WALL STREET JOURNAL

You’ve probably heard of this online newspaper. It has a paid readership of approximately 400,000 people online and is the largest newspaper in the United States. It’s hard copy subscriptions go out to 2.1 million people.  In 1996, The Wall Street Journal decided to go online with its news offerings.  The online paper uses a modified WordPress three column template which offers advertising, news stories, and color images.

In addition to the Wall Street Journal Newspaper which is linked here, you can also see another WordPress blog at their sister site: Wall Street Journal Magazine.

PEPSI COLA

The Pepsi Cola Company has a few bucks, and when they were looking for their new web site, RefreshEverything, they chose WordPress as their content format. Why? Because it is easy to use and you can make changes to the site from any computer that you can log into. Not only that, but teams of people can also work on collaborating information from all over the world. WordPress is flexible and easy to use.

GENERAL ELECTRIC

One of General Electric’s initiatives was their Healthy Imagination web site. The site is dedicated to healthy living. Once again, this Fortune 500 Company chose WordPress as the platform to launch the site. A post – or article – can be written from your iPad or even your smart phone using WordPress. The format allows for easy access to mainstream social media networks like Facebook and Twitter, thus making access to the site far-reaching. Remember: The more people who come to your site, the more money goes in your pocket.

UPS

This global giant uses WordPress to connect with its clients. Through it’s Upside Web Site, UPS can receive questions and answer people in a timely fashion. What’s more, people can look through the comments and find answers to questions that they may have. The web site makes use of plugins and widgets that offer live feeds to social networks like Twitter so that you can see comments in real-time. You can also share information on Facebook, Google +, and LinkedIN right from their web site.

YAHOO!

Want to know what is going on with Yahoo!? You can find out about trends, news, and more through their Yodel Anecdotal web site. This WordPress platform-based web site gives live feed information and articles on how this web site megacompany is changing the world. The site also offers surveys to better judge what people are expecting from Yahoo! and you can even purchase products through the web site through one of the many ecommerce platforms that WordPress uses to seamlessly turn your web site into a store.

WordPress is an extremely powerful tool in web design, today. Business owners want to have some control over what goes into their web sites and are starting to realize how beneficial it is to use a readily available platform, with literally thousands of resources, to manage their online presence. I’ve been building web sites for businesses since 1998 and three years ago, I switched all of my clients over to WordPress. There have been less problems with their sites, more freedom for them to make changes, and I am able to create a web site for them at a fraction of the cost of what a traditional web site would cost them.
OTHER FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES USING WORDPRESS

• Ford Motor Company
• Samsung
• Coca Cola
• Xerox
• CNN Money
• American Express
• PlayStation.com
• The New York Times runs over 50 WordPress-powered sites.
• Fisher Price
• Nokia
• Intel
• Nikon
• Best Buy

FACEBOOK

So, let’s start with the most popular Social Network on the planet.  Facebook is enormous and it is growing.  Last year, alone, it increased in size by 566% worldwide.  If you are thinking about marketing your business on Facebook, it is important to know the audience.  In this case, your audience is comprised of your “friends” and their friends.  This is the type of media that you interact personally with people.  It’s your neighborhood bar and your writing to keep people interested in what you have to provide with your business.  It is important not to confuse your personal profile with your fan page.  On your personal page, talk about what you want. Play games and discuss politics and religion if you so desire.  On your fan page, talk about business.  A company that has had success on Facebook is: Ben & Jerry’s with over 3.2 million fans and dozens of fan sites.

LINKEDIN

The second most popular Social Media site is LinkedIN.  This site is targeted at business-to-business.  This web site is a more serious place to conduct yourself.  It is a business trade show compared to the other sites.  Here, you will find people asking industry questions and people writing about any sort of business you can conceive.  If you are looking for recommendations from others or even expanding your business, this is the place you should be.  As a web designer and writer, I have picked up dozens of clients because of this networking site.  It is a place to showcase your skills and to gather business contacts.

