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Top Six Business Tips to Tweet Effectively

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:17:00 +0000

Tweeting effectively is about building relationships, engaging with your followers, and being genuinely approachable. If you provide interesting and consistent tweets that offer help and/or advice, you will continue to have a flow of followers.

Check out the following Top Six Business Tips To Tweet Effectively:

1. Engage with your followers

Reply and re-tweet the posts of your followers. You might find that someones tweet may benefit your own followers. Search for opportunities where YOU will be able to offer advice and/or help. Engage on what others are tweeting about and create an ongoing relationship. Don't just tweet for the sake of tweeting. Make your tweets irresistible!

2. Use Hashtags

Every twitter conversation has a topic with a hashtag(#) and a time. If you're promoting an event, make sure and use a hasgtag(#) to promote it. Sign up with tweetchats.com and allow people to converse with you in real time.

3. Use Twitter Search

Use Twitter search and see what people are talking about in real time by using targeted keywords and/or phrases. Check out Google Trends and also hashtags.org to see what topics are currently trending.

4. Make you own tweets effective

Your tweets should consist of effective quality content. Tweet about links that will be beneficial to your followers. Tweet about your new products, services, events, breaking news, status updates, contests, discounts to attract your current followers and new customers.

5. Use schedulers to update your status automatically

If you own a small business, it is important to use a tool that manages your social media communications. HootSuite.com and CoTweet.com allow you to manage and monitor your social networks. Schedule your tweets from 9a.m., 11 a.m., noon, 3 p.m., and 6 p.m. eastern standard time (est.)

6. Analyze Your Social Media Network

Remember and always analyze your social media network efforts to measure your overall effectiveness. Identify what does and does not work for your business. Klout.com is a great tool for this!

What have I left out? How are you using effective tweeting? Please leave your comments below.

All the best,

About the author: Sonia Colon is writer/publisher of My Fashion E-Mall Blog, and owner at Once Upon A Star. For additional powerful business articles and Internet marketing tips for maintaining a lucrative business subscribe to her newsletter

==> Maximize The Potential of Twitter

The Twitter Tutorial

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==> Maximize The Potential of Twitter
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Backlinks for Search Engine Optimization Success

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 01:27:00 +0000

A business article guest post contributor.

Internet marketers are continually trying to find the most cost-efficient ways to get people to view their offers. Some people still use pay per click programs to get people to see their offers, and this can be quite expensive. But there are other means to get site traffic without paying for every visitor.

This can be achieved by building backlinks to your web page. Nowadays backlink building is regarded as an important component of any marketer's strategy for the potential that is behind this method.

A backlink is a link that points from one site to another website. Which means that if you wish to start using backlink building, you will need to start creating links on web sites that end up leading people and search engines back to your own web page.

Search engines consider your backlinks as a type of vote for your web site, and when you are using keyword targeted backlinks, they count even more. When you are building your backlinks, you need to use anchor text that explains what your site is about.

Now that you see how important backlinks are, you should get started building them. In this article, I will explain how to begin building these types of links and get more attention from the search engines.

One method of backlink building is by submitting your URLs to web site directories. For those of you who are unaware, a directory is simple a website that keeps a list of other web sites online. This process is quite simple; you locate a directory that accepts submissions and you just submit your web site. The title will end up being a keyword targeted link to your web site. When your web site is listed in the directory, you have generated a backlink to your site. If you conduct a search on any search engine, you will be able to identify loads of directories that you can submit your web site too.

The second way is by using a strategy known as article marketing. This is a simple method that require a bit more time. The basics of this strategy include creating articles that deal with the subject of your website, after which you take the articles and submit them to all the article directories you can find. You then put a link pointing back to your site in a resource box. When possible, try to create different versions of your article(s) to be submitted to the various article directories. When you do this, the links in the articles that you publish will have more value to the search engines.

There are many other ways to build backlinks for your web site, but these methods should get you started. You'll come across software programs online that can help you generate backlinks to your site.

Nonetheless, do your research before purchasing these types of software.

About the author: The proceeding article was sponsored by Bitumen Insulation, reminding you that if you need an insulation Houston service or a Houston commercial contractors for insulation to please give them a shot.

A Truly Comprehensive Guide To Link Building

Turnkey Tips For Smart And Safe Backlink Building Guide

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A Truly Comprehensive Guide To Link Building
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Twitter Marketing Benefits That You Can Count On

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 23:12:00 +0000

A business article guest post contributor.

Social media optimization and social marketing has gained a lot of momentum in the past few years, especially due to downturn in the economic conditions.

Advertising costs have increased and the spending limits have gone down. It can be a huge benefit to put these social sites to work for you, and Twitter is a great choice.

The benefits you gain in utilizing such a social marketing format like Twitter are amazing. Twitter gives you instant access to millions of users that you can target and attract to your page if you play your cards right and market your business well.

You can also help to brand your company name, products or services and reach an interested audience very quickly and with little effort. Although, in its relative infancy still, Twitter has begun demonstrating huge possibilities for marketing your online company. When you carefully plan out your Twitter marketing strategy and take the right steps, the returns you get can be really worth it. Read on to see how to utilize the advantages of Twitter in terms of marketing and promoting your products/services to a targeted, devoted group of tweeters.

Those who use Twitter, quickly figure out ways to create and implement marketing strategies that spread the word about their products/services and increase their customer base. Just observing the chain reaction of followers reading and clicking on your tweets, re-tweeting them to their followers who re-tweet them throughout the entire Twitter network is enough to make a believer out of anyone. Although these large amounts of traffic won't be found initially, it will definitely prove to be significant in the long run.

An excellent example of successful Twitter marketing can be seen in the posts from Dell, which have gone viral and spread throughout the network to promote the computer company's products. It should be noted that there's no way to know what kind of return on investment you'll see with the medium of viral marketing, just remember that it has the potential to bring enormous returns if handled properly. As Twitter becomes more and more popular, more users are following companies and networking with friends, increasing the potential of this already powerful tool. All you need to do is give your targeted followers what they're looking for, and soon you'll find re-tweets pouring in.

How does spying on your competition sound? Yes, you can in fact use Twitter to see what your competition is up to. The biggest advantage with Twitter when it comes to spying on your competitors is that you can do it for free and in real time using their search. In other words, you can read the customer feedback your competitor is getting and if they're complaining, asking for features, etc. In doing so, you will acquire a clear and precise image of what your target audience is looking for so that you can give it to them in a way that other leading competitors cannot. This can prove to be particularly successful when your leading competitor fails to attend to their customers' problems, which gives you the opportunity to tweet the customer in question and offer them your product as an alternative.

With that, we reach to a conclusion that Twitter marketing isn't that complicated at all. Just look around which tweets are getting a good response and try to replicate their strategy into your own marketing.

Make a few test tweets of your own and see what structure works best for you. Sometimes a new twist on an existing medium is just as effective as a new one.

About the author: This writer specializes in publishing article content about Toys and Games, Cars and Gardening and is currently improving the Focus Hotel Szczecin and Sharp A101 sites.

Promote Your Business Through Twitter

WTF is Twitter and why should I care?

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Promote Your Business Through Twitter
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Small business and startup tips: 5 ways to tune out distractions

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 04:15:00 +0000

This is a guest post article by crowdSPRING

Distractions abound. Every day we start work and spend a great part of the day battling the noise that surrounds any small business owner or entrepreneur. The email, the Facebook, the Twitter, the cell phone, the landline, the snail mail, the deliveries, the lunch orders, the radio,the text messages, the television, the newspapers, the YouTube videos – all conspire to dilute our focus, stifle our creativity, and distract from what is really important: growing our business in a productive, efficient environment. Finding ways to tune it out is important; sometimes a lack of noise helps you to think creatively, focus on what you need to accomplish, and reflect on what is working with your business and what is not. Great ideas can come in ways that surprise you, but rarely come amid the hubbub of everyday distraction. So… here are 5 ideas of practical steps you can take to reduce the noise.

