If you didn’t know it already, next week, I’ll be speaking at the Hot Seminar Series about the many things you can do with WordPress. Oh yes, it is not just to build blogs. Meanwhile, Kelly has invited me to a cross blog conversation. What does that mean? Kelly started the conversation with a post on her blog and now I answer her question here and we’ll keep it up as long as possible or until the conversation fizzles out. Here’s what Kelly asked me. Lynette, you know I think you’re amazing, right? What impresses me most is that you’re not intimidated by the unknown.  (And to me it seems like technology is filled with the unknown!)  I look at strange code and want to run away, you look at it and get drawn in.  I don’t always get it – but with you around I don’t have to. I’ve learned so much about working with WordPress from you and I don’t tell you often enough that I appreciate having you as a resource when I’m knee deep in something I can’t figure out.  Do you ever feel ‘too relied on’ by others? Can you tell me what you love

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Do you have a “Ask Me” page on your blog? If not, I’d suggest you put one up. Questions are a great way to provide content and the content is highly interesting to your readers because – hey, they asked about it. Can’t get get better than that. But what if you have exhausted your questions or you don’t have a library of questions set up yet? Here are two awesome ideas: Pick up a magazine. This actually hit me while I was reading one. Many magazines have a section where readers submit questions to an expert author or to the editor. Answer those on your blog. Also, while you’re on that don’t forget to take a peek at the letters to editor section. Every magazine has one. Very often, the content of those letters contain questions. If they don’t, I’ve often found they could spark topic ideas on your own blog. Set up a simple database – this could be a basic Google Docs form. Then let every one of your team members know where this form is at. Tell them every time they find or see a question or issue that you could answer, tell them to copy

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Some of the best things come in the most simple and small packages. I came across this site yesterday all because I couldn’t remember the address of the site I was really looking for. Anyhow, One Word is a very simple site. When you click Go, it will load one word on the screen and a timer begins. You have 60 seconds to write something in the box provided. On their site, they say, “Don’t think, just write” How true. Most of the time, we make blogging harder than it has to be. Write more, think less. Once you’re done you can always edit. On the same token, sometimes all you need is a prompt. Something to put a little pressure on you – like this 60 second prompt and timer. At other times you simply need a nudge in the right direction to get your thoughts going. If that’s what you’re looking for, you might want to check out BlogEnergizer premium. We provide you with 30 blogging prompts every month – one for every day of the month. It even includes suggestions how you can monetize those posts.

A lot of times, people start a blog for their business and they they either abandon or lose interest in it because it was totally not what they had expected. A common complaint is, there’s little return on investment or it’s a lot harder than I thought. If you haven’t started your blog yet and wondering if it might be a good move, here’s what you need to know so that you go in with your eyes wide open. Always, Always Use Your Own Domain Too many people start their business blog with a Blogspot.com or even WordPress.com address. Bad move. Don’t get me wrong, these are fantastic services and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with using the Blogger or WordPress.com but if you do, at the very least, spend $10 to register a domain for it. Your blog is part of your brand, your business’ identity. Preserve and control it. A Blog Is Not A Set It And Forget It Project Don’t think you can use automated tools to fill your blog or load it up on PLR alone and you’ll be raking in the business. You can use a little bit of that, but generally, the human part has

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I’m not the type to watch videos beyond 5 minutes unless they are instructional – teaching me how to do something. Talks, conferences *yawn* but I force myself to at least listen. Boy I’m so glad I did! I read Tim Ferris’ Four Hour Work Week book a while back and will likely re-read it again. There are quite a few things I’ve learned and implemented in my life from that book though some things is just not possible. For one, my husband is a blue collar worker and you just can’t work from home when you have a blue collar job. You can’t period. Some tactics are easier to implement when you’re single without kids so I’m still working on those because they have school to go to and I am not cut out to be a homeschooling momma and salute those who are. Anyhow, I’m digressing. This is a really good video to watch or listen to. It runs about 45+ minutes long but he has got some really good tactics that I’m trying out on this blog. Highlights I like the part about breaking blogging rules. When I help BloggingStarterPack students get their blogs up, I do

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When you start a business offline or on, it’s only a matter of time when people start telling you that you should start a blog. Sadly, that’s where most stop and leave you wondering why? How is it good for your business especially when the business is not online based or when you offer a service and don’t think you have a ‘product’ for example, a belly dancer who dances at private parties and events. Let’s look at some of the basic ways your blog could bring in more interest/inquiries/bookings and orders. It Demonstrates Your Work or Expertise It is OK to have a video or picture or two on static pages to show people what you can do for them when they hire you, but surely that video is only a very small taste. Some jobs are common and some more unique that most people don’t see. Show them off on your blog. The belly dancer can put up videos (with permission) of creative choreography at an event where the client had a unique request. It Can Show Them How You Can Solve Their Problems You know the saying, people don’t buy products (or services) they buy solutions. You

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