Work at Home Moms Articles – WAHM Articles

I swear, I was watching the whole time, and they still grew up in the blink of an eye.

I’ve been slowly adjusting to having teenagers in the house, and slowly rediscovering old plans and dreams I thought I had forgotten.

For example, I am finally writing my first print book – something I always dreamed of doing. I’m also rejuvenating a teaching career of sorts by teaching a homeschool writing class in the fall. All those plans that I packed away when I decided to put my kids first and my career second are still there, eager to grow now that the time is right.

There were so many times when they were small that I thought…

Am I really doing the right thing?

Am I right to put what I want on hold to give my kids what they need?

True, I did work part time, but never at a job I really loved. And I had my home businesses and websites, but never the time to develop them into what I wanted.

Now that I see them almost all grown up, I have to say yes, absolutely. I wouldn’t change a thing.

I know that not everyone can or wants to make the choices I made, but we all do what is best for us and our own families.

I have to admit, it’s really nice to not have to be needed for every little thing. I’m even getting over being asked “But can’t you stay out longer?” whenever I have to leave on an errand. (This from the boy who, not so long ago, couldn’t stand to be away from me for any amount of time!)

When I am needed now, it’s for something really BIG. Like a friend saying something cruel. Or having to go to summer school when everyone else gets the summer off. Somedays I kinda wish we could go back to when things were a little simpler…

But not really.

I’m feeling a little annoyed. Last week, I spent quite a bit of time writing a new article I was really excited about. Today I checked my stats and saw it’s already pulling some traffic and gaining some new subscribers for me. I thought… how cool is that!

Then I did a quick Google search to see if it had been reprinted anywhere. (If you want to do your own search like this, type the title or a few sentences from your article into Google. Be sure to put quotes like these ” around your search terms.)It hadbeen… and to my dismay, one publisher had liked the article so much they took it for their own. My name is nowhere to be found, and it looks like it’s their own stuff.

If this hasn’t happened to you yet, it will soon. And when it does, you can find a lot of information here about how to handle the situation.

There was a time when I would get up in arms about my content being stolen, and sometimes I still do. But in this particular instance, I’m going to let it go.

Here’s why:

1. The “blogger” (and I use that term loosely) hasn’t even identified himself on his blog. He cares so little for his reputation he doesn’t bother to tell others who he is. With some digging, I could probably find some way to contact him, but I doubt he’ll care.

2. Yes, I’m missing out on a backlink, but I’m pretty sure I can do without a backlink from that particular site.

3. I have bigger fish to fry. If I’m going to spend my time after anyone for stealing my content, I’ll save it for the big sites who leave out my link and my bio. Those are the ones I really need. And I’d rather use what time I do have to write my next article.

4. I can accept that some content theft is a cost of doing business. In my university days, I worked at the neighborhood 7-11. When we did the month-end numbers, there was always an expected loss. As long as the loss was within reason, we let it go.

And that’s what you’ll have to decide for yourself – which content stealers are worth going after, and which are better to just forget about.

This week’s prize for the Saving Summer Giveaway is SPRING JUMPSTART
INTENSIVE from Ebook Writing and Marketing Secrets.

In 2005, Connie Ragen Green was determined to get her business online, and she was determined to learn how to do this all on her own. She spent a full year on this… and by the end all she figured out was that she wouldn’t be able to do it on her own.

The purpose of this teleseminar course is to give you all the information Connie has learned to show exctly what works, how to make it work for you, and then develop your business in that direction. You’ll learn exactly what’s needed business-wise, technology-wise, and writing-wise, so you can have biz similar to Connie’s and do what she’s enjoying.

This course includes recorded teleseminars and action guides that cover:

- how to turn your articles into paid products
- copywriting and sales letters
- getting your sales letter online
- product creation, listbuilding, pay per click

and much more!

You can enter to win this prize by filling in your information on the right hand side of the screen. If you’ve already entered the Saving Summer Giveaway, you’re already eligible to win this prize.

And if you don’t want to wait, you’re invited to visit Connie at From Idea to Ebook where you can join her for weekly teleseminars and more tips and ideas.

This week’s prize in our Saving Summer Giveaway is the Shape Up Your Website report from The Muses Guide. And it might be  just the thing you need to help you save your summer online sales this year.

Is your website working effectively for you?

It’s your 24/7 sales person – is it representing you well?  Does it reflect the very best of your products and/or services?

Before you invest time & money promoting your site, SHAPE IT UP!

