“Free is such a powerful force in innovation”

Think about it…the financial risk is removed when something is free. Removing risk is powerful! We are much more easily motivated to take action when there is nothing to lose. But have you ever thought about how if something is free it encourages us to be innovative?

It intrigued me because although I know the word “FREE” is a proven motivating word in sales, I never looked at the fact that FREE is one of the great motivating factors behind the innovation of the Internet.

Now, FREE is one of those words that sets off the SPAM filters. The word is WAY over-used at this point and has become one of those words that sets off the skeptic in all of us…and yet:

FREE “giveaway” promotions are the latest and greatest in getting people to subscribe to your list. People sign up by the hundreds or thousands.

FREE information, free entertainment, free phone calls across the world, free software, free graphics, free hosting, free consultations, free samples…Just about everything that exists is given away FREE these days.

FREE helps “newbies” get started in the learning process of creating and interacting on the internet. FREE helps “intermediates” grow and start to compete with the “experts”.

FREE helps the Mom & Pops compete with the Mega Corporations.

FREE helps the “experts” create their Maven status, warp speed their viral marketing and position themselves as generous “good guys”.

FREE lets us spend our money on other things like gas & food

FREE makes us crazy when we’re on the other end of the deal…trying to make money.

Never-the-less, below is a list of some “freebies” I’ve used myself and like or have had other GutZy Women tell me they like.

 Check them out! And if you get some value out of these FREE tips, feel FREE to subscribe to our FREE RSS feed, or our FREE newsletter, or FREE social networking site for more FREE tips, strategies and valuable information.

1.   Website builders:           

      http://www.weebly.com

      http://www.webnode.com/en

2.   Resize & Optimize pictures:         

      http://www.shrinkpictures.com

3.     Public domain image resources:

       http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Public_domain_image_resources#General_collections

4.   Cover generator for ebooks, CD’s etc.           

       http://www.groundbreak.com/graphics2.html 

5.   Internet Calling:     

    http://www.skype.com 

6.   Live Video Broadcasting:      

      http://www.mogulus.com                        

      http://www.ustream.com 

 7.   Podcasting:    

     http://www.talkshoe.com     

Obviously this is a very short list compared to what’s out there, so why don’t you ADD to the list with YOUR favorites in the comments section below. I can just feel the Innovation coming on! For MORE innovative articles and videos click here:

Promote your events.

Facebook is a great place to promote your organization’s events. Simply create the event, add pictures, and invite your contacts to join. In addition to groups, you can post details of events in your profile so people can RSVP. You also have the option to leave the event open to people in your network or open for everyone.

Promote your blog or newsletter.

Facebook also helps you to promote your blog or newsletter. This feature allows you to share information beyond what’s in your profile in two ways. You can either post a note on your page or import your external blog. It is a nice way to communicate with your constituents and update them on your organization.

You can also integrate an RSS feed into your blog with notes. When you post it, the note is displayed in your profile and every one of your “friends” is notified and other members can add
comments.

Keep in touch with your members.

Facebook has a feature called “News Feed” that allows you to see all kinds of activity within your network. It’s very similar to an RSS feed, in that when you log in to Facebook you mmediately receive an update of all of the actions your contacts have taken. And if someone posted a new photo album or RSVP’d to an event, you’ll be notified right away.

Maintain some privacy: CliCK Here to read the end of the article:

In part one of an article about RSS Feeds, we talked about how they worked and interesting facts about them. This is part 2 because there is so much to learn and take action on!

CLICK HERE if you missed part 1:

There are many benefits to learning how to use RSS feeds, especially if you are always looking for ways to save time and maximize your efforts.

These are the benefits to each type of User:

• Consumer Bottom Line: Subscribing to feeds makes it possible to review a large amount of online content in a very short time. Very convenient: comes right to you desktop. Don’t have to reveal e-mail address.
• Publisher Bottom Line: Feeds permit instant distribution of content and the ability to make it “subscribable.” Each time you send blog, you are sending out a notice to sign up for RSS feed.
Least time for maximum exposure. Can Set aside a day to set up all the publicizing information that you can.
• Advertiser Bottom Line: Advertising in feeds overcomes many of the shortcomings that traditional marketing channels encounter including spam filters, delayed distribution, search engine rankings, and general inbox noise.

