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Friday's Freelance Article

15 Questions to Instantly Help You Write a Tips Booklet Copyright © 2005 Paulette Ensign Tips Products International http://tipsbooklets.com

Everyone has something they want the world to know. A tips booklet is a great way to do that, creating author status and a marketing tool for yourself in the process.

You may have considered writing a book.  Many people entertain that possibility. Fewer have actually followed through once realizing how much time and money that takes. It could be more than it’s worth right now. Instead, a tips booklet can be the ideal way to go, ultimately leading you to writing that book, or not. Here are some questions to get your tips (and cash!) flowing. You can mine your own field of gold by looking at any notes you’ve created along the way, or jotting down things now as they come to mind.

1. What is the single most compelling subject from your experience or knowledge that you want the world to know about? If there are several topics, consider which one you are most passionate about.

2. Can you identify the single most outstanding thing you want people to know? Think about whether it is a new skill, perspective, attitude, or expansion of general knowledge.

3. Why do you want to write a booklet? It may be an altruistic gesture to spread the word about something. It might be a marketing tool for a business or book you have or want to have. The booklet can be a profit center for you. Maybe you would you like it to be both a marketing tool and a profit center.

4. How would you divide your subject into segments? Look at the possibility of those segments becoming additional booklets to develop into a series, or as mini-chapters of one booklet.

5. What are you often surprised by that people do not know about your subject area? There could be something that seems so 'common sense' to you, while being highly helpful or enlightening to others.

6. Does your information need to be presented sequentially or can it be random? Notice if specific entries stand-alone or if they need whatever came before to cause the entry to make sense to the reader.

7. What do you want people to do and not to do, be or not be as a result of your booklet? Think about how this information will benefit the reader.

8. Who besides the reader can benefit from this material? There may be manufacturers, suppliers, or distributors whose business activities can profit by distributing your contents. Those will be large-quantity buyers of your booklet.

9. Is there jargon or language that is peculiar to your topic? Consider how you will monitor and treat that in your content.

10. What surprised you most when you learned about your topic? That is probably useful to pass along to your readers in some way.

11. Which resources are needed to implement any of your suggestions? Look for the easiest ways to accomplish what you are recommending to your reader.

12. What is it that people need to know about you? Tell what gives you the credential to write about this topic.

13. What other products and/or services would also make sense to develop to assist the reader in this topic? Decide whether it is important for those to be products and services of your own, of someone else's, or both.

14. How would short anecdotes be useful in supporting your materials? The anecdotes could get in the way or enhance your content.

15. Do your tips need visual support with graphics to allow them to be more fully understood? Clip art could be adequate or you might decide to use original art.

Are you ready to get started? Or were you already making notes as you were reading this article? Take as little or as much time as you’d like in creating your first tips booklets. You’ll be amazed by the results. Everyone has something they want the world to know about. What’s the starting place for you?

-----------------------------------------------------------------© 2004, Paulette Ensign

Paulette Ensign has personally sold almost a million copies in four languages of a tips booklet called "110 Ideas for Organizing Your Business Life," all without spending a penny on advertising. She has had clients match and surpass her results, worldwide.

She has learned her business by doing it, never having taken a formal business course in her life. Her San Diego, California -based company, Tips Products International, offers a range of products and services to support your success regardless of your budget of time or money. Phone 858-481-0890 email  mailto:paulette@tipsbooklets.com or visit http://www.tipsbooklets.com

35 Quick Tips for Writing A Press Release

35 Quick Tips for Writing A Press Release

An easy list...

Layout
1.   1-2 pages in length.
2.   Double-space.
3.   1.5 to 2 inch margins.
4.   Use company stationary with logo and slogan.
5.   Avoid bright or dark-colored paper.
6.   Center "News Release" at top.
7.   Place a "release date" under "News Release".
8.   On second page, type "page 2".
9.   Use company stationary with logo and slogan on page 2.
10. Leave out "release after" date on second page, all
      else should be the same.
11. At end of press release, type "-30-" or "# # #".
12. Include both black & white, color, and a variety of font
    sizes (but no more than four).

Format
13. Inverted pyramid (biggest point or major message first).
14. Straight to the point at the beginning.
15. First and second paragraphs devoted to your main
      message.
16. Secondary information comes AFTER main message.
17. No pussyfooting around, be clear up front, at the very
      beginning.
18. Don't go on and on.
19. In the third section, establish a connection with you.
20. Use a problem/solution format.
21. Comparing and contrasting ideas can be inside the
      problem/solution format.
22. Be careful of your facts, spelling and grammar
23. Only one news release per e-mail or envelope.

Information to Include
24. Newsworthy information, not sales copy
25. All the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How elements.
      Their order depends on level of importance.
26. Enticing headline which summarize the material/news.
27. Photos if available, or where they can be accessed
      in press section of your web site.  No stock images.
28. No cover letter.

