This powerful business article is a guest post written by Christine Gallagher, MLS, MSIS, founder of CommunicateValue.com on “The Top 5 Ways to Leverage Facebook Fan Pages for More Buzz, Visibility and Sales!”

Many small business owners are already on Facebook but are either still not sure that it is a good use of their time, or they see its potential but are just confused about how exactly it can work for them.

Starting a Fan Page for your business may be your answer. But how can you use a Fan Page to achieve fantastic results?

1) The first way to leverage Fan Pages is to set up your Page for success.

One of the first things you need to do when you set up a new Page is to give it a title. A tip with this is to think about using keywords related to your business that you would like to be found for.

You also want to choose a good, clear photo for your Page. Another thing to note is to make sure you have filled out the Info tab on your Page thoroughly with all the relevant information about your business.

2) The second way to leverage Fan Pages is to build your Fan base.

You have to be a little proactive about getting Fans, especially when your Page is new. An easy way to invite people is to use the “Suggest to Friends” link underneath the picture on your Fan Page. Facebook will then pull up a list of your Facebook friends and you would just click on the ones you want to send invitations to.

You’ll want to consider people like former and current clients, people you’ve partnered with in your business, vendors you work with, people who you know have purchased from you before, etc.

3) The third way to leverage Fan Pages is to interact and engage with your Fans.

Once you have some supporters of your Page, you want to encourage more dialogue and interaction between yourself and them and even among each other. The biggest impact comes from simply having conversations with people.

One thing that I do on my Page is to just ask open-ended questions. Asking people to share experiences is another great way to get a dialogue going.

4) The fourth way to leverage Fan Pages is to provide good content.

Offering regular content will naturally encourage interaction because you are giving people something to respond to. You don’t need to come up with all the content yourself, either. You might just link to an interesting article or blog post you have found on the web related to your business or industry.

What content like this does is attract comments from your Fans, which is activity that in turn goes out into the News Feed. The more activity on your Page then, the more attention to your Page you have a chance of attracting.

5) The 5th way to leverage Fan Pages is to use them to drive traffic to and from your blog or website.

To do this, you definitely want to list your website in the Info section, and you also want to share links in your updates to your own site.

You can also use an application like Notes to enter your blog feed so that it pulls your posts into your Page. You also want to add your URL to your email signature, and use the free badges and widgets Facebook provides that you can add to your website.

You can check out http://www.facebook.com/facebook-widgets for those. Once you have something like this on your site, visitors can just click on it and they will land on your Page where they can become a fan.

So, if you don’t have a Page yet, head over to http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php and start one now. If you do have one set up, use these tips to help make your Page stand out, get noticed, and become a helpful destination for all of your raving Fans.

About the Author: Christine Gallagher, MLS, MSIS, founder of CommunicateValue.com, teaches small business owners and professionals how to conquer the overwhelming aspects of online and social media marketing to increase business and maximize profits. For free tips on how to build profitable relationships, leverage technology and create your own successful online business, visit http://CommunicateValue.com.
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Many readers to my blog have asked me what is “Search Engine Optimization.”

Well, in a nutshell Search Engine Optimization also known as SEO is the use of various techniques to improve a web site’s ranking in search engines in the hopes of attracting more visitors.

If you own a website/blog, it is imperative that you not only learn these techniques but also implement them on your sites. You want to design and optimize your sites to rank and get better results in the search engines. Keywords, quality content, Internal links/external links (without spamming), page titles, meta tags all play an important role in Search Engine Optimization.

Begin with improving your website and promote key relevant quality content to be ranked high in search engines and gain visitors. Without good Search Engine Optimization your site may never be found by the search engines.

If you apply the techniques mentioned above, you will be well on your way to getting crawled and ranked high by the search engines.

Best of luck with your business endeavors!

This interesting powerful business guest article is courtesy of the “Internet Marketing Center”. I hope you’ll enjoy.

If you want to have a successful online business, you can no longer afford to ignore social media.

Whether you’re talking about sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, or the millions of blogs, forums, and groups that exist online, social media continues to dominate the Internet landscape.

If you want to be a part of the conversation then you need to know how to use these sites effectively to engage with your audience and build authentic relationships with them.

In this article, you’ll learn our top six tips on how to do just that… But first, let’s talk about why a social media presence is so important to your business.

