stories

The No-Sugar Gourmet Activists Want You!

2010-07-14T17:20:00.003-04:00

I'm a progressive who also looks back. I'm up with Facebook and Twitter, but I don't text or even give away my cell phone number unless its absolutely necessary. I'm on Netflix and love it, but I canceled Cable -- just won't watch current TV. I love listening to podcasts in the car, but I rarely listen to current radio stations because they waste too much of my time.

When it comes to food, I'm a total reactionary. I look in history's rear view mirror and come to the conclusion that it's not normal or natural to consume feast portions every day. It's crazy to suck in sugar, fructose and corn syrup every couple of hours. It's sickening to forget about nutritional values and simply shop from the middle (chemical) aisles of the grocery store. It makes no sense whatever to carry home new plastic bags and bottles and packaging with every shopping trip when nice cloth totes are so easy to come by.

I can't see the sense of being a slave to Big Agri and Big Meat or to ignoring the pools of pig/cow poop at factory farms. I see a pattern to e coli turning up on food, produce that has traveled, laid on shelves and become virtually nutrient free. We pay low prices for unhealthy food and high prices for insufficient medical care, and I think something could be done about that: I think we could get mad as hell and refuse to take it anymore.

I'm a boomer with health issues for which I take responsibility. I make sure my food is fresh, chemical free and un-sugared. I take in very little salt, no sugar or corn syrup, no refined flour, no wheat, no gluten. I eat low-glycemic foods that don't spike my insulin levels and lead to disease. What makes me so strict? How do I do it? How do I handle cravings? My spouse and I have become No-Sugar Gourmet Activists!

I plan, Dennis cooks. Between us, we find ways to avoid the foods that trouble our digestion, our focus, our arthritis and our well-being. We eat only delicious, satisfying meals: We crave nothing we don't eat and eat nothing we don't find up to our standards. We eat better-tasting meals than we could get at our very favorite (and expensive) restaurants. If we want something, we create a recipe that suits our needs for flavor, health and satisfaction.

And you can do it too, because we share our finds, recipes and recommendations with you at: no-sugar-recipes.com no-sugar-recipes.com.

5 Ways to Stay Productive in a Slow Economy

2010-04-08T15:10:00.000-04:00

Apparently, I have a way to go before I can present myself as a Master Worrier, as I did in my previous post. My sister commented: "You didn't mention the economy, the war, global climate change, invalid mom, child who lives [hundreds] of miles away, etc. And what is retirement, anyway? I hear folks talking about it, but I don't see it in my future."

Okay, okay -- we're all going to be fine. We'll be working forever, though, so we'd best be doing something we like. I like writing -- it's good work if you can get it, and as the song says, "You can get it if you try."

As a freelancer since 1998, I've seen that things do have a way of working out in unexpected ways. The catch is: You look around and see nothing moving. But the fact is: There are at least a million things moving around beneath the surface, gestating, sprouting, getting ready to make an appearance.

I fall into the pity pot whenever I think of myself as responsible for everything -- and myself as the Little Red Hen of the World. (This comes naturally to many women, especially experienced Moms.) When I come to my senses, however, it's clear that I'm only responsible for so much -- my duties are finite. What a relief!

Once I get to that place, a 5 steps come to mind:

1. Take care of yourself: get enough rest, do something fun, preferably outside.

2. Take 5 or 10 minutes in the morning to slow down the mind-chatter and create inner silence and receptivity.

3. Talk to friends and colleagues daily -- you need the spark of conversation to keep your own creative flame lit.

4. Do the best you can on every job for every client: No matter what happens, you'll be able to respect yourself and know you did everything you could.

5. Listen to other people -- you'll learn a lot about what's really going on.

That's my story, what's yours?

5 Easy Steps to Useless Worrying

2010-04-06T18:17:00.006-04:00

I've roamed all over gmail, twitter and facebook looking for ways to avoid writing today. I'm worried sick about losing my best-paying, largest freelance gig.

Yeah, I'm working as of now...but I found out my contract might run out in mid-May. I could be just another out-of-luck writer-editor...again.

My contract has already been extended from two months to six months. I could choose to be optimistic about my chances of being repeatedly renewed: They like me and my work, but...

...today my blood pressure shot up to "high normal" -- beyond its usual teens-over-70s range. My head aches. My guts are churning. My body is wondering if I should spend money on the Arizona trip we're planning for the end of May. I could be unemployed -- and I don't qualify for unemployment compensation -- when we get back. Could I live with the regret if I cancel the trip...again?

Will the housing market ever recover enough for Stuart to take over some of the bread-winning? Would that ease my mind, or would I just continue to worry? People say, Don't think about it, you'll land on your feet, you always do. How do they know? I don't recall ever landing on my feet, besides worry comforts me that I'm doing what I can.

And how can I help but feel unloved if I get laid off again? Losing my job last year meant anxiety, depression and low self-esteem. My sense of entitlement -- I should be able to retire and enjoy my life by now -- is apparently not strong enough to overcome this jobless economy.

Outside the marketing and business communications I currently produce for a large client, there's nothing doing for writers -- we're mostly being laid off.

I have a book I could write, but unless Stuart gets work, I can't afford to write it and don't have much chance of hooking a publisher.

When I was laid off in 2009, I had high hopes of finding ways to make money writing Web content, editing e-newsletters. But almost nobody even acknowledged my applications, resumes and cover letters. I found only found part-time employment through friends/relatives.

As everyone knows, it's who you know -- and I've already burned through the few resources I have. So, if I get laid off again, I plan to just go to bed and not get up. The gig I have now just came to me -- so I'll wait for my next job under the covers.

That's my story...what's yours?

5 Easy Ways to Keep in Touch With Your Fans

2010-01-05T14:46:00.001-05:00

Tips for Baby Boomers in Business:

* Startup marketing

* SEO copywriting-content

* Online marketing trends

Q: Who can you trust - and who will trust you - when there are six billion people on the planet?

A: Those with whom you have established a relationship.

In 2010, building relationships happens more and more online. Small businesses that establish their authenticity, transparency, openness - free of traditional "marketing ploys" - will be seen as trustworthy providers.

1. In establishing online relationships, nothing beats building a list of blog or Web site subscribers who have given implicit permission for you to regularly contact them.

2. Build an e-mail list by offering your fans a chance to sign up after making a purchase, in online sidebars and footers, and after downloading content from your page.

3. Once you start a list, grow it organically by offering ideas, insider tips, or subscriber specials.

4. Online networking groups also help you reach out to fans easily. Simple-to-use, free platforms such as Facebook and Twitter allow you to build a business page, create conversations, share ideas, and put a human face on your business.

5. By giving your fans a place to gather online, you'll make it easy to quickly contact them with helpful news and updates.

Solo Entrepreneurs/Professionals: 7 Truths to Master

2009-12-31T12:37:00.002-05:00

Tips for Baby Boomers in Business:
* Startup marketing
* SEO copywriting-content
* Online marketing trends

I wasn't going to blog any New Year's resolutions - and I'm still not going to - but I am breaking my rule of always providing original content, because I found these 7 Truths from Scott Ginsberg (NametagTV.com) that I really must share.

Many of us have already quit our cozy corporate jobs, and probably need to be reminded of these 7 Truths. They're not easy, and only a few of us actually have them all mastered when we go out on our own. But some of us are divers and some are toe-dippers. We'll all get there in good time.

Click on the link below to read Scott's full article:

Don't Quit Your Cozy Corporate Job and Go Out on Your Own Until You Master These Seven Truths

Happy New Year!

Keywords: 5 Counter-Intuitive Tips for SEO Success

2009-12-29T14:23:00.004-05:00

Tips for Baby Boomers in Business:

* Startup marketing

* SEO copywriting-content

* Online marketing trends

It's probably easier than you think to make a mistake in choosing your online marketing keywords. Most people assume that the knowledge already in their heads is enough to target the best search words. It's a common error, forgetting to get into the mindset of your client or customer, but top marketers do the research that gives insights about how best to serve the customer or client.

The most important thing to know about keywords is which ones are already being searched for the most often. These will be the words you choose from, rather than the ones in your own head. After all, you want the greatest number of new online searchers to find their way to your site. However...

Another important consideration is: Who else is using the same keywords as you? Your choices could have you going up against bigger businesses with flashier sites and more ads. In that case, you would be wasting your effort -- and if you are doing a pay-per-click (PPC) ad campaign, also wasting your money.

When you analyze it, your small business needs to find its search engine opportunities in areas that relate to your business without putting you up against 10,000 of your strongest competitors!

So, somewhat counter-intuitively, your small business marketing plan will not employ the keywords that were searched 200,000 times last month. That "niche" is full to bursting. You'll be better off using keywords that 2,500 - 5,000 people searched for last month, niches that are not 100% saturated by your competition.

Another important thing to know is that keywords are often comprised of more than one word: e.g., "small business marketing," rather than "business." When you research keywords, look up as many of these keyword phrases as you can think of. Savvy use of these key two- and three-word phrases can greatly improve your success rate.

Once you have determined a set of keywords that should work well, make sure they appear in your page content in various ways:

First, they are most easily found by the search engines in your headings and bullet points.
Next, they should be sprinkled in your textual content as well, of course, but not in suspiciously high concentrations. This can be offputting to both search engines and visitors.
Use them in your tags, page names (for example, don't title a page "homepage" -- work in a keyword, such as "eye care" or your band's name) and in your site's name (as in "alternative-medicine.com").

Most important of all, never become complacent. Update your keyword research every month or two to be sure you're competing in the right niche. Also, study your Web analytics (e.g., SiteMeter, Google Analytics) carefully. Which keywords increase traffic to your site?

5 Steps to a Social Marketing Plan for 2010

2009-12-24T12:53:00.001-05:00

Tips for Baby Boomers in Business:

* Startup marketing

* SEO copywriting/content

* Online marketing trends

A social marketing plan is part of your overall marketing strategy, and as such must be tailored to your specific needs. But various forms of social marketing can eat up a lot of your time unless you carefully target your goals. In order to do that, you’ll need to:

1. Create a presence.

You can do this at no cost. Linked In, the social site for professionals, is a good place to start, precisely because, besides giving you a free page that links to your Web site and blog, it is fundamental to establishing your credibility yet, once set up, does not require much in the way of updating.

The exercise of setting up your page is much like writing a resume – not much fun, but worth the effort. In addition to trumpeting your experience, the site helps you learn to pack a lot of information into very few words by answering the question, What are you doing? As you answer – and update – this question, be sure to use your keywords.

2. Make a schedule you can stick to.

Remember to make a schedule for tweeting on Twitter.com – both because you don’t want to forget and lose your online presence, and because you don’t want tweeting to be the only thing you accomplish all day.

3. Provide good, engaging content.

Always be brief, direct and casually friendly in your marketing communications. Try to be as helpful as possible, and remember that the magic words are “you” and “free.” Dishware, toasters and matchbooks are so last century – so find something you can give away instead, even if it’s only a daily factoid, an interesting llink, a monthly eNewsletter, a quantity discount or a limited time offer.

A large part of marketing is getting into the customer/client mindset. What are your Web site or blog visitors searching for? What is the problem you can solve for them? If you go there, your marketing communications will be more successful.

4. Do your keyword research.

A good way to get into the customer/client/patient mindset is to use a keyword tool such as Google’s (https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal). The exercise of finding out what people are searching for will go a long way toward answering the question: What do your visitors need? (More about keywords in a future post.)

5. Be consistent in your delivery.

Get your social marketing plan in writing and refer to it frequently – at least weekly – to be sure that your efforts remain in the category of “effective,” and don’t slop over into the zone of “inefficient time-eaters.”

Tweeting, like blogging, takes a real commitment to refreshing content and establishing a strong online presence. So, why not do these activities together? When you complete a blog post, tweet a link to your post with an inviting short statement (e.g., 10 Ways to Maintain Good Health + url). Likewise, your blog can provide ideas for more tweets.

A good rule of thumb is 2-3 blogs per week, with the best days to post being Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. It’s also valuable to reply to other tweets and to retweet interesting tweets for your followers, as well as to comment on other blogs and tweets. For twitter, you really need to spend a few minutes each weekday. If you have someone who can handle tweeting for you, then the guideline is “the more, the merrier.”

Once you get beyond the newness of social marketing activities, you’ll see that connecting to people in this way can be very enjoyable, especially when you elicit responses, and you’ll receive at least as much as you give.

5 Social Marketing Basics

2009-12-22T16:21:00.043-05:00

Tips for Baby Boomers in Business:
> Startup marketing
> SEO copywriting/content
> Online marketing trends

You wear many hats, and your time is valuable. You can't spend time twittering like Ashton Kutcher or Roland Hedley. How should you use social marketing, and what should your marketing plan encompass?

If you're a solopreneur, very-small-business owner, health care or arts professional -- your social marketing plan needs to be: carefully thought outsimplebrieftargeteddoableconsulted regularly.
My advice is to begin with the basics -- ignore Facebook for now, set up your profile as an expert on LinkedIn, and start using Twitter, sending a regular e-mail newsletter and blogging to stay in contact with your clients/customers/patients/fans.

1. Begin with your client list.

This should include not only family and friends, but also colleagues and acquaintances. Stretch out your circle to include even slight acquaintances, secure in the knowledge that your social marketing plan's goal is to stay in contact and nurture relationships, not to bother people with spammy ads. If you're a health professional, you may never have collected your patients' e-mail addresses -- they will feel flattered that you want to stay in touch.

2. Set up your LinkedIn page.

This is the basis of your bona fides as a business person or professional. You are the expert. This is where you explain precisely what you are doing: what your specialty is, and how you can be contacted. Be sure to pursue the Recommendations feature. LinkedIn will show you who you already know on the site, and you can write recommendations for these contacts. People usually reciprocate and recommend you back.

3. Set up a Twitter page.

Use your business name. Be sure to fill in your location and bio so that people can easily search to find you. Follow other companies in your business to see what your competition is doing. The most important thing is to establish your presence, and your value, by actually twittering. Don't just read what others write.

4. What to tweet.

Here's where I disagree with common practice. It is common for twitterers to send personal tweets about their day, as in "I was out running with my dog on the beach this morning." Who cares? These are, for the most part, boring, useless tweets, and they'll clutter up your followers' pages. Visit Mashable and follow their tweets. They always provide a friendly face and useful, usable information, or what we call good content. This, I think, is the prime directive.

5. Learn to Bit.ly or Tiny URL.
To add value to your tweets, add a link -- to your blog, to a Web page you find interesting and on-topic, to a home or landing page...to good content. To save room for your tweet, shorten the link's url by signing up on http://bit.ly or http://tinyurl.com, copy your chosen link into the box to shorten it. Bit.ly allows you to tweet right from its page, then provides information about how many people clicked on your tweet's link.

