Article Marketing Advice: Increasing the Readability of Your Articles

Copyright © 2008 Hunter Waterhouse




When it comes to writing articles to promote your online business, it's important to consider more than just your marketing goals: it's essential that you also focus on writing articles that people will want to read. In other words, you don't just want to use words; and you don't want to market and sell your business directly. Instead, you want to make an effort to be engaging and influential.



The first tip that will help you to increase the readability of your articles is to write with the reader's concerns in mind. If you are unsure of exactly how to do that, you may want to look into article ghostwriters who understand article marketing and who only focus on writing articles for Internet audiences. When you work with article ghostwriters, you can focus more on your business and know that someone else is working hard on your behalf to write articles that will be read.



Getting The Best Results From Your Article Marketing Campaigns



Still, if you want to keep article writing within your company, rather than outsourcing it, here are some tips for getting more out of your article marketing campaigns:



1. Hook your readers from the start. Article writing is a lot more effective for marketing your business when people will actually read the articles. The best thing that you can do is to catch their interest right away. Your article title will determine if people will open your article, and the first paragraph will ensure that people keep reading the article.



2. Avoid the temptation to overwhelm your readers with a lot of information. Article writing is not about telling the reader everything that there is to know; it's about sticking with a central focus and giving your reader an introduction or overview of the information they want and need to solve their problems. In an article that probably won't be much more than one thousand words, you will never be able to tell the reader everything they need to know to solve a problem, but you can help put your reader on solid footing for moving forward towards a workable solution.



3. Break up information into digestible chunks. Writing articles is about expressing some key points. When it comes to writing articles for the internet, what you are going to find is that many readers skim rather than read your articles. Using numbered lists (like this one) will help you to present your information clearly, and let readers find what they are looking for quickly. Similarly, if you use bullet lists or break up your text with subheadings that are in a larger font and bolded, you can be sure that after reading your article, the article's key points will be easily recalled.



4. When it comes to article writing, particularly when you are working to establish yourself as an expert, it's important to show that you know what you're talking about. A great way of doing that - and to break up the text of your article - is to include quotes from more established experts. If you are writing articles and are more established, you too should quote other sources, possible letting the readers know why you disagree with another writer.



5. Focus on spelling and grammar. Just as someone who is hiring article ghostwriters should take the time to find ghost writing services that are well versed in your point of view, it's also important to be sure that you're writing in the native language of your target audience. American English is different from that spoken and written in England and India. Paying attention to your spelling and grammar shows that you care about what you are saying and that you are a professional.



A good example of the difference between the usage rules in British English and American English is the story of Paul Marshall from Dallas, Texas. When Paul was running his mortgage business, he had hired some Indian writers to develop content for his website. When he received the copy from his ghostwriters, the copy used the word "mortgage scheme" in the text eleven times. Paul was pissed, as you might well imagine. In British English, "scheme" does not carry any negative connotation. Yet, as you may well realize, "scheme" in American English is one of the most negative words that can be applied to any business model. It denotes "dishonesty" and "fraud" in American English. His Indian writers could not understand his anger with their choice of words, but you can understand his anger.



Professionalism In The Article Writing Process



Professionalism, unfortunately, is frequently overlooked when it comes to article writing. Great writing flows, not just for the writer whose aim is to get the words and message out, but also for the readers who are consuming the information.



Because of this, one key element of an effective article is not the writing itself: it is the readability of that article. Take the time to look at the articles that grab your attention and jot a few notes about each of them. Specifically, focus on the following:

How did the writer grab your attention (or, if you weren't interested in the first paragraph, what turned you off?

What sort of spacing did the writer use in the article?

What did you come away with after reading the article? In other words, what were the key points of the article?



Writing articles is neither purely science nor purely art – at its best; it is a good combination of the two. A great article focuses on a key issue, isn't stuffed with keywords (you do want search engines to find the article, but too many keywords in an article takes away from readability), and is as easy to skim, as it is to read.



When all is said and done, an article that gets read in its entirety will carry the reader to the Author's Bio at the end of the article. Ideally, the reader will read the entire article and feel a desire to visit the author's website to learn more about the writer of the article. It is article marketing at its best, when the reader likes the article enough to click on the link in the Author's Bio and visit the author's website to learn more about what the author is offering.





