Are secret fears holding you back from jumping head first into blogging? Don’t let them! Blogging is nothing to be afraid of and it can do amazing things for your online business.  This is part 2 in an 8 part series to help you bust through your blogging fears!

What if you aren’t a writer?  I don’t consider myself a writer.  If you’ve got a decent command of the English language, and know how to use spell check, you’ll be just fine!  Blogs are casual conversations and don’t require the same level of perfection as a thesis.

It’s okay to…

• Write like you speak—be real and your readers will connect with you better
• Keep your posts short—more people will read shorter posts
• Ease into blogging—an imperfect start is okay, know that it gets easier as you go

But what if you really hate writing?

• Do a video blog or an audio blog.
• Create a blog that’s just you doing a weekly interview with experts or sharing a book review on video.
• Use a voice-to-text program to speak your blog posts and let your computer do the typing for you.
• Hire a ghostwriter or use quality PLR (private label rights) articles to help you.
• Curate great content from other sources—guest bloggers, article directories, etc.

There are options that don’t require you to write at all.

Or, be okay with the fact that you aren’t a “writer” and blog anyway.  Like any skill, the more you do it, the better you’ll get.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Michelle Shaeffer is CWAHM’s resident blogging and website expert.  If you’re ready to get your new blog launched, make it easy on yourself and get started with her free 30 lesson blogging ecourse.  From how to choose your domain and install WordPress, to which plugins you need and how to plan your content, this ecourse will save you hours of time and get you started on the right path to a successful blog.  Get it at http://launchyourblog.com

Are secret fears holding you back from jumping head first into blogging? Don’t let them! Blogging is nothing to be afraid of and it can do amazing things for your online business.  This is part 1 in an 8 part series to help you bust through your blogging fears!

Everyone has something to share.  I promise you that if you have survived life up until now, you have learned lessons, you’ve lived through things, you’ve found answers and ways to get through and succeed that you can share with others!

If you’re an entrepreneur and you’re in business for yourself, then it’s safe to assume you’re passionate about the business you are building.  What is it about your services, products, or mission that gets you excited and motivated?  That’s where to start brainstorming for blog ideas.

When you’re blogging for business, then it doesn’t necessarily matter what you feel you’ve got to share–it only matters what your audience wants to read. They’ve got problems, challenges, questions, and you can be the one to deliver the answers they’re searching for.

So where can you go to figure out what questions to answer for your readers?  Here are three places to find ideas:

• Social Networks: If you have social networking accounts (Twitter, Facebook, etc) then ask your friends and followers what questions they’ve got that you can answer.  Turn your answers into blog posts.  If you don’t have many connections yet, then go to a popular fan page or do a #hashtag search on Twitter and see what questions people are asking.  Use that to inspire your blog posts.
• Question & Answer Sites: Quora, Google Answers, Yahoo Answers, Fluther, Vark, and other sites allow anyone to ask questions – and you can find all sorts of blog post ideas (you can also answer questions on these sites to generate traffic).
• Your Inbox: What questions do your friends and clients ask frequently?  That’s a great blog post waiting for you to write it.

Once you’ve got your main topic or theme for your blog, you can find inspiration everywhere. Here are some great resources to get your brain going:

• Chris Brogan
• Blogging Bookshelf
• Social Media Examiner
• Simplestorming

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Michelle Shaeffer is CWAHM’s resident blogging and website expert.  If you’re ready to get your new blog launched, make it easy on yourself and get started with her free 30 lesson blogging ecourse.  From how to choose your domain and install WordPress, to which plugins you need and how to plan your content, this ecourse will save you hours of time and get you started on the right path to a successful blog.  Get it at http://launchyourblog.com

Spending too much time trying to manage your posts, figure out where traffic is coming from or deleting spam comments?  If you’ve got a WordPress blog, try these cool plugins to make managing everything easier.

Managing Your Posts – WordPress Editorial Calendar is my favorite plugin for keeping my posts organized and knowing what’s coming up next.  It was the first plugin I installed on my new blog.  Here’s a video about how it works.

Tracking Your Traffic Statistics – Knowing how much traffic you’re getting, where it’s coming from, and what posts/pages are most popular is valuable information.  Check out JetPack for simple stats tracking.  It’ll show you all those details and more. Managing Your Comments – Install Subscribe to Comments Reloaded and CommentLuv to get more from your comments area.  CommentLuv will also help fight spam on your blog.  Also be sure your theme supports threaded comments (where replies show as replies right below the original comment so conversations are easier to follow) or install a plugin that creates threaded comment support.

Easy Contact Form Builder – Contact forms make it easier for readers to get in touch and protect you from the spam that happens if you put your email address on your website.  I use Contact Form 7.

Search Engine Optimization Tools – I’m using All in One SEO Pack along with Scribe SEO.  They make it easier to optimize your content so the search engines like it and send traffic your way. What are your favorite plugins for managing your blog?  I’d love to know what’s missing from my list, so please share them in the comments!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Michelle Shaeffer believes that building your business online shouldn’t mean teetering on the edge of insanity. She once wrote 42 blog posts in a single day, and has mentored more than 2,500 bloggers through leading online blog challenges.  Drawing from 15+ years of experience in designing hundreds of websites and helping small businesses owners from crafters to coaches to authors market themselves online, she helps frazzled online business owners overcome technical problems by choosing the right solutions to create, leverage, and automate their websites, blogs and social media to get noticed, inspire fans, thrill clients, and serve their tribes. Want more blogging advice?  Connect with Michelle at www.michelleshaeffer.com

Are you in the “just getting started” phase of blogging where your cat and your goldfish are your only readers?

Don’t despair!  If you don’t have traffic of your own yet, the best way to get some is to borrow it.

Here are some simple ways to get traffic from other people’s networks:

Comment on Other Blogs
When you comment on a blog it adds a link from your comment to your website (if you put your URL in the URL field).   So get out there and be chatty!

Tip: Look for blogs that have CommentLuv enabled.  You’ll get not just one link but two—one to your website and another one to your most recent blog post.  Here’s a great list of CommentLuv enabled blogs: http://www.trafficgenerationcafe.com/commentluv-enabled/

Be a Guest Blogger
Blogging as a guest on other people’s blogs is a great way to get in front of their readers and bring some of them back to your blog. It also helps establish credibility for you.

Share Great Resources & Bloggers with Your Readers
By featuring other bloggers in a post on your website, you get their attention and if it’s nice, they’re likely to tweet/share your post. You could write about them, link to a helpful post they’ve written, or even interview them for a post.

Feature Guest Bloggers
Invite other bloggers to write for your blog.  Guest bloggers usually bring their traffic and fans with them because they’ll promote the post when it goes live on your site.

