Content Creation Tips
Case studies from your own experience are an excellent way to explain how your business techniques apply in action. Depending on how you structure them, they can go on to become blog posts, white papers, webinars, products, coaching programs, public speeches, workshops, and more.

When I’m experimenting with a new website technology, I’ll use my own websites first, then offer to apply the technique or software to one of my client’s sites at a reduced rate. When we’ve achieved the success we’re expecting, I’ll either write up a case study for my website or feature their site in a webinar, like I did in the March webinar on “Building Membership Sites with Joomla.”

What business technique or strategy could you turn into profitable content for your website? Wondering how to turn your expertise and experience — your intellectual property — into tangible profits? This Thursdays’ webinar at 6 pm Pacific/9 pm Eastern will outline “19 Ways to Profit from Your Intellectual Property.” The webinar is free, just register at http://www.websavvysupport.com.

Internet Marketing Insights
As entrepreneurs, virtual assistants, and small business owners, we sometimes let the tyranny of the urgent overtake the wisdom of planning. Despite being a quintessential Virgo (we love to plan things), I still struggle to stay with my plan for the day and not let the day’s interruptions derail me.

Sticking with the plan applies to your online communications as well. My clients regularly ask me how often they should blog or send emails. My answer is the same for both: choose an interval you know you can meet, and stay with it, whether that’s twice a month, twice a week, or any other time period. Don’t be afraid to plan ahead. If you know your newsletter is due and you have more than one idea, when you’re finished with the first one, start the second newsletter and fill in as much of your idea as you can. You’ll thank yourself later when you rediscover your partially completed newsletter next time.

Vote to Succeed 30% Off Sale
Spring has finally arrived! It’s a great time to “clean up” your website and make it shine. My Vote to Succeed 30% Off Sale is still running, but it won’t last forever. Make an appointment for a Free Initial Consultation, bring your To-Do list, and let’s make a plan.

Too busy to take care of the site yourself? Give me the list, and I’ll take care of it for you. Make your appointment at:

http://www.toolie.com/links/initialconsultation

When I started my business helping entrepreneurs and small business owners with their online presence, I decide that I was going to specialize in content creators: people with a specific message to share with the world. There are enough other people telling us to just “pick a niche” and “milk it” that I decided to teach “Internet Marketing for People with Purpose.” Yes, it sometimes takes longer to become profitable, but in my experience, it’s a journey that is far more satisfying for my clients because they’re doing what they love.

This coming Thursday night at 6 pm Pacific/9 pm Eastern, I’m having a webinar titled “19 Ways to Profit from Your Intellectual Property.” In it I’ll outline a specifc strategy for building up an audience for your IP. Not only will I tell you the 19 ways, but I’ll tell you what you need in terms of resources (equipment, skills, infrastructure) to accomplish each step. These are steps I’ve taken and/or am taking now to build up my own IP, so I can give you insights along the way.

Registering for the webinar is easy: just visit www.websavvysupport.com and click on the blue Log In to Register button. If you already have an account on the site, just use your username and password. If you’ve forgotten them, just click the links in the description on the home page to retrieve them.

If you have not yet registered with the site, it’s free and takes less than 3 minutes. You only have to register once to get access to future webinar registration links and subsequent recordings.

http://www.websavvysupport.com

Tip: one of the fastest ways to add value your own network of colleagues is to share something useful with them! So be sure to click the Share button when you register.

Traditionally January 1st is when we make resolutions to change and improve our lives (business and personal). Coming off the glow of the holiday season, we think philosophically about the coming year, and we step into the new year with bright hopes for change and improvement.

If your business is based on a calendar year start, in the USA just before April 15th, reality sets in and we’re faced with the stark numeric evaluation of our past business year as we pay our business taxes. Personally I prefer the January 1st view of life, but like you, it’s the April 15th view of my business that really kicks my butt.

So having seen the profit and loss numbers, now what? The year 2012 is now 29% over, and it’s easy to feel like you’re already behind on improving this year! Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of time to sit down with me and strategize about your business, your website, your content, and your online marketing. The year 2012 still has possibilities and there’s still time to make things happen so that next April 15th you’ll anticipate the date with pride and joy.

http://www.toolie.com/links/initialconsultation

We have about 48 hours left to get our tax returns postmarked at the post office (April 17th this year!), so I’m going to suggest that you book an initial consultation with me for Wednesday or Thursday or even next Sunday afternoon. Create the list of changes you want for your business, and let’s make a plan!

Initial consultations are 30 minutes, and they’re free — no obligation. Not sure what to change? Make the appointment anyway, and let’s brainstorm. Remember, my Vote to Succeed 30% Off Sale is still in progress, so it’s a great time to re-create your business future with the vision that’s been lurking in the back of your mind.

http://www.toolie.com/links/initialconsultation

I’ll look for your appointment request and talk to you soon!

