Have you ever wished you could accept credit cards at craft fairs or during classes? Now you can, affordable and easily with this handy dandy device. Accept credit card payments on your Android, iPhone or iPad with the free Square Card Reader. You’ll never miss a sale again.

What are the fees?

It’s wonderfully simply. No cost to start up. No monthly fees. No cost for the device. 2.75% per swipe for Visa, MasterCard, Discover and AmEx. Nice huh? That means if you sell a class fee for $10, you will pay 27 cents for processing fees. That’s actually better than using PayPal at 2.9% + .30 transaction fee. The customer receives an electronic receipt via text or email, whichever is entered in right away. And the funds from all Square transactions are deposited next business day directly to your linked bank account. Did I mention the device reader is FREE? Pretty cool huh?

Is it Secure?

As secure as it can be right now. I would use it. But don’t take my word…read the deets at
https://squareup.com/security

Are you asking…what’s the catch? There are a couple things to consider.

==> The fees are based on swiped cards. If you don’t swipe a card, instead entering the numbers in manually, the fees go up. Manually-entered cards cost 3.5% + 15¢ per transaction.

==> No customer data is stored. That means you can’t do a lookup by name if there is an issue, and enter the name into your mailing list. You need to have a backup plan for collecting
customer data.

==> Internet is needed. An internet connection is needed to send the data so you must have access to the internet via your mobile device.

Here’s what the receipts look like:

All in all, it’s worth it to have on hand when you need it. So click below and be square.

https://squareup.com/square

I’ve been asked many times how I send digital downloads. The system I use (1ShoppingCart) is a little pricey but great for the volume I work with. Today, I “Stumbled” upon another service that offers a very reasonable auto-delivery download services, It’s called Fastwagon. For only $8 a month, you can sell your digital content online and have the service automatically send a link to the buy for download.   Take a look! == http://fastwagon.com/features

The iPad2

After months of researching, reviewing, contemplating and yes drooling…I finally purchased my iPad2 16MB WiFi. It was a difficult investment for me to make because I’m a PC girl.  I already have a smart phone, a Kindle, a laptop, an iPod and a desktop computer. What on earth would I do with yet another device?  Especially after I agreed to my husband that I would be more “unplugged” from work. But the darn thing is just too cool to not get it. Actually, I did make a really good business case for it.

Here’s my business cases and I’m sticking to them.

1. I needed a way to capture email addresses when I’m at a workshop and events. I have been collecting forms and business cards but I really don’t want to enter them in myself. Because I got just the wi-fi version, I may not always have this option.  But it’s becoming more prevalent to have a wi-fi connection than not.  Besides, when I enter the email address in for the subscriber later, they miss my extra special offers that I make them when they sign-up.
2. I keep up with many different technology trends, which means reading trade books, blog posts and white papers. I retain the information better when I’m not sitting at my desk reading from my computer screen. I was hoping the Kindle would do this for me but the workaround was a lot of work.
3. I communicate through email more than on the phone and I found doing so on the smart phone was a bit difficult for long messages.  Email was the most important reason and I’m happy to say the email application works wonderfully.  The only issue I’m experiencing with it is I get more spam then usual because Outlook usually handles that for me.
4. I need a better system for capturing meeting notes. Amy Barnes (co-founder of Class in a Flash) and I have a twice a year face-to-face planning meeting because she lives in Colorado and I live in Portland. Last year, we came up with some incredible ideas on how to support you, which I wrote down and promptly lost on the way home to Portland. Now, I can record the notes properly AND even video record the meetings. How cool is that?
5. Have you ever ran into someone you haven’t seen for years and they ask you what you do? Now I can show them my newsletter samples, cards projects, scrapbook pages and list out upcoming events in a moment’s notice. And take their contact information.
6. Writing.  Sometimes it comes to me and sometimes it doesn’t.  Most of the time, when I am sitting at my desk, I stare at a blank screen. I am writing this article on my iPad right now at 11pm.  I have the iWork system. This is similar to Microsoft Office. You can use Word, produce spreadsheets, do slide shows, and so on.  The keyboard worked well for me too.

You are probably wondering if there are any negatives I considered?

Videos

There are a few. For one thing, $500 is a lot to pay for any mobile device. Also, I’ve run into a few websites that I couldn’t watch their videos on.  iPad does have a separate application for YouTube which I haven’t explored yet.  And ALL of my previous videos I have were not able to be viewed on the iPad.  Eek!

What about battery length?

I played with the iPad until the wee hours of the morning. The batteries went for roughly ten hours. I’ve heard my friends say they found this number to be higher, depending on what they are using it for. On the other hand, if you have a number of applications open, this number will probably be less. It all depends on how many programs you have open at once.

Connectivity

The last thing I wanted was ANOTHER wireless data account from another carrier so I opted for the wi-fi version only.  At home and work, I’m connected fine but outside of that it is up in the air.  In our neighborhood, we have a Starbucks, McDonalds and a Barnes and Noble that all have free wireless connection.  I had no problems connecting at Starbucks while drinking the new mocha coconut Frappuccino.

Despite what you would think, it’s amazingly easy to carry around because of its narrow width. It’s just one half inches thick and the new cover works marvelous.  On the whole, the iPad is a great machine, and the pros outweigh the cons. As my business and I are constantly on the go, I felt it was a good investment for me.

I love to share new finds of products and services to make your life easier, and this product is one of them.  PostEgram takes your Facebook posts (and those of other select friends) and creates a full color 12-page magazine that is mailed out to a family member. I have family members who are not on Facebook but I still want to share with them what’s happening in my life so I subscribe to PostEgram and the full-color magazine is sent twice a month.

