From the category archives:

Articles

What are you tolerating in business?

by Donna Payne on July 27, 2009

in Articles

4 minutes with my flip-cam
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCh3eZeGJIk&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0]

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Free Teleclass: Intro To Email Marketing

by Donna Payne on June 13, 2009

in Articles

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 @ 2pm EST
“Intro To Email Marketing”
If you’re in a hurry right now, here is your registration link.
Tuesday, June 16
11 am Pacific / 1 pm Central / 2 pm Eastern
(www.timezoneconverter.com)
Please allow 90 minutes for this call. This Tuesdays at 2 Teleclass will cover:

Creating an email blueprint
permission and privacy
overcoming deliverability issues
Getting leads and [...]

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Creating a client attracting, professional website does not have to cost you thousands of dollars nor do you need to have a lot of technical expertise.
Matter of fact, if you know the right tools and are a bit savvy with your computer and internet, you can do it for LESS than a couple hundred bucks.
The [...]

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“Intro to Social Media Marketing”
3 Steps to Smart Social Marketing
You will learn:

how to find the RIGHT people to follow for business success that interest you.
how to use the right tools to organize and track them with ease.
critical tips for your privacy and protection.
9 Social media tips for success.
popular and preferred tools to use.
a [...]

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Not Your Average Website

by Donna Payne on June 3, 2009

in Articles

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Elo7WeIydh8&feature=player_embedded]

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Lately, I’ve had many conversations about SEO n’such with people who are looking for the quick fix to get high Google rankings.  These kinds of people HIGHLY annoy me, because I have always preached content and article writing is really the only organic way.
So as I preach from my SEO pulpit, I know now that [...]

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How To Create A "Buyers Only" List

by Donna Payne on May 28, 2009

in Articles, List building

How To Create A “Buyers Only” List
By Jimmy D. Brown,
Content is king. It gets to wear the crown. And sit on the throne. And rule the world. When it comes to establishing credibility, gaining trust and producing sales, content is royalty.
While I would never suggest abandoning the concept of delivering high quality [...]

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20% Of Your List Wants MORE From You

by Donna Payne on May 11, 2009

in Articles

What does this mean?
This means that instead of trying to create products/services for everyone – pay attention to the 20% that ARE buying from you.  What else do they want/need? What can you do to make life easier for them?
Another question: How are you following up with your prospects? Are you doing it on a [...]

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Web Coach Tips: Week In Review is HERE!

by Donna Payne on April 21, 2009

in Articles

What: New Service

The Web Coach Tips: “The Week In Review”
By Donna Payne “Know Payne, Know Gain”
Download a free issue
What does it cost?

Introductory *Lifetime* price lock $10 US. Your monthly subscription is GUARANTEED not to go up – EVER! For new subscribers thru May 31, 2009.
Isn’t that crazy! Subscribe now, just go to TheWebCoachTips.com

Whatizzit?
The SECRET WEAPON [...]

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Setting up a Wordpress website isn’t quite as difficult as you might think. Read this article with step-by-step instructions to find out how.

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Wonder what it takes to stay ahead and keep your website top in 2009? Read this article and implement the 7 must have elements for success and you’ll be way ahead of your competition.

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Jenni is taking a trip to Washington DC this weekend, so I got her a pink Flip Video to play with.
Ok, the TRUTH.
I got it for me, for HER to video DC since I used to live there, and haven’t been back for quite awhile. I suppose, if I were single and childless, DC [...]

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Jenni is taking a trip to Washington DC this weekend, so I got her a pink Flip Video to play with.
Ok, the TRUTH.
I got it for me, for HER to video DC since I used to live there, and haven’t been back for quite awhile.  I suppose, if I were single and childless, DC would [...]

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50 Ideas on Using Twitter for Business

by admin on March 14, 2009

in Articles

Chris Brogan is one smart cookie that I follow. Here are his 50 ideas for using twitter for biz.

