Street Smarts Marketing

Go to The Marketing Mindset

2008-04-30T09:54:00.000-07:00

This blog is no longer in use. Please go to

http://themarketingmindset.com/ to go to my new blog,

The Marketing Mindset.

Thank you

Kathleen Gage

Author of Money and Manifesting, Dyan Garris, shares insights

2008-04-03T09:11:00.000-07:00

Not only have I had the opportunity to read the new book by Dyan Garris called Money and Manifesting, I had the honor of interviewing her. Ms. Garris incorporates her years as an energy worker with her clear understanding of what it takes to manifest the abundance many people desire. Her book is perfect for anyone who equates money to power and self-worth would be attracted to manifesting money.

Over the next few minutes you have the opportunity to get to know more about Dyan Garris. I'm sure once you finish reading the interview you will want to get your own copy of Money and Manifesting.

Click here to read the entire interview

A conversation with Dr. Kimberly Marooney

2008-01-08T07:11:00.000-08:00

Please join me today as I share an intimate conversation with Dr. Kimberly Marooney about how life challenges can become Inspired Work. We will share insights from an experience that not only changed the lives of many, but was the catalyst for my book, The Law of Achievement.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008
5 p.m. Pacific
http://www.instantteleseminar.com/?eventid=1419546
Phone-Number to Dial: 218-486-3695 Use Conference ID: 478394#

Rev. Dr. Kimberly Marooney is a gifted author, mystic, workshop leader, spiritual counselor, and radio host. Since 1992, she has helped hundreds of thousands of people world wide open to God's love, heal and move forward on their life paths. Dr. Marooney is the best-selling author of three powerful books for self transformation: Angel Blessings, Your Guardian Angel, and Angel Love.

To learn more about Kimberly Marooney please visit http://www.kimberlymarooney.com/

Author, Kristen Collier, shares insights into her writing

2007-12-28T05:14:00.000-08:00

I am pleased to introduce novelist and children's book author, Kristen Collier, to my readers. Ms. Collier is from Grand Haven, Michigan where she lives with her husband, Kevin.

Kristen is the writer in the family and Kevin illustrates the book. A great combination that works very well for this dynamic duo.

Tell us about yourself.
I’m married to author/illustrator Kevin Collier, which is great. It’s fun working on books together and watching him draw. He’s so wonderful and is my biggest fan. We spend just about all of our spare time on book stuff, hoping that one day it’ll become a full time gig. I started writing about five years ago, and it took that long just to find a publisher for my children’s picture book. So to all aspiring writers out there—never give up!

We live in Grand Haven, MI, with our son, Jarod. Grand Haven is a sleepy little bedroom town on the shores of Lake Michigan. Western Michigan is very Christian, a great place to raise a family, so we’re really sheltered here. The people are very relaxed, and very happy, so it’s just an all around nice place to live.

Kevy works a day job at the local newspaper, and I’m working in retail right now, but am training to substitute as a librarian at the local schools, which is a blast! Next year some people are retiring, so I’m hoping that I’ll be able to get in at one of the schools next fall. It’s so exciting being around all those children’s books that I grew up with and loved as a kid—such great memories! And working with the kids in this laid-back town is so nice—they’re sooooo sweet. So hopefully in August I’ll be able to substitute or get a full time librarian job. And then maybe down the road one day I’ll be able to be a full time writer.

What inspired you to write your first book?
I’m originally from Ohio. One night, five years ago, I was in the Broadview Heights, Ohio library, waiting to take a test for a job. I’d heard that if you write your goals down you’re more likely to achieve them, so I pulled out the only piece of paper in my purse—an envelope—and wrote down on the back of it my goals: a horse farm, a godly husband, even what kind of bridle and saddle I wanted. The next day the story for “King of Glory” came to me, complete, in my head. It was like God was saying to me, “I’m going to help you make your dreams come true, but you’re going to have to work for it.”

I wrote the whole thing in under a month, and have been writing ever since.

How many books have you written?
Two that are published, but about six or so manuscripts.

How do you decide on their topic?
The first one came to me, and the second, a picture book called “The Day Jarod Met Jesus,” (a picture book about the Second Coming as told through a child’s eyes), I don’t remember how that one came to me. Most of the other manuscripts I wrote with Kevy. He came up with the ideas for them. There are a few manuscripts that I’ve done on my own, but I always run them past him and he helps me either fine-tune the writing, or add to them in some way.

What works best to keep you focused and on track?
For now, our agent is sitting on a pile of manuscripts that he’s shopping, so I’m mostly doing promotional stuff. And I get bored if I don’t move forward, so that keeps me focused. Plus, Kevin has been lining up a bunch of interviews and short stories for various online magazines for my “Joy the Jellyfish” picture book, so that keeps me working on that series.

Do you write to make money or for the love of writing?
Sometimes it’s both. I’m not one of those people who’ve always wanted to be a writer. In fact, that’s one of my pet peeves about “writers,” because I personally feel that the people who’ve always wanted to be writers are really boring people. They live to write—they haven’t lived. I think, how can you have anything interesting to say unless you’ve lived life? If their whole focus is writing, they don’t have many life experiences.

There are some writers who spend 8 to 12 hours a day writing! I say, “When are you living if you’re spending that much time writing??” When are you taking care of your family? When are you going out and having fun? When are you learning a new skill or sharing your life with someone? It’s those sorts of life experiences that make you an interesting person. So a “writer” often ends up being a boring person, because it’s all in their imagination. They don’t have the emotional depth because they’ve never really lived.

Enough about that. So, yes, I write sometimes for the money, but it’s one of those things that when I’m doing it I enjoy it, although it’s work. I’m not a natural writer—I didn’t even start until my early thirties—but I’ve been working to improve my skill for five years now, and am getting some good comments, so my hard work is paying off. I don’t write for enjoyment, but I enjoy it when I’m doing it. It’s pleasing when I can see that I’ve honed my skill. That’s rewarding. And my end goal is to create a story that the reader enjoys. That’s rewarding also. It’s, I guess, the proverbial definition of a labor of love: it’s hard work for me, it doesn’t come natural, but while I’m doing it I enjoy it.

One type of writing that I didn’t enjoy that much was writing articles for papers. I always did articles that pertained in some way to my interests—such as a religion column I used to write. But the fiction stories are much more fun to write.

What are some traditional methods of marketing you have used to gain visibility for you and your book(s)?
Hmmmm—basically we do a lot online. I’m not sure what you mean by traditional, as marketing has really shifted to online sales for much of everything these days. Most books are sold online now. But I’ve read “Joy the Jellyfish” to some classes in local schools, and that has helped. But most has been online, however. Reviews are always great, so I’m really happy that they’re starting to come out now. The reviews are online, though.

What are some unique methods?
Because I’m married to my illustrator, he’s created a website that has some great free downloads for kids. When I did the book readings in schools, he did a coloring page that I handed out (which the children were thrilled to have!), and that had the website listed on it. The hits on the site went up a lot during that week I was in the schools, so that helped a lot. And along with the coloring page, there are some other activities, such as dot-to-dots, mazes, word searches, etc., all free, so the kids will want to come back to the site. And there are links to the interviews and some online stories as well, so if the kids like the book, they can go online and read some free short stories about Joy.

There is even a trailer, with music, that a guy in CA did for the book, so that’s cool. An author that Kevin illustrated a book for is in commercials, so he did that for us. And Kevin did some animations. So, between the animations, activities, interviews, and online stories, there are a lot of fun things for interested kids to do on the site. And they’re all free, so that’s a great way to spread the word. One more thing—there are links to real pictures of the undersea creatures in the story, so there is an educational aspect to the site also. Kids can click on the picture of the real sea creature and they’re taken to the Wikpedia page that teaches them about the real creature. I wanted it to have educational aspects as well as entertainment, to make it a well-rounded website.

Do you sell through a website?
There’s a button to click on to take you to the page on Amazon in which you can purchase it.
http://kristenlcollier.blogspot.com/

Do you plan on writing additional books?
Yep, there are some other manuscripts in various stages of completion, and the publisher for “Joy the Jellyfish” wants a sequel sometime in the future, so that’ll be fun. For now, though, I’m focusing on the marketing, and online stories for Joy. There will be one coming out in Jan. that will be on some online magazines. In Feb. another story is going to be the cover of an online children’s magazine, so if the kids like Joy, there are a few online stories in which they can read about her and her undersea friends.

How long can we expect virtual assistants to stick?

2007-12-20T17:26:00.000-08:00

Many speakers, trainers, authors and consultants need to expand their business, but are not in a position to hire a full time employee. A viable solution is to contract a VA - Virtual Assistant. Many a business has flourished with the right VA. On the other hand, how do you know how long one will stay with your company. This question was addressed by Gayle Buske, president and CEO of Team Double-Click.

How long can we expect virtual assistants to stick?
by Gayle Buske

My answer is always the same: “it depends.” It depends on many things. But first we need to realign our thinking a little bit and better understand today’s workforce.

As a small or home-based business owner, are you basing your perception of how long a worker stays in a position on your own work history? Personally, when I take on a position I intend to stay with it - I don’t give up. I’ve enjoyed lengthy tenures at my places of employment throughout my career.

What we need to remember though is that everyone is not like us. Especially the current workforce. I mentioned in a previous article that the days of staying in your job for the rest of your life are long gone. As business owners, we tend to forget that and we are frustrated by it.

A recent study said that the average tenure in a job for Generation Y is 18 months. That’s realistically the max you can expect someone - anyone, bricks-and-mortar or virtual, to stick with a job. Let’s leave that thought to stew for a while and talk about the “that depends” I mentioned earlier.

Depends on what?
Things change in people’s lives - everyone’s lives. Mine and yours and your virtual assistant’s. Think back to the reasons you have changed jobs in the past. What things in your past have caused a need for job changes? Pregnancy, sudden depression, death in the family, shift in financial obligations, relocation, change of career goals, a decision to go back to college, ill parents, ill children, ill spouse? Of course, and there are many more. Your virtual assistant is a human being too and they’re also subject to all of these normal human occurrences.

Any one of these or many more reasons are cause for a virtual assistant to move on elsewhere or even stop working altogether.

Job likeability.
You’ve got to like your job. I hope we can all agree on that. If you don’t like what you’re doing you’re not going to do your best and you’re always going to be shopping for a better job or better opportunity. Virtual assistants, as with bricks-and-mortar assistants, are not immune. I’m not talking about being a virtual assistant in general - though that happens too - where a virtual assistant decides she can’t handle the isolation and hangs up her computer. I’m talking about all of the tasks a virtual assistant does on a daily basis. For one client she may answer phones, for another she may do data entry, and for yet another she may be asked to cold call. If she doesn’t like those duties she’s not going to like the job and will ask for reassignment or quit entirely.

Boss likeability.
For me, the only one I didn’t stick with for a good length of time was one where I was treated like a prisoner in a concentration camp, neck breathed down and so on. I left one day for lunch and never looked back. Have you ever had a boss you just couldn’t stand? How about one with whom you just couldn’t see eye-to-eye. Or maybe there was the one you always thought was creepy or shifty. Would you stick with a boss that gave you those feelings? Certainly not! Yet we expect our virtual assistants to do that and we can’t. With 6.6 billion people in the world every one of them is not going to like each and every one of us. And you’re not going to like every one of them either.

Determining your needs.
At Team Double-ClickSM, our job, as we see it is this: to help you determine your needs in a virtual assistant; to locate the best virtual assistant for you, our client, based on your personality needs as well as your skills needs; to locate problem virtual assistants and send them packing before they do damage to you; to nurture the relationship between you and your virtual assistant; alert you to potential problems with a virtual assistant; to stand by what we do and what we offer; and locate a new virtual assistant for you should things not work out. Now, sometimes the virtual assistants we contract don’t like this. This is when we become “Big Bad Team Double-ClickSM”. You see, we’re the good guys when we’re offering work to virtual assistants. However, when we have to take that work away or ask a virtual assistant for reimbursement for a client due to negligence in their actions, we’re no longer popular with that virtual assistant. This quite often causes a virtual assistant to quit. In order to protect you, our client, sometimes we have to tick people off to do it.

Theft. Yes, theft. Team Double-Click is a virtual staffing agency - we’re the middleman. We work hard to do the best by our clients and locate quality virtual assistants for them. And theft does happen - even from virtual assistants who’ve shown no signs of being anything but above board. If finances get tough, the first thing most people want to do is cut out the middleman. Why? Usually to make more money of course! While we do our best to prevent it from happening, it does from time to time happen that a virtual assistant will attempt to steal a client - to make more money. I’m sure you can see how this opens a whole can of worms here and can easily mess things up for other clients. My question to you: would you want to directly hire a person with that kind of track record? Could you really trust they wouldn’t try to steal something from you later on down the road? I wouldn’t.

A virtual assistant (let’s call her Jane) recently successfully stole a client (let’s call him Dick) from Team Double-Click. In this instance, rather than enter into a lengthy legal battle with Dick and Jane, we let it go. We of course discussed with Dick the potential for Jane the Thief to repeat her history again in the future. Three months later Dick came back and said “Gayle, Jane just stole from me - she embezzled my funds in fact.” While I felt badly for Dick we predicted that this could happen which is why we’d warned him. Dick chose not to listen to our years of experience and the information we had available.

Popularity.
Most virtual assistants are contracted - not employed. As with most contractors (think home builders, highway builders, and other competitive bidders) we too at Team Double-Click impose restrictions, benchmarks, and even penalties on our contractors for lack of performance. Again, this sometimes makes us unpopular and can cause a virtual assistant to quit.

Knowing what causes people to leave should help you better understand how long a virtual assistant may stay in a position. About 25% of our virtual assistants have been with us and the same clients for well over a year and many more approaching the one year mark. In fact, earlier this year one of our virtual assistants retired from Team Double-Click and the client she was assigned, after being with him for more than three years.

So when asked “how long can I expect my virtual assistant to stay with me?” I always say, “It depends. As long as nothing goes wrong and there is no reason for the virtual assistant to leave, he or she will most likely stay.”

Gayle Buske is the co-founder, president and CEO of Team Double-Click, one of the country’s foremost virtual staffing agencies. As the head of a virtual staffing agency with over 29,000 virtual professionals in its pool, Buske is uniquely qualified to aid clients’ growth through virtual outsourcing as well as speak to the ins and outs of the industry.

For more information, visit http://www.teamdoubleclick.com or phone 888.827.9129.

The world of author tours is changing rapidly

2007-12-20T14:24:00.000-08:00

I just received a notice from Allison Nazarian about how traditional author tours are changing - and fast.

Here's what Allison sent me that she found during one of her web searches.

AUTHOR BOOK TOURS SWITCHING TO ELECTRONIC CONTACT. The traditional author tour has been in decline: Fewer writers are being sent out, and those who do tour make fewer stops. Among the many reasons for this shiftare marketing tools that have made it possible to orchestrate a virtual encounter, without the hassle or expense of travel. Publishers and authors are now touting books through podcasts, film tours, blog tours, bookvideos, and book trailers. See http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1130/p12s02-bogn.html

Thanks Allison for this great information. Allison is a professional copywriter and always on the lookout for the latest trends. Allison sets herself apart by constantly providing great information to her readers. You can read more about Allison at http://www.getitinwriting.biz/ or www.GetItInWriting.biz/blog

In success,

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/

Did you hear the recording of The Blog Squad and The Street Smarts Marketer

2007-12-18T17:51:00.000-08:00

Last evening The Blog Squad and the Street Smarts Marketer had over 700 people registered for our teleseminar on The 5 Traps of Internet Marketing that Can Derail Your Business. Afterwards, many registered for our 4-week mentoring teleseries starting January 7, 2008:

To gain access to the free recording and check out our mentoring course go to: http://www.biztipsblog.com/2007/12/3-tools-for-onl.html

In success

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

What to do if someone questions your integrity

2007-12-16T09:25:00.000-08:00

Over the last few weeks, Patsi Krakoff and Denise Wakeman aka The Blog Squad and I have been working on a very important project. We are hosting a free telesminar on Monday, December 17, 2007 about Internet Marketing Traps That Can Derail Your Business.

The Blog Squad set up the process so that we could collect comments and questions from people who register. One question we got was the following...

"Why should we believe that you are any better that the other Internet marketers. They will claim how much they make. So what other criteria can we use to evaluate the validity of your claims?"

Valid question. Go to http://www.biztipsblog.com/2007/12/internet-expert.html to read my response.

If you haven't registered for the free teleseminar yet, you still have time to do so by visiting http://www.blogsquadteleseminars.com/5traps/

In success,

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer

2007-12-14T17:54:00.000-08:00

Poll reveals 30% of people don't know how to market on the

2007-12-14T13:14:00.000-08:00

What is one of the greatest challenges businesses today? Almost 30% of respondents to a poll on BizTipsBlog.com say they don't know how to market their business on the Web.

This information comes from my collegues, Patsi Krakoff and Denise Wakeman aka The Blog Squad. To read the full story go to http://www.expertclick.com/NewsReleaseWire/default.cfm?Action=ReleaseDetail&ID=19208

In response to this staggering statistic, The Blog Squad and The Street Smarts Marketer are hosting a free teleseminar on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 6 p.m. Eastern to provide an overview of what people need to be aware of when taking their business online. Details and registration are at www.blogsquadteleseminars.com/5traps.

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

I don't have any money and I don't know where to start.

2007-12-09T19:28:00.000-08:00

Denise Wakeman of The Blog Squad had a great post on one of her blogs. It has to do with a poll we have been conducting. The post was so good, I couldn't help but take most of it for this post....

I don't have any money and I don't know where to start.

It's been interesting to watch the results of our current poll as people vote to let us know where they are having trouble with marketing their business on the Internet.

The past two days the "winners" have been:

I don't have any money so how can I start an Internet-based business?

I don't know where to start.

Interesting.

There are so many free resources and tools on the 'net, it perplexes me that people feel they don't have the resources to get started. I know they do.

So that leaves me with "I don't know where to start." I think that gives us a better picture of what's going on.

Kathleen Gage, Patsi and I are carefully monitoring this poll and are having daily IM chats, emails and phone conversations about the best way to address these issues in our free teleseminar on December 17.

Last night, Kathleen and I were exchanging emails about when we were first starting out online, with literally no money, how we took risks, made scary investments in mentoring, marketing programs and tools, and a lot of desire to teach, share, coach and have our own businesses. For me, it started in 1996. I didn't know anything.

Read the rest of Denise's post at http://www.biztipsblog.com/2007/12/i-dont-have-any.html

She reveals some great insights.

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer

Take our poll on the traps of Internet Marketing

2007-12-06T14:22:00.000-08:00

Inquiring minds want to know….

If you could select the #1 Internet Marketing Trap….What is yours?

Would you help out and take our poll?

Click here to select your answer.
http://www.biztipsblog.com/2007/12/internet-market.html

While there, you can register for the FREE teleseminar on how to avoid the 5 most common traps.

In success,

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer

FREE teleseminar with The Blog Squad and much more in the Street Smarts Marketing Ezine

2007-11-30T18:12:00.000-08:00

What a great month it is going to be. Not only will we be enjoying lots of great Holiday Festivities, I have some wonderful events coming up.

All You Law of Attraction Fans & Lovers of the best-selling book and blockbuster hit DVD movie, 'The Secret'… On December 5th I am joining Jeanna and Eva in their Expert Series.

They have had wonderful guests like Bob Doyle, James Ray, John Dimartini, Ken Foster already. Not to worry. Even if you missed all the other shows you have a chance to still join in on this amazing program.

Another exciting event is the one I am doing with my good friends and colleagues, Patsi Krakoff and Denise Wakeman aka The Blog Squad™. During this fast-paced, content driven session you will Discover the 5 Internet Marketing Traps That Can Derail Your Business

FREE Teleseminar featuring The Blog Squad™ and yours truly, The Street Smarts Marketer™

I am partnering with The Blog Squad™ to present this important class about how you can get your business on track to make a lot of money using the Internet in 2008.

Among many other things, we'll share with you the one thing you absolutely must avoid if you want to be viewed as a credible expert by your potential customers.
Find out about these events and much, much more in my December Street Smarts Marketing Ezine. Click here http://www.turningpointpresents.com/newsletters/enewsdecember2007.htm

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer

Build A Multi-Million Dollar Business

2007-11-29T06:50:00.000-08:00

"Are my thoughts and actions moving me closer or further away from my goals?"

This quote comes from Dr. Joe Capista. Dr. Capista has successfully built a multi-million dollar business. When I asked him why most people never achieve their financial goals he simply said, "Their goals and their actions do not match."

To access an excellent eBook by Dr. Capista called, Build A Multi-Million Dollar Business go to www.joecapista.com

My best,
Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

The Blog Squad and The Street Smarts Marketer are set for something HUGE!

