10 Places to Win an iPad

WIN ME WIN ME!!! Tweet your way to a FREE iPad

Since the release of the iPad on Saturday, there have been a swarm of tweets to win an iPad from various companies. I've put together a list of companies to follow and tweet to get your chance to win that iPad as well as a few to be a Facebook Fan. Its easier to register than plugging all your info in each day. Just copy and paste but make sure to click the link so that you can follow them as that's a requirement. Good luck but just so you know, I've already entered them all... WHAT, it was purely for research.

So.. are you feelin lucky, punk!? :)

1. Win an iPad to use w/ free @Logos Bible Software app for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad! Details: http://bit.ly/L4ipad
2. The free @digg app comes to your iphone! to celebrate they’re giving out a custom ipad everyday for 2 weeks! http://bit.ly/diggapp
   
   
3. Your chance to win a BRAND NEW IPAD, or games like Aki, Mondo Solitaire, and Mr. Sudoku! #Ambrosia http://bit.ly/ASWiPad
4. Follow Mogo today: http://twitter.com/mogomon
5. I want my free iPad #websdotcom http://bit.ly/ipadme
6. Tweet this: "Just entered to win a free iPad. Follow @eForCity and retweet to enter! www.eforcity.com/twittergiveaway.html #eForCityGiveaway
7. DealCatcher is giving away a 16GB Wifi to one of their Facebook fans.
8. I entered the Apple iPad Contest at @weekinrewind here: http://bit.ly/bTpS9K
9. Apple iPad http://www.apple.com/ipad/ Retweet this and follow @Meritline to be entered to win a 16GB iPad. Seriously. #meritlinecontest
10. Follow us on Twitter @Meritline and Retweet "Apple iPad http://www.apple.com/ipad/ Retweet this and follow @Meritline to be entered to win a 16GB iPad. Seriously. #meritlinecontest"

Good luck and if you win, be sure to let me know. I'd like to make sure I get visiting rights to it. hehe

I WANT to know about YOU!

I really do want to know about you. I swear!

I've come to the realization that even though I spend an exuberant amount of time on twitter and chat with a lot of people. I still don't know them as well as I would like. Some of them I've spent many nights with at a conference and while some of those moments can be quite personal the history behind how they got started is can be a mystery.

After I share my story with you, I'd like for you to post how you got involved in your business or profession.

In the Beginning:

From the time I was 8 years old till senior year in high school I wanted to be a marine biologist. I finally was able to take the classes and realized that everything I read in books was not how it was in this class. I guess you can say it took the romance out of it. Just so happened that I was dating an older guy that was just starting a cybercafe (circa 1996) and needed me to do a website. Now mind you, I barely was on a computer, I just helped build them. He handed me a how-to book, the notes and photos. I put together my first website. I enjoyed it. It was HORRIBLE. I then started looking into design schools. I had always been able to draw, paint, sculpt... anything artsy fartsy was for me.

Fastforward a year, I was in college, and I had landed my first job doing websites, I BS'd my way in and I was excited to start. First week I had no computer so I was able to learn that HTML thing. Turns out the company they hired me for wasn't doing as good as their... X-rated sites. Yes folks, thats where I learned my coding skills. Life was interesting but was good. I had also started teaching web design with my college teacher every saturday morning. I was dreaming HTML in my sleep literally.

Fastforward another year... I grew bored and there was no room for raises or management so I left. Moved on to freelance. I did very well. I was out on my own but never made it official. I'm 18.

Fastforward to May 1998, I went looking for a job and came out with office space and to start my own business. So here I am, 19 years old and taking one hell of a chance but that is always how I rolled. Leaping forward like the frogs I love. I figured how hard can it be. They will bring me the business. Ha!!!! Was a great lesson to learn.

