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

One of the questions moms ask me a lot is “How can I get setup to accept credit cards?” The answer is easy… by setting up a merchant account. But after that, finding a merchant account vendor you trust is key. You need the ability for real time processing - so you can make sure that the credit cards you process are real so you get paid. You also want the ability to connect your merchant account to a shopping cart program. That means you need a gateway system that integrates with most shopping cart systems. Finally, you’ll want the ability to have a virtual payment page so you can ring up transactions with your own browser based payment page.

Bottom line, if you don’t accept credit cards, you are missin out on a lot of business.
That’s why we trust Practice Pay - http://www.webmomz.com/accept-credit-cards.htm

We have used Practice Pay for years, and have never considered anyone else. Their prices are the lowest I’ve found anywhere. The service is excellent. The price is right. Their systgem makes the process simple and effortless.

If you don’t accept credit cards yet, I urge you to jump on this today! And if you’re working through a local bank or other merchant account, I’m betting Practice Pay can get your lower rates, better service, and put more money in your pocket. Check it out.
http://www.webmomz.com/accept-credit-cards.htm

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Sometimes I don’t think we realize as mothers the extend and power of our influence. Today I sat in church and watched a mom giving loving attention and nurturing to her 3 year old. Then the new baby woke up, she nursed him. And the 3rd old was kissing the baby over and over again.

It really struck me how nurturing, and life changing the love and support of a mother is. I want every mom to be able to be at home, love those babies, and help shape them into confident, able young adults.

If you dream of being at home with your kids, I hope you will find the support you need at Webmomz. Many blessings to you in your journey!

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I just joined the newest sorority in town! It’s at www.WebSororityTalkRadio.com

Host Lynne Klippel interviewed me for her May Salute to Moms in Business. If you’d like to hear my story and some of my best success tips, listen to the radio show for free from May 1-10 by going to www.WebSororityTalkRadio.com

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One of the things that many entrepreneurs struggle with is how to make money with their ezine. I mean doesn’t everyone promise you that the gold is in your list and all you need to do is send emails to your list promoting affiliate products? Wrong! Your list is only as good as the relationship that your build with your subscribers. That means you need to take time to share real insight and value with your members.

One person who I really look up to for advice on making money with your ezine is Alexandria Brown. I have had the chance to meet her in person and she is really a brilliant woman! Alexandria has a great report with tips on how you can use your ezine to boost your business, make you famous, and grow a massive mailing list that you can market to over and over again.

Here’s where you can grab a copy of this special report for free - “3 Simple Secrets to Publishing an Ezine That Makes You Money!”
Claim your copy of this free ezine publishing report here!

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Would you like to know a little secret for getting customer testimonials? Maybe it seems a little obvious, but you have to ask for them! And here’s a little idea to get your customers to send you testimonials without lifting a finger. You can automate asking for testimonials by creating an autoresponder that goes out about 7 days after a customer purchases a product.

Here’s what that testimonial requesting autoresponder can say:

Dear Jane,

Thanks for ordering My Fabulous Product. I’d love your opinion. What did you think of the product?

The reason I ask is because I’d love your feedback and secondly,
I’d love to feature your testimonial to post on my webpage for marketing purposes.
Having your picture and link on my webpage would be a great free marketing mention for you!

Did the product match your personal needs and wants?

Why did you purchase this product?

What did you like most about the product?

The greatest benefit I received from this product was?

The most valuable thing to me about this product was?

What specific information did you find the most helpful?

In what ways will this product help you?

How did this product make you feel?

Any suggested areas of improvement?

Would you recommend this product to others?

What web address would you like me to list with your testimonial?

What company name would you like me to list with your testiomonial?

How would you like me to list your name?

Do you have a photo I could post too?

Hope this fires up your marketing and helps you get some great customer testiominials to market your business.

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Would you like some nifty ideas on how to make your product thank you messages really convey your brand personality?

Attention Dog Lovers: SitStay.com has the all time funniest thank you notes. After you buy from them here’s what you get. Look for their fun branding tie in’s to “dog stuff”.

Message 1: An order confirmation that restates what you bought and says this about shipping, “We usually ship within 2 business days of receiving your order, except on weekends. We spend the weekends with our families and dogs. (Okay, that’s not Amazon’s approach, but SitStay customers are a different breed”)

Message 2: A request to confirm your opt in that reads in part: “Your email address has been submitted by you or someone who knows how much you love dogs… Once you click on the link… the SitStay dogs will add your email address to the subscription list…”

Message 3: The double opt in thank you note: “Ruff! The SitStay Dogs have added (your email address) to the SitStay.com Newlsetter mailing list… Now throw the ball!”

What a funny way to appeal to their dog loving customers. It truly positions them as a warm, playful, fun company who loves their dogs! It goes a long way to build connections thru their common connection - dogs!

How can you punch up the personality in your email responders? Have you seen any clever campaigns that you wanted to share? Share your branding ideas here.