YOUTUBE

You may not consider YouTube a Social Media site, but it is.  Video is one of the fastest growing segments of the internet and this is a place to show your own commercials.  People are often times more visual and relate to videos more than they do text and this is the most recognizable video site. Think of YouTube as a flashing billboard for your business.  Your videos should always contain your company’s name and a call to action.  YouTube is not an easy place to be successful.  Your video does not have to be professionally shot, but it does have to be appealing to a wide audience.  Just like the song about New York, “If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.“  A good examples of an unknown company that made millions on YouTube is: Blend-Tec with a half million followers.

TWITTER

It’s a phenomenon that I’ve written about on several different occasions.  Twitter is similar to an instant message that you might have used on AOL or Yahoo Messenger.  The difference is, you can send your instant message out to everyone who knows you and can tag words for people to find you.  Think of it as a loudspeaker system for short snippets of information.  What can you do with it?  You can announce specials, deals, and industry news.  You can comment directly to people and you can share links.  All of these make Twitter one of my favorite sites.

MYSPACE

OK, sure.  This site is a little past its prime, but, depending on your target audience, mySpace is still relevant.  mySpace – which still boasts over 50 million users – is typically comprised of high school and college students.  It is the Party Central of Social Media. That is something to consider if your clients or customers are in that age group.  Since the site has dropped a bit in popularity among the majority of people in favor of Facebook, there is probably a good opportunity here to reach the people who buy from you at a considerably cheaper price tag with their advertising.  Fifty million people is still fifty million people, after all…

This article is written by James Fowler and first appeared on www.myfivebest.com on September 15, 2011.

WHAT’S IN YOUR UTILITY BELT?

Batman has a utility belt filled with all sorts of gadgets that can help him in his crime fighting and, like an American Express credit card, he never leaves home without them. What tools do you have to use to increase your business? Do you always have your business card on you so that you can share your information with a potential client? Do you have a stack of printed literature in your car? The internet and social media, such as: Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIN are excellent tools for building your business. Are these in your arsenal, as well? Make sure that you are using what is necessary to make your business thrive.

BE PREPARED FOR ANY OBSTACLE

When Batman faces off against the likes of Two-Face or the Joker, he always has a means of getting out of trouble. Why? Because he is prepared to handle any situation. While this may seem a bit unrealistic, you can prepare for obstacles by surrounding yourself by other experts in the field. You can also be prepared for setbacks by having a plan on what to do if a situation occurs.

SEPARATE YOUR PERSONAL LIFE FROM BUSINESS

We live in an age where we have Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. Everyone on these social networking sites can be a potential client. Do you want them to see you playing Farmville or commenting on someone’s post with foul language or political views. There is nothing wrong with having your own opinion, but keep your business life separate from your personal life. Set up a fan page – your superhero mask – for business and let the people know glimpse your “secret identity”.

SHOW A DEVOTION TOWARDS OTHERS

Batman shows devotion for those people that are close to him. He would do anything to protect Robin, Commissioner Gordon, Batgirl or his other friends. Why? Because they have furthered his career as Batman. They are the people who have put faith in him and he returns that faith with his devotion and loyalty. Even his origin story is tied in with his devotion. His parents were killed by the criminal Joe Chill and his life is now dedicated to protecting everyone from the likes of him. In your business, never forget the people who have helped you along with your rise as an entrepreneur.

STAND UP FOR THE UNDERDOG

Batman has a life outside of his Caped Crusader personae, but he is willing to drop the guise of Bruce Wayne at the first sign of the Bat Signal. He puts the needs of others first. This is his version of good customer service. The people of Gotham City are his customers and he is there to treat him with respect and service. This is the same way you should treat your customers: willing to go that extra mile to help them out at a moment’s notice.