PostEgram has several different subscriptions, one for as little as $4.95 a month.   And since you can have up to 15 Facebook friends to contribute, the cost can be shared by all.  How cool is that?   Unfortunately, it only works for profile pages and not Fan/Business pages.  If they decide to extend it to Facebook Pages that would open up a whole new way of sharing your business media.

Check it Out!

http://apps.facebook.com/postegram/fb_managecontent.aspx

My friend, Jessica Sitomer, is the Greenlight Coach – seminars and coaching for the Entertainment Industry.  I received an email from her and this is what she had in the footer.

www.theGreenlightCoach.com                          FIND ME

www.twitter.com/GreenlightCoach                   FOLLOW ME

www.facebook.com/TheGreenlightCoach        LIKE ME

www.GreenlightMentorProgram.com                 JOIN ME

The Greenlight Coach Inc.

Jessica, she is a true creative genius and an overachiever.  I LOVE this, don’t you?  Something we can model.

If you know someone in the Entertainment industry, please pass on Jessica’s contact information.  Even if you aren’t in the industry, I highly recommend watching her video on her home page at www.theGreenlightCoach.com.  It’s fabulous and quite entertaining. 

I was on a phone with one of my 1-to-1 consulting members and she was considering going from a paid blogging platform to a free one.  I recommended using WordPress as I’m a big fan.  As a demonstrator, you can also use Stampin’ Up! DBWS blog platform for free, however, I find the user-interface a bit challenging for those of us who are blogging more than weekly.  If you are just doing a weekly blog- please do use DBWS. Else, I recommend WordPress and then linking it to your DBWS blog.

Basic WordPress is a blog program that contains an easy-to-use format.  What I like about it the most is that it is so easy to maintain.  You can setup a new blog today at http://wordpress.com.  If you would like even more control and personalization, talk with Amy at Webs by Amy.   She is my go-to gal for all things technical on WordPress.  Here is a simple, default WordPress blog for your review.  One of the things I don’t like about WordPress is that it appears to be slower in response than others.  I’m still looking into it to see if it is my service or the WordPress platform.

I plan to share more about WordPress with you in the coming months, as well as possible an online class.  So I started a new category for WordPress under my categories list on the right.  I’ll be migrating my articles soon but for now here are a list for your convenience.
New WordPress Plugin-Table of Contents Creator

WordPress Plugins Recommendation

Adding Graphics to Blog Sidebars

What Does Post Teaser Do?

Adding Linkable Graphics to WordPress Sidebar

New WordPress Avatar Options

How to Add a Photo to WordPress Blog Posts

Automate your Blogging with WordPress

WordPress vs Blogger – Which to Choose?



Leave me a comment below if you have a question.

All the Best!

This is a continuation of my research on getting an iPad.  You’ll find the first link here.  Email, oh Email.  Where would I be without my email application?  I think you guessed today’s question of the day - how can I handle my emails on the Apple iPad MB292LL/A Tablet (16GB, Wifi).  Since I don’t own an iPad yet, I had to ask on of my iPad friends and this is what she wrote.

I’ve found that I tend to use my iPad for what I call “bits and pieces” tasks, in other words, things I can do with little bits of time because they don’t require a long, concentrated period of attention. Another fantastic productivity boost came when I started to use it to manage my email while away from my desk.  There is an Email app. included on the iPad by default. I’ve found the email app on my iPad to be perfectly adequate for handling all my needs.

If you’re like me, you get a lot of important but not critical email messages. You know, stuff that you need to read and maybe even want to respond to, but it doesn’t contribute to your bottom line or your customer care. Now, instead of using my precious desk-time for that task, I save those emails for when I have a few minutes here and there.  You know when you are waiting for an appointment or waiting in the car for your carpool buddies.

PLEASE NOTE this content is my personal opinion, pre-purchase and is neither endorsed nor approved by Apple Inc.

What about you, do you see yourself using an iPad to catch-up on email communications?

This is a continuation of my research on getting an iPad.  You’ll find the first link here.

So my friends are trying to talk me into buying the Apple iPad MB292LL/A Tablet (16GB, Wifi). My question for today is - can it handle my word processing needs? If there’s one task most business owners need their computing devices to perform, it’s word processing. After all, you can send emails from your phone, but I definitely wouldn’t want to compose a 500-word monthly report or blog post on that tiny screen. Thankfully, there are several options so that you can use your iPad as a word processing dynamo. Here are my some selections that I found:

• Pages. ($9.99) I use Microsoft Word for everything. So I was looking for an alternative and I think the Pages app is it.  It’s the most expensive and available for download from the App Store for less than $10. Want to create brochures, resumes, reports, and other graphic-intensive text documents? Pages is your answer! Most run-of-the-mill business owners may find it to offer more than they need, but if you do a lot of template-based documents, it may be just what you’re looking for. Got Microsoft Word documents that you’d like to edit on the fly? You can import them into this program. Amazingly, this program not only allows you to import, but it will export your finished document in Microsoft Word or even in a PDF format. Wow. This app is so powerful it may even entice you to buy the Apple keyboard for iPad and make your iPad your main word processing tool.

• Documents. ($0.99) Looking for the best middle-of-the-road solution? Advertised as a “full office and documents management suite,” Documents allows you to create, edit, and manage spreadsheets and text files. One killer point: You can sync files to your Google Docs account which is very cool. Once saved, files can be opened by MS Word and Excel, Open Office, and all major office suites. So, if you need spreadsheet capability and total integration with Microsoft Office or Open Office, this one might be the one that works best for you.