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Web Coach Tip: Emergency Plan For Your Biz

by Donna Payne on March 7, 2009

in Articles, Marketing

Here’s a great idea from the folks at 37 Signals. For users of Basecamp or Backpack check out this smart tip:
Editors Note: get up to date tips delivered to your inbox weekly! Subscribe to The Week In Review…The SECRET WEAPON You Hope Your Competition NEVER Finds Out About! Download your sample issue here TheWebCoachTips.com

Create [...]

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Create an Emergency Page

by admin on March 7, 2009

in Blog Entries

Here’s a great idea from the folks at 37 Signals.  For users of Basecamp or Backpack check out this smart tip:
Editors Note: get up to date tips delivered to your inbox weekly! TheWebCoachTips.com

Create an emergency Backpack page
Is your business prepared for an emergency? A good idea: Set up a Backpack page that puts everyone on [...]

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I am SO excited! {and a little scared!}
I’m finally doing what I really WANT to do – publishing a weekly newsletter like no other.  It’s titled “The Web Coach Tips – WEEK IN REVIEW”
Each week I will be bringing features from the previous weeks’ current online news, resources, freebies, product launches, tips and tricks.  And, [...]

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Earlier today a gentleman asked me:
Hi Donna, I have just launched my website. Would you please take a look to share with me your opinions and sugestions.  http://www.zeemp.com
I felt it very valuable to the internet community to share my findings so YOU don’t make the same mistakes.
Below is my response:
Hi,
I’ve taken a moment to peek [...]

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Last Sunday at church a prominent building contractor approached me and asked quite innocently, “What do you charge to build a web site?”
I cocked my left eyebrow, looked him square in the eye and asked, “what would you charge to build a house?” He half-heartedly laughed and said, “Well my dear, that [...]

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Use a postcard commitment to follow up with prospects. Genius! and easy to do.

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Linda Claire Puig, had this incredible case study in her newsletter… it’s so good, I swiped it, and posted it here for all the world to see and model!
Newsletter Success Case Study
Beverly Ford moved eight hours away from a 20-year practice to a town where she knew no one. Using her newsletter (and almost [...]

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((((WOW))))
I’ve reached “nerd-vanna!” Absolutely fascinating.  Take 5 minutes to watch this video.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL9Wu2kWwSY&hl=en&fs=1]

My friend Mark Pierce asked,  “How would you answer the question, “So what does it all mean?”
I think the most exciting aspect for me are the opportunities… if you don’t shy away from progression.
On the flip side, we do need to be selective about [...]

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Web Coach Tip: 50 Things Your Customers Wish You Knew

by Donna Payne on December 17, 2008

in Articles

This morning, I ran across this blog post at Remarkable-communication.com.  It’s so good, I’m printing and taping to the wall.  Here’s an excerpt:
Here are 50 things your customers wish you knew: about them, about how they see you, and about your relationship.

I don’t need you to be perfect, but I do need to know I [...]

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Web Coach Tip: How Businesses Can Conquer Twitter

by Donna Payne on December 16, 2008

in Articles

The Folks over at Twitterrati wrote a great, no-nonsense post.  Here’s an excerpt:
Here are some general rules that companies should seriously consider if they’re going to use Twitter:
1. Don’t Be Half-Pregnant: Just like blogging, you either embrace it fully and completely or don’t bother doing it at all. There’s nothing worse than watching a business [...]

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Another Perspective of Social Marketing

by Donna Payne on December 16, 2008

in Articles

Perry’s such a neat guy.  I love his explanation of social media – check it out!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn1cspHx7DU&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1]

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Web Coach Tip: 40 Ways to Deliver Killer Blog Content

by Donna Payne on December 15, 2008

in Articles

Good Day!
I found this great post by @chrisbrogan’s blog.  He always has awesome resources, here’s a snipet:

40 Ways to Deliver Killer Blog Content
The Basics

Brevity rules. Can you say it briefly?
Start at the main point, then work the story up. (Make the main point in the first paragraph.)
Use small words. You don’t have [...]

