Corporate prepaid gift cards are becoming more and more popular as a way to incentivize employees in large organizations. This is not surprising when one realizes that there are many benefits to these little pieces of plastic. Ok, they may not be as much fun as a “Grand Am,” but they are likely to have fewer expenses attached to them, and be able to be classified as “pure fun.”

In other words, there is a better ROI (return on investment) when looking at the cost of the incentive as compared to the fun, joy, and appeal it gives to the employee, in return.

Some of the benefits that come to mind when considering a prepaid card are listed below and include the obvious, like the fact that they are practically usable anywhere that cash works, and they have the advantage (like cash) of being instantaneously usable.

The cards are customizable, allowing for that reminder of just whom it is that is providing the gift card (a little “free” advertising and branding).

Now, for that list of creative ways to use these cards as recognition and incentive(s) for your valued employees (and ultimately, your company, as the giver of the reward or incentive).

Idea #1: Use Prepaid Cards as Corporate Awards.

Many different awards can be given out in corporations. However, there is almost no award that receives the level of appreciation that this prepaid gift card does. Why? It is because as pretty as the card may be with all the color and designer graphics, at the end of the day, it is cold hard cash! This is something that can be given easily with corporate prepaid cards.

Ok, some of you are probably saying that that trip to Cancun is more fun than a card, or winning the card (for those really “loaded” corporations). However, that does not mean that the prepaid card is out of the game. Simply add it to the game! Find a card that works with the trip to Cancun.

Not only does the office win the trip, but these top ten winners get a gift card to Macy’s or Tiffany’s to augment their wardrobe and jewelry before they leave for the trip! Maybe the guys need a new flashy wallet for that ritzy trip or cruise!

Idea #2: Use Prepaid Cards with Competitions.

Competitions can be vital in organizations, especially when sales are involved. This will help sales teams work hard with friendly competition in mind. Anyone loves extra cash, and corporate prepaid cards are a great way to reward individuals who win these competitions. In fact, there are some great ideas on how to mix it up a bit with the competition, in the paragraph above on adding some “extras” for those who win the competitions.

Idea #3: Reward Employees During the Holidays.

Any holiday is a great time to reward your employees. The suggestions for the use of corporate prepaid cards for use of Holiday gifts, summer vacation money, and more. This is a great way to show your employees that you care about them when it matters the most.

Also, often, when companies are a little low on their budget and previously provided generous holiday bonuses, they may find themselves in a predicament when that level of success is not available during this holiday season. Prepaid gift cards are a great way to say, “We care!” even though the large bonus checks are not available that year.

As long as it is not motivated by greed (so the CEO can use the bonus money to run off and buy a small island in the Pacific Ocean), it will likely work. Generally, employees know when it has not been a “good year” and may even be expecting that there will be nothing for them during the holiday season. So, a modest prepaid card is just the right touch to say, “We DO care, in spite of the tough year for the company!”

Idea #4: Use the Prepaid Card as a Hiring Bonus.

When you are trying to get a top individual on your team, you sometimes need to sweeten the deal. Granted, offering them a $50,000 sign-on bonus may do the trick, but many times that amount of money is not available, even for the most top individual at the top of whatever “top list” is being considered.

A corporate prepaid card could be an amazing way to entice someone to come and work for your corporation. Hey, think about it. If you are up against another company offering the same person a similar job and your benefits are close, your location is close; everything is close… that $50 or $100 prepaid card may just tip the scale in your favor and did it cost that much to your bottom line?

True story: A rural school district (don’t want to embarrass them by mentioning the WHO)offered a $50K sign-on bonus when they meant to offer $5k. Needless to say, the ad got many clicks (especially when that teacher salary was less than the bonus sign-on)! Was it time for a new data entry person or new reporter/blogger? Honest mistake, eh?

Idea #5: Start the Corporate Cocktail Parties with a Bang (a Gift Card)!

At the corporate parties, get the party going by handing out gifts. What better way than using those corporate prepaid cards? They make a great gift. They are inexpensive. Moreover, what could be easier to hand out, in bulk (and yet classy) at a Corporate Cocktail Party?

BTW – Even as the messenger “girl” or messenger “boy,” you will be remembered and remembered well, handing out your boss’s money. You might even get a date out of it!

Idea #6: Reward the Top Executives.

The top executives in your organization work the hardest for the team, don’t they? If they do not, they would like you to believe that, right? So, here is the chance to let them know you think they are the best (i.e. kiss-up) or reward them for a job that truly is “well done.”

It is not a bad idea, either, to give the gift card as a department or team and give it along with a night out (i.e. dinner) and flowers for the spouse (yes, even the guys). Maybe the spouse has desired this for some time, and you just saved the day (and the marriage/relationship). That will not be easy for the top executive to forget tomorrow. Another application of a similar scenario is the top executive’s anniversary at the company. There are many ways to give the right people the right attention (regardless of the intention).

Idea #7: Fitness Matters! Reward Your Staff for Staying Fit.

Anyone knows that a fit individual is a productive individual. You can reward your employees for going to the gym and staying healthy with these corporate prepaid cards. If your company already has the benefit of the gym, you can add the QR code to the member or employee badge and log the time that they spend at the gym.

Alternately, you could use the honor system and have the employees log how they are getting and staying healthy. Another fun way to do it is to use a program (which works with mobile devices, too) like myfitnesspal.com.

Programs like myfitnesspal allow the opportunity to join the fitness site’s social network (a.k.a. fitness buddies) and tie into technology devices like FitBit, which will also log the miles that one walks within the company from floor to floor (think of those stairs – you are getting fitter with just the thought!). The program comes complete with a database of foods, making it easier to log what one ate at each meal (on your smart device, right at the restaurant!).