1. Turn off the apps. Try to limit your time with email, twitter, Facebook and the rest to specific times of the day. The constant ding-ding of alerts can greatly diminish your ability to get other work done. I find that if I can ignore the incoming messages (whatever source the come from) I can think more clearly about what I am working on, accomplish goals in a shorter time, and complete my other tasks more efficiently and effectively. Productivity is only measured by what you actually accomplish, not by how many emails you read, tweets you send, or blogs you read, so my recommendation is that you literally turn off those programs and feeds at certain times of the day and only turn them back on when you are ready to focus on them.

2. Work from home. The office can be a dark, bubbling tar-pit of conversations, jokes, music, and a multitude of other interruptions, all conspiring to keep you from your work and to hamper your ideas. Working from home allows you to pro-actively tune out the distractions and the commotion that come with working around a larger group of people.

3. Unsubscribe. I suspect that I have subscriptions to 80 or 100 different blogs, newsletters, and email lists. These tend to pile up over time, many going unread and many others providing time-killing content, much of which I could do without. Purge, purge, purge – take the time to unsubscribe and cut these lists down to the ones that provide you real value and information that you actually use.

4. Make a list. Keep there clamor down by tuning it out with lists of the important things you are trying to accomplish on any given day, week, or month. I am a huge believer in using checklists to manage time, but they also serve to quiet the din that accompanies you everyday work.

5. Schedule yourself. A schedule can also help to reduce the interruptions that come with work. Scheduled meetings can cut down on the impromptu conversations, emails, and IM’s that accompany any project-in-progress by formalizing the conversation and questions that necessarily accompany a team effort. Scheduled phone calls will help to offhand calls that people make just because the “need to ask one quick question.” By scheduling time that is specifically devoted to a project or effort, you can reduce the number of unplanned, spontaneous interruptions that often dominate our days.

About the author: crowdSPRING is the world's #1 marketplace for logos and graphic design.
All backed by our money back guarantee.

==> Small Business Marketing Ideas

10 tips for starting entrepreneurs

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==> Small Business Marketing Ideas

Neutrogena® Micordermabrasion System FREE Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:22:00 +0000

Designed to meet the needs of women seeking fast and effective anti-aging results, without having to visit a doctor's office or pay professional prices, the Neutrogena® Microdermabrasion System is clinically proven to visibly reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and age spots.

Experience the Results: This is an affordable system that is so effective, 91% of women saw anti-aging results after the first use and you will have the opportunity to try it and experience the following results:

* Visibly reduce the appearance of fine lines in one week
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* Substantially improve skin's firmness in eight weeks

Share Your Beauty Secret: Neutrogena's Microdermabrasion System is also the beauty must-have gift of the season and it's sure to please every woman on your list.

The Package: You will find enclosed a $50 Value kit including:
* The Neutrogena® Microdermabrasion System kit, including:
* The Attachment Head
* 12 Rejuvenating Puffs (1 month supply)
* Two AA batteries
* Two Neutrogena® Microdermabrasion System Wave® Puffs Refills (4 month supply)
* A Neutrogena® Gel Eye Mask

What do I need to do to win this FREE Giveaway? Check out the details below:

DETAILS: Choose and comment on any 3 featured business articles here at "The Biz Buzz of a Latina" blog site. Please make sure the comments are of value to the blog content post. Please pick any blog post for the current year of 2011. Also, please let me know why you should be the winner of this awesome promotional product(s). After completing the above requirements, please send me an email @ scolon1@bellsouth.net with the 3 titled blog posts you commented on plus include your answer to why you should be the winner of the Neutrogena® Micordermabrasion System Giveaway!

I will announce the WINNER on a new blog post and via my social media site. If you win, I will communicate with you via email for your address information to send the your FREE gift(s)!

The first person with the most quality valued blog post comment(s) and convincing answer to why you should be the winner, will win the above promotional products (there can ONLY be ONE winner, so please hurry) no exceptions!

**A total GIVEAWAY value kit worth $50.00 yours FREE just for participating. So, lets get those comments rolling and that convincing question answered ASAP!!

***This Giveaway ends on November 21st...so hurry and don't delay!

Good luck to you all!

Sonia Colon, Owner
My Fashion E-Mall Blog
Once Upon A Star
The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom Blog

Online shopping

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 20:45:00 +0000

Authored by Rickey Combs

I always avoid the mall the day after Thanksgiving. Usually, I have done most of my Christmas shopping by this time because I’d rather not wait until the last minute if I can help it. I had completely forgotten about the new generation of post-Thanksgiving shopping until I saw an ad for Direct TV cyber Monday. Online shopping is my favorite kind of shopping because I don’t have to battle the crowds. However, I don’t usually do it unless one of three conditions applies: 1. I have tried whatever it is I’m buying on somewhere else and know which size I wear, 2. There is a physical store in my city that accepts online returns, or 3. The company provides free shipping and exchanges. If one of these three conditions doesn’t apply, you often times come out spending more money on items than you would if you had just paid full price in the store due to inflated shipping costs. If you’re smart, you can definitely save money and preserve your sanity by online shopping.

10 Ways to Get More Fans on Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:41:00 +0000

This guest post is written by Joy Fleming.

Have you created a Fan Page, but now you’re wondering – “How Do I Get People to ‘Like’ my Page? If so, you’re not alone. Many people struggle with getting Fans. Here are 10 ways to get more Fans.

1. Create A Customized Welcome Page – Creating a Customized Welcome Page is an excellent way to increase your number of fans. Statistics show that it will help you turn 72% of your visitors into fans.

- To create a custom page, you can use the Facebook application, Static HTML iframe tabs.

- If you’re not familiar with HTML code, then you can go to Pagemodo.com. Pagemodo is free, and they have ready-made templates that you can use. So, all you have to do is just pick a template.

- There’s also a website, Woobox.com, where you can add sweepstakes, coupons, and more to your Fan page.

2. Email your current customer list & invite them to your new Fan page – You can send a nice email out to your current list letting them know about your new page, and you could say something like – I would be honored if you would click ‘like’ to become a fan of my new page (and make sure to include a link to your page).

3. Post Links on your Social Media Profiles like Twitter, LinkedIn, & Your Personal Profile on Facebook – For example, in your Bio on your Facebook Personal Profile, you could include something like: Come hang out with me on my Fan page at: http://facebook.com/______________. In your Twitter or LinkedIn Bio, you could type: Connect with me on FB at: http://facebook.com/____________.

4. Use Facebook as Your Page – When you login to Facebook, you can click the down arrow in the upper right-hand corner next to “Home”, then click “Use Facebook as Page”. When you click on this, you will now be interacting with people as your Page (NOT as you personally). So, a strategy that will help you get more fans is to click “Use Facebook as Page” and then comment on other Fan Pages as Your Page.

5. Use Facebook Ads – You can always purchase ads on Facebook to drive traffic to your Fan page. If you use this strategy, make sure to target your ads appropriately and start out small. Start out by only spending a few dollars a day and testing out different ads, so you can determine which ads work best for you (before you spend a lot of money).

6. Add the Facebook “Like” Box to your Website – When you add this to your website, then people can click “like” and become a fan of your Page (directly from your website). When people come to your website and they see that you have a large following on your Fan page, that also helps build up your credibility.

7. Ask Friends to Share your Page – All Fan pages have a “Share” link on the left-hand side of the page. You can always ask your friends to come to your page & click on the “Share” link. This way, your friends can share your page with their followers.

