Jude’s Eclectic Resources

You shop with coupons when you go to the grocery store don’t you? And don’t you just love those coupons you get in the mail for Lowe’s and other great places when you get on their mailing list. To tell you the truth there are only a few mailing list that I am on anymore. I would like to get coupons from Staples or Office Depot, but I never get any.

Guess what? I now know of a place online that I can get coupon codes for when I order online and since I use both Staples and Office Depot I will be heading to the office supply page and see what kind of deals I can find to stay with in my budget. I use both so depending on who has the better coupons or discounts for the products I need, that’s the one I choose. So much for brand loyalty. I am more loyal to my money.

I also do the same thing with Lowe’s and Home Depot. Even though I worked at one of the above home improvement stores depending on how much money I was willing to spend and if I had a coupon at the other store, I would always go with the less expensive. I hate the word cheap, less expensive sounds so much better. I even found a Walmart page of coupon codes for your online Walmart Internet shopping.

I decided today that I am working my way to that dreaded information overload. I have no clue why I think I have to learn everything at once. I know from past experience that it’s just too much to contend with all at the same time. That’s why successful marketers outsource everything. I still work on a budget so I can’t afford outsourcing.

When I first started online I was trying to devour everything and make websites and joining this program and that one and keeping up with too many affiliate programs and listening to way too many different marketers. It’s so funny that all these marketers tell you the money is in the list and I guess for some it is, but it actually takes awhile for the trust to build.

I had a marketer send an e-mail the other day telling me he was actually cleaning his list and I thought well okay I’ll help you then. I think I have been on his list for awhile anyway and it’s always the same. I usually just go through and delete everything anyhow. I use to try and study some of their marketing strategies, but it became too much and too many.

Last month I went through and unsubscribed from a ton of them anyhow. So I unsubscribed from his list just to be helpful and received the automated hurt feeling note that he was sorry he hadn’t provided what I was looking for and blah blah blah. All I have to say is be careful what you ask for or infer you want because you just might get it. Hopefully not everyone cleaned his list for him. Hate to see the poor man start from scratch.

Most marketers ruin their list anyhow because they are too pushy and always want you to buy something new that has just come out. I love when someone buys something from me, but I really do try not to be so pushy. I have had people order some of my information products and then turn right around and ask for their money back within 2 seconds. Now we all know the purpose of intent to fraud was there from the beginning.

At least the companies you deal with online now keep their eyes open for the same person that does this over and over and send out a red flag. They also do that in stores so be careful how often you might have to return something. Your name will go into the system.

Take time today to relax and meditate spend time with someone you love and enjoy and feel grateful for all your blessings

Yesterday I signed up for a blog exchange and submitted my blog to a couple of directories and searched for usable plugins. I also signed up for the frappr friend map, but I’m not quite sure how that one is going to help with traffic. I did find a lot of interesting blogs though with all my meandering around.

I really don’t like staying too long at really busy looking sites. With badges and awards and blinking lights and zillions of rss feeds. I try my best not to clutter my site, but I guess sometimes it just can’t be helped. I was told that bloggers like the 3 columns, but if they were going to use them to make sure they are on opposite sides, instead of together like mine. The template I had before was like that and I really liked it, but it didn’t work with widgets.

This one is starting to act up also and I still can’t get it validated even though I am using the post-teaser plugin to shorten the post and get the offending img I have to copy and paste into my post for the sponsored ads on here onto their on page. I have managed to get it back down to 3.

I know everyone is busy with life and getting all their own ducks in a row, but I would really appreciate any feedback anyone can spare the time to give. I took my Kontera links off my blog because they were bothering me. I know there is a way to make less links show up, but I have forgotten since I put them on my sites a couple years ago and there is just so much to learn with this new world of blogging.

Do you use imprinted promotional products in your advertising? I haven’t yet, but I see it being done all the time and it’s very effective advertisement for school projects, when you do trade shows for your business and any number of other ideas.

Get your brand out there and get recognized. I am an affiliate for a program that I can use this idea for. Instead of passing out cards that people just throw away. I can give somebody something useful with my logo for my program on it. Chances are after seeing my logo on their key chain or cap or pen or whatever I decide on people will be more inclined to at least check out the website on whatever it is I give them for free.

I checked out the website above and couldn’t believe all the promotional items that they had. Too much stuff to type in this article, you’ll just have to check for yourself, but I was impressed because they are The Spirit Awards winner for 2007 and they are a member of the BBB online.

Here is also a great list of articles that they supply to help everyone. These articles include the categories: Promotional Product Information, Artwork and Logo, and Branding articles. You should at least read these articles if your in business or thinking about a marketing career.

The first experience I had with online marketing was to purchase an online store called CBmall. I knew absolutely nothing about marketing and advertising, but I was willing to give this a go because everything was done for me. I thought it was so cool and all I would have to do is get customers and for 97 dollars I started marketing.

Little did I know at the time, there were 100’s and 100’s of these same sites all over the place, but I kept plugging away hoping something would get started. Well the only thing that got started was me. They had me joining all their affiliate programs under them otherwise if someone did click on something and I wasn’t an affiliate that commission would go to the owner of the program. He already had links that were his on some opportunities anyhow.

Well that was fine, that’s how I got involved with affiliate programs and realized it was the cheapest way to start a business online. I was still working very hard on this program after months and months, I can be a very patient person sometimes and I never made one cent. I would probably still be working it now if I hadn’t gotten that phone call.

A representative for the owner called and asked me if I wanted personal mentoring. He asked me lots of questions about having a credit card and if I would be willing to spend money to make money and that they needed a few case studies and would my husband be willing to support me in this endeavor. Now I’m really not as stupid as I act sometimes and I’m not always so gullible when it comes to money. I had just gotten out of debt and I sure didn’t plan on doing it again especially when I knew nothing about marketing.

Spending 100 dollars on a program plus money I spent for advertising compared to a 1000. or so sounded too risky to me so I declined. He called a couple times after the first call and it ticked me off so I sent an e-mail to the owner of CBmall and told him I had not appreciated the calls. To his credit he sent me a return e-mail and said since I did not trust him he would return my money and he did.

I prefer creating my own sites now and having total control over everything I do. Maybe those plug in templates work for some, but I don’t see how. I am not the best at html, but I try hard to learn enough to keep me going.