The competition could be on the amount of exercise, weight loss, calories eaten, measurements of body parts (i.e. waist, etc.), or the amount of improved health. Pretty soon, the prepaid card award will not matter as much as the spirit of competition and the result is healthy employees who are more productive!

Keep in mind, too that the social networking that is integral in the app (most fitness apps) allows for the opportunity to encourage each other and help the company, as a whole, to be that much fitter!

Idea #8: Surprise your Employees on a Monday!

Mondays can sometimes be a hard day to get that momentum and keep it going. Find some of your employees who have been setting an excellent example and doing an exceptional job at getting that Momentum Monday and surprise them with a gift card! When? On a Monday, of course.

This will have several benefits for the company. It will encourage the employee that they have had the right idea all along. It will get other employees thinking, “Hmmm. If I demonstrate more energy and wittiness on Monday, maybe…” and it will get the employees’ week off to the right start.

Others around that glee-filled employee cannot help but catch some of that fun, and it gets their week started out right, too, by something called “proximity.“

Idea #9: Send Prepaid Cards to their Home > Great Publicity Move!

When an employee gets a letter from their job, they will immediately open it due the importance of the letter. Unfortunately, they may think it is a “pink slip” (notice of firing). So, imagine the surprise and the excitement when they see that it is a prepaid corporate gift card instead of a plain old letter (or worse yet, a pink slip)?

Let’s go further with this… Sometimes, employees are part of a small community. This could be a small town, a big church (where everyone attends), a one-school community, a place where all of the employees’ children attend an elite private school, a tight-knit gossip chain… get the idea?

What happens when a gift card arrives, and the wife thinks the husband works for the absolute best company ever to have existed? What if the shoe is on the other foot and the husband thinks his wife works at the best company (and maybe he should switch jobs)?

What if the kids overhear and now they are going out to dinner “on the company” and it is their favorite high-priced, posh (but kid-friendly) restaurant? You can guarantee that a happy family cannot help but discuss how wonderful a generous company is (especially if it also offers the opportunity to see and be seen!)

It may only cost the company $50 to $100 for the card, but the PR (public relations) result? Simply priceless and potentially exponential (depending on how one plays the game).

Idea #10: Award your Employees in Front of Others (PR Opp?)

Recognition is almost just as important as the award itself. This is very true, especially when bringing psychology into the mix. This is why it is important to make sure that the awarding of the employees is happening in front of his or her peers (and in front of “big wigs” whenever possible!).

Let’s take this a step further. Why not do it bigger and better? What about a press conference for something the employee ha discovered or saved? Great opportunity to nestle that prepaid card in a manly or womanly plant arrangement (i.e. flowers, cactus arrangement, etc.).

Then, incorporate it into a press conference on how this employee saved the day for

1. the community
2. the company
3. a little elderly lady
4. the local school
5. the underprivileged
6. the list goes on and on, with “community helps” ideas.

This provides opportunities for the employee to earn attention for the company, as well as him or herself, along with that almost-cost-the-company-nothing prepaid card. The ROI (return on investment) has far exceeded any initial costs.

Conclusion

That is only ten ideas. What other ten ideas could one add to the list? Do you see some themes emerging here? Some of them include publicity opportunities, employee satisfaction, employee retention, employee motivation, keeping them on their toes, getting some positive mentions in the news… just to name a few. So, you see, it is not just about the cards, but they are a great place to start, wouldn’t one say?

Save

There used to be a day when all laptops (and desktops) came pre-configured, from a hardware standpoint, with a CD-ROM player (at the least). You were moving up in the world if you had a DVD player (watching those videos in between projects at work). And, oh, if you had a DVD player / writer (burner), you were all set and the king/queen of your world! Either that or you were the “go to person” for everyone else who didn’t have a burner and wanted something created on DVD for them.

Then, something happened. Part of it was the introduction of the concept of the “Cloud.” I mean, who needs a CD-ROM when you can download it from DropBox whether it was your DropBox or one shared with you from another DropBox owner?

It seemed that the CD and the DVD started to become obsolete. But, then every once in a while, there would be that faint recollection and desire to go back in time and access that drive. Either that or it is just me. lol Then, again, does anyone remember the first time that they recorded/burned their own DVD and how good it felt? What about creating a DVD that actually had menus, like the professionals? Ok, I might be getting a little geeky now.

Enter the I-Have-Everything-In-One-Laptop Phase

I had a bad ass (am I allowed to describe it that way)? Anyway, I had the best laptop of the times out there (so I thought). It was the 17” Macbook Pro, fully loaded, with everything you could possibly want or need. It came with what was called a SuperDrive (another word for DVD writer and once you are a DVD writer, that includes all the other aspects of CD and reading/writing). I was in my element. That is, I was in my element, until…

I found this cute little (tiny) MacBook Air. Hey, it fit in my Betty Boop purse! Yes, even for a technical geek, I can be blonde and flakey sometimes. So, my wonderful MacBook Pro went to my hubby, and I started to carry my lightweight laptop everywhere with me. Literally. I figured it was my “writing laptop,” so how much of the extra stuff did I really need? (Funny how perspectives can change.. almost overnight, eh?)

One of the first things that hubby did with his newly acquired laptop from me was to remove the Superdrive and replace it with a drive caddy that allowed him to add another hard drive. Basically… more storage. Hey, I get it. Now he had more space, or more.. anything. It was a caddy, and it offered versatility. But, the DVD-burning days of the laptop were gone.

Ok, why do I share this intimate (not that intimate) story with you and where am I going with it?

The Aftermath

Think about it. SuperDrive (aka DVD writer/burner) removed from one laptop. It now lives in the same house as the Betty Boop purse-sized “lightweight” Mac laptop that is not exactly “fully loaded,” but works well in that purse and works well with “the Cloud” (as well as Starbucks environments and the triple shot cappuccino). Are we missing something here?

