Helllo Out There!!

Hope everyone had a good Valentine's Day with their loved ones. My husband and I went on a road trip with some friends and we tried this new restaurant that we heard about. It didn't let us down, the food was very good and even the atomsphere was very nice. From the outside it looked like it was just a little hole in the wall but you get in there, there is two other rooms beside the main room and the town is pretty small off the interstate and them are the rare finds you find when you aren't looking for something that good. So hats off to Puffy's Steakhouse in Maple Hills Ks. Good Food... will definitely tell others about your rare jewel you have there.

Well with the economy the way it is right now it will be rough for awhile for everyone to make ends meet. I sure hope that the Stimulus program that our new President put in effect really is for everyone and not just the rich people out there. We have bailed out many companies and financial instititutions and it hasn't helped much at all except that after they got bailed out wanted to buy an expensive aircraft for the executives to use. Now is that what that money was intended for... I DON"T THINK SO! Glad that they figured it wasn't in the best intention for them to do that.

I will be working on some new ideas here just not sure how soon it will happen but I know got to do something different to get people to take a look at my site. But I will be around even if it is just to say Hello...

Till next time HAPPY BUSSINESSINNNNNNNNNNGGGG!!!!!

Who Holds Our Future

"I don't know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future." E. Stanley Jones

How true is that saying for us all. The future is ours what we make of it depends on us and us alone, no one else can dictate what our future holds. So if you don't like what is happening with your life, guess you better make some changes cause no one else can for you.

If I had one wish though I would like to turn back the clock and do some things different. I would like to think that maybe the changes I would make would better me today but of course we can't change the clock back or even with an blink of eye or a twitch of the nose like some characters did on some popular television shows.

My future right now is my business Rockin Roxs Gifts, something that my husband and I created and it all depends on my success on what the future holds for us. What I put into it depends on me alone and no one else. If I want to succeed then I have to put the work into it, I realize that it is not going to happen over night and that it will take some long hard work. But it's mine and mine alone to make or break the business.

So what if I don't know what the future holds or brings right at this moment but I do know who holds that future and that is ME.

So till next time everyone..... Happy Businesssinnnnngggg!!!!

What I have found the Hardest

Creating a website when you have no idea how to do it can be the hardest thing about creating a website. But I find that also getting the search engines to find your website just as challenging.
Meta Tags, keywords all those other terms has to be just right for the SEO (Search Engine Optimizaton) to be able to even get you listed on the search engines the you have to be concerned about page rankings cause if you're aren't on the top 2 pages of either Google or Yahoo well you may not be found. So again everything has to be put in place just for you to be noticed out on the internet.
There are alot of tools for us 1st time website creators to use but you have to really understand alot of the mumbo jumbo codes to get the full meaning of what you're suppose to do. So either you learn it on your own or you pay alot of money to a web develover, and that can be darn costly anywhere from $2500-$5000. Something I don't have to just hand over freely to them and maybe even if you use them they can't guarantee that it will get you noticed on the top two search pages. So we learn to do alot of things ourselves and of course after we do it realize that it wasn't as hard as we thought and we could do it again if need to.
But it is nice to have the tools to create something that millions of people all over the world can see you on the internet. Just another way that your business can be noticed and your products to be seen by others.
It will be well worth the hard work once I understand what all is needed and I will soon be on my way to success.
Till next time everyone! Happy Businessssssssssssssiiiinggggggggggggg!!!!!

My Eyes Wide Open

I don't know how many of you actually read my blog or visit my website but I'm learning something about companies who say they have our best interest at heart but in all actuality's they are nothing but scam artists with a big company to hide.
When we all create our websites to sell our products we are looking for an increase in our initial investment and a profit in revenue. We don't want to see our money being taking away by people who are greedy and only want their own pockets filled. Since creating my website three months ago, I have received phone calls from web designers companies who say they can help bring more traffic to my site and in turn could increase sales. Well that is the goal for all of us to see that happen and it was a very nice thought indeed. But there is that catch it comes with a major cost that alot of us who are on a tight budget anyway just can't afford another big investment and on top of all that a monthly fee which is more cost that in all fairness guys and gals we won't see. "Why, you ask?" Well after doing some research these two companies that I have dealt with they don't always follow through on what they say. One of these companies is being sued by the State of Washington Attorney General Office, not to reassuring is it. The other company who basically uses the same concept as this first company told me on the phone not to accept any phone calls from the state of Washington well unfortunately they are just like the company in Washington they just haven't been sued yet but the guy worked for that company so he just took what he learnt and created his own company. Again trying to take your money and run like a rabbit never to be heard from again, not following through and pocketing all that money for their own Greed. How dare these companies prey on innocent people who are trying to make an honest business to support their families and scam them in this way. Do they have no shame on what they are doing?
I almost fell for this salesman talked last night, so smoothed and convincing but something in the pit of my stomach said to hold off and do some further research on this company and boy am I glad I did. Otherwise I would had been another person scammed by them. So when he calls me back in a few days boy am I going to let him have it. You better believe I will!
So keep them eyes wide open when salesman throws you that sales pitch about your website and what you need to do to improve it. You may see your hard earned money fly out the window never to be seen again.

Till next time... Happy Businessssssssingggggggggggggg!!!!

New Year - New Beginning

Well with the close of 2008 coming upon us and 2009 soon to be here it will be a New Year with a New Beginning with a new President who says he will bring change. Well change is nice but unfortunately every President elected to office says he will bring change to the country. They make promises in their campaigns but somehow they don't always keep. But let's hope that the changes that he does make will help the economy and the unemployment in the country and people losing their homes because of no jobs.

