Money & You

Money & You

Just like a traveller, anyone who is interested in making or saving money first needs to understand where they want to go and how to get there. So, where's the map?

Well, you might be interested to hear that the Australian Government have recently launched a their new Understanding Money Web site. You can access it at http://www.understandingmoney.gov.au/. It has a lot of interesting information that allows the reader to get an understanding of where they are with their money, how to get where they want to be and loads of tips. Enough to help you draw your own map, perhaps? You be the judge.

I found that it's a great site for those who are already good at dealing with money because it has all sorts of budget planners and financial calculators etc. It's also a great source for young people to learn about the value of money, and as a parent, I think this is very important. Even business people can pick up great information on how to grow their business, and mums and dads can learn from it to gain more money and to protect their earnings, etc.

I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that the education system in Australia is now introducing financial literacy into the core curriculum from Kindergarten to Year 10.

Great news!

Topics you can expect to see on the 'Understanding Money' Web site are:

• Knowing where your money goes
• Growing your money
• Protecting your money
• Preparing money for your retirement
• Information sheets for women who want to build their money skills & to teach their kids about the value of money.
• Further resources for those requiring further advice and so on.

I hope this week's CleverTips will help you save money, enhance your relationship with money and grow more money!

Remember to pass these ideas on to your contacts, especially the young people in your circle of life - get them learning more about money and benefiting from it for a life time.

Warm regards and have a great weekend.

Camtu Pham
Managing Director, CleverLink
camtu@cleverlink.com.au
+61 2 4284 3600
http://www.cleverlink.com.au

There's more to Google than just search

There's more to Google than just search

Did you know that there's much more to Google than just search?

It is fair to say that Google has a hand in everything and why wouldn't they? Most people love the Google brand and Google is now a household term that people use as both verb and noun.

"Have you Googled it?" is generally a term people use to see if other person has done their due diligence.

In 2006, Google was officially listed as a word in the dictionary.

Most Internet users have used Google as one of their favourite search engines but not many know that Google has lots of "buried treasures" that they made available for FREE.

Some of these tools are

• Google Map - maps.google.com.au (to access maps and directions within Australia) - you can get maps anywhere, really
• Google Notebook - google.com/notebook (allows you to keep note as you surf the net - useful stuff and you will need a Google account (FREE) to use this)
• Google Calculation
• Google doc
• Google Talk - google.com/talk (allow you to communicate on the Internet for Fee)

For search, you can search for music, movie, weather forecast in particular area, etc

You can even find out how many web pages link to your web site by simply put this in the google search bar

"link: your web address" ( say "link: www.cleverlink.com.au" )

CleverLink will run a training course on Google Tools for Productivity in September 2008 in Wolllongong.

If you are interested, you can pre-registered with us now.

Camtu Pham
Managing Director, CleverLink
camtu@cleverlink.com.au
+61 2 4284 3600
http://www.cleverlink.com.au

CMS and key benefits for your business

CleverTips: CMS and key benefits for your business

What is Content Management System (CMS)?

CMS is a Web based application that enables you to you update your own Web site without having to be an expert in programming

languages or software such as DreamWeaver, FrontPage, etc 

Anyone who can use Microsoft Word can be quickly shown how to use a CMS system.

What are the key benefits of CMS?

There are many benefits and below are some of them

• Create professional-quality content without technical knowledge
• Design Multi-level Web Site layouts including:
  1. Dynamically-generated Web Pages
  2. Announcements, Press Releases, News and Events
  3. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Knowledgebase
  4. Downloadable Literature, Documents & Help Manuals
• Use the Online Editor or upload your own HTML Code
• Templates allow you to separate the Design and Content elements
• Corporate Web Site style standards can now be enforced
• Create multi-step Online Forms without technical expertise to capture information from customers relating to your products, services, support functions and much more
• Information is stored within the CRM database for targeted marketing
• Multi-step approval workflows can be tailored to your needs
• Stakeholders are informed of tasks by email notifications
• Deadlines can be enforced via real-time escalations
• Content is Archived in real-time as it is updated
• Users can view and roll-back to previous content versions

More info about CMS is available here

Want to know how it works? Contact CleverLinkon 1300 721 837 or service@cleverlink.com.au for 30 days FREE Trial access

Camtu Pham
Managing Director, CleverLink
camtu@cleverlink.com.au
+61 2 4284 3600
http://www.cleverlink.com.au

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO for short)

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO for short)

If you have ever read anything about SEO, you would be forgiven for wondering at its complex nature.  It may surprise you to know that it is actually a relatively simple concept. 

SEO involves using various methods to improve your ranking on search engines (Google, Yahoo).This impacts where your site appears on a search, when people search using relevant terms, for your business. Of course, your ranking is very important due to the fact that most users won’t go past the first couple of pages of search results.  And if they find what they are looking for on the first page, there is less chance they will look any further.

