Web Hosting and Domain Names - Helping You Take Control of Branding Your Business in Online Overload

Whether you are working to improve your business or have a fun and personal website about yourself, taking the initiative to host it so that you can control it is so much more critical than allowing some other person to run the format/layout of the site. Sites like Facebook, Myspace and Twitter are great formats to put your content, but until you obtain your own domain, any plans to become financially successful are dramatically diminished due to the lack of specific features and benefits on these sites.

For starters, you do not get your own personalized email with these programs. Nothing works greater than to have your own "FirstLastName@YourDomain....." It is possible if you are one of the few with a random name to get your name with an AOL, Gmail, yahoo etc. account, but these do not show the world any relevant qualities or hints about the person or what they are involved in. Often you end up with something that is a combination of letters and numbers when you use these free email accounts, which might not help in branding your business one bit! If you want to keep that special one you had many years ago when email really bloomed and you signed up for many accounts with it, there may be a benefit to keeping it. Taking the initiative to get your own site will allow you to brand yourself and get more people to read your emails as it also becomes more personal. This should allow you to get more email conversions than using info[at]_____ or support[at]______, though these accounts can be established as well when you begin to define your business better and may need them.

Next, when you get your own domain and hosting you have an option of many features and benefits that may include, but are not limited to cPanel, Fantastico (WordPress and Forums), autoresponders, opt-in forms, email forwarders, site templates, video hosting, conference rooms and more depending on the program or web hosting company you choose. Here is a little breakdown of the benefits of each feature:

1.cPanel??? This allows you total control over your website from editing to loading files through an FTP platform quickly, setting up Wordpress, email accounts and more

2.Fantastico??? Allows you to set up your WordPress blog and set up forums related to a topic of interest of the site. These can be places to put advertisements, videos, reviews of products and more.

3.Autoresponders??? when someone comes to your site, you want to keep them coming or at least be able to keep them updated to what is happening with the business of program. These programs allow you to send messages or posts to anyone who opted or signed in to your list.

4.Opt-in forms??? a fill in the blank application that brings a customer or viewer to your autoresponder and then to a site, video, program of choice. Double opt-ins are beneficial in that they guarantee you are not being spammed. When you send out a message, you may get many returned if the person did not go to their "real" email address and confirm that they were a "real" person accepting messages from you.

5.Email Forwarders??? These help to streamline your websites. You might have many sites and not want to log into every cPanel and email account each day. If you have them all forwarded to the same generic email you can save time when you do get a message from that account.

6.Site templates??? Many people do not know how to or care to use html code. Having ready made templates can save time and easily get your web site up. You can edit as needed in the html editor of cPanel in a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) method.

7.Video Hosting??? I know Youtube is popular, but a site like this forces people to see other videos that they may find offensive, which is one of the main reasons why as a Science teacher, I do not have access to this site in school. You could embed the code for the video into a premade template (see #6 above) but you still have the Youtube links there and logos. Certain plans allow for video uploading and producing.

8.Conference Rooms??? We do not have an endless flow of money to get us around the world at a moments notice to have a meeting with like minded individuals. Getting in front of a computer with a video capabilities allow you to easily meet someone from the other side of the world to host a meeting. These may range from a few seats to thousands of seats that are available for people to log into and be part of the experience. Think Webinars!

When it comes to branding, you want to get a domain name that is easy to remember or looks appealing if you send someone a link or it appears in an ad. As an example, MagneticSponsors and BasicLacrosse are easy to remember domain names compared to something with numbers and symbols like "FRD$&32PV.Program..." which might include affiliate links and are not very appealing. In addition to email forwarders, you can also forward a domain to your affiliate link. It looks more appealing to the viewer. It also prevents a viewer from modifying your link and typing in the main domain without your affiliate link which causes you to lose out on the referral like "Program..." in the above example.

There are many options out there for catchy domain names and you might want to grab it up before someone else does. Even if you do not put any effort into setting up the site, you can always do what is called Cash Parking, where the host may put ads onto your site (assuming people stumbled on it by accident and could see Pay Per Click, or PPC ads from a variety of sources.) For example, if you try to go to BadLacrosse, you might see everything from Lacrosse the sport, to Buick Lacrosse to LaCrosse Wisconsin! When people click the ad, instead of you getting charged, someone else does and you actually make a very small commission of their fee.