8. Add Your Fan Page Link to your Email Signature – If you do this, then everytime you send an email to someone, they’ll see your Fan Page link in your signature. So, they can easily click on the link to go to your Fan Page.

9. Invite Friends – On the right-hand side of every Fan page, there’s an “Invite Friends” link. Simply click on that link in order to invite your friends to become a Fan of your Page.

10. Create an Event Launching your Page – You can create an Event called something like: “Launch of the _______ Page”. When creating the Event, in the More Info section, you could type 1 sentence about your Fan page and then type: I would be honored if you could click ‘like’ to become a fan of my new page http://facebook.com/____________ (Always include a link to your page. If you don’t include the link, then people may not know where to go to access the page).

- When you’re Selecting the Guests to invite to your Event, you’ll see a link to “Add a Personal Message”. I recommend clicking on that link & typing the same thing again: I would be honored if you could click ‘like’ to become a fan of my new page http://facebook.com/____________

- If you have your Fan page Link in 2 places, there’s a better chance that your friends will click on it in order to become a fan.

What other ways can you share on getting more fans on Facebook? Please share your comments below.

About the author: Joy Bing Fleming is a successful Personal Development & Online Marketing Coach. Her website, LifePassion.net, is dedicated to helping individuals, small business owners, & entrepreneurs monetize their passion.

==>> Want More "likes" To Your Facebook Fan Page?

How to get more fans on facebook

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==>> Want More "likes" To Your Facebook Fan Page?
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How to Generate New Blog Readers

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 03:54:00 +0000

A business article guest post contributor.

It doesn't really matter what kind of blog you run or plan to launch, if you don't have the right amount of readers flowing in who are actually interested in your content, you won't find success.

Fan Base
- A quick glance around the blog sphere should reveal that almost all of the popular blogs out there have something very important in common; an incredibly loyal fan base made up of readers who regularly update themselves with your content information, interact with each other and actually play their parts well. Check out problogger.net and johnchow.com they both have a loyal fan base following.

- When you want to ensure your blog's success, you'll have to put more of an effort into gaining more readers. This article will teach you a few easy ways to gain more readers for your blog.

Leave comments on other blogs
- Leaving comments on related blogs is a method that is almost always underestimated by bloggers. It seems time consuming and is usually looked at as one of the slowest methods for generating traffic to your blog. However, if you want new readers that are going to stick around, the best place to find them is on other related blogs comment section.

- By making smart and useful comments on other blogs that relate to yours, you could actually stand a chance of impressing the type of people who regularly read comments sections. Check out Blog Success Academy and learn how to showcase quality content and gain comments through your own blogging success.

Forums
- Being an active participant in forums is a good way to gain leverage for your own blog. The people you engage with on forums are usually the same sort of people you can engage on your blog as well. Starting new and informative threads on these boards and simultaneously offering true value to the other members of the forum will help make them curious both about you and your approach.

- When you participate in forums, it allows you to build relationships with targeted forum members and funnel those relationships into traffic for your own site.

Quality content
- Everyone knows that the best blogs have great content but the inferior blogs lack it. If you want to stand out from your competition and get your target audience attention plus gain more readers, you can start by composing real, original and juicy content on a consistent basis. Focus on offering so much value through your content that it is impossible for people to ignore you. You want to try to make your content creation methods better so that you can deliver quality on a regular basis.

- Every blogger who has found even a modicum of success knows without a doubt that getting the right kinds of readers to your blog can make all the difference. When you begin to take action on the things we've talked about in this article you will see clearly that the chances you'll find success are a lot higher than you originally thought.

- Focus on always providing quality content information. Keep your promotion balanced to gain valuable visitors and the type of readership you deserve.

About the guest post contributor: Adam has started off web marketing since the year 2003. He enjoys music very much, especially the Rap songs by Malaysian Celebrity - Wee Meng Chee. Namewee, or better known as Wee Meng Chee, is a very talented musician, you can find out more about him at http://www.nameweemengchee.com

==> Learn Blogging with the Blog Success Academy

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==> Learn Blogging with the Blog Success Academy

Salmon with Honey, Mustard, and Aji Amarillo Glaze

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 03:50:00 +0000

Ají amarillo paste is made from a beautiful little yellow chile from Peru. Look for jars of the paste where South American ingredients are sold. This recipe is from chef Aarón Sánchez, co-owner and executive chef of Paladar and Centrico restaurants, both located in New York City. Aarón’s passion, commitment and skills have placed him among the country’s leading contemporary Latin chefs.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 pounds salmon fillet with skin (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick)
Salt
1 garlic clove
3 tbsp. grainy Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. ají amarillo paste
1/2 tsp. rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. coriander seeds, crushed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat the broiler. Line a broiler pan with foil and lightly coat with oil. Pat salmon dry and place, skin side down, on pan. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt.

2. Mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt. Stir together with mustard, honey, aji amarillo paste, vinegar, coriander, and pepper.

3. Spread mustard mixture evenly on top of salmon. Broil 5 to 6 inches from heat until just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer salmon to a platter with 2 large spatulas. Cut into 4 servings.

~ Courtesy of Latina Magazine

Work at Home Employment For Single Dads

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:29:00 +0000

This guest post business article is by BeTheBossNetwork.com.

Being a single parent is difficult for both mothers and fathers. When you have children to take care of you either need to be available at all times or hire a nanny or babysitter when you are away from home or at work. Single dads face the same problem as single mothers and that is deciding who will care for their children. That is why work at home employment is good way for a dad to make a substantial income and still be available to care for his children’s needs. Being your own boss means setting your own hours and working when and where it is convenient for you.

Being a single dad means you are responsible for getting children to and from school, after school activities and medical appointments. When you find work at home employment, you can set your schedule around your daily activities and errands. This way the kids do not miss any appointments and you do not have to pay someone to care for your children before or after school. You can also be there when a child gets sick. Viruses are common among school age children and sometimes they need to stay home from school or get sent home sick. If you work from home, you will not miss work to take care of a sick child.

The 9 to 5 job does not always allow for advancement opportunities or unlimited income positional, but work at home employment does. You are your own boss and your income is the result of your time and effort. You can save money for a secure financial future while saving money for your child or children’s college funds. With most home-based businesses, success requires the desire to reach your goals and the willingness to learn from a coach.

We all want the best for our families and today the traditional family is not the norm. We have to make the best of our unique situation. Single dads need to know they can care for their children while providing for them financially. With work at home employment opportunities, he can choose a career path that can help him achieve his goals and take care of his children. Families need time together and parents need the peace of mind that comes with knowing their children are cared for, and who is better suited to care for them than their own father?

About the author: Be The Boss Network is owned by Responsive Data, which provides the MLM industry’s leading automated dialing platform – Power Dialer PRO, marketing system – Ultimate Prospector, lead generation solutions, as well as other sales and marketing tools for Network Marketers.”

==> Work from your own home office

Work At Home Success

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==> Work from your own home office

Tips for Finding Legitimate at Home Work

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:23:00 +0000

This guest post business article is by BeTheBossNetwork.com.

Many people are looking for a way to make money from home. However, finding legitimate at home work can be difficult because of the vast amount of opportunities out there. You need to know how to find the right opportunity for you and avoid being scammed in the process. There are a few tips that can help you decide what businesses are worth your time and effort and which ones you may want to avoid. Always use good common sense and take your time as you work thought the listings and decide which opportunity is right for you.

If it sounds too good to be true it probably is. Trust your first instincts. If the company does not sound legitimate, it probably is not. Decide whether the products they offer are something you would feel comfortable selling or recommending to others. If you do not feel comfortable with all these aspects, neither will potential customers.

Is there a money back guarantee? Legitimate at home work does not generally ask for money upfront without a guarantee. If you fork over the cash, and then find this is not right for you, you need to have some sort of safety net. A company that stands behind it products will gladly offer a money back guarantee.

