Making Cents of Google Adsense

As a Black Online Entrepreneur, I have spent a good amount of time and energy trying to figure out how to integrate Affiliate Programs into my web development. A fellow online associate has often told me not to get my hopes up, as she also has never found referral programs to be very profitable, but I stuck with the process in the hopes that something will pan out. Among the many sites I have visited, Google Adsense is by far the best one. Honestly, I'm still trying to master the interface, but I've found a few useful tips that work! I am proud to annouce that I'm actually making some money with Adsense and hope to make more in the long run.

For those of you who regularly click on your affiliate program statement, and see $0 dollars across the board, here are a few suggestions on how to make cents of Google Adsense:

Useful Observations:

• I don't understand how this thing works? At first I didn't know what to do when I signed up with AdSense. I was expecting to find a form to type in the keywords that best reflect what's on my site. I figured that was the only way Google would know what links to display on my webpage. Fortunately Google is more technologically savy that I am. They have created an equation to scan your web page, analyze your content, and display the appropriate ads. Of course if you haven't take the time to pick keywords, or have keywords that have no associated ads your banner might be blank or irrelevant to your page. This doesn't help your revenue, if someone clicks on your site for Dresses and see's adds for blogs. Unless their feeling bored, it's unlikely that they will click the ad and that you will get any money. Take the time to read articles, and figure out how this program really works. For months I was convinced that I could just figure it out myself, and I made no money doing so. It wasn't until I started doing research that a few dollars started flowing my way.
• My AdSense links do not reflect the content on my site? Sometimes I find that the adSense banner gives me random or generic links. I learned that adSense scans your page for keywords that shape the types of ads that it posts on your page. If you don't have alot of text on your page, or several instances of a key word that best describes your content, you will not see the types of links that you are looking to advertise on your page. After I figured that out, I became more aware of my word selections. I chose words that really stood out in my content, and tried to use them often - but not too often - google will penalize you for over-the top repetition of keywords. (At least this is what I've been told, so I would not go too crazy - i.e. every other word does not need to be African American - but at the same time you should be speficic with your word choices. For example, "R&B lyrics" is more specific that "Black Music." Take the time to assess your content, and pick the keywords that work best for your site.

Tips I found on WebMaster World AdSense Tips:

1. Blend ads in to design (but still displayed prominently) as to not offend your visitors (I use a white background, so my ads are completely in white background, plain grey text, with no borders. People get used to the generic adsense look and often stay clear of what they believe to be the same old ads - quality integration really ups your chances of clicks)
2. When it comes to content, take the time write the best article you can. Don't write a bunch of rehashed garbage that's already been copied 100x before by lazier webmasters then you. Write something fresh and recent with new sources. Also, don't make the article short just because you don't like to write. Write until you've exhausted the subject. This will help you avoid duplicate content penalities, increase the stickyness to your site, and put out more 3,4,5, etc. keyword combinations that you can pick up traffic on.
3. Looking for the best location to place ads on your site? For help with this visit Urban Web Tools)
4. Do not prejudge your pages! It's amazing to see that pages you had little expection for turn out to pay very well.
5. Match your ad style to your page style sheet. I have had big jumps in my CTR in doing
6. Keep each page on a single topic (where possible) and split large content into multiple pages - lots of highly targetted ads and good proportion of ads to content (obviously don't drown your content with ads).
7. As much as possible try to get targetted traffic. Well targeted traffic can really affect CTR and earnings.
8. Don't be tempted to splatter each and every page on your site with three adsense banners, one adlinks banner and a google search box! Use channels to track every banner, and if it isn't paying then dump it. The resulting increase in CTR will probably feed through to an increase in earnings
9. Plough your income back into content. Think of every $ you don't spend on pizza now as $10 next year.
10. Be fair to advertisers. If you try to artificially boost your clickthrough rate by disguising ads as content or overwhelming the visitor with ads, your clicks won't convert well for advertisers. This may result in higher "smart pricing" discounts for your clicks (meaning less money for you), and you'll be a poor candidate for site-targeted CPM ads.
11. Watch your server logs - I have noticed that sometimes I will just mention something in an article for one sentence that brings in a lot of visitors so I go and write an entire article on that subject. The results have been stellar. You've been given a big hint that people are interested in this and if you ignore it you are missing a big opportunity. I have more than a few articles that have been linked to all over the web because they are almost the only decent material on this subject.
12. Don't fret too much when your income and/or traffic are low for a few days. These peaks and valleys are normal but you should still investigate the matter to see what factors could be causing this like an algorythm update.
13. Have patience. You may have good ideas that won't even start to pay for six months from now.
14. When first starting out (month 1&2), and the ads appear totally inapproriate, use the competitor filter profusely against totally out-of-whack ads, to force the Adsense Algo to "look" for something better to place there. If you start getting PSA's then trim it back, as that means there simply ARE nothing more appropriate. You should be able to remove them all by the end of the 3rd or 4th month.
15. When starting out it may be necessary to edit your text on high traffic pages to "nudge" the ad topics away from off-topic terms. For instance if your page happens to be all about North Pole real estate and you mention Santa lives down the street in one single spot, but every ad on the page suddenly focuses on Santa instead of the North pole (And those Santa ads aren't paying as much as the North Pole real estate ads should), you may want to temporarily remove or disguise the Santa reference until Adsense notices the REAL topic for a few days. Some folks claim putting the most appropriate text right before or after the adsense code helps, but I disagree, and suggest runnning the bad word together with another or putting a space in it instead.
16. Set up a Google Sitemap, even if it's only in .txt.