This article is written by James Fowler and first appeared on www.myfivebest.com on August 27, 2011

REFERRAL-BASED BUSINESS

One of the hardest ways to make a sale is through a cold call. It is estimated that only one percent of cold calls actually work. The reason? You have to catch someone at the exact time they are ready to make a purchase. Cold calls take up a lot of time with very little payoff. A proven method of making a sale is through an introduction or a referral. In fact you can increase your chances of a sale up to 90% of the time with these methods. This is where a networking group has its strength. They become an additional sales force for you. You, in turn, return the favor by suggesting them to people that might need their services. For instance, you might come across someone in your day-to-day business dealings who is in need of a plumber. There is a plumber in your group, so you would hand off their card to this person. They will call the plumber because you are someone they know and respect and you suggested the plumber to them.

INCREASING EXPOSURE FOR YOUR BUSINESS

It is sometimes hard for people to find your business. It isn’t because of a lack of advertising, or you aren’t getting the right word of mouth. It is because you aren’t exposing yourself to the right types of people who can get you the clientele that you need. This is where the networking group really shines. Each week you have the opportunity to stand up, tell the people in the group and their guests about your business. In some groups, like the one I belong to, there is a second round where you can talk about any promotions you have going on for the week or what you are looking for. This is usually the time when people pass out leads that they have for you to follow up upon. That’s really amazing! They hand out information to people who may be interested in YOUR business!

BUSINESS LISTINGS

Most of the Networking Referral groups also have a web site that lets you explain what your business is about. Some even have brochures or booklets with this information, as well. Having your web site listed on another web site can sometimes be difficult to do, but with a networking group, it comes par for the course. Why is this important you may be asking? Because it is another link leading people to your web site. This is part of what is known as search engine optimization (SEO). An easy way to understand why more links are important is to think of your web site as a needle in a haystack known as the World Wide Web. That’s a lot of straw! So what is a way of being found in that haystack? Put out more needles (i.e. links to your web site) for people to find. Listings like these are a way of going about doing this.

TEAMING UP WITH POWER PARTNERS

Another benefit of belonging to a networking organization is becoming a power partner. I have talked about these in the past with a concept called N.E.E.R.s (Naturally Existing Economic Relationships). It is a way for people who have similar, but not exact businesses, to push business towards the other. In our group, I am a web guy. I have partnered up with a technology firm that kills computer viruses and creates hardware configurations for business. It’s a good match. There are many options here. A mortgage broker can team up with a real estate company, a sign maker can align themselves with a printing company, and so on and so on. It doesn’t even have to be two businesspeople. More could be added and the more that you have, the more business you will acquire.

PERFECTING YOUR SALES PITCH

I don’t know how many business people I have spoken with that can’t tell you what they do or what they are looking for. They stumble and bumble their way through their introduction to you and ruin that important first impression. Either that, or they give you a completely canned and obviously-memorized, sing-song tagline that is hard to be taken seriously. The sales pitch – or the “30 second elevator speech” – is often the only chance you get when you meet a new customer. It is called the elevator speech because it is supposed to be a clear, concise summary of what you are trying to accomplish in your business. The origin of the term is not known, but is believed to be American in origin, since elevators are called “lifts” in other English-speaking countries. Where can you perfect your elevator speech? In a Networking Referral group! You give one or two of them in every meeting and of course, with practice comes perfection…

USE A PICTURE

This is kind of important. People want to see a picture of you. They don’t want a logo. They don’t want an empty Twitter icon. They want you. If I have someone contact me on Twitter and they have a logo as their picture, I am hesitant about following them, because it is likely they aren’t a real person. I think it is an automated “bot” (yes, there are such things) and I most likely will not accept it. This is a social medium, so be social and show your face.

IF YOU ARE FOLLOWED, FOLLOW BACK

There is nothing more disgusting than if you start following someone because you either know them or are interested in their business – and then they don’t follow you! I can see if you don’t look at your Twitter for a couple of days, but some people NEVER follow anyone. It’s rude and typically, I get rid of them. That’s even if they are close friends. Here’s an easy way to follow people and keep track of the people you need to follow. The web site is called Tweeter Karma and I have been using it for quite some time (i.e. it’s safe): http://dossy.org/twitter/karma/ You go to the site, allow them access to Twitter and then they show you who is following you and who you are following. You can even bulk follow people if you wish.

