Pilot Max Robotic Vacuum Cleaner and Neato Botvac

We think this one wins when it comes to looks. The sleek and compact white design would fit perfectly in modern homes and shouldn’t take up a lot of space either. It comes with sweeping brushes that stick out the side to sweep in and suck up dirt in corners, which is fairly effective.  And it’s very quiet, so won’t disturb you if you’re watching TV. It also comes with a virtual wall, so you can block off areas you don’t want cleaning and a remote control. Our only annoyance was having to charge and put the battery pack in ourselves, which we found a little bit fiddly. For the price though, it does a decent job of vacuuming and is worth considering. 

This is the most advanced machine ( as IROBOT ROOMBA 880 )from the robot vacuum specialist, utilising the same navigation technology Google puts into its self-driving cars. It uses lasers to scan the room it’s cleaning, noting any obstacles and then returning to the same spot from which it started, which can be useful for storage. It has good suction, the power of which can be increased by switching on the turbo mode (this increases the machine’s speed and noise, too). It didn’t get stuck on the large rug in the middle of our testing room, which was a problem for some. The app, available for iOS and Android devices, means you control the vacuum’s actions from wherever you are, whether that be the office or the supermarket. 

Tesla CEO Elon Musk Suggests Revamping Puerto Rico's Power Grid With Solar Energy

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has suggested powering Puerto Rico's grid with solar energy and batteries.
Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló has expressed interest in the project.
The project would be a massive undertaking for the island, which spans across 3,515 square miles and is home to 3.4 million.


With much of Puerto Rico still without electricity after being devastated by Hurricane Irma, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has suggested powering the island’s grid with solar energy and batteries.


The idea for the fix was born on Twitter during a conversation between Musk and a follower that suggested he take the project on.


The Tesla team has done this for many smaller islands around the world, but there is no scalability limit, so it can be done for Puerto Rico too,” Musk tweeted.

Earlier this year, Tesla built a large solar farm (with RENOGY 100 WATT SOLAR PANEL KIT )on 50 acres of land on Kauai, the Hawaiian island, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports. The structure includes Powerpacks that can hold enough energy to power an estimated 4,500 homes.

In November, SolarCity, a company owned by Tesla, powered a 17-square-mile island in America Samoa with almost nothing but solar energy, according to the Huffington Post. The island had previously relied on diesel fuel for power.

(MORE: U.S. to 'Withdraw' Obama-Era Clean Power Plan)

The proposition for powering Puerto Rico sparked the interest of the island’s Gov. Ricardo Rosselló, who tweeted “Let’s talk” to Musk. He also proposed the island could be a solar “flagship project” for Musk.

Last week, the Department of Defense announced that only 5.4 of the island’s residents have electricity, ABC News reports. Only 14 of the island’s hospitals have power, and another 51 were “degraded” and in need of power generators.

Puerto Rico officials say it will likely take four to six months before the island’s power is fully restored, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Prior to the storm’s destruction, Puerto Rico’s power grid was already facing a dismal reality.

The infrastructure had constant outages due to maintenance issues, Reuters reports. The island suffered a three-day blackout across the island as recently as 2016.

Financial issues have also plagued the grid. The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority was facing $9 billion in debt before Maria, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The project would need to be approved by both the federal government and the island’s government, as well as commercial stakeholders, according to the Huffington Post.

This solar project would be a massive undertaking for Puerto Rico, which spans across 3,515 square miles and is home to 3.4 million.

Eco-Friendly Roofing Materials

If you are someone who enjoys contributing to ecological health and sustainability, then creating eco-conscious brick masonry contractor choices is a great way to continue this positively-charged pastime. Luckily, there are several options for eco-friendly brick pointing contractors. Your selection will depend on your own personal preference, budget, and some other factors.

By talking to a professional brickwork pointing contractors, you are able to learn each of the eco-friendly brick pointing Bronx choices that will best fit the special needs of your home. You could also review many of the possibilities ahead, in order to prepare yourself for making the best decision.

Continue reading to learn some of the most frequently occurring and celebrated eco-friendly brick pointing NYC materials, as well as a few methods to improve energy-efficiency and much more.

