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3 Ways PLR is Perfect for Podcasting

February 22, 2010 by · Leave a Comment

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A couple of years ago, I hosted a podcast called Product Sellers Talk Radio. I really enjoyed the show — especially when I ran a series of interviews with other home business owners from all around the country. The interviews were fun and I learned a lot, as I’m sure my listeners did.

But then the series was over and finding new ideas to talk about got harder and harder…

And that’s when I discovered that podcasters and Internet radio show hosts can use private label rights content in a variety of ways to help boost their listenership. PLR articles aren’t just for information sites and here are a few ways podcasters can put them to use on their own site.

  1. Use the articles to post to a blog or website in between shows to keep your show fresh in your listener’s mind.
  2. Use PLR to brainstorm future show topics.
  3. Make recordings of the articles and post them as bonus or mini-podcasts.

No matter how you choose to use your PLR articles to boost your podcast, it’s extremely important that you realize you need to rework the original content to make it your own. Add your own thoughts, rewrite the content to make it fit your audience, add your own personal research and data, etc.

Looking for more tips to give your subscribers about getting the most use out of their PLR? Check out the 9 Uses for PLR Articles.

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Prevent Business Failure By Planning Ahead

June 12, 2008 by · Leave a Comment

I wrote a list of top 6 reasons why businesses fail on the Self Starters Weekly Tips forum a few weeks ago. Forum owner Lynn Terry then published the list on her blog, Click Newz.

At your request, I’m providing answers to these problems based on my years of experience with selling products and services online.

This time, we’ll talk about the #4 reason businesses fail.

#4 Lack Of Planning

Recent advances in Internet speed and availability, and online software has made it incredibly easy to hang your shingle, so to speak, on the internet.

What ends up happening though is someone has a great idea. They run over to Watersweb Shops and buy a Shop Kit Plus. They hire Kristine to create a web design. They upload photos of their products that they’re selling through a dropshipping program.

And then they get stuck. They have no idea who they’re marketing to, where they’re going to find website visitors, much less customers.

Perhaps they muddle along and find some customers, or perhaps they lucked into having a built-in target market because they are well-known at an online forum. The next thing they know, people are buying their stuff like hotcakes and they can’t keep up with it.

A friend of mine had this problem with her diaper cake business. She made awesome diaper cakes and acheived a #1 ranking in the search engines. But success killed the business. She found herself, her kids and her husband struggling to fill the orders.

If she had had a plan for growing her business and handling success, she would have been able to outsource her production, train employees or subcontractors to take care of the overload.

Lack of customers and website traffic is not the only thing that will kill your business. Sometimes success will too, unless you plan for it.

My Solution: Plan to outsource, create a business plan and create a marketing plan. If you need help with your business plan, you can easily create one in just a couple of hours with One Page Business Plan.

If you’re not sure where you want to go, or need help solidifying your ideas, I’d love to work with you and help you. Just contact me through my business coaching page.

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Prevent Business Failure By Outsourcing

June 5, 2008 by · 1 Comment

I wrote a list of top 6 reasons why businesses fail on the Self Starters Weekly Tips forum a few weeks ago. Forum owner Lynn Terry then published the list on her blog, Click Newz.

At your request, I’m providing answers to these problems based on my years of experience with selling products and services online.

This time, we’ll talk about the #3 reason businesses fail.

#3 Life

We’ve all been there — kids get sick, we get sick, husband gets laid off… you name it. In my case, moving more than a dozen times in the past 12 years tends to put a cramp in my style. It’s hard to get my work done when part of my office is in the new house, part in the old house and part in a pile of boxes. ARGH.

Some business owners have let their busineses die for more serious reasons, like a car accident, a very sick child, a spouse who is ill, and more.

Unfortunately, we never know when these things are going to happen.

My Solution: As business owners, we have a responsibility to ourselves, our families and our customers to make sure our business is setup so that it can function with out us for a bit. Or, at least without our hand in it on a daily basis.

What this involves is outsourcing. Whether it’s checking email, answering helpdesk tickets, responding to questions on a forum or updating your website, a virtual assistant can ensure that your business keeps running, even if you’re off having a baby, moving across country or recovering from an illness.

Even if the business is one where only you can produce a unique item, like lampwork beads, your assistant can answer your customer’s emails, letting them know what is going on and when you are expected to return and finish their orders. Communication is key in these situations, and will make the difference between a business that thrives and one that dies in a sea of negative comments and bad reputation.

If you’re interested in exploring outsourcing, I’d like to recommend my VA, Stephanie Fish of BuckeyeVA.com.

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Tips For Outsourcing When You Don't Have A Lot of Extra Money

July 3, 2007 by · Leave a Comment

You have probably heard about the benefits of outsourcing some of your business tasks. Maybe you would like to, but you just feel you do not have the money to hire anyone. It may seem backwards, but paying others to handle some of your business tasks will actually make you money in the long run.

