third sector finance blog

Why they Call it Surfing the Web

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 01:12:40 PST

Surfing the Web
By Ben Tyson

The average UK employee spends 57 minutes a day surfing the web while at work.

Surfing was first enjoyed by Polynesians in Tahiti and Hawaii as far back as 1500AD. The first printed recordings of surfing were made by Lieutenant James King in 1779. King took over the captaincy of the ship Discovery after Captain James Cook was killed on an expedition to Hawaii.

Since there was no written language at this time in Hawaii, King's journal entry serves as man's earliest written account of the Hawaiian sport.

So why, more than 200 years later, do we ‘surf’ the web? What links could there possibly be between using the internet and riding on top of a wave?

It all began with the radio

Radio scanners were introduced in the 1970s as a way of finding a good radio signal. The radio receiver would automatically tune or scan two or more discrete frequencies, stopping when it found a good working signal.

A similar method would be used, manually, with the television. In order to locate a decent television signal, you would have to twist and turn the dials until you were satisfied with the picture. This common process became known as ‘channel hopping’. In order to locate the desired signal, you would have to ‘hop’ between one channel and another until you were satisfied with the picture received.

The Beach Boys

In 1963, the Beach Boys recorded ‘Surfin’ USA‘. This was a massive hit worldwide, and vastly increased the popularity of the Hawaiian sport of surfing. The popularity of surfing in remote areas of Australia, California and Hawaii became well known and began to attract the interest of tourists.

Endless Summer

Following on from the success of Surfin’ USA – in 1966, Bruce Brown directed the most influential film of the surf-genre: Endless Summer.

Endless Summer centres around two surfers, Mike Hynson and Robert August, on a surf trip around the world. They travel to the coasts of Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti and Hawaii. In the film, they introduce locals to the sport in an attempt to popularize surfing as fun and accessible to everyone.

The success and influence of the documentary was incredible. The popularity of surfing rose greatly, encouraging existing surfers to travel abroad, and introducing the thrill of the sport to a wider audience.

Popular Culture

Vans ~ The first time that ‘surfing’ had been applied to another activity was in April 1985 when Time magazine made reference to the culture of ‘Van surfing’. ‘Van surfing’ described the art of people who would stand on the top of Vans as they moved. The actions they were forced into, to remain on their feet, was similar to that of surfing.

Trains ~ The phrase would later be used when referring to a similar action. ‘Train surfing’ was a phrase introduced by The Wall Street Journal. ‘Train surfing’ had been seen many times in the movies, and was apparently a regular occurrence in South America as people rode on top of trains for a free ride.

Music ~ In 1989, The Toronto Globe and Mail introduced the term to the music industry. ‘Stage diving’ had become a popular tradition at concerts and festivals. The notion of someone being carried in midair by a crowd of people became known as ‘crowd surfing’ by the Toronto press.

Television ~ With the expansion of Cable and Satellite television, in 1986, The Wall Street Journal coined the phrase ‘channel surfing’. This was in direct reference to the well known ‘channel hopping’ term that had become widely popular in describing the act of scanning for a desired television channel.

The expansion of Cable and Satellite meant there were more channels, they were easier to find and more widely available. ‘Channel surfing’ described the notion of flicking through the channels with a television remote, as oppose to fiddling with the dials.

The Internet

With the creation of the internet, the term ‘internet surfing’ had occasionally been used, but not commonly.

‘Information surfing’ was a phrase used to describe the action of someone searching for information through books or papers, for example. Early internet users would search the internet for similar purposes (long before entertainment, social networking and advertising took over).

Prior to the 1990s, the internet was not widely popular and not widely accessible. However, in 1989, Tim Berners-Lee, a British engineer and computer-scientist, laid foundation to the World Wide Web. This created the internet as we know it today. The internet (the World Wide Web) increased in popularity as it became easier to use, faster to use, and most importantly, Personal Computers became widely available to the public.

‘Surfing the Web’ is a phrase we have all used, and will continue to use as the internet continues to expand.

But how did the infrequently used, unpopular term ‘internet surfing’ become the biggest world wide cliché of all?

A Librarian and a mouse pad

Jean Armour Polly was a university librarian in 1992, when she coined the phrase ‘Surfing the Internet’.

Polly was an early internet user, and wrote a series of articles, available online, on safe Internet services. In June 1992, Polly was writing a revolutionary paper about Requests and Comments and other technical writings about the Internet. On searching for a title, she describes:

In casting about for a title for the article, I weighed many possible metaphors. I wanted something that expressed the fun I had using the Internet, as well as hit on the skill, and yes, endurance necessary to use it well. I also needed something that would evoke a sense of randomness, chaos, and even danger. I wanted something fishy, net-like, nautical.

At that time I was using a mouse pad from the Apple Library in Cupertino, CA, famous for inventing and appropriating pithy sayings and printing them on sportswear and mouse pads (e.g., "A month in the Lab can save you an hour in the Library") The one I had pictured a surfer on a big wave. "Information Surfer" it said. "Eureka," I said, and had my metaphor.

‘Surfing the Internet’ was born. The paper was phenomenally successful. In 14 hours, the paper received an unprecedented 500 downloads.

This leads on to another interesting question: why were so many early internet users searching for ‘surfing’ online? They obviously had to search for the article in order to find it – but why ‘surfing’?

The surf-net connection

There are several top internet marketers today who are also top surfers. Frank Kern is a great example of this. Jason Moffat was one of the earliest internet marketers to hold such a great connection with online marketing and surfing.

Many people have compared making money online to surfing. Making a profit on the internet is not about ‘getting rich quick’; it is about taking time to get to know the market, learning to understand the users and where to find customers. Surfing is often described as hitting the wave perfectly. A top surfer will spend time getting to know the best waves, where to find them and how to hit them perfectly.

Both internet marketers and surfers have often spoken of addiction. In order to spend enough quality time learning to surf, travelling the world to find the best locations and putting your body on the line for the sake of adrenaline rushes, you have got to feel addicted to the sport. Thrill seeking and addiction have revolutionised the sport of surfing.

Very few top-internet-marketers claim to have access to a get-rich-quick scheme. (If you had access, would you tell anyone?) In order to be a successful online marketer, you have to hold this same level of addiction, and get the same thrill out of using the internet, working on the internet and spending time on the internet.

With the persistent online presence of Jason Moffat in the 1990s, surfing became a regular theme found on the internet. Moffat was one of the first users to own a variety of websites, optimizing his name wherever possible. Therefore, where ‘Jason Moffat’ could be found, so could ‘surfing’. Did this increase the popularity of surfing? Did this introduce pro surfers to the internet? Surely it must have lured pro surfers of the time to try out the internet. Online they could find like-minded surfers, share their ideas for locations and share their stories of travel-surfing.

Was this the true origin of ‘surfing the internet’? Do we now ‘surf’ the internet because surfing was so popular with early internet users?

Or maybe, by pure coincidence (or by memetics), two separate groups of people established the same terminology for the same thing, without ever even knowing it.

Donating to Haiti, via effective Copywriting

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 06:14:41 PST

We have all been deeply saddened by the horrifying events in Haiti. A series of massive earthquakes has taken the lives of thousands of Haitians. It has devastated and destroyed the lives of millions more.

Families being torn apart by disaster is something we see unfold on the News all too often. The Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, earthquakes in Pakistan and Italy, and now it’s Haiti’s turn to suffer and endure the wrath of mother nature.

All of these events have led to hugely generous donations from people all over the world. Appeals are made in newspapers, on television and by charities, all urging You to give generously to people in desperate need. While these have been successful campaigns to help raise funds for victims, there are still far too many people who are not actively lending their support.

This is not necessarily people who are unwilling to donate, but more likely people who are unaware of how they can donate. In today’s modern society of mobile phones and social media, the internet has become an increasingly popular way to appeal directly to everyone who has the ability to donate.

Many of the most popular websites on the internet have launched their own appeals for the cause. Facebook, Google and eBay, to name but a few, have all added ‘donation links’ to their Home Pages – making it easy to find, somewhat unavoidable in some cases.

A similar theme has been set up by the American Red Cross – donators simply text ‘HAITI’ to 20222 – and $10 is automatically added to their phone bill, going directly to the relief fund.

Adding donation links to popular websites is one thing, but how exactly does this make donating appealable to as many people as possible. Are the general rules of copywriting obeyed in the same format to a piece of sales copy? After all, it is the same basic concept – persuading a reader to part with their cash. Is the language different? How are key words and emotive words used to attract the attention of the wider audience?

Facebook
The most popular social networking site on the web, with around 321 million people registered worldwide. Their Haiti appeal is very open, thoughtful and most notable for me, personifying.

General emails and contact from Facebook are very generic, obviously sent out in bulk, with little emotion or personifying key words. This is of no detriment to Facebook – the whole point in the website is for its users to interact with each other, Facebook merely acts as the host.

The devastation in Haiti, however, has given Facebook reason to speak directly to each and every user. The appeal is not aimed to be a generic email which will blend in with all the others. It serves a different purpose, an important purpose, and it has to come across as speaking directly from the heart and to each user personally.

This is achieved by using power words such as: ‘destruction’, ‘death’, ‘outpouring’ and ‘thousands’. These words are unusual for Facebook, so stand out in peoples minds – it proves the sheer scale of the atrocity. It is basically saying: ‘something has to be done, and this is Your chance to help’.Google

In the early days of Google, there were very few words on the home Page: ‘Google’, ‘Search’ and ‘I feel lucky’. With the immense popularity of Google, this has inevitably changed. There is now Google mail, Google Ads, blogging options and a range of other services displayed on the Home Page.

