(Last column we talked about what a mailing list is, why you need one, and how to create one.  Now let’s chat about what you need to do to encourage people to join your list.

Our first focus needs to be your opt-in box.  This is where people enter their name and email address to subscribe.  You want to make it visible, inviting, and safe.

1. Make it Visible
Your opt-in form should be on every page of your website and in an easy to see spot.

2. Make it Inviting
Why should I join your list?  Just so you can send me email telling me to hire you or buy your products?  That pitch isn’t going to fly.  Instead, give visitors a reason to sign up!  Offer them a free report, an ebook, audio tip series, webinar, an ecourse, or a coupon.  Consider it an ethical bribe.

3. Make it Safe
We all hate spam (except the spammers, but you’re not one of them if you’re reading this).  Reassure your potential subscribers you aren’t going to spam them.  Add a clear privacy policy near the box.

In the next edition of this column, I’ll share some great ways to get more people to opt in to your list.  Stay tuned!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Michelle Shaeffer has been a work at home mom for more than 10 years and loves to share the tips and strategies she’s learned to help other home based business owners balance, manage, and market their businesses. Connect with her at http://www.michelleshaeffer.com.

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Email marketing has grown tremendously over the years and it can benefit your business substantially.  As with any type of marketing, email marketing takes a great deal of time and effort to insure it is working effectively.

There are many types of email marketing such as sending out periodical newsletters/ezines, sending out promotional emails and product updates, tutorials, etc.

Regardless of which type of email marketing you utilize, one important thing you must do is continually evaluate the effectiveness of your email marketing campaign.  Do not let your email marketing go stale.  You need to keep it alive, fresh and energized.

Below are 10 ways you can help energize your email marketing campaign:

Fresh and Helpful Content – Always be sure to include good, solid content.  Check the content to make sure it is reliable.  You want to make sure you are providing true, helpful information for your mailing list. Offer good resources, tools, tips and other content that will actually help your subscribers.  This will help in building the foundation of the essential trust relationship between you and your mailing list members.

Make it Personal – Making your email more personal will help build trust and your reputation.  You need to connect with your list and by making your emails more personal, warm and friendly, you will accomplish this task.

Grab Their Interest with Your Subject Line – Grabbing the readers’ interest with the subject line can make all the difference as to whether they open the email or just delete it.  Keep the subject line short and to the point.  Use words that will pique the reader’s curiosity and make them want to know more.  Use power and/or action words such as new, innovative, secret, reveal, etc.

Which email would you open?

How to Increase sales   or
New, Innovative Sales Strategy Revealed…..

Be Available for Your Readers – There is nothing worse than emailing questions to a company about their products/services and waiting days or longer to get an answer.  Make it a point to answer questions and concerns as soon as possible. Be as helpful and responsive as possible.  You will be amazed at the difference this will make in your business.

Be Consistent – I know some people that will send out an email here and an email there – sometimes with months in between.  This will never bring you any results.  Send out your emails on a regular basis using the same design, layout and format each time.  Keep them neat, clean and free from a lot of clutter. You want your readers to become familiar with your mailings.

Add New Features – Always be thinking of new features to add to your mailings to keep it fresh and alive.   Add a Q&A section or do interviews with your readers.  Give your readers a weekly challenge to accomplish to help them obtain their goals.  Publish success stories. The possibilities are endless!

Offer Subscriber Only Specials – Let your subscribers know they are appreciated by offering them deals and specials that you would not offer anyone else.  Give them an extra percentage off the price or give them a free gift in your mailings.  Doing little things like this can go a long way for your business.

Get Your Mailing List Involved – Encourage them to email you with ideas, suggestions and feedback.  Let them know you are willing to consider all their suggestions. Ask them if you can use their feedback.  Post their questions with the answers to help all your readers.  Make them feel like they make a difference because THEY DO!

Contests and Competitions – Hold contests and competitions for your subscribers and offer prizes.  For example:  Each week in my newsletter I have a trivia challenge for free advertising and a movie quote contest for a free ebook.  They are a lot of fun and my subscribers let me know how much they enjoy it.

Offer Referral Incentives – Let your mailing list members know that if they refer people to your mailing list, they will be rewarded.  Have contests on who can get the most referrals for a grand prize.

Business owners who successfully implement an email marketing campaign are likely to gain a huge advantage over those who don’t.  But you must keep your email marketing fresh, alive, consistent and reliable.  Keeping in contact with your mailing list members and providing them with useful, helpful information and resources will help build a solid foundation of trust with which to grow your business!

© Terri Seymour

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Terri Seymour has over twelve years of online experience and has helped many people start their own business.  Visit her site for resources, $1 and $2 resell ebooks & software, articles, and affiliate programs.  Sign up for the RSS Feed for a free business ebook with MRR. http://www.SeymourProducts.com.

Nothing aggravates me more than having my husband referred to as “Mr. Kathleen Mailer” or as the token male/husband. It shows what a dysfunctional society we live in. I was driven to write this article so that I could shed some light on these attitudes.

