Free Stuff... Targeted Traffic Tools

I haven't had time to actually download anything yet, so I can't vouch for the value of any of this stuff.  I just wanted to tell you it's available and where to find it.

As you leave the site, you'll see a big yellow sales pitch.  No, you haven't been duped... you're free to leave.

There will be an email waiting in your inbox to confirm your subscription (necessary to get the freebies).  Once confirmed, it takes a while but another email will come; you'll find what you're looking for at the very bottom.

Luv,

MaaMaw
MaaMaw's Pick for Budget Web Hosting...
First-Class Service With a Smile!

Who Owns Blog Comments?

UGH!  I've worried incessantly (and loudly) about who owns my blog (i.e., what if Blogger changes the rules?).  Well here's something I wouldn't have thought about in a million years:  Who Own's the Comments?

At first glance, I wasn't quite sure how this could possibly affect me, since I have no plans to publish my blog as a book or do much of anything with it except to keep on bloggin'.  Alas, there are several potentially sticky situations, as simple as moving your blog or running ads on comment pages.  You need to read this if you allow comments on our blog.

Thanks oodles to Easy Bake Weblogs for leading me to this article.

Luv,

MaaMaw
The Most Comprehensive Internet Marketing Course On the Planet

Growing Your Affiliate Base

Here's a nice thread on growing your affiliate base and finding JV partners.

Hmmmm.... maybe I'm blogging instead of finishing CCHell because I'm afraid to even think about such things as "affiliate base" and "JV partners."  I've gotta have a long talk with myself.

Carry on.

Luv,

MaaMaw
MaaMaw's Favorite Last-Chance Scam-Proof Business Opportunities

Learning PHP

I'll skip the commentary this time (and the crowd cheers), because I don't even know what PHP is.

If you do, and it's something you want to learn, the replies to this question will direct you to various tutorials and "a great comprehensive book" on the subject.

Luv,

MaaMaw
Want To Make Money On the Net But You Don't Know Diddly?

Putting Offline Videos Online

This is a self-described high-level overview of the steps required to take an offline video and put it online.

Too complicated for me (also too expensive, around $1,000), but he puts all the steps in a neat little package and offers to answer more specific questions.
Luv,

MaaMaw

Proper Bloggiquette

I love the uncluttered look of the Thinking Home Business blog.

In this entry, there's a good article about avoiding "bad manners" while blogging.

The article happens to be talking about bad manners in blog comments, but the effect is the same everywhere.  I've learned all about it in the ugliest possible way on my own message board, where "bad manners" by unwelcome guests can wreak havoc.

"Bad Manners" are something I agonize over every time I leave a trackback ping:... If I'm not adding anything of value to the readers of the blog, should I be pinging or does it come across as "just leaving a link"?

I'm still trying to get my brain around all this new technology, and they tell me "incoming links" are a good thing for the other guy too, so I guess I'll keep on pinging until I get one of those verbal thrashings.

That is neither here nor there... but this is a good article if you need a gentle reminder or a smack upside the head.

Luv,

MaaMaw
Scams 101... How To Smell a Rat Before It Bites You In the Hiney

Whoa! Paying Per Click To Advertise??

Then you need to read this article right now (and be sure to follow the "rupees" link at the bottom).

I repeat... WHOA!!

Luv,

MaaMaw
Visit the Friends In Business/Scams 101 Message Board

Professional Bloggers Association

This is a nonprofit organization with an impressive list of members so far.  They don't ask for your money... just your expertise!  This, in itself, makes it worth checking out :-)

After an exhaustive search, I found that they now have an official web site, but you'll find much more information on this page.

I gather it's a fairly new organization (several months old?), and you can still get in "on the ground floor."  (Not me!  I'm still way too insecure about this blogging thing.... ohhhhhhhhh, but I'm having fun!).

Luv,

MaaMaw

TONS(!) of Blogging Tips & How-To's

Thanks to Buzz Marketing With Blogs for pointing the way to all these wonderful blogging articles at About.com...

First, the two that are mentioned in "Buzz":

The Top 7 Ways To Encourage Blog Interaction

Web Logs  (I didn't like this one as well... guess I'm more into specifics, but it does link out to many other relevant articles, so definitely worth a look-see).

Next, several dandy articles you're likely to miss if you use a pop-up blocker:

Set Up a Tip Jar or Donation Button

Ten Ways To Create Content

Writing Prompts & Ideas (don't skip this thinking it's an instant replay of the "Create Content" article; they're nothing alike)

Marketing & Promoting Blogs (not one of my personal favorites...)

Top 10 Tips On Promoting Your Blog (but this one's great!)

And finally, this really good one (I tripped over it on the way out, but it was well worth a smashed toe!):

Memes, Collaborations, and Projects
While we're on the subject, do YOU know what a meme is?

So much to read, so little time!!

Luv,

MaaMaw
Want To Make Money On the Net But You Don't Know Diddly?

MaaMaw's Musings: Stupid Blogs

Kiddies, consider yourselves warned:  "MaaMaw's Musings" means "Rambling Rant Coming." 

I've just recently started following blogs, blogs, and more blogs so I can bring you The Best Of The Bloggies.

I thought I hated all blogs, but I found out I only hate Stupid Blogs.

Do you have any idea how many marketing blogs are just one sales pitch after another? 

