ArsCompendium - Digital Scribes For The New Millenium

The Power of a Niche Directory

Administrator — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 05:15:30 +0000

You know that old saying? Build it and they will come? True, it’s a line from a ‘90’s baseball movie “Field of Dreams”, but that adage still holds true in the world of niche directory websites.

It seems that with the advent of some new directory script by some unknown publisher, another webmaster rushes to jump on the bandwagon of creating another directory. But there’s a problem with that. EVERYONE is creating the same search directory!

So how do you stand out in a sea of sameness? Easy. Create a niche directory and ask for links from those websites that your directory caters towards. This way, you build a unique database and the word will get out amongst those webmasters in your niche that you are actively seeking submissions.

As time goes on, your page rank should increase with reciprocal link passing as well as people talking about your site. That’s the goal isn’t it? You can even start charging for webmasters to put links on your website. Or even charging for submissions! At some point, all of your submissions could be paid submissions! You just need to dominate your niche with your specific directory.

Take me for example, I’m attempting to do just that with my diet directory, located at http://www.dietdirectory.org .It’s not really a fancy directory, but, it only caters to the diet and weight loss field. Over the next couple of months I’ll be charting how well I can penetrate and benefit from staying in this niche.

But it all comes down to marketing your niche directory. Let’s be honest, you could have the best directory in the world. Chances are, if no can find it, then it is completely useless. What you need to do is to blitz market your niche directory. Send out a press release, have a writing service write 10 promotional articles centered around the power and usability of a niche directory like your own, and submit your directory to as many search engines as possible. Then finally, and the hardest, contact those sites in your niche to fill your directory.

I think over time you will see some nice results. I’m hoping I will!

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Toys That Work With Multiple Children

Rebecca Lanham — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 16:36:11 +0000

As many parents know, toys can be very expensive to purchase. Birthdays and holidays where gifts are given can make you feel like you need to take out a second mortgage! When you have multiple children, this can compound the problem and seem to be an overwhelming dilemma. Don’t let it be! You would be surprized at the toys children of varying ages will enjoy.

With children varying in ages from 9 months to 5 years, I have found these toys to be great for all:

1. Weeble Wobbles - Did you know these are back on the market? They aren’t the little pieces of clear plastic anymore, either. They are nice, sturdy characters with houses and accessories.

2. Little People - With a house, a zoo, a farm, a town center, and so many more places, you can make a whole area for your children to play!

3. Wooden Blocks - An oldie, but a goodie! Alphabet blocks and regular wooden blocks are a great toy for building and to spark creativity.

These toys work great with my older three, varying in ages from 2 to 5:

4. Play-Doh - Another classic favorite. And it is non-toxic, too!

5. Memory Game - You can find several versions of memory cards in toy and discount stores. Make sure to pick cards which have characters that your kids will recognize.

6. Simple Dolls - Add them all together, you have the guest list for a perfectly good tea party…which brings me to #7…

7. Tea Set - Although mostly appropriate for girls, a generic tea set can also work for boys having a picnic instead of a “tea party”.

8. Match Box Cars - A terrific toy for both boys and girls!

9. Legos - A wonderful toy to build with and spark creativity.

You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to get these toys, either. Most are available at your local discount store, but many can also be found at close-out outlet stores and dollar stores! And name brands for most of the toys aren’t an issue, as the generic doll will make your child just as happy as the name brand Barbie.

Watch out when you try to get a bargain for these toys on eBay or other auction sites, though. The price may be right, but the sellers really inflate the shipping costs and, in some cases, you could have gone out and purchased a new toy for the price you got a used one!

In the case of the Weebles and Little People toys, the price tag might seem a bit high on each individual toy. However, if you get each child one thing - they put it together and feel like they got 3! They won’t just play with their gift, but all the common toys as a group.

With 4 children all so close in age, pinching pennies has become a fact of life. Finding toys that all the kids will play with and enjoy has helped immensely.

My First Blog On The Site

Rebecca Lanham — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 18:58:32 +0000

Wow! Doesn’t this place look great? I am so impressed with the entire concept and hope that it takes off like a rocket.