2007-11-27T14:58:00.000-08:00

Not long ago I had a conversation with my colleagues, Patsi Krakoff and Denise Wakeman aka The Blog Squad about how many people really want to make money using the Internet, but never will. It's not for lack of desire, it's for lack of something else.

We had plenty of time to talk about what this something else is while we enjoyed a leisurely dinner at the Westin Hotel in Los Angeles. It is the one thing we see over and over in people who struggle to fufill their dreams of making money using the Internet.

What is that something else? You are soon to find out. The Blog Squad and The Street Smarts Marketer (yours truly) are joining forces on December 17th from 3 - 4 p.m. PST for somethng very, very exciting.

Mark your calendar - more information to follow.

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

Is Blogging Necessary?

2007-11-26T07:53:00.000-08:00

Although some people view blogging as a novelty or a “someday I’ll get around to it” most companies will find great benefit by adding blogs and blogging to their overall marketing strategy. When done correctly, blogging can have an incredible impact on your market position.

In essence blogs are no different from other marketing channels. Blogs are designed to deliver results, position you and your company and establish credibility. Some of the primary reasons to have a blog and to blog are to build expert status, reach a global market, increase customer and media relations, keep your market informed on what is happening with your company and industry, establish market perception and rank high on the Search Engines.

Determine the Purpose
Are you blogging because this is the latest and greatest fun idea someone on your team thought of or is this a viable part of your overall branding and marketing strategy? If a blog is simply another whimsical idea, you are likely blogging for the wrong reason. If, on the other hand, this is a part of your overall marketing strategy make sure you are strategic in your process.

Blog Consistently
To be effective you need to blog on a fairly regular basis. Your postings can be short, but need to be relative to your purpose. Many bloggers post information from other sites as a way to keep their readers informed on a particular topic. When you post information from another resource you absolutely must reference where you got the information from.

You can blog about new product releases, plans your company has, articles of interest and even what your competition is up to. The more valuable the information the more you will build a dedicated readership.

Driving Visitors
There are a number of effective ways to get people to view your blog. One is to use key words relative to your market and industry. Whenever you post something you want to include those key words.

Next you can announce your blog in your company newsletter, through media releases, to your current opt-in subscribers and in any advertising you do.

You can add your blog address to your outgoing email messages by way of your sig (signature) file that you use at the end of your email messages.

Another option is to write articles specific to your market and industry. Add a resource box at the end of your article with a link back to your blog. If your article is perceived to have high value there is a very good chance readers will visit your blog.

Most importantly is to make the blog postings valuable to the readers. If the information doesn’t hold their interest they will have no reason to return.

The more valuable your readers find your information the more likely it will be that they turn into loyal readers.

Make It Easy for People to Subscribe
By offering readers the chance to subscribe to your blog the more likely it will be for them to continue to read your information. Make it easy for people to sign up for your blog. You can add what are known as blog buttons also known as chiclets. You can also add a simple sign up form by visiting FeedBlitz.com and FeedBurner.com. This allows people to subscribe to the feed and receive updates as you add new content to your blog.

Keywords
Keywords are a way to improve your search engine ranking. Choosing the right words for your products, services, industry or market is extremely important. Keywords are what lead search engines to your blog. The more targeted your list the more effective your postings.

Analyze your business and your market. Think of any words that your readers might be search on to find you that relate to your company, industry, product or service.

The way to narrow your target words down is to use a keyword selector tool. A reliable selector tool will help you to narrow the search by indicating how often people search on specific word combinations.

In Conclusion
Blogging will create great opportunities when done correctly, consistently and conscientiously.

Kathleen Gage is an Internet Marketing Advisor for Speakers, Trainers, Authors, Consultants and Entrepreneurs. Access her eBook The Truth about Making Money on the Internet at http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/free-ebook.htm

Goals

2007-11-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

With the New Year right around the corner many people will be setting goals for the coming year. What are your goals?

Set your goals according to your values, time and passion.

FREE teleseminar on how to use Internet Radio to promote your book

2007-11-13T16:25:00.000-08:00

Discover Proven Methods to Promote and Sell Your Book With Little or No Cost Through the Power of the Internet! a FREE teleseminar where I will be interviewed by Valerie Connelly of Global Talk Radio.

Wednesday, November 14th
(8PM Eastern, 7PM Central, 6PM Mountain, and 5PM Pacific)

Please RSVP as soon as possible to reserve your place by sending your confirmation to info@callingallauthors.org

Find out how to promote your book through the power of Internet Radio.
Learn how to become the kind of author who is an in-demand media guest.
Discover the one thing you need to do to your website to generate interest in your book - the one thing that 99% of authors never do.
Discover how to get tons of online visibility at no cost. Visibility that equates to credibility and sales.
And much more! Hope you'll all choose to tune in for this one.

Call-in information: 1-605-475-6006
Access Code: 763624#
Be sure to call in a few minutes before the program. The show starts promptly at at 8PM Eastern, 7PM Central, 6PM Mountain, and 5PM Pacific. They'll lock the portal on the hour and start the program.Please RSVP as soon as possible to reserve your place, by or sending your confirmation to info@callingallauthors.org

In success,

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer

Powerfull Living Radio Show

2007-11-11T09:29:00.000-08:00

I was recently interviewed by host Lorraine Cohen on her Powerfull Living Blog Talk show.

www.blogtalkradio.com/PowerfullLiving

We had a great time in spite of (or maybe because of) some technical glitches.

In success
Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

Join me today on Blog Talk Radio

2007-11-08T06:43:00.000-08:00

I have been invited to be a guest on Powerfull Living at Blog-Talk Radio on Thursday to discuss the spiritual side of marketing. You can tune in and listen on your computer atwww.blogtalkradio.com/PowerfullLiving.

I invite you to call in with any questions you have on what spiritual marketing means and how you can attract business to you rather than chasingafter it.

Call in to ask a question: 646-716-7937 or text host Lorraine Cohen a question while we're live and download the show after itairs at the same webpage.

You can subscrible to the RSS feed and never miss any upcomingshows.
Today, Thursday, November 8th at 5 p.m. Eastern.
www.blogtalkradio.com/PowerfullLiving

In success
Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

Do you wonder aboout keywords?

2007-11-07T14:18:00.000-08:00

One of the most frequently asked questions I get is how to determine keywords for their website. It is actually quite simple once you know who your market it. Often you can find out keywords by surveying your market. Simply ask them what their greatest concern on the area of expertise is that you have.

For example, if someone wants to know about Internet Marketing, I would ask, "What is your number one question about Internet Marketing?" From there I can narrow my words down.

What I have done in this post is actually put my keywords a few times. If you guessed Internet Marketing, you are right.

Have a great day

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

A wealth of information

2007-11-07T02:43:00.000-08:00

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity. Over the weekend of October 28th I was in Las Vegas with friends and family attending my niece's wedding. The wedding was spectacular and in a location that was incredible.

It was wonderful to share in the celebration of Taryn and TC's union.

This last weekend, I had an amazing time in Los Angeles. I attended Mark Victor Hansen's Mega Speaker Conference. Without a doubt, this was one of the best investments of time money and energy I have ever made.

The speakers were great, I was able to connect with people I have known for some time via the Internet, but had never met face-to-face.
I was able to finally meet two of my favorite people, Patsi and Denise aka The Blog Squad. I will post more detail in the near future, but wanted to let you know some great ideas began to surface when I had breakfast with Patsi and Denise. We have something very exciting coming, but I am not at liberty to tell you much at all. I was sworn to secrecy.

At dinner they once again swore me to secrecy. What I can tell you is this.....knowing myself the way I do and knowing them the way I do, you will definitely be interested in what is coming.

More to follow.

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

Is fear holding you back?

2007-10-31T04:52:00.000-07:00

In your search to have a prosperous and fulfilling life, you have probably used numerous resources to have what you want in your life. No doubt you have made progress that has brought you rewards. Yet, it is likely you have encountered some obstacles.

Like many, you might be struggling with Fear as a major barrier in your life.

Even though you can have a clear vision, develop a strong business and marketing plan, outline key actions to reach your goals and still fall short of having what you want as long as your fear controls you.

You might be feeling angry and frustrated with yourself because you're not where you want to be in life. If you are, you’re not alone! Had enough?

That’s why I’m so excited to tell you about Lorraine Cohen’s audio program, Transform Your Fear Into POWER.

In her newest 54-minute audio Lorraine spills the beans about fear; what it is, how to recognize it, what causes it and how to break through it. This audio is jam-packed with transformational exercises, tips and resources to eliminate self-sabotage and roadblocks!

"Transform Your Fear Into POWER, is a powerful audio and exercise that will teach you to rid yourself of the debilitating fears that hold you back from the life you are meant to live. After listening to her program, you will feel empowered and begin to regain control over your thoughts and actions. I recommend this program to anyone who is struggling to find their way, interested in better understanding their world and feel the call to make a powerful change in their lives". - Megan Kristel, Owner, Kristel Closets

Visit the link below for more details:http://www.profcs.com/app/?Clk=2149323

Lorraine believes until we change our relationship with fear, it will continue to rule our lives and keep us from experiencing the richness of life that we all desire. Transform Your Fear into POWER offers critical tools and concepts you can implement immediately to break free of negative fear so that you can transform yourself and your life. If not now, when?

"Lorraine, I absolutely loved this audio. I found it impactful, difference-making, and real! The information provided is applicable in any and all situations allowing one to powerfully shift from being stuck to being in-action. Your delivery is serious, playful, and empathetic. It is quite evident that what you have to say works and that you are committed to your message. Not only do the exercises serve as a great tool but your mention of additional resources is extraordinarily invaluable. Thank you for powerfully equipping me for life’s adventures!" – Eunice Wick, Consultant

Learn more about this cutting-edge program by clicking the link below:http://www.profcs.com/app/?Clk=2149323

When you purchase the program you’ll receive the 18-page audio script and a workbook to help you change beliefs and overcome self-sabotage AND over $1600 worth of bonus gifts. You’ll also have an opportunity to access Lorraine’s two new companion eBooks with proven strategies to put you in charge of your life NOW. "Lorraine Cohen's program, Transform Your Fear Into POWER, provides a refreshing approach to the experience of fear; a way to find our power in our fears rather then run away from them. I continue to turn to Transform Your Fear to give me the courage to work to overcome the barriers to success on my journey; to continue the quest for answers for both myself and my clients to develop hidden power". - Giovanna Tonelli, LCSW, Owner of Becoming

Act now! Get your copy and for that matter, perhaps even another for someone important to you. Remember when you do, you will receive literally over sixteen hundred dollars in special gifts from the leaders in the field.

http://www.profcs.com/app/?Clk=2149323

PS: Know anyone who wants to have more prosperity and happiness? Do them a favor and spread the word by forwarding this offer to your friends and networks.

In success,

Kathleen Gage

The Street Smarts Marketer

www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

Authors...Do you have a sell sheet?

2007-10-30T16:13:00.000-07:00

Many authors would like nothing more than to write a book, have it published and make lots of money. The fact is, the writing of the book may well be the easiest part of the process aside from the publishing.

The greatest obstacles many authors face is in the marketing of their book(s). One tool that will help in your marketing is a good sell sheet.

If you are unfamiliar with the term, there is an excellent article at
http://www.iuniverse.com/tips-for-authors/sell-sheets.htm

In success
Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

Meet The Left Thumb Blogger

2007-10-18T01:31:00.000-07:00

It is with great pleasure I introduce Glenda Watson Hyatt to my readers.

Every so often our paths will cross with someone who is truly incredible. Such is the case with Glenda Watson Hyatt, The Left Thumb Blogger. Glenda is the author of I'll Do It Myself
http://www.doitmyselfblog.com/

I met Glenda one evening while doing a web search on Virtual Blog Tours. Her name, blog and information repeatedly appeared when I would google Virtual Blog Tours.

When I contacted Glenda to inquire about interviewing her, she was very gracious in accepting my invitation. You are in for a special treat.

Kathleen: Glenda, tell me about yourself.

Glenda: I hail from Surrey, on the west coast of British Columbia, Canada, where I live with my wonderful husband Darrellof eight years and my spoiled feline child Faith.

Having recently self-published my autobiography, I'll Do It Myself (http://www.doitmyselfblog.com/ill-do-it-myself-the-book) in which I intimately share my life living with cerebral palsy to show others that having cerebral palsy is not a death sentence, but rather a life
sentence, I am now promoting it on http://www.doitmyselfblog.com, my blog and through virtual book tours.

I do all of this by typing with my left thumb. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFrSnILrOrw

Kathleen: Your Virtual Book Tour sounds fascinating. Please share with my readers more about this.

Glenda: Virtual book tours are the latest trend in book promotion. Rather than lugging boxes of books from book signing to book signing, and waiting in airports for delayed flights, you promote your book from the comforts of your home by making guest appearances on blogs, podcasts, and internet television and radio shows. Hosts may interview you or ask you to write a guest post for their blog. The possibilities are endless.

Kathleen: What is the difference between a Blog Tour and a Virtual Book Tour?

Glenda: I would say a blog tour is specific kind of a virtual book tour, using only blogs to promote to your book; although, with a blog tour, you aren't necessarily promoting a book. You could be promoting another product or service, or even a cause.

Kathleen: You have had a successful Virtual Book Tour. What were the greatest benefits to doing one?

Glenda: I thoroughly enjoyed meeting people from around the world. And, unlike an in-person appearance that is over once the people leave and the chairs are folded up, virtual appearances are available long after the tour is over. My blog is still receiving traffic from the virtual book tour I did earlier this year as well as the one I did in August.

Kathleen: What were the downsides?

Glenda: Virtual book tours take a lot of work to organize. Much is involved in finding bloggers to host appearances and answering the interview questions.

Kathleen: Does an author need someone else to set up a tour for them, or can they do it themselves?

There are businesses sprouting up that will organize virtual book tours for authors. Dorothy Thompson's Pump Up Your Book Promotion (http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com/) is one such fine example. However, if authors have the time, it is very possible to organize it themselves. I have done two virtual book tours myself now, and am itching to do the next one.

Kathleen: What are the steps to setting up a tour?

Glenda: Here are a few tips for organizing a virtual book tour: The key is to do your research and prepare before "heading out":

1. Research potential blogs (or podcasts or internet radio shows). Approach bloggers whose blogs fit your target audience and which have fairly active blogs in terms of posts and traffic. It may help to build a relationship with the blogger first.
2. Use a spreadsheet to track dates, bloggers' names and email addresses, etc.
3. Send a thank you note via snail mail to bloggers who host an appearance.
4. Be prepared for the unexpected. A blogger may not post the interview when you expected or something else may happen, so you'll need a filler post on your blog if your readers expect to read something every day of your tour.
5. Be creative and have fun with it. Because virtual book tours are still new, there are no rules yet. Make it your own.
6. Enjoy the adventure and meeting people from around the world. Good luck!

Kathleen: How do you approach a Blog or Site owner to be featured on their site?

Glenda: I have found having an established relationship with the bloggers helps when I approach them. They are more than willing to host an appearance on their blog.

Kathleen: How long should my tour be?

Glenda: I discovered the hard way that eight weeks is way too long for a virtual book tour. My second tour was two weeks, which was more manageable and more enjoyable, and surprisingly, sold more books. I am planning a one-week tour in late October. I'll see whether that is long enough to build any momentum.

Kathleen: Do you need to do any additional promotion for a tour?

Glenda: To date, I have only promoted my tours within my networks. However, I have recently discovered sites for listing and promoting your virtual book tours, which I will try for my next tour. The more I do, the more I realize I still have to learn! It is actually quite exciting.

Kathleen: Did you notice an increase in book sales when you did the tour?

Glenda: My second tour was more successful in terms of book sales than my first because it was more focused on my primary target market. With only a couple of exceptions, I appeared on blogs that spoke to moms with children with special needs.

Kathleen: For someone just starting out with this, what can you suggest to assure a successful tour?

Glenda: I would suggest keeping your first tour short, perhaps a week or two, and focus on blogs (or podcasts) where your primary target that hangs out. Be organized and keep it fairly simple. Once you're comfortable with conducting interviews in this way and have a better feel for how virtual book tours can work, and then you can focus more on promoting your tour. And have fun with it!

End of Interview.

A special thanks to Glenda Watson Hyatt, The Left Thumb Blogger. I would invite all my readers to go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFrSnILrOrw to view Glenda’s video on YouTube and find out why Glenda is such an amazing woman.

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

8 Common mistake people make when they try to get in front of their market

2007-10-13T09:24:00.000-07:00

Come across as only interested in the sale rather than someone who is interested in the customer’s needs.
Target an incompatible market
They are not prepared when opportunity strikes
Appear desperate – not being willing to walk away
Trying to sell too soon – before they know there is a need
Prejudging a person’s potential to buy
Not setting themselves apart from the competition
Chasing good money after bad – not letting go of someone who just isn’t a good match for your products or services.

Are you making any of these mistakes? If so, remedy them immdediately.

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

Are you wasting time researching places to gain online visibility?

2007-10-11T15:38:00.000-07:00

Gaining visibility on the Internet is a never-ending quest. Finding reliable resources to submit your blog, Ezine, website, articles and news stories to can take dozens and even hundreds of hours.

I have a solution. It's called The Directory of Resources for Internet Visibility.

It is jam-packed with nearly 300 resources to skyrocket your online visibility and reach!

With the Directory of Resources for Internet Visibility I have taken the burden off of you to save you time and money. Time to work on other money-making projects, be with your family or just enjoy a less stressful marketing campaign.

Total combined hours of research for this product is dozens upon dozens of hours. This is time you don't have to waste. Total cost, $20 plus you get over $250 is great bonus gifts.

http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/directory.htm

In successKathleen GageThe Street Smarts Marketer

FREE live event with Kathleen Gage in Eugene, Oregon

2007-10-11T06:39:00.000-07:00

ENTREPRENEURS, CONSULTANTS, BUSINESS OWNERS

-If you are unsure of how to effectively market your product or service
-If you are getting little or no results from your marketing
-If you have a limited budget to market your business
-If you are ready to turn things around in your business once and for all....

Join Kathleen Gage for a FREE live event on October 23rd in Eugene, Oregon

SECRETS TO GAIN more leads, better prospects, greater sales!

-Learn powerful strategies to position your company and increase your revenue stream
-Learn how to identify a profitable market
-Discover the benefits of FREE publicity versus paid advertising - and how to get tons of FREE publicity
-Discover what you need to know to develop websites that are Customer Magnets and Money Making Machines
-Discover dozens of no cost and low cost methods to market your business
-Understand ways to drive thousands of visitors to your website that cost you nothing
-Find out what you absolutely must know (and DO) about Internet Marketing in order to make thousands of dollars at the "press of a button"
-Discover how to build a highly responsive, revenue generating opt-in subscriber list without spending a dime
-Find out how to gain expert status within your target market and why this is essential to your business success
-And much, much more!

Only a few seats left. Registration required at http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/market.htm

Kathleen Gage Expert Author on EzineArticles.com

2007-10-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce my position as Expert Author on EzineArticles.com.

To view various articles I have written visit

http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kathleen_Gage

My best

Kathleen Gage

The Street Smarts Marketer

www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

I'm a Top Author at WAHM Articles

2007-10-08T19:15:00.000-07:00

I recently found out I have been selected as a top author for WAHM Article Directory.

Find a great selection of top articles at

http://www.wahm-articles.com/
In success,
Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

Do you know what is posted about you on the Internet?

2007-10-08T06:27:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what is posted about you on the Internet? Wondering if your articles are getting listed in directories? Want to find out what sites your information might be showing up on?

If you want to know this then you need to do a google alert on your name.

Google Alerts are email updates of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) based on your choice of query or topic.

Some handy uses of Google Alerts include:
finding out what is written about you
monitoring a developing news story
keeping current on a competitor or industry

To sign up for your own google alerts go to http://www.google.com/alerts

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

Are You Utilizing Push/Pull Marketing?

2007-10-06T06:39:00.000-07:00

(Feel free to use the following article as long as you keep the resource box at the end as is)

Are You Utilizing Push/Pull Marketing?
by Kathleen Gage, The Street Smarts Marketer

An important aspect of marketing has to do with what is referred to as Push/Pull marketing. Push/Pull marketing is exactly as it sounds. At times you are “pushing” information out to your market and at other times you are implementing strategies to “pull” consumers to you.

Regardless of whether you are selling someone else’s products and services or your own, if you do not implement a complete marketing strategy that includes the Push/Pull philosophy, you are likely defeating your purpose.

To create a steady stream of revenue for products and services you offer you have to have a very targeted approach. Not only will a systemized marketing approach help you make money directly from your online offerings, you can definitely enhance your offline offerings as well as live presentations, consulting, and coaching.