About The Author:

Hunter Waterhouse is a writer and editor who has been employed by The Phantom Writers (http://www.thephantomwriters.com) for many years. Put his name in quotes and run it through your favorite search engine, to see just how well his articles have been received by the Internet Marketing community. Then, you will know that Hunter knows what he is talking about when it comes to article marketing. To learn more about how The Phantom Writers can help you with article ghost writing, please visit: http://www.thephantomwriters.com/services/ghost-writing.html

Article Source: thePhantomWriters Article Submission Service



Article Marketing Advice: Increasing the Readability of Your Articles, by Hunter Waterhouse

Seven Tips for Hiring a Professional Article Ghost Writer

Copyright © 2008 Hartford Rhodes




Writing articles is a great way to market your online business, because it puts you in the position of being able to establish yourself as an expert in your field. The challenge, of course, is that not everyone feels comfortable with the idea of sitting down and writing articles. That's where article ghostwriters come into play.



Ghost writing is a well-established tradition in which non-writers, such as yourself, can hire someone else who will do the actual article writing, while you are able to take the personal credit as the author of the article. That's right: with ghost writing, you pay someone else not only for writing articles, but also for all rights to those articles. As a result, you are able to make any necessary changes and to publish the article with your own bylines and contact information, attached to the article.



Unfortunately - as is the case with many things - there are many article ghostwriters out there, some of whom are more qualified and capable than others. How can you be sure that you are hiring the right article ghost writers?



1. Take the time to identify what you goals will be for the articles. We often argue that your article must speak directly to the people most likely to buy your goods and services. Therefore, your goal is to talk to the people in your target market, in a way that will appeal to your prospective customers' needs. When you are going to be hiring article ghostwriters, you will need to be able to let them know what your goals are and whom you wish to talk to in the article.



2. Do your homework; because there are a number of article ghostwriters out there, it's a good idea to look at the ghost writing services that have a good reputation in the marketplace. More importantly, it's a good idea to look at ghostwriting services to determine where the writers are located and what their education level. (Many writers who live in India can produce excellent articles, but it must be noted that they write in British English. If your customers are generally Americans, then British English may not serve your interests well.)



3. Before hiring article ghost writers, take the time to compare different writers and services. Once you have made an effort to find ghost writing services, ask to see a sample of the work that they have done. Keep in mind that it may be difficult for them to provide samples, as once they have submitted articles to a client; they no longer have the rights to those articles. If you are told that samples are not available, ask for references who you can contact about their experience with the article ghost writers.



4. Check references. Even if the services that you have contacted about writing articles are able to provide samples, ask for references and follow through with an email or a phone call to ask whether or not they were satisfied. If they received great articles but it took a long time - and you need something written this week - you may need to look to a different service.



5. Be clear about expectations - both yours and theirs. Many article ghostwriters will expect at least partial payment up front; most businesses looking for articles want to know that they will have them within a set amount of time. Likewise, there may be specifics that you are looking for in your articles; let the article ghost writers know what you are looking for - the subjects that are the center of the article and the keywords that you want to have used are important things to communicate to the writer.



6. Ensure that, if you are dissatisfied with the article, you will be able to have a re-write included. If there are minor changes, you will be able to make them yourself; if, on the other hand, the wrong keyword focus was used or information within the article wasn't accurate, you should feel comfortable asking for a rewrite and one should be provided.



7. Determine which other services may be included. Some ghost writing services will also submit the articles to publishers and webmasters who will be interested in publishing the article, while others will only focus on article writing.



These seven tips for hiring ghostwriters for writing articles can ensure that you are heading in the right direction, and that's essential because - as article marketing becomes increasingly popular - you will come to rely on article ghost writers to help you to promote your business. Establishing a healthy relationship with your article ghost writers from the very beginning will give you an advantage: you will always know where to turn and you will be in a better position to market your business.





About The Author:

Hartford Rhodes is a writer and editor employed by The Phantom Writers (http://thephantomwriters.com). They will ghost write and distribute reprint articles for the promotion of your online business, and they guarantee that you will like the articles, or they will fix them to your desires. They also employ American ghostwriters, most of whom have degrees in English. Learn more: http://thephantomwriters.com/services/ghost-writing.html

Article Source: thePhantomWriters Article Submission Service

All About Expired Domain Name Evaluations

Copyright © 2008 John Khu




More often, a nagging doubt may trouble and pester you regarding the real worth of an expired domain name. Many people who deal and get active with expired domain name usually ask a single question- How much is an expired domain name worth?; most of the forums and bulletin board that deal with expired domain names usually devote section just debate and discuss on this particular aspect. Sadly speaking, the most common answer that one finds in these forums is almost always: "Not so sure and not as much as we think!"- But, there is a lot more to this delicate question and there are plenty of answers as well!



