Blogging for the masses

BLOGGING - here are some great sites to learn more about blogging


http://www.blogforprofit.com/30-days-to-kick-your-blog-in-the-butt/

http://debworks.com

http://bloombergmarketing.blogs.com/bloomberg_marketing/2008/11/communities-for.html

http://www.betterbusinessblogging.com/what-is-a-blog/

http://mark-hayward.com/2008/12/29/31-blog-post-ideas-for-small-businesses/

http://www.problogger.net/archives/2005/12/20/18-lessons-ive-learnt-as-a-blogger/

http://www.chrisbrogan.com/my-best-advice-about-blogging/

http://www.themarketingspotblog.com/2008/07/customer-experience-map.html

Notes for a Twitter Class

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

I am teaching a class on twitter for Iowa Valley Continuing Education at Ellsworth College. I'm green - and think we print enough paper in our lives. I'm using this forum to share notes about the things we will be doing!

Twitter tips:

Give give give – information, praise, referrals
Be authentic – don't lie, don't make up things, be who you are
thank people for retweeting and for great comments
Tweetdeck – a great way to organize your twitter
Twellow – yellow pages of twitter
tweetstats – graph your stats

Links we will look at tonight and participate in

http://www.twitip.com/building-an-effective-business-profile-on-twitter/

http://mashable.com/2008/11/10/twitter-community/

http://www.copyblogger.com/grow-business-twitter/

http://fly4change.wordpress.com/2008/06/26/the-governments-a-twitter-comprehensive-list-of-government-twitter-feeds/

http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/5085/The-Reverse-Marketing-Twitter-Checklist-8-Steps-to-Marketing-Success-on-Twitter.aspx

Some people you will want to follow:

@guykawasaki
@chrisbrogan
@lizstrauss
@garyvee
@shawnacoronado
@keithburtis
@darrenrowse
@beckymccray
@debworks
@ambercadabra
@codyks

Autumn: Feng Shui Tips To Harvest Your Abundant Rewards

Image via Wikipedia

Summer's a time of rapid growth and change. Perhaps you're experiencing changes in your work, or in your relationships, health, creativity or spirituality, or perhaps you've had insights into something important to you. Maybe you even feel changes have been forced upon you.

Receiving the gifts these changes bring and having them make a lasting impact depends on how well you integrate and expand into them. It's easy to carry on seeing yourself as you used to be, especially if you've made big changes.

Here are five strategies to tap into Autumn energy to expand into the new you and harvest the rewards of your summer energy.

1. Ask yourself what's changed in your life over the last few months - big or small, inner or outer? Then, acknowledge yourself for stepping into the unknown. What have you learned? What feels exciting?

Take some time to journal about the new you - how it feels, what it means, what's becoming more important to you? You might even want to create a vision board with words and images that reflect your changes. When you bring them into your consciousness, it grounds them

2. It's Autumn: shed some leaves. With change, comes death. Could be a small part or a big part or yourself. If you're feeling you haven't quite integrated a change you've made, if you're still seeing yourself as you were, light a candle and have a conversation with the old you. Thank her for everything she gave you and how she kept you safe. Say goodbye to her, and tell her what you're moving on to. You can do the same with some aspect of yourself you'd like to say goodbye to.

Might sound a bit woo-woo but this works. By acknowleding and grieving the part of you that's died, or the part of you you're done with, you're then able to embrace the new and integrate it into your life.

3. Change is an opportunity to expand: if you find yourself resisting a change because it feels out of your control, look for the gift in it. There always is one. If you can't see it yet, assume it's there and be open to finding it.

Have you heard the story about the little girl who was asked why she was digging in a pile of s**t? She responded with: "there just has to be a pony in here somewhere".

Where's your pony? If you find yourself resisting change because it's scary to move into the unknown, make one small move towards it. When you take action the fear will lighten and you'll be shown what's next.

4. Where are you contracting? Take a look.....you've made changes in your life - are you expanding or contracting? For example: Are you keeping certain things for 'best'? Underwear, dishes, candles, clothes? What are you denying yourself? How does that feel in your body?

Most women are wearing the wrong size bra, many are wearing what they affectionately call 'granny pants' and saving their sexy stuff for some far off day.... , many have their best candles and plates stored away for who knows what. No more!

It makes a huge difference to how you feel and how you see yourself when you treat yourself as you would a lover. Silky underwear, drinking water from a crystal glass, or wearing your good clothes while working in your home office - it makes a difference. Where are you contracting? Expand your energy and you'll attract more of the same. You deserve the best!

