All posts by April M. Williams

April M. William of Cyberlife Tutors, a social media coach, speaker and author of Algonquin. She creates, implements and teaches business social media strategies in McHenry County. Connect with me on Google. Email April.

Sue Schuerr Ignite Your Passion Book Author

An interview with our “Ignite Your Passion Kindle Your Internal Spark” Amazon Kindle anthology co-author D’Vorah Lansky.

CyberLife Tutors: You are a co-author of “Ignite Your Passion Kindle Your Internal Spark” What is it that you are passionate about?
Sue Schuerr: People who overcome huge obstacles to reach their goals stir passion in my heart. Working with Adaptive Adventures, an organization that provides outdoor sports opportunities for children, adults and veterans with physical disabilities, has given me purpose in my life by volunteering and sharing their stories.

CyberLife Tutors: Why did you contribute this specific story to “Ignite Your Passion Kindle Your Internal Spark?”
Sue Schuerr: I have been blessed with energy, health and vitality. I love to ski, bike and enjoy outdoor activities. My life would be impoverished if I could not do these activities because of a disability. I try to remember the words in Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view—until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” This quote inspires me to step into the skin of the disabled and to make a difference.

CyberLife Tutors: Is this your first published book? If not, what other books have you published?
Sue Schuerr: This will be my third publication. My first was in Tangled Webs/’Life with Larry” by the Algonquin Area Writer’s Group and my second was in an anthology of love stories called Falling in Love with You by OakTara Publishers.

CyberLife Tutors: What else would you to share with our readers
Sue Schuerr: Make the most of everyday and live your life with purpose and gusto. Boredom is a result of not stepping out of one’s comfort zone. I live by the following quote. “Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out shouting, “Oh my God, what a ride.”

CyberLife Tutors: How can our readers contact you?
Sue Schuerr: They can email me at sschuerr@gmail.com or they can see my blog entitled www.lifewithlarry.org.

Dvorah Lansky Ignite Your Passion Author Interview

An interview with our “Ignite Your Passion Kindle Your Internal Spark” Amazon Kindle anthology co-author D’Vorah Lansky.

CyberLife Tutors: You are a co-author of “Ignite Your Passion Kindle Your Internal Spark. “What is it that you are passionate about?
D’vorah Lansky: On a personal note, I am passionate about joyful living, being with friends and family, and taking time to do the things I enjoy by “taking time to smell the roses!”

CyberLife Tutors: Why did you contribute this specific story to “Ignite Your Passion Kindle Your Internal Spark?”
D’vorah Lansky: The chapter I contributed is focused on “success principles.” I shared this content because I feel it is so important for people to understand the importance of setting goals, working smart – not hard, learning how to prioritize people over paper, and other strategies that can help them to become as efficient and successful as possible.

CyberLife Tutors: Is this your first published book? If not, what other books have you published?
D’vorah Lansky: In addition to “Ignite Your Passion” I am a contributing author in several publications, such as: Chicken Soup for the Network Marketer’s Soul; 365 Days of Gratitude; Corporate Mom Dropouts; and Building Relationships that Build Your Business.

I’ve also published several of my own books including the Amazon bestseller, Book Marketing Made Easy: Simple Strategies for Selling Your Nonfiction Book Online; Connect, Communicate, and Profit: Build Successful Business Relationships Online; and Book Marketing Success Secrets.

CyberLife Tutors: What else would you to share with our readers
D’vorah Lansky: If I were to offer one tip for making the most of your time while increasing your joy and success, I’d suggest that you take some time to go to your favorite writing place, where you can think and write without interruption. Turn off your cell phone and spend time writing down all of the things that you love doing (in your professional world.) Then create another list of all of the things that you do but that you really don’t enjoy doing.

Find a way to prioritize the things that you do enjoy doing while finding ways to delegate the things that don’t bring you joy. Reach out to your community for recommendations to service providers who specialize in those areas. By outsourcing the things that do not bring you joy, to someone who makes less than you make per hour, you’ll be freed up to focus not only on the things you enjoy, but on the things that generate additional income.

CyberLife Tutors: You have a special offer for our readers?
D’vorah Lansky: I’d love to connect with our readers by offering one of my most popular free collections of tips on the topic of Virtual Book Tours. They can access these tips and connect with an amazing community of authors an entrepreneurs at: www.VirtualBookToursMadeEasy.com

CyberLife Tutors: How can our readers contact you?
D’vorah Lansky: Readers can email me at Dvorah at BookMarketingMadeEasy.com.