Some of the changes I would like to make for 2009 in my business is:

1. Work on getting my website more notice and keep the website fresh and updated.
2. Find new ways to promote my business from the website to doing other ways of promotions.
3. Work on getting more home parties in my area.
4. Open the door for others to get involved and help them with their business.
   

On a more personal note:

1. Work on family togetherness.
2. Lose the weight I gained over the holidays and if lose more that is a plus...lol
3. Keep my desk more organized (funny how things gets put on there and it doesn't even deal with my business. Hubby throws things on there too.

So lets hope that the changes I make both business wise and personal helps me be more organized and ready for 2009. So from my family to yours I wish you JOY, HEALTH, AND PROSPERITY for the 2009.

Take care and Happy Businessing!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Retail vs Online Shopping

With the click of the mouse we can go anywhere and shop for interesting and unique items. We don't even have to spend any money for gas and with the price of gas these past few months that is one point in favor of online shopping. But also the one thing we need to remember is the fact that we will have to pay shipping charges to have our products delivered to us from our friendly brown Truck the UPS delivery.
But is there advantage of shopping at our local retail stores vs Online shopping on the internet. Well let see what facts we come up with:
1.Most Online sales deals with you either paying by credit card or by Pay Pal. And then you need to wait for the product to be shipped to you.
Retail Sales you just go to the store and pay for the product right there and then take it home.
2.With Online sales you can find almost any style or make of the product that you are looking for but the drawback you can't test the product out to see if it works or not. But they do offer product reviews and all the specifications of that product. Most reputable sites will tell you the availiablity of the product.
Retail sales has a limited amount of product but you can test the product to see if it is working or not and they are limited to style depending on your area in most cases.
3.Online sales can offer lower prices cause they don't have the overhead, rent space and other aspects of being a retail store. They can offer “percentage off” discounts by offering a cod of some sort after a minimum purchase.
Retail sales has sales by slashing prices with a coupon or a store discount.
4.Online sales depending on where you live may have to apply sales tax. And in some cases shipping charges but some offer free shipping or a discount code for shipping the product to you.
Retail sales you pay local sales tax and no shipping charges.
With both Online and retail sales the risk of giving your personal credit information is the same. Both try to be as secure as possible but there is a chance that identity theft happens.
So it really depends on you and where you want to buy your product whether you shop online or go retail. And if you are a little apprehensive then do some research before you make that buying decision.
To me personally I like the online shopping experience and it has one advantage over the retail. You don't have to feel rushed when you shop online. A good example is the Thanksgiving After Sales. The mad rush getting there and waiting to be the first in line when the store opens up and then running toward that one item that you are shopping for. I have worked retail and my first experience at this event was to say at least terrifying. I've seen women literally take a product out of another's cart just cause there wasn't another one available. The stress level is high on the employees cause they are trying to satisfy the customers need. So given the experience of retail and shopping online, give me online any day. I can sit back relax, drink a cup of coffee and shop till my hearts content in the comfort of my home without having to use any gas, getting out in the cold and fighting the crowds.
Till next time. Take care and happy Businesssing !!!!!

Tis The Season

Well it is the holiday season and the time of the year that everyone smiles and says hello to another. Why is it that when it is the holidays it brings out the best in all of us? When in all rights it should be all year round that we are kind and thoughtful to one another.
I always loved the holidays but just don't care for the mad rush to get the “in” item for that year for the kids. Which now that my kids are all grown up and have kids of their own, just not sure what the “in” thing is this year. Now for my granddaughter Laci who is 6 well she will be easy to find something for cause she is into “Hannah Montana”. Get her anything in that category and she will be a happy camper.
Now my youngest grandson Bryce he is just 1, he won't be hard to buy for at all. Just give him an empty box and he will be happy but of course I wouldn't do that to him. He will have fun with just about anything at this stage in his life.
Now my grandson Bryan he is 2 years old and he's into firetrucks, Bob the Builder, and even Barney at this point. He likes Thomas the Train too! So he will be pretty easy to please on his Christmas gift too.
My biggest challenge will be my grandson Daniel who is 8. What do you get an 8 year old that isn't into trucks, or Erecto Sets. He likes Playstation games
but has plenty of them. He will be my challenge that is for sure but I'm sure I will find something for him.
Now for my grown kids and their spouses, a real simple remedy. I will just give them a Gift card and then they can choose what ever they like cause then I wouldn't have to hear, “Mom I don't like this, it's not my style.” That I have heard a few hundred times in the past few years. I've learned not to buy my daughter's clothes cause my style and their's is completely different. So I figured it's just easier on all of us to get the gift card for all and then they can choose whatever their little hearts desires.
Now for hubby, he's a complete mystery what to get him cause he isn't into working around the house so tools in that matter is a no go. He's not a mechanic per say, I got him this certain saw that he wanted for Christmas 6 years ago and it is still sitting in the box that it came in. He claims he will use it someday but that day will not come cause he isn't the type to fix things the right way. He's from the old school just fix it fast and get it over with, or not fix it all.
Now for me, I am really simple to please at this point. My one wish is to get my business going and being a success and getting that first sale. I'm seeing the traffic come through to the website but no sales and that can be alittle frustrating and I knew when I started that it was going to be a climb to get there but was hoping that with the holidays it would help in the sales area. But so far nothing so the anticipation will be rewarding when it does happen. But for now will work on my blog and keeping the attention toward the website.
So for this holiday season I would like to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and a better New Year for us all. From my House to yours “Happy Holidays!” Hope your holiday Season is filled with joyous happiness and please be careful traveling out and about.
Take care and Happy Businessssing !!!!

Roxi