5. Has your home changed to reflect the new you? When you make an inner shift you'll often find yourself drawn to make a change in your environment. If your environment stays the same, that energy can hold you back where you used to be and make it difficult to integrate and sustain your new changes. Even moving the furniture a few inches will shift the energy, but perhaps it's time to look at your home with fresh eyes. Imagine walking into your home for the first time - does it reflect who you are now?

When you surround yourself with colors and things that inspire you, you're supported in moving forward into the new you. As you're changing all the time, making changes in your environment can be a powerful ally.

Autumn is a good time to shed old ways of being that no longer reflect who you are. Put these strategies into action and you'll fully embrace and integrate the changes you've been making and be rewarded by an abundant harvest.

I'd love to hear how you're embracing your changes. Come on over to my blog and let me know.

©2009 Vicky White - All Rights Reserved

Guest post by Vicky White, The Feng Shui and Raw Food Coach. Get Vicky White’s FREE “5 Biggest Attraction Mistakes ” report and her FREE articles to boost your passion, purpose and creativity at: : www.LifeDesignStrategies.com

Questers

I belong to Questers and yesterday we went to Jan's house. Here is a video of the garden and her home. Simply amazing.



By the way, Questers are collectors of antiques, collectibles and history.

Hawaii and Facebook

Okay, so I went to Hawaii for three months to work - a couple of years ago. Loved it, took lots of pictures, figured I could live there. I posted my pics on my personal facebook account and wrote about how I miss it. And that it's a good thing I work from home because one day I'm going back - and my job I can do from anywhere.

I had a guy send me a message asking what kind of job I had that allows me to do that.

I answered him and sent him to http://www.debrareneebrown.com/ Said, take a look - if interested email me.

He did.

That process took about as long as it took me to type this up. That's the power of social media. It opens up the world. It introduces you to people you'd probably talk to if you lived near them. It lets you share your stories.

TownsEnd Winery

Townsend Winery is now open for business. Vern and Judy Harper have put over ten years into building their winery and harvesting the grapes.

They are located at 2138 160th St in Hansell Iowa. www.townsendwinery.com 641-456-2836 townsendwinery@wbfrec.com

You are invited to join them for a wine tasting at your convenience on Friday evening, Saturday or Sunday afternoon/evening. Just call!

Iowa Table Wines made from locally grown grapes, fruit and berries: Harvest Red, Swenson Red, Concord Gooseberry, Frontenac, Apple and Harvest White.

Need something to do? Go chew the fat with the Harpers, see their vineyards, visit the silo and wine tasting room and enjoy the ride.

Developing Relationships - Good Marketing

Image by Geir Halvorsen via Flickr

I work closely with my local chamber of commerce and local newspapers. I joined the Chamber and attend as many activities as I can. I also interviewed the editor of Hampton's paper and posted it here. I made friends with Rick at the Iowa Falls paper and he now calls me and let's me know of great things happening in Hardin county. Last week Rick told me about a section they are doing in the paper showcasing companies that use green products or practices - and he thought of me.

Here's the ad I'm running in the paper:

FREE – FUN – and EASY
How do I go green? Let us show you how!
Wednesday September 23
Join us at 3 pm or 6 pm
The Book Cellar & Coffee Attic, downtown Iowa Falls
Information you can use today!
Save money Save time Go green
Deb Brown 641-458-1114 to rsvp

Marketing your own business should always involve developing relationships with others in your community. Once you've started a relationship, don't forget to work on it! I follow up with phone calls, touch bases with emails and send thank you cards. I talk about other's businesses and share their ideas with my friends and family. In turn, they think of me.

I love the Book Cellar and was thrilled when they said I could do my informational seminar there. I often recommend their coffee to people, and support their local book store. I don't advertise all the time at the Iowa Falls Times Citizen, but I read their paper and advertise for special events.

What kind of relationships are you building?

Social Media: A Way To Use The Internet To Market Your Business

Session One: Free Introductory Class September 15 5:30 to 6:30 pm with questions after

It's virtually impossible to ignore. Everywhere you look, people are talking about Social Networking and Social Media. Facebook, twitter, YouTube, Linked In – just for starters.

Facebook has 200 million members.
You Tube visitors are viewing 13 billion videos a month.
Linked In has over 15 million business people networking
Twitter is growing at over 40% a month.