These are the basics with which to begin. In subsequent blogs, I'll cover more details about your social marketing plan.

5 Qualities of Successful Small Businesses

2009-12-18T15:06:00.022-05:00

Tips for Baby Boomers in Business:
> Startup marketing
> SEO copywriting/content
> New (targeted) online marketing trends

What are the most important qualities for small buinesses?

1. Produce Results.

In your small business or practice, it's results that matter more than anything else. According to business consultant Nancy McKinstry, CEO of Wolters Kluwer, a consulting firm based in Holland, no matter how much clients or customers like you and trust your capabilities, you must demonstrate that you can produce the order, treat the ailment or put on the show.

2. Determine Your Direction.

The second thing you must have to thrive in business is direction. Set a direction for your business from the outset, create a plan, and get engaged in it. In a sense, what your business is, is who you are, so invest yourself fully and revel in the experience.

3. Develop Perseverance.

Ms. McKinstry also says that, because perseverance is so important, if you can find your way around or through the obstacles you encounter along the way, and keep moving ahead, that's just the quality you need for success.

4. Overcome Adversity.

Nobody drives straight forward all the time -- in setting up any business you’re going to be confronted with challenges. To persist when things go wrong is vital to your ability to survive and grow. What do you learn from adversity and setbacks? You find, McKinsky points out, that you're able to fall down, dust yourself off, and keep moving forward the next day.

5. Become a Problem-Solver.

Are you a good problem solver? Because starting your own business is like inviting a new set of problems into your life. But if you have -- or can learn -- a problem solver's mentality, you have a shot at reaching any level you aim for.

These are not necessarily qualities you have to have before you begin a business, but to consciously set out to master them is one of the best ways to keep yourself from becoming discouraged and giving up when the going gets tough.

3 New Ways to Enliven Web Site Content

2009-12-16T12:48:00.023-05:00

Health, Arts and Small Business (SMB) Professionals:

Here we are being overwhelmed by a tidal wave of innovations in technology. I don't understand what Blu-Ray means. I think hi-def TV is a little creepy. And I worry that if I got an iPhone, I wouldn't be able to learn how to use it or its 10,001 apps. (I test drove a Prius once, and it's lack of "normal" controls made me feel like the car was controlling me instead of the other way around.)

Yet new technologies are transforming how business is done. And I guess the good thing about the Great Recession is that, because many of these new technologies are easily accessible and low-cost, it forces us to take advantage of them -- and rely on our own creativity -- sooner rather than later. Small business loans just don't exist right now, and costs must be cut, but marketing must continue.

1. Social Networking:

Certainly Twitter and Linked In are easy enough to use for marketing purposes. When I complete a blog post, I "twitter" about the topic and include a shortened link (see http://bit.ly/) back to the blog. This establishes me as a Twitterer who delivers helpful content on a certain topic. Meanwhile, back at the blog, I have attached a couple of Twitter gadgets: a button that encourages blog readers to follow me on Twitter, and a sidebar containing my latest Twitter topics.

Linked In helps me network with other professionals, and my profile contains a link back to my blog. I can also post a short "What I'm doing now" message that can attract searchers through my use of key words. Also available on Linked In is box.net, which allows my co-writer, a doctor, to share files with me as we write a book together. And as we write it, we are contantly sharing that fact with our followers, to build interest in our topic.

2. Images, Film, Video:

I was especially interested in Thomas L. Friedman's recent column in the New York Times, "The Do-It-Yourself Economy." At the same time that marketing budgets are squeezed, some easy-to-use Web sites allow the SMB do-it-yourselfer to enhance a blog or Web site with photo images, illustrations and videos from istockphoto. Check out the "Dollar Bin" -- you may find just the right images to spruce up your site.

3. Podcasts, Music:

If you're like me, you may think adding audio to your site is too "techy," but here are a couple of sites that make it easier. If, for example, you'd like to podcast on a topic that will interest your following, start with a script. Write it yourself, or use box.net to co-write it with a colleague. When the script is to your liking, visit voices.com to select a professional narrator. Instead of you spending days or weeks re-recording every time you make a blooper, a specialist you select in a bidding process will e-mail you a professional audio within hours of your request.

If you make a film or video, you may need a soundtrack behind it. Some sites even play an ambient tune or sound to welcome visitors. For example, when you land on a writer's site, you may hear the sound of typewriter keys clicking. Available downloads at audiojungle.net include music suitable for business videos, ads and Web sites. Some of the tunes play a loop, and all of the ones I tested were of high quality. A typical price is $12.

3 Steps to Becoming an Online Local Expert

2009-11-16T16:16:00.018-05:00

Health and Performance Professionals:

While you want to have an "online presence" -- the most important elements of which are your site, your blog and a LinkedIn profile -- it's also important to find ways to nurture your "local presence" as well.

But what are the best ways, given the demise of most of those low-cost print mechanisms of the not-so-distant past (e.g., Yellow Pages, fliers and newspaper inserts, Pennysaver ads, free toothbrushes or ballpoint pens with your name and number printed on the barrel)?

1. Tailor your approach to your locality:

The "generic" -- therefore not always useful -- advice given by many online marketers is to place low-cost ads in your local newspaper's online classified section and service directory (for example, under Chiropractor or Wedding Music).

However, many of us live in areas where the newspaper is either too large and expensive (e.g., The New York Times), or too small to be a helpful marketing tool (classified service or directory sections so tiny and buried, for example, that it would take a well-financed archeological dig to unearth them, which your typical online news reader is not about to do).

My local paper's site, for example, provides classified sections only for the most popular functions: Buying a car, selling a home, renting an apartment, finding a lost pet. A service directory exists, has it's own page even, but contains an insignificant number of entries, mostly imported from nationwide databases. It's irrelevant, hard to find, and no one will ever use it.

2. How to make the digital world work for you:

If you have not already done so, check out your local online resource. Many news organizations are suffering from the fact that local advertisers have not rushed to buy online advertising space, and neither should you, however...

These sites do offer something that can't be found anywhere else: truly local online communities. Seek out your newspaper's blogs, which have taken the place of "columnists." Read the articles that affect your business, then respond as an expert commentator -- as often as possible.

3. You can build your local presence very effectively simply by following a couple of local online communities:

Remember that you are commenting online as an expert -- that is, as an acupuncturist, jazz musician, chiropractor, painter, osteopath, photographer, holistic dentist, etc. (Artists also can comment on or review local arts events.)

Succinct, frequent expert commentary online builds name recognition. The pitfalls are: sounding arrogant, judgmental or too obviously selling your service. Don't become the local crank who comments just to vent or see his name in print.

But the rewards of this type of personal marketing are well worth the effort: First, what may just save online newspapers is their local blog communities. As they grow, so grows the influence of the organization -- and your impact along with it. Build a name for yourself as the go-to healer or artist in your community, and let your clients come looking for you!

7 Essential Questions for Optimizing Your Site

2009-11-13T11:00:00.001-05:00

Health and performing arts professionals:
Is your Web site content working for you? The realization that you may need something better or less static is the first step in optimizing your site...but what's next?

Ask yourself:
1. What content could boost the number of visitors who schedule an appointment, listen to a demo then make a purchase, or contact you about a gig?

2. What can you offer that no one else can? What's unique about you?

Continue to brainstorm:
3. What would visitors like to do on your site?

4. What do they need to know? What are they looking for?

Answers to health questions?
A quiz or contest offering a prize (CD) or a discount (on serial sessions)?
A free demo recording?
Fun facts about Chinese medicine and astrology?
Referrals, advice?

Now go back over your list:
5. Why is each topic necessary -- not for you, but for your visitors? (If it doesn't have a purpose, take it off your list.)

6. What will you need? For example:

Text
Pictures and profiles
Credentials, awards, testimonials
Completed projects, PDFs, links
Audio
Video
A way to collect e-mail addresses.

7. How can you project a friendly, talented and professional persona so that visitors see you're qualified to offer what you offer?

Updating the text on your site may not be enough:
Consider completely rethinking your approach from the point of view of people interested enough in your topic to visit your Web page. Try to get inside the heads of the people who need you!

Boomers Haven't "Lost It"

2009-11-06T13:57:00.009-05:00

Boomers in Business:

Boomers will create more small businesses over the next 10+ years -- and, therefore, more jobs -- than any other age group, according to John Martin, co-founder of the Boomer Project.

Not only will Boomers be creating small businesses, Boomers will also be spending:

According to McKinsey, Boomer households will outnumber younger households until 2016.

Boomers outspend younger generations by $400 billion, according to the Consumer Expenditure Survey.

The U.S. Census projects that the 50+ demographic will grow by 23% in the next 10 years, while the 18-49 group adds only 1%.

Boomer solopreneurs and entrepreneurs looking to bounce back after this recession should be getting ready to rock 'n' roll!

3 Easy Steps to Product or Service Reviews

2009-11-05T10:37:00.011-05:00

Boomers in Business:

November 3rd's blog, 7 Savvy Marketing Tips for This Holiday Season, introduced the idea of obtaining product/service (P/S) reviews to jump-start your seasonal marketing efforts.

P/S reviews provide a terrific way for you to:

Get honest feedback about your P/S.
Generate buzz about your P/S.
Drive traffic to your Web site.

Here are three steps to getting those vital reviews.

1. Create an announcement:
Your Web site is offering a specific number of free Ps/Ss -- in exchange for a review and a link back to your Web site.

2. Define the terms:
In order to qualify for the free gift, the client or customer must have a blog or a major social network of followers.

3. Send the offering to your entire list.
Also, of course, it goes on your Web site. And make a special effort to get your notice to the top bloggers in your industry.

Who has done this well:
Check out a good example of this marketing tactic (during November only) at: PujBaby.com.

7 Savvy MarketingTips for This Holiday Season

2009-11-03T14:16:00.019-05:00

Boomers in Business:
So the predictions are that this is likely to be another slow holiday spending season, what can you do about it? Here are seven savvy tips to help you zero in on the business that's out there this fall:

1. First, be sure to define your target customer precisely.
Begin by knowing what problem your business solves or what pain it puts someone out of. Unless you have a very clear vision of who needs your product or service, you'll spin your wheels -- spending too much time or money to make money. Great example: Warm-Mouse by ValueRays.

2. Don't try to be all things to all customers.
It is more effective to carefully delineate your benefit to the customer you have defined in step 1. What specific problem do you solve? What precise need do you fill? In one sentence: What service do you provide? (See Warm-Mouse above.)

3. Learn more about what your customers want.
Many lacklustre entrepreneurs assume their customers want exactly what they want. Survey your customer list, your blog readers, your Web site visitors. Or use a service like surveymonkey.com. Let your customers tell you what they want: "Great product but your shipping cost's too high," etc. Then do your best to ease their pain.

4. Pitch to more affluent customers this season.
They are more optimistic about economic conditions and are spending more and doing it earlier than other demographics.

5. Wrangle some product or service reviews.
Give out some samples and let the power of the product review work for you. Depending on your offering, this will work better locally or nationally. Remember your customer demographic when going after reviews. (Don't forget to post any resulting quotes or testimonials on your Web site!)

6. Really work that list.
Do you send one "thank-you" e-mail or make one call and that's that? Repetition works -- be there when your customer is ready for another solution. If possible, include social networking in your customer outreach. Incessant e-mails may not be ideal, so try to be where your customers are. Know who does this really well? JJill. (To keep this effective marketing going, you'll need to develop a process and a routine.)

7. Charge what you're worth.
You may be tempted to repeatedly offer deep discounts, but experts say that's not an efficient way to make your business successful. Consumer psychology is complicated but, generally, people understand that they get what they pay for. And they will pay for what they believe is worth it.

Be well and prosper!

Got the Blahs -- TGIF!

2009-10-30T13:09:00.008-04:00

Boomers in Business:

Ever have one of those truly blah days -- it's overcast outside and foggy in your brain? Let's say you finally sit down to blog anyway, just to see what might come up.

My rationalization for just going with the blah mood today is that there's really more time than I think, and sometimes these fallow days are when my imagination gets some exercise.

Give creativity a chance

These little breaks give new information and ideas the opportunity to combine in new ways and bubble up from the cortex where they've been collecting them all week.

For freelancers, bloggers, art/music/medical professionals and solopreneurs -- this is creative, from-the-heart time, and it usually holds a payoff for clients, customers and students.

Reading the Yogi Tea Leaves

2009-10-28T14:30:00.016-04:00

Boomers in Business:

This morning my Yogi Tea Ginseng Royal Vitality Daily Energy Tonic tea bag tag offered far better economic advice than Alan Greenspan ever did or Ben Bernanke is likely to: "Gratitude is the open door to abundance."

As the ungrateful bankers, traders and investment brokers of Wall Street line up to receive more giant year-end bonuses -- because they are much too valuable to endure the depredations faced by the rest of us -- we are left to wonder how we'll make it through the coming winter. Consumer confidence "unexpectedly" has slipped again, as Main Street gears up to cut back: on shopping, spending and gifting again this holiday season.

Where's that door?

We have been told that the economy has bottomed out and is recovering, but there's precious little evidence of that for freelancers, solopreneurs, alternative medicine practitioners and arts professionals: The Dow Jones goes up, the price of our gasoline follows.

Yet we can be grateful that things are not as bleak as they were a year ago, when people were being laid off right and left. And grateful that some sectors are again growing, at least in spurts, so that we occasionally get a trickle-down spurt of business as well.

Why is gratitude the door?

I'll answer that with more questions: Ever try to get a great business or marketing idea while you're in the midst of anxiety, worry and fear? When do the best ideas come -- in the shower, in your sleep, while you're thinking of something else entirely?

Yes to all that, right? All our "nightly news"-"instant news" -"morning news" mania does for us is show us what's going wrong. Only the long view turns out to be the accurate one. So relax a little, and plan for the upturn. Take stock of what you already have -- so much more than millions of people in this world -- and be thankful. Then open the door.

Health Care Reform for Small Biz...for All

2009-10-27T16:57:00.018-04:00

Boomers in Business:
My circle of friends includes other freelancers, medical professionals, musicians and music teachers, entrepreneurs, graphic artists, writers, camp directors and substance abuse counselors. Only a few have health care supplied by an employer.

I am particularly fortunate -- I attained the freedom to do what I love for a living by first putting in my time as an employee of the State University of New York and the Counties of Westchester and Rockland. As a result, I have a retiree health plan that will carry me till I become Medicare eligible, and back me up -- by paying whatever Medicare doesn't.

What it's like to be without heath care coverage
In the 1980s, when I divorced, I had no health insurance for myself or my daughter. We got by, eating healthfully, paying for doctors out of pocket and keeping our fingers crossed until I finally found a job with benefits. I remember my enormous sense of relief when that happened.

Around that time my daughter needed a great deal of testing and treatment for severe allergies, and I was able to see to it that she got everything she needed without missing much school.