Join a Tribe
If you’re on Twitter, join http://triberr.com/ and create a tribe of blogging friends. You’ll be setup to automatically Tweet out their new posts, and they’ll tweet out yours, helping all of you reach a great audience by leveraging the networks of everyone in the Tribe.

What other ways can you think of to build your blog by connecting with others? Get creative!

Want more blogging advice?  Get it at www.michelleshaeffer.com!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Michelle Shaeffer believes that building your business online shouldn’t mean teetering on the edge of insanity. She once wrote 42 blog posts in a single day, and has mentored more than 2,000 bloggers through leading online blog challenges.  Drawing from 15+ years of experience in designing hundreds of websites and helping small businesses owners from crafters to coaches to authors market themselves online, she helps frazzled online business owners overcome technical problems by choosing the right solutions to create, leverage, and automate their websites, blogs and social media to get noticed, inspire fans, thrill clients, and serve their tribes. 

Do you have trouble staying consistent with your blog posts?  Here are three easy ways to keep yourself blogging more consistently.

 1.  Plan Your Content In Advance

Get your content plan ready and it’ll be as easy as following a map.  Start with a calendar for the month.  Look at what else you’ve got happening during the month.  Are there any holidays?  Promotions or special offers you want to share?  Are you launching a new product or offering a teleclass?  Is there a product you want to promote as an affiliate?  Block out the dates that you want to be sure you’re sharing posts around a specific event or topic and then you can see what’s left to fill in with other topics.

2.  Write Topical Series
If you’re launching a new program that teaches readers how to create and paint their own neon purple widgets, then plan for a week or so of posts with content centered on that topic.  For example:

- Why you should create your own widgets
- What colors work best for widgets and why
- The three reasons I love neon purple for my own widgets
- How I got into painting widgets
- Five things to do with widgets after you’ve painted them

By presenting a series on that topic, you’re getting people interested in those widgets and making it easier to create content since you already know what you’ll be writing about.

This works even if you don’t have a program to launch.  Just pick a topic that you know your readers are interested in and plan a series of posts around it.  Or choose a topic that you’ve got expertise on that you want to share.

If you do a series a week, you only need to come up with four topics to get you through the month.  If you plan well you can connect those topics in a logical order and create a great series of posts for the month that will keep readers engaged and coming back to see what’s next on your blog.

3. Write in Batches & Schedule Your Posts
I love advance scheduling my blog posts.  I write on the weekend and then set my posts to appear throughout the week.  This way I can get in that productive writing groove just once for the week instead of trying to do it every day.  It also allows me to relax during the week and focus on interacting with blog commenters instead of dealing with creating content.  And, if an emergency or situation comes up that requires my focus, I don’t have to worry about my blog because it’s already all set and publishing content on schedule.

Bonus Tip
With all the great content you’re creating, be sure you’re getting it seen!  Use tools like NetworkedBlogs or Facebook notes along with plugins like Twitter Tools to automate notifying your social networks about your new posts.  And take the extra few minutes to repurpose that content into podcasts, articles, and other formats to share with a wider audience.

Want more blogging advice?  Get it at www.michelleshaeffer.com!

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Michelle Shaeffer believes that building your business online shouldn’t mean teetering on the edge of insanity. She once wrote 42 blog posts in a single day, and has mentored more than 2,000 bloggers through leading online blog challenges.  Drawing from 15+ years of experience in designing hundreds of websites and helping small businesses owners from crafters to coaches to authors market themselves online, she helps frazzled online business owners overcome technical problems by choosing the right solutions to create, leverage, and automate their websites, blogs and social media to get noticed, inspire fans, thrill clients, and serve their tribes. 

1. Setup Hosting & Install WordPress
The first step to getting your own WordPress blog online is to get your hosting setup and WordPress installed.  Most website hosts offer an easy auto installer like Fantastico.  Email your host to find out the easiest way to get setup under their particular server.  Or, just search YouTube for “how to install WordPress” and you’ll find the step by step.

2. Check Your Settings
Next you’ll want to check all your settings.  Once you’ve installed WordPress and logged in you can find your settings under “Settings” on the left navigation bar.

Be sure that each of those options (General, Writing, Reader, Discussion, Media, Privacy, Permalinks) are setup as you’d like.

3. Choose Your Theme
Now comes the fun part—choosing your theme!  Take some time to look around and see what features and styles you like in a blog.  Do you want a one, two or three column layout?  What colors are you looking for?  Once you know what you want, start searching for a theme: http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/

You might also want to check out these premium themes:

• StudioPress (I use this one)
• WooThemes
• ThemeForest
• Thesis

4. Customize Your Sidebar Widgets
Your sidebars will be controlled under “Appearance” -> “Widgets” in your navigation menu.  You can drag and drop the widgets that you’d like to appear on your sidebar.

When deciding what to include, base it on these two things:

1. What’s the ideal action you want your visitor to take?
2. What’s helpful for visitors on your site?

My sidebar has my subscribe option at the top (that’s the ideal action I’d like visitors to take), followed by a small banner ad for one of my products.

Then I’ve got my most popular articles, because my readers have told me those are the most helpful/interesting to them by commenting and sharing them.

Don’t forget to include a search option somewhere!  If it’s not in your header, then include it in your sidebar so visitors can easily find exactly what they’re looking for.

5. Start Blogging!
Now you’ve got setup, checked your settings, installed your theme, customized your sidebar, and it’s time to get blogging!

Want more blogging advice?  Get it at www.michelleshaeffer.com!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Michelle Shaeffer believes that building your business online shouldn’t mean teetering on the edge of insanity. She once wrote 42 blog posts in a single day, and has mentored more than 2,000 bloggers through leading online blog challenges.  Drawing from 15+ years of experience in designing hundreds of websites and helping small businesses owners from crafters to coaches to authors market themselves online, she helps frazzled online business owners overcome technical problems by choosing the right solutions to create, leverage, and automate their websites, blogs and social media to get noticed, inspire fans, thrill clients, and serve their tribes.  

(Last column we talked about what a mailing list is, why you need one, and how to create one.  Now let’s chat about what you need to do to encourage people to join your list.

Our first focus needs to be your opt-in box.  This is where people enter their name and email address to subscribe.  You want to make it visible, inviting, and safe.

1. Make it Visible
Your opt-in form should be on every page of your website and in an easy to see spot.

2. Make it Inviting
Why should I join your list?  Just so you can send me email telling me to hire you or buy your products?  That pitch isn’t going to fly.  Instead, give visitors a reason to sign up!  Offer them a free report, an ebook, audio tip series, webinar, an ecourse, or a coupon.  Consider it an ethical bribe.

3. Make it Safe
We all hate spam (except the spammers, but you’re not one of them if you’re reading this).  Reassure your potential subscribers you aren’t going to spam them.  Add a clear privacy policy near the box.

