April, 2011

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Are Your Friends Sabotaging Your Business?

Men With Pens

I met Lisa when she hired me for a business consultation about her new copywriting venture. She had a picture of bright red, luscious cherries on her site… and I couldn’t resist liking her from day one. So when she sent me this guest post that outlines some of her learning curve lessons as a new freelancer, I was thrilled – here was someone who’d gone from zero to being a confident writer who could stand up for herself, and for her business.

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Why Your Self-Hosted Blog is More Valuable than Your Facebook Page

ProBlogger

This guest post is by Marcie Hill of The Write Design Company. Facebook has taken the Web by storm in a very short period. In addition to being the highest ranking social networking site, it is the second most visited site in the world according to Alexa, the popular blog measuring tool. Facebook’s popularity is so great that it unseated Google as the king of the Web one day in 2010.

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How to Measure Your Success

Men With Pens

Everyone measures success differently. Some people measure it by their net worth, others define themselves by their job title and career, and still others gauge it by their possessions, such as their house, cars, and jewelry. While these may be outward signs of success that you can point to and show people, they may not be satisfying your deepest desires.

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5 Blog-Building Lessons from Model Planes

Men With Pens

I had a crush on the F-16 Fighting Falcon. Looking back, the obsession may be attributed to attending Blue Angels air shows as a child. Or, perhaps a more practical reason was the cause – the jet looked really, really fast. And like any obsessed seven-year-old boy, F-16 posters hung above my bed and I’d mastered the sound of the afterburner at full blast.

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Marketing Operations in 2025: A New Framework for Success

Speaker: Mike Rizzo, Founder & CEO, MarketingOps.com and Darrell Alfonso, Director of Marketing Strategy and Operations, Indeed.com

Though rarely in the spotlight, marketing operations are the backbone of the efficiency, scalability, and alignment that define top-performing marketing teams. In this exclusive webinar led by industry visionaries Mike Rizzo and Darrell Alfonso, we’re giving marketing operations the recognition they deserve! We will dive into the 7 P Model —a powerful framework designed to assess and optimize your marketing operations function.

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How to Pitch an Editor and Win the Gig

Men With Pens

I got my first rejection letter as a freelance writer when I was 19 years old. I remember tearing open the letter from Random House expecting a contract of some kind and instead staring at a scrap of paper addresses to ‘Dear Author’ The publisher didn’t even want to spend money on a full sheet of paper on me. I was crushed and determined that if the largest publication in the stratosphere didn’t want me, then I was worthless.

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How to Select Good SEO Keywords

ProBlogger

This guest post is by Jeremy Myers of TillHeComes.org. The problem with good keywords is that they are usually not words at all. Good SEO keywords are usually phrases, that is, two or more words strung together in a saying or idea. When you enter keywords into your meta keywords section, don’t use words, use phrases. Why? I’ll give you two reasons. 1.

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Shakespeare on Blogging

ProBlogger

This guest post is by Leanne of IronicMom.com. Although Shakespeare wouldn’t have known words like Twitter, social media, and blogging, he no doubt would’ve embraced these new terms. After all, he coined an estimated 1700 words and had a lot of fun playing with language. But what do you get when you take Shakespeare’s words out of context and apply them to blogging?

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15 Blogger Resources Not Previously Featured on ProBlogger

ProBlogger

This is a guest post by the creators of the new site Bloggers’ Domain: 369 (and counting) blog tips, tools and resources. One of the most exciting things about being a blogger is finding new ways to improve your blogging experience. Whether that’s by implementing a new plugin to give your site extra functionality, finding an untapped traffic source to boost your reader numbers, discovering a resource that will help you create more entertaining posts, or learning of a website that’ll reignite you

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The Four Os: a Four-Step Guide to Successful Blogging

ProBlogger

This guest post is by Adam Best of FanSided. I spent the previous decade figuring out how to “make it” online as a writer. Led Zeppelin’s “Ten Years Gone” comes to mind. Eventually, with the help of my brother, I made a bit of a splash on a Kansas City Chiefs blog called Arrowhead Addict. That effort went so well we decided to make a business out of sports blogging and started the FanSided Network.