So, what do we do when we want to create a DVD? Sort of stuck, eh? I think we sort of lived without it and decided not to notice. I mean, with the ability to upload videos to YouTube and share via Dropbox, not much of the video editing world changed for us. And, besides, it was quicker to upload to the cloud than to create DVDs anyway, eh?

Still, limiting yourself to only online video sites and the Cloud isn’t where you want to be when part of what you are known for is producing videos. At that point, you are stuck with YouTube and Vimeo (and Facebook streaming, Blab, and others).

Enter VicTec USB 2.0 Portable External Slot CD/DVD-RW Burner Writer with Built-in USB Cable…

For simplicity, we will call it “our VicTec.” I hope the company does not mind, but that is an affectionate way of referring to a device that we have fallen in love with and recommend. TO find out the real “given name,” you need to check out the “more information” on this device for yourself.

And with that entrance of this wonderful device, after having described (in too many words), the NEED for this device, let’s take a look at what it does for the Mac user. By the way, this VicTec Burner/Writer is not only for Mac users. Did you know that? We have a couple of “devices” (loosely put for laptop(s) and tablet(s)) that have the USB 2.0 and capability of hookup up to this VicTec.

Pros and Cons

Pros
Here is the short list, but only short because it performed so well!

1. Portable: My husband and I are still trying to decide who it belongs to so we decided it belongs to me and use of the company 🙂 Yes, that comes from being the baby of the family, and the psychological ramifications. But, seriously, hubby and I couldn’t even have this discussion if it were not for how wonderfully portable this device is! It is beyond the Betty Boop purse and into the evening bag!
2. Works Wonderfully: It gets the job done. We tested the reading and writing/burning capabilities with CDs and with DVDs. No issues to report. It does what it is supposed to do.
3. All-Featured Excellence: I feel like this device deserves a bullet point for each function that it performs, especially since there were no major complaints and it performed as expected (and actually higher). In some cases, it seemed like it took a while for the device to respond (i.e. ejecting the disk), but that can hardly be blamed on the VicTec when there are many other aspects that come into play (like the OS of the laptop; the memory in the laptop; how much of the memory/RAM is in use; if you remembered to actually hit “eject,” etc.). So, again, the VicTec performed up to expectations (and beyond).

Cons

The thought is that no matter how perfect you are, there is always room for improvement, and there are a couple of places where even our VicTec had room for improvement.

1. Sometimes our VicTec does not want to take the CD (or DVD). In our case, it was a Carpenters CD. Granted, it was a limited edition CD from Japan, and maybe the Japanese Manufacturers make their CDs different from how we do it, but our little VicTec kept spitting it back out at us. Granted, I understand that Teswell Direct is not from the US, but maybe their devices work better with certain CDs or certain CD manufacturers. Before you think of it as a case of the retro red fuzzy table cloth, as seen in the video (what was that, btw?), let me assure you that it happened on a hard surface, as well. 🙂 But, either way, it was not a show stopper, as far as “cons” are concerned.The solution? Be firm with the button and keep re-inserting, like you see on the video. Don’t be so “authoritative” or overpowering with the device that you break it, but sometimes it just needs a little bit of a firm (or firmer) touch.
2. The other con is the branding. I can’t tell you how many times I kept referring to it as the DVD thing. Eventually, I obtained the brand name (through the help of a friend 😉 ), but seriously, a little more work on branding would go a long way! Especially with a product for which I have very few complaints. Just a thought. That said, I must compliment them on keeping it “green” (something that is very important to those of us from California) and less wasted material in the box, etc. From that standpoint, the company did very well!

Final Thoughts

With a rating of 4.5 and a device that works sooooo well (especially handy for Mac users or those who have a device that is capable of hooking up to another device, via USB 2.0), and a price tag of less than $25.. well, what are you waiting for on this one? Grab it up and start making those DVDs, or watching your favorite DVDS… after all, when was the last time you watched Weekend at Bernie’s?

Freelance blogging is a great way to make money from home. The pay can be low in the beginning, but many of us do make a living with our writing. While there’s a financial tradeoff when you’re a struggling writer, frugal living is definitely worth the flexibility and creativity that being a freelance blogger provides.

The Right Place to Plant Yourself

Part of making a frugal lifestyle work is finding a place to live that doesn’t cost you too much. For example, living downtown in a large city, such as New York City or Los Angeles, is probably not a wise decision unless you can find a deal or get a roommate.

However, if you are making a living off blogging about city news specifically, then maybe city living really is the best option for you. In that case, you’ll need to figure out how to afford living in that environment.

If you are looking for fresh air and space to roam in and be inspired, you might want to look for an affordable place with some acreage. Such a spot might also present you with other money-making opportunities. You might use the great outdoors to your advantage by beekeeping or growing vegetables. Other options are renting out a portion of your land or starting a bed and breakfast.

Fewer Expenses

One of the obvious ways a writer who works from home saves money is that there are almost no expenses. There are no fuel expenses or special work clothing to buy. Most people have an internet connection and a laptop, so while those might be tax deductible, they aren’t really additional expenses.

Using the internet hot spot that came with your cell phone plan is all you’ll need to publish your blog posts, so Wi-Fi might not even be necessary. Instead of going out to lunch during the workday, you can stay home to prepare your food, which is another way you can save money.

Frugal Meals

A slow cooker can be a great way for inexpensive foods like beans and tougher cuts of meat to cook themselves while you are pounding away at the keyboard. Even if you prefer to break long enough to cook lunch, the options for frugal lunches are practically endless. Boxed macaroni and cheese, Top Ramen, and egg salad sandwiches are just a few ideas.