Lisa Deon Ignite Your Passion Book Author Interview

An interview with our “Ignite Your Passion Kindle Your Internal Spark” Amazon Kindle anthology co-author Lisa Deon.

CyberLife Tutors: You are a co-author of “Ignite Your Passion Kindle Your Internal Spark. “What is it that you are passionate about?
Lisa Deon: I love animals, especially horses and dogs, and am passionate about pet responsibility, particularly when it comes to spaying and neutering. There is a glut of dogs, cat and horses in the United States, and during the past few years, because of fiscal issues, some of them were surrendered, dumped, or left to starve. The decision to bring a pet into your family is a long term commitment, and should not be entered into lightly. So before you fall in love with the “purebred” dog being sold from a box on the frontage road at the local Wal-Mart, consider volunteering at your local animal shelter. You might end up finding the perfect fit for your family while helping other displaced animals.

CyberLife Tutors: Why did you contribute this specific story to “Ignite Your Passion Kindle Your Internal Spark?”
Lisa Deon: I have been fortunate to have kept my involvement with horses most of my life now, and although I no longer have a farm and the luxury of looking out my kitchen window to see my favorite equines cavorting in the back yard, I can still show my love for these noble animals by writing about them.

CyberLife Tutors: Is this your first published book? If not, what other books have you published?
Lisa Deon: This was my first published book but it is not my only published book. “The Carriage Trade”, book one of The Carriage Chronicles, is available at Amazon and Smashwords as eBooks, and in paperback at Amazon and Createspace. Splitting The Difference, a Carriage Chronicle short, is available exclusively for Kindle at Amazon and book two in The Carriage Chronicles, The Re-Education of the One Trick Pony, will be available Spring 2013.

CyberLife Tutors: What else would you to share with our readers?
Lisa Deon: Ask for Lisa for a carriage ride tour at Temple Square in Salt Lake City.

CyberLife Tutors: You have a special offer for our readers?Lisa Deon: For a limited time use coupon code KD29H to purchase “The Carriage Tradeat  for 25% off the regular retail price of $3.99. This coupon is valid until March 1, 2013.CyberLife Tutors: How can readers contact you?
Lisa Deon: I’m on Twitter @LisaDeon and on Facebook as LisaDeon. Check out my website or email me at Lisa at LisaDeon. It’s pretty much a Lisa Deon festival.

Ignite Your Passion Kindle Your Internal Spark

Announcing “Ignite Your Passion Kindle Your Internal Spark” Kindle anthology.

Have you lost your passion and excitement for work? Not sure how to get the thrill back? Then “Ignite Your Passion Kindle Your Internal Spark” will fire you up. Our authors share their insights to help you find your passion in life. Don’t stay stuck in a life that is not fulfilling. Find out how to take control of your destiny, find your purpose and get what you really desire. In the “Ignite Your Passion Kindle Your Internal Spark” anthology, twenty-five authors share their stories of how they found their passion and how you can ignite your internal spark.

Ignite Your Passion KIndle Your Internal Spark ebook

These personal narratives reveal techniques you can use immediately to get more from every day as we lead you through exercises and proven approaches.

We live in a time of change and opportunity. This book supplies readers with proven methods they can use to transform their greatest hopes into reality!

Ignite Your Passion Kindle Your Internal Spark authors include Christopher McCann, Gaye Mack, Lisa Deon, Tara Bider, Peter Gault, Izzy Kharasch, Doug Elwell, Mark Frietch, D’vorah Lansky, Michelle Kabele, Sheri Bland, Andy Hughes, Julia Gorelik, Sandra Larkin, Lynnette Phillips, Linda Eenigenburg, Dick Hattan, Mark Cummuta, Matt Lossau, Stefan Levy, Maria Odiamar Racho, Mark Stelzner, Sue Schuerr, Wally Amos, April M. Williams. Editing Lori Albert and Lou Camp. Cover design Kyle E. Williams.

Click the picture below to buy your copy today.

Gaye Mack Ignite Your Passion Book Author Interview

An interview with our “Ignite Your Passion Kindle Your Internal Spark” Amazon Kindle anthology co-author Gaye Mack.

CyberLife Tutors: You are a co-author of “Ignite Your Passion Kindle Your Internal Spark. “What is it that you are passionate about?
Gaye Mack: Throughout my younger and later adult years, my life has been influenced by a variety of passions. Some have been transitory; others have firmly remained as I’ve grown older. If I were to identify the one ‘umbrella’ passion it would be exploration of those things that exist beyond our five senses and how we’re affected by them as spirit in body. The pathways of my explorations have been varied; interest in cultures around the world, their spiritual and ancient healing traditions, experiencing them first hand and, always writing, writing, writing.

