Lesson 3: Developing Your Ideas

I hope the first two lessons taught you how to harvest ideas.

After the first two lessons, you have at least 10 ideas (keywords or points) to start with. That is all you need to get started.

Before we learn how to structure an article, let's get started on converting your ideas into sentences.

The third exercise you have is simple:

1. Check your list of ideas
2. Develop those ideas into simple sentences (three to five sentences per idea)

That is it. We are not looking to write a full fledged article. We are just learning  to put your ideas into words. And, if you have written an essay at school, it is going to be an easy task for you.

Here are the points I chose. See how I convert those ideas into sentences.

Point 1: Use a Travel Check List

Sentences: Use a travel check list to keep track of everything you need to remember. You may forget to pack your regular dose of medicines, eye-cover, chargers, essential documents, and necessary supplies. You can also forget to check if your cellular phone works at the place you are travelling to. A thorough checklist will remind you of everything you need to remember.

Now you see what I've done. A single point (an idea) is converted into a paragraph of more than 50 words.

Point 2: Write Down Room Numbers

You may think you can remember your hotel room number. The point is, you can easily forget that number. You may think your hotel room number is 370, while it can be 307. And, you may confuse present hotel room number with one you have stayed at in the past. Avoid all those confusions. Just write the room number down on a scratchpad or a tiny notebook and keep it in your pocket – all the time.

See, that is another 70+ words for your article.

Point 3: Meet People

Wherever you go, there are chances you can meet people you know from various places – past work, work, and people you meet through social media sites like Facebook or Google+. Meeting people is an enriching experience, an added bonus every time you travel for business.

See what I have done. I have harvested the ideas from others' articles. Then, I developed those ideas in my own words.

I only need to develop two or three more ideas to develop enough content for a decent article.

Exercise (DO THIS!):

Write three to five sentences for every idea in your list. To get a list of ideas, you may need to use the exercise in lesson 2.

Lesson 2: Discovering More Ideas on Any Given Topic

In the first Lesson, you discovered the major points to use in an article that gives 'business travel tips'.

One question:

How did I decide the article was about 'business travel tips'?

Ans: The article provided tips for business travel and I decided the article gave business travel tips.

Now, I am going to expand the number of points (or ideas) to at least 20. I will show you how.

First, I go to Google.com and enter the search term 'business travel tips'. That is it. Google returns 323,000,000 results in half a second.

Wow, that is overwhelming, I can't possibly check all those results in a year or two. And, why should I? I have better things to do.

I will just use the first five or ten results. Then I will write down additional points (ideas) from those ten pages. Let's see how it will go.

The first result is from Business Insider (result) and I will see what tips I can harvest from that page.

Tip # 1 : pack light (already in the first list of four items)
Tip # 2: Wake up at 5 am, go for an early morning run (not found anywhere else and goes into the list).
Tip # 3: Avoid jet lag by syncing to the destination's time zone well in advance (also gets into the list).
Tip # 4: Disconnect and Relax (also goes into the list)
Tip # 5: Schedule meetings continuously to get back home fast after zipping through all the meetings (also goes into the list)
Tip # 6: Research local culture and customs well in advance (a version of this is already there in the original list, but this one can replace the original point # 3 in the original list of Lesson 1)
Tip # 7: Is about not avoiding a trip (won't make it to our list).

Look at the 7 tips listed above. We have four new points to add, one modification for an already noted point. Thus, we have expanded our list of article ideas to 8 (from the original 4).

Isn't it cool? We now have 8 points to expand to an article titled 'business travel tips'.

The second result Google gave me is Business Insider, but that is not of much help and I skipped it. Then I try my third result, which is from Entrepreneur.com. And, in that article, I lift the following tips.

1. Use a travel check list
2. Pop some (pain-killer) pills
3. Keep an energy bar
4. Write down room numbers (of hotels you stay at)
5. Eat Well

There are addititional points to add. I strike off the second point in this list because I'm not comfortable advising people take pills or medication. However, I will use all of the rest, which means, my list of ideas now has 12 items in it.

Think about it, I already have 12 points or ideas to expand on. I have checked only three web pages. Is it cool or what?

Going at this pace, it is not very difficult to bulk the list up to 50 points or 100. We are yet to get any points on booking flight tickets, fighting hotel rooms, or  renting cars. You can't go business travel without those items.

Fourth Result is a Goldmine

The fourth result gave me is this: (4th result)

It has a 58 business travellers giving you tips. Some of them are repeating, but you can easily find more than a dozen new points to write about 'business travel tips'.

Once you have more than 20 points, you can choose five of six of them to write a decent article. Once you have more than 50 points, you can randomly pick five to seven points from the list and create a dozen unique articles.

Next lesson is about arranging the points (ideas) you collected into neat little groups, and using those groups to develop your ideas into an article. Till then, stay strong.

