Rogers eMall

Help us watch our tree grow. A new site from Microsoft where you can measure your carbon footprint and find out what you can do to protect the earth. Then you are give then chance to plant a virutal tree that will grow over time. You can lear how to do you part and participate in this virutal world at Carbon Grove.

My tree at Carbon grove

In 2008 if you have the look of the year you could be $10K richer thanks to http://www.lookoftheyear.com
an online beauty contest of sorts. For those young aspiring models looking to get noticed you can upload your pictures and have others from across the globe vote on your pics. If you are the top vote getter in your category at the end of the year then you could walk away with $10K. So go check out the beautiful people that have already posted their pictures and may the best person win.

We started our online adventure about 4 years ago when we were looking to use the internet as a tool to sell products. At that time there was great fan fare with email marketing and the ability to reach millions for a lower cost than banner or PPC advertising. It was about this time that that the CANN Spam act was put into place which placed severe penalties on those spamming users. The key to successful email marketing was getting the permission from the end user, or permission marketing. But how do you go about getting their permission if they do not event know how to reach your site. Many have been successful in using free giveaways or newsletters on a particular topic to collect and validate email addresses of potential customers. Companies like GY8.net and Machinimatrix.com provide great access to many users and they are actually white listed in services like AOL. White listed basically means that the emails sent with this newsletter won’t get bounced back.

One of the other forms of online marketing that we have been successful at has been growing Page rank and seach engine ranking. For some keywords you can buy text links and this can help increase your position in search engines. We have approached this avenue but we have also found that by adding content to our blog and finding interesting companies to write about has also helped to increase our rankings. The other key thing that we have found to be beneficial is writing nice articles with links back to our site and submit those articles to various submission sites. This has been a great way to attract new customers. There are many ways to increase your rankings and customers, but if you do not provide a compelling story or reason for them to explore your blog or webpage then you have missed the opportunity to make the most out of your marketing dollars.

There are many ways to monetize your blog such as PPC advertising, affiliate links, and getting paid to blog about areas and companies that are interesting to you. Just this year a new company has come onto the market called bloggerwave that allows bloggers to hook up with advertisers interested in their blogs and provide a review about their product or service. The site is very easy to use even for the beginning blogger and you choose which opportunities to blog about. It is free for bloggers to join and advertisers can start their campaigns quickly and decide what types of blogs they want to write about their company.

This holiday season many people will be buying a new HDTV, computer, or high definition DVD player. As technology continues to advance now you can get a duo core Intel processor for under $1000. That coupled with a 22″ wide screen monitor and your PC can now become your own home entertainment center. We recently purchased a 17″ widescreen laptop and got a great deal but had to do some research to make sure that what we were getting was not going to be obsolete in the near future.Finding discount computers can be easy but you also have to know what you are looking at and how old is the technology that is included in the PC or laptop. With more people on the internet a wireless enabled laptop is a must and the more ram the better. You can research the internet and spend hours trying to find the best deals on the internet or you can simply find bargain reviews where you can receive weekly email or RSS feeds on the latest tech deals.

At Techbargains.com they offer a one stop shopping experience for both the technically inclined and the technically challenged. Here you can find reviews, coupons, and comparisons on everything from laptops to HDTV’s. So instead of relying on the minimum wage box store employees you can equip yourself with the latest information and deals right at your fingertips. The site is simple and helps to aggregate information from companies across the web like Dell, Staples, and NewEgg and make all their deals available in one easy to setting. It is like going to a virtual mall where all the deals are right there for your to shop and compare. So this Christmas stop on by and read their reviews, subscribe to their email for weekly updates and stay out of those crowded malls and big box stores. You will find almost any type of electronic that will be on your shopping list and could actually spend less than shopping in person.

Last year this is how the playoffs looked about this time of year. Now the Cowboys are in much better shape to capture the NFC title. The playoffs are set and the NFC East comes limping into the playoffs. Many people are placing bets with online casinos for the title game coming up.Dallas looks to get an early exit after their awful play the last few weeks. The NY Giants backed their way into the playoffs. After starting off 6-2, they then lost 6 of their last 7. And the Eagles are hoping that the journeyman QB, Jeff Garcia, will be able to create more magic.  This years playoffs will see some good match ups, but the NFC will definitely be the under dog, as their only hope is the Chicago Bears. They remind me of the Tampa Bucs, when they won because of their defense. The Bears QB, Rex Grossman, will not be able to win the game, just as long as he does not loose it for the Bears and keeps them close. The San Diego Chargers with LT, will make it to the AFC championship on the legs of the best running back in the league.