SHARE SOME INTERESTING LINKS

One of the greatest parts of Twitter is the ability to share information. When you see something you like, you can share the information amongst your friends. It’s sort of like passing information on from one person to another – except with groups of people. This is called “re-tweeting” or RT. Here’s how you do it: When you see something on Twitter that you like and would like to share, simply copy the Tweet, put the letters RT in front of the @ and paste. For example: I tweet myFiveBest is awesome. You see this and want to share it with others, but still give me credit. So you copy it, and put RT@myFiveBestis awesome, and it gives me credit. That’s Re-Tweeting. There are several tools to track your re-Tweets and I will review them in a later article.

DIRECT MESSAGE PEOPLE

Sometimes you see something interesting that you want to comment on directly. You can directly message this person in Twitter and it goes to them. They call this Messaging or Message a person. Depending on the information you are sending, you have to be careful with this tool. Typically, your comments will go out to everyone you know. In a direct message, as its name suggests, goes out to one person. However, if you don’t do it correctly, you could end up like Representative Anthony Weiner and allow everyone to follow your conversation. Here’s how you do this: First of all, the person has to be following you to receive a private message. Click on the New Message button that can be found in the Message menu. Type in the person’s Twitter handle that you want to message – and that’s it. Pretty simple. It’s as easy as sending an IM back in the old AOL days.

WHAT DOES THE ‘#’ MEAN?

People new to Twitter may find this hash mark (‘#’) strange. The hash mark (#) before a word in a post allows you to tag that post for that word. But…(there is always a but…), in order to get tracked via a hash tag, you need to opt-in and follow http://twitter.com/hashtags. Once you’re following Hashtags, every time you make a post in Twitter and tag it with a hash mark like so: #mFiveBest, it will then show up as a real-time post on http://www.Hashtags.org. If you then visit Hashtags.org, you can click on any tag and it will show you all of the posts that have been tagged with that keyword. Some plugins work the same way. I have created some web sites that allow an automatic posting on my web site if I tweet with a specific hashtag. In any case, millions of people follow this ‘#’ sign to find things they are looking for on Twitter and elsewhere. NOTE: By placing a hashtag on any Twitter post will now make it searchable.

If you are interested in following myFiveBest on Twitter, feel free to follow me @myFiveBest (http://twitter.com/#!/myFiveBest)

WORK WHERE YOU DECIDE

If you make the decision to work from home, you gain the ability to decide on your work environment.  You can work from your kitchen table if that makes you happy.  I sometimes find myself moving around the house during the day. Sometimes I am in my office, while other times I have the computer on the back patio watching my dog play in the yard.  If you want to wear a suit and tie, that’s fine, but no one is going to be upset if you are in sandals in shorts.  You decide what makes for the more creative surroundings and where you can effectively do more business. You eliminate the rules of the office.

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TIME

Do you like getting up at the crack of dawn be at work? Of course you don’t.  None of us do. What we like is the steady paycheck. However, imagine for a moment if you could work a flexible schedule on your time. Would that be worth it to you?  I know that it was for me! It doesn’t work for all industries, but if you can swing it, you’ll enjoy the ability to go shopping in the middle of the afternoon or get in a quick nine holes of golf when you decide to be free. To me, this is why I chose the freedom of owning my own business.

LESS DOWNTIME AT HOME

Believe it or not, I get more work done at home than I did at the office. Why? Well, there are less distractions in my home than in the office work space.  You would think the opposite to be true, but it isn’t.  At work, you have people coming into your work area, there are breaks that occur at inopportune times, the phones ring, the boss stops by to talk to you about a new idea, etc… That just doesn’t happen in your home business.  You can stay focused on the task at hand with very little discipline.

GO GREEN. WORK FROM HOME.

How much gasoline do you think you go through in a year? How many miles do you put on your car? All of that fuel is burned off into the atmosphere causing pollution. It’s a necessary evil, but what if you could change that?  Last year, I put less than 7000 miles on my car. I don’t know for certain, but by cutting back on travel time by more than 50% I know I saved a lot. Additionally, I save on paper and ink, too, because everything I do doesn’t have to be printed out ten times for my colleagues.

