Survey: What are you most interested in?

What you are most interested in
me blogging about?  

• how-to articles on blogging: Blogger, TypePad or WordPress, 
• email marketing, 
• SEO
• CSS/HTML coding, 
• Photoshop and image editing,
• soclal media (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest), 
• small business tips
• all of it!  

The results are in!

You want more Blogging How-To Articles! Blogging articles lead the pack at 69%!
Design Tips is a close second :D

Thank you for participating in this survey!

Heather :D

10 Ways to Grow Your Business with Social Media: Social Media Examiner FREE Event

 Just wanted to share this all with you….hope you get in!

Seats are limited to the first 1000 people,
so SIGN UP NOW!

I've signed up and will be sharing what I learn on my blog afterwards (recap of the webinar)…but if you can, sign up and listen to the live event (or recording). Yes, that's right, if you can't listen to the webinar at that time, it's recorded!!!!!

Please join Michael Stelzner of Social Media Examiner, Thursday, December 8th, in a live and FREE event called "10 Ways to Grow Your Business With Social Media." 

He will be co-presenting with Andrea Vahl (co-author, Facebook Marketing: All-in-One for Dummies), Rich Brooks (founder, New Flyte Media) and Kristi Hines (founder, Kikolani.com)! 

By attending this free online event you'll discover 10 ways your business can grow in 2012 using social media tools like Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter and blogging.

The free seats are limited to the first 1000 people. Be sure to go here and secure your seat now before they're gone.

 

Small Biz Success Summit by Social Media Examiner

If you're a small business owner, which many of us here are, then you have to jump on this opportunity to receive top-knotch, no nonsense advice from 25 of the top social media small business professionals!  

Learn from the best how to best use social media to grow your business!

I am going to be attending! And I think you should to as it is at an affordable price of just $297 until NOVEMBER 18th (Yes, it's 50% off if you register before then). AND you can make TWO payments to help better manage the cost!!! I just thought it was such great information to share with you and for a very reasonable price.  Hope you'll join in!

Click here to read all about it on the Social Media Examiner website!

Presented by....

Michael A. Stelzner Founder, Social Media Examiner and fellow small business owner

 

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Secure your spot in the largest online professional development conference for small business owners and marketers seeking to master social media. By attending this online summit, you will:

• Discover the best and newest ways to market your small business with Facebook, Google+, blogging, LinkedIn, Twitter and video marketing (no guesswork... you benefit from the wisdom of those who've gone before you)
  
  
• Learn how to create a smart social media marketing plan (discover how to draw masses of people to your small business)
  
  
• Uncover how to sell your products and services via social media (you'll learn how to turn fans and followers into customers)
  
  
• Find out how to track and measure your social media return on investment (so you'll know precisely what's working!) 
  
  
• See how successful social media campaigns were executed by other small businesses and how you can achieve similar results (play-by-play steps provided)
  
  
• Learn how to creatively grow and engage a loyal social media following (gain raving fans who become your standard-bearers)
  
  
• Eavesdrop on the closely guarded secrets of the industry's top experts (interact live with social media superstars such as John Jantsch, Michael Stelzner, Mari Smith, Jesse Stay, Hollis Thomases, Anita Campbell,Lewis Howes, David Siteman Garland, Brian Clark, Joe Pulizzi, Lee Odden and many other small business social media pros!)
  
  
• Interact live with successful small business owners from business-to-consumer and business-to-business companies
  
  
• Learn how to Integrate social media activities with your other marketing efforts
  
  
• Gain a leg up on your competitors, helping you stand out
  
  
• Ask live questions and get answers (you speak live to the experts—no chat boxes)
  
  
• Learn in your spare time and eliminate travel (you participate via the Internet in live sessions that are spread over multiple weeks—plus recordings and transcripts are provided!)
  
  
• Network with your peers and share experiences via aprivate and exclusive LinkedIn group (more than 1600 people joined our private LinkedIn group at our summer summit)
  
  
• Become part of a genuine community of business owners and marketers just like you
  
  
• And much more!