• CleanWriter. ($0.99) CleanWriter is just what the name says; a clean and simple approach to creating text documents. Their claim to fame is that their tool is so simple, minimalistic, and clutter-free that it allows you to focus on writing. With just a few options (three font choices, two black-and-white color themes), CleanWriter will let you create bare-bones documents quickly and easily, and save them as .txt files. You can upload and download the .txt files when synching your iPad via iTunes, and email portions of your documents as well.  The app page says “All features are hidden from sight, leaving you alone with your words.” Classic.

• Notes. (Included on your iPad by default.) Notes is an app that provides you the ability to jot down thoughts, lists, ideas, and more using the iPad’s built-in, touch-screen keypad. While not particularly robust (compare it to taking notes on a yellow legal pad, which is exactly what the screen looks like!) it is a quick and dirty way to capture written notes without a lot of extra bells and whistles. It’s an easy-to-use, intuitive interface and is perfect to use when you just need to jot down a note and can’t find pen or paper.

Because the price points on these applications are so low, I suggest that you try a few to see which best fits your needs and which interface fits your working style. If none of these does it for you, keep checking the App Store, as new programs are being developed all the time.  And let me know what you find.

Interested to hear more?  Read my thoughts on Emails.

Here’s what one of my newsletters (SUN) Members has to say about using her iPad at workshops.

“I’m using my iPad and a great free app from Mail Chimp to have people subscribe right at my events — awesome way to build your list with interested people. Mail Chimp users who have iPads should download that app!!”

Thanks to my friends, I started to get the “need” for purchasing an iPad.   Way back when I was younger, my friends called me the Gadget Geek, because I had to have every new gadget on the market.  This was especially true  when it came to anything remotely computer based.  I’m older and I hope wiser now.   I never purchase a first release of anything Microsoft sells, waiting until SP3.  I only carry one electronic device with me at one time, either the kindle or my phone.  So the last thing I wanted to do was jump into purchasing an iPad.   So I did some research.

I spent most of today researching the iPad from a business perspective and this is some of what I have found.  PLEASE NOTE this content is my personal opinion, pre-purchase and is neither endorsed nor approved by Apple Inc.

There are over three million iPad owners. Not only is it portable and relatively inexpensive – at least when compared to a laptop computer. Yes, I’m finding that not only is owning an iPad cool, but it can actually help you to get more done in your business, as well. My research was to review how we can get the most out of an iPad investment. I needed to have ways I can plan, execute, and track my business operations – from the road, my office, my home and yes - a hammock on a tropical beach. Can we become a more effective business owner – at the touch of a fingertip?

Here’s my question for today. Why Choose an iPad?

If you don’t already have an iPad, like me, you may be wondering why you need one, particularly if you already have a laptop or netbook. And if you already own an iPad for personal use, you may want to know how you can use it for your business. I have found there are five main advantages that iPads bring to business computing:

1.    Portability. iPads are significantly smaller and weigh far less than even the smallest notebook computer, yet they’re powerful computing machines. At 1.5 lbs. and half an inch thick, you can take them practically anywhere, with 3G wireless or Wi-Fi giving you immediate access to the Internet. I envision having my iPad with me on my flight to Stampin’ Up! leadership convention in Nashville next month.  I’ll be meeting my Class in a Flash co-founder, Amy Barnes, as the Denver airport. Instead of a large notebook, I can have the iPad with me to review talk points. You maybe asking, Debbie, why not just use your cell phone? The iPad gives you a “big, beautiful Multi-Touch screen” as the Apple.com website describes. It gives you the perfect balance between using your laptop (more portable) verses your phone (bigger screen). It’s the best of both worlds!

2.    Battery life. Walt Mossberg, from WSJ, said he tested out the battery life of the iPad and it exceeded expectations.  I love when that happens.  Anything Walt says, I know to be true.  I guess because they are smaller than laptops or netbooks, they have a much longer battery life – up to ten hours, depending on the tasks you’re performing. Now compare that to my laptops which give me only 3-4 hours of use. And should you need to recharge, you can do so quickly and easily from any standard electrical socket, which I have seen many airport travelers lately, hugging the walls with outlets. I also saw there was a car adapter to keep charged on the road.

3.    Cost. The entry-level Wi-Fi iPad on Amazon was $539.99 when I checked.  The fully-loaded 3G version runs around $829. To me, that’s a lot of money but it is less than the cost of the laptop computer.  But you can buy a desktop for less.   So I’m on the fence as to whether cost is a reason to choose an iPad.

4.    Flexibility. Many smaller pieces of personal electronic equipment were one-dimensional, performing just a single task. But with the iPad, you have everything from a calculator to a GPS system to a calendar to a word processing system right in your hands. If you try to compare the iPad with a Kindle or Nook – unless your only goal is to read books electronically, there’s absolutely no comparison.  But I still love my Kindle which was only $160.

5.    Software. With thousands of apps designed specifically for the iPad – I read over 200,000 more for the iTouch and iPhone – you’ve got a world of software designers working round the clock to make your iPad even more useful, powerful, and just darned cool. Many apps are free, and most cost less than $2.99.  I’m sure more are on the way.

Perhaps the best way to convince me I need an iPad, though, is to simply put one in my hands. I haven’t done that yet.  I’m waiting first to make sure I can harness its power to streamline my business activities. If you would like some more ideas, check back tomorrow.  I plan to research the word processing capabilities of this device.