YOU DECIDE YOUR DESTINY

Wouldn’t you like to decide the next project you are going to work on? What if you could determine the look and feel that your company promotes to the world? You can’t do this in the corporate world because someone else always has the final say. They know where you are going and when you are going to stop. Owning your own business puts you in command. Note: It is important that you still work at a home business. If you don’t, you’ll be put back into the working world where you started. The hard work will pay off!

THE APPLE iPAD2

The Apple iPad started it all. This year, the iPad 2 was released with a camera and a sleek, new size. Face it, when it comes to the tablet market, there wouldn’t be one without the Apple iPad. In the consumer world, this is called ‘market defining’. The iPad2 offers two cameras (one with video), a dual core A5 CPU, and it is thinner than it’s previous model. One of the benefits I really like about the iPad is that you don’t require a 3G Data Package – and you can purchase it from month to month. That way, if you are on vacation, you can rely on the 3G service if there is no internet connection, but be off the program while you are working from home, work or in a coffeeshop. Still no Flash ability, which the competition likes to boast about, but the iPad2 is still ahead of the pack when it comes to portable computing.

MOTOROLA XOOM

The Motorola XOOM (pronounced ‘zoom‘) is the first real competitor to the iPad. It was only a matter of time. Android users needed something to compare features to when it comes to Mac products. The Motorola Xoom doesn’t disappoint. Using Google’s Honeycomb Mobile Operating System (Android 3.0), this tablet is a very good alternative to the iPad (for those that don’t want to jump ship from the PC world). You can find some pretty impressive qualities about this device: 1GB of DDR2 RAM, 32GB storage, nice sized screen (half an inch taller than the Mac – but more narrow), 2 cameras, and free hardware upgrades down the road when the new Big Red 4G Lite network comes on board. Of course, as they say in Spider-man, ‘with great power, comes great responsibility’. In this case, it comes out of your pocketbook. The Xoom costs a pretty hefty $799. It does have more features than most models of Tablets out there, though.

SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB

This tablet has been out for awhile. It was supposed to be the first real competition for the iPad. They promote they have Flash (which they do), plus a 1GHz processor, f Android 2.2, dual cameras, support for up to 32GB of storage and WiFi / 3G connectivity. It’s not a bad tablet at all. There are some very good qualities with this tablet. They include: working with all major U.S. cell phone carriers, it is built pretty solid – yet is lighter than many of the other tablets on the market, and it is lower priced if you purchase the optional 2-year data package ($600 without it).

BLACKBERRY PLAYBOOK

Blackberry has always been a top choice in the business-related, smart phone category. While being the second smallest of the tablets (see Samsung Galaxy Tab), this device is both compact and light. It is also ideal if you currently own a Blackberry phone because it syncs flawlessly with that device. Blackberry started a little late to the whole tablet war, however, so it does not have all the tablet-specific games and apps that the others have. You can hook it up to your television and play games off of the device on the bigger flat screen, so that is a nice quality. The price on the Blackberry is a little high for the size of the device, which is smaller than the Apple iPad for the same price. Blackberry might be trying to use its name recognition to follow along with its users.

LG-G SLATE

This new tablet from T-Mobile was originally announced as the tablet that was going to be the first with the Honeycomb Mobile Operating System. That didn’t happen. Motorola Xoom stole that thunder from them. The G-Slate features a 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor, 32GB of internal storage, both a gyroscope and accelerometer, and — this is key — stereoscopic rear-facing video cameras capable of 1080p 3D capture, one of which doubles as a 5 megapixel still camera with LED flash. There’s also a third 2 megapixel camera up front for video chat over T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network or WiFi. There has been a lot of talk about the LG-G Slate’s 3D capabilities, as well. You are able to watch 3D movies on it, which is kind of cool. T-Mobile is charging $400 for the device right now after a $200 rebate and a 2-year data contract. The data is 4G, so they are also claiming to be 2x faster than the iPad and 3x faster than the Xoom. Not a bad little tablet!

