It’s 2006! I survived 2005, which was a real feat. I spent most of the day today, studying online marketing techniques and posting articles to various free sites. There used to be a time in my life when no one could even mention the prospect of writing an article for free. I would have probably had a fit, or fainted or something. But now, writing for free is all the rage for increasing site traffic and subscribers. I see the benefits. It’s really a win-win situation, as they say. Other sites get free content, and the author receives traffic and one-way links.
So, one of my goals for 2006 is to syndicate my writing, update this blog every day, and participate in active marketing for this blog. I also plan to start some other blogs later this year, so look out for them! I’m working on providing freebies for blog update subscribers. I may also have a couple of contest give-aways this year.
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Posted by Claudine as Make Money at Home at 10:14 PM PST
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Are you trying to write sticky content for your website? People love to read features articles, particularly about other people who have succeeded or overcame challenges. Profiles are a great addition to your website. Your readers will be able to relate to the people you interview and empathize with them. They may even be inspired to succeed or learn from others’ mistakes. You don’t have to be a Pulitzer Prize winning author to write effective profiles. The following tips will help you choose good interviewees, formulate questions, and write a solid, thought-provoking profile.
1. Your first job is to select a good topic. Article topics are all around you, but you certainly want to choose a topic that is related to your website and newsletter. Visit bulletin boards; talk to people. Hear their stories. You are looking for people who have overcome challenges or have done something interesting or unique. For example, if you have a website related to internet marketing you may find someone who has increased her site’s unique visitors from 25 to 100,000 visitors within a day using a new marketing tool. If you are running a work at home site, you may find a person who has become a millionaire by selling knitted blankets on eBay. The stories become even more interesting if the subjects have faced particularly difficult challenges to succeed.
2. Once you have found your subject, you need to politely ask if she is willing to be interviewed. Most people will be flattered and happy to receive the publicity, especially if you offer to include a link to their website or include a short blurb about their business in the article. Other people, receive so many interview requests that you may not even get a response.
3. Now you need to come up with your questions. You need basic background information, their name, location (city or state is fine) and occupation. Now, what else would you like to know about this person? How did this person achieve her goal? When she begin? How hard did she work? Was it luck? What were some of the challenges she overcame to succeed? What advice would she give to others in the the same boat? Did she expect to succeed? If the person failed at something, what did the person learn? As you interview the person, you can always add other questions based on what your subject has said.
4. Interviews can be conducted in person, by telephone, instant messenger, e-mail, or faxed questions. Ask the person if you can contact her for additional questions if you think of something else while writing the profile.
5. Writing the lead, the first paragraph of the story, can be your most difficult challenge. Your lead should capture your reader’s attention. The best leads have a twist or a surprise. Here is an example:
With more than a million hits a day, Joe Snoe has already made his first $1 million in advertising from his home-grown blog. So far, he has planned to buy his first mansion in St. Croix with his profits, as long as his parents agree. Joe is 10 years old.
See how the last sentence gave the readers a surprising twist in my made-up example?
6. Your second paragraph should tell the reader more about the subject. You can include a quote from the person you interviewed and weave in a little background information.Let’s see how that works in my Joe Snoe example.
“I learned how to create blogs from my Dad,” said Joe, who created his video game blog when he was 9. “I told all of my friends at school about it, and they told their friends. Before I knew it, people were chatting about my blog on bulletin boards and advertisers were offering big money to place ads on my blog.”
Each quote should appear in its own paragraph, followed by a paragraph that paraphrases information from the person you interviewed. Use transitions, like next, although, first, now, later, etc., to move your story along.
7. Your conclusion should wrap up your story with a final thought. Consider ending with a strong quote.
“Just last year, I was an ordinary kid who loved video games,” Joe said. “Now, I am an ordinary kid who fulfilled an extraordinary, grown-up dream. If I can do it, you can too.”
Posted by Claudine as Make Money at Home, Earn Money Writing at 8:04 PM PST
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If you plan to work at home or start your own home-based business, your home office should have some basic equipment to help you project a professional image. The proper tools will also help you stay productive, eliminating emergency trips to the office supply store.
1. First of all, you will need a desk. Your desk should have enough room for your computer and enough surface space for any writing you may need to do. If your computer desk isn’t large enough, consider adding a table nearby. You will need pens, pencils, a stapler, paper clips, binders, computer paper, and a hole puncher for your desk. A small notebook for jotting down notes and reminders is also helpful.
2. Make sure that you get a comfortable chair for your desk. You may be spending a lot of time in it! Adjustable office chairs are best. That way you can raise or lower your chair according to the height of your desk.
3. A small three-drawer file cabinet will help you organize your paperwork. Get file folders and hanging file folders for your cabinet. As your business grows you can add larger file cabinets to suit your needs.
4. You will need a computer for your work at home endeavors. The amount of memory and the processing speed necessary will depend largely on the type of business or work you plan to do. Some work at home jobs list specific computer requirements. By the way, you may need to purchase a high-speed Internet connection for some jobs. If you need to buy a computer, make sure that you list your requirements and take the list with you when you go shopping. You will know what you are looking for and be in a better position to discuss your computer needs. Your computer may or may not have software installed. At the very least, you need to have good word processing software and virus protection for your computer.
5. A fax machine is also a good investment. You never know when a work at home company or a client will need you to send a hard copy document in a jiffy. Those of you who are interested in telecommuting will learn that you will need to fax tax forms and contractor agreements to companies. You can pay to fax documents through document copy centers, but that can get expensive.