Environmentally-Friendly Roofs:

The most usual environmentally-friendly waterproofing Bronx include a number of the most popular ones in the residential and commercial markets. Below is a list of these systems, and the qualities that make them safe for the environment and surrounding ecosystems. This listing contains asphalt shingles, metal, clay tiles, concrete tiles, slate, wood heaters, fiber cement, and recycled Bronx roofing company.

Asphalt Shingles - This is one of the most cost-effective and frequent possibilities for residential roofs. They are regarded as the least appealing and don't last so long as every other roofing materials, however, they're made of natural substances, making them absolutely eco-friendly.

Metallic - Metal is 100% recyclable, and can be reprocessed over and over again. Recycling metal reduces the requirement to mine more, reducing natural ore residue depletion prices. A classic metal roof remains valuable and useful and may be straightened, endlessly. Steel and aluminum are the most common metals used for metal roofers Bronx.

Slate - Slate is a natural section of the planet and extremely durable. It lasts quite a long time but comes with a hefty price tag. It's among the more attractive Bronx roofing contractors. Slate is also 100% decomposable and recyclable.

Clay - Clay tile roof repair Bronx are referred to as "terra cotta" from the industry. They're created from natural resources, mostly clay, and water, which can be 100% natural. You must be careful picking the coating, but as a few are slightly toxic if they run off into the pure water sources.

Concrete - Concrete tiles are similar to clay tiles in terms of eco-friendliness and natural makeup. Concrete consists of natural aggregates, like cement, rock, gravel, and sand.

Wood Shakes - Wood is a natural element that comes from trees, which makes it 100% eco-friendly and safe for the environment. Cedar is the most common substance used for wood shake roofing systems, but other types of timber are often used too. Just make certain to choose FSC certified wood.

Fiber Cement - Fiber cement board is an excellent green roofing repair Bronx NY as it is largely made up of cement and cellulose fiber, each of which can be biodegradable.

Recycled Roofing - Applying recycled merchandise is a terrific eco-friendly clinic, and roof repair Bronx NY systems are no different. Vinyl and rubber roofing Bronx are recyclable and can be manufactured to resemble higher-end substances, such as wood shake and tiles.

The Amish Tradition

The Amish quilt patterns are recognized due to their simple gown. The males use black slacks and coats, whilst the girls wear long, black, long-sleeved gowns with white aprons and caps. Their traditions set them besides mainstream Americans in a variety of ways. For one thing, they've basically translated the Bible, meaning that they embrace specific dress requirements and behavior specifications, even as they avoid most modern engineering. Photos, also, aren't permitted since these are considered "graven images" as mentioned in the 10 Rules. They think that their belief in God is best-represented by words and measures, so they make an effort to follow the examples given by the Bible also to take God's will in everything. As a result of this, they're conscientious objectors in regards to military service and flip the other cheek once they are individually assaulted.

The strength of community and household are fundamental while in the Amish quilts for sale community. Humility and distribution are highly valued, as set forth by God's instance within the Bible. Similarly, desire and delight are rejected. Therefore, there is no competition, materialism, or individualism. Like, while in the Amish quilts, one isn't permitted to own a car since the Amish quilt patterns think that this may trigger section in the committee, separating "abundant" from "weak" and result in boastful pride.

However, the Amish quilt designs do recognize rides in automobiles if business or problems need any particular one get an excellent distance or need extreme velocity. From the same concept, homes don't have telephones or energy. Nevertheless, dairy barns are powered from alternate energy sources. Often, too, you will find small buildings which have communal telephones to place outgoing calls. Self-reliance and individualism aren't recognized, nevertheless, the group itself is independent of outside electricity solutions.

Amish quilt designs beliefs proceed to set them aside from mainstream National tradition. Area members are required to marry and have families. Their courtship convention is exclusive, for the reason that they are able to only marry additional Amish applique quilts, though those they marry may come from diverse baby quilts agreements than they do. Gents and ladies follow standard gender roles and sometimes have big families. Divorce is forbidden. They also discuss a common terminology. English is taught at the universities, but Pa Dutch, an unknown German dialect, is spoken at home.

As well as dress, Amish log cabin quilts have a special type of facial hair. Once a person is married, he's expected to increase a mustache. However, there's no mustache combined with a mustache. The reason being they deny anything vain or military. Inside their home countries, the military leaders in charge of the persecution of the Amish had quite elegant mustaches.

