First think of all the things that come to you each day:

1. Mail: FedEx, USPS, UPS, DHL, etc
2. Email
3. FaceBook
4. Twitter
5. Phone Calls
6. Text Messages
7. RSS readers
8. Conversations with family members

How do you handle all of the incoming stuff and all the tasks that this stuff generates?

Imagine this: I had just returned home from the WeBlog Conference to over a dozen packages, hundreds of new FaceBook and Twitter followers, and over 1,000 emails to sift through.  Plus, I had several pages of things that needed doing post-conference!

So, how did I handle it?

• Step One: I got overly stressed over the amount of work needed doing.
• Step Two: I decided to simplify it and write a post on what I did. LOL!
• Step Three: I grabbed my brand new timer and set it for 10 minutes.  With a notebook and my new favorite pen, I began free-writing or brain dumping all the tasks that popped into my head.
• Step Four: I set my timer for another 10 minutes, organized my Outlook Inbox by sender instead of my date and began bulk deleting anything I deemed unimportant, junk mail, ads, or newsletters.  That took one inbox from 241 emails down to 91!  I feel better already!

Ways to Handle Your email Inbox:

• • The Inbox Makeover
  • The Trusted Trio
• Step Five: With that inbox still by sender, I went through my new Twitter follows to see who I wanted to follow back and my new FaceBook request to approve or ignore them. (approximately another 10 minutes)
• Step Six: Again, I set my timer – but this time for 15 minutes.  I spent 15 minutes working on a post.  Since I had a few in my drafts folder, I was actually able to complete one and post it in that time frame.
• Step Seven: Another 15 minutes found me handling and responding to the 91 emails still in my first folder.

An hour down and I have just about handled every email in 1 inbox and posted one post!  I completed this process the entire day and ended up getting all emails handled and about 6 posts scheduled!  Now, I am caught up on blogging and ahead on posts!  This is a great way to catch up the overflow to get your life back on track!

Note:  this concept can be used for housework, too!  Timers and breaking tasks into smaller tasks can really help with procrastination!

This post is linked up to Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family.

Related posts:

1. CONTEST DAY 24: Elmer’s 40 Days of Earth-Friendly Living
2. Blogging Basics: Where to Find Ad Buyers
3. Blogging Basics: How to Add Buttons to Blogger and WordPress

Most everyone who blogs wants to get big.  They want to be the next Dooce, Pioneer Woman, or ProBlogger!  I know that I do.   I want people to know me…. millions of people to know me.

Unfortunately, there is no real magic pill.  It takes tons of hard work and research to understand all you can about blogging, your blogging platform, and your niche!  Luckily for you, I love to research – as I tell my GTD Buddy, if I spent more time doing and less time researching, my blog just might be twice the size it is now. LOL!

Below you will find links to all the Blogging Basics posts I have done on 3 Boys and a Dog.  Spend some time reading through them and applying what you learn.  Good luck!

1. How to Get More Comments for Your Contests
2. Where To Find Ad Buyers
3. How To Make Money With Google Adsense
4. 23 Must Have Word Press Plug Ins (also some Blogger ones!)
5. Define Yourself…. NOT Your Blog
6. So You Want To Guest Post (or want Guest Posters)
7. Google Analytics
8. 17 Tips to a Better Blog (links to 17 other posts)

Have a question that none of the above answer?  Drop me an email and I will do my best to answer it on the next Blogging Basics post!

Technorati Tags: Google, Search, Chrome, Most, Dooce, Pioneer, Woman, ProBlogger, pill, tons, platform, niche, Buddy, size, links, Basics, Spend, luck, Comments, Where, Find, Make, Money, Adsense, Word, Plug, Blogger, Define, Yourself, Blog, Want, Guest, Post, Analytics, Tips, Better, Drop, Buyers, Posters

Related posts:

1. Blogging Basics: How to Get More Comments for Your Contests
2. Blogging Basics: Where to Find Ad Buyers
3. Blogging Basics: Recaps

I think the months are slipping by faster and faster!  Before we know it, it will be Christmas!  Eeek!

