It’s easy. All you need is a phone and a computer connected to the Internet. After registration, you’ll receive a telephone number to call, and a webpage link to click on.

Heather M. O’Connor is a successful freelance writer. She served three productive years as the Promotions and Marketing Director for the Durham Home and Small Business Association (DHSBA). During that time, through the use of good promotion, snappy press releases and a targeted media list, attendance at DHSBA’s monthly networking meetings skyrocketed from an average of twenty entrepreneurs to over a hundred – the association outgrew its venue twice.

Heather has given a number of seminars on promotional and web writing. Visit her website at www.merlinwrites.com.

What’s on the menu?
Sample these four great lunch-time webinars

RELEASE ME: How to write a killer press release

Wednesday, April 15, 2009 from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

It’s short. It’s sweet. It’s punchy. And if you do it right, it’s news. A well-written press release piques an editor’s interest enough to assign an article or news item, while still delivering all the goods for a cut-and-paste story.

Freelance writer Heather M. O’Connor takes attendees through the ingredients: a catchy headline and sub-headline, the correct format, an all-purpose boilerplate paragraph – and a news angle. She also explains how to develop a successful list of media contacts and the etiquette of communicating with them.

Tickets available at http://lunchinars.ning.com/events/release-me-how-to-write-a

SPINNING A GOOD WEB: Writing for the Internet

Wednesday, April 22, 2009 from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

What’s the difference between writing for print and writing for the Internet? Plenty! If you want your website to capture visitors instead of sending them clicking, you’d better figure it out. After all, your competition is only a mouse-click away.

Heather M. O’Connor knows all the tricks. Sign up for her crash course in effective web-writing. You’ll discover:
• How people “read” web pages
• How to make space work for you
• Words that carry their weight
• Why less is more

Tickets available at http://lunchinars.ning.com/events/spinning-a-good-web-writing

PERFECTING YOUR 30-SECOND INFOMERCIAL

Wednesday, April 29, 2009 from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

First impressions count. When you’re networking, you get 30 seconds to introduce yourself and ‘wow’ them with your business, product or service. Can you do it? What do you say?

A good infomercial sets you up as a confident professional, and sets you apart from your competition. Let Heather M. O’Connor show you how to write and polish your 30-second introduction. You’ll cover:
• Why you?
• Power words
• Different intros, different markets

Make your first impression a good one.

Tickets available at http://lunchinars.ning.com/events/perfecting-your-30second

SHORT, SWEET AND SASSY: Designing great taglines

Wednesday, May 06, 2009 from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Finger-lickin’ good. Snap, crackle, pop. Good to the last drop. Good taglines are memorable – even timeless.

Finding strong words — the right words — to describe your business takes creativity. Shortcut the process with Heather M. O’Connor. She’ll help you explore the recipe for a powerful tagline.

Tickets available at http://lunchinars.ning.com/events/short-sweet-sassy-designing

Anyone who has has the pleasure of reading Heather’s material will attest to her talent with pen and words, and today was no different. Heather shared with us her ‘Checklist for Success’. We learned:

• What news is, and how to make it more interesting
• How to write the lead and make the editors love your press release
• How and where to distribute our press release distribution

I was surprised to hear that $500 was the standard rate for a press release as I have always had a sweet deal on them – thanks Sis! Although I enjoy contributing to the creative, in my mind the investment of having you do them is well worthwhile since I’ve far more ROI from your press releases then any advertising I’ve ever been involved in – except TV, but that was years ago. Need to get attention? Invest in a press release. Invest in href=”http://www.MerlinWrites.com”>MerlinWrites. You’ll be glad you did!

Watch www.LUNCHINARS.com for Heather’s next performance! For those who haven’t been reading, LUNCHINARS are lunch time seminars you take from the comfort of your own office. LUNCHINARS are interactive and easy and coming to your computer on March 24, 2009. Why not feed your body and your business at lunch?

Why not feed your body AND your business at lunch!

Do you like my new word?

If I had a penny for every time I’ve been called “the eternal optimist” in my life I would never have to work another day in my life! To me “The Secret” simply rehashed many of the things I learned in from my parents lips, at church, at school, and in the sandbox but don’t take me wrong… it was well worth reading and rereading and I highly recommended purchasing it in the media that works best for you.

