Linda’s Money Network has been going thru some changes, most notably, a new hosting provider and an upgraded site platform.  As an avid WordPress user, when the new 3.0 version was released, I couldn’t wait to upgrade and install the multi-site features.  I am responsible for a number of websites, most of which I have converted to the WordPress platform, and being able to control them all from one login site seemed like the ideal solution.  I had been thinking about installing the WordPressMU but when I read that WordPress was incorporating the MU multi-site core features into WP 3.0 I decided to wait. Once released I wasted no time in downloading it and preparing to install it. But before making any changes I wanted to do my homework and research the best solutions by those that had mastered the upgrade. (To them, I will be forever grateful for their guidance!)

Installing the new version brought with it a whole new set of issues and after a little research, I quickly discovered that I would have to change hosting providers if I wanted to use certain features.  WP3.0 allows you to have your multi-sites network set up as either subdomains or subdirectories.  In order to use the subdomain setting your hosting server must allow virtual subdomains  (ie.  *.yourdomain.com).  Like many shared hosting providers, my hosting provider didn’t allow that. So, it was either get my own VPS or dedicated server, or find a hosting provider that did allow virtual subdomains.  Since my budget wouldn’t allow for a VPS or dedicated server at this time, I opted for a new hosting provider. Luckily, I didn’t have to look far and I chose HostGator, which has proven to be a wise decision. I am very happy with them so far and support is great!  Don’t get me wrong, I am very happy with my current hosting company, and have been for years and will continue to use them for all of my other sites and my clients sites, but until they allow the virtual subdomain  feature I have no choice but to go elsewhere.

Now that I have WP3.0 upgrade installed, I am ecstatic over all the new options and capabilities. And the new default theme Twenty-10 is a big improvement over the old ones, altho I will probably import my own themes along with the sites I want to add to this “network”.  But I will definitely take advantage of this new theme and customization possibilities with newer site additions.

Since many of you are probably thinking of upgrading to WP 3.0 and taking advantage of the new multi-site network features, I thought I would  add some future posts describing some of the issues I encountered and what I did to overcome them. Hopefully they will prove to be useful to any of you looking to upgrade or even install WP3.0 for the first time.

As I said before, I love using WordPress and personally think it’s the best platform out there, whether as a blog or a CMS, and the price of admission can’t be beat!

Till next time… =}

To learn more about WordPress or download the latest version CLICK HERE.

Unlimited Domain Hosting Only $9.95 a Month ( HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!)

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Article marketing done poorly can be a huge waste of time, energy, and even money. Are you making these mistakes?

First mistake…making a boring title. Realize that the title of the article is going to be mixed in with quite a few others that your potential reader has to choose from. There are many of you competing for the same set of eyes. Don’t let your title be something that will blend in with all the rest. Make is something that will stand out and get noticed. Make sure that you don’t get too crazy and make sure that it is relevant to the topic you want to address, but, still be creative and you will stay competitive with other article marketers.

Second mistake…not having a clear purpose. What is the main reason you want the reader to read your article? Is there a goal that you have in mind? Be clear as to what you want them to do and give them plenty of reason to want to take the action you want them to take. Have a starting point and and ending point in planning your article and use everything in between to help them get from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’. This is something that article marketers fail to do all too often.

Third mistake…Not knowing your target audience. Article marketers need to keep in mind who their target audience is and write to their level. If you are writing to a group of people who are typically very knowledgeable about the subject matter, then you better make sure that you are as well. Find out what they ask when they go online to search for this information and find how to relate to them. Study your target market and write to them.

Fourth mistake…writing articles that won’t get published. Look at the standards that article directories have and write your articles to fit the most strict of standards. Make sure that you have the minimum number of preferred words. Make sure that it is well written. Make sure that it doesn’t have any problems with links within your article and that you link to appropriate places. Article marketers will often forget to check the article they are trying to submit and see if it is in compliance only to have it rejected.

Fifth mistake…no call to action. As article marketers you have to remember that your goal is not just to inform, but to invite the reader to go to your website or to take whatever action you want them to take. Just as it is incredibly important to ask for the sale, it is important to ask them to click on the link that you provide.

