Halloween Edition of Priceless News

Are the leaves turning crisp shades of brown, gold, yellow, and orange in your neck of the woods? This month, we say “hello” to autumn-dotted landscapes and hot apple cider. October also means Halloween is just around the corner, bringing out all the things that go ‘bump in the night.’

However, this isn’t the time to scare away the customers by failing to effectively market your business or by stumbling over the latest methods of driving traffic to your website. Subscribe now and you can still enjoy our Halloween Edition of the Priceless News…

2 New Priceless Vault Articles

Priceless Writers would like to announce that two new articles have been entered into the Priceless Vault:

1) 5 Things to Avoid While Taking Advantage of Social Networking

2) Give a Little to Get a Little Back: 5 Ways to Please Consumers

One More Month to Vote for Priceless Writers

At Priceless Writers, we are extremely excited about the possibility of winning the StartUpNation Home Based Business Award.  We started Priceless Writers because we wanted to provide a one-on-one experience to our clients that produces quality content and reaps results. 

The opportunity allowed us to communicate better with our clientele and bring success to their business through broadened services and a collaborative effort.  We’ve enjoyed the entire process - as this experience has solidified a position within the ‘green’ writing world.  Priceless Writers has also cultivated an assortment of innovative ideas for the near future that gives back to the public and environment. 

We have a dedication to our clients that you just don’t find with other content companies or freelance writers.  Why?  Because we are the people who work online - the business individual trying to promote a website, the girl with the amazing product who just needs an amazing sales letter, the guy running a small business and trying to make it a success! 

We are the people with the ‘internet jobs,’ and we are those people trying to live their dream!  Our goal is to make it easy, affordable and enjoyable to get QUALITY written works from online freelancers.

To vote for Priceless Writers, you don’t have to sign up or register!  Just click the ‘vote’ button!  You can vote every day as well.  Help us show the world who ‘we’ are!

The Truth About SEO

Search engine optimization is still one of the biggest challenges faced by any webmaster - even in the socially-saturated world of web 2.0, ranking well in the search engines continues to be the foundation to a successful website. Thousands of dollars are spent each month hiring specialists, buying links, and investing in ‘the latest’ optimization tricks…but is it worth it?

The Ever-Changing Face of Search Engines

I was talking with a web design and branding specialist a few days ago and we were discussing the SEO needs of a few of his clients. “There are so many different companies out there and things change so fast,” he said. “How can you know what’s going to work and what’s not?”

It is estimated that Google provides results for more than 90 million searches each day. What company would jeopardize that sort of success by placing irrelevant or nothing but ad websites in their top results? Photo by manfrys via Flickr

Well, the first thing to remember is that success doesn’t happen overnight - even in the search engines. Promises of “instant rankings” and “thousands of backlinks” are usually not as good as they may sound. Search engines like Google and Yahoo are continuously changing their ranking formulas to prevent successful results from methods like these.

So What Works?

While gaining your company first place ranking on Google does require the right combination of several different factors, search engine optimization is really not as complicated as you may believe. The first logical step in determining the best strategy is to consider what the search engines like to see - Google’s webmaster guidelines are probably the best resource for this.

Webmasters who spend their energies upholding the spirit of the basic principles will provide a much better user experience and subsequently enjoy better ranking than those who spend their time looking for loopholes they can exploit.

Taken from the Quality Guidelines section, the above passage sums up the foundation to SEO that works. Before spending time, money, and resources on strategies and programs to improve your search rankings - invest in techniques that will benefit your readers and improved search rankings will naturally follow.

There Must Be More to It…

You’re right, simply putting up a website with a few informative articles and a how-to will not put you at the top of Google. Search rankings are primarily determined by keywords and their relativity to the site and the number of links pointing to the site, as well as the wording and context of those links and the authority of the linking site.

So What’s the Truth About SEO?

Like the driving force behind a successful brick-and-mortar business, the reputation of a worthwhile website will pave the way for longterm success. Easy navigation, a well-designed site, and interesting, entertaining, and informative content related to your niche will increase the possibility your visitors will return, it will generate backlinks from other related websites, and it will allow easy access to search spiders that determine rankings.

