Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Thinking, writing, business ideas … You’re only a stranger once.

SOB Business Cafe 09-08-06

Filed Under Blog Review, Business Life, Customer Think, Great Finds, Motivation/Inspiration, SOB Business, Successful Blog | 8 Comments

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SB Cafe

Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking–articles on the business of blogging written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the title shots to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are



Blog Blog has a new look, but the same great service since we met.

Blog Blog New Look



Simplenomics reminds that folks value what we value.

Be Proud of Your Prices



Business Blogwire is getting wired into a series on big, big business blogs.

Fortune 500 Corporate Review Series



Service Untitled takes us to the Ritz.

Customer Service Difference #3 Ritz Carlton



Workboxers has THE interview with Patrick Gavin, explaining everything, including how signing up for a Text Links Ad will help put my son though college.

Revealing All about TextLink Ads

Related ala carte selections include



The Hillbilly PhD has a great question and the answer’s not 42 OR 43.

How Do You Define Your Personal Mission



It’s a Numeric Life isn’t telling tall tales here.

Tall People Earn More

Sit back. Enjoy your read. Nachos and drinks will be right over. Stay as long as you like.
No tips required. Comments appreciated.

Have a great weekend!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Prelaunch Blog Review Checklist

Filed Under Blog Review, Checklists, Guest Writer, Successful Blog | 6 Comments

I've been thinking . . .

I wrote a post this morning as part of a series at LizStrauss[dot]com. It may be of use to some readers here. It’s for folks who’ve not started blogging. Click the title to access it.

Prelaunch Blog Review Checklist

Should I submit this to be an official SOB? I’ll have to ask myself whether I participate enough in the dialogue . . .

Liz's Signature

SOB Business Cafe 09-01-2006

Filed Under Blog Review, Business Life, Marketing, Successful Blog, Tech/Stats | 9 Comments

SB Cafe

Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking–articles on the business of blogging written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the title shots to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

Chartreuse BETA names the new “Catcher in the Rye.”

The Importance of Catcher in the Rye



Bloggers Blog reviews mistakes we should steer clear of.

Blogging Mistakes to Avoid



Seth’s Blog considers the options when folks take advantage of a business’s good faith policies.

What Should Starbucks Do



Simplenomics is right on the money again.

I'm Cheaper Is A Terrible Marketing Mantra



Publishing 2.0 has a suggestion for emerging blog media moguls.

Advice to Blog Media

Related ala carte selections include

Working at Home on the Internet has a toy that spoof Web 2.0.

Web 2.0 Logo Generator



The Selfish Savvy Giver has the peace chant for 2006.

Make Drinks Not War

Sit back. Enjoy your read. Nachos and drinks will be right over. Stay as long as you like.
No tips required. Comments appreciated.

Have a great weekend!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Great Find: 2 Standalone Trackback Tools

Filed Under Blog Review, Comments, Successful Blog, Tech/Stats | 22 Comments

Trackback Troubles

New Blogger Logo

A few months ago, I was having a problem with trackbacks. It occurred right after a server move. Everything seemed to be working, yet the trackbacks weren’t appearing. I found the situation somewhat distressing. What I was writing was important and incredibly cool — as everything we write is.

This week I am having a problem with my trackbacks again. It just started happening for apparent reason. I haven’t had the time to play detective, but I know the value of well-placed trackbacks.

Trackbacks show other writers that I’ve thought about what they’ve written. They offer my work on the same sujbect to another conversation. People notice trackbacks. Sometimes they even follow one home.

Being without my trackbacks is a lot like being without. Read more

Great Find: Is Your Design C.R.A.P.?

Filed Under Blog Review, Design, Great Finds, Successful Blog | 7 Comments

This link comes from Cat Morley, of Designers who Blog. It was waiting when I got to my computer this morning. If you know Cat Morley and Mike Rundle, you’ll want to read this article as much as I did.

Great Find: How C.R.A.P. Is Your Design by MIke Rundle
Permalink: http://www.thinkvitamin.com/features/design/how-crap-is-your-site-design

Audience/Topic: Blog and Webiste Design Review
Content: I’ve had the pleasure of working with Mike Rundle. I worked with him when Succesful Blog was with 9rules. Mike designed the SOB badge. He’s considered one of the best designers in the blogworld. So when Mike writes about blog design. It’s worth checking, especially when the person who points out the article is Cat Morely, who is also highly recognized for her design skills.

Mike’s article explains a popular design approach and acronym, called C.R.A.P. coined by designer/author Robin Williams. C.R.A.P. stands for

Contrast + Repitition + Alignment + Proximity

In his article, Mike goes beyond explaining each concept. He provides screenshots and reviews the conceptual points in action — when they’re working and when they’re not. Think of this as a multi-page primer of design basics that you want beside you, when you start tweaking at your template. To read the article click on the title shot below.

How CRAP Is Your Design

Design can make reading your blog inviting, welcoming, and easy on the reader. It’s one more form of branding and blog promotion. Great design lets readers see that you have an interest in them and a stake in what you’re doing. The finest content means hardly anything, if no one can get past the design to read it.

Thanks Cat, for pointing us to this article, and thanks Mike, for taking the time to write it.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles
I’ll be adding this Great Find to the NEW BLOGGER PAGE.
Blog Design Checklist
5 Type Turn-Offs that Are Exit Only
Getting Customers to Stop by to See You
Blog Promotion: Checking Out Curb Appeal

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