There are lots of supporting materials, seminars, workbooks, journals (I bought one of these) which you can get to supplement your new abundant mindset, and due to the fact that I’m a facebook junkie, I joined Gero Cumbo’s facebook group called “The Secret 20009″ and today was infused with some wisdom on the secret theory that speaks volumes…

A native american boy was talking with his grandfather. “What do you think about the world situation?” he asked. The grandfather replied, “I feel like wolves are fighting in my heart. One is full of anger and hatred; the other is full of love, forgiveness, and peace.” “Which one will win?” asked the boy. To which the grandfather replied, “The one I feed.” (Origin Unknown)

This simple story provides the essence of a life-changing law of the universe…. You become what you think about. The words are almost too simple to feel important.” However, if you “get it, ” if you truly understand their meaning, you can forever harness the power of a positive attitude.

Simply stated… if we choose to think positive thoughts we’ll get positive results; if we think negative thoughts, we’ll get negative results. Pretend for a moment that every thought is a seed you sow in your fertile mind. Therefore, as I once heard someone say, “If you plant crabapples, don’t expect to harvest Golden Delicious.” You will reap the fruit of the thoughts you sow.

In his best-selling classic The Power of Positive Thinking, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale wrote:

“earn to expect, not to doubt. In doing so you bring everything into the realm of possibility… It is amazing how a sustained expectation of the best sets the forces in motion which case the best to materialize.”

What do you think of “The Secret”? Do you live it? Do you recommend it? How do you keep “the secret alive” in your life? I’ve got a journal…

If you’ve been online for a while, I imagine you’ve got some ‘reactive’ spam strategies in place, however I know of a few ‘preventative’ strategies you may want to consider:

• Use web forms on your website (rather than printing on web pages) to avoid spammers who use “Email Harvesting Software”
  
• Google your email address regularly to find other pages that display your email address on their website, and request that it be removed.
  
• Use unique email addresses to avoid “Dictionary Spam”
  
• Create/use ‘temporary’ addresses when there is no benefit to using your ‘branded’ email address e.g. subscribing to newsletters, registering software, subscribing.

Businesses and organizations are scrambling to turn these powerful new media tools to their advantage, by using blogs and podcasts to raise their public profile, create and interact with online customer communities, market products and services, and motivate and attract employees. Communications expert Susan Scott of Full Circle Communications and web guru Sue Sutcliffe of aWEBthatWORKS have teamed up to present two seminars to help you get started with these new media tools.

You’ll receive practical tips, strategies and resources in an Introduction to Blogging October 9 at Whitby Marina, then design and customize a blog of your own in a Hands-On Blogging Workshop October 20 at Durham College. Choice of times: 9:30-12:00 or 2:00-4:30. The introduction workshop is $75, the hands-on session is $125, with both for just $150. Group and early bird discounts are available. Register online at www.bloggingpodcasting.com or by phone toll-free at:1-800-579-9253. Sponsored by the Small Business, Big Ideas Radio Show and ShopAware.

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Susan Scott, ABC, owner of Full Circle Communications (www.fullcirclecommunications.ca), is an award-winning communications professional with 15 years experience. She creates clear, consistent messages so clients communicate with one voice person-to-person, in print or broadcast, and on the web.

Sue Sutcliffe is a recognized Internet pioneer and web-marketing guru. Her company, A Web That Works (www.AWEBthatWORKS.com), has been helping organizations market their products and services on the web since 1993. Her business offers a full line of website marketing services including website design, hosting and promotion. Sue is a leader in her industry, the business world and her community.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Susan Scott, ABC
Full Circle Communications
(905) 720-1647

Sue Sutcliffe
aWEBthatWORKS
(800) 579-9253

Google Blogs Alert for: awebthatworks

Why Blog? Learn the hows and whys of blogging Oct. 9 and 20
By Sue Sutcliffe(Sue Sutcliffe)
Communications expert Susan Scott of Full Circle Communications and web guru Sue Sutcliffe of aWEBthatWORKS have teamed up to present two seminars to help you get started with these new media tools. You’ll receive practical tips, …
I Love Blogging – http://ilovebloggingat.blogspot.com/