Why Can't A Woman Be More Like An Entrepreneur? By Cliff Ennico www.creators.com "I'm a big fan of your column, but you don't say much about the special problems women face when they start their own businesses. Do you have any suggestions or tips on how a woman can succeed in what has traditionally been a 'man's game'?" I'll do a lot better than that. It's no secret that women are launching businesses at twice the rate of men. In fact, women-owned businesses are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. economy. But here's the rub: fewer than three percent (3%) of the country's women-owned businesses gross a million dollars or more in revenue. To address this imbalance, I can do no better than to refer you to my good friend Susan Wilson Solovic, the CEO and Chairman of SBTV.com, the first video news and information destination site for America's small businesses, and the author of a new book, "The Girls' Guide to Building a Million Dollar Business" (AMACOM, $21.95). [Full disclosure: I am not an impartial observer when it comes to Susan's work. I am currently the Legal Editor of SBTV.com, as well as the co-host with Susan of an Internet radio show on VoiceAmerica.com. But just because someone's my friend doesn't mean I can't applaud when she does something really, really good. Besides, I can give you my personal assurance she has "walked the walk" more than the vast majority of business book authors ever have.] Susan's book is an essential read for anyone -- male or female - who wants to grow their business beyond the "Mom and Pop" stage. And it's unique. Most people writing "women in business" books have a "Scylla and Charybdis" problem (for those who have forgotten their Greek mythology, go to ( www.2020site.org/ulysses/scylla.html for a quick refresher before you read further) - steer your boat too far one way, and you fall into the trap of saying that "women must act more like men to succeed in the business world"; steer too far in the other direction, and you find yourself falling into the opposite trap by saying that "women can find success by embracing their femininity and rejecting a male paradigm for their businesses." Building on the success of her previous book, "The Girls' Guide to Power and Success," Susan avoids both "traps" by highlighting those things that all entrepreneurs - male or female - must do to grow their businesses, in a way that doesn't make those things seem particularly "masculine". Some of Susan's key points: Developing the right team - Susan rightly points out that "an owner of a small company can be one of the gang; as you grow your business, however, you need to act, look, think like and BE the CEO - the leader, the boss." Creating a unique market strategy through "branding" - don't try to do everything for everybody, but focus on what it is you really do best and build a name for doing it better than anyone else. Securing the essential funding - in Susan's words, an entrepreneur must "take full advantage of commercial loans and lines of credit. Get comfortable using other people's money. Dare to venture into venture capital." You don't need testosterone or a Y-chromosome to do any of this, folks. In her book Susan gives some amazing examples of successful female entrepreneurs like Gayle Martz, CEO of Sherpa, innovator in pet travel bags; Dany Levy, founder of DailyCandy.com; Maggie Laughlin, who started her own specialty advertising services firm at age 23; and Rebecca Boenigk and Jaye Congleton, the mother-daughter team behind a booming ergonomic chair manufacturer. "There's nothing wrong with being ambitious and making money," Solovic stresses, urging every woman to believe in one powerful statement: I DESERVE TO BE SUCCESSFUL. "It's your time and your turn," she assures her readers. "Be among the ranks of women who are living the lives they so justly deserve. This book will give you the tools, the insight and the resources you need. The rest is up to you." Amen. And guys, don't be afraid to pick this book up. You might learn something. Cliff Ennico ( cennico@legalcareer.com ) is a syndicated columnist, author and host of the PBS television series 'Money Hunt'. His latest books are 'Small Business Survival Guide' (Adams Media, $12.95) and 'The eBay Seller's Tax and Legal Answer Book' (AMACOM, $19.95). This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit our Web page at www.creators.com . COPYRIGHT 2007 CLIFFORD R. ENNICO. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

Can I Sell This Stuff On eBay? Part II By Cliff Ennico www.creators.com Q:"Last week I went to a local garage sale, and there was one family that was selling about 75 carousels of photographic slides some of their relatives took when they traveled around the world in the 1960s and 1970s. I made an offer of $20.00, and they accepted it. When I got home I realized I had bought over 10,000 slides of cities, landscapes and countrysides. I have seen people on the Internet hawking the idea that you can make good money weekly taking photos and uploading your photos to various Websites. You are paid a commission when someone buys a copy of your photo. I guess this would be the same as selling clip art. My question is: are there legitimate companies doing this or is this just another Internet scam? Can I get into trouble doing this?" A:Technically (and legally), the person who takes a photo owns the copyright to it - literally, the "right to make copies" and profit from licensing the image to others. Unless the photographer assigns his copyright to someone else, he or she retains it for the appropriate copyright period (currently very generous, basically the life of the photographer plus 50 years, but you would have to look at the copyright law in effect at the time the photos were taken). Technically, while the family probably had the legal right to sell you the actual physical slides (which were given to them as gifts, or inherited when the original photographer died), they had no legal right to assign