However, there are still very few words, and the page is dominantly filled with white space, making any new or additional text stand out. There is currently a link under the main search box which states:

‘Information, resources, and ways you can help survivors of the Haiti earthquake.’

By clicking on this link you are taken to a donation page which is titled: ‘Crisis Response’.

While the actual copy is not as personable or emotive as the Facebook page, it is still very effective. There is a brief description reminding of the magnitude of the earthquake, and also a line in bold which reads:

‘Google will also donate $1 million’.

This being highlighted shows the enormity of what has happened, and the importance to give whatever you can to the relief funds.

The main selling point of the page is the two links where you can donate. There are two options to choose from: Oxfam or Unicef. You simply enter the amount in £’s that you want to donate, and click ‘donate’. Very simple, very effective and very clever.

The point in providing two charities to choose from is a clever tool in itself. Obviously, both will use your money to help in Haiti, but they will both be doing different things. A brief description of what the charities will be using your money for is supplied under the logo. Oxfam will be concentrating on providing shelter and clean water – Unicef will be concentrating on food and medical supplies, with particular emphasis on children.

The work being carried out by both charities is essential to the people of Haiti. While one is providing water, the other is providing food – people will realise that they must contribute to both charities to give the best support possible.

The charities are not working against each other – they are working with each other to do the best for the people of Haiti.

Clever marketing technique? Effective copywriting? Yes and yes.

Who benefits? The people of Haiti.

EBay
EBay takes quite a different approach. Whereas Google is very plain, simple and generous, eBay, in my opinion, attempts to use the donation link as a way to boost its own profits.

Is this unethical? Or is it just clever business?

EBay is encouraging people to donate up to 100% of their Sale profits to the Haiti fund. This encourages people to place products on eBay to raise funds for donation. It also persuades people to buy products so that their money can be donated, whilst getting something in return for themselves (the product purchased).

While this is great for the relief effort in Haiti – what it’s all about – for every item placed onto eBay, eBay makes a profit. Insertion fee, and then a final value fee.

There is the encouragement for people to use eBay more (as it helps people in Haiti), and at the same time, eBay itself is making a profit from the additional auctions.

I must stress, though, that eBay does supply a ‘Donate via PayPal’ link. EBay is also the only site out of the three to include emotive images. Images of the devastation – people can see what they are donating for. They do not have to read, actions often do speak louder than words.

The text they use, although shorter in length, is very similar to that of Facebook: ‘destruction’, ‘critical’ and ‘mass devastation’ are strong attempts to tug on the heartstrings of potential donators.

Conclusion
So, has clever copywriting been involved in the making of the various donation links? Each has clearly been well thought through. How they layout the page, how they format their sentences and how they use emotive language has all been done carefully.

Each has applied a different technique to really draw in the donator. Facebook concentrated on appearing personal to the user through terms such as: ‘Dear friends’ and pronouns such as ‘we’ and ‘you’. The main invigorator, however, is the use of terms to describe what is going on in Haiti: ‘death’ and ‘destruction’.

Google appears very simple and easy to use and understand. This will have broader appeal to a wider, larger audience. In showing that Google themselves are donating $1 million, it shows just how important it is to give as much as you can, as the people of Haiti are in desperate need.

EBay uses a mixture of emotive language and images, and also has various options on how you can donate. This is an attempt to attract a wider audience – donate through buying, selling or directly through PayPal – but also sees a good marketing opportunity.

All have used proven copywriting techniques, however, the focus is much more on what they are donating for, as oppose to the benefits that the donator will get in return. While this goes against the number one rule of sales copy – people only want to know what is in it for them – it has undoubtedly proved a successful way of obtaining donations to the people of Haiti.

Joint Venture Giveaways

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 23:04:54 PST

As you know I am really into joint venturing especially between businesses and charities or third sector organisations. I believe that this is the way forward in today's economy, where funding pots are getting harder to access. One of the most exciting new internet trends to emerge recently are Giveaway events, and they are gaining popularity really fast.

Mostly they are free, but you can pay a little to get more exposure. They are designed to help you grow your list of supporters and doners. If you are interested at all in growing your list, I would really recommend joining one. This is one that is starting in a couple of days and runs for the next two weeks. It's the right time of year and getting into all of these joint venture giveaway events and getting your products in could build you an email list much larger than you might think right now.

What is a giveaway? In the Native American culture, a giveaway is about giving the most valuable posession away and ’storing or hording things’ is not understood. There is a high value placed on giving away and sharing what is ours. Once something is given away, all strings to that gift are broken. The gift is given with no expectations. Native people believe that what is given always comes back to the giver in one way or another in another form of good. This is also the basis of attraction marketing.

Many internet marketers give something away in order to encourage you to sign up to their mailing lists and these giveaway events are all about that. You sign up to the giveaway, list the thing or things you are offering for free and then have an opportunity to pick up other people's gifts too.

I've compiled a few important tips to help you get involved in Free Joint Venture Giveaway Events so that you can start growing your list too.

Before you join make sure to check each Free Joint Venture Giveaway Events rules, restrictions and requirements. Some require that you have a list of at least 1,000 subscribers/supporters or more before you can become a contributor. There may also be other requirements as well.

But if you have a small list and would like to start building it, find a free joint venture giveaway event that doesn't have a list requirement. Once you join a couple of these, you can build your list bigger and then qualify for the other giveaways with those big list requirements.

It will really pay off if you can sign up as a gift contributor, or JV (Joint Venture) Partner. If you don't have your own product, then you can choose an affiliate product as long as you have the master resell rights or Private Label Rights. If you can do this, you can build a huge list of prospects FAST! It is not always worth the time and effort to create a product in order to take advantage the freejoint venture giveaway events. There is no need to re-invent the wheel.

Also remember that you will have to advertise the free joint venture giveaway event as a whole to ensure the success of the program.

Tips to assure Your Free Joint Venture Giveaway Event Become A Success

Get your copywriting right! You have only a short time to attract the customer and then they are off if you haven't captured their attention. Create desire and trust.

A lucrative add-on to Free Joint Venture Giveaway Events is to attach an OTO (one-time-offer) when they are signing up for your giveaway. This is where you can place a valuable product or service for a special, lower price if they act instantly. You already have their attention, so make the most of it! Also, to improve your sales, try to connect this product or service to the freegiveaway item, as your prospect is obviously already interested in this area.

Offer a newsletter or an e-book and a bonus thank you for joining. Try not to bombard your new customers, but build a relationship with them. Nobody likes to be hard sold to. Remember you are dealing with people and treat them as you would want to be treated. You want to keep them for a long time.

I have given you one link to an up and coming Free Joint Venture Giveaway (if you hurry you could still get involved) but do Google it and you will find more.

To Your Success! See you at the Top, Kay

Copywriting Techniques to Boost Traffic

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 01:19:12 PST

Three…Two…One…

…Times up.

This is how long you have to attract a reader’s attention. The average person will take three seconds to look at your work, and then make a decision to read on, skim through, or ignore it.

As a copywriter, it is vital to draw in your reader’s attention as early as possible.

The secret is to keep your sentences short, sharp and snappy. Never open your article with a text-heavy paragraph. It puts-off your potential reader before they even think about reading.

One technique, used by many professional copywriters, is to keep opening paragraphs to just one or two lines, often just one or two words. For example:

Paragraph one: “Relax.”
Paragraph two: “Unwind.”
Paragraph three: “Chill out at one of our stunning health spas for only…”

Without even knowing it, you have gained the reader’s attention by creating curiosity in their mind, and now they are into the main body of your article.

In doing this, it is important to remember your audience. Don’t forget who you are writing for, and who you are trying to attract. You want to attract the right readers as early as possible:

“Fix your roof for only £20”.

This is only going to appeal to people who want their roof fixing – there is no point in waffling, trying to draw in people who don’t want their roof fixing. Likewise, you don’t want to risk losing the right customers by being too ambiguous – get straight to the point.

A simple way to draw in your audience is to ask questions. Make your reader think. Make your copy personal to them. Make them think that the article is about them:

“Are you fed up with your job?”
“Do you need some extra cash?”
“Do you need your roof fixing?”

This engages the reader and can immediately sift through the people you do and don’t want to attract. Using the “roof” example, people who need their roof fixing will automatically think “yes” to this question, and naturally read on, as there could well be a ‘Problem – Solution – Benefit’ scenario about to approach them. For example:

“Do you need your roof fixing? (Problem) Smiths Roofers will fix it for only £20 (Solution), keeping your house warm and damp-free. (Benefit)”

The key point to always remember is:

People are only interested in one thing – what is in it for them.

Make your reader aware that the copy is directed at them. Remember to keep asking questions to make the reader think. Use Action Words like: “Save, Earn and Feel.” This is telling them what can happen as a result of [for instance] buying the product on offer.

Keep using Key Words such as “You and Your” so they can furthermore see the article is aimed at them, and can be beneficial to them.

Whilst selling a product, providing entertainment, or supplying information is the point of the body copy – the whole point of your headline and opening paragraphs are to engage the reader and make them read on.

Following these easy copywriting secrets and techniques, you will be achieving results with your own quality, effective copy in no time.