Distribution
29. Don't send press release out in a mass e-mailing
30. Don't pester contacts
31. Editors will not distribute anything sloppy, difficult
      to read, or understand.
32. Mail release by first class mail.
33. Don't use any type of labels, including your return
      address.
34. Add "PRESS RELEASE" and "Release Date:" on outside of
      envelope.
35. Places to send press releases: writers@[magazines];
      writers@[newspapers]; trade journals in your industry;
      print magazines on the topic; online agencies that
      distribute news releases.

(c) Copyright 2004, Catherine Franz.  All rights reserved.

Catherine Franz, a Certified Professional Coach, specializes
in infoproduct development.  Newsletters and additional
articles available:  http://www.abundancecenter.com
blog: http://abundance.blogs.com/inthelight

14 Publicity Tips You Can't Live Without

14 Publicity Tips You Can't Live Without
Copyright © 2005 Paul Hartunian
http://www.Hartunian.com

How do you best promote yourself, your business or your cause
using publicity? The list could easily be 100 items long. But
14 items stand out that can make yours a winning publicity
campaign. If you follow these 14 tips, you tremendously
increase your chances of getting publicity.

Even better, all 14 tips are easy to put into action.

Here are the Magic 14:

1. Establish a Consistent Look - A great way to get your release
   pulled and looked at first, is if the editor becomes familiar
   with your name and the look and quality of your previous
   stories.

2. Submit Anything To Start Off With - Get your name on file.
   Whether or not they run your first story isn't important,
   you just want to have a "previous story" on file the next
   time something important in your field comes up.

3. Keep On Submitting - Always be on the lookout for good
   stories. Editors need to see your name popping up regularly,
   not just once or twice a year.

4. Watch The News - Become "The Authority" on your subject.
   Watch what's happening around the world. Send out timely
   press releases connecting your story to local, national or
   world news. Be ready when editors call wanting to know about
   something that broke the news this morning.

5. Keep Up On The Trades - Understanding the trends and aims
   of your profession is essential to your being able to speak
   knowledgeably when called on short notice.

6. Piggyback Your Cause - Find community events where you can
   offer your services. If media personalities know you can
   deliver a good interview, they'll be very interested in
   talking to you.

7. Be A Character - Don't be afraid to get out of yourself.
   Study successful talk show hosts. Watch how they work topics,
   how they keep your attention. Become a fun, knowledgeable
   person to interview. Your character is as important to an
   interviewer as your story is. You don't have to be outrageous
   (although that can be a real plus), just an enjoyable,
   knowledgeable expert in your field.

8. Network In All The Right Places - Go to the gala balls, the
   fund raising banquets, the Lions Club or Country Club events.
   Anywhere the press might be looking, be sure they see you
   hanging out. Make a point of striking up a conversation as
   often as comfortably possible.

9. Remember Names - Everybody loves to hear their name.
   Especially reporters. Carry a small spiral notebook and
   write down names and details on every media person you meet.
   It helps immensely in remembering who they are the next time
   you run across them around town.

10. Be 100% Reliable - Reporters become incredibly frustrated
   when someone cancels or postpones an interview ' or worse,
   don't show for the interview. Establish a rock solid
   reputation for being a reliable interview. Also become
   known as a person who can be available on short notice
   for an interview. Reporters will love you for that.

11. Be A Source Of Referrals - Many times the reporter
   interviewing you will ask for the names of two or three
   other people in your field they can interview. Don't be
   afraid to give them the names. There are three solid reasons
   for this. First, the people you refer to them will be very
   grateful to you for the opportunity. Second, the reporter
   will be grateful and will look on you as a great source of
   information. And third, very frankly, the people you refer
   to the reporter will almost certainly not know how to either
   do a good interview or how to turn that interview into
   additional business. It's very unlikely these other people
   and their interviews will be a threat to your business.

12. Follow Up On Stories -  ALWAYS send thank you notes for any
   interview or story a paper or station runs. With a little
   imagination you can often parlay this "after the fact" moment
   into more coverage. One singer more than doubled her coverage
   by sending flowers to a PBS television station after her
   interview thanking them for the time and wishing them a
   successful fund drive (which just happened to be in progress).
   Her flowers and note kept showing up all day, along with
   clips from her interview.

13. Stay In Charge Of The Interview - Don't let interviewers
   take off on their own paths. Remember always, you are the
   authority on this topic and a bad interview will ultimately
   reflect only on you. If an interviewer is trying to dig in
   areas the general public will find boring, be courteous,
   answer the questions quickly, and then point the conversation
   where it should be headed, towards the more fascinating and
   lively topics. A good Q&A, following my system, will almost
   guarantee that you stay in control of the interview from
   beginning to end.