Just as a “driven” woman can get a bad reputation (and we all know what people call women who are go-getters), men who walk beside and with them can get an equally bad reputation. That reputation is one of either being a pushover or someone who is a puppet on a string. NOTHING could be further from the truth!

There are 3 things that make a woman powerful, whole, and strong:

1. Her walk with God:
He is the One who ultimately moulds her, gives her courage, and sends her out on the path He created for her. He teaches her how to walk in His powerful presence. He shows her the way to true happiness. He gives her gifts, equips her, and picks her up when she is knocked down.

2. Her walk with herself:
She is constantly working toward becoming the woman she is called to be. She is always learning and striving. She is always reviewing and re-organizing.

3. Her walk with her husband:
A godly husband IS a STRONG MAN! A godly husband is one of the true gifts from God. He is an earthly extension of our Heavenly Father. He stands with her. He equips, encourages, and motivates her. He is her problem-solver and her support. He lifts her up when she needs it. He gently keeps her accountable to her calling. He reminds her of her worth when she forgets. When she messes up—and she will—he listens and, instead of condemning, he comes to her aid and helps her figure out how to make things right. The interesting thing is he does all of this while maintaining his own base and establishing balance for the whole family. He is the head of the house, making sure that all parts of the family business are running smoothly. He is MAN!

And let me tell you, it really does take a STRONG MAN to be with a STRONG WOMAN.

Being a strong woman is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, taking control of situations and managing everything is truly a blessing. On the other hand, when she crosses the line and becomes controlling, that is a curse.

A Proverbs 31 man has a God-given ability to understand what his wife is really TRYING to say or do when her actions/words come out wrong. It’s because he knows in his spirit that she is a blessed woman who has not yet matured, so she has a hard time sometimes expressing herself in the right way. He forgives her and guides her on her journey to fulfill God’s promises in her life, in their lives together, and in the lives of their family members.

It is time we need to actively look at our husbands and appreciate them more every day, not only for what they do, but for WHO they are!

I decided to ask one simple question of several men who walk side by side, in partnership with their wives. The criteria for selecting these men to respond to the question were simple: They have to have been married a long time and be godly men who take their position as “husband” very seriously, and their wives have to be powerful women of God who are striving to fulfill their purpose.

The question I asked was this: “What one piece of advice can I give our reader, the Proverbs 31 Woman, to help her to know her husband’s needs?”

“The best piece of advice I can give is not to get so caught up in “busyness” that your husband takes second place or is ignored altogether. Spend time together during the week—a date night for instance—where you can leave “busyness” at home and go out to dinner, a movie, etc., in order to maintain the closeness which is so necessary for a couple. These intimate times together help to solidify the bond that maintains a strong, lasting relationship as husband and wife.

As a result, in my opinion, this gives the couple the opportunity to share what their specific needs are in order to make them feel important and loved, one for another.”  

Al Myshrall, Monika’s husband of 13 years

“Communication. Good communication is one of the keys to keeping relationships healthy. Just knowing what each is going through, or dealing with, can help the relationship. Good communication can also help to prevent, or clear up, any misunderstandings or misconceptions. It’s human nature to think the worst, or create an ideal in our minds, that may not be true at all.

In a business, whether new or seasoned, there are always issues and challenges to deal with. The Proverbs 31 Woman doesn’t always realize that even if her husband is not directly involved in the business, he does want to know what’s happening. He wants to support his wife, but cannot efficiently or effectively when he is not aware of the situation. He can also be a fresh or new source of ideas to help deal with, or solve, an issue in the business. He wants his wife to know that he is there to support her and that she is not alone in the business and the marriage.” 

Dan Mailer, Kathleen’s husband of 20 years

“Convey to your husband that he is still number one in your life. Sometimes in the business of life, he can feel as if he is second or even third after the kids in importance. This doesn’t mean that you have to give all your time and energy to him, but make sure he understands he is of great importance to you.

You can do this by knowing your husband and what he responds to. Use his love language and speak to him through that. We all respond differently to things that are said and done for us. Understand what he sees as important to convey your love for him. For example, you can cook a nice meal for him, which is great. However, if what he really responds to is verbal affirmation, your “best bang for your  buck” is to talk to him. Convey that what you are doing is for both of you and for the family—talk about your goals together and bring him into agreement with what’s happening.”

Grant Rogers, Berni’s husband of 20 years

“Being a fairly independent fellow, I don’t have a lot of needs. I understand that developing and running a business requires extra time out of one’s regular home schedule. While I’m willing to help out with home chores when needed, I also prefer quality time together. For example, enjoying time together while waiting for supper to cook, small acknowledgements throughout the day or, at the end of the day, when we just sit together with a hot drink and talk.” 

Doug Widmer, Sandy’s husband of over 20 years

Thanks, gentlemen, for your insights. Ladies, let’s take some of this advice to heart and put some practical “todos” into our Day-timers.

God bless you and your marriage. Let’s take this to the next level! WHOOT!

Life has consequences.

And the older we get, the steeper they are.

As parents trying to raise kids God’s way, your children need to grasp this concept now.  It’s our job to make sure they understand that their actions can be costly.