Keep in mind, there is a process people go through in order to buy your products and services. It is built on need, want and desire. Additionally, the greater the investment on the part of the consumer the more you must build confidence, trust and credibility in the consumer’s mind.

If all you are doing is selling $10 widgets that is one thing. If, on the other hand, you are seeking to build long-term relationships with your market and be viewed as a professional, you must approach things in a systematic way.

The fact is, my clients want to do far more than sell a widget. They want to make a difference in the lives of their clients. They want to provide long-term solutions and create ongoing relationships with their clients. They want to build their business based on trust, value and integrity. To achieve these results requires they implement effective systems.

Realize that no matter how great your product or service, most people will not buy a high-ticket eProduct or a $1,000 plus mentoring course or consulting contract without first buying a $20 - $50 eProduct. There is what is referred to as the funnel approach to marketing. Clients will enter your “funnel” by way of something that is very low risk such as a free item or very inexpensive item. Based on their experience they will decide what the next course of action is.

What you do every step of the way, including someone’s initial introduction to you and your way of doing business, will determine how likely it is that someone will become a loyal customer. Never discount the power of a free offering or a low-ticket item to be the catalyst to someone becoming a premier client.

To introduce consumers to your and your product offerings as well as get people to the point they will even consider the $20 item you will find the Push/Pull marketing process is second to none.

The higher the price of your products and services the more you absolutely must use the Push/Pull strategies.

Kathleen Gage is an Internet Marketing Advisor for Speakers, Trainers, Authors, Consultants and Entrepreneurs. Access her eBook The Truth about Making Money on the Internet at http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/free-ebook.htm

Here's why lots of people will NEVER make money on the Internet

2007-10-05T08:12:00.000-07:00

Lots of people want to “make money on the Internet.” What many fail to realize is making money on the Internet requires that you treat this like any other money-making opportunity. You must work at it, you must establish market reach and you must gain visibility. Also, you must develop a solid foundation.

Before you do just about anything you MUST complete your market analysis. Unfortunately, many people want to skip this important step. The fact is, until you gain incredible clarity on your market you will be unable to optimize all you will be doing.

Until you know what sets you apart (your unique position) it will be difficult to convey that message to potential customers. Without knowing what makes you unique, in the consumer’s mind you are the same as everyone else.

Until you know the benefits of what you offer you will find it difficult to differentiate yourself from others. In the consumer’s mind one person is the same as the other, one product is the same as the other, one offering is the same as the other. That is, until you set yourself apart. You have more opportunity to do this with a thorough market analysis.

Another element of your success is building your opt in list. The fact is you absolutely must focus on building your opt-in list each and every day. Do two – three things daily to increase your list. You cannot avoid this. If you do, you will not realize all you can with the process you are learning.

There are countless ways to build your list. To learn some effective, easy to implement methods access my eBook, The Truth about Making Money on the Internet.

http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/free-ebook.htm

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/

Street Smarts Marketing Author’s Corner features Robin Jay

2007-10-05T04:17:00.000-07:00

The Street Smarts Marketing Author’s Corner is pleased to introduce Robin Jay.

Ms. Jay is the Author of The Art of the Business Lunch ~ Building Relationships Between 12 and 2. She shares more than 25 years of successful sales experience with her audiences. Brian Tracy, Author, Speaker and Consultant, said, “The quality of your relationship with your client is the determining factor in successful business; Robin shows you how to develop this at a high level."

1. Tell us about yourself – where you are from, how you got started writing, what you do when you are not writing (or anything you want our readers to know)
I am a professional speaker and consultant as well as a writer. I absolutely love writing and speaking; I know without a doubt that this is what I was meant to do. I am also a gourmet cook. I love to play golf and work in my garden…but both of those hobbies have had to take a back seat to my career the past few years. I still indulge my desire to cook, usually by hosting dinner parties with great friends or just cooking when company stops by. I’m originally from Cleveland , Ohio and have lived in Las Vegas for more than 33 years. I have always enjoyed writing and had contributed stories to ma gazines in the past, although I didn’t set my sights on writing as a career until early in 2001.

2. What inspired you to write your first book?
I wanted to be a writer. The old saying, naïve as it is, says to write about that which you know. I had been on more than 3,000 client lunches and saw my sales increase by more than 2,000%. I knew I was on to something. I wanted to share the how-to’s of building relationships by introducing a social aspect into your business relationships with other sales people or business professionals who count on their relationships for their success. I have since learned that you can write about anything if you are willing to do the research. Still, it’s best to write about something you’ve experienced. There is nothing like having had hands-on experience to be able to tell a better story.

3. How many books have you written?
“The Art of the Business Lunch ~ Building Relationships Between 12 and 2” was my first book. I originally self-published; that edition came out in February of 2004. Then I sold it in 2005, doubled the word count and it was released by Career Press a full two years later, in February of 2006. Now, promoting that book as well as promoting my speaking career, writing articles, blogs, and press releases keeps me incredibly busy – plus I launched a speakers bureau last year. I have begun work on two new books – both non-fiction.

I have contributed to two anthologies in “The POWER of Mentorship” series, including “The Millionaire Within” and “For the Wo ma n Entrepreneur,” for which I was asked to write the foreword. Don and Melinda Boyer are the publishers of the series and they are re ma rkable, positive people. They also invited me to be a featured teacher in “The POWER of Mentorship: The MOVIE” which is currently in production. It’s a personal development film that features about 20 teachers whose lessons are interwoven with the story of a young men and his mentor.

And I just found out that a chapter I submitted to “Chicken Soup for the Wine Lover’s Soul” has been accepted. That book will be out in November. I wrote about how to order wine when out with clients. Many times, people who are unfamiliar with fine wines become intimidated and hand the wine list over to their clients. That means they’ve given up control of the cost of the meal. It’s not necessary. I share a way to involve your clients and yet retain control of the check. I’m very excited to finally be a part of the Chicken Soup franchise.

4. How do you decide on their topic?
As I mentioned earlier, I was an expert at building solid, long-lasting business relationships. In fact, my clients and friends started calling me “The Queen of the Business Lunch,” because the nature of my job, selling advertising, required that I stay in close touch with my clients…so I was typically booked for lunches weeks out.

5. What works best to keep you focused and on track?
Closing OUTLOOK! That and not answering the phone. Seriously, it gets easier when you have a task to complete. I have a paperweight that reads, “The Ultimate Inspiration is the Deadline.” It’s really true. Most everyone I know who writes really works well under pressure. The rest of the time, we just need to focus on the desired outcome. I feel a strong sense of purpose and I love to write. When I can stop working long enough to write something, the time just flies.

6. Do you write to make money or for the love of writing?
You ought to be able to make a living doing what you love. While I originally dreamed of hitting it big financially with writing, (and still do!), I found that being an author was a great springboard for launching a speaking career. In fact, all speakers should have books. Most of them begin speaking first and then create a book or other product to sell in the back of the room. Personally, I wrote the book, expecting that it would be a huge success. It is, but it’s not necessarily a financial success. My book has won an award and my publisher has sold the foreign publishing rights in TEN languages so far! And there is still more interest in it. I’d say that is a huge success. My topic is a tremendous hit for training and sales conferences. I think the principles, techniques and knowledge in my book is quite timeless. I can’t see a time when it wouldn’t be applicable to business, although I can see needing to update it occasionally.

7. What are some traditional methods of marketing you have used to gain visibility for you and your book(s)?
I bought ads in the beginning. Of course I was an advertising account executive in my past life, so I believe in advertising. It wasn’t the best use of my resources! Speaking generates book sales, as do appearances. I have sold several hundred books at a time to incoming conventions; I am the draw for their booth, signing books for the exhibitors and attendees. That’s one of my favorite things to do, because I know that my books will get on the plane with their new owners and travel all over the country, spreading the word. Internet marketing is the most important way to get the message out now. Blogs, articles and press releases are strong. Also, it’s important for authors to network. When I speak on networking, I ask the room, “Who do you know who….?” We can expand our circle of influence by getting to know more people. It’s critically important that we know as many people as possible.

8. What are some unique methods?
Writing columns ma y not be the most unique, but every time you can put your name in print it will help. My dog, an adorable Shih Tzu, writes a column in Lucky Dog magazine. Of course she can talk about “Her mommy” and that would be me! I get a byline in a magazine with a circulation of more than 15,000 readers. I also write a column for “Around Your Home” magazine, which goes out to 80,000 high-end home owners every two months. I have a photo and a bio at the bottom of those articles. I don’t get paid to write them, but when I’m out, I have a lot of people ask, “Where do I know you from?” Or they comment on the columns. Everyone knows Georgie, my dog, and asks about her. I also wrote a lot of columns for Hospitality Executive magazine, which goes out to meeting planners and hotel execs everywhere. And I was recently hired (yes, a REAL job!) by the Las Vegas Business Press to write a bi-weekly column on women’s and minority issues. All of this exposure lends credibility and helps me to promote myself and my books.

9. Do you sell through a website?
Absolutely! My website offers my books, audio books, and my services as a speaker. I don’t know how anyone could get away without having a website anymore. It’s immediate, it’s current and it’s effective. http://www.robinjay.com/

10. Do you plan on writing additional books?
I hope I will always write. I have a lot to say about a lot of things. I love teaching, helping and guiding. I also consult as a life coach and I help other authors – whether they want help with their writing or if they are launching a speaking career. I teach PowerPoint and presentation skills. And, because I have self-published and worked with a publisher, I am uniquely qualified to help authors decide whether they should self-publish or sell. I have personally experienced the ups and downs of both sides of that equation. I especially enjoy helping authors so they won’t have to make the same mistakes I have ma de. My experience has been invaluable.

This interview was done in conjunction with Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours – www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com and Kathleen Gage, The Street Smarts Marketer of http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

If you can find it in your heart to help

2007-10-03T19:05:00.000-07:00

A dear friend of mine is asking for some help for her daughter. Her first grandchild was born with mulitiple conditions and has required massive medical care since his birth nearly five months ago.

Please read about Hunter and if you can find it in your heart to donate even $5 to help with medical bills it would be a miracle for them. They are in financial ruin because of this tragic situation.

I normally don't send things like this out, but Pamela is a very dear friend and her daughter, son-in-law and grandson desperately need help.

http://www.helpforhunter.com

Thank you

Please pass this on to help create the miracle.

Kathleen Gage

Avoid being viewed as a SPAMMER in discussion groups

2007-10-03T01:57:00.000-07:00

There is a daily increase in the number of people utilizing Social Networks, Forums, Yahoo Groups, Google Groups and other areas where they can meet professionals to network with and do business with. Sadly, many people are crossing the line regarding online etiquette.

Although online groups are a great to extend your market reach and gain visibility, you need to avoid only utilizing these locations to sell, sell, sell.

The best way to avoid being viewed as someone who is simply advertising and only in the group to make money is to get involved in the discussion group as an active participant. Write your messages in a way that they are more of a discussion point rather than simply promoting something. If you offer valuable information you build name recognition and credibility.

Over a period of time you are viewed as a viable resource. At that point, if you occasionally promote something people welcome your offers rather than become offended by your attempt to sell.

True success in online marketing and sales is to view what you do in the long term. Those that make great money utilizing the Internet in their overall marketing do not subscribe to the get-rich-quick mentality. They view what they do as a valuable solution to their customer's problems.

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

Author's Corner features Jim C. Hines

2007-09-28T04:28:00.000-07:00

The Street Smarts Marketing Author’s Corner is pleased to introduce Jim C. Hines.

Mr. Hines made his first professional fiction sale with "Blade of the Bunny," an award-winning story which appeared in Writers of the Future XV. Since then, his short fiction has appeared in places like Realms of Fantasy, Sword & Sorceress, and Turn the Other Chick. He's written four books for DAW, including the popular goblin series.

Tell us about yourself – where you are from, how you got started writing, what you do when you are not writing (or anything you want our readers to know)
I'm a 33-year-old father, husband, and geek who started writing back in college. I couldn't bring myself to finish a five-page term paper, but I wrote a 100,000-word novel in my free time. That was a bit of a clue. It wasn't a very good novel -- the first one never is -- but it was enough to get me started. And once I started submitting and collecting a few rejections, the stubbornness kicked in. I was determined to break in, and I just kept submitting and practicing and learning whatever I could. That was twelve years ago, and I've been writing steadily ever since.

What inspired you to write your first book?
Well, the first published book came about when I was reading a fantasy novel from the monsters' point of view, which I thought was a brilliant idea. But the more I read, the angrier I got. Looking back, it may have been a wonderful book, I don't know. All I remember is she wasn't writing it the way I wanted her to. Finally, I got so frustrated I tossed the book away and started writing my own story. One month later, I had finished the first draft of Goblin Quest.

How many books have you written?
I've written eight or nine, but the early ones ... well, let's just call them my "practice books." If I'm lucky, those will never see the light of day. At this point, I have two books in print, with two more under contract with DAW.

How do you decide on their topic?
A lot has to do with consequences. Once I finished the first goblin book, I started thinking about the consequences of what had happened, how it would change my hero and his world. The books all stand alone -- I hate cliffhanger endings -- but at the same time, I don't believe anyone's story ever truly ends. I also tend to see images of certain scenes that make me do a full Keanu-style "Whoa." I may not know the entire plot of a book, but I'll know I want to get to that scene.

What works best to keep you focused and on track?
I write during my lunch break: one hour a day, five days a week. Occasionally I can squeeze out some extra time in the evenings or on weekends, but I've also got a full-time job and two young kids, so extra time is a rare and precious thing. The fact that I only have a limited amount of time to write seems to help me get started and stay focused. Also, deadlines help a lot.

Do you write to make money or for the love of writing?
Yes. Mostly for love, though. Very few writers make Rowling-type money. And as frustrating as the writing can be, the feeling of getting a scene or a character right is a delightfully addictive thing.

What are some traditional methods of marketing you have used to gain visibility for you and your book(s)?
I've done bookmarks, which I send out to bookstores and conventions. I've made the first chapter of each book available online. My publicist and I work to set up booksignings around the state. And of course I have a web site at http://www.jimchines.com and a weblog at http://jimhines.livejournal.com.

What are some unique methods?
I've tried a number of different things. I made up an online "What Goblin Quest Character are you?" quiz, which got picked up on a number of blogs. I made up Goblin Hero temporary tattoos for the second book, and they've been quite popular. And then of course, there was the "Save Jig from the Strippers" campaign. . . .

Do you sell through a website?
My web site includes Amazon links for every book and anthology I've done. I don't do direct sales, though.

Do you plan on writing additional books?
I'm currently working on book two in a new series, and I plan to keep on writing until . . . well, probably until I'm dead. Maybe longer, depending on whether or not SFWA decides to allow zombie members.

This interview was done in conjunction with Nikki Leigh, author of Book Promo 101 – www.nikkileigh.com/book_promo_101.htm and Kathleen Gage, The Street Smarts Marketer.

Why write an eBook? Why not!

2007-09-24T10:23:00.000-07:00

I found another excellent article that is well worth posting. eBooks can be a great way to get your information to market, build market visibility and credibility as well as generate revenues.

Pamela Jacob has done a great job addressing many of the benefits of eBooks and why you should add this to your marketing mix.

Enjoy.

Why write an eBook? Why not!
By Pamela Jacob

I am getting ready to launch my second book. It is amazing how sharp and clear one can get when you write a book – it really sharpens you senses and your knowledge.

E-books can be wonderful tools and they are worth all the effort you put into them – when you take the time to write down what you are an expert at and compile what you know, you will be amazed at the breadth and depth of the knowledge you have in your own expertise.What an amazing way to let people know you are an expert in your field, it gives you such credibility.

What a fantastic way to promote your business while bringing in new streams of revenue…E-books production cost is inexpensive. Just think about it: you don't need a publisher, an agent, a printing press, offset film, ink, paper, or even a distributor.

You just need a great concept, the ability to write it or to hire a writer, and the right software.E-books are easily and rapidly distributed online. They are also easily updated; they do not require a second print run. All you need is to go into your original creation and modify the text or graphics. Because of this flexibility, e-books can change and grow as fast as you can type.

E-books are also immediately obtainable. You don't have to go to a bookstore or search through endless titles at an online bookstore. All you have to do is download it from a website, and presto! It's on your computer, ready to be read.E-books are interactive. This is one of the most unique and specific qualities that e-books offer. You can add surveys that need to be filled out, order forms for customers to purchase your products or goods, sound and video that draw your reader into the virtual world of your e-book, even direct links to relevant sites that will expand your e-book outward. The potential is virtually limitless.

E-books have a particular kind of permanence that other mediums do not possess. Television shows and radio shows air once, and then may rerun a few times. E-books remain on your computer for as long as your choose, and they can be read and reread whenever you choose to. They can even be printed out and stored on the shelves of your traditional home library.

E-books have no barriers in terms of publishing. You don't need to go through the endless process of submitting your manuscript over and over again, and then once you land an agent, having the agent submit your manuscript over and over again. Nor do you have to shell out thousands of dollars for printing a self-published book.

All e-books require is a writer and appropriate software. Figure out your market, write your book, post it on your website, and with the right business savvy, your audience will come to you.Finally, you have creative control over your e-book. You don’t have to compromise with an editor or the publishing trends of the time.

You don't have to haggle with a designer or wait for copy edited galleys to arrive by snail mail. You are in complete control of the design and the text.You and you alone have the resources and power to put your knowledge in an e-book. What a tremendous marketing tool you create when you put together an e-book.Don’t let a minute more pass you by! Start writing!

Pamela Jacob has been in the field of design and web development for over a decade. She is owner of Artista Design "Creating the Image You Need to Attract the Customers You want". She recently released her second book titled – The Ultimate Guide to Free Traffic – The key to your online success! Visit http://www.artistadesign.com

I agree with Pamela. Just start writing.

In success,

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/

Ten PR Secrets No One Will Ever Tell You

2007-09-23T21:43:00.000-07:00

In order to stay current on the latest and greatest in my industry, I subscribe to numerous blogs, Ezines and information pieces. One Ezine that I particularly enjoy is Book Marketing Expert, by book marketing pro, Penny C. Sansevieri. Penny has some outstanding information for anyone interested in learning more about book marketing. Her information is practical, easy to understand and very valuable.

Recently Penny wrote an article that I wanted to share with you. There are some great pointers for anyone who is looking for excellent information on book publishing.

Ten PR Secrets No One Will Ever Tell You
Penny C. Sansevieri

When you're trying to pitch your book, the last thing you need is old, outdated or false information. PR and marketing guidelines change frequently, and what worked five years ago no longer works today. For some red hot publicity that will get you to the top of the pitching file, we've unveiled some PR secrets you won't hear anywhere else but here.

Trying to get on Oprah? Here are some things we're betting you never knew about getting on her show:
Sending samples and books to the Oprah Show is pretty standard fare for most publicity people but did you know that Oprah's producers actually prefer finding products or books on their own? Instead of pitching the show, why not pitch some publications in the Chicago area instead and let a Producer at the Oprah Show "stumble" on it themselves! If you think that Oprah's producers are just in Chicago, think again. The show is known for having "scouts" all over the country; this means that if you're in Seattle publicizing your book, you might just be getting on the radar screen of one of the most powerful shows on television.

And speaking of getting on a national show, we all know this can be great PR for your book, but did you know that if you don't have proper distribution it might dissuade a producer from featuring your book? You bet. By now most Producers are well aware of the avalanche of books that have inundated the industry. They don't want to look bad for picking a book or product no one can get, so be sure and add an info sheet in your media packet telling the Producer that your book is available nationwide.

Trying to decide when to send out your release? Well, timing does matter! If it's business related, avoid contacting the press between the 15th and 22nd of April, July, and October. That's when publicly held companies release quarterly earnings reports. As for days of the week, Monday is the worst day to send your release. The best day? Thursday. Thursdays are notoriously slow news days.

Got an event coming up? It might make more sense listing your event on craigslist rather than pitching it to local media. Why? Well, if your event is free you can list it on craigslist at no charge and you could potentially drive crowds to your event, as opposed to the sometimes hit and miss efforts from traditional publicity. A couple of things to remember are that you can't list events in multiple cities at the same time; the folks at craigslist check this periodically. Events are kept live on the site until the event date has passed.

Despite what some folks might tell you, faxes do not work. While it might be easy to toss a press release on a fax machine and start sending it out to some media contacts, I can guarantee you 99.9% of the time they'll be ignored and tossed. Do press kits really work? Well, yes and no. The days of the fancy press kit filled with equally fancy gifts are gone. In fact, more and more the media are paying closer attention to press kits that are more powerful in substance then they are in flash. So keep your press kit lean, mean and real - you'll not only save yourself a lot of expense but you'll probably get your book noticed a lot quicker.
Now the second piece to this is how valid your kit is. By "valid," we mean how much of the information is verifiable. When the media gets your kit the first place they might go to verify the contents is the Web. If your Internet presence doesn't match what your kit says about you, you've probably just lost the interview.