It really ticks me off to waste time reading what I think is a long-but-worthwhile article, then suddenly it smacks me between the eyeballs:  This is nothing but a sales letter!  This guy doesn't give a rat's ptooty about his topic, and for all I can tell, he doesn't know squat.

I don't mind the occasional pitch, and I don't mind affiliate links (hey, I'm not doing this for my health either)... but when you get the sense that a blog exists *only* to promote one product after the other and the articles wouldn't have been written except to sell something, then it's time to flush that blog right down the cra-- um, the commode.

Now that I'm getting a bit faster at weeding out the time-wasters, I'm feeling a lot better about blogs in general. 

There's a TON of stuff to learn, and I confess, with a few notable exceptions, I'm finding better information on the blogs than on the boards.  (I hate to say this, but it seems a lot of the formerly great boards have gone to hell in a handbasket; I suspect the spammers just got to be too much, but I digress...)

Next up:  Can somebody tell me how to keep from going completely INSANE due to information overload??

Luv,

MaaMaw
Scams 101... How To Smell a Rat Before It Bites You In the Hiney

Why You Need To Publish a Physical Book

How convenient... right about the time I'm wrestling with whether an ebook is enough, I found this:  Willie Crawford's Marketing Insights: Free Recording, Why You MUST Publish A Physical Book.

I'm off to request a copy.

Luv,

MaaMaw
Want To Make Money On the Net But You Don't Know Diddly?

Update to "Solo Ads" Post

Well crappy-doodle!  It seems the list I mentioned is a tad outdated.  (Eee gads, the copyright notice says 2001; I should have noticed that!)

You might want to read this follow-up message on Tony's board.

I'm not sure how relevant it is because the poster refers to his website almost being shut down due to spam complaints from some of the newsletters on that list -- but the list was about newsletters that accept PAID ads; I venture to guess that's why they complained. 

In any case, I just wanted to let you know -- plus there are four other newsletters listed in the new post.

Luv,

MaaMaw

Biz Idea.... Yard Cards

I love this!  Maybe I won't make my husband detail car interiors on the weekends after all :-)

This thread at Cyberschmooz has bzillions of suggestions to help you start, grow, and run this fun(!) business.

Luv,

MaaMaw

Is Your Order Form On the Blink?

Hmmmm, this is interesting...

Do you check your ordering system on a daily or weekly basis to make sure it's working, or do you assume all systems are go until someone gripes about it?  (Remembering, of course, that most people aren't going to bother griping... they're going to leave, never to be seen again.)

One Erin Houston asks the question and wonders out loud if people would be interested in a cheap and easy system to take care of it for you... so I suspect more will be said on this subject.

Scary to think how many orders you could lose if you employ the "it ain't broke if you don't know it" philosophy.

Luv,

MaaMaw
Visit the FIB Message Board

Professional Blogger Spills His Guts

Kiddies, I just discovered Buzz Marketing With Blogs and was surprised to find there is a "Dummies" book by the same name, but I digress...

You absolutely must read these interviews if you're blogging or or even thinking about it:

First is an Interview with ProBlogger Darren Rowse... "Pro" meaning a guy who earns a living with his blogs (is that exciting or what??).  Besides being just plain interesting, he goes into such details as the biggest blogging mistake, driving traffic, and where his earnings come from.

I enjoyed the follow-up interview even more: Darren Rowse on the Future of Blogging.  Never mind the future... he offers great advice for today, such as "Niche it up, baby" and my personal favorite, "Blog til you bleed."

Hope you enjoy these as much as I did!

Luv,

MaaMaw
Learn To Smell a Rat Before It Bites You In the Hiney

Blogger-To-Blogger Interviews

My circuits are already overloaded, so I'm not even going to think about this... but you probably should!  Blogger interviews are becoming more and more popular as a way to share information and ideas and, of course, to draw new readers for both interviewer and interviewee.

Blog Business World has a really good article on bloggers interviewing bloggers, including an in-depth discussion of various styles and plenty of examples with links.

Luv,

MaaMaw
Visit the Friends In Business Message Board

Best Places To Run Solo Ads

Here's a massive list of dozens and dozens of ezines that accept solo ads.  All are "known pullers," and most listings include circulation and price.

This is a must-have for sure!

I found it on Tony Blake's Forum.  Thanks, Michael Mayhew, for posting it.

Luv,

MaaMaw

Ho hum....

Just when you think you've got your new skill all wrapped up, somebody smacks you upside the head and says, "You're pinging too fast!  Please come back later."

Okey dokey, Haloscan...

One ping every 24 hours is too fast.

I'll make a note of it.

Luv,

MaaMaw

Three Free List-Building Teleseminars

List-building is just about my worst thing (second only to actually sending the bloody emails), so this article on Willie Crawford's blog grabbed my full attention.

The teleseminars are absolutely free... all they want is your name and email address. 

Obviously there's going to be a sales pitch or six, but I venture to guess there will be tons of valuable information squeezed in between.

Luv,

MaaMaw

Expert Tells How To Remove Spyware

Sorry, Kiddies... this is another old one (August 2004).  Thinking it was hopelessly outdated, I wasn't going to post it... but I noticed a "nice post" comment from last month, so maybe it's still current enough to be helpful?

Here's the article.

Ho hum... I've gotta get back to the current board.  This stuff is too technical for me to know if I'm just wasting everyone's time.

Luv,

MaaMaw

Security-Related Software... A Huge List

I wasn't quite sure what to call this.  It's a humongous, clickable list of software -- many choices in each category:

Anti-Spyware
Anti-Trojan
Anti-Virus
Firewalls
IM Security
Online Scans

Oooops... somehow I ended up in their June 2004 archives.