When your kids make bad choices, it is important that you allow them to suffer the consequences rather than save your children from them.

What better place to learn this truth than from the safety of your home.

The other day, I was in the store and there was a mom whose three out-of-control kids were running up and down the aisles.  She was talking on the phone and not paying much attention until the youngest started pulling the shredded cheese off the hooks and throwing the bags onto the floor.

“Stop it now,” the mom said!  “If you do that again, I’m going to take that Hot Wheels car and toss it in the trash!”

The child stopped… stared at his mom… and resumed the game of cheese toss.

Rather than make good on her threat, she just turned around and walked to the next aisle continuing to talk on her phone.

A store employee came over and told the child to stop.  The kid laughed and ran to the next aisle where his mom was shopping – Hot Wheels car still in hand.

Un… believable.

This mom missed a perfect opportunity to teach her son that there are consequences to his actions.  A lesson best learned from a young age.

Because the bigger the kid… the bigger the cost.

Now with that said, I am also a firm believer in giving children grace.  It tempers the tendency for legalism.  And when we offer grace, we teach our kids to offer it, too.

When Wayne and I give one of our kids grace from a penalty, we make sure they understand that their offense is punishable… but we are extending grace.  It’s a chance to remind them that Jesus Christ did that for us when He died on the cross… that His death pardoned sins that were ours to pay.

And I am so thankful for that.

Listen, grace is a blessing.  Don’t miss the opportunity to extend it from time to time.

Proverbs 19:20 says,

“Take good counsel and accept correction… that’s the way to live wisely and well.”

I want my kids to live wise and well.  I bet you do, too.

When they ignore our advice and make bad choices, they need to have consequences.

• It will teach them right from wrong.
• They will learn about cause and effect.
• It will help them make wiser choices in the future.

But… if we tolerate our children’s offenses, they will continue down that same path expecting the world to tolerate their offenses as well.

It won’t.

Sisters, are you allowing your kids to pay the time for the crime… or are you sheltering them from consequences?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Carey Scott is an inspirational speaker and writer, honest about her walk with the Lord, stumbles, fumbles and all.  She loves to challenge women to be real and authentic. Through her blog she encourages women to stop living a mediocre, risk-free life and instead step onto the battlefield.  She is a weekly blogger on CWAHM and serves as the Wednesday host on the Moms Together Facebook community. Carey is also a member of the speaking and writing team for LeadHer.  She and her husband live in Colorado with their two kids.

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This week: Success Without Pain?

Read: 1 Samuel 30:7-31

Thinking Through It All

Today we talked about pushing through when things get hard. I’d love to discuss the following in the comments section below:

* In what areas of your life are you experiencing hardships?

* What ONE THING can you do this week to push through and keep going?

* How can we be praying for you?
(You can post prayer requests below or send your request in here)

Comment Below!

It’s been 14 years since I began my journey with Reliv International.  It started with a passion for how their products had improved our family’s health so dramatically.  It’s interesting how God can take a difficult health situation, improve it and use it to help others.  But, little did I know that He was going to use it to help me to grow in so many areas of my life; as a Christian mom, wife, friend and business woman.  This has come with some growing pains, but I wouldn’t change it for anything; I’ve learned so much about myself and others.

God is in Control
Letting go and letting God has been one of the biggest lessons that I’ve learned.  So often, I would think I should just grab the bull by the horns and I could succeed; I could conquer!  Boy was I wrong!  Often it has been this conquering attitude that has actually held me back from succeeding.  Each day I have to remember to lay my business down at His feet and allow Him to work and then join Him in that work – He is in control.

Love Others and Show Grace
This is difficult for someone, like me, who is very task oriented and driven to just “getter done”.  But God has gently taught me how to listen and empathize with others, and not worry so much about the task at hand.  Our president, Bob Montgomery often says, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”  And the Bible is very clear – John 15:17 says,

“This is my command:  Love each other.”

Allow God to Organize My Day
Juggling a family and business can be challenging – especially because they are both in your home all the time.  I’m a list maker, but I’ve had to learn that it’s ok when God changes my schedule for the day and the list just doesn’t get done.  But at the same time I try to be aware that there are times that Satan throws obstacles in the way.  So, in order to stay focused, I write the items that need done on my list and the night before choose 3 to 5 items that I plan to work on.  I have found that when the items are written down I no longer worry about them.  He knows what needs done and when it needs done; it’s all in His time!

God Equips Us to Do What He Wants Us to Do
Getting out of the box can be painful, but in the end is often very rewarding.  I have done things that I never thought I would be able to do; like speaking in front of 5,000 people (which is especially difficult because I had dealt with anxiety and panic attacks in the past).  But I have learned that God is able and He equips us with the tools we need, to do what He wants us to do.

 Go to Prayer First
Everyday I need to remind myself to go to God first when something arises instead of a last resort.  So often, the help and the answer are right there, but I just need to ask.  When I abide in Him there is peace.