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What Is The Soul Purpose of Facebook?

by Donna Payne on December 7, 2008

in Articles

Friday night, my daughters and I were shopping at target when Jenni asked,
“Why do you have 1800+ friends? You can’t possibly know that many people”
And, then yesterday, a friend asked this question:
Holy Moly! You have 1,834 Facebook “Friends”? How many of those *haven’t* you exchanged at least one message/comment with in the last year? Maybe [...]

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Conversations in the Car – and a CHALLENGE for YOU!

by Donna Payne on December 4, 2008

in Articles

Last night one of my favorite gal pals and I carpooled to our daughter’s basketball game.
She holds a position in public service, and unfortunately, sees the “ugly” side of society all too often. Occasionally, she tends to be cynical – but for the most part – she’s great fun to be around.
I love her dearly, [...]

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Relationships and THRIVING!

by Donna Payne on December 2, 2008

in Articles

Today, I am overwhelmingly grateful.
Grateful for all of the relationships in my life.  My clients (who rock!) and allow me to buy groceries. My fellow web geeks, neighbors, family, classmates, colleagues, mentors and Facebook/Twitter friends.
Relationships allow us to THRIVE! (I just love that word – THRIVE!)
Today’s world is different that it was even one [...]

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Check out this article from by Ali Hale. Ali runs Alpha Student, a blog packed with academic, financial and practical tips to help students get the most out of their time at university.
When it comes to the internet, you know that there’s a lot of misleading, inaccurate or downright false information out there. By now, [...]

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Our Deepest Fear

by Donna Payne on November 1, 2008

in Articles

Quote from “A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles.”
By Marianne Williamson. Pg. 190-191.
This is my most favorite quote… EVER!
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who [...]

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Why Chunking Down Increases Your Expert Status

by Donna Payne on October 28, 2008

in Articles

There you are at check-in, about to catch your flight.
And right beside you is your carefully packed carry-on luggage.
In that luggage you have your clothes.
Your shoes.
Your toiletries.
Your surf board.
Your guitar.
Your Christmas tree.
Ah, but you think no one would be so fruity as to put their surf board, and ahem…Christmas tree..and um…guitar in carry-on luggage.
Nope, that [...]

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With last week’s roller coaster stock market news, presidential race, and recession talk, I have made an out-loud personal commitment to go on a “News media fast.”
If I see Biden’s botox face or another BS campaign commercial – I’m gonna HURL!
Yes, this also means I’m skipping the presidential debate tomorrow night too…
At first I didn’t [...]

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14 Tools to Legally Spy On Your Competition

by Donna Payne on October 13, 2008

in Articles

Written by: Bryan Eisenberg
Have you ever wished you were Bond? James Bond?  Here are 007+007 = fourteen ways to spy on your competitors’ web sites, without breaking any FISA laws.
1. Statbrain – Using several sources, Statbrain’s algorithm computes the number of visitors to a website based on offsite factors like backlinks, Alexa Rank etc. Statbrain [...]

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Prediction: McCain sends Palin to debate Obama

by Donna Payne on September 25, 2008

in Articles, other schtuff

You heard it here FIRST!
McCain said the debate’s on hold…
Obama said he’s showing up anyway…
McCain can’t let Obama have 90 minutes of free airtime…
So I bet McCain sends Palin in as a stand-in!
Could you imagine the fireworks (on both sides?)
QUESTION:  HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO YOUR BUSINESS?
Simple — we business-owners have a LOT to learn [...]

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Rose-colored God Glasses???

by Donna Payne on September 22, 2008

in Articles

Let me explain.
Years ago, when I worked at Sprint and co-worker became annoyed with my “sunny” attitude.  I explained to her that my positive attitude was my way of dealing with negative corporate politics. She said I should stop wearing rose-colored glasses and not be so naive.  (I’m still amazed by people who wallow in [...]