If you, as article marketers, can avoid these simple mistakes your marketing efforts will be much more profitable.

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Direct mail has been around since the 1800s.  Back then it was one of few ways to market products outside of stores.  Today we have radio, television and the Internet, but direct mail is still around and still used frequently.

Many marketers see direct mail as a waste of time and money.  Advertising on television, radio, or online can get a message out to more people at a lower cost per person.  But there is still value in direct mail.  It is more personal than other advertising mediums and can include coupons, product samples and other incentives that other methods cannot.

Writing for direct mail has evolved somewhat over the years.  Sales letters that were once many pages long have been pared down to one to three pages in most cases.  Today’s busy consumer doesn’t have the time or inclination to sit down and read very often so direct mail must be attention getting and somewhat concise.  Here are some pointers for writing effective direct mail pieces.

Make the letter as personal as possible.  Take the time to address the consumer by name if at all possible.  This may cost you a little more but it pays off by giving the reader the impression that you are talking to him.  Writing as though you were writing to a friend is also a good rule of thumb.  It makes any offer more inviting.

Don’t get too fancy.  A sales letter should look like an actual letter.  Tons of pictures and graphics printed on it make it look less like a letter and more like an advertisement.  In most cases that is what you are trying to avoid.

Call attention to key points.  Underlining, highlighting, making bulleted or numbered lists can do this.  The problems that your product can solve and its benefits to the customer are some things that need special attention.

Turn features into benefits.  How a product can benefit the reader is more convincing than a list of features.  Focusing on the consumer instead of yourself and your company gives the reader the impression that you are looking out for his needs.  This establishes trust and makes the reader more receptive to your message.

Don’t forget the P.S.  Studies have shown that most direct mail readers do read the P.S.  In fact it is often one of the first things they read.  Use it to your advantage.  Reiterate your main point or add an additional benefit.

Direct mail campaigns can be extremely effective if they are well written.  Highlighting key points for easy reference and adding a P.S. at the end are some techniques that have been proven to work.  The most important thing to remember when writing for direct mail is to cater to your customer’s needs.

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One of the major costs of business start-up is advertising.  No one will buy your product if they don’t know that you exist.  But, marketing takes money, right?  Yes it does usually, but if your funds are limited, you can find ways to get started without spending too many pennies.

To market for free you have to start thinking free.  What would entice you to try someone’s service or product?  I look for information all the time on the Internet about how to get started in this or how to improve that.  The one thing I hate to see (and I did say hate) is an offer to buy a program where some information should be.

I am more likely to revisit a website if they give me something to work with.  Sure I will buy your product, but if I want information, I’m not going to pay when I am not sure it is even the information that I need.  Consider giving potential customers a little taste with some tidbits to whet the appetite.

Offer free e-courses on your site.  A site that is geared towards selling crafting supplies could offer e-courses in how to sew, or how to create crafts for flea markets.  The e-courses should be geared around your product.  You have told them about creating crafts and making money at flea markets, so they will now come back and buy their crafting supplies from you to get started.

Let’s say that I wanted to know how to grow vegetables.  I need an easy guide.  I would pay for that guide on your website but not without some proof that the information would be to my advantage.  Upload free videos for customers to watch on various aspects of growing vegetables.  The videos could be about choosing the right seeds or when to plant.  You don’t have to steal information from you guide, but demonstrate other things that are important to vegetable growing that they would be interested in.

Give your customers an offer they can’t refuse.  For a certain dollar amount spent, they get a free report on a choice of subjects.  Have contests where the condition for entering is joining a free forum on your website.  Once they are there, you can reel them in with other advertising strategies.

There are other ways to get the word out and keep people coming back to your website.  Take advantage of social media such as Facebook or Twitter.  Join forums and post on message boards.  Talk about your business and what it offers to customers.  Never miss a chance to advertise what you do and how people can find out more about it.

Marketing in ways that take very little to no money involves creativity.  With the entire world at our fingertips via the Internet, we can market our product in a number of places without spending a fortune doing so.

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Many business owners have long family histories full of entrepreneurs.  In some cases a business may be handed down through generations, while other people may open an entirely different business than their parents or grandparents.

In either case, these business owners may claim to have an “entrepreneurial gene”.  They may feel that the drive to own a business and be their own boss is simply in their blood.  They may have even played “business” or “office” as children.

Of course, others will say that these business owners were exposed to their family’s business from a young age and learned how to be entrepreneurs by seeing that example.  For these business owners, owning a business is natural because that is what they’ve been exposed to and that is the type of work style they know.

Many business owners come from families where the parents were employees for someone else.  As children, these people may have watched their parents working long hours for little pay and decided that when they grew up, they would own a business and be “the boss”.

In the above example, each business owner grew up in very different circumstances, but they did share one thing.  They each made decisions as children to become business owners when they grew up.

Whether or not there is an “entrepreneurial gene” may be irrelevant.  The “missing link” that decides business success or failure may actually be found in the business owners’ childhood dreams and wishes.  Some children dream of becoming employees for others.  They may want to become a nurse, teacher, or firefighter.  Other children dream of becoming their own boss, in whatever business they imagine.

While this is purely speculation and not backed by any scientific data, it could explain why some people are very motivated and successful in their business while others are not.

Those people who find themselves in a situation where they are their own boss but cannot seem to manage their tasks or time may simply be better suited as an employee.  When working for someone else who provides clear assignments, instructions and deadlines, these same people may thrive and be very successful.  On the other hand, some very successful business owners started their careers as employees and had no desire to own their own business for years and years.

Whether or not the desire for entrepreneurship is inherited, learned or springs up out of nowhere is not really important.  What is important is that each person finds a career that is well suited for them and makes them happy.  Everyone deserves that.

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The deadline is near and taxes are due. Every year during tax time there are often more questions than answers among tax payers.  Everyone wants to know what deductions and exemptions they qualify for so that they don’t have to pay a lot of money to the government.  One question that is asked concerns the issue of self-employment.

Am I considered self-employed?  People have hobbies and leisure time activities that have made them money.  Ebay is a popular way to make extra money by selling the things we have lying around the house.  But, does that qualify me to be self-employed?

According to the IRS, a self-employed person is someone who is the sole owner of their business enterprise.  It also includes independent contractors.  Independent contractors sell goods and services to others but they are the ones who decide how to do that.

The term “self-employment” covers a variety of individuals.  You don’t have to have a business name on file to be considered self-employed.

Your business as a freelancer whether it is writing, photography, or another enterprise may not necessarily require it.  Online work with a service where you don’t need to advertise for yourself may not facilitate the need to think of a business name.

On the other hand, if you have drawn up the business cards and are handing them out like candy, you are the owner of a business.  You have a name and a product that you want others to buy.  The work that you do is client driven, but the control over how the work is completed is still in your hands.

Office space doesn’t dictate whether you are self-employed.  Small business owners work from their homes out of one room.  The trend is towards lower overhead to maximize the amount of profit and lower the cost it requires to get a new business off the ground.  Catering businesses have been started out of home kitchens.  Toy businesses can be started in your garage.

Having another job doesn’t affect self-employment status either.  Working for someone else from nine to five Monday through Friday won’t keep the government from viewing your other money maker as a separate business.  The business can be a part-time enterprise that you started to make extra money.

All of these people are considered self-employed individuals according to the federal government.  Once it has been determined that you are self-employed, think about applying for a business license and making it official by registering the name of the business.  Freelancers and other independent contractors are included in this group.

Self-employment distinctions are important for tax purposes.  There are filing requirements for the self-employed and additional forms to use.  No one wants their friendly business enterprise to run afoul of the law.

For more information on self-employment designations, visit http://www.irs.gov/businesses.  They provide articles on all aspects of business from small home-based businesses to larger enterprises.  Please seek professional or gov’t assistance when it comes to establishing or understanding your legal tax status and obligations. I am not a lawyer and therefore can not offer legal advice and the last thing any filer wants is to be audited by the IRS!

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Do you post on forums?  Forums are a great way to gain exposure and network with your peers. Forums give each member a signature line to add personal information so that other posters can learn a little something about you.  If you run an online business, use that signature line to your advantage.

What is a signature line anyway?  It is the space at the bottom of a post where you can record something about yourself.  It can hold five or six lines of text.  You can simply use it to sign your name so people know who you are if your screen name is not your real name.  Or, you can use it to advertise your business and get some free advertising.

Now, forums are used to exchange information between posters.  Internet marketing forums are used to meet others who have small businesses and to discuss issues related to running a business.  Many forums prohibit anyone from advertising their businesses in subject lines and information in posts.

If you think that they won’t know, guess again.  Forums have moderators whose job it is to keep up with that kind of thing.  Forum posters can also report you to the moderator and your posts can be removed.  You can also be booted off of the forum for not complying with their terms of service.

Instead, use your signature line to get the word out.  Think of this as a mini glimpse into what your business is all about.  You are not writing a book, so do be concise with your description of the business and how to contact you.

What do you need to include in your signature line?  Start with your name.  A physical address is not needed since you want them to visit your site and not your home.  Include the name of your business.  A business name that is catchy and short will stick in people’s heads better than something that is long and drawn out.

What is your business philosophy or the reason that you sell your product?  Summarize this in a few words – no more than two of the lines.  Be sure not to give away too much because you want them to find out more on the site.  This is only a well-baited hook.  Lastly, add the address of your website.  Be sure that the link works and will not redirect them somewhere else.

Add this signature line to each forum that you join.  The more exposure that you have, the better it is for the business.  Also take advantage of the private messenger service on forums.  Other posters can contact you in private without it being known by everyone else on the forum.

Signature lines are useful but few people take advantage of it.  Be creative and make yours stand out! As a small business owner, see every situation and venue as a way to get some free advertising.

How do you use forum signatures? Let us know!

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Discount codes give cost savings to customers while providing valuable data and inventory control to the seller. Here are five reasons that creating discount codes can benefit an etailer’s business:

1. Bring in new customers. When a consumer is ready to buy and knows of multiple sources for the product, price is often the deciding factor. Consumers are attracted to a good deal. Offering a discount code to new customers provides an added reason to shop at a particular website over all other options.
2. Encourage repeat business. Satisfied customers will be more likely to shop again when they are reminded to do so, and given a compelling reason to return. A special discount code can be sent via email at specific intervals as a thank-you for past purchases and to encourage repeat business.
3. Increase order size. Time-limited offers create a sense of urgency and give customers a reason to buy more than they originally intended. Discount codes can be offered for a percentage off the purchase price of a second item, for example, or for free shipping on orders totaling a specific amount.
4. Tracking. Gathering data on customer trends is imperative for every etailer. Issuing separate discount codes for different mailings, website promotions and affiliate partners, for instance, provides important information on where customers come from and which marketing campaigns are most effective. This data can then be used to make decisions about future marketing programs.
5. Control inventory flow. Physical stores manage inventory flow by marking down items they want to move. Online storefronts can use discount codes for the same purpose. The discount can be offered across the board, or used to bring in new customers with an interest in that particular product category, or sent to previous customers who bought similar products.

There are several ways discount codes can be applied. Etailers generally offer a set dollar amount off the normal price of a product, a percentage off the price of a single item, a discount on the order total, or free shipping on orders that exceed a minimum dollar amount.

Discount offers can be extended through a number of vehicles. They can be posted on the landing page of the storefront. They can be emailed to select past or potential customers. They can be introduced on the order summary page to encourage the customer to add items to the shopping cart. Or they can be listed at sites such as currentcodes.com or dealhunting.com.

Many etailers determine the effectiveness of their marketing strategies by tracking the use of discount codes. The information can help businesses achieve the highest possible ROI and sales at the best available rates.

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Installing the right shopping cart from the beginning can save hours of downtime and frustration for new online business owners. With hundreds of cart systems on the market, the option exists to contract out for the service or install the system in-house. Here are some tips to help make the best decision.