We’ve made it easy to review your own site and make the changes that can help you make more sales.  This guide is a quick read at just 25 pages and walks you through what you need to know to make sure your website isn’t scaring off customers.  In addition to info and tips, you’ll find an “Action Plan” Checklist to help you easily implement everything in the report.

To enter to win your own copy of this summer-saving report, just enter your name and email address over on the right hand-side of the screen. Remember to look for your confirmation email as well. I’m sorry for the inconvenience, but I need to be sure I have permission to email you.

And if you want to start shaping up your website right now, here’s the link to purchase.

Summer’s here, and after the long winter we had in Calgary, I am SO ready to be outside instead of sitting here at my desk. In fact, by the time you read this, I’ll be nowhere NEAR my computer. Thank goodness for blog post scheduling!

However, I do still need to make money to pay for all this family fun.

This week starts the Saving Summer Giveaway where I’m giving away weekly prizes and tips to help keep your sales sizzling all summer long.

This week’s prize is one hour of article or press release submissions from WAHM-Articles.com .

You can enter the Giveaway right now and be eligible to WIN by filling out the form on the right hand side of this screen. This prize will be drawn on June 19. You’ll want to enter now so you don’t miss out. And if you don’t win this week, you’ll still be eligible to win one of the other fantastic prizes we have coming up!

So, this is what I LOVE about article and press release marketing.

When you write one article or one press release, then submit it to the popular directories, it can go viral and circulate around the Internet, busily promoting your business and getting you website traffic… while you’re on vacation or just taking the kiddos to the beach for the day!

Just writing 500 words one time can get you links and traffic and spread your news like crazy, and you don’t have to do anything. You can shut off your computer and starting enjoying summer just like me. Because if your article is good, and submitted to the right places, this marketing magic will happen all on its own!

Enter to win the Saving Summer Giveaway right now. Then go check out these article marketing specials I have going on too.

If you’re a WAHM-Articles member, I’ve just added a new bonus to your membership. You may now have a free listing in our WAHM Resource Directory.

To claim free directory listing, simply email the following information to contact@wahm-articles.com:

1. Your WAHM-Articles author name
2. Your Business Name
3. Your Website URL
4. Up to 2 categories of your choice
5. Up to 25 words describing your business.

Directory listings are posted first-come, first-served.

Platinum members receive higher placement and may have a banner along with their listing.

*Please note: WAHM Articles reserves the right to decline any ad. We advertise family-friendly sites only. If an ad is deemed to be inappropriate for our visitors, we will refund your payment immediately.

Summer slowdown. Summer slump. Whatever you want to call it, many WAHMs find that business can really cool down when temperatures outside heat up.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, last summer, I had three of my highest revenue-producing months ever… and that includes the month I had a car accident and couldn’t work for a few weeks because of a whiplash injury. It also includes the month I took a week off and went on a short family vacation.

I have plans in place to make this summer even better.

And so can you. It really all comes down to having processes in place. And then following them.

In a few days, I’m launching the WAHM-Articles Saving Summer Giveaway, and I’ll be giving away prizes that will help you have your most successful summer ever. I’ll also be sharing some of the strategies I use to maintain (and even increase) my income during the summer months.

Like I said, it’s starting in a few days. But you can sign up for the giveaway right now, on the right hand side of this page.

Here are the prizes we’ll be giving away. Thank you to our wonderful sponsors who are committed to helping WAHMs like us achieve our goals of earning a decent income while having a great summer with the kids.

Saving Summer Giveaway Prizes

1 hour of press release or article submissions from WAHM-Articles.com. If you want to be successful over the summer, you’ll need to be visible to your target market. Articles and press releases are a valuable tool to keep your business in front of those who need your product or service.

Shape Up Your Website report from The Muses Guide. Is your website working effectively for you? This report makes it easy to conduct your own site review and make the changes that can help you make more sales.

Spring Jumpstart Teleseminar Course from EBook Writing and Marketing Secrets with Connie Ragen Green.  These teleseminar series and accompanying action guides will walk you through all the steps of selling your product or service online.

Advertising space from Work at Home Jobs . Button and banner  advertising is an important component of staying visible to your audience.

A book (TBA) by Diana Ennen of from Virtual Word Publishing.

Tupperware e-gift certificate from Shelly Hill When you’re a work at home mom, looking after your family and your home is as important as growing your business. Products from Tupperware make it so easy!

