A Muse News subscriber sent this to me about her phone fraud call:

“We received a phone call this evening from the Energy Research Alliance, 720-339-8304, asking if we wanted to participate in an energy SURVEY (this is how they get around the Do-Not-Call list). Normally I would hang up on these type of calls, but Jennifer, the young lady making the call, asked intelligent questions and sounded reputable. I agreed to let their survey team call me to see if we fit the “parameters” of their survey (I think the parameters are whether you have a pulse!)  As I was talking to her I Googled the company and came up with some IMPORTANT information EVERYONE should know. Check out this website to learn what they are really about and then when they call “Just say NO.” They have not called me back yet, but when they do, you know what I will tell them. Some people on the site below said these people just kept calling them over and over. The solution to this problem is to call your phone company and have a block put on that number.

I’m sending this warning to every local person in my address book and I hope you do too.”

The 800notes.com site has good info and you may also post a comment there if you’ve received such a call. When Googling phone numbers type the whole number in – no dashes or dots. You can also Google a company name like the person above did. Then put a block on the number.

When I was little my grandma and grandpa loved to take us kids to the Nebraska State Fair. Every year my grandma would say, “Now kids, don’t let grandpa buy any more slicer-dicers. We’ve got a basement full of ‘em!” We would watch the entertaining demonstrations of the latest gizmos and amazingly they all had guarantees. Sure enough my grandpa would buy the knife that never needs sharpening, the apple peeler, the chopper/slicer or the magic stain remover. One time at the end of a pots and pans demonstration the spokesman said, “Light the candles ladies – supper’s ready!” It was as if supper magically made itself with these miracle pans – guaranteed!

After we got home grandma would scold grandpa for buying yet another gadget and we’d all laugh. I don’t think my grandpa cared if the gizmo worked or not. He just did it for the fun of it. It became a running joke every year wondering what grandpa would buy next.

So back to the sizzlin’ deals with those SEO companies. It’s kinda like the slicer-dicers. If you want to do it for the fun of it – go for it! If you really truly believe in those SEO company promises well…would you also like a ginzu knife?

Their website is awesome! It’s simple and interactive. Check out the section that says Create Your Own Stach Comic. And by the way, their nuts are really good and addicting.

I think they’ve done an ingenious job of marketing. Is there some way you can add this type of humor into what you are doing? Their name is very catchy and memorable. The navigation on the website is funny too. They just recently added an online store where you can buy nuts by the case. I can think of several people who would get a real laugh out of getting these as a gift. Have some fun playing around their site and maybe it will spark some ideas for your own web site!

We work well with a variety of professionals throughout any given day. Whether they are Domain Registrars, Hosting, SEO, Pay Per Click, Adwords, Marketing, Public Relations, Printers, Web Companies, Programmers, Virtual or Administrative Assistants and more. I was appalled when I phoned a web company to fix a scripting error on their client’s site for us. (We’re doing some updates on that client’s site). I was told they couldn’t take my request over the phone, I would need to email it to support@ – what the heck? I received an automated email response assigning a case # and saying if it took longer than 72 hours a rep would call me. Well, that didn’t happen, so I emailed again, a new case # was assigned and again no response. I then emailed the person I spoke with initially on the phone. To make a long story short – my request was totally ignored and to this date, the problem still exists on their site. How do they sleep at night?

Another company, which also will remain nameless never answers their phone. Their policy is for you to leave a message and someone will call you back. Well, my client or myself have yet to receive a return call or even an email acknowledgement. I really wonder how these companies stay in business!

Then there is the Virtual Assistant who doesn’t have a clue about web design or coding – yet claims such knowledge on her own website. The coding on the site she worked on is now a real bird’s nest and our client is paying the price. How can someone claim to be an expert in something when they are not? That is not being conscientious.

One of the big characteristics I look for in people who work with me is “conscientiousness”.  Do they respond promptly to my phone calls or emails? Do they follow through? Are they responsible and reliable or do they disappear for days/weeks at a time? Skills can be learned or taught. I’m more interested in hands-on experience than a degree from a tech school or web design certificate. I think that being conscientious is something built in to your character – it’s not something you can download. I am proud to say that everyone at The Web Muse & Co. has this quality along with many more!  Come to think of it, I really enjoy working with clients who are conscientious too. It’s a win-win.

Among the many things that make our company different – being conscientious is one of the big ones. We follow-through, we do what we say we’ll do and we’ll tell you if we don’t know how to do something. Being honest and straightforward are also two qualities that are mentioned when clients refer us to others. We are paid for our advice/opinions/research and clients know that we will be direct. We will not just say, “Oh that’s a great idea when we think there’s a better approach.” We want only the very best for you and your business.

