Yvonne DiVita is the author of Dick*less Marketing: Smart Marketing to Women Online, a book about getting those baby boomer icons Dick and Jane to buy at your website. She is also the president and founder of Windsor Media Enterprises, LLC which specializes in business blog building, social media strategy and print-on-demand publishing.

Yvonne's background stretches to those bygone days of the early Internet, where she was a web content writer and worked in several technology start-ups. Yvonne started her first blog, Lip-sticking, back in March of 2004 shortly after publishing her first book. Yvonne has been preparing an extension of the Lip-sticking brand with the launch of The Lip-Sticking Society, which will be a new website that will house the Lip-sticking blog in hopes to better serve her readers.

Some of Yvonne's other blogs include: Books, Blogs, and Beyond, a blog about publishing in a changing world, Scratchings and Sniffings, a petblog sponsored by Nestlé Purina, and a pet health insurance blog for Purina: PurinaCare. She has also been listed as one of 2009's Smartest People in Social Media.

A friend on Facebook posted a link to the news re Limbaugh losing advertisers.

Emboldened by Rush Limbaugh’s public apology over the weekend to a law school student whom he had called a “slut” and a “prostitute,” critics of the radio talk show host are intensifying their online campaign against his advertisers.

Sho’ ‘nuf – the following comment almost immediately popped up. *Sigh*

Where is the outrage for Maher calling Palin a C*nt? Is it OK to insult women if you lean far left?

My response?  No. It’s not okay.  Not ever.

But, we weren’t talking about Palin.

That said, Bill Maher is a stand-up comedian. A group of people not exactly renowned for their taste, tact or restraint.

Rush Limbaugh, on the other hand, is a leader (yes, a leader) of the GOP (or at least the most vocal part of it) and was viciously attacking a young woman (for days; he’s got to fill a lot of air time to justify his making $50 mil a year, doncha know?) because she had the audacity to testify that health insurers should cover contraceptives.

The nerve! How DARE she? As one columnist noted, perhaps Mr. Limbaugh is confusing contraception with his little blue pills…which are – ahem – covered by insurance plans.

Anyway…back to Maher and Palin.  No, it’s never ever the – um – right thing to call a woman such a name. That said, I’m really, really tired of the immature responses whenever anyone has the audacity to point out that Limbaugh or any of the other toxic fringe clowns are spewing venom and lies. “But, Mommmm, EVERYONE else does it!”

Let’s all grow up, people. Look, I don’t like Ms. Palin. She’s a pathetic insult to intelligent women everywhere – on both the left and the right. Dim. Mean-spirited. Hateful. Spiteful. Petty. Proud of her ignorance. See? I can say what I think of Ms. Palin without resorting to gutter speak. (Hmmm…wonder how the last election would have went if McCain had chosen Olympia Snowe as his running mate? Intelligent. Qualified. Respected by both left and right.)

Oh. Wait. Never mind. According to some of the blogs supporting him, Rush was making a joke! No harm intended! Geez, you liberals are so thin-skinned. Silly us. It was simply a matter of “insulting word choices” – which are – oopsie! – a bad habit of his…maybe he’s still hitting some of those other funny little pills he used to so enjoy.

And, of course, it’s all really okay since someone somewhere else insulted Sarah Palin, a different woman, in a different situation, for different reasons.

P.S. There was a lot of outrage – all over the blogosphere….back in March 2011 when Maher did his bit. But, hey, he was just making a joke.

By Guest Blogger, Mary Schmidt, Marketing Troubleshooter

I do. Evil characters are often more interesting and more complex (and stronger) than the “good” ones.  Not to mention smarter…and funnier. (Remember Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood movie? Alan Rickman, the evil Sheriff, was terrific and hilarious. Kevin, not so much.)  Pick the movie or soap of your choice. Think about it. I’ll wait.

‘K. We’re back. One of my not-so-guilty pleasures is Once (Upon A Time), the show where all the fairy tale characters you’ve ever read about have been magically transported to this world by an evil queen’s curse. Yeah. I hear ya (almost). I thought that too when I first read the show synopsis. Lame. One-shot story.