14. Finally, Don't Be Afraid To Create News - Write a book, do
   a survey, author a research project, anything that'll take
   yours out of the "boring profession" category. Always look
   for the angles you know will fascinate the general public
   and become the authority in those areas.

My favorite saying concerning the media is: "Media people are
very willing to make you as famous and wealthy as you'd like if
you just give them a good story."

There are tens of thousands of media people waiting for your
good stories. Give them what they want and they'll reward you
very handsomely.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Paul Hartunian is the world's leading authority on publicity and
self-promotion. At his website - http://www.Hartunian.com -
you'll find lots of information about how you can get free
publicity for any product, service or business you're involved
with. Get information about his complete publicity kit at
http://www.Hartunian.com/prkit . Sign up for his free publicity
ezine at http://www.hartunian.com/subscribe . You can reach Paul
at (973)857-4142. Or by email at mailto:PaulHartunian@Hotmail.com

Market Using Teleclasses

The Top 10 Ways to Market Any Business to Thousands by Leading Teleclasses
Copyright 2005 Bea Fields

As business owners, we all know that the key to fantastic
sales is to let your customers have a personal experience
of you. The difficulty, of course is that to give every
customer that experience personally requires a tremendous
time commitment of ourselves and our staff. So what do we
do?

One solution is to leverage our time by doing the "wooing"
once and then let that effort live on forever in a virtual
format. It is about creating multiple products, programs,
or streams of income from the core of our business that can
sell and propagate without our direct intervention!

But how do we do that?

By using the up and coming medium of teleclasses!

By leading teleclasses (classes by telephone) you can
leverage your classes in a way which will increase your
productivity and the profitability of your business while
becoming highly visible in your field or profession. You
can become the expert in your field -- the "go to" person!
This article will provide you with ten ways to leverage
your teleclasses for maximum visibility and for driving
thousands of customers to your door.
If you would like to know more about what a telelcass is
and how it can support your business, download this audio
"What is a Teleclass?":

http://www.blipstudios.com/bea/teleclass_audio/teleclass_str
eaming.rm

(1) Create audio recordings of your teleclasses.

Using a digital recording device such as the DM-1 Recorder
by Olympus or a recording service such as Maklitel.com, you
can capture your teleclasses on audio, which can be
leveraged in multiple ways. This recording can be used as:

-A free download on your website (people love added value
and a way to get to know you when they visit your site)

-A fee-based download (The going rate for a one hour
download is approximately $19.00)

-A recording transferred to a CD and used as a business
card (people love to have great content to listen to as
they drive or walk)

(2) Combine several teleclasses, including recordings and
written content, and create an online digital library.

An online digital library is a wonderful way to allow
people the opportunity to buy a lifetime, annual, or month
to month membership to your teleclass programs. Many people
are unable to attend the teleclasses due to time
constraints, so an online library will allow people the
ability to experience your teleclasses in a self-study
format. I recommend that you develop 20 solid teleclasses,
record each teleclass, and combine the recordings with
written content converted to PDF form, before opening your
library. From here you will want to continue adding new
content to the library each month to keep people interested
and jazzed enough about what you are offering that they
re-subscribe from year to year or month to month.

(3) Turn your teleclasses into an article(s) for online and
hard copy publications.

Teleclasses are a wonderful opportunity to build written
content which you can share with your target audience in
the form of an article or press release. By writing
articles, you can take the content from your teleclasses
and put it into a format which positions you as an expert
in the media. This article you are reading is taken from a
telelcass by the title of "Leveraging Your Teleclasses for
Long-Term Sustainability", and I am submitting this in
multiple locations on the internet and to several hard copy
magazines. The great thing about article writing is that
your written word is then disseminated to thousands of
people around the globe who are in the market for the
products and services you are offering.

(4) Take the content from your teleclass, and develop a
7-10 week e-course.

Marketing studies show that it takes 7-10 touches with a
client before he or she will buy from you. By writing a
7-10 week e-course (a weekly lesson delivered by e-mail)
you can drop valuable tips which are related to your
teleclasses into the inboxes of your target market. Make
sure to include information on your upcoming teleclasses in
your e-course, and create an active link in the course so
that folks know how they can purchase a product or a
program from you in the future.

(5) Develop and sell assessments based on the content from
your teleclasses.

People LOVE assessments, because they provide valuable
insight into their needs, wants, strengths and
shortcomings. A well-designed assessment can give you an
instant connection to your target market and can position
you as an expert in the marketplace. I highly recommend
Assessment Generator for a professional looking template
that is user friendly and very attractive. To learn more,
take the assessment Are You Ready to Lead Teleclasses by
visiting this assessment: "Are You Born to Lead
Teleclassses?"  The link is here:

http://www.fivestarleader.com/AreYouBornToLeadTeleclasses.ht
m

(6) Use a teleclass as the basis of a workshop.