 

EARLY-BIRD HALF-OFF SALE:

For a very limited time... If you act now, you'll save 50%. Sale ends Nov. 18th.

Here are the options:

• One Ticket, One Payment: Get one ticket to Small Biz Success Summit 2012 for only $297 (a $300 savings-that's about $15 per session) PLUS get $491 in FREE bonuses. Click here to reserve your seat.
  
  
• One Ticket, Two Payments: Would it be easier to spread out the payments? Get one ticket for two monthly payments of only $157.00 each (one now, one 30 days later) PLUS get $491 in FREE bonuses.Click here to reserve your seat.

 

I'm not an affiliate or get no money for advertising this, but I do think Social Media Examiner is such a well known, respected social media source, that I just had to share it with you.

Don't worry, if you're not attending, I'll share summaries of what I learn throughout the series.

Helping you grow your business...

Heather Wright-Porto
www.BlogsByHeather.com 

One last note before my newsletter goes out...

Hi there! Before moving onto more blogging topics and questions/answers, I just wanted to make mention once more that my next newsletter issue (free email newsletter) is going out soon and will be featuring tools on how to create custom Facebook pages, Facebook website/stors, a scheduler and many more Facebook tools!

Custom Facebook Pages!
Facebook Tools! 
FREE Newsletter on Facebook Apps for you! 

If you want to use Facebook to drive traffic to your blog, want to showcase a product or integrate a store, or want a tool to schedule Facebook posts, be sure you sign up! 

Although my design partner and I offer a service to create custom Facebook pages and more, I love to share with you guys tools I find and think that could help you for those who just want to learn or want to experiment themselves.

I'll review many applications I've found searching the web - some free, some not, some have a monthly recurring fee, some depend on list numbers...but regardless, I'm sure you'll enjoy reading the newsletter and learning more about what's out there for you!

 

Next issue on Custom Facebook Pages!
Sign up here!

For Email Marketing you can trust

Creating a Custom Facebook Page

My partner, Michelle Laycock, are now offering a new, affordable service where we can create pages like these for you!

Michelle created for Tammy Shaia's where you see a custom Facebook page.  I created the one for Sandi MacIver which features what is known as a "reveal" page and uses video as well, and uses the new iFrame platform. Both compliment their blog designs!

 

And for those of you who have emailed me asking....

NO, you DO NOT need to pay for

private hosting of any kind

to have a beautiful, custom Facebook page
in the new iFrame environment!

To see Tammy's page live,
go to www.Facebook.com/be-creative-stamping!

-------------------------------

Here is what you will see when visiting Sandi's page:
http://www.facebook.com/SandiMacIver.StampinUp.PortlandOregon

Then after liking her page you can view her exclusive holiday video and more:

Facebook Custom Pages
Introductory Pricing!

One time, flat fee. No recurring charges! 

Custom Page Only: $25

 

Custom Page and Reveal Page Package: $45 

IMPORTANT NOTES:  A design list will quickly form, be sure to email either Michelle Laycock or myself to help you (AND put FACEBOOK PAGE in the email subject line). If Michelle is working on your blog graphics, you can quickly email her to let her know you'd like to add the Facebook Page as well.

Only use the PAYPAL BUTTONS above if you'd like me to design your page(s).

We work together and support each other so it doesn't matter which of us you email...you will get a professional, beautiful facebook page!

Lastly, if you do not have a current blog design to use or coordinate with your new Facebook Custom Page, then additional design fees may apply.

NEW!!!! Newsletter Maintenance Program for SU Demos!

