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How to Start Your First Blog
By Janice D. Byer, CCVA, MVA
Docu-Type Administrative & Web Design Services

The term "blog" is a noun that is a short form for the word Weblog.

A blog is similar to a website but generally includes journal-like entries in chronological order. These entries can be anything from your thoughts to a personal diary of what is happening in your business or life to articles and informational posts on a particular subject.

Many people feel intimidated about having a blog. The thought of having to keep it up to date with fresh content can be frightening.

The following are just some of the reasons you can and should be blogging:

1. You don't need any web design experience to set up and maintain a blog. Using some of the blogging software available out there, you can set up a blog in minutes.

2. Blogging can help you establish your reputation as an expert in your field.

3. Blogging, and the ease of using blog software, can give you the benefit of updating your information whenever you have the urge and from any computer that has an Internet connection.

4. Blogs can be a stand alone means of showcasing your business or can be in addition to your company website.

5. A blog can help you stay in touch with your clients.

There are many other reasons but the list above are some of what I feel are the key reasons why it is a good idea to have a blog.

There are a variety of different types of blog services and software that can be used to produce your blog. Some are available for the user to download and install on their own systems while others are hosted on someone else's server. Some you have to pay for while others may be part of a web hosting package or obtained online. And all fall under one of two types, hosted and self-hosted.

A blog can take on any appearance that your heart desires and with most blogging software it is easy to layout and design your blog so it will look like and incorporate into your existing website, if you have one.

The following are typical areas and aspects of a blog designed and displayed with Wordpress, a very popular blogging software that we use for our blog at www.docutype.org/blog.

The homepage includes the following:

Title Area: this can be just the name of your blog in your choice of font or it can include a banner or image that is inserted into the page coding.

Tag Line: if you use Wordpress and have a plain text title, you also have the option to include a tagline or one sentence description that is displayed in a smaller font than the title.

The next area of a blog is usually split into two columns: the body and the sidebar.

The body of your homepage is where tidbits of each article/post will be displayed. The settings you choose in your blog system will determine how many posts are included on this page. Some choose to have entire articles displayed on their homepage but this can make the page rather long. Another option is to have just the first paragraph of the article displayed on the homepage with a link to the entire article.

As with any website, your blog needs to include navigation to help your visitors make their way around. The sidebar is where you will include this.

Other aspects of your sidebar can include

" a Welcome note
" Links to main pages of your blog
" a Picture of yourself or your Logo
" Categories
" Blogroll
" Archives
" a Search Box
" Links, Resources and an RSS feed link

The layout of the secondary pages is generally the same as that of your homepage. You can have just a page of information that is displayed in its entirety or you can have multiple posts that link to further information on subsequent pages.

Article/Post pages are generally the pages that are linked from the teasers on your homepage and in your category pages. They are similar to the rest of the pages of your blog in terms of layout except they will usually not include the sidebar.

Similar to a website, keywords play an important part in optimizing your blog. Keywords are the words or phrases that describe what you offer on your blog and those words that you think others may use when searching online for what you have to offer.

The following are some areas of your blog where you need to use keywords to help in optimizing your blog… title, tagline, category names, headline of your article/post, and the body/content of your article/post.

When you write your posts, you can include images to enhance the content. To do this (again, we are referring to working in a Wordpress blog), you click on the Insert/Edit Image icon in the 'Post' box on the Write Post page.

For most personal bloggers, they don't feel the necessity to promote their blog. However, those that have a business or other blog that they want the world to see need to promote it to get the word out.

1. When you sign up for a blog account (i.e. Wordpress), you may be asked if you want your blog available for search engine spiders to have access to. If your blog is one that you want to use to help promote your business, you should choose yes.

2. Set your posts to allow pings and trackbacks.

3. Submit your site to blog directories

4. Update your content and add new posts regularly.

5. Include the name and url of your blog in your email signature line.

6. Ensure you include a Blogroll on your blog. A Blogroll is a list of links to blogs that you recommend to others.

7. As an added note to the Blogroll info above, exchange Blogroll links with other Bloggers.

Again, there are many more ways to promote your blog. The above are just a few.

The following are just a few blog directories and RSS sites that you should consider submitting your blog to.

Blog Catalog - http://www.blogcatalog.com
Blog Hub - http://www.bloghub.com
Blog Top List - http://www.blogtoplist.com
Best Blogs - http://www.bestblogs.com

More Blog Directories can be found at: http://dir.yahoo.com/News_and_Media /Blogs/Blog_Directories/ and http://www.google.com

Blogs are becoming more popular and the choice for a lot of people to get a presence on the Internet. It doesn't have to be as complex as a website and still tell others what you want to say. More information and blog resources, including a comparison of blog software, can be found at http://www.docutype.net/business_ebooks.htm

Janice Byer, owner of Docu-Type Administrative & Web Design Services (www.docutype.net) is a Certified Canadian Virtual Assistant (CCVA) and a Master Virtual Assistant (MVA) and author of a library of ebooks to help you build your business, including How to Set Up & Start Your First Blog. More information, including a comparison of blog software, can be found at http://www.docutype.net/business_ebooks.htm.

