If you live in or near Romeoville, Illinois or you are visiting friends or family for Christmas and are looking for a candlelight worship service, then you are welcome to join us at: United Presbyterian Church 2 Belmont Drive (click here for driving directions) Romeoville, IL 60446 (815) 886-4874
If you are out of town for Christmas, but looking for a Presbyterian (PCUSA) church to worship at then click here and like UPC on facebook to be informed of special events and see regularly scheduled worship hours.
From our house to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas!
Earlier this morning, I came across an obituary online for my Granddad. I called and spoke with the woman at the funeral home that wrote it whom stated that it wasn't in the package that was ordered, but she felt there should be something online for him. The reason I called was actually to correct a miss-spelled name and add a couple great-grandchildren. And then as I was making breakfast, I realized that there needed to be more than the names of his family members on the internet as some kind of documentation of his life. Realize that what I am about to write and you are about to read about him is from a granddaughter's perspective and much of this information is what I have retained from childhood memories. Please comment below this post if you have any additions, corrections, or comments to add about him. I would really appreciate that.
In my eyes, he was a wonderful man that married my Grandma (Claire) and worked for IBM to provide for his family a son (John, my Dad) and daughter (Janet, my Aunt). They spent much of their life in Maryland before he retired and moved with my Grandma to Lehigh Acres, Florida. In my Grandma's letters she wrote how much they were enjoying their retirement time together. I remember while visiting my Granddad and Grandma dancing in their living room to show us the steps they had learned in their dance classes. There was nothing more romantic to me as a young teenage girl then to see them so happy, taking on new challenges, smiling there and enjoying the dance in front of me. That was one thing about my Granddad, his smile! He was always smiling to see us, to listen when we spoke, and when he laughed... he laughed loud.
My Granddad was quite the tech whiz in my eyes too. It almost seemed as he would light up while conversing about his experiences as an FCC licensed hand radio operator, one of the "Lehigh Hams" in Southwest, Florida. And before I even set my fingers on a computer, Granddad already had internet handles, participated in chats, and eventually even set up websites. He was a stroke and colon cancer survivor for 20 years! I hadn't heard about the later strokes and cancers that ultimately would claim his life until just weeks before his death. And speaking of death... he lived 94 years! I am fortunate to have the memories I've shared here and so many more from visits and vacations with him. And, oh my gosh, I have to mention how he loved his citrus fruit trees that he grew and how there was nothing sweeter than the fruit my Granddad picked for me. My love for him overflows from my heart into happy tears as I imagine he is now reunited with Grandma, dancing with her in Heaven, smiling, and laughing out loud!
While many Marketing Directors have experienced cut-backs and can only dream of having an excess at this time of the calendar year, some of you may also be looking for a solution to use it before you lose it next year. Here are two solutions to get you the biggest bang for your buck!
The first solution is to start getting social with your prospects and existing customers now utilizing social media. Social media is a great interactive way to connect with people that are thinking about trying your product / service / brand or to build loyalty with those that already buy from you. Social media networking can take time. Each network platform has a type of niche or community of people that use it. Some people use many, while others may have a favorite or two. The point is to think about your strategy and keep people interested by offering special promotions to build your base, to keep people updated and interested. Social media management takes time and if you choose to outsource this time consuming task you'll want to make sure that you work with professionals that care about getting to know about your business so that they can also share your vision for what you want to accomplish.
The second solution worth investing in would be to use the budgeted dollars for search engine optimization (seo) to increase your organic ranking and avoid paying higher prices on your PPC campaigns due to poor optimization, duplicate content, and other deficiencies that can produce penalties that will increase your spend and decrease your ROI. A good SEO company will listen and learn about your business and provide you with a keyword effectiveness index report / analysis so that you can select the terms that will provide the path of least resistance to achieving higher sales conversions. Another very important thing to consider is strategic in-bound links to your website to help the search engines recognize that people like what you have to offer and want to share it with others. In-bound links from good websites are viewed by the search engines as votes of endorsements. Be careful here though: if too many links come from what search engines view as unnatural or from sites that have high penalties and are not properly optimized then it can have the opposite effect on your site. You really want to make sure that the company that handles your strategic linking campaign knows what they are doing and the links are diverse and as natural as possible. Search engines currently crave fresh, relevant, keyword rich content, that is fast to load and it makes sense to give them what they want. In return they give you what you want, a high organic ranking and the biggest bang for your buck towards raising your sales conversion rate and increasing your return on investment.
