Autor: HasenChat Music Austria

This is one of those questions that work-at-home moms (WAHMs) often ask themselves – in fact, it’s often something potential WAHMs ask before they even begin working from home: how are you going to balance work, home, and family? No one is perfect at this, and no one has the perfect formula. But, there are some good tips out there on how to balance these important elements of your life. Here are some of those tips.

1. Organize your time

As a mom, it can sometimes seem like everyone wants a piece of your time and attention every minute. It helps to look at time as a big pie – if you take out a piece now, that’s one less piece you’ll have later. So divide up the pie.

You can even make a pie chart of your day if you want to, but a day planner or online calendar will work just fine. This might work best if you do it weekly rather than daily. And it does not have to be done in this order – just because the business tasks are listed first here does not mean they are the most important. If family time is a bigger priority for you, then list it first.

First, list everything you need to do for your business that week, dividing it up into urgent priorities and not-so-urgent ones. Then estimate the hours that the urgent ones will take, and plug those hours into your work week. Those are the non-optional work hours. Then, plug in the less-urgent business activities – maybe using a different color – so that you know those are not absolutely vital.

After that, make a list of household chores for that week – laundry, meals, errands, etc. Divide those up among the non-work hours. Take into consideration things like weekly events (religious activities, soccer games, etc.) that will require more laundry. If possible, set this weekly household task list up to repeat each week so these things will be on „auto pilot“ and won’t require re-scheduling each week. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel every weekend!

Make another list of family time. Do your kids go to school? Do you homeschool? What about family dinners and game nights together? What about a date with your spouse, or, if you’re single, a date with a friend? Schedule in these social things into your calendar too, and rearrange accordingly. Maybe a non-vital business task can be set aside to spend some extra time with your kids this week.

2. Give yourself time off

People who work in an office get weekends off. While you may not be able to spare two whole days every week, set aside free time one day a week where you can rest and spend time with family. Organizing your time is fine, but a little down time can be therapeutic…even if you have to schedule it in!

3. Consider a mother’s helper

Mother’s helpers can be such a help for busy WAHMs. Mother’s helpers come to your house rather than you having to drop your kids off with them. They are cheaper than a babysitter, and your kids still stay at home with you present. The mother’s helper can help out around the house, entertain the kids, or even run a short errand.

Work-at-home moms like to share tips and tricks for helping each other succeed. There is no perfect formula or guarantee of a huge income while you do nothing (and anything that promises that is likely a scam!), but those who have succeeded or know others who have succeeded have some good ideas. In fact, it is this networking and sharing that is success tip number one.

1. Social networking

Join groups with similar interests. There are entire online communities dedicated to supporting the work-at-home mom (WAHM). Some of these online communities are free to join, while others require a fee. As noted above, moms who work at home usually enjoy sharing success tips, and having a support community can really help when you have questions. You can also share your own tips and successful „moments.“

Another word on social networking – sites like Facebook and MySpace are becoming increasingly popular among small home businesses.

2. The latest technology

Don’t be afraid of things like Twitter and online advertising. Success is more likely to come your way if you are connected and available. You might consider a mobile device so you can update people as to the latest information on your business, and so you can respond to clients and prospective clients right away.

3. Love what you do

It’s hard to be successful doing something you dislike. You are likely to lose motivation if you don’t like the product you’re selling, the information you are writing about, and so forth. Your passions and interests may not be conducive to a WAH business, but if you are really honest with yourself, you can probably find something that interests you that would make a fulfilling business venture.

4. Be decisive

One of the pitfalls that can happen with WAHMs is distraction. Another pitfall is uncertainty. If you aren’t sure that you want to do this particular business or even whether or not you want to work from home, then decide before venturing into business. You can research and ask before deciding, but it can be a mistake to do things halfway (such as starting a website but having no idea how to promote or update it).

5. Keep it personal

One of the things that business customers sometimes complain about is that they can’t seem to talk to a „live human“ in customer service. If you are courteous and take the time to answer people’s concerns, it ups your chance for success.

Organization can be a great challenge for some work-at-home moms (WAHMs). For others, it comes naturally. Still others wish they could be more organized but don’t know where to begin. Regardless, getting organized can really help you run an effective business from home. Here are some tips.

1. The calendar

Your calendar can be a simple notebook, an online calendar, or a business day planner from an office supply store. Some WAHMs like a big desk calendar; others prefer an hourly rather than a daily or weekly approach. Choose what works for you – if you have trouble organizing yourself, a more hourly approach might help in the beginning. If you are naturally task-oriented and ordered, a weekly calendar might work better for you.

The calendar is where you divvy up your time. It’s where you prioritize the urgent tasks and separate them from the less urgent ones. Your calendar is also where you note the time it takes for repeated tasks – making meals, running errands, doing laundry, bedtime routines with the kids, etc. It can really help to go ahead and write those things in just so you can realistically see how many hours you have to devote to work.

2. Quick meals

Meal preparation can take some time, especially if you are concerned about your family eating fresh, whole foods made from scratch. However, you can cut corners on time and not necessarily on health. Here are some ideas for taking a load off of meal prep:

* Have someone in the family go to the store for you. Keep your list specific and easy to read.

* Divide up meal preparation among family members (this depends on the age and number of people in your family, of course, and does not apply to everyone). Let everyone in the family choose a day when he or she makes dinner, or helps make dinner.

* Delegate clean-up to other family members as well.

* Food does not have to be elaborate to be healthy. Pasta tossed with steamed veggies is quick and healthy, and lean meats like turkey can be popped in the oven and baked while you work. Save the gourmet experiments for the weekends!

3. Be realistic

One of the quickest ways to lose your sense of order and become disorganized is to take on too much. If you are a „yes“ person, you may ultimately disappoint your clients because you promised more than you can deliver. So be realistic about the hours you can devote to working each week, and learn to say „no“ when you have to.

Business Ideas and Strategies for Moms Who Work at Home

There are lots of interesting business ideas out there for work-at-home moms (WAHMs). As more and more employers look for ways to cut costs, hiring people to work remotely is getting more common. Also, some WAHMs run their own business and have people working for them. Here are some business ideas and strategies for a home-based business for moms.

Telecommute

There are multiple resources on the web where you can browse for telecommuting jobs. You can also check with local employers who may appreciate your skills. Your current employer or employers from your past are often sources of telecommuting jobs.

Telecommuting jobs are varied, but writing, typing, and secretarial duties are probably the most common. Some people work for travel agencies or do other phone work from their homes. Tap into something you already know how to do and offer your services to employers who need you.

Freelance Work

Another business idea is to do freelance work for clients. You could offer marketing advice, design websites, write articles, edit e-books, and a host of other things. Working freelance means you have multiple clients rather than an employer, and you will need to market your business and skills in order to find clients.

Start Your Own Business

If you don’t want to work for others (or if you want to do both), you can start your own home-based business. Like freelancing, you are responsible for finding clients and promoting your business. Consulting, providing information, coaching, and building a membership website are just some of the ideas for a home-based business. Some moms have had success providing information to others who want to build their businesses from home.

Marketing

Choosing the right marketing strategy (or strategies) is important. Look into social networking like Facebook and Twitter, and use their advertising platforms to get your name out. However, it pays to take it slow – no one wants to be „spammed“ all the time about your business. Build relationships in your demographic – join groups, make friends, join discussions, etc. – and then see where you can advertise to your potential customers.

Depending on your budget, you might consider hiring someone else to do your marketing – in fact, it could be a nice give-and-take if you hire another WAHM to market your business for you. Then maybe she, in turn, can use your help.

Have a Plan

You need to know what you’re doing and have a handle on the tasks that need to be done. As a mom, you will have unexpected interruptions and also unexpected moments when you can snatch a few minutes‘ work. If you have a grasp on the day’s tasks, you can nip in and out of work mode and always know what needs to be accomplished. If you have a spare ten minutes you weren’t expecting, and you have to spend that ten minutes organizing and figuring out what needs to be done, you’ve lost productivity.

If your website goals are falling flat, you may want to take a look at your landing page. Your landing page is the home page for your website. It’s the page most people “land” on when they come to your website. From your landing page a visitor can take a number of actions.

They can leave your site – not a desirable action! They can click on a page or link within your site and dig deeper. They can take action and fill out a form, or click to make a purchase. Ultimately your landing page is a decision-making page. This means it’s critical to your success.

Is Your Landing Page Captivating?

Does your landing page capture attention? Ideally it will have a compelling headline followed by keyword-targeted content that supports the purpose of the landing page. Additionally, your landing page shouldn’t be distracting. Everything on that page needs to support the purpose of the page.

What’s the Purpose of Your Landing Page?

Different landing pages have different purposes. If you have a theme-based website for example, then your page’s purpose may be to motivate visitors to dig deeper. You want them to get to the pages where your affiliate and PPC links are so you can earn money.

You may want visitors to sign up for your opt-in form. If so, then make sure that’s the action your landing page copy and graphics support. If your landing page is designed to motivate a sale, then you want the page to sell a product or a service. Everything on the page needs to support that action. You don’t want to distract with opt-in forms or content links.

If your landing page is struggling, take a look at it and see if the entire page supports your purpose for the page. If not, rework it.

Do You Have a Call to Action?

Regardless of your purpose, your landing page needs a call to action. Visitors need to be guided to what to do next. If this guidance is missing, they may likely click away. Support your page’s purpose with a compelling call to action.

If you want them to sign up for your opt-in list, then ask them to do so. If you want them to dig deeper and read your content and information, then tell them to click through. If you want to make a sale, provide a number of opportunities for them to make that decision and take action.

Test and Track

Test and track various elements to optimize your landing page to fit its purpose. Test which headline works best. Test which call to action works best. Test where to place your sign-up form for the best results. Split testing is easiest. You can use PPC ads to drive traffic to two nearly identical landing pages.

Because your landing page is the page where most of your traffic enters your site, it’s imperative that it support your goals. Make sure your landing page has a purpose. Follow it up and make sure each element of your page supports that purpose. Eliminate element that don’t and get rid of distractions. Optimize your landing page and you’ll optimize your business!

There’s one sure-fire way to success online. Make sure you have an abundance of content on your website. Without content there’s really no reason for anyone to visit your site. Here’s why content is crucial for your site.

Value

Your content is the single biggest value you offer prospects and visitors. Each time a new visitor comes to your site, they’re looking for one thing. They’re looking for information. Content is information.

Now, you don’t have to provide content in the form of articles or reports. You can provide audio content, video content or even snippets of content like tips and quotes. There’s a huge variety to the type of content your website can offer. Consider offering the type of content that your audience best responds to. Make sure it fits your business goals and provides value to your visitors and prospects.

Traffic

Content is what search engines look for when they’re indexing your site. It’s how they know what your site is about. It’s also how many of your website visitors find you. They type into their search engine the keywords or the words that describe the information they’re searching for. The search engine provides them with a list of website results. They click on one or many of these results and they end up on your website. None of this would happen without content.

Sales and Profits

Regardless of your business model, content helps you make money. Content helps you establish credibility and authority with your visitors. This gives them confidence to buy from you. Content also helps you establish your brand. It helps prospects like you. Again, this is a buying trigger. People buy from people they like.