In the next edition of this column, I’ll share some great ways to get more people to opt in to your list.  Stay tuned!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Michelle Shaeffer has been a work at home mom for more than 10 years and loves to share the tips and strategies she’s learned to help other home based business owners balance, manage, and market their businesses. Connect with her at http://www.michelleshaeffer.com.

f you ask most successful online marketers what their top assets are, their mailing list is likely asset #1.  Why?

Let’s start with what a mailing list is, and then we’ll move to why you need one and how to create one.

What is a Mailing List?
A mailing list is your list of people who’ve given you permission to send them email.

This is a group of people who’ve essentially “raised their hand” to show that they are interested in you, your business, and the information/services/products you provide.

Who Needs a Mailing List?
Every online business owner — from website designers, to home party plan entrepreneurs, to business coaches, to bloggers, to affiliate marketers — can benefit from building their own mailing list.

Why Should You Create a Mailing List?
Most people won’t purchase a product or service the very first time they see it.  You need to be able to stay in front of people and remind them that you’re there waiting to be of service.

With a mailing list you can do that.  You can stay in touch with interested prospects and send them helpful information and resources.  As you provide value, you’ll build credibility and the “know, like, and trust” factor with your subscribers.

How Can You Create a Mailing List?
Step by step, here’s what you need to do to begin building your mailing list:

1.  Choose a mailing service and sign up.
Don’t skip this step.  You cannot manage a professional mailing list by sending mass emails from your own email account.  You need a mailing service to help you comply with the applicable laws and to manage your lists easily.

There are many to choose from.  My favorites are AWeber, MailChimp, YMLP, and 1ShoppingCart (they offer an autoresponder-only package).

2.  Create your list and sign up form.
The steps for this vary depending on which service you choose, but check their FAQ or documentation and it will walk you through how to do it.  Once you’ve created your list and opt in form (the form that people put their email address into to be added to your list), then you’ll need to add it to your website.

3.  Add the form to your website.
Your mailing list service will provide you some javascript or HTML code.  Just copy it and paste it into your website where you want it to show up.

And that’s it!  Now you have your own mailing list that visitors can begin joining so you can stay in touch with them.

In the next column we’ll cover some ways to get more subscribers to sign up for your list.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Michelle Shaeffer has been a work at home mom for more than 10 years and loves to share the tips and strategies she’s learned to help other home based business owners balance, manage, and market their businesses. Connect with her at http://www.michelleshaeffer.com.

Learning to understand your website statistics can help you improve your website for visitors, measure if your promotional strategies are working, and find new opportunities to promote your business.

How can you measure your website statistics?
There are two common ways to measure this important information.

One is with software that analyzes the server logfiles. Each time someone visits your site the server records detailed information about the visitor and what they did on your website. With software like Webalyzer or AWStats that information is put into a form you can easily read and understand. Many website hosts offer this software already installed on their servers and available to clients through a cPanel or Plesk administrative area.

The second way to keep track of your stats is with a javascript added to all of your pages that sends info to another server each time a visitor loads a page, such as Google Analytics or Crazy Egg. With these services you sign up, then they provide a small snippet of code for you to copy and paste into your web pages.

You may want to combine both methods to get a better overall picture of who is visiting your website and what they’re doing.   (Note: If you’d like a basic overview of how to track your website statistics, try this post.) 

What do the terms mean?
Hits: Each request for a file from a server is counted as a hit. This is an often misunderstood term. It does not mean you’ve had 5,000 people visit your site if you have had 5,000 hits. If your page has one html file and five images on it, then each time a visitor loads the page it would count as six hits.

Page Views: How many times a “page” as defined in log analysis has been loaded. This is more accurate than hits because it will only count the .html or .php files instead of every image on a page.

Unique Visitors: This is an even more useful piece of information than hits or page views. Unique visitors tracks how many different computers have visited your website.

Number of Visits: How many unique sessions were logged. The way this one works is that if a visitor comes to your site today, and then again in a week, that would be counted as two visits.

Spiders Visited: Some tracking/analysis software is able to show you which “spiders” from search engines visited your site. This is an easy way to see if your site is being indexed by different search engines.

Top Pages: Which pages are the most popular on your website? Look for the top pages section of your stats to see what visitors are most interested in.

Connect to Site From or Search Phrases Used: This may be called something different depending on what software or analyzer you’re using but most will include a section allowing you to see how visitors found you. It will show if they’ve followed a link from another website, a search engine, or typed in your URL directly.

HTTP Status Codes: Your analyzer may also show you if your visitors got 404 or other errors. Watch this section to see if you’ve got a broken link or other problem somewhere on your website that you need to fix.

What metrics should you watch?
Some of the basic things you want to watch are:

• Conversion rates: What % of visitors to a sales page made purchases? There’s plenty of information available on how to optimize sales pages for better conversion rates. Once you have a base measurement of your current conversion rate, start making small changes to your copy, headlines, and other page elements then watch for a change in the conversion rate to see whether changes helped.
• Page views per visit: How many pages does each visitor look at? If this number is very low – one or two – then visitors aren’t being engaged enough or finding what they were looking for.
• Monthly unique visitors: Is the number growing over time? Your traffic should be going up! If it’s not, time to review your promotional tactics and strategies to see where you can focus on improving.

What can you do with all that information?
Website statistics offer you a wealth of information — use it to your advantage!

Here are some easy ways to use your website statistics to build your business:

• Contact sites that refer visitors/link to your site and send them a thank you note.
• Offer sites who’ve published your articles “priority notice” of future articles you release for reprint. With permission, email your articles directly to the interested sites so your articles are easier for them to publish.
• Watch the popular pages of your website then focus on building those pages with better copywriting, promote affiliate products, etc.
• Look for trends in the type of websites that are referring visitors to your site and use it to better target your marketing efforts.

About the Author: Michelle Shaeffer has been a work at home mom for more than 10 years and loves to share the tips and strategies she’s learned to help other home based business owners balance, manage, and market their businesses. Connect with her at http://www.michelleshaeffer.com.

Want more traffic to your blog or website?  Here’s an important strategy…

D – I – V – E – R – S – I – F – Y

(Oh, and also, share something worth reading or that makes your website worth visiting but that goes without saying, right?  This post will assume you have good content or other good stuff to share!)

Where’s your website’s traffic coming from?  Some website owners focus only on social media.  Some bloggers focus only on search engine traffic.  Some businesses focus on pay per click ads.  All three can be fantastic strategies that work.

But I like a more diversified approach.  By working to create different streams of traffic to my website, I don’t have to worry if one stream stops working (sort of like creating multiple streams of income that we hear so much about if we’re building a business online).  If Google decides to re-write their algorithms again, 100% of my traffic won’t disappear because it’s not coming only from Google searches.