What You Need to Know about Social Media
According to Nielsen Research, social networking has become the fourth most popular online activity — surpassing even email!

In fact, an incredible two-thirds of all Internet users regularly visit social media sites.

Check out these stats:

* Social networking sites and blogs are the #1 most visited category of websites

* As of February 2010, Facebook had over 400 million registered users

* Twitter users send over 50 million tweets a day to each other.

* In December 2009, global users spent five and half hours on sites such as Facebook and Twitter — an 82% increase from the same time last year.

* In the U.S. alone, 142.1 million unique visitors went to a blog or social networking site in December 2009

Because of their growing popularity, social media sites have become an especially attractive marketing tool for both online and offline businesses.

By engaging with customers through a blog or Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube, businesses can spread the word about their business to their target audience, manage their online reputation — and cultivate a deeper relationship with their established customer base.

And the most amazing thing? Most social media users welcome a closer relationship with the businesses they enjoy.

According to Cone Research and Insights, 85% of social media users want their favorite businesses to actively engage with them through social media.

But here’s where it gets tricky.

There is a right way to engage with people on social media sites — and there is a wrong way.

The right way will help you cultivate a meaningful relationship with your audience, and convert interested visitors into lifelong loyal buyers. The wrong way will inevitably drive people away… and could even provoke them to badmouth your business to others.

Yikes!

To help you avoid that fate, here are our top six “rules of engagement” on how to use social media the right way…

Rule 1: Do Your Research
Before you dive into the world of social media, do some research to discover which sites are most popular with your audience. Are they spending time on Facebook or on Twitter? Are there any popular forums or blogs they tend to visit and comment on?

All the major social media websites have search tools that allow you to search on your keywords to find users and groups talking about the things you’re interested in.

To find forums and discussion boards, enter your keywords into Google with “discussion” or “forum” tacked at the end. Google will point you to groups where your market might be hanging out.

Then plug your keywords into Google BlogSearch to find blogs with content relevant to your business. Once you discover some good ones, remember to check their blogrolls — the list of other blogs they link to in their sidebar, or on a separate page on their site — for more great spots to check out.

Make a list of the places where you find the greatest representation of your target market — and then you’re ready to get started.

We recommend you spend some time checking out the discussions already in progress, joining relevant groups, following and “friending” interesting folks you meet, and building up your identity as a trusted participant by providing solid ideas and information (without a pitch!)

And don’t worry about joining every single group you discover — start with three or four to help you get your feet wet, and then expand your presence from there.

If you try to become involved in too many communities at once you might find yourself overwhelmed before you even discover the potential of social media for your business!

Rule 2: Create an interesting, memorable profile
Now let’s talk about how to set up an engaging presence that builds trust in your potential customers right away.

In your profile on each social media site, be sure to include:

* a friendly picture of yourself (or your company logo)

* a pitch-free description of your business

* your website URL

* …along with some non-salesy information about your interests and passions to confirm to potential new connections that you’re a real person worth getting to know!

In fact, we recommend you use the same information and photo or logo for all your profiles — that way, people who meet you at one site will be able to easily connect with you at another!

As you start to engage with people on a social media site, make it your goal to maintain a warm, helpful, professional stance. By offering friendly advice and tips, and pointing them to places they can find more useful or interesting information, you will gather a loyal community of people who value your input and trust your recommendations.

Rule 3: Listen before you talk
When you sign up for a social media site, blog, or forum, take some time to listen first.

If you jump into the conversation with a sales pitch, and start blasting people with messages about how great your product is, they’re going to react in exactly the same way that people would if you started handing out business cards and trying to score new customers at a friend’s casual dinner party.

Spend some time reading posts, messages and tweets — and while you do, ask yourself the following questions:

* What are people most excited about?
* What topics come up again and again — and why?
* What are the most common problems people are facing?
* What problems aren’t being solved by existing products?
* What are your market’s biggest frustrations?
* What products are they talking about — for better or for worse?

By listening first, you’ll get a feel for the tone of the conversations already in progress, which will help you strike the right note when it comes time to join in.

You’ll also send the message that you value the information and opinions people are sharing with one another… and that you’re not just there to do a “drive by” sales pitch. .