Helpful links:

• Pro Blogger AdSense Tips for Bloggers
• WebMaster World AdSense Tips

Keywords: Affiliate Programs, Referral Programs, Making Money / Revenue Online

iStock Photography & Clipart: A Web Developer's Dream

iStock photo is a great resource for web site developers. For web masters of color istockphoto.com is a dream come true, because you can find affordable, quality photography, and clipart that reflect African American, Asian, and Hispanic culture. When I say it's affordable I mean it. Unlike other stock shops online, you will pay between $1 and $5 per image or flash content. It doesn't get much cheaper than that! Not only can you find great images, you can also earn revenue by submitting your own photos to istock. Just be advised that there is an online exam you must take and you must be able to create quality commercial images / photography. iStock isn't in the business of taking unprofessional work, so if you are not a great artist this isn't the right program for you. With free membership, low-cost graphics, and opportunity to make money, istockphoto.com is truly a dream come true.

• Click the banner or click here to find African American istock images, photography, and flash content.
• View my istock portfolio
  
  

Keywords: african american clipart, black images, photography, web development, web design

Black Business Entrepreneurs and Start-ups Books

If you are interested in reading up on black business and entrepreneurship ere are a few good books. I particularly like Sister CEO, it had some great links in it. Find these books and more on Shop Amazon on msoy: The Best Place to find African American movies, music, gifts, and more!

$9.90 How to Be an Entre..

$3.92 Sister Ceo: The Bl..

$11.59 Black Enterprise G..

Click Here to find more Black Business Entrepreneurs and Start-ups Books

BOE: Submit Articles

If you are an expert in the Business World, and would like to share your tips with others, please submit an article to Black Online Entreprenuers by emailing lhenry@msoyonline.com and/or submitting your website to Urban Dynamics: http://ud.msoyonline.com.

Kewords: Black Business, Black Entrepreneurs

Online Marketing for Black Business

If you are interested in increasing your customer base online, review the following links. Here you will find a number of Black Directories and Webrings that cater to African American Businesses and Black Entrepreneurs.

• Bust Magazines girl wide web, she-commerce directory (great source of female business owners)
• My Black Info Site Submission
• EbonyBiz webring
• Urban Mecca Site Submission
• AdGroups Urban Advertising Network
• D-Mars Network Promotions
• Hiyaah Power Online Resources for Women Site Submission
• Gots To Have It Marketing
• Izania Black Business Directory
• E-Commerce Diva
• Bahiyah Women Magazine PR and Advertising Promotion
• HR Energy offers Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs and Professionals
• The Griot National Black Business and Organization Directory


About the Author:
LaShanda Henry is self-published author on lulu.com, and founder of Multiple Shades of You Online, an eCommunity for people of color (www.msoyonline.com).

© LaShanda Henry 2005

NOTE: You are welcome to forward or “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the author” info at the end and the copyright notice), and you send a copy of your reprint to lhenry@msoyonline.com.

Black Business News Online

Stay on top of what’s going on in the African American Business community by reviewing these Black Business News Sites.

News and Magazine Publications
• Black Enterprise Magazine Online
• Minority Business News USA

Online eZines
• Black Engineer.com The Black Community's Technology News and Information
• Diversity Inc.
• Black Conscious News Business and Finance Headlines
• D-Mars Business Journal
• Izania African American Business and Finance News
• National Black Chamber of Commerce
• Black Employment and Entrepreneur Magazine
• BlackWebPortal Business News Wire

Web Directories
• Black Owned Black Operated [BOBO] Business Directory
• The HBCU Network Listing of Black Entrepreneurs
• Multiple Shades of You Online Black Business Director
• Black Business Planet Directory of African American Websites and Business Grants
• The Griot National Black Business and Organization Directory
• Yahoo Directory: Black News and Media
• Google Directory: African American Business and Companies

Keywords: African American news, business, press

About the Author:

LaShanda Henry is self-published author on lulu.com, and founder of Multiple Shades of You Online, an eCommunity for people of color (www.msoyonline.com).