Cutting back on groceries and cutting back on expenses in other areas right now can allow you to quit your nine to five and live the dream life of blogging about something you’re passionate about, such as travel or your personal beliefs. Just think: you could eventually get paid to go on vacation and write about your experience!

More Time at Home

Although freelance blogging gives you the freedom to set your own hours, it can often keep you at your desk for long periods. You might never officially be off work since you will be driven by your financial goals and obligations, even if they are lesser than those of  your previous life. And there is always that dangling carrot of another post that might “hit it big.”

Working from home is actually an advantage because it reduces the temptation to go out and spend money.  Really, anything that keeps you busy can help to reduce spending out of boredom.

You also get the opportunity to be more focused on how you spend your money. Instead of all those $15 purchases here and there, you can diligently focus on that hot tub and put all your efforts toward a goal. This way of spending is more controlled, and you might find that you will meet your goal faster than you expected.

Your Potential as Freelance Blogger

Frugal living as a freelance blogger will ideally be a temporary adjustment. Writing, like anything, will improve with practice. A good writer may eventually produce a viral post or land a well-paying writing gig. The sheer volume of quality work you are posting online is bound to pay off at some point. Your blog can serve as an online portfolio that just might get noticed by the right person.

Perhaps you will break into writing for magazines or land a book deal. In the meantime, you might just have to tighten your belt. And who knows-you might discover that it really is your dream job and stay right where you are.

There are many things that go on in business that we may not come into contact with ourselves. It is not essential that we be experts, but it is helpful if we have some knowledge. One example is performance bonds. What are they?Performance Bonds are an important part of business. However, sometimes it is tricky to understand what they are, “why” they are, and who is on what end of the “deal.”

Fortunately, in this day and age, the internet makes it easier to answer those questions. The challenge is to ensure that the answers are coming from a qualified source.

A quick “Google search” using the “define” mechanism defines performance bonds as “a bond issued by a bank or other financial institution, guaranteeing the fulfillment of a particular contract.” Based on this, with words like guarantee and fulfillment, it is easier to understand the level of importance that a performance bond can play in a business transaction and especially one that involves development.

As an example, recently the Los Angeles Times reported on a story coming out of Seattle, Washington, related to the surface coal mining and needed reclamation work that wasn’t happening. As that particular story unfolds, the need for a surety bond becomes quite clear. In the case of a surety bond, there is an aspect of insurance that a particular job/development/etc. will get done. In the case of the story of the coal mining, it was a self-bonded project. Self-bonded means that the company that was performing the work indicates that they have a proven financial history, enough to support the project. In that case, the company claims that they can support the financial needs of the project and complete the project based on their financial history.

Unfortunately, in this particular case, the company went bankrupt and there is reclamation work that still needs to be done, without the proper funds to support it.

This recent (May 2016) example is an excellent example of why performance bonds and surety bonds should be considered in cases like this. These types of bonds function as a financial basis and insurance.

Another interesting use of a performance bond occurred earlier this year and involved sports teams in Indiana. There was a bidding process going on that could have produced a situation of multiple team owners. Instead, they created the performance bond and invented the sports team, without the hassle of multiple team owners. In that case, using a performance bond process allowed them to facilitate that move in a way that was more conducive to the objectives.

Yet another case study in the use of a performance bond is a $5 million dollar one that was established in Florida to cover five different nurseries authorized to grow marijuana for the medical marijuana fulfillment. In this case, law required the bond and the nurseries were given a time limit that will expire in a few weeks/months.

These are three examples of where a performance bond has been required, suggested, or used to manipulate process in a positive direction (or one that met with the objectives of those involved). It is easy to see how this method is popular and how it protects those involved. It is definitely something that is a needed process in business and something for which city residents should be familiar enough with to understand in political cases. In other words, the community should be equipped with enough knowledge to understand what performance and surety bonds are so that if they need to vote, they know which way to vote.

Vacations enable us to get away from our routines and have a relaxing time, and most of us want to relish our vacations when we actually have opportunities to take them.

However, no matter how wonderful your plans might be, there might be one hiccup to your dream holiday: you are a blogger. What is more, you are one of those bloggers who blogs every day. How do you truly take a vacation when you are glued to your computer for hours on end?

The stress of keeping up a blog affects both you and everyone around you. If you spend all your vacation time writing, your travel companions will likely feel neglected. On the other hand, if you ignore your blog, you will probably lose followers.

Nevertheless, you can still have hope! Managing your blog while enjoying your trip might seem impossible, but it is not. And you SHOULD be taking that vacation.

A little planning ahead and strategic thinking will keep your followers happy without compromising your travels. Here are three useful tips you can apply to keep your blog running smoothly while still enjoying your ideal holiday.

Tip #1: Strategize Before You Leave on Holiday

You should strategize in advance about how to blog on topics related to your trip. You can write some of those blogs ahead of time (see Tip #2) and some of them as you are on holiday (see Tip #3). Tip #1 is all about coming up with the outline of what you are writing about.

Often times, your audience prefers you to blog about the activities you’re doing. They love being a part of your life and feeling connected to you, so one creative way to look at your time off is to see it as a source of content for your blog. For example, spontaneous cell phone videos are not only interesting but they also allow for shorter blog posts (and your audience will certainly understand that your video production is not up to Hollywood standards).

Before your trip, plan the topics and outlines for your posts. Coming up with an idea or topic for a blog is often the hardest part of writing one, and doing so ahead of time allows you to write your posts quickly and easily. If you already have at least the basics of your trip itinerary, then the majority of your work is already done.

When I begin creating a blog post, I brainstorm to come up with several ideas. As a blogger, you likely already have a method for brainstorming, but I find it useful to come up with a broad idea and then narrow it down. One way of refining a topic is by entering a general idea into Google and then sorting through the suggested search terms.