Content Writing Lesson 1: Extracting Key Ideas from An Article

Before you write your first article for the web, take a little while to identify what online articles are made of.
click here: http://goo.gl/IJP6YO

What are the important things you understand from the article?


As in case of school essays, each paragraph of an article is an expansion of one or two ideas. Before you start writing an article, I'll tell you how you can extract key ideas or important points from an already written article.

Activity:

1.   Go to EzineArticles.com
2.   Select an article on a topic you like
3.   List the important points mentioned in the article

This activity is very simple. Just write down the important ideas the article tries to convey.

Here I pick a random article as an example,

• The article is 431 words long.
• It talks about business travel.
• It mainly gives four tips to business travelers.
• And, the four key ideas are:

Research the place beforehand to maximize productivity
Pack light. Heavy luggage hinders your movement.
Be nice to locals (for specific reasons)
Meet people you know (directly or through social media)

Well, that was a very easy article to start with. The key points are numbered and listed. Now, if you are serious about getting started in content writing, do the same with at least 5 articles.

And, the second lesson will come in a couple of days.

How to Get Things Done - Tips for Lazy Men

 

Can you be lazy and still get things done? Easy. Read on to find out how a lazy man is getting things done without failure.

Here combines the Pomodoro Technique and the 80/20 Rule - coming to the rescue of lazy men everywhere.

Laziness doesn't exist. What exists is a lack of systematic planning of what needs to be done.

Pomodoro Technique helps you split your big tasks into several small tasks. World-renowned 80-20 Principle will help you achieve a lot without burnouts. Here we go.

Pomodoro Technique – You work on a specific task for 25 minutes straight, then take a 5-minute break. After the 5-minute break, you start once again.

Every fourth break is a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The frequent breaks keeps your mental energy high. Our mental energy and agility are high for short periods of time.

The timed 5-minute breaks will recharge our brains. After the break, your mental energy will be high. You are ready to take on the next task. Or the next part of the existing task.

Without these breaks, your mental agility will start draining after 45 minutes. At the end of the day, you will be more tired, but achieve less than those people who take these breaks.

Additionally, people who take those breaks will still be high on energy, even after completing all their tasks.

Keep Distractions Away

In your 25 minutes, you work continuously without any break. Without any distractions.

The main distractions are: Email, Social Media and Phone

Solution: Close the email program. Close the web browser. Keep the phone in silent mode.

Also avoid people distractions: There will also be people distracting you at the work place. Let your co-workers know you don't want to be disturbed. And hang a do-not-disturb sign at your workplace.

For Best Results:

Clearly write down what task you are taking in each 25-minute slot. Then work on that specific task only. Don't let other emergencies to come in.

If it is writing an article, keep the word processor opened. Close all other windows. And type as fast as you can for 25 minutes. Writing should be the only task you are doing.

Adding the 80/20 Principle

Your work needs only 80% perfection. If you aim for 100% perfection, it will drain your energy. However, if you aim for 80% perfection, you can start your assignments fast.

Step 1: Fast forward your assignment to 80% completion. Check your work. Are you satisfied? If yes, stop. If not, go to step 2.

Step 2: Work on the remaining 20% perfection. Add 80% of the 20% remaining. Are you satisfied? Yes, stop. No, repeat step 2 as many times as needed.

Why 80% Perfection and Not 100%

Because 80% is achievable and 100% is a mirage.

Getting things done is rewarding. Working endlessly on a project is mentally and emotionally draining.

When you make it 80% perfect, in most cases it is good enough. If that is not, you can always add another 80% until your work is good enough.

Photo credit: sima dimitric

Moto E - Android Kitkat 4.4 Smart Phone for Rs 6999 Only

Moto E is the Android phone to buy if you are looking for a Kitkat for less than Rs.10,000/-.

You just can't find a phone with better specifications for similar price.

Here are some of the features to go for.

Display: 4.3", Corning Gorilla Glass, splash guard, antismudge coating - protection against elements and made for everyday rough use, you will find Moto E worth every penny you spend on it.

Moto E with Android Kitkat

OS: Android Kitkat 4.4 - the latest and most advanced Android OS available out there. It supports Google Voice Search - just speak to the phone and it will start a new call, or show you directions.

Processor: A 1.2Ghz processor, 1GB RAM - enough speed for running several apps on the background and for multitasking. The dual core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 A7 processor is supported by an Adreno 302 400MHz graphics card that guarantees sharp images and graphical details.

Dual SIM: GSM+GSM (Micro-SIM), dual standby

Memory: 4GB internal memory, supports 32GB MicroSD card, can save photos, videos and other files directly to the memory card.