When you're pitching a magazine, many PR folk will tell you to pitch them six to eight months out. The truth is pitching times have shrunk -- we've seen magazines accept pitches with only a three-month window. Call first to check when a particular issue will close before assuming you've missed your window.

If you want to get into publications like The Washington Post or Newsweek, don't pitch them, blog on them. Both of these sites (and many other sites with high profile publications) have added a new "Blog Round Up" box on their sites. It reports on people who have blogged on their stories. All techie-babble aside, here's what you do: blog on one of the articles on their site, link it using a trackback link and submit this to Technorati.com. This site will report back to these publications, and they'll link to you (and your site) and, voila! A feature on Newsweek or whichever publication you chose!

So you see, it's not always about creating the perfect pitch or press release. Sometimes it's about being unconventional, innovative and a tad adventurous. We hope our secrets help you unlock the powerful publicity kingdom! Wishing you Publishing (and publicity) success!

Visit Penny’s website at http://www.amarketingexpert.com/

In success,

Kathleen

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

The Street Smarts Marketing Author’s Corner Features Elena Dorothy Bowman

2007-09-21T14:33:00.000-07:00

This week’s featured author is Elena Dorothy Bowman. Elena writes in several genre's including: futuristic science fiction and mystery romance novels that have a touch of the paranormal running through them. Currently, she has written eight novels and one novella.

1. Tell us about yourself – where you are from, how you got started writing, what you do when you are not writing (or anything you want our readers to know)?

I grew up in Dorchester, Massachusetts with my parents and four brothers. Graduated from the local high school and went on to a secretarial school. It wasn't my choice, it was my parents. Since I was more interested in aeronautics I joined the local Civil Air Patrol to satisfy my obsession with flight, and yes, we did fly.

After graduating from the secretarial school I met and married my husband, and went to work for the United States Navy in Washington, D.C. with the Bureau of Ordinance. My husband, who is a Navy veteran, decided to enter Northeastern University, so we came back to Massachusetts and I took a position with the Department of The Army while my husband was earning his degree in Engineering.

After the birth of our second daughter I decided to stay home to raise our girls. In the following years the birth of my two sons added to our family. After the birth of our second son, we moved from my parent's home in Dorchester to our own home in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. Due to financial problems I went back to work for an aerospace company, and in doing so, entered their college program to earn a degree in Engineering and Management.

Graduating with honors, I was promoted to a software engineer in their Missile Division. I tested, researched and wrote technical papers dealing with the work I was engaged in. Meanwhile, my children were growing up and each have entered various colleges and earned degrees in Engineering, Physics, Gemology, Film, while one decided to change disciplines and is pursuing a degree in Law. My husband and I worked for the same company for more than 25 years, and we both retired at the same time. I now write full time.

I have been writing for over thirty years. I actually started writing when I was a teenager, although I didn't submit any of it for publication. I started to write in earnest as a challenge to myself. I really wanted to see if I could write a full-length novel, not just short stories or the technical papers that I was working on. The only professional organization I presently belong to is the National League of American PenWomen where I am the President of the Merrimack Valley Branch of the NLAPW.

2. What inspired you to write your first book?
I started writing fiction seriously during my lunch hours at work. I needed the diversion since most of my writing at that time was devoted to technical writing. With my first published novel, I guess it started with my smoking. Yes, I used to smoke. I don't now, haven't for many years. But one day while sitting in my office during a break, after a real rough morning, I lit a cigarette.

I watched the curled smoke from my cigarette rise toward the corner of the office disappearing into a crack in the wall. I watched this for several minutes wondering where the smoke was going. Was it just being swallowed up into the wall, or did it vanish into the nooks and crannies that were hidden from view and led to God knows where. Needless to say, my imagination took hold and before I knew it I was writing the first chapter to my science fiction/mystery/romance novel Sarah's Landing-I-Contact.

I have since taken the smoking aspect out of the story and replaced that part of it with a human being — the lead character — which ultimately led to the birth of four complete novels in The Sarah's Landing Series.

All four books in the series have been released in ebook format by Write Words, Inc., ebooksonthe.net. The print editions will be released by their imprint Cambridge Books.

3. How many books have you written?
At present, I have written eight full novels and one novella. All of my books have been published in ebook format by Write Words, Inc.'s ebooksonthe.net. Two are presently in trade paperback editions, with the others to be released by Write Words, Inc.'s Cambridge Books.

4. How do you decide on their topic?
With the first novel I wrote, I had already decided on a science fiction theme. Deciding on the title took more time than I thought it would, but I finally ended up with Sarah's Landing-I-Contact. I didn't expect to write a series, but that's what happened. Sarah's Landing became a four novel series. After I completed the first novel, the thought for the second, third, and fourth, novels just seemed to make themselves known and wanted to be written.

When the series was complete, I thought of trying a mystery, and that too, ended into a three-book series. The thought for another novel thrust itself forward when I wondered, what if the continent that existed in times past, didn't really completely disappear…that's when Time-Rift was born.

The novella was based on a true story.

5. What works best to keep you focused and on track?
When family members are busy doing their own thing and leave me be. Sometimes the afternoons are quiet enough to keep me focused. But now that the kids are up and out, as long as there isn't anything pressing, I can devote my time to writing.

6. Do you write to make money or for the love of writing?
Well I haven't been as successful as JK Rowling, so I guess it must be for the love of it. My husband says I'm obsessed.

7. What are some traditional methods of marketing you have used to gain visibility for you and your books?
Book signings at major book stores, Press Releases, interviews with local newspapers and television stations, Library Author Days, postcards, gift shops and word of mouth.

8. What are some unique methods?
Through the Internet with all the available opportunities I find. Writer's groups, some paying, some not, blogs, MySpace, gather, and many other avenues.

9. Do you sell through a website?
No, I sell through book signings, groups meetings, book stores and gift shops, neighbors I catch walking around the neighborhood and any other place I can.

10. Do you plan on writing additional books?
Yes, actually, I am close to completing one book and have another in the works. I would say the one I am presently working on might be considered science fiction or paranormal. The other I have in the works is more of a historical novel which could end up into a series. I am not too clear on that at this point in time.

(You can visit Elena's blog at http://elenadorothybowmansbooks.blogspot.com/)

This interview was done in conjunction with Nikki Leigh, author of Book Promo 101 – www.nikkileigh.com/book_promo_101.htm and

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

One author's tip for marketing a book

2007-09-17T05:50:00.000-07:00

Looking for a great way to get the word out about your book.

Author, Saundra Goodman has one piece of the puzzle working in her favor. Libraries. Recently Ms. Goodman, author of "Got Teeth? A Survivor's Guide" called her local library to inquire about presenting her book for purchase in their system.

When the head librarian ran a check on the ISBN# in their system she said two libraries had already purchased the book: the Mid-Hudson Library in New York covering five counties, and the Kitsap Regional Library in Washington sate.

"Well, blow me down - I was delighted," Goodman said.

The librarian went on to tell her that because the book is nonfiction, about oral health, and there's not much written about that subject she's going to explore buying her book for the local library.

No doubt it helped that two libraries already bought the book.Saundra recently contacted the Baltimore Regional Library in Maryland, which agreed to purchase copies of her book.

"Got Teeth? A Survivor's Guide" is a comprehensive look at oral hygiene, dentures, loss of teeth, care of teeth and just about anything the layperson would want to know.

Written from a patient's perspective, the book will answer just about any question you have on the subject of teeth. To learn more about Saundra Goodman and her book, "Got Teeth? A Survivor's Guide" visit www.gotteethguide.com and www.gotteeth.blogspot.com

In success

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/

Fair Use on Quotes

2007-09-16T08:07:00.000-07:00

Recently, I posted a question in a number of forum groups I am a member of to find out what the guidelines (and laws) are when you want to use a quote from someone famous in a book.

I have to say, ask a dozen people for an answer on something, you're likely to get a dozen answers. Some were factual answers, many were subjective.

The following response came from Peter N. Jones. Peter is the director of the Bauu Institute and Press http://www.bauuinstitute.com/

Here's what he wrote:

It depends on when the quote was said or "fixed in a tangible medium". If it is older than say 1922, the quote is most likely in the public domain and not subject to copyright.

However, if you are quoting a translation, it is the translation date that applied, not when the quote was actually said/fixed. So, quotes from say Cesear are in the public domain, but if the translation of the quote was done after 1922, then it is NOT in the public domain (the translator holds the copyright).

You can get away with using quotes if you follow the "fair use" doctrine, which basically states that if you are using the quote for certain purposes it is ok. Certain quotes from famous people of the 20th century are not in the public domain, despite the fact that the sayer has moved on - in these cases the estate owns the copyright and you must get pemission from them.

One example is Martin Luther King speeches (all of which are now owned by the estate). However, under fair use you can still quote his speeches if you do it right.Here is the fair use doctrine.One of the rights accorded to the owner of copyright is the right to reproduce or to authorize others to reproduce the work in copies or phonorecords.

This right is subject to certain limitations found in sections 107 through 118 of the Copyright Act (title 17, U. S. Code). One of the more important limitations is the doctrine of “fair use.” Although fair use was not mentioned in the previous copyright law, the doctrine has developed through a substantial number of court decisions over the years.

This doctrine has been codified in section 107 of the copyright law.Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered “fair,” such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Section 107 also sets out four factors to be considered in determining whether or not a particular use is fair:the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;the nature of the copyrighted work;amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; andthe effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

The distinction between “fair use” and infringement may be unclear and not easily defined. There is no specific number of words, lines, or notes that may safely be taken without permission. Acknowledging the source of the copyrighted material does not substitute for obtaining permission.

The 1961 Report of the Register of Copyrights on the General Revision of the U.S. Copyright Law cites examples of activities that courts have regarded as fair use: “quotation of excerpts in a review or criticism for purposes of illustration or comment; quotation of short passages in a scholarly or technical work, for illustration or clarification of the author's observations; use in a parody of some of the content of the work parodied; summary of an address or article, with brief quotations, in a news report; reproduction by a library of a portion of a work to replace part of a damaged copy; reproduction by a teacher or student of a small part of a work to illustrate a lesson; reproduction of a work in legislative or judicial proceedings or reports; incidental and fortuitous reproduction, in a newsreel or broadcast, of a work located in the scene of an event being reported.”Copyright protects the particular way an author has expressed himself; it does not extend to any ideas, systems, or factual information conveyed in the work.

The safest course is always to get permission from the copyright owner before using copyrighted material. The Copyright Office cannot give this permission.When it is impracticable to obtain permission, use of copyrighted material should be avoided unless the doctrine of “fair use” would clearly apply to the situation.

The Copyright Office can neither determine if a certain use may be considered “fair” nor advise on possible copyright violations. If there is any doubt, it is advisable to consult an attorney.

FL-102, Revised July 2006

End of response.

Thank you Peter for such a detailed answer.

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Speaker
http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/

The Author's Corner Features Hazel Statham

2007-09-14T03:16:00.000-07:00

This week’s featured author is Hazel Statham. Hazel lives in Staffordshire, England. She started writing at fifteen and has written on and off ever since. She had her first two novels published in 2005. Currently, she has nine books completed with another in the works. Hazel has always been fascinated by history and writes mainly in the Regency and Georgian eras, although she has been known to stray into Medieval times.

1. Tell us about yourself – where you are from, how you got started writing, what you do when you are not writing (or anything you want our readers to know)
I live in the UK and have been enthralled by history for as long as I can remember. I felt a compulsion to write at fifteen and completed my first novel-length story at sixteen. The first was quickly followed by two more and I took my inspiration from the Brontes, Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. 'Jane Eyre' still remains my all-time-favourite and I think, subconsciously, there is a little bit of Edward Fairfax Rochester in all my heroes. Animals are my other ruling passion and until recently, I was the treasurer for an organisation that raised funds for animal charities. Over the years, we have owned everything from hamsters to horses and we currently share our home with a lovely Labrador named Lucy. I have a beautiful grandson named Daniel who spends a lot of time with me whilst his parents are working and we have a great time.

2. What inspired you to write your first book?
I don't really know. I read all the usual classic romances and suddenly found myself writing my own. I loved to create my own characters and situations and it was something I had done in my thoughts for years - I just started committing it to paper. It started to escalate when a work colleague began reading my work and encouraged the other girls in the office to do likewise and soon I found myself with a small readership.

3. How many books have you written?
Including the first three, which are now long gone, I have a total of nine completed with one still a work in progress.

4. How do you decide on their topic?
It has to be historical and set in the Georgian or Regency eras I know and love. 'My Dearest Friend' was inspired by a dream, whereas 'The Portrait' came from a line in a song from the film 'Hawks'. The Peninsular War inspires me and several of my characters are in some way connected to it.

5.What works best to keep you focused and on track?
I like to write when I am alone and there is complete silence.

6.Do you write to make money or for the love of writing?
Definitely for the love of it. I write for myself and publication is just a huge bonus. I would write even if my work never saw the light of day.

7. What are some traditional methods of marketing you have used to gain visibility for you and your book(s)?
Self-promotion doesn't come easily to me but I have approached review sites for reviews and have arranged banner and book cover advertising. I live in the UK but have sent flyers (via other authors) to conferences etc. I have also given talks to book groups.

8. What are some unique methods?
For me, the Virtual Book Tour is quite unique. Living this side of the Atlantic, I am not able to attend book signing events and this gives me the opportunity to reach a wider readership.

9. Do you sell through a website?
My publisher's website, www.wings-press.com Amazon and Fictionwise.

10. Do you plan on writing additional books?
Writing is too much a part of me for me to stop now. It is a compulsion that will not be ignored and I am happier when I have a project under way.

This interview was done in conjunction with Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours – www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com.

The Author's Corner is a weekly feature of The Street Smarts Marketing and Promotion Blog and Kathleen Gage, The Street Smarts Marketer.

How to Make Money Writing Free Articles

2007-09-13T13:17:00.000-07:00

Part 3 of a 3 Part Article.
from Kathleen Gage

Case in point: Not long ago I was contacted by an editor for the largest trade journal for the specialty items industry. She asked if I would be interested in writing a review for the publication. Since it was a great market fit, I agreed.

When I inquired as to how she had located me, she said it was from an article of mine she had read online which directed her back to my website. She found my website to substantiate my professionalism and thus the desire to interview me.

I have also had countless radio interview opportunities that came to me by way of an article I wrote. Hosts are in need of credible experts. Articles offer them the opportunity to find much needed, articulate experts for their shows.

The point is not only does your article need to be top notch, everything that represents you does too; like your website or blog.

Although you may not receive payment for most of the articles you submit online, they may very well create paid opportunities. I make a very high percentage of my revenues from my writing. However, I utilize the opportunity to strategically post no-fee articles throughout the Internet, drive readers back to any number of my websites and mini-sites, and create opportunities for people to download a free resource in order that I can continue to keep my name in front of them.

Over time, I am able to sell information products, books, coaching and mentoring services and private consulting because I have built name recognition, credibility, expert status and most of all, trust. Although I was not paid for the initial writing, ultimately there is money to be made because I utilized the article writing as part of my long-term marketing strategy. Do you?

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

Huge Make a Wish Foundation Fundraiser

2007-09-11T07:39:00.000-07:00

How would you like to learn from industry experts like Yanik Silver, Willie Crawford, Stuart Tan, Anik Singal, Shawn Casey, Alex Mandossian and more.

On September 12th you CAN! Those of us who are presenting sessions on our areas of expertise are doing so for free with the goal in mind to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for The Make a Wish Foundation.

Here's what the headline of one media release read...

"Elite Group Of Speakers Raise Hopes And Funds For Children Battling Life-Threatening Illnesses"

"You, Too, Could Be A Wish-Granter And A Life-Giver Simply By Simply Lending An Ear During The Charity Tele-Marathon 2007!"

For details go to http://www.supertelethon.org

Please join in. There is no cost to listen in and you can donate only if you want to.

In success

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

How to Make Money Writing Free Articles - part 2

2007-09-10T04:05:00.000-07:00

This article is part 2 of a 3 part series.
Continued from previous posting.

For Ezines, do the same search but replace “article directories” with the word “Ezine.” You can also look in Ezine directories for numerous listings specific to your topics and market.

Ezines are different from article directories. Directories may take articles in hundreds of categories while Ezines are targeted to specific topics and markets.

Be sure to utilize a very targeted approach for distribution of your articles to Ezines. For example, if you specialize in articles specific to pet owners, submitting to a business Ezine is likely to be a complete waste of time. Submitting to Ezines specific to pet owners will give you greater results.
The number of locations you can submit to it is almost unlimited. This in itself can create challenges. How do you know where the best location is? Spend time reviewing the directory or Ezine. Subscribe to the Ezine to find out how consistently it is distributed and review the quality of information included in the Ezine.

Look for quality when selecting locations for article submission. Virtually anyone can be published on the Internet, often with no restrictions. This means the quality of writing can be mediocre at best, and yet the writer still gains visibility.

Consider all of these are factors when you submit articles.

-Reputation
-Distribution and reach
-Ease of submission
-Traffic
-Demographics of readership

Another challenge is that some people use articles as a blatant form of advertising rather than a valuable resource of information to the reader. Avoid this temptation! Although you may gain in the short term, over the long haul you will be viewed as less than professional.

A huge benefit of posting to various article directories and Ezines is that your articles can and will be viewed by editors, publishers and journalists from many other publications, including trade journals, traditional publications, and radio and televisions producers. Many opportunities have been created by way of articles on the Internet.

(to be continued)

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/

How to Make Money from Writing Free Articles

2007-09-08T08:38:00.000-07:00

How to Make Money from Writing Free Articles (3 part series)
By Kathleen Gage

I work with many speakers, authors, trainers and consultants who want to gain visibility on the Internet and within their market. Many have heard they can achieve this outcome by submitting articles to various online directories and Ezines. Although this is true, there are pros and cons to using this strategy.

When done correctly, article writing and distribution can be an incredible tool for marketing a site, business, product, service or person.

The upside of online submissions is that in a very short period of time your article can be submitted to dozens, even hundreds, of online locations. In some cases, you will reach thousands of readers within hours of your submission. In some instances, your article will be visible on a site, directory or blog within minutes of posting. In addition, articles can remain online for an indefinite period of time, allowing for continued visibility for the author.

For those new to posting articles, finding locations can be challenging. To find directory locations simply do a Google or Yahoo! search with the words “article directories + your topic”. Replace the words “your topic” with your actual topic or market.

One of the most popular article directories is Ezinearticles.com. Christopher Knight‘s directory is by far one of the best you will find. There are others like it, so do your homework and you will find many directories that are a great fit for your articles.

(to be continued)

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

The Author's Corner features Nikki Leigh

2007-09-07T03:22:00.000-07:00

The Author's Corner is presented by Kathleen Gage and The Street Smarts Marketing and Promotions Blog.

This week's featured author is Nikki Leigh. She is an award-winning author. Nikki has done promotional work for over fifteen years. When she signed the first book contract, she knew her marketing background was a big advantage. Her new book -Book Promo 101 is a way to share the things she's learned. It gives information about many types of promotion.

Tell us about yourself - where you are from, how you got started writing, what you do when you are not writing (or anything you want our readers to know)
I'm from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. I started writing when I was a kid in school. But, I didn't get serious about getting back to my writing until about 15 years after I graduated. A woman suggested that I read The Artists' Way and that helped me to overcome so many personal concerns and doubts. At that time I joined an online writers' community and I dove back into honing my craft. In 2005, I was in a position to make a career change and I decided to dive into freelancing fulltime. That has allowed me to work on a wide variety of writing projects and it led to four business books and seven ghostwriting projects. This is in addition to my fiction books which are in print. When I'm not writing, I work with my business clients to do bookkeeping, promotional work and business consulting.

What inspired you to write your first book?
I started to form an idea for a book over twenty years ago and finally got back to work on it in late 2002. The story was coming together, but I couldn't figure out the right place to set the story. In 2001, I visited Cape Cod which was my first idea for a setting. On the same trip, I visited Cape Ann, Massachusetts and that's when the story really took shape. Since then I've released 2 other books set in that area and I'm working on the fourth Misty Cove book.

How many books have you written?
I have four novels in print, four business books in print. My first anthology, one novel is being re-released after some changes and my first author promotion book is being released this fall. I've created a writer's resource ebook which I plan to release in October. In my freelancing work, I've ghostwritten seven books - five promotional books, a novel and a restaurant management book. One of my recent freelancing clients is talking about putting my name as a co-author on the book I wrote for him.

