Today I start to eat my own dogfood. I’ve been telling people for years about a way to do two very valuable things at once: Writing a book by producing a blog. Thus the title “Blog to Book.” The 'Blog Your Book' Track Record It’s path to publication that has worked before. One well-known example is Julie and Julia, the 2009 movie starring Meryl Streep that began with a blog about cooking all 524 of Julia Child’s recipes in 365 days. Another is the 2008 book Waiter Rant: Thanks for the … [Read more...] about Blog to Book: Introduction
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Keys to Conflict in Storytelling
Writing your own story can be the hardest part of marketing. That's frustrating, because telling your story is the key to making deep engagement with your clients, showing the power of what you offer, and at the end of the day, sales. I ran across a series of blog posts from story expert Michael Hauge that can help pull a powerful story from the random facts of your life. The posts all look at conflict as the heart of a story. First Key: Stakes If a story is like a a poker game, the … [Read more...] about Keys to Conflict in Storytelling
Melony Buenger: Reaching your ‘God-sized’ goals
For Melony Buenger, being a philanthropist, connector, and success coach are bound together in her Christian faith. Christian Network — building a networking community through service and prayer Courageous Beginnings — aid to people recovering from human trafficking and domestic violence Melony Buenger — coaching people to reach their “God-sized goals” She didn't set out to design her work this way, but it grew that way out of difficult circumstances. Growing a Network The … [Read more...] about Melony Buenger: Reaching your ‘God-sized’ goals
Unique Business Cards: More than Just a Marketing Tool
When I asked for unique business cards to replace the ones I had for Professional Web Strategies, I expected to get an attractive logo and a good marketing tool, but I didn't know how much more I would receive. That was because I had never worked with Leslie Ann Akin, The Brand Boss. I've known Leslie for a few months now. A former professional clown, she has been working in graphic design since the ’80s, and I’ve seen her beautiful work product, both on the walls of her office and in the … [Read more...] about Unique Business Cards: More than Just a Marketing Tool
(Video) Xtreme Makeover Branding Challenge
How's your brand? Up to date or out of date? If you're not sure, you'll be interested in this workshop that looks at branding from five different directions: Bulletproof Your Brand — Strategic branding with Maja Haloway, the Marketing Mastermind Your Brand DNA — Brand essence with Leslie Ann Akin, the Brand Boss 5 Ways to Up Your Visual A Game — Branding with images by Amanda Goff, the Visual Virtuoso More than Just a Pretty Face — Branding with your website by Jan Bear the … [Read more...] about (Video) Xtreme Makeover Branding Challenge
Revamp These Five Types of Web Pages to Boost Your Website’s Power
Whether you're just starting your website or trying to make it better, there are five types of web pages that will make the biggest difference in the quality of your site. Here are the five basic types of web pages and tips on making them perform at their best. Home Page Of all the types of web pages, the home page usually gets the most attention from the site owner. It serves as an introduction to you and your business and a sign post to more information. Most visitors come to your … [Read more...] about Revamp These Five Types of Web Pages to Boost Your Website’s Power
Sell Anything Online? The Supreme Court Sales Tax Ruling Applies to You
If you sell anything online, the new Supreme Court sales tax ruling needs your attention. On June 21, the US Supreme Court ruled that states may collect sales taxes from out-of-state online retailers. What that means is that if you sell an item from your website to an out-of-state buyer, you are responsible for paying whatever sales tax that state (or city or county) requires. The ruling upheld a South Dakota that out-of-state online seller must pay sales tax if they sell over $100,000 … [Read more...] about Sell Anything Online? The Supreme Court Sales Tax Ruling Applies to You
Why Web Maintenance Matters to Your WordPress Website
Web maintenance matters. Everything in the universe breaks, falls apart, or runs down. Besides that, there’s always someone trying to break in, destroy, or steal. Your website is vulnerable to both sources of chaos. The Dangers Your Website Faces Your website can break for many reasons. Most common, conflicting code can cause features of your website to stop functioning, create puzzling glitches that put off your web visitors — or even give the dreaded “white screen of death,” in which nothing … [Read more...] about Why Web Maintenance Matters to Your WordPress Website
Writing for the Web: The Secret Sauce for Your Business
A gorgeous website can attract your web visitors to look you over, but you make deep personal connections through your writing for the web. Easy-to-navigate design, attractive images and colors, and clear writing are an unbeatable combination to deliver your message and entire your visitors to become clients. Does your website work for you? Does it — bring in prospects? convert them to clients? engage them to come back for more? Carefully crafted, the writing on your website … [Read more...] about Writing for the Web: The Secret Sauce for Your Business
Why You Need a Web Privacy Policy and How to Get One
On May 25, 2018, the European Union implemented the GDPR, a new law for internet privacy. The tsunami of privacy updates in my email box got me thinking about my own web privacy policy. Oops. I didn't have one. If you're like me, you may be collecting personal information without even thinking about it. Got a newsletter? Then you’re collecting names and email addresses. Send out postcards or other physical goods? Then you’ve got shipping information. Selling goods or services? Then you (or … [Read more...] about Why You Need a Web Privacy Policy and How to Get One