Look for the company’s credentials or testimonials. If it is a legitimate at home work opportunity then someone will have something good to say about it or the company will proudly display their credentials on their website. If in doubt ask around or do some deeper research into the company.

Always ask questions. If you are considering a company’s offer, do not be afraid to call the company and ask questions. In addition, it is a good idea to ask question from reliable sources such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The BBB has as website that makes it easy to check out businesses and read any complaints or claims against the company.

Take a few days to think about it. Do not rush into any decisions and avoid any opportunities that have limited time offers. Legitimate at home work companies generally do not use this buy now ask questions later tactic to get people to take advantage of their opportunity. You should never be rushed into a decision, especially when it is something that you are putting your own hard earned money into and hoping for a good return on your investment.

About the author: Be The Boss Network is owned by Responsive Data, which provides the MLM industry’s leading automated dialing platform – Power Dialer PRO, marketing system – Ultimate Prospector, lead generation solutions, as well as other sales and marketing tools for Network Marketers.”

==> Find a Legitimate Work at Home Opportunity

Work From Home Opportunities

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How to Spot a Work from Home Scam

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 03:58:00 +0000

This guest post business article is by BeTheBossNetwork.com.

It is unfortunate but true that there is a number of work from home scams intermingled with the legitimate business opportunities. Avoiding these fraudsters and scammers is crucial to your success. However, it can be very challenging trying to determine which opportunities are on the up and up and which ones are only interested in separating your from your money. If you are in the market for a home based business, here are a few tips for telling the difference between the good work from home companies and the people who are only out to scam you.

Outrageous Claims – Quite possibly the most common hallmark of a work from home scam is the outrageous claims they make regarding their opportunity. It is certain you have probably heard them all before. The people promoting these scams may claim you can make hundreds of thousands of dollars working only a few minutes per day. These work from home companies may also claim their programs are endorsed by celebrities or other well known people. These are psychological tactics designed to prey on your desperation and desire to earn a good sized income but not add to your already heavy workload.

Strange Payment System – A popular work from home scam involves cashing checks and making purchases. Typically, the scammer will contact you by email. They will offer an unbelievable rate of pay for what amounts to a personal assistant position. After you accept they will send you checks to cash and either have you keep a certain amount and send the balance to them or use the money to make purchases and send to addresses they furnish. The checks are fraudulent and you will be left responsible for paying them when they bounce. Avoid opportunities offered by work from home companies that require you to cash checks or money orders on a third party’s behalf.

Is There Demand? – Another tactic scammers employ is to claim there is a market for the product or service you will be selling when there is not. You see this often with “educational” products that promise to teach you a certain skill with the promise that work from home companies are lined up to hire you for it. You will need to do your research to determine if, in fact, there is a demand for the skill. Therefore, make it a policy to always research every work from home opportunity before investing your money in it.

About the author: Be The Boss Network is owned by Responsive Data, which provides the MLM industry’s leading automated dialing platform – Power Dialer PRO, marketing system – Ultimate Prospector, lead generation solutions, as well as other sales and marketing tools for Network Marketers.”

==> Make Money Online with Scam Free Money

A Work At Home Job Presentation

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Overcoming Setbacks to Becoming Self Employed

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 13:15:00 +0000

This guest post business article is by BeTheBossNetwork.com.

No matter how much we may wish for it, the path to achieving our goals will never be a straight line. Like all other successful entrepreneurs, you will be beset by many challenges and setbacks before you will finally accomplish your goal of becoming self employed.

But the secret to successfully getting past these challenges and setbacks is to plan for them. Learning how to be self employed requires strategically planning for as much of the unknown as you possibly can. Here are a few tips for creating a plan for overcoming setbacks.

The first step is to sit and brainstorm the possible challenges you will come up against on the road to becoming self employed. For example, if you are changing to a completely different industry that requires you to get an education, what could possibly prevent you from getting that training? It could be an uncooperative employer who won’t let you leave work a little early to make it to class or you may not have enough money to pay for tuition and books. Write down all of the potential scenarios that could play out that may stand in the way of achieving your goals. Even not knowing how to be self employed can potentially hurt your chances of success.

The next step is to come up with solutions for the problems you may run into. You should endeavor to leave as little as possible up to chance. If your boss won’t let you out of the office so you can make it to class on time, then a solution would be to look for alternative class times or even looking into distance education.

One key component to learning how to be self employed is being able to plan for contingencies. Creating a plan for overcoming setbacks is good practice for developing this skill.

Lastly, revisit your plans every once in awhile and update them. As you move along the path towards your goals, other problems or situations you may not have thought of will develop. Take time to update your plans with strategies for overcoming new challenges and setbacks you may encounter.

It is also a good idea to speak with other people who have learned how to be self employed about the challenges they faced on their paths and what they did to overcome them. They can offer critical insight that can benefit you for years to come.

About the author: Be The Boss Network is owned by Responsive Data, which provides the MLM industry’s leading automated dialing platform – Power Dialer PRO, marketing system – Ultimate Prospector, lead generation solutions, as well as other sales and marketing tools for Network Marketers.”

Powerful Tools for Entrepreneurs

Entreprenuership

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FREE Giveaway - Johnson's® NEW Desitin® Soothing Rash Bath Treatment

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:16:00 +0000

Desitin® the #1 brand of pediatricians and mothers, introduces NEW Desitin® Soothing Rash Bath Treatment, a new bath product that helps to soothe and relieve your baby's irritated diaper area. The formula contains a special powder form of colloidal oatmeal that, along with skin conditioning Aloe & Vitamin E, forms a soothing creamy bath. The product is fragrance free and designed to be gentle enough for baby's sensitive skin.

After a soothing bath with Desitin® Soothing Rash Bath Treatment, apply Desitin® Maximum Strength Ointment Desitin® Rapid Relief Ointment to help heal and prevent diaper rash.

The Desitin® product line includes:

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* DESITIN® Rapid Relief Ointment $5.79
* DESITIN® Multi-Purpose Ointment $6.79
* Gifts: Rash Reformer Kit $5.64

Desitin® Soothing Rash Bath Treatment:
* Helps soothe diaper area
* Special formula combines colloidal oatmeal with skin conditioning Aloe & Vitamin E, to form a creamy bath that immediately soothes baby's irritated skin.
* Convenient individual packets make it easy to pour into the bath.

*A Total Value of $30.00 yours FREE for participating!

What do I need to do to win this FREE Giveaway? Check out the details below:

DETAILS: Choose and comment on any 3 featured articles here at "The Biz Buzz of a Latina" blog site. Please make sure the comments are of value to the blog content post. Please pick any blog post for the current year of 2011. Also, please let me know why you should be the winner of this awesome promotional product(s). After completing the above requirements, please send me an email @ scolon1@bellsouth.net with the 3 titled blog posts you commented on plus include your answer to why you should be the winner of the NEW Desitin® Soothing Rash Bath Treatment products.

I will announce the WINNER on a new blog post and via my social media sites. If you win, I will communicate with you via email for your address information to send the FREE gift(s)!

The first person with the most quality valued blog post comment(s) and convincing answer to why you should be the winner, will win the above promotional products (there can ONLY be ONE winner, so please hurry) no exceptions!

**A total GIVEAWAY value kit worth $30.00 yours FREE just for participating. So, lets get those comments rolling and that convincing question answered ASAP!!

***This Giveaway ends on September 23rd...don't delay!

Good luck to you all!