Content also helps persuade. When you present information that offers value, your visitors can make an informed decision. They can solve their problems based on the guidance and solutions you provide.

How Much Content Is Enough?

Honestly, as long as your content provides value and supports your goals and your visitors, you can never have too much. Create a plan to add content to your website on a regular basis. Stay in touch with trends, hot topics, your customers’ needs and problems.

There’s no hard-and-fast rule about how much content you have to have on your site. Create your content plan to help you meet your goals. Each piece of content you publish should have a goal and a purpose – even if the purpose is simply to inform.
Create a plan that matches your visitors’ needs with your own budget, time and goals. If you want your website and business to succeed, make sure to include content as part of your long-term strategy.

Which Website Design Software Is the Right One for Me?

Building a website is supposed to be easy, right? It can be, if you choose the right software for your skills and needs. However, with so much website design software to choose from, it’s hard to make a choice. Let’s take a look at some basic information to help you choose your ideal design software.

#1 Time

How much time do you have to learn new software and design your site? If you’re aiming for a launch deadline, then you may not have tons of time. Some software programs have a steep learning curve. Others are intuitive and easy to use. Be realistic about the skills and knowledge you already possess and the time you have.

#2 Features

What is the purpose of your website? What do you need it to accomplish and provide? If you’re creating a very advanced site with a lot of bells and whistles, then you may want an advanced program to create it. However, if you’re creating a basic site, for example a theme-based site, then you may not need a professional software program. A simple site builder wizard may do the trick.

#3 Budget

Website design software ranges from free to thousands of dollars. Be realistic about your budget. If you’re building a website as part of a business, then be realistic about your return on investment as well. If you can recoup the cost of the software in six months to a year, then it’s likely worth the expense.

#4 Integration

Some website design software is fully capable of integrating with a number of add-ons. For example, you can use your software to design your site and then add on a second party shopping cart application. Other software programs don’t integrate well with much. What you see is what you get. Before purchasing website design software, create a plan. Plan what you want your website to be able to accomplish now. What features do you need?

Also plan for the future. How are you going to grow? What features and technologies might you need in the future? Think ahead. Of course you’re not going to be able to predict the future a hundred percent, so also pay attention to #5 below.

#5 Reliability and longevity

Ideally you want your website design software to be supported tomorrow and ten years from now. If you purchase software and they go bankrupt next week, there won’t be any developers working on maintaining and improving the program. However, if you purchase from a reliable company that’s been around for a while, you can be fairly certain you’re protected. You can also be fairly certain their developers will continue to grow and adapt the software to fit the demands of new technology.

If you’ve looked at all of the considerations and still aren’t sure how to compare, speak to other website owners. What software did they use? What did they like about it? What did they dislike about it? This is particularly helpful if they’ve built a site that’s similar to yours in purpose and function.

There are site builders for every type of business model and purpose. For example, membership sites, e-commerce sites and of course theme-based sites. Find the software that fits your site’s purpose and your needs and go from there. To your success!

Or Do I Need Both?

Creating a website for a new business? If so, you may be wondering which is the best choice – website or blog. The answer isn’t as difficult as you may think. Here’s how to make the right choice for you and your business goals.

#1 Business model and purpose

Yes, both websites and blogs, particularly a WordPress blog, can support just about any type of business model. WordPress developers have created plug-ins that can turn any WordPress blog into an e-commerce site, a membership site and more.

However, these plug-ins and add-ons can be more of a hassle than it’s worth. And finding the right plug-in may be a trial and error process. If your business model relies on the publishing of timely information, then a blog is likely better. However, if your business is meant to sell a product or service, then a website may be a better choice.

#2 Maintenance and time

How much time do you have to devote to the upkeep and maintenance of your business? A blog still relies on consistently publishing content. Despite contrary “rules” about blogging, you don’t have to blog every day or several times a day. However, people who subscribe to blogs do expect regular installments of new content. You can schedule your posts. However, it does require a bit more maintenance on your end. A website can be left alone for a month or two without any issues.

#3 Personality and ease of use

Some of your decision will be based on your personality. What format do you prefer to use? A blog is very easy to update and utilize. You may need help to find, install and set up the right plug-ins. You may also need help customizing a theme or adding a custom header. However, by and large blogs are very easy to use.

Websites can be trickier for some. That being said, many website developers and design software make the user interface quite simple. You can modify pages and add content without needing to learn or understand a design language.

#4 Goals

Quite often a blog and a website work well together. A website sells. A blog drives traffic and brands the business. A blog can speak to a niche within your niche. For example, General Motors has a main website. They also have a blog that is basically car talk. It’s for car enthusiasts and its run by a head honcho at GM. He loves cars. The blog helps brand General Motors and it connects prospects and customers to the business. It builds a community.

Before you make a decision about whether a blog or a website is right for you, consider these points. What’s the purpose of your site? What will offer the best customer experience? What will be easiest for you to use and maintain? Finally, what will best help you achieve your goals? To your success!

When you’re creating a website there are a number of decisions to make. In addition to your budget and the creation process, there are features and functions to weight. There are so many fantastic technologies and options that the process can feel overwhelming!

#1 What’s the purpose of your website?

This is perhaps your single most important consideration. When you know your website’s purpose there are some design options that just make sense. For example, if you’re going to be an affiliate marketer and your website’s purpose is strictly to provide information, then you’ll likely want a CMS or a theme-based website. Know your site’s purpose first! Then you can weight your options.

On the other hand, if you’re building an e-commerce site you will want a shopping cart solution and a product catalog full of product photos and descriptions.

#2 What’s your budget?

Believe it or not, you can design a professional-looking website on just about any budget. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to hire a pro. That being said, you may want to hire a professional so the job is done right the first time. A professional can help you integrate all of the design elements and technologies right from the get go.

If you have a low start-up budget, consider having an existing template or design modified by a pro. For example, you can hire a WordPress designer to modify a template to fit your needs and website purpose.

#3 Who is your audience?

Your audience plays a very important role in the design of your website. Not only do you want to make sure your site is easy to navigate, you also want to make sure it appeals to your audience. If they’re cutting edge, then you’ll want a modern look and feel. If your audience is older, then you may want a more mature design.

Does your website niche fit better with video content or print content? How are you going to connect with your prospects, visitors and customers? Your site’s design needs to support your audience and their needs and desires.

#4 Efficiency and logic

While the appearance of a website is important, so too is the user’s experience. Ideally a site will feel intuitive. Everything will be easy to find and apparent. Your visitors won’t have to dig for information and if they are digging it’s because you want them to. This means:

* Logical content categories
* Relevant and easy-to-access pages (for example your about, affiliate, press and FAQ pages)
* Streamlined processes (for example shopping cart, opt-in and download processes)

Before you design your site or have someone design it for you, plan it on paper. Know exactly what your site’s purpose is and create a plan to make it happen. Research other sites in your industry. Research keywords so you know how your prospects search.

Also take a look at the various technologies that can support your site and its purpose. Some website design services offer seamless integration. Keep your visitors’ experience at the heart of every decision and you won’t go wrong.

The Psychology behind Choosing the Right Colors for Your Website

Did you know that simply changing the color of your copy can change your conversions and sales? It’s true. Color has the power to affect our emotions. This means choosing the colors for your website is not a black-and-white decision.

Matching Your Niche to the Right Color

You want your website to fit your niche and audience, right? Some topics lend themselves to certain colors. For example, if it’s a website about love and romance you might use red or purple colors on the site. Take a look at these popular colors and the emotions they evoke:

Here is a list of some of the common colors and what type of psychological emotion they invoke in people:

* RED – Red colors are generally associated with love, passion, romance, danger, excitement, action, and adventure. Red is also a great color if you want to grab someone’s attention. It’s often used in the headline on a sales page. Studies have shown it generated a higher conversion rate than other colors.

* BLUE – Blue often represents calmness. It is often used to exhibit a professional image. It’s associated with trustworthiness and success. It’s a symbol of water, purity, and cleanliness.

* GREEN – Green often represents money. It also represents sustainable living, health, and nature. Green is another calming color that symbolizes life.

* ORANGE – Orange often represents or evokes creativity, celebration and fun.

* PURPLE – Purple stands for passion. It’s also commonly used to represent royalty, luxury and fantasy.

* WHITE – White is clean. It is simple and it is innocent.

* YELLOW – Yellow isn’t a color commonly used on websites. Yellow can cause people to feel irritated or anxious. However, it can also represent playfulness and fun. Many people associate pale yellow with youth.

* PINK – Pink is a soft color. It’s also a very feminine color. It’s great for love, baby girls, women’s health and even young girls’ fashion and interests.

* BROWN – Brown is an earthy color. It represents simplicity, matter-of-fact attitudes and nature.

* BLACK – Black, while it can be dark and mysterious, is also solid. It’s a color that leaves no room for doubt.

Do the colors on your website presently support the image you want to portray? Do they have the desired effect on your prospects and visitors? If you’re unsure, consider making minor changes and testing and tracking results. Test the color of your headline. Test the color of your background. Test the color of your forms too.

Color has a dramatic effect on emotions. It can motivate, inspire, and touch. Take advantage of the effect color has and use it on your site to help you achieve your goals.

How to Incorporate Them into Your Website

If you own a website you are likely looking for any advantage over your competition. RSS feeds may be the advantage you’re looking for. Here’s how to incorporate them into your website.

What Is an RSS Feed?

An RSS feed is simply a type of program that publishes any updates on your website. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. It’s a type of feed format.

Benefit of RSS Feeds

The primary benefit of an RSS Feed is that your customers and prospects are instantly notified whenever you publish new content. You’ll stay front of mind with your customers. They receive the benefit of having your information delivered to their email inbox or reader.

You can deliver the following information to your subscribers, clients and prospects:

* Blogs posts
* Published articles and content
* Forum posts and activity
* Scheduled events
* News
* Special promotions, coupons and offers

A simple RSS feed can help you connect with your customers and prospects on regular basis. It helps you build a community and keep them informed and connected.

You can also use an RSS Feed to provide information about your industry from other websites. For example, if you’re a website that focuses on a financial investing niche, it might provide value to your visitors to see an RSS feed that’s focused on the latest financial news. The information is presented right on your website for all visitors to benefit from.

Adding an RSS Feed to Your Website

The process of adding RSS to your website varies depending on your website platform. For example, if your website is built on a WordPress template then you likely already have RSS features and functions. You simply have to activate them and modify the settings to fit your needs.

On the other hand, if you have a Joomla or other CMS based website then you may want to register with a feed management service like FeedBurner (FYI – Google now owns FeedBurner). Register, provide the necessary information, and create your code. You’ll simply cut and paste the code into your page’s html and you’re good to go.

Note that some website platforms like Joomla also have plug-ins that handle this task for you. They create a nice “RSS Feed” button and place it in an obvious and strategic location. You can generally choose the button’s appearance and the location of the subscribe option on your website.

Other website design software programs may not accept RSS technology so easily. Investigate your website platform and the possibilities. RSS technology provides a number of benefits to your readers and to your bottom line. Investigate the possibilities today.