By using multiple methods to build traffic, I’m also building getting other benefits like visibility, a network of partners and fans, and getting great backlinks that wouldn’t happen if I only focused on search engine optimization.

So what strategies do I use?

• Guest blogging
• Article directories
• Publishing articles on other websites
• Commenting on blogs
• Social networking
• Affiliate program
• Ezines and email marketing
• Giving testimonials for products/services
• Encouraging RSS readers/subscribers

Take some time out to see where your traffic is coming from and look at ways to diversify it so you can get more visible and get more traffic.

Looking for more ways to get traffic to your website?  Try my guide, Traffic Tactics: 19 Ways to Get More Traffic to Your Website.

About the Author:
Michelle Shaeffer has been a work at home mom for more than 10 years and loves to share the tips and strategies she’s learned to help other home based business owners balance, manage, and market their businesses. Connect with her at http://www.michelleshaeffer.com.

How many links are there to your website?

Every link is another opportunity for clients and connections to find you and your business!  Links also help build your website’s authority, credibility and search engine positions.

So are you looking for ways to get more links to your website? Of course you are.

Here are 10 ways you can get more links to your website:

1. Get listed in search engines.
Search engines are the starting point for most searches online so you definitely want to get your website listed in them.

Most search engines will find you if you’ve got links to your website from other sites. If you really want to submit directly you can visit each site and find the submission page, or use a website like www.addme.com I’ve found the quickest way to get Google to notice a new page on my site is to share it on Twitter.

You’ll also want to get listed in local search engines if you do any local sales/services.

2. Get listed in directories.
There are general directories like DMOZ as well as niche directories like EcoFirms (for earth friendly companies) and Technorati (for blogs). ÊFind the ones that fit well with the audience you want to reach and submit your website.

Here are some free directories you might consider submitting to. Some offer upgraded options so it’s up to you to decide if it’s worth it. I haven’t paid for any directory listings but would consider it.

General Directories
www.dmoz.org
www.joeant.com
www.jayde.com

Local Directories
www.yelp.com
www.brownbook.net
www.merchantcircle.com
www.insiderpages.com

Blog Directories
www.technorati.com
www.blogcatalog.com
blogs.botw.org
www.blogged.com
www.blogflux.com

Green, Earth-Friendly Directories
www.fairgreengrade.com
www.greenopia.com
www.greenmaven.com
www.ecobusinesslinks.com
www.bestgreenblogs.com (only free for non-commercial)

Crafters and Artists
www.bust.com/Girl-Wide-Web
www.artzee.net/accounts.php
www.youcraft.org/
www.byhand.me/create-new-item.html
www.votehandmade.com/submit
www.craftsitedirectory.com/addlinksform.html
www.creativity-portal.com/bc/molly.childers/creative-careers.html
www.craftytips.com/psubmitting-a-site.html
www.artscollab.com/main/submit_profile.php

3. Comment on blogs.
It’s great for building links, traffic, and most importantly relationships!

Do follow blogs especially help you. And watch for ones who have the Comment Luv plugin. They’ll give you two links: one to your website and one to your latest blog post.

4. Exchange links with other websites.
You can swap links with other website owners. Exchange blog roll links, links on your resources page, or whatever works for you.

5. Be active on social networking websites.
Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social networks are an excellent way to build more links to your site.

If you’re a blogger, visit this post for suggestions on how to automate sending your content out to the networks: Blogging Like a Clover: Syndication.

6. Submit articles to article directories and other information portals.
A nice percentage of my traffic comes from articles that I’ve written and submitted to sites like EzineArticles.com, SelfGrowth.com, and WAHM-Articles.com.

EzineArticles & WAHM Articles are among a large group of ‘article directory sites’ where you can submit an article you’ve written and give permission for others to republish it. For example, I’ve submitted articles to these sites that ended up on sites like CWAHM.com.

I also submit articles directly to some websites, like Frugal Fun. Here’s one I’ve published there: Setting Up Your Home Office on a Shoestring Budget. SocialBrandWagon is another site I’ve submitted content directly to.

Many sites accept direct submissions and that can be a great way to get your content in front of the readers you’re looking to connect with.

You can also check out sites like HubPages.com and Squidoo.com to share your content and build links.

The benefit for you is that you’re getting your content to a wider audience. The benefit for the directories and other web sites who publish your articles is that they’re getting quality content free.

I’ll be blogging more about article marketing later this month since it was a requested topic when I asked you want you want to read about. If you’re in a hurry, I’ve got a guide to article marketing here.

7. Use social bookmarking websites.
My personal favorite is StumbleUpon. You can also check Digg, delicious, and others. I notice that StumbleUpon can generate a significant amount of traffic, but it comes with a high bounce rate. Still, if 100 people click to visit and only two stick around to subscribe then then 2 seconds it took to bookmark on SumbleUpon was worth it.

If you want to follow me on StumbleUpon, here’s my page: http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/MichelleShaeffer/?grid.

8. Guest blog post for other blogs.
This is one of my favorite strategies for getting in front of the audience I want to bring here. Since I work with work at home entrepreneurs I look for opportunities to post on sites that have that audience like Solo-E.com, CWAHM.com, WAHM-Articles.com, RaisingCEOKids.com, and similar sites.

Guest blogging benefits you in several ways:

• you’re reaching a wider audience to share your expertise
• you’re building links back to your website
• you’re establishing credibility

It also benefits the blogs you visit because in addition to getting your content they’re getting your promotion and visits from your audience. When I’ve had guest bloggers featured here on my site, traffic spikes as they share their guest blog posts and their followers stop by to visit.

So it’s really a win-win for both the blogger and the blog.

If you’re interested in guest blogging and want a step by step plan to follow, you’ll like my guide: Become a Web Celebrity with Guest Blogging.

9. Write and submit press releases.
Press releases can help you get media attention (obviously, right?) but they can also help you build links! Many online press submission websites are free and when you submit your press release you get a link back to your website.

Here are some sites you can submit press releases to (these offered free options last time I checked, but most require you to setup an account and will offer upsells so you’ll need to decide if that’s a good idea for the specific release you’re submitting):

www.prlog.org
www.free-press-release.com
www.free-press-release.info
www.pr-inside.com
www.theopenpress.com
www.clickpress.com
www.newswiretoday.com
www.1888pressrelease.com
www.24-7pressreleases.com
www.free-press-release-center.info
www.pressmethod.com
www.express-press-release.net

You can also submit your press releases directly to news websites (like NPR.org) but please be sure they’re really newsworthy with an interesting angle before you do that. You’ll get more bites from the press by developing your own media list of contacts specific to your niche and/or local area, or going after interviews/quotes through a service like Help a Reporter. But the online press release directories can be a good way to build links to your site and get some press attention.