CyberLife Tutors: Why did you contribute this specific story to “Ignite Your Passion Kindle Your Internal Spark?”
Gaye Mack: If I’ve learned nothing else (but that’s not to say I always ‘listen to my own lectures’ as a friend of mine is fond of quoting), it’s the importance of trusting our gut, intuition, whatever term is comfortable for you. Listening to our soul’s wisdom is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves this lifetime on our evolutional path and it’s not easy because our ego always wants to be in charge. I felt it was important to share my own experience with this lesson and the rocky road I traveled to ‘get it’ (and still am!) in my own life.

CyberLife Tutors: Is this your first published book? If not, what other books have you published?
Gaye Mack: No. As I mention in my story, Polair Publishing- London, has published my books, “Igniting Soul Fire, Spiritual Dimensions of the Bach Flower Remedies” and “Making Complementary Therapies Work for You” (which has been translated into German). I’m also a contributing author along with Donald Neale Walsh, Irvin Laszlo and other spiritual pioneers, to “The View~Mind Over Matter, Heart Over Mind from Conan Doyle to Conversations with God.”

CyberLife Tutors: What else would you to share with our readers
Gaye Mack: Currently I have two 12th century historical mysteries represented by my literary agent, Peter Miller of Global Lion Intellectual Property Management with the goal of obtaining a contract with one of the traditional houses, as I work on the third book in this series. I’m also working on a sequel to “Igniting Soul Fire, Spiritual Dimensions of the Bach Flower Remedies“, which looks at the connection between Dr. Edward Bach’s Twelve Healers and the evolutional karmic story in our astrological birth chart.

CyberLife Tutors: You have a special offer for our readers?

Gaye Mack: As an active practitioner and teacher in the Bach flower remedies, I do see people privately for evaluation sessions regarding the flower remedies. For those who are also interested in astrology as well, sessions may include some integration with this tradition; it’s always up to the client. For more complete information on my Bach work, its best to look at my website or blog.

CyberLife Tutors: How can our readers contact you?
Gaye Mack: Find me on my website, blog, Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter. Email me at gayemack at gayemack.com

New LinkedIn Profile Layout Released in Phases

I now have the updated new LinkedIn profile layout. Over the past months, LinkedIn began rolling out the new design to members. The new look features bolder heading to divide sections and highlights recent activity. There are more graphics on the page including company logos and icons for each section of the profile. Only the first few recommendations are immediately visible. To see the rest, click on “See More.” Icons for each of the groups you belong to are now grouped in rows instead of one long column.

With the new LinkedIn profile layout, you can include examples of your work with media links to a video, image, document or presentation. LinkedIn is gradually rolling out this ability to add media links to the Summary, Education and Experience sections. If you don’t see this option on your new LinkedIn profile layout be patient until the feature appears.

To add media links to your new LinkedIn profile layout:

  1. Click Profile at the top of your homepage.
  2. Click Edit in the top section of your profile.
  3. Scroll down to the section where you want to add content and click the add media link (it looks like a square with a plus sign). Move your cursor over the link and you will see, “Add a link to a video, image, document, presentation…”.
  4. Type or paste the link to your content into the Add a link field that appears. A picture of your content will then display with pre-filled Title and Description fields.Note: It may take several seconds for this to happen. You can edit the content in these fields if you wish.
  5. Click Save.

The new LinkedIn profile layout is not compatible with Internet Explorer 7. Upgrade to Internet Explorer 8 to see the new features.

New LinkedIn profile
New LinkedIn profile layout updated features.

If do not have the new LinkedIn profile layout, sign up here: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/sample.

Facebook Rolls Out Friendship and Couples Pages

Facebook creates new friendship and couples Pages combining posts, photos and events that you and another person shared on your Timeline. No need for Facebook members to take action as Facebook creates these pages for you.

If you have a Facebook account, visit any one of your friend’s profiles. Next, click on the gear at the top of the page near the Messages button. Click on “See Friendship.”

Facebook see friendship page

Facebook also introduces new Couples pages. Facebook automatically creates these Couples pages when members change their status to “in a relationship.”

If you are a Facebook member in a relationship, check out your Couples page.

What do you think of the new Facebook Friendship and Couples pages?