Is your website lacking a “cool” factor? It’s important to keep up with trends and technology. Visitors make a snap judgment when they visit your site. If it looks old and dated, it may discredit you. Here’s how to design a modern and cool-looking website to stay current and credible.

#1 When was the last time you updated your site?

This is the first and most basic question. If it was more than a year ago, chances are you’re missing out. New technologies and website features are developed on a regular basis. You certainly don’t have to take advantage of all of them. However, you can freshen up and modernize your website at least once a year.

#2 What features and functions do your prospects use?

Social networking is an easy example. Just about everyone from the age of twelve on up is using some social networking site. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and MySpace are just a few examples. If your audience is using these, then adding them to your site makes sense. It’ll help keep it up to date. It’ll also provide a connection to your audience.

#3 What can you add or modify to enhance the experience?

Elements shouldn’t be added to your site just because they’re cool or cutting edge. They need to support your overall goals and purpose. Take a look at the technology offered today and how it might support your business. Explore how it might add value to your customers.

For example:

* Do you use video on your site? Video is a growing trend and one that many prospects respond to.
* Are your prospects active on social networking sites? How can you add this behavior to your business model to add value?
* Can you take advantage of your prospects and visitors to add content to your site?
* Would a blog help you build or support your brand?
* Can social bookmarking build your traffic and SEO?

#4 Are your graphics, images, and colors out of date?

It’s important that your entire site create a comprehensive image. This image should support your brand. Making huge changes to the overall look and appearance of your site can have a detrimental effect. However, you can update the look of your site and still retain your existing brand image. For example, you can have a complete overhaul of your website navigation and retain your header graphics, logo and font.

Small changes can make a big difference. A simple adjustment of your font to a new and more modern-looking font can add “edge” and “cool” appeal to your site.

If you haven’t updated your site in a while, take a look at how you can improve it. Base your considerations on your user’s experience. Make sure each change you make supports your customer and/or your business goals. To your success!

You want every single website visitor to have a positive experience on your website. In order to make that happen it has to be accessible by everyone. Here are seven easy strategies to make your website accessible.

1. CAPTCHA – If you use a CAPTCHA to verify that a user is a person and not a computer or a program, you may be eliminating some folks from a user experience. Those who cannot read the CAPTCHA code may be unable to enter it correctly. Thus they won’t have access to the information. You can add an audio element to your CAPTCHA so visitors can hear the code and then successfully type it into their computer. You receive verification. They receive access. Win/win!

2. Tagging photos – If your images don’t load properly or a user has them blocked, they’re missing out on part of your website. If you simply add an alt tag to your images, then everyone is able to experience your website fully. An alt tag tells your visitors what the image is if it cannot be displayed or viewed. The Americans with Disabilities Act dictates that all images must have an alt tag.

3. Small files and quick download/upload times – Large graphics and files slow a user’s ability to upload your website. Their system may simply not be able to access your site. If you have large files you’re therefore making your site inaccessible to many. Make sure your website images, files and graphics are all as small as they can be. Quick upload times are appreciated by all.

4. Standard files – Make sure any content published or available on your website is available in a readily accessible format. For example, PDF documents are easily viewed by any system. MS Word files or WordPerfect files are not.

5. Accessible navigation – Make sure each button, category, or action step is easy to find and understand. The more straightforward your website navigation, the easier it will be for each and every visitor to access your site’s pages.

6. Label all form input elements – If you have a form for visitors to fill out, make sure each element of your form is labeled. This will ensure your visitors know what information is supposed to go into the form.

7. Make links obvious – If you have links for visitors to click on, make sure they are obvious. Text links, embedded or otherwise, all need to stand out from the rest of the content. Consider bold, underlined or colored formatting to set them apart.

The more accessible your website, the better your user’s experience. Make sure each and every visitor, regardless of their ability or technology, can experience all your site has to offer.

How Many “Bells and Whistles” Does Your Website Really Need

Do you know what’s effective on your website and what’s overkill? Do you know what features and functions your audience responds to and what turns them off? Many websites go overboard. They utilize every bell and whistle available. The goal, presumably, is to provide a great user experience. Unfortunately, they end up accomplishing the opposite. So…

How Many Bells and Whistles Does Your Website Really Need?

This may sound incredibly dull. Every single feature on your website needs to have a proven function and purpose. Sometimes that’s not so easy to identify. Generally, if it doesn’t help you achieve your goal then it’s best to get rid of it. Here’s why:

* Most bells and whistles distract from your overall goal and purpose. For example, if you want a visitor to make a purchase then a flash graphic is generally nothing more than a distraction.

* Most bells and whistles slow your website down. A fancy graphic or internal program slows down the upload time. If it takes too long for your site to upload then you’re going to lose potential visitors. That’s certainly not good. If your website doesn’t upload in a matter of seconds, ten or less, it’s time to shrink files and eliminate heavy graphics.

* Most bells and whistles don’t offer tangible value. Think about it for a moment; what value does a fancy website graphic add to your customer’s experience? What value or benefit do they gain? If the answer is nothing, then get rid of it.

An add-on feature or function is good when it adds value to your visitor’s experience. For example, a social networking feed can be superfluous on some websites. However, if it helps build your following and create a community it can be a good feature. Some bells and whistles make sense.

Decision Time

So how do you decide if a website feature is relevant? How do you know if you should keep it or eliminate it? Ask yourself the following questions:

* Does it enhance your visitor’s experience?
* Does it help you achieve a business goal?
* Does it slow down your website upload time?
* Does it distract?

If you’re unsure, consider testing and tracking the data. Install the feature and then review the data. Take a look at how long people remain on your landing page. If they spend less time on your page, then the new feature may be the reason.

If possible, test the feature itself. Are people interacting with it? What do they do once they’ve interacted with it? If people are staying on your website longer with the new feature, what action are they taking? Are they buying more? Are they signing up for your opt-in list? Are they reading more content?

Some bells and whistles offer value. They support business growth. Know your audience, your goals and the purpose of each add-on feature. Pay attention to the data.

Two Keys to Happy Website Visitors

As a website owner you want to make sure your visitors are happy. Happy visitors stay on your website longer. They come back for repeat visits. And of course they buy from your website. When it comes to a website’s structure, there are two elements that can make or break your user experience.

#1 Quick load times

There’s nothing that squashes a visitor’s happiness faster than not being able to load a website page. If the page doesn’t come up quickly, your visitor is gone. We’ve grown accustomed to instant gratification online. If your web page takes longer than a few seconds to load, you may miss out on valuable prospects and visitors. They won’t be happy while they’re waiting for your pages to load.

So what can you do to ensure quick load times?

* Reduce and minimize your graphics. Make sure a graphic takes up no more than 10k on any given page.

* Don’t use flash. Many website designers still turn to flash to add interest. Don’t do it. It takes too long to load. If you do use it, make sure you give your visitors the opportunity to click through and skip the show.

* Use plug-ins sparingly. There are a number of really useful plug-ins. However, they’re bulky and can slow down your load time. They can also distract from your web page’s purpose and make it look cluttered. If you’re going to use a plug-in, make sure it supports your goals for that page. And make sure it enhances the visitor experience.

#2 Easy navigation

The other thing that makes visitors happy is a website that’s easy to navigate. Straightforward and intuitive website navigation can be difficult to accomplish. The following tips can help you get the job done.

* Eliminate clutter – Many times a web page has so much going on that the visitor isn’t sure what the page’s purpose is. Are they supposed to look at ads? Fill out a form? Read an article? Make sure your web pages have a purpose. Then make sure that page is designed to support that purpose. Everything from the formatting to the add-ons can add or detract from your page’s purpose.

* Intuitive buttons – The buttons on your page are there to guide your reader deeper into your website. Therefore they must make sense to the visitor. One of the best ways to ensure your buttons are easy to understand is to make them keywords. Keywords are likely what drew your visitor to your website. They’re what the person is using to search for and find information. Create categories and subcategories with your keywords. That way your user is able to easily find the information they’re looking for.

When your visitors are able to navigate your website with ease, they’ll stay longer. If they’re able to find the information they’re looking for without struggle and frustration, they’ll return again and again.

When you combine a straightforward layout with quick loading times, you’re well on your way to giving visitors a very pleasant experience. Happy visitors turn into happy customers. Take a look at your website today. Does it make visitors happy?

Three Ideas and Strategies to Give Your Visitors a Reason to Return

A website generates two main types of visitors. There are the visitors that stop by and leave. They never return again. Then there are the visitors that stop by. They bookmark your site. They sign up for your opt-in list. They subscribe to your blog. These are the visitors you want. When you can motivate more new visitors to come back, you’re on your way to converting them to customers.

The majority of people do not make a purchase the first time they visit a website. A website has to earn their trust. It has to establish credibility, liking and authority. These are all buying triggers, and for most websites they’re earned over time. They key is to give them a reason to come back. Here are three ideas and strategies to give your visitors a reason to return.

#1 Valuable content is definitely required. If you provide a consistent flow of great content, visitors will come back for more. However, there’s more you can do to ensure their loyalty.

#2 Provide a free membership. Take a look at your website. Why do people visit your site? What benefit can you offer on a regular basis? Now instead of offering that information to random visitors, consider creating a membership site. Membership implies exclusivity. It also implies extra value.

When people sign up for your membership program they will receive “extra” content, products or services. For example, you might create a “Report of the Month” club. The information is free for members who have signed up. Each month you deliver a quality report. You can use the report to promote affiliate products and/or your own products/services too.

#3 Include user generated content. Enable visitors to provide their own content for your website. Blogging is one way to accomplish this. You can include a “blog for us” form on your site. You can also turn the “Commenting” feature on and allow visitors to respond to your content. However, if you don’t have a blog site, then consider adding a plug-in or feature that enables them to add content.

For example, you might include a “Best Tips” category. You can then enable visitors to post or submit their best tips. You publish their information and you now have an interactive audience.

Finally, take a look at your usability features. What can you add to your site or blog to make it friendlier? For example, are other commenters notified when a comment is published to a post they also commented on? Can they forward your content to a friend? Can they print it?

The easier you make it to interact on your site, the better. Provide great content. Enable visitors to receive more via memberships and let them share information. The more repeat traffic you have, the faster you’ll build a loyal customer base.

Ten Ways to Improve Your Website Credibility and Why It Matters

Credibility matters. Your website is the only connection your prospects have to you. They don’t know if you are trustworthy. They don’t know if you know what you’re talking about. Yet, when you can establish that you’re a credible company and resource, then you’re golden. Why? Because people buy from companies they trust. They recommend them to others. They become loyal customers and visitors.

Here are ten ways to improve your website credibility:

#1 Facts and data – Demonstrate your credibility by backing up the claims you make with hard evidence. Cite statistics and data that support your statements.

#2 Let your customers do the talking – Testimonials, reviews and endorsements go a long way toward convincing others of your credibility. In addition to strategically placing testimonials, reviews and endorsements on your landing page, consider creating a separate page, too. That way, visitors can click on the ‘testimonials’ page and read all the wonderful things people have to say about you.

#3 Simple navigation – If a website is confusing to navigate we tend not to trust the source. However, if your website is streamlined and designed to enhance the visitor’s experience, then prospects can tell you’ve put them first.