© LaShanda Henry 2005

NOTE: You are welcome to forward or “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the author” info at the end and the copyright notice), and you send a copy of your reprint to lhenry@msoyonline.com.

Black Professional Networks

Have you ever heard the phrase “No man is an island?” In life no person can do everything on their own, and the business world is no exception to that rule. Successful business people learn how to successfully build strong networks. Along your career path, you will come across organizations and individuals who can help you develop both your business and your networking skills.

Below is a listing of websites that foster communication between African American Business owners.

Black Entrepreneur Listings

1. BlackEntrepreneurProfile.com is a database of profiles on successful black entrepreneurs, political types, inventors, companies and countries.
2. The HBCU Network Listing of Black Entrepreneurs
3. Discover the Top E business Sites of Black Planet Members
4. Urban Hustler documenting success from the streets to the boardroom
   

Forums

1. The Black Professional Network
2. AfricanAmerica.org Entrepreneurship Forum
3. African America.org Business and Finance Forum
4. Black In Touch Business and Finance Community
5. AOL Black Voices Money Talks Forum
6. Black Living.com Business and Finance Forum for Women
7. Destee.com Web Site Promotion Forum
8. Izania Black Networking Forum
9. Black Business Planet Forums
   
   

Online Resources and Guides

1. Minority Business Entrepreneur Magazine Resource Center
2. Minority Business Network
3. Score Resources for Minority Business Owners
4. Black Business Network (Drum Beats Magazine)
5. MyBrotha.com Business Articles
6. Internet Resources for Minority Business Owners
7. Minority Business Development Agency
8. Women in Business Today Online Resource
9. MAKING IT! - Minority Success Stories™ is a weekly, half-hour magazine format show which highlights the triumphs, challenges, and contributions of minority business.
10. AOL Small Business Guide
11. INC.com Small Business Resources for the Entrepreneur
12. Yahoo Small Business Guide
13. Bahiyah Woman Magazine Entrepreneurs Guide for Women

Organizations

1. African American Business Network
2. Black Career Women
3. Get Ready for Give 'N Take… a barter-exchange network for women entrepreneurs and executives. This unique organization brings women together to create opportunities, by providing a support system for start-up companies and entrepreneurs. Its goal is to educate, collaborate and stimulate advancement in business.
4. Young Black Entrepreneurs of NCSU
5. National Federation of Independent Businesses
6. National Minority Development Council Membership organization that provides a direct link between corporate America and minority-owned businesses
7. National Black MBA Association
8. Center for Black Business History, Entrepreneurship, and Technology
9. National Black Business Council
10. Prestige An organizations promoting entrepreneurship and economic development
11. Black Business Association A non-profit organization founded in 1970 in Los Angeles, California and is recognized as one of the most viable minority business organizations in the country.
12. National Black Business Trade Association A networking membership organization comprised of concerned business owners, entrepreneurs, and consumers.
    

Blogs

1. Support Black Business
2. Black Online Entrepreneurs
   
   

Black Networking Events

1. Black Biz Meetup : Meet other Black Professionals in your area through
2. D-Mars Network News
3. Minority Business Network Events Calendar
   

If you would like to update this list with your Black Business Organization, please email lhenry@msoyonline.com with the details, and submit your site to Urban Dynamics, the new black web portal at ud.msoyonline.com.


About the Author:

LaShanda Henry is a self-published author on lulu.com, and founder of Multiple Shades of You Online, an eCommunity for people of color (www.msoyonline.com).

© LaShanda Henry 2005
NOTE: You are welcome to forward or “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the author” info at the end and the copyright notice), and you send a copy of your reprint to lhenry@msoyonline.com.

Keywords: small business, entrepreneurs, black business, black professionals

Write For Publicity

By Shelley Lowery

If you're looking for a powerful way to get free publicity and build your credibility at the same time, then writing articles may be your answer.

If you've been on the Internet for a while, you've probably subscribed to a few ezines. Many ezine publishers will include an article written by a guest author. At the end of the article are a few lines of text about the author referred to as bylines or resource box. These lines of text are basically just an advertisement for the writer. They usually contain a couple of lines about the author and a web address.

The writer gives the publisher permission to publish their article, free of charge, in exchange for the publisher including the author's bylines.