This Blogger Appreciation Day post is actually scheduled this month (aren’t you proud of me for being on the ball this time?) but as soon as we arrive at the cabin and get settled I will check in and visit my players.  I am thinking of doing a giveaway for Blogger Appreciation Day next month.  What would be a good thing to win?  I am thinking free ad space on my blog for a month or a blogging book… anyone have an idea?

Here’s how it works:

1. Go into your tracking service (I use Google Analytics) and set the time period for June 1st – June 30th.
2. Find the sites that have referred readers to you and put them in order from most sends to lowest.
3. Write a post (like this one) listing your top 10 referrers.
4. Link that post up in my LinkyTools below.  (Please do not list your current giveaways!! I had to delete a ton from the 40 Days/Elmer’s posts. )
5. Grab the Blogger Appreciation Day picture and add it to your site. Thank You! to Callista of Callista’s Ramblings for sending me a cute picture for my monthly meme.

(It is also nice to link back to my site, since I am giving you a link )

Now that we have covered the rules…. I want to give a HUGE thank you to my top ten referrers for June 2010!

I also want to note that Online Sweepstakes sent me 366 visitors this month!  So, if you are running giveaways I hope like heck that you are putting your giveaways on there.  Piece of advice put the value of your giveaway in the Online Sweepstakes title. I did a test.. those that had a dollar sign and value did better than those that didn’t regardless of what the actual price was.

Twitter sent me 74 and FaceBook sent me 48 for those that are curious

1. Blog Giveaways sent me 92 visitors
2. Org Junkie sent me 69 visitors
3. Third Tribe sent me 58 visitors FIRST TIMER
4. Crystal and Company sent me 48 visitors
5. Dimes to Vines sent me 43 visitors
6. The Informed Parent sent me 33 visitors FIRST TIMER
7. Mommy PR sent me 21 visitors FIRST TIMER
8. Just Contest Stuff sent me 18 visitors FIRST TIMER
9. Tip Junkie.net sent me 16 visitors
10. The Pioneer Woman sent me 15 visitors FIRST TIMER

Wow! Out of ten, five are on my list for the first time ever!   My referrer numbers are up quite a bit this month:

Referring sites sent 1,440 visits via 168 sources

Amazing!  Even if you didn’t make my top ten list, I thank you from the bottom of my heart! I am amazed at my wonderful readers and wish I could do more for you besides just sending a link back to you.   Remember: if you leave a comment you get a link back to your site via my commentluv!

Related posts:

1. Blogger Appreciation Day: May 2010
2. Blogger Appreciation Day – February 2010
3. Blogger Appreciation Day: April 2010

Ok, not really… but I certainly feel like one.   Remember my post a while back about FedEx’s Out of Office Blog?  In that craft post, I gave a shout out to FedEx letting them know that I would love to be a guest writer on their blog.  They read it and contacted me!!  I was the very first non-FedEx employee to post on their blog.  I loved doing it and it was a GREAT learning experience.  Now, if they will ask me to do it again. LOL!  Wouldn’t it be cool to be a fairly regular contributor on a MAJOR company’s blog?  Of course, Ricky says I should be getting paid for it.  But, as I told him… what it does to my self-esteem is payment enough right now. LOL!

Anyway, be sure to head over to my post  “Independence Day Party and Craft Ideas” and give me some love.  Show FedEx what a great idea it was to invite a Mom Blogger to their site.

P.S.  Blogging Basics tip – want to increase your traffic?  Guest post on a MAJOR blog like FedEx’s Out of Office Blog.

Related posts:

1. Homeschooling Notes: FedEx Out of Office Blog Craft Ideas
2. Blogging Basics: How to Make Money with Google Adsense
3. Blogging Basics: Events to Increase Traffic

During my Blogging Basics Series, we have covered getting some more readers and finding review and giveaway sponsors.  Now, lets talk about getting more comments on the giveaways that you host.

Until you build up a crazy following of readers (not a following of crazy readers), you are not going to have a ton of comments on your giveaways.  You need to develop a list of giveaway listing sites and spend an hour or so devoted to listing your current giveaways there.

