Posts Tagged ‘publisher’
Article Distribution: How Will Your Results Vary?
It’s not enough to just sit around and expect that your articles will bring you a good amount of traffic right after you submitted your articles for distribution.
Might as well think of some factors? Is your article worthy to be reprinted? Do the content and title ring a bell to most webmasters and publishers?
Questions like these are just some of the many factors that could greatly affect your article distribution results.
Some basic factors are:
1. Topic of your article?
Submitting your article to article sites and article announcement groups totally depends on the topic of your article, not all of these sites and groups accept general topic articles. Some groups (aprox. 30%) are niche or content-specific, meaning they only accept articles under specific topics, e.g. aainet group – accepts only internet related articles?
2. Your content
Submission sites are just tools, never think of them as an assurance that once your articles are distributed they are sure to bring you back big results. Article announcement groups and sites are just there to display your articles for readers (Who might be interested with your articles) and for publishers to pick your articles and reprint them in their site or ezine. Thus, getting greater results totally depends on your article, how interesting it is to readers and how it gets the publisher’s attention/interest to make them publish it.
My advice, do not just write an article for the sake of distributing it and hoping to get traffic out of it. Write an article that will surely give you results after using the article distribution services and sites as tools for distribution.
About the Author: Glenn invites you to submit your article at iSnare.com and check http://www.isnare.com/distribution.php
Heres How To Know Which Kitchen Design Is Right For You
Kitchen design is a sea of opportunity filled with potential. Color schemes, wallpaper and other aesthetic additions will make up the design portion of your kitchen. The future is here with the introduction of kitchen design software; you no longer have to go to a showroom.
Kitchen design software has been helping people come up with great ideas on how to picture their layout before it’s complete.
Kitchen designs reflect the homeowner’s personality and style and since so much time is spent in the kitchen it should be efficient and comfortable. The design of the kitchen cabinets should be such that everything is within easy reach of someone working in the kitchen.
All good kitchens are the same. They have sensible work triangles and appropriate appliance arrangements. They’re not too big, nor too small, and they’re easy to move around in.
Great kitchens are all different–just like the families that use them. Instead of merely conforming to common design standards, great kitchens are adapted to meet the specific needs of families.
Kitchens are getting bigger. Even as family sizes decrease, the popularity of beautiful kitchens, designer cabinets, and custom appliances is on the rise.
As for style, there’s something for every taste — traditional, contemporary, or country.
About The Author
Mike Yeager, Publisher
Taking Back Christmas
John Grisham wrote a book called SKIPPING CHRISTMAS. Amazon.com reports: “John Grisham turns a satirical eye on the overblown ritual of the festive holiday season, and the result is Skipping Christmas, a modest but funny novel about the tyranny of December 25….”
My friend Dessa Byrd Reed, author of the poetry books THE BUTTERFLY TOUCH and SEVEN BRIDGES, prefers nontraditional holidays. She wrote in THE DESERT WOMAN that as a widow she often spends time with friends over the holidays, take trips, or simply goes out to eat on Christmas (not necessarily turkey). It’s easy to see why, especially if you grew up with traditional Christmas expectations of warmth, family, and usually, expressions of faith. Christmas is under attack in this country. I think it was my high school AP Government class that asked us about cases involving removing Nativity scenes from public places. At the risk of revealing my ripe old age of 32, that was in 1990.
First we had the trend of saying Xmas for Christmas. Then Christmas sales started way back before Halloween. Now, the holiday season is more about parties, overeating and drinking, and commercialism than expressing spirituality, in particular and especially the Christian faith.
The secularists don’t much like church, whether because of parents who used religion as an excuse for too-strict disciplines (or hatred and prejudice), drug trips in the ’60s, or fanaticism (never mind that Christ welcomed everyone). This secularist attitude got wonderful treatment in a recent episode of “Jack & Bobby” co-created by Brad Meltzer, bestselling author and a friend.
When we try to kick Christ out of a holiday named for Him, our society has a problem.
What’s been the result of using the euphemism “holiday” and banning the Nativity? Congress may not be making any law about the free expression of religion, but the elite brain trust is acting like the Church of England kicking out the Puritans. What’s the result? Clashes over religion. Holiday depression. Loneliness around the holidays, especially in nursing homes. Suicide.