Medical care's more costly than ever before
At today's prices, we would not have made it. Allergies, athsma, anxiety, rhinitis and sinusitis, bronchitis and hypothyroid are all conditions that seem to pass from one generation to the next in my family. As such, they could all have been counted against me as "preexisting conditions." Again, I was lucky.

What it's like to have good health care coverage
Being covered by a plan that allows me to choose my own doctors and has never balked at paying for a lab test has meant incredible peace of mind. I've been hospitalized five times over the last 12 years -- about 25 days in all.

My husband, covered by my plan, has been hospitalized three times in the last five years, twice for kidney cancer. The cancer part was not easy, and took a lot of phone calls, but in the end, it was my PPO plan provider that assigned us a case worker who helped us find the information, doctors and hospitals that would be best for Stuart's condition...almost all of which was covered.

What it's like to fend for yourself
The flip side, however, is that we were also people with medical insurance who were jerked around by hospital anesthesiology providers -- on several occasions. Everything would be covered except the anesthesiology -- because the hospital had agreements with private anesthesiology practices rather than its own staff anesthesiologists.

Those private practices were free to reject our insurance payments and demand enormous cash payments from us, and there was no recourse. Our experiences ran the gamut from the anesthesiology groups refusing to speak to us or negotiate, to hounding us with collection agency calls and quietly threatening lawsuits. I don't know that there's anything in the reform plans that will fix this -- I hope so.

Do we need health care for everyone?
Of course, we do. Costs are now so prohibitive, no one can make it without health insurance. We're way beyond the place where the neighbors bring in casseroles for a week, and the church takes up a modest collection. Those communities, for the most part, no longer exist. We must forge a national community. With everyone on health care insurance, the risks are spread out and the cost goes down.

Most of my friends purposefully keep their small businesses small -- it's hard enough providing health care for your own family, let alone for employees. Because the reforms support lower costs, they are good for small business, whether you have employees or not. Let your congressional representatives know you support HC reform and a public option.

Think Psychology: Get Out in Front

2009-10-23T14:10:00.016-04:00

Boomers in Business:
If you're in the business of selling something, you can't learn too much about human psychology. I find today's news from Sweden intriguing. Here's a progressive, prosperous country with universal health care. It is moving forward on global warming issues, the latest of which is monitoring the carbon dioxide emissions from food production. Food products in Sweden now carry labeling that divulges the number of kilograms of carbon dioxide released into the earth's atmosphere during its production.

This means that raising beef for human consumption, for example, shows up as very inefficient and actually bad for the planet. Cattle are raised on huge agrifarms that create a methane mess. They are often given imported feeds that arrive via carbon-based, fuel-combusting transportation. Then they are shipped hundreds of miles to feed lots near slaughterhouses, and shipped again to distributors, etc. etc. All this produces a lot of nasty, and some unnecessary, emissions.

But wait a minute...
On the other hand, chickens have much less of a negative impact, and beans grown locally in organic soil have almost no detrimental effect on the environmnent. At the fast-food restaurant, these facts translate into 1.7 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions for a hamburger compared to 0.4 kg for a chicken sandwich.

You'd think that rational, easy-going Swedes would just give up beef and choose chicken -- or edamame (soybean) salad. But they're just as resistant as the rest of us to changes in diet and giving up fatty foods -- despite the rational fact that paying attention to the food issue could cut "greenhouse" emissions by 20% to 50%.

Cater to the highest or the lowest impulse?
People consume emotionally, not rationally, just like children. In this country, many people with diabetes so advanced they are in danger of losing their toes to gangrene continue to consume vast quantities of sugar, salt and fat to their heart's discontent.

But people can change
I was lucky. When told mine was a high-risk pregnancy and that I could lose the baby, I started eating real, fresh foods, cooked at home without added salt or sugar. I gained only 12 lbs. over nine months, the baby arrived only slightly early, and her Apgar score was 9+. Best of all, over that space of time, I found out that real food tastes better. I've never craved hamburgers since, and that was 30 years ago.

Instead of catering to the lowest common denominator -- selfish indulgence of the same-old, same-old patterns -- smart businesses leap ahead of the trend, develop a product that's naturally and healthfully delicious, and don't brand it as a sacrifice. It works for food, clothing, energy, services and practically everything else.

Get out in front -- ethically
People may complain briefly about yellowish light bulbs that take a couple of minutes to reach full brightness -- but eventually they respond to the "warmer," more flattering color and get used to lighting that "dims up." The "warm glow" compact fluorescents save money -- and they're actually kind of cool.

Why should The Next Best Thing have to be unhealthy for planet or people? Why not use your age and experience to just be cool!

When Fear Rules Reason

2009-10-22T13:14:00.023-04:00

Boomers in Business:
Has America gotten into the business of prosecuting thought crimes? Here we are arresting another disgruntled American, Tarek Mehanna, and charging him with "conspiring to support terrorism" even though he was unable to become a terrorist, take any terrorist action, or support terrorism in any material way.

Tarek had seven long years -- 2001 to 2008 -- in which to plot. And two co-conspiring buddies. But this "terrifying trio" never even came close to pulling off an attack: They were repeatedly rejected for terrorist-camp training, in multiple countries. They abandoned their mall attack plans when their one weapons contact told them he could find no automatic weapons. And their so-called political targets have not even been identified because, say the authorities, they were never in any danger.

Plot or pipe-dream?
Tarek's thoughts were pretty scary, yeah. The way he construed events, his own country was using the land of Mohammad as a base to attack Muslims. That's a fairly edgy outlook. And Tarek also thought he could justify killing civilians because they pay taxes to a government that "kills Muslims," and besides, most of them would be "non-believers" anyway. A thorough wack job, but apparently, not very threatening: more like inept, inexperienced, and ill-informed.

So at what point do irrational thoughts become an actual plot? Tarek the Pharmacist sort-of tried, ineffectually, to carry them out. Along with his two "friends" who are now telling the F.B.I. whatever it wants to hear in order to avoid jail time themselves. How trustworthy are they? We can't know: Only one has even been identified -- the other is tucked away somewhere growing beans to spill.

Beware the Source
Even the evil "contact," Daniel Maldonado, now serving 10 years for getting himself into a terrorist training camp and plotting to overthrow the Somali "government" -- which hasn't even existed since the '90s -- couldn't lay his hands on three automatic weapons. Or maybe he just didn't take Mehanna and his pals too seriously.

Listen, I'm very glad the F.B.I. is aware of these killer wannabes. I'm just wary of frightening the populace into locking up American citizens and throwing away the key when crazy, homicidal ideas were, seemingly, all they had to throw at us.

A 180-Degree Call to Action

2009-10-12T16:00:00.032-04:00

Boomers in Business:
One thing I actually have learned over time is to occasionally turn something over and look at the other side. I call these excursions into another dimension my "180s" because, surprisingly, things don't look wrong upside down, just more interesting, and more complex.

This time, what I found more surprising and interesting was not Barack Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize, but the absolute lack of pleasure taken by Americans in that honor. From the fundamentalist Right to the comics of the Left, all anyone can talk about is Mr. Obama's singular lack of action and the absurdity of receiving recognition for it.

Action:
Is there a more American word? We get things done. We take military action. We are an active people who exercise rigorously. We prefer action movies. The action of our NRA rifles is well-oiled. A highly litigious society, we take legal actions against our doctors, hospitals, neighborhood restaurants, and neighbors. We carry through and put into effect, carry out tasks, execute decisions, and action the operations. Most of all, we go "where the action is," because that is the singular value we hold as a nation.

Intention:
We have always cared less about intentions than actions--we forged a nation, demanded independence, and opened up the West. Intentions mean nothing to us without accompanying actions, follow-through, and resultant wins. That's why we don't get the same feelings of amazement and admiration a lot of the rest of the world has experienced since roughly a year ago when America renounced its Cowboy "action-figure" and voted in the man of values that include family, openness, honesty and diplomacy.

We don't even understand how Mr. Obama's could have won, but now that the fellow who renounced torture and secrecy and embraced openness and talk has taken charge, we can do nothing but carp about his "lack of achievement."

What Is Achievement?
No one, from the Nobel committee to Obama himself, has claimed this prize in the name of achievement. Though the citation itself is short, apparently few of the pundits have bothered to read its text. For it is a recognition of "values and attitudes," as well as a call to further action rather than a prize for actions already taken.

The Prize is in recognition of extraordinary efforts made, a vision of peace shared, a new climate created, multilateral diplomacy emphasized, dialogue and negotiation preferred (all actions as well as achievements). From this side, it looks as if Mr. Obama has accomplished quite a lot and intends to do even more.

Why Was the Prize Awarded?
Not, actually, for the reason(s) most Americans assume (without checking the facts). The Nobel Citation literally encourages the pre-eminent global spokesman, Obama, to continue to work--in full view of the world--for arms control, toward constructive steps to slow climate change, and to further strengthening human rights.

The last line of the citation holds the key that Americans have largely ignored in their jaded and hot pursuit of snarky ingratitude. It is the one thing Americans most need to hear that has been most ignored. Aren't we willing to bend our necks a little and look at the bottom of this thing? What's there is a surprise, all right; it's a hopeful call to action, not to but from our "singularly under-achieving" President:

"Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges."

Actual Text of the Nobel Citation:

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 is to be awarded to President Barack Obama for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples.

The Committee has attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons.

Obama has as president created a new climate in international politics.

Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play.

Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts.

The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations.

Thanks to Obama's initiative, the USA is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic challenges the world is confronting.

Democracy and human rights are to be strengthened.

Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future.

His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population.

For 108 years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world's leading spokesman.

The Committee endorses Obama's appeal that "Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges."

5 Ways to Hop Off the Career Fence

2009-09-17T15:46:00.005-04:00

BOOMERS IN BUSINESS:

I know several Baby Boomers who are involved in the difficult balancing act of getting a small business going on the side while maintaining their day jobs:

When is the time to make the "leap" to self-employment?
What are the top priorities for your incipient business?
How do you keep from resenting your day job? Or worse, keep your boss from noticing your dwindling commitment?
Are you excited about your new business idea?
Can you ever really balance the two?

First, Know Yourself

If you are feeling the least bit uncomfortable or unsure, there's a good reason, and it's likely that it involves your intention. If your intention to start your own business is less than 100%, part of you is clinging to the security of your day job. As you look around, you see everyone getting steady paychecks and health benefits. It's going to be scary to go out on your own. And, you will be on your own—not surrounded by a lot of co-workers, at least not at first—and suddenly totally responsible for the success of a new enterprise.

Second, Lift Your Intention, or Let Go

It is very, very difficult to make the leap into self-employment—if you are paralyzed with fear or unsure that you are really capable of pulling it off. Your motivation needs to be very high—so, where does your motivation come from? How strong is it? Are you escaping from a day job that's a bad fit for you, or running away from challenges on the job that, if faced, could lead to higher satisfaction at work? If being your own boss is for you, go for it...if it's driving you crazy, let it go now. Before you've spent your life savings and disappointed your boss is the time to answer these hard questions. Then set a schedule for launching the new and leaving the old, and stick to it!

Third, Really Define Your Business Plan

If you're still unclear about how your start-up is going to succeed, that's where you need to focus all your attention. Think hard about who your customers will be, how you will find them, and what they will want from you. Do your "due diligence":

Research the market.
Study the competition.
Identify your niche.
Be very honest about what it will take to make your plan work.

Until your business plan is sharp and credible, you will have an "excuse" to take it slow. And you cannot do justice to both a job and a business. What if this were the last day of your life? What would you want to be doing and to have accomplished?

Fourth, Visualize Your Ideal Work Day

Part of your confusion about leaving the safety of your day job may be misunderstanding your own needs. How do you enjoy working? Are you a phone person? Are you a computer person? Are you an "outside" person who likes to give talks, visit companies, and persuade people in person? Close your eyes and imagine yourself at work at your new business: What does that look like? Your success may very well depend on matching your business plan to your personality. It's a mistake to leave yourself—and an honest appraisal of your strengths and weaknesses—out of your new-business equation.

Finally, Share, Share, Share

The more you talk, the more refined your "elevator speech," will become—and the more compelling your product or service will sound to yourself and to others. Sharing your business idea can make you feel more confident and stoke your motivation. Practice on people you know and then move on to people you meet. Stuart has been refining his ES by giving it every Wednesday at his networking group; I've seen "what he does" gradually become a part of "who he is." This is a good place to be—identifying yourself as the person who has left the day job behind and become the spokesperson for a new business.

Put an end to the discomfort of being caught between two voracious time-eaters (your job and your business):

Know yourself.
Make your plan.
Set your schedule.
Give your notice.
Step into your brave new identity.

5 Ways to Know You Need a Copywriter

2009-08-28T17:34:00.010-04:00

Small business boomers:
Where does Web page content come from? Yes, Virginia, there are experts who can help you with this. As a writer myself, my perception is that many, if not most, expert entrepreneurs have very little patience for putting their messages in writing, often with disastrous results. I'll give you a few quick examples.

1. "They'll get it--it makes perfect sense to me!"
I've worked with all kinds of consultants--from financial services and risk management wizards; to human resource, benefit and retirement plan experts; to green building aficionados. These people are whip-smart in their fields, but many are lazy and impatient when it comes to writing up their findings. They slap something on the page using elaborate, often mysterious jargon, arguing that everyone who might read it already understands these things. So why write advisories or market your service at all? Who needs it? Everyone already understands everything. Except--studies show that people turn to the Internet to educate themselves, not to be mystified.

2. It would just take too much time to explain all this!
Doctors, acupuncturists, optometrists, psychologists--these experts don't have time to sit and fuss with the written word. They already have too much paperwork, and packed schedules, too. Rare is the professional who will sit down to write a journal article or op-ed piece, let alone write informative copy for a website. One client set up a blog at my suggestion--to educate people interested in acupuncture and make her site more dynamic. I wrote the first few blogs, then she took over--and the frequency of posts slowed way down. So much for a dynamic website.

3. I'm too busy starting my business--I can't be bothered with a website!
Surprisingly, given the enormous amount of activity on the Internet, more than 40% of small businesses have not even bothered to put up a website. Of course, it's not really all that surprising, given how confusing and time-consuming it can be to do just that. Even if you decide to invest in a full-service Web host, you're still going to have to organize what you know, what you do, and what you offer into a compelling written presentation. And if that seems overwhelming, how would you find a copywriter, anyway? And if you did, how much would one charge?

4. I put up a website--been there, done that!
I know a dynamic entrepreneurial couple who have a website they worked very hard to put up, and their business has done quite well until it began to fall off this year. However, that was years ago, when they were just starting out, and since then nothing on their site has changed. They still a have gateway page with a lame logo animation. Gateways are rarely used anymore--they tend to irritate or discourage visitors. The site has no photos for visual interest and no handy contact page--buried somewhere at the bottom of a page is a telephone number. You can't click on the logo to instantly get in touch with them. The options they offer are not clearly and simply presented. Though their business relies on frequently updated technology, their website reflects old-style text and graphics, giving an impression of stodgy performance--yet nothing could be further from the truth. If only visitors could see what a wonderful business theirs really is!