A well written teleclass can provide a great outline for a
workshop, and with very little effort, you will have a live
presentation you can market to your target audience. You
can customize the teleclass to integrate the language and
address the needs of your audience. The core of your
teleclass will not change…just the way it is packaged and
presented.

(7) Use your teleclasses as a basis for a radio or
television interview.

Many radio and television talk show hosts are always on the
lookout for guest experts for their shows who can provide
them with valuable content for their listening audience. A
great way to proceed is to transfer your teleclass to a CD
and send this to as many radio and television talk show
hosts as possible.

(8) Create a strategic alliance/fusion marketing alliance.

The strategic alliance is one of the most economically
feasible and effective ways to reach your target audience
and to make a big impact with your teleclasses. By forming
a strategic alliance with businesses who are working with
your target audience, you will be able to disseminate your
teleclsses to a wider audience at a much lower cost. This
approach will increase your visibility and will make you
appear stronger to your market. An example might be:

You align yourself with a group of attorneys who provide
legal services to your target market. You ask them to give
your teleclass information to others, and in return, you
send them business when a client needs legal services. It
is that simple.

(9) Use your teleclasses to create a voice mail "Tip of the
Day".

Make the most of voice mail and answering machines by
posting a message that says "WOW!" Take the information
from your teleclasses, turn the content into quick tips,
and add a "tip of the day" on your message tape. This
approach can prove to be highly entertaining and
educational to callers, as well as a credibility and
rapport builder for you. Tie this message back into your
teleclasses as a way to generate interest by announcing
upcoming calls or offerings on your website.

(10) Combine your teleclasses with those of your clients,
colleagues, and prospects.

Combined programs are usually much more robust and
interesting than programs offered by a single individual.
By collaborating with your clients, colleagues, and
prospects, you have the opportunity to strengthen
relationships with others and create something incredible
that you can leverage later.

About the Author:

This article was co-authored by Bea Fields and Roger
DeWitt.  Bea is and Executive Coach and  the Visionary
Leader for the Teleclass Leaders Learning Club.  Roger is a
Business Coach and the Community Coach for
http://www.TeleclassLeader.com.

Speak with E's

Speak With E's by Sandra Schrift

"Educate, Energize, Entertain, and provide an experience
for your audience"

1. Use direct eye contact. You can focus on one person when
making a point. and everyone else in the audience will
think you are speaking to them, too.

2. Don't just stand behind the lectern move around,
gesture. Be animated. (Fifty-five percent of how people
perceive you is by body language; 38 percent by your voice;
7 percent by your words.)

3. If you are telling a story, assume the posture of the
character you are acting out.  For example, if you are
talking about babies then look like one and sound like one.

4. Humor helps. Humor especially if it is self-deprecating,
often wins over an audience. Example: When president
Kennedy was asked how he became a war hero, he responded,
"It was involuntary. They sank my boat."

5. When appropriate smile a lot. Be enthusiastic about what
you are saying. Make it fun. Learning is directly
proportional to the amount of fun your audience is having.
Laughter is like internal jogging. Aren't adults just grown
up kids?

6. Use visual aids to increase audience retention of your
message. But never become a master of ceremonies to your
overheads. Toys create humor and playfulness.

7. Be creative. Include music, poetry, games, songs, dance,
brainstorming, and role playing.

8. Dress appropriately. Always be a step above the
audience. If it's "business casual," be a little dressier
than casual. You are your best visual aid!

9. Have strong closing remarks that include a summary that
reviews the main points.  (People have short attention
spans.) Or, make a statement or tell an anecdote. Call for
action.

10.Start and stop on time. Be flexible and able to cut the
talks short if asked. Be in control. Leave time for Q&A.

11. Use an evaluation form. This will provide you with
feedback and confirm your value to the participant. Ask
what they liked most and what they liked least about your
presentation. Ask for referrals. You might ask the
attendees who else they know who would benefit from your
program.

12. Send a personalized thank-you note. Ask the program
chair for a testimonial in writing.

13. Create "BOR" (back of the room) products. Sell your
books, e-books, and booklet(s). Create audiotapes,
videotapes, and CD-ROMs. Having products will catapult your
speaking career and make you more valuable to your clients.
This "passive" income is frosting on the cake.

