What is this magical formula? It sounds so easy – write an article, add a short bio and your link then distribute it to article directories. Webmasters worldwide, thrilled you deigned to impart words of wisdom, trample over each other to be the first to post your article on their site. You put your feet up and sigh contentedly, thinking about the millions of links to your site now spread throughout the internet. And that’s how it works, right?

Err … not exactly.

You see, not all webmasters are created equal. What some consider unacceptable in terms of article quality, others will be happy to add to their site. The former we’ll come back to in a bit. The latter don’t care how appalling the content is. It’s adding another page to their website.

Simple – because an interesting, relevant and engaging article generates interest. The number one reason to write not only a good but an excellent one is this: your articles are a reflection on you and by association, your business. You’re marketing your skills to a global audience with every word.

Think about why you’re submitting articles anywhere. Is it to drive traffic to your site so that you can sell a product or service? Do you want to be seen as an authority in your chosen niche and raise your profile on the internet? Most webmasters use article marketing as a promotional tool for those reasons.

Whatever the reason, a good article will go farther and be more flexible than some shoddy piece. For example, a poorly constructed, yawn enticing article gathering dust in a directory doesn’t do you much good. Aim to create an article suitable for inclusion in a newsletter with a wide distribution base. The only way to attain and get the most out of that kind of coverage is to write articles of superior quality. You’ll find that if you impress them the first time, they’ll always be hungry for more.

No one is going to follow your link if your article’s rubbish nor will some of the more discerning webmasters want it on their site either. I should also point out there are superior standard article directories too that a poor article won’t get accepted into. With substandard work, you’re shooting yourself in the foot at every turn and closing more doors than you’re opening.

What’s the secret?

It’s commonsense. If you want your article and link on a high PR site, your writing needs to be worthy of placement there. One of the main reasons sites gain a high PR is because when they attract visitors, the visitors want to stay. They go all over the place, reading more and more pages. Nothing makes a visitor click away faster than poor content and all the smoke and mirrors in the world can’t disguise that.

Whichever way you as an article writer choose to go can affect your success. Good and bad articles have backlinks in article directories simply due to inclusion, that’s true. But you can do so much more and raise the bar on your article marketing strategy with quality work. You’re writing it anyway so why not put in that bit more effort while you’re at it? Otherwise you’re not only selling the reader short but also yourself.

Write a polished, interesting article and distribute it to article directories either yourself or via outsourcing. After that you can find ezines and communities within your target audience that accept article submissions and send it to them too. The better your article is, the further it will spread and before you know it, interested parties will be knocking down your door with job offers. That’s the magical part.

Wait…you mean I need to work at it?!

Yes, you do! Have no illusions – the magic is within you, not out there. And you don’t even need a wand.

Shop around for credit card rates.

Look at competitors and find out what they’re offering. Often you can get a better deal on existing balances elsewhere. You don’t have to stay with your current credit card provider unless you already  received a special rate from them by agreeing to not to switch for x amount of time.

If you leave before that’s up, you’ll be charged a penalty which usually makes it not worth switching. Double check with the company prior to switching to see if you’d incur one. In fact, just making that enquiry alone can be enough to prompt your existing company to offer a better interest rate. Tell them what another company’s offering and see if they’ll match or better it. Remember, if you don’t ask, you don’t get!

Cut out the extras.

Do you really need to stop and get that Big Mac on the way home when you’ve got a kitchen cupboard full of food? Resist the impulse that fast food outlets count on and if you do it out of habit every week, break it.

Heat the house and not the yard.

With winter nearly here, now’s the time when spending a little can help a lot. Cut your heating bills by weatherstripping those doors and windows. Laying down more insulation in the loft if it’s thin and ancient can help prevent heat escaping out the roof.

Give up your brand addiction.