the photographer's "copyright" unless they were the actual photographer and intended to do so. If you want to resell the actual slides on eBay, that probably won't be a problem. You will have to make clear, however, that you are not the photographer and cannot assign the "copyright" to them - a simple statement such as "reproduction of these photos without the photographer's permission is strictly prohibited" should be enough. You should also consult eBay's listing policy regarding selling copyrighted material, which can be found at http://pages.ebay.com/help/tp/copyrights.html . So what about setting up a "photo bureau" (that's the technical name of the Internet operation you describe) and licensing these images for a few pennies apiece? Here's the law: unless these photos are very, very old (anything pre-1910 is probably okay), they are probably not in the "public domain" as yet - someone owns the copyright to them, and will probably complain, by having their lawyers send a nasty "cease and desist letter", or using eBay's Verified Rights Owner (VeRO) program, if they discover unauthorized sales on eBay or elsewhere; if the photos contain images of persons, they cannot be sold or licensed without the persons' permission - any photos depicting family or tour group members should be returned to the family that sold you the slides; if the photographer is known, he or she should be given credit each time a photo is reproduced - so, for example, "photo by Cliff Ennico"; and if the photographer is not known, then the person who sold these photos to you should be given credit - for example, "photo courtesy of the family of Cliff Ennico" or "reprinted with permission of the Ennico family". The likelihood of anyone complaining is pretty remote in this case, but any reputable publisher or author will not download a photo from a "bureau" unless it has a photo credit and a copyright notice. I would never do this for any of my books, because then the publisher would make me prove that I had the right to reproduce the photo. Anyone downloading photos without proper credits and copyright information is looking to rip off the copyright owner, and any service providing such photos (on the Web or anywhere else) is a "scam". Go back to the family who sold you the photos, explain what you're planning to do with them, and get them to sign a one-page agreement assigning their copyright to you in exchange for a penny or two each time one of the photos is downloaded online. That way you can put credits and copyright notices on these photos and "legitimize" them. If the original photographer finds out and complains that the deal wasn't authorized by him, you will have some legal recourse against the family members who sold you the photos, you can offer the photographer the same deal in exchange for a copyright assignment, or you can simply remove the photos from the Web and go on with your life. After all, you're only out twenty bucks. Cliff Ennico ( cennico@legalcareer.com ) is a syndicated columnist, author and host of the PBS television series 'Money Hunt'. His latest books are 'Small Business Survival Guide' (Adams Media, $12.95) and 'The eBay Seller's Tax and Legal Answer Book' (AMACOM, $19.95). This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit our Web page at www.creators.com . COPYRIGHT 2007 CLIFFORD R. ENNICO. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

Getting Along in the Office: How to Leave Messages, and Meet and Greet By Ruth Haag www.RuthHaag.com Our modern messaging technology is so nice and quick that we have fallen into a too-casual usage of it, which often makes it difficult for the message recipient. This casualness has spread to meeting people face-to-face, where an assumption is made that everyone recognizes and remembers the name of everyone else. Some Bad Message Examples An E-mail read: "Just fax the invoice to me and I'll take care of it." What was the fax number, I wondered? I E-mailed back with the question. The next E-mail read: "The fax number is on the bottom of the E-mail." But it wasn't. I E-mailed this back. The last E-mail read: "It was on the bottom of the E-mail that I sent you last month." Sigh. Why couldn't she have just sent the fax number to me with the first E-mail? A voicemail message said: "Give me a call back at my office." But I was out of town with my cell phone, and did not know their office number. A voice mail said: "Hi, it's Jen." But I couldn't remember who Jen was. A person sees me coming in the door and calls out: "Hi, Ruth." Who could that possibly be? I wonder. I meet many new people each week. Did I meet this person, or did they see my name and picture somewhere? Polite Modern Communication Rules There are a few simple rules that will take you from being the annoyance with your voice mails, E-mails, and face-to-face meetings, to being a helpful and polite person. For Voice Mail Messages: Always give your complete name, and the name of your company If it is someone who might not know you, reiterate where you met Leave your telephone number twice, once at the start and once at the end Make the message brief but to the point For E-mail messages: Always lead off by reiterating the topic that is being discussed Always attach all of your contact information at the end Use complete sentences, and punctuate properly. For Face-to-Face Meetings: Stick out your hand for a handshake, stating your name, your company name and why the person might know you Don't use someone's name unless you are sure of it About the author: Ruth Haag ( www.RuthHaag.com ) helps managers and employees understand the dynamics of the work environment, and how to function smoothly within it. She is the President/CEO of Haag Environmental Company. She has written a four-book business series: "Taming Your Inner Supervisor", "Day-to-Day Supervising", "Hiring and Firing", and "Why Projects Fail." Her enjoyable, easy-to-read books provide a look at life the way it is, rather than the way that you might think it should be. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