Did you know that even though there are many search engines for people to choose from,  an estimated 88% of all searches in Australia are done using Google? And increasingly,  searches using four words or more is standard.  Web users are becoming more sophisticated in the way they conduct their searches.

So, how do you maximise your search results?

• Keywords: Include keywords that are as specific to your site as possible.
• Good vs Bad Links:  Form links to and from as many other relevant sites as possible. They must be good links though as bad links will harm your ranking – this means that the information on the site you link to or from must be relevant to the information on your site.
• Great Content is King: Update your site with new content as often as possible. Google will respond positively to this, which means that they will favour your site over another and most likely move it up in ranking.
• CMS: Using a Content Management System to regularly update information on your site will help ensure your site is noticed by Google and other search engines

Go to www2.cleverlink.com.au/service/online-tools.htm for further information on this system.

Increasing your search engine rankings is perhaps one of the easiest and most cost effective actions you can take to improve the amount of traffic on your site. Your ranking directly affects the increase of possible sales opportunities - and consequently, conversion rates and ultimately, your businesses profitability.

Contact CleverLinkon 1300 721 837 or send us an email at service@cleverlink.com.au and let us help you with SEO and make your Web site attractive and "sticky".

Camtu Pham
Managing Director, CleverLink
camtu@cleverlink.com.au
+61 2 4284 3600
http://www.cleverlink.com.au

What's the buzz on online marketing lately?

What's the buzz on online marketing lately?

This week the CleverLinkteam attended Australia's largest IT trade show, CeBIT, at Sydney's Darling Harbour. This was a brilliant opportunity to listen to, and speak with, many leading industry experts on a variety of E-Commerce and Online Marketing topics.

We discovered many current industry trends which we have summarised below.

Over the next few weeks we will expand on these topics and really take you through the nitty-gritty of what you should know about having an online business. (Although, unfortunately for John, this won't include a review on the 109 inch plasma that he wanted to take home but couldn't fit in his car).

1) Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

Getting your webpage ranked high on the first page of a Search Engine: There has been a rapid growth in the number of words that people are now using (from 1 to 4 words) when they do a search on the internet.

This means that website owners now need to include a lot more terms into their websites to ensure they come up closer to the top in Search engine results.

When using ‘pay per click’, you can use up to 1,000 combination keywords to optimise your advertising - and of course this will also minimise your costs. For example, if you own a car yard, your keyword should not only be 'cars', but also Holden, Nissan, sedan, red Ford Laser sedan, etc

More and more marketers and copywriters are now forming or joining SEO teams. It is no longer simply a task for IT professionals.

2. Online advertising:

• With Web 2.0 Video, we can see that online advertising is rapidly developing with the incorporation of extra functionalities.
  
  
• Content: Even small changes to the way you word your advertisements can dramatically improve your online response rates to advertising.
  
  
• E-mail Marketing: for truly effective email marketing (not spam) professional copywriting is an absolute necessity. Professional copywriters know how to get your message across and to encourage your customers to take further action.

CleverLink predicted a wider requirement for this service two years ago and we now provide a Professional Writing service for our clients.

Visit CleverLink's Professional Writing Service

3) Blogging:

How to use blogging as a marketing tool: A blog creates an excellent forum where you can engage your customers in an informal “discussion". This is a great way to get to really know your target market.

The growth (and popularity) of online blogs has been phenomenal over the last 12 months and it is rapidly becoming the first port of call for journalists.

4) Social Networks:

The rise & rise of social networks and how you can utilise them as a business tool: Many big brands now have their staff "attend social networks online"

We will cover these topics in a little more depth over the next few weeks, to keep you up-to-date with the current online marketing methods.

In the meantime if you would like to discuss any of these topics further with the CleverLinkstaff please contact us on 1300 721 837 or service@cleverlink.com.au

The CeBIT Web site is http://www.cebit.com.au/ if you are interested to find out more.

Written by John Chichkan & Camtu Pham

Camtu Pham
Managing Director, CleverLink
camtu@cleverlink.com.au
+61 2 4284 3600
http://www.cleverlink.com.au

When no can mean yes and it could cost you sales

CleverTips: When no can mean yes and it could cost you sales

Don't say No in your headlines or subheadings! It can easily be misread to give the exact opposite meaning.

Imagine this....

Your prospective customer is scanning through your Web site. Her eyes dart quickly down through your text

and one of your subheadings reads

"our system requires no training"

Chances are - many potential customers of yours read

"our system require training"

and who wants to do more training or reading a thick manual when buying a new tool?

It is a good practice to write your marketing text using positive words. Uplift and motivate your clients and they are more likely to buy from you. Consider this

"Our system is friendly and very easy to use. Anyone can operate and you will enjoy it!"

Check CleverLinkprofessional writing page if you are interested to learn more about the power of words.

Inspirational yours

Camtu Pham
Managing Director, CleverLink
camtu@cleverlink.com.au
+61 2 4284 3600
http://www.cleverlink.com.au

Roses for you!