There are many programs and hosting companies out there and it can be very hard to choose which one is best for you and your business. I personally have gone with GoDaddy for most of my domain name purchases, though I have only set up 1 site with them. Most of my sites are hosted through GVO. I highly suggest checking out both of their offers.

AUTHOR BIO BOX
To get in touch with me, send an email to "DaveGardner@MagneticSponsors.com", I will be sure to write you back. This is what I was referring to when branding yourself above as it includes my name and an easy to remember domain name! For more information on features and benefits, you can find out more about GVO (Global Virtual Opportunities) hosting packages.

Small Business Owner on a Budget? Ready to Set Up a Website? Questions to Make the Process Easy

Ok, so you're thinking about your business growth and marketing it online with a profitable website. Now what? One question answered, seems to spit out dozens more. So what do you do? Give up due to lack of time? No - You start calling those web developers you know or have searched out online. When you do you find out that they cost more than you can afford and want lots of involvement from you. They want you to submit Content, Images, Pages, links, etc. etc. etc. And then even more questions arise from these conversations. You then think to yourself, "Oh my, what can of worms did I just open up? " There is a solution. I promise.

At this point, most people do one or two of several actions. 1) is to give up. You are busy and have too many other things on your plate. You'll get back to it in your slow time. Or 2) Throw some money at someone hoping they will take the project and just do it for you. Or 3) venture out into the world of thousands of free or low cost do it yourself website design, start the project, something comes up and suddenly you are month's down the line with a website that is STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION 3 years later.

Which one are you? Has it helped or worked to increase your sales any? Did it create a return on your investment of time and or money? I am going to bet that it is a resounding, NO! Or you wouldn't be sitting there in front of your computer reading this article. So with that in mind, I am assuming you are in the phase of looking for help with your online web development or looking to increase the sales you get from your current site. Right?

Let's get started on figuring out what it is you are stumbling over. Let's give you back the control of what is holding you up and get your site headed in the right direction, creating funds for your business. But to do that we have to back up and start over a bit. Don't worry, it won't hurt too much.

Over the past few years I have developed a few tools to help my clients to help me create a site that works to sell them online at a much higher rate than before or at all. Work books that you can do when your thinking about your marketing online. These work books have been a source of relief to many of my clients to help them when going through the arduous process that ensues when embarking upon a project such as this. They help them to stream line and accumulate the things you or your developer will need from you, when you start on the project.

Ready to get started on a few of the very first questions you need to answer before you embark on web development yourself or with a designer.

1) First and foremost you need to decide upon the "purpose" of your website. Now don't cop out and just say I want a site. Actually think about what the site's end result should be. What is the goal actions you want your clients to perform from this site. It is helpful if you are VERY descriptive here.

2) What do you expect this site to create for you in dollars and cents. And what kind of a budget have you allocated to complete those goals. Are they a reality or will you actually achieve those goals with that budget? If not, then start with one goal in mind and work progressively towards the rest of the picture. But set time lines to achieve each part of those, and the ultimate end goal. Some web developers will work with you on this, by setting in place a plan to get each goal achieved in your time frame that meets your budget. I know that is why I do what I do.

3) Are you planning to sell products online? If so

4) Are you planning to ship the products yourself or hire a company to do this for you? Do you have one in place?

5) Do you have a "shopping cart" in mind? This is your Point of Sale System (POS) for your website. If you hire a web developer they may already have one they use regularly and may require you to use it to use their development programs. Some may require extra money to use yours as it will take more time for them to gain the learning curve of your system. If you are going to develop your own site, and are planning to sell products online you may need to learn this as well. Fair warning: this may take time, and trial and error. You just need to decide if you are willing to pay someone to do it or if you would rather save money by doing it yourself. A couple of suggestions here: 1) PayPal has a great shopping cart that is pretty user friendly and 2) many of your local community colleges have a web development program where students can work on your site for you at a much reduced cost. Note: if you have LOTS and LOTS of time to wait this may work for you.

6) If you are an MLM your Company may allow you to link images of products to your Point of Sale site. (a page where your clients can buy and you get the commissions from) The down side of doing this is that you are more than likely only going to get to link to the full catalogue site and your customers will have to search once again for the products. Upside you will not have to worry about your POS system, including shipping costs, shipping and handling of the products to the customers, no shopping cart set up on your site, and you will get paid through your company. Easier yes, less effective yes. My opinion, yes.