#4 Clean look – Have you ever landed on a web page that was so cluttered you didn’t know which way to turn? These pages are often littered with advertisements. It seems the only goal is to get you to click on something so they can earn a nickel in PPC revenue. Make sure your website doesn’t give off this vibe, even if your primary source of income is PPC. There are better ways to earn the trust of your prospects and thus earn a click.

#5 Quality information – One of the best ways to earn a reputation for credibility is to consistently provide quality content. Share information that matters to your prospects and visitors. Show them why they can trust you. Be a source of information.

#6 Quality companies – Represent or endorse companies that make you proud. Whether it’s an affiliate relationship, a partnership or you’re simply trying to provide a benefit, make sure you’re sending customers and prospects to websites and companies that you respect.

#7 Organizations and affiliations – Join organizations that have earned credibility and respect. For example, become a member of the Chamber of Commerce. Join DMA if you’re a marketer. When visitors see logos and know you’re a member of a reputable organization, you earn credibility.

#8 Win awards – Awards provide instant credibility. Find awards in your industry to apply for and make sure to post any wins and logos on your website.

#9 Contact information – Make sure that your contact information is easy to find. In fact, consider placing it in the footer of every web page. Then also create a separate contact information page. IF a prospect or visitor cannot contact you, they’ll wonder why you’re hiding.

#10 Policies and procedures – State your policies and procedures up front. Make sure your statements are easy to find. Communicate your policies whenever appropriate. For example, mention your privacy policy and link to it when people sign up for your email list. Include a page or link on your site where visitors can find your policies. Consider a privacy policy and a guarantee or return policy if you sell products.

Finally, make it easy for visitors to find the answers to their questions. Provide a FAQ page and a contact form or customer service system. When you’re completely transparent and up-front about your business, you earn credibility.

Seven Keyword Development Questions to Ask and Answer

Keywords are an important aspect of website success. Choose them wisely. Research them carefully. Position them strategically. When you’ve taken the steps to plan and implement a keyword development strategy, you’re on your way to a website that sells. Here are seven questions to ask yourself as you’re creating and implementing your plan.

Question #1 What keywords and keyword phrases does your target audience use to find information?

Your audience and prospects are looking for your information. Your job is to determine what keywords they’re using to look for you. Once you’ve uncovered the low supply high demand keywords, you can position them strategically in your content and on your website.

Question #2 What keywords and keyword phrases does your competition target?

Finding low supply, high demand keywords is just the beginning. You also want to know what keywords your competition is using to target prospects. You can then use this information to further develop your keyword strategy.

Question #3 What strategies will you use to research keywords and keyword phrases?

Here are just a few options to consider:

* Test and track activity on your website
* Use keyword research tools
* Research what your competition is using
* Ask your audience, customers and/or website visitors
* Follow your intuition
* Look at trends
* Pay attention to popular terms on social networking sites

Question #4 What keyword research tools will you use to research and develop your keywords and keyword phrases?

Here are a few to consider:

* Wordtracker
* Google AdWords
* Google Suggest
* Yahoo/Overture
* Keyword Discovery

Question #5 What keyword tools will you use to analyze and research your competitors’ keywords?

Here are a few tools to consider:

* Adgooroo
* Keywordspy
* Spyfu
* Wordtracker
* Google Alerts

Question #6 How will you track keyword trends and popular search terms?

Here are some useful trend research tools to consider:

* Google Trends
* Google Alerts
* Twitter popular topics

Question #7 Where do you/will you use your keywords?

Here are some places to consider positioning your keywords on each web page:

* Above your logo
* In your URL
* In your subheadings
* In your headlines
* Within your content
* In anchor text
* In your image/alt tags

Once you have your keyword research completed, it’s important to create a plan and a system to keep it organized. It’s also important to review your plan on a regular basis and update it. Keywords change and customers evolve. Keyword development isn’t a „set it and forget it“ tactic. You’ll want to continue researching and planning on a regular basis.

Make sure your keyword research and development system is well organized and easy to plan from. Make it an important part of your traffic generation strategy. And create a plan to research and develop on a consistent basis. For example, on a quarterly basis, review your existing keywords. Research your analytics. Look for new and trending keywords. Create a plan to take advantage of that audience.

Keywords and keyword phrases are part of website success. They boost search engines, enhance navigation, attract eyeballs and motivate conversions. Keyword research and development is important to your success. Make sure to take every advantage.

Seven Key Elements for a Successful Landing Page

Your landing page is important. Quite often it’s the page that most visitors come to first. It’s the page you may generate links to. It may also be the page that the search engines pay the most attention to. Therefore, it makes sense to make sure your landing page is as well designed as it can be.

There are seven key elements for a successful landing page. They each are important independently, but they work together to provide a unique and effective experience. Before you take a look at these key elements, however, it’s important to answer a question first.

What is the goal of your landing page?

Your landing page needs to have a goal – an objective. What do you want visitors to do? What action do you want them to take? There are many possibilities. You may want them to:

* Dig deeper and explore your website
* Click through to a sales page
* Opt-in

Once you know what you want visitors to do, then you can make sure your landing page supports that goal. Now you’ll use the seven key elements. They include:

#1 Images – The images you choose on your landing page are important. You want them to support the overall goal. Images, in the form of graphics and photos, can quickly overwhelm a landing page and become a distraction. If you choose to use images, and they really can enhance a landing page, make sure they support your goal. Make sure they adequately represent your brand, too. A common image to use might be your photo. This helps connect the reader to you. It helps brand your business and build a relationship.

#2 Headline – Your headline is often the very first thing a visitor will see. If it doesn’t grab their attention, then it’s not doing its job. However, in addition to grabbing their attention, it also must support your page’s purpose. Take time to craft a headline. This is also an important element to test and track. Create two landing pages with two different headlines. Determine which headline is better at helping you accomplish your goal for the page.

#3 Emotions – Emotions are what people use to make buying decisions. They’re incredibly important if you’re trying to motivate any action. You can tap into your visitors’ emotions with images and words.

#4 Navigation – Make sure that your visitor not only knows what they’re supposed to do on your landing page, but also that they can quickly figure out how to do it. If you want people to dig deeper into your website, then make sure your buttons and call to action support that. If they cannot figure out how to get to a page that interests them, they’re going to leave.

#5 Proof – You might notice that many of the elements of a successful landing page are also sales copy elements. This is because you are trying to motivate an action. Your landing page has a purpose. Proof can be demonstrated by:

* Awards
* Testimonials
* Endorsements
* Organization membership
* Facts and statistics

The proof you use depends on your goal. For example, if you want to motivate an opt-in, then you might use facts and statistics along with a banner ad highlighting an award your site has won. This gives you credibility.

#6 Call to action – A call to action is required for every successful landing page. It’s the only way your readers know what they’re supposed to do next. Test it and track it for success.

#7 Opt-in form – Finally, if your goal is to motivate an opt-in, then you must have an opt-in form on your landing page. In fact, everything on that page needs to support that goal.

Your landing page is perhaps the most important page on your website. Make sure the elements on your page support your goals and your success. Test and track various elements until you get the best results.

Test Early, Test Often, Test Variety

Testing is one of the most overlooked business tasks. Without testing, you cannot know what tactics and actions are most profitable. Testing tells you which headline works best. It tells you which ad delivers targeted traffic. Testing tells you what your prospect’s priorities are. It tells you where to place you most important information on your website. In fact, testing can tell you just about anything you want to know.

The great news is that there are some truly amazing tools and services. They enable you to test many things before you implement them. You can also test your competitors’ sites using these same tools. This means you can learn what they do well and where you can improve.

What to Test

There are more things to test than you have time for. However, when you create a system to test and track any new feature or idea you can be sure you’re making the most of your efforts. Make sure to:

* Test your headline
* Test your call to action
* Test your opt-in form copy
* Test your opt-in form location
* Test your anchor text
* Test your ad placement
* Test your ad copy
* Test your benefits, promise and proof
* Test your opt-in offer
* Test your bonus products
* Test your pricing
* Test button elements like shape, font, and formatting
* Test how people use your site (and why)
* Test new designs

How to Test

Once you’ve made the commitment to test, the simplest way to test is called a split test. This can be used for many of the elements of a sales page, opt-in offer or advertisement. The strategy simply requires you to create two versions of the page. Only the element you’re testing will be different. For example, if you’re testing a headline then you’ll create two identical pages. Each page will have a different headline. The headline with the most conversions or actions, wins.

If you’re testing for design elements or visitor use, then you can use more advanced technology to help. For example, 4Q by iPerception can help you figure out why people are using your site.

A new design can be tested with a service like Feedback Army or FiveSecondTest. You can also test your competitor’s sites with these tools. And you can test load times with a program like Keynote.com.

For real insight into your visitor behavior, consider a tool like UserTesting.com. You’re provided with a recording of people visiting your site.

When it comes to testing, you cannot test too much. Of course, don’t break the bank testing. However, do keep testing in mind whenever you implement a new feature or design element. Split testing is cost effective. Many times it’s completely free. Other testing can cost you money in the beginning. It can also save you money in the long run. Before you take any major action with your business website, consider what and how you can test it for success.

Make It Easy for Your Visitors to Complete Your Website Goals

What are your website goals? Do you have any? Presumably you want to make money, but how? Does each page on your site have a goal? If so, does the goal of the page also support your ultimate website goal?

Your website goals might include:

* To sell a product
* To sell a service
* To motivate an opt-in
* To inspire a visitor to click on an affiliate advertisement
* To provide information and receive ad exposure and PPC income

Any single website page may also have these same goals. They may also be designed to help you achieve other independent goals. For example, one web page may be designed to promote your opt-in offer. In addition to your call to action, there are other things you can do.

Taking a look at your website goals and independent page goals, consider these three points.

#1 Who are your visitors? What content and tools will you need to help or convince them to accomplish your goals? For example, you want them to sign up for your opt-in form. What content and tools are you using to motivate that action? Are you providing them with a sample of the offer? Do you make it easy to opt-in or do they have to jump through hoops?

#2 How does your visitor travel on your site? When someone visits your landing page, where do they go next? Is it where you want them to go? Does it support your goal? Use your website goals to help you create content and determine the path your visitor takes. Each piece of content on your site should influence an action that ultimately leads to your goal. Again, imagine you want to motivate an opt-in.

Each piece of content, form and promotion on your site should lead to that goal. Take a look at your flow of information and the path your visitors take when they’re at your site. Does their path support your goal? When adding or removing something on your site conflicts with your goals, don’t do it.

#3 Include a call to action with each website page. Articles, videos, forms – everything needs to have a goal that supports your end goal. They need to have a call to action that supports your goal and purpose. Don’t expect your users to know what they’re supposed to do next. Tell them.

Finally, make sure to respect your user’s time. Dragging them through an endless process to achieve your goal isn’t going to win you any friends. If you want them to sign up for your opt-in list, make it as easy as possible. If you want them to buy a product, make it as easy.

Analyze each web page, new and old, and determine if it supports your goals or detracts from them. Help your visitors. Make it easy for them to achieve your website goals.

Search engines matter. They send traffic to your website. Use them well and they send very targeted traffic to your website. Targeted traffic turns into customers and repeat visitors. This means it’s not only where you’re placed on the search engine rankings, but the keywords you use as well. You want to make sure you’re attracting targeted traffic to your site.

