One thing to note, since I have been asked before… there are over 11,000 plugins.  This number grows daily so if you have seen me mention a smaller number… I did.  There were just over 2000 when I started working with WordPress.

Finding Your Site.

You may want plugins that help search engines find you.  Perhaps you want an SEO plugin such as All in One SEO or Platinum.  I prefer Platinum, but it’s personal preference.  You probably want Google XML SiteMaps.  It maps your site and keeps the map current.

Socially acceptable

Some people like social media plugins that allow readers to share favorite posts with social networking sites. Sociable, Sexy Bookmarks and many more allow your site to be shared on various social media formats.

Security

There are plugins for various types of security.  Backing up your blog was mentioned two days ago and is in related posts below.  You can hide your blog, your pages, change your robot.txt.  The types are too many to list and are as unique as your needs.

Speaking of Unique Needs

If you have pictures, audios or videos you may want a related specialty WordPress plugins. You may have another specialty plugin you need.  Don’t worry, I plan to cover some of the better plugins over the next few days.

Live, Laugh , Love,

MJ Schrader

Single site development, this method means putting emphasis on the single site. This means developing social interaction with visitors. This one site means it is easier to share with others. Spending time to come up with beneficial posts and development of relationships is critical, which can be a disadvantage to some.

There are several different ways to cover a niche.

Live ♥ Laugh ♥ Love

MJ Schrader

This is third in the Planning the Unexpected series.  Each day is a products, person or service I recommend. Please again note that attached links are affiliate links. This helps me make some money to pay for last minute travel and emergency things during my grandmother’s funeral. Today is Outsourcing and features Jim Fisher…

Outsourcing Grows Your Website

While some people like to rave about how they can do it all, others know that doing it all is not possible. There are things that you may not know. Other things that you are not good at, and things you just do not like to do. This is a benefit of outsourcing, you “hire outside resources” to do those things.

Who outsources?

You do. Now of course you are probably shocked, but yes you do. Have you changed your oil? Maybe you do not know how, maybe you do. But most people drive into a 15 minute oil change place and have our oil changed. They are quick, easy, efficient and have better tools than jacking up the car and laying on pavement changing the oil 3 inches from your own face.

Be Efficient

Similar to the oil changing, there are things you do not have the time, tools or skill set to do efficiently. Perhaps you are an excellent writer, but when it comes to setting up your website, you have no patience. If it’s WordPress, that’s my job You could have someone moderate your comments, monitor your email or do research.

An example

If you create products to sell online, then you must spend time on that. Many people with online businesses and websites spend an hour every day going through their emails! That is 7 hours a week. By outsourcing projects like this, you may spend only 30 minutes a week. This gives you 6.5 more hours to work on projects that sell and make money versus an activity that is mostly busy work.

Over a Year

Perhaps 6.5 hours is not enough time to create a new product. In a month by outsourcing this project you have saved 26 hours of your time. Over the course of a year, you could save over 300 hours of your time, which translates to 2 weeks. Would you like a 2 week vacation?

What about Jim Fisher?

Jim Fisher is someone I met through Pat O’Bryan. Jim has created a site called Outsourcing Control.  He is going to unseminar 8.  He has a lot of great information about other ways outsourcing can benefit you and where to find the best people.

~ MJ Schrader

PS Want to save 25% off my products?

In honor of Pat’s Unseminar 8, you can save 25% off any product this special page.  You have until July 17th!

During Check Out use Coupon Code: PatSpecial610

It is actually surprisingly simple to change your WordPress Blog into a WordPress website. The benefit is that you wind up with a static web page as your home page and you have a blog, or update page as well. This means you keep the blog and you can change the name of it to updates, news, latest, etc…

Visit Pages.

Pages is a tab on your dashboard. Under pages you want add new. Here you are going to create a home page. You can call it anything you like, but you probably want to use a name that lets people know it is the home page. This is the page people will land on when they visit your website.

Next you will need to create a page that will be the new name for your blog. You can use blog, updates, news or anything you like. This name needs to reflect that this is where people can find the latest information.

Visit Settings

After you have created the pages you are going to scroll down on the dashboard to settings. Beneath settings is a tab called reading. On the right you are going to change the radio box from “Your Latest posts” to “A static page.” Now you are going to select your front page, which is the page people will land on when they visit your website.

Next you will need to select the page you named for your posts. Once you have done this you will have what looks like a regular website. You will also have the ability to share latest information with your readers!

An Example

Here is an example. Being more of a behind the scenes type person, it means I do not push my name out in public. Since I have helped various people with WordPress problems, even ones their tech person can not fix I have built a name. Now there are people who email me who need immediate help and are willing to pay for it.

But what about your business?

While that was helping people with my specialty, helping others in business can benefit you in additional ways. Perhaps someone needs help with something you know, you can offer a skill trade, like a barter. Trade your writing skills for their graphic skills. This helps both of you and does not cost a thing.

What about #Blog30?

Right now #Blog30 is running. This is a great chance to read phenomenal blogs and share them with others. You can comment on the blogs and help various people by pointing out things that can help make their blog better. By helping others they are more inclined to watch out for you and your business. In addition this cross communication of sharing information means invisible webs are being woven. A business acquaintance mentions your blog post on Twitter. Someone who reads their stream, may recommend you to someone else. Then that person may seek you out for friendship or business partnerships.

This is the beauty of sharing kindness.  What you do today, you may not see.  You may not see anything tomorrow either, but you could a week from now, a month from now… even later.  What you will get back will be a reflection of what you do.  So are you going to turn your back or spread the love?

~ MJ Schrader

PS. You should check out the new Rockstar Products!  And look into the new Rockstar Services!

You probably know your niche. Perhaps you know all about your niche or are learning everything you can. As long you are learning about your niche, you know more than someone else, but what is your USP?

USP Defined

Your USP is your Unique Selling Proposition or Unique Selling Point. While knowing about your niche is important, you need to have a unique selling proposition, a unique voice. Unless you picked a market with no competition your voice needs to be different. If you picked out a market with no competition you might want to re-visit what defines a market that will be popular enough to be self-sustaining.

Finding Your USP

Look at your competition, then decide how your selling proposition is different. If it is not different how can you make your point unique. Remember different people have different needs and wants. Then you need to decide how you can sell your product, or niche in a way that is unique from the competition.

An Example

Think about the commercials for Toilet Paper. One paper holds up better than the competition, another says it is softer. Another is thicker so you can use less. Each of these are unique selling points that make the brand stand out from the other.

So how can you make your voice unique?  Share your Unique Selling Proposition here.

~ MJ Schrader