5. I don't have the time or the patience
This attitude can afflict all of us, even writers. However, the way to get past it if you are a budding entrepreneur is to get some sound advice--and fast. Find and hire an Internet marketer/content expert who will get excited about your business and guide youto a professional-looking website--and then keep it vibrant and updated as you build your enterprise.

Work-Life Balance: If Not August, When?

2009-08-17T14:51:00.008-04:00

Small Business Boomers:

I'm tempted to feel guilty about not blogging more often this month, but then I remember how great it is that lots of families are away, enjoying the last two weeks before school starts. Stuart and I have our own mini-vacation this week: free use of the neighbor's beautiful new, chlorine-free swimming pool. It's 94 degrees today with a "feel" of 104 with the humidity. Right after work, we're there!

Life is but a dream...

Work-life balance is something we all talk about but few of us satisfactorily accomplish. There's always some pressing need, something that needs to be done at work. I'm old enough to remember Weekly Reader mini-newspapers in elementary school--all these upbeat articles about how all the new inventions would create shorter and shorter work weeks in the future, and we would be hard-pressed to figure out how to use all our leisure time. Well, the future is now, and the reverse has happened: we all work more, not less.

Set Your Limits Right From the Get-Go

I remember, also, a more relevant life tip from a nineteenth-century female entrepreneur (The Dutchess of Duke Street) who opened the first upper-class hotel in London. She broke all the rules: rich people didn't stay in public hotels, women didn't run such businesses, certainly not unmarried women. Her mantra was: I shall begin as I intend to continue, which is to say, she was not going to make any compromises today so that she could succeed tomorrow. She was going to set the rules of her success today--and she did. And she was a tremendous success.

What's the use of succeeding with your start-up if you're going to make yourself miserable in the process? Right from the start, when it seems you simply cannot do too much and are overwhelmed by a list of very important tasks--set your limits. Start as you mean to continue: to have your own business that you love to work at, and love to profit from as well, both in terms of money and control of your own time.

Your time is one of the few things you really can control, so prioritize it realistically and daily.

Otherwise, you will be swamped, whether you have too few customers or too many. What are your goals? Why did you begin this business? What do you want and need for yourself? How can you be fair to your family? These questions are just as important as deciding when and where to advertise or picking a logo or improving customer service. And late August is just the time to think about your answers.

10 Ways to Optimize Freebies and Model a Great Monetizer

2009-08-10T13:04:00.008-04:00

Small Business Owners and Solopreneurs:

It's time to update my review of the VistaPrint site. I spent last week purchasing new business cards and matching accessories. And I do mean purchasing--because nothing is quite free on VistaPrint. Its business model and methods of monetization are very carefully worked out and--don't get me wrong, VP offers a good deal on business printing--as a business buyer, you must read all the fine print, and be aware of VistaPrint's marketing game.

1. Play the Waiting Game

Roving the VistaPrint site, there were many interesting marketing avenues to pursue: not just business cards but Premium business cards; free matching websites; free matching e-mail marketing programs; free logo design; inexpensive hats, t-shirts and address labels--all with a newly created, customized logo.

2. Define "Free," Please

When you visit your shopping cart, you may be in for a nasty surprise--all this free stuff costs money! So, okay, you added to or upgraded most of the "free" offerings. And given other printing operations, VP is still quite reasonable. You get quite a bit of highly sophisticated customization and a level of creative control that you won't get, sad to say, from most local print shops, which deal almost completely in set templates. However, once you've made your selections, that is the time to leave the VistaPrint website--before buying anyting. Just leave, and let your Cart "rest" for a day or two.

3. Within 24 Hours Make an Offer Prospective Customers Can't Refuse

Is your business this responsive? VP knows you've paid a visit, considered some stuff and gone away. VP wants you back and will now offer you more things for free or deeper discounts. If you go back to your original Cart, all the original prices are there. But if you click on, say, Free Premium Business Cards in the marketing e-mail they send you, there will be a new Cart, and your prices will have been automatically discounted.

4. How Much Time Will You Devote to Haggling?

Having done the waiting thing, as I went to check out, I got a message that the matching address labels I had bought for $5.99 were now $3.99. So I clicked and added the $3.99 labels. But there was no way to remove the $5.99 labels! So I had, in effect, just added $4 to my total. How much patience do you have? I actually emptied my Cart and started over, including redesigning my business cards--but then that's something I consider fun. My husband Stuart, faced with a similar dilemma, simply picked up the telephone at that point and spoke to a VP customer service rep--that's how he managed to get 250 two-sided, full color cards on heavy stock for $12.99 shipping.

5. But Your Time Is Money, Remember?

After I redid my Cart, taking advantage of all the new lower prices, my order page looked much better because it was filled with hot orange type announcing that I had gotten a slew of 25% discounts, a matching hat for $1.50, not $11.40, labels for $3.99 not $5.99, saved a couple of bucks on my "free" logo (which costs about $20 if you want to download a copy to work with and own and was now $18.74). The $20 premium cards were now $15, and the heavy stock and back printing $9.74 instead of $12.99. My total order was about $15 less than my first attempt. Would I save even more if I called a customer service rep or waited another 24 hours and redid my Cart again? Maybe, but I decided to select the slowest shipping (21 days, $9.15, down from $9.50) and get this done!

6. Simplicity

Stuart kept his order simple--he only needed basic cards for special purpose networking; he already had business checks, address labels, etc. He chose a standard business card template. (Most of them are amateurish looking, but he selected a very dignified style and customized his colors and fonts.) Then, as I say, he got on the phone and talked his way into free printing on the back and free heavy card stock, paying only $12.99 shipping. On the other hand, when he went back, after receiving his cards--to see if he could make a couple of changes and get another 250 for $12.99--VP was having none of it, he was going to have to pay for all the extras. VP has monetization down; obviously, it has spent some years nailing it, but I'd say that the site hits a perfect balance between freebies and discount pricing, and that the marketing strategy is impeccable. And you'll be okay as long as you read all the fine print...

7. Control

Unlike Stuart, my primary goal was to get a simple logo done cheaply. I had already checked that out, and you can actually get a real human designer to create 3 logo choices tailored to your business for $67. At VP, however, I chose a template logo and selected the colors--it's a little generic, but with some imagination, its simple elements of a sphere with three white bars conveys World Wide Web and digital and text fairly well. If I left it to VistaPrint to imprint this logo on everything for me, it would have been free. As it was, I spent $18.74 for a logo I can use on e-mails, website, even create my own letterhead with--so I consider that a great deal.

8. "Free" Websites Are Not Really Free

Read carefully, only matching your logo is really free. VistaPrint has many offers that are free for 30 days, and then you pay monthly. In my opinion, their website offer is not truly competitive. Matching the style is a great idea, but the samples using my logo were unimpressive, to say the least--more like depressing. Also very important, VP provides a weird URL ending in "vp," not a dot com. And the pricing is $14.99 per month, and up. GoDaddy and BlueHost are both much cheaper and less tricky. Also, as a small business, you need to be aware of SEO (search engine optimization services), visitor tracking and ad testing, none of which were mentioned by VistaPrint. Google offers much of this, truly free.

9. "Free" E-Mail Marketing Plans

I looked at this for awhile and decided it was much too generic for my purposes. Besides, I don't have a large enough list at this time to make it worth the monthly costs. I ordered my logo, so I'll be able to customize my own e-mails. When I generate a large-enough list, I may look at this option again. After all, only the initial setup is free; after that there is a fee schedule, so make sure that this option will be worth it to your business.

10. What's Worth It, What's Not, and the Downside of Control

Stuart's cards turned out nice, but you need to be aware that while paying for a "proof" to be e-mailed to you is not worth it, you must proofread extremely carefully--have at least one other pair of eyes look at it for you before you sign off, and proof again and again after every change you make.

Stuart's design has white type popping out of a dark teal background--gorgeous, but the font and size he chose make the printa little too spidery to show up well: It needed to be sized up or bolded.

If you don't know anything about color palettes (choosing two to six colors that harmonize and sticking to them), get help from someone with design or printing experience. (VistaPrint offers this, too.)

The "foil" option isn't worth it--it's tacky and adds cost.

The heavier stock is nice but not absolutely necessary.

If your business is mostly localized, car magnets from VistaPrint can be a great marketing investment and may even earn a tax deduction for your car.

Do-it-yourselfers should follow this one rule: The safest way to get an impressive result is to keep your business materials Simple and Consistent.

4 Money-Saving Tips for Better Biz ID

2009-07-27T16:57:00.012-04:00

1. Be ready to hop when opportunity knocks

I write for business websites; my husband arranges conventional and private mortgages. What Stuart and I have discovered lately is that all of us--especially, I think, the baby-boomers, who might want things to be slowing down a little--have to move a lot faster in this Big Recession than ever before. That includes considering decisions, making changes, taking in information, and serving clients. Customers expect their freebies upfront and, when they place an order, they want an immediate turnaround. Not always easy.

Stuart made a contact recently who wants to recommend him to her clientele as soon as he drops by a few biz cards--a great opportunity. But his existing cards, which we made here at the home office on our color printer--very slowly and with much agida--need to be updated.

Yesterday, experimenting with VistaPrint.com, a website where you can get free or cheap business cards printed and shipped to your door, Stuart found the site a little intimidating, but the customer service by phone was far superior to the local print shop he had consulted first.

2. Give and demand savings, better value and pleasant service

The price was also better at VistaPrint, even with shipping--because, for free, Stuart got:

250 cards
4 ink colors
heavy, matte card stock
front and back printing.

VistaPrint charged only for shipping--you choose 21, 14 or 7 days--the shorter the wait, the higher the rate. For under $10, Stuart will have his new cards in two weeks. The local print shop (the owner of which is in Stuart's small-biz networking group!), wanted $43 for an ugly, one-color, one-sided card. No flexibility, so a missed opportunity there.

3. Understand the marketing trade-offs on "freebies"

For paying only shipping costs on your cards, you receive some e-mail marketing. Today, Stuart received three VistaPrint e-mails, which could be irritating, except that--

The first e-mail was an order confirmation. We're good with that.

The second gave information about building a website that matches your cards, using VistaPrint's easy site-builder. One or both of us will definitely check that out and report back to you on our experience.

And the final e-mail was an ad for QuickBooks for Mac, software we've been interested in for some time but haven't looked into. So, that e-mail actually provided a service.

When you give away a freebie, don't then drive people nuts in exchange. Always strive to provide something that's truly helpful. Put yourself in your customer's shoes before you send a marketing e-mail. To irritate someone is to lose a client/customer forever. Bad impressions really last...and so do good ones.

4. ID-zen: small, daily improvements on your business identity:

No matter how small your enterprise, you must have a website and market online.

Your website must be a neat, clean marketing machine--No typos! Restrained fonts and font sizes! Plenty of "white" space! Professional-looking colors! Excellent copy writing. Try for a look just like BIG Biz Dot Com. Visit successful sites. Choose a business-class template for your site, your card, etc.

For in-person networking, get free biz cards. Whatever marketing materials you use (e.g., e-mails, ads), develop a graphic identity that matches: the same one or two fonts, same smallish sizes, same colors, and a simple logo.

Don't overlook your customer-service ID--Be friendly and flexible. Try to customize your product or service to each customer, even if you don't think it's possible. Want to survive and prosper? Befriend a loyal customer today.

Hope in the Lousiest of Economic Times

2009-07-21T12:47:00.014-04:00

Small Business Owners and Solopreneurs:

"Everyone now knows that the best time to start a project is when the economy is lousy," says Seth Godin's current blog. Seth is the author of The Bootstrapper's Bible and a top-100 blogger who knows a thing or two about business startups.

If you had parents raised during the Great Depression, as I did, it may not be so easy to think of bad times as the best of times for a starting small business. But President Obama, who is a boomer, though just barely, said something very similar to Seth's remark when the economy crashed after the election. He said that a crisis was an amazing opportunity for change.

Control Your Own Income Stream:

Everyone seems to know young people who can't find summer jobs, new grads who are underemployed, or union and manufacturing workers who lost their jobs when their industries died or relocated to Mexico or Asia. But many baby-boomers have lost their retirement savings, their job security, their health insurance, their jobs or their hope and sense of worth.

Even my friends who still are employed are worried that they've put all their eggs in one basket--a basket that could fall apart and break all their eggs. So, of course, it is a very, very good time to take your income streams into your own hands--and away from banks, pension plans, 401ks, Wall Street and large corporations--it only makes sense.

You Are a Citizen of the World:

Former in-laws of mine, who ran a successful family business, used to say, with feeling, that they'd rather own the candy store on the corner than work for somebody else. And right now, while it still takes a lot of hard work to start and grow a business, entrepreneurship is an option that is open to more people than ever before--simply because the Internet provides an avenue for business startup that involves much less capital outlay for focused and persistent solopreneurs.

And the Internet has also become a huge forum: a source of education and knowledge, community, easily identifiable niche markets (endlessly variable baskets), inexpensive marketing techniques, superb customer relationship management, multiple income streams, even hope and self-worth.

Soapbox:

Boomers are especially prepared for these lousy economic times. Many of us became survival-oriented during the cold war--when nightmares about nuclear devastation were prevalent in books, movies, political discourse, and our own dreams. We've experienced rapid, radical changes in our society, peaks of violence and crime as well as of wealth and greed--and perhaps the greatest sense of isolation since the early pioneers moved Westward.

In our hearts, we know that this is both one of the worst of times and also one of the best of times to connect with fellow citizens of the world-as-a-single-city...and to start a project.

10 Ways to Optimize Your Blog

2009-07-17T16:10:00.006-04:00

Small Business Owners and Solopreneurs:

Time to cheer you on in your online marketing efforts. Every time it gets to feeling overwhelming, take a long, deep breath and remember what it's like to be cooped up, like a chicken, in a grey, recirculated air, blue-fluorescent-lit cubicle.

Also time for some blog-optimizing tips:

1. When you set up your blog, set it to send Pings. This is a way of spreading the word about your blog. If you've already set up your blog, go back to settings and be sure you checked Ping. If you use a web designer, ask about Ping--chances are, you're already set up.

2. Be sure your blog has an "E-mail this post" feature.

3. Install an RSS or site feed feature.

4. Go to technorati.com and register your blog.

5. Post only quality content: original, informative, authoritative, useful to customers.

6. Update your blog regularly.

7. When you decide on your topic, put yourself in your customers'/visitors shoes. What do they want/need?

8. Title your blogs, and use words key to your business function in your blog titles.

9. Keep your paragraphs short: 2-3 sentences, with white space above and below each one.

10. Developmental Goals: to link to other blogs; to comment on other blogs; to enable a wider following of your posts in every way possible.

