Name: Deb
Email:
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/youreverythingservices
Personal Blog: http://www.youreverythingservices.com
Bio: Deb Lamb is an enthusiastic Freelance Writer who provides dazzling Ghostwriting and Article Marketing services. Her superb research abilities produce the highest quality of content created just for you and your content desires! This budding author has authored hundreds of articles on many topics and subjects. She has worked with many Authors providing ghostwriting, proofreading, and editing to books they have published in print. She has provided content for small business owners and entrepreneurs, internet marketers, job seekers, religious professionals, coaches, relationship therapists, reputation management businesses, consulting firms, virtual assistants, bail agents, innovation consultants, aviation and engineering companies, career and educational sites. Find out how she can give you that one thing that is priceless…Time! Follow me: http://www.twitter.com/urevrythngsvcs Website: http://www.youreverythingservices.com
Posts by :
- Interviews. This is an excellent way to engage your readers. Make sure you interview someone that relates to your blog, product or services. If you are selling marketing services, be sure to interview the guru of marketing or someone who has an excellent record of success.
- Current Events. Any news relating to your market, you can be sure your readers are interested in reading about it. Be sure to post current events and the latest and greatest information pertaining to your industry.
- Contests. This is something that is fun to do and most people love a contest. People enjoy winning various things and they typically love a challenge. It really engages your readers and will have them coming back to see who has won or what has taken place.
- Content. This is one of the most important factors for marketing your blog. Having new, fresh and unique content not only keeps your readers interested, it helps in search engines as well. Make sure you use original content and nothing plagiarized as this will get you into trouble in many ways.
- Press Releases. An awesome way to draw attention to your business and its blog. Make sure you properly create a press release and submit it appropriately. There are many ideas and issues you can refer to in a press release and it is a huge marketing tool.
- Commenting. This can relate to comments people leave on your blog or comments you leave on others blogs. Make sure to offer advice, answer a particular question, guide or direct them in some helpful way. Also, be sure to always answer comments left on your blog to show you are an actual person and you do care about your readers. Never spam.
- Link Exchanges. Another great way to boost your rankings in search engines and increase traffic. Ask people you trust to exchange links with you. Typically, the more links you have the better.
- Have you ever written xyz content?
- What is your turnaround time on articles or blog posts?
- What areas or topics are you experienced with?
- Do you have assistants or a team of writers, or do you work solo?
- What type of content do you produce…letters, articles, blog posts, web content, Ezine articles, auto responders, emails and memoirs?
- Do you have a web site?
- Do you use any sort of article software?
- How do you charge…by the word or page?
- Did they do a good job?
- Did they provide specifically what you asked for?
- Did they meet all deadlines?
- Would you rehire them?
- What sort of results did you obtain from using their writing services?
- Did they communicate with you often?
3 Critical Areas That Need Attention Before You Submit Your Article to Article Directories
July 13th, 2010
Most writers, ghostwriter’s and freelance writers know how important article marketing is and can be for your writing website, or any website for that matter. Many online business owners use article marketing daily and if you’re not using it, you should be.
Article marketing plays a critical role in getting targeted traffic to your sites and converting that site traffic into buyers. That’s why article writing and marketing, submitting to article directories and publications are extremely popular and very important. There are tons of article marketing tools to use that make distributing your articles a lot easier, however, even though it is imperative in gaining exposure to your content, it is only half the story.
Here are some pretty common mistakes most people make when submitting content to article directories:
1. Some people get confused over their reasons to promote articles with the reason of writing them. There are three main advantages in article writing and why you promote them; promotion, lead generation and branding, which are part of your efforts in optimization.
However, there really should be only one reason why you write articles, and that is to keep your readers informed. If your articles are not focused on this main reason and purpose, they will not achieve the three benefits of optimization because no one will want to read them.
It is critical to figure out how to get your audience to actually read what you’ve written, and the next step is for them to click on your resource box or BIO. This can be accomplished by writing better content.