How do you decide on their topic?
My business topics and ghostwriting topics were based on my business and promotional experience. I use that experience to choose the projects I want to work on. All of my novels are centered near the coast and lighthouses. I enjoy history, the coast, lighthouses and the lifesaving service, so I work these topics into my novels.

What works best to keep you focused and on track?
Deadlines and the desire to see the project completed are two great ways to stay focused. With my freelancing, bills coming due also keeps me focused to finish projects.

Do you write to make money or for the love of writing?
I tell people that my fiction is a labor of love. At some point, I'd love for my fiction to pay better, but I'm still building readership and visibility at this point. Although my promotional launch for my Cape Hatteras mystery has helped to propel my sales in the last few months. My business and promotional books are more about making money since my freelancing keeps the bills paid. My author promotion book is a combination of the love of writing and making money. It's an awesome chance to share the things I've learned over the last 16 years in promotional work.

What are some traditional methods of marketing you have used to gain visibility for you and your book(s)?
I have an extensive website which features information about each of my books, the settings, the characters and much more. It also has writing and promotional articles for writers and readers. I've attended some writer's events and have held a number of online chats. I send press releases about my books and special events. I've got several online message boards that I use to promote my books. I offered to moderate a panel at the Virginia Festival of the Book which helped me meet a lot of people and I had a chance to brainstorm with Dr Bill Bass (of the body farm) and Jeffrey Deaver. In October, I'm scheduled with a couple of friends to do a workshop about setting development in stories. In the past, I've taught a series of character development classes that developed and I'm hoping to rework the classes to offer again in the near future.

What are some unique methods?
I'm the Self Promotion Topic Editor on

www.inspiredauthor.com and this gives me good visibility. I've hosted a couple of chats for Inspired Author about writing related topics. When Lilah and the Locket was released, I planned a week at the beach (where the story is set) and I contacted my preferred businesses before the trip. I then visited these stores with the book and they are being sold in 7 stores along the Outer Banks of North Carolina. For more information, visit http://www.nikkileigh.com/lilah_launch1.htm. A couple of years ago, I created a fundraising event for a local animal shelter and that's where Lilah and the Locket began. Details are posted at: http://www.nikkileigh.com/pets_n_portraits.htm. Lilah and the Locket features a couple and their dog - the characters are based on a real couple and their dog. This was part of the Pets 'n Portraits event and has opened up interesting ways to promote the book and they just asked if I'd like to write a sequel - of course I said “YES!” I formed an author co-op and we promote one another and the group. The website is www.readersstation.com.

Do you sell through a website?
I use my websites - www.nikkileigh.com, www.sandcconsulting.com and there are links from www.readersstation.com to my sale pages. My books are also available on Amazon, Borders, Abe Books and I promote that they can be ordered at any bookstore. The ebook versions of my books are available on many online ebook sale sites.

Do you plan on writing additional books?
Most definitely. I'm working on plans for my next two novels, three short stories and the next book in my author promotional series and I have a new character who will be the focus of a series of short stories.

This interview was done in conjunction with Nikki Leigh, author of Book Promo 101 –

www.nikkileigh.com/book_promo_101.htm.

Good SEO information

2007-09-03T03:57:00.000-07:00

SEO is something that is a deep mystery for many people. It can take quite a bit of time to fully understand. Just when you think you have it all figured out, there is more to learn. That’s just the name of the game with the Internet.

SEO simply means Search Engine Optimization. There is also SEM - Search Engine Marketing.

The fact is, some people make it much more difficult to understand than it needs be. Simply put SEO means you optimize your site for better position with the search engines. The more you are optimized the easier it is for your site(s) to be found.

There are things you want and need to do and other things you absolutely should not do.

There are also things that the layperson can do and with other aspects of SEO you may need to hire or contract an SEO expert to handle.

For some excellent information on the do's and don't's of SEO check out
http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/internet/google-ranking-factors.htm

In success

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer

Turn your expertise into money-making information products and services. FREE teleseminar series. Go to http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/4partteleseminar.htm to register.

The Author’s Corner presents Michael Murphy

2007-08-31T06:57:00.000-07:00

The Author’s Corner is presented by Kathleen Gage and The Street Smarts Marketing Blog.

This week’s featured author is Michael Murphy. Michael has lived in Arizona most of his life. A former journalism major at Arizona State University, he set aside his writing and concentrated on starting a family and a business career.

1. Tell us about yourself – where you are from, how you got started writing, what you do when you are not writing (or anything you want our readers to know)

I’m a former journalism major who switched to get married, switched to business and began to raise a family. I became serious about my writing in my forties and wrote my first novel, which won first place in the Arizona Authors Association novel writing contest in 2000.

2. What inspired you to write your first book?

My first novel, Class of ’68 was inspired by the year I graduated from high school, one of the most tumultuous years of the twentieth century. I wanted to write a book that captured the horror of war, despair of the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy, and the end of the idealism of the sixties.

3. How many books have you written?

I’ve written six novels. Three came out this year, Try and Catch the Wind, the first in my Casey Bannister series, Class of ’68 and Secrets of Sheridan Manor, the second in the series. My fourth novel, Cold File, comes out September 1. Two more next year, the third in my series, Cuts Like a Knife and a spin-off of that series, called Ramblin’ Man. I’m currently finishing my seventh, a suspense novel called Scorpion Bay.

4. How do you decide on their topic?

After Class of ’68 I focused on writing the types of books I like to read, mystery and suspense thrillers. The series that began with Try and Catch the Wind focuses on a former NYPD homicide detective struggling with retirement and his wife’s death in upstate New York. In many respects, the setting of the series gave direction to the novels.

5. What works best to keep you focused and on track?

What’s kept me on track most of the time is belonging to a critique group. We meet weekly and if I don’t have a new chapter to turn in, I feel like I’ve let them down. Keeps me on my toes.

6. Do you write to make money or for the love of writing?

Since my publisher is small with limited distribution, I’m definitely not in it for the money, but I love creating novels and would never want my writing to become work.

7. What are some traditional methods of marketing you have used to gain visibility for you and your book(s)?

I’ve enjoyed book signings. It’s quite humbling when people take time from their day to come see you and purchase your book. I’ve had good success with media coverage, three newspaper articles, a radio, a web chat, and a television interview. I have a nice website, www.mjmurphy.com that emphasizes my books, not me.

8. What are some unique methods?

I’ve really jumped into the My Space phenomena, and have “met” people from all over the world who have purchased my books. They’ve becomes some of my biggest fans.

9. Do you sell through a website?

My website routes readers to amazon.com or my publisher’s website, www.wings-press.com.

10. Do you plan on writing additional books?

I’m looking forward to putting the final polishes on my seventh novel, Scorpion Bay. Then I’ll jump right back in with a new one. I will continue my Casey Bannister series, but next I’m going to tackle something new, but still in the suspense/thriller genre.

This interview was done in conjunction with Nikki Leigh, author of Book Promo 101 – www.nikkileigh.com/book_promo_101.htm.

GET IT WRITE! – The Women's eGuide to Writing, Publishing and Promoting Your Book by 20 Best-Selling Authors FREE

2007-08-30T19:35:00.000-07:00

Writing a book is a lot like giving birth, it can be a painful, labor intensive exercise … Once your ‘new baby’ is born, the real work begins.”- Heidi Richards, President WUN Publications, INC.
Get this great FREE resource and learn what it really takes to get it WRITE!

http://wecai.org/wwps/html/getitwrite.html

Turn your expertise into money making products and services

2007-08-30T04:50:00.000-07:00

If you have ever wanted to turn your expertise into money making products you are invited to join me for a free teleseminar series. It is designed for Speakers, Trainers, Authors, Coaches and Consultants:

Learn how to package your expertise and start making money faster than you thought possible!

FREE Street Smarts Marketing™ Teleseminar Series Begins September 4th and runs through the month of September.

Even if you can’t be on every call be sure to register so you can get the recording.
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/4partteleseminar.htm

My best
Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer

Repost on Blog for Non Blogger Article

2007-08-30T03:16:00.000-07:00

Recently there has been discussion in one yahoo group I belong to on whether or not blogging is a good idea. Below is an article I wrote on the subject.

Enjoy

Blogging for the Non Blogger
By Kathleen Gage

If you are new to blogging chances are you may be unsure of what the best and most effective approach to gaining maximum benefit from time and effort invested. A primary goal for blogging should be to gain visibility, credibility and market reach for your efforts.

The following are some easy to apply strategies that will get you well on your way to becoming a competent blogger.

Determine Your Purpose
The first thing you need to do is determine what is the purpose of your blog. Are you blogging for fun or is this a viable part of your overall branding and marketing strategy?

Here are some common reasons for having a blog:

· Establish expert status
· Keep in touch with clients
· Reach a global market
· Blow off some steam
· Create your online personality

Blog Consistently
To be effective you need to blog on a fairly regular basis. Your postings can be short, but need to be relative to your purpose. Many bloggers post information from other sites as a way to keep their readers informed on a particular topic. Doing this makes your job pretty easy. Other than doing a few google searches for information and posting the information, there is not a lot for you to do.

The advantage to this is it’s fast and relatively easy. The disadvantage is you are not establishing your own expertise if this is the only type of posting you do.

Why not offer a bit of both?

Driving Visitors
There are a number of effective ways to get people to view your blog. One is to use key words relative to your market and industry. Whenever you post something you want to include those key words.

Next you can announce to your opt-in subscribers you have a blog and give them the blog address.

You can add your blog address to your sig (signature) file that you use at the end of your email messages.

Write articles specific to your market and industry. Add a resource box at the end of your article with a link back to your blog. If you areticle is of value there is a very good chance readers will visit your blog.

Post your articles in various online article directories to optimize exposure and reach. A quick google search with the words “article directory + your topic” will bring up various locations to submit your articles to.

One of the most popular is EzineArticles.com. To access go to www.ezinearticles.com

Subscribers to Your Blog
Make it easy for people to sign up for your blog. You can add in a simple form by visiting www.feedblitz.com and/or www.feedburner.com.

Utilize the power of RSS feeds. People can subscribe to the feed and receive updates as you add new content to your blog.

Keywords
Keywords are a way to improve your search engine ranking. Choosing the right words is extremely important. Keywords are what lead search engines to your blog.

Before you begin blogging think of the keywords you need to include specific to your market and industry. The more targeted your list the more effective your postings.
Analyze your business and your market. Think of any words that your readers might be search on to find you that relate to your company, industry, product or service.
For example my market uses words like:

Making money on the Internet
Internet marketing for authors
Internet marketing for speakers
Internet marketing for consultants
Self Publishing
Writing
Authorship

This is only a partial list. However, it is a very broad and general list. The more targeted I can be the more my ideal client will find me in a search.

The way to narrow your target words down is to use a keyword selector tool. A reliable selector tool will help you to narrow the search by indicating how often people search on specific word combinations.

Two resources you can check are WordTracker and Overture. To learn more go to:

http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/

and

http://www.wordtracker.com

WordTracker offers a free trial product. This is a great first step. Become familiar with the product before you decide to purchase it.

In Conclusion
Blogging can be a fun experience and it can create great opportunities when done correctly, consistently and conscientiously.

Kathleen Gage is an Internet Marketing Advisor for Speakers, Trainers, Authors, Consultants and Entrepreneurs. Access her eBook The Truth about Making Money on the Internet at http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/free-ebook.htm

3 Extremely Low-Cost Marketing Strategies for Speakers, Trainers, Authors and Consultants

2007-08-29T19:54:00.000-07:00

3 Extremely Low-Cost Marketing Strategies for Speakers, Trainers, Authors, and Consultants
by Kathleen Gage

Are you looking for cost-effective marketing strategies? Look no further. The following three strategies have proven extremely effective for countless businesses and they can for you.

1. Press Releases – Very effective method of gaining visibility and credibility when published. You must have a well written release pertinent to the media source you are sending it to. You can distribute press releases both online and off.

A quick Internet search under media resources in your city will bring up radio, television, newspapers and magazines in your area. To find online resources do a search under - free online press release distribution. Numerous listings will come up. Utilizing the free services when on a limited budget can prove to be invaluable.

There are services you can pay for if you are so inclined. An excellent resource for both free and paid distributions is www.prweb.com.

Prior to writing a press release, determine the following:

-Who is your target market?
-What is your target media?
-Who is the contact person at the media outlet?
-What is the timeframe for submission?
-Do you have an attention-grabbing headline?
-Do you know the who, what, when, where, why, how?
-Do you have good quotes, research and technical date if appropriate?

2. Articles - Writing articles is a great way to gain recognition as an expert in your field or specific industry. By providing practical information, you can reach targeted audiences. This can create exciting opportunities for you and your business.

You should write on what you are knowledgeable about. Make sure your information is factual. Incorrect or untrue information can come back to haunt you.

Recently I read an article by someone claiming to be an Internet marketing expert. Their article was about gaining visibility on the Net. To find out how much visibility this so called expert has I did a name search on the author. The “expert” author had only 10 postings under his name. Not very impressive when other experts have thousands of listings. The author immediately lost credibility.
3. Presentations – One of the most effective ways to market your product or service is to offer a complimentary information seminar. When you provide great information that is of interest to your market you have become a resource before you are a vendor. By positioning yourself as a resource you are marketing in a very unique way.

Hosting a presentation can be virtually expense free. You can offer to do a presentation at a staff meeting for a client. Many large companies have brown bag lunch speaking opportunities. You can host a meeting open to the public at your local library. Be sure to send press releases to the local media when you are offering a presentation open to the public.

Many associations, including your local Chamber of Commerce, are constantly seeking good presenters who can provide timely and content driven talks that benefit their members.

When you apply one of the three recommendations to your marketing mix you will gain benefit. When you apply all three the results can be phenomenal.

Kathleen Gage is an Internet Marketing Advisor for Speakers, Trainers, Authors, Consultants and Entrepreneurs. Access her eBook The Truth about Making Money on the Internet at http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/free-ebook.htm

Street Smarts Ezine is ready

2007-08-29T17:52:00.000-07:00

The September issue of The Street Smarts Marketing Newsletter is now ready. This month I have two excellent articles for anyonewho writes and wants to get their works published.

Do you have the dream of becoming a published author?
Are youthinking of writing a book to promote you, your services or yourcompany?

Prior to launching into a major project, do yourhomework. It can save you time, money and frustration. Almost daily I receive an inquiry from someone who has spent asmall fortune getting their book published by a company thatpromises them the moon when it comes to the success of theirbook. Unfortunately, in 99% of the cases I hear about, theresults don't at all meet the promises.

Often the authorapproaches me after much heartache, disillusionment and wastedexpense. My most recent inquiry came from a man who had a 56 pagedocument published as a book by what appears to be a subsidiarypublisher… (read more)
http://www.turningpointpresents.com/newsletters/enewsseptember2007.htm

Learn how you can participate for free is an incredible eventhappening with people like Alex Mandossian, Shawn Casey, YanikSilver And more. "An Elite Group Of Speakers Will Raise Hopes And Funds ForChildren Battling Life-Threatening Illnesses." (read more)
http://www.turningpointpresents.com/newsletters/enewsseptember2007.htm

Check out my FREE four week teleseminar series for speakers,trainer, authors and consultants who want to turn theirexpertise into money-making products and services. (read more)
http://www.turningpointpresents.com/newsletters/enewsseptember2007.htm

Have an incredible and joyful month.

Kathleen Gage

The Street Smarts Marketer

Learn how to package your expertise from someone who is doing it

2007-08-24T09:08:00.000-07:00

If you want to know how to make money from packaging your expertise, please read this entire message. It may change the way you view things.

Not a day goes by that I don't have people inquire on how to create consistent and real revenue streams by packaging their expertise into products and services.

The truth is, most people either don't know where to begin to create information products or if they do have products they are not making any money from them. If anything, they seem to have gotten caught up in chasing good money after bad buying program after program on how to make money.

Unfortunately, this often happens to people who have had a great deal of success in other areas of their professional life. What I see is they let their emotions drive them rather than coming up with a system that works.

Or, they live with the belief that all they have to do is create the product, write the book, develop the program and buyers will flock to them. I'm here to tell you, this is not the way it is.

Sadly, lots of people are getting (and paying for) advice from so-called experts on how to make money by packaging their expertise when the very experts they are going to have not been able to even squeak out a living doing the very thing they are teaching.

I have to say; I am appalled and saddened by how many people get taken advantage of with the get-rich-quick garbage and by people playing on their emotions.

Some time ago I made it a part of my personal mission to do what I can to educate people on what it really takes to make a living (and a really great one at that) by packaging their expertise into books, information products, seminars, training programs and teleseminars.

I have been making my living through providing great information products and services for years so I know what it really takes. I also know what it is like to wonder if you can pay the mortgage, put food on the table and pay your bills. I have not had to worry about not being able to pay my bills for a long, long time.

The way I educate my market on how you can make money from your expertise is by writing and distributing very content driven articles, postings on my blog, media interviews, sitting on expert panels, a guest expert on teleseminars, and offering lots and lots of free information. I do this for a few reasons.

One, I really do want to help others avoid getting caught up in the BS that is so prevalent both on and off line.

Two, I love sharing my insights. Insights from owning and operating a successful business for 14 years.

Three, people who recognize quality often end up buying my products and participating in my mentoring courses.

With this in mind, I would like to invite you to register for my upcoming FREE Street Smarts Marketing teleseminar series. In this content driven program you will Learn what it really takes to Turn Your Knowledge into money-making products and services faster than you ever thought possible.

I know this program will fill up fast. The sessions take place for four weeks beginning on Tuesday, September 4th at 10 a.m. PDT. I will be recording each session so even if you can’t participate on the live call you will receive the information. Again, this series is FREE, however you must be registered to join in and get access to the information.

Go to http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/4partteleseminar.htm to register.

Please feel free to pass this message on to anyone you know who would benefit from my information.

In success,
Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Speaker
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

The Author's Corner featuring Kim Baccellia

2007-08-24T02:17:00.000-07:00

The Author’s Corner is presented by Kathleen Gage and Street Smarts Marketing. This week’s featured author is Kim Baccellia. Kim writes fantasy novels about multicultural heroes.

1. Tell us about yourself – where you are from, how you got started writing, what you do when you are not writing (or anything you want our readers to know)

Hi! I’m Kim Baccellia, the YA author of the multicultural fantasy, Earrings of Ixtumea. I’ve been writing ever since I can remember. I always seemed to have a story running through my head. In middle school I wrote a horoscope column that was very popular with both my peers and teachers! In both high school and college I wrote for the school newspaper.

Later as an educator, I ran my own writers workshop for my first grade classroom. My students published their own books. My husband even made a computer program where parents followed their child reading their books. I videotaped my students reading and my husband scanned their books. This was a big hit with parents.

Even as a teacher, I would find extra moments to write. During my lunch breaks I would sneak over to the local Burger King. I wrote some of Earrings there.

2. What inspired you to write your first book?
Not finding enough multicultural heroes in fantasy novels. I was a bilingual teacher for a school district in LA County and found it odd that there weren’t many books, especially YA, that represented the population I taught.

3. How many books have you written?
Earrings of Ixtumea is my first novel. I’ve also written a YA paranormal, Crossed Out. Right now I’m working on Bullets of Truth, a contemporary YA that deals with bipolar disorder.

4. How do you decide on their topic?
The idea came to me to develop a world with Mexican mythology while I was teaching second language learners. I wanted to create a world that had some of the richness of my Mexican culture. Also I love Spanish dichos—similar to our own proverbs. I wove these throughout my story.

5. What works best to keep you focused and on track?
Getting up early each morning and just writing. It helps to have my own writing space. I have a large whiteboard where I sketch out my story paradigm. I divide my story into three acts. I also have character sketches in my room.

6. Do you write to make money or for the love of writing?
I write because I can’t silence the stories that run through my mind. I also love to write.

7. What are some traditional methods of marketing you have used to gain visibility for you and your book(s)?
I’ve purchased advertising spots with sites that are geared toward my market—teen girls.
My book is available through Amazon.
I have a live journal blog.
I belong to two professional organizations—SCBWI and EPIC.

8. What are some unique methods?
My current virtual book tour. I thought why should I wait to have my book published through a traditional publisher in order to have a book tour? Having my book on a virtual tour opens up a lot of possibilities that are limited by just the book store signings.

9. Where is your book available?
My book is available through my publisher’s website at www.virtualtales.com

10. Do you plan on writing additional books?
Yes. I plan on writing a sequel to Earrings. Right now I have a rough outline for books two and three.

This interview was done in conjunction with Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours – www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com.

About Earings of Ixtumea

Fourteen-year-old Lupe Hernandez dismisses the legend about her Mexican grandmother's magical earrings as a silly fairytale, despite recurring nightmares of human sacrifice. But then the earrings thrust her into the parallel world of Ixtumea...