They have no process of government that's official or structured, but nominated preachers, bishops and deacons guide them. Shunning, which has been a significantly-discussed practice, is actually a control measure based on New Testament Bible passages. It truly is used each time a baptized member of the community "trespasses" contrary to the neighborhood. What this means is that no other group users, perhaps partners, are helped contact with the prison while she or he will be shunned. Nevertheless, once the person who committed the wrongdoing wants forgiveness, forgiveness is easily provided and the shunned welcomed back to the community.

In 1972, a landmark legal choice decreed that the Amish quilting possess the directly to continue their way of life without government interference when it comes to Social Security taxes and gains, child labor regulations, and compulsory schooling. In the handmade patchwork quilts, youngsters attend college through the eighth-grade in single-room schoolhouses. They're taught by single ladies in little adjustable-quality courses. Continually, baby quilts did better than their rural non-Amish mates on standardized exams. Inside the Amish log cabin quilts, the opinion is that after the last formal little training, another phase of maturing is best completed within people, by learning a tougher spiritual belief and practical skills.

Once young people finish their training, the girls learn housekeeping and kid-rearing abilities alongside their moms and also other women, while the boys understand farming and woodworking skills alongside their dads and other guys. At 16, teenagers are permitted to knowledge flexibility and therefore are actually inspired to call home one of the "English" or low-Amish population, to determine whether or not they wish to remain in the handmade Amish quilts. A tiny number of young adults do choose to proceed to call home together with the "English," but many decide to come back to the baby quilts life, be baptized, and spend their lifestyles for the community and fellowship.

The baby quilts are excused from Social Security taxes, but should nevertheless pay other types of taxes, including residence and income tax. They don't carry insurance but assist one another as being a group during emergencies. They don't really enroll in government take care of older people but take care of their elderly in the home.

Each handmade Amish quilts settlement lives independent of the other negotiations. They reveal the exact same key doctrine but change on problems of a level. Some variations can sometimes include how basic clothing is, or whether compromise is allowed in the utilization of modern technology, and also to what degree. When disagreements happen, associates might sometimes go to another area that better matches their very own view of the trust.

Actually, farmers if they immigrated from Europe and Philippines, nowadays, the baby quilts, however, use farming as their principal source of income. They dwell distinct from your planet around them, but have smart business capabilities and have grown relationships and business relationships using the "English" in the surrounding neighborhoods. Many "English" support the Amish out free of charge, so that the Amish quilts may maintain their lifestyle. The Amish quilt designs raise herbs such as barley, soybeans, cigarette, rice, and corn, together with other vegetables. They boost these crops both for personal use as well as for industry. In addition, they're excellent carpenters and dairy producers. They've also recently started to build up cottage companies that include promoting jellies, furniture, blankets as well as other handmade things. "English" customers have greatly rewarded these goods as they are of such high quality. The Amish quilt patterns first of all attempt to provide glory to Lord, and because of this, and workmanship is well above average and it is an unspoken and enduring testament to belief.

GOAL ZERO NOMAD 20

You won’t find too many camping grounds without any solar panels. It has become a must-have item for those who aren’t ready to completely go off-grid when camping. The GOAL ZERO NOMAD 20 solar panel aims to offer a simple, easy to use solution for reliable solar power.Goal Zero is a big name in the solar energy space, and their motto of “Zero Apathy, Zero Boundaries, Zero Regrets” has made them a household name not just for their well-built solar energy products, but also for their humanitarian efforts.This 20-watt solar panel is the largest in Goal Zero’s range of portable solar panels and is made with a tri-fold design which enables it to stand by itself. It can also be propped up against a rock or a tree to get the best angle to the sun. It also comes with handy loops around the edges which allow you to hang it from a tree or your tent, or connect to your backpack’s daisy chains.

With a mesh zipper pocket for cables on the rear of the device, and a magnetic clasp to hold the panels tightly together, this product was made for casual backpacking. At almost 2.5 pounds in weight, it might be tough to decide whether or not it makes the cut on longer hikes.

Goal Zero makes use of mono-crystalline solar pump technology to make their panels more efficient. It is made from single silicon crystals and increases the lifespan of the panels to anything between 10-30 years, depending on the use. It also delivers a higher wattage per square foot, and performs well in both ideal and low light conditions.


