FOR HELPFUL SITE-SEEING

Here’s a list of Web sites that I visit again and again. As you can guess, I have earmarked these sites as "Favorites," so I can return to them easily. My guess is that some of them will become your favorites as well, once you have used them.

www.amazon.com
www.barnesandnoble.com

Not sure whether you want to order a book you’ve heard about? Then go to these two sites to read reviews. Likewise, you’ll discover similar books in the same category. Then you can order online. Do you want to write reviews of books you have read? You have this opportunity on both these sites.

www.businessknowhow.com

This site is a gold mine for entrepreneurs and those who operate small businesses. Janet Attard issues an online newsletter that’s packed with valuable tips, and you’ll find a signup spot on the site. Also, there’s an archive of past articles, along with an abundance of business tips, all presented in clear, simple language.

MAGAZINES

www.balancemagazine.com

This magazine is passionate and committed to being the essential resource for today’s busy, Baby Boomer Woman. It is a quarterly, innovative and trend-setting magazine, with a niche of its own. Publisher Susie Levan spearheads this powerhouse publication, sure to become respected internationally. Check the description, then subscribe. 

www.alfnucifora.com

Alf Nucifora is one of America's leading marketing consultants. As an acknowledged authority, he is in constant demand as a professional speaker and seminar leader on sales and marketing related subjects, with particular emphasis on branding strategy, marketing communications, and customer service. Alf's syndicated column, Shoestring Marketing, which appears weekly in more than 60 business publications around the U.S., is now considered to be the premier layman's source for small business marketing information. Be sure to sign up for his stimulating E-zine newsletter, The Alf Report.

When I started my company several years ago, I attended an all-day session directed by "Visibility Marketing" Expert Raleigh Pinskey. Not only was she a dynamic presenter, she gave me PR and marketing ideas that I have used every day since then. She will help you "Maximize your Biz-Ability through Vis-Ability." More good news: she has made her advice available for entrepreneurs through her Web site, and in several books. My favorite Raleigh Pinskey book: 101 Ways to Promote Yourself. On her Web site, note that you can sign up for her free PR and marketing E-mail newsletter.

www.terrybrock.com

Through his company--Achievement Systems--Terry Brock helps audiences and clients worldwide, by translating obscure technical jargon into easily understandable language. What about you? Are you confused about the hardware you need for your business and the ideal software to accompany it? Do you want to learn blogging, podcasting and how to e-mail video messages instead of plain text? Interested in recording audio CDs from your office? Then sign up for Terry’s newsletter and his personal coaching--the biggest bargain you will find anywhere. You cannot excel in today's marketing climate by using a manual typewriter and index card file. Widely-syndicated columnist Terry Brock will help you master the technology that puts you well ahead of the competition. As one of his coaching clients and long-time beneficiaries of his expertise, I recommend him enthusiastically.

NAMES, ADDRESSES, PHONE NUMBERS

www.switchboard.com

You can use Switchboard to find the name, address and phone number of anyone in the United States who has a listed phone number. This saves the trouble and expense of calling an operator. If a person has a registered E-mail address, you can ask for that as well. Switchboard will even respond to your search for a group. Using a drop-down menu, you can ask for a list of dentists in Seattle and get an alphabetical list, very similar to a Yellow Pages listing.

www.newyorktimes.com

For penetrating news and top-level essays, the NYT remains the flagship of all newspapers.

www.usatoday.com

When this newspaper started, nobody predicted survival. Who needs a national newspaper? Only a few million people, it seems. I consider this the old style Life magazine, on a daily basis. No cost to read this one daily.

www.wallstreetjournal.com

You can receive the WSJ online daily, for a moderate annual cost. Avoid stacking papers in your office by subscribing this way.

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER

Sometimes we cannot communicate clearly because we are surrounded by clutter.  We didn’t let our home or workplace get that way intentionally--it just happened, as we said repeatedly, “I’ll straighten up someday.”  Recently, I admitted that I wasn’t going to overcome these problems alone. I hired Monica Ricci, an active member of the National Association of Professional Organizers, to assess my office setup, and then make recommendations for rearranging my information, supplies, and procedures.  Monica was indescribably helpful.  We designed a plan that fit my time and budget.  Immediately, I located important items that had been missing, and acted on them.  Equally important, Monica and I devised a plan to maintain an orderly system.  I recommend Monica very highly. Her company is Catalyst Organizing Solutions, based in Alpharetta, Georgia.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

www.prleads.com

Several years ago, I realized that I needed to improve my visibility in the media. When I asked fellow members of the National Speakers Association for advice, they directed me to another NSA member, Dan Janal. Before long, Dan's guidance--through his company, PR Leads--brought amazing results. Cosmopolitan, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Investor's Business Daily, Newsday, Sales and Marketing Management, Entrepreneur, The Virgin Island Daily News, Working Mother and other leading publications have interviewed me and quoted me at length. Also, PR Leads distributes a helpful e-mail newsletter, and sponsors telephone seminars featuring nationally known experts. Invest in Dan Janal's services, and watch your recognition level escalate.

SEARCH ENGINES

www.altavista.com

www.excite.com

www.google.com

www.lycos.com

www.msn.com

www.yahoo.com

No one has accused me of being a natural born techie. So I’m grateful that Paul Hutchins of P-H Computers has helped me get through many technology challenges. For several years--at competitive rates--Paul has worked with me on backing up information regularly, installing and explaining new software programs, eliminating useless clutter, organizing contents for greater efficiency, and acquiring beneficial equipment upgrades. If you live in north Georgia, Paul is just the person to call for your personal and business technology needs. His number: 678-316-3456

www.mapquest.com

MapQuest is easy to use and offers the most comprehensive coverage of the globe. Consumers simply enter an address on MapQuest and they can easily access millions of locations around the world, obtain detailed maps and accurate driving directions, locate places of interest, customize road trip plans, and create, save, download or email personalized maps. MapQuest's Yellow Pages allow people to find contact information for businesses in any city together with maps and directions to get them there.

www.weather.com

As a professional speaker who travels nationwide, I need to know what to pack for Chicago, Dallas, Green Bay, St. Louis, or Los Angeles, year-round. By clicking on the Weather Channel and entering the ZIP code of my destination, I get the answers quickly, even a five-day forecast. Of course, this is useful for home base as well, to tell me what outdoor activities are possible for the weekend. Easy to access, and just as reliable as a radio or TV forecast.

www.soundpages.com

My Webmeister, Mike Stewart, helped me initiate and develop my Web site, so I can say from experience that he’s the expert everyone should turn to for launching or improving your site. I’ll let him describe his company: "Soundpages has years of experience in the area of TV and radio production. A web site is a TV station! We believe creative web content should change frequently to build and maintain an audience, similar to the way television has for the last 50 years to entertain, inform and most importantly, sell to its viewers.  Our experience in video and audio helps to create a website for you that is unique using elements of streaming media, graphics, video and interactive content that will have your audience tune in each day  to see more of what you have to offer." Mike is multitalented, fun to work with, and reasonably priced. Enough said.

Email to: Bill Lampton, Ph.D.

“Learn more. . .Earn More!”

Write him at:
Championship Communication
P.O. Box 908267
Gainesville, GA 30501-0920

Call: 678-316-4300