Things change so fast that I suppose it could be useless, but I'll leave it up just in case :-)

Luv,

MaaMaw
Scams 101... How To Smell a Rat Before It Bites You In the Hiney

Folksonomies... Whoa! Big Word!

Okay, Kiddies, here's another article I think you oughtta read, but since it, too, is over my head, I'll spare you the commentary.

If you don't have a clue what a folksonomy is and you're wondering whether to read the article, this little piece jumped out at me:

"...you can use them to get some early buzz going around your product/service before it officially debuts by planting links and/or photos on these sites."  (This is followed by a "be careful...")

Luv,

MaaMaw
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Podcasting, Podcasting, and More Podcasting

Kiddies, these articles at WebProWorld are so far over my head that I'm not going to say any more than "here they be"...

All About Podcasting.

Serious Podcasting for Business.

GM Talks Blogs, Podcasting and RSS (this message doesn't want to load completely on my old Netscape).

These look like great articles, at least to one with no clue about podcasting.

Luv,

MaaMaw
Scams 101... How To Smell a Rat Before It Bites You In the Hiney

Virus... Don't Open FBI Email

If you aren't familiar with the cardinal rule -- "never open an attachment without scanning it with a CURRENT virus checker first" -- then this one might catch you unaware.

Here's the story as told by CNN.

According to Mel White, when you get a virus alert, you can check its validity at CNN or one of the other big news sources, or at symantec.com, which is "reliable for alerts."

Luv,

MaaMaw
Making Money On the Net Is NOT a Myth

Google... Get To the Top With "Best Keywords"

Great article!

Good keywords, better keywords, BEST keywords, and... could this article have rendered me speechless??

Just read it.

Luv,

MaaMaw

P.S. A link leading to "No Message" usually means it's in the archives and you're going to have to hunt it down (definitely worth your time in this case!).  The "Success Forum Archive Menu" is linked in itty-bitty letters near the top of the board.  There's no way to be sure, but I'm guessing you'll find this article in Archive 180.

Chargebacks When the Names Don't Jibe

Yes, "jibe"... I looked it up.  (Well knock me over with a wet noodle!  I guess I looked like a "jive" turkey all those times I spelled it wrong!)

Anyhoo...

As mentioned in this thread, chargebacks are often made when the buyer doesn't recognize the name on their statement because it doesn't match the name on your website.

Marty Foley offers three suggestions, and I predict there will be more added.

Luv,

MaaMaw

P.S. Remember, if you get "No Message," it's because they roll into the archives pretty fast.  The "Success Forum Archive Menu" is linked in itty-bitty letters near the top of Tony's board.  There's no way to be sure, but I'm guessing you'll find this thread in Archive 180.

More On Article Submissions

Here I am posting all these links to article submission lists and discussions -- knowing full well it's one of the best ways to (1) become recognized as an expert, (2) build a following, and (3) get your link out there -- and I have never done it. 

Well SHAME ON ME!

Anyhoo...

I found another humongous list of article directories here (you have to scroll down quite a way to find it).

Also, there's a very good thread here -- especially for newbies (lots of answers to questions you might be afraid to ask for fear of looking like a ninny).

Luv,

MaaMaw

MaaMaw's Favorite Last-Chance Scam-Proof Business Opportunities

Oh WOW!!... If You Aren't Using Trackback, You Oughtta Be!!

I GET IT!  I REALLY GET IT!!

Yesterday on my own board, The Tim told me that all us "marketing bloggers" are "misusing the medium."  Well, The Tim, you can stick a sock in it, because I'm addicted!!

Thanks to this fine article at Blog Business World, I found out there was a way to add Trackback to blogs hosted on Blogger (not that I knew what a trackback was, mind you, but just knowing it was out there waiting for me inspired me to hunt it down and claim it for my own).

Thanks to Timothy Lee's article on his Land of Opportunity Blog, I was led to an incredible three-part video tutorial that turned on that little bitty light in my brain that printed words can't touch.

And last but never least, thanks to Steve MacLellan's expert and always-patient guidance on his blog and on his board...

I am now a trackbacker!

I'm off now to test my new skill as I ping those three blogs (I hope) (there's gotta be a first time, right?).

Really, Kiddies, if you aren't using this on your blog, you're missing out on something really big.

Luv,

MaaMaw

Article Directories (Bzillions and Counting!)

Looking for places to post your articles or find content for your website or ezine?

Here's a humongous list at ToonChooi's Internet Marketing Alarm Blog.  And another one at Steve Gill's site.

Thanks to Tony Blake's board for pointing me to these sites.

Luv,

MaaMaw

MaaMaw's Favorite Last-Chance Biz-Opps (100% Scam-Proof)

Free Anti-Virus Software... Tried & True

Tom Brownsword, our Resident Computer Security Dude over at FIB, just posted this message about a FREE anti-virus product called ClamWin. 

Be sure to read the post before you run out and get it, because Tom has a few suggestions to help you get the most out of it.

Someone hopped on after Tom and said he's using it too, and it caught a couple of things his regular anti-virus program did not.

Luv,

MaaMaw

P.S.  Remember, if you get "No Message," it's in Ye Olde Archives -- just type archive1/ right after board1/.

If you need the World's BEST Webhost and don't have a clue where to find 'em....