What’s lost among the way? The spirit of giving. Warmth and compassion. Communion with family, friends and neighbors. And yes, that pesky expression of faith the secularists on the far left moan about. Ever notice that when it comes to their free expression of faith or lack thereof, they scream “racism” or “[fill in the blank] phobia” whenever Bill O’Reilly or anyone for that matter dares to pray or remind them that there is a God beyond their ideology? They accuse Christians of proselytizing but don’t hesitate to lecture on what is and what is not offensive today. President George Bush is mocked for his faith, and Senator John Kerry, a Roman Catholic, seems to have his usual difficulty sticking to a point on thorny social issues. No wonder the conventional wisdom was always not to discuss religion and politics, and for whatever God’s sake, don’t mix the two (even though it happens time and again), and let’s just all get along and sing carols at Christmas.
It seems that people are rebelling. The success of “Passion of the Christ,” the Da Vinci Code and the Left Behind Series, as well as “Joan of Arcadia,” “7th Heaven,” and “Touched by an Angel” indicates a movement in popular culture.
Instead of skipping Christmas, let’s take back Christmas in our homes and families. Unless your family members and friends are Orthodox Jews or Muslims, you can celebrate Christmas with them.
After all, Judaism and Islam recognize Jesus Christ as a prophet. Every religion celebrates the spirit of giving, from Kabbalah to Hinduism. We all agree we have too much stuff, too much food (as our overweight society proves), too much alcohol, too little kindness, patience and respect. We all want connection, love, belonging, and a place in the manger.
Top ten tips for taking back Christmas:
1) Make homemade gifts. Skip the malls. You don’t have to be Martha Stewart to give something from the heart.
2) Invite friends or relatives to dinner instead of trying to give expensive gifts that no one uses anyway.
3) Don’t roll your eyes when someone says, “Peace on earth, goodwill toward men.” And for Goddess’ sake, don’t use the “men” part to launch an anti-male rant.
4) Whatever your faith, speak up and say that Christian-bashing (or bashing of any kind) offends you, especially around the Christmas season.
5) Get together with friends and family and make care packages for homeless shelters,nursing homes, etc. Make that your gift to each other.
6) Call those friends or relatives you usually avoid talking to. Hearing about your old college roommate’s third marriage might not thrill you, especially since you can’t get a word in edgewise, but it’s a good way to give of your time, something we all feel we don’t have enough of but make for friends anyway.
7) If you’re just dying to cook that turkey dinner but your parents or mother-in-law insist on doing it THEIR way, give in. This is not a “me me me” time.
Rent or watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Linus’ recitation of the Bible and the gang’s rendition of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” could make even Scrooge smile. And even Lucy van Pelt admits, “Charlie Brown is a blockhead, but he did get a nice tree.”
9) Take quiet time to think, meditate, and yes, pray. Consider it the mental vacation to Tahiti you can’t take because the family has camped out at your house.
10) Appreciate your children’s gifts, especially the homemade macaroni ornaments. The first gift of Christmas was a child.
We’ve taken back our streets. We’ve taken back the night. Let’s all take back Christmas, and we won’t have to skip it. But if you do feel like skipping Christmas to restore your faith, do it. The gift of one less stressed grumpy person around the holidays is priceless.
Kristin Johnson is co-author of Christmas Cookies Are For Giving: Stories, Recipes and Tips for Making Heartwarming Gifts (ISBN: 0-9723473-9-9). A downloadablemedia kit is available at our Web site, www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com, or e-mail the publisher (info@tyrpublishing.com) to receive a printed media kit and sample copy of the book. More articles available at http://www.bakingchristmascookies.com
Woodworking Beginners: Secret Tips To Start Right
Woodworking: Where To Start – Tips From Experienced Woodworkers
Woodworking encompasses a broad area of skills, specialties, and applications. Some beginners take on too much too soon or blow their savings on expensive woodworking tools and machines that they don’t know how to use and might not ever need. And even some basic techniques can be confusing or easy to do incorrectly. Experienced woodworkers have some simple, but insightful tips to help you get off to a good start.
Do Your Research
Initiative, courage, a sense of adventure, these are all good things, and many fine woodworkers learned their skills by just jumping in and trying to build something. Chances are whatever they chose for their first project, it came out better than they thought, but not really nice enough to use or display. Even those brave souls that start from scratch with no preparation often end up seeking out some books, magazines, or experienced woodworkers to figure out how to do it right.