The Soapbox:

The wave of the present and of the future is "auteurism" -- total control over your life and your work. This includes a lot of responsibility, but is also the path to freedom, originality and success. You set the goals, you make the work-life balance work for you, and you make all the decisions, even for the jobs you delegate.

b7dt48arus to you, Technorati

2009-07-16T16:10:00.002-04:00

b7dt48arus

Appeal to Your Website Visitors

2009-07-13T10:20:00.011-04:00

Small Business Solopreneurs:

How do you do it all? Wear all the hats? What are your time-saving solutions? How do you cope? What's your work-life balance like? (Click Comments below this post and let us know your toughest tasks, your secrets to success.)

Six Success Tips--Appealing to Your Website Visitors:

Option One: Write the article or blog yourself, keep it short, have a partner proofread it for you.

Option Two: If the idea of writing a blog every couple of days horrifies you, hire a good copywriter. (Blogs come fairly inexpensively.) For success at Option One, heed these six very good rules:

1. Strong beginning.

Begin with a startling observation, a rant, a warning -- a gripping idea that will make your visitor want to see what you will say next. Youcan even create this beginning after you've written the rest, but don't publish your post until you've nailed your strong start.

2. No-cliche copy.

That means what you post is original to you, written in your own "voice," and is never cut and pasted from "somewhere else." It also means that you do not rely on overused, virtually meaningless cliches and generalities. Keep it real.

3. Don't expect "readers."
Your visitors will be "scanners." They will read, on average, about 20% of your perfect and pristine text. So keep your paragraphs short, use subheadings and bullet points to organize your message for a scanner.

4. Single space and white space.
Single space your text, but leave loads of white space on either side of your short paragraphs that are comprised of short sentences. Why short sentences? Because that way you won't be tempted to cram in more than one idea!

5. Don't go for "impressive."

The whole blog will be very short. Your sentences will be short, and your words will be simple and short. Do express an idea that shows that you're an authority on whatever you're selling. Don't try to impress with big, bogus words. Be very, very specific. Give examples.

6. Bring on the benefits.

Remember that you are writing this for your visitors and customers, not yourself. What kinds of ideas are you going to feature? Put yourself in the shoes of your prospective customer. Answer his or her unspoken question, What's in it for me?

Three Ways to a Dynamic Website

2009-07-09T14:39:00.009-04:00

Small Business Solopreneurs:

Check out theTED Talks, a video series based on great new ideas, in the sidebar under Recommended Links. The one featuring Jill Bolte Taylor, a neuro-scientist who experienced what she calls a "stroke of insight," is fascinating, easy to follow, dramatic and inspiring. Take that as my highest recommendation!

Let's get back to dynamic websites:

As a small business solopreneur, you need to spend an hour or so each day Internet marketing on your social networks (Twitter, LinkedIn and FaceBook) and adding new features to your website to keep it dynamic -- right in the "teeth" of the search engines.

Sound like a lot of time?

There are several ways to save time and increase efficiency:

1. One day per week, jot down 10-20 helpful, informational "tweets" of about 120 characters each (saving room to add a link to a helpful article or your own website). Choose one or two from your list each day for your network marketing and save loads of time.

2. During your Daily Marketing Hour, be sure to comment on as many blogs and social networks as possible -- getting yourself out there as an expert, and your brand out there at the same time. Don't push or hard sell -- just be the friendly, helpful expert and share your experience and knowledge.

3. One day per month, set aside a couple of hours to look over your "tweet" list and expand 12 of these ideas into short blogs: one paragraph plus 3-10 helpful bullet points. In two hours, you'll have your blogs set up for the whole month. As you post, you can add a sentence or two about something current, et voila! (If the writing process for the blogs is too intimidating, as it is for a great many people, find a freelance writer-editor to polish your ideas into publishable posts. Prices for writing blogs are usually very reasonable.)

The Soapbox:

So-called "viral" online marketing is a long-term process, perhaps even longer during a recession. But now is when the opportunities to connect exist -- and your marketing expense is certainly minimal. So hang in there, create a Web presence that is friendly, open, innovative, responsive, and flexible -- just like you. In other words, your job is to help others forget about the recession -- so it's best if you avoid over thinking something you cannot control anyway.

19 Presence Management Chores You COULD Do Every Day

2009-07-06T13:36:00.001-04:00

19 Presence Management Chores You COULD Do Every Day

Posted using ShareThis

What Lies Beneath Our Efforts?

2009-07-03T16:38:00.013-04:00

Small Business Solopreneurs:

I'm going to back up a few steps. Given this week's news -- unemployment at 9.5% -- on its way, perhaps, to 10%; 6.5 million jobs lost, so far; stock market unable to hold the line; "Great Recession" gradually sinking into our collective consciousness -- what's to be done? I think all of us need to continue to prepare for the next big growth spurt!

Growth is inevitable, because life is made up of these curves: downturns and upswings. Right now, green energy and green building are the growth businesses we're aware of, and that only means there are and will be a multitude of new enterprises spawned by a new way of looking at what makes life satisfying.

What's Interesting:

Take simplification. At our house, we've figured out ways to cut our telephone bill, our property tax bill went down because residents voted down an increase in the school budget, our utility bill went down because the weather's been mild, and we're turning off power strips when not in use. We stopped delivery of the local daily paper, we don't go out to eat, see movies or concerts, or buy things. Stuart found a new cologne I like, but we didn't buy it, he goes to the mall on Saturdays and sprays it on. I discontinued one of my prescriptions and several supplements that hadn't totally proven their health benefit, and I sent Stuart out to sell an old piece of jewelry I don't wear. And none of this has been painful. It's not like we're eating cat food: we eat pricey beef hot dogs and organic baked beans! (joke) (sorta)

Neither of us is employed full time at the moment; we both freelance whenever we can get work. Neither of us qualifies for unemployment benefits -- there's no safety net for us. This involves some anxiety, interrupted sleep and stress-related health disorders. On the other hand, we are awake, alive and learning new things all the time. Stuart has expanded from real estate title closings to loan modifications to mortgage brokering. I am blogging, editing, writing, marketing, social networking, and optimizing.

What I'm thinking is:

Not only do we do whatever needs to be done, but we also try to keep a grip on what our values are, what is meaningful to us, our core values. We know we are best and most successful at what we love to do, what motivates us, what makes us feel valuable to our community. It's a bad recession, yes, and we are not only not young, we are past middle age. We know we can't retire, and we don't know how we'll pay for health care as we age. But we also know that we need to dream, to plug into what is important, and to help other people and ourselves.

Sustenance, motivation and meaning:

We've lived long enough to know that doing something "just for the money" is a poor choice. There is a balance point in the center of our talents, our motivations and our opportunities -- and that's where we want to be. Does this work have meaning for me, and can I convey that to customers? That's the question to ask. In my case, all the research shows that companies that spend on marketing during a recession come out ahead, and so I should be able to help some of those organizations, and in turn, they will help me.

Soapbox:

Values tied to work -- connection to a dream and to a community. Fear not -- join us now.

Everybody Wants to Know About SEO

2009-06-12T17:28:00.008-04:00

Small Business Solopreneurs: What's the up-side of being laid off from someone else's company? How can you start up a business you're passionate about on a shoe-string budget? How can search engine optimization (SEO), dynamic content, blogging and social marketing help bring attention to your enterprise?

So, What's Up? Blogging every other day is hard to keep up! Nothing new there. Keep your eye on the prize: The more you write, the more people you will reach. What is new here in the Hudson Valley is that, after a week of rain -- tons of rain! -- the sun has come out. Oh joy!

So, What's SEO? This ubiquitous acronym stands for search engine optimization. Not that that explains much. Here's the story: There are now a gazillion websites on the Internet, so the big deal is not so much HAVING a website as GETTING lots of "traffic" or "eyeballs" to your site.

How do people land on websites? They search for something they want to know more about on Google, Yahoo or MS-whatsis (plus, now there's Bing). Searchers get back trillions of results, so how do they choose where to land? Maybe from the top five, maybe only the top three, to be honest, everyone's in a hurry and hopes they can just click on the one at the top of the page and get exactly what they want.

How does a website get to the top? There are too many ways to count, but here are a few:

Start by picking a URL that specifically describes your business, like "writer4biz.com." But space it with hyphens like this: "writer-4-biz.com." Why? Because the little search engine mechanisms cannot read "iwrite4biz," so they don't connect your site with a search for business writers. But they can decipher URL words separated by hyphens and bring up your site in a search for writers.
Make a list of key search words people might use to find a service or product like yours. Then research it (Google has a page that does this) to find out what words people have actually been searching for.
Starting right at the top of your Web page, use these key words. For example, don't title your first page HOME, call it something along the lines of Need-an-Experienced-Copywriter.html?
Make sure all headings, subheadings and bullet points on your landing page incorporate your key words. Search engines crawl over text, but they mostly love headers, bolded phrases and bullet points, as they look for words that match someone's search request. Each of your Web pages should be 10% to 15% comprised of key words.
Finally, search engines love "dynamic" Web sites, sites that are changed and added to frequently. I'm not talking about design but interactive features like podcasts, videos, contests, and freebies that make your website stand out as interesting and, well, dynamic.

The Soap Box: I saw a headline in our local Rockland County paper today. It said, in effect, that small business would create, and is creating, an entrepreneurial upturn in our economy. Will you be part of the upturn?

What Are Small Businesses Waiting For?

2009-06-10T22:30:00.007-04:00

Small Business Solopreneurs: What's the up-side of being laid off from someone else's company? How can you start up a business you're passionate about on a shoe-string budget? How can search engine optimization (SEO), dynamic content, blogging and social marketing help bring attention to your enterprise?

Current Status: As a solopreneur writer-editor and Internet marketing coach, every business day I add to my knowledge of Internet marketing -- and HR options, better risk management for financial services, osteopathy, yoga breath, acupuncture and other complementary modalities. I'm happy when I'm learning, and even happier when I'm writing about what I'm learning. This is the essence of working for yourself: enjoying the challenge and the doing of it. Love what you do sounds trite, but mostly because we tend to avoid this simple rule for a balanced, satisfying life -- in favor of a dumb belief in struggle.

This Is Interesting: According to the Center for Media Research, 56% of small businesses still do not have Web sites. That is an amazing figure! Web sites can be set up for $0 - under $500. Web hosting can be had at Blue Host or GoDaddy for about $7 per month. Google ads can start at $10 - $25. What are these businesses waiting for?

Because 70% of Internet traffic is directed by queries to search engines, blog posts from your Web site target the exact type of customers you want -- simply by talking about your product or service every other day. Two major sources of Web traffic are blogs and social networks. Signing up on Twitter is free and takes about 5 minutes per business day. Your target customers are there, so you should be there to meet them, offering value and demonstrating your expertise and love of what you are doing/offering.

The Soap Box: Breathing. It's automatic, right? Nope. Shallow breathing is more or less what we do unconsciously. Just enough to get by, not deep enough for optimum health. Try this:

Quick Stress Relief How-To:

Sit up straight and begin breathing deeply. As you breathe, take your mind to the muscles in your feet, ankles, calves, knees and so on till you reach the top of your head. Think "soft."
As you relax the areas related to breathing, make your breaths even slower and deeper.
Unfocus your eyes, taking in a panorama, not just one object.
Consciously leave the stress response behind and enter the rest response.
When you reach the rest response, continue your slow, deep breathing for about 5 minutes, focusing on your breath so that your mind does not wander back to work mode.

Back to Blogging

2009-06-08T23:37:00.005-04:00

Small Business Solopreneurs: What's the up-side of being laid off from someone else's company? How can you start up a business you're passionate about on a shoe-string budget? How can search engine optimization (SEO), dynamic content, blogging and social marketing help bring attention to your enterprise?

Current Status: I am not a techie. I am a writer/editor. I am setting up a couple of business blogs for a holistic medical practice, and it turns out you need to be a bit of a techie -- someone who knows coding -- to work with WordPress. Unlike Blogger, which anyone can lay out and add widgets to, WordPress presents the newbie with an endless bog of indecipherable blog documentation useless to a non-techie, non-Web designer. So I have been struggling for over a week to get to the part I know how to do: the blog posting itself.

Tips for Business Bloggers: Here's the thing -- blogging can work for you, or it can be a big, blogging disappointment. It's easy to fail: just set up a blog and never use it. For it to be effective at making your Web site dynamic, you need to get a fresh blog posted every other day. How are you going to make that happen?

First, if you have a Web designer, feel free to use WordPress, which has some distinct advantages over Blogger -- it looks more professional, for one. But if you are going to do it yourself and do not have Web design/HTML experience, I recommend Blogger, which is backed by Google and is easy to set up in a short time.

Second, take the time to organize your thoughts about what you want your readers/customers to understand. List some topics that will provide accessible information, and add to it as you go so that you'll always be a couple of topic ideas ahead.

Third, know yourself. If you really aren't going to maintain your blog every other day, then hire an experienced content writer. A good choice is someone who already knows something about your product or service area, who has published writing samples to show you, and who listens carefully to what you want to accomplish with your blog.

Finally, be patient. It takes time to develop a following. Blogging isn't the only form of Internet marketing, it's just one piece of a marketing strategy. If you provide value for your target customers -- and post often -- your blog will provide a good return on a modest investment.

Soap Box: Web 2.0 marketing is neither agressive nor expensive. Its best value is that it continues to grow -- unlike a traditional marketing campaign that has a launch date, a large expense and an end point. To make it work for you, you must be patient...and diligent.

What Is Dynamic Content?

2009-06-04T17:40:00.005-04:00

Solopreneurs: So, what's the up-side of being laid off from someone else's company? How can you start up a business you're passionate about on a shoe-string budget? How can search engine optimization (SEO), dynamic content, blogging and social marketing help bring attention to your new enterprise?

Boomers in business: Listen up.If you put up a gorgeous Web site and then ignore it because it's "done," your pretty pages will sit there: static, untouched and unvisited. If someone visits once, why would they ever visit again? Because the same old page is just sitting there.

A dynamic Web site: In contrast, dynamic pages have elements that change. You might run a survey of your visitors and then announce the results next week. You might run a contest and offer a prize, or create free downloads of How-To Lists and reports that can educate your visitors -- with no sales pressure. Your site will become dynamic if you constantly add to, change and improve it.

Benefits of dynamic content: When your site is dynamic, it draws the attention of the big search engines. The more attention your Web site has from search engines, the more likely it is that a consumer searching for a product or service like yours will find your site rather than any of thousands of others that compete with you.

It's not rocket science: It is a fact that nearly 75% of Web sites don't express the benefits of their product. How could that be? I think it's because nearly everyone gets super-involved with their own business and forgets that the best way to market yourself is to put yourself in your customer's shoes.