7) Every website needs content! EVERY WEBSITE! Both, Seo and humans need to read your website. It can mean a Higher placement in the search engines as well as a much higher conversion to sales rates. So you have to think about and write a minimum of 250 words for each page. 3 Paragraphs or more. With a call to action. Meaning that every page needs to show the visitor why they should buy from you over the millions of others that do the same thing you do, how you solve their problem (what every that may be) and then how to buy it. Many people leave that up to the "contact us" page. Statistics have shown us that if you leave it up to the "contact us" page you are asking for the visitor to flip through several links to buy. Um,..... this does not work well and can break the deal. Make it EXTREMELY easy for them to buy from you by putting that call to action on every page and several places on the page. You'll be happy you did. Of this I promise you.

8) Do you want to write it yourself or hire a "content writer" Some people find it simpler, faster and cost effective to hire a content writer. Many of these are out there and some are relatively inexpensive. I have several that I use and offer out to my clients to choose from. If you would like one I would be happy to send you their contact info.

9) When thinking of Content for your site. Do not forget to add in what makes you stand out amongst the millions of others who do the very same things you do. Use this to your advantage. And use a 'testimonials' page. Many stats are showing us that a 'testimonials' page builds that trust factor as others have used your services and like what you did for them. My suggestion is always to use this page to link to their site if possible as this can help your Page Rank (PR) and your client will be appreciative to have a link from your site to theirs. Plus, it gives the testimonials credibility when your surfers can actually contact the happy client.

10) Target Audience: Who do you want to find your site? Consider this: if you are a Heating and Cooling Co. you may not want to get a contract that hundreds of miles out of your district. But if you are a Company that sells Widgets online and it does not matter if you ship hundreds of miles away then it won't matter to you that your site is being found 2 thousand miles away. But if your site is found in another country are you ready to deal with shipping across borders? All things to consider when developing the SEO (Search Engine Optimization or Placement of your site on the www.) of your site.

11) What Keywords do you believe that your Customers/Clients would search the www. For your products or services? (hint: Google AdWords is a great tool to compile this list) Don't assume you know either. Ask your network this question as well. They may have a different idea and are probably more accurate than you)

12) Where do most of your Customers/Clients come from? Think Locality.

13) Domain name: Many people believe that their business name is the best domain name for their site. Why not, many people know your business for that name right? Think about that last statement. Are you trying to get their business again or do you already have them in your client book of business? My suggestion is to yes, buy that domain name if you can and have several others that are SEO worthy. (want to know what that means? You can wait until this comes up in another article or you can contact me directly to ask about this as it would take a whole article to give you the why's of this one.) Suffice it to say it is VERY beneficial to your results to get this right.

14) Hosting: Who do you want to host the site? Your web developer probably will handle this for you if you use one. They have servers or they contract this out to a professional hosting co. and have various options according to your needs, and goals. Or are you planning to find a hosting service to utilize yourself? If you are there are things you need to consider.

a) Price for services

b) ftp access

c) down time (don't skimp here) GoDaddy has the best Customer Service available 24/7, very low prices, almost non-existent down time, and the technical help dept will talk to you on your level.

15) If you are considering hosting it yourself you should understand, a website file structure, the FTP process, and that this may take loads of time out of your day to maintain. If you are willing to put in the time to do-it-yourself, it could be a budget saver and it could also be a nightmare you may not wish to embark upon. To make this decision you may want to ask around of your network of business owners what has been their experience and weigh out your options vs time.

16) What would your site navigation look like? Make sure it is easy to use. Make everything you do on your site easy to find and utilize. (ask for a free website mapping work sheet by emailing your request to us) See Signature at bottom

It may help you to educate yourself in the definitions of at least the simplest of website terminology so that you understand what the Web Developer is saying to you. After all he is the techno geek you are hiring to create this online brochure of yours. But he is a techno geek and he knows that. But to give yourself a better understanding and a clear idea of the communications he is sending you, take a few minutes and educate yourself on what it is he is asking for so that you and he are on the same page. And Yes, I am one of those techno geeks myself. I am not just a member of the techno geeks anonymous, I could be the President.

When you get into actual development there are more things to consider for the optimum conversion rate of your project. These are just to get you started on the things you should think of when embarking upon a Profitable Website for your business.

