Tips For Starting A Website

So you may have already decided to take the plunge and are looking on starting a website.  You already have your domain, web host, chosen platform, and all the other stuff you practically need to start it with.  Many try to create their own website, but only a percentage of those people succeed into making a solid mark in the industry.  How do they exactly do it?

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First, you may have already had a blogging platform or tool to use.  Let’s say WordPress.  Now, when you install it on your site, it has its own default theme.  Don’t get the me wrong, the theme looks good somehow, but your site definitely must have its own uniqueness with the design.  So whether you hire a professional web designer or you do the designing yourself, it is a must to change your site’s design.  Make it more like you, or better yet be creative enough to let the design be related to what your website’s all about.  We don’t want cartoon characters in a blog about cars, would we?  

Next, you really have to remember to make time to focus on fixing your blog.  You personalize everything, add a logo maybe, complete articles to put up to it (you definitely would not want it blank), put tags, keywords and all that stuff.  It’s time consuming, I know.  But it would definitely be worth it.  Don’t you think successful bloggers and website owners also put their time and effort for their blogs to begin with?

Now after the design, there goes the plugins to be used.  You have to know what exactly your website will need.  There are themes with built-in plugins installed with them, but every single blog has its own necessity, and therefore its own variety of plugins.  Would your site be focusing with social media?  Then you have to add plugins related to that.

If you have hired a website professional to do the design for you, make sure he/she also can be contacted for any problems with your site.  Because anytime these things arise, your potential visitors may stop visiting you.  Also if you yourself have your own queries about your site, you should definitely be able to clear them up by going around forums and other sites to look for answers.  Let Google be your best friend.

Now everything is complete with your site, check everything if they’re in the right place.  Never miss a detail when doing this.  You should know what a visitor feels when he/she suddenly get bugged by something wrong with a website he/she’s visiting, of course, the initial reaction would be – bye! 

Now let’s go to the serious part.  You definitely want to keep the visitors coming back.  You have to have unique articles people will enjoy reading.  You have to be creative but still right on your topic.  You should already have few things in mind while doing this website, or else you would have a beautiful site, with nothing in it.

If there are also things you cannot fully comprehend about your site just yet, either do not do it yet.  Let the first few days of your launch be a smooth ride.  And once everything goes into its place, do the complex stuff you left behind.

What I’ve listed above are just some tips though.  Every single blogger all started their own website from scratch, and though each and every successful one created their own journey, they only have one common thing – focus.  So get focused, and you’ll have your website in no time. 

This was a guest post written by BlogSetupGuide.com - How To Start A Blog.  There is a plethera of information on starting your own website on my website.

Home Business Marketing Tips For The Real World

With the internet being in everyone's face nowadays, when many home based business people think of marketing they think of guest blogging, LinkedIn, Facebook pages, email campaigns, Youtube videos and click ads. But for many work at home businesses the best customers and the best ways to get them are right in their home town. With a bit of planning, elbow grease and talking you can find new customers without touching your computer.

Working With Charities

No matter your business, donating time, money, or your expertise to local charities, sports teams and schools are great for publicity.If you makes crafts, you can donate some of your products to a charity auction or for a contest. Your name will be prominently displayed as helping your community, and your product will be seen in your community.  

Donating your services are also quite useful, either completely free or at cost. Whether you design the charities website, mow their lawn, or help plan and prepare a banquet, the charity will publicly thank you, and you can get a nice testimonial out of it.

Even if you don't have a product or service the charity or community group can use, simply donating money, will almost always get you a nice little plaque and a nice mention on a website and at some of the events.

Showing community spirit and letting people know how nice you are, will always look good.

Networking Around Town

Is there a local Toastmasters, business association, writing group, charity, or hobby club that you are somewhat interested in? 

Join them.

Working from home can be isolating, so getting out and meeting people will keep you from feeling all alone, more importantly by making connections in real life, you are creating strong bonds that can lead to business. Even if a group doesn't seem like it will be good for your business, the people in it know other people who may need you. 

Don't join a group if you'll just be sitting there bored out of your skull, and don't join a group simply to sell your product. Show genuine interest, build up contacts, and casually bring up your business when people ask what you do.

Free Classes and Seminars

This will require work and you have to do it well, but offering free courses in your area of expertise can be one of the best ways to get business. Using your new community network, community bulletin boards, some internet advertising and even fliers, let people know you are offering a free one day class. Make sure to keep track of how many people should be coming by having them phone or preferably emailing you, and ensure you have access to a large enough room with all the necessary facilities.

This will cost you money, unless you can get a room and all the equipment for free, and you have to prepare very carefully, so don't rush into this or it will be a disaster. But you have people who are really interested in what you have to say as a captive audience, if you're prepared you can sell them anything. And even if you only get 2 or 3 people when you were expecting 50, roll with it, make the class more intimate, and make sure that handful of people will tell everyone they know how great you are.

These three methods are some of the best ways to get clients, get recognition and get money for your business within your community. Remember there is a world outside of your computer, and it's full of people waiting to hire you and buy your product. All you have to do is let them know your there.

Dan Clarke is a personal coach with a passion for helping people who work from home, whether they're simply telecommuting or have their own home business. With three of his own at home businesses he has found many ways to balance his working life and his home life, allowing him to support and enjoy time with his family.

Find out more at his website,  Be Happy Working at Home.

Leadership Team Building

In order to be an effective leader you have to have people to lead and these need to be the right people. Team building is important and so your ability to recruit either externally or internally is essential if you are going to be able to show off your true leadership skills.

Always try to look internally when you are putting a team together; look at those who you know have been active in developing their skills and those that have been willing to take on responsibility. People who have shown loyalty to the company and have put in effort to succeed are likely to be ideal candidates.

As a leader you are probably involved with several external organizations or professional communities. You will have built up a good relationship with many and will have been impressed with some. These external places are a terrific source for recruitment purposes. You already have a good understanding of a person, know what they do and have built up an element of trust. Make a note of those that interest you and make sure you have their contact details. When a vacancy occurs to build up your team you already have a supply of people you can make contact with.

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Build up your own reputation of having good leadership skills. You will be surprised about how a reputation can get around. It can mean that the best people would like to work with you.

Importantly don’t build up your team full of like minded people; it won’t work. While a team has to work together, it is the different skills that each team member has that makes a team successful. Each member of your team should complement each other and have different abilities, strengths and weaknesses. It’s for you as the leader to get the best out of each person.

If you do have to recruit externally and can’t find someone with whom you have a connection or who comes recommended then you have no alternative than to start blind, so to speak. Take time to review each candidates CV carefully and make copious notes for you to refer to at the interview stage.

Try to interview with two people present. While it may appear a little daunting to the candidate it provides each interviewer with thinking time. There will always be plenty of questions to ask and you need to keep the interview flowing. You are meant to create pressure for the candidate to see how he or she behaves. You have very little time to get to know them and you can be sure that what you see isn’t going to be exactly what you get.

Make a shortlist of suitable candidates and call them back in again. It’s important to meet at least twice before hiring someone. Make sure you are clear as to what you expect from them and show clearly that you are leader and decision maker.

Above all, don’t rush into making a decision about which person to choose. It you are not happy with the selection then wait until the right person turns up.

Find out more information at www.ArdenCoaching.com