By writing articles and allowing them to be freely published, your articles will have the potential to be viewed by millions of Internet users. They may be published by several ezines with subscriber bases of a few hundred to several thousand. In addition, they may be displayed in ezine archives or on high traffic websites.

Most ezine publishers prefer short articles between 500 and 750 words. Short "tip" articles of just a couple of paragraphs are also very popular. Articles should be formatted to 65 characters per line or less, including spaces, and written in short paragraph sections.

When you begin writing your article, avoid using your standard word processing programs, as they do not allow for proper formatting. Instead, use a text editor such as NotePad. It should already be installed on your desktop.

When you begin typing your article, use a hard carriage return (hit enter) when your text reaches 65 characters, including spaces, and leave a space between your paragraphs. This will enable publishers to easily copy and paste your article into their publication. By taking the time to properly format your article, you will increase your chance of being published significantly.
Most publishers receive many article submissions each week and only select a few to be published. Here are some basic guidelines to assist you in getting published:

(1) Make sure you follow the publishers' submission guidelines. Articles submitted to publishers that don't follow the submission guidelines will most likely be deleted.
(2) Make sure your article is properly formatted. Publishers won't take the time to format your article. They'll simply delete it and move on to the next article submission.
(3) Keep your bylines down to 6 lines or less. Publishers will not publish articles that contain excessively long bylines.
(4) Select a descriptive title to intrigue your readers. Use a powerful headline that demands attention and try to keep it all on one line.
(5) Use proper grammar and spelling. Publishers will not take the time to edit your article. Make sure you read your article several times and use spellcheck.
(6) Avoid articles that are nothing more than a sales letter. Publishers want quality content and will simply delete an article that is written like a sales letter.
(7) Avoid referring readers to an affiliate URL. Articles containing affiliate links may make your article appear to be biased and untrustworthy.
(8) Write your articles with a sincere desire to teach and inform. Talk to your readers and share your expertise.

Once you've written your article, you'll need to develop a list of publishers that may be interested in publishing it. The best way to accomplish this is to display your articles on your website. Place a subscription box on each of your article pages to enable your visitors to subscribe. This list should be used to send your new articles to your list of publishers.
In addition, you can visit some ezine sites to locate publishers who may be interested in your articles. A good place to start is eZINESearch. http://www.ezinesearch.com
Search through the database for publications that may be interested in the type of article you've written. Another great way to promote your articles is to submit them to article announcement groups. These groups enable writers to submit their articles to an entire group of publishers, completely free.

Article Announcement Lists:
Article AnnounceSubscribe: mailto:article_announce-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
AABusinessSubscribe: mailto:aabusiness-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
AAInternetSubscribe: mailto:aainet-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Articles ArchiveSubscribe: mailto:articles_archives-subscribe@egroups.com
Free ContentSubscribe: mailto:Free-Content-subscribe@egroups.com

Make sure you review the submission guidelines prior to posting your article to an announcement group.

Here are some additional promotional resources to help you get published:
http://www.web-source.net/syndicator_submit.htm
http://www.authorconnection.com/
http://www.ideamarketers.com/
http://www.ezinearticles.com/
http://www.marketing-seek.com/
http://www.netterweb.com/articles/

Writing and distributing free articles on the Internet will be one of the best promotional decisions you'll ever make. Not only will it provide you with free publicity, but if your articles are good, you'll become a trusted professional in your area of expertise.

Copyright © Shelley Lowery

About the Author:
Shelley Lowery is the author of the acclaimed web design course, Web Design Mastery. http://www.webdesignmastery.com And, Ebook Starter - Give Your Ebooks the look and feel of a REAL book. http://www.ebookstarter.com Visit Web-Source.net to sign up for a complimentary subscription to Etips and receive a copy of the acclaimed ebook, "Killer Internet Marketing Strategies." http://www.web-source.net

Project Enterprise

Project Enterprise’s mission is to support and develop entrepreneurs and small businesses in under-resourced communities in New York City. By providing access to business loans, business development services and networking opportunities, these entrepreneurs are able to increase their standard of living, create jobs for their communities, and build financial assets.

For more details visit: Project Enterprise.org

Kewords: Black Business Loans, Black Entrepreneurs,

Tax Tips for Online Entrepreneurs

A quick look at money-saving deductions, how to classify the people who work for you and more
Enrtrepreneur Magazine December 27, 2004 By Tim W. Knox


When tax time rolls around, you can hear the collective groan of all the businesspeople who have to start sorting their financial records and finding out just how much they're going to have pay the government this year. Chances are that even though you operate an online business, you're feeling pretty much the same way as the dreaded tax season approaches. However, there are some facts about your taxes that might help ease your woes.

