I have tried both using blogs www.Credit-and-Collections.com/blog and my newest Mosquito Marketing for Authors blog http://michelledunn.com/mmblog and www.BizCreditPolicy.com as well as My Space www.myspace.com/michelledunn to promote myself and my books.  I had heard of My Space but thought it was a place for teens or kids, the description on their website is "a place for friends".   One afternoon I was reading an issue of Entrepreneur and they had a story about a woman who said she had used My Space as a marketing tool for her business.  My first thought was "there are business people on My Space?"  So I checked it out.  I found there were very few business people that were active members, and a lot of teens, younger kids, musicians and people looking to party and meet other people with similar interests.  I also saw that they have groups and some do pertain to business while some seem as if they are business related but are "Get Rich Quick" groups.  There are groups for anything you can imagine someone might have an interest in. Many for authors grouped by genre. I thought I would try it, since I like to try everything to market myself and my books and it was free!  I created my profile page, uploaded my pictures and began browsing the site for other business owners. 

In the beginning I  met a few people that I network with but I did not have a huge response or increased traffic to my website or orders of my books because of my myspace page.  It is a fun way to meet a few other business people but you also have to weed through the emails from people just "hanging out" there and sending you emails about dating or partying.   I have left my page up and do check it occasionally as well as post to my blog. My Space page also comes up when someone does a search on Google or Yahoo for me, so that is a bonus as well.  If they find me on My Space and then visit my website, I have accomplished what I started out to do.

Update! - I have had much more success using social networks to sell books, get my name out there and network with others. I have had journalists and reporters find me through MySpace as well as FaceBook and LinkedIn.  I have met other authors and people who have bought my books and consulting.

I would recommend using social networks as a marketing tool, if you use them effectively you can make contacts, network, and make sales.

Good luck!

Watching my local news tonight, they reported that the gas in Goffstown, NH is up to $4.15 a gallon.

 The thing I noticed was the big sign they had that said "Credit Cards and Cash ONLY!"

 As gas prices have soared more and more gas station owners are getting hit with more and more bad checks.  People who are struggling and have to pay such high prices will sometimes try to "float" a check and this is resulting in an increase in bad check writing.

What can gas stations do to avoid getting bad checks?

1. Don't accept checks.  Accepting checks is a privilege extended by you to your customer. It is not something you are required to do. You must protect your business.
2. Don't let the check writer rush you.
3. Don't take any check or person for granted, ALWAYS obtain proper ID.
4. Don't accept prewritten personal checks. At least the signature should be written in your presence.
5. Don't accept unsigned checks.
6. Don't accept starter checks.
7. Don't accept two party checks.

If you decide you will accept checks make sure to:

• Check that the name address and phone number imprinted.
• Accept checks with a current date only.
• Compare ID picture with that of the person cashing or writing the check.
• Make sure signature matches ID signature.
• Make sure phone number is a working phone.
• Ask for street address — no Post office boxes.

Writing a BAD CHECK is a crime in every state, and is punishable by a fine and/or imprisonment.

There are an estimated 450 million BAD CHECKS written every year. This includes checks written without sufficient funds or upon accounts that have been previously closed. Bad check laws do not apply when an individual stops payment on a check UNLESS it can be proven that the issuer of the check intended to stop the check when he presented the check for payment. Some states authorize the receiver of a bad check to collect a service charge to compensate for bank fees and/or cost incurred as a result of receiving and collecting on a bad check.

Senator Obama loses Jim Johnson today due to the digging into his personal and financial life, succumbing under the pressure of exposing everything, Johnson resigns.  It seems Republican criticism of his home mortgage deals became a distraction for Johnson.

As a business owner trying to survive this economy you must dig into your customers personal and financial life in order to extend credit and in some cases do business with them.  When a customer fills out a credit application they provide you with exactly this type of information that you need in order to make an educated decision on if you can extend credit or loan them money. 