I feel a bit bad that my excitement about the site has taken away from my kids today. I have been registering, fixing, writing, emailing, posting on the forum and all of that has taken much of the day. Don’t worry…everyone has been fed and given hugs and kisses, but they haven’t gotten my undivided attention.

I received an email from the administrator at the school where I just resigned. I was a bit disappointed with his comments back. He told me I should apply for financial aid. He didn’t even know that we had already applied for financial aid and had not received enough! Seems quite detached from those people that have their kids there.

Oh well, their loss will hopefully be my gain. I will have time to write! My children’s book writing has been practically stopped…I can go back to it. The poetry book I have assembled has been sitting on a shelf…I can get it to a publisher. I can continue to write keyword articles and bid on jobs and hopefully make enough to get by until bigger things come along.

That’s it from me today. Two posts on the new site should get me started. A special thanks to our creator, David, for all his hard work!

New Site, New Blog

Tiffany Aller — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 21:31:10 +0000

Greetings, world!

Thanks to our wonderful moderator, David, we now have a new place to reach out to the world through articles and blogs. Yay, David!

I already blog fairly regularly on another blog site, but no worries - I have enough unique thoughts that my posts here will be independant of my posts on my other blog! I may repeat topics now and then, or restate the same rambling in some way if it’s still on my mind, but no copy-and-paste blogging from this girl!

So what WILL you find in my blog, if you plan to follow it regularly?

Ramblings on life - corporate work, politics, strange occurances
Random thoughts - have you ever had a kooky thought pop into your head? You’ll find some of mine here!
Rantings - I try to limit my rants, but occasionally, a topic just gets me going! (cf: politics!)

So check back often for a look at “Scattered Thoughts from a Busy Mind Wrought” as well as the occasional article in a variety of topics! If, perhaps, there is a specific topic you would like to see me write on, or, if you’d just like to rile me up, post a comment here and I’ll churn out some thoughts! I’m an opinionated type (to say the least!) and I’m always willing to offer an opinion!

Smiles,

Tiffany

Let Me Introduce Myself

neillevine — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 23:00:28 +0000

My name is Neil. I am a writer. I am into things such as flood control and increasing energy supplies to drive prices lower.

Today, the price of a barrel of light crude oil for August delivery settled at a record of $75.19. A big reason is that Washington politicians are playing their usual public relations games, but not really doing anything. You see they could kill two ducks with one policy by supporting a flood control policy of building small dams in the mountains where many rivers begin, but they prefer not to do so for what I call patronage reasons.

By thus limiting water flow the government would be not only be able to lower river levels and increase drainage, but also produce cheap hydro power. Remember Dubya’s little High School chemistry lesson: You put the anode here, you put the cathode there. You do the hokey pokey and you get (voila!) hydrogen gas.

In the weeks that follow I hope to keep following this issue. While a little bit is being done in Norh Dakota and Colorado, it is not much.

neil

Children’s Board Game Reviews - Hi Ho Cherry-O

Rebecca Lanham — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 02:09:44 +0000

As a mom of 4 children and one step-child, I have had quite a bit of experience with children’s board games. Over the next several months, I will attempt to review all that I am familiar with and help other parents decide if they want to spend their hard earned dollars buying them. If I help one parent decide “That one is for my child” or “I think I will look for something else”, then I have succeeded in my mission!

The first game I chose is “Hi Ho Cherry-O”. This board game is manufactured by Hasbro/Milton Bradley and has been available since I was little. There are some significant pros to buying this game, but there are also several cons.

Pros:

1. Very colorful! My kids absolutely adore the fact that it has red, blue, yellow and green for the baskets and that the board is full of vibrant colors.

2. Teaches counting! Granted, it is only up to 10, but what more can you want for your 3 year old? The fact that they are learning while having fun is always a good combination.

3. Easy to play! I have found this the best asset in any board game I play with my kids. If it has elaborate rules of play, they just aren’t interested. (There is no reading required to play this game.)

Cons:

1. Very small pieces! This game says for ages 3-6, but a three year old could even put one of those cherries in their mouth and choke. They are also very easy to lose, which makes you have to cut down on the number of players.