For example, do you operate your business from your home? The majority of online entrepreneurs do, and that entitles them to take some significant tax deductions if you meet certain IRS conditions. For one, your home office must be used "exclusively" and "regularly" for business use. That means the primary purpose of that space is for business, such as contacting clients or managing your books. It also means that the space is not used for family or personal activities, unless you want to start dividing up that time by saying 75 percent of the time the home office is used for business and 25 percent of the time it's used for playing games or doing homework.

The second IRS stipulation is fairly easy for most online business owners to meet: Your home office must be your "principal place of business." Essentially, that phrase just means that the business activities you conduct in your home office can't be conducted anywhere else, such as in a rented office space.

If you meet both of those requirements, then you can deduct many of the costs associated with your home, including property taxes, utility bills, insurance costs, mortgage or rent payments, even the cost maintaining your property. Of course, if your mortgage payment is $800 per month, you can't deduct that entire amount if you only use a small portion of your home for business. You need to determine what percentage of your home is used as a home office, then you'll use that figure to calculate the deductions you can take. For example, if your home office represents 10 percent of your home's square footage, and your mortgage payment is $800 per month, then you could deduct $80 every month, which would be $960 for the year. The same applies to all the other expenses related to your home.

>Read the entire Article on Entrepreneur.com<

Six Steps to Attracting Black Customers Online

By Jamila White, “The E-Commerce Diva”

In the rush to keep up with technology, many African-American business owners are so busy trying to add the latest bells and whistles to their Web sites, get to the top of the search engines, and learn the latest database technology that they often forget this simple fact: people do business with other people, not computers. Understanding the importance of relationships is key to attracting African-American buyers online. Here are a few practical tips to getting Black customers to buy more from your Web site.

Here are a few practical tips to getting Black customers to buy more from your Web site.

Step 1: Make a personal connection... put a face on it.
Adding photos of realistic-looking people to your Web site will increase your sales. Photos jump out from a page, so even if someone just skims over the words, the photo will create a lasting impression. If you don't have photos of your actual employees or customers, use stock photography.

Here are a few of my favorite sources for photos:

• FotoSearch
• Getty Images
• Corbis

Royalty-free images start at around $19-35 per image and are much less expensive than rights-managed images. If you have a bigger budget, you can purchase CDs with entire collections of African American stock photographs and illustrations.

Step 2: Establish trust.
When you walk into an establishment, you usually can tell right away if you feel comfortable doing business there. You can see if the place is clean and well maintained, brightly lit, and whether someone friendly is available to greet and help you. On the Internet, your Web site has to do all the talking and all the handholding. If this is a potential customer's first visit to your Web site, they may be uncertain if you're a legitimate business and if they can trust you.

There are a number of ways to alleviate these fears and give your customers peace of mind. First, provide full contact information — including a telephone number — on your Web site. Second, show a picture of your location and employees, if applicable. Third, if you are a member of any professional organizations, such as the Better Business Bureau and/or professional trade organizations, this is a great time to display your membership logos. Most importantly, display quotes and testimonials for your current happy customers to show how what great quality products and service your company provides.

Step 3: Use the "word of mouth" network.
From the griots of Africa to barbershops and hair salons to the chat rooms on BlackPlanet.com, at the center of African American culture is the oral tradition. Use this ready-made network to your advantage, and give people the tools to tell their friends and colleagues about your products. A great way to do this is with an instant "Tell a Friend" button on your Web site. Constant Contact (see Step 6) includes this service as part of it's e-newsletter management program.

Step 4: Network with other Black Web sites.
One way to jump-start the flow of traffic to your Web site is by recruiting customers from other high-traffic sites. You can buy ad space on a well-trafficked site that also attracts a high percentage of your target market. A cheaper alternative is to swap ads with a business that offers products or service that complement, but don't compete with, your own offering. For example, if you offer Web site design, look for someone who offers Web site hosting or network services. This strategy can work both with ads on a Web site, but don't overlook swapping ads in each business' promotional e-mail newsletter.
(NOTE: Do not swap customer databases or lists of email addresses unless you have specific permission from your customers to do so.)

Step 5: Give your customers a reason to act now.
How many times have you visited a Web site and thought to yourself: "What a great product! I'd like to buy it, but I think I'll come back later." Did you actually go back and buy it? Perhaps not. Help your customers make their decision today: make them an offer they can't refuse. For example, use promotions like "limited time only", "this week only", "act today and take $10 off," etc.