Want to learn more about press releases? Sign up for my free ecourse here: http://michelleshaeffer.com/resources-2/press-release-power/

10. Post link bait on your website like great freebies, tipsheets, lists, and other resources.
A few weeks ago I wrote about self care and linked to a free massage guide. I’ve also linked to other freebies and giveaways. Creating valuable content that you give away (either free with opt-in or just free to download) encourages others to share your site and link to you.

What can you create? Here are some examples of what I could create from the 10 Ways to Get Links post (the one you’re reading right now):

• a PDF version of this post as a ‘special report’
• a 10 day ecourse where each day I offer one strategy with tips on how to make it work
• an audio version where I read this posts and turn it into an MP3
• a YouTube video with a slide for each strategy and either voice over of me talking or just background music
• a slideshare presentation with a slide for each strategy
• an article that’s free to reprint (with credit to me)
• an action guide that offers each tip with space to make notes and check it off as it’s done
• a checklist of directories to submit to, adding check boxes

See how easy that is? These are just 8 ideas off the top of my head that could be done from two blog posts.

You’ve probably already got content you can turn into a cool piece of link bait!  Make it happen.

About the Author:
Michelle Shaeffer has been a work at home mom for more than 10 years and loves to share the tips and strategies she’s learned to help other home based business owners balance, manage, and market their businesses. Connect with her at http://www.michelleshaeffer.com.

In the last edition of “Making Business Simple” here at CWAHM I shared some basic credibility tips with you.  Here are three more simple but powerful ways to build credibility through your website.

1.  Add the logos of any professional organizations you belong to.

• Third party validation of your expertise or product quality boosts confidence.
• If you belong to the Better Business Bureau, local Chamber of Commerce, an online association related to your product/service, or have been reviewed or certified by a professional group or program, add their logo to your website.

2.  Add testimonials/customer feedback throughout your site.

• Don’t confine your feedback to just a feedback page, though you do want a feedback page.
• Also feature the testimonials on the pages where you offer the products for sale.
• Include the name and city/state of the person who gave you the feedback (with their permission) and a photo if possible.
• Audio and video testimonials are fantastic.

3.  Link to other sites where your products have been reviewed.

• Have customers left positive reviews or comments on your Facebook fan page?  Merchant Circle?  Twitter? Other third party sites?Link to them!
• It’s even more credible when visitors can see legitimate testimonials on another website that’s out of your control (so they don’t have to wonder if those testimonials are made up, edited, or real).

Not sure if your website is doing the best it can for your business?  Grab your free copy of “Transform Your Website into an Ideal Client Attracting Magnet in 7 Simple Steps.”

About the Author:
Michelle Shaeffer has been a work at home mom for more than 10 years and loves to share the tips and strategies she’s learned to help other home based business owners balance, manage, and market their businesses. Connect with her at http://www.michelleshaeffer.com.

1.  Clear Message
What’s your message?  Is it that you can help “person x” with “problem y”?  Does your website make that immediately clear when people land on it?

Look for clear messaging in these website areas:

• logo or header banner
• photographs and images
• headline and sub-headlines
• your text on the page

2.  Easy Contact Access
Is your contact information easy to find and only a click or two away from any page on your website?  The footer of every page is a great place to include full contact information.

Make it easy for visitors to contact you by offering a contact form.  You can create a free one with www.jotform.com (for any website) or with a variety of different plugins if you’re using WordPress.

3.  Simple Sales Process
How simple is it for visitors to purchase your products or services through your website?  Have a shopping cart and online checkout process available.

Be sure that it’s easy to find your shipping policies, return policies, payment policies, and any other important information.

Also check and make sure that if a customer puts an item in their cart and returns to your website that they’re able to easily get back to the cart with a “view shopping cart” or “checkout” button.

4.  Credibility
Is your website credible?  We’ve all seen websites that we wouldn’t feel comfy purchasing from.  Maybe the dates listed are a few years old, there are broken links, or spelling errors that just made us feel a little uncertain that the business was current or competent.

Scan your website for credibility busters like:

• broken links
• missing pages or missing images
• spelling errors
• lack of contact information
• confusing sales/checkout process

And add credibility boosters like:

• easy contact information
• third party endorsements
• customer feedback or client testimonials
• recognizable logos

With these four items in place your website will be more effective and help you make more sales or gain more clients.

In the next edition of this column, we’ll be discussing three ways to build credibility through your website so be sure to subscribe to the CWAHM blog and stay tuned!

Not sure if your website is doing the best it can for your business?  Grab your free copy of “Transform Your Website into an Ideal Client Attracting Magnet in 7 Simple Steps” at http://michelleshaeffer.com/resources-2/transform-your-website/

About the Author:
Michelle Shaeffer has been a work at home mom for more than 10 years and loves to share the tips and strategies she’s learned to help other home based business owners balance, manage, and market their businesses. Connect with her at http://www.michelleshaeffer.com.

Once you’ve registered your domain name and signed up for website hosting, the next step is to get your website online. Where should you begin?

First, you need to know what the purpose of your website is. Is it an informational website where you can provide details of your organization, group, or services? Do you want a blog? Or are you planning to sell online with an ecommerce site?  Each of these types of sites should be approached differently.

Second, you want to figure out which option for getting your own website will best help you achieve the purpose for your website.

Here are four ways to get your website online:

1) Hire a Designer

If you do not want to create the site yourself, or do not have time, there are many excellent designers available who can provide this service for you.

2) Use a “Content Management System” or “Site Builder”

This is software that is installed on your hosting space where you can login to an administrative interface through your web browser and choose a design, add pages or posts, and maintain your websites. These systems work well for those with at least a bit of computer experience (if you can use Word, Outlook Express and similar programs and follow video tutorials or written tutorials to learn about the site builder you choose, you’ll be fine).

Many hosting packages include Fantastico, which is a script auto-installer that allows you to very easily get setup with several site builder software options, including:

SohoLaunch – great for informational websites and has the PayPal buttons available so you can easily sell your products/services if you do not need inventory control. Many designs to choose from and good support options available including this series of video tutorials and also a free weekly webinar to show you the basics you can sign up for at soholaunch.com

WordPress – this is a blog software, but also works very nicely for informational websites as it allows you to create pages and blog posts. Many plugins and themes are available. You can find very good lessons for beginners on the WordPress site at wordpress.org  WordPress is my favorite way to build websites.

3) Install an E-Commerce System

If you plan to use your site to sell products or services, you may want to choose a store & shopping cart system to power your site.

Here are some free ecommerce systems to consider:

• osCommerce – oscommerce.com
• Zen Cart – zencart.com
• Cube Cart – cubecart.com

There are also site builders (from option 2) that allow you to easily add ecommerce to your site, as well as options for ecommerce that can be added to any type of website.