Next, plan out several key points you would like to touch on for each topic and make an outline. Since your posts are about your vacation, this strategy should give you plenty of ideas.

For example, if you are planning to visit Iceland and you know you have an excursion to the caves there, you might go to a page like “Caves in Iceland.” Once you read an article about the beautiful caves, how can you help but come up with ideas for your blog, both before and during (Tip #3) your vacation?

Another approach is that you might want your vacation blogs to be focused on a theme. Themes, like relaxation or adventure, are easy to brainstorm about before you leave.

Tip #2: Write Your Blog Posts Ahead of Time

With a little dedication, you can write enough blog posts ahead of time to keep your followers happy until you return. Some bloggers become overwhelmed and believe they don’t have time to write posts in advance, but planning ahead actually isn’t as difficult as it seems.

Accomplishing this task is a matter of dedicating a little extra time each day to writing, and you don’t necessarily have to write an entire extra blog post in one day.

Here are some tactics that can help ease what might seem like an overwhelming burden:

• Start early. For example, if you already write one blog post a day, start writing your vacation blogs 30 days ahead of time, and write two posts per day. If you are only going to be gone for seven days, you’ll be done in no time.
• Don’t feel like you have to write long posts. You could choose some YouTube videos or inspirational quotes and images and write a short blog post around them.
• Consider lining up guest authors. It’s a good idea to have a guest author write a post during the time you’re still at home and use that day to write a post for when you will be gone on holiday. This strategy also ensures that the post gets done instead of your guest author “forgetting” while you are gone.

When I’m feeling overwhelmed, I like to write a portion of a blog one day and finish it the next. Simply save the documents to your computer and post them as needed, or schedule posts to be automatically updated to your blog. Another technique is to write the post on the blog, allowing the blog to inspire you, and then save your half-written post as a “draft” to finish the next day.

Tip #3: Get Up Early While Vacationing

If you truly don’t have time to plan your posts or outlines in advance, you can get up an hour early each morning during your holiday. I personally find writing to be enjoyable and relaxing. Getting up early and sipping coffee while updating your blog can be an excellent way to start the day. As an added benefit, writing daily serves to keep your writing skills sharp.

The key to Tip #3 is to treat writing as a joy and not a task. While vacationing, you have a unique opportunity to write in a beautiful, relaxing place, so view the chance to write about it as a gift. But even as you are grateful for that opportunity, do remember not to work the rest of the day.

Final Thoughts on Maintaining Your Blog

Your vacation and your blog don’t have to be at odds with each other. You can easily maintain your blog while on vacation by strategizing, writing in advance, or getting up an hour early each morning.

Have you ever taken a trip and during a portion of an interstate freeway you have observed signs that capture your attention and alert you to upcoming services? Sometimes these services are gas stations, restaurants, hotels or motels, or any other service that seems to benefit from catching your attention while driving.

What is it that is effective about that advertising? Is it the pictures? Is it the words? Is it the location? What about the strategy? Can you call it strategy when the little signs are placed x number of miles or feet from the next sign with a progressively increasing sense of urgency that you take advantage of the service (or that you desperately need the service whether you do or your do not)?

Words Matter

It is true that words matter. If they didn’t, we would not have so many marketing case studies and so many students of the marketing “science” trying to figure out which words “sell.” There have been studies done at every level of education, including universities like Yale University. These studies include the analysis of words that we use in the English language and the results can sometimes be surprising.

The word NEW makes us stop and think. Psychologically, the word makes us think that we want something new and we start to get geared up to satisfy that want, or what may soon be sliding toward a “need.”

Another word that tends to stop us in our tracks, literally, is SAVE. Let’s ask ourselves, “Who doesn’t want to SAVE money or SAVE time? Click To Tweet

We have been hearing it since we were small children and hearing it in so many different contexts that it becomes second nature to us. Did you ever hear your mother say, “Don’t eat that cookie. You need to SAVE your appetite?”

Even if we were two and not able to speak for ourselves, we were incorporating the word, “SAVE” into our vocabulary and putting it into our mental Rolodex as an important word.

We could make this article all about the words that make us buy (or at least check out what is being advertised), but instead, we’ve compiled a list. You tell us. Do these words work on you, or at least pique your interest?

• PROVEN
• LOVE
• DISCOVER
• GUARANTEE
• YOU (Yes, believe it or not, bringing it back to the buyer..works…)

On that freeway or interstate, they (advertisers) have signs up every so often to entice you in. They try to convince you that if you don’t stop to experience this event, you will miss out on something and regret it.

It’s true that words still capture our attention. Whether it’s social media, blogs, Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook, words are in front of us at all times. Click To Tweet

We need words and once we understand the effect that words have on us and the effect that they have on others, we are that much further ahead in our marketing and advertising endeavors.

Cost Effectiveness and Words

There are so many more factors that go into effectiveness when it comes to advertising. And, when adding the topic of cost-effectiveness (in other words, saving money), our field of opportunity for analysis grows by leaps and bounds.

However, at the core of these, we need to understand these words. Why does that matter? If you are going to go out and spend $50,000 for a media campaign and the words that you use are not relevant to your product, service, or audience, then you are wasting your money. If your words are so far off the mark that you sound like a buffoon, then you might as well skip the media blitz and donate the $50k to a worthy cause.

If your words are so far off the mark that you sound like a buffoon, then you might as well skip the media blitz and donate the $50k to a worthy cause.