These solutions offer a great way to use the excess of your marketing budget before the end of this year in preparation for a more prosperous new year!
Thank you for taking the time to read this post and please share with those that you feel it would be helpful. If you or someone you know is in the position of having more money at the end of the year and needs to use it or lose it, please pass along this post and feel free to contact me by phone (800)725-1867 or email at slassiter@thinkbigsites.com. Thanks again!
UPDATE: As of today (11/17/2010) only 10 BIG DEAL specials remain. NOW is the BEST time to get started with a ThinkBIGsites SEO monthly package since you get the same quality of service, but with a 40% on-going discount! If you have any questions holding you back that are not addressed here, contact me now so that I can answer them for you and you can make an informed decision. I don't want you to miss out on the BIG DEAL that could very well double, if not triple an increase in the sales of your products and/or services!
If you have a website and are searching for how to utilize SEO optimization for targeted website traffic, then there is no better time than the present to take advantage of Think BIG Sites BIG DEAL. Think BIG Sites, is a website optimization firm, that specializes in targeted web traffic through a 3-part proven process that gets SEO results. Think BIG Sites has achieved a page 1 ranking on Google for 92% of their clients in 90 days or less.
With this BIG DEAL you will receive the same quality service as a client paying full price! The BIG DEAL is only available for the first 50 clients and as of today, 10 new clients have already come aboard leaving only 40 more BIG DEALS available.
Here are the details for the BIG DEAL:
Up to 4 keyword phrases chosen after running a keyword effectiveness index report with keywords that you suggest as well as some you may like that we suggest, but ultimately the 4 keywords we use are the four you approve.
Advanced on-page SEO to fully optimize your website in preparation to receive targeted website traffic. (Added Value: $700)
Install Google Analytics, if you haven't already done so. (Added Value: $300)
An Average of 55 diverse, strategically placed in-bound links each month to your website to act as votes of endorsements to search engines.
Weekly reporting on your progress as our proven methodology is executed to achieve the highest return on your investment with us.
Combine all of the above with a minimum agreement of 3 months, and then month to month thereafter, plus a 40% discount from our most popular comparable package (priced at $1,750) and the monthly price of the BIG DEAL is just $999! And that price will remain in place each month for as long as you are a client.
To take advantage of this BIG DEAL, please remember to add my name Shirley Lassiter as your rep on the link located here: (Link removed due to promotion has ended)
As always my business grows by referrals, please share this with any one you know that could use a BIG DEAL on SEO Optimization for targeted website traffic. I also welcome you and your contacts to contact me now with a request for FREE resources (SEO analysis, Newsletter subscription, White Paper, and more). Interested in PPC bid management too, email me at slassiter@thinkbigsites.com with your contact information, current level of spend, and two dates and times you are available for a FREE PPC webinar to see how our flat-fee PPC bid management services are increasing ROI, without increasing spend.
No matter if you are utilizing your own time or paying someone else for their time to do search engine optimization (SEO) of your website, at the end of the day you are looking for results.
The most important results are where you are ranked for your keyword phrases to increase sales conversions. If you are paying someone to do this for you, then the first thing you want to verify is that they can rank themselves for their keyword phrases. If you could do this for yourself you would probably not be reading this or you have decided to start outsourcing and you are looking for a company to get the best SEO results possible for you, and here you are. For example, Think BIG Sites is a one-stop internet marketing shop that is ranked for over 150 keywords (source: semrush) including highly competitive keywords such as: SEO Results, More Website Traffic, Website Optimization Firm. Don't take my word for it though... go ahead and Google those keywords to see the proof on your own screen! Just remember if you would like to move forward with ThinkBIG to call 800.725.1867 or email me directly, because your success is mine too and who doesn't want to be successful, but I digress. Let's get back on track here, for ThinkBIG SEO clients the first step is to establish the targeted keyword phrases based on a keyword effectiveness index to offer them the path of least resistance to set the course for achieving the highest return on investment.
If you wonder how fast you can achieve a page 1 ranking on Google and you've been told it could take months or years so you need to sign an annual agreement... 92% of ThinkBIG SEO clients have achieved a page 1 ranking on Google within 90 days or less. Because of this ThinkBIG does not require anything more than a 3 month agreement and then 30 days notice to part ways; however, ThinkBIG is still servicing their first client and has a client retention rate over 80%. Do not confuse this information for a guarantee, because when it comes to a guarantee Google itself says, there is none. Click here to see for yourself.
And, if your page 1 ranking for your keyword phrases isn't enough to give you fellow analytical types paralysis by analysis... ThinkBIG offers reports for you and the frequency depends on which SEO package you choose.