Fastforward a year, I moved out of the office and to a home office. I hated the commute and having 2 of everything. I have had a home office ever since. I have always had an easy time with the discipline it takes to work from home. Life was great. Business was booming. I had attended my first networking and I was scared sh-tless. I had to go and tell these people about me and what I do. I had no one to lean on for support. My parents didn't understand and all my friends were in college or goofing off. Still I winged it!

I decided to go work for someone so that I could buy a place. I had no real income history because I worked for myself and had a great accountant. It was interesting to say the least. I had a great cubby friend but turns out my boss was a sex offender. He was 40 something and messed around with a 15yo. Shortly after learning that I left since the company was going to sh-t anyway. My exit interview lasted 2 hours and 4 pages. It's hard to work for others when you have managed your own business. It served its purpose. I had bought my condo and was back to doing the business again.

I was able to make it through the dot bomb era. I managed to keep growing. To get back into networking. Then I had a horrible accident. July 13, 2001 I had t-boned a truck. I was in my Jetta, no seatbelt and going 40MPH. I woke up minutes later after blacking out before my head hit the windshield. I woke up bloody, and people in my car talking to me. The car I hit was flipped on its side. The firefighters took me to the hospital. I hit on all of them even in my state of confusion. I had a golfball size hole on my head, my right hand (i'm right handed) was cut up, sliced up and full of glass. Even up to 2 weeks later, glass was still coming out of my hand. I had surgery on my head the next day. Yes, they sent me home with a hole in my head. Explains a lot I know. There was no evidence of the airbag going off and I should have been dead on the scene. I'm lucky and that moment was the wake up call to move forward. It wasn't an easy path however. Once one survives that, you start to question why you are alive and what if any is your purpose on this life.

I later joined NAWBO and my life changed after that. I no longer had to wing it. I had an ocean of mentors to help me. I learned how to network properly and with confidence. I got public speaking gigs. I won an award. I developed some of the best friendships and travel buddies from that group. Since then, it's been my mission to help other new business owners to not have to "wing it" through their business. In all honesty, I wouldn't trade what I did. They were all valuable life lessons. Interesting journeys.

Here were are and almost 12 years later, I've molded my business into a one-stop shop that is geared to helping most small business owners boost business. I've had the great opportunity in working with the 2007 and 2010 Superbowl committee as well as other large companies like Office Depot, Burger King, Jaguar. I've added new services including full color printing and social media marketing. I've seen amazing speakers at conferences and have met many of my great friends though those conferences and twitter. Even when business is slow, and it has been, there are still plenty of areas and people that give me inspiration to start new businesses and to give me the support and cheers to keep on trucking.

I am still actively involved in NAWBO and if you are a woman business owner, find a chapter near you and join. It's important to have that support system and resources at your fingertips.

So in a nutshell, that is where I came to be where I am now.

The day the Internet was saved... well SEO

This article is dedicated to a real superhero, She-Ra, AKA Rhea Drysdale.

For 2 years of battling in the courtroom and $17,000 later, with "he that shall not be named", over trademarking "SEO", Rhea won the battle on March 11, 2010. I'm ashamed to say that I had no idea what was going on, though I'm much more involved in the industry than 2 years ago.

However, since yesterday, the SEO industry has rallied to help recoup her expenses. While "db" tried to drag it on with no relevancy, she was persistant and hanged tough. I hate to see what the world would look like if she didn't step in for us.

It's amazing to see how tight knit the community is. Especially when they need to be there. It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside knowing that I'm part of this great community. That all those hours spent during the IM conferences actually do mean something and not just a bad hangover.

Thank you again Rhea for your time, effort and persistance. You are one in a million.

You can read her article here.

Adding a TweetMeme Button to Blogger

We have been tweaking our blog over the past month. Touch up here, touch up there. Today we decided to add a TweetMeme button. We are on Twitter so much that it seemed appropriate.

What do you think of the new button? Will you be adding one to your blog?

Go to TweetMeme Retweet Button to pick the right code for you. It works with Wordpress as well. It gives you a lot of options to tweak it. We made sure that the RT is by us. If you are looking to use it with Blogger then here are the steps to help you. We will show you how to post it at the end of your blog in the compact size and to add your name in the RT.

