Archive for the ‘Guest Articles’ Category

Do you want to do an online business but are afraid of the scams? You’re not alone! Because of the scams reported, some people are given up their dream of working online at home. I hope you won’t be one of them.

There are a lot of scams out there today, especially in the internet world. But that is no reason to put your idea of working an online business on hold. Scams can be avoided with some careful research.

What do you look for when trying to avoid a scam? Here are a few tips you should watch for when searching on the internet for a job or business to start up.

The company should have contact information. A physical address and phone number is best. At least, there should be a legitimate, in-country email address. When you locate the contact information, use it! Call them or email them. You should get a response in a timely manner. If it is an email, does it sound like it is a personal response? If something doesn’t seem quite right, go on to another opportunity.

Check out the company with the Better Business Bureau. Not every business is registered with them, but if there have been complaints against the company, there should be a record of it. See if the complaint issues have been resolved. If not, do not do business with the company.

Go to Google and type in the “company name and scam” or “company name and complaints.” See what others are saying about them and what the general experience has been. I say general, because you will find complaints about almost anything from some people. You need to be able to read between the lines here. Is there a legitimate issue or is someone just spouting off because they didn’t put the effort into the business to make it work and wrote it off as a scam? Determine if most people are happy with the company or not.

Take your time. Decide what you would really enjoy doing and do your research.

Don’t put off your desire to run an online business. Just go in with your eyes wide open.

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Laurie Neumann has compiled a Home Business Resource Guide which gives you over seventy legitimate opportunities that have been researched and checked out with the Better Business Bureau. The guide also gives additional resources for training and guidance in getting started in your own business. Visit http://www.legitimate-homebasedbusinesses.com for details.

Guest post by Angela Wills of MarketersMojo.com

As I started thinking about what to write for the Internet Marketing Sweetie blog I began thinking about what I needed to do to write a great guest blog post. Then it came to me: A guest blog post about the topic of guest blogging!

Not only do you want to guest blog for more traffic and exposure, you want to do it so well that you get invited back again and again.

7 Tips to Write Guest Blog Posts That Have Them Begging For More:

1. Know Who You’re Writing For – There’s nothing worse than a guest blogger who doesn’t understand the audience they’re writing for. If you’re not already a reader of the blog you’re guest blogging for do your homework and start reading a dozen or so posts plus comments. You could also ask the blog author who their target market is to get straight to the point.

2. Write What You Know – One of my favorite writing tips is writing about what you know. When you write from experience you won’t struggle with what to say. Just let the content flow from your fingers without censoring and edit it later.

3. Write From The Heart – I have a report called ‘Market From The HEART’ where I talk about infusing your personality into your business. When you write guest posts you have the opportunity to let a whole new audience get to know you – make sure you use that opportunity to shine through with the ‘real’ you!

4. Write on Topic – Before you write your guest post, check the blog categories to make sure you are on topic. If the blog has a tag cloud or popular posts section check that too to find out what the readers really respond to. Another tip for figuring out popular site topics is to use the Google Analytics Keyword Search Tool (link: https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal) and use the ‘website content’ function to find relevant keyword phrases based on the website content. Here’s a screenshot:

5. Link to Relevant Posts – If you want the blog author to appreciate your post even more, relate to other relevant posts within the blog or other materials created by the author (such as products, services or programs). For example, in the roundtable contribution I wrote yesterday (link http://www.internetmarketingsweetie.com/blog/roundtable-chat-affiliate-marketing-tips) I referenced a product of Melissa’s.

6. Set Your Post Up For Success – Ideally you want to generate traffic for the blog. Therefore, you need to do what you can to set the post up for maximum results. That would include doing keyword research, linking from your blog, emailing your list, tweeting or adding a link to your facebook account. If your blog post generates more readers, comments and/or traffic you’re much more likely to be invited back again and again.

7. Join The Conversation – Your guest blog post doesn’t end after you submit the initial piece. Many popular blogs get a number of comments. You’ll want to join in the conversation going on by posting replies and comments on your own post.

So you’ve written a great blog post and followed these steps to make sure it’s killer. What’s next? Don’t leave your new readers hanging. Let them know where they can find out more about you and your business. You could invite them to come read your blog, sign up for your RSS feed, download a free report or anything else that will add great value.

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With that being said I want to invite you to learn more about how to ‘Market From the HEART’. I’ve written a short but powerful report that covers how to be you, be honest, be ethical all while making a great living on the internet. Here’s where you can grab the report for instant download by entering your name and email: http://www.MarketersMojo.com

Love Your Business and Your Life,
Angela Wills

Hi, this is Scott Tousignant with the final installment of my Home Office Fitness Blog Tour stop here at the Internet Marketing Sweetie blog. I’m going to wrap things up the same way that I started… In true “Sweetie Style”.