6. A copier is also a nice thing to have. You will have to make copies of contracts or client documents, and running to a copy center can get tedious. In fact, you can get more for your money if you obtain a copier, fax, and printer in one.
Do you need office equipment? Do you have office equipment that you would like to get rid of to make room for newer furniture or supplies? Check out the Freecycle Network. It unites people who have a need for something they don’t have with people who have something they don’t need. This is a neat organization that helps break down communication barriers to make use of items that may otherwise end up in a landfill somewhere. Not only can you eliminate clutter to make room for your new home office, you can get good free, usable (sometimes new or lightly used) items through the Freecycle Network. There are local organizations that you can join throughout the United States and worldwide.
Posted by Claudine as Make Money at Home at 10:03 AM PST
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Be choosy when applying for work at home jobs. As you probably know, there are plenty of scams out there . I hope this article empowers you.
Don’t pay
You shouldn’t have to pay to work. Some sites offer you a list of work at home jobs for a fee. There is so much free information available here and on the web, that you should not have to pay. You are looking for work because you need money. Take it easy on spending money. There are jobs that require you to buy specialized equipment, such as a foot pedal to take transcription or a headphone for a phone. Some work at home jobs require you to have a high speed connection instead of dial-up to work with them. Those are legitimate requests, and if you buy these products or services you should be confident that you will make enough money to cover the cost of doing business and have money left over.
Be Careful Working for Individuals
There are good people out there who need extra help and would be interested in hiring you. But I urge you to avoid working for individuals you do not know. My main concern is that to legally work in the United States, you will need to report your income. The person you work for will ask for your social security number and other personal information for income tax purposes. Now, an unscrupulous person can do all sorts of things with this information. Legitimate companies will ask you to fill out a W-9 form, or a similar form for taxes. You must provide personal information, including your social security number on this form. I’ve filled out this form for bona fide companies and have had no problem. I’ve also had an individual who wanted me to write for him ask me for my social security number without a W-2 form. That raised a red flag, and I’m glad that I refused to work for him. I didn’t give him my social security number.
Be Wary of Jobs that Tout Easy Money
Working from home is rarely easy. It’s work. Money will not just come rolling in. Be wary of any company or individuals, claiming that you can get easy money quickly.
Don’t Wire Money
Never wire money to the company. It’s not safe. If the company asks you to wire money to anyone, don’t do it. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Read this article from MSNBC News.
Research the Company
It’s a good rule of thumb to check the company’s standing with the Better Business Bureau. Not all scam-jobs are listed with the Better Business Bureau, but someone who may have been victimized by the job in question could have reported the incident.
You should also check the company with the Rip Off Report. You can search through thousands of reports to find out if the company that you would like to work for is listed. You can also file a report if you are scammed.
Posted by Claudine as Work at Home Scams at 6:37 PM PST
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The following jobs were added on 12/28/2006.
Oregon Only Earn $1,500 per month caring for children in your home. Click here.
Web Development Intern for a Start-Up Company
Graphic Artists
Telephone Interpreters
Seattle Area Order Processors
Textbook Correlator
Posted by Claudine as Make Money at Home at 10:55 AM PST
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Becoming debt-free can be a reality for you. You can pay off all of your credit card bills, student loans, car, and other financial responsibilities. I know that some of you think that you cannot live without a credit card. That is not true! Paying things off with cash is best. What happens if there is an emergency? Have enough cash on hand to get through any emergency. When you pay with cash you are settling your debt now instead of tacking on payments with interest for later. If you continue to use credit cards and take out loans you will always end up paying more for your purchases, and you may always live from paycheck to paycheck.
In fact, you will always be just one or two checks away from financial ruin. What will happen if you lose your job tomorrow? Will you be able to pay your mortgage or pay your car note? I am working on becoming debt-free! You can do it, too!
Wipe Out Your Debt One Bill at a Time
I follow financial expert, Dave Ramsey’s advice. He teaches people to collect all their bills, and pay off the lowest bill first. Even if the bill is simply a overdue library fine, pay it off. This act will build your confidence and make you feel a sense of achievement. Next, pay off the second highest bill, and so on. Any money that you are saving (after paying off recurring bills) should be added to the next bill.
For example, if you follow this technique and paid off your car loan, which was $300 per month, take the $300 and use that to pay off another bill. You will use that $300, and the minimum payment for the bill (if it was a recurring bill, like a credit card bill or a loan) and pay the combined amount every month until that bill is paid. So, you will be paying the regular minimum payment plus the $300 that you used to pay for the car payment.
What if You Don’t Have the Money to Pay it Off?
If you had the money to pay off all of your bills, you probably wouldn’t need this blog! You will have to work extra hours in a second job or a part-time job in order to generate the extra income. This blog is not about providing a get rich scheme. It will take a great deal of work to be able to Kiss Your Debt Goodbye. I am, however, providing your some tools and resources that will help you find extra work that you can do at home in your spare time. You can also start your own business, doing something that you enjoy. I stress, that if you need money now, it’s best to get a job with a reputable company, earn an income, and start your business when you are more financially stable.
If you don’t have the time to work, make the time. It’s worth it. Imagine, being able to buy a car with cash. Imagine having bills that consist only of house taxes, and utilities. With that type of money, you can save the bulk of your paycheck for retirement or emergencies.
Posted by Claudine as Make Money at Home at 9:10 AM PST
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