Building Credibility As A new Seller On eBay By Cliff Ennico www.creators.com Q:"I have just started selling on eBay but no one will buy from me because my feedback score is zero. How can I get my feedback score up to 20 so that people will begin buying from me?" A:This is probably one of the biggest challenges for "newbie" eBay sellers. Most buyers will be hesitant to buy from a seller with a low or "zero" feedback score. To sell fixed-price items using eBay's popular "Buy It Now!" feature, a seller has to have a feedback score of at least 20. So how can an eBay seller reach that number? Here are some tips from leading eBay experts: begin by selling inexpensive items on eBay, on the theory that buyers are more likely to take a risk on a "newbie" seller if it's only a $5 item, whereas people will not take the risk of buying a $100 item from a "newbie" seller; if that doesn't work, buy 10 or 15 low-priced items on eBay and pay for them promptly so you generate positive feedback - eBay's feedback system distinguishes between a user's selling and buying activity, but many buyers (regrettably) will look only at the overall feedback score without digging into the details - once the desired feedback score has been reached, stop buying and use the User ID exclusively for selling so the "buying" feedback fades into the background; do everything possible to give buyers "warm fuzzies" that you're okay to deal with, such as qualifying for PayPal's "buyer's protection plan", "ID Verifying" your eBay User ID, creating a detailed "About Me" page, posting a "blog" describing the merchandise you are selling, and using only a "verified" address and a "confirmed" account on PayPal; and get involved in the eBay community - create an "About Me" page that tells people all about your business, and get involved in eBay's community chat rooms, discussion groups and "social networking" areas so other eBay sellers will vouch that you are "for real" - the "fraudsters" on eBay don't take the time to do that. Last but not least, do everything you can to avoid negative or neutral feedback on eBay. People generally won't buy from people with a feedback score less than 50 unless their "positive" eBay rating is 100%. Bend over backwards to give your buyers the best service you can, and prepare yourself for the possibility you may have to let a bad buyer "win" every once in a while to preserve your precious "100% positive" rating. Q:"How can I quickly establish credibility as an eBay seller?" A:Building up your feedback score as an eBay buyer and seller is the most obvious way to quickly establish credibility on eBay. Here are several other tips, courtesy of eBay Certified Education Specialist and "PowerSeller" Jack Waddick of Chicago, Illinois ( www.oakviewtraining.com ): Create a Free eBay "About Me" Page. Tell a little about who you are, what you sell, your level of interest in the products you sell, maybe even a little about why you are selling the things you are selling. ("Grandma just passed away at 98 after 73 wonderful years of collecting Hummels . . . ") Write eBay Reviews and Guides. If you have experience (good or bad) with a particular product (that you are selling or not) write an eBay Review and share that experience with others. If you have expertise in a certain area (coins, golf equipment, computers,) write an eBay Guide and share that particular expertise with other eBayers. Review and Guides help you establish credibility and build trust with the eBay community, which could help convince some people that you are the best person to be buying these items from. Use a Short Video. Including a short video in your eBay "About Me" page can be a great ice breaker and a nice way to warm up the online experience by adding a smiling face to that eBay User ID. For items that typically lend themselves to a demonstration, including a short video in your eBay listing (for free) is like stepping right in to that buyer's home with your product. If a picture is worth 1,000 words, what is a one-minute demonstration video worth? For a useful guide to creating videos for eBay, get the one-hour DVD "Add Video to eBay Auctions" by Cindy Shebley ($29.99, Ghost Leg Productions, www.ghostleg.com ). Cliff Ennico ( cennico@legalcareer.com ) is a syndicated columnist, author and host of the PBS television series 'Money Hunt'. His latest books are 'Small Business Survival Guide' (Adams Media, $12.95) and 'The eBay Seller's Tax and Legal Answer Book' (AMACOM, $19.95). This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit our Web page at www.creators.com . COPYRIGHT 2007 CLIFFORD R. ENNICO. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

Can I Sell This Stuff On Ebay? By Cliff Ennico www.creators.com Q:"What are the rules when it comes to selling trademarked or branded items, such as Gucci handbags or Tiffany jewelry, on eBay?" A:eBay's rules about trademarked items are simple to state, but difficult as the Dickens to apply in practice. Even experienced eBay sellers make mistakes in this area. The rules are basically these: you cannot sell knockoff or counterfeit items on eBay - never, ever, ever, world without end, Amen; it's up to you to determine if an item is genuine or not; eBay won't help you determine if an item is genuine or not; if the manufacturer or owner of the brand or trademark wants your listing terminated because they think you are not selling genuine merchandise, even if you are, eBay will shut down your listing and, for repeated violations, kick you off of eBay; you cannot hold yourself out as an authorized reseller of a manufacturer unless you truly are one; and if you have questions about whether an item is genuine or not, eBay wants you to talk directly to the "rights owner" or manufacturer about it, and has set up a program called VeRo (for "Verified Rights Owner") to help you do just that. Details of eBay's VeRo program can be found at http://pages.ebay.com/help/tp/programs-vero-ov.html . Many leading manufacturers participate in eBay's VeRo program, but offer little guidance to eBay sellers in determining whether an item is genuine or not. When you click on a manufacturer's "About Me" page in the VeRo section of eBay's website, many just repeat eBay's rules about not selling counterfeit or knockoff items with their brand names and trademarks on them, and warn you of the perils of doing so. eBay does require participants in the VeRo program to give you an e-mail address where you can ask questions about their merchandise, but don't hold your breath waiting for your e-mail messages to be answered. There are some very good business reasons why manufacturers and brand owners won't go out of their way to help you sell their merchandise on eBay, among them the following: many luxury-goods makers view eBay as a liquidation or "flea market" venue, and do not want their brands sold there under any circumstances for fear of tainting their brands' marketing image; many manufacturers want to protect their distribution channels from low-cost competition from eBay sellers; many manufacturers, especially of luxury goods, do not want to see an aftermarket in used (but genuine) merchandise competing with their new high-margin offerings; and many manufacturers want to avoid lawsuits and negative publicity from buyers who are angry with their eBay purchases (because of irresponsible or inexperienced sellers) and claim that the manufacturers have "aided and abetted" the eBay seller's actions.by encouraging sales on eBay. There are also some very good business reasons why eBay won't do more to help you sell branded merchandise on the site: eBay views itself as a "marketplace" or "platform" on which transactions take place, and is legitimately concerned about jeopardizing its "neutral" status by taking sides between sellers and trademark owners; and eBay is petrified (and rightly so) by the prospect of being sued by powerful Fortune 500 corporations (such as the parent corporations of Gucci's and Tiffany's) with deep pockets and big-name law firms behind them, and will bend over backwards to avoid offending these companies. To begin your education on eBay's brand-name merchandise policies, begin with eBay's "Guidelines for Creating Legally Compliant Listings" ( http://pages.ebay.com/help/tp/compliant-listings.html ). Then take eBay's "tutorial on Intellectual Property Policies and VeRO" (there's a link to that on the above page, but you will have to sign in using your eBay User ID and password to take the tutorial). Finally, review eBay's VeRO page and read the "frequently asked questions" that are posted there: http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/questions/vero-ended-item.html . You now know as much as anyone does about selling brand-name merchandise on eBay. The bottom line is that when you sell brand-name merchandise on eBay without the manufacturer's permission or authorization, you are taking a risk, and will have to expect that occasionally eBay will terminate one of your listings even if you are convinced that the item is genuine. If you bought the item yourself, post a photo of your purchase receipt on your eBay listing (blacking out any personal information, of course). And remember . . . if a deal seems "too good to be true", it probably is. That "genuine Gucci handbag" you bought from a store in a back alley of Rome for 50 Euros (about $69) is almost certainly not genuine - don't even think about selling it on eBay! Cliff Ennico ( cennico@legalcareer.com ) is a syndicated columnist, author and host of the PBS television series 'Money Hunt'. His latest books are 'Small Business Survival Guide' (Adams Media, $12.95) and 'The eBay Seller's Tax and Legal Answer Book' (AMACOM, $19.95). This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit our Web page at www.creators.com . COPYRIGHT 2007 CLIFFORD R. ENNICO. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

Finding Romance -- And Inventory -- In The Far East Cliff Ennico www.creators.com "I'm an eBay PowerSeller, and would love to be able to order products directly from the overseas manufacturers, especially in China, to sell on eBay, but I'm afraid I don't have the skills to handle the negotiations myself. Is there any place that can help me make contact with manufacturers AND help put the deals together?" If you are new to importing, and don't have any import experience, your best resource for sourcing product from China or elsewhere in Asia is Worldwide Brands, Inc, based in Orlando, Florida ( www.worldwidebrands.com ). Worldwide Brands offers you the ability through their OneSource#8482; database to purchase through direct import buyers. These are companies who set up warehouses within the United States to have the product imported from manufacturers in countries such as China. These companies handle all the importing arrangements and you purchase directly from the distributor within the United States. This way you don't have to be concerned about handling the import logistics or the manufacturer negotiations. According to Peter Zapf, Vice President of Community Development for Global Sources ( www.globalsources.com ), eBay sellers looking to source product directly from Asia should consider three services: (a) Global Sources Direct ( GlobalSourcesDirect.com ): This is an online wholesale site offering product directly from China. That is, you go to the site, select the products you want, put them in your shopping cart, and they are shipped to you via air courier from China so you receive them within ten days. Minimum order quantity is relatively small at one carton. Global Sources Direct is also listed in the WorldWideBrands directory. According to Zapf, it's the easiest way to access China manufactured products because you don't deal with suppliers, quality control or logistics. Global Sources Direct handles all that for you. (b) Global Sources ( www.globalsources.com ): This website provides a directory