It’s Not About Me
It is ALL about Him, always!  This one has been the most difficult for me to learn.  In fact, He basically had to pull the rug out from under my business in order for me to realize that it wasn’t about me (which is another whole article in itself…sometime I’ll tell you about it).  Thankfully He gives second chances.

Network Marketing is an amazing way to earn a residual income that will pay you the rest of your life.  But more importantly, it is a self-improvement program that is second to none!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lisa Hartzler has been successfully involved with Reliv, International for 14 years.  She resides in Ohio with her husband and is in her tenth year of home educating their two children and has recently become a Certified Wellness Coach.  To learn more about Lisa’s Reliv business go to https://health4u.reliv.com/

You have to overcome a great many things in order to find true success. Many of the obstacles that are occurring in your life and blocking your success are internal and not external. Did you know that you can overcome these self-created obstacles with a little hard work and determination?

No matter what task you’re taking on, you can set yourself up for success! What you have to do is begin the process of creating systems of success for your life and your business.

What are systems of success?

Simple! They are systems you set in place to help you achieve without getting overwhelmed in the process!

Here is a simple process that can help to set up systems to help you succeed.

• Trust Yahweh. Remember He is the One who created you in your mother’s womb and wrote the story of your life (Psalm 139:13-16). He is the one who created your purposed plan and this plan was design to bring you into your assured position of success (Jeremiah 29:11).

Trust Him to take you through the process and to be with you as you eradicate junk and add systems to your life that will help you be more proactive and productive.

Go with Yahweh’s FLOW!

• Understand your goals. Know exactly what it is you’re trying to do. You can’t just run in without a plan of some kind. Take the time to plan out your goals and the steps you intend to take to reach them.

Even with an exceptional plan, the reality is that things rarely go exactly as you’d expect. You’ll have to stop and make changes at times, and that’s okay! Be prepared for the unexpected with ideas on how to handle a situation if it arises.

Identify the parts of your plan that may become problematic and lay out alternatives.

Having systems in place that fit your goals will help to ensure that you get the job done!

• Trust yourself. You’re in charge of your journey to success. I know that ultimately Yahweh is in charge but He gives you Free will and it is His desire that you choose to walk as He directs.

He gives you the wisdom you need to move forth in setting the goals necessary to achieve the success laid out for you. Just be sure to make the goals according to His divine plan for your life.

If you truly have a great passion for what you’re going to do, then trust enough in Yahweh to help you trust enough in yourself to get the job done!

Follow your instincts. That little voice in the back of your head may very well end up telling you exactly what you need to succeed in your goals.

• Get help. If there’s something in your way and it’s too big of an obstacle for you to remove on your own, get help! You can’t do everything by yourself. This is the point of setting up systems to success.

Get your friends, family, a coach, or your success partners involved and welcome their input on how to get around an obstacle in your path. This will bring in new ideas and fresh perspectives on the problem in ways you may have never considered.

• Gain a fresh perspective. There are times when, no matter how hard you try; things just don’t go your way. This is where you need to stop, take a step back, and look at things from a different perspective.

You become used to your routine, so the fine details can easily slip past you. Take a break and walk away for a little bit. Change your focus for a time; then come back to the problem and you may see something you missed.

You may find that there is a system like outsourcing or delegating housework that you need to implement.

• Never ever give up. Nothing has ever been solved or accomplished by giving up. Vince Lombardi said it best: “Winners never quit and quitters never win!” This is as true as it gets.

Being too rigid on something can be counterproductive. In order to succeed, we sometimes have to change our approach completely. Keep at the problem until you find a solution. It’s there; you just have to find it.

• If necessary…Start again. Sometimes, despite all your efforts, you need to rebuild from the ground up. Maybe one of your fundamental ideas was wrong and had an effect on everything else. This happens, and while it’s a setback, it’s not the end of your dream.

With a little more effort and hard work, you can do it!

This is what makes the systems so beneficial. They help us to be flexible and avoid giving up too soon.

Being successful isn’t easy and it involves a lot of hard work, dedication and sometimes sacrifices. With these tips, a good plan, and proactively forward people around you to help, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.

What action step above are you going to apply to your life today for true success? How can you being to set  up systems of success to help you get the job done?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  LaTara Ham-Ying is the Founder of Integrated Woman Ministries; a coaching ministry that focuses on helping the work at home woman develop transforming life concepts for a better business from the inside out. Offering membership options, workshops for life and business, and a mastermind group focused on Christ, it is the goal of Integrate Woman Coaching Ministries to help women work from home successfully! Learn more about IWM by visiting http://www.integratedwomanministries.com.

We can’t wait to introduce you to B Haley (who many of you may already know from his music!). B is a “strong and courageous” man of God and Jill’s interview with him with inspire you to get busy and do big things for God!

Tune in to hear B’s story – how he came to join Toby Mac, how God has developed his life into a platform for sharing the gospel – through his lifestyle, through music and now through his own company and clothing line, B IT.

If you dream about doing BIG things for God, listen in!