Remember: Each step of this process is time consuming, but is a very integral step in a successful site that builds your business. These can take time to create the maximum return from your site. Don't get in a rush to just get something up as your website in today's world is your first impression. Do you want them to see "site under construction" and hope they come back sometime down the road? MOST WILL NOT> Plan carefully, integrate the best of you, and create a huge return on your investment, whether it be your time or your money. Stay involved in the project from start to end if you hire someone else to do it. And MOST OF ALL HAVE FUN WITH IT! Life can be too serious. Many people are repulsed by sites that are dry or too techie. They love fun, so give it to them even if you are a Financial Advisor or CPA. Give us all a bit of you and they will love you for it.

I always love hearing from everyone on how they found me. Drop a line letting me know how you found me.

Wishing you the highest successes possible,
Cheri J. Williams
Where your results are our business

Web Design and Internet Strategies
http://www.beneficialbusinessbuilders.com
To request the work book - send to info@beneficialbusinessbuilders.com
406-756-9151
Don't just trip over your success, grow it!

Free Advice to Help You Succeed in Any Home Based Business

FREE, that is my favorite four letter word. These are just a few of the tips that I picked up this week for FREE.

If you want customers to come to your website, you must know what people are searching for on the web. Here is a FREE tool to help you to determine what people are looking for and therefore which keywords you want to target. Once you know which keywords to target, then there is a FREE way to get on Google's first page. Hint: Article writing with a twist.

If you want to make money, then your focus should not be on your company, but on your customers. People are looking for solutions to their problems. The easiest way to make money is to understand a common problem and provide a solution. One discussion this week was on "The 6 steps to 7 figures". Here is the condensed version of the discussion:

1. Motivation

2. Heart

3. Production

4. Creativity

5. Personal Development

6. Leadership

There was a lot more, but hopefully you get the picture. Now how do you get in on this and gain knowledge for yourself? Every morning at 10:00 am Central Standard Time, there is a call hosted by someone in the home business industry who has already made millions. These people can now sit back and just share information with others. I encourage you to try it for one week. I guarantee that after that week your whole outlook will be different. Again, to get the details, pleas get in touch with me.

Jeff Reed is part owner of Internet Marketing Consultants. We struggled for many years in Network Marketing, now we are teaching others what we have learned. Contact us for some FREE tips.

Small Business Owners - Reach & Attract Pre Qualified Prospects With Teleclasses

You are probably already using a variety of the tools in your marketing toolbox - a website with fresh content, regular emails campaigns, strategic media placements, quality networking. But have you considered the underutilized marketing goldmine of a teleseminar?

These education sessions are an inexpensive and easy option to reach large audiences right over the telephone. Only you will know for sure if this tactic has a place in your marketing plan. But as with every element of your plan, you must first determine the goal in measurable terms.

Do you want:

o more visibility for you or your business?
o more newsletter subscribers or Twitter followers?
o quality and strategic joint ventures?
o more subscribers to a longer and paid series of classes?
o MORE EARNED OR PASSIVE INCOME?

Once your purpose is clear, you can then consider format and venue. Do you want full interaction with your participants, or would you prefer limited interruptions? Will the list of participants be available to all callers, or will they remain anonymous? Because your teleseminar will technically be held in cyberspace, venue refers more to delivery options. Teleseminars are hosted over the phone; the education leader has a main call-in number and participants each call from their respective location. To include multi-media, such as a PowerPoint presentation or streaming video, a wealth of web technology is available to convert your teleseminar into a webinar or webcast.

There are many service providers with different areas of expertise. Some quality and low/no-cost providers to check out are:

o Free Audio Conferencing
o Free Conference
o The Basement Ventures

With a clear end-goal in mind, next outline your key message and all supporting messages. Be careful about making your teleseminar too much of a sales pitch. You should certainly give your company name prominent mention throughout the call, but you risk alienating participants if there isn't any perceived value they can immediately take away. You don't want to "give away the farm", but strike an appropriate balance to show you know the subject matter. It also never hurts to hint that you have lots of other good information up your sleeve, to entice attendees to join you again.

Aside from the pure educational value you will provide participants with your content, there are many other benefits inherent for participants to join a teleseminar. Be sure to mention these when marketing your session to participants:

o Convenience - participants can join in from anywhere, no travel time or commuting required. No need for meeting space or a conference room, attendees can join right from their desks.
o Cost effectiveness - a flat fee pays for unlimited attendees at one location
o Interaction - participants help create the class with their questions
o Recall - attendees can obtain a recorded version of the teleseminar to review information any time
o Sustainability - sessions are inherently "green"!