Photo by jeffrey Beall via Flickr

There are a number of details that can improve your chances of success:

• The quality and usefulness of information.
• The keywords and phrases selected.
• The placement of those keywords in the content and website.
• Techniques to boost the visibility of the website.

But the foundation of search engine success, as well as business success in general, is providing your audience with something they consider useful enough to share with their friends.

Subscribe to our blog to learn more useful tips on search engine optimization and making your content work for you and be sure to sign up for Priceless News to learn the frightening facts SEO firms hope you never learn, coming in the October issue.

Looking for Marketing Ideas?

Don’t let your opportunity to catch the attention of potential customers, consumers, and clients pass you by – learn how to use the newspaper to benefit your business. This and other valuable news can be found in the Priceless Vault.

How to Write a Perfect Condolence Letter

When your family member, friend, associate or co-worker has lost someone dear to them – it’s natural for you to want to reach out to them.  Most people do this through a condolence letter.  It’s the perfect way to let someone know that you’re there for them, without intruding on them in their time of sorrow. 

What is a Condolence Letter?

A condolence letter is something that people cherish as a memento of the friends and family that supported them through a very difficult time.  Typically, it’s a letter or note which expresses your sorrow and offers help and support to the bereaved.  It should be sent out within 2 weeks of you hearing of the recipient’s loss.  Here are some more important tips to help you write a heartfelt, proper condolence letter.

What Should a Condolence Letter Contain?

There are several things which your condolence letter or note should contain, including:

• How you heard of the loss.
• How the loss made you feel.
• Special traits or characteristics of the person who passed.
• Memories or thoughts of the person deceased.
• An offering of support and help to the recipient.
• A heartfelt closing.

You can start by telling the addressee how sorry you are for their loss and how you are affected by the loss as well.  This helps let the person know that he or she is not alone in their suffering – which is very supportive and helpful at a time like this.  Talking about special characteristics and memories of the person that has passed allows you to connect with the recipient and reminds them to think of the good times. 

      When you are mentioning character traits or good memories of the deceased, mention their name often.  This is comforting to the person reading the condolence letter or note and will resonate better with them.  Next, you want to reach out to the recipient in their time of need and let them know that you are there for them.  Offer help or support and make sure the offer is specific.  Keeping things general, like, “Please let me know if you need anything,” makes it more difficult for the recipient to actually contact you and ask for help. 

            However, if you specifically offer something, they can take you up on it much easier.  You may offer to baby-sit their children if they need some private time, or you could offer to prepare food for a few days – anything to help them as they are dealing with other issues concerning the deceased.  Even offering for them to call you if they need to talk is a great idea.

            Finally, a genuine and heartfelt closing is how you should end the letter.  Wish them well and let them know that they are in your thoughts and prayers.  You will find some example closings in the sample condolence letters below.

Quick Tips for Writing Condolence Notes:

• Don’t write your letter in a formal or stiff manner.  A great way to determine if your letter sounds natural and genuine is to read it out loud.  It should sound as if you are simply speaking to the recipient. 

• Avoid mentioning anything other than the deceased and wishing the recipient well.  For instance, adding details about your family or asking questions unrelated to the loss is not a good idea.

• Follow through with any offer you make to the recipient.  If you offer to call them in a few days to check in with them, make sure you do so.  If you offer to baby-sit their children, make sure you follow up with a phone call in a few days and reiterate the offer.  If you can’t follow through with something, don’t offer it in the letter.

• Write your condolence letter or note on pretty stationary or paper.  You can even opt for a sympathy card, but insert your letter rather than writing the entire thing on the card.

Hitting a Brick Wall? Know When It’s Time to Call It Quits

Have you ever started out with a good idea or creative plan of action, but over time, you begin to realize that it is morphing into a great disaster? Not every personal project or business idea that you come up with will turn into profit or ultimately benefit your company, interests, or goals. Not every ‘next best thing’ will necessarily fit your business profile or niche either.

In order to save time, money, and energy - it becomes important to learn the signs of impending problems that not only drain your assets and resources, but also squander valuable time better spent on completing more favorable tasks.