Step 6: Keep in touch.
Remember, it's about relationships. Did you know that customers who buy online usually do so on the fourth to eighth visit to your Web site, and not the first visit? So you'll need to come up with a strategy to get them back to your Web site a second, third, and fourth time. The easiest, simplest, and cheapest method, hands down, is an e-mail list. It isn't enough just to collect e-mail addresses on your Web site and at your vending events — you have to actually write and send messages to the list! Strive to get your newsletter out at least twice a month, but if you're just getting started, do quarterly, then build up to monthly, and then build up to every other week.

Here are a few e-mail list services I like:

• Aweber
• Constant Contact
• YahooGroups (free)

Essentially, what successful online marketing boils down to, regardless of ethnicity, is relationships, relationships, relationships. Find meaningful ways to connect with your customers, and they will not only reward you with their loyalty, but they'll be happy to spread the word about your Web site as well.

About the Author:
Jamila White, “The E-Commerce Diva”, is an Internet Strategist, Web Designer, and E-Commerce instructor in the Washington D.C. area. Reach her on her Web site, http://www.ecommercediva.com.

Minority Rules

Ethnic minority groups are stepping up their online activity. Do you have what it takes to meet their needs?
Entrepreneur magazine - May 2005 By Melissa Campanelli

Your website already reaches the general public. But have you considered targeting specific ethnic groups to ring in additional sales?

Roughly 13.8 million Hispanics in the United States accessed the internet from home, work or college in December 2004, according to research from ComScore Media Metrix, a division of ComScore Networks Inc. In addition, 9.9 million African Americans and 4.2 million Asian Americans accessed the internet that month.
Many e-tailers and netpreneurs are taking notice and reaching out to these markets more aggressively. While doing so can potentially pay off for almost any kind of business, experts point to health and beauty, food, home, and wedding-related products as categories best suited for the strategy.

Before targeting ethnic groups on the internet, though, it's important to understand that such an undertaking requires time, effort and money. "While the trend among retailers continues to be launching language-specific websites, such as Spanish- or Chinese-language sites, setting one up can be a challenging task for smaller e-tailers," says Heather Dougherty, a senior retail analyst at Nielsen//NetRatings in New York City. "Smaller e-tailers usually have a very small and specific marketing budget, and parsing it out among specific ethnic groups can be difficult."

Answering the CallSometimes, however, targeting a specific ethnic group is important enough to make it a key part of an e-business plan. Consider Teri Gault, CEO and founder of The Grocery Game Inc., a Santa Clarita, California-based website that analyzes and shares information with members about coupons that appear in the Sunday newspapers. When Gault started the company in 2000, she made its list available mainly to members in Southern California. However, in 2003, the company began offering franchises to people throughout the United States and now offers the list in 37 states.

Almost since the company started, "we had people contacting us who wanted to see the list in Spanish," says Gault, 45, who expects sales to hit $5 million this year. Currently, Spanish is the first language for 3 percent of The Grocery Game's members. As a result, Gault plans to launch a Spanish-language version of her website by this fall that will mirror the English-language site. To reach the site, Spanish-speaking consumers will click on a link that will send them to the Spanish-language site.

To accomplish the task, the company had to build a new website that integrates with its current site and its automatic billing, password access, ordering and transaction processing. It then had to hire a translator to translate the site's text. The total cost of creating the new site was about $100,000, and Gault expects it to increase 2006 sales 5 to 10 percent. The company also hired some Spanish-speaking personnel to answer customer-service e-mail messages.
A lower-cost alternative to hiring a multilingual employee is to use translation software. There are a variety of companies that offer this type of software.

On TargetAnother e-tailer targeting ethnic groups is The Rosemary Company, a Tecumseh, Michigan, business offering gifts and favors for weddings, bridal showers, baby showers, anniversaries, parties and memorials. "[People started] asking if we had any products targeted to African Americans, so we added some to see how it would go over," says Judith Cheney, 58-year-old president and founder of the $1 million business. "It went over well, so we started adding more products. It's been a tremendous market for us."

Later this year, the company plans to add more products for blacks and will also launch web pages devoted specifically to those products. Cheney estimates these pages will cost about $500 each to build. She is also planning to launch pages targeting Hispanics, and estimates this addition will cost about $5,000 to build because she would like to write them in Spanish.

One clear benefit of this strategy is that separate pages targeting ethnic groups will most likely be found higher up in search engines. "Customers who are searching for African-American merchandise are likely to use the terms African American, black and Afrocentric in their searches," says Jamila White, an internet strategist in Bowie, Maryland, who consults on online marketing. "By including terms that are relevant to their niche markets, businesses increase the likelihood of connecting with those customers." White provides more details in Attracting Black Customers Online, a 90-minute audio course available at http://www.ecommercediva.com/.
Will targeting ethnic groups be a part of your plan? Before making that decision, remember that any marketing initiative needs focus, attention to detail and follow-through.