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Write it Right! The Importance of Website Proofing
By
Clara D. Fyffe

Although this article will pertain to website content, I want to begin with five examples from both TV and print that explain perfectly how errors - and disclaimers - can and will turn away potential clients. *

I love to read. But I am incredibly frustrated by the quantity of errors in so much of what I read - even in books and magazines put out by high-end publishers! For example, I recently finished a book that is one in a very popular series by a very popular author through a very popular publisher. My "proofreader's eye" often ruins my joy of reading because I "catch" all the errors, some of which seem small or insignificant, yet are errors nonetheless.

In this first example from the novel, we learn that the main character, an elderly yet spry woman, has married her beau. They purchase a fancy, huge motor home (RV) to "see the sites" on their honeymoon. We travel with the couple in their RV as they visit assorted areas on their route. Suddenly, we are with them as they try to maneuver their CAR(!!!) into a tight spot! Such an obvious mistake! I do NOT see how it got past the editors! I was angered that we can't even trust the big publishing houses anymore.

My second example was a print document I received from a Visa company hoping to win my business. This 4-page advertisement was so incredibly error-ridden that I couldn't resist what I did with it. I proofed it and sent it back! I circled the many errors in bright red ink, wrote out the corrections, and penned a letter of explanation, asking if they might consider me for taking care of their business communications. Surprisingly, I did receive a response, a "thanks, but no thanks" note stating that they do all their "proofing" in-house! I wonder where that company is today?

Example three was a commercial on TV just last night, and I was shocked. I'm frustrated that I can't recall the name of the company, but I do know that it was one of those big brokerage firms. Part of their on-screen text read, "We advice our clients …" Did you catch the huge error? ADVICE! Obviously, the word should have been ADVISE. That tiny one-letter mistake blew their entire and very expensive prime-time commercial!

The fourth example pertains to disclaimers. You know, those "fine print" words somewhere on the page or TV screen that people seldom read or even notice. Those disclaimers and/or "fine print" areas are what I look for first in any infomercial or regular commercial that I see or on any print ad I get in the mail. Three little words that I am sick and tired of seeing on most TV or print ads are, "Results not typical." I don't care about what is not typical. Just tell me the truth! What is typical?!

And, speaking of "sick and tired" and "fine print," most of you probably know by now that I am fighting cancer. That fact is one reason this last example upsets me so much. Many "cancer centers" are springing up around the country. They use medical and non-medical methods in their treatments. Their TV ads, I feel, are misleading and possibly dangerous. The commercials start out showing the "patient" as he or she tells us about learning they have cancer. As they emotionally talk about feeling scared and hopeless, soft music plays in the background. Then the scene changes, and they smile and tell how they heard about their cancer treatment center, how they were treated there, and how they were helped. One woman says the center gave her hope - which is all well and good, unless you read the tiny text at the top of the screen that goes something like this: "Results not typical. Do not expect your experience to be the same." Uh, excuse me, but where is the hope in that???

Now, getting back to your website text and how it relates to the above, let me explain. First, as you ponder your content, make sure that what you include is undeniably accurate and true. Pure black and white. No gray areas. Don't list a skill that you're not firmly sure you can deliver. Unless you have a bank of well-qualified VAs to whom you plan on subbing out your work, make sure you only list skills and qualifications that will allow you to return professional results to the client.

Next, make sure that the content of your site requires no "fine print" disclaimers. A simple example that I've seen in the far distant past is where someone listed "Transcription" as a service, but placed an asterisk (*) after the word. At the bottom of the page, in small print, she placed another asterisk followed by "Legal and medical transcription not included." Now, why should a potential client have to search for what you don't do? Tell that client what kind of work you do perform, i.e. interviews, focus groups, research, etc. Be specific.

Something else I frequently notice - and it's easy to spot - is where the website owner types the text into MS Word first and then copies and pastes that text onto the site. Most times the text is much too "wordy" to include on a site, forcing the could-be client to scroll too much. Also, by copying and pasting, sometimes the text becomes skewed in the website's text boxes, especially if hard returns are used in Word. And, oftentimes, bullets and/or lists do not transfer the same between Word and the web. Check it carefully.

Four big errors on many, many professional websites are (1) misuse of words, i.e. advice versus advise or to versus too, (2) incorrect spelling, i.e. peice rather than piece or cleint rather than client, (3) poorly used punctuation, i.e. misplaced or missing commas or periods after sentence fragments, etc., and (4) content itself: be succinct - clear and concise - with what you want to convey to that potential client. Don't add unnecessary statements or paragraphs to your site, and make sure you have no broken links, a huge frustration and waste of time. And on your "Bio" or "About Us" page, do not include content about your family and home life, and do not insert pictures of the kids or the family dog. You are a business, so stick to business.