2.  Know where your website is hosted. This is sometimes different than where the domain is registered. It can be the same place if you’ve registered your domain at the same place you host the site. Find out if they have an 800 number to call 24/7 if your site is down or has been hacked.

3.  Know the passwords for each email address associated with your website.

Contact your web company today if you do not have the above three things and make sure you keep this information in a safe place.

2. FREE – yes, put this word in big, bold capital letters at least once on your home page. Everyone can give something away for FREE. The Internet was built on the premise of FREE. What can you give away for FREE?

3. Today – Why delay? Order today! Now is good, today is better! This word invites the visitor to take action today. Tell them why today is better than tomorrow and that’s even better. Encourage them to buy from you today.

4. Buy – Yes, tell them to buy or take action. Use this word and make this prominent on your site. Order, Buy, Subscribe or Call. These are all action-oriented words that educate the visitor on where to click to “buy”.

5. Questions – Ask a question to get a response or interaction from a visitor. Use emotional words within the question to get a greater reaction. Which sounds better: “Make those hits multiply like rabbits.” or “Are your hits multiplying like rabbits?” See the difference?

6. Bullet Points – People tend to scan rather than read when they are online. Bullet points are good because they separate the text and are easy to scan quickly. Statistics show that odd numbered bullet points work best using 3-5 rather than 4-6.

7. Social Media Icons – Place these in the footer or sidebar of your site so they appear on every page. This encourages people to follow you on Twitter, friend you on FaceBook or connect with you on LinkedIn.

8. Benefits – Don’t tell me you’ve been in business for 25 years, tell me what that many years of experience is going to do for me. What makes you special? How will I feel when working with your company? What type of experience am I going to have that is different from your competitors?

9. Sign Up – OK, it’s two words, but they really work. Sign up for our free ezine; sign up for our secrets, tips or free sample. By having the visitor “sign up” you get their email address and maybe more if you have them fill out a short form. This gives you permission to market to them in the future. These are the people who are truly interested in what you have to offer.

10. Thanks – Yes, make sure to thank your online customer or potential customer for stopping by your site, placing the order or signing up. People thrive on appreciation. One company I deal with online, goes a step further and sends a handwritten thank you note every time I place an order.

10.5 Bonus – Include a special bonus for your visitors. This could be a bonus offer when you order two for one or a bonus report or a bonus coupon. Visitors love extras!

You’ve got to sell your site with WORDS because the visitor is sitting in front of a screen instead of meeting you face-to-face. The right amount of words and the way you say it is so important. Have fun playing with words on your web site and start seeing results today!

Barbara Winter’s Joyfully Jobless News
www.joyfullyjobless.com
Her ezines are written from a truly entrepreneurial heart. They are filled with resources and inspiration for anyone who has their own business or is aspiring to have one. She is a brilliant, fabulous writer. Barbara also publishes a printed newsletter that is just terrific at www.barbarawinter.com/winning-ways.html I have been a subscriber and solid fan for two decades.

Jeffrey Gitomer’s Sales Caffeine
www.gitomer.com
If you’ve got a website, you are in sales. His no-nonsense, direct approach is worth reading every week.  He has a special link at the bottom for the Printable Version and I love this! If you ever get the chance to see him in person – GO! His presentations are entertaining and educational.

Jill Whalen’s High Rankings Advisor
www.highrankings.com
Common-sense logic for search engine strategies. Have a question? Search through the forums for answers to about everything you can think of regarding search engines. Her SEO philosophy is what we also believe in and recommend to our clients. She is a genius and really knows her stuff!

Joan Stewart’s The Publicity Hound
www.thepublicityhound.com
This ezine is packed with creative ideas and useful information. Her tips, tricks and tools for free publicity really work. I particularly enjoy reading the “Help this Hound” section where you can submit a query for other businesses to give you advice on how to promote your product or service. You’ll find a wealth of products at her website to help you with every area of publicity no matter what your industry. I am a rabid fan of the Publicity Hound!

John Kremer’s Book Marketing Tips
www.johnkremer.com
For all authors or those wannabe authors – this ezine has a plethora of information for you. He lists bookstores that want to know about your books and how to contact them. His marketing ideas are priceless!

And of course, I must mention that the Muse News – our own monthly ezine is filled with great resources, web marketing ideas and inspiration. We’re in our 11^th year of publishing this ezine. Peruse the archives and subscribe here: http://www.thewebmuse.com/muse-news.html

Happy Reading! Do you have a favorite ezine that I need to know about? List it below and I’ll check it out!

Appreciation of art and artists.

Birds. I love to watch birds, especially finches. They are so bright and colorful.