Checking credit (digging into) each customer helps to ensure you will get paid and protects you and your business. 

Don't let this happen to you, start using credit applications today - I have some free applications you can use at http://www.michelledunn.com/free.html

Do you have questions about your debt or credit?

With the economy slipping more and more each day this is a topic on everyone's mind, the consumer and business owners.

Are you in debt?

Are bill collectors calling you?

Do customers owe you money?

I can help you Cut the Debt Stress, Fix your Credit and get back on track.  If you have comments or questions about credit or debt send them to Me at michelle@michelledunn.com

Or write to me at:
PO Box 40, Plymouth NH 03264

Look for the answer to your financial questions each week in the "Ask Michelle" column in the Record Enterprise and at my blog www.Credit-and-Collections.com/blog

Michelle Dunn is a writer, business woman and the nation's authority on collecting money living in New Hampshire.  She also writes the "Ask Michelle" column for every issue of the Record Enterprise weekly newspaper. www.MichelleDunn.com

How to Jump from a Sinking Industry to a Strong Industry;
How your strong points can make you more money during a recession

How is the economy affecting you and your job? Are you afraid you may lose your job because of the credit crisis and impending recession?  Now is the time to identify your strong points and work on them to become even stronger and more valuable in your industry.  In order to get the job you have you must have some qualifications and skills that landed you that job.  First let's identify some of your strong points that have made you successful.

Education.  You invested in your education in order to get the job you have, now is the time to continue to educate yourself to make yourself more valuable to your employer.  Read books, trade magazines, visit websites, attend seminars, webinars and networking events. Keep up to date on what is happening in your industry and learn all you can.

Networking.  Now is the time to network more than ever, you can network online and offline.  Networking will keep you and your company in everyone's mind, and if you do end up losing your job you will have a slew of business cards and contacts you can get in touch with for new job opportunities.

Specializing. Become more specialized in your industry, this gives you a lead over others who don't continue to grow or have to broad of a reach. When you specialize in something you make yourself more valuable to your employer.

Some industries are heading into a downward spiral, while others are heating up as the economy falters.  Can you cross train or move from your current job into an industry that is booming using the strong points that have made you successful and apply them to a new job in one of these industries?

Some industries that slow down during a recession can include daycare, construction, auto sales, real estate agencies, and landscaping.

While industries that heat up during a recession include things such as debt collection, credit management, vices-such as tobacco, security or alarm services, ware house clubs, life insurance, energy & utilities, book keeping, accounting, health care, auto repair, funeral homes and services, and lawyers.

Take a look at those industries and think about what you do and how you can relate to an industry that may have more business as the economy worsens. For example, if you work in auto sales and would like to move to a job that may be in an upward cycle, consider using your sales skills to work in the security or alarm industry or maybe a life insurance company or funeral services.  Think about your strong points and use those as your key in moving to another industry. 

Once you have decided on the industry you want to move to, start reading all you can about that industry, read trade magazines, websites and books.  You may already have sales skills but how much do you know about selling cars or insurance?  Join networking groups online or offline and listen to what others in the industry discuss, if you can become even more specific within that industry, the more valuable you make yourself to a potential employer. 

An internationally-known expert on the topic of credit and collections Michelle Dunn is a leading authority on collecting money to businesses everywhere. Overseeing renowned authorities from the financial, legal and accounting communities, she brings them all together to bring solutions and unique opportunities to every member of her Credit and Collections Association.  Visit her websites www.MichelleDunn.com & www.Credit-and-Collections.com

Medical bills aren't like other bills, they are not usually planned.  Medical bills are something that jump out at you when your finances are already stretched as far as they can go.  If you don't have insurance, this can be a real problem.  With the economy suffering and more people losing their jobs, the more people there will be without medical insurance.

It may seem like a good solution to use a credit card to pay your medical bill since you don't have any money to pay it, but stop before you charge that bill onto a high interest rate credit card.