4) Build Your Website With a Program on Your Computer Then Upload to the Server

You can also choose to create your website with a program like Front Page, Dreamweaver, etc and then upload it to your hosting space. This option requires more technical knowledge, but also allows you to work on your site offline so it’s good if you’re on a dial up connection.

This covers just a few of the many options for getting a website online. Take some time to write out the goals and needs of your website so you can choose the right solution for your business.

Would you like to know more about using WordPress to get your website online?  Click here to access a free presentation about 6 Ways WordPress Can Make Your Website Faster, Cheaper, and Easier: http://michelleshaeffer.com/courses/wordpress-website/why-wordpress/

Michelle Shaeffer has been a work at home mom for more than 10 years and loves to share the tips and strategies she’s learned to help other home based business owners balance, manage, and market their businesses. Connect with her at http://www.michelleshaeffer.com.

Once you’ve got your domain name chosen the next step is to get your website hosting setup. What is website hosting?

How Can You Choose the Right Website Host?

Finding the right company to host your website can be overwhelming. Where should you begin?

Let’s start with the basics. A website is ‘hosted’ on a server. A server is the computer that holds the files for your website. When a web surfer wants to view your website rhe server sends the web surfer’s computer your website page and their computer displays it in their browser.

What Do You Need in a Server?

• Do you need a gigabyte of storage space?
• What IS a gigabyte, anyway?
• Do you need add-on domains?
• A shopping cart?
• Multiple email addresses?

Don’t base your decision on price or features alone. Reliability and support are important, too. So many
things to consider!

You need to know what you need and what to look for before you start shopping. The information that follows will help you become an informed shopper!

Server Uptime

A cheap host won’t be worth the price if your website goes down frequently. Check with friends, family, or colleagues and find out if their website hosts have been reliable. Ask other customers to see if they’ve had issues with downtime.

Server Speed

Overloaded servers or servers without adequate connections to the internet will be s-l-o-w. This means your site will not load quickly and you will lose visitors (and sales). How can you check a host’s server speed? First, don’t judge a company by it’s own website because many hosts have their main site hosted on a different server for good reason (if their own servers go down, their website will still be available so their clients can contact them for support and updates). Instead, you need to check their client sites. Most hosts will be happy to provide references if they aren’t listed on their website already.

Price and Payment Options

A good, reliable host can be found for a reasonable price. It will vary depending on your exact needs, but expect anywhere from $5 to $25/month.

What options are available for payments? Do you want to pay by credit card, paypal, or another method?

Look for a company who offers 24/7 access to billing online. This will make your life easier in case you want to pay your bill at 3 am or need to update your information on the weekend.

Storage Space

How much storage space do you really need? The majority of small business websites take less than 100 MB of storage space. If you have your website already designed, you can add up the file sizes of the files to see how much space it will take. Remember to consider that you need additional space for email storage and more files as your site grows.

Bandwidth

Bandwidth is how much data transfer or traffic hits your website. You can get a rough idea of how much you’ll need like this:

• Average page size of 5 kb plus 10 kb of graphics.
• You expect 100 visitors per day.
• Each visitor views 4 pages of your website.
• 15 kb total per page (5 kb + 10 kb) * 100 visitors * 4 pages * 30 days in a month =180 MB of bandwidth per month

Find out what the procedure is if you go over your storage space limit or bandwidth limit. There should be an easy way to add more of either to your account for an additional fee.

Basic Features

Here are some of the basic features to look for in a website host:

• An Online Control Panel (CPanel is a very popular control panel with extensive support documentation available, and includes Fantastico) so you can manage your site and email
• FTP Access to Upload Your Files
• Email Accounts and Email Forwarding Features
• Web based email system and POP mail available
• A Reliable Backup System (more on this below)

If you plan to build your own website you might also look for a host that includes site builder software bunded with their hosting packages. If it’s included you can save some money on your initial website costs.

Advanced Features

Depending on your needs, you might also look for the following features:

• Multiple Domain Names: Many hosts are setup to allow you to host multiple domains under one hosting package. You can either point additional domains to your main website, or you can set up additional websites at additional domain names. If you plan to purchase more than one domain name this feature can save you money since you won’t have to purchase additional hosting packages for each domain.
• Secure Server: If you will be accepting payments online, you’ll likely need a secured server (the exception being if you use a payment processor like PayPal). Most hosts offer what’s called a “shared SSL certificate” at no additional charge. This works well for businesses just getting started. But be sure to also check if you can later upgrade to your own unique IP address with your own SSL certficate, and what the charges are for it. Expect to pay a few dollars more a month for a unique IP, and anywhere
  from $30 to $300 or more for an SSL certificate.
• MySQL Databases with phpMyAdmin access: If you plan to run an ecommerce shopping cart, newsletter, or forum on your site, youÕll most likely need a host who supports these features.

There are many other advanced features. So just be sure that if you’re planning to use some specific shopping cart or editing software (such as Front Page) that you verify it will work with the host you are considering.

Backup Procedures

Industry standard is to make nightly backups. This way if a server or hard drive fails, or if you accidentally delete your entire website, your host can restore a recent copy. Do NOT host somewhere without nightly backups.

You may also ask your host if you can request a backup restore, as well as if backups are enabled for you to make and save your own. Some hosts disable complete backups so you aren’t able to run one to keep a copy of everything safely on your home computer.

Keep in mind that as with any computer equipment, hardware failure is not a question of IF, it’s a question of WHEN (all hardware will eventually fail). Is the host you’re considering prepared for this event? See if the host you’re considering has RAID enabled on their servers. RAID stands for “redundant array of independent disks.” In a RAID configuration, all files on the server are mirrored. This means there’s a real-time second copy of everything. If one drive crashes, no data is lost and it takes only minutes to get back online.

Support Options

One of the most important things to research about a potential website host is their support system. What options do you have when you need help?

Look for self-help options like flash (video) tutorials that walk you through basic tasks like creating an email address, and for an online knowledgebase that you can search for help.

Check to see what type of support system they offer when you need to contact a tech for help. Do you send an email or is there a trouble-ticket system? A trouble ticket system is a better option since it reduces the chances of lost email, and allows you to track responses online in case your email is down or blocking mail from reaching you.

Also look to see what the general response time is. You don’t want to spend 48 hours waiting for a response from support if something goes wrong with your website. Send a test message through the hosts support system and see how quickly they reply.

Does the host offer an off-server emergency site? If your website is down, that means the company’s server is down. If their website (and email, and support system) are hosted on the same server as yours, you won’t be able to contact them when it matters.

