I’ve been using WP for a while now and I figured I’d share some of my secrets. I understand how hard it can be to teach yourself WordPress blogging but I’ve been consulting my expert, Ms. Google, and she helps me attain everything I’d ever need to (ask for) online.
Akismet: Your WordPress blog comes naturally with this amazing spam filter, but you do need to sign up to get an API on their website. To sign up for an API key, click here. Star that email that you get because you’ll probably need that key later on in your blogging career. You can use it with multiple blogs.
Goto Plugins>Activate Akismet>Settings>Paste your API Key & update. (more…)
Gravatars are the universal avatar syndicated over the web.
Super easy. From Gravatar.com: “Your Gravatar is an image that follows you from site to site appearing beside your name when you do things like comment or post on a blog. Avatars help identify your posts on blogs and web forums, so why not on any site?”
There’s even a video on how to set it up and how and when they’re used: (more…)
Ever wonder what keyword phrases you should use on your website? Check out Google’s Keyword Tool for Google keyword search. Super easy: All you have to do is type in a website you want to see how it’s doing so well in your market or phrases such as “Search Engine Optimization…”
I’m in sales (technically, I sell my services that show you how to blog/use social media better :). Who isn’t in some way? You have to sell yourself to get into college. You have to sell yourself to find a career when you get out. You get inundated with ideas and names and companies that it’s sometimes hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel but Manta.com at least gives you the directions to get you to that light. It’s up to you to make use of it.
I used to have a problem with organizing and moving my prospects, whether they be sales prospects or job prospects through a pipeline with whatever tools I have on my own computer until I found Manta.com. (more…)
So remember a while ago when you signed up for the government’s sweet Do Not Call list? Have you changed your number recently? Today I got a solicitation from a company trying to sell me automated calls.. how cliché!
So here’s me walking you thru the steps again just to keep at least your # privacy safe O.o (more…)
So it’s a good thing I had the internet on my side on this one. Apparently, if you send someone an invoice from PayPal, they WILL pay, you send the goods and give them tracking information.. even when they DO receive the goods, they have a chance to revoke payment.
I mentioned that I was selling a camera on Facebook Marketplace, because I figured it would reach friends and friends of friends. Apparently, it reached some hacked or bogus users. (more…)
If you’re looking to follow stories pertaining to a specific subject, like for a paper you’re writing over a full semester or for a product you’re selling and you want competition’s information, you should have alerts sent directly to your inbox once a day.
Information is up-to-date, you don’t just have to read boring news articles (news isn’t BORING sometimes.. have you visited Fark.com?).. you can read blogs about whatever topic you’re looking up.. or view videos, or other media.. It’s a pretty powerful tool and I think you should start using it now. What are you waiting for? http://www.google.com/alerts
I just migrated my old Blogger posts to this WordPress Blog b/c a little birdie told me it can be used to generate some great SEO 🙂
Also~Have you heard of Twitter yet? I’m sure you have but have you utilized it for your business? In 140 characters up to 1000 times a day, you can sell your product, hotel, mani/pedi, venue, band, mortgage etc. and hit your target market. Or just anybody.
Think about it: however many people who follow you and are good followers can be however many little billboards of your brand throughout this wide Twitterverse (and ultimately the whole internet). If you have something re-tweetable, then you’ll get yourself noticed. If you have something fun and viral to talk about, you’re golden.
Just remember: video can be viral if you do it correctly.
Case Study: look @ Gansett Beer on Twitter @gansettbeer. They’re interactive with their fans, giving away prizes and offering to let you become a pin up girl via Twitter. Check out their YouTube page. Short and sweet, concise and funny videos. Perfect viral advertising.. now all they have to do is get their 1144+ followers to talk about them. They’re well on their way.
We’ve all slipped into it. A lot of us are there now because of our crap-outlook on this economy. I know a lot of organizations have been working very hard to get out of it and we’d all be screwed if we’re stuck forever in this Sales Depression. I think we all know there is a direct correlation between your personal economic situation and your performance in the field.
The only remedy: get out there. Get smiling and get exchanging cards… or get out.
“But I don’t have the time…” Yes you can. There are easier, less time-consuming ways to go about exchanging corporate information; what I call “Internetworking.” If you’re not savvy, I’ll key you in: this is a type of social networking happens online. Like-minded (or unlike-minded) individuals come together and share ideas, information and create buzz about what it is they sell.
…But the only way for this to work is by each person doing their part. Pick up the phone and act upon a lead or referral, as big or as small as you feel it may be. It could lead to your whale. Don’t wait for people to call you. They won’t. Your competition is already calling them and trying to win them over because they found out about their need via Web 2.0.
Your competition (and you if you cared or knew any better) has access to the greatest “book of business” and it’s called the Internet. Your competition is taking advantage—no OPPORTUNITY—of your client’s core values, and creating a personal relationship just by learning about them on their personal or business website or through what I’d like to call “3rd-party sites:” LinkedIn, Facebook, Manta, etc. or even more so from an infinity of blogs or reviews. The fact is, you can do the same thing; you just have to be smart about it.
First, before you’ve conquered the Internet, GET ON THE PHONE and do what you supposed to be a pro at doing which is making appointments and closing a few deals in person.
Secondly, when that pipeline runs dry or you become weary of the phone and you’re getting consistent “no’s,” create or forward those LinkedIn-Introductions like you’re supposed to. That’s how LinkedIn works and if you don’t do your part, the “get in touch with decision-maker” scenario fails.
Third, make nice with all of your old clients from your fill in the blank days at your job 5 years ago. They might be able to pull a referral out of a crevice for you 😉
Next, start writing. Write down your ideas, good, great or meh. Keep a pad and pen available. If you want one, I have plenty; schedule an appointment with me and I’ll make up a personalized one for you. Be personal. I’ve found out firsthand that mass emailings to reach out for the first instance after a long epoch between conversations only works about 2% of the time. Although I still do it. I’m technically doing it right now in blog-form.
Your choice is to write back. Ask me questions about what I’m doing and tell me what a good referral for you might be. You can even reply straight to this post so that everybody else who reads it can find out more about you. I know a few people… I may be able to help you out. Need a legal document written?Accounts receivables factored? Collection company to help collect $$? How about a fabric that you can wet, wring out and snap that amazingly becomes 30 degrees cooler than ambient temperature within 3 minutes? Who knows, this may be the re-beginning to a beautiful relationship. You could have hundreds, if not thousands of allies if you just reach out to them. Add me ;)www.kristenhaley.com
