Tips from The Publicity Hound

Publicity ideas, social media tips and self-promotion tools galore!...from The Publicity Hound

Kirksville TCRC Blogspot

Great post from Kevin Baiotto, "Protecting your Identity and your PC Website", check it out!

eBay Return Policy- Rethinking it~

In the eBay classes I teach we talk about clearly stating your return policy- will you accept returns, how long does the buyer have to return the item, who pays the return shipping, how should the item be packaged and shipped on the return, etc. I maintain it's ok not to accept returns if you are clear (and nice!) about it.

Maybe it's time to rethink that- check out this blog post from Suzanne,
The eBay Coach: http://ebaysellingcoach.blogspot.com/

Introduction to Excel Class- November 6

Any questions/comments? Click on Post a comment below to post them here~

eBay Class- November 12 & 19

Any questions/comments on homework and/or eBay in general? Click on Post a comment below to post them here~

Free eBay Services

Did you know if you are an eBay seller, you can subscribe to Selling Manager and Sales Reports at no charge!?

Get more information on these products here:

Selling Manager- http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/sellingmanager.html

Sales Reports (Note- if you have an eBay store, you'll get Sales Reports Plus)- http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/sales-reports-subscriptions.html

What do you want to learn?

Is there something you really want to learn? Post it in the comments and I'll see if we can create a class~

Introduction To MS Word Class, Friday, Oct 9

Greetings All~

Questions on the class last Friday? Please leave them in the comments here- and thanks for coming~

Twitter Things

If you clicked the link to follow me on Twitter- sorry- you can't get there right now- my Twitter profile is private- until I know the rules extension wants us to follow for Twitter I won't make it public.

Are you using Twitter? For personal use or business? Have you noticed all the businesses that are advertising through Twitter now? The other day I recieved a mailer from Dress Barn with thier Facebook & Twitter sites on it! There are also lots of extension programs from other universities that are on Twitter now.

Social Networking

Are you using social networking sites like twitter, facebook, etc? Personal or business use or both? What's the best thing about the site you use, what's the worst? Did you start with one site and switch to another? Are you using many simultaneously?

eBay Classes in July- the next one coming up in September

Our eBay classes in July were exciting!

Our computer classes are limited to 15 and when we had 10 on our waiting list after the first class was filled, we opened a second class and ended up with 8 in it.

Discussions were interesting and folks had some fun things to sell. One student sold a "VINTAGE TWA HOSTESS PAPER MINI-DRESS - CIRCA 1963" for $56.51.

Click this link for student comments on our eBay classes: http://www.poweru.net/ebay/student/searchComments.asp?id=8125141

Our next Learning to Sell on eBay class is on September 14 & 21- sign up today!

Classes for Seniors

The classes I listed in the last post are all coming to Tri-Lakes TCRC via ITV (interactive video) from the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Missouri. We are thrilled at the incredible price this year- $30.00 for 6 - 8 sessions. How can you pass that up?

They are directed at seniors, over 55, although you can still sign up if you're not quite there yet.

These classes will connect to sites around the state of Missouri, and will no doubt include lively discussions.

If you've never experienced an ITV event before you're in for a treat. It's just like being Face-2-Face, except you can't touch the folks at the other sites. You can talk to them and see them, you'll get to ask questions just like in a regular class setting.

The topics are great this year too- sign up now so you don't miss out on a spot!

Amazing Classes Coming Up- Sign Up Now!