Keywords: ethinic marketing, African Americans online

New Black Career Guide Inspires Youth

By Blacknews.COM

West Chester, OH (BlackNews.com) - With the US Department of Labor forecasting future labor shortages in high-wage jobs in the millions, author Charles B. Schooler wants black youth to understand that pursuing education/highly specialized skills can lead them to prosperity.
"For our own economic survival, Blacks must now make the same great migration to the classroom that we once made from Southern crops to Northern factories. Today, too many Blacks place all their energies into pursuing long-shot dreams of being entertainment superstars, and when those dreams dont materialize they have nothing to fall back on," explains the author.

Importantly, the author believes black youth must first be sold on the value of education. According to Schooler, "simply pointing fingers and shouting 'get an education' won't work."
More Than Entertainers exposes black youth to a variety of career opportunities by featuring 35 black male and female professionals from across the country, who share their personal insight and offer words of encouragement. (The vast majority of the participants are black males under the age of 35 years old). Educational requirements, potential employers, and expected pay are detailed for each career path. Entrepreneurial avenues are also highlighted, and professional career organizations' web sites are listed to foster mentoring. Simply, More Than Entertainers intends to open the possibilities for black youth.

"As Americans, black youth can be whatever they what to be, but they first need to see people like themselves in diverse roles," says the author.

The book also makes an appeal to Black adults to stack the odds of success in Black youths favor through the 'Clear the Path to Success Manifesto.' Contained in the manifesto is an analysis of the preventable and removable roadblocks, which prevent too many Black youth from becoming successful. Solutions are also discussed in great detail. "Black parents must do a better job making it as hard as possible for their children to fail," proclaims the author.
More Than Entertainers is also positioned to be a fundraising product for local churches and professional/community-based organizations.

The website, www.blackcareerbook.com, serves as the primary distribution point for the book and provides useful information for Black adults wanting to ensure their children become successful.

The author would to speak to youth and community groups across the country about his vision of Blacks collectively succeeding through education/skill attainment. For more information on the book and the author, please visit www.blackcareerbook.com

>Article posted on MyBrotha.com<

Teaching Youth Self-Sufficiency Through Entrepreneurship

By BlackNews.com

ATLANTA, GA - Giving2Gether.org and Detroit-based Legacy Associates Foundation have partnered to provide the foundation with a new source of funds to support its important youth development programs.

Through this partnership, anyone who is interested in making a difference and enriching the lives of our youth can do so simply by shopping online at over 160 popular retailers, such as BestBuy.com, OldNavy.com, CircuityCity.com, Walmart.com, Overstock.com, Expedia.com, Zappos.com, Target.com and more. This is at no extra cost to the supporter. In fact, they will actually earn some of the highest rebates available anywhere, a portion of which they can donate, while keeping the rest for themselves. So, concerned supporters actually save while helping.

"We know there are many in our community who learn about the amazing work of concerned organizations such as Legacy Associates Foundation and would love to contribute, but they dont think they can afford to do so," says Giving2Gether.org founder Vince Martin. "We've created a way for them to actually earn cash back on regular purchases while touching the lives of our children at the same time. When we work together, contributions from our shopping can add up to billions! This is truly a case where everyone wins. In fact, our greatest challenge is that people think its too good to be true. But it is very real!"

Currently, the partnership is focused on raising funds for Legacy Associates Youth Entrepreneur & Business Skills Program. The purpose of this program is to introduce students to the idea of being an entrepreneur and setting up a small retail or service-oriented business. The program provides materials and is very hands-on, giving the children a valuable experience. More information about the program can be found at www.giving2gether.org

"Entrepreneurship is an important key to economic self-sufficiency and can be a very rewarding career choice, but many children arent exposed to this opportunity," says Martin. "This program gives them both exposure and instruction and it is very much in line with Giving2Gether.org's quest for economic-empowerment for all communities."

>Read the Entire Article On MyBrotha.com<

Discover the Top E business Sites of Black Planet Members

Black Planet is known as the top Interactive Black dating Site. But what people don't realize is the multi-dimensional nature of Black Planet members. Einfo News celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit of some Black Planet members. Find out what your peers or doing today.