2. Not taking advantage of the promotional benefits of your article marketing efforts. Articles can help in generating links to your site, but did you know that you can also get better search engine results and more visitors from those same articles?
You’ll need to add your keywords appropriately to each article, and some anchor texts as well, but be sure you don’t misuse and overstuff your keywords. Some article directories may not support this and it is important to know and understand each directories rules and guidelines.
One thing to remember is that it isn’t all about the links to your site; it is about getting your article picked up by others who have a huge audience. This will give you tons of great exposure and the advantage of using other brands, all of which are a result of the quality of your article.
Of course gaining better search engine results are also a huge benefit, but it does not actually put money in your pocket. That comes from generating enough traffic and then converting that traffic into buyers. Put an article marketing plan together and make sure your articles serve the purpose you want it to have, and the traffic and sales will follow.
3. Creating content that serves no purpose to your audience. Most often people will write articles with thoughts of only generating traffic and links to their sites, as any audience is better than no audience at all, right? Wrong! There are some article directories that will not accept your articles automatically and there are rigid rules and editorial guidelines you must follow to get your articles accepted.
It is imperative that you write articles that the article directories are willing to share with others, as well as potential publishers. You can increase your audience overnight by having just one publisher with thousands of readers pick up your article and publish it. Therefore, you need to write the best articles you can possibly muster and be sure you have met the guidelines, do your spell check, and conduct outstanding research on an excellent topic. You might even consider hiring a ghostwriter to write the article for you.
In conclusion, it really depends on you and your choices. You might gain a few back links to your site on a basic level by submitting to tons of article directories, or you can gain massive exposure from just a bit of extra effort by making your article truly valuable. To gain the best exposure, find niche-related article directories to submit your articles to. Most of the time these are geared towards a smaller group, however, it is a highly targeted audience which could produce some amazing results.
By knowing the difference between the two, it will help you to know the types of articles you need to be writing, and the sort of article directories you need to submit that content to. Put a strategy together, track your results, find the most appropriate article directories for your niche, and submit like crazy! Most all article directories are free to use, and what an excellent marketing tool that is!
What are some of your article marketing tactics?
8 Successful Tips on Hiring the Perfect Ghostwriter for Your Online Content
May 20th, 2010Hiring a Ghostwriter – “a person who writes books, articles, (business blogs) etc. for another who professes to be the author”– can be a difficult task. You, as a business person, may not have the slightest notion of where to start. You may not know what questions to ask candidates, or where to find them, or you feel it is a task difficult to outsource, or you feel you need to remain in control, or you may not know how to qualify a good writer. And there many other questions that may run through your mind.
Here are my 8 tips for successfully hiring a Ghostwriter:
1. Define Your Needs
It’s imperative that you define your needs to determine exactly what it is you are hoping to accomplish. Do you need web content, article marketing, blog posts, newsletters, press releases, special reports, email campaigns, eBooks or white papers? Not only will this give you a clear picture, but it will also help in describing it to your potential Ghostwriter. Writers need as much information up front in order to give you a fair and accurate rate for your tasks. So, be ready with some clear objectives, schedules, and deadlines.
2. Interview the Chosen Ghostwriter
Okay, so you’ve done your research and located some potential ghostwriters, now conduct an interview with them. Have a list of interview questions already set up and ready to go. Ask specific questions related to your niche, services, or industry. Ask for references from previous clients, and/or samples of their work. Don’t be afraid to ask tons of detailed questions. You need to be sure you are comfortable with what they can produce, and if they have the experience you seek.
3. Consider Pricing and Rates
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is choosing a Ghostwriter based only on their rates. Remember, you get what you pay for, and this is a reflection on you as well. Ghostwriters just write the content; however, that content represents you as if you wrote it, and shines a light on you as the expert in your niche. So be careful when choosing someone with the lowest rates. I would recommend getting rid of the lowest and highest bids you have received. Work within the middle range and you are more apt to find that perfect match to produce your content.