Hiding Behind Your Email??

Here's a really good article about picking up the phone vs. communicating with your prospects through email.

I really don't want to hear this, because I have no intention of picking up the phone... but really, it's an excellent article and I recommend you read it if you're guilty as charged and want to do all you can to increase your sales.

First it analyzes why you might be relying so heavily on email (this is the part I hated most), then it goes on to discuss seven pitfalls of emailing and what you can do about them.

Very good stuff, but leave me out of it!!

Luv,

MaaMaw

The Most Comprehensive Internet Marketing Course On the Planet

Bloggers... Everything About Trackback(and how to use it on Blogger blogs)

Thanks to Steve MacLellan for pointing me to this very detailed article that explains everything... including how you can add "trackback" if you use Blogger (which apparently was a big problem with using Blogger, but then one has to know what the he!! Trackback is before one can appreciate the problem , doesn't one?).

Okey doodle, I successfully installed trackback using HaloScan.

I confess... I still don't get it :-(

I commented on some comments to see if it did anything different, but it didn't.  And I used the new "comment" link up top.  Nope.  And I used the "trackback" link up top and all I see is "the trackback for this URL is...."

Oh well... I'm sure somebody smarter than me will find this useful. 

In the meantime, I'm off to Steve's board to say, "Tell me again... what did I do that for??"  (BTW, Steve's board is great for asking all things technical!).

Luv,

MaaMaw the Permanently Perplexed

Scams 101: Learn To Smell a Rat Before It Bites You In the Hiney

Free Trial... Exclusive Mr. H. Interview Tapes

Since you mentioned Corey Rudl (or did I mention him?...)

There is a man known as "Mr. H." who has made a fortune on the internet (I know this from a reliable source totally unconnected to Corey Rudl or Mr. H.) (although I am not saying he actually makes tens of thousands of $$$ a day... I can't think in numbers that big and I, too, have trouble believing it)...

In any case, he is doing something right because he's raking in the bucks, and Corey Rudl is now offering a 30-DAY FREE TRIAL of his Exclusive Mr. H. Interviews.

This page will tell you all about Mr. H. and the interviews, but don't order from there.

Come back and go to this page to get your 30-day free trial.

Kiddies, I have *not* heard these tapes myself.  I'm waiting for mine to arrive.

Normally I don't even mention a product until I have first-hand experience with it, but this is a no-lose proposition and a limited-time offer, so I decided to pass it along for anyone who might be interested.

Luv,

MaaMaw

Before you Attend an Internet Marketing Seminar...

There is an absolutely outstanding post on Tony's board for anyone who is thinking of attending an internet marketing seminar in the near or distant future.

It gives you a list of things to do to prepare yourself for the seminar (including how to act when you get there) -- as well as a list of things to do after the seminar.

I've never seen anything quite like this before -- most definitely worth hunting down if it's rolled into the archives by the time you read this (I'm guessing it will eventually live in Archive 180).

Luv,

MaaMaw

P.S. As you know, I can't say enough good things about Corey Rudl's Internet Marketing Course -- and I couldn't help but notice that the person who posted this (one Andy Hussong, whom I don't know from Adam but he is obviously a man who knows his stuff) said, and I quote, "...if you have Corey's system, you could very
well become successful with his information alone.  He is
one of the best to learn from in the world,..."  I couldn't agree more.

Bloggers... Services to Ping

Okay, I don't get this...

I thought all the services you registered with would automatically update your blog on their own schedule (and we even got a thrashing on the FIB board about over-pinging tying up the air waves or busting the bandwidth or some such thing)...

I don't get it, so I'm not going to try.  I'll just pass along this dandy list and you can use it as you see fit.

Luv,

MaaMaw

Thanks again to Timothy Lee's "Land of Opportunity" blog

Bloggers... Over 100 RSS Submission Sites

Cripes!  It's called RSSTop55 - Best Blog Directory And RSS Submission Sites, but I'm counting 109 sites (enough to make my head pound for at least a week!).

It's very, very well done and includes the submission links at each site, so you don't have to stumble around looking for them when you get there.

Gotta love it!!

Luv,

MaaMaw

I got this from Timothy Lee's very nice blog -- THANKS!!

Free "Fly-In" Ad Creator

If you like these pesky things, Chuck Huckaby has a free one for you.

Luv,

MaaMaw

P.S.  If you get "No Message," it's in Ye Olde Archives -- just type archive1/ right after board1/.

Reality TV Wants YOU...

No joke!

It seems there's a new reality TV show called American Entrepreneur.  They're looking for

==>> "the most passionate people in the world;"

==>> entrepreneur types of any age, college students to old geezers;

==>> people with a dream in the form of a unique product idea;

==>> and people who are, of course, willing to do *whatever* it takes to chew up and spit out the competition.

Five days to develop a pitch, create a prototype and sell your product.  If you win?... you guessed it:  you become the next "American Entrepreneur."

Don't dilly-dally now!  They're taking applications here.

Luv,

MaaMaw

Growing Your Business... Dozens of Ideas!

Over at Idea Cafe's Cyberschmooz they have a fantastic thread absolutely crammed with creative ideas for marketing your business (any business!).

The thread was started a month ago, and it just keeps growing.

Well worth your time!

Luv,

MaaMaw

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Free Scripts... Bzillions of Them!

Once upon a time, the words "free script" sent me screaming to the bathroom to bolt myself in for a week (with a nice supply of chocolate, you understand).