Customer Testimonials and Experience

New hosting companies pop up daily on the internet. Some are fantastic. Others aren’t so fantastic. Look for a company with a good track record. Take time to read the testimonials offered on their website (and find out how long those customers have been with the host). Or, better yet, if you’ve got a friend or colleague who’s online, ask if they’re happy with their host. Find out how quick
and helpful support responses are, and whether they’ve had extensive down time or any other problems. A reliable host will have satisfied customers.

These 10 points will help you make an informed decision when shopping for a website host.

Michelle Shaeffer has been a work at home mom for more than 10 years and loves to share the tips and strategies she’s learned to help other home based business owners balance, manage, and market their businesses. Connect with her at http://www.michelleshaeffer.com.

When you’re starting to build your business online, one of the first important steps to take is to get your own domain name.

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEpY-kdGstE

What is a domain name?

A domain name is like your home address.  It’s how people can find your website’s home on the internet.

It’s the www.yourwebsite.com that guides people to your website.  It’s the first thing you need to start building and branding your online presence.

Domain names come in different extensions – .com, .net, .org, .tv and many more.  All work basically the same way.

Every domain name is unique.  No two people can own the same domain.  So you may need to get creative when deciding on your domain.

You purchase your domain name for a yearly fee.  Then it’s yours for that year.  At the end of the year you’ll need to “renew” your domain name by paying the yearly fee again.  Think of it like a lease.

Once you own your domain name you can “point” it to the computer server where your website is hosted.  A domain can point to a free website or blog, or you can purchase website hosting space for a professional website and point your domain there.  Your website and your domain name can be purchased through different companies.  And if you switch website hosts or move your website, your domain can be pointed easily to the new website.

What domain name should you choose?

To get started choosing your domain name, grab a piece of paper. Write down your business name and your name as well as a list of the products or services you offer. These are your starting points. Keep this list in mind as you go through the points below.

1) Your domain should be easy to spell and easy to remember.
Do not choose a domain name which is difficult to spell or people trying to access your site may be frustrated and confused when they misspell it and end up at a different website or no website at all.

2) Consider including your keywords or phrases.
Having a domain name that includes your main product line makes it easier for customers to remember and will give you a boost in the search engines. After all, if you use the domain JohnsAlaskanRealEstate.com the chances are pretty good that you are offering Real Estate in Alaska and your site would be relevant to a search for Alaskan Real Estate. Of course, a domain name alone won’t rank you #1 for the word or phrase you’ve used, but it does help.

You could also consider a domain name like keyword-keyword.com such as Alaska-Real-Estate.com (but don’t go crazy with four or five hyphenated words, see point 1 above and point 3 below!). If you do use a hyphenated domain I recommend also purchasing the non-hyphenated version, in this example that would be AlaskaRealEstate.com, for use in offline advertising and 301 redirect it to your main website.

3) Keep it simple. Shorter is better.
mywebsiteisawesomeandmybusinessnameismybusiness.com is not something people are going to remember or want to type out.

4) Check out similar domain names.
.net or.biz are fine domain extensions if the.com is taken for the domain you want, but keep in mind that some of your potential customers may mistype the domain to end it in.com and if the.com is a site you don’t want them visiting (such as an adult site), you need to reconsider your choice.

5) Be careful with numbers.
You can use numbers in a domain, but try to avoid 0 (zero) because it may be mistaken for an O (letter o). Be cautious with L, l, and 1.

6) Read it in various ways.
Have others look at your idea and read it… because sometimes the words can be combined differently and not quite as intended. You may have seen examples of domains registered by companies who did not have considered alternative readings and ended up with inappropriate words in their domain names (it’s widely circulated on the internet as a humorous forward email).

7) Check domain history.
You really don’t want to purchase a domain that was previously used by spammers or an adult site. Go to waybackmachine.org to find past sites on a domain. With these seven tips in mind, take that piece of paper and start brainstorming ideas. Once you’ve got a few you like the next step is to see what’s available for registration.

Additional Resources:

* Domain Privacy Protection–Do You Need It?
* Seven Ways to Keep Your Domain Name Safe

Michelle Shaeffer has been a work at home mom for more than 10 years and loves to share the tips and strategies she’s learned to help other home based business owners balance, manage, and market their businesses. Connect with her athttp://www.michelleshaeffer.com.

by Michelle Shaeffer, CWAHM Blogger

Are you making one of these mistakes in your new home based business venture?  For a successful home based business watch out for these common problems.

Mindset: Hobby vs. Business

Are you running your business like a “business” or like a “hobby”?  You’ve got to change your mindset to look at your business like a business.  Get your business license and get setup right.

Take time to organize yourself and set clear goals.  Setup an accounting system.  Write a business plan (even a short one) and include your goals.  Block out time daily to work both “on” and “in” your business.

If you make a commitment you’ve got to keep it.  Be reliable and consistent.

Be professional.  Have clear policies on your website including shipping, return, refunds, and any other issues that come up.

Focus: Craft/Service Only vs. The Big Picture

You may be excellent at the crafts you create, ideas you turn into products, or services you deliver.  Running a business requires a bigger picture perspective though.  You’ll need to study marketing and promotion to learn how to get those crafts, ideas, and services to the right people who want them.

Don’t plan time only to create your products or deliver your services.  Block out time to plan, improve, and market your business, too.

Contacts: Building a List From the Beginning

Many new work at home moms don’t realize how important and valuable their list is!  Start building your mailing list as soon as your website is up and running.  By collecting names and email addresses of those who are interested in your products or services, you’ll always have a list of people you can market to who are already interested.

Finances: Not Investing in Your Business

Many work at home moms begin a business without much money to invest.  You can build a business without large investments, if you’re willing to put in the time and effort to get it moving.  But you’ll find that as you invest more, you’ll grow faster.  So, learn to invest in yourself and your business to move forward faster.

Start with small investments if you need to such as your own domain name, professional (not free) website hosting, and helpful business books.  As you learn things, implement them right away.  As your business brings in more revenue you can afford to invest more back into your business in bigger ways (like a business coach, mastermind group, or more advertising).

Expectations: Expecting Immediate Cash

Building a business isn’t a “snap your fingers” or “click your heels” project.  Most businesses take at least a few months to get off the ground and generating positive cash flow.  Keep learning new marketing strategies, work your marketing plan and get out there and be bold about getting your business noticed.

Don’t get discouraged if you’re not making big money overnight.  You’ll have to put in effort and time to get things going.  Have faith!

Too busy to cook dinner? Outsource it! Not to the local pizza shop, restaurant, or cook, but to your freezer or crock pot! What…?

We hear all the time about how we need to outsource in our businesses — to virtual assistants, website or graphics designers, accountants, etc.  But your business isn’t the only thing you can get help with by outsourcing.

Think a bit creatively and you’ll find that there are options for outsourcing that will make your life easier.