Are you ready to take your business to the next level? Get
more clients and consistent monthly income?  Judy Cullins,
book coach, and Sandra Schrift, speaker coach, invite you
to join a "Business Marketing Achievers" small group
coaching beginning January 19th. We are looking for 12
committed people who are ready to use speaking and writing
to catapult their business. For more details, contact
Sandra at 1-800-340-3683 between 9-6pm pst. Hurry!  This
group will fill quickly.  For details and to
register go to:  http://www.schrift.com/group_coaching.htm

__________________________________________________________
Sandra Schrift 13 year speaker bureau owner and now
career coach to emerging and veteran public speakers who
want to "grow" a profitable speaking business. I also work
with business professionals  and organizations who want to
master their presentations. To find out HOW TO MAKE IT AS
A PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER, go to
http://www.schrift.com/success_resources.htm Join my free
bi-weekly Monday Morning Mindfulness ezine
http://www.schrift.com/monday.htm

Tax Reduction Strategy

The Key To Any Small Business Tax Reduction Strategy by Wayne M. Davies

Copyright 2004 Wayne M. Davies Inc.

One very foggy night the captain of a large ship saw what
appeared to be another ship's lights approaching in the
distance.

The two were on a course that would mean a certain head-on
collision.

So quickly the captain signaled to the approaching vessel,
"Change your course ten degrees west."

The reply came, blinking back through the thickening fog,
"You change your course ten degrees east."

The captain became insulted, pulled rank, and angrily sent a
message back: "I'm a sea captain with 35 years experience.
Change your course ten degrees west."

Without hesitation, the signal flashed back, "I'm a seaman,
fourth class.  You change your course ten degree east."

The captain, now becoming enraged, realized that the two
ships were rapidly approaching one another, and would
certainly crash in a few short minutes.

So he sent his final warning: "Now you listen hear. I'm a
fifty thousand ton freighter. Change your course ten degree
west - now!"

A simple message came blinking back: "I'm a light house."

                *************************

I'm often asked, "What can I do to lower my small business
taxes?"  And I'm always glad to offer an answer packed with
potential tax-saving strategies: form a corporation,
start a medical reimbursement plan, start a SIMPLE
retirement plan, take the home office deduction, keep
track of your mileage, etc., etc., etc.

Of course, the easiest way to start paying less tax is to
start keeping better records of the expenses you already
have, but have failed to report because of poor bookkeeping.

But lately, I'm wondering if I'm giving the best possible
answer to this question. 

I'm wondering this because of a recent conversation I had
with a client, who came to me for (surprise!) tax-reduction
advice.

This man was an ideal candidate for converting his sole
proprietorship to a corporation.  In about 30 minutes I
showed him how he could save over $5,000 in taxes per year
by implementing that one strategy of incorporating.

His response: "I don't have the time."

Yes, it would take some time to implement this strategy.
And it would take some time to maintain this strategy.
Guess how much? About two hours a month, max.

You do the math.  Better yet, I'll do it for you.

If he spends 24 hours a year doing what it takes to maintain
a corporation, he's just made $208.33 per hour at this new
part-time "job".

Hmmm.  How many self-employed people can go out and make
five grand a year for 24 hours of work?  Can you think of
any? I sure can't.

I showed him the numbers I just showed you.

His response: "But I don't want to change the way I do
business."

Ahh, now we're getting somewhere.  Now we just got to the
heart of the matter.  He finally told me the real reason for
his unwillingness to save $5,000/year: he was unwilling to
change.

Did you get that?

And this is actually a very common reaction to an effective
tax reduction strategy.  I've seen it many times.

If there is change involved, people are often unwilling
to implement tax reduction strategies -- it's too new,
too different, too time consuming.  Too whatever.

So I'd like to challenge you with this simple
question: Are you really willing to make the changes
required by an effective tax-reduction plan?

All the tax knowledge in the world won't do you any good
without the right attitude toward change.  Before pursuing
tax reduction strategies, make sure you are ready to change.

Wayne M. Davies is author 3 tax-slashing ebooks
for small business owners and the self-employed.
To get your free copy of Wayne's 25-page report,
"How To Instantly Double Your Deductions" visit:
http://www.YouSaveOnTaxes.com

New Year's Inspiration

INVEST IN A VASE AND BOOKMARK.  YOU'LL NEED'EM.

"In a well-furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and
silver platters, but waste cans and compost buckets--some containers
used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage. Become the
kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift
to his guests for their blessing."---II Timothy 2:20-21

"The purest giving has no other motive but to give.  It seeks
pleasure rather than gratitude, fun rather than sacrifice, sharing
rather than barter."---Bel Kaufman

This past weekend, a friend of mine threw a prosperity party and I am
glad that I went.  If you've never heard of them, basically a group
of people come together and share what God did for them in the
previous year and then bring symbolic tokens of seed that they want
to see grow in the year to come.  I was moved to hear so many people
on one accord praising God for blessings in their marriages, their
finances and their missions in life and I was equally intrigued to
see what they brought to represent their new visions for 2005.

To be honest, I had no clue what I was going to actually bring until
the morning of and what God led me to share actually tripped me out
as I was sharing it.  I brought several things, but there were two
that I want to share with you in hopes that you will at least get one
of each for yourself.  As for me, I will be buying sets of `em for
others for the rest of the year as God leads.