Follow these easy steps below to Adding a TweetMeme Button to Blogger:

1. Sign in to your Blogger account and go to
   Dashboard -> Layout -> Edit HTML
   and click the checkmark Expand Widget Templates
   
   
2. Now find the following code
   <data:post.body>
   (NOTE: I used the search feature and looked for data:post.body)
   and paste the following code directly below
   
   <script type="text/javascript">
   tweetmeme_style = 'compact';
   tweetmeme_source = 'talktweetmeme';
   </script>
   <script type="text/javascript" src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js"></script>
   
   (NOTE: Where talktweetmeme is you will want to put your twitter handle)
   You may want to put a few <br /><br />
   
   before the code if you want a few extra spaces.
   
   
3. It will look like this:
   
   
4. Save the template. And you are done!

I hope this was helpful.

Meta tags no more for organic search optimization

The days are a changing. Yahoo, announced at SMX that they are no longer using meta keywords for ranking. They are the last of the "BIG 3" to do so. While it may still be relevant for paid search, for organic it is not.

Remember the days, when SEO was much easier. Now, bloggers and content providers have to genuinely create relevant content and include the keywords directly inside the content. Don't get me started on the FTC's new rules. But... it also brings out those that create content specific for SEO keywords and not for content relevancy. What you then get are paragraphs of incomprehensible garbage. "SEO experts" you are not. Fear not, there are plenty of us that still believe in doing organic search the proper way and guys like Chris Brogan that have no problem calling you out which is why I think he is so wonderful.

I do find it interesting, that Yahoo didn't even announce it publicly. Its been a few months even. NO press releases. NADA. It was announced during a Q&A session at SMX. Danny Sullivan was even a bit surprised by it as I'm sure where the audience. To me, that is something I find "relevant" to knowing as an online marketer. Mainly, because even if one of the three is doing it then you still include it in code. I like to know when did they plan on letting us know?! If it wasn't for that Q&A how much longer would have Yahoo kept us in the dark?

So, now what shall I do with the few extra minutes we've been spared?! What will you do?

The stress of travel for tradeshows

As I sit on a plane to Chicago for a tradeshow. I'm easily reminded of the long stressful task of the prepping before getting to here. How many times do you find yourself adding more to your reminders list. 2, 3, 4...

Here as some tips to make things a bit easier when you have a booth for a tradeshow.

1. Make a list of what you will need and/or want
2. Giveaway items
3. Business cards ( print and/ or design)
4. Banners and pop ups
5. Brochures/ marketing material
6. Enticing treats

Next, figure out the giveaways. They normally take the most time for ordering. Plan at least six (6) weeks ahead minimum. And if you plan appropriately then you can have it directly shipped to the hotel.

Next, determine if you need design. If you need pocket folders, make sure you do those before brochures. You want to avoid rush printing and shipping charges. The popups can be done quickly depending on who you use. Most business cards and brochures only take a few days. Also, if you go with the right printing company they can ship directly as well so you have one less thing to carry.

Lastly, you want to get the right treats to get people to stop. People love to find nice sweets and treats while walking through the exhibit. Dark chocolate and reeses cups are always a huge hit. Also a hard candy is good like Werther's Original. Those items are best if packed with you.

If you plan ahead then shipping ground will save you atleast 75% just in shipping costs and also your stress level will be lower. No matter how much you plan the stress is always there.

The few other tips are:
Wear sneakers when tending to your booth. You will be standing and moving the entire time. You never want to sit at your booth. It's harder to approach people. You will thank me later. You will be surprised that most people just wait for them to come to you. They need a little romance to approach you. Be sure to have giveaways in hand.

Call the hotel business center and see if they will be able to receive your packages. It may end up being cheaper than using the conference company.