How can your business utilize these new tools to build your customer base, reach out to your community and build your bottom line? Join the discussion, see some of the tools available and begin to determine if this series is one you want to be involved in.

Sessions Two and Three are a package deal for $60. There will be handouts prior to the classes for those taking the series. We want you to hit the ground running!

Session Two: September 22 5:30 to 7:30 pm: Facebook
If you're not comfortable or familiar with Facebook, just consider it a new take on the networking event except with less pressure to make small talk and no shrimp cocktail boat. You'll learn how to maximize facebook: create a profile, a company page, join and create groups and how to use facebook to market your business. This is a hands on class. You will have received information that has allowed you to already set up your account prior to this class. You will also have telephone access to the instructor prior to this class.

Register early: class size is limited.

Session Three: September 29 5:30 to 7:30 pm: Twitter and Blogging
Blogging is more than just ranting about something. It's an actual website with content that is updated frequently (by you). It's an opportunity to share your expertise and drive customers to your physical site and your website. If you do it right, customers will find you when they Google a service they are looking for. We will set up your blog, leave you with some great ideas and make sure you are comfortable utilizing this tool when you leave.

Twitter – For you, the small business owner, Twitter is an amazing tool that can expand your reach to customers and potential customers. If can allow you to stay in touch and connect with thousands of people instantly. If can help drive your brand and communicate with customers in a way that you've never been able to do before. We'll begin to build your twitter account in this class.

WHERE: Ellsworth Community College Reg Johnson Building Room 104

CONTACT: Deb Sabin, Iowa Valley Continuing Education, 641-648-8621

Are You An Evangelist?

This past week my computer was in the hospital. She's feeling better now. I'm finally recovering too. It's hard to be without my lifeline!

This week I did a presentation for the Historical Society's annual meeting. It was pretty cool - we showed a video of a man acting as Leander Reeve, the man who built the house in 1854. Then we did a powerpoint presentation with only pictures - and told the stories behind the pictures. We painted the past, shared the present and created the vision for the future.

Today I recreated that presentation in a speech at the DAR dedication of the rock and plaque at the Old Stone House. I conducted tours all day, speechified a little and had a great day. I took part in the original social media today -- good old face to face conversations.

Throughout the course of restoring the Old Stone House, I've utilized social media tools. Posting on facebook and twitter, blogging, sending out press releases, conducting and giving interviews. In essence, we've created a buzz.

I learned today -- social media is simply talking face to face on a grand scale. I'm an evangelist for the Old Stone House. I believe in the project. I have no problem sharing the information, asking for help and getting the work done.

What if you felt that way about your own business?

Many thanks to Jon Swanson for giving me this idea. http://levite.wordpress.com/2009/09/12/5-questions-with-amber-naslund/

Preserving Our Past, Creating Our Future

I am giving a presentation to the town on the Old Stone House. We advertised it as a multi media event. The Franklin County Historical Society has it's annual meeting and always has a program and its open to the public.

This year we are doing some new things and change can be a scary thing.

We've moved the location to a spot that has a sound system, big screen, and more seating. It's always been at the Farm Bureau office - and this year we are going to the First Christian Church. It's just North of the cemetery on Hwy 65. However, there is construction! Another fly in the ointment.

I have put together a show that has 15 minutes of an old video we found in the museum of the Historical Society. Then I do a 15-20 minute slide show. The slides are ONLY pictures (thanks to advice from Becky McCray) and each picture tells a story. Or rather I do. We'll do a brief section on membership and Keri Holmes will wrap it up with a story about quilting. Following the presentation we'll be serving food and several people will be available for questions. Terry Cole from Renaissance Restoration, the ladies from the DAR, members of the Old Stone House Committee and Charlie Brown will be collecting donations.

We plan to inject a lot of energy into the program and get the entire audience interested in what we are doing at the Historical Society.

It's all about history and change -- story of the world, wouldn't you say?

This year we fully participated in online marketing as well. We used twitter, facebook, emails. We also sent a lot of press releases, got in print in Mason City and Hampton, made it on tv in Des Moines and the local radio stations picked up the event as well. We paid for one ad in our local paper. Everything else only cost us time. In New Media, time is becoming a more expensive commodity.

Who: The Public is welcome!

