Mrs. Mecomber's Scrapbook

Talking technology, computers, and the Internet… for the average computer user

Archive for category business services

Speek Your Mind- Free Teleconference Calling

Feb 24

Posted by Mrs. Mecomber in Internet, business services, chatty, free stuff | No Comments

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Speek. All opinions are 100% mine.

Wow, social networking and teleconferencing is really growing! I’ve been on a mission for finding various (free) web-based telecommunications programs. On is network chat (still searching), another is VoIP (getting there), and another is something that kind of mixes the two. I dislike Google. Talk very mush; Skype is so-so (too many doodads and buttons), but here’s a new thing I found: Speek.com! This looks terrific!

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It’s a program comparable to Skype and GoogleTalk. Speek handles cell phone calls, landline calls, and VoIP calls! Speek prides itself on speed and reliability, too, saying that your call will start on time, every time. That’s cool!

If you are interested, you can click here to register for private beta. I’m checking it out already. I have registered (easy to do). I already tried dialing out a conference call (it worked!). I think this is perfect for the small business– you can’t beat the price (free) and Speek is really convenient. You can even schedule calls. Nice.

Speek will import your contacts from Gmail, AOL, Yahoo, or even a CSV file. Speek so far is pretty simple and NICE and easy to navigate. It’s still in beta, so some things are still in the works, and feedback is extremely important. Check it out, give it abuzz, and leave feedback. I think Speek will be better than Skype. It’s definitely friendlier, easier to navigate, and they seem really willing to listen to consumer feedback. They’ve got a new app, too– be sure to give Speek a try! I think Speek looks neat!

Visit my sponsor: Talk up our private beta

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Build Your Clout, Improve Your Readership

Feb 22

Posted by Mrs. Mecomber in Make Money Blogging, business services, educational programs | No Comments

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of ArticlesZoom.org. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have officially entered the field of “writer” as a career. Oh. I’ve been writing for YEARS– on blogs, in comments, etc etc– but it was always hit-and-miss and it was more a hobby than a career. But I am now currently employed by a company, and I’m slowly building my articles base. It’s a great experience, and the money isn’t too bad, either! :D Starting off on a writing career doesn’t happen overnight, that’s for sure. And even as a blogger, it has taken a few years of intense work (just ask my husband and kids) to build a solid readership and make a little money on the side.

Here’s a tip if you are an aspiring writer and are wondering where to begin: ArticlesZoom.org. It is a general article directory that enables you to submit your work to the public. ArticlesZoom.org can help you build your clout by getting your articles (and your byline!) out into the public eye. It’s free to do, but you must register; see the submission guidelines for more information. Submitting an article is easy; be sure to read the submission guidelines for what is acceptable and is not.

Moreover, you can be exposed to well-written articles (which is a necessary element in creating good articles). ArticlesZoom.org offers an article directory that you may browse. Again, you must register to read anything or submit your work, but registering is free.

Getting started in ANY career requires effort. Building a writing career requires talent, yes, but it also requires exposure and experience. If you’re interested in starting a writing career, ArticleZoom.org may be just the place for you to begin. You do not receive any financial compensation for the work you submit, but you do gain experience and you do get your name “out there.” Plus, ArticlesZoom.org has a nice feature that gets articles promoted via twitter. Check it out!

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Visit my sponsor: ArticleZoom.org

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Serve Me Here

Feb 16

Posted by Mrs. Mecomber in Internet, business services | No Comments

Looking for a directory of services for your area, or perhaps to an area to which you’ll be visiting or moving? I’ve found a terrific website for you! It’s called ServeMeHere.com; it’s a local directory network chock full of service listings. Moreover, it can help both clients and professionals. ServeMeHere.com acts as a liason of sorts. Here’s the scoop:

  • Professionals post their company information, such as the service that’s provided, open hours, etc.
  • ServeMeHere.com offers professionals free online appointment software to help with the appointment scheduling, managing appointments, and more. It’s a great service.
  • Clients go to ServeMeHere.com, browse a particular service for their particular location, and view that professional’s information.
  • Clients can make the appointment ONLINE! At any time.
  • Clients can rate their experiences with professionals using a feedback service on ServeMeHere.com.
  • ServeMeHere.com is FREE for both professionals and clients; ServeMeHere.com also offers a premium service with more features, for professionals.