Attendees aren't the only ones on the receiving end of a long list of benefits. Teleseminars may be an even bigger bang for the buck for hosts than attendees, given all these reasons:

o Visibility - unlimited geographic bounds means you can reach a wide audience, even go global
o Longevity - taped audio/video of your session will have an afterlife
o Outreach - use participant sign-in info to build your email list
o Credibility - as a host you get name recognition and can earn expert status
o Practice - if you get nervous in front of a "live" crowd, this can help ease the anxiety
o Compilation - edit together a series of seminars to write a book
o Sales - create products to sell online, create products or packages of products for back of the room sales
o Upselling - an initial free/low-cost intro session can be followed by a more substantial series
o Visibility - in addition to exposure to attendees, you can increase search engine rankings if you decide to post your teleseminars to your site
o Status - deliver a quality teleseminar and you become the subject matter expert
o Exposure - it's a simple way for a prospects and potential joint-venture partners to get to know you better
o Affordable - no need to travel to reach a large group, there are no printing costs, the company gains "advertising" by having its name in a variety of promotional venues

Your topic doesn't have to be rocket science (unless of course you are a rocket scientist!) Chances are you have skills you take for granted, but are invaluable to others. Think back to learning to drive a car. It seemed overwhelming and scary at first, but once you learned the basics and got behind the wheel with a trusted instructor by your side, it just became a matter of becoming proficient. As a teleseminar leader, you are imparting advice on a topic you already know very well with an audience who wants to hear it.

If you're still undecided about whether to host a teleseminar, here are other reasons, courtesy of my long list of LinkedIn friends and small business owner clients using teleseminars with great results:

o Webcasts held build business and provides speaking confidence in the person giving them,
o You'll attract your target market/build a targeted mailing list
o Increased retention of training received.
o Attendees learn about a firm's expertise firsthand.
o A teleclass is a step on your marketing funnel.
o Teleclasses ranging from freebies to various costs are all a part of "getting to know you, like you, and trust you."
o It helps others become more comfortable using technology, opening up a new world of possibilities.

Now that you're ready to lead your first teleseminar, be sure to read my companion article on Teleseminar Etiquette just to make sure you don't inadvertently step on any toes during the session.

So what are you waiting for? Consider your end goal, craft a compelling session, deliver on your value proposition, and watch your business take off!

Special Mention:

Thanks to everyone at Linkedin.com who provided me with their suggestions on how teleclasses have helped them in their business.

Maria Marsala, Strategic Business Advisor, Author and Speaker at Elevating Your Business, conducts highly interactive, content-rich workshop where attendees learn to increase their sales, be more productive, maximize their company's performance, and live a high-quality life. He has been a certified teleseminar leader since 2000 and has led more than 200 sessions in that time, reaching tens of thousands of participants. For a schedule of upcoming teleseminars and workshops visit http://www.ElevatingYourBusinessU.com

Internet Freebies and Cheapies to Help You Grow Your Business

Do you dream of running your own business? Well, get ready to make that dream reality. The internet has leveled the playing field so that just about anyone can bring in big bucks doing what they love. Welcome to the global marketplace! Thanks to the web, now you can make business connections the wide world over for virtually no money... without ever leaving your home or office. What can you sell on the internet that will put you on the path to prosperity?

- Products: books, CDs, greeting cards, photo frames, gifts and collectibles, fashions... the list is endless!

- Services: writing, graphic and web design, coaching, administrative assistance, marketing, tech support, tax preparation... if you have a skill, you should be marketing it on the net.

- Memberships: to a technology forum, to a shopping club, to a pet lovers' group, to a freelance bidding auction, to a service swap, to an entrepreneur's network, to a dating service

- E-books: for dog lovers, for knitters, for aspiring millionaires, for handymen, for cooks, for astrology buffs... there is no end to what people will pay to learn about!

Brainchildren are born on the web every day. You don't even need a nest egg to make money putting big ideas to work. What you do need: lots of free time, some computer knowledge, a credit card (yes, you will have to make a few low-cost purchases), a network of supporters with varied skills, a problem-solving nature and a can-do attitude.