Keep track of what you are doing

2007-08-18T07:48:00.000-07:00

I am reading the second draft of a book I am working on. Because I have been reading for a few hours, I decided to take a break from the manuscript and check emails. One that came through is actually one of my own messages (articles) people who download my eBook, The Truth about Making Money on the Internet, will receive at some point once they download the eBook.

I believe it's a good sign when you read one of your own articles or tips and think, "Hmmmm, that's great information."

I don't mean that in an egotistical way. Rather, I pride myself on providing relevant, valuable information to my readers. My objective is to cut through the fluff and give people solid information that will help them to understand the realities of running a business as well as using the Internet in their marketing. I don't believe in babying people or pretending there is no effort that goes into building a successful business. If I did that I would be doing them a great disservice.

Sadly, many people are looking for shortcuts in running a business that ultimately will lead to a dead end road of success. This is very prevalent with those trying to run a successful business using the Internet as part or all of their marketing mix.

The fact is, lots of people can find incredible success by running a business in which you use the Internet to do much of your marketing. However, it isn't going to happen overnight and without a focused approach.

The clients I work with seek to gain high trust with their market, name recognition, visibility and ultimately a connection with a core group of clients that appreciate their expertise.

After I read the article that came through into my own inbox, I am convinced the message in the article bears repeating.

Therefore, I have posted the article below. Feel free to share this full posting or the article below with your readers.

Your So Lucky
by Kathleen Gage

I'm writing this in the middle of the night. For some reason, I woke up at 3:00, couldn't go back to sleep, so decided to get up and check my emails.

One email was from someone who has been on my main database list for a few years; someone who has been receiving my information month after month for several years. She wrote to thank me for the quality of her purchase.

Her message was not unlike others I have received from readers who at some point signed up for one of my free items and then, after I had built name recognition and trust, decided it was a good idea to purchase something from me.

The message got me thinking about the number of times someone has bought a product from me and then shared they had been on my list for either a few months or a few years. It is more common nowadays for people to receive information for a period of time before they make the decision to buy. Not just from me, but from you too.

As a matter of fact, I just purchased another expert's product on a topic I have an extreme interest in. A topic designed to take my business to the next level. The product was not inexpensive. Not at all. Actually, it cost more than just about any other product I have ever purchased and more than most people would even consider spending. (I tell you this to make a very important point)

In thinking about what got me to the point of making my decision to buy this expert's product I realize that I have been on her list for a few years. I have received regular correspondence from her during that time. She has built name recognition, trust and credibility with me. (and not just me, all her readers).

Because she is consistent in how she markets, because she has her systems in place, and because she established a level of trust with me (the buyer), when it came time to buy a product on the topic she was selling, bingo, I made the purchase.

I am not telling you about my decision to buy the product to make small talk. I am telling you because it is a model of success I use; the expert I purchased information from uses; as does virtually every other successful online marketer I know.

Not only do online marketers use a system like this, successful businesses of every description do. In the last few days I have had conversations with more than one person about their frustration with not selling their products from their website. Their frustration stemmed from the fact they sent out one message, put a product up on their site to sell, or made a blog posting and the flood gates of sales didn't miraculously open up.

I've got news for anyone who thinks sales are going to happen with one contact with their market...IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN.

The fact is the process of selling online or driving sales to a consulting business or a brick and mortar business is just that, a process. Part of the process is keeping in touch. Before you can keep in touch, you need to build a database. Before you build a database you have to give people a reason to leave you their contact information whether it be with an Ezine, weekly tips, articles of interest, a report, a white paper or a teleseminar.

Once you have someone in your database you have to continually find ways to create value and trust. And believe me, that won't happen with one article, one tip, or one short message.

As I prepare to go back to sleep my question to you is this, "Are you establishing trust with your market? Are you constantly looking for ways to increase value for your market? Are you establishing yourself as an expert? Are you positioning yourself as a resource before you are a vendor?"

If yes, then you are among a small percentage of folks who "get it". If not, isn't it time to begin?

Something else occurred to me about the product I just purchased. It came neatly boxed and wrapped with a great welcome letter. Unlike the majority of people who buy products and then let them sit, I opened the information and have been delving into it for days now.

Not only will I read and listen to it once, I will read and listen to it several times with a notepad in hand. Is it because I am a slow learner I need to listen more than once? Not at all. It is because I am really smart when it comes to my investments. I want the greatest ROI - return on investment - I can get.

After I dissect the information, I will implement step-by-step what is recommended. The way I figure it is if this woman is making the kind of money she is making, then she must know something that can work for me. Sure, I could try shortcuts, I could eliminate steps or I could think to myself how interesting her information is without applying, but that won't get me the kind of revenue increase I am wanting.

Chances are there will be some people who buy this woman's information, read a bit of it, listen to one or two CDs and then go on to the next "magic bullet". There might be some who are tempted to say her information doesn't work. At that I have to laugh. It's not that her information doesn't work, it's that the information wasn't utilized.

Shoot, when someone is making over a million dollars a year with the very information they are teaching, then they are worth listening to, studying and modeling. A few years ago this same expert was barely able to pay her rent, but because she invested in herself and her business, learned from top experts, applied the information and put systems in place, she is now recognized as one of the most successful people in her field. Funny thing is, lots of people are now saying how lucky she is.

As my business continues to grow through the magic and power of the Internet, I smile when people tell me how lucky I am. I venture to say luck has very little to do with it. Systems, time, consistency and commitment are more a part of the mix than anything.

Kathleen Gage is an Internet Marketing Advisor for Speakers, Trainers, Authors, Consultants and Entrepreneurs. Access her eBook The Truth about Making Money on the Internet at http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/free-ebook.htm

(You are free to use this article in your ezine, trade journal, blog, or any other location as long as it is published in its entirety.)

Author's Corner - Presenting Judi Moreo!

2007-08-17T03:42:00.000-07:00

Today is the launch of a new feature on The Street Smarts Marketing and Promotions blog called Author's Corner. Every Friday you can read about a published author and find out what makes them tick. How did they get started writing? What motivates them? Do the write for the love of writing, money, or both? How do they market their works.

I am pleased to launch this exciting feature with author is Judi Moreo.

Judi doesn’t just talk about success…She Lives It! In 2003, the US Business Advisory Council named her “Nevada Business Person of the Year” and the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce awarded her company, Turning Point International, with a “Circle of Excellence” Award. In 1986, the Chamber also honored her as “Woman of Achievement – Entrepreneur.”

As an international business leader, Judi knows first hand what it takes to be successful…especially amidst political, social, and cultural differences. In 1991, she moved to South Africa and became an executive in South Africa’s most prestigious media group. Today, she lives in Las Vegas, Nevada and serves as President of Turning Point International, a performance improvement company with offices in Las Vegas and Johannesburg. Her client list reads like a Who’s Who of the World’s Most Prestigious Companies and Organizations.

Judi Moreo ia the author seven books including “You Are More Than Enough: Every Woman’s Guide to Purpose, Passion, and Power.

1. Tell us about yourself – where you are from, how you got started writing, what you do when you are not writing (or anything you want our readers to know)

I am originally from Houston, Texas, but I graduated high school in Humboldt, Kansas, and then moved to Las Vegas to attend Southern Nevada University, which is now UNLV. I started writing in high school as I was yearbook editor and the local newspaper offered me a job as a teen reporter. From then on, I had a desire to write. I am a professional speaker and have spoken in 26 countries to date. I love telling stories that make a point and help people.

2. What inspired you to write your first book?

My first book was written because I had the opportunity to do an Infomercial and sell my cosmetic products. The show producer said I would need a book, so I said, “No problem. I’ll have one by the time we do the show.” And I did.

3. How do you decide on a topic?

Whatever I am doing at the time seems to lead to “needs” and when I see a need, the book gets written. When my business partner and I were doing “Creativity” seminars, we couldn’t find any books that spoke to the particular need of our participants, so we approached a publisher with our idea and they gave us a contract for our book, “Conquer the Brain Drain: 52 Creative Ways to Pump Up Productivity. After doing a couple of years of Leadership Conferences for Women, there was a need for women to know how to find their purpose, passion and power, thus “You Are More Than Enough” was born.

4. What works best to keep you focused and on track?

A deadline.

5. Do you write to make money or for the love of writing?

Both. I love to write and I love to eat.

6. What are some traditional methods of marketing you have used to gain visibility for you and your book(s)?

I do book signings in book stores, get interviewed on radio shows and television talk shows. I mailed 125 books to magazines and newspaper reviewers.

7. What are some unique methods?

I do seminars and speeches and sell the book in the back of the room. I have also placed books in hospital and doctor waiting rooms.

8. Do you plan on writing additional books?
Most definitely!

Learn more about Judy Moreo and purchase a copy of her book at www.judimoreo.com

Until next time, live with passion and follow your dreams!

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

Coming soon to my blog - Interviews with published authors

2007-08-15T23:32:00.000-07:00

Lots of people would love to find out what it is really like to be a published author. Beginning on Friday, August 17th, I will be featuring an author every Friday.

Find out what they do to get inspired, how they come up with ideas for their books, what they do to market, if they make money at their writing or do it for fun, and much, much more.

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

FREE report on building web traffic

2007-08-15T06:37:00.000-07:00

The #1 Web Challenge for most people is getting more visitorsand increasing your conversion rate. The fact is, the moretargeted your visitor the more revenue you can make. It’s thatsimple.

And yet, many people have no clue how to do this.

Blog experts, Patsi Krakoff and Denise Wakeman, aka The BlogSquad, have written a an easy to read report entitled, The GreatInternet Challenge: How to Get Your Business Found on theInternet. Best of all, it’s FREE and takes less than ten minutes toread. Access here: http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=2066194

Do yourself a favor. Get the report. You will be glad you did.

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer

What you don't know about publishing a book can take you from dream to nightmare overnight!

2007-08-12T16:14:00.000-07:00

Almost every day I receive an inquiry from someone who has spent a small fortune getting their book published by a company that basically promises them the moon when it comes to the success of their book.

In the majority of cases, regardless of how you get your book to market; self publishing in the truest sense of the word; vanity publishers, or traditional publishers, the author will have to proactively market the book in order to sell copies.

My most recent inquiry came from a man who had a 56 page document published as a book by what appears to be a vanity publisher. The publishing company has a retail price of $19.95 on the book.

Needless to say, the author has had a difficult time selling the book to people who see it and those who buy it sight unseen are disappointed with the minimal number of pages.

Lots of people have the dream of becoming a published author yet, lack enough information to make the best choice for their particular publishing needs. Although there are numerous reputable publishing companies, there are many companies taking advantage of an aspiring author's dream and lack of knowledge.

The best thing a wanna be author can do is to learn as much as possible about your publishing options before you “sign on the dotted line”.

For the purpose of clarification here are some simple definitions (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia):

Self PublishingSelf-publishing is the publishing of books and other media by the author(s) of those work, rather than by established, third party publishers.

Vanity Press A vanity press or vanity publisher is a book printer which, while claiming to be a publisher charges writers a fee in return for publishing their books or otherwise makes most of its money from the author rather than from the public.

POD – Print on Demand
Print on demand or publish on demand (POD) is a printing technology in which a copy is not created until after an order is received.

The reality is, regardless of what avenue of publishing an author chooses, they will still have to be very proactive in the marketing of their book. Rarely is this not the case.

Many people are under the impression, or led to believe, the publisher will do the marketing for them. If a publisher provides such a service it is usually minimal at best. Perhaps a press release or two, listing on Amazon, a posting on a website, a simple website, etc. If a company does provide an effective marketing and promotions campaign, usually there is a hefty fee that is attached to it.

Many vanity presses make a big deal out of getting the author a listing on Amazon.com and offering a website as part of the publishing deal. The fact is in and of themselves, listings on Amazon.com and having a website, will do little if any good. The author must still market and will be well-served to drive traffic to those locations.

It’s like anything, no matter how good something is, if people don’t know about it, they can’t buy it. No matter how good a book is, how great the title, how big the market, without a very proactive approach to marketing, books do not sell. The marketing and promotions is an ongoing process and absolutely essential to the success of a book.

Personally, I am an advocate of self-publishing in the truest sense of the word. It means I oversee everything. This doesn’t mean I do all the actual work myself, rather, I hire it out.

Areas that you would hire out would be:

Cover design
Copy editing
Book layout
Some marketing
You can even hire out some or all of the writing.

I personally do all my own writing, but the other areas such as design, layout, and editing I contract to others.

The world of book selling has become incredibly competitive. In my experience, the best way to sell a book is have a very proactive online approach as well as selling through speaking engagements.

You can find some marketing ideas in my free recordings at http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/marketingaudios.htm

You can learn some extremely effective online marketing strategies with my eBook, The Truth About Making Money on the Internet at http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/free-ebook.htm

You can also get many of your questions answered by joining two excellent Yahoo Groups for self-published authors.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/publishingandpromoting/

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Self-Publishing

You post a question to the group and if people have an answer they will usually respond in a timely fashion.

I would highly recommend you get books on publishing, marketing books and self-publishing by the following authors.

Dan Poynter
John Kremer
Tom and Marilyn Ross

There is nothing to compare to see your book published. Yet, without the correct information your dream can quickly become a nightmare. Before making any decisions do your research. You will be glad you did.

Big BLOWOUT Sale!

2007-08-07T14:12:00.000-07:00

I am clearing out five of my most popular marketing products and am practically giving them away. I am making some major changes in what I will be offering in the coming months and you can greatly benefit from this change.

These are the very products that have helped people from around the globe gain massive visibility on the Internet, reach more of their market (often for free), increase revenues, and develop winning systems for their businesses.

You will have access to the very information that has been at the core of my business success. The information that allowed me to generate over $180,000 in backend sales from one event for one company I worked with. The information that allowed me to take not one, but several products to market with no out of pocket expense.
Find out more: http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/superblowoutsale.htm

With the information you will have access to you can find out how to market your business often for free. Learn hundreds of ways to market for little or no cost. Discover where you can gain lots of media exposure without leaving the comfort of your home or office.

When you get my Super Blowout Sale package deal you will also receive over $1,100 in great bonus gifts from experts around the globe.

I am running my Blowout Sale for a very short period of time. Once it's done, it's done. These products will not be available for sale from my website ever again. Besides, I can guarantee you won't find the quality of information anywhere for the low, low price you will pay. GUARANTEED!

If you're looking for ways to grow your business, increase revenues, gain massive visibility on the Internet and within your market, obtain insider information on how to be a featured guest on talk shows, create e-books, and much, much more then you need to read all about this great opportunity by clicking here: http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/superblowoutsale.htm

I am SO excited to tell you about my big sale! Please don't delay. This opportunity really won't last long. Before you know it I will take this offer off the table forever.

In success,
Kathleen GageThe Street Smarts Marketer

When can you trademark something?

2007-08-04T07:39:00.000-07:00

Every so often I have people ask me about what they can and cannot trademark. I found two excellent articles on the topic.

http://entrepreneurs.about.com/od/intellectualproperty/a/trademark101.htm

http://www.businessknowhow.com/QandA/phrasetm.htm

In success,

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/

Want to increase revenues? Then do this

2007-07-31T12:18:00.000-07:00

If you sell online and want to generate revenues here are a few recomendations:

1. Have a 50% off sale of damaged goods such as physical books, specialty items, training manuals, etc.

2. When you do an online promotional campaign, your sales will go up if you do a follow up message with FAQ's - Frequently asked questions that the buyers have regarding the purchase you are asking them to make. This is especially important in higher priced service offerings.

3. Offer a multi payment schedule for higher priced items.

4. Make your offer for a limited time and with a limited quantity.

5. Keep in touch after the purchase. This build trust between you and the buyer.

Blogging for the non blogger

2007-07-28T08:12:00.000-07:00

Recently I was asked a question by someone I am coaching on specifics of blogging. The following article is a result of answering those questions. You are welcome to use this article in your ezine, trade journal or on your website provided you keep it as is including the resource box at the end.

Blogging for the Non Blogger
By Kathleen Gage

If you are new to blogging chances are you may be unsure of what the best and most effective approach to gaining maximum benefit from time and effort invested. A primary goal for blogging should be to gain visibility, credibility and market reach for your efforts.

The following are some easy to apply strategies that will get you well on your way to becoming a competent blogger.

Determine Your Purpose
The first thing you need to do is determine what is the purpose of your blog. Are you blogging for fun or is this a viable part of your overall branding and marketing strategy?

Here are some common reasons for having a blog:

· Establish expert status
· Keep in touch with clients
· Reach a global market
· Blow off some steam
· Create your online personality

Blog Consistently
To be effective you need to blog on a fairly regular basis. Your postings can be short, but need to be relative to your purpose. Many bloggers post information from other sites as a way to keep their readers informed on a particular topic. Doing this makes your job pretty easy. Other than doing a few google searches for information and posting the information, there is not a lot for you to do.

The advantage to this is it’s fast and relatively easy. The disadvantage is you are not establishing your own expertise if this is the only type of posting you do.

Why not offer a bit of both?

Driving Visitors
There are a number of effective ways to get people to view your blog. One is to use key words relative to your market and industry. Whenever you post something you want to include those key words.

Next you can announce to your opt-in subscribers you have a blog and give them the blog address.

You can add your blog address to your sig (signature) file that you use at the end of your email messages.

Write articles specific to your market and industry. Add a resource box at the end of your article with a link back to your blog. If you areticle is of value there is a very good chance readers will visit your blog.

Post your articles in various online article directories to optimize exposure and reach. A quick google search with the words “article directory + your topic” will bring up various locations to submit your articles to.

One of the most popular is EzineArticles.com. To access go to www.ezinearticles.com

Subscribers to Your Blog
Make it easy for people to sign up for your blog. You can add in a simple form by visiting www.feedblitz.com and/or www.feedburner.com.

Utilize the power of RSS feeds. People can subscribe to the feed and receive updates as you add new content to your blog.

Keywords
Keywords are a way to improve your search engine ranking. Choosing the right words is extremely important. Keywords are what lead search engines to your blog.

Before you begin blogging think of the keywords you need to include specific to your market and industry. The more targeted your list the more effective your postings.
Analyze your business and your market. Think of any words that your readers might be search on to find you that relate to your company, industry, product or service.
For example my market uses words like:

Making money on the Internet
Internet marketing for authors
Internet marketing for speakers
Internet marketing for consultants
Self Publishing
Writing
Authorship

This is only a partial list. However, it is a very broad and general list. The more targeted I can be the more my ideal client will find me in a search.

The way to narrow your target words down is to use a keyword selector tool. A reliable selector tool will help you to narrow the search by indicating how often people search on specific word combinations.

Two resources you can check are WordTracker and Overture. To learn more go to:

http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/

and

http://www.wordtracker.com

WordTracker offers a free trial product. This is a great first step. Become familiar with the product before you decide to purchase it.

In Conclusion
Blogging can be a fun experience and it can create great opportunities when done correctly, consistently and conscientiously.

Kathleen Gage is an Internet Marketing Advisor for Speakers, Trainers, Authors, Consultants and Entrepreneurs. Access her eBook The Truth about Making Money on the Internet at http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/free-ebook.htm

For Self Published authors

2007-07-25T12:21:00.000-07:00

Lots of people want to self publish but don't know where to network with other self published authors.

Here are two yahoo groups that have lots of great folks who willingly share insights into the world of self publishing.

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Self-Publishing

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/publishingandpromoting/

My best
Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/

To Blog or Not to Blog? That is the Question!

2007-07-23T12:37:00.000-07:00

Do you have a blog? If you do, are you blogging on a regular basis? If yes, great. If not, I encourage you to do so as soon as possible.

If you need to begin a blog go to www.blogger.com to open an account. It is very, very easy to do and it’s free.

From there, I encourage you to get in the habit of blogging every few days. As you blog be sure to include key words that are specific to your market, industry and reader.

What is blogging? It is the act of writing in one's blog. To blog something is to write about something in one's blog.

Be sure to be very targeted in your blogging. For example, if you specialize in stress management, include words that address stress management challenges, problems and solutions.

If you specialize in wild flower gardens, include words like wild flowers in your blogging.

The more you can use targeted words the more your blog, you and ultimately your website will come up in the search engines.

At the end of a posting in your blog have a hyperlink back to your website. To see what I mean, visit my blog at http://www.kathleengage.blogspot.com Notice at the end of a posting I have a link back to my website or an offer.

Begin now to lay a solid foundation designed to reap you both visibility and monetary benefits.

In Success,

Kathleen

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

What Are People Saying About You Online?

2007-07-21T14:42:00.000-07:00

What Are People Saying About You Online?
By Kathleen Gage

Wonder what is being said about you on the Internet? Or if your articles are gaining visibility? What about any blogs your name might show up in?

