Many of the stories during the holiday season often evoke thoughts on the possibilities of magic and miracles. And in that spirit, we would like to wish you the greatest gift of all: a wonderful life. But no matter how much we wish it, remember that most of that magic will have to come from you and your efforts to make it so, just like George Bailey.

This holiday season we wish you hope.

Many people may confuse hope and faith, and while they can be interchanged, think of faith as being almost certain the sun will rise tomorrow, and hope as feeling that even if the sun doesn't rise, it could still be a good day.

A quick review: The first four critical mistakes we discussed last month are: 1 - Not enough value. 2 - Complicated user interface. 3 - Poor user experience. 4 - Bad customer service. Now on to the next 3 which are related to your content…

5 - Not enough content

This relates to number 1 in the last article but deserves to be identified as a critical mistake on its own.

There are lots of ways to not offer enough value that do not have to do with content, but it’s impossible to give enough value if your content is thin, especially if the member is paying for the privilege of accessing your site.

“Without promotion, something terrible happens....Nothing!” --P. T. Barnum

In Barnum's day, advertising meant word of mouth and newspapers. Neither of these was very expensive at the time— unless you were Barnum. The American showman at one time had 26 journalists on his payroll. His belief was that advertising should not be done “sparingly and grudgingly,” and freely admitted that most of his success was due to the press.

Free stuff? From the government? OUR government?

These days you’re more likely to hear about government cutbacks than bold new initiatives.  Whether it’s in the form of a stripped down IRS or another looming government shutdown, it seems Uncle Sam is tightening his belt. But just because the Feds are running a little leaner doesn’t mean there still aren’t some freebies available for you at the many dot.gov sites.  From free online recipes to interactive travel guides, there’s a little bit of something for everyone.  Here are just a few:

In my first Joomla Magazine article we discussed why everyone needs a membership site, then we went on in the second to discuss different types and ways to use membership sites. I hope you got good value from those and are ready for some ‘show and tell’!

In this installment, we’ll go behind the curtains of how some clients are using their membership sites every day.

You may enjoy your work, but do you oftentimes feel as though you aren't getting anything done, despite the long hours you're putting in? What about the rest of your life? Do you have time to enjoy being with your family? Or do you feel like there's just too much pressure like you're on some crazy roller coaster, trying your best just to hang on?

One of the best-selling time management books on Amazon addresses these issues and offers sage advice on how to deal with them. Greg McKeown's Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less argues that if people were more selective about what they consider essential then they would have more control over their own choices. Too much of what we spend our time on tends to be trivial, which not only threatens our success at work, but trickles down into our personal lives as well.

Cyber Monday could be one of the most important days of the year for your business financially. Last year, there were over 2 billion (yes, that’s BILLION) dollars of online sales generated on the Monday following Thanksgiving.

If you want a piece of that action, you’ll need a strategy in place well before hand.

When it comes to Cyber Monday, there are several big draws for consumers: the convenience of shopping many different stores without leaving home or the office; the ability to easily comparison shop and check out reviews; and the extra value or deals that aren't available year-round.

There are the obvious reasons - to collect money and to create a community. Ah, but it goes much deeper than that.

I provide web and email marketing for my international clients and for many years have recommended that they offer a membership component in their website for exposure, value, and insurance. But before we get deeper into why…let’s be sure that we are all speaking the same language. Then I’ll give you 10 reasons why to add membership to your site.

Does the thought of using social media for your business make you feel like an awkward teenager starting high school again? Will I be popular?  What if no one likes me? Is there a solution that won't make my face break out?

Social media is a lot like high school in some ways. Choosing the right activities and the right friends, building your reputation, being your true self—these things can make a difference to your status just like they did in school. If you're planning your social media platforms for the coming year, here are some things you need to take into consideration.

For many of us, Thanksgiving is a time to relax— particularly after we’ve eaten a second helping of turkey and dressing and ‘tested’ the pumpkin pie once more just to make sure it still tastes like it did the first time.

Thanksgiving is also a time for friends, family and fun. From the comforts of our table to the annual holiday spectacles like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or the Dallas Cowboys’ yearly tilt, Thanksgiving has a lot to offer. With all the hustle and bustle of the day, it can be easy for us to forget another important part of Thanksgiving: giving thanks.

Ok, if you have been following along with this article series, you now know ( a ) why you need a membership site, ( b ) several different ways to set them up, and ( c ) some real-world case studies on how other people are using their membership site.

Hopefully, you have taken my suggestions and have created (or are creating) a membership site for your ‘herd’ of followers. If you have, I’d love to hear about your experiences.

In this fourth article in our membership series, we’ll dig deeper and begin discussing common critical mistakes to avoid.

According to the New York Times, the 2014 elections had the “worst voter turnout in 72 years.”  They went on to say “the national turnout was 36.3 percent; only the 1942 federal election had a lower participation rate at 33.9 percent.”

Did YOU vote last year?

What does it matter, you ask? “There are millions of people in this country, and I’m just one vote.”

You can find just about anything and everything on the internet. Take personality tests—have you ever wondered which Harry Potter villain you're most like? Or whether you have the personality of a particular type of IKEA furniture? While these tests are entertaining, they’re not likely to help you reach a deeper understanding of yourself.

Are there personality tests available that have any value, especially when it comes to growing your business?

How the World Sees You: Discover Your Highest Value Through the Science of Fascination by Sally Hogshead, points out that understanding your personality provides you with key information to work with when presenting yourself to others. If you've ever tried to create a 30-second elevator pitch or write your resume, you probably know how difficult it can be to deliver the exact message you want to convey. Hogshead's book provides you with a step-by-step method to discover what your personal tagline should be, and how to use it to create better relationships and grow your business.

In my last article in JCM, I worked really hard to convince you that regardless of what business you are in, or even for non-business sites, you need to have a membership component to your site. Assuming that I did a reasonable job, you either have one in the works or are at least planning one.

Now you want to know the most effective way to use membership in your own website, right?

Answering this question is exactly the focus of this article. There are many combination of ways to help your business by incorporating membership into your site. Here are 5 perspectives to spark your creativity and help you focus your plan…

If the thought of what to do for your Halloween marketing this year has you yearning to hang a “Gone Trick-or-Treating” sign on the door the first day of October, then this post is for you!

Marketing for Halloween is a must, of course, if you're selling Halloween-related products.  Even if you’re not however, it's a great way to generate goodwill, keep your name in customers' minds, and kick off your other holiday sales. Besides, everyone needs a little Halloween fun!

Long before October 31st you should be posting some Halloween related content on your website and through social media.