Thousands of bloggers, podcasters, and videobloggers publish feeds to keep themselves better connected to their readers, listeners, admirers, and critics.

Apple, through its iTunes Music Store, offers TONS of audio and video podcasts for download, each of which is powered by a feed.

Here’s how it works for GutZy Women:

POST Content on my debbieducic.com blog >>>>>>>>>automatically pings feedburner>>>>>>>changes content into XML language>>>>>>>>aggregator reads content and forms into list of unread new articles or podcasts into itunes downloadables>>>>I use my feedreader to check out what’s on it>>>>>>>>behind the scenes, I give my feed code to other blogs, social networking sites, as well as other aggregators>>>>>>>>automatically posts entries to many places across the internet each timeI publish. >>>>I’m a HAPPY CAMPER
END RESULT: Saves everybody time! Exponentially increases GutZy Women’s Reach with a little work from the beginning of setting it all up but is automatic from there.

CHALLENGE: Getting people to subscribe. Get over the fear of something new that SEEMS complicated but actually is quite easy these days with the help of companies like Feedburner.

Answer: Social bookmarking sites: Digg & Technorati as 2 examples by inviting people to Digg & Tehnorati your blog posts. Look around Blogoshpere, where else you can post. Invite your list and your friends to subscribe when you communicate with them through e-mail, bulletin boards, etc.

Place your feed widgets wherever you can and “in the fold” so they can be easily seen. Place them right after your posts, so if they just read or heard or saw something they LOVED, they can ask for MORE!

NEXT STEP: Learn more about all the different ways to use RSS Feeds and commit to adding one new way a month. Before you know it, you’ll be RSS GODESSES and will be reaping the VALUABLE rewards!

 The importance and need for RSS feeds ties in with the inundation of information that we are all experiencing at the same time that we are all getting busier…especially those of us who are into online and offline social networking.

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication and the feed works two ways:

Publish an article, podcast or video on a blog or other websites and shoots it out to the feed aggregators. Then they shoot it out to all types of end readers or listeners.

End users choose how info comes to them: RSS feed reader or e-mail,or in the case of podcasts, the Apple i-tunes store. There are Links to content, partial or full text on a page or now can look like website pages right from the inbox.

Click Here to read 5 interesting facts about RSS :

RSS Feed Sounds Like a Name for a Company that Sells Feed for Livestock.

Web 2.0 lingo just keeps getting weirder. What the heck is RSS, now? No wonder the “common folk” roll their eyes, cross their arms and look at
“web savvy” folk like they’re from another planet! The “techies” try to convince
everybody that each new internet communication capability is a MUST HAVE
in order to compete for eyeballs and dollars.

Naturally, the more that’s bombarding us, the more we curl into the
“rolly polly bug” position in order to protect ourselves from the stress
of being overwhelmed or made to look stupid. I totally understand!
My family worries about me when Im curled up in the fetal position
in my bed after a long night spent in front of my computer.

But here’s the deal: When we perceive something as difficult, we put up
barriers to understanding…especially if NEW WORDS or names we’re
not familiar with are involved. For example…I remember when FAX machines
first came out. What the heck was it and how in the world did it work?

One thing for sure is that it changed the way we did business. It made
commerce, legalities and communication faster and easier to conduct across
space and time like no other. Now, they’re practically extinct because of
internet technology. And if you thought faxing was easy and fast, wait
’til you see what RSS FEED technology can do!

Even the name itself conveys the fact that RSS can SIMPLIFY your life!
It stands for “Really Simple Syndication” and once you see what it can
do for YOU, you’ll be extremely motivated to add it to your online strategy!

Just listen to Joanne Quinn-Smith , AKA  Techno Granny, and Debbie
Ducic, AKA GutZy Woman as they discuss what RSS is, how you use it
and what the benefits are.  If you don’t “unroll” and open up to it and then
implement it, you’re CRAZY!

Just listen to the “podcast”  below by clicking on the green square to start
the recording, sit back and hear these two these “babyboomers”  get excited
about the possibilities! If you listen well, YOU can’t help from be excited too!

If you’re not, then be prepared to “roll into oblivion”!