Of late, several expired domain names have seen transactions worth more than 7 figure dollar value. Just take a look behind your shoulder and remember the sale of business.com <http://business.com> domain; it seems that this particular transaction is worth as high as $7 million. This extraordinary developed also saw a fierce competition among expired domain name resellers to compete for very good domains. There is also an intense excitement in the resell market that borders on improbable expectations.



The essential principle of an expired domain name market is that people to tend to go for an expired domain, driven by the fact that there is a perceived dearth or paucity of good expired domain names. It is also a common fact that most of the medium and large companies keep looking for a domain name that ends with a .com extension. In reality, all memorable and possible combination of words that can make a domain name have already been taken up by industries and this phenomenon has ensured that the prices for good expired domain names can only go up. Another curious incident is that many expired domain names that are available in the reseller market are almost similar or look-alike.



There is also a general perception that a generic name is always good, and that they can always fetch better prices than a derived name; people believe that such names are easy to remember and recall. One more important factor that one must have a close look is the issue of commercialism of the industry that it relates to. When you try to buy and sell an expired domain name, ensure that you look for domains that relates to very hot industries like legal profession, internet marketing and parenting.



There is also another irony that symbolizes expired domain name industry. In fact, a majority of domains will never be able to fetch exorbitant prices. There is always a certain benchmark or quality levels within which one can expect to sell an expired domain name for a decent price. Demand for good expired domain names is quite relative and it will always work on the principle of perception, when a particular domain demanded by a person may not be preferable to the other. It also means that you may need some luck on your part to land a great expired domain name that can fetch thousands of dollars.





About The Author:

John Khu is the well-known author of a new e-book titled "Expired Domain Secret". He is also a seasoned professional with vast experience in expired domain name business. He is also the owner of the path breaking web site called http://www.expireddomainsecret.com which provides complete and up-to-date information on expired domains and their eternal secrets.

Article Source: thePhantomWriters Article Submission Service

The Shocking Truth About How To Start An Internet Business - Part 5

Copyright © 2008 Vasrue.com, All Rights Reserved

Written by: Clinton Douglas IV




Launching Your Plan and Building Momentum



Once months of preparation and planning are behind you, its tempting to focus solely on business as usual. After all, that's what brings in revenue. But as the economy shifts, seasons change and business grows, so should your plans and objectives.



Did you know that the number one reason businesses fail in the first few years is poor management? Management and strategy are key functions in any start-up. Your initial business and marketing plans were created using forecasted or estimated information. As your business matures, this information becomes more predictable. You'll learn who your customers really are, what they want and how much they're willing to spend. You'll also discover actual budget figures, with longer histories giving a more accurate financial landscape.



Revisit major forecasts and strategies annually, if not quarterly, to see where you stand. Then make adjustments accordingly. This includes your business and departmental budgets, your business, marketing and advertising plans and strategies. Ask yourself the following questions to make sure your company stays as effective and efficient as possible.

Do you qualify for greater bulk product discounts as a result of new purchasing habits?

Can you phase down marketing or advertising and still sustain your current sales momentum?

Is your website structure still relevant to your target audience?

Could you improve website features or functionality to strengthen your users' experience?

What seasonal sales fluctuations can you proactively address to maximize profitability?

Do you see any operational or organizational inefficiencies?

Does increased or decreased staffing make sense?

Could you improve your relationships with key vendors and suppliers?

Could you streamline or improve order fulfillment?



Set your ongoing strategy and continually review your goals on a routine basis. With the right map, you're sure to reach your intended destination.



Final Thoughts



Ebusiness freedom has a compelling draw, which is precisely why so many men and women have worked hard creating and developing their Internet company. When you own an ebusiness, you set your own hours, avoid the 'location, location, location' doldrums, living where you choose, working from home if you prefer, keeping start-up costs low and staying at your day job until unnecessary. But perks aside, ebusiness development still requires a great deal of planning, strategy and skilled execution to succeed.