4. Check Writing Samples and Portfolios
Always ask for writing samples, clips, links to published work, and references. You may not need all of those to determine the best Ghostwriter for your needs, but figure out what would represent their writing style the best and go with that. After they have provided all of that and you’re still not sure, ask them to write a short sample of the sort of content you specifically need. You might even consider hiring them for a short trial run to determine if they can consistently provide the right content. Have them possibly create two or three blogs posts or a couple articles for a couple weeks with the understanding this is a trial run with no further commitments. This will show you what sort of “voice” they use and if it will fit into your niche and industry.
5. Verify Ownership of the Written Material Produced
Very important to set clear and detailed objectives as to who will own the work once the writing is completed. Ghostwriters should know that the content they produce will be owned by you with no reference to them at all. There are some variations to this though, and that certainly needs further discussion with your Ghostwriter. Make sure you convey what you are expecting. This is also something you may consider adding to your service agreement contract or your non-disclosure agreement.
6. Consider a Warranty or Guarantee
You might consider having a support clause or warranty to ensure you have continued support once the project is completed. You might need some slight changes, updates or corrections to your completed project. These are terms than can be negotiated by specifying a certain amount of free support, or discounted rates for any modifications you may need within a reasonable time frame. This will save you money, time and stress in the future.
7. Know the Details of the Service Agreement
In most cases, the Ghostwriter will provide a service agreement before work commences. It is critical to be protected and have in writing specific details of the writing project. Things like a cancellation policy, change policy, non-disclosure, warranty clause, payment intervals, work ownership, and rates. If there happens to be changes, make sure to get it in writing and both parties agree. Additionally, keep records of emails, service agreement modifications, and any other correspondence pertaining to your project.
8. And of Course, Don’t forget Etiquette and Housekeeping
Always be considerate and respectful of your Ghostwriter’s time. In most cases they have other clients they service in addition to your project. We know there are going to be things come up that are totally out of our control and cannot be helped, but keep in mind and try to avoid the following: adding more to your project once it has already been determined, changing a deadline (especially moving it up), asking for additional services for free, calling at odd hours of the day (adhere to their office or working hours), emailing every time you think of something (wait and send one email with everything you need).
Above all, be honest, kind, dependable, understanding, ethical, and respectful. With those attributes, you and your Ghostwriter will have an outstanding long-term relationship that will ultimately result in increased sales. That’s what we are all aiming for right?
Take time to incorporate these eight steps into your Ghostwriter search and you’ll end up with the perfect fit for you and your business. Finding, hiring, and assembling the right outsourcing staff is worth the time and investment. It will save you tons of headaches down the line.
What are some of the guidelines you go by when seeking outside help? Do you outsource any writing projects? Leave a comment and share some of your expertise. Thanks for your time!
6 Tips to Establish You as an Expert in Your Field with Your Article Writing
March 4th, 2010Article writing offers one of the best ways to become recognized as a leading expert in your field or niche. We all know that consistency is the best guideline when it comes to writing those articles; however, you also need to show your readers that you know what you’re talking about. How do you do that? Establish yourself as the expert in your article writing. 
When potential clients type your name into Google, you want them to see a long list of articles you have written and in your expertise, field or niche. You need them to think, “This individual knows their stuff and what they are talking about.” This helps to build trust by establishing you as the known expert and “go-to” person. It helps build credibility, confidence and trust in your services or products for your potential customers and clients.
Article marketing will help you build links as well, but it offers more than just building links.
Here are six tips to help you build credibility and showcase your expertise.
1. Be an expert in your niche and gain the knowledge you need.
Show your confidence by increasing your knowledge and learn all you can about your niche. This may take some time, but it will help tremendously in the long run. Think of yourself as an expert, act like an expert and exude expert status in everything your write, no matter what your skill-level is. Be a sponge and soak up all the information about your niche, study it, learn it, practice it and know it like the back of your hand and then go out and tell the world.