What does your customer want? What does she want to know? What will your product do for him? What will make her trust your site and your service? If you don't answer these questions on your first page, there's very little incentive for a visitor or page viewer to become your loyal customer.

Express your benefits honestly: So, think about the ways your business benefits your target market, and then express them briefly, directly, clearly -- but especially honestly -- on each page of your site. Put some thought into how your site visitor's experience can be made simple and easy. And find ways to be helpful, generous and authentic as you interact with your visitors.

Recession as Opportunity--for Small Business

2009-06-01T17:17:00.009-04:00

Small Busines Owners and Solopreneurs: I was laid off on 4/7/9. Since then, I've gone through a lot of emotions, especially anxiety, but at this point, I've a) applied for writing/editing jobs; b) set up my own writing/editing business on the Internet; and c) collaborated on a book with a doctor and friend. And, as spring nears its end, the weather has finally begun to behave in a warm and sunny fashion, and so I'm enjoying my freedom from cubicledom! To make my own hours, to work on a comfy sofa, lawn chair or bed with my laptop on a pillow, to go out when I want, stay in when I want and have the hours back that I used to waste commuting -- ah, it's indeed sweeeeet!

10 reasons small businesses are on the rise: The playing field is leveling for small businesses -- they're competing with the "big guys" more easily than ever before. Why?

The risks are lower, small businesses are generally more in touch with their target markets, more creative and quicker to change with the markets than big corps.

Niche ("long tail") marketing is now smart, for big and small companies alike.

Listening to consumers/customers/clients is more important than ever, and small businesses can do it just as well or better than their larger competitors.

Small businesses often respond to customers with lightning speed and their Web sites fully service their customers (rather than confuse them and waste their time).

Learning to connect with communities and groups on the Internet, whether through social networks or customized Google Ad campaigns, and to actually prescreen your own prospects through landing pages and enewsletters, can lead to a higher percentage of conversions per marketing dollar spent.

Personalized service and customized products (vs. cookie-cutter solutions) sell -- mostly on small business sites.

When small businesses pay attention to building longer-lasting relationships with existing customers, they do it better and faster than large corps.

Small businesses put creative and innovative products out on the 'Net faster than big business.

Marketing analytics, behavioral targeting, video ads and tiny widgets that save clients time and help them get things done are within everyone's reach.

Small businesses are getting into Email marketing, business blogs and social marketing in a big way because these methods are cheap, with long-lasting results.

Soap Box: Sounds exciting, doesn't it? The Great Recession is an opportunity, not only to start a business on the cheap, but to regain your freedom and autonomy if you've been working for someone else.

Readings: Guerrilla Creativity, by Jay Conrad Levinson; Guerilla Financing by Bruce Blechman and Jay Conrad Levinson; Guerilla Marketing, by Jay Conrad Levinson; Blink by Malcolm Gladwell.

Getting the Attention You Need

2009-05-26T12:38:00.008-04:00

Solopreneurs: What's the up-side of being laid off from someone else's company? How can you start up a business you're passionate about on a shoe-string budget? How can search engine optimization (SEO), dynamic content, blogging and social marketing help bring attention to your enterprise?

Current Status: After a relaxing 3-day weekend with decent weather, I'm feeling eager to delve into some projects. The holistic healing book is under way, with another interview scheduled for this afternoon.

How is the great recession affecting us? I just read a Ted Rubin Twitter pointing out that the great recession has put the consumer back in control. Entrepreneurs not only must have excellent products and services, but also must really pay more attention to their customers' needs, develop relationships and demonstrate their expertise.

How can I develop customer relationships and demonstrate my expertise?

7 Ideas:

By updating your key words, refreshing your content, making sure your content is optimized for search engines.

By blogging -- to provide both dynamic content and establish a more personal relationship with clients/customers.

And by making sure your Web site and blog present the most professional and inviting look and feel.

Your Web pages must not only be easy to navigate, but also absolutely error free to reflect the highest quality of product or service.

Content must be organized both to draw eyeballs and pre-screen visitors. Once prospects reach your core presentation and call to action, they should be ready to make the conversion to customers.

And, as you continue to provide knowledge and service through your blog and Web site, each customer will be encouraged to become a loyal, return patron.

Give your visitors something for free, such as information or advice in the form of a white paper, 10 Tips, or a How-To. These "knowledge gifts" -- written by a professional to be useful, to educate consumers and to intrigue prospects with your expertise -- can be valuable yet affordable marketing tools for your business.

How do I accomplish all this? Do you need to hire a company to keep your site ranked high by the search engines? Can you purchase search-engine-optimized (SEO) content? Do you need a blog but don't have time to set one up and maintain it? Do you need to hire someone to copy edit your site/blog to clean up typos and grammatical mistakes? A few hours with an Internet marketing coach may be of tremendous value in finding the help you need and setting your business apart from your many competitors.

The Soap Box: It's a big job to wear all the hats in a small enterprise -- bigger than most of us -- so realize that high-quality marketing and presentation, no matter who provides it, can take you a long way toward bringing in the customers you want.

Why Blogs and Social Marketing for Business?

2009-05-14T19:02:00.014-04:00

Current Status: I'm psyched about co-authoring a nonfic book with my favorite doctor. It will have case studies that demonstrate the mind-body connection, and how letting go of emotional burdens can free us not only of illness, but also release us to be more vital, happier people. It's still in the planning stages, but I look forward to getting into the writing very soon.

What's interesting in Internet marketing: I focused my research on blogs and social marketing today. There is so much free information on the Internet that, if you take the time, you can learn a great deal without paying for anything. I'm basically an autodidact -- I teach myself, that's the way I'm most comfortable learning something new, so this is great for me. And I'll share.

For example: Successful Internet marketing involves making connections and building community with your customers -- being generous, authentic, honest and transparent. Who'd a thunk? We boomers have always seen business as the Man, the master and the soul-sucking enemy that dictates how we live. The new ROI, as I read in a post today, is in avoiding the risk of ignoring the clients or customers we would most like to attract.

And... All the social factors that isolate people, from overwork to single parenting, have begun to turn around due to the unlikely auspices of the personal computer. Now we find life partners, interest groups and even communities on FaceBook and and eHarmony, LinkedIn and Twitter. Small businesses cannot afford to overlook this trend.

Also... Businesses that insist on spending dollars on integrated advertising campaigns rather than hiring humans to blog and listen in on the Twitterverse will probably lose out, simply because marketing campaigns come to an end...while viral marketing expands unstoppably outward, in an explosion of information and brand loyalty. [I'll explain this further in future posts.]

Watching: Saw Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang --again-- last night. So entertaining. Stuart and I love movies with witty dialogue. And I have nothing but admiration for the acting talent of Robert Downey Jr.

Soap Box: Give it away, give it freely.They'll beat a path to your door once they know you are genuine. Except for the extreme risk-takers and gamblers and pie-in-the-sky optimists, most people know -- or suspect -- when they're being spammed or scammed. So give genuine service and quality around something you love to do...because it's right and because it works.

Back But Not Quite on Track

2009-05-11T19:49:00.002-04:00

Current Status... I'm in recovery from the exhaustion of travel and family stress. Stuart and I both worked hard for two days after we got back from Oklahoma -- loan modifications/refis for him; copy writing, business writing, SEO web/blog content for me -- then had to take Friday off as we were both completely crisped. Deep sleep is good!

Now that I'm back, and sleeping without waking every couple of hours, I can eat more than two bites without getting heartburn. I stressed out like that for weeks before I left; now my body's finally catching up on rest and nutrition. Stuart, too. Life sometimes seems like a series of drownings and resuscitations. It's important to learn to jumpstart those turnarounds, short-circuit the stress.

Lately I'm thinking... It's time to be realistic about my new career. I hate estimating jobs, for example -- either for time or money. But to be working online, I have to do it. How to take the pain out? I'm open for suggestions (comment below).

To be a "remote" worker is to sell oneself 24/7. Sounds difficult. But the reason I'm into the new wave of Internet marketing is that it is more friendly, more generous and more genuine than older models. I can't sell anything I don't believe in and wouldn't recommend to a close family member. But I can sell excellence in online presentation.

Currently watching... The Rebus mysteries from PBS/BBC: great production values, great acting, thick Scottish bad guys with thick Scottish accents. Love it!

Reading... Jody Picoult's SECOND GLANCE (422 pp., paperback). Started it on the plane Tuesday night and couldn't put it down. Finished it Saturday afternoon. As far as the writing goes, it was romantic chick lit; but the subject matter (moral questions around genetic engineering) was serious, thought provoking and interestingly handled. So I guess that puts it on a continuum somewhere between chick lit and great literature. Of course, I'm a romantic and want the characters all paired up at the end, but this plot had to be pretty contrived to pull that off. My gold standard for novels is POSSESSION, by A.S. Byatt.

The Soapbox: It's a little hard to be up on the soapbox today -- I'm depending on a combination of sunshine and warmth to bring me to life soon, like shoots from a damp bulb pushing past a big, heavy dirt clod. One of these days, the conditions will be just right for me to "spring" into action! So, here goes:

The price of freedom is being out of work from time to time. I've been through it before. I'll find my new niche. My goal is to help everyone be free (a "solopreneur") who wants to be.

Weathering the Storm: Rain, Thunder & Economic

2009-05-07T11:40:00.001-04:00

Current Status... Back from my trip to Tulsa/Claremore, OK -- for one sister's birthday, my niece's wedding, my Mom's 90th birthday and early Mom's day. It rained/was cloudy the whole time, just as it was back home in the Hudson Valley. In fact, flying in through Memphis, and back through Detroit, it seemed at least the Eastern half of the country was under a vast rain cloud. Which is true, isn't it? ... There was flooding in Oklahoma -- too much rain just runs off the red clay and settles in dips of the older roads, the low fields and intersections in the towns. It's amazing to see such a green Oklahoma. Much of the year, the grass is burned brown, and that's what I remember. This trip was like entering the land of Oz. I had a great time but came back exhausted.

Lately I'm thinking... I'm laying the ground work for my new blogging-for-business business, but there is so much to do, and I want to be at it already. We've run the bank account down but are not in debt yet. I'm still hoping Stuart will get a small business loan for his loan modification enterprise from the real estate law firm he's doing business with.

This is really interesting... Lots of businesses seemed to be drying up in Oklahoma, but no one was talking about the recession. They are stoic, friendly people who are good at cutting back and surviving. On the flip side, they're also good at forgetting about the homeless, the parolees, the addicts, the needy people of color.

Currently watching... The Benjamin Franklin mini-series. It's really interesting, but Stuart falls asleep before the end of every episode due to the lack in 18th-century bios of car chases and explosions.

The Soapbox: OK, it's a little scary to turn down the 40-hr./wk. proofing job, which would be pretty secure but boring and spirit-killing. And to tell friends not to bother recommending me for 9-5 jobs in the city. On the other hand, it's a necessity. I know what I can do, and it's pretty specific. I need to be writing and editing, as much as possible from my home office. That's it. As precarious as we are right now, that's it.

Blogs for Every Business

2009-04-29T13:44:00.001-04:00

Current Status...Ok, I'm sleeping better. I guess I'm getting my new life restructured. And I kinda like it. Working out a new idea about writing blogs for businesses that can't be bothered but would be better off blogging than not blogging ;-) Blogs attract search spiders better than most Web sites. New bus. Web sites should be accompanied by a blog that gives information and establishes a relationship with people.

Lately I'm thinking... It's desperately important to work at something I'm excited about and enjoy doing.

This is really interesting... When things are bad, and they really are bad, it's a good time to be doing good. That sounds flip, but it's true. Let's help everyone who's out of work and wants to be self-employed start their own nifty little business.

Currently watching... Between fixations/magnificent obsessions at this point in time, but caught Yes Man, with Jim Carrey. Normally, I don't watch him or Adam Sandler, but this movie is from a book, is well written and is about stuff that interests me, namely opening myself to opportunites. Recommended.

The Soapbox: Time is running out for us Boomers. We need to be doing things that are fun and that are important to us! Now's an excellent time.

Do Something You Love to Do

2009-04-29T13:42:00.002-04:00

Current Status...Ok, I'm sleeping pretty well. I guess I'm getting my new life restructured. And I kinda like it. Working out a new idea about writing blogs for businesses that can't be bothered but would be better off blogging than not blogging ;-)

Lately I'm thinking... It's desperately important to work at something I'm excited about and enjoy doing.

Currently watching... nothing. Between fixations/magnificent obsessions at this point in time.

The Soapbox: Time is running out for us Boomers. We need to be doing things that are fun and that are important to us! Now's an excellent time.

New Words From the Workaholic

2009-04-15T20:33:00.000-04:00

Here I am, out of work for a week, and I have so much to do, I haven't found time to blog. What's so busy-making? I signed on to FaceBook, LinkedIn and Twitter; over many days, I built a professional profile on LinkedIn. Now I have to check the darn things, at least every other day. When I check them, there are messages to reply to, new "tweets" to craft, "walls" to write on and comments to make. Then there are the recommendations. You write one for a friend, he/she writes one for you.

What else? Internet job sites to check. Online applications, which take hours, especially because I'm on Mac rather than PC browsers. Duh, all I have to do with my MacBkPro is switch over to the Windows side of the hard drive. From there I can use Chrome and Explorer and Word.

But then I need to get my pics transferred over to that drive, too. I'm sure there are at least three simple ways to do that. Should I try to think of them or just hope for the best with MobileMe?

And, I am having a hard time remembering all my usernames, the ones that don't consist of my e-mail address. For some reason, on an online job application, I used a different e-mail address, and I have to remember that. I've been profligate in my use of variations on a basic username. I keep password options to 2-3, but which did I use where? When the dialog box comes up to ask if I want the computer to remember my password, I have to say no because I'm not sure I've put the right one in. Some sites will clue you in to your username, others just assume you know that much. Some send your password, but most give you a new one that you'll have to take time to change -- like the Scottish word for goat stomach stuffed with oatmeal. Can you tell I'm frustrated?

But I am busy, and there's much to be said for that! Busy-ness keeps me from utter wackness. And I haven't even gotten to my list of creative projects: poetry, music, new websites...

Here's to busy-ness to keep the heebeejeebs away -- to remain in the domain of hope, to stave off the illusion that is fear.

Turned Down in the Downturn

2009-04-06T12:22:00.000-04:00

Status... Virtually laid off. Let me explain. On Tuesday, March 24 I was laid off by corporate edict, with two weeks notice, along with the other freelancers in the Global Marketing Services division of Towers Perrin. Nobody saw it coming. We'd heard nothing about company losses. My bosses were as shocked as I was. They were very sorry, but there was nothing to be done.