Connectivity: Supports 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth

Battery: 1980 mAh, built-in

Camera: 5 Megapixel, no secondary camera, no flash, supports video recording

If you are looking for a handy smart phone for everyday use, MOTO E is a great choice. You can't easily find a phone that runs Android 4.4 Kitkat.

The screensize - 4.3 is just great for anyone who wants a phone that fits in their hands and in their pockets.

At a price less than 7000/-, it makes an ideal purchase as a gift too.

This phone is available only on Flipkart from tomorrow - starting 00.00 hour. If you purchase this item on launch day, you will get three amazing offers:

Offer 1: 50% flat discount on Transcend 8GB Memory Card
Offer 2: 50% discount on original Moto E Cases.
Offer 3: eBooks worth Rs. 1000/- free while installing Flipkart eBooks app

See the special offer from Flipkart (Affiliate Link)

I Guess I Now Know How Retargeting Works

Retargeting ads follow you everywhere – like that cute little dog in Hutch (Vodafone) commercials.

Let me try explaining how retargeting ads work.

Imagine you go to a local supermarket, where you check a few items you want – say, clothings for your kid. After spending a lot of time at the kids' apparel section, you check a lot of items, and buy a few items.

Someone is Watching You

A salesman at the store was watching you all the time. And he noticed you checked a particular t-shirt, but didn't buy it. Now, the one who watched you knows you are interested in that tee and in dressing stuff for your kids. That is all he wants to know.

When he sees you in some other place, the salesman will try to sell you the same t-shirt. You have already checked the item at the store, but didn't buy it then.

In fact you are interested in the item and probably you will buy it too.

That is the essence of retargeting.

Retargeting Works By Tracking Your Online Activities

Once while using Rediff Shopping, I added a set of kitchen utensils into the shopping cart, but didn't place the order. After a few hours, someone from Rediff called me over phone, told me I didn't complete the order and asked if I'd like to place the order. *

I asked a few questions about the size, thickness and weight of the items. He gave me satisfactory answers and I placed the order over phone. You can see, this is a kind targeted advertising. Rediff knows I'm interested in the item because I added it to the shopping cart only a few hours ago.

Here's One Retargeted Ad I Saw:

Retargeted ad for building blocks,
baby feeding spoons and an external hard disk

Delivering Retargeted Ads

When you go to a website, say Amazon, the site can track the pages you visit, the amount of time you spend on each page and the items you purchase. The pages you checked and spent time on are the pages that interested you.

Armed with this knowledge, they can show you ads of products that you already showed interest.

There is no guesswork. Only the calculation of probabilities. If you are interested in an item, it is highly probable you will buy the item. That makes retargeting a worthwhile effort for e-commerce sites.

How Retargeted Ads are Shown

Once the shopping sites know you are interested in a particular item, the site can choose to follow you around until you buy the item. They will then show the ads on the right side of Facebook. This is a place to see much of retargeted ads.

Facebook is not the only place you see retargeted ads – any website that allows Google to run ads (through Adsense program) can also show you retargeted ads.

The e-commerce sites buy advertising credits from Facebook, Google and other networks to show you ads that you are most likely to respond to.


What Can Go Wrong With Retargeting

I see ads of items I have already purchased. Seeing ads of products you have already bought is one drawback of retargeted ads.

People raise privacy concerns. Who is watching all over me?

It is creepy seeing the same ad 100 times a day in 50 different websites. OK, enough is enough. Stop pestering me with your ads.

Seeing ads in wrong places. Seeing ads for wedding dress in an obituary page just isn't right. Hey, I am not shopping for wedding dresses.


How to Stop Seeing Retargeted Ads

The easiest method is to browse in Incognito (InPrivate, Private Browsing) window with your Google, Facebook, and other accounts signed off.

Or open this link in all the browsers you use in your device: http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/

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Why Writers Will Claim Huge Fees from Marketers in 2014

Writers are going to play a big role in the success of online marketers in 2014. The skills and understanding of web writers will help marketers attract customers, make sales and increase profits. This is why marketers will woo writers with big paychecks. Read on to discover how writers play an important role in online marketing in 2014 and beyond.

Marketing Materials for 2014:

Unlike in the past, marketers have to create variety of marketing materials. There are website content, sales copy, email copy, articles, blog posts, and social media posts (including Facebook status, Tweets, Google+ posts, etc).

In addition, there are special reports and infographics to create – the kind of content that people will read more than once.

Content Marketing is a Process, Not an Event

Marketers need to put out fresh content quite often – preferably several times a week.

If you are a marketer, you want your potential customers to hear about you – quite often. You also want new potential customers to learn more about you.

Putting out fresh content every day is the marketing method of choice – for the marketers of 2014.

One defining advantage content marketing has over advertising is – it is the most uninterrupting method of marketing. You can reach them several times – without giving the feel of interruption.

With dozens of channels to deliver the content, marketers will gain immense advantage by using the services of content creators aka writers.