Keep your customers loyal by paying considerable attention to all of the important bricks-and-mortar service techniques like delivering high levels of customer service, offering valuable products and services, managing complaints and returns effectively, offering various payment options, processing sales quickly and committing to ongoing sales and marketing efforts. Everything you do, whether local or global, start-up or blue chip, should consistently reinforce your initial business purpose and vision. While a strong brand and niche can set your company apart from the competition, you'll need to stay true to your original brand throughout growth and expansion to ensure your founding purpose isn't derailed.



As visitors use your website and process orders, listen and respond to their needs. Customer service can be a challenge when dealing with electronic correspondence and website interfaces. But remember, every ecommerce website is asking its customer to process his or her own payment, similar to asking a walk-in customer to run the cash register. So make check-our quick, intuitive and easy. Confirm orders immediately via email. Thank your customers for their business. Always remember that they could have chosen many other companies to conduct business with, but they chose you. Ship items quickly and respond to inquiries in a timely and courteous manner within 24 to 48 hours. You'll invest less in customer retention than you will in earning new customers, both in marketing dollars and time.



Stick to your budget, ensuring your lenders and investors are on the top of your priority list. After all, they had enough faith in you to put their money in your concept from day one. As revenue grows, use these funds to responsibly invest in ongoing promotion while keeping debt low. Give your business a good three years to establish footing, maintaining enough in the bank to cover expenses should you hit a slow week or month.



Finally treat your employees well. They're company representatives who can make or break customer deals, influence investor opinion, sway the media, cut costs and maximize profits. As you grow from one or a handful of founders into a larger business or enterprise, your employees act on your behalf when conducting day-to-day business. Ensure they have a motivating, pleasant and rewarding atmosphere with which to spend their days. You'll be rewarded ten-fold.



If you're willing to put the necessary time and effort into your ebusiness dream, your opportunity for entrepreneurial freedom awaits. Move over Ebay, here you come.





(Author's Note - If you have missed any article in this five-part series, you can find the missing articles here: http://www.thephantomwriters.com/recent/author/clinton-douglas-iv.html)





About The Author:

Clinton Douglas IV, teaches people about Internet Business. Get his FREE Special Report – "How To Make More Money In Only 30 Days Starting From Scratch", Click Here: http://online-empire.vasrue.com/How-To-Start-Your-Online-Business_F.html You're reading an article from Vasrue.com, INC - If you enjoyed this Article, why not forward it to an associate or colleague who can profit from this information. They'll thank you for it.

Article Source: thePhantomWriters Article Submission Service

Using a 401K Loan to Stop Foreclosure

Copyright © 2008 Daniel Lamaute

A bankruptcy or foreclosure can cripple one's ability to obtain decent credit for many years. In addition, some employers and landlords won't hire or rent to a candidate with terrible credit history. Thus, it is a good idea to discuss all options with a financial planner before ending in bankruptcy or foreclosure.

To avoid a bankruptcy or stop a foreclosure some people will raise cash by tapping their IRA or 401(k). But withdrawing money from a retirement account prior to age 59 ½ can trigger a 10% penalty on top of the regular income tax on the money distributed. Whereas a 401(k) loan that is repaid according to IRS guidelines can avoid the tax hit.

Employees can contact their company's HR department to find out if they have access to a 401(k) loan. Generally after leaving a job one loses the privilege to obtain a loan from a previous employer's 401(k). But, individuals with their own business can still borrow from their retirement funds by setting up a Solo 401(k) plan with a loan option. The Solo 401(k) - also called an Individual 401k or Self-Employed 401(k) - is designed for small business owners with no employees. A Solo 401(k) loan does not require a credit check because you are in effect borrowing from yourself; the loan interest rate is often set at prime rate and stays fixed for the term of the loan. The loan payments, interest and principal, are put back into the borrower's 401(k) account.

It's possible to transfer without dollar limit the funds from an IRAs, 401(k), or other retirement funds into a Solo 401(k) plan. Once the funds are in your Solo 401(k), you can borrow up to a maximum of $50,000 or 50% of the balance in your account, whichever is less. The loan process generally takes a couple of weeks after the funds are in the Solo 401(k) account.