of suppliers. Verified suppliers have been physically visited three times or more by Global Sources. You can search for products and suppliers and also work with them directly. The verified suppliers list hundreds of thousands of products in a wide range of categories. Examples of just some of the products are digital photo frames, ATVs, hand bags and vacuum cleaners. According to Zapf, this site is great for folks that either have experience or want to build experience with the import process. Similar to their U.S. counterparts, Chinese manufacturers have varying minimum order quantity requirements, and you will need to contact suppliers to check on their minimum order quantities. (c) China Sourcing Fairs ( www.ChinaSourcingFairs.com ): Hosted by Global Sources, these trade shows have thousands of Chinese suppliers exhibiting their products. Everyone from big box retailers down to eBay PowerSellers attend these shows in order to find and meet suppliers. The biggest shows are in Hong Kong and include consumer electronics, fashion accessories, underwear and swimwear, and household products. All you need to do is get on a plane and show up. There is no entry fee. According to Zapf, this is a great opportunity to network with other international buyers. In addition, Global Sources also hosts a "Buying From China: What New Buyers Need to Know" seminar at the show. So if you are new to importing, you can learn about buying from China and also meet thousands of suppliers. Hey, it's deductible! Many eBay sellers buy in small volumes (100 pieces or less). For these volumes, Zapf advises that eBay sellers may want to consider working with trading companies rather than buying direct from China. The advantage of a trading company is that it can act as an intermediary on your behalf and can often handle smaller minimum order quantities. However, Zapf points out, since it hasn't actually manufactured the product, there is a longer chain to go through when getting information about the products. Many eBayers ask about purchasing products from China with Western trademarks or brands. The owners of these trademarks and brands control their distribution channels closely and don't try to create pricing structures that support cross border grey-market sales. As a result, a fair number of the opportunities you see to purchase such products are, in fact, offering counterfeit products. Selling these will almost certainly get you kicked off of eBay, as well as sued by the manufacturers of these products if they can prove you knowingly imported counterfeit or knockoff goods. To avoid liability, Zapf says you can ask the seller for proof that they are an authorized distributor, and you can check with the brand owner whether the seller is an authorized distributor. Better yet, avoid Western branded products altogether: "When looking to buy from China, you should be looking for a new and innovative product, a well-priced unbranded product, or a product you can have manufactured in China and put your own brand name on it," Zapf advises. Trust me, there's plenty of stuff to choose from. Cliff Ennico ( cennico@legalcareer.com ) is a syndicated columnist, author and host of the PBS television series 'Money Hunt'. His latest books are 'Small Business Survival Guide' (Adams Media, $12.95) and 'The eBay Seller's Tax and Legal Answer Book' (AMACOM, $19.95). This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit our Web page at www.creators.com . COPYRIGHT 2007 CLIFFORD R. ENNICO. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

How to Effectively Present Your Content to Online Editors By Anne Leedom netconnectpublicity.com One of the most common misconceptions regarding an online campaign is that editors for this unique medium should be approached in the same manner as traditional radio, TV and print media. Interestingly, nothing could be further from the truth. Let's look at how to approach online editors and what you need to offer to capture their attention and their imagination. Online editors answer their email. The beauty of an online campaign is the simple fact that these editors are now ACCESSIBLE due to this basic fact. Send your email to the top contact and you will likely make the connections you couldn't in traditional methods. Online editors are very busy and are choosy about which emails they read. Therefore, the most important part of your online presentation is the 42-character subject line of the email. Say it briefly and say it well. Online editors do not want you to send attachments, nor do they want to scroll through lengthy emails that include your articles, bios and reviews. Once you have established interest you can follow up with these tools. Your only goal in the initial email is to create interest and inspire the editor to respond. This means a brief email expressing who you are, what you have to offer, and given your research of their website, why they might want your work featured on their site. Answer their question: What is in it for us? Include links (don't go crazy here) to your site, relevant articles and press releases, etc. in the email presentation. This way they can conduct further research if they so desire without being overwhelmed with a lengthy and time-consuming email. You do NOT want to be placed in the "I better read this later" pile. Writing an online email presentation allows you to be more personal than traditional methods. Since its very nature is to be brief, it becomes a wonderful tool to follow up on little details you learn about the contact editor and visa versa. The concept of letter writing is a personal form of communication and it can be used very well to your advantage to build a sincere rapport and create camaraderie between you and the editors whom you contact. Even if the editor doesn't immediately respond to your work, through regular emailing you can build the necessary rapport to eventually learn what the editor is looking for and tailor your material to fit their needs. Avoid any