The first was a vase.  It symbolized me.  A chosen vessel.  Something
that is meant to be poured into.  Like me, a vase sturdy yet fragile,
unique and like the human race, it comes in all different shapes and
sizes.  No two vases are exactly alike (even when they look the same)
and when utilized correctly they contain beautiful things which in
turn makes it beautiful as well.  However, when misused, vases often
do the item and itself a disservice.

For instance, have you ever seen a vase that has entirely too many
flowers in it?  The flowers look crowded and after awhile some of
them break, bend or die before their time.  The very thing that was
meant to uphold, protect and nurture them---the vase, is now doing
more harm than good because it is taking on more than it was created
to.

We are all like that vase.  God created all of us with beauty,
distinction and the capacity to do specific things on this earth. 
When you allow Him to pour into your life, anything that you take in
becomes all the better for having your support, but when you try to
cram in more, when you take on burdens that are not of your concern,
when you worry about matters that are none of your business, when you
say "yes" to everyone and everything that demands something of you,
when you become a people pleaser rather than a God server, eventually
you become "overcrowded" and you end up doing yourself as well as
others more harm than good.

This year, I encourage you to purchase a vase---one that represents
your personal style and taste---and keep it on your office desk or
bedroom dresser, reminding yourself that you are meant to take on
many things in this world, but only what you were created and called 
to---no more, no less.

The second item was a bookmark.  I'll explain.  Have you ever read a
book without some kind of marker in it?  Isn't it the most annoying
thing ever?  In the midst of reading, something distracts you.  It
may be the phone, someone at the door or even your heavy eyelids. 
The book closes and you go on with your life.  When you come back to
it, it takes some time to find where you left off.  Oftentimes you
find yourself rereading something which wastes more time or you never
find your exact place and so you have to start over.  However, if you
had a bookmark, you could pick up just where you left off and move
forward without repeating any steps.

Life is often like a book.  We make plans and then something happens
that distracts us.  For instance, you may be planning a romantic
getaway with your spouse and suddenly you find yourself to be
unexpectedly pregnant.  Now you don't have the money for a trip
because it has to go to a cradle and additional health insurance.  If
you don't "bookmark" that vacation, the cares of life may cause you
to forget all about it.  The baby does not change the fact that the
vacation was needed.  As a matter of fact, due to the new arrival,
you will probably need it more than ever.  A bookmark would've
reminded you to keep it a priority in your life.

Or maybe you have decided that you want to open up a boutique, write
a book, record an album, go back to school, start a non-profit. 
Right when it seems like the perfect time, you lose your job and so
you now have to go job hunting.  If you don't "bookmark" those
previous plans, you may find yourself either discouraged in a job you
don't like or unfulfilled in the fact that there's something missing
in your life that you just can't seem to put your finger on.  You try
to retrace your steps, but things are not very clear because the
cares of life have now taken over your dreams.

You can come up on a good bookmark for around $2.00 and I guarantee
it's worth the investment.  This year, don't let the Enemy make you
feel guilty for dreaming big.  But also, don't get tricked into
wasting time by starting over, over and over again with your goals
because you don't have a system in place for staying focused. 

In 2005, there are sure to be times when things will not go as
planned, when "rainy day" money will have to be used for emergencies,
when you will have to spend more time doing what needs to be done at
the sacrifice of what you want to do, but don't let a "pause" cause
you to stop completely.  As the pages of life turn, "bookmark" what
matters most to you so that you can revisit it later.  Just because
it may not happen when you want it to, does not necessarily mean that
it's not meant to be.

So, this year, as you are dealing with your own New Year's
resolutions, keep these two items in mind so that you won't get
overwhelmed.  You can't do anything for God or others stressed out or
discontent, right?  Right.

Uphold what you were created to.  Bookmark what you want to do.  Let
God handle the rest.

Shellie R. Warren/2005

Since committing to a writing career in 2000, Shellie R. Warren has been featured in over 40 different publications including Honey, Upscale, Women's Health & Fitness, CCM and b-gyrl.com.  Currently she is an entertainment columnist for a Nashville publication, "All The Rage" (www.nashvillerage.com) and is working on her second book.  Her first "baby", "Inside of Me" was released in June 2004.  For more info check out www.shellierwarren.com.

7 Easy Creative Rituals to Spark Your Imagination

7 Easy Creative Rituals to Spark Your Imagination and
Inspire Your Soul
By Nancy Marmolejo

Creativity is a mysterious force that visits us with great
ideas, new ways of seeing the world and the courage to do
things differently. Revitalizing your creative talents will
help you in the most unexpectedly wonderful ways: a new
business idea, a renewed commitment to self-care, an
appreciation for the beauty that lies all around us. 