The world of search engine optimization and keyword development can feel overwhelming. It seems there’s a lot of information to learn, know and use. However, when you drill down, it’s actually quite simple. You want to optimize your website for a few primary keywords. These keywords ideally will have an acceptable amount of demand and supply. They’ll also be keywords that your audience is likely to use to find your information.

Then you optimize your pages for those keywords. You also choose some secondary keywords to support the primary ones. These may be keywords with less demand and less supply. However, they’re still keywords your audience is using to find your information.

How do you use these keywords? Content, content, content. Content gives the search engine spiders something to index. It also provides material that others may link to. This is an important part of SEO.

To help you manage and master your SEO efforts, there are literally thousands of various tools and gadgets. Some of these tools help you check the keyword density on your web page. They make sure your keywords are represented enough to help but not so much that your content reads poorly. There are also link checkers, keyword research tools, and so on. Here are four SEO tools you might find useful.

#1 Keyword suggestion tools – This is where it all begins. Keyword suggestion tools help you learn and research your primary and secondary keywords. The most common of these tools is the Google AdWords tool. It’s free and quite useful. There are also keyword tools that you can pay for. They offer a bit more information than the Google tool.

#2 Ranking checkers – Ranking checkers help you determine where you rank for various keywords and search engines. It’s a great tool for setting goals and tracking your progress. For example, you might set a goal to move up two pages in the rankings using article marketing. You can use a ranking checker to test and track your success. (You can also check to see how your competition is doing.)

#3 Link checking tools – Link checking tools help you determine the effectiveness of your back links. You can learn who is linking to you and how popular their links are. Again, you can also check to see who is linking to your competition. There are some basic, free tools that provide basic information. Or you can hire a service to analyze your back links for you.

#4 Keyword density tools – These tools can analyze a page or your URL for keyword density. There are a number of keyword density tools. Again some are free and some are paid tools. If you’re going to pay for this service, make sure it analyzes keyword phrases and not just one or two word keywords.

New SEO tools are being developed every day. Take advantage of these resources to strategically position your business. The easier it is for your prospects to find you, the faster you’ll achieve your business goals.

Understanding your competition is important. When you understand them, you can position your business to stand apart. You can create an effective SEO and keyword development strategy. You can maximize your competition. And finally, you can position your products and services to sell.

When you created your business plan, you likely did a competitive analysis. If you didn’t, then now’s the time. Once you have a solid competitive analysis, the work’s not done. The world changes and so too does your competition. It’s important to stay abreast of their change. While it’s not a good idea to stress about your competition, it is important to review them semi-annually or quarterly.

So…how well do you know your competition? Here are five questions to get you thinking about your competition. Answer these questions, take action, and achieve better profits and a website that sells.

Question #1 – Do you know who your competition is? Do you have a competitive analysis? It’s difficult to differentiate your business if you don’t know who your competition is. Your USP, Unique Selling Proposition, is often created with your competition in mind. You need to know what you do better or differently so you can offer value and benefit to your audience.

Question #2 – How often do you presently analyze and evaluate your competition? Again, it’s not wise to obsess about your competition. However, it is wise to create an analysis strategy. Semi-annually, annually or quarterly are common periods to review your competition and update your analysis.

Question #3 – What are your competitions’ primary keywords? What are their Alexa stats? How do you compare? It’s important to know not only where your competition stands, but also where you stand in comparison. Create a chart or system to track this information.

Question #4 – Do you follow your competition on social networking sites? Do you receive alerts when they publish new content? Do you subscribe to their blog or newsletter? Simple strategies can help you stay abreast of your competition. You can collect the information and review it when appropriate. Or you can review it as you learn about it. Often, your competition’s actions and content can be helpful to you. Their actions might inspire a new content idea, product or service.

Question #5 – Does your competitive analysis and strategy include:

* Keyword analysis
* Linking analysis
* Products/services analysis
* Content analysis
* Advertising analysis
* SEO page ranking

Rest assured your competition is watching you. You might return the favor. Take advantage of automated technology to track their activities. Create a plan to assess your competition and reassess your strategies and tactics. There’s a lot to learn from the people that challenge you. Your competition may be the motivating force you need to take your business and website to the next level.

Website traffic is a sure way to boost your income. The more targeted your website traffic, the better your potential for profit. The good news is there are many ways to drive targeted traffic to your website. Here are just a few to help you get the ball rolling.

* Article marketing – Article marketing is a tremendously successful way to drive targeted traffic to your website. When you write and publish quality content, you attract readers. These readers will click through and visit your website for more information. And when you write and publish quality content, other website owners will republish your content. This exposes you to more targeted traffic.

* Blog and guest blog – Blogging and guest blogging is another great way to drive targeted traffic to your website. Again, when you publish quality content, people tend to click through to your website to find more great information. Include a website link in your blog posts. Include an author’s resource box in your guest blog posts.

* Comment on blogs – Registering and commenting on blogs is also a great way to generate traffic to your website. Make sure you’re doing two things. Provide a link to your website when you register. Provide a thoughtful comment. Intelligent conversation will generate interest for you and your website.

* Social networking – Social networking can send tons of traffic to your website. However, in order to ensure it is targeted traffic, make sure you’re publishing relevant information and links to your site.

* Post answers – Websites like MerchantCircle and Yahoo!Answers provide you with an opportunity to provide valuable information. Answer questions related to your niche and link to your website.

* Podcast – Publish podcasts on sites like iTunes and create a following. Make sure to include a link to your website or your URL in your podcast name and information.

* Reviews – Visit review sites and publish reviews for products or services in your niche. Share your expertise and experience with others.

* Squidoo and hub pages – Create mini sites that provide a wealth of information. Use these informative sites/pages to drive traffic to your primary site.

* Local search and Google Places – If you have local customers, be sure to take advantage of local search directories and sites like Google Places.

* Social bookmarking – Don’t forget to pay attention to social bookmarking sites like Digg and StumbleUpon. Use these sites to drive traffic to one or two key web pages.

* PPC ads – Finally, while the other traffic tactics discussed are free, you can also pay for targeted traffic. PPC ads are great for driving targeted traffic to specific web pages. Use this tactic to drive traffic to a squeeze page, opt-in offer, or sales page.

The more targeted your traffic, the easier it’ll be to convert visitors into customers. Use these targeted traffic tactics to build your business today.

How do you regularly stay fit, healthy and flexible? A hale and hearty diet of nutritious fruits and vegetables is the key as well as regular and continuous exercise.

The best exercise is one that you are really and sincerely going to be working out on, be it push-ups, stretches, jumping jacks or the regular jogging or the much tamer walking. However, there are people who prefer to work out using fitness equipment in their own homes.

The following are a few basic and important things to consider when buying those exercise equipments.

Do not believe what you see and hear

At least not everything, it is good if you assess all those claims exercise equipments declare in their advertisements. It is so hard to accept as true for example some statements that assure people that they will lose several pounds off their weight in as little as seven days or that you will decrease your pants size in one month. Even with the assistance of dietary supplements, it is not possible to accomplish changes as major as these in just a few weeks, much less days.

Fat Burner is a No Burner

Be skeptical about claims that say you will be able to burn a tremendous amount of fat in a specific area of your body, such as the hips, thighs, waist just by applying a specific type of ointment or lotion, etc. The only sure way to burn all those fat way is by changing what you eat. Exercise is the best solution to works out every area of the body whose fat you want to get rid of.

The only testimonial that counts is yours

Before and after pictures of people who claim that they were able to lose weight because of using such and such equipments may or may not be true. If ever they are, their experience is purely personal and that is no assurance that your unique body weight, body make-up will also undergo the same change they went through.

Read the fine print

It is always advisable to read the fine print of anything. Though you believe that the fitness equipment you are planning to purchase is a good one, reading the fine print really wouldn’t hurt as it may say that you also have to decrease your calorie intake and not just rely on what the machine could do for you.

Do the math

There are advertising statements that say you could pay off the fitness equipment in a number of easy payments or by paying a mere thirty nine ninety five a month. Do not forget to inquire about shipping and handling costs and include that in your calculation. Also, add-on the required sales tax, delivery fees, set-up fees. Know all the details before you purchase.

Guarantee the warranty

It is best that you consider asking about details on their thirty day money back guarantee. Though this could sound good to you as the consumer, it may or may not actually do you good if for example you are going to return the item. You may actually pay for the humongous shipping cost and it could cost you more than what you could guarantee to receive in thirty days.

Call customer service

Make sure you contact their customer service hotline. Usually, they have toll-free numbers that you must be able to easily contact as well as a customer service representative who must be glad to be able to take your call and answer thoroughly all or any questions you may have about their products and services.

You would like to join a fitness club but there are so many choices! And then you will just end up having a headache! Fitness clubs are effective motivators. They should motivate us and not frustrate us. Before you choose on a fitness club, make sure that it suits your needs and goals. And before you do that, you should first learn and decide on what is your priority. By then, you will know what you really need in a fitness club. Here are some guidelines you can consider in choosing a fitness club that is best for you:

1. Where is it located?

The location is the first thing that you should consider when finding a fitness club. If the club is far from your home, you will just another excuse not to work out. It is best to find a facility that is near your home.

2. Are the employees friendly and nice? Will they be able to help you reach your goals?

Make sure that the instructor has the necessary experience to work with you. The instructor should be a certified professional that can work with you safely and effectively. Your instructor should also know if you have physical limitations or you may find an instructor that is well trained to work with you. You can also check the age of the instructor especially if it is one factor for your motivation and learning. The staff should also be helpful, friendly and professional. You can also ask the services they offer and find what is important for you. Some facilities have their own dietician and physical therapists that can offer services for you.

3. What kind of programs does it offer?

Find time to see what programs are there for you and check if they suit your interests. Do they offer group classes? Choose the facility that offers the classes you really like. You can do a trial class to check it out if you want.

4. Are the facilities and equipments good and will they be available anytime that is most convenient for you?

Check if the equipments are enough for all members. Otherwise, you will waste your time falling in line and waiting for your turn. Also make sure that the facility is open during the time you are most likely to do work outs and exercises.

5. Is the entire facility well maintained, clean and safe for you?

Machines and other training facilities should be in clean and in good order. If you see a lot of „out of order“ signs, it could be something to think about. Modern equipments are safer and more comfortable to use, so you may also want to consider that. Are the floors cleaned regularly to avoid accidents? Is there enough room for everyone? Also check if the facility is located in a place away from danger, consider also if the location is well lit.

6. Are the members of the club friendly and can they be your friends?

The fitness club is also a venue for social interaction. Take time to drop by and meet the members of the club before you enroll. Other members can be your buddies in the near future and should be considered.

7. What is the schedule of classes and will they be convenient for you?

Find out what classes are offered at a specific time and consider if you will be available at the schedules given.

8. How much would it cost you?

It is important to know the monthly membership fee and what it covers. Some fitness clubs have hidden charges and you should be keen in checking that. Check if they have promotions or discounts and do they offer services at an extra fee. It is also important to know how long the club has been and how often they increase rates.