This article was originally published by James Fowler on the web site myFiveBest.com (http://myfivebest.com/the-battle-of-the-tablets-which-one-should-you-buy/)

OWN A BLOG

OK.  First things first.  You actually have to OWN a blog.  I don’t want to post your web site.  If your web site has a blog on it, I will do that.  Your blog can be about virtually anything, but I won’t accept any with adult material, you bashing your ex-girlfriend, or one with racist or offensive material.  It’s my wiki, I make the rules.  You probably wouldn’t want that type of stuff on your list, so you can understand why I don’t want it on mine.  That being said, I will accept almost any blog that doesn’t have those types of materials. Send it in, the worst I can say is “No”.

SEND ME AN EMAIL

This is an easy one.  If you want to be on the wiki, send me an email.  In your subject line put something like, “I WANT TO BE PART OF YOUR BLOG WIKI”.  You know, something to really catch my attention.  You need to put the following in the body of the email.

1. Your Name and Your Email Address
2. The Name of Your Blog and its URL (web address)
3. What Your Blog Is All About (One or two lines, please – I want to read your blog, but at my own leisure.)
4. Put a small link ANYWHERE on your web site and tell me where it is located.

That’s it!  I’ll take a look at it, make sure it is suitable for publishing on the wiki, and you’ll have it up there.  I’ll send you an email when I have posted it to let you know it is there.

GIVE ME SOME TIME TO POST IT

Hopefully, this little experiment becomes huge.  If you go to the site right now, I don’t have that many blogs listed on there and half of them are mine. Within time, it should pick up and turn big.  For this reason – and since I have a life beyond the keyboard – I just ask you to give me 7-10 days to post your blog.  That way, I can personally review it and post it on the wiki.  The site is pretty basic right now.  In time, I plan on making it grow.

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FREE WIKI HERE:

http://blogsandstuff.wikispaces.com/

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KNOW WHAT THIS CAN DO FOR YOU

So why would you do this?  I won’t assume that everyone knows about search engine optimization, so I will put it in the simplest terms as possible: The more people that see you gives you a better chance of having your blog being read.  I am not trying to patronize if you know a little bit more about how the internet works.  I am just trying to make sure everyone understands so we can all benefit. It doesn’t matter what your blog is about, an extra link to it online is the perfect way of getting more bang for your buck (or time, as the case may be – I’m still not asking for money).

PUT UP A SMALL LINK BACK TO YOUR SITE

So what is the catch?  There’s always a catch, right?  Not really in this case.  I would like you to put a small link in the side bar of your blog to let other people know that I am giving out free links.  That’s it!  Just copy and paste this text:

<a href=”http://blogsandstuff.wikispaces.com/” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://myfivebest.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/blogsandstuffwiki.gif” target=”_blank”alt=”Blogs And Stuff Wiki” width=”184″ height=”25″ /></a>

Which will end up looking like this on your blog:

…and that’s it!  Together we can build a place for people to come to to have their blogs listed and have people look through them.  Make sure yours makes the list!

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Written by: James P. Fowler, Jr.
July 11, 2011
http://myfivebest.com/add-your-blog-to-a-new-free-wiki/

SOMETIMES DOING THINGS YOU DON’T WANT TO DO IS RIGHT

I would never suggest doing anything unethical in business, because it will always come back to bite you, but, just like Frodo and Sam (and Bilbo from the Hobbit), you sometimes have to do things that you are uncomfortable in doing. This can be going for a loan from the bank, telling a client or customer “no”, or having to let someone go. It’s a rough situation, but you have to do what is best for your business.

FELLOWSHIPS WITH OTHERS CAN BE HELPFUL

One of the most important things you can do in business is to associate yourself with experts in things that you have you clueless. Just like Frodo couldn’t have taken the Ring into Mordor or fight off the Nazgûl (Ring-Wraiths) alone – you need to surround yourself with people who can help you to succeed. You can’t do it by yourself. You need the right kind of help, be it from an accounting wizard or skilled marketing warrior.

