Happy Sunday! This morning, I thought I would go to Google Analytics and share my top 10, non-flaunt it! traffic makers.  Enjoy what we can call “The Best of Eco-Office Gals To-date”

• Is #5 Plastic Safe?
• Reduce Office Waste and Save Money
• Coca Promotes Use of Plastic for Earth Day
• Eco-Options: Business Cards
• Introducing Greenway, the New Gal In the Office
• How To Dump Your Unloved Gadgets on Valentine’s Day
• 10 Things You Can Do In the Office For EarthDay
• Are You Being Bagged?
• Is Bartering Good For Business?
• 21 Best Green Business Tips.

So there you have it, the top 10 most read posts that are non-giveaway related for your reading pleasure.  If you have only been to Eco-Office Gals for our fpast giveaways,  take a minute to see what else we have to offer. Read, Comment, Share & Enjoy! If you are interested in contributing a post to the Eco-Office Gals collection, please feel free to contact me with your details!

All the best!
Jen

Post from: Eco-Office Gals

Eco-Office Gals: What Are You Reading?

Electronic Publications are taking over these days. With e-books, e-magazines, blogs and gadgets like the Kindle, there really isn’t any excuse if you’re serious about going paperless.  Since I have been working on and with others on publications such as these lately, I thought I would share some of these options.

• Ebooks: Electronic books have become quite mainstream these days, but how can you use them for business? Employee manuals, budgets, handbooks there is really nothing you can’t replace with an e-book to reduce paper.   An example of an e-book I recently completed is the Indie Shopping TV Information Kit.
Open publication - Free publishing - More video

• E-Media Kits: Gone are the days where you have to ship big bulky packages to Media and Publishers to get your information out to the masses. Your Media Kit summary, articles, reviews, logos, etc can all be made available on your site for the public use. Eco-Office Gals worked with Erin at Ely Organics to build her Media Resources page, no shipping required!
• E-Magazines: You can grab almost any popular magazine in it’s electronic form this days. However, you can also get a wealth of great information from the not-so-mainstream.  Smaller publications are taking advantage of electronic resources to get their information out to their readership.  One such publication, A Distinctive Style, was recently introduced to me by the publisher Denise Marie.  This magazine is full of great articles and beautiful artwork & photography.

We invite you to escape, take a new and exciting adventure while reducing your carbon footprint. Join thousands of other readers who have already taken Green to the next level by reading A Distinctive Style Magazine. We’re an interactive, online publication that brings you the latest news and trends in the world of ecology. A Distinctive Style Magazine is your one-stop source to live a greener, healthier and happier life.

Immerse yourself in the pages of our publication and journey through a world of art, fashion and inspiration, while discovering new ways to go green! Find every variety of the newest eco products, functional gifts ideas, recycled products and services, and allow yourself to be swept away by breath-taking art that will stir your soul and reconnect your inner spirit with the beautiful side of life.

Visit ADistinctiveStyle.com and travel through the pages in wonderment – it’s just like a printed publication, only you’re not contributing to the 7,400 thousand tons of paper waste that go into landfills each year* – (that means you’re helping save our planet!) And unlike a printed magazine you can click and shop, crop or clip articles, bookmark links and send feature stories to your buddy list and post them to your social networking pages too.

And with the growing need for sustainable products and services many eco-businesses have already taken advantage of our unbeatable advertising specials. So, for all you Green Businesses out there, live up to your reputation and advertise digital! Right now we are offering 50% off a full-page advertisement. Another great advantage to advertising with us is, we do all the work for you! We don’t just design an ad., we throw in a professionally written story about your company at no extra charge!

As you peruse through the pages of our magazine we know you’ll be amazed at the capabilities to link directly to the digital storefront of the businesses and services we advertise. More than that, you’ll wonder why you didn’t discover this way of reading before and it will definitely change the way you look at magazines forever.