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Why Mom Didn’t Make it as a Blogger

ProBlogger

This guest post is by Chris The Traffic Blogger. We always hear stories about the people who eventually succeeded as bloggers … but what about the ones who didn’t? What of those millions of people who heard that you could make money online, tried it, and eventually gave up? Why aren’t those stories shared and, more importantly, why don’t we discuss the reasons these people failed?

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Mastering Remote Onboarding: Proven Strategies for Seamless New Hire Integration

Speaker: Tim Buteyn, President of ThinkingKap Learning Solutions

Join this brand new webinar with Tim Buteyn to learn how you can master the art of remote onboarding! By the end of this session, you'll understand how to: Craft a Tailored Onboarding Checklist 📝 Develop a comprehensive, customized checklist that ensures every new hire has a smooth transition into your company, no matter where they are in the world.

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What is Google +1 … and What Does it Mean for Your Blog?

ProBlogger

This guest post is by Jacob of BlogRevolter.com. On March 30th, Google announced the release of its latest addition to the search engine, a small button called the +1. As with any Google announcement, there are always going to be implications—both great and not so great—for the average and professional blogger. Understanding the potential effect of Google’s new +1 feature can better help you prepare for the next six to twelve months of your blog.

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Use Twitter Contests to Find Targeted Followers

ProBlogger

Few things will replace SEO, providing great content, posting frequently, or building relationships with your readers and with other leaders in your niche as ways to help bring visitors to your blog. However, I’d like to introduce you to another way you can find targeted followers who are interested in the content, products, and services you create: Twitter contests.

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5 Techniques to Create Raving Loyal Fans

ProBlogger

This post is by Brad Branson of Lessons in Lifestyle Development. Most people walk through life in a living daze. Most people live their lives vicariously through television, sports, or the gossip section. They are afraid to take action, afraid to take a risk. Why? Be average and you don’t risk embarrassment. So, how does this relate to writing compelling blog articles and creating a devoted, enthusiastic fanbase?

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2 Blogging Myths: Traffic Measures Success and Content Is King

ProBlogger

This guest post was written by Stephen Guise of Deep Existence. Admit it. You think I’m crazy for dogging the two most commonly cited blogger goals—traffic and great content. Allow me to explain before you throw your mouse at the screen, please. Busting the myths. Blog traffic is very important. With no traffic, how will anyone see your masterpiece on writing blindfolded for enhanced focus?

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Do's and Don'ts: How to Pitch Your Press Release to Journalists

Speaker: Michelle Garrett, PR Consultant, Author, Speaker

Yes - press releases are still relevant in the world of public relations! 🎯 Ever wondered how to write a compelling press release, or what are current best practices for pitching your news to earn media coverage? In this exclusive webinar with Michelle Garrett, PR Consultant, we’ll cover tips and advice to help you get the most out of each piece of news you pitch!

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Why I Deleted All of My Blogs

ProBlogger

This guest posst is by Kole McRae of Office Buddha. Four months ago, I had 15 blogs. I had blogs about net neutrality, writing tips, technology news, and more. They we’re all things I was passionate about and loved writing them but one day I deleted them all. All but one. I didn’t back them up. I didn’t think twice about it. I simply clicked Delete and never thought about them again.

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How A Few Tweets Led to a 370% Increase In My Traffic

ProBlogger

This guest post is by Tom Meitner of The Practical Nerd. ?The other night, I found out author/marketer Chris Brogan was in town. I am a big fan of his and his book Trust Agents , so I wanted to go meet him. I’m not going to go through all of the details of the tweet exchange—you can read about how I wound up not meeting him after all on my blog. Photo by Aidan Jones, licensed under Creative Commons.