To pinpoint potential projects that may cause problems for you in the long run, become familiar with some of the warning signs listed below:

1) Unrealistic Expectations

A project is doomed to fail when expectations fall just short of perfect and highly unlikely. Let’s say there is a client who is unhappy with their brand image, recently suffered negative backlash for a new product, and hasn’t increased their profits in two years. Perhaps, the client gets it into their head that a new website will make all of their troubles go away. Unintentionally, they place this burden on the shoulders of a hired web designer.

Expectations are too high. A new website will still market the same failed product, offer the same prices, and involve the same brands linked to the company. It is unrealistic to assume that revamping a website will solve all of their problems. Combining efforts in marketing, product reassessment, pricing, and damage control will most likely bring better results - not a new website.

2) Unrealistic Timelines, Schedules, and Deadlines

Setting strict deadlines and schedules for completing business projects will increase your chances of failing to fulfill tasks or reach your highest potential. Don’t bank on pushing the limits of work, speed, and determination without allowing a bit of leeway for human error or unforeseen circumstances. What if you experience an electrical outage? What if your web designer is out with pneumonia? There are many factors that are simply out of your control.

Examples of setting unrealistic goals include:

• Scheduling group meetings for 5am on Saturday mornings.
• Launching a complete website with Flash from scratch in two days.
• Coding 4,000 pages of HTML in three weeks.

3) Trying to Tackle Too Much At One Time

Projects that try to accomplish too many things all at once, as well as lack sufficient resources or time, are in for a roller coaster ride of disappointment. While you may have a ton of great ideas that you’d like to achieve for your business, you’ll only suffer frustration and regret if you spend your time and energy trying to complete a million-dollar vision with $5,000. Instead, try to pick out an idea most important to the success of your company that fits within your budget.

4) Missing the First Deadlines

When working with a team, missing a lot of early deadlines is a clear sign that something is not working out with the project at hand. Perhaps the deadlines are too strict, not giving people enough time to accomplish their assigned tasks. Maybe members of the team have been assigned roles that do not speak to their strengths. Sometimes, there is a lack of resources or information that prevents a project from moving forward. It is important to address this problem early before wasting precious time, money, and energy.

5) New Technology

In this world of ever-evolving technology, it is quite common for businesses to rely on new software, hardware, and other programs. However, while new, technological advancements make life much easier or showcases the latest concepts, there is also a downside. Keep in mind that quirks, downtime, and bugs are common. Do not place the success of your company, business, or website solely in the hands of newer technology.

For example, spread your article marketing efforts across different article directories, as many systems have been known to crash and burn without giving any notice to users. Avoid storing all of your image files on a system still in the Beta-testing phase and rely on sites with a proven track record. Come prepared with a back-up plan if you’ve fallen in love with new technology because just like many new businesses, the risk of failure is quite high.

More Killer Resume Tips - How to Write a Cover Letter

Writing the perfect cover letter for your resume is just as important as the resume itself!

Regardless of the type of employment you’re seeking, your resume’s cover letter will typically form your potential employer’s first impression of you and your qualifications for the position.

The Purpose of a Cover Letter

A successful cover letter is much more than a simple introduction to your resume. While a resume is full of facts, figures, and employment history - your cover letter will display a great deal about you, your personality, your communication skills, and even your attitude. Chances are, a resume with a poorly written cover letter will see the trash bin before it has the opportunity to be reviewed.

How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter

While proper grammar, correct spelling, and a professional business letter format are quite important - the content of your cover letter is also crucial to your resume’s success.

Do not:

• Write a quick “Hi, here’s my resume” and call it a cover letter.
  

  A clean, professional font like Times or Arial is best for your resume. Photo by: Francisca

• Simply rehash the points already covered in your resume.
• Use the same generic letter for all employers.
• Fill your letter with complicated vocabulary and long sentences.
• Overly sell yourself - but don’t sell yourself short!

Do:

• Introduce yourself and explain why you’re writing in a professional , but personal tone.
• Take the time to review the position requirements and company information so you can briefly explain why your expertise will benefit the employer.
• Use bulleted lists and short paragraphs to make your letter easy to read.
• Describe how your skills and qualifications make you the perfect candidate for the position.
• Request an interview or meeting to discuss the position further and include appropriate contact information should the employer have questions.