Keywords: blackplanet, business

NORTH FORK BANK IS SET TO SPONSOR DEBUT BOOK LAUNCH PARTY FOR BUSINESS & ENTREPRENEURIAL GURU, SIMONE KELLY

Contact: Ayana Butler, Product Manager/877.545.7352, ayana@gotstohaveit.com

New York, NY - May 26, 2005. It’s finally here! Simone Kelly, owner and founder of GOTS TO HAVE IT, Marketing and the infamous GIVE ‘N TAKE Network has just released her highly anticipated business guide for the up-and-coming professional. In her new book, "Jack of All Trades Master of None?" Kelly poses challenging questions like: "How many times have you started some fabulous project and then a better idea comes along? How many of you have a friend who is an accountant, hairdresser, web designer, and a massage therapist all wrapped into one?"

Kelly does not criticize the Jack; she was once a fellow Jack herself. However, it was not until she focused on her strengths and unique skill sets that she finally uncovered her true passion—“helping people with their businesses.” Says Kelly, “I love getting others to focus. I get a kick out of encouraging people to take a step back, set realistic goals, and come up with a plan to reach those goals."

Now Kelly is here to help you find your true calling. "Jack of All Trades Master of None?" is designed to help Jacks all over the world fine tune their skills to master one trade. This is not a self-help book; it’s a book of definitive answers. This unique book will challenge and show readers how to channel their many talents and develop a strategy to help them reach their goals.

Kelly does not dictate what is right or wrong. Instead, she incorporates practical exercises to encourage working professionals and entrepreneurs to figure out what is best for them. Kelly also includes basic business tips (marketing, budgeting, customer service, etc.), as well as advice from several respected advisors who helped her along the way.

While Kelly's past successes and track record speak for itself, the support the writer has received is a true testimony to her future accomplishments. Authoring a syndicated monthly newsletter in media outlets around the country, the business dynamo has already secured media partnerships with Harlem World Magazine, Black Star News, and Crème Magazine, to name a few. Furthermore, her "Jack of All Trades Master of None?" project is backed by financial powerhouses North Fork Bank, AXA Advisors, and Wachovia Bank.

Simone Kelly’s new book is a refreshing, self-reflective journey that guides the professional toward his/her calling to attain true happiness and long-lasting success.

Kelly’s book release party, which is free and open to the public, will provide an opportunity for guests to enjoy an exclusive preview of her new book.

For more information on "Jack of All Trades Master of None?” Simone Kelly, or the book party release, please visit the following page:

Web Designers of Color

Where are my Tech Savy People of Color? Here they are:

• African American Web Developers: AAWDD is an index of black professional web developers located through out the United States. In our listing, you will find web and graphic designers, programmers, writers, system administrators, marketers, e-commerce, flash and network specialist, and other web professionals.
• The Guide to Black and Hispanic Women in Web Design
• Black Refer Listing of African American Web Developers

Black Techies Laugh Too

The Singletons

Singleton is a term from Object Oriented Programming. It is a type of design pattern that allows for flexibility in the development of a certain type of computer program.

Black Tech Magazine extends The Singleton's to your desktop with a comedic approach to Information Technology.

Hispanics, blacks take different paths to success

In Michigan, Hispanics find niches in corporate world as blacks go it alone. By Louis Aguilar / The Detroit News


David Segura sounds like many aspiring Latinos in business in Michigan. The 35-year-old son of Mexican immigrants enthusiastically recounts starting his Detroit staffing business with $100 in 1997. Last year, sales totaled $12 million.

"The time is now" for Hispanic businesses, said Segura , who has over 100 employees and a client list that includes several Fortune 500 companies

Kenyetta Walker, 35, echoes many determined black entrepreneurs striking out on their own. The Detroit native plans to trade working in Compuware Corp.'s downtown glass tower, where she is a computer analyst, for a second floor walk-up in Eastern Market. There she'll start a computer training firm aimed at inner-city students and workers.

"It's not about working with big brand names, but building more personal wealth in the community," Walker said.
Segura and Walker exemplify distinct cultural shifts that are shaping growth trends among Hispanic and African-American businesses in Michigan.
Many Hispanics are thriving amid growing acceptance from corporate America, resulting in a billion-dollar boom in revenues for Michigan Hispanic businesses between 1997 and 2002, the most recent figures available.

Many African-Americans, though, are going it alone, heeding the message from religious and civic leaders that they need to take control of their own wealth and make sure more of it benefits their own communities. In the same five-year period, 19,000 blacks launched one-person operations in the state -- a torrid pace compared to Michigan's overall business growth."The data tells you that the groups are going through very different experiences," said Kurt Metzger, research director for Wayne State University's Center for Urban Studies, who analyzed Michigan business ownership trends using U.S. census data.

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