Thursday, and Every Day From Now On!

This week we will be doing what you will hopefully be doing also: Celebrating Thanksgiving Day. There are many successful business people who will tell you that their prosperity and blessing is a direct result of their being thankful for the things that they already have.

We want to let you know how much we appreciate you. We appreciate your courage, determination, and drive. We appreciate your wanting to do whatever it takes to experience the freedom of being successfully self employed. We appreciate you pushing yourself beyond what you thought you were capable of doing and being. And we want to leave you with two gifts this week as our way of saying "thank you" for partnering with us.

Here is a poem that we want you to take to heart:

BE THANKFUL
By Author Unknown

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary,
because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.

And lastly we want to share a video with you. It is fifteen years old, but the content is as fresh and current as today's newspaper. Take five minutes and see what your neighbors and fellow countrymen are thankful for.

May you all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving Day!

Will Your Web Site Make A Difference?

We are heading into the season where many times our thoughts turn beyond ourselves and our own successes, and on to helping others. This is the time of the year where giving, sharing, and helping the less fortunate seem to be in the spotlight. And did you know that there is a way you can help others with your web site without it costing you a single cent?

There are many charities in the world that are doing magnificent work to make this planet a better place to live. We have no affiliation with any particular organization, cause, or belief system. We believe that each person should decide in their own heart how, where, and why to give. And I would like you to consider two business ideas that might make the holidays brighter for someone less fortunate that you.

1. Link to a charitable organization from your web site.

We have talked many times about the power of linking to other web sites from a marketing and search engine optimization aspect. But have you considered linking to the site of your favorite cause to help drive traffic to THEIR web site? On my blog I link to both my church and a Russian organization. Maybe you are a rocker and want to help Bono of U2 feed starving African children through his ONE campaign. Maybe you want to protect wildlife or fight breast cancer. Inner city youth and orphanages can always use support. And that support doesn't always have to take the form of money. The Red Cross and CARE are always there when disasters strike world wide. Whether you are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or any of the world's faiths, you can put a link of support on your web site. Love animals, Public Broadcasting, or feeding the homeless? You can do something quickly and easily to make a small contribution to help by donating some web space for a link or small banner ad.

Check with your accountant, but many times the costs affiliated with helping charities is 100% tax deductible.

2. Give a portion of sales proceeds to your favorite cause.

We have all been on sites where they mention that a certain percentage of all sales will go to a worthy cause. Consider raising your rates for a couple of months to absorb the cost of sending a little of each sale to a hard working charitable organization. There are many people who will buy from a company that has integrity and good character. And is there a cheaper way to show that you are a company that is concerned with pertinent issues than to mention it on your web site?

Starbucks talks about their foundation which does notable works world wide. It is a coffee web site talking about clean water for third world countries and helping children learn how to read. Do you think it detracts from their sales? Heck no! And Amazon.com has a box for "“featured partners"”. Their online sales don't seem to have suffered in the least.

Don't know any charities? No problem. Pick one here. But make sure that you have done your research and that you are supporting a fiscally responsible group. The last thing you want to do is discover you have been linking to a terrorist organization or the Russian mafia.

All the great teachers throughout time have said that it is by giving that we receive. Would you be willing to do a little web work to help a child with terminal cancer have a Merry Christmas? Of course you would. There are Christmas charities that can make it happen for you. The five best rated ones are here.

If you need help making this happen, please contact customer support.