Birthing Business Owners: Get More Paying Clients For Your Birthing Business

I recently met Sheri Menelli, founder of The Birthing Business Institute. I've been searching for an industry-specific contact like Sheri for about 3 years - someone who could help me to find better and easier ways to market and promote my Perinatal Services. After 29 years in this field, trust me when I say meeting Sheri was one of those "few-and-far-between" experiences in life.

Are you a childbirth educator, doula, prenatal yoga instructor, midwife, lactation consultant, pregnancy massage therapist, or other birthing business owner? Are you struggling to get more paying clients and finding it difficult to convince clients to pay you what you're worth?

Are you looking to make some dramatic changes in your business and turn your Passion into Profits?

In over a quarter of a century in my profession, there are VERY FEW people or programs I have recommended. I'm extremely cautious and very selective. In general, I quietly observe a potential joint venture partner or referral for about 6 months - 1 year. I take a close look at their business practices, their online presence, and people who have written testimonials for them. Call me fussy ... that's okay with me.

With that said, I find Sheri Menelli's course to be outstanding for birthing business owners and I highly recommend it.

For details and content outline: Birth Classroom

~Melanie Kissell
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Write An EBook And Position Yourself As The Go-To Expert In Your Niche

Writing an eBook in your niche or on your topic of expertise will position you as an expert in your field. It is crucial to have a book that you have authored, and an eBook is best if you want to make it available to others in just a matter of a week or two.

Many people do not like to write, so if that is your situation you may want to consider recording your eBook, one chapter at a time, and having it transcribed into an eBook. You can then add an introduction and conclusion, a table of contents, and some resources. Your eBook will be complete, and ready for you to sell online or give away to generate more leads for your business.

The word "author" is derived from the word authority, so once you have authored an eBook you will be perceived quite differently from others in your field. You will become the person who is asked to speak, do radio interviews, and considered to be the expert.

Writing your eBook will boost your career in ways you may never have expected! Getting started right away will make it easier for you to be successful online, no matter what your area of expertise.

For tips on turning your business knowledge and life experiences into cash, Click here to check out a great ebook writing and internet marketing site from a lady I highly recommend, Connie Ragen Green. There are lots of great tips and tricks.

Melanie Kissell
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BlogHer - These Gals Are Getting Ready To Party!

If you're one of the lucky ducks who'll be attending BlogHer ...

Here's a FREE Planner!

Just download and fill in the blanks.

Have a BlogHer Blast!

Search Engine Submissions: 9 Simple Steps You Need To Take Before You Submit Your Web Site

Submitting your web site to search engines and directories does not have to be complicated.
I discovered nine simple steps that will prepare you.

1.) Create a professional-looking web site. Buy your own unique domain name and purchase hosting. Use a simple template design that fits the theme of your site.

2.) Develop a crystal clear navigation structure and site map. Decide on your navigation in advance. Make certain it is easy to use and leads to all the pages on your site.

3.) Add original visitor-focused content. Hire a copywriter if writing is not your "thing".

4.) Use free or paid keyword tools to do your research. Zero in on the most popular and targeted keywords for your content, titles, and meta tags.

5.) Never post "under construction" messages. Remove any blank pages. Although you'll want to add new content frequently, it is vital to show that your existing content is finished.

6.) Test your links regularly to make sure they are working. Online directories and search engines will put the brakes on and not index sites with broken links.

7.) Let your site visitors, search engines, and directories know you are accessible as a true professional. Don't attempt to hide your privacy policy or contact details.

8.) Search engines and visitors hate sloppy, choppy, unattractive text. Check and re-check your grammar and spelling. Punctuation counts!

9.) Select a tracking system and learn to analyze your web site traffic. Otherwise, you'll have no idea if anyone is visiting your site. Be sure to check your search engine page ranking and link popularity reports on a regular basis.

Melanie Kissell
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Mom, Got A Blog? Attract More Readers And Keep Them There

If you've been on the Internet for more than 5 minutes, you've probably heard of the ever growing popularity of the "mom blog". You may even have one yourself. Mom blogs are great ways to connect with other moms, share your thoughts and feelings on being a mom, and maybe even make a little dough (not the kitchen variety this time), too.

One problem many moms have is getting people to read and participate in their blogs. After all, without readers, you can't do any of the things mentioned above with your blog. So, how do you attract more readers to your mom blog? And, once you have them, how do you keep them there? Here are a few tried and true ways to increase readership and maybe even make some life long online buds in the mom community:

Be Yourself
No one likes to read a blog that is nothing but a copy and paste of articles, news topics, and pictures. Yes, those things are interesting, but to really get people coming back for more you have to show them you are a real person. Don't be afraid to let them in and give readers a taste of the true you. If you have an opinion on something don't be afraid to share it. After all, it is YOUR blog so it should represent the person you really are.

Hold a Contest or Giveaway
There's nothing moms like more than getting free stuff they can actually use. As a mom yourself you probably have or know people who would be willing to donate prizes to a contest or giveaway on your blog. Think of something fun and create or do a random drawing from those who post comments. Get creative and come up with something other moms would be happy to enter and happier to tell their friends about.

Post Reviews
People love to know if something works or doesn't work before they decide to buy. Have you used products that you think are the greatest thing since sliced bread? Or maybe you want to warn others to steer clear of something you wished you hadn't wasted your money on. Either way, let your readers know. There are even companies that love to send product samples to mommy bloggers specifically for their opinions. Your opinion does matter, especially because you're a mother.

