Karla’s Online System Blog

While building your home based business online, I am sure that you know the importance of blogging. Having a business blog can be one of the best things you can do for your business to attract people to you and gain more prospects.

Blogging can also be used as a team tool to stay in touch and build a relationship with people already on your team that may be scattered around the country or the globe. I recommend that you have a separate blog for this purpose, so that you can keep it private if you desire, yet have your people have access to you and be able to make comments.

If you’re wanting to build effective and popular blogs it is quite easy.

The first thing you will need is a good domain name.  I recommend using a domain name that is keyword optimized. Rather than AmysBlog.com perhaps go with something like AmysHomeBusinessSuccessBlog.com or AmysWorkAtHomeBlog.com. There are multiple possibilities. Remember that keywords are best, because they will get your blog in the search engines faster.

You will need to find a company to host your blog. When I first started, I used Wordpress.com, but later found out they do not want business blogs on their site. They blocked my blog, and left me scrambling to find something else.  I would not recommend this. The company that I use now helped me to set up my blogs and get them up and running, and the cost is minimal.

The real trick to building an effective blog doesn’t lay in the domain name, or the layout, but in the content–the posts themselves.

How do you write more effective blog posts that will not only captivate your current readers and keep them coming back, but help you gain a bigger and bigger audience and at the same time raise your blog in the search engines?

Here are a few ideas to help you write better content for your blog.

Keywords

This can not be said enough. If you want to build a popular and effective blog, you can not do it without the use of keywords. Take some time and do your keyword research, because it will pay off when you do it right! Use keywords in the categories for your blog as well! Wherever you can fit in a keyword do it!

Get Original

Nobody is going to come back an visit a boring blog. Make sure your content is original and exciting. The most effective blogs I have found  have a mix of helpful content and personal stories. You want your readers to know and trust you as a business person, as well as care about you as an individual.

Don’t feel as though you have to post as you write. You can start writing a few words and come back to it at a later time.   I do all of my writing in a writing program and save them there until I am ready to post to my blog site. I often do several when the mood strikes me, so that when I am busy or not inclined to write, I have things waiting for me to post. You can also go online and post to your blog, but don’t publish until you are happy with the results. This way, instead of posting several things in one day, you can spread it out over time.

Use Pictures

I can not stress enough how much adding pictures will add to your blog. Breaking up your text with pictures will make people want to read more.

If you have products for sale, show a picture of the product when you talk about it. This helps a reader to know what you are talking about.

Personal pictures can be an aid. If you are talking about your trip to France with the family, use one of you and your family at the Eiffel Tower, not a picture of the tower alone! Keyword optimize the titles of your pictures before you post them as well!

Those are just a few simple tips that will help your blog become more popular. Make sure you work on your blog at least a couple times a week and follow these tips and you will start seeing results!

If I can be of assistance to you, contact me and I will attempt to help out.

http://www.KarlasPlan.com

http://www.KarlasEnterprises.com

Karla@KarlasPlan.com

Are you a college student looking for a way to make money? Today, college students and 20 year olds are finding that a network marketing opportunity can be the perfect way to make some extra spending money or even 5 or 6 figures a year. There once was a time when there were very many young people in network marketing. It was mostly middle aged men and a few women who chose to join a traditional network marketing company. However, that is quickly changing. So why is it that so many college students are finding themselves being drawn to the network marketing or multi level marketing industry?

Whether you’re a college student or you just want to know how to approach the young adult in your life about your opportunity, this article will give you some great things to think and talk about.

Time freedom is probably the biggest factor if a young adult is going to choose to become part of a home based business. Being able to set your own hours and work around your own schedule is a huge plus for anyone, but especially a busy college student.

Most part time jobs aren’t willing to accommodate a student’s schedule, at least not 100% of the time. That’s when working for yourself becomes a big plus.

The wide variety of products that you can now market with a home based business are another factor. There are so many different types of network marketing companies out there right now, that anyone can find one that they are passionate and excited about.

Also, almost all companies are now marketing their businesses online, which is great for college students who are already extremely internet savvy. Young people are realizing that they can use the internet and start a career for themselves. In reality, almost all home based businesses these days can be run with a laptop, an internet connection and a cell phone.