Well I've grown up (and out) since then, and I'm not afraid of *little* scripts anymore.  I've found that some are okay even for the technically challenged.

Here's a positively dandy site where they give away oodles of FREE scripts for some of the neatest tricks.

Luv,

MaaMaw
Thanks to Steve MacLellan's fine forum for this one :-)

Copyright Permissions... The Whole Poop

Here's an article that discusses, in detail, ten of the most-asked questions about copyright permissions.

It really isn't anything new, but the author approaches each topic a little differently, in a way that really seemed to click for me.

Luv,

MaaMaw

The Most Comprehensive Internet Marketing Course On the Planet

Work-At-Home Job Listings

We get lots of people at the FIB forum asking about certain "business opportunities" and referring to them as "jobs."

There's a world of difference between a business and a job, and you need to make that distinction before you go in search of your fortune.

Legitimate work-at-home JOBS are few and far between, but they do exist. 

Today, I stumbled on this page at Work At Home Moms, where they list genuine work-at-home jobs (which means the employer pays you, absolutely *never* the other way around!).  They get new listings daily.

If you're looking for a job, as opposed to a homebased business, take time to check out their listings.

Luv,

MaaMaw

Niche Sites... A Success Story

If you haven't read Mike Long's comment on my "One Baby Step" entry, now would be a good time.  This is a person who made very little progress in his first three years on the internet, but when he finally pulled himself together and took it one step at a time, he went from $500 a month to $5,000 in less than one year!

Sometimes all it takes is MOTIVATION.

When I had a secure offline business, I wasn't motivated to bust my hiney doing any more than I was doing -- and Mike wasn't either. 

Well he's doing it now, and so can I... and so can YOU, if you want it badly enough!

I'm adding Mike's blog to my links as I eagerly await the next installment.

Thanks, Mike, for dropping by!

Luv,

MaaMaw

The Most Comprehensive Internet Marketing Course On the Planet

Just ONE Baby Step Forward

Kiddies, for seven years -- count 'em, SEVEN! -- I have had a successful business, marketing, and scambusting forum and a reasonably popular web site.  (Yes, the forum is successful; Google ranks it as 5/10, right up there with the best of 'em.)

And for those entire seven years (with two short-lived but notable exceptions), my income from the site has held fairly steady, ranging between about $500 and $1200 a month.

I've been satisfied with that because all I've had time to do is dabble.  I had an offline business that consumed my life, so I was okay with making that kind of money doing virtually nothing except maintaining my board.

FOR CRAPSAKE!!

Reality is busting my door down!!

My offline income vaporized a month ago, and I have a total of two more months to turn my internet businesses into a living wage or I have to go back to doing something I absolutely DETEST for no less than 12 hours a day if we're going to make it. 

My daughter and grandson are nine, and I am absolutely determined... it ain't gonna happen!

I've been doing pretty well staying on track (that's a first!) -- no money yet but making nice progress (and I wasn't expecting any fast results in the money department, so that's okay).

But yesterday and today have been the pits.  I've been online since 4:00 a.m. this morning, and I have made ZERO progress.  Zippy, Skippy.  I've been plowing through 1900+ emails and having trouble with my connection (the icing on my brownie).

I was about to sign off and start school (we're homeschoolers)... and a little voice stopped me dead in my tracks (well, it wasn't so little -- it SCREAMED in my ear and I think I may be deaf, but I digress).

It shrieked,

"ONE BABY STEP, YOU IDIOT!!"

So instead of signing off, I decided to give myself an extra 15 minutes (no great loss in the overall scheme of things) -- no emails, no checking my board, no whining about what didn't get done -- and getting myself ONE BABY STEP CLOSER TO MY GOAL (in this case, that meant following steps three and four in the Neil Shearing report I mentioned yesterday).

It wasn't a wasted morning after all!

Baby steps add up to big steps, and big steps add up to giant steps! 

It's so easy to get lost when you're working on the net -- it's no secret that's why I've made so little progress in seven years -- but I'm not going to let that happen anymore.  Thanks to just a tad of my daddy's obsessive-compulsive disorder, the little voice won't shut up.

Sorry to carry on so, but this simple little revelation has just blown me away.  (Yes, I'm demented, now you know).

Luv,

MaaMaw

An EBay Success Story

I absolutely hate Ebay. 

Why?

Because every time I try it, I bomb.  Plus the fact that I look at all those people with 600 auctions running, and only about 15% of them actually getting bids, and the ones that do sell bringing in $3 a pop, and I think, "THESE PEOPLE ARE NUTS!!"

But they can't all be nuts (or can they?).  They're obviously making money or they wouldn't keep torturing themselves (or would they?).

I don't know.

But what I do know is that this DeWalt tool guy is a HUGE EBay success.  Here's the story.

Luv,

MaaMaw

Find Link Partners With This Free Service

There's a brand new website that claims it will help you find hundreds of link partners and easily set up link exchanges with them.

I gather there's usually a monthly fee for such a service, but this one is free!

Luv,

MaaMaw

The Fast Track To a Google Listing

Two methods here... the first one is short & simple and has to do with using AdSense, even if only temporarily.

The second one is an outstanding report by Neil Shearing.  The methods are more involved, but the report cuts right to the chase, presents the information in a nice step-by-step format, and even includes screen shots.

Can't wait to finish bloggin' so I can get back to Neil's article :-)

Luv,

MaaMaw
Thanks to Michael Mayhew for telling us about Neil's report!