distracting fonts, graphics and bold lettering. Your email should be very professional, very easy to read with short sentences that clearly state what you have to offer and how it is of benefit to the editor you are contacting. The more your email presentation matches the look of the articles on the site, the more the editor will tend to read your email. Above all, check spelling and grammar. Bear in mind your email presentation should be designed to capture their attention and guide the editor to your site. If you have built your website correctly and featured your content, NOT your product, than they can learn all they need to know about you. If you include too much in your initial email you will end up in the dreaded "I'll read that later" pile. Follow up on your initial presentation weekly. Editors are overwhelmed with email and it can easily get lost in their desk or even in cyberspace. If they truly do not wish to work with you, most editors will have the courtesy to let you know, especially after a persistent campaign of emails that are pleasant and brief. Tie in your presentation to current events or seasonal content as much as possible. You many be the best financial advisor in the world and have great information on a variety of topics, but come January the only content the editor may wish to see is content offering tips on taxes. Overall, a successful online presentation combines quality material presented to the right editor with a knowledge of the website you are targeting and how your material might fit their needs. When this is done well, and it is done in a brief, pleasant, professional and consistent manner, placements can be made on virtually any website. Editors are looking for you to make their job easier and make them look good. Ultimately, offering content that is a strong match for the site's audience will secure a long-term relationship and open doors for greater promotional opportunity within each site. Anne Leedom founded Net Connect Publicity, an online content management agency for authors, experts and websites who wish to promote their work via the Internet. Net Connect opened in 1999 and handles clients in various topics including parenting, health, business and spirituality. The company is based in the Sacramento, California region. Contact Anne at anne@netconnectpublicity.com . In addition to online placements, Net Connect offers traditional media placements in radio and print. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

What People Really, Really Want When They Buy Online Cliff Ennico www.creators.com "I'm in the process of setting up a Website to sell antiques and collectibles. I'm not exactly sure what type of merchandise I should be carrying. Do you have any advice on what people are looking for when they shop online, and what sort of content I should have on my Website?" Oh, boy, do I ever . . . When people search online, there are four things they are looking for (some people look for all of these, others just one or two). First, they are looking for information. The Internet is all about "content," and making it accessible to interested people free of charge. Your Website should not just be a "store". It should be a source of information about certain types of antiques and collectibles that people are interested in knowing more about. And not just any kind of information. I've said it before in this column and will do so again now: everything that appears on your Website should be "cool, compelling content." People these days have short attention spans, and expect to have a measure of fun, excitement or drama when they do stuff online. Your content must be interesting, captivating and entertaining - the sort of stuff people will e-mail their friends about, creating positive "buzz" for your Website. Second, they are looking for stuff they can't find in their local stores. I have a Smith Corona typewriter that I bought in the early 1990s. Because I'm a fairly fast typist, I just find it a lot easier to use an old-fashioned typewriter to address envelopes and create mailing labels than printing them from Microsoft Outlook. Needless to say, I'm not able to find replacement parts, print wheels, ribbon cartridges and correction spools for a 1990s-era typewriter in my local Staples or Office Depot outlet. So where do I get these typewriter supplies when I need them? eBay! There are several eBay Stores that actually specialize in typewriter parts, and I'm one of their best buyers. If you're selling antiques and collectibles on eBay (or anywhere else online), do some research and find out if there are any antique or collectible categories that are underrepresented on the Web. Online retailers generally do best when they focus on a "niche" and become known for their knowledge and expertise within that niche. So, for example, you might want to focus your Website on "tobacciana" (tobacco related paraphernalia, usually from the 1800s), or "hippie/counterculture artifacts" from the 1960s. Third, people are looking online for stuff they CAN buy at their local stores but at deep, deep discounts. To put it bluntly, a lot of people online are shopping for wholesale prices; they won't pay retail on eBay or anywhere else online if they can find the products locally at the same price. If you've got a baby, you need diapers. Lots of diapers. You can always find them locally, and if you need to buy in bulk, there's a Wal-Mart, CostCo or B.J.'s Wholesale Club within a short drive of your home (although no drive is short enough with a screaming infant in the back seat). If people are shopping for diapers online, they are looking for prices that beat even Wal-Mart's "regular low, low prices". If you can source diapers very cheaply, and can offer bulk lots of 50 packages each for half the "big box retail" prices, you probably can find customers for them online. Otherwise, don't sell diapers online. Fourth, and finally, people are shopping online for people with like-minded interests. Social network