Getting Traffic to Your Blog or Site

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 01:10:42 PST

How to Increase Traffic to Your Website

Boosting the number of visitors to your website is the most important way to expand your profile and business.

The internet is like a giant haystack, and your website is the needle that needs to be found. There are numerous simple methods you can use to achieve this.

Search Engines
The most effective way of gaining traffic to your website, is to be picked up by search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Ask.

Search engines use highly sophisticated Spiders that scan through the internet to find the most relevant websites available. The most important thing Spiders search for is Key Words.

Key Words are words or phrases relevant to the original search. So, for example, if somebody types: “Football in Brazil” into Google – Spiders will search for websites which includes as many relevant Key Words as possible, i.e. ‘football’, ‘brazil’, ‘soccer’, ‘Pele’.

The best thing you can do is jot down, before you write your article, a list of Key Words that need to be included in your copy, so that search engines have the best chance of finding Your website. Make sure you include as many Key Words as possible, but keep them all relevant and in context – Spiders are intelligent enough to spot someone trying to ‘cheat the system’.

Content
Above all else, the most important aspect of all – make sure you have good, quality content on your website. You can attract every internet user in the world to your website, but if the content is poor, they will not continue to read, they won’t come back, and your website becomes useless.

Your content must leave people wanting to revisit, wanting to buy your product/enjoy your writing, and best of all, go out and tell other people about your website.

If you do not have the nous for writing quality copy, you can hire a Copywriter to do this for you. They will know all the tricks of the trade, and optimise your chances of being picked up by search engines.

Social Networking
Networking, gaining contacts, and placing links on other websites is another valuable way to gain traffic. Millions of people use social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter – make the most of this. It is such an Easy way to connect with potential visitors.

If, for instance, you have written an interesting article on tennis player Andy Murray – search for him on Twitter, and then follow everyone who is following him. Then, put a link to your website, explaining you have an interesting article about Andy Murray that is well worth reading. A similar method can easily be followed using Facebook, by searching for Groups about Andy Murray – and then becoming Friends with all the members – and placing a link to your website/article.

The internet is huge – make the most of it
You need to throw your name, article and website address around as many relevant places as possible. Again, using Andy Murray as an example, search on Google for forums, communities and websites about him – and place a link to your website on each. Offer to put links on your website for other people, in return that they do the same for you.

Make sure they come back
Once people have visited your website, the aim then is to make them visit again. To do this, you need to show people that your website is dynamic, as oppose to static. This basically means that people won’t keep visiting a website that never changes. Keep updating your pages, information and content – it will keep visitors aware of your online presence.

Offering Freebies, such as a newsletter, is a good way to keep people aware of your dynamic website.

“By signing up to my website, you will receive a free newsletter on Andy Murray every month.”

This means that once every month, people will be reminded that you are still active, and still producing new content that may be of interest to them. This also gives you an opportunity every month to reconnect with the people who you followed on Twitter, and the people you made Friends with on Facebook, as you tell them about your new article, or your latest newsletter.

Key Words are Key
Once your article is complete – check your list of Key Words. Have you included each one at least once? I cannot stress the importance of this enough.

And before you submit:

PROOF READ PROOF READ PROOF READ

How to get Traffic to an Online Charity Auction Site

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 05:27:57 PST

So you are hosting your shiny new auction website, but how do you get quality traffic?

The million dollar question on the tip of any Newbie's tongue is always about traffic. You can have the best online business in the world, but if people don't visit your site it is all a waste of time and money. And it is not just about getting anyone, you want people who are truly interested in your product. This is why getting your SEO right and getting found organically in searches is by far the best way to make sure you have interested visitors. If you can get to number 1 on a competitive keyword in Google, you will have more interested traffic than you can handle. By the way, they will only be interested if you are interesting! So, the first thing to do is write.

Writing, Writing and more Writing

If you want people to buy your product, you must make sure you are an online authority on your subject. This can be achieved by writing an ebook, or posting quality content. Make sure you are in every conceivable corner of the internet with quality work that is not simply a rehash of something that someone else has already written.

You can write and submit: hubs, articles, press releases, blog entries, forums entries (quality ones), directory listings, product or book reviews. Make sure you include a link back to your site wherever you can (including your email signature) and make it easy for people to find you. Encouraging people to subscribe to your RSS feed is good practice too. If you do start a blog, keep it up and be consistent with your posting. If you have images, brilliant, they attract attention and people might find you on Google Images, or you could tag photos on facebook or Flickr. Get your keywords in the title, tags and the body of the text, and in your domain name if you can.

Take part in respected niche forums, but stay well clear of the spammy, scammy ones full of negative people who moan. Make sure that you add quality posts as opposed to lots of rubbish. No one wants to know what you had for breakfast!

Think carefully and edit your work. Spelling mistakes and typos can be a real turn off to people.

Be a Social Network Butterfly

A lot of internet marketers become hermit crabs when they should be more like butterflies! You will do well if you learn to pull traffic towards by being the kind of person who people want to e-hang with. Be helpful, answer questions on Yahoo and network like you would offline, be valuable. You can point people to good sources of work, give them free e-books or tips and tools. Anything FREE is always attractive! Find out if they found your freebies useful. Get them involved and make communication two way. You can do this by inviting comments, offering surveys, fun contests, or participating in conversations on social networks. When you are posting in social networks avoid spamming people on first introduction with a URL. You should aim to provide 4 pieces of useful content to every time you post a link to something you are selling. Add photos (with links) and keep it light and fun. Post topical and newsworthy things and keep up to date. Every now and again, post something controversial, just get the conversation going and make people remember you.

Develop a daily routine and discipline with social networks. Be consistent but don't waste all of your time on the sites. I find Twitter and Facebook the best, but consider del.icio.us, digg, myspace, yahoo and the others and do add a badge to your sites and blogs so people can link back and forth as they build up a picture of who you are.

Appeal to people's emotions. You could sponsor a charity for instance, someone asked me today to sponsor a dog (l love dogs). so that is another point. Be real. Authenticity is great for business, but also I really believe that if you are being true to yourself and writing from your heart people will be attracted. Stay positive and think positive things. This is sometimes called The Law of Attraction and it works!

If you have an option to allow translation, choose it especially Chinese. I have done this on my Third Sector Finance Blog with Blogspot.

Brand Yourself Beautiful

Remember to include a photo, link, logo and maybe a slogan wherever you go online. My lovely friend Al Diaz has coined the phrase Ilumine Ao which has become a trademark of his very strong branding. Clever man. It is important to do something or be something unique to people. My friend and colleague Paul and I share a blog that we like to think of as a drop in centre, a kind of coffee shop where we offer help to struggling internet marketers. Our brand is all based on being real, being available and lots of integrity.

Submit

A really obvious one that people forget. Make sure you submit your sites to DMOZ: http://dmoz.org/ and to the various search engines. Don't just stop at Google verification. Try to get included in newsletters.

Offline Work

This is critical. It takes a long time and a lot of work to really brand yourself well online so while that is happening engage with real people. Do good work with them and don't forget to ask for a link and a testimonial. I do a lot of offline work in my community because I get a massive kick out of seeing people get found online. I teach them how to build their own websites and then introduce them to everything in this article. I love seeing them soar to the top of Google. I also go to Chamber of Commerce and frequently speak at various business meetings. I have a deal with the local Further Education College and they pay me to hire graduates who I employ to do some of my time consuming work. At the same time I train them in the art and science of internet marketing so it is a win win situation. I have a particular interest in helping charities and third sector organisations raise money online and I do this at a reduced rate.

Products

We have looked at the process of getting traffic, but you also need to have a great product. Sell things that you know lots of people are looking for, but there is scarce. You can check this out by looking at the number of searches for a keyword compared to the number of providers. Google Keyword Tools is useful and you can also look at Clickbank to see if there are any products that you could be an affiliate of.

Nurture your list

Don't spam and bombard them! Send free things and also make offers that compliment what they have already bought. Traffic Geyser is really good at that. They offer really good quality video training and then offer a complimentary product that helps you to use the really useful information that they have just given you. Give excellent customer service every time. Answer emails and deliver your promises.

Buy traffic

If you are going to be really successful you will have to buy traffic in one way or another. Direct mail is becoming popular again because it is different to email. It makes a change. Offline ads in local papers or supermarkets. I know one marketer who slipped his business cards in books at supermarkets! Be creative! Promote yourself with PPC ads or get yourself on a traffic exchange or two. You can do those on a budget if necessary. Some people buy lists, but I am skeptical about that and don't want to encourage spamming in anyway.

Market research

Do your market research well and hunt for niches that will pay you well. High ticket items are great, and then I recommend making a blog post, an article, a podcast and a video and feeding all that through Traffic Geyser who hurl it all out to the world, saving you loads of time. Keep testing your work to find out what is working and what is not. This is a crucial step and if you are to become very successful you need to do it. Be curious and don't get too attached to what you think should work.

Joint Venture Partnerships

Teaming up with other businesses or individuals is fun and smart. Mashable media do that one really well. I loved their #beatcancer campaign. Cross marketing will save you time and money and can lead to quality friendships.

One last thing...keep checking your sites for broken links and fix them. There is nothing worse than a 404 error!

Well thanks for reading this far and I hope you have found it useful. I would love your comments! Kay

Low Cost Online Charity Auction & Silent Auction Software!