The woodworkers we talked to stressed that a person can save themselves some time and frustration by learning about the different aspects of woodworking before starting a first project. Many suggested finding some good books or magazines, either at the library for free or at the bookstore. Start with the basics and learn about different forms of woodworking, types of trees and woods and how they are used, various tools, etc. – just the kind of information presented here in this article.
“I have an entire corner of my garage filled with books and magazines,” shared Paul Johnson, who has been woodworking since he was a young boy. “I subscribe to a couple and keep those that have projects or techniques that I would like to try. I also buy a couple new books every year. When I first started woodworking, I bought them left and right; whenever I came across one that was recommended or had information I wanted to learn. They help give me ideas for projects,” he added. “I especially like those that come with patterns.”
After learning about the basics, you should have an idea of what type of woodworking interests you, and you can move on to books or even classes that teach hands on skills in that particular area.
Take Some Classes
In fact taking classes was recommended by several of our experts. Whether it’s a beginning class through the local college or something taught by an experienced woodworker, it will typically give you a good overview of different tools and woodworking safety. Some building centers and lumberyards also offer classes on basics or teach you how to make a specific project.
If you aren’t big on classes, but you know a person who is skilled in woodworking, ask if they would let you assist them with a project, or perhaps just sit and observe. Most woodworkers are pleased to talk about their art and share it with others. Chances are they will be happy to oblige.
Keep It Simple
The answer, “Keep it simple,” came up over and over, when asked for advice for new woodworkers. Start with simple projects, preferably those that use only hand tools. This way, you will learn how to do the important things like measure, cut, shape and join. Getting good at those basic skills is extremely important.
If you are brand new to woodworking and haven’t used tools much before, you might want to consider starting with a precut kit. Most kits consist of wood that is already cut in the appropriate shapes and sizes. It is up to you to follow the directions and put the pieces together. These kits typically require nailing, screwing, gluing, sanding, and finishing. You can make birdhouses and feeders, benches, plant holders, and many other fun items to get you started.
Even as you advance to more complex projects, don’t worry about planning and sizing your own lumber until you feel comfortable and confident. You can buy lumber already prepped and cut in many different widths. And table legs, chair spindles, and other turned pieces are also readily available pre-made. Ease into some of those more difficult projects over time, adding greater levels of difficulty to each project.
Tool Tips
The suggestions to keep it simple applied to woodworking tools as well. Most people interviewed recommended buying tools as you need them and adding to your selection as required for new projects. If a project is purchased as a kit, or with printed instructions, the list of tools needed is included. Depending on what type of projects you choose to start with, you will typically need hammers, tape measure, clamps, a square, saws, hand drills, and a set of chisels. These will probably cost you around $200-$300 dollars.
Some woodworkers said that investing in a good table saw early on was important, but only if you will be doing projects with many cuts, especially those with different types of angles. For most beginner projects, a handsaw, or perhaps a circular saw will suffice.
It is strongly suggested that you begin by buying good tools, but not top grade until you decide for certain that you want to stick with woodworking. If it becomes clear that this will be an ongoing interest, then consider buying the best quality tools you can afford. Best quality doesn’t always mean the most expensive, and you will have to do your research.
Kevin Warner, who has been teaching high school shop for over twenty years, had this to say about woodworking tools. “At school, I have a limited budget for tools, but I would rather buy a few high quality tools and have the kids share them than spend my money on cheap equipment. There’s nothing that will turn a young beginner away from woodworking quicker than a crappy tool that doesn’t do what it should.”
The same is true for home woodworking. Our experts recommended spending as much as you could afford on the basic tools like hammers, saws, screwdrivers, drills and bits. “These are tools you will need around the house even if you don’t pursue woodworking,” Sarah Greeley pointed out. “If you spend the money up front, and care for them correctly, these tools will last you a lifetime because you bought quality to begin with.”
If you have a tight budget, consider purchasing tools at an estate sale, auction or garage sale. Some may have worn handles or look like they are rusty or dirty, but if they are quality tools and generally sound, you can clean and repair them for less than it would cost to purchase new.
In general, you get what you pay for with woodworking tools, but sometimes you pay for the name, or for features that you may not use in your particular type of woodworking. So again, you will need to refer to books, magazines, Web sites, and other woodworkers to learn more about different types and brands of tools. And so you see, the tips have brought you full circle, back to the research and learning, which is what so many woodworkers stressed the most.