Take a look at the number of hours you are working on your business and figure out which tasks are actually helping you to earn money and which tasks are taking away from the time you could be spending on more important things.

Think about how much more money you could be earning if you spent all of your working hours on the tasks that make you money. The truth is you cannot afford to not start outsourcing. The following are tips for outsourcing your tasks when you do not have a lot of extra money to spend on hiring others.

Start outsourcing your tasks slowly. Maybe you can hire a ghostwriter to write a couple articles for you. That may not seem like much, but those articles can be used on your website and distributed to article directories, which can help bring in a lot of traffic to your site. You can hire a virtual assistant to write and distribute a press release for you. Which, again, can help bring in a lot of traffic for you.

Another option is to barter with service providers. If you sell Tupperware and are looking for someone to help you create a newsletter, ask if they will accept some of your product instead of cash. Or, if you are a ghostwriter in need of a website, ask a web designer if she will trade her services for articles.

If you visit a service-providers’ website and you notice that they charge $15 per hour but you can only afford to pay $10 per hour, send them an email and let them know your situation. If they know that you plan on being a steady client, they may be willing to offer you a reduced rate.

You can also contact your local high school or college and offer an internship in your business. An intern is a student who is willing to work for free in exchange for the experience. Depending on what the student is studying, he or she may be able to handle administrative tasks such as answering email and returning phone calls or highly technical tasks such as web design.

As your profits increase, you can slowly start adding to the list of items you outsource. Even if you add one thing per month, within a year you will have gained a lot of time and maximized your profits.

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Advantages Of Outsourcing For Home Business Owners

June 25, 2007 by · Leave a Comment

Outsourcing some of your business tasks to an outside contractor is one of the best things you can do for your business. Advantages of outsourcing include: You will be able to focus on the tasks that require your specific attention; the administrative tasks will still be getting done, you will find you are less-stressed, and will have more free time to enjoy with your family. If you are apprehensive about handing over a portion of your business to a stranger, the following are some tips on how to work effectively with a contractor.

When you start looking for someone to work with, ask your other business friends for recommendations. Ask for the names of people that they have personally worked with in the past; if they haven’t used the type of assistant you are looking for, they may know of someone who has.

When you interview a potential contractor, ask them for the names of people that they have worked with previously. Always check these referrals. Ask questions such as how they liked the contractor’s work, if the work was finished on time, and if they would hire the contractor again.

You should also ask to see some samples of the contractor’s work. Do they have a style that is similar to the style you are looking for? Does the work look polished and professional or slapped together? Are there obvious mistakes?

Since you will be working together a lot, make sure that your personality does not clash with the contractor’s. How do you like to communicate? If you like to talk via telephone and your contractor prefers email, this could pose a problem.

Find out how the contractor likes to be paid before you hire them. They may accept full payment after the work is completed, or they may ask to be paid half of the payment before they start. Many contractors will accept Paypal, but, again, make sure you both understand how the payment process will work before you commit to a project.

In addition to the payment process, you will want to make sure you both understand how the contractor will keep track of time and how you will be notified of their progress. You can use an online task assistant that you can both access. You can put up information such as due dates, notes about the project, etc; and the contractor can give daily feedback on the progress they have made.

If you are worried about the contractor having access to sensitive information and possibly stealing or leaking your ideas, have them sign a non-disclosure agreement. If they do take your idea or tell your idea to someone else, you have legal recourse.

Once you find a contractor that you enjoy working with and you’re enjoying the benefits of outsourcing to them, you may want to consider putting them on retainer. This means that you are guaranteeing them a certain amount of hour’s worth of work each month. They will know you are a consistent client and will most likely give you a price break.

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What Is Outsourcing?

June 19, 2007 by · Leave a Comment

If you spend much time researching successful home business strategies, you will come across the term “outsourcing”. This term refers to the act of paying a service provider to complete a task.

Outsourcing some of your tasks allows you to spend more time on tasks that earn you money. Chances are you do not earn money by answering your emails or updating your website. You more than likely earn money by marketing your website and promoting your product.

If you currently spend 10 hours per week answering emails and another 10 hours per week writing and distributing articles and press releases, imagine what you could do with those 20 hours if you hired someone else to complete those tasks.

Many types of tasks can be outsourced. Some of them include:

  • Answering emails
  • Returning phone calls
  • Research
  • Writing and distributing articles
  • Writing and distributing press releases
  • Bookkeeping
  • Recruiting and managing affiliates
  • Finding people to be interviewed for your podcast
  • Finding joint venture partners
  • Editing audio
  • Transcription

Not only can outsourcing allow you to earn more money, it can also allow you to save your sanity. You are one person. You cannot handle every aspect of your business and have a personal life at the same time. If you try to control everything, you will end up being over stressed. Your business will no longer be something you enjoy. And you may end up losing interest in it all together.

By outsourcing some of your tasks, you will be able to have more leisure time and will be able to take a break from your business. If you and your family decide to go on vacation, you can leave your business behind for a few days without worrying. Your assistant will still be attending to your emails, your marketing efforts will not suffer, and you won’t need to carry your laptop with you at all times.