Toolie®

…
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
– Robert Frost

I don’t usually rant in my communications with my clients and customers, but I am going to make an exception today, because I think that what I have to say is important. I’m doing a webinar on Wednesday that is the beginning of a series I plan to do around the open-source software called Joomla! that I’ve been working with for the last 18 months.

It’s no so much about the software itself. As a geek, I am excited that I’ve found something for my clients that is not only easy to install and use, but is very robust and flexible. My clients may not appreciate those software-wonderfulness facts as much as they appreciate the opportunity to profit from their websites, but I’m here to support both objectives.

In my opinion, there are two schools of thought when it comes to Internet Marketing. The first says “find any busy niche, study the content, write your own [e-book, product, something] based on what you see, and milk it until it dries up” — or some similar end to that playbook. No doubt, millions of dollars have been made that way. There are dozens, maybe even hundreds of marketing gurus who will gladly lead you down that path.

I take a different path; one that leads to profit, of course, but a path that’s based on the valuable intellectual property inside my clients’ heads. I want to help the people who have something to share with the world. (Notice this site’s tag line?) They deserve to make a living from that intellectual property.  I’m here not only to (as one client put it) “organize it out their heads into tangible reality,” but to show them how to implement and maintain the containers in which that content can flourish: their websites. Any of these Internet Marketing gurus can tell you WHAT to do; I’m here to also show you HOW.

This Wednesday night, I’m hosting a webinar on membership sites. These websites can be a great place for your intellectual property to flourish, and a way to acquire residual income from the membership fees. If you are a speaker, writer, or similar content-producer, then this is the webinar for you.

The webinar content comes out of my own 2-year search for a combination of software that I felt would serve MY needs, and now this software serving my clients’ needs as well. Those of you with an investment in a 1ShoppingCart product (private label or otherwise) will be particularly interested, because the combination of software I’m demonstrating preserves that investment and helps you get even more out of it.

http://www.toolie.com/links/wsswebinar

Because I’m building a community of my own, the GoToWebinar registration link is available to those who create an account on my www.WebSavvySupport.com website. Once you set up a free account, you can log back in to get the next webinar link without having to opt into yet ANOTHER email list!

So if you have substantive content to share with the world, join me on Wednesday at 5 pm Pacific/8 pm Eastern time, and let’s make this happen. I’ll show you two membership sites and another large content website that I’ve already completed. There will be time to answer your questions, and an opportunity to take the next steps with me to make YOUR website happen.

http://www.toolie.com/links/wsswebinar

See you then,

Toolie®

P.S. if you have a WordPress membership site and you’re not sure you need to see this webinar, come anyway, because one of the sites was moved FROM WordPress to Joomla… hmmm….

P.P.S. This webinar will be recorded and made available to those who register with the site.

Membership sites can be a great source of income for speakers and other content-producers. There are a myriad of membership site software packages available, but pre-packaged sites are frequently inflexible and may not have the features we want to showcase our content and to build a community. Some membership site solutions insist on including a shopping cart that we may not need or want.

After 6 months of research and a year of building and testing, I am pleased to present Joomla!, the open-source content management system, as a desirable option for membership sites and other high-content websites. In this informative webinar, I will demonstrate two feature-rich membership websites built with Joomla!, Kickstart Cart/1ShoppingCart, and Amember Membership site software. I’ll also showcase a high-content website operated by an entrepreneur who started her own online newspaper site built on Joomla.

The webinar takes place Wednesday March 28 at 5:00 pm Pacific/8:00 pm Eastern.

Registration is easy! The GoToWebinar link for this webinar can be found after you log in at http://www.websavvysupport.com. If you have already registered (for free) with this website, just log in with your username and password, and you’ll be taken right to the Webinar Resources Page where you’ll see the link.

• Forgot your username? Click here to retrieve it.
• Forgot your password? Click here to retrieve it.
• New to the Web-Savvy Support website? Create a free account by clicking the Register Free link under Quick Links on the left.

You won’t want to miss this informative webinar. Be sure to alert your fellow content-producing colleagues who could benefit from a website solution that can handle large quantities of content for years to come.

If you look closely at the blue promotional graphic on the right, you’ll see Abraham Lincoln’s face behind the text. I am rather partial to him because I grew up in Illinois, plus my father’s name was Lincoln. In the darkest days of the Civil War, President Lincoln made some courageous choices that were tough on everyone (including him), but they changed the course of history.

Similarly, sometimes we just have to sit down, take stock of our businesses, and choose to make the changes we need to succeed. Making a decision clears the way forward, eliminates what we choose NOT to do, and draws a line in the sand that says, “from here on, things will be better.” Mentally, it’s a Vote to Succeed. I’m here to make that decision easier for you with my Vote to Succeed 30% Off Sale.