In comparison, if you are not spending any money (or very little), but you have a way with words and you know how to truly connect with your audience and how to build trust, you have “spent” your time, resources, and most importantly, your talent, well. In that case, you have used your words to connect with your audience and it has paid off, even if you didn’t spend a dime. This is where strategies like blogging, social media, video interviews, and the Internet as a whole, pay off in the long run. As Chuck Hester and I coined on a

In that case, you have used your words to connect with your audience and it has paid off, even if you didn’t spend a dime. This is where strategies like blogging, social media, video interviews, and the Internet as a whole, pay off in the long run. As Chuck Hester and I coined on a

In that case, you have used your words to connect with your audience and it has paid off – even if you didn’t spend a dime. This is where strategies like blogging, social media, video interviews, and the Internet as a whole, pay off in the long run. As Chuck Hester and I coined on a

As Chuck Hester and I coined on a Marketing Momentum episode, it is the benefit of Citizen Journalism.

Let’s Meet in the Middle

I mentioned “trust,” among other things, as a part of working with your audience. Now, let’s bring that full circle with a discussion on a unique, cost-saving advertising option that involves many of the things that we have been discussing.

First of all, you could sit down, right now, and make a list of all of the different advertising options that are available to you. Some are going to be free (like those we already mentioned) and some are going to be pricey (like sell-your-house pricey).

What do they have in common? Words. If words do not come easily for you, that is where a copywriter may be a valuable addition to your team. It is going to cost you a penny or two, but not the cost of your house (hopefully).

Speaking of saving money, here are some tips on how to advertise for “free.” While some of these techniques may be outdated, it is worth a shot if saving money is a needed strategy for your business.

But, what is your presentation? Sure, start with the tweet, the blog post, the LinkedIn status update, but then it is time to move on to creative options. Creative options that may not have been tried before, at least not recently and not by your next door neighbor.

Remember at the beginning when we talked about how those freeway signs catch your eyes and how the messages build on one another, convincing you that you need to stop and eat at the next town?

They are using words. They are using color. They are using psychology. And, they are using little signs to get your attention. After all, you are a bit of a captive audience while driving on the interstate.

After all, you are a bit of a captive audience while driving on the interstate. What if we took that a step further and used inflatable advertising? Instead of small signs (or large signs for that matter), use a familiar (or quirky, memorable) inflatable creature or object to get the attention.

The more memorable the signage, the more likely the viewer will want to know what it is that is being advertised.Click To Tweet

This technique has been used and used very successfully. Remember the mention of the word, “trust?” When something (like an inflatable character) becomes familiar, there is a certain level of trust that is built. There is a recognition and a comfort level.

The buyer feels more comfortable with pulling out his or her wallet to spend money if he or she recognizes the inflatable character and it is accompanied by words that encourage the buyer that he or she needs what it is that is being advertised. Besides,

The buyer feels more comfortable with pulling out his or her wallet to spend money if he or she recognizes the inflatable character and it is accompanied by words that encourage the buyer that he or she needs what it is that is being advertised.

Besides, inflatable advertising is easier on the advertising budget than most methods of advertising presentation. Now, is this something that your competitor is doing? Is this something that is creative, that will help your clientele to recognize and remember you?

What about trust? I’m not suggesting that you go out and become known as the best used-car salesman in town (unless that is what you want to do). What we are suggesting is that you find something that fits for you, your brand, your pocketbook, and most importantly, your buyers! Then, come back and let us know what works and what worked for you!

What we are suggesting is that you find something that fits for you, your brand, your pocketbook, and most importantly, your buyers! Then, come back and let us know what works and what worked for you!

Did you know that you can very easily create your own travel itinerary using the internet and the wonderful tools available to you, via the internet? Sometimes we use the internet and world wide web so much that we forget what an advantage it is, compared to decades before us.

And, once you have used the internet to put together that itinerary, the itinerary will help you keep track of the hotels, restaurants, and the places you want to visit. The guide will also give you a clear picture of your travel directions.

Reviews and Recommendations

Before hitting the road, take the time to read the online reviews of your potential travel destinations. Another popular strategy is to talk to friends and family members who have visited those areas. A couple of places to start, for reviews, would be reviews.com, and tripadvisor.com. Take heed, while there may be useful reviews at reviews.com, the last update was a while ago. Of course, there are other sites, as well, and those family members and friends of yours may have their favorite sites, so be sure to ask!

Building the Itinerary (Including Deciding on the Destination!)

Continuing on the topic of building that itinerary, according to Wired Magazine, if you want to build a comprehensive travel itinerary, you need to use an effective strategy.

To build your travel itinerary online, use Google (or Bing) to find interesting sites. If you are the type who likes to relax, maybe you are looking for peaceful beaches or even a place to rent your own boat, a place away from other people.

Maybe you like to see the sites and want to spend some time on Wikipedia looking up historical sites and tours of famous places.

Travel guide websites may lead you to real life people and agencies like Tour Operators. These types of people and agencies would definitely know the places to see.

As an example, with the help of Google and searching for “glacier lagoons,” a beautiful place like Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, in Iceland could be found. Not only are you able to find these wonderful locations with the use of the internet, but actually spend time researching them and learn about the location before you vacation there.

By understanding what you are looking for, you can help to narrow down the actual destination. That is definitely a first step in the process of planning your itinerary.

Sites like Lonely Planet seem to be built just for those of us building our itinerary online!

This part of the itinerary building is the most difficult (finding the destination). Once you have chosen your destination, the next step is to map your itinerary, and it gets a bit easier because it is like following a checklist.

Filling in the Details

Websites such as Google Maps and MapQuest are very helpful in getting your directions figured out. Not only do these sites help you map out the places on your list, but help you to identify the best way to approach it and what destination to visit first. Just don’t forget to get the details of any tours, landmarks, etc. so that you ensure that you are still arriving on time, even if you do have the order of things (based on your mapping) figured out properly.