So, for example, let’s say you live in Florida and are going away for a few weeks. You need someone to watch your pets during that time, but you have no idea where to go. You can go to ServeMeHere.com and search the “Pet Services” section for your area of Florida (enter your zip code). You will get results of pet service professionals in hyour location. The results may include the location of the business, price of service, any special services or offers, a service photo of the professional, a rating score, and a service description. You will see a “Make an Appointment” button to schedule the service. It’s very convenient. After the service, you can return to ServeMeHere.com and rate your experience with the professional.

I love this kind of stuff– I am online all day long (and I hate making appointments over the phone). ServeMeHere.com has an in-home service directory for those of us busy people who can’t afford the hassle of driving around or making calls for appointments. ServeMeHere.com also has a classifieds section, an advice section, a teaching section, and more. I don’t think there is any service not covered in some way.

Check it out. I will be checking out the pet service for our vacation, that’s for sure!

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Get Educated About Land Contracts

Jan 14

Posted by Mrs. Mecomber in Internet, business services | Comments off

Looking for a home or some land but don’t want to jump right in to a bank loan yet? How about a land contract for real estate? A land contract is a contract between a seller of a property (oftentimes an investor) and a buyer, where the seller provides the financing for the buyer. I know several people (me included) who have purchased property through a land contract, through an investors and some through private property owners. It’s a great way to get a home– it’s a type of “rent to own” deal but the buyer does have rights– and it’s perfect for people with no credit or low income or people who want to avoid bank loans (which is a smart thing to do right now).

The LandContract.com website has a large listing of homes all around the United States available for land contract purchases. With the instability of the housing market, many homes are now on the market, which makes for some good deals on land and homes for home buyers. You can even check out Land contract Oakland for a listing of some of the most beautiful homes in the country. See the website for more details, or to browse the listings.

Remember, I’m a pro-blogger and I am sometimes compensated with stuff or money to review or mention products or services! This was one of them. :D You can read more about my blog policy on my My Pledge page.

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Marketing Comes to Your Social Network

Dec 30

Posted by Mrs. Mecomber in Internet, business services, networking | 2 Comments

Imagine walking down a city street, and suddenly your iPhone buzzes. You look at it, and there’s a message from that restaurant– Mel’s Diner– further down the street, offering a 15% discount on lunch for people who visit within the next hour. Do you go? And how did they get that message to you?

Welcome to the new world of marketing via your social network. It’s one of the key projects of companies like Digital Development Partners, Inc (You can see their stock profile and performance at Market Watch). You see, there are now SO many products in the world, and SO many people…. the dilemma for the business has been how to get the word out? Mel at Mel’s Diner can’t possibly search Twitter and Facebook for every resident of his city, and befriend them and message them. Mel is a cook, not a twitterer! So he may hire a marketing company to sift through and manage the massive information.

This kind of marketing is very unique; it’s an in-your-face kind of marketing. What do you think? It’s great to get discounts, and you may even discover new products and services to benefit your own business or employment… but it’s an invasive form of marketing. Social networking is traditionally (if you can call 6 or 7 years of Facebook a “tradition”) reserved for friends and family communications. To have Mel intrude into your Twitter is a rude awakening for some.

It’s probably no surprise that the idea of Digital Development Partners was started by a college student at Western Carolina University, funded by a business, and won a contest for innovation and enterprise. The company’s brainchild is YuDeal.com (currently in beta), which turns social networking and global marketing on its head, as seen with the example of Mel and his Diner. What do you think of all this?

Remember, I’m a pro-blogger and I am sometimes compensated with stuff or money to review or mention products or services! This was one of them. :D You can read more about my blog policy on my About page.

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