But then I watched. Then I watched again. Got hooked. Because of the “evil” characters. Sure, there’s a lot of black, but also some interesting shades of gray, just like real life. Good people do bad things. Bad people do good things. Bad people might not have always been that way.  Evil people seldom see themselves as evil. And so it goes.

Throughout history strong, accomplished women have been portrayed as evil, from Cleopatra to Hillary Clinton.  Although I remain mystified as to why Ms. Clinton still causes such seething hatred and throbbin’ neck veins in some men. Oh. wait. I already answered my own question. Never mind.  ANYWAY, back to our regularly scheduled program…

The queen in Once is mean, dastardly…works constantly to keep Snow White and Prince Charming apart. Boo! Hiss! Um – heh – maybe not. I find myself rooting for her. She’s by far the strongest woman (and character) on the show. And, to some extent misunderstood. (There’s pain in those eyes. Lost love. Hardened heart. And she seems to genuinely care about her adopted son.  See? Gray.)

Snow and Charming are – well – sorta boring, not to mention a little dense ad more than a little irritating.  I can only watch so many teary-eyed close-ups.  Not happy? DO something about it already!

The “good” lead, Emma Swan, the town sheriff, is – I’m sorry – as dumb as a stump. I mean, c’mon. If you were the sheriff of a town…that a ten-year-old boy told you was magically moved to this world by the Queen (and everyone had amnesia)…

…where nobody ever leaves. In fact, they CAN’T leave.

…where nobody ever seems to visit (except for that strangely hairy, weird guy on the motorcycle, with a mysterious box)

…where really weird stuff keeps happening.

Wouldn’t you be a wee bit curious?  Well, not our Ms. Emma.  She’s pretty much oblivious. Munching on donuts. Girl talkin’ with Snow.  Staring slack-jawed as she loses yet another verbal exchange with the mayor (who’s always at least two steps ahead of poor Emma)…worrying about Henry (her biological son, adopted by the mayor; stay with me here, we’re almost done)…yet never really doing much about anything.  Even when she does rouse herself a bit, she gives up awfully easily. Oh. well. Back to the office.  (This woman needs to watch a couple of seasons of Buffy, stat. Seriously.)

Even if you were peculiarly lacking in curiosity, wouldn’t you be just a bit perturbed that your son’s adoptee mother was evil? Even if you didn’t believe the fairy tales, the queen, as mayor, does her fair share of dastardly deeds.

P.S. The other major evil character, Mr. Gold, breaks my heart. Poor guy. Really. Watching him with that chipped tea cup, I actually got a little teary-eyed myself. (You’ll have to watch the show to get that reference.)

P.P.S. Once is available on Hulu.

As you are out there networking (or just having conversations with people you know) have you found yourself stumbling over your words when someone asks you “What do you do?” You’ve probably figured out you need a way to introduce yourself, but what makes a good introduction?

Loss of Identity

I think job seekers struggle with this because they either don’t know what they want to be when they grow up or because they can no longer say “I work at XYZ company as a ___________”. Overcome this by researching and figuring out what you want to do. Even asking “what do they call this where you work” can make for an interesting networking meeting!

Humility Reigns Supreme (or does it)

Most people I know generally don’t like selling themselves. They say they were raised not to boast or brag. But that isn’t what I’m suggesting.  I merely want you to take credit where credit is due.

Confusion and Delay

There is conflicting advice out there on what should go into your pitch. The perfect pitch is the one that draws in your listener and allow them to help you in some way. Since it is your pitch, you can include whatever works best for the people who hear it.

A Simple Formula

Start by completing these simple phrases.

I am a:

With expertise in:

My background includes:

My unique qualities are:

Then move on to answering these questions:

I specialize in:

What problem are you really good at solving:

Your call to action: Write a single sentence that lets people know what step they need to take in order to help you or work with you. Or you could try The Harvard Business School Pitch Builder.

Content is King

Use words that are interesting yet understood by all.  Avoid jargon.  Make it about the future, not your past work history.  5+ years ago it was enough to just state the facts.  Now, because the job market is so competitive, you have to do more to stand out and be memorable.

Adapt and Adjust

You will need to adjust your pitch’s wording and length based on your different audiences.  It may be shorter or longer depending on where you are using it.  You may use a slightly different pitch in a more personal setting.