I would like to hear your thoughts. Apple iPad MB292LL/A Tablet (16GB, Wifi)

Continue to my Word Processing Research here.

I ff0000;">LOVE this guide. I have to admit for a few years I was really dreading Christmas. The hassles, the shopping, the commercialism, the “too-much-to-do” lists. All that changed when I meet Carmen Coker and she introduced me to The Clutterbugs’ Guide to an Organized Christmas.  Everything – I do mean everything – you need to have a smooth and worry-free holiday season is in this book. Carmen offers a no-nonsense approach to enjoying the holidays with family and friends. Since it is a guide, you can use it over and over again each year.  In fact, I haven’t implemented all Carmen’s ideas yet but I do plan to add another tip or idea each year as I go along.  I’ve even considered purchasing this as a gift each time I see my friends or neighbors overwhelmed and tired.  It’s Christmas!  There should be joy and laughter, right? If you would like to see small excerpt and get a 15% off coupon, just contact me.  I’ll be happy to share it with you as this is the best thing FOR cutting the crazy out of Christmas.  More Details – http://bit.ly/hdO4Gd

With my Stamping Updates Newsletters (SUN), you should use a professional Email Publishing Service to get the most out of the service.  My newsletters work well with many types of Email Publishing Services.  A fellow demonstrator, Kimberley Morris, uses Vertical Response.  So I asked Kimberley to write a review of the product and this is what she wrote.

I like Vertical Response most for the WYSIWYG editing HTML  newsletter system.  Vertical Response has a web hosting feature you can use, where the recipients will get a link they can click on to see their newsletter on the web, just in case they are having problems viewing it in their email program.

Vertical Response has a feature to run your email through a Spam Check before sending it out, which will tell you if anything in your title or newsletter might get bounced as spam.  They also have features you can include on your newsletter, like “Forward to a Friend”, which is handy.  With Vertical Response, you can segment your customer list however you like–meaning you can create different lists of people you can send to, all under the same account.  All your contacts are on a master list, and then you can create separate lists from that.  For example, you might want a list of customers, a list of fellow demonstrators, and a list of downline demonstrators, so you can send each segment the type of newsletter that will suit their interests and needs.  You can easily create a sign up button for any or all of the lists, which you can publish on your blog or web site.

On the customer service side, I’d like to add that there is live chat help, so that’s great when you’re in a bind trying to figure something out and want immediate feedback.  I have also found that I’ve been escalated in customer service whenever I’ve asked, and always been generously credited whenever there have been problems.  I haven’t had problems in years, because I’ve been with Vertical Response for many years, and they have worked out the kinks I was experiencing.

~Kimberley Morris
Colorado Springs, CO
http://procrastistamper.blogspot.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net

I’m waiting for this book to arrive on my doorstep.  The Author of  “Power Friending, Demystifying Social Media to Grow Your Business” talks about social media.  It’s very interesting, can’t wait to read the book.  Watch the video interview at  http://bit.ly/bt94By

Reviewed By: Crissy Gipson, Soldotna, AK

Product Description: Imagine having a team of mentors, helping you to develop your business, providing unlimited coaching and support. With Mom Masterminds, you will be part of an exclusive group of Internet Marketers, led by Alice Seba and Kelly McCausey.

It doesn’t matter if you are new to Internet Marketing or if you have several years of experience, there is something to learn at Mom Masterminds. You’ll learn about building a website, blogging, increasing Adsense revenue, SEO, podcasting, and more. Plus, these ladies aren’t afraid to give you a kick in the butt, if you need it.

This is a membership site – you will pay a monthly membership fee. You can cancel at any time. After you have paid the monthly fee for a year, you are a lifetime member and will never have to pay the fee again.

Here are some of the things included:

Mentoring Forum – exclusive forum for Mom Masterminds members allows you to interact with other members, ask questions, get feedback, team up on joint ventures, etc

Free Business Courses – each month you will receive a new course; some of these courses are exclusive to Mom Masterminds, and some of them are the same courses you may have seen for sale on the Internet (but as a MM member, you get them FREE)

Free Software – you’ll have access to free software, such as a sales letter builder, opt-in page builder, etc

Other Bonuses – you will also have access to many more resources, including audios, videos, ebooks, and special reports

Thoughts & Criticisms: If you are serious about your business, join Mom Masterminds. Having access to the different courses is worth the price of admission, alone. If you were going to buy the courses you will have access to, you will be spending way more than what you would pay in membership fees. For instance, I learned more from Kelly’s FrontPage tutorials than I learned from the FrontPage manual I had previously purchased.

Plus you will be able to interact with others who are serious about their businesses, as well. The attitude on the MM forum is much different than the attitudes on other forums I’ve been to. You aren’t going to see endless posts about the latest reality show. You are going to see people who want to make things happen with their businesses.

System Requirements: You will need the internet to access the site; a pdf reader to read the ebooks and special reports; and an audio player to listen to the recordings. NOTE: You do not have to be a mom to join, everyone is welcomed.

Money-back guarantee: Yes, 30 days

Rating: 10

Product Description: aWeber is a great way to manage all your lists in one place.

I don’t have any experience with aWeber but I know a colleague that does so I asked her to write this review. So this is what she wrote.

You can send your emails as plain text or HTML formatted emails. Sending broadcasts and creating autoresponder messages is easy with Aweber. You can easily test your emails before queuing them to be sent so that you can check that your formatting is correct and no links have been broken, etc.