 

7 Tips for Using New Pinterest Secret Boards

Pinterest launched Secret Boards and each Pinterest member will find three of these new boards at the bottom of their profile page. Unlike publicly visible content on original Pinterest boards, pictures on Secret Boards is restricted.

Secret Boards are not visible by others and the secret setting can only be chosen for  new new Pinterest boards. Existing public boards will always stay public.

There are 7 tips on how you can use Pinterest Secret Boards.

  1. Collaborate with friends or business partner on a Pinterest Secret Board for a new project. Post project plans and status reports to keep everyone informed.
  2. Offer personalized service to your customers when working one on one. Create a Pinterest Secret Board to use to store meeting notes, next steps and ideas.
  3. Use a Pinterest Secret Board to collect ideas for upcoming blog posts, ebooks or special reports.
  4. Reward your best customers and share your top tips on a Pinterest Secret Board. Let them be the first to learn about the latest news on your company and your industry.
  5. Begin curating photos on your Secret Pinterest Board before a new product launch. On the day of launch, you can make your board public by toggling the “Secret” switch to off.
  6. Plan a surprise party with a group of friends using a Secret Board. Plan dates, times, locations and logistics.
  7. Busy people need to recharge their batteries. Pin travel ideas to a Pinterest Secret Board to share vacation ideas with your family.
Pinterest Secret Board
Toggle to “secret” to create a private Pinterest Secret Board

Gather and organize pictures on your new Pinterest Secret Boards. Create Secret boards to collaborate with specific customers or peers.

How are you using Pinterest Secret Boards? Click on comments to tell us.

7 Tips: Professional Social Media Profile Photos Stand Out

Social media profile photos taken by professionals are easy to spot. They give your profile credibility. On the other hand, amateur shots also stand out though not for the right reasons. With social media sites, often your picture is the first thing a prospective hiring manager or potential client will see. You only have one chance to make your first impression.

Here are 7 recommendations to get the most from your social media profile photos.

  1. Do have a professional photographer take your picture. A good photographer will capture you at your best.
  2. Lighting makes all the difference. Professional photographers know how to use lighting to enhance your features.
  3. Do not use an avatar, logo or other graphic instead of a profile photo. This is your opportunity to allow others to see you and feel connected. It is also against most sites term of service and your account may be deleted.
  4. Post the same picture on all your social media sites for continuity. Others will be sure to recognize you when they see the familiar photo.
  5. Just you in the picture. Your profile is only about you. Do not post a group shot or you with your spouse. This is especially important with LinkedIn profiles.
  6. Use a head shot for your profile photo and not a full profile. We want to connect and recognize you. With a full length shot, your features are too small to recognize. Want to see and recognize you.
  7. Update your picture every one or two years. Some of my connections have not changed their profile pictures in years. Once I met a new contact at a restaurant and walked right past them because they no longer resembled the person pictured in their social media profile.

Before you hand your cell phone to a friend to shoot a photo of you, consider what a professional photographer can do for you. Here are two profile photos shot by professional photographers Jared Silver and Carlos Vergara.

Did you hire a professional photographer to take your social media profile picture? Click comment below and tell us.

April M. Williams
April M. Williams profile photo by Jared Silver.

 

April M. Williams profile photo by Carlos Vergara
April M. Williams profile photo by Carlos Vergara

 

Social Media Post Ideas When Legal Regulations Apply

Legal regulations can restrict the types of public comments for those in legal, finance and other fields. Members of regulated fields often tell me they cannot use any social media sites for this reason. Comments they make could be interpreted as legal or financial advice and come back to haunt them. Of course, any qualified professional would not make blanket recommendations intended for everyone. I certainly cannot recommend any one social media solution for all businesses.

These lawyers and financial managers see others engaging with prospects, building credibility and defining their brand. They want to get involved in social media but they do not want to risk future legal battles.

I ask them if they are barred from using any social media site. The answer is usually “No.” They can use the sites but cannot give professional advice.

Do you feel like you can't use social media?
Do you feel like you can’t use social media?

Here are ideas for those of you in legal, financial or other professions would like to take part in social media sites and are required to restrict your comments. These techniques develop your brand and credibility while showing you stay current with relevent news in your field.

  • Read online business sections of the paper and post links to stories of interest to your customers and prospects.
  • Post government housing starts, unemployment rates and other timely statistics.
  • Share commentary or opinion articles and ask others if they agree or disagree.
  • Let others know about community or local charity events.
  • Highlight news about your customers.

What other ways can professional share news and topical information without giving individual advice?