I am so excited to launch this new maintenance program for Stampin' Up! Demonstrators. Not only can your blog  be updated automatically every month, now, so can your newsletters!   Each month your newsletter will be updated automatically with the following: Banner area. Latest 3 Promotions from Stampin' Up! (whatever is featured on the DBWS) Featured Catalog (could be current MDS downloads at times) Featured Product Featured Pattern Featured Project Footer area. Each newsletter also has Social Networking buttons at the bottom of the footer to link to your accounts: FB, Twitter, YouTube, and Blog Feed. I CAN also add "sections/blocks" to your newsletter where you write your own introduction, upcoming events or other desired areas. You are responsible for updating those.  Many of my customers like Mojo Monday sketches. So I can add that as well to your newsletters where the sketch will change every month. Please note there are months that Stampin' Up! does NOT have three promotions running or featured in the DBWS Promotions page, so at those times you will only see two top featured promotions in your newsletters. All you have to do is... go into your newsletter program each month (newsletter will be ready by the 5th of each month) and make a COPY of the NEWSLETTER TEMPLATE (I create for you that contains the Newsletter Maintenance). You do NOT have to modify anything if you don't want to. Simply schedule or send immediately! It will all be updated with the current information!  Yes, it's that easy!!!!!       You have lots of options to choose from! Click here for a sample with blog banner installed. Click here for a sample with my newsletter maintenance banner which changes automatically each month as well! Click here to view a snippet of a custom newsletter template design with sidebars and other custom editing. Click here to view a sample with the blog banner installed and additional sections added for you to write each month - opening introduction, upcoming events. You just would have to let me know how many blocks you want to add. Again, you'd be responsible for write them every month. Now there is no reason for you not to have a newsletter! Your customers are waiting! Have your newsletter ready in SECONDS each month and loaded with beautiful graphics!   $9.95 a month Click here to Sign Up Now!!!!

 

Important Note:  The $9.95/month is separate and in addition to any fees related with your newsletter/email marketing provider (Constant Contact, Aweber, iContact, Vertical Response, etc.)

3-Part SERIES: Do you need a Membership Site? Build your online community and your revenue with a Membership site!

In this 3-part series, we'll be discussing different types of "membership" sites and how you can use each of them to help build your followers, relationships and revenue. This article is Part I - Building a Membership Site.

• This article, Part 1 of a 3-part Series, is designed for those looking for a membership site for the long haul - a permanent monthly or weekly service site that you plan on offering your members for a very, very long time.  
• In Part 2 we'll discuss other types of short-term "membership" options and applications and that may fit your needs better than or compliment Part 1.  
• In Part 3, we'll discuss some alternatives to those features and products mentioned in Part 1 and 2.

What Is a Membership Site?

A great way to continue to build your relationships with customers, friends, and followers is to create a Membership site.  Many of my fellow Stampin' Up! demonstrators use a Membership site to offer specific online classes to members/customers who have paid to sign up for their exclusive classes. Classes may be in the form of videos, tutorials (PDFs), or both, for example.

I use a Membership site for my blog maintenance program, Blogs By Heather Subscriptions. It's a little different from the traditional use of how other's use a password protected Membership only site, but it works for me. Stampin' Up! demonstrators join my maintenance program (which is a Membership site) for $12.50 a month for me to have their blogs updated every month with new, beautiful graphics of the latest promotions, catalogs, products and more!

The Purpose of Your Membership Site

So there are many uses to a Membership site, but the bottom-line is that it is a way for you to offer a service to customers who pay you for that service or exclusive articles or classes (whatever it may be); maintain your relationships with them; and in return you will see your revenue grow.

You need to give them
something of great value
at a price they can afford!

For me, it's offering Stampin' Up! demonstrators their time back! For $12.50 a month they can have their blog always updated, showing the best and most current promotions with beautiful graphics on their blog...and they do NOT have to fuss with all the HTML each month in swapping at all the old promos.  It saves them time and frustration.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This type of Membership "Site" we're discussing in Part 1 is a long term investment on YOUR part as well as your customer's.

How to Get Started

What you need is a site to maintain your members and with a login === password protected Membership site. 

Since we are all Bloggers (regardless of what platform you are using), I will discuss with you the most popular option for Bloggers. Use a blog (technology and functionality you are already very familiar with) and transform it into a Membership site!