If you have any questions please call 888-774-6861 or email us at info (at) 6thsensedesign (dot) com

Day spa in south florida massages me right back into action

Working long hours and in front of the computer all day has forced me to pamper myself a bit more these days. The best "me" time is when I go to the Broward day spa for a swedish massage. Lynn, who is my regular masseuse knows just what to do and how to do it. I've never felt so relaxed after a session from any where else. I used to go to Contour Day Spa but Point Pleasant Wellness is far more superior. Not only in their services but their customer service and truly interested in the wellness of ME.

I've been going to them for years now. It's a beautiful facility in Fort Lauderdale (South Florida). There is always a smiling face that welcomes me after the long pathway the is filled with wonderful aromas and beautiful pictures.

It is run by Joanne and Lynn who are sisters and the masterminds of creating this amazing wellness day spa. Not only can you get a deep tissue massage or foot massage therapy (feels amazing by the way) but they have yoga classes. They also do manicures and pedicures but you would never know it because you never smell the fumes.

I can't wait for next month. They truly give you the love and attention one seeks when going to a day spa.

New to Twitter, Quick Guide for Beginners

Are you new to Twitter?

This is a quick guide for Twitter beginners. Twitter is finally growing in popularity. Its being displayed in movies, commercials and even astronauts are using it to tweet from space.

It is an amazing business tool that can really help you reach a whole new clientele if used properly. Think of it as being able to network 24/7 with people all over the world or you can stay local if that is your business goal for the tool.

I have found there are a few tools for Twitter that have made my life easier.

1. Tweetdeck - This is a desktop application that allows you to group your followers in columns. You can do searches as well and keep it as a column. Only limitation is that you are only allowed no more than 10 columns. I have mine grouped by info only, locals, different industries and friends.
2. Hashtags - Hashtags are great way to follow a group and for your tweets to be followed by others viewing that group. You'll see popular ones like #followfriday and #fail (www.hashtags.org)
   
3. Twitter Search - This is a great place to go when you want to search for specific things that people are tweeting about. Could pertain to your business name or business trends. (search.twitter.com)
   
4. TwitterCounter - Allows you to track the increase/decrease of followers (www.twittercounter.com)
   
5. Short URLS - Cli.gs is a great site to create short URLS for twitter. Since you are only allowed 140 characters this allows you to put a link that is shorter than the original. It also has stats that allow you to see how popular that link was. You can also customize it to.
6. TweetStats - This is a great way to track how ofter you tweet, who you tweet the most with. Don't miss out on the TweetCloud tab to see whats the most popular word. (www.tweetstats.com)
   
7. TwitterHawk - Marketing tool that searches for people tweeting about specific keywords you choose that is also in targeted areas. Its essentially a lead generator that has a higher hit rate. It sends you the results so you can respond in a timely manner. This service is not free but affordable. (www.twitterhawk.com)
   

A few Twitter tips before you move on your way to tweeting.

1. If you are tweeting about something that you want to be retweeted (RT) then only type 120 characters. That gives room for the person RTing to include your name.
2. Don't be afraid to get personal. Like networking in person, people want to get to know you first before they do business with you.
   
3. Be polite. Say thank you when someone RTs something of yours. It gives you a good way to start a conversation and to make friends.
4. What is #followfriday? This happens every friday where people list their followers that they believe others should follow. Sometimes they list them based on profession, location or one at a time with the reasons why and adding a personal touch.
   

I hope this helps you get started. I'll soon post twitter tools that are great specifically for business. Stay tuned.

Once you get up and running, follow me (@amandastewart) and my business (@printitquick) on twitter.

Interviews for Small Business Week at WE Magazine

Interview with Amanda Stewart, Creative Genius ~ 6th Sense Design

Tell us about your business.
We are a creative advertising solution firm providing marketing to increase business and attracting a customer base through print and internet marketing. We also provide solutions with keeping your current customers with up-to-date information on new products that you may offer as well as engaging them in surveys and offering them benefits to lead to more sales. We provide services from concept to completion including logo identities, branding, print collateral design, printing, hosting, e-marketing in web site design and e-newsletters.