If you're already on your way to becoming an online success, great! No matter what stage your business is in, here are 10 no-cost or low-cost resources to help your profits soar.

1. An Earthlink Web Domain. What's an online business without a website? There are tons of low-cost domains out there, but I use Earthlink to run my own business and I'm happy with it, so that's the one I'm featuring here. For a low monthly fee, Earthlink offers a fantastic, all-inclusive web-hosting package. What you get: your own domain name, website-building software that's easy to learn, up to 30 mailboxes, and tons of enhancements including visitor counters, form scripts, file uploading and a large selection of background designs. Plus, Earthlink gives you tons of free hints, resources, tutorials and advice on how to promote your business online.

2. Microsoft Outlook. I can't fathom how anyone would manage their company email without this program. It's super-fast, offers plenty of storage space and can handle large graphic files. Open multiple email windows and copy the contents of one into the other! Sort your emails by field and deposit them into separate folders that you create and label for optimum organization. View the contents of each email without having to open each one. Block unwanted emails from entering your Inbox, or set your auto-reply for when you're away. Managing your contact addresses is a snap - and so is creating group lists for easy bulk-mailing! Can you tell I'm enamored with this program? If you bought your computer in the last five years, Outlook probably came with your Windows package... so if you haven't clicked on the program yet, do it NOW!

3. Craigslist.org. I don't know who Craig is, but God bless him for providing a F-R-E-E classified advertising forum for the world's internet users. Craigslist is the secret to my success and it can be yours, too. Post information about your business services to major cities around the globe... for no money at all! Find people who have the skills you need to build your online presence. Buy and sell anything. Broadcast your name and contact info, or be anonymous if you're the shy type! I can't tell you how many cool opportunities I've found through Craigslist. Don't waste another minute - post an ad today.

4. EzineArticles.com. Want to establish your credibility on the internet and advertise your website in the process? Ezinearticles.com offers a free article posting forum where you can showcase your skills and ideas. Write the articles yourself, or pay a writer to write them for you. Either way, you get the chance to present your professional know-how as well as read articles written by other web experts. It's a great way to swap information, promote your site, and make a name for yourself!

5. Angel Writer. For those who just bought Windows XP and discovered they have to now pay a couple of extra hundred bucks just to get a basic Word Processing program, here's some good news. You don't have to pay a dime for word processing software. Angel Writer has just about all the features that Word does, except for spellcheck and the word counter (you can easily find those on the internet if you do a little research). Save your work in the .doc, .txt and .rvf formats so that others can receive your work on email and download it into Word with no problem. Angel Writer is quick to download and simple to use. I'm working in it right now!

6. PDF 995 or Cute PDF. Why spend your hard-earned money on an expensive pdf converter when you can download one from the internet for free? Face it, anyone who runs their own shop needs a pdf converter- so you can send people creative presentations and not have to worry about them ripping you off; so you can publish e-books and upload them to your website for easy viewing (or purchasing!); so you can check out other people's stuff!

7. Picturequest.com. Think you don't have the money to feature snazzy photos in your web materials? Think again! There's a fantastic image library right at your fingertips! Picturequest.com offers royalty-free photos that you can use on your website, in your advertising, wherever! Or, if you're the serious designer looking to purchase high-quality professional photography, Picturequest's low-cost package entitles you to thousands more images. Can you picture it?

8. Ad Aware. Are you aware of the reason why your computer seems so sluggish after you've been surfing the web all day? It's because when you click on some websites, they automatically download tracking programs and malware onto your hard drive so they can monitor your web activity, and then bombard you with spam and popups. What a sleazy way to do business! The good news is, Ad Aware tracks these computer leeches and wipes them clean off your hard drive. My friend Lisa told me about this program last year when my computer was having some problems, and I'm happy to report that my baby is now running at peak performance. Thanks, Lisa!

9. The Ryze Business Network. Remember how we talked about people connections on the internet? Ryze is where you'll find aspiring businesspeople from all over the world who are waiting to swap services, exchange ideas, and royally hook you up. You'll meet people from every skill set, who are just as eager as you are to make things happen- and who are more than happy to share what they know. Just because you run your own company does not mean you're alone! The Ryze network can bring trusted business associates, trusted friends and helpful advisors. Join today, and start networking for your success!