For many Americans eating right and keeping within their idea body weight is difficult. We are a society of fast food and high carb intake. So to try and diet without changing the way you eat can be a huge task. There are hundreds of diet and weight loss programs out there and each one depends on your situation on how well you will respond. The key to any diet plan is to stick with it and exercise. With the new launch of Alli by GSK, they have introduced and over the counter weight loss pill that was originally by prescription only. And this marks one of the first times that such a switch from prescription to over the counter has there been such a huge push to the consumer. What most people need to realize is that a pill will not help you loose weight by itself. You may see some short term results, but your overall health and well being will not change unless you take steps to make those changes permanently.

Adding content to your blog has just got a whole lot easier thanks to Jokeroo.com. You are now able to add funny videos that can match your interests on your site. They have for example the Tiger Wood video where he attacking a thief taking off with his golf bag. Tiger actually performed the stunt himself and actually cut the actors head when he tackled the thief. They have extreme and sports videos to help you create content for your site or blog. Remember that content is king and having videos on your site will keep your customers coming back.

If you have found yourself with an outrageous loan, you can now research and find car refinance for your auto at Rate Genius Many Americans are paying a higher interest rate on their loans especially those that may have financed through their dealer. With the Fed keeping interest rates in check now is a good time to compare your rate and you could possibly save your self a lot of cash. They offer a network of lenders to come up with the best deal based on your situation. The great part about refinancing your loan is that you build equity in your car faster, if you are able to go from a 13.55 loan to a 7.5% loan for example. You will typically receive an answer back within 24-48 hours.

Shoppers are being targeted more and more these days based on the geographic location and type of internet connection they are using. So if you are a male from the north using a high speed internet connection, you may receive a 10% discount offer when visiting Amazon.com, versus a shopper from the north receiving a $5 off coupon when it is detected they are using regular dial up. Advertisers are tailoring their home pages based on how the user got to their site. So if you search for discount DVDs and get to Amazon you may get a free shipping offer, versus finding DVD™s on Amazon by using the term HD DVD.

This type of targeting has been around for a while, but has been gaining more use as retailers are trying to tailor their offerings to the customers that are visiting their sites. You may find different discounts that are available depending on the time of day, and how you reached the site. For instance, going to the jewelry site ice.com, users who entered the URL directly into their browser may not be awarded any special discount, whereas those that came from a search engine may receive a free shipping offer. This is in part due to the fact these companies are trying to get customers to the site, and if assumed you are already a customer you may not be enticed with free shipping since you have already found the site.

Every year businesses will send out business Christmas cards to their customers that wish them Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year. This has been a customary sign of thanks for the past years business and the hopes that the upcoming year they will continue their relationship. Many of the ones that we have received and sent are fairly plan and the message is simple. Some companies go through the extra effort to customize their greeting cards with their customer names imprinted in the card along with a special message targeted to them. It is a simple gesture to show your appreciation and while many companies send out cards there are many that do not. So this year remember to thanks those that have helped to make your business a success and don’t forget your internal customers who helped in making 2007 a great year.

The Gallery Collection has been publishing business to business greeting and holiday cards since the early 1920’s. They are family owned business that have been helping thousands of businesses with their personalized greeting and holiday card requirements. This year they are holding their 1st annual Christmas cards scholarship contest where they are offering a $10,000 scholarship to those in high school or college. This a great way to help those gifted students to show their creative side, but also have the chance to get some extra money for school. The contest starts October 1, 2007 and all entries must be received by January 15, 2008. You can submit submit your artwork, photo, or computer generated entries online with their simple form. Remember that all artwork and drawings must be original and not infringe on any copyright laws which means be creative and submit your own work. The winner will be notified on or about March 15, 2008. Here are some of the guidelines on how the entries will be judged:

1. Overall aesthetic appeal
2. Quality of execution
3. Creativity and Originality
4. Successful incorporation of design elements
5. Appropriateness for use as a greeting card
6. Attractiveness to The Gallery Collection’s corporate and consumer customers
7. Suitability as a design in Prudent’s Gallery Collection greeting card line

You can find more about the contest rules and requirements at Create a greeting Scholarships .

This year we are going to be doing a lot of shopping online as we live on the east coast and our families our in Texas and out West. They offer same day flower delivery on Florist Direct flower arrangements designed by your local floral shop. Dot Flowers has something for everyone from flowers to cookies

Dot Flowers offers gift baskets and flowers all year for any occasion. So your next anniversary why not let them help to deliver an amazing bouquet of roses with a special spa package sure to be hit with your significant other. They know that the gift that you send refelect on you personally and professionally so their award winning customer service is devoted to your complete satisfaction.

The rise in broadband internet availability has helped Business VoIP become more common in business offices across America. There is still some confusion on what Voice Over IP is? It allows people to use the internet to make phone calls instead of their usual telephone line. The technology will enable users to be able to use video conferencing and other rich media content when interfacing with their employees and customers. This is where the Packet8 Virtual Office comes in to help you reduce your communication costs with little added cost to get the system up and running. With their business solutions you can reduce your total cost of ownership and get great business features like: Auto Attendant, Outlook integration, integrated fax support and unlimited national and global calling.