We work mainly with small business owners and really enjoy it. We also work with marketing agencies to be their on demand design team.

Please tell us what being a business owner means to you and why you became an entrepreneur in the first place?
I’ve been a business owners since the wee age of 18. I bartered for office space in order to get it going and it all just sorta happened. I haven’t looked back since. I’ve enjoyed the freedom and the ability to be the controller of my own destiny. I tried to work for a company but had a difference of opinion with how they ran the company and treated their employees.

What or who has been your greatest influence in business and why?
Mainly other business owners. We all stick together really. If it wasn’t for joining NAWBO 8 years ago and meeting the women I did, I’m not sure I would have had the energy or strength to keep on going. Its important to be around other business owners to relate and bounce ideas off of. Everyone shares the best kept secrets which is how the community should be. Giving and supportive.

What would you say is your greatest professional accomplishment to date?
Starting a business so young and able to live the life that I have through travel and adventure. Be able to give back to my parents that sacrificed so much for me when I was growing up.

What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to our readers?
Never put your eggs all in one basket and never be afraid to be a risk taker.

What one thing have you learned as a small business owner that has served you well over the years?
Grow. Restructure. Improve!

Are there any resources or tools you’d like to share with other small business owners that have helped you succeed?
NO better resource than those around you. Better to learn from others mistakes than on your own. The internet is an amazing resource for knowing what is going on NOW in your industry, to see what your competitors are doing and to network 24/7 like on twitter and facebook. I always try to attend atleast one industry conference. Helps you find colleagues that you can bounce ideas off of.

What is Number One Business Goal you plan to accomplish over the next year?
Start a secondary business that utilizes the many talents and expertise I’ve acquired over the years. I have a book of ideas and now its time to execute atleast one of those.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Never lose the passion for your business. I’ve noticed that when you are truly passionate about what you do its contagious and infects others. Then it seems that everyone around you becomes more energized.

Always take time for yourself as it gives you a bit of recharge so that you can accomplish more at the end of the day.
Never forget to ask, “How can I help YOU?”

How can our readers find you online?
On twitter: @amandastewart and @printitquick
www.6thsensedesign.com
www.print-it-quick.com

Thank you Heidi Richards

Postage Rates Raised Again, Direct Mail Affected

Once again the mail postage rates have gone up ANOTHER $0.02. Which makes it now $0.44. You may not think that is a lot but when you are sending thousands of pieces a week that greatly affects your budget.

So... is USPS trying to make it more difficult for direct mail. I am a firm believer that you should do both online AND offline marketing. However, when those budgets are getting tightened already and then an increase makes it more difficult to hit the targeted audience from all angles. I've already seen a dramatic decrease in amount of pieces in my mailbox from real estate agents. However for agents, now is the best time to market since those semi-serious agents are now onto the next biggest craze for fast cash.

So, for now we will keep on truckin' but I hope that USPS, gives it a reprieve on another increase next May. It was more acceptable when it was every other year or so for a $0.01 increase.

*Stamp image provided by USPS.com

Postage stamp rate increases one cent on Monday

Effective on Monday, the stamps are going to increase one cent. What does this mean for the business? Typically small to medium sized businesses.

There are still plenty of businesses that do direct mail marketing. While one penny does not seem a lot, those that are mailing 100s of thousands of pieces per month will see it gradually dig into their bottom line. This is potentially dangerous for those involved in that process. From the designer to the list provider, the printer and even the mailing house.

There is a concern on the print end of it. Will more people move back to a typical 4x6 postcard rather than the half page postcard or the jumbo sized postcard? There was a push towards larger sized postcards to make an impact but as the price of postage increases the desire to spend more decreases.

It was just a year ago when the stamp was increased. Does this mean there will be a trend for the postal service to increase each year? Lets hope that this is it for at least 2 years.

See what the current rates will as of Monday, May 12th, 2008.