New Year, New Ways to Stand Out in Social Media and on the Web

It is my pleasure to introduce you to Dan Rosandich, accomplished cartoonist and guest blogger.  Enjoy!  ~ YWC

dans-cartoons-facebookHumor can be defined as the tendency of particular experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement. This definition is certainly fitting when it comes to cartoons. When presented with images depicting a scenario with a gag line underneath, we are entertained. When we are entertained, we tend to desire further entertainment and so return to the source of the enjoyment. Perhaps even again and again.

Cartoons are to the internet what comics are to newspapers. That being said, participants in social media marketing should consider adding cartoons to their repertoire. Remember, Your Web Chick recommends the Make ‘em Laugh – Make ‘em Think – Make ‘em Learn formula for offering valuable content on your website and in social media. When you entertain someone, you add value to their day. Sharing cartoon humor with your visitors will not only help make you memorable, but will also show that you have a sense of humor; it makes you more of a real person. It can also keep your visitors coming back repeatedly to see the next cartoon.

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Top Motivational/Inspirational Songs for Small Biz: 2014 Edition

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Image credit: draftey via deviantart.com

Around this time last year, I wrote my first roundup of favorite inspirational and/or motivational songs for small biz. It continues to be one of the top-performing posts on my website. I think it’s because small business professionals, like most people, seek out music to get motivated, get inspired and get moving. Through music, we connect with ourselves, the world around us and our fellow human beings (music is, after all, a universal language). Music has a profound effect on us, mind, body and soul; some say we could not survive without it. Music expresses what we cannot speak with mere words.

Here are the songs that got me motivated, inspired and ready to kick butt in 2014: Continue reading

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Journey to Success: Ruth L. Scott, Cupcake Queen

Here is the final of three storytellers who were chosen to share their tales of success with me and my community LIVE at Journey to Success 2014, a charity networking event that happened to coincide with my business anniversary. Enjoy!

ruth-scottI am Ruth Scott, Cupcake Queen of Cupcakes by Ruth! I wasn’t always the Cupcake Queen.  My journey to Cupcake Queen has a story and like all good stories, my story begins with, “Once upon a time…”

Once upon a time, there was a little girl in Louisville, Kentucky.  She was the youngest of 5 children and definitely the best surprise that her mother ever got (because my mother told me that all the time, and I’m sure it was true).  She also told me that I was her favorite and I believe that, too.  Because I was the youngest, I spent a lot of time with my mom.  My siblings were doing teenage stuff that they probably shouldn’t have been doing; they were in high school and college and I was the only one at home.  My mom had a home business; she was a pastry chef.  The pastry chef-ing turned into a catering business which turned into a restaurant.  But before all that happened, I used to frequent the library with her (yes, way back then, when people would go to the library to check out books and use the Dewey Decimal System).  We would pull stacks and stacks of books from the shelves and she would take copious amounts of notes.  Then she would scratch things out and make her own recipes and I would look at the pictures (what else was I gonna do?  I couldn’t read yet!).  So that is how I spent a lot of time with my mom.

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Web Design 101 for Every Small Business

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Used to be, a professionally designed and printed business card was all a small business needed to achieve credibility and garner trust.  In the age of VistaPrint, though, any two-bit hustler can have a high-quality, impressive business card. (Not that there’s anything wrong with VistaPrint – I use them myself!)  Today, a professionally-designed website is the very best tool small businesses have for both attracting new clients/customers AND retaining existing ones.

As a small business owner, here’s the skinny on what you really need to know to begin establishing a strong online presence while not getting taken for a ride:

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Small Biz Owners: Don’t Get Bullied by Your Web Designer!

Don't Let Your Web Designer Bully You!

Y’know what really burns my butt (besides a flame about 2 feet high)? It’s when web designers employ tactics that essentially intimidate small business owners into using their services. Or, worse yet, hold them hostage through their domain and hosting accounts. So I’d like to share these tips on how to protect yourself from having that happen to you.

Here are three ways you can ensure you won’t be pushed around by a web designer:

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