9. How is it different from other fitness clubs?

Don’t just stick into one fitness club. Try to visit as many facilities as you can and make a comparison. Then you can just narrow down your choices to the facilities that met your needs and priorities.

10. What do people say about it? Take your time to gather feedback from other members. Ask them what they can say about the club and let them tell you about the experiences with the facility.

Choosing a fitness club is just like shopping on the best shirt for you. Do not be pressured and do not try to contact them right away. You can take your time to review and gather enough information if you are still not sure which one to choose. Once you have made your choice, enjoy and make the most out of it.

In reality, you really do not have to spend a lot of money on expensive health club or fitness centers memberships, treadmills, or the latest fitness gadget to get moving.

However, some people find that if they make a monetary investment, they are more likely to follow through on fitness.

Fitness centers are, basically, built to provide people the proper fitness equipments, trainings, and other devices needed to keep an individual physically fit.

However, not all fitness centers are created equal. In fact, there are fitness centers that require their members to sign some contracts, which in the end will not be easy to cancel. Hence, it is important to know the characteristics of the fitness center that will work best for you.

Here is a list of some tips that you can use:

1. Make your mind up on things that you need

Before you choose a fitness center, you should first know what your needs are as far as physical fitness is concerned. This will determine the kind of fitness center that you will find.

For example, if you are so much into sports fitness rather than the typical physical fitness activities like aerobics, then it would be better to choose a fitness center that has sports facilities and not just treadmills.

2. Do not forget to shop around

It may sound so cliché-ish but it really pays a lot to a person who shops around before deciding on something. Hence, when choosing fitness centers, it is best to do some shopping first and get to compare the prices, charges, and the facilities available in a health club.

In this way, you get to choose the best and yet affordable fitness center you could ever find.

3. Consider your budget

It does not necessarily meant that just because you have plenty of money, you will eventually give in to a fitness center that you have first encountered.

It is best that you have a budget to follow so that you will know where to focus your finances before you decide on signing-up for a fitness center.

Just remember, you want to work out for your body and not working out something that you will soon be in debt just because you forgot to stick to your budget.

4. Know where your money goes

If it makes you sweat and lose those fats and cellulites, fine! Just be sure that whatever kind of fitness center that you have chosen, it is important to know that you get what you have paid for.

5. Be wary of the physical attributes and characteristics of the center that you wish to enroll in.

Make sure that the fitness center that you have chosen is clean, properly ventilated, and complete with all the amenities that you need.

Be sure also that the equipments that the fitness center has a re all in good working condition. Never use fitness equipments that appear to be worn out already. This will only cause more harm than good.

All of these things are boiled down to the fact that a fitness center does not have to be a perfect fitness center. What matters most is that the fitness center that you have chosen is good enough to generate good results in your body.

Exercise is an essential in life. Most people will certainly nod their heads to this. Exercise is not only perfect for losing weight, it is also good for keeping a reasonable body weight, for giving a boost on the metabolic rate and also for burning those unwanted excess calories. Exercise also revs up the heart and the lungs‘ machinery making them more efficient in doing their natural functions.

Aside from these, exercise also works for strengthening the bones and keeps people looking good and feeling good about themselves. Exercise also gives people the stamina to enable them to keep up with the pace of their lifestyles. Unfortunately, not many people chose to do what is good for them. Most people could not decide exactly what to do when waking up in the morning; whether to exercise or to press the snooze button one more time.

The following tips are very helpful in reaching and maintaining the ideal body weight. This is especially great for women since they get through a lot of things going on in their bodies and are more susceptible to osteoporosis. Not to mention that many women are under the pressure of keeping themselves beautiful. It is recommended that one or two of these tips at a time are incorporated to the work out routine.

Worry not that the exercise routine is not enough. It is important to keep the commitments one makes. Ideally, it is advised to exercise three to five times a week for 20-60 minutes. However, this is not exactly the case in the real world. One should not frustrate herself by aiming for the ideal when she knows for herself that it is utterly impossible. If she an manage it two times a week for twenty minutes per session, that will do just great.

It is best to focus on doing what one knows she can do than to reproach herself for having not done enough. She can start from this point and then progress on afterwards. This should make her feel successful for having kept her commitment to herself.

Weight lifting should always come first. Many women always do cardio exercises first before weight lifting. A disadvantage of this is that it is possible to miss a critical component of the routine and spend all of it on cardio training. A women may notice this by not being able to see results even after devoting long hours at the gym. This can be avoided by reversing the order. This will guarantee visible positive outcome.

Remember to monitor heart rate. It is recommended to exercise at 75-85% of the maximum heart rate. Many people stick with just pumping up only 50% of their maximum heart rate. To ensure that one is working out at the prescribed target heart rate, she should use a heart rate monitor or any exercise equipment with this feature.

Work out for only an hour or less. Doing this will keep one from dreading the gym. Focusing on the exercise and the aim to be accomplished will make each work out session more and more efficient.

Have some sort of fitness social support. Being in a fitness community maybe the important element lacking in your training program. A social support can do amazing wonders and therefore should not be underestimated. It would be helpful to work out in a gym once in while if one customarily does her work outs at home. One can also try classes in activities that have always been interesting such as yoga, pilates or sailing perhaps. One can also join clubs such as a walking club or a running club for instance.

Pep talk yourself. One should not pressure herself too much; rather, it is best to congratulate one’s self and give out words of encouragement in between exercises. One should never forget to say some positive feedback for herself.

Many people think about building muscles as abandoning life outside the gym and devoting hours in the gym like a monk in a monastery. Perhaps the only way to chisel the body into a hot muscular physique is by toiling hour by hour over the rusty iron day in, day out and year in, year out.

This need not be so. Although hard work is truly required, extreme fitness demands one to be a slave of the iron weights. Full-body work outs can make one progress and it easily fits in one’s schedule. This is very convenient if one is looking forward to achieving extreme fitness but finds it hard to hold on to a single work out routine.

Genuine full-body work outs done by athletes with an aim in mind makes for maximum muscle contraction using heavy weights, makes room for full recovery so one can actually grow and continue to train hard plus it also prevents burnout which is inevitable due to excess training.

So if one is ready for extreme fitness, here is all there is to know about full body work out:

Full-body work out is a time saver. The biggest plus about having the whole body trained all at once is probably having to go to the gym less frequently; perhaps around two to three times for every seven days would be enough.

Another advantage of working out the entire body all at once is that one need not spend two or more hours of strenuous exercise in the gym for every session; one only spends one hour in the gym for every session. So that’s just three to four hours per week in the gym right? With full-body work outs, it is all about the quality of exercise one does for session and not the quantity, nor even the amount of time you allot per session.

Full-body work out boosts the cardiovascular system for extreme fitness. One must allot two to four sets for every body part into the one hour session. Jam packed with exercising, each one hour session then gets the heart and the rest of the cardiovasular system pumping and up to speed in a flash.

Now feeling pumped up, next find out what rules does one have to follow when engaging in full-body work outs:

Training commences only once every two to three days. This is so easy isn’t it? What is great about this is that there is time spared during rest days so that one can indulge in a few cardio exercise sessions instead of depending on cardio execises one normally does at the end of each work out session which after all, are not at all very effective.

Heavy lifting is strongly advised. Contrary to popular belief, especially among athletes. It is not true that it is good to get trapped on training lightly than one actually could so as to conserve energy for the other body parts that will come later in the routine. What is true is that one cannot achieve optimal progress if one is not training heavy, no matter which program that person is doing.

One exercise only per muscle group. This is very easy to follow and is also important. Doing basic exercises which are also intense means you do not have to do another different exercise for that body part.

Keep work out short. Resistance training affects the natural homones of the body connected to muscle building. Intense exercising boosts the testosterone levels and long work outs increase those of catabolic cortisol. Sixty minutes of work out allows you to get the best of both worlds.

Now with this convenient and powerful work out regimen, one can now truly experience extreme fitness.

Have you ever felt tired and stressed out from work and by the time you get home you see your three children running towards you asking you to play basketball with them? You refused and promised them that you will after you take you rest.

Instead of disappointing your children, why not say, „yes“ after all? You will be surprised by the amount of energy you will have after that 30-minute activity.

Did you know that by exercising at a moderate pace for only 30 minutes, you would feel a lot better, mentally? It has been proven that this improves the appetite and sharpens your style in problem solving. Not only that. You will also feel that it is easier to sleep at night if you do moderate exercises even for only 30 minutes every day.

What are the benefits of regular exercise? It promotes self-discipline and has a positive impact how you perceive life. Exercise helps in lifting your spirits and getting you out of any depression. For first timers, it can be done for 15 minutes for 2 to 3 days a week. You can increase the time you spend once your body gets tuned up for it.

DON’T you ever force your body! If you get hurt, then stop. You can take a break from exercising for a few days and then you can start again but you need to start from day 1.

Here are some moderate exercises you can do and enjoy:

1. Do the Walking. Make use of your surroundings. You can walk your dog, with your partner or child. Encourage your family to do the walking exercise daily and you will find yourself burning calories while enjoying the surroundings and getting enough sunlight that is also good for your body.

2. Discover the wonders of Yoga. Yoga is one effective exercise that energizes not only your body but also your soul. You may want to learn even the basic yoga positions that are not too complicated but proven effective. A five-minute yoga exercise can perk you up and recharge your body with the energy you lost for the whole day. You relax and at the same time you stretch!

3. Engage yourself into sports. Play basketball, football, baseball, tennis or badminton. Many doctors have recommended sports as an effective way to stay fit and healthy. Sports can also be done in moderation. Do not take it seriously. Shooting basketball with a friend is one moderate exercise that is also considered a sport.

4. Join exercise programs at work. If you still do not have exercises programs at work, then why not start it? You can talk to your boss about it and start with your colleagues. You do not only lose calories but it is also one good way to bond with them. This can be done 30 minutes, 3 times a week.

5. Exercise while doing household chores. Gardening, raking leaves, lawn mowing, doing the laundry, vacuuming and car washing are effective moderate exercises at home. Make use of these chores to sweat and burn calories. Instead of using machines and gadgets to perform these chores, why not do it with your hands and lose some fats?

Making exercises as part of your daily routines will surprise you of how much calories you will lose. Doing these moderate exercises of the same amount every day can burn 150 calories up to 1,000 calories a day!

In a sports apparel specialty store you will delight at the wide range of clothing plus accessories that is available in the market. Specific sporting apparels like golf, fitness exercise, equestrian and yoga are very much available. The apparel for sports like surfing or rafting and even mountaineering are abounds. The wetsuits are perfect for surfing apparel. The sports apparel include caps, batting gloves and rafting vests. Here’s a short list on how to choose your sports and fitness apparel

1. The Golf wear

The golf apparel can be found in any specialty sport store. The golf apparel usually includes a trouser with a t-shirt. In golf apparel, comfort is the most important factor. Chinos are also very popular golf wear. Hats and caps of varying designs and makes are also available. Of course outlandish gears worn by some professional golfers are also available.

2. The Running / Fitness wear

The running apparel is best made with cotton to retain moisture that causes friction and might lead to possible chafing. The running shorts and tights including the cotton socks are the basic running gear. When running apparel is being chosen, try to select a base layer top which keeps you dry for an extended run. Comfortable and fit running shoes must be matched to keep you fresh on the run.