Now, if you find people speaking directly about YOUR product or service, it will undoubtedly be tempting to jump in right away and respond to them.

If their comments are positive, feel free to offer a quick “thank you!” or note of appreciation.

If their comments are negative, however, respond politely and briefly to let your customer know you want to provide them with a positive experience — and then take the time to write an email or send a private note offering assistance or support.

Disputing their account publicly or engaging in a war of words will only make you and your business look bad — which is exactly the opposite of what you’re trying to do.

Rule 4: Engage with your market — don’t just try to sell to them
To understand the true value of social marketing, you need to understand why people spend time hanging out at social websites.

Generally, they’re seeking diversion and entertainment, or pursuing information about their passions and interests. Popular activities include…

* corresponding with friends and family
* meeting and socializing with online friends
* watching funny or informative videos
* recommending interesting articles to fellow readers
* listening to entertaining podcasts
* playing addictive real-time games

… In other words, they’re looking for FUN — and not for something to buy.

And they can smell a “pitch” a mile away.

If you’re planning to waltz into an online community and start talking about your product and how great it is, you’ll likely end up getting nothing but the cold shoulder in response!

Instead, spend time observing how people interact with each other, and tuning into their conversations — and then follow their lead. Make it your mission to provide lots of useful free advice and interesting information, and you’ll generate a much warmer welcome from your new online friends.

Rule 5: Give them information they WANT
Once you’ve done some listening, you can start sharing information with your market through social media — as long as you focus on providing value above all else.

Here’s what we mean…

* Give expert advice: Establish your expertise by answering common questions about your industry, and offering valuable information in related discussions and groups. That doesn’t mean, however, that you should answer every question by pointing to your product, even if it seems like the most obvious solution!

You want to earn trust first… and let that lead naturally to sales.

* Share thoughts about your industry: Share your own ideas about what’s happening in your industry through blog posts, microblogs and group posts. Start discussions that matter to you, and invite other people to share their ideas alongside yours.

* Be transparent about your company information and mission: Share who you are, how you got started in your industry, and your passion for what you do and why you do it.

* Spread public relations-style information: Put the word out about new product releases, new product features, press mentions or awards you’ve received.

* Provide great customer service: Post common problem solutions, product bulletins, problem solving, best practices, training and tips for using your products. Don’t be scared to solve a customer’s problem publicly if they post it publicly. It’s not a bad thing for customers to see that you stand behind your products, and that you’re eager to solve problems!

* Tell customer stories (with permission!): Share stories of people who have had positive experiences with your products, or have overcome difficulties as a result of using your products.

* Have a little fun: Post games, contests, and interesting pictures or videos related to your products or industry.

* Offer special deals: Create offers just for your social media “friends” — but not with a heavy pitch, please! Just a link with a discount code will do — let your site speak for itself!

* Encourage feedback and research your market: Questions, polls and surveys targeted towards your community or customers can be a great way of getting great market research data, product feedback, and information about the right direction for your business to head in future.

Rule 6: Participate!
If you want to build up a loyal community on social media sites, you have to focus above all else on being someone worth knowing.

People are drawn to those who care about what they have to say, and who contribute in valuable ways to the conversations that matter to them. If you respond promptly and politely to people, and provide great information, they’ll love you.

On the other hand, if you only participate sporadically, and neglect to offer information people find entertaining or helpful, you’ll find yourself hard-pressed to establish a connection.

Above all, when you communicate with your audience on social media sites, the most important thing is not to sound “spammy.” It’s perfectly fine to let people know what you do and what you offer — but not to hit them over the head with a sales pitch.

Few people head to social media websites looking directly for items to purchase — but they do appreciate coming across people who provide great information and great service. And if they are looking directly for product or service recommendations, your active presence and solid reputation will put you at the top of everyone’s list.

That’s the power of social media!

If you want to learn more about how to master this powerful source of free traffic and word-of-mouth advertising, next week’s issue of StartUp features in-depth strategies on how to build a loyal community using social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Plus, we’ll also include a one-hour interview with our own in-house social media analyst, Lynette Johnston.

Guest Article: The Internet Marketing Center
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The Internet is constantly evolving — almost daily, it seems — which can make starting a successful Internet business extremely challenging.

How do you become financially independent online when the rules of the road are always changing?