The intelligent charging junction box comes with chaining ports which make it a breeze to add (or daisy chain) more panels for increased solar power collection.

What can it be used for?

With its built-in junction box and smart-charging chip, you can use this panel to directly charge handheld devices. It comes with 4 different ports. By using the USB, 12V, Chain in, or Guide 10 port you can power up your devices directly. You can also use this panel to recharge a solar generator like the Yeti 150 solar generator or the Sherpa 100 portable power pack.


The USB port allows you to charge phones, GPS, tablets, radios, headlamps, MP3 players and any other device that can charge via USB. With the 12V port, you can charge the Goal Zero Sherpa and Extreme 350 battery packs, and the Guide 10 port allows you to charge the nifty Guide 10 Plus power pack.

I will mention that I had no trouble charging Apple products with the Nomad 20. It easily charges iPhones, as well as iPads. One thing I noticed was that if it gets cloudy overhead, I would have to unplug the iPhone charger and plug it back in. From my research, it looks like this is because Apple products require a steady 4.7V current. When clouds move past your solar panel, the output might drop below 4.7V which causes the iPhoneiPad to stop charging. Unplugging and plugging back in, gets your device charging again. A little annoying, but this is an Apple problem so other solar panels will mostly act the same.

It is important to note that this folding solar panel does not hold a charge. This means that when it is not in direct sunlight, it won’t be able to charge your gadgets.

This panel is very popular among campers and hikers, as it is compact and lightweight (1.1kg) and fits easily into a day pack. It can also be used to charge your phone when fishing, or to power up your iPod on the beach.

It is important to keep in mind what you want to use it for. If you are buying a single Nomad 20 to power up something like a Yeti 150, it will take a few days to recharge depending on the sunlight.


With most solar panels, you can work on 75% of the claimed output. Goal Zero says this panel puts out 20W, which would be closer to 15W. This would be in perfect conditions with full sunlight, and the panels facing the sun directly. If there is cloud cover, or you don’t adjust the panel to face the sun accordingly, the output will be less than 15W.

If you want to power a solar recharger like the Yeti 150, be prepared for a recharge to take a couple of days. Goal Zero thought of this and allows you to chain multiple panels together. This will increase the output. Two Nomad 20 panels chained together will deliver 40W, three panels will deliver 60W, etc. To recharge the Yeti 150 in a day, you would need clear skies and 3 Nomad 20 panels chained together.

If you are using the Yeti 400, or a similar solar power generator, you might want to look at other options. If you require a portable, folding panel the Nomad 100 will work for you. If you don’t require a portable panel, the Boulder range of rigid panels are a great option.

How to chain goal zero solar panels together

Chaining multiple solar panels will increase the output. This will decrease the time required to recharge your device. Goal Zero takes great care to make sure all their products are easy to use together. You can even chain different sizes of the Nomad like the 20 and the 13 together, or you could chain different models together like the Nomad and the Boulder. I recommend checking in with the responsive support team from Goal Zero to check whether you might require an adapter when chaining different models together.


If you stick with other Nomad 20’s, you can chain 4 panels together for a combined output of 80W. That is enough to charge a Yeti 150 in one day of full sunlight, and the Yeti 400 in about two days.

If you want to chain the panels together, it is as easy as grabbing the 12V cord on the first panel, and plugging into the solar port (the female end) on the next panel. Make sure to listen for the click when doing this, to make sure you have a good seal.

When connecting different models, the larger panel must always be the output used to charge your device.

NOTE: When chaining a number of panels together, only the solar port will have more power to charge your device. The other ports are regulated, meaning they can only deliver a certain volt and wattage, irrespective of being chained together or not.

Are Goal Zero solar panels waterproof?

I asked Goal Zero this question, and their answer was that it is not waterproof in the sense that the foldable solar panels can be submerged in water. I think a better term to use would be water resistant as the panel has been designed to withstand rain. A friend of mine had his panel out in the rain, and the panel was no worse for wear after the downpour. Snow and morning fog will also not be a problem for this folding solar panel.
I will recommend that you make sure to dry it off completely before storing the panels. A handy tip I got from another Nomad user, is to seal off the junction box with a bit of silicone as this is the area most prone to water damage.