Create a Recipe of the Day Section
If there's one thing all moms are looking for it's something different for dinner. To feed your reader's hunger for new meal ideas as well as their family's bellies, set up a section on your blog dedicated solely to recipes. Post a new recipe once a day. It doesn't take long and you don't have to write all (or any) of the recipes yourself if you don't want to thanks to private label rights (PLR) content.

Mommy blogs are created and visited by others for many reasons, but if yours is informative, comical, shows the true you, and gives moms what they are looking for, chances that more readers will come are higher. Enjoy your mommy blog and make it your home sweet home on the web where friends feel welcome and love coming back.

Ready to add a recipe section to your blog to increase readers? Get 30 recipes every month at YummyPLR.

Melanie Kissell

Take Out the Mystery and Put in the Fun: Reading with Babies Birth through Two Years

Post By Cathy Puett Miller, Independent Children’s Literacy Consultant

You are starting a whole new world with the arrival of your new baby. You have lots to think about and probably are full of questions and uncertainties. One of most important gifts you can give you new baby doesn’t cost a dime. It’s the gift of literacy and the gift of you.

Start reading with your baby right away when you come home from the hospital. It will grow the bond between you as your child listens to your soothing, familiar voices (get Dad in on the act too). Relax, trust your instincts and follow these simple guidelines. You’ll be an expert in no time.

While you are still getting ready, add books to your baby shower “wish list”. If you have favorites of yours from your childhood you can list specific titles. Otherwise choose from the wide variety of picture books (simple, colorful stories with little text to artistic, beautifully illustrated stories). Here are a few to get you going:

The Day You Were Born by Debra Frasier (there are actually several books with this very same title)

When Daddy Comes Home At Night by Eileen Spinelli (there’s one for Mamas too)

I Already Know I Love You by Billy Crystal

Welcome them all and take time in those few quiet months before the baby arrives to read them yourself. If you like them, your child is likely to also. When you start to read with your baby, it won’t matter so much what you read as that they are hearing the sound of your voice. A few dads even read The Wall Street Journal or Sports Illustrated to their “chip off the old block”. Try these tips as you read with babies six weeks to three months old).

· Don’t try to read too long. As few as five minutes as you put them down for a nap or when you are rocking them in your arms.

· Keep your voice calm; no need to be theatrical at this age. Choose books like Mem Fox’s Time for Bed, a lullaby of a story or excerpts from Hush, Little Ones by John Butler.

· Once you’re in a routine, try reading to your baby when they are fussy. If you’ve already set the pattern to connect reading with a calm, warm, close time, sharing a story before they become too overstimulated can help babies quiet down.

Biography

Cathy Puett Miller

Through varied avenues such as her award-winning Reading is for Everyone® tutorial model, her contributions to Educationworld.com as their national “Reading Coach” monthly columnist and her training workshops for children, educators and parents, Cathy Puett Miller, The Literacy Ambassador™, spends her time spreading the news that reading can be fun, powerful and practical.

Mrs. Miller received the coveted 2003 National Silver Award for investigative educational reporting from Parenting Publications of America and regularly writes for both on-line and print publications including peer-reviewed educational journals such as the Georgia Journal of Reading. She continues to contribute to the world of literacy by designing research-based initiatives, creating reading packages such as Babyzone.com’s first reading page for parents, and serving on the Alabama School Readiness Advisory Council and the board of directors of The Reading Tub. She proudly serves as a member of the International Reading Association, the National Association for the Education of Young Children, and the National Council of Teachers of English.

Mrs. Miller’s most recent projects involve presenting at regional and state reading and preschool conferences, authoring a book for parents of preschool children on emergent literacy, creating and managing the pilot of a local United Way’s Fun Learning Moments™ parent involvement/school readiness initiative, and conducting a national study on at-home reading in collaboration with university early education departments in AL and TX.

Melanie Kissell

Your YOUnique Brand: Ways People Respond To Your Content Online

Kristen Jacoway

Bloggers Corner
By Kristen Jacoway
Each month I monitor several blogs that pertain to personal branding to bring you some of the most insightful postings that exist on the web. I share a couple of these with you below. If you have any questions or blogs that you recommend keeping an eye on please email me at YOUniquenewsletter@reachcc.com.

Since Twitter is so hot right now, I thought this blog post was timely: Glen Allsopp of PluginId discusses the “Seven Uncommon Uses for Twitter” – one use is to express your personal brand online for Google Reputation Management. The other avenues include Product/Service Reviews, Testimonials, Finding Beta Testers for Products or eBooks, Live News Tracking, Finding Solutions to Problems, and Competition.

Miriam Salpeter from Keppie Careers wrote a blog post on “Leveraging Twitter for Your Job Search” and offers tips on how to utilize Twitter features as one of your multiple strategies in the job search. She also shares a few success stories of people who landed jobs using Twitter.

Rajesh Setty, an entrepreneur, author, and public speaker based in Silicon Valley wrote, “9 Ways People Respond to Your Content Online.” This terrific blog post looks at how to generate content that will inspire and transform the lives of your target audience and the ways your audience will respond to your online content. Blogging and writing articles are two great ways to build your Google results. This blog post will help you define “productive content” in order to express your brand online.

MELANIE KISSELL