So, remember if you are looking for SEO results or you know someone that is... I'm here to help. You don't have to be big to rank big, you just have to THINKBIG!
I'm walking in the CROP Hunger Walk on October 16, 2010. Please support me in the fight against hunger to feed the people here and around the world by making a donation now at http://churchworldservice.org/goto/shirleylassiter
Together we can feed the world and stop world hunger.
After much thought and evaluation I am switching gears for Relight Marketing towards virtual marketing services. I'm not sure why I didn't just start with this direction in the first place really. Now that I have made up my mind I am ecstatic! My services will utilize my education, experience, knowledge, and skills that I have acquired for over twenty years!
I am psyched to get my creative juices flowing, to catch myself while loving what I am doing so much that I pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. I love to think strategically, be of service to people, to come up with creative solutions, to contribute towards making a positive change.
I have been an affiliate with ThinkBIGsites for almost three years and would like to share the opportunity with others to be part of a successful team. While you can not turn on the news without hearing about the high unemployment rates and fear of a double-dip recession... ThinkBIGsites is breaking records and has a huge opportunity for continued growth which has proven to make it a recession proof business.
Some of the many benefits that come with the ThinkBIGsites Affiliate Program:
Be your own boss and set your own hours
Build your business with top-notch "one-stop shop" services
Work from your home office and never worry about a traffic jam or escalating gas prices
Learn from other affiliates and the managing partners during DAILY sales huddles to support your success
If you have an Internet connection and a phone then you have the equipment necessary.
It helps to have experience or at the very least an understanding of the sales process. If you speak to others with strength, passion, enthusiasm, confidence, and sincerity then this opportunity is ideal for you. A strong work ethic with the ability to dedicate six hours a day for the first six months, good self/time management and communication skills will give you an advantage.
For more information, you are welcome to speak with me by phone 1-630-844-1823 or email me at slassiter@thinkbigsites.com
I have profiles on many social networks. In my opinion when someone diggs an article, shares a link on facebook, or adds a micro blog post on twitter it is more interesting for me when they are not all geared towards selling me something. But sometimes I wonder... is it too much personal information? I think that exact thought is what holds me back from posting more. Does anyone really even read this blog? My brother has mentioned he stops by occasionally, "Hi, Andy!" So, the question is should I keep posting strictly business related entries or do you like the occasional personal tid-bit? Seriously, before you add spam to my comments at the very least consider answering the question truthfully. Then again, maybe to ask the question is backwards, because really whatever I post about will be crawled and then added to a relevant search result. What are your thoughts? Do you really want to hear about... my sock eating lab, life with a teenage son who probably wouldn't ever leave his room if I added a toilet and a refrigerator, getting bit by one twin daughter while being distracted with a kiss from the other, loving a man who sustained a mild to moderate traumatic brain injury long before I met him, or what it is like to handle all of the above while trying to work from a home office and never knowing when the next hot flash will leave me soaking wet in sweat? Or would you prefer I stick to strictly business? I'm looking forward to your comments.
UPDATE: If you are looking for a BIG DEAL on ThinkBIGsites SEO the below Thrifty 50 deal has expired, but don't miss The BIG DEAL happening NOW, just click here to read more!
Just in case you missed it six months ago... Thrifty 50 is back! ThinkBIG's Thrifty 50 gives advertisers an opportunity to come on board for a monthly National Organic SEO package with a DEEPLY discounted price for as long as they remain a client.
The Thrifty 50 II monthly package includes the following:
4 Keywords (determined by a keyword analysis utilizing a keyword effectiveness index)
Advanced On-Page SEO
Reporting twice a month
Average of 55 strategic inbound links per month
Essentially, the same package as the National Silver Plan for $1,750, with the exception of one less keyword. By offering 4 keywords to focus on at a discounted price of $999 per month going forward for as long as you remain a client... opportunity is knocking!
There are only 50 discounted packages available and once they are gone the offer will be too. So, here is a link (link removed due to promotion has ended) to get started now before they are all gone. Remember to add my name, Shirley Lassiter, as your ThinkBIGsites sales representative. For all that seize the day and come aboard we are looking forward to speaking with you soon and introducing you to our team that will work smart at achieving results for you.
For more information and client testimonials email me your request for the ThinkBIGsites white paper.
If you live in or near Romeoville, Illinois or you are visiting friends or family for Christmas and are looking for a candlelight worship service, then you are welcome to join us at:
