Stop Undermining Your Article Submissions!

Lauren

Mommy's Helper - Mom's Market Ezine
Issue #116
Wednesday, February 8th, 2006

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Editor's Rambling:
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Note from Anita

Easy does is ? one step at a time. That?s what I have to keep telling myself lately. Did you ever get so overwhelmed with so many great ideas that you have to stop and make yourself do one thing at a time? I mean really, if you jump in on 3 or 4 different projects at one time, you?re not going to get anything done, right? Well you might, but did you put your best into each project? I?ve been working a lot on our other website, http://www.DirectSalesHelpers.com, and there are so many new things going on that I didn?t know where to start. Luckily, I?ve made myself a time line with the order I want/need everything to get accomplished ? and if I have an idea that pops into my head that concerns another project, I simply jot it down with notes for that project. That way I don?t get side-tracked from what I?m currently working on and don?t forget the new idea. It?s been working out perfectly. How do you do it?

Okay so, what exactly have I been doing? Well, easy does it ? one step at a time. (Ha, ha ? have you heard that somewhere before?) So, first step ? first project ? Have you been to http://www.DirectSalesHelpers.com lately? We have a whole new look! We?ve done a complete makeover, new options, new, well, new everything! Stop over and let us know what you think!

Till next week...

~Anita DeFrank
Mommy's Helper

Note from Kara

So many new things are rolling I'm getting extremely excited. Ever wish you could just snap your fingers and see all your projects done? Finding time to do them all has definitely been a challenge. Keeping a good schedule is the key to it all though, and I've managed to stay mostly on track with everything.

Aside from the big changes going on at Direct Sales Helpers, I've been working on some other side projects. This includes Product Reviews at Mom's Market, Idea Queen, and most recently an affiliate project. Computer problems have gotten in my way this week, but I feel like I'm fully back on track now and ready to rock!

See you next week!

~Kara Kelso~
Mom's Market

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Article
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Stop Undermining Your Article Submissions!

Your web site plays an integral role in your article submission strategy. If it isn't up to par, your article submission projects won't produce much in the way of results.

To support your efforts in writing and submitting articles, you need a solid workhorse, which is the job of your web site. It's not just for looks, but rather serves the purpose of offering something of value to your target audience and converting browsers to faithful readers, loyal newsletter subscribers and committed buyers!

On the Internet, just like with bricks-n-mortar businesses, appearance is critical. Use these strategies to elevate your web site giving it literal curb appeal and improving your business, which translates to more article acceptances and more exposure in your target market!

* Cut the Pomp and Circumstance
As with so many elements of the Internet, the use of a Splash Page featuring fancy graphics and an Enter button is obsolete. Most people find them irritating and won't even venture past this point to see the rest of your web site, so delete your splash page now!

* Professionalism
If your web site looks the Internet Amateur Hour, you're probably turning off prospects. Quality clients/customers won't do business with you if your image is unprofessional. Make sure that pages are neat and organized featuring content that's easily readable. Be consistent in formatting from page-to-page to prevent a thrown-together look.

* Focus
Just like your articles, your web site needs focus. No business fills every need for every consumer, so direct your web site to the prospective clients/customers in your target market. Be clear about the products/services you offer and engage prospects in your specific market by catering to their needs exclusively and better than your competition.

* Presence
Online businesses have to overcome the hurdle of not having face-to-face contact with prospects. Make interaction with you a simple process by providing a contact form, listing a phone number and including an e-mail address on every page.

* Stick to Business
Does your web site look reflect you as a business professional or does it blast prospects with a variety of hard-to-read fonts and excessive graphics? Limit the number of fonts and colors used throughout your site. Use graphics judiciously avoiding slow-loading designs that frustrate prospects.

* Content
They call it king for a reason, so don't dethrone your efforts by featuring the same old content. Give prospects and search engines, plus your regular clients/customers, fresh content that fits your theme and offers value to your target audience.

* Accentuate
Pay special attention to your Articles Page. Include reprint details with your required guidelines above your articles. Use inviting language in your guidelines encouraging publishers to take advantage of your material. Make it convenient for publishers by listing articles lphabetically by title and include a three-line description. Link titles to the actual article page with offer versions in html, pdf and text files.

* Courting Publishers
Publishers are very busy people, so make it easy for them to publish your articles. Offer a separate publisher's only subscription notifying them when you have a new article available.

* Show Your Smile
Potential clients want to know who you are. Include a photo on your Article Page for publishers/editors to use when they reprint your articles. Prospects also appreciate being able to actually see a person because it makes doing business online much more personal.

* Call-to-Action
You're wasting time, effort and valuable space with web pages that don't give clients/customers the opportunity to do business with you! Each page, even your individual article pages, should always include a call-to-action. Strut your stuff by offering prospects your newsletter and/or subscriptions to your exclusive members-only offerings. Streamline the process and gain more clients.

* Testimonials
Share client/customer testimonials with prospects instead of keeping them to yourself. Add at least one testimonial per page including article pages letting prospects know just how valuable others find your products/services.

* Respect Clients/Customers
More than ever, people are concerned with the security of their private information. Establish a clear privacy policy and publish it on your web site and linking to it from each page.

* Guarantee It In Writing
Decide your return/refund policy before your web site goes live! No matter how good your product or service is, at some point, you're going to have an unsatisfied customer. Create a consistent refund policy up front and update it immediately on your web site if you change it.

* Polish The Final Product
Grammatical mistakes like misspellings, improper punctuation, and capitalization errors signal prospects that you're not attentive to detail. Have someone proofread your entire site including your articles to make sure all text is error-free.

So, what's your curb appeal? Your web site is your online office and showroom. Does it make you look like a professional or more like an amateur with a sideline hobby?