What: Preserving Our Past, Creating Our Future

When: Tuesday September 8 at 7 pm

Where: First Christian Church 605 4th St NE, Hampton Iowa

the church is just north of the cemetery on Hwy 65, however with construction you'll need to go into downtown, go to 12th and go East to Hwy 65 by Sandee's and go South

Why: A country without a memory is a country of madmen. George Santayana

Why not just use bleach?

Image via Wikipedia

Author: Kevin Hensey

Chlorine bleach has been used as a general germicide for many years. In fact, some state health departments still recommend it as a sanitizer and disinfectant. Chlorine bleach is also much cheaper per gallon than hospital-grade disinfectant cleaners. With all this going for it, why doesn’t everyone use it?

Here are some facts you should consider before adding bleach to your arsenal of maintenance products:

Chlorine is a strong oxidizing agent. In recent tests, chlorine bleach was exposed to samples of commercial-grade copper, cold rolled steel, and alu-minum. The copper samples dis-colored in three hours and showed green corrosion in 24 hours. Aluminum showed signs of corrosion within 24 hours, and on the surface of cold rolled steel rust formed within 30 minutes.

Some grades of stainless steel also can be damaged from the use of products containing chlorine. A process known as “hydrogen embrittlement” may occur as the chlorine bleach attacks the stainless steel,trapping hydrogen gas in the pores of the metal. Over time, the hydrogen can be released, resulting in weakened metal. It is especially damaging to welded joints.

The American Concrete Insti-tute also cautions that sodium hypochlorite (chlorine bleach) will slowly disintegrate concrete and portland-based mortars or grout.

Finally, many floorcare product manufacturers will not stand be-hind the performance of their floor polishes if they are main-tained with chlorine bleach.

Worker Safety – Chlo-rine is a strong irritant to human tissue. Violent reactions also can occur when chlorine bleach is mixed with amines. The reaction of chlorine and bowl cleaners containing hydrochloric acid can release deadly chlorine gas. Every housekeeper’s nightmare is a vision of the “new guy” keeled over, head first into a toilet bowl, after adding a little bleach to help the acid bowl cleaner brighten a little better.

Shelf Life – In just a short shipping and storage time,an industrial concentration of 12 percent can fall to 7 to 10 per-cent. Efficacy – Chlorine bleach works best in a slightly acid to neutral pH range. Alkaline soils must be removed prior to using the bleach to prevent the chlo-rine from losing effectiveness. In other words, the surface must be clean if the chlorine (hypochlor-ite) is to have any significant effect. The only way you can be assured of killing organisms you want to control is to experiment with different ages/concentra-tions of the product and test the surfaces after use.

Cleaning Ability – Com-pared to modern disinfectant cleaners, chlorine bleach does not compare in cleaning ability. If you are trying to clean and control germs simultaneously, consider one of the newer form-ula disinfectant detergents. With dilution rates as low as 1:256, proven efficacy, longer shelf life, and a less-corrosive nature, you might find the new disinfectant detergents are much better bargains than chlorine bleach.

E-mail: kevin@theyhaveit.com

About the Author:

Kevin Hensey speaks at business clubs regarding environmental awareness program. He has written articles regarding the safety

His e-mail is:

kevin@theyhaveit.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Why not Just Use Bleach?

This is Deb -- my company has the best alternatives to bleach - give me a call at 641-458-1114 and let's have a conversation!

Why oh why can't I?

Image by Tony the Misfit via Flickr

I'm a network marketer. One of the first things you learn in any network marketing business is that you have to have a why.

Why are you doing this?

Why do you want to earn an income this way?

Most of us have written out our why and then rehearsed and then memorized it and then pull it out when we need it.

I learned today that that is not the way to use your why.

Here's how I was speaking my why:
"IlivedinNorthCarolinaand mydadhadaheartattackandI madeadealwithGodI'dcomehomeifhelived.Thisbusinessletsmeworkfromhomeand takecareofmyfolkswhereverIam."

Yeah, one breath - quickly said and not even my why anymore!

Today I hung out with someone I just met and talked about what I do. I found myself getting excited about having green, safer products in my home. I talked with my hands and spoke about how the vitamins were so good my triglycerides dropped 50 points! I was ranting about bleach and how it's an awful byproduct of chemical warfare experiments from the Second World War. I showed Earl just how easy and rewarding it is to shop for safer, greener products. And he got it.

I did not mention North Carolina, or heart attacks or making a deal with God. That story is true, by the way - it's no longer a story I tell with any passion.

And you gotta have passion to be a network marketer!