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Do You Have these 4 Unrealistic Expectations of Blogging?

ProBlogger

Earlier in the year I surveyed a small segment of ProBlogger readers on their blogging experiences as a way of keeping in touch with the needs of readers. I asked a variety of questions, but the answers to one particular question stood out to me like a sore thumb, because I saw the same themes emerging again and again. The question asked bloggers to think about the unrealistic expectations that they had when they started blogging.

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How to Write Amazing Product Reviews

ProBlogger

This guest post is by Ray Maker of DCRainmaker.com. Product review posts are in many ways the core of what blogging is about—the ability for all of us regular folks to express an opinion about a product, be it good or bad. Every day, tens of thousands of product reviews are written on blogs across the world, and often, on just one product alone, hundreds of new opinion/review posts are written each week.

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Data Modeling for Direct Mail: Boosting Multi-Channel Reach and Response

Speaker: Jesse Simms, VP at Giant Partners

This new, thought-provoking webinar will explore how even incremental efforts and investments in your data can have a tremendous impact on your direct mail and multi-channel marketing campaign results! Industry expert Jesse Simms, VP at Giant Partners, will share real-life case studies and best practices from client direct mail and digital campaigns where data modeling strategies pinpointed audience members, increasing their propensity to respond – and buy.

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7 Tips for Bloggers with Learning Disabilities

ProBlogger

This guest post is by Leigh Stevens of whereapy. If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid with regard to external things. —Epictetus. Image is author's own. “Are you stupid? You sure look stupid. Everyone else in this room handles this level of work. If you can’t do simple conjugations you shouldn’t be in my classroom.&#.

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How I’m Eliminating … Okay, Minimizing Distractions and Getting More Done

ProBlogger

Today I asked my followers on Twitter what their biggest challenge as a blogger was. There were hundreds of responses but the word that stood out to me time and time again was “time.&#. Finding time to blog is something most of us struggle with at one point or another, if not every day. So today I thought I’d share a strategy that I used this week to keep me on track (one that actually worked!).

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Two Email Marketing Strategies that Work

ProBlogger

This is a guest post by Shaun at Ultimate Mailing List. As I’m sure many of you know, building a mailing list can greatly benefit your business. Bloggers harp on all the time about how much money you can make if you have enough subscribers, and how great it can be in terms of social proof. While this is true, what’s often left out is what you should do once you have your mailing list up and running.

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Why Your Blog Sucks

ProBlogger

This guest post is by Matthew Kepnes of Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site. Your blog sucks. You just don’t know it yet. On the other hand, my blog is great because my blog really sucks, and I know it. I know that my blog needs work, and I’m always working to improve it. I wish I had the fan base that Chris Guillebeau from the Art of Non-Conformity has. I wish I could “figure out” social media better.

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Scan to Success: How to Leverage QR Codes for Offline and Online Marketing Power

Speaker: Corey Daugherty, Head of Business Development at Flowcode & Georgette Malitsis, Senior Customer Success Manager, Enterprise at Flowcode

Let's explore the transformative power of QR codes in bridging offline and online marketing worlds. 📲 This new webinar featuring Corey Daugherty and Georgette Malitsis of Flowcode will dive into how innovative QR technology not only enhances traditional marketing strategies, but also drives meaningful customer engagement and analytics. Register today to gain practical knowledge on using QR codes to increase conversion rates, optimize customer journeys, and ultimately unlock a new realm o

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Three Blogging Lessons from Leoardo Da Vinci

ProBlogger

This guest post is by Martyn Chamberlin of Two Hour Blogger. It was getting late. The sick old man sighed and set down his brush. Learning back deeply in his chair, he gazed at his painting. No matter how hard he worked, he couldn’t seem to finish it. It was only a medium sized work—30 by 21 inches. And yet, the canvas seemed like a monolith of impossibility, stretching towards to the unforeseeable future… Maybe he should just abandon it, like he had dozens of other works.