2. Improve your knowledge by writing more articles.
This takes diligence and patience but the best way to become an expert at writing, you guessed it….consistently write. If you just don’t have what it takes to write, or the much needed time, outsource it. Hire a ghostwriter who can help you convey that expertise. This is a great solution for those that just cannot write, or lack those specific skills. You are still establishing yourself as an expert.
3. Submit your articles consistently and lots of them.
By submitting tons of quality articles to many directories will speak volumes about your expertise in your niche. If you are researching and thinking about hiring someone, wouldn’t you choose the one who has the most articles? The volume of articles with quality content on their particular niche or subject matter is seen as being more of an expert. Boost up that expert status and start writing and submitting high-quality, original articles.
4. Use your articles to teach.
When writing your articles keep in mind that you must have a teaching attitude. There are many newbie’s out there that need guidance and direction and remember to speak to them as well. Be direct, simple and easy to understand by using simple language and vocabulary. Instruct and teach them along the way.
5. Be truthful, loyal and honest.
Don’t try and pretend to know something you don’t, people can see right through that. When starting out, write what you know until you have gained the knowledge needed to expand. As you learn, then convey that in your writing. Newbie’s have an advantage somewhat by explaining the beginning concept and what you learned from that experience.
6. Volunteer to be a guest blogger.
This certainly helps with the exposure you need to gain that expertise status. You want to appear on as many websites as you possibly can. Reach out to those that have similar interests, topics and services and even those that don’t. The name of the game here is to get noticed. As more people begin to see your name on many different sites and in search engines, the more you become a recognized expert.
Remember, even if you can’t write and lack the time or skills needed, consider outsourcing to a ghostwriter who can help you become the recognized leading expert. It is crucial to convey your knowledge and expertise, even if you do have to hire someone to help you.
You’ve come this far, what are ways you use to convey expertise?
7 Incredibly Easy Tips for Marketing Your Business Blog
February 23rd, 2010Marketing your business blog takes consistency, persistence and constant fresh content. Creating new content and posting frequently will help encourage your readers to come back for more, not to mention the boost you’ll get from search engines. 
There are many ways to market your business blog and increase traffic and exposure. Read on for some great techniques.
Don’t be afraid to also post some fun and interesting articles. Some of the most commented posts on my blog was something I posted personally or humorous. I love to motivate people to have the best attitude they can possibly have while enjoying life and sometimes just posting something off the wall will get great results.
You’ve come this far, don’t be shy, lave a comment on ways that you have marketed your business blog. Thanks for sharing.
8 Awesome Techniques for E-Mail List Building
February 6th, 2010Email list-building for business owners (and many blogs) is imperative for marketing survival and success. There are many methods to the madness when it comes to building an email list of say, prospective customers, buyers, other interested parties and/or readers, so how in the world do you sort it all out? What techniques are most successful? 
We have provided some helpful tips to put you on the right path to building a strong email list and increasing your business.
1. Share your expertise.
Internet users are seeking information and your job is to provide that information by sharing what you know. Provide your readers with “how-to” tips, guidance and articles that will solve a particular problem. Give your best, top secret information on your niche. By providing your best, you will see many returns as you begin to establish yourself as an expert in your field and niche.
2. Set up a blog.
There are sites where you can set up a blog for free and start capturing email addresses for your list building adventure. Use this as your platform for spreading the news and information about your niche or product. At the end of each blog post, be sure to add a “call to” action and a link to your site or sales page.
3. Create a “Q&A” feature.
This list building technique can be used in a newsletter or set up on your blog as a poll. Invite your readers to interact by having them submit their hottest, burning questions they just can’t seem to find the answer to. You’ll be regarded as a hero and have more return readers than you know what to do with.
4. Conduct product or service reviews.
This valuable list building technique is one way to provide your readers with trusted and valuable information. Pick a product or service, actually use it and then write a review about it. What you liked or disliked, give accurate details and explain exactly what you think about it. Ask yourself, “What do my readers really need to know about this product or service?”