Convertible Just getting in the car and putting the top down makes me smile.

Dogs. I love dogs. They love you unconditionally and are always happy to see you.

Enlightened. A wonderful way to be in the world – I am enlightened every day.

Flowers – Wild flowers in the mountains are spectacular! Fresh flowers in the home are so beautiful.

Grandma and Grandpa. Loved them so much and grateful for everything they taught me.

Home – It’s like a big hug, warm and welcoming.

Intuition – Listening to the inner voice.

Jenny – My fabulous friend and massage therapist. Aaaaah!

Knowledge – It’s good to know what I know and I’m always learning!

Larry – my handsome husband and best friend.

Motorcycle riding. Hoppin’ on the Harley and hittin’ the road clears my mind.

Nieces and nephews – all sixteen of them!

Office – Enjoy a beautiful home office with mountain views.

Positive attitude. If I were to pick just ONE attribute I am most grateful for – this would be it!

Quiet time – to just be – meditation and reflection.

Rocky Mountain National Park – especially when the elk are bugling in the fall.

Seasons – the changes in weather, clothing and seasonal foods.

Talent. Appreciating the talents of others and recognizing my own.

Unconditional love.

Visionary. Ability to see the big picture and not sweat the small stuff.

Websites. What a wealth of information can be found online.

Xanadu – heaven on earth.

Yesterday. Learn and move on.

Zen – meditation, beauty and simplicity.

Gratitude is the best attitude.  ~Author Unknown

It’s pretty easy and user-friendly. Since I already use Gmail – I installed the Google app so a mini calendar shows up on the left sidebar below my labels. The Quick Add feature allows you to type in something like: 3pm 7/19 Meeting with Client Name, location, phone.  It can be typed in any order that makes sense to you. Then Google Calendar automatically places it on that date with a default of 1 hour. If I type in the time frame like 3-5 pm then it blocks out that time on the calendar. I put everything on one calendar – both business and personal. There is the option of creating several calendars though and that may make sense for your activities.

After I entered all my meetings, phone conferences, social events and other appointments I posted all the birthdays and anniversaries I want to remember. Here’s how I did that:

Click on Create Event

What: Mary Williams BD
When: I typed 10/9 then clicked the box that says All Day
Repeat: this is a dropdown box, so I chose every year
Ends: This automatically says Never
Then I clicked SAVE

The birthdays show up at the top of that particular day and don’t interfere with appointments that I enter throughout the day. It took about 15 seconds to enter each event.

Anytime I got stuck on something I clicked on Help and found the answer right away. I like being able to access my calendar when traveling. I started using “Tasks” however, as a company we really like HiTask for scheduling projects, timeframes, completed tasks, etc.

What’s your favorite method for organizing online?

If you prefer email, here are a few tips:

• Include your email address more than once on your Home Page and several times throughout your site.
• Consider having your email address in a larger font to make it stand out.
• Ask your web person to use an anti-harvesting script on the email address so you won’t get spammed.
• Forget the cute graphic envelopes or postal boxes that say, “Email me”. When the page is printed, the recipient won’t know what your email address is.
• Check your inbox several times a day and respond promptly to all inquiries. If a potential client sends you an email they will expect an immediate response – no later than 24 hours. The quicker you respond, the more likely you are to get the sale.

If you prefer to communicate with potential clients via phone consider these suggestions:

• Place your phone number in the upper right corner of your site in a large san serif font that is easy to read. Include the words: Call me today at 000-000-0000. Place your phone number in the Blue Browser Title Bar. When the search engine robots visit your site – your phone number will be included in the verbiage printed for that search engine’s listing of your site.
• Do you have a professional voice messaging system that you change and check regularly? Try calling yourself today and see what type of impression your message leaves. When recording a new voice message – SMILE – this simple act of smiling while speaking will actually come across in your voice.
• Return all phone calls within 24 hours. All kinds of negative assumptions are made about a business or person that does not return calls. Years ago I received a voice message from someone wanting me to volunteer my time for a political campaign. Since I do return all phone calls, I called this woman back. After politely explaining that I would not be able to volunteer my time because of my business obligations – she casually mentioned that her mother was a pattern drafter. WOW! I knew someone who was looking to hire a person with those skills. A connection was made all because of me returning a phone call. What amazing thing will happen to you today when you return phone calls?
• Speaking of phone numbers, try typing yours into the Google search bar. If you’ve had the same phone number (landline) awhile, your name and address will come up.

Include both your email and phone on your Contact page. Keep your business and website positive, prosperous and professional by returning all calls and responding to all email inquiries. Word will spread quickly that you are courteous, responsive and professional. Those are very good qualities for any business or website to have.