Finding a small bit of time each day to feed this force will
not only reward you with increased creativity, but also an
expanded sense of appreciation and gratitude for the
creative process. 

The following list highlights simple yet powerful actions
you can take to spark your creative energy from the inside
out. 

1. Keep a Daily Journal
Use a journal to jot down the meandering thoughts of your
mind. Write, draw, doodle, paste collages together. Stuck
between your great ideas are random thoughts, mental notes,
and menial observations. Use your journal as a place to
deposit these thoughts, keeping your creative mental
workspace clear. Think of it as feng shui for the mind, a
way of keeping the creative juices flowing. 

2. Create Sacred Space
Find a place in your home to keep inspiring, motivating and
spiritually significant objects. Remind yourself that
creativity flows like water and wind, that it is steadfast
like earth and powerful like fire. Collect objects from
nature to remind you of this. Place things that awe and
inspire you, projects you're most proud of, and photos of
people who support and encourage your creative action. 

3. Reflection.
Reflection can be a minute of appreciating someone or
something, or it can be a day of meditation and writing.
Find ways to incorporate reflection into your daily routine,
noting how experiences and interactions help you grow as a
creative person. This is great for surveying what inspires
you and what blocks you, what attracts you and what doesn't.

4. Get Away.
If you can, find some time to sneak away and enjoy a
creative pleasure. It can be an hour wandering through a
craft store, window shopping, a hike in nature or a visit to
a special place. If you have kids and can't get away alone,
don't worry. Enjoy the outing and reflect on it together.
There are no rules to creative getaways. It is whatever
touches you at that moment. 

5.  Do Something Loca.
What's something crazy you've always dreamed of doing but
didn't because of insecurity, fear or intimidation? Make a
pact with yourself to get to know your Inner Loca (or loco
for you guys reading this) and find ways to let her out to
play each and every day.

6. See the World Through a Child's Eyes.
Children have the amazing ability to be open to the
possibilities of just about anything. Give yourself playtime
to see the world through the eyes of a child. Sometimes it
can be simply sitting on the floor and looking at a room
from a new angle, or giving yourself permission to laugh and
have fun. 

7. Chart Your Course
It's one thing to dream of creative things and it's another
thing to make them happen. Look at all the wonderful ideas
you have and pick one to act upon. Make a commitment to do
at least one daily action to support this idea.  Doing the
footwork to make your dream a reality will show you how easy
it really is to turn ideas into action. 

Ritual is a series of repeated acts. By incorporating
creative ritual in your life, you will increase your
innovation and creativity in ways that will surprise and
delight you. Try at least one of these actions and feel your
creativity grow!

Nancy Marmolejo helps creative and entrepreneurial women
hone in on their core strengths to turn ideas into action.
She helps both the wildly creative and the mildly creative
launch innovative ideas, enter new markets and build upon
natural talents. Visit Nancy Marmolejo on the web at
http://www.ComadreCoaching.com to receive a free copy of
"Get Creative Now!

12-month 2005 Marketing Calendar

Here is one author's marketing calendar to get us thinking about opportunities for 2005. Insert or omit dates which relate to you and your books.

12-month 2005 Marketing Calendar that Boost Sales
Written By: Sharron Senter

The following is my 12-month promotional marketing calendar. Keep it
handy, as you'll need to refer to it throughout the coming year when
forecasting your promotional messages. By no means is this list
exhaustive. In fact, you should add to it based on your industry-
related activities. There are many holidays throughout the year that
may be a natural tie-in with your product or service, such as
National Book Week in January, if you're an author or editorial-
related service or American Heart Month in February, if you sell
health-related services or products.

My calendar list focuses on the major holidays when most Americans
have been trained to spend extra money or participate in a
ceremonial activity. Generally speaking, you want to link your
marketing promotions to a time of year when customers have their
wallets out. Thus, you're simply positioning your product or service
as the perfect gift or solution for the celebrated event.

Be Prepared
You can never be too early in preparing your marketing campaigns.
For example, in order for the typical small business owner to
prepare for a Valentine's Day direct mail campaign, you'll need to
get most of your materials printed and ready to go by the third week
in January and in the mailstream by the last week in January,
certainly no later than the first week in February. I recommend you
plan two months in advance. Thus, you should start planning your
Mother's Day campaign in early March. Obviously, the more involved
the campaign, the more lead time. What's more, some advertising
vehicles have extensive lead times, specifically magazines that need
your camera-ready ad approximately 6 weeks [possibly more or less]
before publication, and newspaper inserts also require a reservation
approximately 6-8 weeks before publication.

Unique Angle
Your promotional angle is the key to standing out from your
competition. People are going to buy gifts at Christmas, without a
doubt. But what makes your service or product so interesting, that
shoppers should hand over their money to you instead of the myriad
of other stores? Find a creative answer, and you'll grow your
business.