Fortunately, my friends at the Internet Marketing Center have the solution: “The Step-by-Step Guide to Selling Online.”

http://www.theimcmethod.com/step-by-step-guide/771270

For the past 12 years, IMC has been continuously updating this #1-selling ebusiness start-up guide (formerly known as “Insider Secrets”), to keep up with the rapid pace of change online, adding new strategies and techniques, while refining and streamlining their simple step-by-step process.

For 2010 alone, they’ve packed “The Step-by-Step Guide” full of the most up-to-the-minute techniques you MUST have to succeed online, like:

> how to reach your market through social media
> how to win the SEO wars
> how to earn more with pay-per-click advertising
> and on and on…

But they didn’t stop there! For 2010, they ALSO added a number of improvements that make their guide easier to follow… even for complete newbies:

> NEW interactivity, including replies to your questions
> NEW 50+ minute webinars on the hottest Internet business topics
> NEW how-to-videos that teach you the most critical strategies
> NEW easy-to-read charts and graphics to illustrate key points
> NEW information to help you quickly advance through the process

I highly recommend you check this out. Thousands of people have already used it to start their own successful ebusinesses, and it will work for you, too!

Right now, IMC is offering 30-Day risk-free trials of the entire guide, so it’s the perfect time to give it a try.

To start your 30-Day Trial, just go to:
http://www.theimcmethod.com/step-by-step-guide/771270

Best of luck with your business endeavors!

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Before starting any business, it is important to determine early on if you have what it takes to attain the entrepreneurial qualities for running a business. We all know that starting a business is tough and it is very important that one has the thick skinned of an entrepreneurial spirit to face business obstacles.

The following entrepreneurial questions will help you determine the qualities of entrepreneurship:

* Are you a leader?
* Are you a high-energy person?
* Are you competitive?
* Are you organized?
* Are you self-confident?
* Do you have a unique service or product?
* Do you have adequate business experience?
* Do you have adequate resources?
* Are you prepared to work long hours?
* Are you a risk taker?
* Are you a good communicator?
* Does your spouse agree with your decision to become an entrepreneur?
* Are you willing to make some sort of sacrifice in return for success?

Now, lets define what the above entrepreneurial qualities mean:

Are you a leader - It has been said that leading is doing the right thing and managing is doing things right! I believe that as a great a leader, one must focus on the objectives at hand. There are many leadership books available on the subject of leadership. By focusing on leadership qualities, you are better prepared to start a business and put all your energy into goals for business success.

Are you a high-energy person -Maintaining a business requires the ability to have energy and be able to focus on business goals. A high energy level is a must when those long hours will be required and you feel overwhelmed. However, if you have the fire in your belly so to speak, this can be easily attained by looking into your diet and starting an exercise program.

Are you competitive -If you can’t compete with other businesses, then you should not start a business at all. From day one, you and your business will be in competition. Is it imperative that you not only have an entrepreneurial spirit but also a competitive spirit. Find your competitive nature and apply it to your business goals.

Are you organized -Organization is key. It will allow you to use time in the most effective manner. Keeping a schedule and a to do list will help you feel organized.

Are you self-confident -Do you believe that your product/service is of value and may benefit others? Are you passionate about what you believe in? Don’t make the mistake of getting into a business because it looks like a good money maker or because everyone else is doing it. Look into your hobbies, interests, expertise and more. Your self-confidence will shine through if you believe in what you are doing to attain business success.

Do you have a unique service or product -Your product/service must be unique in the sense of providing better customer service support, a new approach to attracting customers and a product/service that will benefit your customers and make them want to buy.

Do you have adequate business experience -Business experience in the area where you have both interest and a passion for is necessary. As an entrepreneur, you want the best odds for success. Get involved only with something you are good at and interested in.

Do you have adequate resources - Think about the kind of monetary investment that will be required to start your business. Lack of adequate resources is one of the major causes of business failure. Prepare a listing of start-up costs and first year expenses. Assume you will be operating at a loss until your business gains its momentum with incoming cash flow. Take into consideration expenses such as, equipment, office supplies, advertising, rent, utilities, shipping, licenses, insurance and taxes. Many of these expenses may be reduced or even eliminated if you run your business from your own home.