How To Protect Your PDF Ebook

This article by Neil Tarvin explains some of the basics for protecting your PDF ebook from poachers.

He offers a couple of alternatives to the Acrobat security settings, but more importantly, he tells how people are unwittingly giving their book away by putting the downloadable file on their PayPal and Clickbank THANK-YOU PAGE! 

I don't know about you, but being the honest type, I would never have thought of that!

Luv,

MaaMaw
Visit Tony Blake's Board

Are You Color Stupid?

OH RAPTURE!!

Thanks to Dave Mauder for posting this on the Friends In Business Board.

I am absolutely useless when it comes to selecting colors (just this morning I asked my board buddies if they were offended by the new "dog bile barf" color on my FIB site, but I guess that's more than you wanted to know).  Anyhoo, and Dave posted a link to this wonderful site.

You put in the "hex code" for your base color, and they give you an "automatic return" of complementary colors, analogous colors (whatever that means), different shades and tints of the same color, and several other things I don't understand.

Blessum you, Dave!

Luv,

MaaMaw

Scams 101...
Learn To Smell a Rat Before It Bites You In the Hiney

Turn Your Blog Into a Book

Well looky here!  This company takes your blog and turns it into a book.  There are three types of bindings, and the prices don't look much worse than any other self-publishing book printers I've checked out.

If you're planning to turn your blog book into a product (instead of just a souvenir for yourself or a brag book for grandma), you'll want to know about quantity discounts.  I didn't see anything about that, but I can't imagine it would cost the same per book if you ordered 100 instead of 1...??

Luv,

MaaMaw

Visit the FIB Message Board...
The Friendliest Place On the Net

Biz Idea... Detailing Car Interiors

I just got finished reading How To Detail Car Interiors for Huge Profits by Pete Egeler. 

Very good, and worth every penny!!

It's an easy business to start -- very low investment (or none if you happen to have all the stuff on hand) -- you can do it anywhere there are cars -- and it can pay a DANDY hourly rate!

Nope, I'm not an affiliate... just a grateful customer.  (I'm hoping to get my husband to do this on weekends and help save us from going to live in a tree.)

Luv,

MaaMaw

Visit the Friends In Business Message Board

The $100 Hour

This one has so many off-the-wall ideas that I thought it was worth sharing, even though it's several years old.

You'll find it at Barbara Sher's Forum (a new one for me) -- sort of a wild & woolly brainstorming session about how to turn one hour into $100.

Warning -- the thread is humongous!

Luv,

MaaMaw

Direct Sales... When "NO!" Is a Good Thing

In this message, Don Alm coaches all you fearless direct-sales types in the fine art of becoming energized with each wonderful "NO!" you get.  (You'd have to scrape me off the floor first.)

Luv,

MaaMaw

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Cold Calling Advice & Alternatives

There's a big thread about cold calling on Tony Blake's board... lots of good advice and some alternatives.

Ugh!  The very thought makes my skin peel.

Luv,

MaaMaw

Special-Offer Countdown Scripts

There are two replies to this post, with two very different alternatives.

Luv,

MaaMaw

P.S. Remember, if you get "No Message," it's because they roll into the archives pretty fast.  The "Success Forum Archive Menu" is linked in itty-bitty letters near the top of the board.  There's no way to be sure, but I'm guessing you'll find this thread in Archive 180.

How To Start Your Own Internet Business
When You Don't Know Diddly

Wedding Photo Biz

Don Alm stopped by Friends In Business to tell Randy how to triple his wedding photo business.

True, this is very specialized and I doubt many wedding photographers are reading MaaMaw's Morsels right now, but Don's advice is always SO good, and if you dust off the old thinking cap, you can often learn something from it even if it doesn't apply to you directly.

Luv,

MaaMaw

P.S. If the link takes you to "No Message," it's because it has rolled into Ye Olde Archives; just go back and type archive1/ into the URL right after board1/ and it should pop right up.

P.S. Again: Don had more to say later.  Be sure to read Randy's reply, followed by Don's "Nope" message about how you can't just be the best; you have to set yourself apart from the best with a Unique Selling Advantage.  (Whatever business you're in, listen to this man; he really knows his stuff, and although he's an off-line wonder, his principles can be applied to online businesses too, well duh.)

MaaMaw's Favorite Last-Chance Biz Ops

PayPal Tip Jar

Whoa doggy!  I just stumbled over a good article detailing four ways to make money with your blog.

Google Adsense and Affiliate Programs didn't come as any surprise, and I guess Advertising didn't really either... but a Tip Jar???

Luv,

MaaMaw
Where To Start When You Want To Make Money On the Internet
But You Don't Know HTML from Cream-Filled Chocolate Hearts
(ooooo, doesn't that sound good?)

Procrastinators: The One-Item To-Do List

I just wanted to take a second to share the only other tip that has helped me make a dent in my 47-page to-do list.  (I'm serious... I keep it in a notebook with nice neat little tabs because it makes me feel "in control" to write things down, but I never actually do anything on my list; I think I might be nuts, but that's another blog.)

(We're talking about the things you just can't seem to get done -- not the daily stuff like feeding your kids, watering the dog, stocking the refrigerator, etc.  You understand that, right?)

I heard this on a radio-shrink show, and it really works (at least it does for me).

Make your to-do lists, sort them, rewrite them, put them on little cards -- whatever it takes to keep you from going insane -- but then PUT THEM AWAY.