About B Haley
B Haley is best known for spending the last 9 years as the vivacious drummer behind TobyMac and DiverseCity, as well as leading his own band SUPERHEROSE. Each day, before and after the shows, B spends hours in the audience, talking with fans and sharing the hope that only comes from God. Early on, B realized that often people go outside themselves looking for what God has already placed in their souls. B IT Clothing was born from these conversations.

“I wanted to create a clothing line that combines simple truth with Godly principles and actions,” explains B with his trademark huge smile. “Jesus has already given us a hope. With the B IT line, we strive to change the world, one shirt at a time through the simple calls to actions – B Love, B Hope, B Peace, B Pure, B Strong and Courageous. These little reminders can make a huge difference in a world in need of love. With our own lives we can B IT!”

As with the debut styles, each shirt comes with the verse Joshua 1:9 inscribed on the tag. B explains, “This verse is the foundation which the whole line is built. Be Strong and Courageous. God created us to great things, and since He is always with us, we have the option to trust him and believe in his promises. We can B all he calls us to B!”

The B IT Clothing Line is available online at www.c28.com/bhaley as well as at C28 Stores and select clothing retailers nationwide.

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” I am tired of YOU PEOPLE sending me this dumb invoice every month!” Sounds pretty scary, doesn’t it? You may be thinking…He sounds angry and I don’t like talking to angry people.

Well, would you believe me if I told you that you could learn some techniques that would turn this person in to a happy customer? It’s true!

Many times what an angry person really wants is someone who will listen and do their best to help. They don’t necessarily need someone to say the “right thing” or someone who will “solve all their problems”. They just need you to listen and do your level best to help them get what they feel they deserve.

Now we interrupt this communication advice for a message from reality: *BIG DISCLAIMER* Nothing in communicating with human beings is certain because every person is different and their moods change from day to day or even minute by minute. Nothing works 100% of the time, but these tips will help you increase your chances of creating a connection with this person and enable him walk away feeling that you honestly did you utmost to help him!

1. Don’t take it personally.
Understand that most angry customers aren’t angry with you personally, but rather with the situation in which they currently find themselves. They may be frustrated and, until you hear them out, you have no idea why.

2. Let them vent.
Part of being good at customer service is letting the customer feel that he has the floor. Let him tell you the entire story. Take notes if it is long or involved. Only after the customer has felt like he has said his peace should you attempt to solve his problem. Make sure you are actively listening to what he is saying and what he is not saying. Sometimes you can tell more about what would satisfy a customer by paying attention to what your customer didn’t say or by the nonverbal cues your customer gives out -than you can by the words he chooses.

3. Ask for clarification if there is something that you do not understand.
Better to ask what may seem like a dumb question then to start off on the wrong path to solve his problem. If you begin by answering a question he didn’t ask, the anger will only intensify. Make sure you know what it is that happened and perhaps what he wants done about it before you begin.

4. Validate your customer.
Sympathize and empathize with your customer as much as possible. Tell him you are sorry that he is so frustrated. This is not the same as admitting fault or accepting blame for the situation. It just further lets your customer know that you are there to help him and are interested in his welfare and not just the company’s bottom line. Otherwise your reactions to his anger or your responses to his statements may serve only to fuel the customer’s anger.

5. State back to the customer what you heard him say.
To make sure you didn’t misunderstand, state back to the customer what you heard him say is the problem. This way you can clear up any last minute details before you get into the answer with him.

6. You don’t have to have all the answers.
Saying “I don’t know.” may be the correct answer to the customer’s question. One of the worst things you can do is to pretend to know the answer only to find that it won’t work for the customer. Be honest and tell the customer you will have to find out for him and call him back. Ask him if he can hold if the answer is within reach. Make sure you follow up with the customer when you said you would!

7. Share your commonalities with your customer instead of focusing on the differences.
Identify with him by bringing out something that you both have in common. Perhaps share a short story about something similar that happened to you.

8. Tell your customer what you can do for him.
If you can do exactly what your customer wants, fantastic! If you can’t, have another proposal ready that would be a good fit for your customer. If you feel it is warranted (and if you can), offer a freebie or a discount on another product to show good faith.

9. If your suggestion doesn’t appeal to the customer, ask him what he would like you to do and see if you can accommodate him.
Sometimes your customer may not even know what he wants from you. Stating this may help your customer realize that they are being unreasonable. Or perhaps your customer will come up with a way that will work for him that you would never have thought of on your own.

10. Explain why you may be limited in what you can do.
If it simply isn’t possible to do what he wants or if it is just too costly for your company to do this, explain that openly and honestly with your customer.

11. Thank your customer for bringing this to your attention.
If they have brought an issue to your attention that will allow you to better meet the needs of your other customers, this is a good thing for you to know! Thank your customer for allowing you to provide better service or a better product to your customers. They will appreciate knowing that not only did you help them with their problem, but that they were the catalyst for a positive change in your company.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  JoJo Tabares holds a degree in Speech Communication, but it is her humorous approach to communication skills which has made her a highly sought-after Christian speaker and writer.  Her articles appear in homeschool publications, such as Homeschool Enrichment Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, which also endorses her Say What You Mean curricula including Say What You Mean When You’re in Business.  You can also find JoJo on web sites such as Crosswalk.com and Dr.Laura.com.  For more information on communication FUNdamentals and Christian-based communication skills for the whole family, please visit http://www.ArtofEloquence.com.