I looked at TONS of giveaway listing sites years ago and recorded the emails of those that accepted giveaway listings via email.  I saved each email addy to a distribution list in my Outlook and now when I do a giveaway, I drop an email to that list.  Simple and it goes to several sites with one quick email.  Then, I spent some time on Yahoogroups looking for giveaway sites and joining them.  I added those emails to the distribution list. So, with one 10 second email, I reach thousands (probably millions) of people!

If I notice that my giveaways aren’t getting the comments I think it should (or if I have too much time on my hands – OR if I have a pretty expensive giveaway) I also spend some time listing giveaways on linkies and such:

• Online Sweepstakes
• Prizey.Net
• 5 Minutes for Moms
• Tip Junkie

If none of that is making the difference I want, then I google “list your giveaway” at Google and start at the top adding my giveaways.

At one point, I did have a giveaway Tuesdays Linky on this site, but I got too busy to keep it up.  If anyone is interested in brining that back, please email me.  It is NOT a paying position, but you can include your small author bio with a couple links (like your fan page, website, and twitter) at the bottom of each post that you write.

Good luck!  Is there something you would like to see in my Wednesday Blogging Basics Series?

Related posts:

1. Blogging Basics: Comments
2. Blogging Basics: 17 Tips To A Better Blog
3. Blogging Basics: Events to Increase Traffic

Hi!  Welcome back to Blogger Appreciation Day!  First I want to say a HUGE “Thank You!” to Callista of Callista’s Ramblings for sending me a cute picture for this monthly meme!

I am telling you, this is getting later and later!  I wonder how many of you already have this post written and are just waiting on me so you can link up?   Sorry about that, I am actually very organized, I just don’t have a ton of time.  With the In The Kitchen With Kelli Series going on, I was trying to find a slot for this without overwhelming my readers with a million posts a day.  Hmm maybe I should run a poll on how many posts per day you think are a good number.

Here’s how it works:

1. Go into your tracking service (I use Google Analytics) and set the time period for May 1st – May 31st.
2. Find the sites that have referred readers to you and put them in order from most sends to lowest.
3. Write a post (like this one) listing your top 10 referrers.
4. Link that post up in my LinkTools below.  (Please do not list your current giveaways!! I had to delete a ton from the 40 Days/Elmer’s posts. )

(It is also nice to link back to my site, since I am giving you a link )

So, without further ado:  THANK YOU TO MY TOP TEN REFERRERS FOR MAY 2010!

1.  Dimes To Vines – sent me 56 visitors

2.  Crystal and Company – sent me 24 visitors

3. The Blog Frog – sent me 23 visitors

4.  Org Junkie – sent me 21 visitors

5.  We Are THAT Family – sent me 16 visitors (NEW TOP REFERRER)

6.  Frugal Creativity – sent me 13 visitors

7.  Mavin’ of Savin’ – sent me 13 visitors

8.  The Product Review Place – sent me 12 visitors

9.  Bewitchen Kitchen – sent me 11 visitors (NEW TOP REFERRER)

10. Simply Stacie – sent me 11 visitors

And, for the Nosy Rosies out there.   During May, my TOP referrer was Twitter… ahh, the power of Twitter.

COME BACK EVERY MONTH TO THANK THE PEOPLE THAT SEND READERS YOUR WAY! (I do not list search engines, Twitter, FaceBook, etc… I list bloggers and mom entrepreneurs!)

Technorati Tags: Blogger, Appreciation, Welcome, HUGE, Thank, Callista, Ramblings, Sorry, Kitchen, Kelli, Series, Here, Google, Analytics, period, April, Find, Write, Link, LinkTools, Elmer, REFERRERS, Dimes, Vines, visitors, Crystal, Company, Blog, Frog, Junkie, REFERRER, Frugal, Mavin, Savin, Product, Review, Place, Bewitchen, Stacie, Nosy, Rosies, Twitter, COME, BACK, MONTH, PEOPLE, SEND, FaceBook, Click, FREE, Linky, Tools, readers, giveaways

I have put this off for so long, that it definitely qualifies as a Tackle It Tuesday at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Related posts:

1. Blogger Appreciation Day: June 2010
2. Blogger Appreciation Day – February 2010
3. Blogger Appreciation Day: April 2010

So, I like to research and for my blogging basics series, I am always on the lookout for something new and earth-shattering to share with my readers.