If you have missed any of the previous posts in my five part series you’ll definitely want to play catch-up and apply the strategies recommended in each one. Here’s where you can find them…

Sweetie Squats: Work your butt and thighs while building relationships.

Sweetie Shoulder and Abs Combo: Shape your body while showing yourself the love and respect that you deserve.

Sweetie Cardio and Abs: Boost your metabolism while increasing your productivity.

Sweetie Sweets: How to indulge in sweets while leaving the guilt behind.

There’s a reason why I chose the Internet Marketing Sweetie blog as a stop on my Home Office Fitness Blog Tour. Our values, vision, and approach are very much in alignment with each other.

I have totally felt at home here and I thank the Internet Marketing Sweetie team for welcoming me with open arms. During my stay I have noticed 5 key similarities between the Internet Marketing Sweetie philosophies and the philosophies of the Fat Loss Quickie Experience. I call them…

The 5 Sweetie Principles

Anti-Quick Fix:

With all the “Get Rich Quickie” and “Lose Weight Overnight” schemes out there, it’s always nice when you come across genuine people who have your best interests at heart…

…People who enjoy the process of building a business and improving your health. People who are willing to put in the effort because they know that the rewards are worth the price of working hard and they are willing to pay the price.

Kindness:

In a world full of negativity and dog eat dog mentality, it’s wonderful to witness the simple act of kindness to others and to yourself. It’s these acts of kindness that make you stand out from the crowd and allow you to attract the people that you want to work with and develop friendships with.

Giving:

The Internet Marketing Sweetie approach is right on the money… A business that gives, gets back much more in return and in many ways.

The same holds true with your health and the Fat Loss Quickie lifestyle. It all begins with giving to your body. Give your body the proper healthy fuel that it deserves and you will be greatly rewarded. Take the time to move your body, stretch it, and challenge it, and you will be greatly rewarded.

Sharing your journey with others, encouraging them to adopt a healthy and balanced lifestyle, and supporting them along the way is one of the greatest acts of giving that you could do. It giving the gift of health.

Savvy:

Being savvy in marketing and in health will lead to long term success. It’s a practical approach that suits your lifestyle, meets your needs, and is alignment with your values. It’s based on the inspired application of knowledge that you have gained from study and experience.

Respect:

Respecting your readers, your customers, colleagues who have helped you along the way, your teachers, and most important yourself is one of the greatest keys to success in life.

When the work that you produce is in alignment with your values and positively impacting the people who use it, be proud of yourself and respect what you have created.

When you respect your body through regular exercise and fueling it with natural healthy foods you will experience a zest for life and become fully aware that you are doing the things that are transforming you into the best YOU that you can be.

So there you have it. The 5 Sweetie Principles to live by. I hope that you have enjoyed this post as well as the other four posts that I have contributed in this series.

I would love to get to know you better and build upon the relationship that we have just begun. When you are in the neighborhood stop by the Fat Loss Quickie blog for more home office fitness tips.

I have lots of FREE stuff to share with you including the 30 Day Home Office Fitness Challenge.

When you are ready to take things to the next level, increasing your productivity, quality of work, energy, all while improving your health, stop by the Fat Loss Quickie program page and see how your fellow work-at-home-moms and dads are transforming their fitness, business, and life.

It’s been an absolute pleasure guest blogging here. I hope to connect with you again really soon.

You ROCK! Enjoy the experience,

Scott Tousignant

PS You deserve to live the life of your dreams in the body of your dreams. Dream BIG and don’t let anything get in your way.

Hi there. If this is your first time seeing my shiny mug on the Internet Marketing Sweetie blog, my name is Scott Tousignant and I’ve been guest blogging here for the past few days and sharing some advice on how to incorporate fast, fun home office fitness into your busy work day.

If you missed the any of the previous posts you can get caught up by visiting Sweetie Squat, Sweetie Shoulder and Abs, and Sweetie Cardio.

Today’s post is all about SWEETS and living guilt free. As you can tell from the picture above I was caught with my hand in the cookie jar

…Actually I was reaching for some cookies and chocolate fondu with a beer in hand. Does it look like I’m feeling guilty in that picture?

How about in this video? Does it look like I’m feeling guilty here…

Scott’s Tips For Indulging In Guilt Free Pleasures

Know Your Limits:

How long can you go without indulging in sweets? Can you go a few days without having any chocolate? Or do you need to have a little treat each day?