It is a great idea to monitor your name and reputation online. You can do this for free by using a simple tool made available by Google. It is called Google Alerts.

It’s Easy
Signing up is very, very easy and takes only a couple minutes. Go to: www.google.com/alerts to begin the process.

What to Get an Alert On
You can get an alert on just about anything. Some uses of alerts are to:

Monitor a specific topic
Find out what is happening with a company you are working with
Keeping current on a competitor
Getting the latest and greatest on a celebrity person or sports team
Keep an eye on your name, book, blog, company or just about anything related to you or your business

Narrow the search
Whatever you are keeping an eye on put the information in quotation marks. For example, if I want to get an alert on my name I would input the request like this.

“kathleen gage”

This will narrow the search criteria. If I don’t narrow the search by adding the quotation marks, as in the case of my name, I will receive notices on alerts that have Kathleen in them and alerts that have Gage in them. Let’s say Kathleen Jones had something show up on the net, I may receive a notice on her. Or maybe Bob Gage has something on the Internet. I may also receive this information. All this does is clog my inbox.

The more narrow you desire the search to be the more you need to put the topic in quotation marks.

Frequency of Notification
Unless you don’t care about receiving lots of email notices it is recommended to set the delivery frequency to once a day or once a week.

Depending on what your search criteria includes and the frequency of how often the topic shows up, if you set the frequency to as-it-happens you may become overwhelmed with all the notices.

Type of notice
Under type you may want to choose comprehensive. This way, whenever something shows up based on your criteria, you get a notice.

If gaining visibility on the Internet is important to you take a few minutes to set up Google alerts for anything that you would like to monitor. This way you can see when and what is showing up that is of importance to you.

Kathleen Gage is an Internet Marketing Advisor for Speakers, Trainers, Authors, Consultants and Entrepreneurs. Access her eBook The Truth about Making Money on the Internet at http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/free-ebook.htm

For anyone who is interested in self publishing

2007-07-20T19:34:00.000-07:00

I just found a great posting of some resources for new publishers in one of my Yahoo Groups.

Dan Poynter's "The Self-Publishing Manual"

Fern Reiss' "The Publishing Game: Publish a Book in 30 Days"

Tom and Marilyn Ross' "The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing"

Pete Masterson's "Book Design and Production."

Enjoy

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/

5 Must-Knows to Develop Article Titles that Get Read

2007-07-20T15:44:00.000-07:00

I just got through writing another article about article writing. If you are not currently using article writing as part of your overall marketing stragegy, now is the time to begin.

Kathleen

5 Must-Knows to Develop Article Titles that Get Read
by Kathleen Gage

Does the title of an article determine whether or not the article gets read? In most cases, yes. Readers are drawn to an article (or not) based on how compelling the title is.

Think about your own reading habits - especially online. It is likely you skim over titles before deciding to spend time reading the entire piece.

Whether you receive something in your inbox, visit an article directory, or get a blog announcement, within seconds you make a decision whether to hit the delete button or read the article.

If you are using article marketing as part of your overall online marketing strategy it is essential your information be written in such a way as to establish your credibility and expert status. An aspect of establishing your credibility is to catch the reader’s attention. To do this you must have an appealing title.
1. Intrigue the Reader Titles need to intrigue the reader and convey some type of benefit. The following words in a title have proven to be very effective.
- Secrets to …
- How to …
- What if…
Think of titles that have caught your attention. What about them did so? Experiment with various types of words to draw readers in.
2. Use SubtitlesAdding a subtitle enhances the power of the title. For example:
How To Train Your Boxer Dog What you need to know to have a well-behaved companion
3. Make it Hot and Timely One of the most effective strategies for developing titles that draw readers in is to write on topics that are hot and timely. Keep current with what is going on with your market and industry in order to be viewed as leading edge. If your titles are outdated, chances are people will view your information as outdated.
4. Time is of the Essence
Writing a catchy article helps to retain the attention of your reader. You only have a few seconds to this. What your readers see first is your article title.

5. Discover What Readers Want A great way to find out what people are interested in is to visit forums and find out what people are inquiring about and talking about. This will help you to craft catchy titles guaranteed to be read.

Regardless of what your article is about your title is what will get people to read it. Take time to develop a title that appeals, entices and intrigues.
Kathleen Gage is an Internet Marketing Advisor for Speakers, Trainers, Authors, Consultants and Entrepreneurs. Access her eBook The Truth about Making Money on the Internet at http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/free-ebook.htm

Article Writing to Optimize Your Online Visibility

2007-07-19T04:12:00.000-07:00

Article Writing to Optimize Your Online Visibility
By Kathleen Gage

Many people are trying to get in on the “writing and distributing articles online” bandwagon. Although an incredibly effective online marketing strategy, when done incorrectly it can be a complete waste of time.

I have been advocating article writing and distribution for years. I have built incredible online visibility because of it. And….I have made more money than most from my strategic use of articles as part of my overall online marketing strategy.

When I work with clients, whether it be one-on-one or in my group mentoring courses, I teach people about the effectiveness of using articles to reach your market. However, many people think there is only one aspect to the process. Notice I just said process. The reason I use this word is because article marketing is a process. It takes more than simply writing and distributing articles to create a successful outcome for your efforts.

Before you begin you need to consider the following:

Who are you writing for?
What do they want to know?
Why do they want to know this?
How will you help them solve their problem?
What makes your information different than anyone else who claims to be an expert on the topic?

By answering the above questions you are in more of a position to effectively reach those people who are interested in reading your information.

Here’s an example of a good answer for the first question. When I ask myself who I am writing for the answer is simple. Speakers, trainers, authors, consultants and entrepreneurs who want to gain visibility on the Internet by optimizing their marketing dollars.

From there, I must clearly answer the other four questions. By doing this I am more likely to write articles specific to my market; speakers, trainers, authors, consultants and entrepreneurs who want to gain visibility on the Internet by optimizing their marketing dollars.

Take time upfront to think through why you are writing articles, for whom you are writing and what problem you are helping them solve. You will gain a greater result in your online marketing efforts by doing so.

Kathleen Gage is an Internet Marketing Advisor for Speakers, Trainers, Authors, Consultants and Entrepreneurs. Access her eBook The Truth about Making Money on the Internet at http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/free-ebook.htm

Great resource for Boomer Women

2007-07-14T03:57:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a great place to network with other boomer age women - both personally and professionally - check out

http://www.nabbw.com/ National Association of Baby Boomer Women and Boomer Women Speak

Founder, Dotsie Bregel, is an incredible resource for just about anything you might be looking for specific to this market.

Join me in the forums at www.boomerwomenspeak.com and learn how wise, warm and witty women are connecting, encouraging and supporting one another every day.

I have been a member of NABBW for quite some time and find it to be an incredible resource.

When you join, tell 'em Kathleen Gage referred you.

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

Women's Writer and Publisher Conference just around the corner

2007-07-13T21:31:00.000-07:00

If you are a writer, or an aspiring writer, you are invited tojoin in on a one of a kind event with leading experts from theworld of writing, publishing, literary agencies, and muchmore. Join experts like Dan Poynter, Linda & Allen Anderson, JoCondrill, and more.

To learn more and register go to http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/womenwriting.htm

In success,Kathleen GageThe Street Smarts Marketer

Is MySpace (and other social networks) worth while?

2007-07-13T07:15:00.000-07:00

There is lots of discussion going on about the value of utilizing social networks in one's marketing. Can you really benefit from connecting with others or is it a waste of time?

Permit me to share my experience. Over the last few months I have connected with web radio hosts, Joint Venture partners and potential affiliates.

I have also found some of the time to be completely wasted by people who are only looking to sell me something before they even create value for their products and services.

The fact remains, anything we do can be a complete waste of time or it can be highly effective. The key is to know why we are doing what we are doing, allocating a specific amount of time to the process, and evaluating the ROI - return on investment of time, money and energy.

If you would like to view my MySpace page and invite me to be in your network, go to myspace.com/kathleengage

In success,

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

Are you stuck on what to write?

2007-07-10T11:28:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for topics to write about for your ezine, eBooks, a book, articles, or a blog consider the following:

Your interests
Your passions
Areas of expertise
Topics people come to you about
What would you enjoy learning about?

Another way to develop topics is to create a solution statement. In other words what do your customers want solutions to?

An example for a weekend gardner would be:

What is the best fertilizer to use?
How do I prepare the ground for planting?
What are some hardy plants I can use in my region?

Keep a notepad handy to capture you thoughts.

In success

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

Word of Mouth Advertising is By Far the Most Powerful

2007-07-10T07:58:00.000-07:00

Although Internet Marketing is a great way to get the word out about your products, services and business word of mouth marketing still remains the best marketing tool for countless businessess and industries.

You can have the slickest website, most systemized marketing campaign, great design for your direct mail pieces, yet, if you don't deliver above and beyond your customer's expectations, you can be losing untold amounts of money in lost sales, lost leads and overall "damage control."

Think about your decisions to do business with someone. How often do you at least check out a vendor based on the recommendation of someone else? And how often have you gotten business because someone recommended you? And how often have you told others when you have either had a great experience? On the flip side, how often have you been more than willing to let others know when you have had a bad experience.

Before you invest in all the bells and whistles, make sure your systems are in place to be the best that you can be.

Access my eBook - 101 No Cost and Low Cost Ways to Market A Product, Service or Business - only 99 cents through eBaby. Go to

http://cgi.ebay.com/Internet-marketing-and-marketing-by-Kathleen-Gage_W0QQitemZ190129514035QQihZ009QQcategoryZ47103QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

May need to cut and paste the URL.

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer

Look how one retailer is using the Internet

2007-07-03T16:39:00.000-07:00

Just Bears and Stuff is using yet another tool of marketing on (and with) the Internet. eBay.

Owner, Patricia Twitchell, has found this to be a viable option for many of her buyers. eBay buyers are very dedicated to process of utilizing this resource for many of their purchases.

To see how Patricia has set up her store go to http://stores.ebay.com/bearwatch-aka-Just-Bears-and-Stuff

You may want to consider eBay to increase your market reach.

To your continued success,

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

July Street Smarts Ezine is ready

2007-07-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

What an amazing month June has been. As we move into July lots of incredible things are happening for virtually everyone I talk with.

The hot topic these days in many circles is The Law of Attraction and The Secret. Find out how one champion who never heard of either is naturally applying both to his life to be the champ he is. What you read may surprise you.

http://www.turningpointpresents.com/newsletters/enewsjuly2007.htm

In this month's issue you will also learn how people like James Ray, Ali Brown aka The Ezine Queen and other top success experts have made themselves available to teach you their powerful strategies for manifesting incredible success.

Want to know how to build a database that makes you money while you sleep? Check out my Marketing Tip in this month's issue.

http://www.turningpointpresents.com/newsletters/enewsjuly2007.htm

Have a great month and live with passion!

Kathleen Gage The Street Smarts Marketer

Write, Publish and Market a Book recording is ready

2007-06-30T04:25:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I hosted a teleseminar called, How to Write, Publish and Market a Book with No Out of Pocket Expense. The response was incredible. There were so many people registered, some people were unable to get on the call.

For that reason, we recorded the call. You can access the Podcast at http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/write%20a%20book.htm

The feedback from folks on the call has been incredible. Some say it is the best information they have found.

Enjoy

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer

What do the "experts" believe about article distribution

2007-06-26T23:21:00.000-07:00

I just got through reading some information from one of the top Internet Marketers around. She is someone who is incredibly successful on the Internet and I pay a lot of money for her information. Thus, I pay very, very close attention to what she says and recommends.

She wrote about increasing your visibility and opt in subscribers. One of her top recommendations to increase visibility, credibility and opt in subscriber numbers is to write and distribute articles online.

Hmmm, this is something I have been preaching (and doing) for years.

Have you made it a regular practice to write and submit articles online. If yes, congratulations. You are likely realizing huge results from doing this. (As long as your website is optimized to collect names and email addresses)

If not, why not? Aren't you looking for cost effective ways to increase your presence on the Internet? One of the best ways is to get your writings in as many places as possible.

If you have the time, you can write and distribute the articles yourself. If you don't have the time and it proves more time and cost effective, hire a VA - virtual assistant to do the detail work for you.

Whatever method you choose, as Nike says, "Just do it!"

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

A 14-Year-Old Champs Winning Formula for Success is No “Secret”

2007-06-22T12:17:00.000-07:00

“I see myself cross the finish line before I ever step foot on the racetrack. That’s why I keep winning.”

A line out of a current bestselling book? A quote from a famous athlete? A sound bite from a favorite movie? Not at all. It’s a quote from 14-year-old Shane “Go Go” McGoey. Although fairly new to the sport of motorcycle road racing, Shane is leaving his mark on literally every track he races on, surprising even the most seasoned racers. From his first race he has placed first the majority of times.

I was curious how this shy 14-year-old was able to consistently outrace the competition and become quickly recognized as a champ on the racetrack. His answer is simple:

“Well, I guess it’s the only choice I have. Why would I not win?”

The most amazing thing about “Go Go” McGoey is that he isn’t yet able to ride on the streets due to his age; he is already outracing extremely seasoned riders, he can’t go pro until he is 16; and he racing with stock equipment while racers who have high-end sponsors are using state of the art equipment.

When you delve into the mind of a champion, you will quickly realize that there is a formula for success. One that many people try to bypass and then wonder why they are not achieving all they could.

Currently many people subscribe to beliefs of visualization based on what they are reading in books like The Secret. Some readers may feel as if they have come across the Holy Grail of success, but this information has been around for centuries. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”

Although I am an avid reader of books like The Secret, I know there is more to the process of success than simply visualizing what you want. Many people want to believe the philosophies presented in these books but still struggle with success. On the other hand, there are others who subscribe to the beliefs of The Secret in spite of never reading such books; people like Shane McGoey.

You might be wondering why I would write about a 14-year-old road racer in a business column. There are a few reasons.

“Go Go” McGoey’s thought processes are those of a true champion. In order to succeed in business you have to think like a champ. A champion doesn’t entertain thoughts of failure, only thoughts of winning. There is no option but to succeed. And they are willing to do what it takes to achieve this.

When not on the track, Shane’s actions are consistent with winning such as running, biking, eating right, reading the latest information on his sport and hanging out with other winners. To win in business you have to do more than visualize what you want. You have to prepare, read books, network and “hang out” with other successful professionals.

Shane has heard countless times how lucky he is to win. When he hears this he simply shrugs his shoulders. As with his racing, winning in business often has very little to do with luck. It is about preparation, commitment, vision and risk taking.

Shane began riding when he was six years old and began racing when he was ten. His first mini bike was built from scratch with a 125 cc lawnmower engine in it. Shane started where he was, with what was available, never wavering from his dream.

When Shane needed money for a new tire, fender or pair of gloves, he didn’t let the fact he didn’t have money stop him. He put together a plan that included what he needed, who might be willing to sponsor him and what a sponsor would get in return. Keep in mind Shane is a shy young man who would rather race than talk to people. Yet finding sponsors and risking rejection was a means to an end. How many people can say they have the same level of commitment to their dream?

How do I know all this about Shane? One, my company is one of his sponsors. Two, he is my nephew. Three, he is someone I can admire for his drive, determination and persistence. The next time you think all you have to do is visualize what you want, think of “Go Go” McGoey and take the necessary actions to make your dreams come true.

Kathleen Gage is a bestselling author, inspirational and business keynote speaker and mentor to speakers, trainers, authors and consultants. Visit www.kathleengage.com to learn more. To learn more about Shane “Go-Go” McGoey and sponsorship opportunities visit www.shanemcgoey.com

Write, Publish and Market Your Book Teleseminar

2007-06-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

Are you one of the 85% of the population who dreams of having your book published, but don't know where or how to begin?

Join me for How to Write, Publish and Market a Book with No Out of Pocket Expense FREE Teleconference Thursday , June 28th 20076 - 7 p.m. PDT for a FREE Teleconference

http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/fastrackteleseminar_book.htm

Very limited seating and I am already filling up.

My best

Kathleen Gage

2 weeks and counting

2007-05-03T19:51:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe it has been over two weeks since I have blogged. Business is booming and I have been doing some traveling. I just returned from a wonderful trip to Wichita, Kansas where I was the closing speaker for a conference.

I will be adding more information to this blog in the near future designed to help you with your online marketing. There is so much going on that I have lots to share.

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketing Speaker and Author

Develop Money Making Systems for Your Business

2007-04-14T04:46:00.000-07:00

Do you want to know How to Develop Money Making Systems for Your Business?

Join bestselling author, award winning speaker and entrepreneur, Lori Giovannoni and me for two hours that can change your business forever.

In this information packed session you will learn:

-A proven system for making between $5,000 - $10,000 by hosting a FREE teleseminar

-How to build a highly responsive, revenue generating opt-in subscriber list without spending a dime

-How to communicate with your clients, the media and the general public to create revenue generating opportunities.

-How to gain expert status within your target market

-And much, much more!

Seating is very limited so sign up now! We are almost full and will stop registrations when we reach capacity.

http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/slc.htm

Grab you spot now.
My bestKathleen Gage

Deal or No Deal

2007-03-25T04:57:00.000-07:00

My good friend, Lorraine Cohen, put Deal or No Deal into a very clear perspective. The following article brings up some great points.

Deal or No Deal
by Lorraine Cohen

Have you seen this show on TV? This is the premise: Contestants (players) come on the show with the hope of winning one million dollars. Twenty-six gorgeous women hold metal cases, labeled 1-26, that contain different written $ amounts of money starting with a penny up to one million dollars.

The show begins with the contestant picking one case to hold on the side that contains (what they hope is) is the one million dollars. The intent of the show is for the player to pick case numbers to be opened without picking cases that have high $ amounts, especially the one million! Once the case is opened, whatever amount is revealed can no longer be won. So, to win the million, you must pick cases that reveal lesser amounts.

After each series of cases are opened, the contestant is offered a certain amount of money to stop playing. The amount offered is determined by the player's ability to keep the highest $ amounts unrevealed. If the contestant accepts the offer (Deal), they take the money and go home. If they refuse (No Deal) they must keep picking case numbers in the hopes of winning as much money as possible. They are also hoping that the case they picked to hold on the side has the million!

I caught part of the show last night. The contestant was a man I'll call Bill. He was doing great. After calling out 20 numbers, he was offered $218,000.00 to stop playing. The higher amounts were still hidden in the unopened cases. Now, remember, this is a game of risk and luck. At any time, should he open any of the higher amounts, the $ offers start to go down.

Well, the audience was wild. Bill's support team was yelling for him to continue and his sister was screaming, "Take the Deal!" Did I mention this show has gotten high ratings? He turned it down and continued playing. Guess what happened? The next case was the one million dollars. After that, it just got worse. I missed what he left with - probably just a few dollars.

Some judgments you might make about Bill:

¨ He was swept away by $$$$ and got too greedy.

¨ He shouldn't have become overconfident and cocky.

¨ He was overly influenced by his friend's encouragement and the audience's cheering.

¨ He was nuts to pass on the offer of $218,000.00.

¨ He got what he deserved.

In his shoes, what would you have done? Each day you are faced with many decisions.

1. How often do you override your instincts and ignore what you feel is best for you?

2. How much power do you give to others to influence you about what you think, feel, and do?

3. Are the choices you make moving you towards what you desire or away?

4. Do you become overconfident and cocky so that you miss or blow opportunities?

5. Are you able to recognize when it's time to move on and let go? Or, do you overstay in a situation that becomes very costly to you and your dreams.

You're the creator of your life. What kind of deals are you making to have what you want?

Comments? Bring 'em on?

Lorraine Cohen, President of Powerfull Living, brings more than 25 years experience in personal and business coaching, psychological counseling, and sales to over 2,000 business owners, entrepreneurs, and executives to have greater career success and personal happiness in their life. Visit www.powerfull-living.biz to learn more about Lorraine’s services, success products, and programs. Sign up for her monthly ezine, free fear ecourse and blog.

Time passes quickly

2007-03-24T15:32:00.000-07:00

Wow! I can't believe it has been two weeks since I have left an update or tip. I have been extremely busy with several teleseminars, a new mentoring course with my business associate, rolling out my next mentoring course, and a live event taking place in Salt Lake City in early May.

If you are going to be in Salt Lake City on May 1st, plan to attend.

http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/slcevent.htm

My best
Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketing Speaker and Author

Great resources from The Publicity Hound

2007-03-08T14:41:00.000-08:00

Wondering how to write a good press release. Well, wonder no more. Joan Stewark aka The Publicity Hound has a free resource for you

“89 Ways to Write Powerful Press Releases.” http://www.PublicityHound.com/pressreleasetips/art.htm

It features a wide variety of good and bad press releases examples, including press releases for authors.