The ability to make a large amount of money in a relatively small amount of time is what draws so many young adults to home based businesses. Why would you want to be making minimum wage at some part time job when you can be making a whole lot more in just a few months of hard work and effort?

http://www.KarlasPlan.com

http://www.KarlasEnterprises.com

karla@KarlasPlan.com

A friend of mine, Brittany, wrote this article and offered to allow me to post it on my blog.  I think it is well worth reading!

A social networking website is something that allows you to connect with lots of people from your computer. Two of the most popular social networking sites out there right now are Twitter and Facebook. Both of them give you the ability to promote your business online and both of them have a huge following in the home based business arena. So which one is better for your business? This is a smack down between Twitter and Facebook!

Here’s how it’s going to go down. There are 5 categories: How easy is it to use, popularity, freedom to market, ways to market and number of people on each website. We’ll go over these categories one by one and then the winner will be crowned! You ready? Here goes…

Round 1 - Easy To Use

While both sites are extremely user friendly and can be figured out without much trouble I have to give this one to Twitter. There are really very few things you can actually DO on Twitter which is what makes it so easy to use. While Facebook is by no means hard to understand the simplicity of Twitter makes things a while lot easier.

Round goes to - Twitter

Round 2 - Popularity

At the time this article was written Facebook was the 4^th most visited site online beat only by Yahoo, Google and Youtube. Twitter, while very popular was number 49… Not even close.

Round goes to - Facebook

Round 3 - Freedom to market

While you can certainly market on Facebook, Twitter gives you much more freedom. Facebook will penalize you if you add too many friends at once and you also can’t send out very many messages. Twitter doesn’t give you those restrictions so the round has to go to Twitter

Round goes to - Twitter

Round 4 - Ways to market

This one is Facebook all the way. With Twitter you are limited to the things you can do and while you can post links to pictures it’s just not the same as Facebook. There is just so much more you can do on Facebook that we had to declare them the winner and that brings us into a dead heat as we move to the final category…

Round goes to - Facebook

Round 5 - How many people are on it

Obviously the more people that are on any site the better because it gives you a better opportunity to talk to more prospects. When we did our research we found that of everyone on the internet 1.8% of the people online visit Twitter daily. When we ran the numbers on Facebook we found that over 17% of internet users visit Facebook! This is hands down Facebook’s round.

Round goes to - Facebook

That means that while it was a very close race the winner and champion is…. FACEBOOK!   Of course you can market with great results on both this was really just for fun but we believe that for marketing your business online Facebook is a better choice than Twitter.

http://www.karlasPlan.com

http://www.KarlasEnterprises.com

karla@KarlasPlan.com

If you’ve never been a part of a home based business before or even if you have, it can be hard to spot the scams vs. the real deal opportunities. You want to change your life, but you don’t want to lose money in the process.

As I have said before, not all home based businesses that require money up front are scams. I have read many an article saying that if a company asks for money up front it’s not legit. This is just not true at all. There are plenty of good, decent, honest and most of all legal companies that require a start up fee.

In fact you would be hard-pressed to find a legitimate business that doesn’t require some sort of investment up front. So don’t let that scare you away from something that could be really great. One thing you do want to look at is the product. All real businesses will have some sort of product or service that they offer to their customers.

If they don’t have a product, they are a scam. Many cash gifting schemes will tell you that they are legal, when they are not. Just remember… no product… no good. People who just get paid for signing people up are not in a real business.

However, it’s important to know that many legal and ethical businesses will give you some incentive when you bring new members on. This is how you will build a team. There can be a thin line, but just remember that yet again it all comes back to the product or lack there of.

Finally, do not be afraid to ask about a company’s corporate headquarters. Call and talk to them. Ask to have someone call you back, to explain the business to you. Most reputable companies have a corporate office, while almost all schemes and scams do anything to avoid putting down roots. You can bet that if a company has a big corporate office, they are the real deal.

These are just a couple of ways to spot an online scam. Follow these tips and you will be much less likely to get duped by the scammers.

http://www.KarlasPlan.com

http://www.KarlasEnterprises.com

karla@KarlasPlan.com

If you are thinking about starting a home based business, there are a few questions you are probably asking yourself. Can I really do this? What will my spouse think? Which business is right for me? And of course… how much money will I have to spend to have success in a home based business?