This is important because if you need to satisfy your sweet tooth each day and you try to go a week without eating a single bite you will be setting yourself up for an all out binge.

Plus if you are going against your natural tendencies it will cause additional stress on you, which can a) cause you to actually store fat, b) distract you all day long causing poor work performance, and c) make you miserable. We don’t want that now do we?

Schedule Your Treats:

If you prefer to have a small treat such as a mini chocolate bar or two cookies each day, schedule it in. If you know that you can go a few days without sweets, schedule the days and meals that you are going to have them.

I know that I can go three days without sweets (If they aren’t in the house or I’m not aware that they are in the house). So what I do is schedule my treat reward for every Wednesday at lunch time. That’s when I indulge in a Kit-Kat Chunky bar

Every Saturday we have pizza as a family and I also have a chocolate bar. If I feel a craving or chocolate urge coming on and it’s only Tuesday, I know that I can last the remainder of the day because I will enjoy the reward the next day.

Because it’s scheduled into my week or day, I don’t feel guilty about eating it. After all, it was planned. It was something that I allowed myself to have.

Control Your Intake:

My wife Angie has great control when it comes to sweets, but she needs to have some every day. As I’ve mentioned in the video above, I don’t have very good control, but I’m aware of that. If a box of cookies is in front of me I’ll polish of the box.

That’s why I prefer not to have any sweets in the house. When it’s time for me to have a candy bar I’ll go to the corner store and just get one. That’s how I control my intake. By only purchasing the amount that I can consume without packing on the pounds.

We do have some junk in the house, but my family is aware of my control issue so they hide it from me I’m all good with that and grateful that they look out for me.

Once again, I’m only eating the amount of sweets that I had planned, so there is no need to feel guilty about it.

Acknowledge Your Accomplishments:

When you are indulging in the designated amount of sweets that you planned for take a moment to acknowledge how well you have done in consuming healthy natural foods throughout the day and the week.

If you happen to overindulge on a day when you hadn’t planned on eating any sweets I still want you to think of how well you have done throughout the week. Don’t do it to justify the sweets that you are eating, but it’s important to think of the good that you’ve accomplished rather than beat up on yourself for ‘falling off the wagon’.

Don’t Rely on Will-Power:

Relying on will-power opens up the doors for beating yourself up if you have a tough time ‘willing’ yourself to not eat sweets.

…Instead, discover more powerful reasons to make healthier choices throughout the day.

I have a mantra that I repeat throughout the day… “Brain Fuel“. I want my brain to function at it’s best all day long. That’s why I perform quick home office workouts and that’s why I consistently drink 8-12 glasses of water each day and consume healthy natural foods.

If my brain is not functioning optimally my work will suffer and I will not be the best husband and father that I can be. I want to perform my best even when it’s during my leisure time.

When I repeat “Brain Fuel” to myself throughout the day, thoughts of family trips, cuddle time with my kids, and traveling the world with Angie well into our senior years. All of that is made possible because I am creating an environment for my brain to function optimally, which results in my business flourishing, which leads to freedom to do what I want, when I want.

I know that sweets are not the best brain fuel and I don’t have to ‘will’ myself not to eat them because I have trained myself to go for healthier options when I repeat my mantra “brain fuel”.

Living the life that I deserve in the body that I deserve is much more rewarding than the temporary satisfaction of eating sweets. It doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t eat sweets. It simply means that I am not a slave to sweets.

I can put on weight just as easy as anyone else. I don’t eat sweets guilt free because I have incredible metabolism. Nothing could be further from the truth. I eat sweets guilt free because I understand that health and fitness is a lifelong journey. I understand that one bad day of eating is not going to ruin everything. I understand that my body is capable of greatness and even more so when I allow myself to indulge from time to time.

You are an Internet Marketing Sweetie. Don’t feel guilty about indulging in sweets!

You ROCK! Enjoy the experience,

Scott Tousignant

PS When you perform a fast, fun quickie cardio session as I shared in yesterday’s guest blog post you’ll be able to burn the calories from the sweets you eat in no time flat.

Hello again. I’m Scott Tousignant back with another Home Office Fitness Blog Tour guest post to help you become super-focused, highly productive, and leaner.

If you missed the first two guest posts from me this week you can find them at the Sweetie Squat and the Sweetie Shoulder and Stomach Combo.

Today you are going to boost your metabolism and increase your productivity in just 10-minutes with some fast, fun cardio and abs exercises.