What You Need

WordPress Blog/Hosting

First, you need a WordPress blog. No, you do NOT have to move you existing blog to WordPress.  I have a TypePad blog, www.BlogsByHeather.com.  But your Membership site is a separate blog and a WordPress blog! Mine is www.BlogsByHeatherSubscriptions.com (for my blog maintenance program for Stampin' Up! Demonstrators).

So again, do not have a panic attack! (LOL). You do NOT have to move your existing blog. You will simply create a new one, a separate WordPress blog to create your membership site!  

My partners, Michelle Laycock, Laycock Designs, can setup your WordPress blog, or our other partner in crime (LOL), Amy Celona, www.WebsByAmy.com, offers private WordPress hosting packages! We all work together and will work together to get your new Membership site up and running!

WishList Member Plug-in

Next, you need Wishlist Member which is a WordPress plugin. It can turn any WordPress blog into a Membership site! 

Although there are many tutorials on how to set this up yourself, I would highly recommend my partner, Michelle Laycock. She offers a "WordPress Subscription  Site Install" package.  I used her to setup my own! Or contact Amy Celona as she owns and operates domains and private WordPress hosting, www.WebsByAmy.com.

• So, first be sure to contact Michelle and get on her WordPress Subscription Site Install list, or Amy Celona (Webs By Amy)!. Yes, there will be a waiting list...but then again it is going to take you time to put together all your materials (videos, PDFs, posts, articles) that need to prepare before you launch! 
• Next, you'll need a WordPress blog. You can have one with your domain name purchase (adding WordPress hosting to your cart) or use www.WebsByAmy.com for private WordPress hosting. 
• Next, you need to purchase the Wishlist Member add-on here. Click the Get Started Today and you only need the Single License! That is unless you plan on running multiple membership sites - then you need the more expense Multi-License option.

 

Domain Name

Last, but not least, you need to purchase and map a domain name to your Membership site. For example, mine is www.BlogsByHeatherSubscriptions.com.  My main, TypePad blog is www.BlogsByHeather.com. So again, I purchased a separate domain for my WordPress/WishtList Membership Site!

• Purchase your domain thru me - www.BlogsByHeatherDomains.com if you are having Michelle Laycock setup your Membership Site; or www.WebsByAmy.com if you are using Amy Celona to do it.  Both are highly recommended and again, we are all partners and work together!

 

Bottom-line - What's the Cost?

These quotes of course do not include the time it will take you to get your materials together for you new membership site launch (time is money)...but here is the estimated cost to get the products and services you need:

• Professional Setup - Setup WishList Member on a WordPress blog. Again, I would highly recommend you have someone do this for you, someone with experience and has done so for many of our customers - Michelle Laycock, WordPress Subscription Site License = $200 (one-time fee) or Amy Celona, www.WebsByAmy.com!.
• WishList Member Single License = $97 (one-time fee).
• WordPress blog and Domain Name. Contact www.WebsByAmy.com for private WordPress hosting packages and domain name; or you may have a WordPress blog available when purchasing your domain thru me, Blogs By Heather Domains, Go Daddy, or other hosting company. Domains thru me are less than $10 a year; WordPress hosting as low as $3.99/month. 
• If you want training on how to use all of WishList Member features, additiona fees may apply.

So, out of all this...the $97 WishList Memer Single License and the WordPress blog/hosting is an absolute, necessary purchase.  All other options are optional, although recommended.

Estimates do not include any "design" work you may need - such as new banner, landing page, custom buttons, etc.
 

What Do I Get?

When purchasing and using WishList Member, you get ALL of these GREAT features for your Membership site!  For example, you can hide certain content from certain groups, and easily upgrade members to a new level. Best of all, WishList integrates with PAYPAL so you do not have to purchase a new credit card processor! Amy uses and recommends 1ShoppingCart.com but can use PayPal as well.

 

Summary

That's the end of this Part 1 of my 3-Part Series on Membership Sites.  I hope I provided you enough information to get your started.  You can also click here to learn more about Wishlist Member!  

Remember, this is the biggie, a big investment and commitment, hence the word "Site" in Membership Site.  This venture is not to be taken likely or is not a temporary solution. It is another "job" for you to do, a site (blog) for you to maintain.