Sonia Colon,
Owner
My Fashion E-Mall Blog
The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom
FaceBook Biz Page

The Respectful Child: How to Teach Respect

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 16:17:00 +0000

A fantastic article by the Baby Center

What to expect at this age

Trying to get respectful behavior out of a 2-year-old is like trying to get blood from the proverbial stone. That's due, in part, to the fact that a 2-year-old's language skills are still developing. So when you tell him it's bedtime, he can't say, "Gee, I'm really having fun with my trucks, and I wonder if we could negotiate for five more minutes of playtime?" He's more likely to ignore you, stick out his tongue, or yell, "I hate you!" at the top of his lungs. This doesn't mean he's a lost cause — only that he's very young and still needs years of consistent teaching and practice to learn how to show respect.

What you can do

Demonstrate respectful behavior. "We don't generally give our children the kind of respect that we demand from them," says Jerry Wyckoff, a psychologist and the coauthor of Twenty Teachable Virtues. "We get confused because often, our upbringing makes us equate respect with fear. 'I really respected my father because I knew he'd hit me if ...' That's not respect — that's fear." Instead, begin by listening. It can be hard to wait patiently for a 2-year-old to have his say, but it's worth it. Get down on his level, look him in the eye, and let him know you're interested in what he's telling you. It's the best way to teach him to listen to you just as carefully.

Teach polite responses. Your child can show caring and respect for others through good manners. As soon as he can communicate verbally, he can learn to say "please" and "thank you." Explain that you'd rather help him when he's polite to you, and that you don't like it when he orders you around. Again, being respectful yourself works better than lecturing. Say "please" and "thank you" regularly to your 2-year-old (and others), and he'll learn that the phrases are part of normal communication, both within your family and in public.

Avoid overreacting. If your child hits you or calls you a "doo-doo head," try not to get upset (after all, you know you're not a doo-doo head). A child who wants to provoke a reaction will endure almost any unpleasantness just to get a rise out of you. Instead, get face to face and say quietly but firmly, "We don't hit or talk that way in this family." Then show him how to get what he wants in a respectful manner: "When you want me to play with you, just ask me nicely. Say, 'Mommy, I want you to come read me a story right now.'"

Expect disagreements. Life would be much easier if our kids always happily complied with our requests, but that's not human nature. Try to remember that when your child won't do your bidding, he isn't trying to be disrespectful — he just has a different opinion.

Teach him that he'll fare better if he can learn to stop expressing himself disrespectfully ("You never take me to the park, you bad mommy!") and instead learns to put a positive spin on his requests ("Can we please go to the park after the grocery store?"). As your child's verbal skills mature, he'll be able to come up with these polite requests himself; in the meantime, teach him by supplying him with examples.

Set limits. "One of the best ways to demonstrate respect is to be both kind and firm in your discipline," says Jane Nelsen, an education specialist and the coauthor of Positive Discipline for Preschoolers. "Being kind shows respect for your child, and being firm shows respect for what needs to be done." So if your 2-year-old throws a fit in the supermarket, and none of your coping tactics work, what do you do? "Kindly but firmly take him out to the car, and sit and read a magazine until he's done," advises Nelsen. Then you can say calmly, "Now you're ready to try again," and return to the store. Eventually, he'll learn that a temper tantrum doesn't change the fact that the food shopping has to get done.

Praise respectful behavior. Reinforce your 2-year-old's impromptu displays of politeness as much as possible. But be specific. "The praise should describe the behavior in detail," Wyckoff emphasizes. "We tend to say, 'good girl,' 'good boy,' 'good job.'" Instead, say, "Thank you for saying please when you asked for a treat," or "Thank you for waiting your turn while the other kids got their ice cream." Be explicit, and your child will see that his efforts are worthwhile and appreciated.

~ Courtesy of the Baby Center

7 Valuable Facebook Marketing Tips

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 14:43:00 +0000

Social media is very important to marketing your small business brand. Below, are "7 Valuable Facebook Marketing Tips" that should help you interact and engage with your Facebook fans.

1. How many times should I post to Facebook per day?
- Frequent posting to your Facebook page increases interaction. Find your posting balance between optimizing and engaging your fans; manage how many will ultimately decide to unsubscribe, which will then give you a feel of how often to post. Measure your Facebook "view insights" within your Facebook page to determine how often your posts are viewed by fans and non-fans.

2. When is the best time to post?
- Posting to your Facebook page at off peak hours such as 2pm to 5:00 a.m is best. Keep a constant log of your Facebook "view insights" and also keep tabs on checking your edgerank for the best times to post.

3. Should I be posting questions to my fans?
- Track what works and what doesn't. Although, questions are important and directly asks your fans to reply, make sure it is a one answer word question. People are pressed for time and like to get straight to the point.

4. What type of content should I be posting to most likely have fans interaction?
- Post valuable content that will encourage your fans to "Like" your page. Photos generate the highest interaction rate. Status updates rank number 2 and others such as video, music and links follow. Mix it up a bit and you will eventually see what works and what doesn't work on your Facebook page.

5. Should I be asking fans to "Like" or "Comment" on my posts?
- Yes! A CTA (call to action) will boost your interaction rate and encourage engagement. The more activity with your fans the higher your edgerank score and the more likely your posts will be visible on a fans "top news feed."

6. How long will my messages remain in the News feed?
- Within the first hour of a Facebook status post, half of the users who click on the update will have done so and 90 percent of those clicks occur within nine hours of the post going live. The key is to consistently post valuable topics that fans will find useful and motivate them to click on the "like" link.

7. Should my status updates be long?
- Study show there's a higher posting rate for short posts preferably within the 140 characters. However, interaction increases as the length and activity of the status message engagement increase. Involve your fans as much as possible and encourage them to share your status.

- Remember and keep a log of your best strategies to increase your overall interaction with your Facebook community.

What do you think? Will implementing the above valuable tips to your own Facebook pages help you engage more with your fans? Leave your comments in the box below.

Best of luck in your business endeavors!

START BYLINE
About the author: Sonia Colon is writer/publisher of My Fashion E-Mall Blog & The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom Blog. For additional powerful business articles and Internet marketing tips for maintaining a lucrative business visit her sites today!
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Social Media Magic

If you liked this article, please share it with a friend or two by clicking on the social media icons below. Thank you!

My Sweet Girl

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:42:00 +0000

Post contributed by Leonard Phelps

Having a dog is really important to me because I get a lot out of my interaction with animals but I feel really bad since I’m at work 9 hours a day and Sadie has to stay all crated up for a lot of that time. I know I should worry about her too much but she gets lonely and bored so I thought about going to DIRECTSTARtv.com to get satellite for the house so I could leave it on in the living room when I go to work. At first I tried to come home at lunch and let her out but that seemed to make the separation anxiety worse and I ended up having to pull myself away from her twice a day instead of just one time which was worse for me! I’m thinking about trying out one of those doggie day carecenters in the area but they’re just so expensive…I guess it’s probably worth it in the long run if it means Sadie will be happier and I won’t feel so guilty.

~ Brought to you by our friends at Blogvertise

New FREE Giveaway - Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control® Line

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 21:23:00 +0000

Here's another NEW Giveaway and this time it's for the "Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control® line."

How exciting is that? The "Neutrogena® Oil-Free Acne Stress Control®" line is designed to help you fight acne where it starts, while actively reducing the irritation and redness associated with breakouts. Acne Stress Control is so advanced, it treats acne even before it emerges.

The product line includes:

*NEW! Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control® Power-Gel Cleanser
*Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control® Night Cleansing Pads
*Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control® Triple Action Toner
*Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control® 3-in-1 Hydrating Acne Treatment
*Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control® Power-Foam Wash
*Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control® Power-Clear Scrub
*Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control® Power-Cream Wash

All you have to do too win these FREE product(s) is the following:

DETAILS: Choose and comment on any 3 featured articles here at "The Biz Buzz of a Latina" blog site. Please make sure the comments are of value to the blog content post. Please pick any blog post for the current year 2011. Also, please let me know why you should be the winner of this awesome promotional product(s). After completing the requirements, please, send me an email @ scolon1@bellsouth.net with the 3 titled blog posts you commented on and don't forget to include your answer to why you should be the winner. I will announce the WINNER on a new blog post and vial my social media sites. If you win, I will communicate with you via email for address information to send your FREE gift(s)!