Quick Sweetie Cardio and Abs

You only need to perform this “Sweetie Cardio” session once per day. Your metabolism will be cranked up all day long from this quick cardio workout. You’ll be burning more calories while you are working at your desk and even while you sleep.

Now here’s the “Sweetie” portion of this cardio workout…

As soon as you complete the 10-minute cardio workout I would like you to take a few minutes to write down how your life is going to be 1 year from now as a result of adopting a new healthier lifestyle with home office fitness that fits perfectly into your busy life.

I want you to dream big. A lot can happen in one year. In one years time I went from being flat broke, bankrupt, stressed out, depressed, and working 16 hour days to…

…operating a successful online business, working a lot less, seeing my wife leave her stinking factory job to be home with the kids full time, reclaiming my happy go lucky fun loving self again, and being able to spend loads of quality time with my two adorable kids.

I knew all of that was possible. I wasn’t afraid to dream big. Angie and I wrote out what we wanted from life and then we followed it up with purposeful and passionate action.

This exercise of writing out how you envision your life one year from now is very powerful.

After you write this down I want you to get excited about achieving these goals. Write down a list of people who may be able to help you along the way and think about how many people you will be able to help along the way as you achieve each of these goals.

Are you ready? Great! I knew that you would be. There’s no better time to perform the Sweetie Cardio and Abs workout than right now. Go for it and let us know how you feel after you complete it.

You ROCK! Enjoy the experience,

Scott Tousignant

PS We’re only three days into your home office fitness challenge yet I’m sure that you are beginning to experience the impact that quickie workouts can have on your business and life. Let’s keep the momentum rolling!

This is Scott Tousignant back with another home office fitness tip for you. Once again we’re putting a ‘Sweetie’ twist on it. Today I’ll be introducing you to the “Sweetie Shoulder and Stomach Combo”

This exercise packs a double whammy. You’ll be shaping and sculpting your shoulders as well as tightening your tummy muscles by working your abs.

Once again I would like you to perform this home office exercise once every hour to increase oxygen flow to your brain boosting your brain function, making you more attentive and less likely to become distracted.

Sweet Shoulder and Stomach Exercise

After you perform the Sweetie Shoulder and Stomach exercise take a moment to write something that you love about yourself. It’s time to give yourself a pat on the back and acknowledge the greatness that you possess.

Do you love your humor, your quick wit, your outgoing personality, your appreciation for nature, the fact that you are a kick butt parent, your persistence, your values, your vision?

Do you love your butt, your arms, your eyes?

Do you love that you are patient, kind, caring?

You have the opportunity each hour after you perform the Sweetie Shoulder and abs exercise to celebrate yourself, your unique gifts, and the impact that you’ve had and are about to have on the world.

This is an especially important exercise for women who tend to put everyone elses needs ahead of their own.

It’s important that you make time for YOU! When you make yourself, your health, and your well-being, the top priority in your life everyone else wins.

Your clients win because you are more productive and are able to complete projects in less time. Your family wins because you have more energy to play with them and give them the best YOU that YOU can be. The world wins because you are living to your potential and sharing your greatness with them.

Combining this home office exercise with an act of kindness toward yourself will reinforce the positive decision that you are making by placing your health as the top priority in your life.

So tell me… what do you love about yourself? Please take a moment to share it with us as well as any thoughts or opinions that you have about the exercise and topic. Your comments mean a lot to me.

Don’t forget that each comment that you share this week will give you a chance of winning the Fat Loss Quickie home office fitness program.

You ROCK! Enjoy the experience,

Scott Tousignant

PS Have you been putting everyone elses needs ahead of your own? Are you ready to turn that around because you now recognize how everyone else will win when you make YOU and your health your top priority?

PPS If you missed yesterday’s guest post you can check it out here: Home Office Fitness Sweetie Style

Hi there, my name is Scott Tousignant. I am totally excited to be a guest blogger here at Internet Marketing Sweetie this week. This is the first stop on my Home Office Fitness Blog Tour and we’ll be kickin’ it off “Sweetie Style!”

The goal of the Home Office Fitness Blog Tour is to have you experience the benefits of increased productivity and focus, improved quality of work and time management, and an overall balanced lifestyle when you incorporate short bursts of home office fitness into your busy workday.

Are you ready to give your business and energy a boost? Awesome! Lets Get It Started!

Your first performance on the Home Office Fitness Blog Tour stage is the “Sweetie Squats“. Allow me to demonstrate…

The Sweetie Squat

The Sweetie Squat is performed by:

1) Placing your feet wider than shoulder width apart with your toes pointed out.

2) Lower your butt so your legs are close to a 90 degree angle and lean your upper body forward at a 45 degree angle.