You can easily set up forms such as pop-ups, sign up boxes and more with a few clicks of a button. Just answer a few questions and the code you need for your website will be generated for you. Simply copy and paste the code into your site.

You can easily import lists from other places into Aweber and export your lists from Aweber for things such as creating a backup.

Aweber also allows those who sign up at your website to confirm their opt-in, which is a great way to keep your list from getting filled with people who really aren’t your target market anyway. Another way to help keep your list targeted is by offering your subs the option to unsubscribe with each email and Aweber does that too.

You receive an unlimited number of lists, follow up messages and emails along with up to 10,000 subscribers for one price. You can choose to pay monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually with prices starting at $19.95 a month.

Very easy to use, even for the beginner like me and when I have a question, most times I can easily find the answer I need in the videos or FAQ section.

I haven’t gotten into all the reports that are available, but I do know they have real-time stats and I can have them emailed to me when I need them so I don’t have to remember to check. So far I’ve used the undeliverable, open rates and click thru stats and they are great for helping me tweak my different follow up email subject lines and copy.

Criticism: The minimum monthly fee is a higher than the competition but their reputation is very good.

Rating: 7

This product works with my SUN Newsletter Service.

Rating: 10
Where to buy: http://www.paypal.com

Description: PayPal is a safe and secure online way to send, receive and withdraw money all over the world.

Review: When I first started offering services to my Stampin’ Up! cusotmers by offering classes to go, I was thrilled and jumped right on it. What a fun adventure. Then I thought okay that’s great but how would I get that money so I did some research and found PayPal.

In reviewing PayPal I found it was easy to understand and simple to set up. I didn’t feel the least bit unsure about starting my account.

Next I began to wonder how I was going to be able to get my money. With the invoicing it was simple. I could just send a payment request to her and she could pay me for my time by sending it right to PayPal. I could also easily add a button to a website.

Ok that was good but how in the world would I ever be able to get my money out? That was easy too. They have several options. I choose to have it sent directly to my bank account. They also have a debit card and a credit card program.

Not only could I receive and send money but I could pay for items and services through them. You can even pay for your eBay purchases. It just kept getting better and better.

My biggest concern though was the safety. What if other people could access my account or access the PayPal site and get to my money. No need to be concerned. PayPal is one of the safest money sites on the Internet. Everything you or anyone else does to your account is monitored. If something happens or something changes you are notified by PayPal through email immediately.

They also have a referral plan. With over 100,000 customers worldwide that’s an incentive all in it’s own. You can’t beat it.

Criticism: This really isn’t a criticism because I know they are in the business to make money just like all the rest of us. They do charge a fee of 3% per payment to your account. They also charge for some of the ways to request your money. It can also be difficult to correct any problems with the security you may have. It is set up to be difficult but if you’re waiting to be able to get to your money it can be a little frustrating. Lastly, I have run into is PayPal cancelling subscription when any information on the account chnages.

Product Description: Constant Contact is a newsletter service that enables you to create mailing lists and send very professional looking HTML newsletters filled with bright colors, various font types and sizes and graphics. The monthly fee is based on the number of subscribers that receive your mailing.

Here are some of the features:
* Easy to use wizards. You do not need to know HTML
* Many templates to choose from
* Email tracking and reporting allows you to see how many people on your list are opening your newsletter
* Live customer support in case you need help
* Consistent and reliable email delivery
* Offers simple and fast testing and preview

Thoughts & Criticisms: There is no doubt that Constant Contact delivers professional looking results. The system is very easy to use. There are many templates to choose from and a wizard guides you through the process of creating your newsletter. Editing the colors can be challenging though. If you know HTML, it’s not a problem but can be frustrating if you are not comfortable with HTML and color hex#.

System Requirements:
You need internet access to use the service.

Money-back guarantee: You receive a free trial. Anything billed to you after that will not be refunded.

Rating: 7

This product works well with my SUN Newsletter Service.

Product Description: WAHMCart is a shopping cart, autoresponder, affiliate management system, digital delivery service, and more, all rolled up into one easy to manage service.

Here are some of the things included:
* User’s Guide (videos coming soon)
* Secure shopping cart system; accepts payments via Paypal, Authorize Net, and more
* Digital delivery service – great for selling ebooks and other digital products
* Recurring billing option – great for managing paid newsletters
* Affiliate management system
* Unlimited autoresponder

Thoughts & Criticisms: WAHMCart is a great service, for a great price (about $30 per month). It was made with people who sell digital products in mind. This product is great for Stampin’ Up! demonstrators as well because it has the features you need to sell class planners, special tutorials, audios, subscription newsletters, and more. Plus, the affiliate management system is in place; as you know, you can sell a lot more product with the help of customer referrals than you could ever sell yourself. And the autoresponder is great for keeping in touch with your customers and hostesses, both past and potential.

I find the system is easy to use and not as complicated as others. There is no newsletter pre-defined templates and no automatic customer link tracking. This service also works with my SUN Newsletters.

System Requirements:
Internet connection in order to upload your products, autoresponder emails, etc.

Money-back guarantee: WAHMcart offers a 2 week trial period for $1; any charges after that will not be refunded.

Rating: 8

Click Here for More Details!

Reviewed By: Crissy Gipson, Soldotna, AK

Product Description: As the title suggests, this book is all about your attitude and how to get, and keep, a positive one.

Here are some of the features: Some of the chapters include topics such as how your attitude is a choice, how to develop a positive attitude, how to take action, etc.