A really helpful tool to use, to mark down those details from the landmarks and historical tour places is the online (free) Google Calendar. There are so many fun and easy things you can do with Google Calendar.

If you add an event to your personal (private) Google calendar, but you also have a shared travel calendar, you can simply “copy” it to that shared calendar, and now everyone (who is sharing the calendar) has access to the event information. This is a quick and easy way for everyone to be “in the know” and work together on their trip itinerary.

According to a travel article published by MapHappy.org in 2014, one of the biggest benefits of using Google Calendar while traveling is its instant ability to update your event times with corresponding time zones. Google Calendar also allows you to attach pictures and other associated itineraries.

Pulling It All Together

When you have finished all of these steps, including the details, you need to bring everything together to come up with a single comprehensive travel itinerary.

One site, recommended in the Wired article, which can help you bring everything together is TripIT. This free app allows you to pull it all together. It also has an option to be usable on your smart device even when the internet is not available.

Last Thoughts

Don’t forget the fun apps like Audible (from Amazon) to listen to books on the trip, as well as your favorite music. There are certainly several options for the music, and likely you already have that covered on your smart device!

In the highly visual business world of today, the infographic (or infographics) that you use can make the difference between your online visibility and the stagnation of your marketing efforts.

Here are just a few of the ways in which using the right infographic(s) improves your search engine optimization (SEO) endeavors.

Danny Todd (a.k.a. “Cleveland SEO Guy”) defines infographics this way, “Infographics are cleverly illustrated, colorful, easy-to-read, and often vertically-oriented images, showing charts, graphs, figures, and other useful information.

Chances are that you’ve seen a few in the last week. Though written content should be the cornerstone of your content marketing strategy, don’t underutilize infographics. They have their advantages.”

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Quick Observations of an Effective Infographic

Let’s take a look at the infographic to the left, to get us going on the topic of infographics. It is called the “Top 5 Male Athlete Hairstyles (Infographic)” and it is an infographic by the team at Men’s Hairstyles Club.

What can we learn by looking at this infographic?

• Infographics can be made to share any message or topic. I mean, would you have thought of hairstyles for men?
• Infographics can be long and vertical. (They can also be wide and horizontal!) In other words, infographics can come in many sizes and shapes.
• Infographics tend to include text and additional images (and sometimes statistics or how-to steps, like this one does).

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Benefits of Infographics (to SEO Endeavors)

So, what is the big deal with the SEO benefit(s)? Glad you asked! That is what we are presenting in the rest of this article!

And, it includes some expert tips from those “in the know.”

Benefit 1: Make the ranking process easier.

Get your page listed in the “image search” of search engines. You don’t have to be limited to only the default text search.

The Google image search is just as powerful as the text search, and people will be able to find you on two lists instead of just one.

The image database is generally smaller (as compared to text search), meaning that you automatically put yourself in a better position by even using images in the first place. If the images are relevant, you have an even better chance at doing well in the search engine(s).

Let’s not forget about Bing image search. After all, there is not only “one” game in town when it comes to searching the web.

According to Janette Speyer (Partner at Web Success Team and Hot Ice Media), “If you use Google, you have the option to search for images. Once you put alt tags, keywords, and titles on your infographics, your blog will be more easily found [in the image search].

If your blog gets very little traffic, you have the advantage of [using] the images (infographics) to make up for it.” Hopefully, this moves you up to where you need to be in the ranking!

Benefit 2: Benefit by social interaction (and the resulting SEO ranking).

Gain visual recognition with your potential viewer. This leads to interaction which leads to better rankings.

As a part of that interaction, give the audience (people) something to talk about, which is the name of the game for a really well-constructed infographic.

According to David Leonhardt (President, THGM Writers), “SEO is highly dependent on the perceptions of online ‘publishers.’

By publishers, I mean anybody from the New York Times to my uncle, when he posts to Facebook. Every time a company is mentioned in an article or in a tweet, it helps the SEO effort. Infographics give people something to talk about, or from an SEO perspective, a reason to talk about you.”

The major search engines are constantly determining the relevance of your content by the human reaction to it. Pictures ensure that more people interact with the content.

This is simply a fact because people react and interact with media. (Remember the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words?”)

On the topic of social sharing and delivering the message, Danny Todd says, “For one, they stand out amidst a sea of text. Website visitors can quickly differentiate between an ordinary picture and an infographic.

Using them just often enough keeps things interesting. They also make it easy to compress and simplify what might otherwise be exceedingly complex information, reducing extraneous details and distilling the crucial facts into an easy-to-understand format.

If your infographics are relevant and informative (as all your content should be), they’re likely to be shared on social media.”

The human interaction (and reaction) pushes your content up in the search engine listings. It also gives you more organic click-throughs, a statistic that will help your ranking improve even more, in the long run.

Benefit 3: Gain the ability to use more tags.

Pictures can have tags just as easily as any other content. This option helps those of you who want to raise the count of a certain keyword on your webpage without turning what could have been an excellent article into a keyword-soaked piece of worthless dribble. How? Include infographics!

By doing this (including an infographic), you may then use the tags that are inherent in the picture as another excuse to put the keyword on your page. Google and the other major search engines will recognize this as a valid use of your keyword and associate your page more readily with it. The more easily that your page connects with a keyword, the higher your search ranking goes.

Helpful Tips from the Experts

When asking our Expert Panel what else they would recommend, regarding infographics (beyond just SEO), they gave us the following tips.

Keep It Simple (Content)

According to David Leonhardt, “Keep it simple. If you want people to talk about you, give them something simple that they will understand.

Don’t try to create the longest Infographic of the ‘Everything about…[such and such]’ variety. Assemble a few pieces of interesting data that are tightly related, to form a single idea.”