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Are you thanking customers for their business? Recently I ordered new business cards, stationary, and onesheets from Tu-Vets.com. And as I was excitedly unwrapping my boxes to see my new stuff, I found a thank you card. Wow!

First of all, it had a picture of a sailor and a army guy on the front with the words of all the products they offered. Finally I got why their company is named Tu-Vets - duh - it’s run by two veterans. So the postcard helped engrave their brand in my mind.

Secondly, because it had a list of all the products they offered, it helps me to see other ways I could use their services.

Thirdly, it built rapport and positioned them as a caring company with the message which said

Thank you for your recent order!
Tu-Vets Corporation is committed to enhancing your marketing efforts with cost effective proven products.
See our web site for high quality, full color flyers, brochures, post cards, banners and more.
* Quarterly Specials help stretch your budget *

That’s it! Now how hard would it be to print up some thank you post cards to tuck in with your product orders? Business is about cultivating relationships. And thank you cards are a powerful way to build rapport and loyalty with customers.

How do you thank your customers? Share your thank you ideas here!

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I recently had a mom ask me what to put on a business card and where to get business cards.

If you want quick, cheap card, VistaPrint.com rocks. They have an online design tool OR you can use their free design service - you have to hunt for the link to that part though. Like 200 cards for $50.

If you want gorgeous mega professional cards http://www.tu-vets.com/ is cheap and good! For $79 I got 100 full color glossy printed front and back business cards.

Here’s what to put on them:

Company Name
Logo (if you have one)
Tagline
Name
Phone
Fax
Cell
Email
Web Address

You might also want to check out this blog post with 9 Cool Things to Put on the Back of your Business Card

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Are you addicted to learning? I know I am. And it’s easy to buy books, tapes, and attend seminars just to get the thrill of learning something new. But the truth is that knowledge does nothing without application.

Now, have you ever been to a seminar and listened to a really amazing speaker that had you sitting on the edge of your seat ready to pay an ungodly amount of money for their super duper package?

Well, that’s something I was recently wrestling with. I attended the Dan Kennedy Superconference and one of the big internet marketing gurus (whose name shall not be mentioned to protect the innocent) had a mega high priced mentoring package that had me drooling.

The lure was the list of specific action steps and individual mentoring to lead you to “explode your profits” in 60 days or get your money back in full. I really, really had a hard time resisting. Even though it was a boatload of money, I kept thinking about the potential if I just knew those secrets and applied them.

After sleeping on it, talking with my business coach, and getting advice of some good friends, I finally was able to resist the temptation to buy.

I really know 90% of what they were teaching. The rest I have sitting right on my book shelf - it’s just waiting for me to read, learn, and apply it. And as far as support, all I have to do is tell my coach my plan, create action steps, and hold me accountable.

Are you a learning addict? Are you experiencing information overload? Do you really need to buy that new book or tape? What things have you learned that you still have left to get off your butt and do! Share your information addict thoughts here!

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When’s the last time you treated yourself to a good juicy romanc e novel? Well I’m up to something kind of fun I wanted to share with you.

I am participating in the Mom Writer’s Talk Radio Blog Tour. And as a blog tour stop, I’ll be sharing information about different books and projects by moms writers. Cool huh?

For those of you who don’t know, Mom Writer’s Talk Radio is an internet talk show hosted by mom writers Paula Schmitt and Alana Morales. Their show features various authors and fun contests.

As a blogger for this blogging tour, each month, I’ll share reviews, interview, and information about new books by mom writers.

Today I’d like to share with you a little bit about a new fiction book called, “The White Rose” By Jean Hanff Korelitz (Miramax Books, 2006)

Mom Author: Jean Hanff Korelitz is a novelist who lives in Princeton, N.J., with her husband, the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon, and their children.

The Book:

White Rose is a romance story about a 48 year old woman who risks everything when she falls in love with Oliver, the 20-something son of her oldest friend.

Marian Kahn, a professor of history at Columbia, has reached a comfortable perch. Married, wealthy, and the famed discoverer of that eighteenth-century adventuress, Lady Charlotte Wilcox, she ought to be content. Instead, she is horrified to find herself profoundly in love with twenty-six-year-old Oliver, the son of her oldest friend. When Marian’s cousin, the snobbish Barton, announces his engagement to Sophie, a graduate student in Marian’s department, Marian, Oliver and Sophie find their affiars woefully entangled, and their hearts turned in unfamiliar directions. All three of them will learn that love may seldom be straightforward, but it’s always a gift.

From the West Village to the Upper East Side, from the Hamptons to Millbrook, The White Rose is at once a nuanced and affectionate reimagining of Strauss’ beloved opera, Der Rosenkavalier, and a mesmerizing novel of our own time and place.

So, if you are looking for good romance novel, you’ll really enjoy this book. Grab yourself a copy of The White Rose at Amazon.com here!

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