JANUARY
- New Year's Day, and the proceeding two weeks -- Launch your
marketing messages the last week of December.
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day -- Although not a big gift-giving
time, this is a great time to spread a non- profit message.

FEBRUARY
- Valentine's Day -- Launch your marketing messages the last week in
January. **Popular Gift- giving Time**
- President's Day

MARCH
- St. Patrick's Day

APRIL
- April Fools Day
- Daylight Savings Begins
- Easter **Popular Gift-giving Time**
- Secretaries Days **Popular Gift-giving Time**

MAY
- Mother's Day -- Launch your marketing messages approximately 3
weeks before. **Popular Gift-giving Time**
- Memorial Day

JUNE
- Father's Day **Popular Gift-giving Time** Launch your marketing
messages approximately 3 weeks before.
- Graduation **Popular Gift-giving Time** Launch your marketing
messages approximately 3 weeks before.

JULY
- Independence Day
- Back to School -- Although not a holiday, it's certainly a popular
time to find wallets open and increased spending, particularly by
moms and teenagers.

AUGUST
- Dog days of summer
- Back to School continued

SEPTEMBER
- Back to School -- Marketing messages can continue through the
first week of September.
- Labor Day
- Grandparent's Day

OCTOBER
- Columbus Day
- Halloween **Popular Gift-giving Time**
- Holiday preparation should be 1/4 completed, seriously. Launch
your first holiday message immediately after Halloween. This message
will generally go to your current customer base, offering them an
exclusive early-bird holiday special to expire in early November.
- Daylight Savings Ends

NOVEMBER
- Thanksgiving **Popular Gift-giving Time**
- Your Holiday advertising is in full swing
- Election Day
- Veteran's Day

DECEMBER
- Christmas Day **Popular Gift-giving Time**
- Hanukkah **Popular Gift-giving Time**
- New Year's Eve -- Launch New Year's message late the second week
in December.

About the Author
Sharron Senter is a New-England based marketing consultant, speaker,
writer and founder of Senter & Associates, a marketing
communications firm that helps small businesses deploy low-cost
online and offline marketing tactics. Senter is well known for her
free monthly emailed marketing tips found at
http://www.sharronsenter.com

Seven Ways to Start Moving to a Big Goal Today

Seven Ways to Start Moving to a Big Goal Today by Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D

Are you facing a huge task? Do you have half-finished
projects waiting in a folder? Ideas you haven't had time
to develop?  Here are seven ways to start moving toward
new goals -- today.

1. Work small.

You're faced with a huge projectŠand you wonder if you'll
ever have a big chunk of time to focus on getting it done.
Or you don't have time to work out for an hour so you skip
the gym.

Fifteen minutes a day, three to five times a week, will add
up over a month and a year. Some people write novels,
graduate dissertations and major reports in fifteen-minute
bites.  Fifteen minutes at the gym, three or four times a
week, will build fitness faster than an hour every so often.

Best of all, you'll keep momentum going.  And one day you'll
find yourself stretching your fifteen minutes to two or
three hoursŠand one day you're done.

2. Make a play break a priority.

Tired people waste time.  They end up rewriting, fixing
mistakes and getting irritated with people who want to help.
  A play break can turn your life around.

3. Start with a warm-up.

Athletes don't try to run with cold muscles and often you
can gain momentum with a small stretch.   Edit a few
paragraphs from yesterday's work. Take notes from an article
you need for the project.   But beware: Some activities are
distractions, not warm-ups! Email is the major danger here.

4. Choose tomorrow's task - today.

When there's a lot to do, you save time and energy by moving
directly to the task you've identified as today's Most
Important. Plan tomorrow's beginning before you quit today.

5. Choose enlightened action over mindless pounding on the
wall. When you've been working hard but getting nowhere,
review your game plan.  Maybe you need a new product. Or you
need to direct your services to a new target market.  Or you
haven't figured out the best way to sequence your actions to
save energy.

6. Make your first draft rough but complete.

It's almost always easier to revise than to start from
scratch. But I see dozens of people slave over the first
paragraph of a report, seeking perfection before moving on.
Once you've drafted the entire project, you'll have a better
sense of how to refine Chapter 1.


7. Get rid of projects you don't want to do. Often resistance
means, "I'm not interested."  Are you writing a book because
somebody said, "You really should do some writingŠ" Or
working on projects you outgrew five years ago?  You may be
able to find a replacement project, hire help, or accomplish
your goal by doing what you love.

*******************************************************************
Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., is an author, speaker and
career/business consultant, who specializes in working with
midlife, mid-career professionals.
Your Next Move Ezine: Read one each week and watch
your choices grow!
  mailto:subscribe@cathygoodwin.com
http://www.cathygoodwin.com
http://www.movinglady.com
Contact: mailto:cathy@cathygoodwin.com