The first two people with the most quality valued blog post comment(s) and convincing answer to why you should be the winner, will win the above mentioned promotional products (there can ONLY be two winners, so please hurry) no exceptions!

**A total GIVEAWAY value kit worth $60.00 yours FREE just for participating. Lets get those comments rolling and that convincing question answered ASAP!!!

Good luck to you all!

Sonia Colon,
Owner
My Fashion E-Mall Blog
The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom

Essential Tools for Bloggers and Social Media

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 03:54:00 +0000

A powerful business guest post article by Scott Grigg.

I as a social media consultant and internet marketer I know how important it is to have the right links so fans can see and navigate to your various pages easily.

Just as importantly, these days it's critical to have the proper Wordpress plugins to help coordinate easy sharing between your Facebook, Twitter, blog and other social media accounts and allow your consumers and fans to share your content as well.

Here are some easy-to-use Wordpress plugins I have found that are easy to use, install and will help you get the most out of your blog and other social media accounts.

Easy To Use Wordpress Plugins

One of my favorite plugins is sociable. It allows you to give your blog readers about 30 different social media sites to share your content with. All they have to do is click on the link. You can choose from all 30 or just the main ones you think readers will want to utilize.

Another favorite is the Google +1 button. It gives your blog an edge since many blogs don't yet feature this neat little feature that is similar to Facebook's Like Button. With enough +1 button clicks on an article you'll move up in the Google page rankings.

To help with getting the word out on your blog and sharing, Onlywire is another plugin that makes life easier for the social media practitioner.

This plugin can be easily configured so that each time you post on a blog, your other social media accounts like Linkedin, Digg and others are notified as well (as long as you have accounts with each of those social media sites).

All-in-one-SEO is a tool that automatically optimizes your Wordpress blog for search engine optimization. In layman's terms, it means it will helped you get ranked higher in Google so you may wind up on page one of searches rather than page 13.

Another tool I really like appears at the left upper corner of my blog. It's called the Follow Me button and the plugin is called My Social Links Bar. It allows fans to click on the button and be taken to my Facebook, YouTube and Twitter pages.

Stop Comment Spam Dead

I would also be remiss if I didn't conclude with my favorite plugin of the moment. Called the Growmap Anti Spambot Plugin, this baby has pretty much ended my problem of those pesky fans seeking backlinks to their websites.

Ask any blogger what one of their biggest headaches is and they'll readily concede it's people who leave comments on blogs that are nothing more than backlinks to their website. This tool eliminated my problem the minute I installed it.

Previously I was getting about 6-10 comments on posts each day that were pure nonsense save for the backlinks contained in the comments.

I'll admit these aren't all the plugins I use, but these should give you some good ideas what you'll need if you want to get serious about being sociable.

About the Author: Scott Grigg is a former Emmy winning television reporter who has also worked as director/supervisor of public affairs for a number of Fortune 500 companies. He now makes his living exclusively online, helping mentor a team of entrepreneurs that stretches from Europe to Asia and North America. In addition, he also consults small and medium size businesses on how to manage their social media strategy and internet advertising. For more information, go to Scott's website at: http://theformula4success.com.

6 SEO Plugins for Blog Traffic Optimization

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 00:03:00 +0000

Plugins are tools that can add functionality to your blog(s). These plugins can enhance your site(s) capabilities and help in your SEO traffic ranking performance.

The following "6 SEO Plugins for Blog Traffic Optimization" are essential to your WordPress software.

Best permalinks structure
- Permalinks are the permanent URLs to your individual weblog posts, as well as categories and other lists of weblog postings. It is what Google likes in terms of getting the most out of your web or blog posts URL, which in return makes the search engines happy.

How to set it up: Within your WordPress dashboard under the "Settings" heading, click the "Permalinks" option:

In the "Permalink Setting" screen click the "custom structure" radio button and in the box field enter /%postname% and click on save. This will allow your post titles to rank better.

SEO Plugins
- WordPress provides a range of really cool FREE SEO Plugins that will help you optimize your blog(s) for excellent search engine ranking. Below are some of the best SEO Plugins out there.

SEO Plugin #1: Redirection
- When you make the "Permalink Setting" changes above, this plugin will make sure that your permalink structure will not go dead when the search engines are ranking. To download this plugin click on the "Plugins' heading within your WordPress dashboard and drop down to select the "Add New" link.

In the search term box enter the plugin name "Redirection" and click on the "search plugins" button.

Click on the "Install Now" link to install your plugin and make sure to also click the "activate plugin" option to turn on your plugin.

Below, find additional SEO plugins that will add traffic generating functionality to your site(s). The same concept applies for searching, installing and activating these plugins as demonstrated above.

SEO Plugin #2: All-In-One SEO
- After searching, installing and activating this "All-In-One SEO" plugin, there are a few settings you want to fill in such as the blog title, description etc. This will help optimize your pages and blog posts.

Image SEO Plugin #3: SEO Friendly Images
- Google allows you to also search via images. This excellent image SEO plugin called "SEO Friendly Images" will allow you to add some extra tags and alt tags to optimize your images fully with keywords. This will allow very high ranking within the search engines and provide additional traffic to your blog(s).

Internal Linking SEO Plugin #4: SEO Smart Links
- This "SEO Smart Links" plugin will help you link a bunch of pages and post within your website. Google loves internal linking. The concept behind this plugin is to write a blog post and link it back to a previous blog post that may have contained a similar topic idea or a related reference to the new post. This plugin speeds up the process.

SiteMap Plugin #4: Google XML Sitemaps
- This "Google XML Sitemaps" plugin takes a snapshot of your entire page, keeps it current and sends it over to Google and all other search engines to let them know what pages you have on your website.

Video Sitemap Plugin #5: Google XML Sitemap for Videos
- This "Google XML Sitemap for Videos" plugin helps rank any kind of YouTube videos you may have embedded into your blog(s) inside of Google.

Tags & Categories Suggestion Plugin #6: Simple Tags & Auto & Searches Related Tags
- These plugins help you tag every one of your posts within similar topics or keywords. Tags are important to enter into your posts. Your posts should also be given a category. Make sure the category is fully keyword optimized. Always link a post within tags and within a category. The "Simple Tags" plugin will almost automate everything for applying tags to your posts.

The above SEO tools will save you a lot of time and are definite must haves to rank high and get a ton of traffic back to your blog(s).

Best of luck in your business endeavors!

7 Secrets to Raising Smart Kids

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 23:05:00 +0000

A guest post article by Tina Barseghian and Jessica Kelmon.

It doesn't take a genius to help a child reach her intellectual potential – just a loving, involved parent. Here are fun and easy ways to encourage your little smarty pants.

1. Feed the brain. We've always heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it's especially true when it comes to your child's developing brain. Studies have shown that children who eat breakfast perform better in attention and memory tests than those who don't.

Why? Food absorbed by our bodies is converted to glucose that powers the body – and the brain. Your child wakes up with an empty tank that needs to be refueled. "Your child's brain needs glucose to function well. Without it, she may have difficulty understanding new information and won't remember things as well," says Terrill Bravender, chief of adolescent medicine at Nationwide Children's Hospital, and professor of clinical pediatrics at the Ohio State University College of Medicine.