sites such as MySpace and Second Life are built on the principle that people are still interested in living in "villages" or communities, but no longer strictly geographical ones. Like it or not, the communities of the future are likely to be virtual ones - you will find you have more in common with someone in Timbuktu than you do the person who lives on the other side of the privet hedge in your back yard. Always have a space on your site where buyers and other visitors can interact with you and each other. This can take the form of a Weblog or "blog", a "community chat room", a "discussion board", or a series of "webinars" on topics of interest to the people who buy from you. If you sell cast iron antiques from the 1800s, for example, you might want to post a request for "tips" from collectors on how to remove rust from these items without damaging them. Trust me, you will get responses, and the search engine "spiders" love stuff like that. One more thing -- always be sure that everything on your Website is what your customers want to see, not what you think they should see. I read a lot of blogs in my line of work, and far, far too many of them remind me of that old song from the 1970s movie "Midnight Cowboy": "Everybody's talkin' at me, I don't hear a word they're sayin', only the echoes of my mind . . . " Cliff Ennico ( cennico@legalcareer.com ) is a syndicated columnist, author and host of the PBS television series 'Money Hunt'. His latest books are 'Small Business Survival Guide' (Adams Media, $12.95) and 'The eBay Seller's Tax and Legal Answer Book' (AMACOM, $19.95). This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit our Web page at www.creators.com . COPYRIGHT 2007 CLIFFORD R. ENNICO. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

Four WAHM Perspectives Summer Months vs. School Days When Running a Business Jill Hart CWAHM.com School supplies abound in department stores; moms are purchasing new clothes for their grumbling kids and counting down the days until summer ends. It's that time of year again - the back to school frenzy has begun. This time of year is chaotic for all parents, but it may have the most impact on those who are also trying to manage a home-based business. Most moms say it's easiest to run their business while the kids are at school, but surprisingly there are a few that embrace the juggling act year-round. Tami Barker Stayin Home and Lovin It is a fitting name for the business that Tami Barker, mother of two, has found success with. Barker helps educate others about the toxic-free products as well as the Wellness Company that carries them. Working out of her Washington home, she is truly "lovin" life as a work-at-home-mom (WAHM). Barker, who runs her business primarily by phone, explains that she finds it easy to run her business during the school season. "My kids are older, so it's easier during school months when they are gone most of the day. During the summer I like to spend as much time as possible with them having fun, although I do still have some business hours." "My business is very flexible, so even during the school year I can be the one that takes my kids to sports and after school activities. I also have the flexibility to go on field trips and help out in the classroom when I can. I always have my calendar by my side to prevent any conflicts with my personal and business schedules." Lorie Kelley When asked whether running her business goes smoother during summer months or the school season, Lorie Kelley, feels it's about the same for her year-round. The mother of two children says, "When you have your own business, you make your own hours. I just change my schedule to fit my lifestyle." Kelley, whose home business is run from her West Virginia residence, works as a travel agent through Coastal Families Worldwide. Despite homeschooling her children, she has built her business up to a place where it can support her family when necessary. Kelley states, "My husband had no work one winter. I was just 5 months into the business, but I was making enough to support us! I thank God for what he has done for my family!" Gina Neef Eco-friendly business mom, Gina Neef, agrees that running a business during the school year is as equally demanding as in the summer-time. Neef is an Executive Director with The MOM Team(tm) whose two children both attend public school. "When they are in school running my business is a little easier," Neef says, "but I do manage both well. Neef's business, which she runs mostly online and over the phone from her Texas home, takes plenty of planning ahead of time to make the balancing act of business vs. family work. "I schedule time with my kids and don't take calls at certain times of the day. I schedule my time well and have great support from my husband," says Neef. Diana Ennen Florida-based mom Diana Ennen has worked from home for over twenty years. This experienced WAHM finds the summer months much more difficult in terms of running her business. "My business is much easier to run during the school year." she states, "In fact, even when summer camp is in session, it's still more difficult in the summer." "As I'm working primarily on the computer, they can't see how busy I am at times. For example, I might be in the middle of a huge publicity blitz for a client who got national recognition and I need to spread the word, but my kids just see me typing. They interrupt and I lose the focus that I had. As a writer it's tough, too, because I could be really into writing a press release or something for a book I'm working on and then they come in and interrupt, I again lose my train of thought and often never get it back." "You feel like you need to entertain your kids during the summer. Even though I plan ahead and have lots of activities, crafts, etc., they still get bored. It's hard for me to focus on getting work done during the summer months." ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com . Jill is a contributing author in The Business Mom Guide Book and I'll Be Home For Christmas and co-author of the upcoming book, Home Based Blessings. Jill has articles published across the web on sites like DrLaura.com and ClubMom.com. Jill and her husband, Allen of CWAHD.com reside in Nebraska with their two children. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