While a well-written cover letter and great resume are often enough to score an interview, you may not always hear an immediate response. Sending a thank you note to your prospective employer, thanking them for taking the time to review your application, will keep your qualifications fresh in their mind and is not at all inappropriate.

Whether you’re needing search engine optimized web content or searching for tips about writing the perfect cover letter, be sure to subscribe to the Priceless Writers Blog in your favorite reader so you don’t miss a post!

Writing a Killer Resume

For any job-seeker, knowing how to write a killer resume is still one of the most important factors in getting yourself seen by your potential new employer. There’s been a lot said about resumes not having any worth these days, particularly in the online business world.

This is simply not true – employers still hold resumes in great sway. While a killer resume may not get you the job, it will offer you a far better chance of being seen by the people that matter.

Therefore, learning the secrets of writing a killer resume will put you way ahead of the competition.
Length
Nobody wants to have to wade through page after page of a resume, no matter how killer the content. Keep your resume to between one or two pages – any more is overkill.

Use Bullet Points

Human Resources (HR) and hiring managers usually have a lot on their plate – therefore, making your resume easier to digest will go a long way to having it read in the first place. Use bullet points combined with shorter sentences for a more effective approach.

Words of Action

One way to truly write a killer resume is to use what’s known as “action words” – words that make your resume stand out and are almost like hypnotic text to someone reading it. Examples of action words include “developed”, “managed” and championed”.

Strength is Everything

Let’s face it, your resume is the tool that will either get you seen by the hiring manager or result in your application getting filed under “B for Bin”. So sell yourself – make sure you have your strongest points about you at the beginning of your resume. Write them in bold and bullet point them – this is crucial for you to grab the reader’s attention, so make the strongest start possible.

Use Symbols

Some of the best writers of killer resumes make their resumes stand out by using symbols like %, # and $ - if it’s good (and successful) enough for these experts, then it should be good enough for you too.

Complement the Company

One thing that HR and hiring managers always complain about when it comes to resumes is that no real effort has been made to show why the applicant is right for their company. This results in the resume being binned. To make sure you don’t fall into this category, match your skills to the company’s needs and bullet point them to stand out. Trust me, this will place you near the top every time.

It’s all in the Personal Details

The secret to writing a killer resume is remembering it’s meant to be a short introduction to you. HR people don’t want to read your life story – so when you write a resume, make sure you only put personal details that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. Things like education, interests, technical skills, etc, can go in a separate section at the end.

Formatting

To keep your resume looking as professional as possible, always use a standardized font like 12-point Times New Roman or Courier. If 12-point is too large, make sure you don’t have your text any smaller than 10-point. Using a standardized font will also ensure that your resume will still read well on different operating systems.

Edit, Edit, Edit!

So you’ve written a killer resume – but none of that will matter if it reads like an 8-year old edited it. When you’ve completed your resume, make sure you take the time to proofread and edit it. Twice. Then ask a friend to do the same.

If this sounds like too much, think of it this way – if a hiring manager was to read an unedited release and saw multiple grammatical mistakes, he or she would immediately discount your application. After all, if you can’t even be bothered to make a proper effort on something as important as your resume, will your work ethic be any different?

There you have it – some of the most effective and proven tips to help you write that killer resume. By putting into action all the points here, you’ll have a far better chance of being seen by the people that count. Just remember that writing a killer resume is half the battle – the rest is up to you. Good luck!

Priceless Writers in StartUpNation Home-Based 100 Competition

We’re pleased to announce that Priceless Writers has been nominated for two categories in the StartUpNation Home-Based 100 Competition – Most Innovative and the Greenest. Aside from pleasing a great number of “green”-minded clients, we are constantly thinking of new ways to get the word out on:

• Issues concerning the environment
  
• Net-Zero sustainable living
• Innovative products
• Businesses joining the ‘green’ movement and clean technology

If you like what you see, please take a moment to check out our profile at Start Up Nation and cast your vote! Simply click on the box below - no registration needed.