Are you prepared to work long hours -Building and operating your own business is considerably more time intensive then working for someone else. The typical entrepreneur may work 12 hours per day, six and sometimes seven days a week. However, this hard work can bring rewards and a feeling of accomplishment like nothing else can. When the fruits of labor finally cultivate it will all be worthwhile.

Are you a risk taker -Starting a business is a big risk! There’s no doubt that you need to be a risk taker. You need to be prepared to make risky decisions and cope with the consequences. Opportunity comes with risk. Risk taking is a commonplace element with entrepreneurs.

Are you a good communicator -A good communicator is someone with strong writing and speaking skills. This element is essential to selling your product/service and yourself. There are courses that can provide improvement in this area or visit your local library for books on the subject.

Does your spouse agree with your decision to become an entrepreneur -Having the support of your significant other is imperative in your decision to start a business. Trouble at home is the last thing you need. Don’t let this happen to you. Talk it out first and make sure that common goals and objectives are shared.

Are you willing to make some sort of sacrifice in return for success -Giving up things like fewer vacations, probably not wearing the latest fashions or driving a new car are all things we hope will be temporary until the business is established and earning capital. However, not many people are willing to give this up. If you can’t, reconsider your priorities before making a decision to become an entrepreneur.

All of the above entrepreneurial elements are to help you achieve an honest assessment of yourself in the decision of whether starting a business is right for you. When you’re satisfied and know you are ready, get your business off to a great start by strengthening those elements in which you are weak. Then and only then, will you be able to honestly answer the question “Are You A Business Entrepreneur?”

Best of luck with your business endeavors,

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Are you one of those people who have been trying forever to start an Internet business, but you never seem to make any progress?

Maybe you’ve got too many demands on your time, maybe you’re suffering from “information overload,” or maybe you just lack the motivation or confidence to do it.

Whatever the challenges are that are stopping you from making progress with your business, I’d like to show you how you can quickly and easily overcome them, and start making money TWO different ways…

http://www.imcmethod.com/certification/771270

I just finished reviewing a new training program called the Internet Marketing Certification Program. It’s an expert-led virtual training course that gives you all of the skills, support, motivation, and confidence you need to succeed online.

From what I’ve seen, this Certification Program is the ONLY ebusiness training program available that offers a comprehensive three-level approach to building a business:

>> Self-paced online learning based on a proven process

>> Exclusive ebusiness learning software for implementing your lessons

>> A personal online support system with real-world experts

Developed by the experts at the Internet Marketing Center, everything in the Program is virtual, so you learn at your own pace, on your own schedule. But that doesn’t mean you’re on your own. You’ll complete homework, tests, and get feedback from online instructors.

The program is hands-on, so you’ll actually apply what you learn, as you learn it, to create your own profitable website. And you’ll use IMC’s exclusive ebusiness learning software to do the “heavy lifting” for you.

Then when you graduate (I’m told that some students complete the program in as little as one month), you’ll have a complete website already getting traffic.

You’ll also receive IMC’s “Certified Internet Marketing Specialist” credential, which qualifies you to charge lucrative consulting fees to help others start their websites.

And IMC even guarantees your results! If you don’t have a completed website already getting traffic by the time you graduate, they’ll refund your money.

In my opinion, this Certification Program is the perfect cure to the frustration of trying to make money online on your own, and never making any progress. I recommend you check it out right away, while IMC’s still offering a steep reduction on tuition fees.

Just go to: http://www.imcmethod.com/certification/771270

P.S. For a short time only, IMC is offering a special $150 discount on tuition fees, so you should check it out right away.

http://www.imcmethod.com/certification/771270

Good luck with your business endeavors!
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Today I have a new resource to tell you about that will stop you from making the common start-up mistake that KILLS many new websites…

It’s called the “Ebusiness Start-Up Handbook,” and it’s a must-read for anyone who wants to build a profitable long-term ebusiness on a solid foundation.

Download it, and you’ll avoid wasting massive amounts of time and money getting your new business started.

What I like most about this simple but comprehensive Handbook is that it uses clear language and lots of examples and graphics to clearly explain the step-by-step process you need to follow to find a lucrative online market with minimal competition.