Embrace Life and Enjoy the Journey!
Denise Marie – Publisher

publisher@adistinctivestyle.com

*Source: www.data.un.org

So, spend sometime looking around your work or home office – get inspired – go paperless!
All the best
Jen

Post from: Eco-Office Gals

Eco-Options: Electronic Publications

I have been spending some time flexing my skills in 2009. As a result, for today only, I will offer my readers a chance to grab a WordPress Blog at a reduced price.  This will be a Premium/Magazine theme customized for your brand. Here are some examples of ones recently added to my portfolio: The Green Parent, Cr8tive Living.  The normal price for the basic customization of these type themes are $350, but today I will offer 3 new clients a customized theme for ONLY $200!!

For $200 you will get a theme customized around your logo and branding, custom header, set up, popular plug ins and more!  I call this my post and go deal.

To get a shot at this great deal I ask you to contact me with the correct answer to this (hopefully) simple answer that can be found repeatedly on my site.  What is the MAIN way that Eco-Office Gals promotes growing your office green?

That’s it! If you would like to grab up this great chance to have a premium theme customized with your brand for only $200, be the one of the first 3 people to contact me with the correct answer and it’s yours!  Good Luck!

Post from: Eco-Office Gals

One Day ONLY! Customized WP Blog Theme Contest!

I had such an insanely successful weekend giveaway with Mama Goes Green’s Better Life Trio, I decided to take a break from Flaunt it! Monday this week.  I think my clients would appreciate if I did something other then approve comments for the next few days.  Look for another great Flaunt It! Monday next Monday.

A whole new world:

Meanwhile, there are tons of announcements on the home front and nationwide I would like to share with you.  First, if you are on the Eco-Office Gals site right now you may notice it is COMPLETELY different.  If you are reading this in your email or reader please come check out the new site and tell me what you think! Joe, of Zealous Marketing has been wonderful enough to turn Eco-Office Gals up a notch for the new year and I really love it!  Yes, we have a few bugs to work out, but once it is complete I think you will be impressed.

New Pages:

I have added a few pages to the site over the last few weeks.  The first is a Flaunt It! Monday sponsorship page.  Here you will find the basic outline of the Flaunt It! Monday process.  If you have an eco-friendly product and would like to strut your stuff, come check out this page.  Second, I have created a page to spotlight Eco-Office Gals.  Whether it be kudos, recommendations, awards, or honorable mentions, you will now find them on the Raves page.

New Places:

Eco-Office Gals will start writing a monthly post for 5 Minutes For Going Green.  I was more then flattered when I was accepted for this spot, since some of the other writers are bloggers and greenies I look up to.  They set the standards and recognition I hope to achieve in my own business.  I hope to learn and grow from this experience and welcome any suggestions for my guest spot as well as what you would like to learn more about here on Eco-Office Gals.

Outside My Box:

This week is not all about Eco-Office Gals changing.  If you just woke up from hibernation tomorrow may come as a surprise to you.  Obama will become the 44th president of the United States and I am very excited to see and be part of the change he offers with his presidency.  No matter who you voted for in the election I hope we can all unite tomorrow and turn this trainwreck we call the economy, the environment, the war on terrorism (insert more here) around.  Just like growing green one person can’t do it alone and every little step you take counts.

Additionally, it is Martin Luther King Day today.  I wish you a happy and healthy day today and hope you will take a moment to reflect on the change he made long ago that makes tomorrow’s event possible!

So, go forth and conquer this week and with everything you do, Grow Green!

Jen

Post from: Eco-Office Gals

A Whole New World!

Wait! Isn’t it Flaunt It! Monday??  Yes, but since people will be in and out for the holidays I don’t want any giveaways to flop on the sponsors due to lack of participation.  So, Flaunt It! Monday will be back in 2009.

I am going to spend the week focusing on other topics to gear you up for 2009!  Some on growing green in your home and business others on strengthening your online (and paperless) presence on the internet.

Today I bring you 40 Ways to Deliver Killer Blog Content by Chris Brogan.  I found this list very inspirational for my business in the new year and hope I step up to the plate and use some, if not all, of his points!  I’ve referred to Chris before on my Tweetin’ Twitter post. I’ve learned a lot about Social Media from him, I hope you can take something from him, too!