I can tell you how it feels: like dying and coming back to haunt your old life. Everything looks odd and out of perspective. Your brain is deadened. Your heart stops feeling anything, to protect you.

Lately I'm thinking... Now, more than a week later, I've been anxious, sleepless, angry, hurt and sad. I liked my job, and how often does that happen? But at the same time, positivity was sneaking through: Wow, freedom. I'll be able to see Spring this year first hand, something that means a great deal to me. I'll lose the evil commute over the bridge just before they start putting the steel plates from hell back on the road surface for maintenance. I'll have time to lend a hand with Stuart's new business.

This is interesting... The first thing I did, after crying, was succumb to some dumb Internet scam (something like, "Bob's Money Blog"). Pay $2 for shipping, get a kit to make $60K from home on your computer. I always spot scams, just not that day. Then, due to several emotional downturns, it took me six more days to cancel the damn thing. (After seven days, they start charging $80 a month to your card for "using their software." That was pure desperation -- the powerful urge to FIX IT RIGHT NOW, followed by lowered self-esteem: I should pay for being so dumb).

Currently watching... One lonely purple crocus among the yellows, the forsythia's popping out, the tulip leaves are up. I'll have to go see if the peonies are doing anything yet. Oh, a Demitri Martin Special. He's brilliantly funny in concert!

The Soapbox: So, along with the changes of Spring, it seems to be time for me to reinvent myself again. What will be my new career? Something around digital marketing, Web content and social networking... and telling my story. I'll keep you posted.

How Are We Doing?

2009-03-23T09:14:00.001-04:00

Current Status... It's hard to get a solid grip on how I feel about the new administration. There's no doubt in my mind that Michelle Obama is doing a great job. She's role modeling healthy living and family values like crazy. What's not to like about her? She's funny and she takes no back seat to her presidential hubby. Mr. O., I think, is still finding his footing. There was a part of his campaign where he seemed to tire of all the insanity and withdraw from it. And Maureen Dowd sermonized in her column that he should gather himself and come out fighting, be tougher. And he did. Now he needs to do that again. Be a little tougher and get the American people more involved in their own salvation.

Lately I'm thinking... that, well, nothing lasts forever. I try to understand that this also means that new doors open. But how comfortable it is to put your eggs in one basket, settle into some lifestyle you think will last forever. Real openness to change is hard, but probably a much better survival strategy.

This is really interesting... We hadn't been out to eat more than once this year till last night. Because of Restaurant Week, we got to go somewhere really nice for a fixed price. It felt great to treat ourselves, and I thought of it as a belated birthday dinner. Arugula salad, duckling and carrot cake. A nice glass of Pinot Noir. These mini-vacations are a real treat. Something to look forward to after working so hard to "stay in the game," keep the money coming in.

Currently watching... little red buds on the tips of the maple branches. Brown nodes on the forsythia that will turn to bright yellow blooms. The white snowdrops still quietly blooming. The crocus, only yellow this year, but cheery. And indoors, my cyclamen outrageously pink and lush. The wintering-over geraniums have been blooming red and white all winter and are eager to get back outside. Sara, an outdoor cat for four years, is having to adapt to the indoor life, but she's like Steve McQueen in The Great Escape. She tries again and again to get out. The warmer the day, the more she plots her escape.

The Soapbox: Now that the Equinox has arrived, the days are longer than the nights. It's easier to be hopeful than in the dark chill of winter. Just beneath the crust, we are eager to push off the soil that's buried us and poke our heads out into a new cycle of growth. This energy cannot be denied. We will begin to grow again, and soon.

Recommendations:
Gentle coaching through life transitions: WomeninTransitionCoach.
Guidance through mortgage modification, loan refinance, foreclosure, bankruptcy: SenecaDebtAssistance.
Customized Listening (Build your own radio station online--easily): Pandora.com

The Uncertainty Principle

2009-03-15T07:39:00.000-04:00

Current Status... Four consecutive positive days in the stock market is a lot like spring -- She giveth and she taketh away. Rain and clouds for three days, sunshine and birdsong the next three, and all the while crocuses and snowdrops are foretelling better times, the threat of a great March blizzard remains. The uncertainty of Spring.

Lately I'm thinking... The most important thing is to be open to whatever good news there is. For instance, even if there are many months of unemployment and business failures to go, upturns in the stocks or the retail sector are signs of the Spring to come. It may be late this year, but it will arrive.

This is really interesting... Being open to good news can sometimes save the day. Worried that my editorial work was slowing ominously, I noticed that three days' running, I was saved by some serendipitous, last-minute assignment. Okay, I can't see a booming future yet, but I can see, if I look, a strong base and enough work to get me through.

Currently watching... For awhile we watched My Name Is Earl, fascinated by the combination of trailer trash and karma. The characters are hysterically lovable and absolutely unforgettable. I love the selfish Joy -- Oh, snap! she says when her nasty plots fall flat. Stuart loves Lost; I don't watch because I can't make that kind of time commitment to TV. But I do faithfully watch Veronica Mars, teen detective. Why an aging Boomer would love a show about high school I have no idea, but I find it addictive. So much for high brows.

The Soapbox: Look for opportunity in challenge. Be grateful for friends, co-workers and family. Send out positive thoughts: I can use your energy...and you have my hope for the world: May we learn simplicity again.

Recommendations: Life coaching with Madeleine: womenintransitioncoach.com
Loan modification services with Dennis: Seneca Debt Assistance (1-888-808-1342)
Best internet radio: Pandora.com

Don't Worry, Be Happy, That's All!

2009-03-02T17:40:00.000-05:00

Current Status... The DJIA slid to 6800 today. Good-bye retirement nest egg(s). So long, home equity. Hello, you-better-love your-job because you're-going-to-be-doing-it a) till you drop or b) till they drop you. So, this is a great opportunity to talk about loving one's job. Better be doing what we love, 'cause we're not goin' anywhere. Just like that, the labor market went from bullish to brutal. Crowds at job fairs. Brotha, can ya' spare a dime-a-dozen for resumes? How to start loving your gig if you don't already? Be grateful you have one. Be grateful if you have benefits. Be engaged. How can you help your business do well enough to keep you? Smile at your co-workers: positive energy put out by you will make its way back to you, and you'll all need it. Focus on your work: single-task. Get involved. Get it done. That will keep you from dwelling on your 401(k) or other retirement plan.

Lately I'm thinking... How lucky I am to have found the job I have. How lucky I am to be valued and, I think, needed there. How great that Stuart and I have travel plans: Tulsa end of April, Vermont in July, Hawaii or Dominican Republic in January '10. Cheapie-vacation plans all, they help to keep the heebie-jeebies away.

This is really interesting... Loving my job. Sometimes I do: when I'm engaged in writing or editing something. Less so when I'm only proofreading. Then I face identiy issues: What, after all those high scores and degrees, only a proofreader?! That's profoundly humiliating. So, I make my job as good as I can, I engage with it and with the people there, who are really a great group. And I think, what else can I do to ensure myself? Do I want to freelance online? Not really. Lately I've been thinking of writing a serialized novel online. I can't see how that could ensure financial security, but it could make me happier I guess.

Currently watching... All kinds of detective shows on DVD. It's soothing to watch things be "sorted" (as they say on the British teley). Everything explained, sorted, put back in place. Emotions confronted -- for the most part -- at least the more important ones. Grieving process at least begun. Help on the way. Community back to "normal." All very soothing, yes.

OH! And LISTENING to PANDORA radio ONLINE. This gets a big, bold recommendation! Go to Pandora.com and create your own radio station, free. Instant record library! The more you tweak it, the better it gets! I have classic jazz, Celtic, electronic, minimalist, Chopin and more on my station. Love it!

The Soapbox... Choose hope. Look for the opportunity in challenge. Be grateful for what you have. I'm talking to myself here, but help me out. Your positive energy keeps me going, as I hope mine lifts you as well.

For superb coaching through a transition in your life: Womenintransitioncoach.com
For help getting out from under mortgage payments you can no longer afford, call toll free: 1-888-808-1342.

The Great Slump of '09

2009-02-15T20:41:00.000-05:00

Current Status... Last year when everyone else was flush, we were poor. This year, so far, knock wood and all that, we're doing well. Stuart's new business is taking off and, after a slow and nerve-wracking January, work is coming fast and furiously for me.

Lately I'm thinking... I have so many younger women friends, I have naturally become a menopause coach for some of them. Really a peri-menopause coach. It's the years leading up to menopause that are so crazy-making. In my mother's generation, when no one mentioned these words, women good- or ill-naturedly accepted their reputations for craziness and mental illness. But they were just quietly, desperately coping with embarassingly heavy bleeding, deep mood swings, immutable irritability, sleeplessness, hot flashes, pools of sweat in the bed, ignored complaints of the heat being too high and on and on. For those of us who lead anxious lives, there is no "natural" or "normal" to this phase of life. It is physical and mental torture of the highest degree. I thought it would, literally, kill me. But I survived. So can you.

This is really interesting... Not. Never have we heard so much about economics, economists and the economy. I'm becoming an expert, and I don't want to be. John Maynard Keynes this and Timothy Geithner that. Feh.

Currently reading... Gave up on World's End, for now. I've been reading the December fiction issue of The New Yorker. And my favorite writer is and always shall be Alice Munro. Gad, she is good! I love every story she writes.

The Soapbox: What is the enemy in a Great Slump? Fear that things will get worse instead of better; fear of losing your job, fear of an illness you can't pay for. What is the enemy during menopause? Fear that life will always be like this; fear of the next clueless doctor. What is the antidote? Hope. Always hope.

For superb coaching through a transition in your life: Womenintransitioncoach.com

For help getting out from under mortgage payments you can no longer afford: senecadebtassistance.

Once Upon a Time in January...

2009-01-27T16:56:00.000-05:00

Current Status... I am very sleepy this afternoon, but I haven't written since the spine-tingling Inauguration, so I'll give it a go. I remember being excited about John Kennedy's inauguration, but not like this. How weary we all were! How ready for change! How relieved many of us are simply because we feel grounded again in principles we can live with. Already I feel like there's not a lot going on in the White House that we're not hearing about. How refreshing that is!

Lately I'm thinking... Another snow day seems to be coming tomorrow, so it looks like I'll get to stay home for my birthday. Maybe Stuart will build a fire and I'll wrap up in a blankey and read a book (while balancing my laptop and sending e-mails ;-)

This is really interesting... This winter I understand why so many people move to Florida. Of course, I don't care for Florida: It's flat and it's humid. But I like the idea of not having to deal with coats and colds and boots and heating bills and shoveling and skids and weak sunlight and long, dark periods when the ATVs get out on the pond ice and make it impossible to get a decent sleep, and so many layers you can't bend your arms to pick up the Terra chip on the floor of the car. And what about when your birthday is snowed out? No Defiance or Gran Torino or Slumdog Millionaire, nor even Indian food. On the other hand, it would be a great time to bake gluten-free chocolate chip cookies and make squash soup!

Currently reading... Still reading T.C. Boyle's World's End. It's long! The yarn covers about 300 years, and not in chronological order either. I can't keep track, except that it's probably significant that so many characters are named Walter or Wouter and are missing a foot. Intriguing, wot? Mostly, I like all the references to places in the Hudson Valley that I know.

The Soapbox... I read an article in the NYTimes defending us Boomer babes. Maybe we're not so self-absorbed and materialistic as we're reputed to be. Maybe we've produced some really smart, really good, really successful people. Maybe Mr. Obama will help make us a greatly prized generation. I remember that our high school principal made a big deal of the class of '66: We were the best so far. That's how I've felt ever since: We're the best yet, and we will leave a shiny trail of positive actions behind us. What do you think?

On Modern Dilemmas

2009-01-15T15:30:00.000-05:00

Current Status... "Windows" is a great idea, but it's like democracy or communism -- great in theory, but people game it and screw it up. After all these years, Windows still takes forever to load, an eternity to shut down, and when you have it up, it freezes programs, attracts viruses and crashes. I'm a Mac gal, but I have to use Windows for work. At the company office, my computer once bit the dust with what Windows folk call The Blue Screen of Death. Here at home, on my MacPro, Windows is supposed to allow me to link up with office e-mail. And once I have it connected, I can count on it crashing several times in an afternoon. I sign on again and again. I spend unproductive time reviving Windows. The other day I sat helpless as a virus entered, ran it's frustrating little course, and faded away. Can't something be done?!

Lately I'm thinking... Next January, I wanna be in Sedona/Prescott (AZ) or Santa Fe (NM). The Hudson Valley's bone-chilling cold and the serial snow storms this year are taking a big toll on these old bones. Arthritis is a bitch!

This is really interesting... I watch my new cat, Amalya, torn between curiosity, need for affection, and fear. She fears the other cat, Sara; she fears strange noises and unexpected moves by humans. She loves being scratched and petted, at times she'll even "kiss," by rubbing her nose on my nose. [Cute? It's to die for!] I watch her tentatively explore and claim one more millimeter of the house each day. I watch her decide whether to flee under my bed or stand her ground. She's just like a human in her inner struggles with hope and fear.

Currently reading... Still reading T.C. Boyle's World's End. It's long! The man's spinning a yarn covering [at least] 300 years. I can't keep track, except I know everyone important is named Walter and is missing a foot. What a mind T.C. must have to have written, in essence, three books in one. And what a vocabulary -- you know you're good when you throw in words Trish has never seen!

The Soapbox: I can't stand how long it's taking to get to Jan. 20, 2009! Can't stand it! Obama will sink or swim, but let's find out already! T'row de bums out! Let's get started with the new regime, whatever it may be. On the other hand, this is one time in the life of a woman "of a certain age," when time does not seem to be flying past at record speed. Keep the hope, Boomers, toss fear away -- t'row de bum out! Friends or relatives with unmanageable mortgages? Afraid of foreclosure? Call Seneca Debt Assistance, toll-free, for information and help bull-dogging your bank to renegotiate your terms. Are you a woman in transition? Returning to workforce? Peri-menopausal? Divorcing? Call the experienced life coach at Women in Transition. I did, and kicked fear aside and took charge of my life!

2009-01-08T22:20:00.000-05:00

Current Status... Well, I mastered the Bluetooth earpiece for my cell phone, then promptly misplaced it. What else? I've become a Reluctant Webmaster. I'm learning on the fly, making lots of mistakes. I hope there's light at the end of the tunnel.

Lately I'm thinking... It's really hard to slow down and be thorough-going! When I am still, I get nervous. If I can't think of something I need to do, I get depressed. Not good. I'm back to meditating in the mornings, to teach myself that it's all right to be still.

This is really interesting... What could be interesting? I have a birthday coming, so what's to celebrate?