One hour of business coaching from my own business coach, Diana Ennen. Diana is a marketing specialist and publicity expert who has helped countless work at home moms (including me!) achieve their own work at home dreams.

So sign up for the Saving Summer Giveaway and say “No” to summer slowdown!

If you’re writing WAHM (work at home mom) articles, you’ve probably discovered that moms are an ideal market for all kinds of products and services. Did you know that companies are spending billions of dollars every year marketing their products to Moms? If you’re in the Mom market yourself, you know you’re in the right place.

But you can reach them with more than just your articles. Services like  Mom PLR eBooks make it easy for you to tap into this market, too. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of room, as you’ll see in our Top 10 reasons why the Mom market rocks:

1. Moms make up a huge market. There are over 80 million Moms in the United States, with 1.4 million new Moms giving birth for the first time every year (US Census).

2. Moms send a lot of money. Moms spend $1.3 trillion every year (Marketing to Moms by Maria T. Bailey, 2002). Have I mentioned the Mom market is huge?

3. Moms make a lot of buying decisions for their homes and families. Moms account for about 50% of spending on consumer electronics, food, health and beauty aids, home furnishings, and clothing (MRI, 2004). If you’re still looking for products to promote to the Mommy market, let this guide you.

4. Moms are web savvy. About 70% of Moms surveyed say they use the Internet to research before buying products (Marketing to Moms, 2002).

5. Moms like to shop online. The majority of Moms say they buy products online (Marketing to Moms, 2002). I told you, you’re in the right place. Internet marketing is the way to go!

6. Moms read their Email. Moms check their Email messages all day long (Lucid Marketing & BSM Media). Whoever said Email marketing was dead, was wrong.

7. Moms take Email messages to heart. 71% of Moms say their buying decisions are influenced by Email messages (Lucid Marketing & BSM Media). Not only do Moms read your Emails, they act on them, too.

8. Moms make things go viral. 80% of Moms say they forward useful Emails to their friends (Lucid Marketing & BSM Media 2004). So make your Emails useful!

9. Moms buy, not only for their spouses/partners and children, but for their parents as well. Up to 40% of Moms reportedly are involved in purchases for their aging parents (Marketing to Moms Coalition, 2007). This is a wonderful insight – let’s remember that Moms are somebody’s children, too.

10. Moms rely on their communities or tribes. 64% of Moms say the recommendations of others influence purchases they make for their home (Marketing to Moms, 2002).

Moms are the chief financial officers of their homes (and many have their own businesses as well). They buy a lot of stuff, both online and offline. They rely on other people to make up their minds about what to buy, and they appreciate getting really useful information that makes their lives easier.

What’s the take-away lesson for marketers here? You better be marketing to Moms and you better be doing it properly. Moms are craving useful information – are you providing it? Moms PLR eBooks can help you give Moms the content that they’re looking for online. You’ll get high-quality content written just for Moms, to use in your websites, infoproducts, Emails and more. Use coupon code “momsrule” (without quotation marks) to get $10 off your first month of membership.

Give Moms content and products they love and they’ll spread the word for you. Moms ROCK!

We’re winding down our homeschool year. Usually I get really pumped about that and by this time of the year I have pages and pages of lesson plans written for the next year. But for this upcoming school year, we’ve decided to have Darian and Cassidy do almost all of their classes through a virtual school.

Darian’s entering high school, and Cassidy’s in junior high, and the idea of homeschooling through high school doesn’t really appeal to me. I know many do it successfully, and it can be done extremely well. But for us, it just feels like it’s time.

I thought I would be sad when this time came. I am a little sad, but with every end comes a new beginning, right? For example, I’ve realized how much more time I’m going to have for my business and my own interests without planning my work day and my personal life around our homeschool schedule.

I’ve written a bit about being a successful work at home mom while homeschooling. And every thing I’ve said is true. It’s possible to homeschool and have a successful home business, and have a blast doing it all. There are moms who continue homeschooling through the high school years, and run mega-successful businesses while doing it. It’s possible.

But I always said I wanted what was best for my kids. For a while, for us, it was homeschooling. But going forward, I can see that I might not be the best person to manage their education over the next few years.

So while I’m saying good-bye to homeschooling, I am looking forward to having more time for just me, to focus for hours at a time on my business… (what a concept!) and, the biggest change of all…

… to rediscover who I am if I’m no longer a mom who homeschools.

For those homeschoolers who have decided to put your kids back in school for whatever reason, what was the transition like for you?