Kristie T’s Home Business Blog Fun, mom-geared work-at-home tips and advice on making money on the net.

Are you a do it yourself designer? Whether you are designing postcards, flyers, or webpages, here are a few tips that can make your marketing pieces sizzle!

6 tips for Graphic Design that Sells

1) Use 1 simple, strong, dominating image - 1 picture is worth a thousand words. Find 1 strong compelling image that grabs your attention.

2) Use the rule of 3 - no more than 3 colors, 3 font faces, 3 font sizes

3) White space makes it easy on the eyes - A simple design with white space is reader friendly. Make white space your friend.

4) Make text easy to read. - Adding bullet points, breaking text up into paragraphs, and keeping paragraphs short makes it more readable.

5) Add your logo. - A logo has immediate recognition. If you have a logo, add it to your marketing pieces for added brand recognition.

6) Create a compelling call to action. - Clearly tell the reader what next step you would like them to take as a result of reading your piece. Is it call now for a free consultation, visit our website for a free report, buy now and save 50% etc.

Try these simple tips to make your marketing pieces really work for you!

(Leave a Comment)

Subscribe to RSS feed
Add to your favorite bookmark site

From the time I was a little kid, Helen Keller has always been one of my heroes. She had every disadvantage in life and chose to move past it. And when I think of how Helen was able as a blind and deaf person to do incredible things, it inspires me.

Here is one of my favorite quotes from Helen Keller. It reminds me that even if there is one small thing that you can do, that one thing could really change the world. Kind of a cooler version of the Starfish story I guess.

“I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do.”
– Helen Keller
1880-1968, Author and Lecturer

Who are your favorite heroes that inspire you? Share your favorite heroeshere.

1

Subscribe to RSS feed
Add to your favorite bookmark site

Put two moms together on the phone talking with other moms and what do you get? Gretchen Vogelzang and Paige Heninger from Northern VA hit a gold mine when they started podcasting. Their new podcasting program, MommyCast has turned out to be a profitable and fun venture.

They talks about the wide range of issues that moms today face. And because of their connection to moms, they have already attracted a sponsor, a major paper company who is sponsoring their show for $200,000.

Podcasts are getting hot. If you are looking for a low cost easy way to get known, consider becoming a PJ (Podcasting Jockey).

What are your favorite podcasts that you listen to? Share your podcast favorites here!

1

Subscribe to RSS feed
Add to your favorite bookmark site

Ever wonder what new content to make for your site so you get the most Adsense revenues? Google has a great new keyword tool that will help make more money thru Adsense. Not only will it show you the hot keywords, but it will also show you advertiser competition and search volume.

I know you are thinking, “Great, but how do I use that?”

1) Having the hot keywords will help you optimize your blog entries
2) It helps you create new web pages with content that will get you more adsense income

Click here to see the new Google Keywords Tool.

Click here to see what Problogger Darren Rowse has to say about new Google Keywords Tool.

2

Subscribe to RSS feed
Add to your favorite bookmark site

Have trouble striking up a good conversation at networking events? People love to talk about themselves. And asking questions to get to know them better draws you closer. What if I told you there were 10 “magic” questions to could turn even the quietest person into a social butterfly - would you want to know?

Bob Burg offers these 10 Networking Questions:

1) How did you get started in your business?
2) What do you enjoy most about your profession?
3) What separates you and your company from the competition?
4) What advice would you give someone just starting out in your business?
5) What one thing would you do with your business in you knew you couldn’t fail?
6) What significant changes have you seen take place in your profession through the years?
7) What do you see as the coming trends in your business?
Describe the strangest or funniest incident you’ve experienced in your business?
9) What ways have you found to be the most effective for promoting your business?
10) What one sentence would you like people to use in describing the way you do business?

These cleverly insightful questions help you see to the heart of this person’s needs so you can offer whatever resources and information you have that might be helpful to them.

So next time you are at a loss for words, start from a place of curiosity and ask away. Do you have any favorite networking questions? Share your networking tips here!

P.S. Are you wondering why I have been sharing so many tips on networking lately? I have recently been appointed Director of Education for my local BNI chapter. So it’s my job now to learn about and teach networking tips. So I’ll keep sharing the good stuff with you here!

1

Subscribe to RSS feed
Add to your favorite bookmark site

It’s true. Mothers hold the purse strings of America. In fact, they make 80% of the purchasing decisions for the family. Want to reach your share of this trillion dollar market?

Below are some conclusions and insights I drew from an article written by Kevin Burke, president of Lucid Marketing on marketing to moms.

1) Moms are the gatekeepers for the family. They are busy and choosy. They looking for solutions to make life easier. They love shopping on the Internet.

2) Moms value relationships. Make efforts to build and keep those relationships and keep them strong.

3) Moms talk to other moms about buying decisions. So word of mouth marketing is key. Give moms a reason to say good things about you at the playground to other moms.

4) Moms are well networked. They have between 18-46 daily contacts. They connect with other moms while running errands, working, chatting on message boards, and running kids to soccor practice.

If you are looking to increase your market share, look at how your business can better connect to moms.

2

Subscribe to RSS feed
Add to your favorite bookmark site

Wish that when someone needed a service that you were the one that came to mind? A memory hook helps people to remember who you are and what you do. Would you like some tips that make it easy to make a clever memory hook?