Anything Joan does is great so do yourself a favor and sign up.

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketing Speaker and Author
http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

Can you really promote a book with a blog?

2007-03-06T12:50:00.000-08:00

32,000 Readers and a 2-Book Deal:One man did it and shares all!

How to Launch and Profit froma Viral Blogging Campaign

Join The BlogSquad as they interview the man that made it happen!

Date: Tuesday, March 6, 2007, 8:00 p.m. ET

http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/Blogsquad.htm

Forget all the hype! You have to work at this!

2007-02-28T09:11:00.000-08:00

There are primarily two types of people who read my books, attend my seminars and listen to my Podcasts; those who are using (or will be using) the Internet in your overall marketing and those who are (or want to be) to making money exclusively from the Internet.

The information I provide is a great fit for both. However, the people who are going to really succeed at this are the ones who clearly understand that they must be visible to their market. Not only that, they are very clear on the fact they have to build credibility and position their expertise; constantly.

You do this through consistency. Develop a plan of action of how often you will implement something in your marketing and promotions. The more consistent you are the better your results. Don’t fall into the trap of believing you can do something once and then rake in oodles of money. Making money with or on the Internet must be treated as a part of your overall business plan.

Maybe it's the moon; maybe it's the fact that it is snowing in Eugene, Oregon for the 3 time this season in an area that normally doesn't get snow; maybe it's the fact that my old cat is very sick; or maybe it's the fact that I see people buying into the belief that they can do one or two things and make lots of money on or with the Internet.

It just doesn't work this way.

How it works is there are a number of ingredients that must be applied. Leave out one of the ingredients and you likely will miss the mark.

Here are some of the ingredients:

Building a responsive opt-in database
Writing and distribution of articles
A well position resource box
An optimized website
A blog
Blogging on a regular basis
Keeping in touch with your readers with high value information at a frequency that is consistent with their needs.

You can't expect that people will sign up for something from your website and without any further effort on your part, jump in to make a purchase. With many markets, it doesn't work like that.

People have to feel they can trust you. They have to feel you will deliver above and beyond. And they have to know they are making a good investment when they purchase something from you no matter what the price.

Can you make money with and on the Internet? By all means. And lots of it.

Can you do it with very little effort? Although I read these kind of claims all the time, I have yet to meet someone who is the real deal who will tell you they got where they got without real time, effort and money involved.

Simple as that.

Okay, the snow has cleared, my cat is feeling better, the moon has disappeared and I have written what I set out to write. My thoughts on Getting Rich Quick on the Internet. Give up that notion, put your plan in place, build name recognition in your market, create incredible value, and keep in touch.

Then you can smile all the way to the bank!

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketing Speaker and Author
http://www.streetsmartsmarketincg.com

Raising funds for two worthy charities

2007-02-27T07:21:00.000-08:00

Through the end of March 2007, my co-author and I are raising funds for two very worthy causes.

Every book sale that goes through Amazon.com for The Law of Achievement will be donated to the causes.

Check it out.
http://lawofachievement.com/special1.htm

Will you help us out with this?

Kathleen Gage

5 Top Reasons I blog

2007-02-24T04:26:00.000-08:00

A couple of days ago, Patsi and Denise aka The BlogSquad tagged me with the challenge post the top 5 reasons I blog. Always one to love a good challenge :-) here are the reasons.

1. I love to write.
2. There are no restrictions on what I can write
3. I can reach a global market through my blog
4. It increases my search engine position
5. I can blog any time of the day or night

Being an overachiever (or maybe I am just compulsive) here are a few more reasons.

6. Keeps me in the habit of writing.
7. It is a great way to distribute my articles
8. Over a period of time the articles become a chapter to a book.
9. Over a period of time the chapters become a book.
10. I can promote a seminar about how to blog to write a book.
11. I can go off on tangents if I want.
12. It’s fun

So there you have it. A few of my favorite reasons to blog.

By the way, if you want to check out what Patsi and Denise are up to, go to http://www.blogsquad.biz/

A book worth reading

2007-02-21T04:08:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine will soon be releasing her newest book, What STOPS You From Having The BODY YOU WANT?

I had the opportunity to read the manuscript and I have to say, this book is perfect if you are ready, once and for all, to get in shape, have lots of energy, feel good and look better than you have in a long time.

This book is perfect for anyone who spends long hours working at the computer day in and day out.

Darlene has put together a very nice presale opportunity. For only $20 you can get her book upon release and some nice bonus gifts.

http://www.whatstopsyou.com/Body-Book-Entry.html

I so enjoyed what I read; I was one of the first to put in my order for the book. I want to have the book at my fingertips for easy access. If you have thought of getting in shape, but something keeps stopping you, now is the time to quit procrastinating.

What STOPS You From Having The BODY YOU WANT?
Overcome Self-Sabotage
Visualize the Body You Want: See It, Feel It, Believe It, Do It!
By Darlene Braden

Darlene is an expert in the field of fitness and is also a hypnotherapist. She has combined her fitness expertise AND her knowledge of the unconscious mind to bring you a NEW and UNIQUE angle on weight loss and health. You will lose the weight you want and get in shape more easily than you thought possible.

This is a presale opportunity combined with three really nice bonus gifts.

http://www.whatstopsyou.com/Body-Book-Entry.html

For years Darlene has observed, studied, practiced and researched what makes a fit body:

-What does it take?
-Are diet and exercise all that it takes?
-How do thinking patterns and beliefs contribute to holding or releasing weight?

How many times have you set a goal to LOSE WEIGHT or get in shape and did not achieve your goal?
How would the body you want assist you in reaching your other goals in the areas of relationships, financial and emotional goals?

You can find the answers to these questions and more in this newest edition from Darlene’s What STOPS You? series.

http://www.whatstopsyou.com/Body-Book-Entry.html

Discover possibilities about your body, set realistic goals and have the body YOU want NOW!

What STOPS You From Having The BODY YOU WANT? will show you how to:

-Break fr.ee from limiting beliefs about your body.
-Learn the correct way to eat and exercise.
-Learn health tips you have never thought of before.
-Find inner reasons why you to deserve to be beautiful.
-Know that you are worth it.
-Believe you CAN reach your goals regardless of your past eating patterns, age or current health.
-Realize your “Why” to have a strong and functioning body.
-Learn to take NATURAL actions and achieve your goals.

345 content rich pages that include information about eating and exercise and then SPECIFICS on HOW to understand where you have been STOPPED in your ability to lose and maintain your weight.

What is it that YOU WANT?

-Compete in a weightlifting competition?
-To fit into your jeans?
-Look good at your class reunion?
-To be able to hike with your kids?
-Be active with your grandkids?

This book is for men and women of every age who want to make changes from 5 to 200 lbs; for those who want a healthy attitude about their body and to know what is possible.

http://www.whatstopsyou.com/Body-Book-Entry.html

Free gift links will be active until the first book comes off the printing press. Enjoy!

Kathleen Gage

A great interview with The Blogsquad

2007-02-17T06:50:00.000-08:00

It has been a few days since I have added anything to my blog. What a whirlwind of activity. A few days ago I had a wonderful time with Patsi and Denise - The Blog Squad. Check out the interview at

http://www.bloggingandbeyond.com/2007/02/attract_sell_pr_1.html

Attract, Sell, Profit: You need a foundation first
Blogging and Beyond: Episode 6 Attract, Sell, Profit!

My newest eProduct release is selling like hotcakes. It's amazing. Internet Radio is a very HOT thing right now. If you want to find out more about The Directory of Internet Radio Shows check out http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/radiointernet.htm

Last week I finished up my eight week mentoring course entitled, How to Make Money With the Internet. What an absolutely great group of folks I had in this session. I will be posting some of their success stories in my blog in the very near future so be looking for that.

There's so much going on over the next few months. One is, I will be doing a live event in Salt Lake City in a couple months. More to follow on that.

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketing Speaker and Author

A radio interview not to be missed!

2007-02-13T04:21:00.000-08:00

Help raise $1,000 to bring fresh drinking water to children!

2007-02-11T10:19:00.000-08:00

Recently I saw a television show about a very unique program that provides fresh water to school age children in rural Mozambican.

The program is called PlayPumps. PlayPumps International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to help improve the lives of children and their families by providing easy access to clean drinking water, enhancing public health, and offering play equipment to millions across Africa.

Something about the project touched my heart. So much in fact that I have not been able to let go of an idea that came to me while watching the program.

I am donating the sale of 200 copies of my book, The Law of Achievement, when purchased from Amazon.com, to PlayPumps, International. The purchase must be made within the next 48 hours. My co-author, Lori Giovannoni is 100% behind this fundraiser.

What I am asking you to do is to buy a book during the next 48 hours, which will in turn be your opportunity to contribute to this worthy cause.

http://www.lawofachievement.com/special1.htm

The books sales will also generate a dollar from every book for a program called the Reading Rally a signature program for Executive Women International. The Reading Rally is designed to bring the gift of reading to children.

So in essence, when you are one of the first 200 people to buy The Law of Achievement from Sunday, February 11, 2007 through Tuesday, February 13, 2007, your purchase will help to bring fresh water to hundreds of children and help a worthwhile children’s literacy program.

Upon me receiving payment from Amazon.com for the books, a check will be sent directly to the PlayPumps project and The Reading Rally.

So you know how much is being donated, I will post the final numbers on my blog and the website when we have them. Please note, Amazon.com does take 55% of all sales. So each book purchase will generate about $6.50 that we will be able to donate.

Please note, we are keeping nothing from the sale of these 200 books. 100% of all proceeds (other than Amazon.com fees) will be donated including publishing costs.

Here is the link to the order page. http://www.lawofachievement.com/special1.htm

Consider that:

$36 - Helps a family get the water it needs for good health and hygiene.
$60 - Can provide ten people with access to clean water for up to ten years.
$300 - Can give a classroom of children playground equipment and clean water for drinking and handwashing.
$14,000 - Sponsors a complete PlayPump™ water system for a community in Africa. A single system can bring the benefits of clean drinking water to up to 2,500 people..

Thank you for your support.

Kathleen Gage

The media release for my newest product

2007-02-09T17:19:00.000-08:00

I am very excited about the release of my most recent product, The Directory of Resources for Internet Radio Shows. Thought you might enjoy reading the media release. Feel free to pass this on to anyone in the media you know.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kathleen Gage
541.654.0426

Directory of Resources for Internet Radio Shows™ just released by Internet Marketing Expert Kathleen Gage

February 9, 2007 – Eugene, OR – Kathleen Gage announced the release of her newest eProduct in her popular - Streets Smarts Marketing and Promotions Series™. The Directory of Resources for Internet Radio Shows is a resource that appeals to anyone seeking more market reach while keeping marketing costs down. The directory is filled with over 100 hosts and shows anxiously seeking guests, experts and specialists.

With Internet Radio fast becoming one of the most effective, no-cost ways to build visibility, credibility and market reach, Gage’s newest release is extremely timely.
"Over the last year, the power of Internet Radio has skyrocketed, with well over 19 million listen to Internet radio each week, according to research firms Arbitron Inc. and Edison Media Research. Projected increases in the coming year are in excess of 25 %," comments Lillian Cauldwell, CEO/President, Passionate Internet Voices Talk Radio, http://www.internetvoicesradio.com.

Leading experts considered The Directory of Resources for Internet Radio Shows a must-have for effective marketing.

“If you want to get known as an expert in your industry then you need exposure. Internet radio is an excellent way to reach millions of prospects. Kathleen Gage has put together an amazing directory of over 100 Internet radio shows.” Denise Wakeman, The Blog Squad, www.BlogSquad.biz

Visit http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/radiointernet.htm to learn more about The Directory of Resources for Internet Radio Shows.

Kathleen Gage, CEO and founder of Turning Point, Inc. and Maxwell Publishing is a bestselling author; an internationally recognized Internet marketing and publicity expert; and an award-winning keynote speaker.

Kathleen Gage is a highly results oriented business advisor who works with speakers, trainers, consultants, entrepreneurs and authors. Her unique Street Smarts Marketing Series™ programs are designed to help her clients achieve the business results they desire in the most efficient, cost-effective way possible. Visit http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com for further information.
-end-

4 exciting sessions

2007-02-07T20:19:00.000-08:00

I have an exciting invitation to extend to you. This month, I am going to be participating in a series of TeleSeminars hosted by the Shared Vision Network, an organization that offers a wealth of resources and networking opportunities for entrepreneurs and businesspeople. The best part? As my special guest, you will be able to access this seminar at no cost. Just click on one of the links below to secure your spot, and on the registration page, enter your name in the box that says SVN Members-Subscribers. The calls will be held on February 7, 14, 21 and 28.

The info to access these calls is below, but if you click on this registration link and register, you’ll receive reminders about the calls and other information that may be offered:

http://www.sharedvisionnetwork.com/Public/Events/Tele-Classes/index.cfm?semID=3165&view=1&requesttimeout=600

When you register, only fill in the top box on the first registration page before going to the next page. The continue as directed.

Tuesday, February 7:

Dr. John DeMartini - "Secrets to Financial Mastery"
4:00 pm PT (5pm MT, 6pm CT, 7pm ET)
Call-in Number: (641) 793 7500
PIN: 250846#

Do you have more month at the end of your money than money at the end of the month? Are you doing what you love to do and being handsomely rewarded for it financially? Would you like to create a greater emotional stability when dealing with your finances?

Welcome to the World of Greater Profits and Heavenly Riches!
If you apply the principles and methodologies that Dr. DeMartini teaches, your relationship with and ability to master your spiritual wealth and material finances, as well as other vital areas of your life, will undergo an amazing transformation.

Building wealth that endures beyond a lifetime is an exact science. Dr. DeMartini will demonstrate how the laws of physics and the history of human civilization leave a blueprint for success and freedom.

You will:

· Learn how to accumulate money.
· Learn how to achieve a smooth and sure cash flow.
· Learn how to create wealth more effortlessly.
· Learn how to transform disadvantages into blooming opportunities.
· Lear how to breakthrough financial barriers and expand your vision.
· Learn how to apply strategies to save you money.

Dr. John F. Demartini is an international professional speaker, author and business consultant whose clients range from Wall Street financiers, financial planners and corporate executives to healthcare professionals, actors and sports personalities. His inspiring and informative presentations combine entertaining “real life” stories with transformational wisdom and insights. A former honors student, Dr. Demartini has dedicated 31 years of research to the principles of maximizing human potential and the well being of individuals and organizations.

http://www.sharedvisionnetwork.com/Public/Events/Tele-Classes/index.cfm?semID=3165&view=1&requesttimeout=600

When you register, only fill in the top box on the first registration page before going to the next page. The continue as directed.

Wednesday, February 14:

Kathleen Gage – “Secrets to Making Money with the Internet”
4:00 pm PT (5pm MT, 6pm CT, 7pm ET)
Call-in Number: (641) 793 7500
PIN: 250846#
Learn easy to apply, proven strategies on how to how to use the Internet to make money in your business from me, Kathleen Gage, best-selling author and marketing expert.
This teleconference is ideal for Entrepreneurs, Professional Speakers, Authors and Consultants.
What You'll Learn:
· Discover how to drive highly qualified traffic to your website
· Find out how to turn visitors into paying customers
· Learn strategies to instantly become known as an expert in your market
· Discover 3 surefire no-cost ways to market on the Net
· Understand the incredible power and profit from high visibility on the Internet
You won’t want to miss this!
http://www.sharedvisionnetwork.com/Public/Events/Tele-Classes/index.cfm?semID=3165&view=1&requesttimeout=600

When you register, only fill in the top box on the first registration page before going to the next page. The continue as directed.

Wednesday, February 21:

Janet Switzer – “How to Gain Riches in Other People’s Niches”
4:00 pm PT (5pm MT, 6pm CT, 7pm ET)
Call-in Number: (641) 793 7500
PIN: 250846#
Learn the secrets of marketing the fruits of other peoples' labor and expertise...in the process gaining 15-50% of the gross revenue. Enjoy and exciting lifestyle and lucrative career with insider tips and techniques from Janet Switzer, and learn how to build an informational empire of your own!
In every industry, there’s a powerbroker in the background – an advisor who is known to just a handful of people, but who helps build empires for the top “stars” who are household names.
Her name is Janet Switzer – and for the last 16 years she’s been quietly creating empire-building campaigns, products, promotions, deals and distribution for many of the biggest celebrity experts you’ve heard of.
Janet details:
· How to become the Leading Expert in your market niche – earning a fortune from information products – regardless of your skill level, marketing budget or area of expertise.
· How to develop the right product line for any area of expertise – then continually upsell prospects into more elaborate products at ever-increasing prices.
· How determine what prospective buyers already want to spend money on – and how to quickly develop the exact information they want to buy.
· How to develop, deliver and sell two dozen of the most popular information products selling today – from books and audio programs to coaching services, international speaking, subscription consulting, teleseminars, business-building and practice-building courses and more.
· Janet’s 28 proprietary marketing systems – including how to use each one of them to create a flood of new buyers and industry recognition.
A 22-year veteran of the marketing and advertising field, Janet Switzer is unique among experts as the woman who has developed and executed the day-to-day income-generation strategies of many of the world¹s top celebrity entrepreneurs: Chicken Soup for the Soul co-founder Jack Canfield, underground marketing guru Jay Abraham, celebrity speaker Les Brown, Internet income expert Yanik Silver, and master motivational speaker Mark Victor Hansen, among others.
http://www.sharedvisionnetwork.com/Public/Events/Tele-Classes/index.cfm?semID=3165&view=1&requesttimeout=600

When you register, only fill in the top box on the first registration page before going to the next page. The continue as directed.

Wednesday, February 28:

Dan Kuschell
4:00 pm PT (5pm MT, 6pm CT, 7pm ET)
Call-in Number: (641) 793 7500
PIN: 250846#

Dan Kuschell has been a business owner and involved in direct sales for over 10 years. His first love was as an athlete from the Detroit area where he honed his skills and qualities as a person. He ended up coaching college baseball / all-star teams while finishing his education at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI.

In 1992, he found himself in the direct marketing field. He started his own company and learned from many mistakes. He has now worked in the direct marketing industry for over 10 years full time, helping set records and standards in his field.

He has developed a simple common sense approach to help the average person to enhance the quality of their life -- in business, at home, and in their family.

He has implemented the Champion Vision to help companies increase productivity, sales, motivation, and bottom line results.

Register for the series and you will receive the details on Dan’s presentation!

I hope you can make it for these life-changing calls!

My best,
Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Speaker
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

Ready to reach a global market?

2007-02-06T12:08:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a great way to reach a global market, IRadio is it. From the comfort of your home you can reach thousands of eager buyers for your books, eProducts, speaking engagements and more.

But how do you find the shows and hosts who are looking for guests?

I have put together a great directory of over 100 radio shows you can target.

It's one thing to find the shows, do you know how to engage the host and the audience in order to be invited back again and again? Many people don't know how to do this. I have joined together with my business associate, Lori Giovannoni, and recorded an incredible session where we teach you how.

Both of us are seasoned professionals who have hundreds (maybe even thousands) of radio interviews between us. I have also hosted my own weekly talk radio program so I know what radio hosts look for.

Check it out http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/radiointernet.htm

In success
Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Speaker and Author
www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

February Ezine is steaming with Hot offers

2007-02-05T21:29:00.000-08:00

If you've been around the world of Internet Marketing for any
length of time, it's likely you've heard of Willie Crawford.
If you have, you know what an incredible man Willie is. If you
haven't, you are in for a great treat. Willie is truly a
welfare to millionaire success story. He is also one of the most
gifted Internet Marketers around.

What about Dan Kuschell, the champions' champion. Or What
about Janet Switzer, co-author with Jack Canfield of the New
York Times bestseller, The Success Principle? And what about
Lori Giovannoni, bestselling author and award winning speaker?

You might be wondering why I mention all of these extraordinary
people. Check out this month's issue of Street Smarts
Marketing and Promotions Ezine to find out why I have mentioned
them and what each has in store for you.
http://www.turningpointpresents.com/newsletters/enewsfebruary2007.htm

This month I have some incredible opportunities available to my
readers that you won't want to miss; especially if you are
interested in Internet Marketing, building your business or
increasing your market reach and visibility for practically no
money at all.

Be sure to check out the new look for my Street Smarts website.
You will find the link in my ezine.

Throughout the month you will be receiving periodic updates on
various events I want you to be the first to know about. Please
be assured, I will only send you those things that I endorse and
know are excellent resources to help you succeed. At any time, if
you no longer wish to receive information from me, you can simply
click the link at the end of the message.

My best
Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Speaker and Author
http://www.turningpointpresents.com/newsletters/enewsfebruary2007.htm