I'm talking out of SIGHT, and out of MIND.

Tonight, take out your list, and write ONE THING on a nice clean piece of paper.  Put it where your useless "to-do" list doesn't live anymore (because you hid it, remember?).

Tomorrow -- gasp! -- do it!

Tonight -- find your big list, cross off that one thing, and pick another to put on a nice clean piece of paper for tomorrow.

For me, the fear was that everything would take too long -- but y'know, scratching off 7 things a week is 7 more than I was scratching off before.

Luv,

MaaMaw

Big List of Blog Search Engines

Wish I hadn't wasted so much time this morning trying to figure out how to add MaaMaw's Morsels to one lousy blog search engine...

Well, not a lousy one actually, it's one of the biggest, but let's not nitpick.  My point is simply that I wasted a humongous amount of time before I stumbled onto The Big List of Blog Search Engines, which told me at a glance that this particular one has "no submission process."  Hmmpphh!!

Luv,

MaaMaw

Using "Preview Video" To Sell Big$$ Items

If you sell big-ticket items and want to pre-qualify your prospects, here's an outstanding thread at Sowpub, started by none other than marketing genius Don Alm.

Luv,

MaaMaw
Visit the FIB Message Board

FREE Offer: Professional Voice Over

No kidding... read all about it at Tony Blake's board.

If you get "No Message" then it's rolled into the archives... but I doubt an offer like this could last forever anyhoo.

Luv,

MaaMaw
Scams 101:  Learn To Smell a Rat Before It Bites You In the Hiney

Bloggers... Got FeedBurner?

It's free and easy and full of tricks.  Very impressive for one who doesn't know diddly about "RSS" and "Atom" and "syndicating." 

FeedBurner handles all that for you, and they even give you this spiffy button...



Oh, and while you're thinking along these lines... I'm sure you already know about Pingomatic, yes?

OH WOW!!  Will miracles never cease? 

I was feeling testy because Pingomatic is called PingoMATIC and it isn't automatic at all... you have to go there yourself and ping.  But guess what?  It had remembered all my information, and all I had to do was click "SUBMIT" (it's pretty hard to complain about that) --

PLUS, one of the places it pings is FeedBurner, so unless I'm missing something, you don't have to go to FeedBurner every time you make a change (I could be wrong about that).

Eee gads... SO much to learn!!

Luv,

MaaMaw

P.S. Just dropping by a couple of hours later to tell you I pinged through Pingomatic and it did not update my FeedBurner; I had to go there and update manually, but again, only about three clicks and no big deal.  (Just wanted to let you know so you don't think you're pinged when you aren't.  Best not to take my word for anything technical!)

P.S. Again: Well, here it is a week later, and I'm dropping by to say, "I told you not to listen to me about anything technical!!"  I have since learned that you do not need to PING at all!  Pingomatic says, "Hey, you!  There's been a change!  Spider me now!"  Each place does it on their own schedule, and Pingomatic alerts them, but if you do nothing, you will still get updated.  (In fact, all that pinging apparently uses up bandwidth, which I gather is bad for us all.)  And that's all I know.

New Software Product Idea

Becky Hagel just posted this idea at FIB.

If you're confused, it's in relation to getting your business in order (see earlier blog entry, "What If You Croak?").

Luv,

MaaMaw

P.S. If the link has rolled off into Ye Olde Archives, you'll be able to find it by typing archive1/ in the URL right before index.cgi.

Newspaper List... Even Better Than Gebbie

WHOA! I just found this site courtesy of a Michael Ross post on the SowPub forum.

Luv,

MaaMaw

What If You Croak?

Will your family be able to carry on your business if they want to? And if they don't, will they even know where to find the money?

This article by Becky Hagel is an absolute must read.

Luv,

MaaMaw

P.S. If the link has rolled off into Ye Olde Archives, you'll be able to find it by typing archive1/ in the URL right before index.cgi.

The BEST Website Host On The Planet
(and I do not get one thin dime for telling you this)

Great Biz Ideas (if you can SELL)

Don Alm has the most wonderful ideas for offline businesses!!

They're totally out of my league because all require having the kanoodles to go out and fearlessly SELL SELL SELL... but if you fit the bill and you're looking for ideas, you really don't want to miss donalm.com.

He never charges for the ideas (all of which are tried & true). He does sell complete plans if you want to buy one, but he also hands out an amazing number of FREE details. You'll never find a two-liner written just to entice you to buy a "how-to" manual.

For the latest, read this thread.

Just a note...

Don can be an extremely nice guy. At one point, I was planning to open a for-sale-by-owner used-car lot (his idea); he was incredibly generous with his time, and I will be forever grateful (even though I fell flat on my face with the first property-owner I tried to negotiate with and melted at the thought of trying it again, which I should have anticipated because my kanoodles are pathetic little shriveled things, but I digress). All I started out to say is that you don't want to get in his face or he'll rip yours off.

Luv,

MaaMaw
Scams 101: Learn To Smell a Rat Before It Bites You In the Hiney

Summer Business Ideas

I expect this is going to be a great thread:

clicky-doodle

Luv,

MaaMaw

P.S. Messages on Tony's board roll off in to the archives pretty fast.  If the link comes up "no message," you might find it at http://www.ablake.net/archive180/

Looking for Media Links?

The most complete list I've ever seen is at Gebbie.com.

Just click on "Media Links" and go from there.