Thoughts & Criticisms: I am sure you have heard many times over how a positive attitude will help you. It’s definitely true – just look how people respond to you when you are happy versus when you are angry or sullen. No one wants to spend time with a negative person. The author provides real life examples of the power of attitude. All in all, it is a self-help book through and through. If you find them cheesy, you are not going to enjoy this one either

System Requirements:
This is a book. No system is required.

Money-back guarantee: Will depend on the retailer you purchase this from.

Rating: 7

Rating: 9
Where to Buy: http://www.amazon.com

Description: A guide to managing what little time we all have. Filled with get organized tasks that will help you to not only be organized but maintain what time you have to get everything done.

3rd Party Review: This is a great guide. Finding ways to manage time and the work that seems to fill it up from early morning through the night can be such a disheartening task. Now there is some help to get yourself organized and manage what little time you do have.

I found the tasks in this book to be very helpful. They taught me how to make lists and remember where they are. That’s always a hard thing for me. I make the list and then forget where the list isbecause it gets buried beneath tons of stuff on my desk or kitchen table. What a waste of time huh? Not anymore.

The Overwhelmed Person’s Guide to Time Management also showed me some great ideas on how to give things the right priority, delegate some of the responsibility and a little bit on being prompt. All of this together has really taught me some good lessons on managing my time.

My favorite part is the part about learning to say no. I’m one of those people if asked will do because I always feel guilty if I don’t. This book has started to show me that it’s ok to say no sometimes. There’s no need to feel guilty because they will always come back and ask again. I have found this to be very true even when I do say no over and over again.

The checkpoints and reviews at the end of each chapter are a tremendous help. If for no other reason than they save time. If I’m falling back into old habits I can just pick up the book look at the tips and remember the way I should be doing things. It all comes back and before I know it I’m on track again.

Ok I know you’re probably saying the same thing I did. I don’t have time to read a book like this. Yes you do. Read it a little at a time. I promise you’ll pick up something new every time you pick it up. Every little bit helps when it comes to time management and this book will lead to a less stressful life. It helped me get organized and manage my time. If it helped me it can help anyone that’s for sure.

Ratings: 10
Where to Buy: http://www.amazon.com

Description: A step-by-step guide to starting your own business and keeping it up and running. Detailed information on how to get your business started, how to organize your business life and how to make the most of the business of your dreams.

3rd Party Review: I’ve been in the online business for about a year. Not my own business but working for other people as a Virtual Assistant. The money is okay but not what I had hoped for. Starting my own business was the only way I was going to see the dollars I really wanted to make. I had no idea what to do, how to go about doing it or how to keep afloat once I got there. This book was just the answer I was looking for to help me get going.

It’s easy to follow and gives great insight into starting your own business. Yes there are many books, guides and how to’s out there but this one seemed to be the most informative and confidence building book I came across. I read a couple of pages in it and began to feel like I could really do this. I had a few set backs along the way, but as long as I stuck with the book and these great ideas I continued to feel like I had the confidence I needed to start and run a business of my own.

I not only learned about starting my business, but how to keep it going. From understanding multi-tasking to finding my customers and keeping them coming back I began to see that it wasn’t the daunting experience I was afraid it would be. Plus the information is set out so that you can’t mistake any of it. You just follow along with the ideas as they fit your business and before you know it your business is going and you are feeling good because you are actually making some money.

My favorite part of this book and the one thing I would always go back to if I started to feel my confidence start to fade, was how they say if you find a business you feel will work don’t let others tell you it won’t. Well that’s not the exact words but that is how I perceived it. When I read those words, no matter what I’m struggling with, it gives me the feeling that I can accomplish what I’m doing and that I can be proud of that.

If you want to start your own business whether it is on the Internet or anywhere else please take a look at this book. It will help in ways that will encourage you and keep you on track. It’s the best book on my bookshelf or should I say on my desk because I never keep it too far from my reach.

Rating: 7
Where to Buy: http://www.amazon.com

Description: This book is part of the organize series. It is a short book filled with valuable advice about setting up your home office in any little nook or cranny in the house.

Review: I am the most disorganized person on earth. Finding this little book ended up being a life saver for me. No more looking under this thing or rummaging through every draw in the office. No more chasing myself to find something that is right in front of my face either. I’m so organized now that it’s even a bit scary.

This book is filled with way to organize your home office no matter how big or small the space may be. It covers every aspect of a home office. From where to put things, what supplies to buy and even how to handle your workflow, this book covers it all.

I was very impressed with the way this book was laid out. It’s not filled with possibly this or possibly that would work. It gets right to point of the matter, tells you how to make it work and then gets you going to make it work. The chapters are short and easy to read and comprehend. The ideas actually work too.

If you’re new to the home office, I really do suggest you get this book. It will start you out on the right foot and make it so much easier from the get-go. If you already have a home office but you are as disorganized as I was (notice I said WAS) then check out this book. It helped me get it together and that’s a miracle all in it’s own.

Rating: 9
Where to Buy: http://www.amazon.com

Description: This book will show you how to use email marketing for your business without the worries of them being picked up by filters or considered spam by the recipient. It also gives you insight on how to get those emails opened, using email to work with search engines and gaining a customer’s respect.

3rd Party Review: Email is becoming a great way to market your business. Everybody has an email address and many people are finding they can use those emails to find exactly what they are looking for. The only problem I had, was finding those emails ended up in everybody’s spam folders. How to make this not happen and stay within the law was something I could figure out on my own. I went and found this book to see if maybe it could help and it has.