Menu Planning:

Do you plan menus? If you have an older child who enjoys cooking or planning, ask them to help. Or put a suggestion box in your kitchen and let everyone contribute ideas. Then it’s easier to come up with your weekly/monthly menu to save time. You might also consider a service like http://www.savingdinner.com where menus are mailed to you weekly (I subscribe to this).

Here’s a series of blog posts on CWAHM about menu planning:

• http://cwahm.com/wordpress/2010/cwahm-blogs/jills-blog/how-30-minutes-of-meal-planning-can-save-you-hours-of-frustration/
• http://cwahm.com/wordpress/2010/cwahm-blogs/jills-blog/suzy-homemaker%E2%80%99s-got-nothing-on-you%E2%80%94rock-your-meal-plans-with-these-tips/
• http://cwahm.com/wordpress/2010/cwahm-blogs/jills-blog/your-credit-card-company-wont-be-happy-but-your-grocery-budget-will-be-thrilled/
• http://cwahm.com/wordpress/2011/cwahm-blogs/jills-blog/get-your-menu-planne/

House Cleaning:

You don’t have to do of the 100% cleaning yourself, Moms! Even little ones can help with a few chores. Create a chore chart and hang it on your fridge, then reward help. Chart Jungle has some nice ones at http://www.chartjungle.com/chores.html

Maybe it’s time to consider a maid now and then. You can check with a professional service or find a friend with a teen looking for some extra pocket cash (if you go the teen route, it helps to have clearly defined checklists of what needs done). Whether it’s once a week or once a month it may free you up to get more focused work completed.

Home Schooling:

If you’re a home schooling Mom, you know what a juggling act this is. I home school three. Understanding what a responsibility I have in my hands I know this is one thing that can’t be let go no matter what else doesn’t get done during the day. I put a lot of time into choosing a curriculum that would work for our family. I’ve chosen curriculums that are “open and go” style.  Each day my lesson plans are ready to go – I just open the guide book and then check off the worksheets/reading/etc as we complete them.  I know that I don’t have time to plan out lessons and dig through piles of books to find the gems so I’ve got curriculums that do that for us. We’re also enrolled in a charter program where I have access to a teacher for support and backup. For us, this is a great arrangement.

Know your limits and your passions and work to find the solutions that will save you time and help you stay sane.

Child Care:

It’s so important not to multi-task our children to the point where we’re always working or too busy to play or cuddle. But at the same time we need uninterrupted time to focus on our businesses. We also need sleep. There are creative ways you can find that balance.

Some ideas to consider: swap child care with another Mom, hire a mother’s helper (any young, responsible teens in your circle of friends?), call Grandma, find a good activity (Scouts, home school co-op classes, Karate/Ballet, or other activities work great to get your kids learning or moving and you an hour of free time).

Great Resources:

If you’re a “do it yourself” type person (I am), don’t do it alone. One of the biggest mistakes I’ve made in my business has been not getting the resources to help me get things done quicker. I’ve invested a lot in the last year in coaching and programs to help me get to my goals.

By learning from others who’ve already done what I want to do, I save myself time (they know what works and I don’t spend hours searching Google or wondering if I’ve made the right choice), energy (frustration trying to decide what service to use or decision to make), and money (because I don’t invest in the wrong thing and have to switch later).

You may need a personal business coach or a quick ebook that covers a single task. Whatever you need help with, it’s okay to invest in the resources to help you grow faster.

Applying It:

Sit down with a blank sheet of paper and list out everything you do in a day. Yes, everything. Then list out what could be done by someone else.

It’s eye opening to see how much I’m doing that I could get help with, or that I could automate!

Don’t delegate what you can automate.  I wrote an article about this and you can find automation ideas here: http://ezinearticles.com/?Dont-Delegate-What-You-Can-Automate&id=2758989

Make it a goal to find a way to get support or help with one item a week from your list of tasks.

You can find 2 free ecourses, links to my favorite ebooks and helpful websites, and some of the things I use to keep me on track and sane at: http://michelleshaeffer.com/help-for-work-at-home-moms/

Have you heard of freezer cooking? It’s a great way to save time and money while eating healthier meals at home! Freezer cooking just means cooking meals ahead of time and freezing them so it’s easy to defrost, warm and serve later. Variations can include once a month cooking, batch cooking, or cooking parts of meals.

Some cooks create a weekly or monthly plan, then cook meals all in one day and freeze them. Others cook one large batch of a meal, like chili, then divide it into family portions or single servings and freeze it. You can also cook certain ingredients ahead of time and freeze them—such as meats cooked and frozen in small portions to be added into chili, stew, or casseroles later.

Save Time: By cooking in batches you can save time. If you’re already cooking a casserole, it only takes a few extra minutes to double the recipe, cook a second one and freeze it for later.

Save Money: Buying in bulk is usually cheaper than smaller sized portions. When you cook in batches you can easily purchase bulk sizes without worrying that they’ll go to waste. You’ll also save money when you’ve got meals ready to eat and don’t end up calling for a pizza or other food delivery.

Save Your Waistline: Once you’ve got a stash of healthy meals in the freezer ready to defrost and eat you’ll find the temptation to grab “fast food” or eat junk is easier to avoid.

Freezer cooking is a great strategy if you have special dietary needs, too. I cook gluten free waffles, pancakes, soups, pizza and breads and freeze so that meal time is easier. By planning ahead and cooking in batches I’m able to save money over the price of prepared specialty foods and know that we’ve always got “safe” meals easily accessible.

Some meals work better than others for freezing so it’s a good idea to take some time to explore websites about freezer cooking and find reliable recipes and tips.

If you’re new to the idea of freezer cooking, these tips helped me get started:

• Prepare by having freezer safe storage containers ready before you begin cooking.
• Start small by cooking double on your family’s favorite dish and freezing one for a future meal.
• Try cooking ahead parts of meals. Cook up chicken or hamburger in bulk then freeze it in meal-sized portions for easy use later.
• Keep track of the date you freeze each meal either with a list on the side of your freezer or by labeling each meal as you freeze it – that way you can use it within a safe time frame.
• Don’t feel like you have to jump all in and cook a month’s worth of meals the first time you try freezer cooking. But do use the once a month cooking websites and guides for great freezer meal ideas and helpful hints to make your freezer cooking easier.

Give it a try and discover how much easier freezer cooking makes meal time!

Michelle Shaeffer has been a work at home mom for more than 10 years and loves to share the tips and strategies she’s learned to help other small business owners and entrepreneurs. Would you like a free email course about meal planning, crock pot cooking, or freezer cooking? Visit http://michelleshaeffer.com/help-for-work-at-home-moms/ now and let me send you helpful tips and ideas that will make it easier for you to balance homemaking, homeschooling, and working from home.