• Ethical Issues in Healthcare- $30.00, Tuesday Mornings 9- 10:30 am, September 15, 22, 29; October 6, 13, 20, 27; and November 3- An interactive discussion of several topics in the ethics of health care and health care delivery. Topics will include: informed consent and refusal, advance directives (living wills and durable powers of attorney for health care), privacy and confidentiality, allocation of scarce resources, genetics issues, reproductive issues (including overzealous in vitro fertilization), and the right to health care. (8 weeks), William B. Bondeson, MU Curators professor of philosophy
• Estate Planning: What You Need to Know—and a Whole Lot More- $30.00, Tuesday Mornings 10:30 am – Noon, September 15, 22, 29; and October 6, 13, 20- The class will provide participants with up-to-date, comprehensive information for creating and managing their estates. Attendees will receive easy-to-understand and straightforward information for organizing their estate plans, and materials provided. The following topics will be discussed: Preparing to plan: things to consider before setting up your estate plan, Non-probate transfers, All about wills, All about trusts, Other estate plan documents: durable power of attorney—health care directive, general power of attorney, Basics of the probate process, Advanced estate planning documents, questions and answers (6 sessions), Christopher L. Kespohl, JD, MBA, was born and raised in Columbia. He is a graduate of Hickman High School; Westminster College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration; and MU where he received law and masters’ degrees.
• Eight Geniuses Who Changed the World: Serious and Lighter Notes on Their Lives, Loves and Laurels- $30.00, Wednesday Mornings, 10:00 – 11:30 am- September 16, 23, 30; October 7, 14, 21, 28 and November 4- The focus is on eight modern geniuses—and a few of their contemporaries—whose innovations have changed our lives: Charles Darwin—His theory of the origin of the species by natural selection changed the way we view humans’ place in the universe; Albert Einstein—Time’s Man of the Century, whose theories on space, time and matter revolutionized our ideas about the cosmos; George Bernard Shaw—“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” He helped women recreate themselves and their roles; Frank Lloyd Wright—“Every great architect is—necessarily—a great poet. He must be a great original interpreter of his time, his day, his age.”; Harry Truman—“The buck stops here.” This “simple country boy” helped save the world from communism.; Henry Ford—Fortune magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Century wanted a car (any color as long as it was black) in every garage and a decent paycheck for all.; Rachel Carson—Time magazine cited her as one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. The New York Times headline read “Silent Spring Is Now Noisy Summer: Pesticides Industry up in Arms Over a New Book.”; Margaret Sanger—Birth control for everyone despite the Comstock laws. Course content will be augmented by photos taken during the instructors’ many travels. (8 sessions), Wayne Anderson, PhD, MU professor emeritus of psychological sciences, writes articles on the International Center for Psychosocial Trauma for the Columbia Daily Tribune. (He is currently not writing the travel column.), Carla Anderson, PhD, is a retired psychologist.
• Potpourri-Differing Perspectives on the Current Economic Crisis- $30.00, Wednesday Afternoons, 3:00 – 5:00 pm, September 23, 30; October 7, 14, 21, 28; and November 4, 11- Outlook and Opportunities - The Financial Market, Building Your Ark: Financial planning principles for life – yours, as well as those who follow, Missouri’s General Revenue Collections -- Impact of the National Crisis, Topic TBA After Legislative Session, Health Care, Tax Reform, the Fate of Newspapers and Other Mysteries, Economic Transition in Agricultural Production, They Just Don't Get It: Ethical Obligations of Private-Sector Companies that Accept Public-Sector Funds, Local Business Perspective on the Current Economic Condition: Columbia’s Unique Economy
• A Science Potpourri- $30.00, Thursday Mornings,10:00 – 11:30 am, September 17, 24; October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; and November 5- We take pleasure in announcing that this course is offered in collaboration with the faculty of the MU Life Sciences Center- Marc Johnson- Viruses through the ages, Mike Garcia- Insulating nerves, myelin to MS, D. Cornelison- Stem cells and you, George Stewart- Anthrax and Bioterrorism: Overrated or Understated?, Melissa Mitchum- Nematodes, The good, the bad, and the ugly, Judy Wall- Bioremediation by bacteria, Sylvia Jurisson- Diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, Bruce McClure- Fins to Fingers, Origins of the tetrapods

Free New Technologies Preview Session

We had this free one-hour session on June 25. We talked about Zillow, Cuil, ChaCha and Newseum. There weren't too many here, so we also had time to discuss some individual questions. It was a fun and interesting session.

We plan to have a free one-hour session monthly (two in July). So far we have the following scheduled:

• July 17, 9:30 - 10:30 am: Email- Attachments & Questions
• July 23, 2:00 - 3:00 pm: First Time Homebuyer's Credit, presented by LaQuita Hall, Stakeholder Relationship Tax Consultant, Internal Revenue Service-SPEC
• August 13, 10:30 - 11:30 am: Create a Resume with Microsoft Word Templates
• September 17, 10:30 - 11:30 am: ID Theft Seminar
• October 15, 10:30 - 11:30 am: Census 2010 Presentation

Message from eBay- Save on Insertion Fees

We're writing with some exciting news about eBay fees. Starting June 16:
Every 30 days, your first 5 Auction-style listings will have NO Insertion Fees when you list with eBay's Sell Your Item form or Simple listing form--regardless of your start price.
The first 5 listings with no Insertion Fees will have a Final Value Fee of 8.75% of the sales price or $20, whichever is lower. Additional items sold during the same 30-day period will have the same Insertion Fees and Final Value Fees as they do today.
If you are currently using an eBay tool or third-party listing solution, you can either list your first 5 Auction-style listings with the new pricing structure through eBay's Sell Your Item form or Simple listing form or continue with your current practices at the current pricing-whichever option works best for you.
This change is part of our continued effort to lower the upfront costs of selling on eBay. The 5 listings with no Insertion Fees are especially helpful for sellers who may not sell in high volume, but offer unique and hard-to-find inventory buyers expect to find on eBay. Learn more.

How To Get Negative eBay Feedback Removed

From eBay Help:
eBay may remove Feedback ratings and/or comments that meet the guidelines outlined below.
Feedback ratings and comments may be removed in the following instances:

There is a violation of the Feedback Abuse policy.
A member is unable to form a legally binding contract at the time the item ended or Feedback was left.
A member provided eBay with an email address that is invalid and could not be contacted at the time of the transaction.
A member mistakenly leaves negative or neutral Feedback intended for another member, informs eBay of the error, and has placed the same Feedback for the correct member.
If a member is suspended by eBay, negative or neutral Feedback left by that member is removed. If a member is suspended within 90 days of registration, all Feedback is removed.
eBay is provided with a valid court order requesting Feedback Removal.
A buyer fails to respond to a reminder about an unpaid item.
When the buyer's communication within the Resolution Center undermines the purpose of the unpaid item process and the eBay Feedback system.