 Today I am going to show you how to develop a menu plan for 30 days in less than 7 minutes!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Erica Jefferson is an Author, Speaker and Vision Coach. She has a true gift for motivating people combined with a passion to share the Gospel of Jesus. Erica is the founder of Be Inspired! an online women’s ministry (www.beinspired-online.com) and the author of Jump Start Your Dream and 100 ways to conquer college. She currently lives in Maryland with her husband Julius and her two children. 

I am perplexed by a phenomenon that has infiltrated our society and sunk in its teeth with astounding strength.  Yet it has become so commonplace that many of us have not even considered its threatening presence.

We tend to agree that to solve a problem we must attack the root. So the question is: when did that start?

First, of course, we must identify the problem, and it is this: The integration of our spiritual lives into our everyday lives has become miniscule or nonexistent.  Because I work with high school students (both in the church and in “everyday” life), I notice this trend more readily among their age group. However, I do not believe the problem is exclusive to their generation, nor do I believe that it is necessarily more prevalent in their peer group.  This problem spans every
generation, and shame on us as present-day parents and spiritual leaders for allowing this practice to continue. My main goal with our youth group this year is to build our lives on the foundation of Christ and to have that one foundation affect every aspect of life (school, home, work, church, etc.).

As I was walking my son to school the other day, I was contemplating this perplexing problem. Where and when did it originate? Did the early church have this problem? Do other societies have this problem?  My answer: I DON’T KNOW.  When you get lost on a trip, can you really determine what your first wrong turn was? It seems that the wandering happens a step at a time, and before you know it you are way off course.

Now we have an entrenched problem with a mysterious origin and no solution. How encouraging.  But God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline (2 Timothy 1:7). We do not approach this empty-handed, and we dare not handle it with tentativeness. We can overcome this generational sin through the power of God, through the love of God, and through godly discipline.

Here is the first baby-step in breaking the cycle: WE set the example.  Let us practice what we preach, talk the talk and walk the walk.  May we be able to say with Paul, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (I Corinthians 11:1).

You shall therefore impress these words of Mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your sons may be multiplied on the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens remain above the earth.  (Deuteronomy 11:18-21 NASB)

Let’s dedicate time to the study of the Word and the communion of prayer and the fellowship of the believers.  Let’s shift our priorities so that what God wants is more important than what the world says. Let’s look at the world through the lens of Scripture, through God-breathed glasses. Let’s blaze a trail through the heart of this dangerous trend that prepares the right way for the generations that will follow.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Joy Jochems has been in ministry literally her whole life. While Joy is actively involved with her local church as youth ministry coordinator and lends a hand at CWAHM as devotional coordinator and guest contributor, she recognizes that her primary ministry is in her home, to her children. You can contact Joy at joy@cwahm.com.

Let’s talk about the difference between urgent and important.

Urgent refers to a time deadline.

Important means the activity is high value.

Every day things come across our path that are of low or high importance, and low and high urgency.

Grab a piece of paper and draw a big square. Now draw a line down the middle and another line across the centre. You should now have 4 smaller squares.

Along the top, write High Value and Low Value. And along the left-hand side, write Deadline and No Deadline.

Basically, you want to always focus your time in the blocks on the left.

The top block is high value AND high urgency, which means it must get done now and it is very important. I like to think of client work in this block. Clients are why most of us are in business and there are usually deadlines attached to any of their work.

For example, if you’ve ever bought a product of mine, you’ll know that you’re redirected to a page telling you I have a 24-hour turnaround time. Private 1:1 clients know that I’ve committed to ALWAYS respond within 24 – 48 hours.

The block below that first block is HIGH value but LOW urgency and it is here that you need to focus if you’re ever going to move towards your goals. Why?

Nobody is holding anything over my head saying “you need to work your book or your e-book” but I know that if I want to reach my goal of reaching x number of people impacted through my work, I need to set aside the time to do just that.

And it’s the same for you.

Whether your goal is to improve your fitness levels, get your home organised or have 3 hours of free time every week, you’re going to have to put some work into that quadrant.

That’s if you want to reach your goals.

I don’t even like to bother with the other two quadrants but I know that’s going to drive some of you crazy so let me just give you some email examples –

Low value tasks with a deadline are things like “send this email to 10 people within the next hour” or the group buying discount offers. They have little value and the deadline is usually imposed by other people. Most interruptions also fall into this quadrant.

Low value tasks with no deadline are emails with jokes, funny pictures and the like. My suggestion is to get these out of your inbox permanently as they disrupt your focus and waste your time!

Make a quality decision to start unsubscribing from lists that you constantly find yourself skimming over or deleting as they’re taking up mental energy.

For the next two weeks, your challenge is to focus on the top two quadrants and only do tasks that fit there.