5. Commenting on blogs and forums.
Search blogs and networks for those of interest to you and related to your niche and set them up in your RSS feed. When you see an interesting post, leave a comment….no spam. Be sure to add good and solid opinions relating to that topic. Offer some of your tips or advice and you will find that like-minded people will click on your link to see what you have to offer.
6. Signatures.
This is one of the easiest methods to create and should be used on all your email correspondences. Create something inviting that will link back to your squeeze page, blog or website. Have something valuable to give them, such as a free eBook or list building tips. Also, when leaving comments on blogs and forums make sure you have a well-crafted signature line as well.
7. Article marketing.
One of the best ways in building a list is article marketing and it’s FREE. Write unique and original content with SEO optimization and submit to the top article directories. Provide “helpful tips” or “how to” or “secrets of” or “warning signs”, something that captures their attention and compels to their emotions. These articles do not have to be long and boring; something in the 400 word range works perfectly. In your resource or BIO box, include a link back to your email squeeze page or web site with an “opt in” box.
8. Success stories.
Show your readers how your business and/or blog has changed the lives of others. Post case studies or testimonials showing how that particular person has been successful by using your product or service. This is one way to build the “know, like and trust” factor that is critical in internet marketing.
With the many ways of email list building, and most of them being free, choose the ones that work best for you and your business. Track your results, engage in these free techniques we have offered and watch your list grow exponentially.
You have made it this far, leave us a comment on your ideas or tips for list building.
10 Steps to Choosing the Perfect Article Writer
January 13th, 2010Article writing, ghost writing, freelance writing and blogging are all very time consuming tasks. Some people have a natural talent when it comes to writing and others could not identify a verb if it smacked them in the face! 
Good news: there is a solution that will give you back the time you deserve and need for those precious and enjoyable moments in life. Outsource your article writing and content blogging to a professional and experienced freelance writer.
How do you choose a writer and one that is perfect for your content needs? Read on for some helpful tips:
1. Prepare a set of interview questions.
Be prepared on your end as well. Have a particular and specific set of questions you’d like to ask your potential writer:
You will need as many details as possible to determine the perfect writer for you and your business.
2. Speak with your potential writer directly.
Arrange a meeting to discuss some of the details over the phone. Get a feel for their personality, demeanor, attitude and professionalism. You can tell a lot about someone by speaking on the phone. What is their phone etiquette like? Do they listen without interruption? Are the polite and courteous? Were they prompt for your phone meeting? It’s the little things like this that are very important and can give you some sort of feeling for your potential writer. Attention to details is very important.
3. Make sure the content produced is original and unique.
You want and need original information created just for you within your specific guidelines. Do not hire someone that cannot produce 100% original content. You want to be sure that your article is the only one like it and that there is no duplication whatsoever. This could hurt your search engine ranking if you do not have original and unique, written just for you information.
4. Do you know how to optimize articles?
Most businesses have a set of keywords based around their products or services. It is critical that your content be SEO optimized with your specific keywords in order to rank in the search engines. You’ll need to supply those keywords to your writer and then they need to know how to work those into that content seamlessly.
5. Ask for samples of their work.
You may choose to ask for samples of work they have previously written, or have them create a short 200 to 300 word article specifically for you. Keep in mind if you have them draft an article for you with your guidelines and you like and want to keep that particular article, be prepared to pay for it. Let them know that up front. Make sure they have used the keywords you specified. Did they follow instructions in detail?
6. Ask for references.
Get references from people they have written for in the past. These can be through email of a phone conversation, whatever works best for you and your time constraints. Here again are some guidelines when checking those references:
7. Find out their hours of operation, preferred method of communication and support response time.
This is very important so that you can reach them during those specific hours. It is important to keep an open line of communication and be able to reach your writer within a reasonable amount of time. If you were to email them a question, typically how long does it take them to respond? Some writers will have a 24 hour rule. Do they prefer Skype, IM, email or phone calls? If you can’t reach them immediately, how soon will you hear back from them? I’ve had clients specifically tell me that is one of the reasons they work with me is because of my response time.