The fitness gear pertains to all kinds of apparel including aerobics and gymnastics. The multi-colored tights and leotards are the best and most comfortable during a workout. The fitness gear must be selected with care. Choose the proper material and correct size when selecting the fitness gear is a must.

3. The athletic apparel

The athletic apparel must be chosen with the climate and weather in thought. An apparel that is not suited for the weather will hinder the performance of an athlete. A popular athletic wear is the running or jogging pants with a drawstring waist. These type of athletic apparel can be purchased at discounted rates. The all weather gear is designed to keep most of the elements out. An athlete depends on the athletic gear to perform at his best.

4. The Equestrian apparel

The equestrian gear is mainly about breeches and boots. There are specialty equestrian stores that stock clothing and other equipment for riding. The casual equestrian gear could be riding breeches matched with a plain shirt. The paddock boots available also at equestrian apparel stores complete the set for an equestrian. A pair of riding pants and a jersey can be bought at an equestrian apparel store. When having lessons on riding, you may want to look online for equestrian stores to see and choose an outfit which lets you ride with great style and comfort. A little pricey in most cases but may be worth the price. A western style of gear is also available in specialty shops.

5. The Yoga apparel

The yoga apparel must be very comfortable and loose for easy movement. A t -shirts and a loose-fit short are basic yoga apparel which will keep you fresh and comfortable. Also, it does not cost much. The designer yoga apparels are available at special yoga stores. Yoga Capri pants and unitards are available at yoga apparel store. The special Asana clothing can be found at very exclusive yoga outlets.

Many people nowadays are very much conscious about their own health and fitness. In addition to that, these people, and many others as well, are now having that desire to sculpt their bodies to ahieve that magazine-cover look. As a result, gyms, health spas and other fitness centers have proliferated all over to cater to the needs of the fitness buffs and afficionados.

Even on television exercise machines, weight loss products, and other paraphernalia to improve fitness have more or less gained control over the airwaves and made their way into the households. But exerise is not the only way to build that body beautiful. It also entails certain amount of responsibility on the foods one chooses to eat. Being healthy and fit requires one to observe diet fitness.

Diet fitness is as essential as exercise itself. Diet for fitness provides the essential nutrition one needs to restore worn-out muscles and for healthy growth. Diet fitness should never be taken for granted. With the popularity of keeping fit, many different views, methods, programs and dieting strategies have been formulated by many professionals. Among these are high carb diets and high fat diets. Whih one is more effective and which one should one choose to follow?

First thing to know would be the fundamental differences between these two diet approaches. As the name implies, high carb diets concentrates on taking in carbohydrate-rich foods while high fat diets endorses fat-rich foods. High carb diets are utilized to glycogen stored in the liver and muscles. Glycogen is a glucose complex that provides large amounts of energy ready for use in anaerobic exercises.

Fats, on the other hand, is well-nown for being the richest source of calories. It actually contains 2.5 times more calories than carbohydrates and proteins alike. Studies also show that it takes the body 24 calories to metabolize carbohydrates while it only takes 3 to burn down fat. So which one to follow? A person can follow a high carb and low fat fitness diet or the other way around. It is absolutely not recommended to follow both at the same time; unless of course if you want to gain body fat.

But then diet fitness is not all about losing fat, one must also consider his diet in order to keep fat away. Research shows that sustainable loss of weight can only be achieved on a diet which suits the individual food preferences, lifestyle, medical profile and satiety signals.

Diet programs all over can help you shed off excess pounds, but only one diet can help you stay sexy, and it is the one that satisfies you most. Other important aspects of having a fit diet are moderation, balance and variation. One must be careful not to leave out important nutrients and other substances necessary for healthy body functioning. health organizations are clear about the amounts of nutrients an individual should have in the body.

Low fat high carbs, high carbs low fat; the question is not which diet program will work out but which is it that will work for you. Striving for a sexy and healthy body does not have to burden an individual, diet fitness does not have to mean sticking to the same kind of food for life. One may even try to be adventurous and try out new foods out there. Who knows? one may even discover spinach interesting.

Health is wealth. By being physically fit, it can make a person look lean both inside and out.

There is a lot a person can do such jogging or walking in the morning, playing basketball or any other sport with friends but if a person wants to have muscles and look lean, the best thing to do will be to sign up and workout in a gym.

Just like taking any medicine, one should first consult the doctor before undergoing any form of exercise.

Physical exercise is beneficial because it helps maintain and improve ones health from a variety of diseases and premature death. It also makes a person feel happier and increases ones self esteem preventing one from falling into depression or anxiety. It has also shown to make a person with an active lifestyle live longer than a person who doesn’t.

The best exercise plan should have cardiovascular and weight training exercises. This helps burn calories and increase the muscle to fat ratio that will increase ones metabolism and make one either gain or lose weight.

A person who has never worked out before should do it gradually. Doing it too much for the first time can make one pull a muscle or have an injury making it worse. Endurance will never be built in a day and doing it repeatedly will surely be good to the person.

Focusing on certain portion in the body can help make it improve. A good example is going to the gym and doing a workout more often in a specific area such as the abs can give one a chest pack.

But beauty is not only about having muscles which is what people can see. It is also about enhancing the beauty within.

Here are some things one can do everyday to stay beautiful and healthy;

· Reading books and other reading material more often keeps the mind sharp just like working out keeps the body in shape.

· Work no matter what kind it is produces stress. One can reduce this by taking the time out to do something special like lying in a hot tub, shopping or watching a movie. Studies have shown it is reliever and helps one from looking haggardly.

· Pollution is something people cannot control given the size of the problem. When one goes out, it is best to put some form of protection such as beauty products that contain antioxidants that protect the skin from damage. There are also other beauty products available and choosing the right one with the help of a dermatologist can help the person.

· Another way to stay healthy is to give up some vices. Most people smoke and drink. Smoking has been proven to cause lung cancer and other diseases as well complications for women giving birth. Excessive drinking has also shown to do the same.

· For people who don’t smoke, it is best to stay away from people who do since studies have shown that nonsmokers are also at risk of developing cancer due to secondary smoke inhalation.

· Lastly, it is best to always start the day with a positive outlook. Just as studies have shown that exercise makes a person feel happier, smiling produces the same effect. A smile can do a lot and it is contagious in a positive sense. It brightens the day of not only one but others as well.

The Twenty Four Hour fitness center is like your one stop shop to everything about fitness and your well-being. Imagine it as the Walmart of the fitness industry. Twenty Four Hour fitness centers are located in a number of areas in the state. All of them have equipments which cater to weight training as well as cardio vascular equipments. A variety of fitness gear is also available. Twenty Four Hourfitness centers all have locker rooms and – believe it or not – baby sitting accommodations. Over all, the Twenty Four Hour fitness center is a complete, clean and extremely well maintained facility that especially caters to all your fitness wants, needs and preferences.

Join Us

It is very easy to get started on your path to fitness. Twenty Four Hour fitness centers have over three hundred clubs located in the whole nation and is open for twenty four hours. There is no long term contract to sign up in. You have the option to pay monthly, but you are offered a complete personal training package that suits your body type, body weight and built so you are ensured with a service that is truly personalized.

Which club do you belong in?

Twenty Four Hour fitness center gives you the option to choose the specific type of club that you desire. The active club involves a group exercise as well as free weights and cardio machines to work off that fat. The sport club also includes everything in the active club but with additions such as basketball, heated pools and whirlpool. The super-sport club also includes the amenities found those in the active club and the sport club but with more additions such as massages, a sauna as well as a steam room. The ultra sport club is the works. It includes most of the amenities found in the active, sport and super sport club, plus a day spa, courts for racquetball as well as an executive locker room.

The Path to Performance

It all depends on what you want to achieve. In Twenty Four Hour fitness centers, a uniquely specialized fitness program is available to anyone who simply wants to improve their performance in a specific sport or is seriously training for competition. The program is designed by athletes.

The Performance program includes a menu plan specifically customized for those intense workouts. A resistance training is also available as well as a full cardio workout. After your exercise, a metabolic rate test is conducted.

This program is designed for those who wants to get started as soon as possible but has no clear and specific idea how. This is clearly the best option for them because all the information on nutrition, resistance training is learned through this program. This is the foundation one needs in order to have results that would last your body a lifetime.
The Components of Fitness

A regular exercise, an intense workout is just part and parcel of your path to health, fitness and well-being. There are other factors that should just as well play a part and which Twenty Four Hour fitness center teaches you.

Food intake is one of them. A menu is provided to those who follow the performance path. This details what you should or should not eat, or at least eat less of, if not completely avoid. Cardio is also one as this enhances your endurance to stress and exercise. Vitamins and supplements are a necessity unless you are sure that you are able to receive the proper amounts of iron, calcium, vitamin C or D or E in a day. If not, it is best to take them in. Resistance training is a feather in your fitness cap and is a necessary tool for being healthy, wealthy and wise.

MLM is a legitimate and potentially lucrative way to work from home for your own MLM business opportunity.

By directly selling products while creating your own upline downline, you can work your MLM business opportunity part-time, from home, and at in your own hours. Even with all the potential for making money, you should decide, though if an MLM is for you.

Many people are blinded by all the benefits of an MLM when determining if this type of business is right for them. You do not need to have a college degree or any experience to get into the industry.

The products are already manufactured and are usually shipped by the company directly to your customers. Plus, you choose your hours and your work location. In fact, many MLM business opportunities are taken by people who work from the comfort of their own home.

Other benefits of an MLM business opportunity that is worked from home is that you have leverage; you continue earning commissions on a single effort. You do not need to come up with your own business or marketing plan, because the company does it for you. Also, recruiting and training systems are provided for you by the company.

Despite the numerous benefits, MLM businesses do come with some downfalls.

For instance, you usually start of marketing to family and friends. This is especially so if you are just starting your work from home MLM business. This can create some friction and alienation, especially among people who are more acquaintances than close friends and family.

The work is selling, so you need to have a pretty strong backbone, as many people will tell you, “no” instead of the much-coveted “yes”. Therefore, it takes a lot of effort and motivation.

In order to make the most potential income, you need to continuously recruit new representatives. Plus, if you are working from home, your MLM business opportunity require that you purchase a certain amount of product each month or quarter, adding in a financial commitment.

Working at home works for some people. But other people find that it takes a great deal of discipline and motivation to get the job done without being easily distracted. Before you decide to take up the MLM business opportunity and work at home, make sure that you get all the information that you need to make an informed decision.

So weighing out the good and bad, is MLM for you?

Well, if you are a self-starter with a lot of energy and motivation then it is a good start. If you have leadership skills and can set goals and meet them, then MLM might be for you, too.

MLM people have great people skills and are self-starters. They have strong powers of persuasion and can influence people easily.They also have an ability to guide and encourage others to work the program.

An MLM business opportunity is an ideal trade to run on the Internet and work from your home. If you have the personality to run this type of business, then it could be the perfect opportunity for you.

Just make sure you watch out for MLM scams and do your research before joining. Then take advantage of the MLM opportunities that await you. Try working at home and see how well it suits you.