I have come across this link building service that I am wanting to try.  After all, we all know that building links into your site helps your SEO, Alexa, Google Ranks, etc.  We also know that getting false (paid for) links into your site actually HURT you with all those services.

SubmitEdge says they only submit to higher ranking directories and the amount of directory submissions you get are based upon the amount of money you spend.

If it works, it seems like a very reasonable price, but I have worked so hard to get to where I am and am a bit scared of it.  For only 25 dollars, they will manually submit your site to 200 directories!  That means an additional 200 links in and directories are the ways that people find you!

SubmitEdge even lets you choose 10 unique anchor titles & 10 unique descriptions to avoid duplication of content!

I am curious!  I read all the testimonials and it seems to be a really good plan!  I would love to know what others think of SubmitEdge and other SEO Firm companies.

Technorati Tags: SubmitEdge, basics, series, earth, links, Alexa, Google, Ranks, HURT, services, directory, money, descriptions, duplication, Firm, readers, directories, submissions

Related posts:

1. BLOGGING BASICS: 23 Must-Have Word Press Plug Ins

Ahhh, the question we all want answers to.   How do you find companies willing to purchase ads on your site?  We all want to get so big that we need business insurance and group health insurance. LOL!  I only have a couple private ads on my site but not because I don’t know how to get them, simply because I haven’t spent enough time looking for them.  In this week’s Blogging Basics, I am going to give you a list of several places to find advertisers for you site.  Remember to have really specific prices and plans in place before contacting anyone.

1. Many companies want to know your reader reach (twitter followers, facebook fans, feed subscribers, monthly unique viewers, inbound links, etc).
2. You need to know why YOUR site would be a good fit for their advertising budget.
3. Most companies want options: side bar ads, header ads, text ads, sponsored posts, paid tweets etc.  Figure your pricing on those and have it all spelled out.
4. BE PERSONAL!  It is perfectly ok to come up with a static email to contact companies with, but be sure you are personalizing it to what you like about their company and why you think you two would be a great fit.  Then, you can copy and paste your stats and prices into the bottom.

Now that we have gone through a few rules, lets talk about places to find advertisers.  After all, we all want to make some money on our site.  I would love to tell my husband that I have an individual group health plan. Last week, we talked a bit about Google Adsense.  Obviously, it isn’t going to make any of us rich!  We need more ways to make a little income without affecting the integrity of our blogs.  I really like private ads (ads I find on my own and invoice straight from here… no middle man and I can build a better relationship!).  In fact, I just spent a little money to redo my sidebars to be more ad friendly.  See my cute “Support My Sponsors” section on my site?  The top banner and the 400 px ad where Juicebox Jungle currently resides are also available for purchase.

1. Press Releases – When a company pitches a product to you, turn right around and pitch back to them.  The whole, “I would love to work with you and here are our options” really works well for some people.
2. Reviews/Giveaways – I don’t do it anymore but that is because I have gotten lazy, but when I did it I had great response.  At the end of a giveaway or after a review I would approach the company I worked with about advertising to extend their reach, etc.
3. LinkedIn – This is such a great resource for finding PR/Marketing people of pretty much any company.  Just be careful about using the LinkedIn system for communication (unless they are already your friend) as you can get in trouble.
4. Twitter – Oh man, I tend to have tons of luck with contacting people on Twitter about events!
5. FaceBook – Look at the ads on the right hand side of your facebook page.  Those people are paying for ads and might be a great place to start.
6. Other Blogs – Yep, you heard me!  If they are paying for advertising on other blogs, then they are not opposed to that avenue of advertising.

Have fun finding some advertisers!  What would you like to see next week?