Networking expert Ivan Misner of BNI offers these tips for creating a great memory hook. I added some of my own insights too!

1) See It, Hear It, Feel It - Appeal to the senses
“For balloons with a flair, remember the bear in the air.” - for a retailer who sells balloon bouquets
“Come fly away with me” for a travel agency

2) Make ‘Em Laugh, Make ‘Em Cry - use humor
“We check your shorts” for an electrician
“We’re dyeing to save you money” for a company who dyes carpet

I know a guy who owns a carpet business and says, “Our vacumns really suck!”

3) Create a Pun with your name
For websites that suit you to a “T” ask the website expert, Kristie T
Bob Howe a mortgage lender says, “Know Howe to get your next loan”

4) Verse or Worse - using poems and rhymes

“When things go blurry, don’t stop to ‘ponda’ stumble to 17th Street and see Dr. Honda” - for an optomitrist
“When cops are in the foyer, call Marchese, your friendly lawyer.”

In my own BNI group my Mary Kay gal says, “If you’d like a check up from the neck up, call me”
And there is a personal banker who says, “If your finances are in the trash, let us help you with your cash!”

5) Piracy or Parody - reworking familiar sayings or lyrics from songs

“Old bankers never die, they just lose interest”
“When you’re in commotion, who you gonna call? Law in motion! (a paralegal firm)

6) The Old Double Reverse - In the same sentence you phrase the first part, and then reverse it to make a different point.

“A business without a sign is a sign of no business”
“If your hair is not becoming to you, then you should be coming to me”

Do you have a great memory hook that you use for your networking or 30 second introduction? Have you heard any good ones? Share your memory hooks here.

5

Subscribe to RSS feed
Add to your favorite bookmark site

Realizing greater success starts with personal development. In order to have more, we need to first be more.

Here are some daily success habits that will help you to grow.

1) Read 30 minutes of something that positive, stimulating, educational, affirming, and/or spiritually engaging everyday. It could be a book, your Bible, an article, or even a website.

2) Listen to audio tapes, CD’s, MP3’s etc that help you develop personally. Regularly listening to success tapes gives you an “edge” over your colleagues and provides valuable new ideas and strategies to build your business. One great source is www.EmpoweringMessages.com. Here you can find short inspiring messages from today’s top thought leaders.

3) Spend time every morning reviewing your goals, planning your day. What could you do today that would make it a “10″ both personally and business wise. Being clear about what your goals are and why they are important to you will keep you motivated. In fact, planning is actually one of the most important activities you will spend time doing. By setting goals, and breaking your goals down into smaller goals with deadlines, you will find yourself moving ahead and setting yourself record achievement.

4) At the end of the day, review what you have accomplished and experienced.- What did I learn today?
- What would I have done differently?
- Did I make good use of the opportunities that came your way?
- Did I use your time and resources wisely?
- Did I experience any challenges/issues that need addressing?
- What am I grateful for?

Without reviewing how we spent our time, we don’t acknowledge where we need to make adjustments to stay on track.

What are your daily success habits? Share your success secrets here!

(Leave a Comment)

Subscribe to RSS feed
Add to your favorite bookmark site

Want to know how to keep customers? Grace Keohohou Lee, of the Direct Selling Women’s Alliance offers these tips for “Going the Extra Mile” with Customer Service in the bestselling book, More Build it Big: 101 Insider Secrets from Top Direct Sellers.

- Remember someone’s name and use it frequently
- Remember what someone has purchased
- Learn your customers likes and dislikes
- Send them thank you notes
- Contact your customers regularly
- Put their needs high on your priority list
- Inform customers of specials and sales
- Be available to meet her needs
- Follow up when you say you will
- Remember facts about their family or hobbies
- Be organized and thorough
- Be a friend
- Return customer calls promptly
- Demonstrate you want to fulfill their customer needs

By going the extra mile, we can show customers we care. Those bonds will create lifelong loyal customers and a steady stream of income.

Thanks for the tips Grace! Do you have any neat tips for showing customers you care and giving excellent customer service? Share your customer service tips here!

(Leave a Comment)

Subscribe to RSS feed
Add to your favorite bookmark site

Today, I’m going to answer your “Top Questions on How to Get Publicity for your Home Based Business” today, Thursday, March 16th at 2:00pm EST.

I’ve received some great questions and am really looking forward to sharing my answers in this special f-r-e-e teleclass for MomMasterminds, an awesome mom mentoring group with internet marketing
mom Alice Seba.

If you have ever wanted to know how to get big publicity for your business, don’t miss this call! It’s gonna be fun!

There’s still time to get in on this call. It’s easy, just go right now to: http://www.webmomz.com/mm.htm
and join with the free 7 day trial membership. Once you get inside the Mom Masterminds forum, you’ll see details about how to
get on the call.

I know you’re busy, but I promise this will be time well spent…on YOU! You deserve to be in the headlines! Today you’ll find out how!

See you soon on today’s call!

Oh, and if you can’t make it today, as long as you sign up as with the free trial membership, you’ll be able to listen to a recording of the call.

Kristie Tamsevicius
Webmomz.com
Partner, MomMasterinds.com

P.S. There’s going to be a chance at the end to ask your own pr questions live, so go sign up right now so you don’t miss out!

(Leave a Comment)

Subscribe to RSS feed
Add to your favorite bookmark site