There is a lot to this book. It gives you information in many aspects of the email marketing world. Learning to write effective emails, making sure they get to the right people, not breaking any spam rules, getting a response from your emails and other topics are covered in this book. I was very impressed by what it had to offer.

I’m learning how to make my emails work with other marketing avenues too. This is a plus in my business. I also have read and put into use how to write emails that actually get opened and I now know how to check to see if it’s been effective or not.

I can also use my emails to enhance my search engine rankings. That’s always a plus because the search engines are probably one of the most important parts of an Internet business.

I have begun to build respect with my customers because of my email marketing. It has created a bond between us that continues to grow. This book has given me a lot of sound advice that has worked. Plus I know I’m complying with the anti-spam laws and that was a big load off my back. This book has been a great help to me and whether you read it from cover to cover or just find one specific area you are having a problem with, it can do wonders for your business too.

Rating: 9

Where to Buy: http://www.amazon.com

Description: This book is a guide of the best ideas to help manage your time and keep you life as stress free as possible.

3rd Party Review: First off let me tell you that I have absolutely no time management skills whatsoever. I’m always running around chasing my tail and never getting anywhere. This book has helped me tremendously and for once in my life I’m not going crazy with only 5 minutes to go before the deadline.

With that said I think this is one of the best books I have ever read on time management. The minute I opened it I realized there were many things I could do to change my so called way of life. It only got better as I went along.

Because it’s set out in five different areas, readers have a chance to glance over it and see what some of the ideas are. Then go back and work on the areas that are really a struggle for you personally. Those five areas include focus, plan, organize, take action and learn. So for those who already have the focus down pat, they can start with the planning section and go from there. Not everyone has to concentrate on every aspect of the book like I did.

Every idea is set out plain and simple. It gets right to the point and gives you the reasons things will or will not work. I was taking notes right off the bat. Before I knew it I was managing my time better and feeling a lot better about myself and my life.

This book kept me focused on getting my life together. There’s no words minced here and there’s no try this or try that to see which one will work for you. You can either try or not try it, but the choice is up to you. I’m so much happier since I found this book. Yea I still chase my tail once in a while, but I still have a lot to learn from this book. It’s a book that I will continue to read and work with for years to come.

Rating: 9
Where to Buy: www.amazon.com

Description: This informational tool will help you to create easy to read and understand emails for your business. You will learn how to write professional emails, who to send them to and when. You’ll learn how to actually get results from emails too, which is what’s most important.

3rd Party Review: Many of today’s businesses rely on email to get their point across. People such as myself have a hard time writing period. Trying to get my point across in an email is very difficult for me. I write the way I think and my brain moves much faster than my hands most of the time. Creating an email that would be effective for my business was becoming a very stressful thing for me. I needed help and I needed it quick if I was going to make it work.

This book was so informative that before I knew it I was writing emails that I never would have imagined. They were short but to the point. My emails laid out the information I needed to get out without being too wordy or uninformative.

Not only did I learn how to write emails but I also found some useful information on when to send them, who I should send them to and how to deal with the results I was receiving from them.

I believe this book would not only help the online business owner but the everyday individual too. Even in emails from family and friends you can get lost without ever realizing the point. This book can help make those emails easier to send and receive.
Further more I believe this book could help anyone who writes. The information will not only work on emails but with any type of writing you may do.

This book is well written, gives the facts and guides you through making the changes that need to be made to bring what you’re trying to say come across like you want and need it to. It’s made a big difference for both my business and my personal emails.

Rating: 7
Where to Buy: www.directsalespages.com

Description: This is a directory that will show your business ad and help you with direct sales opportunities without all the hassle of other online advertisements.

3rd Party Review: I have a home based business that is doing ok but not what I hoped it would do. Trying to advertise my business has become a real pain. I’m hoping Direct Sales Pages can help.

The Internet has become a place to buy, sell and advertise. Everybody is jumping online to find this or find that but trying to be one of those places that people find and buy from can be a real hassle. I’ve gone and done just about everything to advertise my business. Some ways have worked and some have not but I have so many I don’t even know which ones are working. Plus the cost of this has become out of hand.

What I and many other business owners need is one place to advertise our business without all the strain. I believe Direct Sales Pages may be just that place.

It’s pretty easy to do. They have two types of pages. One is a full page ad. The other is a 1/3 page ad. If you have more than one business and would like all of them to be advertised, simply opt for 3 smaller ads without paying an arm and leg.

I have to admit this is new. I haven’t gotten my pages yet as they are only taking a limited number of businesses at this time. I’m still excited though just knowing that I won’t have to worry about running all over the Internet to get my business out there. I believe this will work because they not only focus on the direct sales business, but they are going to be sure to heavily promote the Direct Sale Page so the ads get out there for people to see.

I think this is a great idea and I’m excited that I’m going to be a part of it. If you have a business and need to promote it without all the hassles try Direct Sales Pages. I’m a firm believer that more exposure is the answer and you can’t beat this deal. I’ll let you know how it works out.

Rating: 9
Where to Buy: www.amazon.com

Description: A guide to managing what little time we all have. Filled with get organized tasks that will help you to not only be organized but maintain what time you have to get everything done.

3rd Party Review: This is a great guide. Finding ways to manage time and the work that seems to fill it up from early morning through the night can be such a disheartening task. Now there is some help to get yourself organized and manage what little time you do have.