Currently watching... I'd had the David Lynch movie, Inland Empire, on my Netflix list for months, maybe years. It finally arrived...and sucked. I should have known from the first moments of soundtrack that I wasn't going to be able to endure this movie. Terrible low screeches and drones for hours on end; purposeful disturbance but way over the top. Then, as both director and cinematographer, Lynch bludgeons you with his theme of play within a movie within a movie -- you know, reality vs. unreality, and how do you tell the difference? But subtle he is not, he really overdoes it. So what happens is, he wastes several really fine actors by insisting on shooting their faces from various warping angles, and prevents us from ever getting into the characters. And without character, you have no movie, sir. You have a reel of surreal, meaningless photography. Blech. Watch out for this one and skip it; a classic it is NOT!

The Soapbox: Especially in a deep recession, hope is not only greater, but more effective than fear. If you know a family that fears losing its home to forecloseure, tell them about Seneca Debt Assistance: 1-888-808-1342, toll free. They'll get help. Many of us, including myself, could also be given hope by a life coach. Check out Women in Transition Coach. Find the power locked inside yourself!

It Ain't Real Technology If It Don't Work Right

2008-12-30T22:21:00.000-05:00

Current Status... I try to tell myself a woman of my age can stay abreast of new technologies. I tell myself the devices I can't work are either civilization-as-we-know-it destroyers or don't deserve the designation "technology" unless they both work, and are intuitive to operate. Intuitive by my lights, not some under-25 male nerd's so-called intuition. I'm pretty adamant about this, despite the fact that I'm rapidly turning into an elderly driver who seemingly can no longer multitask while motoring at night. Last week I got stopped (though not ticketed) by a state trooper who pointed out that I'd been slowing down and veering onto the shoulder while cars went around me. I was stunned, and also doubted him, as I would have heard the warning sound of tires hitting the edging of rough pavement meant to wake up sleepy operators, but had the wit to keep quiet and let him come up with my excuse: Was I tuning my radio? Oh yes, that's right, I was. (In truth, I was trying to find and start a podcast on my iPod while opening and consuming a small packet of veggie crisps, in the dark. Shoulda been a no-brainer.) Probably I did slow down, but that's only intuitive, right?

Lately I'm thinking... that it's Winter's fault. It's too dark, for too long. And my youth-oriented Toyota Matrix doesn't have as many niches for "stuff" as I require. Wearing 3 layers on a frigid day when I wear an extra jacket for the office party means I can't bend my arms or reach things in my car. Winter makes me helpless. Here's what happened last night ---

This is really interesting... It was the first time I was wearing a new blue-tooth device to help me be "hands-free" while driving. Which works beautifully a) in daylight and b) as long as all I need to do is turn the damn thing On or Off. But, in the frigid dark, with my useless arms and my bulky gloves, I must have hit the wrong teeny-tiny button, because the Verizon Voice started listing Missed Calls and asking if I wanted to call the person back. "No, no, no!" I shouted. "Go away! Leave me alone!" Which, of course, The Voice does not understand, being a robot and not intuitive at all. So I ripped the device out of my ear --- since you have to hold the right button down for 4 seconds to turn it off. That seemed to have worked, and I turned it back on and wrested it back into place. But now, The Voice had taken something she'd heard as a "Yes," and was ringing someone, I didn't know who. I flung the BlueTooth from my ear again and held the button till I saw the red light: Off! Back on one more time, and it's ringing me now. I press the button to answer. It keeps ringing. Do this twice more before realizing the Bluetooth sings Die Valkyrie, it doesn't ring. My phone is ringing. Where is my phone? Somewhere deep in my black bag in my dark car. I dig and dig. Naturally, by the time I find it, the ringing has stopped. I check VoiceMail: It was Stewart. "I know you're trying to reach me," he says, "but it's not working, so try the land line." Grrr! You betcha it's not working! And I'm not doing it --- I'm not calling him back. I already know I can't use the cell phone and drive down the Saw Mill Parkway at 55 mph. I toss away the phone and start feeling around for the Bluetooth. But it's obviously bounced: it's not on the seat, not in my lap, probably on the cold, dark floor. My intuition tells me I was somewhat better off when I couldn't be reached while driving an automobile.

Currently reading... World's End, by T.C. Boyle, which after 50 pages or so is about 100 times better than my last book, The Spies of Warsaw, by Alan Furst. Reading Furst's novel turned out to be a quotidian experience. The general premise was interesting, but could have been dealt with more interestingly in a short story or nonfiction essay. There was no suspense, not even when the story cried out for it. The French colonel keeps putting himself in great danger, but nothing bad or even scary ever happens. At the end, he marries the girl, who could have been a spy for the "other side," but, of course, wasn't. Feh. If he's going to make bestseller money, shouldn't he be writing better books? (Another old-fashioned idea.)

The Soapbox: Hope is greater than fear. And I hope things get better soon. To attain your personal best, visit Women in Transition. To save your home or the home of a family you know, contact Seneca Debt Assistance at 1-888-808-1342.

Right With the Times

2008-12-15T16:41:00.000-05:00

Current Status... Oh, it's the solstice holidays, and it's dark most of the time, and nobody feels much like working. I miss my cat Emma, who died in mid-November; she came to my lap every time I crawled into bed and I'd sink my fingers into her bunny-soft fur. She was funny, a typically nervous tortoise-shell, but she enjoyed having her calico belly rubbed endlessly. There'll never be another cat like her. In the meantime, though, we have a new adoptee -- an 11-year-old torty-point Himalayan whose owner grew too old to care for her. Chanel's very sweet, but still prefers hiding under furniture to any type of confrontation, even loving ones. She's just beginning to trust me. Still, I hold her for a time each day and brush her long fur; very satisfying.
This is really interesting... November 4, 2008 to January 20, 2009 seems like the longest, slowest transition period in our nation's history (except, maybe, for Hoover to Roosevelt). From the day after the national election, people have wanted Mr. Obama to find a way to get into the White House anywhere from "a little early" to "right now." Lacking the requisite change in statutes, however, it's already as if he's at the helm, captaining the ship, giving the orders -- except that there's still a gremlin in the cargo hold, poking holes in the hull with a hand drill (Mr. Bush).
Lately I've Been Thinking... Why can't Dubya go lame, this d(umb cl)uck? Why must he lease drilling rights to hundreds of thousands more wilderness acres? Why must he make it impossible to save endangered species if someone wants to build a strip mall? Why must he go on making it easier and easier to lop off Appalachian mountain tops, and bury West Virginia streams and rivers in dirt, stone and tree trunks? Someone, perhaps Cheney, must think they'll slow the next administration's progressive agenda by creating an infinite number of last-minute "wrongs" that must be "righted" before real progress can be made. Bastards.
Currently reading... The Spies of Warsaw, Alan Furst's new book. It's actually my "first Furst," though I've been meaning to check him out. He's not as great a writer as LeCarre, of course, but his spy stories do take place in WWII, and I enjoy that time period. Plotting is good, too -- you don't see things coming. I find it fascinating to be inside the head of a French officer. This book made the NYTimes Top 10 of the year. I'm almost done -- stay tuned for the final review.
The Soapbox: You can always choose hope, not fear.
P.S... Don't forget to visit the Women in Transition coaching Web site!

Why Must Flying Be So Uncomfortable?

2008-12-05T10:16:00.000-05:00

Current Status... I'm still thinking about air travel and how unpleasant it is. We all hate it --- from frequent business flyers to family travelers. Because we are not treated well, though the airlines pretend to be doing us a series of great favors. It's like the old saw: "Speed, Quality, Low Cost --- you can have two out of three." Only with air travel, you're really lucky to get one.

Lately I'm thinking... I'm an infrequent flyer and have recent experience only with American and Delta, but I won't be using Delta again, since they canceled my connecting flight WHILE I WAS IN THE AIR. Grrrr, the NERVE. And I would have forgiven them if they had arranged an alternative connection for me, as airlines did in the old days, before computerization --- but I was on my own, without a cell phone. What a horrible, long, long day that was! More recently, American seems to shine at the rare quality of timeliness, but they accomplish this by herding us like sheep dogs nipping at our heels --- into planes that are full and inhumanely cramped. Narrow seats; your front neighbor tilts his oily scalp into your lap, and your lateral companions' every move and expression of discomfort are cause for annoyance. You can't get 8 fluid oz. of water from the steward, and you pay an extra $15 to $25 just to check one bag.

This is really interesting... Imagine a near future in which American companies have figured out how to make air transport profitable through altternative fuels and lighter aircraft, while at the same time pleasing their customers into feelings of deepest brand loyalty. Aircraft designed to comfortably accommodate humans of every "class," while retaining some degree of privacy and dignity. Dangling, personally sanitized glass tubes, like in hamster cages, where you can suck at a nipple to get infinite amounts of pure, cool water without balancing a glass during turbulence. One stowed bag free, of course. More small planes flying directly to more cities. Air quality excellent from gate to tarmac to sky and down again. No more boring instructions before the flight. Fresh fruit, gourmet coffee. Ahhh.

Currently reading... The Spies of Warsaw, Alan Furst's new book. It's actually my "first Furst," though I've been meaning to check him out. He's not as great a writer as LeCarre, but his spy stories do take place in WWII and I enjoy that time period. Plotting is good, too --- you don't see things coming.

The Soapbox: Always choose hope, not fear. PS---don't forget to check out life coaching for Women in Transition.

You Can Go Home Again, It Just Takes Some Preparation

2008-11-23T15:43:00.000-05:00

Current Status... I had a really great trip to Tulsa. Of course, it's still the mecca of sprawl, but they have great skies, cloud formations, interesting weather. And a super restaurant where I had my first, but not last, surely, Bonefish Martini (Vodka, Champagne & Cranberry Juice Cocktail! mmmm!). But mostly, a relaxed and fun time with two sisters and a brother-in-law -- all of whom are sharp of mind and wit.

Lately I'm thinking... I'm a little bit easier with the Sandwich Generation thing: Mom is doing all right where she is, even if it is a nursing home. She needs nursing! And my sister Lynn stays on top of any changes or special needs. If I let it get to me, her life is sad, sad, sad; but I fight that feeling, because Mom doesn't think it's so sad. She does spend a lot of time sleeping, from both boredom and weakness. She doesn't have the get-up-and-go, never has, of the 101-year-old woman who daily shoves her walker around the entire concourse, speaking to everyone. Though Mom was really, really cheered up to see all 3 daughters at once, to keep her in that revved-up state would require nothing less than our continual presence -- our continual, sleep-in presence.

This is really interesting... In a few days, the whole airline scam is going to get my full attention here. I've been flying for 40 years, and it's like knowing what a REAL tomato tastes like. I remember when you weren't forced into such close and uncomfortable physical contact with your neighbors to either side, front and rear. And a transportation employee would never have dared to "pat down" a respectable matron. R-E-S-P-E-C-T: give-a-little, give-a-little!

Currently reading... I brought home a couple of thick books on the intersection of science and religion. Should be very interesting, but may take me a long, long time to get through.

The Soapbox: Choose hope, not fear.

Going Home

2008-11-18T10:49:00.000-05:00

Current Status... I do my annual visit home to Tulsa the same way I do Trish Daily, which is quite a bit less than daily--semi-weekly if I'm on a roll. That is to say, not quite every year. That is my resistance to parents who taught their three girls to devote their lives to pleasing folks who could not even be pleased. I thought moving far away would break the cycle, but no. The umbilical is stretched taut but not quite snapped. This weekend I plan to sever the cord and just have a great time with my sisters.

Lately I'm thinking... My dad passed in 2001, and my mom is senile and virtually bedridden. So this time, though Tulsa holds no charm for me, the only thing that could be unpleasant is seeing mom in that condition.

This is really interesting... I guess it's just that I always trudge back there thinking I have some great and burdensome responsibility I must fulfill. It's a little surprising to grasp that there are no longer any expectations. Except ones I have for myself. Hereby declared to be: having fun and doing whatever I want.

Currently reading... All the New Yorkers I'm behind on. I'll have four plane rides and some airport wait time, so I should be able to read some good stories and laugh at some great cartoons.

The Soapbox: I choose hope, not fear.

Fogged in and Seeing the Light

2008-11-06T20:08:00.000-05:00

Current Status... Clouds and rain for days on end...last few and next few to come. It gets a little dreary. I think of curling up in bed with a stack of books. But I don't go there. I'm finally beginning to get my new technologies synced: iPod, MacBookPro, MobileMe, iTunes, Google blog & Google Docs (really great for Apple users!), iChat & PhotoBooth & video-chatting, & podcasts, and now I need to know more about RSS feeds. There may be a way that my readers can get an electronic notice whenever I post. That would be cool.

Lately I'm thinking... I'm feeling safe, but even I am wondering if it's really safe to feel safe. My prevailing theory is: Yes, it's safe.

Currently reading... The Hidden Messages in Water (Beyond Words Publishing), Masaru Emoto, a Japanese doctor who studied water crystals around the world and in doing so couldn't help discovering that The Spirit of Words is the strongest Force in the Universe (no accident it goes "In the Beginning was the Word...," and the most powerful words, in any language, are "love and gratitude." How is this all connected? You'll have to read it for yourself; it's too subtle and complex to go into here.

This is really interesting... Now that we have plucked up our courage and voted for real change, some cold footed souls are shivering in their boots: Stock market down, down, down; headlines aplenty about how Obama will really have to "come through" and how hard that might be; shouts and murmurs from Russia and Iran reverberating in the newscasts. Take a deep breath, everyone. The Bush Disaster is over.

The Soapbox: Feel proud of choosing hope, not fear!

And this just in... Here's a great tip. What's cheaper than therapy, faster than therapy and just the thing if you don't really need therapy? Women in Transition Coaching. I've had it myself, and so has my sister and Stewart, who is not even a woman in transition (but he IS in transition). My life has opened up in amazing ways! I highly recommend that if you are a Woman in Transition, and want to get your life moving in a new direction, and you know what's good for you, see this Web site:

womenintransitioncoach.com

2008-11-04T21:39:00.000-05:00

Current Status... More than half the country's polls have closed. Obama has PA and Ohio; McCain took GA and No. Dak. Ooh, New Mexico just went for Obama. 2/3 of Latinos going for Obama. Rural folks in PA and OH going for Obama. And Hilary swore it couldn't be done.

Lately I'm thinking... how good I'm going to feel tomorrow. This racist nation put it aside and just voted in the Democrat and the best man for this time. McCain has his good points, but he feels he deserves the presidency, and that's just wrong, and he's wrong for this time.

Currently reading... The Hidden Messages in Water (Beyond Words Publishing), Masaru Emoto, a Japanese doctor who studied water crystals around the world and in doing so couldn't help discovering that The Word is the greatest Power, and the most powerful words, in any language, are "love and gratitude." How is this all connected? You'll have to read it for yourself; it's too subtle and complex to go into here.

This is really interesting... We would not be experiencing this much calm energy if Hilary was the candidate.

The Soapbox: Thanks, everyone, we're choosing hope, not fear!