This has a great application for businesses, in that their phone number can be more regional to their customers, while still keeping their offices across the country. The technology allows you to actually carry your phone number any where you travel in the country. So imagine, you have your office line coming through VOIP, and the office is in NC. You are traveling to a customer meeting in San Francisco. All you need is your VOIP router ( which is the size of any other small router) connected to your hotel high speed connection, and all your calls can be answer their in San Francisco.

I personally have been using Packet 8 for almost a year for my home office and the service and features that I get are great for both our business bottom line and our customer service. The cost is about half of what I was paying for my landline and the phone system was installed in minutes. So whether you are a small home based business trying to control your overhead, or larger business looking to integrate technology into your communications plan Packet8 business solutions may be right for you.

One such company that can help your business is USWeb an internet marketing firm . USWebs has been in business since 1995 helping clients achieve gains in market share, profits and customer loyalty. USWeb will work with businesses to develop and design custom web solutions to help create brand awareness and audience development. Since research shows that approx 70-80% of consumer use search engines to direct their purchases the competition for that top of the page placement is very competitive. USWeb can help you in achieving your online marketing goals through creative web development and management of your SEO and PPC campaigns.

At this years Wealth Expo you will have the opportunity to hear from keynote speakers from companies like Proctor and Gamble, BP, and Smart Money to name a few. With the rise of the stock market over the last few months, the energy sector reaching all time highs investing in todays market can be treacherous. The Wealth Expo affords those that attend a chance to hear from some of todays leaders in the investment world and be able to network with those with the knowledge to help you increase your ROI. The New York City event will take place from October 19-October 21, 2007. Part of the conference and breaks will be sponsored by MyWallSt.net: Your Financial Social Network.

There a lot of great seminars to choose from like “Value & Vision: Exploration and Growth in Mexico”, “Keeping It Short: Short and Long Strategies”, and my favorite “Managing Your Family’s Wealth: Succession Planning”. This particular topic has hit home lately with the passing of two grandparents.

This conference will cover a variations of topics from franchise information to long and short term market strategies. The individual investor can reap great benefits by spending the time and commitment to attending seminars that enable you to get the expert opinion and then be able to network with a few of these experts during the conference. This is not meant to give you the information that will make you an overnight millionaire, but provide you with the tools and knowledge to create your own level of wealth.

Register now and take advantage of the following network opportunities:

Friday, 10/19: 1 p.m.-6:30 p.m. EDT w/ a cocktail hour to follow

Saturday, 10/20: 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. EDT w/ a cocktail hour to follow

Sunday, 10/21: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. EDT (no cocktail hour)

If your are looking for insurance whether it be Auto Insurance, Life Insurance, or Home Insurance the internet is easiest place to research and get some ideas on what to expect. Through sites such as Insurance Quote 4You you can harness their search power to get up to 4 free quotes where insurers are bidding for your business. When my wife and I were searching to increase our life insurance we were confronted with the question of whole or term insurance. There are pro’s and con’s with each depending on what your goals are. Term life is basically renting insurance where your policy never accrues any value. While whole life insurance can be used as investment vehicle, but you need to ask those questions when talking to your agent. At Insurance Quote 4You, they provide some great information on the differences and what to ask for when you settle on the right agent.

I just finished reading, Now, Discover your strengths, and can say that this is a must read for all those who manage people. There is a special website and code on the back of the book cover that will allow you to take a simple test to discover your strengths, and then how to hone and sharpen those strengths. The basic premise is that we need to focus and continually improve the strengths, not focus on how to improve a persons weaknesses. The great benefit I found is that it gives you the different types of profiles and how to manage to those people.

Branding through email
If you are starting your website or blog, why not use your email to help build traffic and brand your website. We place a signature in that is automatically sent out to all those we communicate with. So whether is is friends, family, or customers they all know what we have to offer. And the best part is when you send along some great news, or the joke of the day, your email is attached and more and more see your sites. See the power. Most email providers allow you to set up a default signature that can be sent with all emails. So check it out and make your email a part of your online branding.

We have blogged about different ways to gain traffic and create a good reader resource by offering free stuff. We have just found a great resource to acquire free Screen savers. Now you can holiday themed screen savers just in time for Halloween. You can find out more and get access to over 5000 screen savers by clicking on the banner below.

Free games

We are interested to see if this will work. A great way to increase traffic is to offer free stuff. You can find hundred that can be added to your website and blog. Our current experience has been that people love the word free and who doesn’t like to take a moment and play an old classic like Donkey king.

At Rogers eMall free games we are experimenting with offering free games to play. People can then generate the scripts to place on their own pages or blogs. This should generate additional traffic and increase our link exposure. Take a look and let us know what you think.