Technorati Tags: Basics, Where, Find, Ahhh, haven, places, Remember, plans, Many, reader, followers, viewers, links, Most, header, text, Figure, PERSONAL, bottom, rules, money, Last, Google, Adsense, income, relationship, fact, Support, Juicebox, Jungle, product, response, giveaway, LinkedIn, resource, Just, system, communication, friend, Twitter, tons, luck, events, FaceBook, Look, Blogs, avenue, Buyers, options, Giveaways, advertisers, week

Related posts:

1. Blogging Basics: How to Make Money with Google Adsense
2. Blogging Basics: How to Get More Comments for Your Contests
3. Blogging Basics: Events to Increase Traffic

I took a few weeks off from Blogging Basics during my Home Office Organization Series.  Today we are going to spend a little bit of time talking about how to make money.    We all want to make money and ProBlogger makes it sound so easy for him to make money, but we know the reality is that it isn’t actually so easy.

I know some people who swear by Adsense, but it doesn’t work for me right now.  However, I must also say that I have made some changes and am making more with it than I was and am hoping to just watch that number increase.  From everything I can find, your Adsense earnings only get larger with time.

I spent over a year blogging and only made 4 cents on Google Adsense.  At the end of March, I added a larger adsense ad to my sidebar and put some in my posts.  I have now made about 23 dollars.  No, it isn’t great!  Heck, it isn’t even semi-good. LOL!  But, it is better than 2 cents in over a year.  I am getting there, I am seeing changes.

Once you get it set up, you need to generate traffic.  The more traffic, the more money you make.  Now, obviously, you make a bit more if people actually click on the ads, but you can’t ask people to click on the ads!  You must be very careful with Google Adsense or they boot you from the program.

I suggest signing up for affiliates, pay-per-posts, pay-per-clicks, Adsense, pay-per-views, and private ads on great ideas on how to make money.  Once you have done them all for a few months, you can see which things are generating the best income and spend more time on those.

Just to be clear:

1. Sign up for Google Adsense.
2. Put it in several places on your blog.
3. Put it in your feeds.
4. Sit back and track your earnings.

Remember: more traffic equals more money.  So, be sure you are doing everything you can to generate traffic.

*this post is linked up to Works for Me Wednesday*

Technorati Tags: Basics, Money, Google, Adsense, Home, Office, Organization, Series, ProBlogger, From, earnings, March, Heck, Once, traffic, boot, income, Just, Sign, places, Remember, equals, Works, cents

Related posts:

1. Blogging Basics: Where to Find Ad Buyers
2. Blogging Basics: 17 Tips To A Better Blog
3. Blogging Basics: How to Get More Comments for Your Contests

Time flies, doesn’t it?  This was supposed to go up on the 3rd…. how on earth did it get to be the 5th so quickly?

Here’s how it works:

1. Go into your tracking service (I use Google Analytics) and set the time period for April 1st – April 30th.
2. Find the sites that have referred readers to you and put them in order from most sends to lowest.
3. Write a post (like this one) listing your top 10 referrers. (I should really get a pretty graphic made for this, huh?)
4. Link that post up in my MckLinky below.  (Please do not list your current giveaways!! I had to delete a ton from the 40 Days/Elmer’s posts. )

(It is also nice to link back to my site, since I am giving you a link )

Thanks to my Top Ten Referrers for April!

1. Contest Girl – sent me 141 visitors <–first time on the list!
2. Org Junkie – sent me 129 visitors
3. BlogFrog – sent me 75 visitors <—first time on list!
4. Dimes to Vines – sent me 68 visitors
5. Crystal and Company – sent me 57 visitors
6. GetButtonedUp – sent me 56 visitors <—first time on list!
7. Blog Giveaways – sent me 24 visitors
8. Tip Junkie.net – sent me 23 visitors
9. Maven of Savin’ – sent me 17 visitors <—first time on list!
10. We Love Iowa  – sent me 17 visitors <—first time on list!

Wow, 5 out of ten have never made my list before!!  Great job!

COME BACK EVERY MONTH TO THANK THE PEOPLE THAT SEND READERS YOUR WAY!  (I do not list search engines, Twitter, FaceBook, etc… I list bloggers and mom entrepreneurs!)