If you are looking for something a little different, maybe a trial type of membership or something to offer seasonally, Part 2 may be a better solution for you!

Until next time...Part 2 to be published in the next 2-3 days! Again it is on mini-membership subscriptions.

Heather :D

Heather Wright-Porto
www.BlogsByHeather.com 

Creative Blogging, a Book Worth Reading :D

I received notice today that I was featured here, on A Book Worth Reading site:
http://www.abookworthreading.com/2011/09/09/creative-blogging/

It made my day! Love when I get feedback and hear back from readers - book readers and blog readers.  Thank you so much!

I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I have enjoyed writing it. This truly is a great resource for all bloggers - Blogger, TypePad and WordPress - and covers beginner to advanced topics.

 

By Heather Wright-Porto

ISBN13: 978-1-4302-3428-9

ISBN10: 1-4302-3428-8

350 pp.

Published Apr 2011

Print Book Price: $34.99

eBook Price: $24.49

Creative Blogging is an excellent resource for Blogger, TypePad and WordPress users with detailed instructions for all THREE blogging platforms; as well as commands and instructions for Windows and Mac users. I'm so excited about this accomplishment and all it brings to new and experience bloggers:

• starting a new blog, thinking of a name, brainstorming about what to write about, good writing tips;
• following with blog layout and organization, working with images and video (from getting them from your camera/video recorder to your computer to your blog!);
• to creating a blog, changing its design, setting up a custom domain, creating a blog store with PayPal buttons;
• to socializing with Facebook and Twitter, as well as how to drive traffic to your blog and monitor visitors (visitor tracking);
• and then finishing up with using HTML and CSS code in your blog, and where to find additional help.

---

Don't want to wait, BUY it NOW!

How To Use a Landing Page for Your Business!

In my next newsletter I will be explaining what a landing page is, the different types of landing pages, different uses, but more so, HOW TO begin and use landing pages in Blogger, TypePad and WordPress.  So be sure to sign up! It's going out next week!

Sign Up Here!

For Email Marketing you can trust

Recent Landing Pages

Sage Kimble is a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and using a new landing page on your blog, www.StampingMadly.com. Here, she wanted to keep the banner and footer designs, but wanted no sidebars or other prominent "blog" related sidebar items. She wanted this page to stand out! If you like to stamp or interested in learning how to, Sage is offering free videos! 

Visual Persuasion is a training facility specializing in Adobe product training. If you're in Denver, I would highly recommend them! They needed a landing page for a new class they were offering - Adobe InDesign to ePub 1 Night. Here is the landing page I designed for them. It will be embedded into a page on their website, not a blog, for advertising this class. Notice the 3D image of the Adobe products and the flashing Register Now button! I'm having fun creating these!

Sign up for my newsletter to learn more about how to use a landing page for your business!

Happy blogging!

Heather Wright-Porto
www.BlogsByHeather.com

Blogging from iPad2!

My husband gave me the new iPad for my birthday! What a great surprise! So I figured I would try blogging with it!

• It's only allowing me to compose this post with HTML code only. Don't know HTML? No worries! I will be holding a HTML for Bloggers webinar in the Fall! NOTE:Due to family matters I couldn't start them until this Fall. Thanks for waiting! You won't be disappointed!
• Has a great online spell checker! Very cool feature!
• Allows the insertion of pictures but you must upload them to a file manager or free image storage application like Photobucket so you can get and copy the image URL and required HTML code!

To show you can insert images, here is the current animated promotional button I created for US and CAN Stampin' Up! Demonstrators. Right click to save it to your computer and then upload to your blog and link it to you personal DBWS site!



Happy Blogging from my iPad!

P.S. In Typepad, so far I am just having trouble with the preview on the iPad so I can't see what this will look like before publishing it! I still have to test blogging with Blogger and WordPress.com.

You will notice a new category named "HOW TO: iPad" which will contain articles on how to blog with your iPad!

Heather Wright-Porto
Www.BlogsByHeather.com