Start your website *without* doing this critical groundwork first, and prepare for a long and costly battle…

You’ll struggle to attract visitors, to get ranked in the search engines, and to convert the few visitors you do get into buyers.

Worse, you could find yourself going head to head with the Internet’s toughest — and most well-funded — competitors, like Amazon.com and eBay.

The “Ebusiness Start-Up Handbook” was produced by the experts at the Internet Marketing Center, who have generated over $100 million in sales online, so you know you can trust their advice.

I highly recommend you take the first step toward financial independence by downloading this Handbook right away. You’ll be giving your new website its best chance of success.

Download it now at: http://www.imcmethod.com/handbook/771270

Good luck with your business endeavors!

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Professional writers often worry that their work is unnecessary. After all, can’t anyone with even a basic education write? The answer: no, they can’t. Even college graduates don’t seem to be learning composition basics.

Of course not everyone is going to be the next Mark Twain, but career success does depend on looking professional. Sure, some clients, coworkers, or resume readers might make some of these mistakes themselves. But it takes just one person to see just one mistake for you to be discounted.

Avoid these 11 mistakes to get the job, perform better on the job and write better!

Constipated Clauses

Reporting on the feats and foibles of the Red Sox, a writer for South Coast Today notes: “It goes without saying that these exploits take a tremendous amount of skill.”

If it “goes without saying” then don’t say it. If it doesn’t, in fact, go without saying, then don’t say it does.

“Obviously, the sky is blue.” Putting the “obviously” doesn’t suddenly make the statement insightful.

Comma Vomit

True or false: a comma must precede any use of the word “and”? FALSE. Commas should only precede and, but, for, or, nor, so, or yet when they introduce an independent clause. For example, “We laid out our music and snacks, and began to study.” Placing a comma after “snacks” is incorrect. The subject of the sentence has not changed, “we” still “began to study.”

An example of correct comma use: “The game was over, and the crowd began to leave.” The game and the crowd are different subjects and the clauses are independent. The crowd could still be leaving regardless of what is happening with the game.

A comma can also precede “and” when it is used in a list of three or more items. However, in a list it is entirely optional and called an “oxford comma”.

While that is probably the most common overuse, others are prevalent. Just because you think you would pause at a certain point when speaking, it does not mean you need a comma. For a complete guide to using and misusing commas, check out this guide!

The Death of Adverbs

Once upon a time, the English language had a way to modify both nouns and verbs. Adjectives did the trick on the former and adverbs on the latter. You didn’t just have to walk, you could walk quickly!

Adverbs modify verbs. For example, you accomplish a task with ease. What do you say?

WRONG: I can do that easy!
RIGHT: I can do that easily!

You accomplish a task with more ease than your colleagues. What do you say?

WRONG: I can do that easier than they can.
RIGHT: I can do that more easily than they can.

Less vs. Fewer

A salesperson’s skills are not on par with yours. How would you describe that: “He has less skill than I” or “He has fewer skills than I do”? You could use both! Less describes something that is not finite, like a trait. In the first case, “skill” does not refer to any particular skill, it denotes skill like “talent” or “intelligence.”

Fewer describes finite, listable items. In the second case, you have a larger skill set than the other salesperson. You could list those skills that you have and the ones he doesn’t.

Too often, people over- and mis-use “less.” They’ll say something like, “He has less skills than I do.” Say that and you’ve shown you have less intelligence and fewer brains than your competitors.

Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc.

Et cetera: a useful Latin-derived tool for shortening lists. However, unless you are a lawyer, using it (and especially overusing it) can make you sound unprofessional.

If you must, use it once. A second or third occurrence in the same document essentially says, “I really don’t know what I’m talking about, so I’ll just jam etc. on the end and try to pretend I do!”

Another et cetera mistake is using it when you should use “et al.” Listing a set of objects? Use etc. Listing a group of people? Use et al. It also is derived from Latin and means “and others.”

Prevarication Junction

“I think that I would be an ideal candidate for this position.”

“I think that my product would do wonders for your company.”

“Studies show that people like this product more.”

Draw a line through each of those sentences. As a teacher told me in high school once, “Don’t tell me what you think. Tell me what you know.” Similarly, don’t talk about studies. If you think a study is reliable—and you probably do if you rely on its results—just say what those reliable results were. If someone asks, you can always point them to the study in question.

