I’m thrilled to welcome you to the new year of 2009 at Home Biz Notes. I have lots planned for this year. I’m especially excited to tell you that Home Biz Notes is the featured b5media blog for January.
The theme for January is 31 Days of Home Business Tricks, Tips, and Treats (say that fast 3 times). I’ll have some interviews with successful home business owners and with experts who can help you jump start or grow your home business in 2009. I’ll also help you rev up your marketing and website, and give you …read more

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MOM GIVEAWAYS.com
Giveaways and contests have become a big item on blogs nowadays. Whether you’re operating a business blog or a personal one, traffic seems to increase any time you offer a giveaway or contest.
There are so many that some bloggers compile them on special sites or blogs and update the listings daily. I discovered Mom Giveaways.com as a place where I can list the giveaways on my blogs.  I spoke with Courtney, who operates Mom Giveaways, and she shares her thoughts on this type of home business.
Mea: Why did you decide to develop a contest listing blog/site?
Courtney: I started MomGiveaways.com …read more

HomeBizNotes.com
Gaining traffic, whether online or off, increases the success of your home business.  Using prizes to gain traffic has become very popular at web sites and blogs, especially those connected with businesses.  Also, many businesses donate prizes for the giveaways.
How do you use prizes and giveaways to increase traffic? 
Here are just 5 ways:

Use a business card drawing.  I’ve seen these at restaurants (free meal), airport park & ride (free car wash or week’s parking), office supplies ($s in office supplies), dry cleaners (suit or dress cleaned), etc.
Fill out a coupon and drop it in a container for a drawing.  These are often utilized …read more

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The b5media Lifestyles Channel holds its second annual Blogtober Fest, Oct. 6-17, with all the blogs participating and offering prizes/giveaways throughout this period.  My Lifestyles blogs, Quilting and Patchwork and One Book Two Book on various days.
We’ll have normal posts on our blogs, but at the end of each will be information about Blogtober Fest.  Check out today’s post, Mary Emma’s Quilt Memories – Finding Nanny’s Quilt to view details and leave a comment.  You’ll also find links to the other participating blogs for today.
On October 10, I shall have another Blogtober Fest post at Quilting and Patchwork.
These posts will appear on OneBookTwoBook on October …read more

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Recently I held giveaways on three of my blogs.  In case I didn’t post the winners for all of them, I’ll do so now;
Home Biz Notes – Dan Smith was the winner of Harry Potter, the Story of a Global Business Phenomenon by Susan Gunelius.
Quilting and Patchwork – Cindi  received a copy of Heartwarmers of the Spirit, edited by Azriela Jaffe.  I had a story in this, “My Ray of Sunshine on Dancing Tiptoe,” about my granddaughter who inspired me when I was in a body cast with a broken back. ( Giveaway details here.)
Alzheimer’s Notes – Kristen was the winner …read more

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Over at One Book Two Book, where I co-blog with Marcie Pickelsimer,  we have four more days of daily giveaways going on.  Marcie has lined up a fabulous array of prizes…books, backpacks, lunch kits and more.
Stop by, check out the instructions and leave your comment.