Research bears this out. Harvard Medical School psychologist J. Michael Murphy and his colleagues at Massachusetts General Hospital re-analyzed the data of a USDA school breakfast pilot project that examined the impact of a universal free breakfast program of 4,000 elementary school students. Murphy’s analysis found that regular breakfast skipping was associated with poorer school attendance and tardiness, less verbal fluency, and more parent- and teacher-related behavior problems.

Diane Pratt-Heavner, a spokesperson for the School Nutrition Association, agrees with Murphy. "I know principals who keep snacks in their drawers for children with discipline problems. Many times, those kids never ate breakfast," she says.

But don't pull out the sugary cereals just yet. The type of food a child eats is just as important as whether she eats at all. Highly sweetened breakfast cereals can give kids a short-lived sugar high, resulting in the inevitable crash.

Protein- and fiber-rich breakfasts, on the other hand, give the brain sustained go-power. In a study published in the journal Physiology and Behavior, children who ate oatmeal for breakfast performed 20 percent better on a map-memorization test than their sugary-cereal-munching counterparts.

"Eating something with complex carbs and protein gives your child's brain a constant, slow infusion of glucose for better brain function," says Bravender. That said, Bravender stresses that when it comes to breakfast something is better than nothing, so make sure your child gets a morning meal.

2. Know your child's learning style. Knowing how your child likes to learn and process information is an invaluable tool that you can use to help your child do better in school and develop a love of learning. Education experts have identified three main types of learners – auditory learners, physical learners, and visual learners.

Auditory learners absorb information best by hearing it through verbal instructions. Physical learners like to use their hands to make discoveries. And visual learners operate best by observing – either in print or with pictures.

When learning a new math concept, for example, a visual learner will grasp the material more quickly by watching his teacher solve a problem on the blackboard or seeing a picture of the problem. An auditory learner will understand the concept if he can listen to the teacher explain it and answer his questions. A physical learner (also called tactual-kinesthetic) may need to use blocks, an abacus, or other counting materials to practice the new concept.

The three learning styles aren't just theoretical. Several studies have shown that accommodating a child's learning style can significantly increase his performance at school.

Many of these studies were based on a specific learning styles program developed by Rita Dunn, director of the Center for the Study of Learning and Teaching Styles at St. John's University in Jamaica, New York, and the evidence is compelling. Two elementary schools in North Carolina increased the achievement test scores of students from the 30th percentile to the 83rd percentile over a three-year period by accommodating different learning styles. And in 1992, the U.S. Department of Education found that attending to a child's learning style was one of the few strategies that improved achievement of special education students on national tests.

3. Learn a language. Kids who learn a foreign language communicate better, don't become frustrated as easily, and seek different ways of solving problems, according to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

"There's a lot of research that shows kids who learn a foreign language show amazing growth in cognitive skills, creativity, English, math, and science," says Ingrid Pufahl, a linguist and research associate at the Center for Applied Linguistics in Washington, D.C. "They're also better problem solvers, and can think out of the box, because they've been exposed to different points of view and different languages."

Pufahl adds that you don't have to be fluent in a language to see the brain boost. "Even after studying a foreign language for a short time, you can start seeing benefits," she says.

4. Play music. Hearing a child play "Für Elise" would make any parent beam, but the benefits of learning music go far beyond parental pride. Multiple studies show that kids who have learned how to play an instrument perform better in tests associated with literacy, verbal memory, math, and IQ than those without music lessons.

"The areas of the brain called upon when your child learns music may enhance the regions of the brain that involve reading, math, problem solving, and spatial reasoning," says Joseph Piro, an associate professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Long Island University.

A study, published in the journal Psychology of Music, compared a group of second graders who took piano lessons for three consecutive years to a group who didn't learn music. At the end of the third year, the budding Beethovens did significantly better than their non-music-learning counterparts in a battery of vocabulary and verbal sequencing tests.

"Learning music isn't going to take your child from average to a genius, but it can help her be a better learner," says Laurel Trainor, a professor of psychology, neuroscience, and behavior at McMaster University and director of the McMaster Institute for Music and the Mind in Ontario, Canada. Learning how to play music actually has an effect on how the brain gets wired when it comes to memory and attention, says Trainor.

Trainor points out that learning to play an instrument can be complicated for a young child. If you're learning the violin, for instance, you have to have to figure out how to hold two different things properly, pay attention to the teacher, and try to reproduce the sounds the teacher makes. Your brain is getting a real workout that will help it become stronger and primed to learn other things.

Trainor adds that the benefit of music for your child goes far beyond test scores. She points to the social and emotional perks. "Music brings people together and just makes you feel good," she says.

5. Read! Reading to children promotes everything from language skills to longer attention spans to active imaginations. And it's never too early to start.

According to researchers at the University of Chicago, reading to a baby creates valuable brain cell connections that will remain in place for the rest of their lives.

Research has shown that children who are read to at home as preschoolers are much better able to learn how to read when they get formal instruction in school. Reading exposes children to print, letters, and new vocabulary. It also teaches children that ideas and stories can come from the printed page -- in other words, that books are sources of information.

6. Explore the globe. You don't have to be a globe-trotting jet-setter to teach your child about different cultures and customs.

7. Get creative. There's a reason painting, drawing, and crafts are such a big part of preschool curricula: Research suggests that art makes you smart!

"Arts enhance the process of learning," says Eric Jensen, a researcher and author of Arts with the Brain in Mind. Kids who are taught art perform stronger academically, are able to retain information longer, have more confidence and better-developed independent-thinking skills, says Jensen.

~ Courtesy of Baby Center

5 Powerful Marketing Tips for Your Business

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 15:09:00 +0000

Marketing is important when it comes to promoting a business. Without marketing, no business can move forward to achieve the level of success it seeks.

Below, I've listed "5 Powerful Marketing Tips for Your Business" which I'm currently using and look forward to seeing the successful results.

1. Social Media Marketing
- Social media is here to stay. If you're not taking advantage, then you're missing out big time. The top social media sites are FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, StumbleUpon and Digg. Join each and every one of them today and remember to interact and engage as much as possible. Don't just market your business but communicate and add value to connect with your audience.

2. YouTube Marketing
- Try promoting your business on YouTube. You don't necessarily need to produce your own videos to find customers. You can promote your business in million of other peoples video's with YouTube's in-video and in stream advertising. YouTube charges advertisers on a cost-per-thousand, or CPM. In-video ads are banner style graphics or text-based ads that run during a YouTube appear when the video begins to play. When clicked, the ads can point to your own videos or external URL. The In-stream ads are short videos ads that run before, during or after a YouTube video. These ads can't be longer than 15 seconds for short for videos.

3. Mobile Marketing
- Mobile devices and smartphones are great for marketing your business. Finding custoners with mobile marketing means pulling people toward your messages or pushing those messages out such as text-messaging (SMS), Mobile email, Mobile search, Mobile Internet, Mobile apps, Mobile content and Mobile advertising.

4. Word of Mouth Marketing
- A valuable tool in your business's overall marketing strategy. Word of mouth marketing often generate quality referrals because customers often rely on recommendations from other trusted sources.

5. Blog/Website Content Marketing
- Adding fresh and relevant content to a business' blog and website can help boost your site's ranking in search engines which can help you find customers. The more keyword-rich and useful content a blog/website has the more likely it will rise near the top of searches engines for those phrases. Article directories are also a great place to submit your written work and can result in lots of inbound links.

Following the above tips can help you get the marketing juices flowing for your business success. Below, check out 10 marketing wisdom tips presentation by Hubspot that I think will inspire you in your marketing quest. Let me know your thoughts. Enjoy!

Marketing Wisdom: 10 Marketing Tips From the Speakers of 2011 Inbound Marketing Summit

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Best of luck in your business endeavors!