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17 Value-Identifying Questions to Narrow Down Your Niche

by Donna Payne on September 16, 2008

in Articles

1. Where’s the hole?
2. What’s missing here?
3. What topic has been ignored?
4. How can I disrupt industry standards?
5. How could I deliver unmatched value?
6. What could I rearrange to make my mark?
7. What’s the one area nobody has tackled yet?
8. What NEW category can my expertise create?
9. What do I know better than ANY of [...]

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8 More Ways to Make Your Email More Approachable

by Donna Payne on September 16, 2008

in Articles

1. Make it quick. The speed of the response IS the response. And the medium IS the message. So, even if you don’t have the answer to a question or a problem right away, you can always drop a quick, one-line email that says, “Thanks for letting me know. I’m on it. Call ya this afternoon.”
ASK [...]

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Marketing your 7 tips articles gives you a great deal of reach and leverage on the internet. But two questions arise – how do you write enough and then what do you do with them?
Creating your 7 tips articles
There’s really just 3 simple steps involved.
1. Choose a specific topic in your niche – The more [...]

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K.I.S.S. – Keep it simple stupid!

by Donna Payne on August 26, 2008

in Articles

Ok, so I’m going to say this OUTLOUD. Not only does this stop sign simply state the obvious – we also need our websites to do the same. My outloud point is: keep it simple, don’t muck up a good thing with a lot of unnecessary schtuff… watch this vid for a fine [...]

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What is the one action you want your visitor to take? This is how to ensure success:

Ask them to _____.
Tell them how to _____.
Show them how to _____.

Free irresistible offer. 90% of most visitors don’t buy the first time, so you MUST capture their email address at the very least. Read more about [...]

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62 Ways to MAXIMIZE Your Approachability

by Donna Payne on August 24, 2008

in Articles

If you walk into your local bookstore and pick up any random title on interpersonal communication, the majority of the books will simply remind you to “always be approachable.”
Wow, you think, thanks for the advice.
But when you walk into a room full of strangers, attend a national conference or start a new job, that advice [...]

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The Power of FREE

by Donna Payne on August 24, 2008

in Articles

You could argue that free is bad:
That free gives no value.
That free wastes people’s time.
That free is setting your business up for failure.
Or you could argue that free is good:
That free DOES give value.
That free captures attention.
That free brings customers into your sales funnel.
I’m gonna go with door #1. For 6 reasons:

FREE helps others. [...]

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Web Coach Tip: How to Use YouTube to Dominate Google

by Donna Payne on August 23, 2008

in Articles

Below is an excellent read from an ezine I subscribe to titled “Early to Rise” published by Michael Masterson author of “Ready, Fire, AIM!”
How to Use YouTube to Dominate Google
By Craig Ballantyne
Back in 2006, Google shocked the world by purchasing YouTube from a trio of Stanford graduates for over $1.4 billion. Fortunately for you, [...]

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33 Internet Marketing Terms You Should Know

by Donna Payne on August 10, 2008

in Articles

Ian Lurie of Conversation Marketing wrote this article “33 Internet Marketing Terms You Should Know” in his Blog.
SEO. PPC. Social Media. Pagerank. Link authority.
What the heck?
If you’re not an internet marketer, here’s a list of terms so that you can translate what someone like me spouts at you in a caffeine-induced rush.
This isn’t a comprehensive [...]

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Newbies Guide to Twitter + More!

by Donna Payne on May 7, 2008

in Articles

Want to learn more about twitter but don’t know where to start? Begin with the basics here.

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Web Coach Tip: Paying It Forward Via Facebook

by Donna Payne on April 24, 2008

in Articles

Pay it forward… it won’t kill ya. Maybe you’ll feel warm and fuzzy inside :)

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Do you know How to Choose the Right Web Designer For Your Business? You will when you attend this free teleclass April 25th.

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If you’ve ever asked yourself “how can I increase traffic to my website?” the answer is simple and easy. You’ll learn how when you read and use this article.

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Don’t fill your web site with a lot of high-tech clutter. Your visitors will miss your whole sales message and bail.
Don’t use unnecessary words or phrases. Sentences should be no longer than 10 words. You only have so much time to get your visitor’s attention and interest; make every word count.
Don’t make the mistake that [...]