3) Move your butt up and down approximately 5 inches in a pulsing motion performing as many pulses as you can without stopping.

Repeat this movement each working hour throughout the day.

Now for the “Sweetie” part of the squat…

After you perform the pulsing squats I would like you to perform a random act of kindness. Here are some examples that you may consider…

* Give a shout out to a customer who has taken massive action in applying your teachings. You can do this on your blog, Twitter, Facebook, or through an email to your subscribers.

 

* Recommend a product, service, or blog on Twitter, Facebook, or email without using your affiliate link.

 

* Give one of your products away to one of your Twitter followers.

 

* Give your child 30 minutes of undivided attention.

 

* Write your spouse a love letter.

 

* Call your grandparents and share a fond memory that you have with them.

 

* Give a shout out to one of your mentors on Twitter and let them know how they have impacted your business.

 

* Comment on a blog post. Everyone loves to see comments on their blog.

 

* Offer a killer tip in a forum.

 

Why Should You Combine Sweetie Squats With a Random Act Of Kindness?

The reason why you should perform a random act of kindness immediately after you do a set of “Sweetie Squats” is because I want you to associate ‘feel good’ emotions with fitness.

Fitness shouldn’t be something that you dread. It should be something that you look forward to because it makes you feel good about yourself and your actions.

Use fitness as a means of making a positive difference in the world. With your increased productivity and focus you will be providing better service to your customers because you will be getting more done in less time.

With your increase in energy you can keep up with your kids and be more active with them. This will enhance your bond and create a wonderful experience that they won’t forget.

It’s time to take action! At the top of each hour perform the “Sweetie Squats” and a random act of kindness. Let us know how this impacts your day by sharing your comments and feedback below.

Here’s a friendly bribe

I am 100% sure that your business and life will improve when you apply the tips that I’ll be sharing with you this week.

To encourage you to participate in the activities and share your feedback in the comment box below each post this week, I am going to randomly choose a winner from the comments submitted this week and award that person with my Fat Loss Quickie program including all the amazing bonuses that come with it.

Of course, by the end of the week everyone will be a winner because you will have began adopting new healthy habits into your day, which will have a tremendous impact on your business and life.

So what are you waiting for? Get started with your first round of Sweetie Squats now!

You ROCK! Enjoy the experience,

Scott Tousignant

PS You are about to become the super-focused, highly productive, and beautiful person that you really are. Share this experience with others. Encourage your colleagues to get involved. It’s time that we all live life to the fullest. Become the best YOU that YOU can be!

Money is tight in a lot of families right now. Everywhere, women are trying to think of ideas to make money to help bring in a little extra income. You don’t want to fall for a scam but you do want something that is easy to do and still have time for your kids. Starting a Santa letter business may be just what you’re looking for.

What is a Santa Letter Business?

Every year, children all over the globe write letters to Santa and don’t get a response. Your Santa Letter business could change that. A mom, dad or grandparent pays a fee and the child receives a custom-written letter — written just for them by Santa. You earn money and spread smiles to children at the same time. Not too shabby.

How much do I have to Invest in Equipment and Supplies?

All you will need is a computer, a reliable printer, some cute Christmas stationery, and a way to collect orders. (We recommend having either a website or a Post Office Box if you plan to grow your business.)

What Skills and Attributes Will You Need?

You’ll want to be comfortable on the computer, have good reading and typing skills, and have a good command of the English language. Beyond that, just love children.

How Do You Decide What to Charge?

Research shows that you can easily charge $10/letter. However, you’ll always find people charging less or more. The important thing is to offer great customer support and to add to the magic of the holidays. If you do, your customers will look for you again year after year.

Figure out how much you’d pay to give your child a personalized letter from Santa and use that figure as a base. Add on costs for your supplies and your time, and, then determine if you’re in the ballpark. (Of course, adding in some extra magic will help you to raise your rates. Include an autographed photo of Santa for a few extra dollars.)

Use Creative Marketing Ideas.

Don’t wait too long to start advertising your new business. In fact, if you haven’t started by the first week of November, you may have waited too late. Sell letters from Santa on auction sites. You can also create order forms that can be given to schools and preschools to send home to parents. Consider creating a website and advertise there, send out postcards to people in your hometown, or put up fliers in local businesses. Set up your computer in a booth at a Christmas craft show and have letters made on the spot for parents and grandparents to take with them.

Yes, you Can start a Santa letter business. Get step-by-step help, download adorable letter templates and more, by grabbing your JustAddSweat.com Starting a Santa letter Business Guide today.