Diana Ennen – Do what you believe in and use your own skills and prior experience to find the business that’s just right for you. Research/Research/Research. The more you research, the better your business. Continue to market and be out there. So many once they find a few clients stop marketing. You need to get out there continually. You then become the go to person when someone needs services or products that you offer.
What are some of the challenges that you see with those starting or operating a business?
Jill Hart – In my experience, I’ve talked with many women who get frustrated because success doesn’t come easily or quickly. Working from home may sound easy, but in reality it can actually be just as hard as working outside the home. There are many unique challenges, especially when working at home while raising children. If women don’t prepare themselves, they can become discouraged and disheartened.
Diana Ennen– One of the major challenges I see is losing belief in yourself that you can do it. That’s why I think a faith-based book will be so beneficial. Even when times get tough, you can rely on your faith to forge ahead.
With the economy, do you believe it’s still a good time to start a business? Why?
Jill Hart – I think it’s a better time than ever. The internet is so much more widely used than it was even nine years ago when I began my website. If people do their research and find a company that fits them as well as their budget this can be a great time to break into the work-at-home field.
Diana Ennen – Absolutely. In fact, I think there’s never been a better time. You might have to work a little harder, but it absolutely can be done. Plus, there are so many businesses who need us more than ever because of the economy. For example, with virtual assistants because businesses are downsizing they are seeking the help of a VA to help on an as needed basis.
Your book is written from a Christian perspective? Tell us a little about that and how you feel that makes it so unique?
Jill Hart – My faith is central to who I am and therefore central to my business. I began Christian Work at Home Moms because I wanted women to have a safe place where they could discuss not only business things, but also talk about an area that doesn’t get talked about a lot in business circles – how our faith affects our businesses. The book is written in a way that doesn’t hit anyone over the head with our faith, but it’s true to who we are and talks about things from the vantage point that we see life – through the lens of our faith.
Diana Ennen – There are so many books out there today on starting a business. However, few have the Christian mom in mind. We provide a lot of scriptures and examples of how you can use your faith to help you. Our hope is that not only will your business thrive, but it might just give a little boost to your faith as well.
Learn more about the book at Beacon Hill Press or SoYouWantToBeAWAHM.com.