The final and most important point is: PROOF YOUR SITE!!! So, you've spent days and nights working on your site, and you're finally done. STOP! Don't put it up yet. Leave your office. Go outside and "stretch" your eyes by looking off into the distance. Take a nap. Eat supper. Just do anything to get away from the computer for awhile. Later on, go back in and examine your complete site with a clear head and rested eyes. Proof it carefully, using all the tips included here. It's also a good idea to ask a friend or a professional proofreader to go over your site for you. When you are absolutely certain that your website is complete and clear and accurate, then and only then put 'er up!

" My own disclaimer! : Do not go by my own website, which is incomplete and has many errors. For reasons too exhausting to explain, my site is "stuck" and is embarrassing and shows me to be unprofessional - which I am NOT! So, please, forgive and ignore my site in relation to this article. Just do your best to be the best!

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Outlook Productivity Tips: Sharing Outlook Items
by Andrea Kalli

Ok, picture this…you like to keep track of correspondence, projects, issues, etc. regarding your contacts. You want an easy and simple way to document these things. You don't want to buy new software, and you certainly don't want to have to stop and take the time to learn it. After all, it's not rocket science.

Enter, Outlook Journaling.

For the sake of simplicity, Outlook Contacts and Outlook Journaling provides a VERY easy and flexible way to document whatever you want. It's a great way to utilize what you've already got on your desktop.

It really doesn't get any easier than this.
To see how this can be done, check out the video.

My video tutorials, "Outlook 2007 What's New" are ready for purchase at Premiumcast.com. $17.95 US for 22 videos and approximately 2 hours of full tutorials.

Provided by Andrea Kalli Virtual Trainer and Assistant, LLC. Productivity training, support, and customization for Microsoft Outlook and SharePoint users. Come visit our website at www.virtualassist.net and feel free to contact me at akalli@virtualassist.net. Get your SharePoint user training two ways: Our video training via www.digbizbooks.com Live online workshops via www.uofvas.com View my business blog at http://virtualassist.typepad.com View and subscribe to my training calendar at http://www.trumba.com/calendars/akva Thank you and have a great day! Andrea Kalli

Click here to view Andrea's helpful videos from these tips!
Andrea Kali is a virtual Trainer and virtual Assistant. Visit her website at virtualassist.net

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Turning Hobbies into Careers
by Kathy Ritchie

Do you have a hobby you would like to make money with? I think many of us have thought about turning a hobby into a money-making venture at some point.

My hobbies include fishing (although I don't have a chance to fish often enough!), genealogy, photography, reading, writing, graphic design…. And so on.

Fishing isn't something I would ever try to make money with-its just for fun. I began my genealogical research years ago, honing my skills by finding long lost relatives, from the past to the present. I cultivated this skill and began offering research services as part of my business. Its proven profitable and very interesting. Through genealogy, I learned heraldic designs, then added that skill to my repertoire.

Recently, my passion for photography became an income generator when several of my photos sold unexpectedly. Also, for holiday presents, I designed several journals and a calendar featuring my photos, and my family went crazy for them. One of my sisters urged me to start offering my photos for sale, and after much thought… I did!

The latest venture for me is my very own online gallery, Kathy Ritchie Photography, at www.kathyritchiephotography.com. It's a work in progress but I'm very excited!

My point is, don't discount your hobbies as money making ventures. Countless activities exist that could be a great niche service to your clients, or a brand new career for you.

Take inventory of your hobbies, crafts, and fun projects. Do research on what product or services are already available and go from there. You may find the next BIG TICKET service or product that sells like hotcakes, and was spawned from something you already love.
'
The main thing is to have fun, be creative, and have an open mind to all the possibilities.

Have a great March!

Kathy Ritchie, Editor

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Double Click to Exit?
Are you currently using MS Excel 2007?

Do you sometimes notice that when you click the red X in the upper right corner of the title bar, Excel simply closes the workbook, but leaves the program running?

You've probably found that you actually have to click the red X again to get out of Excel, right?

Well, I don't know about you, but that drives me crazy! I liked the quick escape hatch better. You know, you click the red X and Excel closes everything, asking you what to save along the way. So, what was the problem?
Well, after quite a bit of experimenting, I finally stumbled upon the reason for this weird behavior.

It seems I only experience this problem when I have a hidden workbook. When I use the red X while a workbook is hidden, the program doesn't close with just one click. But, if all the workbooks are unhidden, it functions just as it always did.
So, it seems your only recourse is to never keep a workbook hidden. Or, is it?
I found that, once again, the Quick Access Toolbar saves the day!

If you use hidden workbooks and still want a swift exit, give this a try.

First, click the down arrow to the right of the Quick Access Toolbar and choose More Commands at the bottom. You'll then be taken here:

Choose All Commands in the Choose commands from field.

Scroll down and find the Exit command.

Use the Add button in the middle to move it to the command list for the Quick Access Toolbar on the right.

You can then use the up and down buttons on the far right to place the command in the location you desire.

When everything looks good to you, simply click OK.

Voila!

So, the next time you have hidden workbooks and try to exit Excel, just click the Exit button on the Quick Access Toolbar instead of the red X and you'll be out of there with just one click!

~ April

Used with permission

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