Remember, marketing with articles is about generating exposure. Although publishers need articles they may not accept them if your site is poorly designed, disorganized or filled with grammatical errors and outdated content. Put your best foot forward to prospective publishers and clients who come to you through your article submissions. If, despite your best efforts, your web site still needs work consider hiring a professional. You'll quickly recoup the cost of hiring an expert with more sales and increased exposure!

(c) 2005, Davis Virtual Assistance.
Bonnie Jo Davis is an expert writer and article submission guru with over ten years of submission success. Her web site is located at http://www.ArticleSubmissionSites.com and she recommends the new ArticleAnnouncer Article Marketing System by Jason Potash for do-it-yourself submitters. You can find ArticleAnnouncer at http://tinyurl.com/8kzux.

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Childcare
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Help Your Baby Develop Character

How Can We Help Children Learn about Character?

Children learn about strong character when parents and other adults in their daily lives

? set a good example through their own behavior and actions,

? set and communicate high standards and clear expectations,

? coach them on how to be responsible and kind, and

? use literature to reinforce the values of strong character.

Set a Good Example

We are always teaching our children something by our words and our actions. They learn from seeing. They learn from hearing and from overhearing. They learn from us, from each other, from other adults in the community and by themselves.

Children share the values of their parents about the most important things in life. Our priorities and principles and our examples of good behavior can teach our children to take the high road when other roads look tempting.

Remember that children do not learn the values that make up strong character simply by being told about them. They learn by seeing the people around them act on and uphold those values in their daily lives. In our daily lives, we can show our children that we respect others. We can show them our compassion and concern when others are suffering, and our own self-discipline, courage and honesty as we make difficult decisions.

How we conduct our everyday activities can show our children that we always try to do our best to serve our families, communities and country.

The way that we view money and material goods also can mold our children's character. If we see our self-worth and the worth of others in terms of cars, homes, furniture, nice clothes and other possessions, our children are likely to develop these attitudes as well. Of course, it is important to meet our children's needs, but it is also important to help them understand the difference between their needs and their wants. The expensive jacket that your child has to have may be OK--if you can afford it.

Finally, we need to be consistent in upholding the values we want our children to respect and not present them with conflicting values. We may tell our children that cheating is wrong, for example, yet brag to a neighbor about avoiding paying taxes. We may say that rudeness to others is unacceptable, yet laugh when we see that behavior on a favorite TV show.

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Anil Vij is the creator of the ultimate parenting toolbox, which has helped parents all over the world raise smarter, healthier and happier children == http://www.expertsonparenting.com Sign up for Anil's Experts On Parenting Newsletter - just send a blank email === parentingnews@aweber.com

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Coffee Break
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Driving the Impossible

Why do air force pilots train for hours to fly in formation yet anybody who can drive around the block a few times can get a license and then drive down a six-lane freeway at 70 miles per hour ?in formation? with the other cars on the road?

Does that make any sense to you?

Who are we kidding? We have young speedsters weaving in and out, guys in trucks two-stories high barreling down on compact cars, old ladies whizzing by waving hello with one finger and numerous people driving with a phone stuck to their ear while they fail to use their signal and can?t seem to make up their minds if they are going to go ten miles below or above the speed limit.

If we knew the pilots on a domestic flight were doing any of these things, would we board the plane at all? What if it was your bus driver or taxi driver?

So why are ordinary people given such freedom?

My sister was in a near fatal accident some years ago. SEVERAL people had been in similar accidents on that stretch of freeway. However, not enough people had died to warrant a change made to the freeway to prevent further accidents.

You know what this means? It means that freeway driving is now the number one method of eliminating the unfit from our gene pool. It is totally ?survival of the fittest? when it comes to driving.

Now, as a mother, I?m really concerned. NOT because I fear for my children whom will one day drive. I fear that someday I am not going to survive the freeway myself especially when I have kids making strange noises in the back seat.

?All right, who popped that bag? Did you see I almost rear-ended that lady??

?Who?s crying? I can?t hear you? What?s the problem?? (Followed by much neck craning to see what?s going on.)

?What is that clicking noise? Everybody be quiet. Is that the wheel? You have a game that makes noise? TURN IT OFF!?

Now all this just adds to how dangerous it is to drive on today?s roads. Take all the people mentioned above, throw in a good handful of harried mothers and all those people wearing hats and you are truly taking your life in your hands when you leave your driveway.

So why don?t they make cars with a big rubber bumper that goes all the way AROUND the car? And why don?t they line freeways shoulders with rubber walls? Wouldn?t that help? I mean, we don?t have the training that an Air Force pilot has, shouldn?t we at least have the protection we have when we go to the amusement park and ride the bumper cars?

I think about these things. I worry. I?m a mom, after all.

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Jelly Mom? is written by Lisa Barker, author of "Just Because Your Kids Drive You Insane...Doesn't Mean You Are A Bad Parent!" and syndicated through Martin-Ola Press/Parent To Parent. To publish Jelly Mom, buy the book or leave comments, please visit http://www.jellymom.com.

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Recipes
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CANDIED BANANAS

* 6 green-tipped bananas, peeled
* 1/2 cup flaked coconut
* 1/2 tsp cinnamon
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 1/2 cup dark corn syrup
* 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
* 2 tsp grated lemon peel
* 1/4 cup lemon juice

1.. Put bananas and coconut into large enough CP to fit in single layer. Sprinkle with cinnamon and salt.

2.. Mix corn syrup, butter ,lemon peel, and lemon juice; pour over bananas.

3.. Cover and cook on Low 1 to 2 hours.

Do you have a favorite recipe to share?
Post them at Mommy's Helper Community (www.MommysHelperOnline.com/phpBB2)!
Note: Recipes must be quick, easy, healthy, and original. Nothing from a cookbook or a box please.

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