Start outsourcing one or two tasks at a time. As you have more money to use toward hiring others, you can increase the number of tasks you outsource.

You may also find that outsourcing will help you with your motivation. Some people procrastinate when they have tasks to do that they do not enjoy. By having someone else do these tasks, you will find that you will be making more money, you will have less stress, and you will have more passion for your business.

If you’d like to learn more about outsourcing, try my friend Alice Seba’s new guide, Outsourcing Sweetie.

Are you ready to outsource? My assistant, Stephanie, is trained on the Shop Kit Plus, answering helpdesk tickets and updating a WordPress weblog. You can contact her at www.buckeyeva.com.

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How to Work with Contractors to Create Great Content

May 9, 2007 by · Leave a Comment

Free Content Outsourcing GuideMichelle’s Note: Click the ebook cover to download a free special report.

By Alice Seba & Mila Sidman

Many Internet marketers use writers to create content for their websites. We are frequently asked for suggestions on working with contractors. Let’s take a look at some of the more common questions on the subject of hiring a writer.

How do I find the right person for the job?

When first looking for a writer, you might be tempted to go with the cheapest one just to save a few dollars but cost should not be your only concern – and never your first concern. This person is going to be writing as you and you should feel comfortable putting your name on the work they do. Here are some things to do to find the best fit for you.

  • Request samples of their writing. This will give you a feel for how they approach different topics, the amount of time they put into making sure the content is informative and engaging to your readers, as well as if they have an understanding of the subject.
  • Request references. Ask around your group of networking friends. Have they used the particular writer? Was the writer timely and did she ask questions for clarification? Was the client happy with the outcome of the content? Did the writer need to tweak the article more than normal?
  • Test their work. Give the writer a small assignment so you can see how she works. Does she take constructive criticism well? Does she make certain she understands the assignment before beginning by asking questions? Does she need hand holding throughout the entire process or do she complete the project with very little direction?

What about payment?

How payment to the contractor is handled will be something the two of you should discuss up front, before any work is passed back and forth. You should find out the following from the contractor regarding payment:

  • What are her rates? Do she charge by the hour, per page, per word, etc?
  • Does she offer discounts for on-going work or client referrals? Many writers will offer this. Keep this in mind for future projects.
  • When do they invoice clients? Do they bill once the project is complete, weekly, or monthly? What are your payment terms?
  • Is a deposit required? If so, how much do you need to initially put down? Although paying a deposit is ok, never pay 100% upfront. We like to think the majority of contractors are honest and ethical, but there is always a possibility a contractor will accept payment in full and then never complete the work. Give your writer an incentive for completion; payment or remainder of amount due.
  • Will you be paying them via paypal, check, or some other method? Paypal is pretty standard in today’s virtual world, but not everyone does it this way, so be sure to double check. If you want an alternate payment method, be sure to ask about that.

How do I assure I keep a contractor that does a good job?

When you find a writer that fits well with you and your business, you had better keep them. Some tips for keeping them include:

  • Give her continual work. Don’t just throw her a task or two a month, when you need something and expect her to stick around forever. She can and will move on to bigger and better projects if she doesn’t have on-going work from you.
  • Be patient during the learning curve. Working with someone new always has a learning curve. Your writer needs feedback and patience while she learns your writing style and preferences.
  • Pay her on time, every time. Swift payment makes a writer want to work with you more because she knows she doesn’t have to worry about whether she will receive her money or not.
  • Allow them to correct any mistakes they make…don’t just fix it for them. Your writer can’t learn what you want if you don’t let her know.

Once you find someone that works well, using a contractor to create content for your business is a wonderful thing. Be patient during the learning curve that comes with working with someone else and if you find it’s just not working out, don’t sweat it. Let her go and move on.

Michelle’s Note: If you’d like to take the hassle out of content creation and get back to running your business, let All Custom Content take care of all the little details. For professionally researched and prepared content, visit Mila & Alice at www.AllCustomContent.com

Be sure to tell them Michelle Waters sent you and they’ll take good care of you.

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How Product Sellers Can Benefit From A VA

April 27, 2007 by · Leave a Comment

Welcome to Episode #4!

Yes, we’re late this week. Technical and scheduling difficulties resulting in this week’s interview being recording Thursday afternoon, instead of earlier in the week. Thank you very much, Stephanie, for saving our hide!

So, I’m going to assume that if you’re reading this, you’re a product seller. Whether you’re just starting out, hitting your stride, or buried under an avalanche of work, it’s never too early, or too late, to learn better ways to manage your time and resources.

And one good way to help you concentrate your efforts on growing your business is outsourcing some of the work. My assistant, Stephanie Fish of www.buckeyeva.com, will talk to us about what a virtual assistant is and what she can do to help you.

–Michelle Waters, The Physical Product Seller’s Coach
-Learn how the Shop Kit Plus can help you save time and money

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