If you need a rugged panel that is completely waterproof, check out the Goal Zero Boulder series.

Where to buy goal zero products at the best price?


While these panels can be bought at various retailers and outdoor shops, I prefer buying my solar power products through Amazon. Free delivery and a wide range of products make it my preferred place to shop for Goal Zero products. They also tend to have the best prices on solar products.


When buying through Amazon, the Goal Zero products are covered by their standard 30-day warranty.

The Final Verdict

When I first heard about the Nomad 20, I was expecting all the usual Goal Zero characteristics. Ruggedly built, competitively priced, good looks, easy to use and fully featured. I was not disappointed, the Nomad delivers on all of those fronts.


Whether you plan on taking this camping, on recreational hikes, boating, in the RV, the Nomad 20 packs a serious punch in a small form factor.

5 Business Strategies To Boost Your First Quarter Sales

You might have succeeded in turning a great idea into a business, but if you can't get people to purchase your product or service, you don't really have anything. Sales are what validate a business, the reason every business is established.

So what happens when your business is running low on sales?

You could be running low on sales for any number of reasons. Maybe your marketing campaign is focusing on the wrong people. Maybe it's obsolete. Maybe there is just too much competition within your industry.


Whatever the reason, these five tips can help you squeeze out more sales in the first quarter of 2017:

1. Incorporate videos in your social media adverts.

Video is the highest-converting content format due to its unique ability to engage both the visual and audio senses of your audience. So, come up with engaging and valuable video content for your marketing campaign, post it on social media sites and pages and use it for your social media ads.

Studies suggest that adding a video to a landing page can increase conversion rate by 80 percent, and a video in an email increases click-through rate anywhere from 200 to 300 percent. For those who are concerned about the reach of their video-marketing content, 92 percent of mobile video consumers share videos with others, 75 percent of online video viewers have interacted with an online video ad this month and 52 percent of marketing professionals name video as the type of content with the best return on investment (ROI).

2. Keep a close eye on your KPIs.

Naturally, every business owner dreams to achieve his/her business objectives -- that dream pushed me to scale my e-commerce startup into a six-figure business -- but you can't get there if you don’t know your numbers or keep an eye on the key performance indicators (KPI) of your business.

Knowing your numbers entails finding out, at every point in time, the biggest cause for growth within your business. This helps you laser-focus on the right metrics and know how best to spend the company’s money in actualizing the overall growth objectives.

These business performances are better-monitored when they’re visually appealing. You cannot effectively manage and measure growth you can’t see. To know your numbers and key performance indicators, you need a business growth dashboard.

Find a suitable dashboard to help you track important metrics and KPIs. Google Analytics and Datapine are examples of KPI dashboards I know that offer interactive monitoring of major key business metrics.

For those who prefer less analytical monitoring, you can utilize Daily Planners or apps like Trello to manually input your business numbers.

3. Rely on word of mouth.

No method of lead generation is as organic as word of mouth referrals by your customers. These people can explain your business to their friends, family or colleagues -- people they trust and who trust them. And, since they already have a trust connection with these people, their audience is more open to listening and checking out your business.

Ask your customers to refer you. If you do not, you are likely leaving tons of money on the table. Of course, you have to first ensure that your products or services are worth the trouble of your customers and that you have established a good relationship with them.

Some people will say no, but the customers who do refer you will more than compensate for that.

4. Do a little bit of offline marketing.

For all our technological and digital advancement, some good old offline marketing strategies are still waxing strong.

Advertise your business in local newspapers. Seek endorsements from influential people by giving them your product free; if they like it, they will endorse it. Contact radio stations and offer to give away your products free to their listeners in exchange for advertisements and publicity about your business.

Find out where popular events will take place throughout the year 2017 and start now to apply to display your products or give out gift bags of your product offering at these events. In 2016, Corine's Cuisine, a business that makes naturally prepared sauce recipes, offered a truckload of gift bags of their products for free at the 2016 Emmy Awards and got celebrity customers instantly. Now, that’s a unique way to meet prospective audiences in your market.

There are so many other ways to promote your business offline beside word of mouth referrals. You do not always have to wait for the business to come to you. Seek out opportunities to showcase your business to people and organizations that your customers cannot reach.