2. Along the same lines as #1, the format is too small all around. If they just made the box bigger, the colored buckets bigger, and the cherries bigger, it would be a much nicer game for little hands.

3. Only 4 can play. For most families, this won’t be a problem. However, I have 5 kids! We have taken to playing in teams so everyone can play.

Since this game is relatively inexpensive, I would say it is definitely something that would make a great gift idea for Christmas or your child’s birthday. I, personally, wish I would have waited until my children were a little older to purchase this game (my kids range from 5 years old to 9 months old). That way the small pieces wouldn’t have been such a worry.

You’ve Got Your Real Estate License, Now What Do You Do?

Penny Harmon — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 03:36:34 +0000

You’ve taken the big step and you’ve passed your test. Now you’ve got your real estate license hanging on the wall of a very prestigious real estate firm. However, you’re probably wondering what to do next. A lot of large firms offer company training and support, however, there are some real estate agencies that do not offer a lot of in-house training. New real estate agents may feel like they’re all alone and they’re not sure exactly where to get started. The key to your success in real estate is several things: organization, marketing, ability to follow through, organization, and motivation, along with perseverance.

In order to be successful in almost anything, you must first be organized. Real estate is a field in which organization is essential. There are several things you should do before you get started.

Buy a day planner to carry with you at all times. You may find your schedule changes a lot during the day and you need to make sure your appointments are written down immediately and it’s best to write them in pencil, as you may find yourself canceling appointments and changing times quite frequently. It’s critical to write down every appointment as there is nothing worse than double booking yourself.

Keep an extra notebook on hand for your notes. You may find yourself driving around in the middle of the day and passing a For Sale By Owner sign. Write down the address and telephone number to follow up with later on that day. If you’re sitting in the office and you hear another agent say a great line while talking to a client, write it down. This notebook will be your lifeline in real estate and once it’s full, keep it for referral.

Use another notebook for your voice mail. Some agents carry this small notebook in their purses or pockets so when you are on the road and call in for voice mail, you’ll have something to write on and this way, all your voice mail messages are in the same place.

Manila file folders are essential in order to keep organized. Keeping a separate file for each individual client, whether a buyer or seller, is a must. Attach some blank note paper to the inside of the file where you can keep your notes regarding each conversation you have with the client.

Keep all of your files in one place, for example, in your filing cabinet in your office. However, make sure you have a separate file where you keep all of your client’s contact information in case you need to speak to them. Some agents carry all of there active files with them in a briefcase. However, when you get really busy, you may find that the case becomes too heavy.

Marketing yourself as an agent is one the most important thing you can do. Unless you’ve lived in the area all of your life, you may not have a lot of contacts. However, the first thing you should do is make a list of all the people you know. Include friends, family, and previous work associates, as well as acquaintances such as the receptionist at your doctor’s office. If you don’t have their addresses, it’s no problem. When you have your list of names, you want to decide what type of mailing you wish to do. Would you rather send out postcards announcing your entry into real estate (these can be cheaper) or perhaps a simple letter? Whichever way you choose, make sure that your name stands out and you ask them to call you if they know of anybody that is interested in buying or selling real estate. For the people that you don’t know their addresses, you can either call them or stop in to see them with your card and announcement. Just smile and tell them that you wanted to make sure they were one of the first ones to know you’ve entered into real estate. They’ll be more than happy for you.

Once you’ve covered all of the people you know, you want to advertise yourself to people that don’t know you. See if the agency you are working for is interested in a small write-up in the newspaper. If not, place an advertisement of your services in your local paper.

Set up a mailing list to the town or city in which you would like to market yourself. You can get a list of property owners from the town office. Keep in mind that while some of the addresses may be incorrect, most of them are the correct mailing address. Once you have your mailing list, send out either a postcard or letter announcing your arrival in real estate and offer to do a free market analysis on their property. You’d be surprised how many responses you may receive.

Another very important issue in your real estate career is follow-up. If someone calls you, make sure you call them back as soon as possible. Most agents check their voice mails every two hours and return phone calls within that time period. There is nothing worse than waiting for a phone call and if clients have to wait for you, they may go looking elsewhere. If you do a market analysis for someone, add their address to your mailing list and make sure you follow up with them a week after the market analysis is sent to them. If you still don’t hear from them, send out another letter to them two weeks later. From all of these letters, they will know that you are motivated and dedicated to serving them.