Customs Requirements
We will remove Feedback if the listing meets the Customs Requirements below and the seller receives a negative or neutral Feedback comment which references customs delays or customs fees.
The following text, or very similar text must be included in the listing and be:
In the format below
In a font size no smaller than the majority of the other text in the item description
Prominently displayed (in the upper half of the description, free-standing, etc.)
International Buyers – Please Note:
Import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer's responsibility.
Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding/buying.
Other information a seller may wish to include:
These charges are normally collected by the delivering freight (shipping) company or when you pick the item up – do not confuse them for additional shipping charges.
We do not mark merchandise values below value or mark items as "gifts" - US and International government regulations prohibit such behavior.

Independent Feedback Review on eBay Motors
Independent Feedback Review is only available on eBay Motors and allows members to submit a Feedback comment for review by an independent reviewer. The review services are provided by professional resolution organizations with expertise in resolving automotive and other issues. These organizations are unaffiliated with eBay.
When a member requests a Feedback review, the Feedback comment left for the member filing the complaint will be reviewed by an independent reviewer for a fee. Depending on the decision by the reviewer the Feedback rating may be withdrawn. Withdrawn Feedback is not counted in Feedback scores or ratings, but the Feedback comment remains with an administrative notation from eBay.
Find additional information on the guidelines for Independent Feedback Review.

Free Reference Guide of eBay How To Articles- from Suzanne, the eBay Coach

I subscribe to Suzanne's newsletter- here's a great FREE reference book she's written that she requested be passed on- enjoy!

New FREE eBook: Reference Guide of eBay How To ArticlesI started writing articles about eBay selling back in 2006 - just based on my own knowledge and experience. I am also an avid reader of many eBay and ecommerce blogs, and write about what I have learned from others. All of this information is scattered all over the internet, so I have created an eBook with all of the "how to" articles that I have written. The best part - it is free! This handy reference guide has all of the links to my articles organized in an easy to use format. The book does not contain the actual articles (there are over 400 of them out there on the internet), but the subjects are organized by topic and provides a hyperlink to the article. Some topics include: Discontinued Items eBay Features eBay Stores Finding Free Inventory to Sell Finding Inventory to Sell Getting Discounts on Inventory to Sell Improving Sales Increasing Traffic Marketing Your Store for Free Paypal Photos and Images Security Issues Selling Strategies Selling Used Clothing Shipping Specific Items to Sell Using eBay Auxiliary Programs Click here to download your guide, and be sure to pass it on to others by posting this offer on your blog, your Facebook or MySpace page, or posting it on your groups and forums. Let’s help others by sharing this information – maybe it will help someone along the learning curve or answer some of their questions.

eBay Class March '09

Our current eBay class started yesterday- it went well- everyone is excited about selling on eBay- all are now registered as eBay sellers and with PayPal accounts. We learned about security issues and the importance of researching completed items to help determine whether or not to list an item for sale on eBay. Researching completed items is one of the best ways to figure out if you will make money selling your item on eBay- and it's easy to do!

We looked at an auction of the eBay seller, *mysmerie*, who has 651 feedbacks- the feedback rating is 99.7% positive over the last 12 months. We talked a little bit about the power of marketing and your story. What do you think about these auctions? Is the seller making any guarantees? What do you see as the good and bad ideas/points to take from this example?

How To Be A Geek Goddess

Here's another WomenEntrepreneur.com official blogger, Diane Danielson. Her blog is book and blog reviews for entrepreneurs- in this one the book is "How to be a Geek Goddess". Now, I ask you, who wouldn't aspire to that?!

I've ordered the book from Amazon- will let you know my opinion once I read it.

Being An Expert

Since I'm just starting to blog, I've been researching to see what's out there and have found some neat blogs about business and technology. I had a discussion yesterday with one of our University of Missouri Extension specialists, Velynda, about what we need to know- she and I agreed that there is so much information available in today's world- and that it changes so fast, that the main thing we need to know is how to find the answer if we don't know it. (Of course, we have to have a solid knowledge base to start with.)

The blog linked here is sponsored by Entrepreneur.com- the lady writing it, Rachael Herrscher, is a WomenEntrepreneur.com official blogger. It's about claiming to be an "expert"- how much do you have to know- I think her points are very interesing.

Microsoft Office Questions

Any questions on Microsoft Office 2007 software- Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Outlook, Access- post them here.

eBay Questions

If you have already taken an eBay class from us and have a question please post it here~

New payment rules on eBay

A little while back eBay changed their payment rules and sellers can no longer accept payment by check or money order for most categories. Personally I think this is a good thing- it helps to keep buyers and sellers safer, which is the point.

As a buyer and/or a seller, what do you think about eBay no longer allowing payment by check or money order for most categories?