First, consider cost versus available time. The business owner with a generous start-up budget and little programming experience might consider hiring someone to install the shopping cart. However, many new ventures find the entrepreneur with less money than time, making the cost of a good programmer or web master prohibitive.

On the other hand, taking on the project with little or no experience can cost a business even more in terms of down time, lost sales if the website doesn’t function properly, and ultimately, the cost to hire someone to take over the installation and correct any mistakes.

It is wise for the do-it-yourselfer to budget for technical assistance in the event that problems are encountered. Another safety measure is to purchase a shopping cart from a provider that offers customer support and technical assistance. Some companies offer online videos or other training as part of the purchase price, which could eliminate many installation problems before they occur.

Whether or not a professional is hired to perform the installation, it is important to make sure the shopping cart offers all the features that the business owner anticipates needing. The ability to customize in some ways is desirable – for example, to alter the appearance of pages so the cart matches the rest of the website – but all the desired functionality should already be in place. Internet marketing experts advise against buying software that has to be re-programmed, as this can be extremely expensive.

Any good shopping cart should offer commonly used features such as:
– calculating shipping, tax, and sale totals
– allowing changes to be made to the cart at any time before the customer finalizes the transaction
– the option to continue shopping at any point before the transaction is finalized
– the capability to accept coupons and discount codes
– customizable thank-you and order confirmation pages following the sale

Additional features to look for is up-sell capability, which recommends similar products based on the customer’s preferences before the sale is completed. Internet marketers have found that automated suggestions lead to thousands of dollars in increased sales.

Also related to higher revenues, the cart should ideally come with a built-in affiliate program for businesses that wish to derive the benefits of a network of marketing affiliates.

Other useful features include report generation, transfer of data to the business owner’s accounting and database programs, email and mail-merge functions, and ad tracking.

While the do-it-yourself approach is the right choice for some website owners, the best decision will be reached after considering time and cost factors and selecting the ideal shopping cart in advance.

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For online business owners today, offering the options customers want is a vital aspect of winning the sale. Multiple payment methods give consumers a choice, but credit card payments are far and away the most popular. Credit cards are convenient for consumers to use and sites that accept them show higher revenues from impulse purchases and other add-ons.

There are two ways that ecommerce sites can arrange to accept credit card payments. One is by establishing a merchant account through the business owner’s own bank. Another is to use a third-party service to process the payments.

Bank Merchant Accounts – Most banks offer merchant accounts and processing gateways to their account holders. Funds from credit card purchases, less the agreed-upon fees, are deposited into the merchant account, then moved to the owner’s business or personal account on a regular basis (usually within 24 hours). The primary disadvantage is that approval for merchant accounts is more difficult to obtain for internet businesses than for standard retail businesses. Every bank has its own qualification guidelines and fee schedules.

Third-party services such as PayPal eliminate the need for a merchant account. They offer real-time processing of payments and transfer of funds to the business owner’s account for a fee, usually a small flat rate plus a percentage of the sale total per transaction.

Other features available might include a shopping cart that the business owner can install on the website, conversion from U.S. dollars to foreign currency, the ability to accept multiple forms of payment (such as electronic debits or echecks), customer service, and set-up assistance.

PayPal offers three account types, two of which can be used by merchants to accept credit card payments: the Premier Account and the Business Account. An individual can open a Premier Account, but a Business Account can only be opened by a registered business. A 2.9 percent fee is charged for receiving a payment, but as the dollar volume increases, the rate drops. Premier and Merchant Account holders can incorporate special html code into their website to create a “Buy Now” button. With one click, the customer is taken to a payment page to complete the transaction.

PayPal also provides a shopping cart to merchants. This software lets the consumer select multiple items for purchase, then proceed to the payment page to pay for all selections at once.

The cost for setting up a merchant account, processing gateway, and shopping cart can range from $500 to $1,500, more so if the etailer chooses to hire a web master to consult on or install the system.

For the start-up or small business owner, third-party services such as PayPal may provide a more accessible, affordable alternative to traditional banking options.

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