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10 Ways to Use Your Blog to Manage a Crisis

ProBlogger

This guest post is by Jeff Domansky of The PR Coach. Your blog is a very important part of your personal image or company brand. While you’ve invested time in its development, have you ever thought about how you could use your blog to manage a crisis? A blog offers several advantages compared to news releases, websites, or other social media channels.

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What I Learned from an Indonesian Resort about Blogging

ProBlogger

Over the last two weeks I’ve been lucky enough to have some time away with my family in Singapore and Indonesia. With our 3rd child arriving in early July it was our babymoon and a last chance to get away with our two little guys for a bit. The bulk of our time was spent on Bintan Island (Indonesia) where we stayed at Club Med Bintan (note: the pics in this post are all iPhone shots I took at the resort over the week) – a resort which had been recommended by a couple of friends.

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10 Things TV Shopping Networks Can Teach You About Making Money Blogging

ProBlogger

This guest post is by Jill Chivers of www.shopyourwardrobe.com. I found myself entranced recently by a “presentation” on a TV shopping network. I usually flip straight past these networks, as I was of the opinion that they were cheesy shows, presented by couldn’t-quite-make-it TV presenters, and that they pushed sub-par products onto poor, lonely, hapless, housebound consumers who didn’t know better.

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How to Leverage Behavioral Science Insights for Direct Mail Success

Speaker: Neal Boornazian, President and Nancy Harhut, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer - HBT Marketing

Direct mail has consistently remained a powerful tool in the marketer's arsenal, but in an age of digital dominance, its effectiveness hinges on the strategic integration of behavioral science. 💡 When you incorporate powerful behavioral science principles into your direct mail marketing strategies, you can prompt the hardwired decision-making shortcuts your audience relies on — and that automatically unlocks new avenues for engagement, conversion, and brand loyalty.

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How Bloggers Can Make Money from Brands

ProBlogger

This guest post was written by Mark Pollard of MarkPollard.net. Let’s face it, how you make money from blogging is in serious flux right now. The thing is, flux brings opportunity. If you’re thinking differently enough to everybody else, chances are you can stand out. That’s what this article is about. How to get you standing out in front of brands and agencies, and find new ways to make money from your blogging pedigree along the way.

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31 Days to Build a Better Blog – Price Rise Imminent

ProBlogger

It has been around 2 years since 31 Days to Build a Better Blog workbook launched and in that time thousands of bloggers have taken the challenge to improve their blogs over a month. Since launching the eBook the price has always been $19.95 USD but on 10th May on the continued feedback of those who’ve take the challenge I’ll be raising the price to $29.99 to be inline with the other ProBlogger eBook – the Copywriting Scorecard for Bloggers.

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Launch a Brand New Blog … with Authority

ProBlogger

This guest post is by Jane Sheeba of Find All Answers. Launching a new blog today is not the same as it was a few years back. Things were a lot easier and diluted in the past decade, but now, the competition is dense, given that thousands of blogs are launched every day. Every niche has become competitive, forcing bloggers to try to rank highly for less-competitive keywords.

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Why You Should Charge Money to Review Guest Post Submissions

ProBlogger

This guest post is by Darya Pino, Ph.D of Summer Tomato. Three months ago I started charging $10 to consider guest blog post submissions, and it changed my life. Not only did it clear out many of the most annoying emails in my inbox, it elevated the quality of posts I receive and reduced the time I spend editing them to levels I would never have dreamed possible.

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The Resurgence of Direct Mail as a Growth Marketing Strategy

Speaker: Jeff Tarran, COO, Gunderson Direct & Margaret Pepe, Executive Director of Product Management, U.S. Postal Service

Learn the secrets to direct mail success for growth marketers! Industry veterans Jeff Tarran and Margaret Pepe are here to delve into how direct mail has completely evolved in recent years, and has rightfully earned a seat at the table alongside the email and digital marketing plans of SMBs, enterprise companies, and agencies as they look into strategy for 2024 and beyond.