EVEN LITTLE PEOPLE CAN DO BIG THINGS

Bilbo, Frodo, and the other Hobbits didn’t realize there was a life beyond the Shire. They “knew” other people were doing big things, but they never saw themselves in the same position. It took a life changing event for them to take the first step out the door of that Hobbit Hole. Are you doing the same thing? Have you failed to even start a business? If you are working for yourself, are you holding yourself back because you are a “little person” incapable of doing great things? Nonsense! Just look what those little Hobbits did and know you can do the same!

KNOW WHEN TO LET GO

Frodo took the One Ring to the very edge of Mount Doom, but he almost didn’t destroy it. It had seduced him with its power and only Gollum was able to break him from the spell by biting off his finger and fighting for the ring. You should never have to go to these lengths to end a dying endeavor in your business. Just because you own a cleaning business, doesn’t mean your career is over should you suddenly fall on hard times. Don’t make someone push you to get rid of your ring (failing business). First and foremost, you are an entrepreneur. The business you have can be let go and you can pick up again.

FOLLOW THROUGH

Above all else, you need to follow through. If your goal is to be a successful business person – no matter what – follow through. If things seem impossible, you can do it as long as you have a guide or a map to get you there. Have a plan. Follow it. If an obstacle jumps in your way, adapt to the situation and keep your eye on the prize – or Ring, as this case may be.

This article was first published by James Fowler at FellowshipoftheRing.org.
http://fellowshipofthering.org/what-i-learned-about-business-from-lord-of-the-rings/

THE GAMER’S FRIDGE

Niki Casselberry is a good example of someone that is doing really well with her blog, The Gamer’s Fridge.  She is an avid PC gamer that plays World of Warcraft.  Niki is also an accomplished cook and she came up with a way to combine her two hobbies.  The Gamer’s Fridge was started three months ago and offers recipes of the foods found in World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings, and other fantasy games.  Foods on her blog include such tasty treats as Goblin Shortbread, Frostberries, Helboar Bacon BLTs, and other strange but wonderful delicacies.  They are all made with real-life ingredients, but Niki found a way of taking something she loves to do and turn it into something fun to read.

Now, before you get the idea that Niki is a professional writer and “I can’t do it because I am lousy at writing“, I want to tell you that you are wrong!  Niki has only written about 35 posts on her blog and it is only three months old – that’s just over 10 posts a month or one post every three days.  That’s not hundreds of hours of your time.  It’s working at your own pace.  She set up her blog on Google’s Blogger software (which is free to use).  She writes her posts and adds some pictures. These take her about three hours a week.

Niki makes her money on the site by using Google Adsense.  These are the ads on the side of her blog and mixed within with her posts.  They are free to add to your site, as well, and are a form of passive income.  When someone clicks on an ad, you make some money.  Not too bad for someone who isn’t selling anything, right?

So what is the point of all of this?  Niki’s blog has been operating for 3 months.  She writes about ten times a month.  She’s not a business woman with a degree in marketing.  She’s a homemaker who loves cooking, taking care of children, and playing video games.  She’s also a blogger who has had nearly 30,000 people come to her blog in the past three months!  What could a business do with that kind of response?  That could easily be your business. Additionally, Niki has been interviewed by two magazines which was free publicity for her.  Only one of these articles has been published.  It brought her nearly 10,000 visits in one day. Who knows what the additional news story will add?

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE SIMILAR RESULTS:

You have to follow some steps:

1. Pick a narrow niche that you can write about.
2. Make sure what you are writing is your passion.
3. Find out a unique way entice the public to read your blog.
4. Write as often as you like – but keep up with it.
5. Speak to people in your “own voice” and engage them.

Hopefully this will give you the motivation to start your own blog.  If you are unfamiliar with starting one, feel free to contact us for help.  Before you know it, droves of people can also be heading towards your web site!