The Best "Summer Beach Reading" For Entrepreneurs Cliff Ennico www.creators.com "I'm a big fan of your column, but I do have one question. I notice that you don't do 'book reviews' very often. I'm looking for some good 'summer beach reading', and would love to hear a list of your favorite business books." While I refer to business books often in my columns, I don't generally do "book reviews" as such, for two reasons. First, there are so many new business books coming about that nobody can keep track of them all. Once I start reviewing some of these, I will have to start reviewing all of them, and this will become a "book review" column to the exclusion of everything else. But more importantly, I don't do business book reviews because I've found that the best books for entrepreneurs have little if anything to do with business per se. Let me explain . . . . When you're starting out in your own business, your first and biggest challenge is to get customers or clients. It's the "biggest challenge" because in business you have absolutely no control over the customer and what they want. You can be the greatest business genius since J. P. Morgan, but if you're selling products and services no one wants to buy, you will find yourself in bankruptcy court along with all of the ignoramuses. Getting customers and generating sales does not require a knowledge of business so much as it does an appreciation of human nature. Virtually all of my most successful small business clients spend a lot of time and effort crawling inside their customers' heads and learning what makes them tick. Show me an entrepreneur that understands how the human mind works, and has a keen understanding of the forces shaping and changing American society and culture, and I will (almost always) show you a successful entrepreneur. To understand your customers, and spot market opportunities before your competition does, I would strongly suggest you leave the "business" section of your bookstore behind and mosey on over to the "psychology" and "sociology" sections. Very often, the best books for your business can be found there. Here are some excellent "non-business" books that will help you build a successful business. They are also fun to read. "Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business" by Neal Postman. Anybody who wants to understand how American society works today needs to read every book written by Neal Postman. Originally published in 1985 (before the Internet!), this groundbreaking book describes the corrosive effects of television on American society. Postman's theme is the decline of the printed word and the ascendancy of the "tube'' with its tendency to present everything -- murder, mayhem, politics, even weather -- as entertainment. "Life, The Movie: How Entertainment Conquered Reality" by Neal Gabler. A leading Hollywood historian and biographer of Walt Disney, Gabler takes Postman's thesis a step further and argues that the omnipresence of media in our lives is causing us to lose our grip on reality. Instead of confronting life as it is, Gabler argues, we develop and act out "scripts" as if we were acting in a movie or theatrical production. Anyone who has ever waited in line at a Starbucks(r) will understand completely what Gabler is talking about. "Rejuvenile" by Christopher Noxon. A funny but sobering account of how Baby Boomers and Generation X'ers have cast aside traditional notions of "maturity" in favor of indulging their "inner children" well into middle age. "Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There" by David Brooks. Observers of the Baby Boom generation have long noted two contradictory impulses - their ruthless drive to succeed in business and their adoption of the bohemian, "hippie" lifestyles and beliefs of the 1960's and 1970's counterculture. Brooks' book attempts to reconcile these two extremes by pointing out the ways in which Boomers are increasingly using capitalistic means to achieve socialistic ends. "The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less," by Barry Schwartz. A persuasive argument that human beings can only handle so many choices at a given time, and that a marketer's challenge is to find the "optimum" number of options for customers, without attempting to customize products and services for every single individual on Earth. "I'm a Stranger Here Myself," by Bill Bryson. The dust jacket calls Bryson a "humorist," which I don't think is right, because he isn't really funny ("droll" would be a better word). But this collection of newspaper articles, written by an American who returned to the U.S. after a 20-year stint abroad, contains some very sharp and subtle perceptions about how America changed during the 1980's and 1990's. "Democracy in America," by Alexis de Tocqueville. Observations of America by non-Americans, intended for an overseas market, are always worth reading. This is one of the oldest, and still the best. If you didn't read it in college, now's the time - we may look a lot different than we did in de Tocqueville's time, but we're still basically the same people. Or, as the French say, "the more things change, the more they remain the same." Happy reading, and happy end of summer. Cliff Ennico ( cennico@legalcareer.com ) is a syndicated columnist, author and host of the PBS television series 'Money Hunt'. His latest books are 'Small Business Survival Guide' (Adams Media, $12.95) and 'The eBay Seller's Tax and Legal Answer Book' (AMACOM, $19.95). This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit our Web page at www.creators.com . COPYRIGHT 2007 CLIFFORD R. ENNICO. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>