Practice Makes Perfect

Though there is no such thing as perfect, you can improve your pitch and its delivery by practicing it. Deliver it with passion, energy and enthusiasm. Be comfortably confident as you deliver it.

Remember, this isn’t all about you

The most memorable people are those that show interest in what the other person does. Be sure to pay attention to the needs and concerns of the people you are talking with!

by Hannah Morgan

Where do you market? If you’re like  lot of entrepreneurs, you find it much easier to simply network from the comfort of your keyboard than to wear something other than sweatpants and slippers, right? Well, if you’re not “out there” shaking hands, passing out business cards and talking about your business face-to-face, you’re missing out on some great ways to network and grow your business; there is no better way to interact with potential clients and business partners than with face-to-face interaction.

Even with the ease and speed of social media networking, to truly brand yourself and your business you need to have face-to-face interaction.  Networking at business events means you will have to perfect your “elevator pitch,” shake hands and hand out business cards, it is a great way to meet potential clients.

What you do when you’re at networking events – whether Chambers of Commerce, industry-specific events and seminars – establishes you as a credible business person. One of the main goals when you’re networking will be to set yourself up as an expert in your field – a person with whom like-minded entrepreneurs will want to interact, use as a referral source and (bottom-line) do business with.

When you’re at networking events you’re not there to merely tell people what you can do for them, you want to know what their pain points are. Ask questions, draw them out. Keep this information in the back of your mind – and make a note on the back of their business card so you can use it for follow up once you get back to your office. Just as your social media updates shouldn’t be all sales pitch, neither should your interactions with potential business partners.

Implement these steps into your online and offline networking strategies:

1. Always be prepared. It’s a good motto in business and in life. You never know when you will run into a potential business partner. Always be equipped with business cards and a firm handshake.
2. Who are the major players at the meeting? Are there specific individuals or specific industries to which you’d like to connect? Know your audience then you can tailor your pitch and make certain you make the most of the meeting.
3. Be more interested in the person with whom you’re connecting than you are with selling your products. Make a great first impression – be the person that they remember as being interested in what they have to say rather than what you have to sell.
4. Be enthusiastic about the individual you’re meeting. Compliment their accomplishments. Ask to connect with them online, comment on their status updates and blog posts.
5. As an entrepreneur you will likely know instinctively when the time is right to push for a business meeting, or even a get-to-know-you coffee. If you know someone who knows the potential business connection, ask for a referral or don’t be afraid to name drop, “Hey, Ms. XYZ, we both know Mr. ABC and he mentioned you do incredible work.”

Visit a few networking events to see which one might be the best fit for both your personality and for meeting the type of business owners you need to help your business grow. Bottom line, you are the key to the success your business enjoys – be the best ambassador for your business and get out from behind the keyboard!

by Robbi Hess

This came across our virtual desks from Jason (Frugal Dad), a site created for the average family to find financial resources with a conservative slant. By “conservative slant” I’m not referring to politics, rather the “conservative” approach to personal finances.

We suggest you check this out!

Enjoy!

When I had my first conference call with Jeff Power of Global Hope Network Int’l regarding our Adopt-A-Village project, at one point, I said, “No offense, but if you want it done, give to a woman.”  Jeff’s reply: “No argument from me!”

And, here’s yet another example of woman power, from GHNI’s web site (posted by Jeff): A peace walk near GHNI’s Kenyan villages. From Jeff’s post:

“Isiolo town is our GHNI base in central Kenya, as our staff diligently help the surrounding poor villages.

Violence between tribal groups escalated again in recent months, ebbing and flowing. Deaths have occurred sometimes weekly. Our staff are wisely limiting their movement to and from our villages, as they daily monitor and evaluate safety conditions.

There is hope, and our staff are among those contributing to it. Many people are passionately working toward lasting peace and a change of mentalities.

Just this week for instance, hundreds of women in Isiolo formed a Peace Walk to urge everyone toward reconciliation and peaceful cooperation.”

Hundreds.  Yes, hundreds.  I think the sign sums it up better than I ever could.  ”We belong to each other.”

Indeed. They may be all the way over in Kenya, but it’s a very, very small world.  We belong to each other.