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What The !@#$ is a… Single Point of Entry?
When you were a kid (for me that was last week) and you played board games, do you remember the “GO” or “start here” position? ie. Monopoly, CandyLand, etc.
You knew exactly what to do, “start here”, roll the dice and make your move. Your business operates very [...]

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Web Coach Tip – "Marketing BIG DUH Moment"

by Donna Payne on October 4, 2007

in Articles

Ok, so you’re a service type professional. You’re always thinking about how to fill your pipeline. My pipeline has traditionally been filled by online marketing, but now I want to reach out to my local community.Yesterday I was reading the Sunday paper enjoying my coffee and experienced the “marketing BIG DUH moment.” Now that [...]

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Make Your Website POP! Stand Out In Any Crowd

by Donna Payne on April 16, 2007

in Articles

Not quite sure what your brand is? You will when you read this blog post about “POP! How to Stand Out in Any Crowd”

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Last Sunday at church a prominent building contractor approached me and asked quite innocently, “What do you charge to build a web site?”I cocked my left eyebrow, looked him square in the eye and asked, “what would you charge to build a house?” He half-heartedly laughed and said, “Well my dear, that [...]

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This week I’m adding the final touches to my Yellow Pages (YP) ad. Let me share my experience in this process with 12 tips for you to use.
 
DON’T follow the advice of the YP sales rep about what to put in your ad. The sales rep is NOT a sales copywriter! Their main commission-based objective [...]

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#1 Make sure your business card includes a persuasive “FREE Offer” inviting the recipient to visit your website. I used to think this idea was too “salesy.” That is, until I tried it myself. I exchanged a handful of cards at a networking function; in the next few days I noticed a significant increase of [...]

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MegaSeminar FUN! WooHoo!

by Donna Payne on July 23, 2005

in Articles

I attended the MegaSeminar in Denver Colorado July 16th & 17th, hosted by Ken Calhoun…and what a mind blowing event it was.
I met some really fabulous people like Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero of Red Hot Copy, Michael Port of The Product Factory, and of course my personal & favorite Business Coach Travis Greenlee was there too!
Here’s the [...]

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You must understand the the most important aspect of your website. You will once you read this article.

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Having trouble identifying your target market? You won’t after you read this article.

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by Donna Payne on July 20, 2005

in Articles

My little Sugar Plum is feeling much better now. Big sis Jenny has added the “designer touch” with sequins, beads n’sparkly glue to her new neon-pink cast! (see attached pic)
Luckily, Georgia only needs to wear it for 3 weeks. (Her reply was “yeah… 21-days, and I’m counting every second!”)
Another Georgia story:A few days ago we [...]

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by Donna Payne on July 19, 2005

in Articles

8:20pmJust got back from the emergency room….Georgia broke her arm. She’s ok, but no swimming for the rest of the summer will just break her heart!
George was STANDING ON an office chair (swivel seat and wheels) watching her hamsters play when the chair flew out from under her. Crashing down to the floor she went. [...]

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Recently, a friend asked “What’s the deal with those DIY companies that advertise “How to get a website with everything your business needs for under $20 bucks a month?”. “How can they do that?” she said.”First impressions are very deceiving!” I told her…let me share my past experience with you!
First of all… folks get excited [...]

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So You’ve Got a Website… Now what?

by Donna Payne on April 15, 2005

in Articles

Blogging is so simple!

Had I known it would be this easy, I’d have done this eons ago!
Actually my sole purpose for creating this is to reach out to solo-preneurs and let them know there is help out there!!! Marketing your website is tough!
Some of my clients were stunned to realize that there’s so much [...]

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So You've Got a Website… Now what?

by Donna Payne on April 15, 2005

in Articles

Blogging is so simple!

Had I known it would be this easy, I’d have done this eons ago!
Actually my sole purpose for creating this is to reach out to solo-preneurs and let them know there is help out there!!! Marketing your website is tough!
Some of my clients were stunned to realize that there’s so much [...]

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