10. Promotionworld.com. Want to find out about even more free stuff, plus find big bargains on software, information, marketing, and much more? Go to Promotionworld! Everything you need to run your own business is just a click away. Read the articles, get informed... explore hundreds of links... and then get yourself noticed on the web!

I could go on for days about all the fantastic ways I've learned how to gain business exposure on the internet for little to no money. I'm happy to share what I've learned with you! Each day brings a new discovery, so stop by my website, Wordfeeder.com, for the latest and greatest internet marketing lessons. All the best for your business!

Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.

Liked this article? Have more of the same emailed to your inbox each month. Sign up for the Copywriting and Marketing Ezine from Dina at Wordfeeder.com and learn to write search engine friendly web copy and market your web based business for free.

What You Should Expect From a Good Business Networking Seminar

Perhaps you are considering attending a business networking seminar - maybe you want to lean more about how to network effectively, maybe you want to develop your business networking skills and confidence or perhaps you see it as a great opportunity simply to network with others.

All of these are great reasons to attend a seminar and I know that whenever I have attended business networking workshops, talks or seminars I have always got something from them. However there plenty of people now who provide such training, and some are clearly less good than others, so if you have a choice think carefully what you should expect to be covered and how they are run.

If you are going to take the time out to actually travel to and attend a course you should be expecting more than a few hints and tips that you can get from a good website. The whole point of face to face to courses it that they provide the opportunity to practice business networking skills (and even better get feedback) and also to network face to face with others who too are interested in networking. So if the seminar is literally a talk with little interaction you may question whether it is worth your time and money...there is plenty here on the web. Just type in business networking advice and you will come across a whole host of useful websites.

I remember when I first attended business networking seminars there were interactive exercises right from the beginning to get us feeling relaxed, talk to the other participants and practice the skills we were being introduced to. I also remember the seminar was highly entertaining and one of its main strengths was the fact that it was being lead by a charismatic figure who knew his stuff.

So, find out about the provider of the training or seminar - what track record do they have in networking - have they run business networking groups, have they built up their own business from networking and when you contact them are they demonstrating the basic skills of networking i.e. showing a genuine interest in you and what you do, or are they straight into a sales pitch...if they are I would question whether they are a credible provider of networking training.

Find out too who else will be attending the seminar. After all if you have a choice of several programmes all appearing to offer similar content and one stands out as being attended by a whole host of contacts who could be useful to you, then this might influence your decision.

If you a part of a larger organisation there may be a number of you who need to network as part of your role so a more cost effective option may be to have an in-house programme which is tailored to not only your needs as a networker but also the organisation. A good tailor-made programme should take into account the current skill and confidence level of you and the other participants, where you currently network and what you would want to get from the programme.

Peter Nash is now a serial networker sharing his Business Networking Skills. Giving away Business Networking Tips is now Peter's passion in life so that more people can benefit from this cost effective way of marketing you and your business.

Home Based Business Tax Breaks

Home based business tax breaks are important for each entrepreneur to understand what tax breaks are available to them. Having a business in you home allows you to convert many non deductible personal expenses into tax deductible business expenses. Congress has approved major tax breaks specifically for those who have a home based business or MLM business. These types of home businesses are good for the economy and provide a safety net.   Understanding these new deductions could slash their taxes dramatically. As this type of business owner you can sometimes cut your taxes by approximately 30 to 40 percent. However, you must remember the IRS is very specific about the requirements when qualifying for home business tax deductions.

How easy it is to qualify? Qualifying is easy if the primary management of your business is conducted in your home. Consider these four things as listed below:

1.  You must make sure the home office area is used regularly and exclusively for business.

2.  You must run your business with the intent to produce a profit. You do not have to make a profit in order to qualify for the deductions you must just be working toward making a profit.

3.  Work your business on a regular and consistent basis, perhaps one to four hours a day, four or five days a week.

4.  One of the most important is you must keep good records.

The costs of starting-up your home business all can be one hundred percent deductible if they are used one hundred percent for business. Below are just a few examples of business start up costs:

1.  Promotional materials

2.  Internet access fees

3.  Cellular phones, fax lines, palm pilots, and 800-numbers

4.  Web site hosting fees, domain name costs

5.  Printing costs and business cards

6.  Home office furnishings and supplies

The rule of thumb to remember is any expense incurred is those strictly related to your business. (The key here is you would not have incurred the expense if you did not have a home based business.)