Radio Stations
TV Stations
Newspapers
Magazines

Luv,

MaaMaw
A post on Tony Blake's board
made me think of this.

Paperwork Procrastinator?

I am.

It's what I do best.

It isn't at all unusual for me to have two months of mail unopened. I've probably wasted a full year of my life frantically flipping through envelopes trying to find the bill I have to pay today (and it's always TODAY, never next week or "on the 15th").

A lot of stuff takes care of itself if I ignore it long enough (but alas, a lot of stuff gets me in terrible trouble).

I'm perfectly capable of organizing... I just don't.

Anyhoo, that is neither here nor there. My point is to pass along something I read in a magazine. Of all the bzillion-or-so useless tips I've read and ignored, I just can't ignore this one:

Get one of those crates that holds hanging files, and label a bunch of hanging folders with ONE VERB. Use absolutely NOTHING but verbs. The verb should be the action you need to take to

(da daaaaaaa!)

GET THAT PIECE OF PAPER OUT OF YOUR LIFE FOREVER.

This is haunting me. Every time I think, "I'm not going to do this," a little voice says, "Get it out of your life forever!"

Okay, so you've got folders that say "call" and "file" and "fill out form" and "research" and "decide" and "write check" and "stamp envelope" (hey, nothing is too small to put me into "I'll-do-it-tomorrow" mode).

Never put two verbs on a folder. If your piece of paper needs two actions, move it to a different folder when the first action is behind you (or finish it?? naaaaaa...)

Put every last piece of paper in a folder.

Then start working through the folders one by one. Set aside a little time each day, or a little more time each week (another day, another week... after three years, who cares?). Don't allow yourself to drift, and don't allow yourself to bypass even ONE piece of paper (hear the little voice?).

The point is, when you start actually doing something (i.e., making phone calls), the momentum keeps you going (at least that's how it works for me).

As new papers come in, they go in the trash, you take care of them on the spot, or you put them in the correct folder.

I'm not finished yet, but I'm closer than I have been in 15 years... and it seems like there's a little less stress every time I get a paper out of my life forever.

Luv,

MaaMaw
Want an internet business but you
don't know HTML from garlic bread?

Free Templates

Click here to get a whole pile of free templates from VirtualCovers.com....

22 banners
38 e-covers
40 membership cards
20 software boxes

They aren't the fanciest I've ever seen, but they're about 10,847.3% better than anything I can turn out.

Luv,

MaaMaw
Visit the FIB Message Board

Top Google Ranking

Talk about paranoid! I was afraid to put put "back-door loophole" in the subject line in case it got my blog zapped :-)

I found this on Willie Crawford's board. It talks about a little-known way of getting a top ranking in Google.

I don't know diddly about it myself, but I think it's well worth your time to check it out.

Luv,

MaaMaw

Why Blog? Top 6 Reasons...

I stumbled on this positootly outstanding article by Linda Bruton: The 6 Top Reasons Marketers Should Blog.

From there, be sure to visit her web site. (This is opening in a little-bitty window on my Netscape, but it works perfectly on Internet Explorer.)

Great stuff!!

Luv,

MaaMaw
Visit the FIB Message Board

Fonts with "Click'N'Use" Installation

I hate hunting down special fonts, and I hate installing them even more.

Gotta love this site!

Luv,

MaaMaw
Visit the FIB Message Board

Print On Demand

Here's a site that goes into great detail about "print on demand," from explaining what it is, to discussing the pros and cons, to giving you a side-by-side comparison of the many companies that offer "print-on-demand publishing."

I especially like the way they point out red flags in some of the contracts.

Note... there's a world of difference between "print-on-demand" publishers (who end up with an interest in your book and pay you royalties) and "self-publishing" companies (who print it and go away, not unlike your local Kinko's). This article discusses the differences. (Geeeez!!! I can't believe I didn't know this!!!)

Luv,

MaaMaw
Visit the FIB Message Board

USB Flash Drives

I'm guessing this is only news to me, but maybe not:

I can't believe these nifty little "hard drives." They're literally the size of your pinky and protected by a rubber sleeve so they can safely dangle from your keychain!!

I'm slobbering over this because every time I leave home for any length of time, I have to haul along my external hard drive (and I thought that was a miracle!).

Here's a site with price comparisons.

OHMIGAWD!! I was about to leave and I stumbled on this site. Can you believe these little things? (I feel like Rip Van Winkle! Have there been any chocolate advances I should know about?)

Luv,

MaaMaw
Visit the FIB Message Board

WELCOME... and what am I doing here?

What I know about blogging you can write on the pulpy side of your thumb. I can't even say I've learned by example, since I never read the bloomin' things. So, as usual, I'll just jump right in and see which end of my personal self I land on.

This little blog is an attempt to resurrect my old newsletter, "The Boardwatch."

While I struggle to turn years of "dabbling" into a full-time income, I'm spending ungodly amounts of time surfing the best biz and marketing boards, reading how-to articles, and checking out web site tools -- all in a desperate attempt to get myself back up to speed. By sharing the best of the best, I hope to keep my head from exploding.

And I confess... I miss being in the thick of things. I dearly loved zipping across the waves screeching, "MAAMAW SURFS SO YOU DON'T HAVE TOOOOOOOOOO!!" (I'll spare you the visual, but if you get out at all, you'll see it soon enough.) (I'm the buxom little broad in the pink polka-dot bathing suit.)

I hope you find something useful here!

Luv,

MaaMaw