CleverTips: Roses for you!

Happy Mother's Day to all the mums on our CleverTips. To all of you : have a great Mother's day celebration this weekend. For those who are new - I am a proud mother of two young sons. Mothers like us deserve a BIG celebration :-)

Sending real flowers is one of greatest ways to express our love and care. Unfortunately, it is not always possible.

I have been sending "e-flowers" for years on different occasions to say thank you, congratulations, apology, condolences, etc. And the people who receive my messages with flowers seem to appreciate my thoughts - it is as if I send them real flowers. Some of them even said they can almost smell the roses....

Here are a few flowers FOR YOU. The good news is - you can also re-use them! :-)

You may like to save them on your PC (move the curser on the image and click on right mouse button to save) and send to someone in the future. or forward this email to your contacts.

Send them your wife while she is at work, send them to your clients, send them to your work colleagues, send it to your family and friends and enjoy the feeling of making someone happy.

Click to see roses...

Camtu Pham
Managing Director, CleverLink
camtu@cleverlink.com.au
+61 2 4284 3600
http://www.cleverlink.com.au

Your domain names on the public domain www

Your domain names on the public domain www

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the World Wide Web (WWW). The inventor of the WWW was Tim Berners-Lee and after 15 years, Tim said the www is still only in its infancy. Can you imagine what it is going to be like when www is at the mature stage???

So how many websites, are there, on the WWW? It is almost impossible to answer with any accuracy since no one is in charge of the

WWW and there is not one central "server" that runs all the websites in the world. However, we can count the number of domain names.

The March 2008 Domain Name Industry Brief released by VeriSign reports that “the Domain Name Industry closed 2007 with more than 153 million domain name registrations worldwide across all of the Top-Level Domain Names (TLDs), there was 33 million domain name registrations in 2007 alone. How many domain names do you/your organisation own?

My CleverTips for this week is: Own as many domain names as you can afford and use re-direction techniques and point to your existing web site.

Owning a domain name is like owning an online real-estate. You can use them yourself or re-sell later for better value.

Contact CleverLinkon 1300 721 837 or fill in an enquiry form for expert domain name advice. We can help you to check availability and secure your favourite domain names.

Note that .asia and .tv domain names are NOW available

Camtu Pham
Managing Director, CleverLink
camtu@cleverlink.com.au
+61 2 4284 3600
http://www.cleverlink.com.au

CleverTips: Create wealth and happiness with a million dollar mindset

CleverTips: Create wealth and happiness with a million dollar mindset

The distinction between the rich and the poor is not about education, background, drive, work ethic, skill, opportunity, or luck.

The difference lies with beliefs, emotion and attitude. Wealthy people have positive energy when they think about wealth and they appreciate money.

Un-wealthy people associate negative feelings toward money and often think of money as 'the root of evil'.

Negative feelings produce negative results and this can block the abundance of wealth. Positive energy is like a strong magnet - it produces wealth and enriches your life. This is because the same frequency vibrations tend to attract each other. For example, if you aim for happiness, you can attract more wealth, better relationships and better health. Wealth, relationships and well being are going to add more happiness to your life, and they are in the same vibration.

You can create weath with a million-dollar mindset. Say or THINK:

• I deserve to be rich & I enjoy wealth
• God wants me to be rich and wants me to help others
• I am very grateful for everything I have in my life
• There is more than enough wealth to go around
• When I grow rich, so do others
• I grow rich by adding value to people's lives. I do this by providing services, knowledge, or products that enrich others
• Creating wealth is enjoyable and fun
• If I desire it, I can achieve it, attract it, possess it, enjoy it.
• I am not alone in building wealth, I have my team who assist me in the design, implementation, and administration of my products and services. We all benefit from the growth of wealth
• Nobody suffers as a result of me being rich
• Wealth brings the opportunity to assist others

May you attract wealth for yourself, your loved ones and those who need your help

Camtu Pham
Managing Director, CleverLink
camtu@cleverlink.com.au
+61 2 4284 3600
http://www.cleverlink.com.au

The power of steam

CleverTips: The power of steam

At 99 degrees Celsius, water is certainly very hot

At 100 degrees... just 1% more ... it boils and creates steam. The steam creates power which converts the heat energy into useful work.

Ship, train, aircraft and many mechanical machines have benefited from water steam for almost two centuries.

Are you and your team working at 70, 99 or 100 degrees?

Only at 100 degrees can you and your organisation reach your potential and really benefit from the power of that extra 1%

CleverLink can help you reach 100 degrees and reap the benefits of that extra power.

Effective technology can enhance all angles of organisational effectiveness: Marketing, operations, admin, sales & finance.

Technology can automate your business processes = make it work like an engine

Please contact us on 1300 721 837 or fill out our enquiry form.

Steam engine in action

Camtu Pham
Managing Director, CleverLink
camtu@cleverlink.com.au
+61 2 4284 3600
http://www.cleverlink.com.au