These phrases ultimately end up making your writing much longer than it needs to be. What’s worse, they make you appear afraid: not assertive enough to express your own opinion and unsure of what you are writing about.

If you really don’t know what you’re talking about…don’t talk about it.

The Affect-Effect Divide

His affect had an effect on me and affected me so much that I had to effect a change in my work environment.

WRONG USAGE: “Our products will positively effect your business;” or “My skills will substantially effect your company.”

Affect and effect can both be nouns and verbs.

Rule of thumb for the most common uses: use affect as a verb and effect as a noun.

An affect (noun) is an artificial air that someone puts on. Do you pretend to have a British accent? That’s an affect.

To affect something (verb) is to change it.

An effect (noun) is the result of someone or something affecting something.

To effect (verb) means to accomplish or make something happen.

Then?Than

When one event follows another, we use thEn. For instance, “The clouds appeared, then it rained.”

When two things are being compared, we use thAn. “Grandma is shorter than Grandpa.”

Although most people learned this in elementary school, they seem to forget more thAn anyone would like. Just this month a news site in Santa Clara, California published a review of “WALL-E”. The critic said, “The film was shorter then I would’ve liked.”

None is.

It’s an easy trap in which to fall.

“While I am certain there were many applicants for this job, none of them are as experienced as me.” WRONG!

We hope you wouldn’t actually write a sentence like that even without the grammatical error, but making none plural makes it even worse. None is singular. None is always singular.

While the “them” toward the end may make you think, “A ha! Multiples!”, the subject is still none, which (did we mention?) is singular. “None of them is” may sound a little off to some, but it is correct English.

i.e. is not e.g. is not i.e.

Some people seem to think that throwing an “i.e.” into a paragraph makes them look smarter. Unfortunately, most of those people are using i.e. to mean “for example.”

WRONG: “I have sold many products, i.e. washing machines.” This doesn’t make any sense.

i.e. is an abbreviation of the Latin words id est, literally translated as “that is.” In English, i.e. is used synonymously with “namely.” It specifies and limits.

e.g. is also a Latin abbreviation but of the words exempli gratia, meaning “for example.” E.g. implies, “This is one of several possible options.”

Could of

When speaking, certain contractions can sound like other words. “Could’ve” rolls off the tongue like “could of.” You have to be careful that does not slip into your writing.

In the past tense, could, would and should must never be followed by “of.” If you use contractions in your writing, the words are “could’ve, would’ve, should’ve.” If you don’t, they are “could have, would have, should have.”

It’s an easy mistake to make. Scan any document or business e-mail you write and make sure it’s correct.

~Courtesy of AdminSecret
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Best of luck with your business endeavors!

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If you have a business then you’re well aware that keeping your current customers happy is key to business success!

We are constantly trying to create sales, discounts, new products etc. to attract new customers. However, keeping your current customers happy is just as important. Communicate and let them know how much they’re appreciated. Offer your current customers additional opportunities to purchase from you again. Develop a marketing plan for your customer base with a few important key elements to help your business succeed:

1. Get your current customers to buy more from you:
- Once your customers are aware how your products will benefit them, offer a bulk purchase discount. For instance, buy more then one and receive a discount on the next order. Make it attractive. Reward them for being loyal customers and spending more money on your products.

2. Get your customers to buy again and again:
- The best method for doing this is by offering your customers a preferred customer discount on your most popular products. Offer a time limit on the offer to get an immediate response, usually 30 days or less is what you want to offer them. Create a sense of urgency!

3. Develop marketing materials:
- Decide on special pricing, special offers, and include a newsletter marketing method to keep in touch with your current customers. Write your special offers in your newsletter and send it off to your customer subscriber list. Remember, point out the benefits of your products/services your customers will receive.

- Work on your current customers first. The goal is to keep your current customers happy so that they will continue to come back! After you’ve taken care of your current customers, then recapture new customers and repeat the cycle. If you do this, your profit margins will increase significantly.

- Go that extra mile for your current customers and you will be acknowledged for it. A satisfied customer is a repeat buyer. Satisfied customers will spread the word about your business.

- Answer your emails promptly. Customer service is key. Always maintain a professional business outlook and you will prosper!

How are you keeping your current customers happy?

Best of luck with your business endeavors!

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