• Bonus – really step it up by making sure that you definitely get at least one task in the “goals” quadrant done every day.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Marcia Francois is a time management coach and speaker who inspires busy women to break out of overwhelm, make the most of their time and take purposeful and focussed action so they have the time and freedom to live life to the full. Visit  http://purposefultimemanagement.com  for your free Time Management Purpose Pack. 

Traffic is essential to anyone who owns a website and/or blog.  Without traffic we have no customers or sales.  Unfortunately traffic does not just come to us, we have to work at it and we have to be consistent and persistent.

Sales conversion rates normally average less than 5%.  What this means is that only 5% of the people who visit your site will become a paid customer.  So, to increase your sales, you need to increase your traffic and/or your conversion rates.  Below are twelve things you can do right now to start increasing your traffic to get those sales.

1. Launch an Article Marketing Campaign – Writing articles is not as hard as you might think and it can do wonders for your traffic!  Write about something you know and just pretend you are telling a friend all about it.  There is no need to use big, fancy words because people just want basic, straightforward information.  Submit your articles to some of the more prominent article directories such as Ezine Articles.  
2. Guest Posting and/or Commenting on Blogs – Do a search to find quality blogs in your niche and ask if they accept guest posts.  Write helpful comments on existing posts and leave your link.  Get involved and start building your reputation!  A good place to find blogs that need guest posts is BloggerLinkUp.
3. Write Website Reviews – Review websites on Alexa and get more traffic and improve your Alexa rating.  Go to Alexa, register an account and start reviewing and getting that traffic.
4. Relevant Keywords – There are a lot of free keyword suggestion tools you can use to find the top keyword searches for your niche.  For example; if you own a pet care site, you would enter the words pet care and the tool would find the most relevant keywords for you to use on your site.
5. Yahoo Answers – Visit Yahoo Answers regularly and post as many answers as you can but be sure to follow their policies. You cannot try to directly lead people to your purchasing pages or leave low quality answers with your website link.
6. Interactive Site – Make your site interactive with forums, polls, surveys, etc.  If your visitors feel more involved with your site you will get repeat visits and longer stays.  Add a little fun as well with contests, games, etc.  Have a weekly or monthly scavenger hunt, trivia game, etc.  Running a contest for a month can increase your traffic by thousands.
7. Business Cards – Produce an effective business card and hand them out wherever you go.  Be sure to make it unique.  Offer a discount on a first order.  Add a personal message.  Offer a freebie.  Make your business card more than just your name and address.
8. Podcasting – A podcast is an audio or video broadcast which people can listen to and/or watch on many devices.   Make your podcast informative but interesting.  Talk about how your site can help the people listening and let them know about any contests or other interactive activities you offer.  All you need to make a podcast is a working microphone and a voice editor such as Audacity.  Once you have made your podcast, promote it in podcast forums and podcast directories such as PodcastBlaster.
9. Moving Billboard – Turn your vehicle into a moving billboard to advertise your website wherever you go.  Use affordable vinyl coverings such as Car Wraps or magnetic signs from Esigns.  A day of fun can bring you a lot of traffic from your mobile billboard!
10. Social Media – These days social media is a must for more traffic.  Join Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more.  Visit message boards and forums and really get involved.  Answer people’s questions, offer helpful advice and information.  Becoming an active participant in social media can do wonders for your traffic.
11. Offer a Freebie – Write an informative report or ebook and offer it for free.  Put in your website link and other biz info.  Let people know they can give it away on their sites as well.  Add it to your email signature.  Post it on your social media pages.  Before you know it, your report could be all over the web bringing you new traffic every day.
12. Sitemap – Create an XML sitemap for your site and submit it to Google.  A sitemap will allow more accessibility to your pages by the search engines, thus making your pages easier to find by people doing searches.   You can easily create up to a 500 page sitemap with XML-Sitemaps.  There are other options as well such as XSitemap.  Do a search and find alternative options to choose from.

There are numerous ways to get more traffic to your site.  Some will work for you and some will not.  Try the ideas in this article and add to them, or mold them to work even better for you.  Traffic does not come easily but by working hard, trying new ideas and finding out what works best for you will be very effective in boosting your traffic.

©Terri Seymour

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Terri Seymour has over twelve years of online experience and has helped many people start their own business.  Visit her site for free articles, resources, information, resell ebooks and more.  Sign up for the RSS Feed for a free business ebook with MRR. http://www.SeymourProducts.com.

People will never value your work more than you do. Your true value goes beyond knowing your hourly rate and has to take into consideration your intangible spiritual gifts you bring to your clients. This is not the traditional calculation of hourly rate because you must include the non-tangible spiritual gifts that you bring to the table in order to arrive at the proper price point for your products and services.

One day about four years ago, I was in my home office feeling very frustrated. I was working hard, but not able to cover all of the living expenses for me and my daughter. I asked the Lord what I was doing wrong. He said, “Child, take an objective look at your website.” I was blown away to see that I was giving away so much that it was undermining my value. I had to learn how to value the gifts I bring to the table and get comfortable reflecting this value in my pricing.