That means you’ll get 30% off website, blog, and Joomla projects, consulting services, software
installations, and one-on-one coaching sessions. If you’ve got things you want to change on your website but you don’t know how, set up a consultation with me and I’ll help you figure out what to do next — and show you how to do it yourself!

• Now’s the time to learn more about your website, blog, or Joomla site; sharpen your skills so that you can update your site yourself. Visit www.ToolieCoaching.com and make an appointment for one-on-one coaching.
• I recommend refreshing the look of your website about every 3 years or so. You don’t have to do a complete overhaul, you could just take advantage of a “website update package” that might include a new header, new buttons and graphics, or an introductory video. Visit www.ToolieWebDesign.com for ideas and to view my portfolio of over 40 websites, blogs, and Joomla sites.
• Perhaps you’d like to add new feature to your website, like StarDevelop’s Live Help, that improves your connection to your website visitors. You’ve seen the chat button on my websites; for a one-time purchase and installation fee, you could add the same feature to your site. Visit www.ToolieSofwareSetups.com to learn more.
• Ready to dig into Internet Marketing? The products and services on www.WebSavvyEntrepreneur.com can teach you how to get more for your websites and blogs, and connect with your customers more effectively.
• Is it time to profit from your vast quantities of content? Have you thought about creating a community around that content? Now is the time to set up a custom Joomla-based membership site with exactly the features you want, and benefit from the residual income that membership fees provide.

So make your first decision by sending yourself to a Free 30-minute Initial Consultation to discuss
your business needs. We can make a plan to get you on your way.

The coupon code you need is:

2012SUCCESS

Using that code in the shopping cart gets you an immediate 30% off your purchase on specified products and services. Each website has a description of the items on sale.

Here’s how to apply the Coupon Code:

1. Click on the product or service link on the web page or email link that takes you
   to pay in the shopping cart.
2. On the Order page (where you put in your credit card), look FIRST for the Coupon
   Code box on the right.
3. Enter the code and then
   Click Apply.
4. You’ll immediately see your discount. Then complete the rest of the form as usual.
   
5. You will receive an email receipt
   immediately after payment.

Note: there is a minimum purchase of $95 to receive the 30% off discount.

Now is the time to get your project up and running! You’re welcome to book a free 30-minute initial consultation in my online appointment system by using the link below:

http://www.toolie.com/links/initialconsultation

Learn more about your online business, and watch your profits grow!!

Toolie®

We had a great time Thursday night learning about Joomla, the open-source content management system that I’ve been testing on your behalf. The recording for the ”Next-Level Websites” webinar is now available at www.WebSavvySupport.com.

To view the recording, log in and click on the red Webinar Recording button. Not registered yet? It’s free, and you only have to register once. Here’s how:

1. Go to www.websavvysupport.com (my new Joomla site!) and click on Register Free.
2. Complete the form for the Web-Savvy Support Registered Membership.
3. On the next screen, enter your name and email address to immediately to receive the instructions for future webinars. That’s all there is to it!

NOTE: If you have had an ICFMW membership with this site in the past (paid or trial membership), use that prior username and password to log onto the site. If you don’t remember them, just go to the home page and click Forgot Username or Forgot Password under the Login box to have them sent to you.

Once you have registered, you’ll be able to log in to find the registration link, webinar recordings, and resource pages for future webinars.

Remember, my Back-To-School 30% Off Sale is still running, so if you’re thinking about a new website/blog/Joomla site, now’s the time to get started. Or if you want help or coaching on an existing site, we can do that too! Visit http://www.toolie.com/whatsnew/ to get all the details and the 30% Off Coupon Code!

See you soon,

Toolie®

In the last 3 days I’ve given you some pretty good reasons to attend tonight’s webinar on “Next-Level Websites for Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses.” Have you been thinking about joining me?

http://www.toolie.com/links/wsswebinar

Let me give you one more reason to attend: your mindset. When times are tough, it’s tempting to pull back, clamp down, hold the fort, and fall back to limited thinking about the future of your business. One of the best ways to overcome that negative impulse is to start making plans for better times, even if you don’t know how  or when they’ll arrive. There’s something about opening up your mind to new possibilities that gives them permission to show up.

So in preparation for the growth of your business, you owe it to yourself to find out why you should consider Joomla for your next-level website. I’ve been working with Joomla for almost a year now, and I absolutely love it. For me, learning and testing Joomla on your behalf is an extension of the commitment I have always had to you: to find the best, most cost-effective solutions to support your online business presence.

http://www.toolie.com/links/wsswebinar

Join me TONIGHT to get this valuable information NOW so you can start making plans for your next website. Thanks to my 30% Off Sale, now is a great time to make plans and take advantage of the savings!