Contributed by Mary Schmidt

It’s been said that the sun will come out tomorrow – oh yes, it will. It did not come out at our house yesterday and looks iffy for today. Snow covers everything like a pristine quilt, clean and white, pure of heart. Until the dogs go out. They will leave dark paw prints everywhere, and nose prints, and dog angels. Ok, they don’t make dog angels but they roll in the snow.

The idea that the sun will come out tomorrow reflects a belief that the world will go on. To believe in the sun is to accept that each new day is an opportunity to begin anew.

Positive mental attitude notes and posters sprinkle the pages of Facebook and Twitter like snow, and get shared liberally by all, including this writer. Some folks are rebelling – complaining – asking why tweeters and Facebook friends can’t come up with something original to state. But, in the end, the thoughts that inspire, that influence, that make us smile, are worth sharing, aren’t they?

Where is the line that separates today from yesterday or tomorrow? Is it the midnight clang of the clock? Or, is it more an internal sense of time – a realization that the past is over and every minute going forward is at least as important as every minute that has gone by? When do we stop beating our heads against the wall, wondering why we were so stupid? When do we accept our failings – embrace the past as a memory and a learning experience, and move into the tomorrows of our lives with determination and expectation?

Do we do it… now? Do we stand up, look in the mirror and say, “This is the moment I wipe the slate clean and begin again. This is the moment I treasure fond memories and bury disappointment. This is the moment I begin to be who I am – completely and with my whole heart.”

And, then, do we move on, one foot in front of the other, eyes forward, deliberately, with intention?

Mom envy, via Facebook.  It happens to the best of us, right?  I have found myself, over the years, boasting some envy over all the lovely pictures of the fun arts and crafts projects many of my mom friends do with their kiddos.  I have always loved arts and crafts, and after working with children for years, I was looking forward to the days of doing projects with my own little ones.   However, once reality set-in as a single mom who was running her own business, the energy to plan projects, go to the craft store for inspiration and supplies, and even finding time to do the projects seemed nowhere to be found.

When I was told about the BabbaBox, a concept created by a mama who had many of the same “where- does-the-time-go” challenges as myself and likely many other busy moms, I was thrilled with the idea. It’s a monthly subscription box following an educationally-themed topic that is delivered to your home with ALL the physical materials plus know-how content to really engage with your kids.  I was happy to jump at the opportunity to have an arts and crafts project, delivered to my door, to do with my son.

I was surprised by what the actual BabbaBox had to offer.  I was expecting one crafty project that would revolve around the theme of the month, in this case gratitude.  However, what I found was so much more.  There were four fun-filled projects, with a plethora of supplies, that my son and I had fun making into our own creations. After a few minutes of exploring the different options, it was clear that there was no way we could do it all in one sitting, and this kit could carry us through a weekly project for an entire month – woohoo!  The BabbaBox also contained a story book that told a wonderful tale around the monthly concept, links to phone apps connecting the idea, and a nice gift for me as a parent – this month, some refreshing tea that I could sip while engaging my child in the concept of gratitude.

BabbaBox is aimed at children between the ages of three and six-years-old. My son – who is almost four – didn’t like to follow the exact instructions for how to complete the projects, but I bet for most parents that’s no real surprise, is it?  No matter, I’m certain the seeds around the concept of gratitude, a topic we talk about a lot in our house, were planted a little bit deeper.  One other point to consider is that the phone apps were only for iPhone/iPad, which may limit non- users  of such devices access to that portion of the bundle – but is a nice bonus for those of us that do have one!

Overall, for the price of $29.99 per month I’d recommend the BabbaBox to anyone looking for easy ways to connect on a creative and educational level with their children.  For me, it’s a way to let go of the “I’m a bad mom” guilt because I don’t have enough time to plan all of this out on my own – who cares how it gets done, it’s the connection and time with your child that matters.  Why not let it be easy?

Bio: Stacia Synnestvedt, the mother to an ever-inquisitive 4-year old boy and soon-to-be newborn baby girl.  Her passion, and work, revolve around helping people – especially kids, women and parents – gain self-awareness through the understanding of energy and how to intentionally create their lives by developing trust in their own intuition as a usable tool, visit www.intuitiveavenues.com to learn more.

Guest blog post by Stacia Synnestvedt