5. Always exceed your customers' expectations.

Whether you're making early deliveries, doing small consulting jobs for customers for free or connecting them to people who need their business, surprising your customer in a positive way never fails.

The entrepreneurs who started Room-mate hotels following this strategy by building hotels that exceed expectations and making them affordable. Your surprise mustn’t be elaborate. Little things will help you retain your most loyal and high-paying customers.

How to Attract Sales Leads through Your Podcast Guest Appearance

Just don't do it.
Refuse to be like other entrepreneurs and thought leaders who think they can simply go on a podcast to only pitch their business or products and assume sales leads will fall out of the sky into their lap.

It doesn't work that way.


During my media career, I've booked everyone from Canadian bookkeepers to entrepreneurial heavyweights, such as Seth Godin and Barbara Corcoran, onto podcasts, but the guests that saw leads from their appearances set themselves up to win by implementing key strategies.


To find some examples, I enlisted the help of a trio of qualified experts including John Lee Dumas, who hosts the Entrepreneur On Fire podcast which attracts over 1.5 million monthly listens; Lewis Howes, who is a New York Times best-selling author and host of The School of Greatness podcast; and, Beth Buelow who hosts The Introvert Entrepreneur podcast and is the author of The Introvert Entrepreneur: Amplify Your Strengths and Create Success On Your Own Terms.

With their assistance, here are five strategies that can help you make the most of your podcast guest appearance.

1. Find relevant podcasts that serve your ideal audience.

Whether you do this yourself or hire others, appearing on the right interview-based show is crucial. For example, if you were an author of a new book about elephant mating rituals, you wouldn’t be looking to be on a podcast about how to knit Christmas sweaters. That’s just weird.

Dumas says, “I look for podcasts whose audiences I know I can provide massive value to. The content / topic has to match what I can deliver on [to] give my strengths and knowledge, otherwise I know I won't be serving those who are tuning in.”

So, where do you find relevant podcasts?

Dumas suggests, “Sometimes recommendations, sometimes through the podcaster reaching out to me with a request to be on their show, and sometimes by doing research in iTunes -- typing in keywords that match up with the topics I know I can speak to.”

Howes adds, “I'm always looking at the iTunes charts and on social media at who's doing what, what's getting noticed, what shows people are talking about.“

You can also check out podcast networks such as PodcastOne and BlogTalkRadio.com to see what shows might be a fit for you.

Related: 7 Reasons to Add a Podcast to Your Content Marketing Strategy

2. Offer value first instead of talking about yourself.

On a podcast, listeners don’t want to hear you brag. They just want to know how you can help them make more money, make their lives easier and other benefits that cater to them.

Once you understand you must serve the audience first, you’ll be on the right track to attracting sales leads from your podcast appearance.

“My goal is to provide three things,” Buelow says. “Solid information that’s gleaned from a combination of research, reflection, personal experience and my training; questions for the listener to reflect on; and tips to support them in taking action.”

When offering suggestions, do make sure they are in step-by-step form, so listeners can easily understand and implement them right away.

3. Tell stories.

Storytelling has been around since the dawn of humankind. It’s lasted this long because it continues to be a great way to captivate people. It’s especially powerful when you’re authentic.

“Lead with vulnerability,” Howes recommends. “That's what creates connection with an audience. Talk about your failures, the things you learned when you made mistakes, the times when you didn't have it all figured out. That's what people connect to.”

Buelow agrees.

“People buy from people, and when you’re in conversation and sharing your stories, you’re connecting in a deeper way with potential clients and customers. They feel like they know you after listening to you and hearing the passion in your voice. And for most interviews, you get to talk about your business without pitching -- it’s more about who you are, why you do what you do and what’s important about it. You’re putting know, like and trust before the pitch, as it should be!”

4. Have a clear call to action.

Once your podcast conversation is coming to a close, always remember to offer listeners a way to stay connected with you.

“Because when you deliver high value to an audience who you know wants and needs that value, there's really no reason for them not to check out your business and what you have going on,” Dumas says. “I always end my guest appearances with a strong call to action, which rarely has anything to do with selling anything. Typically I'm just sharing a free resource available on our site so I can start nurturing a relationship with the new leads.”