Keep It Easy (Production)

David Leonhardt continues, “The design does not have to be fancy, either. My most successful Infographic ever was made in a simple table format that I had whipped up on Fiverr. It will never win a beauty contest, and just might be in line to enter an ugly contest (but it looks better on Slideshare).

The key to its success is that the idea is simple and captivating, and people have been sharing it ever since.”

Gain Exposure for Your Brand

According to Danny Todd, “Content marketing with infographics has grown rapidly in recent times, with little sign that readers are growing tired of them. The ability to condense a lot of information into a simple graphic makes them easy to follow, but the infographics can still impart well-researched knowledge.

For the content creator, an infographic can spread across the web, providing branding and SEO benefits that can last long into the future. Businesses that ignored the trend will be wondering whether they should get started with infographics now. Read more…”

Janette Speyer offers this tip: “I also share my images on authority websites like Instagram, Pinterest, and more. This gives me more opportunities to be found. The ultimate goal is for people to see my blog, right? Any way you can post or syndicate those images will increase your chances of being seen.”

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Expert Panel

Wondering who these experts are? Wanting to find them so that you can follow them on social media and learn more amazing tips?

Well, you’ve arrived at the right place. Here is a short listing of their biographies and social media links, for your convenience. This was made easier through the use of the wonderful online tool, MyBlogU. Thanks, MyBlogU!

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David Leonhardt (President, THGM Writers)

Infographics have never been central to my SEO efforts. But I have created (well, supervised the creation of) at least a dozen Infographics in my day.

These have covered fields as diverse as tech, housing, and fertility. Done properly, Infographics can be an effective form of content marketing.

Twitter: twitter.com/amabaie
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/davidleonhardt
Website: thgmwriters.com

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Danny Todd (a.k.a. the Cleveland SEO Guy)

I am known as the Cleveland SEO Guy. I started in the SEO business in the 1990s when it was a far less complicated industry. Over the years, I’ve formed relationships with some of the leading SEO experts in the business.

In doing so, I’ve learned SEO secrets that very few in the SEO services business actually know. This is why I consistently rank sites in the top 10 results on Google for competitive terms, while some of my competitors struggle to achieve top 100 listings.

Twitter: twitter.com/clevelandseoguy
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/the-cleveland-seo-guy
Website: clevelandseoguy.com

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Janette Speyer (Graphic Artist)

I started my career as a graphic artist. In early 2000, I merged my business into the digital space. At that time graphics were not searchable, so we avoided them like the plague. As more social media platforms made their way into the world, images became not only a must but a necessity.

I took to adding infographics to my blogs for those that wanted just a quick visual of what I was writing about at the time. I developed many graphics and used social media to bring more traffic to my website. The images boosted my traffic by a good thirty percent (30%).

Twitter: twitter.com/websuccess
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/web-success-team
Website: hoticemedia.com

Conclusion

In short, use infographics whenever you can in your presentations online. You gain credibility with your audience and with the major search engines! Your content is more easily found, and you will improve your overall online marketing ROI (return-on-investment) simply by formatting your research in this way.

The post How Infographics Can Improve Your SEO! appeared first on SEO Chat.

Whether I’m working from home, the nearest coffee shop, or the office, I’ve been lugging my beloved laptop wherever I go. Then, while I was sitting at my favorite bistro the other day, I saw a woman pull a tablet out of her moderately sized purse and begin to type furiously on the screen. My world was forever changed.

I realized that I don’t need my laptop (even though it is small) to write my blog articles or to write a quick Twitter post. I could be using a tablet that’s half the size and infinitely more portable. While I’ve never enjoyed creating a 500-word blog post on my smartphone, the idea of using a tablet that could handle two-handed typing and offer a screen large enough that I don’t have to squint until my eyes hurt, proved to be appealing.

Which Tablet is Right for Blogging?

I wondered what type of tablet would be best, and I started to research different options. I found these favored tablet options and have listed them for you here.

• Apple iPad Air 2 – Offering a special retina display and an anti-reflective coating that reduces outdoor glare, the iPad Air 2 is perfect for photo editing, games with high-quality graphics and video editing. With a long battery life, this tablet is impressive. However, it is more than I need for my work.
• Google Pixel C – Google’s newest entry is the closest to a dead laptop as any tablet can be rated. The clear screen, high-end design, and surprisingly fast performance make this tablet attractive for anyone looking for an Android option.
• Microsoft Surface Pro 4 – In an effort to rival Apple’s revolutionary iPad product, Microsoft’s tablet is slimmer than before with a slightly larger screen. However, the Surface Pro 4 is designed for use with a snap-on keyboard and fold-out kickstand that turns it into a virtual laptop.
• Amazon Fire HDX 8.9 – With audio-enhancing technology and Amazon’s patented Firefly function to identify items, the Fire HDX 8.9 features an easy-to-use operating system. The links to using Amazon Prime to download and stream movies and television shows makes this tablet a perfect choice for children and families.
• Samsung Galaxy Tab E 7.0 – The rail-thin, featherweight design and brightly colored screen make the Samsung Galaxy Tab E7 perfect for travel. Rivaling the iPad for clear picture and a wide screen, this tablet works well for reading, using apps and surfing the Internet.

Mobile Tech Review does an awesome job presenting reviews and “smackdown” comparisons for just about any tablet/device. Below is a slightly older YouTube video that gives you an idea of the tablet comparison as well as what is available on YouTube if you need to research more options for your perfect tablet for writing.

The Right Tablet for Blogging

After examining many of these options, I am leaning toward the purchase of a Samsung Galaxy. It fulfills all my work and leisure needs. Granted, I still have my faithful iPad (the original), but who says we can’t upgrade when needed?

The post Choosing the Right Tablet for Blogging and Writing On the Go appeared first on Growmap.