Many of the generic brands will do the same job as brand names. When you shop, compare the ingredients list on both to see how similar they are. A can of peas really can’t be that different, can it? If you have some brands you absolutely must buy, then do so but when you can exchange a named brand for a store’s own brand, you’re saving money every time.  This applies not only to store cupboard staples but also some common  medications like painkillers or cough and cold syrups.

Make it a family matter.

Everyone needs to pitch in and help. Kids that are old enough to turn off a light switch in an empty room or reduce their long showers by half to save on hot water are big enough to help do their bit. Help them understand that the more the family can save today, the better prepared everyone is in case anything happens.

Kids worry too about what they see and hear on the news even if they don’t mention it. Seeing adults be proactive and involving them gives them confidence that everything will work out okay. Explain that they’re helping their family in the same way that doing chores helps make everyone’s life easier. Remember to acknowledge and say thanks when you see them doing something positive.

Set a savings target and make it fun getting there.

Even if you only save two dollars a day, that’s over $700 a year that could go towards something you really need. Keep track of what you and your family members save each day. Make it a dinner table ritual after the evening meal. Everyone can report in on what they did that day to make a difference and estimate what the daily saving was in total.

Keep a note of the numbers in a notebook and you’ll soon see it mount up! It’s a good idea to pin a chart to the fridge where everyone can see how it’s all working out. Keep the whole saving idea fun and creative and the family will stay motivated.

There’s a saying, “Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves.” Small changes can make a big difference to your pocket. You can get ahead of the game by doing so now. Make your mind up to begin today and you’re off to more of a flying start than most. Be frugal, be happy and enjoy saving!

During his unplanned trek Johnathan encounters characters whose outward appearances reflect ordinariness, initially at least. The longer Johnathan spends with them however, the more he learns about how special they are. He also realizes how little time he’s spent paying attention to life’s mystical undercurrents and the connections we have with people that cross our paths, however briefly.

As his journey progresses and despite – or perhaps because of – his grief engulfing him periodically, Johnathan discovers more about life and himself than he could ever have dreamed of.


This slim volume of a life transformed, while unique and distinctive in its own way, is reminiscent of such books as The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield and Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach. Both of those are two of my personal favorites. (I hope the co-authors won’t mind me aligning them with such illustrious company. It’s a sincere compliment on my part.)

The Compass would fit snugly alongside those classics in any personal enlightenment fan’s bookshelf and not seem at all out of place. This book reminds us to stop and reflect awhile on why we live the lives we do and what our real true purpose is or if we even know it. To look with fresh eyes at those we encounter and to question more deeply ourselves and others rather than assume we have all the answers. To feel alive, dream our dreams and let go when the time is right of whatever holds us back.

Tammy Kling and John Spencer Ellis have brought remarkably complex ideas about universal wisdom to the printed page in a simple manner. The co-authors’ easy going style of storytelling raises questions I found myself mulling over for days. They have this talent of doing so with only a smattering of words, such as: What if you changed your expectations of your life?

That one alone kept my brain whirling!

There are many equally challenging questions and life lessons captured in this 224 page novel and yet no pomposity. Tammy and John guide you gently and share ideas and concepts via Johnathan’s journey without being pushy, overbearing or “in your face”, unlike some other personal development books.

The Compass leaves you with an unspoken whisper to make up your own mind on what you’ll take away from it rather than screaming in your ears with a bullhorn. And that’s as it should be.

Finding out who you are is always an adventure. I’ve believed for years that the routes to self discovery can be found everywhere – in people, in books, on the radio for example. You just need to be open to listening.

The Compass may well speak a new message to your intuitive side every time you read it. That’s a trait I’d found only in my well thumbed favorites by Mr Redfield and Mr Bach up until now. It was a nice surprise to add The Compass to that special group.

If you feel directionless and a little bit lost or simply want to feel uplifted about life’s possibilities again, this is one Compass to keep close at hand whether you’re halfway up a mountain or on your couch. Excellent! 5 stars.


Available at all good bookstores including Amazon.