The Basics

1. Brevity rules. Can you say it briefly?
2. Start at the main point, then work the story up. (Make the main point in the first paragraph.)
3. Use small words. You don’t have to impress people. You have to be clear.
4. Analogies help people understand things better.
5. So do stories.
6. You don’t have to write complete sentences, even though your teacher taught you to do that. But treat it sparingly. Like this. Like a condiment.
7. Keep paragraphs small, if possible. We balk at large blocks of text.
8. Make your point from the reader’s side of the fence. Who is your audience?
9. Depending on how you write, go back and see if you can cut out more. Reduce. Reduce. Reduce.
10. Use the word you’re thinking about, not a fancier, or more polite word.

Concepts and the Bigger Picture

1. Set up series of posts, even if you don’t call them a series. Make a post that brings up follow-on points from a previous post, and link back to that post to reinforce the original content.
2. Get your inspiration from reading. #1 source for my ideas comes from other blogs not in my space. Not sure what to read that’s NOT in your space? Alltop, my friend. ( see also).
3. Think strategically, if this is for business or a cause. Ask yourself what you want your reader to do next. Try to write from that point of view.
4. Theme-wise, writing very helpful things that people can use is way better than writing thoughtful things that make people think and just walk away. You can have thoughtful but not helpful, but you’re striving for helpful and thoughtful in the same piece.
5. Never write the me-too blog. Look to be ahead of the wave and feeding backwards, not behind the wave and eating someone’s wake.
6. Look for ways to think forward, but that tie to your business interests. When I write about the future, I’m also inviting someone to make that future with me.
7. Mix it up. Keep an editorial calendar and note what kinds of posts you’ve written lately. Thought posts? Lists? Interviews? Make sure you’re mixing up the type of post you’ve written lately.
8. Consider the occasional dip into Google Trends to write a story that might draw new audience to your conversation. Don’t do this all the time, because the gimmick can wear off quick. Again, think condiments, not meals.
9. If you don’t have anything interesting to blog, skip a day. Don’t skip many days.
10. And never never never (raise your hand and repeat this with me) “I” (state your name) “solemnly swear never never never never ever to post another ‘I’m sorry I haven’t blogged lately’ posts ever again. Ever.”

Overdrive

1. Consider your audience but write from your passion.
2. Don’t mince words. If it’s a “pissing match,” it’s not a disagreement.
3. Ask questions. Blogs are conversations starting and flowing. Ask. Questions.
4. Link to people. If you write about Steve Garfield, link to Steve Garfield.
5. It’s not all about your blog. Get out and comment on other people’s blogs. Often.
6. Leave a few ideas unfinished. Ask for input. It always improves a piece. Blogs are great for that.
7. Use tags. Lots of tags. Make sure you claim your blog with Technorati, and submit it with Alltop.
8. Make sure your blog’s URL is everywhere: in your email signature, in Facebook, in Flickr, in Twitter, in every outpost you can think about.
9. Don’t email, DM, and otherwise push every blog post you write to other people. Share the best ones. Let the others be found on their own merits.
10. Always know why you’re doing what you’re doing. Question yourself often. Look for ways to improve the game.

Encore

1. Comment back to the people who have left comments.
2. Follow those people’s links sometimes and go explore their blog.
3. Look for ways to empower the community you inspire.
4. If you haven’t found your community yet, keep looking, searching, and connecting.
5. Learn about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM). It’s no longer okay not to know even the most basic things.
6. Find great Creative Commons photos and use them for your post (with attribution).
7. Deconstruct what your favorite writers do, and try it your own way.
8. Occasionally, try something completely different.
9. Don’t be afraid to fail. Be afraid of not being interesting enough.
10. Write as if someone believes in you, because someone does. (me!)

Feeling inspired? Go forth and blog! All the best in 2009!

Jen

Post from: Eco-Office Gals

Gearing Up Your Blog For The New Year!