How do you determine your true value?
Here are some key questions to help you reassess if your current pricing is a true reflection of your Kingdom value:

• What are your spiritual gifts?
• How do you apply these gifts in your business to bring more value to your clients?
• Are you working hard but not feeling like you are walking in the abundance you desire to fulfill the call on your life?
• What are your God – given gifts worth?
• Does your pricing structure fully reflect your value?
• Are your prices for your products and services a true reflection of all you bring to your clients?

Here are some steps to help you re-quantify your value:

1. Take a look at the current rates you are charging for your products and services.
2. Are the people you are sharing your work with able to afford your pricing? If not, they may not be those the Lord has set aside for you to serve as your clients. Remember, as a child of Most High God, you are not a part of the world’s economic system you are part of the Kingdom’s economic system. This makes more resources available to you than just looking at what is going on in the secular world economy. You have access to supernatural provision that those of the world cannot access.
3. Assess if your current pricing honors all the years of sacrifice, being broken, emptied and stripped, and the countless hours you have spent learning the lessons of the Lord. This aspect is important because if you don’t honor this aspect of your value in what you ask for, you are going below your resentment factor – the threshold at which you do not feel honored and appreciated for all you do – and it can cause you to resent your work. If not, then it is time to reset your price points for your products and services.
4. Use this hourly value as a way to determine how you should be spending your time, setting your rates and fees and even what parts of your ministry that it would be wise to delegate so your time can be spent in the most valuable way.
5. Practice lovingly saying, “No,” to projects that no longer honor your value and gifts.

Once you establish your value the final step is to increase the perception of your value to others. Stay tuned for more instruction on how to do this in the next article. Until then, be blessed and move in the fullness of your Kingdom worth.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Ericka D. Jackson, Evangelist, Author and Kingdom Trainer, teaches and guides ministers and business owners in building thriving ministries and businesses. Her primary gift is having ears that hear from the throne of God and her gift of speaking allows her to share what she hears. She is the author of five books including Beyond Fearless: How to Remove Every Hindrance From Your Life. You can get more information on her life’s work and receive your free Top 50 Ways to Grow Your Ministry at www.erickajackson.com.

What are you setting up your child to think about their future spouse?  From looking at you and your husband, do your kids see a healthy example of how to be a Godly mate?

Did you know they were even watching?

As Godly parents, part of our job is to model how to love, adore and respect our other half.

They need to see a healthy image of what this looks like because if we don’t pattern it for them, the world will happily do it instead.

With few exceptions, the world’s messages degrade marriage all together.  They teach our kids to consider their spouse as “a ball and chain” or someone who is never good enough. 

It tries to stretch and redefine what marriage looks like.

Just the other day, an article came through my email talking about how extramarital relationships keep marriages healthy.

Really?

Hollywood talks about how marriage is becoming extinct because it’s too confining and “just a piece of paper.”

The music industry portrays women purely as sex objects and men as the ones who need to be satisfied however… whenever.

I’m hard-pressed to find a kid’s show with two engaged parents that model a loving connection between the husband and wife.

These messages seep into our kids.

Now is the time they are beginning to form what is “normal” about their role in a marriage as well as what to expect from their spouse.

This is where we come in.

I want my daughter to see what a Godly wife looks like and how she should be treated by her husband.  On the flip side, I want my son to see how a Godly husbands acts and the relationship he has with his wife.

Our goal as parents is to demonstrate a God-centered, healthy (not perfect) marriage for our children.

Make no mistake, sisters.  Your kids are learning by watching your actions and listening to your words.

Your children study… you.

So when you are gentle with your husband… when you speak highly of him… when you support his decisions… when you are appropriately schmoopy in front of your kids… you are showing a healthy image of how they should love their future spouse.

Wayne and I are intentional about speaking sweetly about each other to the kids and in front of the kids.  We find ways to remind Sam and Sara what a Godly parent and a loving marriage looks like…

“Sara, you are so lucky to have such a doting father who tells you how beautiful you are every day.”

“Sam, you and dad are so similar which means you’re going to be an amazing dad one of these days.”

“Your mom is such a good listener, isn’t she?  We are so lucky to have her to go to for Godly advice!”

“I am so thankful that God gave me dad.  He loves us so much and he makes our family stronger!”

Now, I am not saying we are the Cleaver family.  Oh gosh no.  We have our very nasty moments.  The kids have certainly heard me mumble unkind words under my breath.  They’ve heard Wayne’s exasperated tone towards me before.  They’ve seen us argue and be terse with each other.

I’m certainly not saying we’re perfect parents… just purposeful ones.

Sisters, we have a short season of influence with our kids.  Be intentional to show your kids what loving a spouse looks like.  Show them a healthy marriage.

If you do, chances are your kids will follow your lead.

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This week: Are You Using What God Has Given You?

Read: The Parable of the Ten Minas
Luke 19:11-27

Thinking Through It All

Today we talked about rejoicing. I’d love to discuss the following in the comments section below:

* In what areas of your life might you not be using your resources in the best way possible?

* What ONE THING can you do this week to make a change?

* How can we be praying for you?
(You can post prayer requests below or send your request in here)

Comment Below!