Here’s how to register:

1. Go to www.websavvysupport.com (my new Joomla site!) and click on Register/Join.
2. Choose Web-Savvy Support Registered Membership, and complete the form.
3. On the next screen, enter your name and email address to immediately receive the webinar link
   and instructions for future webinars. That’s all there is to it!

NOTE: If you have had an ICFMW membership with the site in the past (paid or trial membership), use the same username and password to log onto the site. If you don’t remember them, just go to the home page and click Forgot
Username or Forgot Password under the Login box to have them sent to you.

Talk to you TONIGHT at 6 pm Pacific/9 pm Eastern!!

Toolie®

P.S.
forward this email to a friend who might benefit!

Ever start down a path in your business and realize you’ve made a wrong decision? (I hate when that happens!) Well that’s what happened with my membership site, and it’s what caused me to go looking for the solution I found in Joomla, the subject of tomorrow night’s webinar on “Next-Level Websites for Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses.”

http://www.toolie.com/links/wsswebinar

Membership sites, when well done, can be a great source of residual income. The difficulty is that it’s hard to find a software solution that is robust (able to take on all the content you could throw at it), and affordable for solo-preneurs and small businesses. When I first started working on membership sites 6 years ago, one either spent $69/month forever for membership site software, or $4,995 in one payment. Corporate-sized membership site solutions started at $5,000 and went up from there (I worked on one of those also!).

Nowadays it’s possible to set up a membership site for $97, but not one you would want count on to handle hundreds or thousands of members over multiple years. That’s where Joomla comes in: as open-source software, it’s free, but that doesn’t mean it’s not well-engineered or insecure. In fact, I have found it to be both a robust and affordable solution for a membership site. For me and my clients, it offers the best possible combination of features, functionality, multi-user access, and cost-controls.

Best of all, Ididn’t have to give my existing investment in my shopping cart or pay for a shopping cart I didn’t need. I can completely customize the combination of membership features, content, layout, and membership access levels when I use Joomla.

http://www.toolie.com/links/wsswebinar

But that’s not all Joomla has to offer. In fact on Thursday night, I’ll have 5 different Joomla sites to show you that were created for different purposes. We’ll talk about when a Joomla site might be appropriate for your business, and I’ll reserve time to take your questions at the end of the webinar.

Here’s how to register:

1. Go to www.websavvysupport.com (my new Joomla site!) and click on Register/Join.
2. Choose Web-Savvy Support Registered Membership, and complete the form.
3. On the next screen, enter your name and email address to immediately receive the webinar link and instructions for future webinars. That’s all there is to it!

NOTE: If you have had an ICFMW membership with the site in the past (paid or trial   membership), use the same username and password to log onto the site. If you don’t remember them, just go to the home page and click Forgot Username or Forgot Password under the Login box to have them sent to you.

Join me on Thursday to get this valuable information NOW so you can start making plans for a membership site of your own. Thanks to my 30% Off Sale, now is a great time to make plans and take advantage of the savings!

Talk to you Thursday at 6 pm Pacific/9 pm Eastern!!

Toolie®

P.S.
forward this email to a friend who might benefit!

One of the things we’re going to talk about in Thursday night’s webinar on “Next-Level Websites for Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses.” is Content. So yes, we’re supposed to write articles, create videos, and grab the attention of those search engines. But after the content is written, what are you doing with it? Are you writing throw-away words or is this content that can become reference material for your clients?

http://www.toolie.com/links/wsswebinar

The answer to that question determines to a great extent what vehicle you might use to house and manage that content. Most of us solo-preneurs are familiar with WordPress and all its wonders, but what else could we be using? This is where a discussion of Joomla is appropriate, and that’s what Thursday night’s webinar is about. Joomla is designed as a content management system, and we’ll go over what that means to you and your business.

Here’s how to register:

1. Go to www.websavvysupport.com (my new Joomla site!) and click on Register/Join.
2. Choose Web-Savvy Support Registered Membership, and complete the
   form.
3. On the next screen, enter your name and email address to immediately receive the webinar link and instructions for future webinars. That’s all there is to it!

NOTE: If you have had an ICFMW membership with the site in the past (paid or trial membership), use the same username and password to log onto the site. If you don’t remember them, just go to the home page and click Forgot
Username or Forgot Password under the Login box to have them sent to you.

Join me on Thursday to get this valuable information NOW so you can make plans to make
the most of the content you already have. Thanks to my 30% Off Sale, now might be the right time to make those plans and take advantage of the savings!

Talk to you Thursday at 6 pm Pacific/9 pm Eastern!!

Toolie®