All of these questions are important and should be thought about, but right now, I would like to elaborate on the last one. I have spoke to a lot of different people who want to work from home. Almost all of them believe that working from home either has to be

1. Free

2. Extremely expensive.
   

It does not have to be either.

The first one really is a huge misconception. There just is not a business that you can start and not spend a dime. That is called a JOB and there are plenty of them out there. A business always…. and I stress ALWAYS costs money to start.

You cannot open a clothing store or a restaurant without money up front. A home based business is no different. I have seen articles that say that if a business asks you for money up front, it is a scam. That is far from the truth. If you do not invest some money, you are not in a business… end of story.

It is said that it takes money to make money. That is true. After your initial investment, you may have to spend some money just on basic marketing needs. Not a fortune, but a little here and there.

That brings me to the second misconception. That starting a home based business costs a fortune. If you are going to start your own business, a home based business is the way to go. You will not find another legitimate business you can start that will be any more cost effective. Generally, we are talking less than $1000. To start a real… honest…. can make you filthy rich business! It just doesn’t get any better than that!

So in the question of how much money will it cost to make money from home, here is my answer… less than $1000 to start (in many cases less than $500) and probably $50 - $100 a month to maintain. Now that is a life changing opportunity that most anyone can afford!

http://www.KarlasPlan.com

http://www.KarlasEnterprises.com

karla@KarlasPlan.com

Not long ago purchasing expensive MLM leads and placing them into an auto responder was what most people thought was internet marketing. Some people still believe in this method. They may also buy huge lists of phone leads to call people personally.

With the internet and what it has to offer, many people believe that these old methods are tired and should be cast aside. Is it better to do 100% free marketing online or spend some money on leads in these times? Which method really works the best and which one is right for you? So here is the question: to buy or not to buy (leads)!

It is hard to find a definitive answer on this subject, since everyone has their own opinion of what is the best kind of marketing For what is is worth, here is what I have learned through my experience. I think it will work for just about everyone.

You should start with the free marketing methods first. I find when most people start a home based business, they have limited resources and little money to invest. The internet has numerous great ways to market for free.  Do as much free marketing as possible!  It is even possible to find free leads available.

After you have a good business built up and income you can depend on each month, your can then choose whether you want to continue to do the free marketing, pay money to buy leads or do both.  If the free stuff is working for you, do not give it up altogether.  It has already proven that it works.

Do what is best for you, but you do not have to buy leads to have success working from home. No matter what your budget is, there are many solid methods to help you find success!

http://www.KarlasEnterprises.com

http://www.KarlasPlan.com

Karla@KarlasPlan.com

Can you recession proof your lifestyle with a home based business? Everyone is talking about the recession these days. I see it all the time on the internet and on TV.  People are always trying to find a way to pay all of their bills and break even. Many of them are turning to a home based business or internet marketing.  Is this a good idea or something they will end up regretting down the line?

I wholeheartedly believe that a home based business is the best way to work from home, spend more time with your family and recession proof your life.  Here are a few reasons why:

1. The first reason is simple and basic. It is secondary income.  Even if we weren’t in the middle of a huge recession, how couldn’t use a little secondary income?

2. When you have a second income you can not only pay all of your bills but you can also do some of the fun things that many people are missing out of because of these hard economic times.

3. A home based business will recession proof your life so that you can never get fired when you work for yourself.  Even if you have a great job that pays you a lot of money, you still should think about what would happen if that income was gone tomorrow.  Many people who believed their jobs would always be secure are now finding themselves in the un-employment line. Really no job is safe. The only way you are promised any kind of income is through a home based business.  That’s not doom and gloom, that’s just a fact.

4. Besides having a secondary income and a job you can’t get fired from, a few more good solid reasons why you should seriously think about working from home: spend less money on gas, take your children out of daycare, save money not going out to lunch, start part time and build your income up before you leave your job!

The list goes on and on.  In this economic climate working from home just makes good sense!  Don’t wait until it’s too late to start making money from home and recession proofing your families lifestyle.

Find a home based business that’s right for you and start working from home today!

http://www.KarlasPlan.com

http://www.KarlasEnterprises.com

Karla@KarlasPlan.com

You can save money with an appliance warranty plan, regardless of the age of your appliance.  Use this in your home, or offer the plan for sale to others.  I have multiple streams on income in my online home based business.  This way I have something to offer everyone.