There is much to learn and, as has been said, it is an ongoing process. But thanks to the wealth of information out there about different aspects of woodworking, and the many Web sites and Internet resources, it is easy to research your questions. You just have to take the time.
Copyright © 2005 by Ferhat Gul. All rights reserved. You may redistribute this article in its unedited entirety, including this resource box, with all hyperlinked URLs kept intact. Ferhat Gul is the publisher of the brand-new “Woodworking Beginner’s Guide – Tips From Experienced Woodworkers to Help You Get Started”, made just for people who love woodworking. This comprehensive, yet compact woodworking introduction for beginners is easy to read and helps to save time, money and effort.
The Number 1 Rule for Businesses – Be Professional
Have you ever walked into a store and things looked sloppy? Stores should have nice neat displays, right? Normally, yes, but sometimes they get a bit messy on busy days and we all understand how that can happen.
But what if you were to walk into a store as soon as it opened in the morning and the place looked liked it had been ransacked? What would you think?
You’d probably think it wasn’t very professional-looking. If a rack of shirts was haphazardly thrown together, with all the styles, colors and sizes mixed up, you’d probably walk right past it without giving it a second glance.
If a sales associate wouldn’t answer your questions or help you find something, you would consider that unprofessional, too, not to mention rude.
When we do business in the offline world we expect a professional appearance and professional manner from those who deal with customers. The same is true for online businesses.
Your business depends on how professional you are. Your website, your customer service and the appearance and quality of your work all reflect upon you, the business owner.
Two key factors of professionalism:
Recently I had problems submitting information to several websites. After trying for several days I finally e-mailed for technical support. (After all, the website owners had messages posted that said to contact them at any time.)
I didn’t expect an immediate reply to my inquiries. I know they’re busy running their businesses, and dealing with other people, too. But I have yet to receive any replies.
Where is the customer service? Why would I want to do business with someone who seems to be ignoring me? At the very least, if it typically takes them more than a couple of days to reply to e-mail, support questions or other requests, they should post that information on their website so customers/visitors know what to expect.
Without good customer service, you’re shooting yourself in the foot. Don’t expect customers to buy from you if you can’t afford them some common courtesy.
A professional appearance is mandatory to your business, also. How many times have you read an ad or article that had numerous spelling or grammatical errors?
We’re not perfect. We all make mistakes. But if we frequently had those little red check marks on our composition papers in school, we should probably use spell check and have someone proof-read our copy before sending it into cyberspace.
A prime example is a website I visited a few months ago. As I started reading about the product the owner was selling I noticed an error with the use of the word “our.” The site said “When you use “are” product…..” OK, one little mistake. No big deal.
However, as I continued reading, I discovered the webmaster referred to “are” products and “are” website on the whole page! Not once was the correct word, “our,” used.
Frequently I read ads and articles that contain many spelling or punctuation errors. For instance, “Thinking back to when I first started my business. I had no idea how or where to begin.”
I’m not a teacher, but I can see that it should be one sentence, not two. The writer cut off the first sentence before actually finishing it. It’s like the train of thought came to a screeching halt. (In this case, I’m the writer giving you an example. So if this sentence resembles someone else’s work, it was not done intentionally.)
The correct way to write it is “Thinking back to when I first started my business, I had no idea how or where to begin.” It’s one flowing sentence. Now it tells you what I was thinking.
Another option is to change it just a bit to make it a complete sentence. “I think back to when I first started my business” or “I remember when I first started my business.” Then continue to the second sentence.
I’m not wanting to demean anyone or be overly picky. Ads, web pages and articles just look much more professional when written with no errors, or at least very minor ones.
Many customers will shy away from a website or ad that seems poorly written or put together. The customer may see the business owner as an amateur, therefore their product, company or service may not be worth much.
Do your customers expect perfection? No. But they do expect professionalism. You’re running a business, so you’re supposed to be a professional. If you give a professional appearance, they’ll believe in you and your business.
About The Author
Denise Hall is the publisher of Home Business on a Budget Newsletter. Her weekly publication contains helpful tips, articles and resources. To subscribe mailto:home_business_on_a_budget@rapidreply.net or visit http://www.home-business-on-a-budget.com
This article may be reprinted in its entirety with this resource box included.