Dumas also mentioned a good call to action could be sharing your email address or asking people to connect with you via your favorite social platform.

5. Master the promotion of your podcast appearance.

So, after your interview is finished, how will potential prospects hear about it?

According to Buelow, you should "do your part to promote your appearance on the podcast. This helps the episode stay alive and visible for longer, reaching more prospective clients. Announce that you’re going to be interviewed (and that you’re excited about it!). Post the finished episode on your various social media platforms, your website and your newsletter, then put the link in a rotation to keep sharing on Twitter. This also shows that you’re a good guest, interested in supporting the podcast host, and they’re more likely to ask you back for a future episode or recommend you to other podcasters.”

Beforehand, you can ask podcast hosts how they will market your episode. Most will say they’ll promote it on social media, which is nice, but you’ll want to suggest they advertise your interview to their email list, too. The reason being is some podcast hosts have more engaged email subscribers than followers who would only like one of their tweets every few months.

Overall, podcast guest appearances are becoming a terrific way to connect with niche audiences (and potential clients) that you never would have in the past. So, if you’re serious about generating sales leads from those interviews, provide relevant value first. Once you do, there’s a good chance your business will profit from the results.

How to Revolutionize Your Small Business by Writing a Book

Business owners, regardless of company size, are always considering new ways to boost the bottom line. And, quite frankly, there comes a time when it’s not advantageous to continue launching new products or raising your prices. Writing a business book offers opportunities to move you toward whatever your long-term goals are as well as growing market share. And, if you’re wondering what kind of a business book you can offer, I want you to look at your company from an outsider’s perspective. Consider the various ins and outs of your business, everything you do and everything that makes your company unique.

This information is ultimately what you can develop into a book -- we’ll talk more about that later in this article.

You don’t have time to not write a book.

Your time is stretched thing. Believe me, I get that. But with all that a business book can do for you and your company, it’s in your best interest to start now. Why? A book gives you a whole host of new ways to grab attention and rise above the noise -- above all of the choices that are overwhelming your client-base. And while it’s absolutely critical to focus on how your potential clients find you (social media, advertising etc.), it’s just as important to keep their focus once you’ve captured their attention.


A business book is a great way to introduce yourself to these people, and help them get to know you. Plus it sets you up as a resource -- if your clients or potential clients learn early on that they can come to you to learn more about your industry, you’ll build loyalty and when they are ready to buy, guess who they think of first? Your business book will be a key component of this education strategy, and from there you can host workshops, offer consultations, build your speaking platform and even develop secondary products like YouTube tutorials. And, if you haven’t looked into it yet, it is so easy to publish these days. There are tons of options available to budding authors, with Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing for eBooks and Createspace for print-on-demand among the most popular. You can have your own book ready for distribution faster -- and more easily -- now than ever before.

Still concerned that you don’t have the time? Ghostwriting is always an option. And ghostwriters can mimic your “voice” so that the book sounds like something you would write. It’s well worth the money if it makes the difference of writing and publishing your business book or not.
So, how do you get started?

First, determine your goals. Want to get more business? More media coverage? More speaking? All of these are great goals, but it’s important to know up front what you want so you can start building a book that will help transform your vision into reality. And, if obtaining more speaking engagements is at the top of your list, then you’ll find a book is almost mandatory. In addition to offering credibility to your clients, having a book is something many places look for as they select speakers.

Once you know your goals, start pulling content you’ve already created. Content would be anything you’ve ever written about your business, things like:

blog posts
white papers
audio or video recordings
presentations you’ve done in the past
handouts
articles written for publications or websites
newsletters
social media updates (because these might help spawn book content, too)
training manuals
client guidelines

Even if some of the content is old and needs updating, it gives you a solid place to start. From there, you’ll see your chapters and organization start to build organically. And you’ll be able to see any holes where you’ll need to write content. After your book is complete, you’ll want to enlist a few professional services: a professional editor (this step is critical), a cover designer and an interior book designer. Then you’ll be all ready to publish!

In the end, while a business book won’t single-handedly transform your business, it gives you an incredibly strong tool to build your market share and improve your overall success. When you write a business book, it helps you present yourself -- and your business -- as a key resource, which will allow you to continue realizing your long-term strategies and goals, whatever they are.