8. What is their writing style?
If your brand requires that someone portray a hip, fresh, laid back style, then make sure your content matches that strategy. If your brand is more conservative or technical, then that will require a different voice as well. Find the voice that matches your branding strategy. You want a writer that can get to know you and what you care about, someone that can learn and understand your market and be able to bounce ideas off of.
9. Copyright or no Copyright?
Most writers will keep the rights of the content and you are then limited with where you can publish and the amount of times you can publish that content. If you are interested in keeping the copyright to your content, then find a writer willing to give you the rights. In these cases, I have seen where this might cost a bit more to do; however, it is worth it in the long run.
10. What are their rates?
There are many ways writers charge and you need to know which one will fit your business the best. Do they charge by the word? Do they charge by the page? Do they have set prices for a certain amount of word content? How many re-writes do you get?
While there are article writers that charge a very low price for their articles, be very careful of this. This could be content already previously written or content they have plagiarized. Remember, you want original and unique content and you have to be willing to pay for that as it is crucial for your content needs.
There you have some helpful tips in finding your perfect article writer. Look for someone with patience and a strong desire to understand your business, your brand and details of your product or service. Choose someone who will not give up easily when things don’t go well. Writing is hard work and it takes diligence, patience, understanding and communication to get the results you are seeking.
What are some of your guidelines in choosing a writer?
Key Elements of WordPress and Why I think It Is So Cool!
August 14th, 2009Chris Franklin came up with the great idea of setting up this blog in hopes that we would all share our experiences with blogging and to help others learn. For those that are new and just starting to blog, we hope you will gain valuable information from our trials and tribulations along the way.
In staying with that particular idea and theme, I wanted to share with you why I think WordPress is SO cool! So, let’s get started shall we?
The first blog I ever put up was a Blogger blog. Not knowing back then what I know now, I thought it was manageable and okay looking, and quite honestly, I really did not know much about blogging then and thought it was sufficient for my needs.
However, as I gained experience in blogging and started a business, I quickly learned that a WordPress blog platform offers so much more, plus I could save an enormous amount of money and build a web site for my business.
The following are just a few key elements that a WordPress blog offers based on my experience:
* Set-up and installation is a breeze, it’s quick, no HTML coding needed, easy to maintain and control.
* Ability to customize easily to your hearts desire with photos, images and videos.
* Create categories for efficiency and organization and I certainly needed that.
* Tons of great themes for free along with hundreds of plug-ins available; contact form, search statistics, auto responder, search engine optimization, spam controller and many more. You know us women guys, we like to make changes!
* Built in RSS which I’m sure we all love, need and want.
* Allows pagination so you can use a web site and create as many pages as you like.
* WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) content editor allows you to see your pages as you create them and by just a click of a mouse.
* You can use tags like keywords and drive traffic to your site/blog. This is huge!
* Unique permalinks are created with every blog post.
* When you comment on another WordPress blog, it provides a link back to your blog.
* Great to use with affiliate marketing as you can create as many as you like, it’s free.
* Content management system allows easy online access.
* WordPress is also able to handle a large amount of content, so if you post daily, no worries.
* Awesome support, help, forums and tutorials.
So for those of you new to WordPress, jump in there, get your feet wet, learn as you go and you will truly love it!
(Question to readers: ”Are you using a WordPress blog as your web site? What sort of things have you incorporated into your blog?” Please answer in the comments below or you may even respond in a post if you are a contributor!)
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Deb Lamb is the owner of Your Everything Services-Virtual Assistant Specialists, who specialize in customizing a variety of services for small business owners, entrepreneurs, authors, real estate professional, therapists, medical professionals, consultants, job seekers and staffing companies, just to mention a few. Your time is valuable and we can help you have more of it for those tasks that keep you from your family, social events, or just enjoying life and having fun! Just say Y.E.S to letting go and letting us be your professional partner for your outsourcing tasks and projects.
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