Many entrepreneurs in home based businesses can honestly and legitimately deduct $3,000 to $6,000 or more per year for use of their personal vehicles. What you need to do is keep a minimum of a ninety day mileage log or more during them year. This mileage log must show the date, destination, primary purpose and the starting and ending odometer readings of each trip. Note that only the primary purpose of each trip needs to be recorded.  Even if you combine a personal errand with a necessary business errand the vehicle use is still tax deductible. It is important to remember, as long as the primary purpose was business related and the personal errand did not add any additional mileage it can be used as a business tax deduction. 

Some other household tax deductions as a business owner include:

1.  Mortgage or rent

2.  Heating, air conditioning, electricity and natural gas

3.  Water and sewer

4.  Trash collection and recycling fees

5.  Security alarms

6.  Sometimes major house repairs and much more. 

Most taxpayers can deduct only health care costs that exceed 7.5% of their taxable income. Which means most taxpayers can't deduct anything. If you're married and employ your spouse in your home based business, you can give your spouse, as an employee benefit, a reimbursement for all health related costs not covered under any other insurance plan. This can be given to the employee (spouse) and his or her immediate family. This will also include you and the children.  Coverage includes annual deductibles, co pays, non-covered expenses like orthodontics, and even over-the-counter drugs.

Remember the tax benefits for home businesses change frequently as new tax bills are passed and new tax deduction clarifications are issued. However, when they do change they just seem to keep getting better. If you do not have a home based business you lose out on all of these huge tax deductions. These are some of the important helpful hints every new entrepreneur needs to know when it comes to taxes for your business. You will find that you too can have the success that you have always wanted. Isn't  this what every successful network marketing entrepreneur wants?

Rosan Kanas has a network marketing home business and is an entrepreneur. She is from the baby boomer era and has teamed with Jerry Rocco and Jay Kubassek whom have both shared with her their knowledge and provided training which has helped her progress in this competitive market place. Her goal is to partner and train with ambitious people who have the desire to earn five figures a month running their own network marketing business. This is her way of giving back to society. Meet Jay by visiting her website now and click the link below:

[http://Business4ALifetime.com]

Small Business Resources

If you are looking to get your small business off the ground, you will be happy to know that the Internet provides you with the means to do so. With instructional articles and forums, your knowledge about small business management will increase tenfold and in the arena of business, knowledge is equivalent to power. Read more in this article.

Small Business Resources. If you are running a small business, then you will love the fact that the Internet affords you the unique opportunity to access a variety of small business services. In fact, the Internet can guide you to resources that can help your small business become successful. Moreover, you will find that managing your l business becomes a far easier task.

Small Business resources can provide you with information pertaining to business basics, banking basics, advertising hints and strategies, proper software applications for business management, business management strategies, marketing fundamentals and much more. In fact, when you research resources on the web you will be pleasantly surprised by all of the information available to you.

Articles are an excellent source of information and can help you learn how to manage your business successfully. Frequently articles pertaining to small business focus on the minute details of business management and you can read about anything from proper tax applications to how to motivate your employees. What's more, such articles are frequently offered to you for free or at minimal charge and the information they contain is invaluable.

Alternatively, you can access forums where you can discuss small business issues with like-minded individuals: individuals that are encountering or have dealt with the same issues that concern you. Forums are a wonderful way to discuss how to motivate employees, how to handle tax issues, how to increase your bottom line, how to affectively use merchant accounts or how to handle the day-to-day workings of yourl business. You can also get some great advertising ideas.

Perhaps you have a brick and mortar business and you are looking to extend your business to Internet consumers. Then the Internet will definitely provide you with the services that you need to get your web-based business started. You can sign up for merchant accounts, find web hosting for inexpensive monthly payments, and get your business online within a few weeks. Plus, small business resources will advise you about the best way to pursue your Internet business and how to get yourself successfully established on the World Wide Web.

Looking for a way to manage your home office? Again, small business resources can provide you with exactly what you need. You can learn how to successfully establish your home office so that your small business runs as eficiently as possible. You can also learn about office organization, the right kind of equipment to purchase, what you will need to run the successful home office, how to establish a business, marketing, financial planning and more. In the end, if you are looking to get your small business off the ground, you will be happy to know that the Internet provides you with the means to do so. With instructional articles and forums, your knowledge about small business management will increase tenfold and in the arena of business, knowledge is equivalent to power.


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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Small Business
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