Why you should choose working at home business opportunities offered by MLM?

Why you should choose working at home business opportunities offered by MLM?

MLM is a powerful business concept for many reasons but the most obvious is for the type of income it can provide the network marketer. It is so powerful that many fortune 500 companies have used, some are still using, this business model to build their multi-million dollar empire.

So why cannot the average person do the same?

The answer is average people are already working some great MLM home-based businesses opportunities. Are you one of them? If not, now is an excellent time to get started.

Millionaires have taken notice of MLM as a home-based business opportunity that average people can work into and build wealth.

MLM is a huge, thriving industry in spite of all the negative publicity it receives in the media from anti-MLM enthusiasts. Many millionaires express how MLM is a wonderful opportunity for anyone interested in building a home-based business without having to work from scratch.

Can you use some extra income?

Most consumers would probably answer yes to this question. Everybody can use extra income every month. But where is this extra income going to come from?

One obvious solution would be is to get a second job. This option may seem to be the best solution but is really not. This is because the time you spend on your second job and the money you receive after taxes is not enough.

Of course you will have to consider your reasons for getting a second job and why you need the extra income to determine if getting a second job is really the right solution for you.

However, on the other hand, you can start working on your own part-time home-based business using MLM as your business opportunity. You can get started in the industry for nearly nothing. This is a big plus.
How can you start working in an MLM home business opportunity you have heard so much about?

Getting started in network marketing has become so easy that anyone can get started even if you do not have a dime to invest in your start up. The key here is to simply get started then never quit.

Many legitimate MLM home business opportunities will allow you to get started for under $100. You can even find free opportunities with little or no overhead expenses and with great support from other members as well as the parent company.

These companies will provide all the tools and system for you. You simply add your sweat equity, your working commitment, and persistence to the MLM home business opportunity.

Remember to choose a well-established company that offers quality consumable products or services with an excellent management team and support to their distributors.

Another important key factor is your commitment to the company and its products and services. Working for a home business MLM opportunity means that you should be a bona-fide user and marketer of the products and services you want to earn extra income from.

In conclusion, MLM is a smart business opportunity sense for anyone wishing to start working at home. It cost next to nothing to get started, you get a proven system like you would if you bought a franchise opportunity, and you can be in profit in months rather than in years.

Therefore, if you desire more income while still working a 9 to 5 job, or to build your retirement income, then you should seriously consider working for a home business MLM opportunity.

Do not want to start your own MLM business? Your loss…

Ask yourself. Why would you want to start your own MLM business? Maybe you want to be like those people who have already been in this filed and is earning the amount of money you can only dream about.

If you put in enough effort, you can make a substantial amount of money every single month once your MLM has started and is already on its feet.

Just think, you can even start an MLM from home. Most people go to work each day, working in an office, store, or factory. For most of these people the options are limited when it comes to being able to work at home.

There are some people, however, who have the luxury of being able to stay home while they earn their living. Some jobs can be accomplished at home in the same amount of time as anywhere else and with the same amount of quality.

No two people are the same. There are others who are better off starting their MLM business at home. There are also those who do not feel the advantage of doing so. Whatever their choices may be, everything will still depend on the person making the decision.

When considering whether to start an MLM business, always begin with a good look at yourself. Decide what suits your needs best. See where you will be more productive.

You must determine your needs and motivations to see if starting an MLM business is right for you. What are your goals? What amount of income do you need for the business to provide? Do you want to work full or part-time? Do you need additional training to start the business? What will my start-up costs be? A world of questions must be answered before venturing out into the world of direct marketing.

If you choose to start an MLM business of your own, you will find yourself in good company.

Today, multilevel marketing is big business. There are large multinational corporations doing business as MLM. Chances are you are considering being a distributor of such a company. They offer good products along will training and support programs to help you get your business on its feet.

The financial requirement to start an MLM business is usually fairly low. Under the dollar amount is $200 or less. Beware of programs that require you to purchase huge amounts of inventory.

Most of these large MLM companies do not have such demands. In most case, you are paid a commission on the sales you generate and simply follow the sale through to delivery and money is collected.

They may also pay you commission on sales you generate “downline.” That is by people that you have recruited to join the program. The more downline you recruit, the more commission you will get.

Start an MLM business on solid ground by approaching the best chances for sales first. Your family, friends, and associates can be your best customers and the ones most likely to buy.

Since most MLM products are those used around the house such as soap and cleaners, everyone is in the market. After you have gotten your pitch down, explore other markets for sales such as churches, schools, and other large collections of people familiar with you.

So, do not want to start your own MLM business? You are missing out half of your life….

One quality you cannot do without in MLM personal finance success

Consider this. Having the right skills will get you far in this business. But with the wrong attitude, how long do you think your personal finance in MLM will stay that way? As with all aspects in life, there are things needed in life beside know-how’s.

So it is not really surprising that in the world of MLM, attitude is the strongest determinant of your personal finance success.

Business structure, compensation plan, product and training systems are all important. But without the right attitude, they are just tools lying unused in a tool box – they don’t end up building any real-time personal finance in MLM.

It makes sense for those who are just new to building personal finance in MLM to focus on this all-important aspect. That is, if they want to be successful.

The only question left is what kind of attitude you should focus on.

Be coachable.

There’s no quicker way to fail in the world of MLM personal finance than to walk into a business assuming you already know what is going to work and what would not.

It is true that different people have different strengths. And different methods work better for some than for others. But it is important to remember that if great profits have been made in MLM personal finance, it can be done again.

Get alongside as many of your successful upline as you can. Ask them how you can make your business work, listen to what they say, and then follow through on their suggestions.

If something does not seem to be working, get alongside them again. Ask them what you could be doing differently, rather than assuming the concept itself is flawed.

Understand your purpose.

While there may well be people who get into MLM because they genuinely enjoy the challenges of the sales process, most sign up in this business because it had potential to help then achieve something big in their personal finance and in their lives.

Whether these people saw the potential to provide for their families, to create a financially secure future for themselves, or just to finally be debt-free, there is something in the original opportunity that inspired them to get involved.
Their own purpose.

A big part of motivating people to do the work that needs to be done in MLM is keeping that purpose at the forefront of their minds. If a person wants to get there, he or she got to do what it takes.

Stay positive.

Achieving MLM personal finance success is related to developing the ability to stay positive.

Like anything else, there will be ups and downs along the process. Staying positive through the downs would not just make you more successful in the long run; it will make life far more enjoyable while you are getting there.

There you have it. The three keys to developing an attitude that will lead you to your MLM personal success.

The great thing about attitude determining your success? It is the one thing you have complete control over. You may not be able to do anything to change your company’s business structure, compensation plan, product or training systems, but you can always change your attitude.

Make a commitment to yourself. Learn what you need to learn to change what you need to change. Your MLM personal finance success will depend on it.

The factors behind opt in MLM leads is to be inside, where the good stuff is located.

The situation would be like this; you outside of the opt in MLM leads industry, wanting to get in. to get the inside scoop of the leads business. If you knew what actually went on in some arenas, you may think the inside scoop looks like this picture.

How are opt in MLM leads generated?

For the most part, opt in MLM leads are generated over the Internet. While there is no definite study to prove this matter, it is safe to assume that 85-90% of all leads you find for sale are originated on the Internet.

There are two main reasons for this. First, the Internet is where most people are doing their research today when looking for jobs, looking for ways to make extra money, something to invest on, etc. So, why not go where the people are looking?

Second, it is the most cost effective way of generating opt in MLM leads.

Surely, a person is surfing the Internet, doing a Google search, and checking out their options for ways to make extra income. Or, sometimes the person is not even thinking about wanting more money when an online ad catches their attention and they check it out. So, they fill out a form and hit submit.

That is the basics behind online opt in MLM lead generation. Some person is out there surfing the Net. There is an online ad and a form. Filled out and submit. Then they are now a prospect waiting to be sold.

Quite a nice system. Wouldn’t we all like to receive a batch of opt in MLM leads after people had been surfing the Internet for ways of making money from home. Now you have their name, phone, and E-mail address in your hands.

But there are some variables that can make a big difference in the type of opt in MLM leads you are holding in your hands.

Incentivized opt in MLM leads.

One of the biggest problems that exists among the Internet lead generation business is the incentives that entices a person to fill out a form and submit.

If you have purchased opt in MLM leads long enough, then you have probably come across the person who did not know they were going to be contacted about a home business. Instead they thought they were going to get a new Video iPod, $10,000, or a vacation cruise.

So, what do you do? You go to an opt in MLM leads company and you buy a batch of leads.
The leads are $2.25 each, so you buy 50 of them for $112.50. There is a chance you may find a good prospect in there, one that will be targeted to the product or service that you are offering.

No opt in MLM lead is ever pure because you do not know what other sites the prospect has been to, filling out forms, and checking out other businesses.

However, if you are going to invest in opt in MLM leads, it is worth a few extra minutes of research or an email or phone call to the owners; to know what kind of leads you are purchasing.

Opt in MLM leads are all about results. So go ask and test first.

Are you looking online for a possible MLM business avenue of creating income and relieving you of your present burdens?

You are not alone. Many individuals see the potential for building their own business from wherever they are on this globe by means of the Internet. The online MLM business provides a level playing field and appeals to men and women of all ages as a prospective means of conducting business from the comfort of home.

However, despite the fact that running a business through the Internet can often be less expensive than a traditional business and allows you access to a worldwide market at any time of the day, the truth behind starting an MLM business online is that it can be as stressful as any other business. How can you prepare yourself for this obstacle?

Always wear your “game face”.

It is a tough game to start an online MLM business. You are guaranteed to experience times when your self-confidence is shaken, you feel the task is beyond your abilities and you beat yourself up for making mistakes.

Move on. It is part of creating business and you will have to face these issues whether it is your first attempt or even if you have been in the MLM business online for years. Changes happen fast on the Internet and that includes changes to businesses. One day you will be amazing yourself and the next day you will think you’ve been beat.

The best solution to this is to expect it and plan to move on despite those feelings.
Forget the hype.

Nearly every business can benefit from online MLM business exposure.

Are you inspired by the many programs that claim „instant wealth – easy to learn!“? Do not believe it. Regardless of if you have been in business for a long time or this is your first attempt, online MLM business done through the Internet has it’s own methods and you better be ready to learn them if you want to make money.

The learning curve can be steep and some individuals find it daunting. The good thing to remember is that it is possible for nearly anyone to operate an MLM business online no matter what their previous experience. Just be prepared to learn and have patience with your attempts.

Do not use all your money.

It is easy to forget the need for a budget when you can spend money so easily online. Do not buy into every MLM business opportunity online or training program. Visit online forums to acquire a feel for the best systems available. Make friends on these forums that will support you when you are overwhelmed or needing advice.

The only thing worse than finding out you made a mistake is finding out that it cost you money. Remember that every experience is a learning experience. Try to stick to a budget but do not permit yourself to dwell on mistakes when they happen. Learn and move on.

Taking the necessary steps to prepare you for the stress and rejection that all new MLM business owners’ online face will enable you to build on that knowledge and create a successful business.

Fortunately, there are many who do not make it that far in the online MLM business. So that leaves the wide open for you.