In the midst of everything else, The Resort is getting a serious upgrade (finally) that I don’t have to do (finally). It’s still a few weeks away, but I’m heading out there in a few hours to clean up some things that I should have done a few years ago. N00b stuff with the network. At least I’ll be getting it straighted out.
I’ll be updating the DHCP scope to something that makes sense (really? 10.0? dude, what where you thinking?) across the network including the server, router and 4 WiFi access points. I know, sounds like fun to you too, right? Personally I can’t wait.
Currently there are 4 extra people in my house. Temporarily, of course, but they are still here. I don’t mind that they are here (it was my suggestion), but I do need some ‘me’ time. 8 hours in the car, 4-5 hours in the office by myself and dinner with Mom and Dad should fit that bill just about perfect. It’s not that headphone mode isn’t good enough, I just need a break. It’s been a rough summer, ya know?
Speaking of, resume has been updated and reworked (in .doc format no less, ick). I trimmed out a bunch of extra and brought it back to one page. Here’s to hoping that helped. The problem I have now is actually trying to trim all of my experience, skills and knowledge into a single page without using 6pt. type. It was tough, but I think I managed ok.
On the way back I’ll be detouring through the lovely burg of Las Vegas, Nevada. I can’t tell you why, sorry. No, for reals. It’s like, top secret and some junk. Don’t worry, you’ll find out soon enough.
Sure there is a jump. What do you think? Do you wanna see what I’ve hidden? I bet you do. C’mon, you know you want to click! (Read on…)
I’m doing work for a few people right now. Big on their list of tools for thier business is Email Marketing, and for the most part, they run very successful campaigns.
But is it Spam?
How many times has this happened to you.
- You sign up for an email newsletter
- You get the email newsletter and enjoy it
- The email newsletter calls you a bad name or looks at you funny
- You break up with the email newsletter, but can’t find the unsubscribe link
- You mark the email newsletter as spam (You’ll show it who’s boss!)
- Email newsletter makes pleas and begs to come back into your inbox
- You have to issue a restraining order against the email newsletter
- You start getting calls from email newsletters friends and family, asking why you broke up
- You move to a new state, change ISPs and email providers.
- You now live in a rock on top of a mountain leeching wifi from the waste processing plant, but you are no longer seeing email newsletter. Break-up complete!
But really, you signed up for it? Is it right to mark it as Spam? It really isn’t, is it?
I’ve noticed that anytime I sign up for something via email they are almost always really good about including an unsubscribe link. When I no longer want the newsletter, I use that link to unsubscribe. I figure it’s the least I can before blasting them into Spam oblivion across multiple email providers.
Now, if after 2 weeks I’m still getting email from them, they get the Spam treatment. Fuckers.
If you search for this on the goog, you get a lot of great information. And a lot of results. I think it’s time I added my 2 bits to the mix.
- Write a post on getting more traffic to your blog
- Post. The purpose of having a blog is to share your experiences. If you only do that once a month, your readers won’t have any reason to come back more often than once a month. 3-4 times a week is a good place to start. Daily is tough unless you really have the time or really like to type.
- Do not fill the top of your blog with ads. Nobody will read your blog if they don’t see what you have typed above the fold.
- Be consistent. Try to post on the same days every week. Use the date change feature of your blog software if need be.
- Don’t blog about the damned iPhone. Nobody cares anymore
- Have something to talk about. Link blogs are cool, but if you are looking at doing some writing, it’s good to make sure you know something about what you are going to write about.
- Conversationalize your writing style. I write, for the most part, like I talk. I’ve been told it’s got a friendly feel about it and makes my content a bit more compelling, even when it’s not.
- Spell check. Something I fail to do here on occasion.
- Read your own posts. This will help with #8 above, as well as catch any weird grammar or word usements.
- Increase your font size from 6px to 12px. Honestly, nobody can read text that small.
- Link it up. Make sure you are in Technorati (even though it’s never done anything for me), link it up in message board signatures and use twitter on occasion. Don’t go crazy spamming people! Just subtle promotion.
- Get a drink of water. No, this won’t help get more traffic, but I’m sure you are thirsty about now. Have a drink.
- Check your layout. Remember, tables are for eating on, not for HTML layout. A ton of Flash at the top of the code? Maybe your sidebar is near the top (above the content)? Fix that. CSS for layout, move the sidebar to the bottom of the content (and fix the layout accordingly).
- Comment on other blogs. You should be subscribed to every blog in your blog roll and you should be checking those at least 3 times a week. I check daily, but that’s because I have the time.
- Comment on popular blogs. I’m not saying spam them or leave a comment just to comment. Leave good comments. That will help you get into that blog’s ‘community’.
- Call your mom. I know it’s been a while. Give her a call, she’s worried
- Respond to other blog posts on your own blog. Ping-backs, when not spam, are quite effective.
- Don’t be a douche bag. This is self explanatory
Not sure if these will help you, but they did help me. Especially the calling my Mom part. Doing that increased my traffic by a whole visitor. Hey! Traffic is traffic.
No, not the archives here at w(t)f, but from the archives de Josh.
Specifically this post made back when the good lad actually spent a few months here with me.
Enjoy!
==============
Gatorade Girl is the cute girl working at the Vaquero Mini-Mart (”Home to the same Mexican old cowboy every day since 1984″) that sells me Gatorade when I bike down the mountain. I oughtta learn her name or something…
Josh: Hmm… Instead of doing walk-ins, i might pick up both Riverside county newspapers from the Circle K and do some callin’ today.
Josh: Or maybe i’ll go to the Vaquero Mini-Mart, and buy newspapers from Gatorade Girl
DB: LOL
DB: Yo, that might work better.
Josh: Hehe… How else am I going to establish reparte with her?
DB: “Oh, hey? Tthis is the local paper, right? What do you think about it?”
Josh: Hehe
Josh: “So, do you like farm boys? ‘Cuz i’m a farm boy, and, umm… Wanna go out?”
DB: LOL
DB: You can take her for a ride on your bike…
DB: How romantic.
Josh: LOL
Josh: Shuttup.
DB: Have her ridin’ up on the bars or sumptin’.
DB: LOL
Josh: She’ll ride the bars and I’ll sing her some Gregory Isaacs and we’ll ride off into the sunset…
Josh: And it’ll be all like awww yeeeah…
Josh: Hibbity dibbity and such.
Good times, good times. Josh even worked at the local DQ for a spell.
Oh, and the number in parens above? We will call that a count down to post number 1K here at w(t)f. Maybe happen before I pack up for MTTS. We’ll see.
According to the Ninja.
I interview exactly like this. No, not really, but man that would be funny!
Older Articles »