One of the greatest products that I offer is Home Guard, a complete home appliance warranty protection plan.  I have written about this before, (see article “Home Appliance Warranty Plan Regardless of Age” posted on January 22, 2009 for full details of the plan.) but I wanted to add that again I personally used the plan.   My hot water heater had a problem with the pressure switch and I called Home Guard and had a plumber scheduled for me.  I live in the country, so sometimes it is difficult to get service, but Home Guard did all the planning and scheduling for me.  All I had to do was pay the $35 co-pay.  If my hot water heater had needed to be replaced, that would have been covered my the warranty also. This is a blessing for someone like me who has older appliances in my home.  All I pay for this plan is $37.95 a month. What a way to save money!

If this is something that might interest you, either as a source of income or as a plan for your home, contact me at 866-478-9194 or write to me at Karla@KarlasPlan.com.  I would love to share this with you.

I work really hard in my home based business so that I can make it big and have time to play hard for years for come.  When I started this business, no one promised me that I would get rich quick or that I did not have to do any work to make it.  The team I am involved in helps me and my team to know how to work productively so that we can make it big within the next few years.

There are a lot of people out there making a lot of promises and many of them include making huge sums of money with little or no effort.  They want us to start believing that we can have all the nice clothes, the fancy cars, and the success without putting in even a little bit of effort.  That will really set you up for failure.

So many people look at wealthy men and women and see only the fruits of their labor. You see the amazing house, the shiny new car, the extravagant clothes and the exotic vacations. However, most people don’t see is all the hard work and effort that goes into living that kind of life.

We can fool ourselves into believing that these people were just born with all this. In some cases they were, but in most cases they have all of these nice things because they sacrificed and worked hard for it.

The truth is you can’t. You have to make a choice for yourself right now. Do you want the best out of life or do you want to live an average existence?

Whatever your answer is it’s ok… it really is. If you’re fine with living the life you’re living right now, just keep doing what you’re doing now. But, if you want an extraordinary life you’re going to have to put some effort real solid effort into it.

Fear not though, because even though all real success comes with work, the good news is working hard at a home based business is a thousand times better than working at a regular job.

If you want an incredible life, find a home based business that’s right for you and get to work. You can have all of those things promised, you just need to work for them. If this is something you are interested in, contact me at Karla@KarlasPlan.com and check out my website,   http://www.KarlasEnterprises.com I look forward to hearing from you.

So you want to know the truth about starting your own home based business? Well here it is…it’s not going to be easy! I know this doesn’t sound like the typical pro-home based business article and I’ll tell you right now…it’s not.

A lot of other articles would tell you that working from home with a home based business is really much easier than it looks, but that’s simply not the truth.  It will not be easy. You will work harder than you ever expected.

The truth is that working from home… is going to take work (imagine that!) but it is SO worth it!

Nothing can provide you the kind of freedom that a home based business can deliver. No job ever will allow you to work a little and play a LOT.  No job will ever allow you to set your own hours, vacation when YOU want to vacation and give yourself a raise whenever you want. NO JOB ANYWHERE!

For those reasons thousands of people start home based businesses every year and sadly many of them will probably fail.

So if home based businesses are so great, why is it that so many people who start them either come away with little or no profit or lose money all together?

The reason is simple… NOBODY IS BEING HONEST WITH THEM! People want overnight success. They want that easy way to make money. That’s why so many home based business owners are willing to sell people a fake bill of goods.

If you want to be successful working from home, you have to first find someone who will be honest with you.  Nothing worth having ever comes without work… PERIOD!

Keep in mind that when I say “work”, the kind of work I’m talking about is working hard for a short period of time so that you’ll be in a position where you’ll never have to work that hard again… in fact you may not even have to work at all!

Still, the word “work” isn’t something a lot of people want to hear about when looking at a home based business. All REAL businesses take work and effort, at least in the beginning.

If you are willing to work hard for 12-24 months in a home based business, you can absolutely be in a position where you never have to work again!

So you have to ask yourself… would you be willing to work hard for a few months to have complete freedom for the rest of your life?

Now THAT is the truth about starting a home based business!

If what you’ve read sounds like the kind of lifestyle you want to live, get more information about starting a home based business today!  Go to http://www.KarlasEnterprises.com and get started.