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:40:48 PST

I have just found the most quirky and funky fundraising idea! Online Charity Auction Software! This is a really exciting opportunity for fundraisers to easily host online charity events, silent auctions or public auctions online. It is a great way to make money online for non profits, charities and third sector organisations. It can also be used by any fundraiser or in business. With low start up costs and full customer support, there is no risk involved and should be a lot of fun.

It is The Only Low Cost Online Charity Auction Site called I Dontate to Charity

This means that it is affordable for Non-profits To Raise Money Online. They Provide All Affiliate Marketing Material You Need To Generate Traffic.

You get: Hosted Online Charity Auctions Unique Store Front URL Donation Pages and you can Sell Event Tickets & more

GET STARTED

IDonateToCharity.org is the home of one of the most cost effective Charity Auctions and Silent Auction Software available on the internet. Your next charity event or fundraiser auction will be a raving success with their top rated charity auction software.

It only costs $24.95 the first year and then only $19.95 every year after, and you will be able to raise money without filling in funding applications or hosting a live event. You keep 100% of the profits!

Their goal has always been to provide low cost online fundraising software to small and medium sized non-profits. They have very little overhead, so they can help third sector organisations raise even more money. Once you sign up for the 14 day trial you will be given immediate access by email to their top rated Silent Auction Software for only $4.95. If you like their charity auction service after 14 days, will they charge your credit card only $19.95 annually. If you feel the service is not a good fit for your needs, you can cancel your account anytime in the next 14 day.

You also get 200 fundraising tips & 60 Donation Letter Templates.

Online Charity Auction Software –

You get unique profit pulling auction software with store front hosted by IDTC. Each store is given a dedicated URL for easy access from any website or email. Run unlimited auctions throughout the year. Emails and donor information is provided in your admin area. You collect all donations through Paypal or offline and NO percentage is taken by IDTC from gross sales.

Donation Pages –

Set up an unlimited amount of donation pages throughout the year. Easily collect donations from anyone in the world. Each page is given a dedicated URL for placement on Websites or in emails. You collect all donations through Paypal and NO percentage is taken by IDTC from gross sales.

Online Raffles –

Set up and run an unlimited amount of raffles throughout the year. The system generates and draws raffle e-tickets with one click. You collect all donations through Paypal and NO percentage is taken by IDTC from gross sales.

Event Tickets –

Sell tickets to live charity events directly from your store font. The system will handle everything from start to finish. You set up the event and the E-ticketing system will sell the ticket for you. Before the live event, print out a list of tickets sold for easy check in at the door. You collect all donations through Paypal and NO percentage is taken by IDTC from gross sales.

Sponsor Ads –

Sell sponsor ads in your store and on your auction item listings. Increase your revenues by adding sponsor ads from local companies. Each ad can be linked to any website. (Additional fee is required)

Connect To Facebook –

Set up your store to run on facebook for greater exposure. The facebook app will allow you to show your store from your facebook page. Also let your visitors share your auction items with their friends with a push of the button.

Collect Donation Directly –

Let your visitors donate cash directly without placing a bid. 50% of visitors will not bid on items. Now give them an easy way to donate money without having to place a bid. Increase donations by 25% with this unique feature. You collect all donations through Paypal and NO percentage is taken by IDTC from gross sales.

Bidder Newsletter System –

Keep your bidders up to date on event changes or newly listed items. With one click, you can email all your bidders letting them know of any changes you made to your auction.

This really is an amazing multi-functional piece of low cost software that is so full of opportunity. Check it out here!

Plug and Play HQ, promoting JVPs

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 06:18:02 PST

Creative Solutions through Partnering
Plug and Play strategic Partnerships- the New Paradigm

Cumbria, or the Lake District, has a reputation for being really beautiful but also for attracting artists, writers and architects. Examples include: Wainwright, Beatrix Potter, John Ruskin, Arthur Ransome, William Wordsworth and William Butterfield. We still attract creative types and nowadays, they are likely to be using some kind of digital media as well as more traditional art forms. The landscape inspires and draws people to want to live and create here, but finding a job may be tricky, especially in the creative industries. A lot of our talented young people end up leaving the area even though they love it here.
Entrepreneurship is the obvious answer if the county is to recover from the recent flooding and the effects of the recession. There is a need to focus on fostering web based entrepreneurship rather than job creation. The number of homeworkers is definitely on the rise and it would be great to see much more targeted support for this growing trend. Our market leaders will be those who focus on online businesses and remote working. No longer can we rely on natural resources like coal, slate, steel, and oil to lead the economy. Information is this year's coal. People, knowledge and skills are the resources of the future and we have only seen the tip of the iceberg so far.

It is now possible to start a business online easily and you can do it for next to nothing if you are smart. If you have a good idea and apply yourself to learning about internet marketing, you could go a long way. I am not suggesting that you will get rich overnight, but with a positive attitude, creativity and planning you can get start making money online with a shoestring budget. Obviously, if you have got some capital, you can opt for a high ticket business more easily and use your money to drive traffic to whatever it is you are selling. For instance, a great Viral marketing campaign could get your information products into the global marketplace literally overnight. Frank Kearn and Ryan Higgans are fantastic examples of that. There are so many tools out there now to help you get your products to thousands of sites on the web. And with a bit of training and information, you can distribute the same piece of information as an article, podcast, blog, video or email using automated software.

It is no longer enough to just have a great product or service now, you also need to know how to market it effectively. This levels the playing field for people who live in rural areas like Cumbria and who want to work from their home or a shed. However, there are lots of skills involved in internet marketing, like graphic design, web server technology, programming, using social media, multi-lingual translations, international accounting, SEO, legal issues and the psychology of marketing. It would be pretty impossible for one person to have all those skills, but the good news is that joint venture partnerships offer really exciting win win solutions. With a dynamic combination of strategic partners it is possible to create a winning home based business from anywhere. You just need to link up with the right partners.

Traditionally, such alliances were formed at networking groups like the Chamber of Commerce and business breakfast clubs. Now online forums and social media make it possible for people to connect with strategic partners, meaning that you are more likely to meet just the right partner. For instance, Glen Richardson and 5 others managed to launch SendSocial for peanuts with only one real life meeting. The rest was done virtually and because each person contributed with sweat equity, it was possible to create a revolutionary product inexpensively and quickly. Glen thinks that one of the reasons that they have been such a huge success together is because they share a similar approach to business and their values are aligned.

Strategic alliances are the way forward and offer endless opportunities. When competitors or customers become colleagues, the sky is the limit. We are seeing so many unconventional alliances now, I am particularly fascinated by the partnering of third sector organisations with marketing companies, global organisations and mainstream businesses. It is now possible for a small charity to create an international appeal whilst simultaneously benefiting a mainstream business. Examples include The Railway Children partnering with Yahoo, the #beat cancer campaign and Amanda Rose's Twestival to raise funds for clean water.

We are witnessing a massive paradigm shift in the way that we approach work and business. I share an office in a gorgeous old house in the South Lakes, situated in a lovely park. Entrepreneurs and geeks drop in and work there and we like to think of it as a Giant Plug and Play Coffee Shop, a place where we can show up, plug in and get started. People wander in and out and it gives home-workers, or as Emma Jones puts it the 5-9 crowd a change of scenery. We all plug into each other and the inspirational atmosphere means that it becomes a giant think tank. We share ideas, bounce off each other and inspire one another. We share equipment, knowledge, best practice ideas, skills and a great cup of coffee! We remind each other that it is lunch time! Strategic partnerships automatically form and new supply chains can be established within hours. Sometimes people will be on teleconference calls and speaking to multiple partners from around the world. Sometimes we just work in silence too, but it is great knowing there are friends around. This means that Cumbrian start-ups have the same opportunities to hit global markets as a business based in London or New York. It's all about choosing the right partners and the right business ideas, but having an inspirational work environment is a big fat bonus. Of course this is great news for the environment too.

You have to remember that if your business is online, no matter whether you work from home or an office, your visitors are global and there is no reason that your partners can't be too. Geography does not have to be an issue for online work now, and if you are smart, you can keep the costs down too. If you want to get started learning about internet marketing and making money online I would suggest the FREE 4 Step Internet Marketing Course. It will teach you what you need to know and give you some products to get started with. Or you can use it to market your own ideas, products or services. Give me a shout if you want to know more about getting started with that one, or just download it here. We also offer internet marketing courses for dummies in real life and we invite you to bring your laptop and show you how to you set up your first website or blog. A series of more advanced seminars are coming up in the New Year and will be delivered by successful Cumbrian internet entrepreneurs. We will of course be recording these and they will be available as webinars. These will be announced at an up and coming Tweet Up so you can plug and play with us too! Contact me on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter if you are interested in attending any of these events.

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 22:24:14 PST

Emma Jones, Founder of Enterprise Nation
I have just read an uber useful report by a brilliant woman I know called Emma Jones. I got to know Emma when she was doing some work here in Cumbria a few years ago and we ended up at quite a few entrepreneurial master classes together. I was really fortunate to get to work with her on a project that she was heading up. We were encouraging entrepreneurship in our area of Cumbria and addressing the brain drain of young talented people. She is one smart woman, beautiful inside and out and one of the things I really like about her is that she always makes you feel good when she talks to you. She is a serial entrepreneur with the Midas Touch and everything she does is first class and top quality. She runs a business called Enterprise Nation which is a free one stop shop resource centre for those of us working from home. She also wrote a book a couple of years ago called Spare Room Start Up and I had the pleasure of attending the launch when she took it on a national tour. It is an excellent book, a best seller on Amazon and I always recommend it to delegates when I do trainings on start-up. My signed copy is one of my favorite books because it keeps reminding me of the crucial fundamentals of business.

So Emma sent me this report today, in response to an e-mail that I sent to her asking if she had any research about stats about entrepreneurs and their needs. I was chuffed to bits to get The Home Business Report 2009 which was launched last week. It is based on real-time grassroots information. Any reliable and valid information is rare in the home business sector and the report has answered a lot of my questions. I will be able to use this as part of my evidence base to present to funders for a local project that I am setting up to train young creative entrepreneurs. This is a unique document as there is very little information out there about the growing trend of home working.

For instance, did you know that the number of people starting and growing a business from home has risen to 2.8 million and the combined contribution to the annual UK economy is 284 billion? Enterprise Nation coined the phrase ‘Working 5 to 9’ which refers to those holding down a day job and building a business at nights and weekends. This is something that is often not admitted online by the crowd who claim that they make money in their sleep with little to no work. Any decent business takes blood, sweat and tears in the early days. You have to put the hours in. She advised that this is the best way to start as it gives you a chance to build confidence and cashflow, before making a full-time move into self-employment.

She said that one of the factors that has influenced the increase in home business start-ups is affordable technology. This is really important to me and my fellow entrepreneurs in Cumbria, it makes it possible to work remotely. In her extensive Home Business 2009 Survey she discovered:

"81% of respondents asserted that ‘technology is critical to the success of my business’ and the majority of home business owners choose websites and blogs as their first port of call for business advice." I think that this is a massively significant phenomenon. Some people think that the 'Freeconomics Era' is damaging the economy, but I think it will eventually separate the credible experts from the spammers and scammers. This will mean that anyone can prove their competency regardless of their educational background and to a certain extent their financial position.

Respondents of the home Business Survey also referred to the freedom and flexibility that they enjoy and an improved work/life balance. What was brilliant to hear was that a stunning 89% are expecting their turnover to grow during the next year. The great thing is that they are growing their businesses without taking on staff. Technology is allowing them to outsource and sub-contract and Emma calls on the Government to ensure that business support projects and policies are aligned with this modern approach to building a business. I echo this as I have seen a number of grants that are available in support of job creation or employing the unemployed, but there is little support for the development of entrepreneurs. Flying Start is good, but only available to graduates and does not always ensure the ongoing support and mentorship that is required. There is next to nothing available for start up enterprises which is crazy because entrepreneurship is what is required to lead us out of the recession. In times of hardship and recession, leverage is essential for recovery.

Emma Jones went on to describe the leverage that is possible through technology: "this re-defines our attitude towards growth which has historically been based on number of people on the payroll." This is a hugely exciting wave that we are riding the crest of and it will be fascinating to see where it goes and all of the implications it will have on economy, culture and social trends. Think about it: Not so long ago, women were fighting to get out to work and now men are working hard to find ways to work in slippers and have some quality time with their families. Some socioeconomical themes emerged in the report.

The 5 themes covered in the report are:

Growing the business without outgrowing the home

How home businesses are starting out

Bringing families together

Trading across borders

Having a positive impact on the local conomy and community.

Each theme is illustrated through stories about successful Uk home based businesses and they are really inspiring. It was very interesting to read about the top 100 home business hotspots in the UK and a summary of how business support is responding to the needs of home business owners. Is your area one of the top 100? Emma is no stranger to making herself heard in political forums and I really love that she is conducting such quality research that truly represents what is happening at the grassroots level. The home business world now has a voice and this will inform decisions made at central government level. She has a great way of communicating with policy-makers and I think she will make a difference to future policies no matter which political party win the general election.

Emma, who founded Enterprise Nation, spoke of the great strides that have been made in the past 12 months, including the UK's first ever Home Enterprise Day and Business Link's national home business guide (which I find brilliant) and the Central Government encouraging live/work developments. She goes on to say that more needs to be done to encourage home working to fully flourish and she calls on various bodies to take action within the report.

If you are an entrepreneur working from home in the UK, you would be really missing out if you don't read this report, and sign up to Enterprise Nation. It is a quality site populated with useful information and lively interactive forums that help to reduce the isolation experienced by many work at home entrepreneurs. It is the UK's largest community of successful home business owners and it is full jam packed with the kind of stuff that will give you the edge in your home business.

To find out more, visit Enterprise Nation and say hi to Emma, you will love her!

This is HOT off the PRESS SOCIAL MEDIA

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:21:10 PST

This is the hottest new thing in social media and could be excellent news for charities and social enterprises.

How it works

SendSocial makes sending things to your friends and relatives easy – you don't even need to know where they live.

You can send an item knowing only your recipient's Twitter ID or email address. We'll send your request to the individual, and – if they choose to accept – will take their address details from them.

You'll then receive a notification that they're happy to hear from you, and will be asked to confirm the collection address and pay by credit or debit card. Once this is complete, we'll provide you with an address-less label to stick to your package, which will be collected by myHermes, our delivery partners, and delivered in 3-5 working days.

The barcode contains all the important delivery information. myHermes have upgraded their systems to be able to read these: this means that items can travel safely from A to B quickly and easily, whilst giving you the peace of mind that your privacy is guaranteed.

This means that with a bit of a brainstorm, you could come up with a really hot fundraising campaign before Christmas....think of joint partnerships here. Do you have any corporations supporting your cause who might be able to benefit from PR injection? Secret Santa? Competitions?

They have kept their pricing structure simple, charging one of three rates depending on the weight of your package. They don't have any hidden charges, either - what you see is what you pay. The prices for optional extras, such as a signature on delivery, are explained below.
Parcel weight Price
0-2kg £3.99
2-5kg £6.99
5-10kg £7.99
Additional services Price
Signature on delivery £0.99
Remote area surcharge* £1.91
Up to £25 compensation cover free

Send social is set to be the biggest thing in social media next year, and the bandwagon has not left the station yet!

3 Ways to Approach Internet Marketing

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:32:26 PST

3 Ways to Approach Internet Marketing

There are 3 different internet marketing strategies that you could use to start a home based business, mostly based around the level of investment that you want to or can make when you start out. Obviously, any new business requires some kind of investment, both in terms of time and money and you can choose how you want to balance it. If you are thinking of starting an online business, then you will need to work out how to get people to visit your website in order to make money. You could have the best web design in the world, but if you don't use some kind of advertising strategy, then you will not be a successful internet marketer. However, with the right internet marketing tools, you can advertise your new business for free.

Free or low cost Internet Marketing Business Opportunities

This web marketing strategy involves putting a lot of time into making sure that you get found online. There are no two ways around it, success online does not happen by chance, and there are a number of marketing tools that you need to become familiar with and you need a clear plan of action. Otherwise, you will be making a lot of noise that no one will hear above the rest. I think it is best to have someone show you an exact step by step system that is proven to work so that you get the foundations under your belt. If you want to learn how to do something well, you should learn from a consultant who is honest and knows what they are talking about. Affiliate marketing is a great way to get started, but you do need a plan. This is the way that many of the great internet marketing giants started out, like Chris Gardner for instance, but equally people can lose a lot of money if they don't have a clear strategy. For my money, I would recommend The Turn-Key Marketing 4 Step system. This proven system will walk you through, Step-By-Step EXACTLY how to set up your income stream quickly. In fact, some people have reached a 5 Figure monthly income in around 3 months. It is one dollar to take a 2 week trial, and for that you get 4 training videos, and action manual and 10 free digital products to resell and keep 100% of the profits. After this you can take the manual and run, or continue in the coaching club for a minimal monthly investment. The coaching club gives you access to webinars, an online community of experts and access to stepping your business up to the next level.

Mid Range Investment to an Internet Marketing Business Opportunities

This option suits someone who is able to invest some money into a business that has higher profit levels and therefore has a bigger earning potential for the same amount of time needed to advertise it. You can sell mid range products and still use free advertising strategies but then get a higher return. Using this approach, the serious entrepreneur will then re-invest some of the money in either a high ticket internet business, or some really slick advertising for the mid-range one. The trick is working out how much of the business can be automated. If the answer is a lot, then keep ploughing money back into it. There is a new opportunity about to be launched that is going to be an absolute winner. It is called Primo Vacations and it offers top quality holiday destinations at next to nothing about 80% off!!!. It is like having your own travel business that you can use or sell. A brilliant product to launch in this economic climate where people have cut back on fancy holidays but are in desperate need of a good break. The compensation plan is unrivalled, and it is an easy business to get into. There is some investment required of course, but you would soon be on holiday yourself and probably find yourself in the company of all the top internet marketers who are taking advantage of a great deal! Pack up your laptop and work by the beach!!

High Ticket Internet Marketing Business Opportunities

These businesses are for people who are online to make serious money. These are not hobbies or experiments, they are for single-minded determined entrepreneurs who are set to make 6 or 7 figures and come hell or high water will do it. Some people come to this after working their way up through the other two options, and some jump in feet first. If you have worked your way up to high ticket sales, you probably have some money to employ others to do some of the work and can then leverage some of your time and exponentially increase your earnings. This is when it gets really exciting. The the premier online package is Your Net Biz. They aim to aim to partner with serious entrepreneurs and give them a direct line to success. They provide unmatched value with our product suite, distinct and innovative marketing solutions, and cutting edge, real time, marketing training, which will give you all the internet marketing tools you need to go straight to the top. This is not for everyone, you do need to have the right mindset to make it work. However, if you are interested in getting the free 4 step training manual and videos, this would be a great place to explore whether it is right for you. It will give you a clear idea about what is involved. To your success!

Cumbria Underwater, Please Donate

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:43:17 PST

Hi, it is Monday the 23rd November 2009 and all is not well in Cumbria. Since Thurs, we have been experiencing relentless rain and flooding and some parts of the county are in a state of emergency. Thousands of people in Cumbria have been warned today that they could be cut off for months because some of our bridges have either collapsed or are now too dangerous to use.

As a county, Cumbria is mostly rural and perhaps best known for The Lake District National Park. It is one of the most gorgeous parts of the UK. Tiny roads run cross country between towns that are miles apart. It is a big county, and with mountains, forests, lakes and a coastline. People love visiting because of the natural beauty and because of the wide open spaces and places to get away from it all. We rely heavily on tourism and many industries are seasonal.

The flooding at the moment is devastating. People have been evacuated from their homes in Workington, Carlisle and Cockermouth. Many of our old bridges, that were designed for horse and cart traffic have either collapsed or are in danger of doing so. As I write it is still raining. Workington is in danger of being cut off for months. The Calva bridge that links the north and the south of the town is no longer safe, so the town is completely divided. The whole town was cut off from the rest of the county when the Northside Bridge collapsed on Friday. PC Bill Barker was killed when he was swept away stopping a bus from crossing just as the bridge collapsed. Chief Constable Craig Mackey has created a Face Book page to pay tribute and already there have been an overwhelming 10,000 + people pledging their support to his family and colleagues. I hope this support continues beyond the hype of the news. So many families will be emotionally and financially suffering for months to come. The area was already hard hit by the recession and they will need massive help to recover from this.

Currently, engineers and military experts continue to monitor the county's 1,800 bridges which are in danger of collapse. Gordon Brown has pledged a million pounds to help with the clear up, I'm not so sure how much difference that will make to the 50-100 million pounds of damage. About twenty boats on Lake Windermere have sunk due to the floods and holiday homes near the lake have been evacuated. A recovery company is meant to be coming today to raise the boats, but it is still raining.

Thirteen primary schools and five secondary schools will be closed today, with the majority hoping to reopen on Tuesday. Our local high school, Ulverston Victoria has been used as a refuge centre for people with no where to stay. About 60 people were still sheltering in the two main reception centres. Local people are offering temporary accommodation to those affected by the floods. If you would like to be added to this list - please send your name and contact details including phone numbers - and a brief summary of what you can offer, to Julian at Visit Cumbria: julian@visitcumbria.com Tel 07747 146816. Local tradespeople offering help with flood damage clearance and repairs are also invited to send contact details and a brief summary of what they can offer and can have a free listing on Visit Cumbria.

Another downpour is expected in the coming days, with strong winds tomorrow night. The Cumbria Flood Recovery Fund, set up by the Cumbria Community Foundation reached £145,000 so far, but so much more is needed. If you would like to help, you can donate through the Cumbria Foundation. http://www.cumbriafoundation.org who have a Give Now button on their site.

eFundraising Offers You Help with an Experienced Fundraising Consultant

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:34:37 PST

eFundraising offer a variety of fundraising kits for you to choose from to raise money for your non-profit organisation. They are a Canadian company who have created a variety of solutions for third sectors to raise money.

They offer personal consultation and up to 90% of the profit and give you a choice of proven fundraising programmes. Their online store has a variety of products at competitive prices, including chocolates, scratch cards, magazines, cookie dough and lots more. Once you have requested a free information kit, you are given an opportunity to discuss this with an experienced fundraising consultant. They like to help you make sure that you are choosing the right programme for your charity, school, support group or other not for profit organisation. This is based on your financial needs, your group type, your past fundraising experience, the expected participation rate and the motivation level of your group, as well as your geographic location.

If you are interested, just browse through the site and check out the selection of programmes, select a kit and then you can call them if you like to discuss. Once you have run your campaign, which should last about 2 weeks, you can place your order online or on the phone.

Obviously the more successful you are, the more successful they are so it is in your interest for them to help you.

Dutch Mill Bulbs are another company who might interest you. They offer a wide variety of spring bulbs, an ideal gift for keen gardeners. This would lend itself well to a heritage or development trust.

There are lots of companies out there offering this kind of service. Try and pick one that you think offers the best range of products for your organisation. Have fun and good luck!

Joint Venture Partnerships

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:56:25 PST

Joint venture partnerships are becoming more and more popular and are offering both businesses and charities a bail out solution. Many main stream businesses are approaching charities to work together. It gives the charities a financial solution and a way to raise money with little effort and it gives the company a unique selling point. It also means that the charity will be endorsing the company to its members.
The consumer wins too, because he or she gets to support a charity and buy something at the same time as opposed to making a straight donation.

Businesses are jumping on this bandwagon too, and recognising that if they are seen to be supporting a charity, they will get corporate social responsibility points. A company that is advertising the fact that it is supporting a charity is advertising itself as a caring company: Subtext, buy from us we care about such and such and we are doing well enough to give to charity.

So Printing Direct offer a collection of Corporate Charity Christmas Cards. You can choose from over forty UK based domestic and international charities to support when ordering your cards. Printing Direct then have the advantage over other printing companies who don't team up with a charity, the business advertises itself and the charity wins as well. This isn't news, but what is new is how easy it is to do this online. You can have them personalised, personalised inside with your company details. The logo and description of your selected charity will also appear on the facing page inside your card.

Charities could take the initiative themselves, they could a potential joint venture partner and have cards made up and then ask their members to place an order with a company.

Combined Charities Christmas Shops 1971 - 2008 is an amazing company if you are thinking of doing this.

Combined Charities began in 1971, with 12 participating charities. It has now grown to 5 times that. The internet venture seemed a logical extension of what they were already doing and allowed them to provide the service to charities with no local volunteer effort to support a position in the shops.

But get this:

1] Charities, whether in their shops or on their web-site, get 100% of their sales.

2] No-one working for Combined Charities is paid.

Get in touch if you are looking to produce cards, check out the site knowing that charities get 100% returned to them.

How lovely to know that such people still exist.

Use the X Factor to Propel your donations

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:15:50 PST

X Factor Charity Single for Great Ormond Street: Watch Sunday

This is a superb bit of fundraising that will inspire people to give to such a worthy cause. Online, immediate and easy. See how it is done?

Ok, so you don't have access to X Factor, but you could partner with others? This is the way forward. If you are doing something worthwhile, people will back you and you don't have to fit in to funders' criteria, you can take it to the public vote...dead lock, go for it! The following text is taken from the below address where you can make donations.

http://www.inentertainment.co.uk/20091112/x-factor-charity-single-for-great-ormond-street-watch-sunday/

As you all know, it’s the “X Factor” live results show on Sunday nights and every week, the finalists perform a group song to open the show. And this Sunday, is going to be a very special performance for the “X Factor” finalists.

According to itv.com, all of this year’s finalists will be reunited this Sunday, for an exclusive first performance of their Great Ormond Street Hospital charity single, which this year is Michael Jackson’s “You Are Not Alone.”

Over the past few weeks, all twelve finalists have been busy working together to record the new single, which will be available to download on the Sunday, and available to buy in the shops from the Monday 16th November.

The moment has almost arrived now, for the 12 finalists to unveil their new charity single and it appears that they couldn’t be more excited. Jamie Archer said that they all feel honoured, to be part of such a great cause.

Rachel Adedeji said that they hope it gets to number one. And we hope that it goes to No.1 as well, as a percentage of the proceeds from every single downloaded and every CD purchased, goes to Great Ormond Street Hospital.

And if you want to know more information about Great Ormond Street Hospital and the amazing work that it does, then you can by visiting www.gosh.org/x-factor/.

6 Weeks to Christmas Have you Got a Campaign?

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:46:08 PST

Ok, so we are on the run up to Christmas and I thought I would feature different charities and third sector organisations who are running interesting, creative and successful fundraising strategies online. It will give you some ideas and also make you think about what else you could be doing all year round.

Today's featured charity is Childline who have teamed with Ichameleon. The following text is from their website:

Last year's ChildLine appeal website, designed and built by Ichameleon, exceeded all expectations in raising over 10 times the expected fundraising target. This allowed ChildLine to answer an additional 157,000 calls from children in need. This year ChildLine has again asked Ichameleon to spearhead the Christmas fundraising campaign with a site designed to appeal to the child in everyone.

Packed with fun features, activities and stunning images, this year's site is a one-stop-shop for anyone wanting to find ways to support the charity. The site cleverly integrates with payment gateways and third party applications to make the whole process of giving and supporting easy.

Highlights include:

Order a personalised letter from Santa
Buy cards and gifts online
Choose which Reindeer heads Santa's sleigh
Track Santa from space via satellite

Ichameleon is delighted to be partnering with ChildLine again on this exciting project and we are confident that this year's site will capture supporters' imagination and deliver a fantastic return to help even more children this Christmas!

I think this is brilliant and I am going to be looking out for this one. The genius of it is that it is giving people something exciting but without it having to be manned. That's the idea, automate as much as you can.

Think Before You Tweet!

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:15:04 PST

Tweet Quiz: What kind of poster are you?

What started out as social media is in danger of becoming very anti-social I think. I have met some really great people who have become proper friends, lots of people who have inspired or taught me and others who I delete from my profile pretty quickly. I have been really fascinated by the ways that some people communicate on social media platforms. I wonder if they behave like that in real life or if they just forget that they are making contact with a real person? Well, even that's debatable some people's tweets are so automated that they just have conversations with other autoresponders!

I have noticed 7 different types of social network posters:

Autoposters

These are the ones who use a completely autogenerated system of following, unfollowing and responding. They can grow thier twitter accounts without ever going near twitter and even send out tweets. Not very social, and it is fairly obvious to the tweetee. It will be interesting to see whether the long term success of having artificially inflated numbers of followers does in fact have any impact on the long-term success of businesses or in fact Twitter. Surely if this trend continues Twitter will lose its value once it reaches a critical mass.

Funnyposters

I love these! If they are really funny. I have a strange sense of humour, so what I think is funny may not appeal to anyone else, but I do love it when someone makes me laugh outloud. One that I read recently was "I hate peeing on electric fences." It was a welcome reprieve from the many aggressive posts that I was bombarded with that day.

Aggressiveposters

These are the really loud and irritating ones who scream at you as soon as you friend them up or follow them. They scream buy my product, you are crazy not to, one time only...blah blah blah. They know nothing about you and they keep bombarding you with hard sales, mostly for snake oil calibre products. MLM, matrix, health products, weight loss solutions and get rich quick scams. It is a kind of spam and I don't like it. Delete. Unfollow, get out of my face.

Helpfulposters

These guys are cool. They give you information, ideas and links to articles that teach us something useful. They have knowledge or insights to a subject and they share the information. They save you time and introduce you to new concepts. They are there for the good of the online community and are confident enough about themselves not to have to scream at you the second you meet. They generally have a good clean online presence and conduct their business with respect, kindness and a helpful spirit. I like dealing with them and would be more likely to build a relationship with them and eventually buy from them.

Holyposters

Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and it is great to share them....when you have permission or invitation to do so.
Helps us learn. . .however, don't knock me over the head with your beliefs. I have my own thank you very much. Some people use social network platforms like a podium to inflict the world with their (often rigid and dogmatic) doctrine. Case in point is the story about Carrie Prejean who is dominating Twitter conversations because she has upset so many people with her religious fanatacism.

Friendlyposters

These are people who are personable and warm and give something of themselves. Done skillfully these guys are the ones who really make social contact with others and are likely to become friends. However, done clumsily or in an over familiar way, they can be a real turn off. It is always great to get behind the scenes and find out people's stories, and feel as though we are getting to know them a bit. When we get insights into their lifestyle, habbits, likes and dislikes we begin to get a sense of the person behind the business. We are social creatures, we make decisions based on what we think of someone we might enter into a transaction with.

Inspiringposters

These guys are wonderful. I love clicking on some profiles of people who really walk their talk and this wonderful warm feeling oozes from between thier wise words. I think it is really obvious when you visit their sites that they are the genuine article. They add value to the day, make the world a better place and talk about things that really matter and hold meaning. They remind us to be better people.

What kind of posts do you leave and what does this say about you as a person? let's not fill the internet up with such rubbish and be mindful of our words, they are your shop window.

Unleash Your Inner Entrepreneur!

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:48:37 PST

I have been single parenting now for about 10 years and I want to share some of the highs and lows with you. My family are the most important thing in my life, and I am a real home bird. I would also consider myself very ambitious and a career woman, so for many years I have been pulled in lots of directions trying to get the best of both worlds. My career has centered around empowering others and I have given it my everything, and sometimes there was not much of me left at the end of the day. I have had jobs, but I have also run my own businesses, basically I did what it took to live a middle class life style and make sure the kids could do all their lessons, and opportunities. In short I was exhausted.

The lone parenting bit has been good, I feel complete and happy with myself and my children. I have learned how to be strong, resilient and independent. I am resourceful and spirited and I think my kids have become stronger for it too. I enjoy really close and quality relationships with all my children who I think are also independent, fun, free-thinking individuals. I am really proud of all of them. I have mostly managed to be there after school and in school holidays, although it has meant some serious juggling acts over the years. I tried different home businesses to earn extra income but it took me a while to find the right one that would give me career satisfaction, time at home with the kids and substantially more than just extra income. No more juggling acts!

The answer for me has involved some retraining and learning all about internet marketing. It is a big complex industry with many facets and opportunities. I trained with a company who offer a comprehensive program, personal coaching and a ready made network. This means that I work for myself (hooray) but never by myself and I have much more time with my children. It has given me unlimited earning potential and as many choices as I give myself. The best thing is the leverage it offers, freeing up time and energy.

Internet marketing is a really great option for parents who want to work from home or people like airforce Moms who move around a lot and would otherwise have discontinuity in their careers. I really like the offline side of it too, I have met some really wonderful people online who have now become offline friends and colleagues. My dream is to help lots and lots of single parents end their financial and energy drain struggles and create the kind of income that will allow them to enjoy their family growing up. I know how exhausting single parenting can be, and if you are looking for a way of changing your financial situation, I would be very happy to chat with you about internet marketing as an option. I am not promising that it will make you a millionaire, although it is certainly possible, but many people replace their yearly income monthly. It's not for everyone, but it could just be the answer you are looking for.

A Warning to Anyone Thinking Of Joining Your Net Biz

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:42:28 PST

A Warning to Anyone Thinking Of Joining Your Net Biz

Third Sector Rant

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:08:22 PST

Unite Trade Union has warned against the growing trend for social enterprises to deliver health care that has up until now been delivered by NHS. The Trade Union has launched a campaign against the proposal of a newly launched social enterprise in Kent and has also called for a ballot of staff in a Hull NHS primary care trust about an SE called City Health Care Partnership. Unite believes that the creation of social enterprises could break up the health service and increase existing costs.

My question is why are these enterprises being set up in the first place? I believe that the creation of more social enterprises means the creation of many more choices that are not available on the NHS. I also think that they will be able to provide a better and more cost effective service in many cases. Lastly, they will be able to deliver a very personal and individualised care package. I know that this does happen in some areas of NHS care, but it is not always possible. My neighbour is a nurse, and I know how stretched she is, often she is expected to be doing much more than she has time for. I used to work as a nurse and I felt frustrated by the way that money was spent and not spent. For instance, nutrition should be of primary concern for people who are going through a healing process, but the budget meals remain a false economy in many hospitals. In contrast, there were many uneccesary medicines distributed to patients as a matter of routine, which then created side effects that eventually cost more money.

Enough ranting about that, the point is that I believe that if the proper processes are in place, that third sector organisations are well placed to deliver the kind of quality that we expect in the private sector but with the accessibility of the public sector. They will be able to deliver care based on sound research and common sense and be able to make choices based on what is needed locally. Win Win. Unite are worried that the inevitable collapse of social enterprises will mean that our health care will then be farmed out to the private sector.

Well, (rant continues), then support the social enterprises financially and give them good business guidance to help them become sustainable. Too much money gets wasted arguing about how the money will be distributed by the fundholders on big fat salaries. By the time it dribbles down to the charities and social enterprises it is hardly surprising that they have to work so hard to be sustainable.

Unite also argue that this move towards social enterprises will lead to defragmentation of the services. I argue that in this information age, it is so easily remedied and in fact stacking websites could mean a much easier access to all of the services available and more unity in the health care sector.

These days, social enterprises are highly accountable and will only get funding if the correct policies and procedures are in place and are adhered to. I suspect they come under even more scrutiny than the public sector at times but the difference is that they have more scope to be able to deliver context specific services.

Under Department of Health policy, all primary care trusts are becoming commissioners rather than providers of services and have the choice of becoming foundations, trusts or social enterprises. change is happening whether we like it or not. I would prefer to see the third sector take a leading role in our health care service and create a system of health promotion rather than illness fixing.

Rant over, this is a subject close to my heart and I really believe that the rise of the social enterprise could have a massive effect on the health and well being and our economy of our country, if it is supported and funded properly.

Spirituality and Social Conscience

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:12:30 PST

I have been networking on Facebook for a little while now and have acquired many new American Friends who are not afraid of talking about their spirtual beliefs in the same breath as their business promotion. This is much less likely to happen on this side of the pond, but something is changing. No longer is cash king and I often hear people refering to the 'tripple bottom line' (people, planet and profit) and in this country, we an influx of third sector organisations. I am interested in looking beyond the ppp model and exploring the s- spirituality in charities and social enterprises, and specifically in entrepreneurship.

What is spirituality? Well, there is no academic or theological consensus about what spirituality is, but what I am referring to is personal values and qualities like honesty, compassion, trust, integrity, responsibility, personal awareness, awareness of something higher beyond the self, and social awareness. There is some kind of communication with the higher power like prayer or meditation and this informs behaviour with self, others and the environment. To me it is generic and inclusive and nothing to do with a specific religion.

What does spirituality have to do with entrepreneurship? I guess for me, entrepreneurs are the movers and shakers, the shapers and the trend setters. They have direct and indirect effects on the global economy, buying patterns and even thinking patterns, especially in this instant information age.

We see this happen in big business, where people are inspired by entrepreneurial giants to make millions by following their spiritual success formula. Take The Secret for instance. This was a group of highly successful entrepreneurs who got together to tell the world about how their spiritual beliefs were directly responsible for their success. This created an exponential growth of mastermind groups, internet marketing of Secret products, Law of Attraction paraphanalia, coaching courses, new books, ebooks and it changed the way that lots of people approached business.

Then we see people like Jim Rohn, who is a popular American motivational and business coach who has been giving seminars to large companies and indivuals for more than 40 years. He is a many times published author of books about spirituality, success, leadership, business skills, self development, dealing with customers, and motivation. He works with people to help them improve self-confidence, determination to succeed, mental attitude and ambition. Louise Hay has also been connecting spirituality with business and success for many years and has never changed her bottom line, she teaches that if we love ourselves and give to others, everything else will fall into place. Her own success was built on these principles and she grew in wealth and popularity when she began her work with AIDS victims in the 80s, teaching them to love and accept themselves.

For the past few years, I have been actively seeking out creative and social entrepreneurs and have been meeting with them to find out exactly how they do success and what drives them to be successful. I have noticed that some entrepreneurs have made millions lost and regained, some come into it in later life and some people start at about age 5 or 6 and never stop. I am deeply curious about the links between spirituality, mindset and success and continue on my journey of exploration. I am watching the effects of the internet, corporate downsizing, the move towards working from home and the emergence of like-minded individuals forming remote companies. It is an extremely interesting time for business and it could be said that the recession was needed to break down the old structures and create a big enough discomfort zone for new structures to emerge.

I wonder if there are increasing numbers of people who are identifying as spiritual-social entrepreneurs and this is a growing movement or whether the internet is just allowing us to find each other? Maybe we are all just getting a little braver about talking about it, or maybe the effects of people like Jim Rohn and Louise Hay and Deepak Chopra have reached a critical mass? Are we getting wiser to the unethical entrepreneurs who would prey on vulnerable individuals and can we prevent the human race re-creating the old model of world economics? Are there enough 'conscious' entrepreneurs to make fundamental changes to the way that we think about wealth creation and distribution?

Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop, was one of my personal heroes for lots of reasons. She built a company based on strong ethical principles and she made a moral decision to employ the unemployable and put 25 per cent of the net profits back into charitable work. She was determined to keep the soul of the company alive. In today's economic climate people are having to dig deep, seriously reflect on and consider their current direction and values and assess whether their game plan is really working for them. It is a time of challenge and opportunity. In the words of Kahil Gibran, The Prophet, “Work is love made visible.”

How do you approach success?

The Importance of U in Fundraising

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:40:16 PDT

We all know that the competition is getting fiercer out there. I was looking at one funding body yesterday and they warned that less than 5% of the applicants are successful. How many man hours are spent in this country writing unsuccessful funding applications? This also means that there is a huge amount of stress put on the poor funding bodies who have to go through hundreds of grant applications to choose the winners.

I know people are starting to get more creative with funding bids and are submitting DVDs and other forms of multi media to stand out from the crowd on first look. This is crucial in today's world. I also think in this age of uber information success in the third sector depends on your ability to convince people that you are real and working with real people. How can you do that?

You and your organisation need to shine through as much as the people who you are helping do. The reality is, no matter what you do or how well you you are doing it, if you can't engage your funder or sponsor, you will not get a second chance in a pile of bids. Your goal is to keep ‘em reading, whether that is on a website or an application. If your funder likes your “voice” and your “music”, then you’re on your way to getting through to the critical next stage in the process.

People are more likely to donate to people. Include something on your website that tells your personal story and the story of your organisation so that your supporters can relate to you when they visit your website for the first time. Even if you don't feel competent in your writing skills, don't worry, people relate to REAL people. Anyway, once you get those creative juices flowing you might just surprise yourself.
People will trust and relate to you more if you share your background and what you
were looking for when you got started, as well as WHY you are so passionate about your charity or social enterprise.

Tell them a little about you. Most people are involved in charity work because they have been personally affected in some way themselves. I am so passionate about this because I have been there myself and I feel passionate about finding ways for the amazing and caring people to free themselves from financial worry and just get on with doing their charitable work. I also want them to have some kind of life outside of that work. So let your supporter find some common ground and relate to you on many different levels. You never know exactly where someone might find a connection with you, so include as much detailed info as you can, as long as it’s on topic.

You’ll be more likely to attract like-minded funders and supporters that way too, which will make your life so much easier when you are delivering what you have agreed to deliver. Remember, YOU are the one thing that sets you apart from everyone
else in the field. And your story is the one thing that no one can duplicate.
Writing your story out will require a bit of thought, but it will be well worth it.

When you are finished, let a few people read it and get some feedback. Do remember to ask people who will be honest rather than say what they think you want to hear!

Have fun with it! Make it interesting, add photos that people will relate to, but keep it professional too.

I would love to see any examples and would be happy to post them on here. Mine about me page is www.whoiskayhebbourn.com. Happy to have feedback from you!

Remember to ask me how Yahoo! is willing to give your charity or SE a free guaranteed funding stream.

Time, Money and Freedom. Gold Fever?

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:09:01 PDT

Time, Money and Freedom. Gold Fever?

Time, money and freedom (especially financial) are the top 3 reasons that people join in the contemporary 'goldrush' that we see now as people from every demographic search the net to find the holy grail. It used to be 6 figures, but more recently I notice that there are more and more ads suggesting that 7 figures are possible with the latest biz op. I unerstand that only 1-2% of internet marketers are successful, although just how those statsitics can be measured I don't know.

What I do know is that there are some striking similarities between the goldrush at Klondyke and the clamber to the top of Google. During the goldrush, educated men like doctors, lawyers, teachers and writers took to the cruel Canadian terrain and risked everything in order to gain in most cases nothing. They left families behind to cope without them and many of them never returned. The analogy here is obvious, Joe Bloggs turned internet marketer has an acute case of Gold Fever. Last seen in a pair of pyjammas, he was disappearing into the screen of his laptop having maxed out every credit card going. Meanwhile, he becomes more and more desperate as the need to generate huge amounts of money drives him in a relentless persuit of finding the pot of gold. In the same way that the goldrush brought out man's inhumanity to man, so does the internet. He uses ruthless scams, spam, schemes, fraud, complex trickery, hacking and lies and perpetuates the cycle.

On the other hand, we see some people digging deep and thinking laterally. Have you ever noticed that creative inspiration is often concieved in the darkest places inside ourselves? Jack London, whose books include White Fang, The Call of the Wild, and To Build a Fire, a collection of short stories, based his work on his time in The Yukon. My suspicion is that writing is one of the keys to making it online too. Whether it is convincing sales copy, quality content, hilariously funny blogs or how to articles, writing is key. I know that many very wealthy people have been bankrupt, on the streets or have had to figure out how to get out of the gutter. Many writers have discovered themselves by accident, or out of necessity.

So what is it that makes the difference between success and failure? I think it is about a shift in approach, mindset and flexibility. It is about thinking positively, noticing opportunities, taking risks, becoming ok with failure and plodding along with focus. It may also be about having the right mentor, and by that I mean someone who is a good teacher but also encourages individuality in his students. The other attributes of successful people are self esteem, resourcefulness and self respect. If these things are part of daily life we stand much more of a chance to collect the coins along the way and actually enjoy the journey at the same time. If you are chasing pots of gold, please think carefully about what it is costing you and whether a bit of lateral thinking might help you get there faster.

Raise Unlimited Funds with YAHOO Now!

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:22:46 PDT

Raise Unlimited Funds with Yahoo!

Yahoo! have partnered with Whitebox to offer any charity or social enterprise a no-brain solution to fundraising. This is a fantastic opportunity for organisations to raise money. It takes very little effort and is completely FREE. What's the catch? There isn't one.
It is a win win situation for everyone. This is how it works.

Whitebox will provide you with a dedicated search box that is linked to your website. If you don't have a website they will build a website for you, completely free of charge, with a revenue generating searchbox on it. This searchbox is customised to be in line with the branding of your charity. If you already have a website, you can choose to have a search box added to your own browser and this will also generate revenue. You can add this to as many sites as you want on the internet or even intranet. Yahoo! then pays the charity money for a percentage of searches through this box. You can keep track of what you are raising on a daily basis.

The idea is that you give the link to as many supporters,friends and family as you can and then they fundraise for you, just by doing their ordinary searches online. Whitebox collect the money from Yahoo and pay you what you have raised straight into your bank account. The opportunity is not available to individuals or private businesses of course.

Who wins? Yahoo! win because they increase the number of searches to their site thereby generating money from their paid advertisers. The advertisers win because they get found. Whitebox win because they take a percentage of the Yahoo! donations to continue to build their team, build websites, provide links and manage the financial accounts. you win because you have the capacity to raise lots of money without filling in a single form.

How can this be true? It is! Whitebox have got their tick from Charity Fundraising Standards and have partnered with NCGO,WCVO and SCVO. Their policy is to be as transparent as possible and they are very happy to chat with you, they are real people. Whitebox is a family run organisation with Tony and Fiona Lloyd running the show and their two boys Alisdair and Peter hot on their heels.

They are as happy to work with tiny charities as they are with large multi-nationals and they even take on non-constituted groups so long as they are meeting community needs. One of the most successful charities is The Railway Children, a charity who support children living on the streets. They have installed the search boxes on the London Underground Intranet and have raised more than £63,000 for the children!

If you would like more informationa about how your organisation could benefit, please give me a shout and I'll help you get going or mail info@whitebox.com

Reporter-Cub: Scam: Cambridge Who's Who Among Executives and Professionals

noreply@blogger.com (Kay) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:06:11 PDT

Reporter-Cub: Scam: Cambridge Who's Who Among Executives and Professionals