In order to stay motivated, you need to look at the big picture. Realize that your first few years in real estate may be tough. The key is to hang in there and follow-up with any contacts you’ve made. Don’t be afraid to ask people you know if they know anyone who is thinking of buying and selling and make sure you do a good job of keeping in touch with people. Real estate is a people business. They want someone who is motivated and willing to do what it takes to get the job done. If you can get your name out there, stay organized, and motivated, you’ll have a successful career in no time at all.

Breast cancer myths

crazywordgirl — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 04:36:46 +0000

1. Breast cancer only affects old women.

Actually, men can get it, too (although not as common)—and so can young women.

2. Only women with a family history of breast cancer get it.

Family history is a major risk factor, but age is a higher risk factor. And truthfully, all women have some degree of risk of getting breast cancer.

3. Breast cancer is contagious.

Nope.

4. All breast lumps are cancerous.

Eighty per cent of lumps are caused by benign changes in the breast.

5. The first sign of breast cancer is always a lump.

Sometimes the first sign is a different abnormality in the breast or even nipple. Or sometimes there are no symptoms at all.

6. Weird things cause breast cancer.

People like to think antiperspirants, birth control pills, high-fat foods, coffee, underwire bras, the use of chemicals and even breastfeeding cause breast cancer—but there really isn’t any solid research to back any of this up. (Plus, there is evidence to suggest breastfeeding actually helps reduce the risk of developing breast cancer later in life.)

7. A breast self-exam is the best way to diagnose breast cancer.

A mammogram actually is—although breast self-exams are still important.

8. A mammogram can prevent breast cancer.

It only detects it at an early stage.

9. Breast cancer treatment=surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

Yes, but there are other options, like tamoxifen, herceptin and other types of hormonal therapy, even alternative and complementary therapies.

10. A breast cancer diagnosis is a death sentence.

It does kill some women, and before their time. My mom died from breast cancer at the age of 49. However, on the other hand, a lot of women completely beat breast cancer for good.

Only the second day, and the site is growing already!

Rebecca Lanham — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 13:09:04 +0000

As I’m sitting here writing for a freelance job, I popped over to see how our new site is doing. Two more articles have been added since just last night! If we keep growing at this rate, I really think this site will have enormous potential.

My hopes are to add at least one, if not two, more articles onto the consortium today. Maybe another children’s board game review and something completely unrelated to kids. Even I need to write on adult topics every once in a while. It will probably be some sort of health related issue, since that is what I have the most experience with. Maybe I’ll start up a party plans area! Who knows…there are so many possibilities. (Although I must say I will probably never write on finance, politics, or technical computer topics ever. I’m just not interested in that part of being an adult!)

Well, since I will be leaving the house in just under 2 hours and I still have a freelance job to finish, I better quit blogging for now. I am just so happy to see our site growing already!

Can I say “Thanks David!” just one more time?

Kirk Kerkorian, Generous Motors and Making Money

neillevine — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 15:34:13 +0000

Last year, I tried to unsuccessfully sell an article that combined pieces about Kirk Kerkorian’s purchase of GM shares, the history of the company and its future.

As an investor, Mr. Kerkorian wants the company to be more profitable. As part of that strategy, management has sought to cut costs by gaining labor concessions, especially reducing man count and also farming out some work to cheaper reaches of the globe.

Mr. Kerkorian has just made the papers again because he wants Renault and Nissan to invest in GM, with an international alliance im mind. A brief summary of how the company first became successful should be very interesting.

In the beginning Ford was the biggest auto maker because the boss, Henry F., was good at automating production and reducing costs. One result was you could buy one of his cars in any color so long at it was black.

GM was solidified in the 1920s by combing several established brands and merging with the biggest horse drawn buggy maker of its day to instantaneously increase the company’s car distribution network.

With that in mind, it is easy to see how combining three big brands on three different continents might follow the same scenario with the caveat that costs can simultaneously be reasonably controlled.

Think about it.