I found the tasks in this book to be very helpful. They taught me how to make lists and remember where they are. That’s always a hard thing for me. I make the list and then forget where the list isbecause it gets buried beneath tons of stuff on my desk or kitchen table. What a waste of time huh? Not anymore.

The Overwhelmed Person’s Guide to Time Management also showed me some great ideas on how to give things the right priority, delegate some of the responsibility and a little bit on being prompt. All of this together has really taught me some good lessons on managing my time.

My favorite part is the part about learning to say no. I’m one of those people if asked will do because I always feel guilty if I don’t. This book has started to show me that it’s ok to say no sometimes. There’s no need to feel guilty because they will always come back and ask again. I have found this to be very true even when I do say no over and over again.

The checkpoints and reviews at the end of each chapter are a tremendous help. If for no other reason than they save time. If I’m falling back into old habits I can just pick up the book look at the tips and remember the way I should be doing things. It all comes back and before I know it I’m on track again.

Ok I know you’re probably saying the same thing I did. I don’t have time to read a book like this. Yes you do. Read it a little at a time. I promise you’ll pick up something new every time you pick it up. Every little bit helps when it comes to time management and this book will lead to a less stressful life. It helped me get organized and manage my time. If it helped me it can help anyone that’s for sure.

Ratings: 10

Where to Buy: http://www.amazon.com

Description: A step-by-step guide to starting your own business and keeping it up and running. Detailed information on how to get your business started, how to organize your business life and how to make the most of the business of your dreams.

3rd Party Review: I’ve been in the online business for about a year. Not my own business but working for other people as a Virtual Assistant. The money is okay but not what I had hoped for. Starting my own business was the only way I was going to see the dollars I really wanted to make. I had no idea what to do, how to go about doing it or how to keep afloat once I got there. This book was just the answer I was looking for to help me get going.

It’s easy to follow and gives great insight into starting your own business. Yes there are many books, guides and how to’s out there but this one seemed to be the most informative and confidence building book I came across. I read a couple of pages in it and began to feel like I could really do this. I had a few set backs along the way, but as long as I stuck with the book and these great ideas I continued to feel like I had the confidence I needed to start and run a business of my own.

I not only learned about starting my business, but how to keep it going. From understanding multi-tasking to finding my customers and keeping them coming back I began to see that it wasn’t the daunting experience I was afraid it would be. Plus the information is set out so that you can’t mistake any of it. You just follow along with the ideas as they fit your business and before you know it your business is going and you are feeling good because you are actually making some money.

My favorite part of this book and the one thing I would always go back to if I started to feel my confidence start to fade, was how they say if you find a business you feel will work don’t let others tell you it won’t. Well that’s not the exact words but that is how I perceived it. When I read those words, no matter what I’m struggling with, it gives me the feeling that I can accomplish what I’m doing and that I can be proud of that.

If you want to start your own business whether it is on the Internet or anywhere else please take a look at this book. It will help in ways that will encourage you and keep you on track. It’s the best book on my bookshelf or should I say on my desk because I never keep it too far from my reach.

Product Name: Organize Your Home Office Book

Rating: 7

Where to Buy: Organize Your Home Office

Description: This book is part of the organize series. It is a short book filled with valuable advice about setting up your home office in any little nook or cranny in the house.

3rd Pary Review: I am the most disorganized person on earth. Finding this little book ended up being a life saver for me. No more looking under this thing or rummaging through every draw in the office. No more chasing myself to find something that is right in front of my face either. I’m so organized now that it’s even a bit scary.

This book is filled with ways to organize your home office no matter how big or small the space may be. It covers every aspect of a home office. From where to put things, what supplies to buy and even how to handle your workflow, this book covers it all.

I was very impressed with the way this book was laid out. It’s not filled with possibly this or possibly that would work. It gets right to point of the matter, tells you how to make it work and then gets you going to make it work. The chapters are short and easy to read and comprehend. The ideas actually work too.

If you’re new to the home office, I really do suggest you get this book. It will start you out on the right foot and make it so much easier from the get-go. If you already have a home office but you are as disorganized as I was (notice I said WAS) then check out this book. It helped me get it together and that’s a miracle all in it’s own.

Rating: 9
Where to Buy: www.amazon.com

Description: This book will show you how to use email marketing for your business without the worries of them being picked up by filters or considered spam by the recipient. It also gives you insight on how to get those emails opened, using email to work with search engines and gaining a customer’s respect.

3rd Party Review: Email is becoming a great way to market your business. Everybody has an email address and many people are finding they can use those emails to find exactly what they are looking for. The only problem I had, was finding those emails ended up in everybody’s spam folders. How to make this not happen and stay within the law was something I couldn’t figure out on my own. I went and found this book to see if maybe it could help and it has.

There is a lot to this book. It gives you information in many aspects of the email marketing world. Learning to write effective emails, making sure they get to the right people, not breaking any spam rules, getting a response from your emails and other topics are covered in this book. I was very impressed by what it had to offer.

I’m learning how to make my emails work with other marketing avenues too. This is a plus in my business. I also have read and put into use how to write emails that actually get opened and I now know how to check to see if it’s been effective or not.

I can also use my emails to enhance my search engine rankings. That’s always a plus because the search engines are probably one of the most important parts of an Internet business.

I have begun to build respect with my customers because of my email marketing. It has created a bond between us that continues to grow. This book has given me a lot of sound advice that has worked. Plus I know I’m complying with the anti-spam laws and that was a big load off my back. This book has been a great help to me and whether you read it from cover to cover or just find one specific area you are having a problem with, it can do wonders for your business too.