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About the author: Sonia Colon is writer/publisher of My Fashion E-Mall Blog & The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom Blog. For additional powerful business articles and Internet marketing tips for maintaining a lucrative business visit her sites today!
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Prime time fun: Alternatives to TV

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:19:00 +0000

While it's tempting to use the TV as a babysitter — especially before dinner, when you need to be in the kitchen — you shouldn't get into the habit: Research shows that too much TV-watching can actually restrict your child's imaginative and cognitive abilities. The answer? Bring your child into the kitchen with you. You have plenty of "ingredients" for fun inside the cupboards and drawers. Here are some suggestions from experts to help keep the TV off while you both cook up some fun. Don't worry if you have a small kitchen. These suggestions can be used anytime, anywhere.

The power of pretend play. Try initiating a make-believe game with your child, suggests Jerome L. Singer, co-director of the Family Television Research and Consultation Center at Yale University. Not only will pretend play give your child ample opportunity to use his imagination, says Singer, but research shows that kids who play make-believe tend to be happier than other kids. For example, pretend you are at your child's favorite restaurant. Outfit your child with an apron and help him set up a table and chairs for his stuffed animals. Or, pretend you are going on a picnic: Set out a blanket with a basket and ask your child what kinds of food he would pack.

Make a mini kitchen. Set up a small table for your little chef in one corner of the kitchen with a few cooking utensils (small pot, cutting board, butter knife) and some of the ingredients you're using for dinner. Your child can imitate you while pretending to make dinner, too. "When children imitate their parents it makes them feel grown up and they feel a sense of power," says Marilyn Segal, dean emeritus at the Family and School Center at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. If your child has a play kitchen in his room, consider moving it into the kitchen where you can cook side by side.

Funnel fun. Seat your child at the table in front of two plastic washtubs with beans or colored rice, provide a funnel and some spoons, and show your child how to pour the beans and rice back and forth, suggests Kathy Kenworthy, who teaches preschool at the Broadway Children's School in Oakland, California. Be sure to keep an eye on your child, Kenworthy warns: Some young children may try to put beans or rice in their nose and ears, where they can get stuck.

Play dough creations. Kids love to use play dough to make their own cakes, cookies, and more. To make the colored dough combine two cups white flour, ½ cup salt, 2 cups water, 2 tablespoons cooking oil, ¼ cup cream of tartar, and a drop of food coloring in a saucepan over medium heat. When the mixture looks smooth, let it cool and give it to your child to play with. (You can also keep it in the fridge for future on-the-spot creations.)

Kenworthy suggests setting up a tray with the colored dough and some objects for your child to shape the dough with. Cookie cutters, toothpicks, and bottle caps are all good choices. "Four-year-olds love to use garlic presses," Kenworthy says. Two- and 3-year-olds may have trouble squeezing the garlic press together, but they can use plastic knives and scissors to cut the play dough, she says.

Homespun place mats. You'll be surprised at how the TV will pale in comparison when your child is presented with an art project, even a simple one, Kenworthy says. Try setting up a small arts and crafts table in the kitchen (or drape a plastic tarp over the dinner table) with glue, markers, construction paper, scissors, beans, and various types of uncooked pasta. Your child can create colorful placemats for family members and decorate the borders with the beans and pasta.

Bubble delight. Blowing bubbles is a fun learning activity for kids. Set up a basin of water with a little dish soap, Kenworthy suggests. Your child can use objects such as rubber bands and strawberry baskets to blow bubbles, and can experiment by using the different objects to create bubbles of different sizes. Be warned that while your child is mastering the art of bubble blowing, you may end up with a lot of water on the floor. If you want your child to do this activity at the sink, sit him on a stool with rubber legs so it doesn't slide.

Playful pizza. Buy ready-made pizza dough and give your child a bowl of cooked tomato sauce to smear onto the crust. Then let him decorate it with pieces of grated cheese, pepperoni, olives, slices of tomato and pepper, and anything else you'd like on the pizza. Many children like to make smiley faces or patterns. After you've cooked the pizza, point out to your child how the ingredients look different (mushrooms shrink, cheese melts, colors deepen) after they've been cooked.

Cook up a story. Bring your kids into the kitchen and tell each other stories, Kenworthy suggests. Try using kitchen items for inspiration. For example, the pasta you're about to dump into the boiling water can represent scuba divers on a daring mission. Encourage your child to add to the tale or start one of his own. "Telling stories is terrific for children's language development," Kenworthy says. Not only does telling stories help children organize their thoughts and learn new vocabulary, but communicating with you boosts their self-esteem, she says. Tip: Your child will love hearing about a main character that greatly resembles him.

Resort to sort. Set a bunch of different objects — fruits, silverware (no sharp knives!), cups — on the table and ask your child to separate them into different groups, Kenworthy suggests. While he's concentrating on the task, talk to him about the objects he's sorting: What color are they? What are they used for? Not only will your child have fun with everyday objects, he'll also learn about them. "Sorting is one way young kids explore the world," Kenworthy says.

~ Written by Kya Fawley ~ Baby Center

Arroz con Camarones (Shrimps with Rice)

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 16:24:00 +0000

istockphoto

DESCRIPTION:

If you have the time, reserve the shrimp shells and sauté in a little olive oil. Add the chicken broth and simmer together for 10 minutes or so to infuse the broth with shrimp flavor. Strain and set aside until needed for the rice.

INGREDIENTS:

2 tbsp. olive oil
3 slices bacon, diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
1 tsp. achiote seasoning
2/3 cup frozen green peas
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. In a 3-quart covered casserole or Dutch oven, heat oil. Add bacon and cook until just browned. Add garlic, onion, and bell peppers, and cook until onion is translucent.

2. Add shrimp and cook until shrimp turn pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs or fork, remove shrimp from pan and set aside on rimmed platter. Add broth, tomatoes, rice and achiote seasoning to pan. Bring to a boil, reduce a simmer, cover and cook until rice is fully cooked, 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Stir in shrimp and peas and cook 3 more minutes. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and serve hot. Serves 6

Yummy!

~ Courtesy of Latina magazine, by Akanke Small

5 Tips to Connect With Customers

noreply@blogger.com (The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 22:18:00 +0000

Find people to connect with, people to follow you and people to trust you and your business. When businesses lose touch with customers, they become ineffective. Staying connected is key to business success.

Here are "5 Tips to Connect With Customers!"

1. Avoid losing touch
- Listen to customers. Pay attention to what they're saying. People that are taken into consideration are loyal customers for life. Stay in touch!

2. Build trust
- It is the foundation which relationships are built and where customer loyalty is determined. Value each customers' time and views. Treat people the way you would like to be treated.

3. Accept responsibility
- Find out what works and do it over again. If customers are satisfied with your products/services, build upon that satisfaction. Ask yourself "how can I make it better?" Accept the responsibility to continue to make customers happy and feel special.

4. Accept change
- Understand that customers change their minds constantly. Our goal is to change right along with them. If a customer has an idea about how to make a certain product/service better, and it can be profitable for the business; consider it. Sometimes, what seems necessary today may not be so desirable tomorrow. Change can also mean growth!

5. Take control
- Always control the business message you're sending out to your customers. How you want your business to be perceived is very important. People make snap judgments and you want them to sum you up as a successful, confident and professional person who is the driving force behind a reputable business.

I hope you find the above "5 Tips to Connect With Customers" useful to your own business. Can you think of other elements to the above tips that have helped you with your business? If so, please share in the comments below. Thank you. :)

Best of luck in your business endeavors!

START BYLINE
About the author: Sonia Colon is writer/publisher of My Fashion E-Mall Blog & The Biz Buzz of a Latina Mom Blog. For additional powerful business articles and Internet marketing tips for maintaining a lucrative business visit her sites today!
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Connect to Customers

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