Although a loan from a 401(k) plan is free of tax and early withdrawal penalty if the loan is not paid back on time the IRS will treat the balance of the loan as a distribution subject to taxes and a possible 10% penalty. The Solo 401(k) is available to any business that employs only owners and their spouses, including C corporations, S corporations, partnerships, and sole proprietors working part-time or full-time in their businesses. The Solo 401(k) is not suitable for businesses with employees, or those that plan to hire employees.

To withdraw from your 401(k) is an important decision that can deplete a large part of your retirement nest egg if you are not careful. A 401(k) loan should be used only for those times when you absolutely need the money and you are certain that you will be able to repay the loan to your 401(k) account.


About the Author:
Daniel Lamaute of Lamaute Capital, Inc., (InvestSafe.com) is retirement plans expert. Visit http://www.investsafe.com to learn about methods to maximize retirement contributions and to reduce taxes and penalties on early withdrawals. Lamaute Capital, Inc. does not give legal or tax advice. Tax laws and regulations are complex and subject to change. Please consult an attorney or tax advisor for tax advice.


Read More Articles by Daniel Lamaute
Source: thePhantomWriters.com Article Submission Service

Change Your Approach

Copyright © 2008 Deborah Brown-Volkman

Wouldn't it be easier if your career could magically improve on its own?

The working world has changed dramatically over the past couple of years. There are fewer positions and more jobs being sent overseas. It can seem like your skills need updating sooner, and that's because they do. A global economy means change happens quickly. You can't sit back anymore and hope that change will not find you; because it will.

If you are struggling in your career and the uncertainty is getting to you, you can do something about it. You can't always alter your circumstances, but you can modify how you deal with them.

So, How Do You Change Your Approach? Follow These Four Steps Below:

1. Stop Thinking You Know It All

One of the top challenges my clients face is themselves. I make a suggestion and they tell me why it won't work. And this is before they even try it. Getting older is a good thing; with it comes knowledge and experience. Getting older hurts you when you believe you've "been there, done that" and you haven't. The next time you tell yourself that something cannot be done, inquire "do I know that to be 100% true?" If the answer is no, don't discard the idea. It may be the answer you are seeking.

2. Find Out Where You Fit

Clarity and confidence come from knowing the facts. Let's say you want to switch jobs. Spend time researching the possible places where your skills are needed. Find out what companies in and out of your industry, are looking for, and assess where you fit. Look at your resume and compare it to what those companies want. If you see that you don't have a particular skill, do not use that as a reason to stop. Take a class or read a book to get up to speed. There is always a place you can go to learn more if you want to.

When you want to adjust the direction your career is taking, you don't always get a guarantee upfront that it will work. What you do get is a feeling in your stomach that says you are headed in the right direction. If you can combine what feels right, with good information, that's when you will be successful.

3. Make A Plan

Yes, you may want your career to be different overnight, but that's not how things work. All great things in your career will not happen on their own. You need a plan which will help you take a bigger goal and break it into smaller pieces.

All plans have three pieces: 1) What you want; 2) How you will get what you want; 3) Your projected completion date. The more you clearly define what you want, the faster you will reach your goal. Once you have clarity, write down the steps to make your goal happen. Then, give yourself a deadline. Most people work best when the pressure is on, so give yourself one to motivate yourself through the process.

4. Reach Out

It's OK to ask for help. It takes a strong person to ask for assistance. If you are worried that someone might not want to help you, let him or her tell you that. Don't assume that anyone will think less of you for opening up and sharing that your career might not be going as well as you'd like at the moment.

Your career can span thirty, forty, fifty years or more, so there's a good chance you'll hit a bump in the road at some time and will need some assistance. Just like you would help someone who came to you, let other people return the favor.

So, what do you say? You only have one life to live, so it might as well be a life you love!


About the Author:
Deborah Brown-Volkman, PCC, is the President of Surpass Your Dreams, Inc. a successful career, life, and mentor coaching company that works with Senior Executives, Vice Presidents, and Managers who are looking for new career opportunities or seek to become more productive in their current role. She is the author of "Don't Blow It! The Right Words For The Right Job," "Coach Yourself To A New Career," and "How To Feel Great At Work Everyday." Deborah can be reached at http://www.surpassyourdreams.com


Read More Articles by Deborah Brown-Volkman
Source: thePhantomWriters.com Article Submission Service