Join in if you are self-employed and work from home

Horace

Hi Snowtime.

I don't twit but I do blog and follow others and others follow me. What is a google sitemap? Is it free?

Today, I have updated my supplier listing on Your West Midlands Wedding (its what I get for free with my ads in the magazine), I have now added entertainment to the mix.

Snow - are you going to the Autumn Fair which is a trade fair that is on at the NEC this week? Its a great place to source suppliers - I shall be looking at eco friendly boxes amongst other things.

itsnowtime

Hi Horace...

Ooo didn't realise that that was on.. I best take a look at that. I've had my head down over the last few weeks trying to get my damned site finished. But making good progress today..

A google sitemap is free and it enables you to submit your site into the google search engine a lot easier. In effect it registers each page within your website and then index's it.

Did they do one for you when they designed the site - and did they put some good keywords into the site for you?

If not... I'm sure there's plenty of sites out there that will help you create a free map by typing in your web address - just do a quick search for google sitemap generator. All you do then is go to google and submit your site directly along with your sitemap into it's webmaster tools section.

Here's the link...

http://www.google.co.uk/webmasters/#utm_medium=et&utm_source=bizsols&utm_campaign=sitemaps


I've not submitted mine yet as it's not finished but on previous sites it does get you into the 'organic' search results..

Hope that helps Horace..

Moneymabel - no problem - you did make me chuckle with the amount of air miles... :rotfl:

Best carry on with my site..

Horace

Snow - thanks for the tip about the sitemap - I will have a look later - I wrote my website myself but feel sure that I have used words that people search under.

I am off to the Autumn Fair tomorrow and Wednesday - I hope to be driving there as I have managed to get someone to come and give me a jump start today so I shall be spending the afternoon in Pershore (its about an hour's drive from me which is enough to charge the car). I am after some fresh plums to make crumble with. The carbon footprint will be quite small:D

Today, I have been doing a little bit of work for my landlord - photocopying a letter that he sent to us a while ago about problem tenants, this has been distributed to all the tenants in the block as a reminder of what is expected of them - its a first and final warning letter.

ally_bally_3

Hi all

Hope you all had a good weekend. I broke my iphone on Thu night (dropped in in a sink) so been without a phone all weekend which is really difficult. I managed to get a refurb handset from my lovely VIP concierge service for £95 and sold my broken handset on Mazuma for £65 so only cost me £30. Considering my insurance excess on my home insurance policy is £150 I feel like I am quite lucky. Also means I still get my upgrade in December. That was easy but waiting in on the delivery company is not easy. Apparently they tried to deliver this morning (which is a lot of rubbish frankly) and said there may have been access issues on my road. I gleefully pointed out that I live on the South Circular and I think people may have noticed if that was closed and they are trying to get it out again this afternoon.

Ploughing my way through a clients expenses - have a deadline for Friday and have a super busy week so trying to finish it off today. Is driving me mad.

Hope everyone else is having a productive time!

itsnowtime

Hi Horace,

Thanks for the tip for the fair - I registered straight away yesterday and I'm looking to go on Wednesday although i'll see how I feel I've got a right stinking cold that's just appeared from nowhere and it's making me feel a little bit lousy!! Oh well... it's only a cold.

ally_bally - sorry to hear about your iphone but at least you've managed to get another one..

Okay I've got to finish my site today - why was Time Management never my strong point - it's nearly 3pm and I'm just about to start after being shopping & packing OH off to work ...????

Have a good day all - and let's hope its a cracking week..

Horace

Afternoon all - I have been out and about - a kindly gentleman (a local councillor friend) came as promised and got my car started so I took myself off to Pershore. I know it isnt work but I did buy some local fruit (apples and plums from Pershore College - a mile from the greengrocer), a jar of homemade greengage jam (made on 31 August), string beans from Badsey, a cauliflower also from Pershore College (the fruit and veg had been picked this morning so I know it will taste just grand:D). Then I ventured into the local Asda to buy some cold meat and I espied a bottle of gravy browning which I clutched to my heaving bosom (I have been searching for gravy browning for months and months - none of my local shops sell it and keep telling me to use bisto instant:rolleyes:).

I shall be at the Autumn Fair tomorrow and Wednesday:cool: I may just drive too:D

Mabel I managed to get a copy of Wedding Ideas and saw your ad and your charm offer - good old Asda plus they refunded my 70p parking charge:D

Sorry to hear about your phone Ally - am glad that you managed to source another one. Which road is the South Circular then? I have heard of the North Circular - and I may have been on the South Circular without realising it.

ally_bally_3

Horace - glad you managed to get your car sorted out. Must have been a pain without it. The South Circular runs through London but my particular point is through Forest Hill in south London (near Dulwich). It's a main road so would notice if it was closed! After a very tense phone call and me having to get shirty the phone eventually showed up at around 2pm. Phew.

So have nearly finished a huge job for a client which I have been putting off for weeks, feels good to have it out the way (well almost). I work at home and at client's locations and increasingly I am spending more and more time out of my home office but all the things I caught up on today made me realise I have to make sure I promise myself 1 day during the week at home every week. Only just come to the conclusion but if I am out with client's for 5 days little things start to slip through the cracks and I end up playing catch up like I did all day today. Better go get ready - have a meeting with a new client at 7pm. Wish this one was a more sociable hour, at least I can treat myself to a beer seeing as we are meeting in a pub and I bought last time! One of the benefits to working in music is that meetings over beer are really not frowned upon!!

Lexxi

Hi, am I ok to join you? I'm not technically self employed but I live and work in the same building and have to motivate myself, not easy when the office has just got internet connection! I procrastinate so much I run out of things to put off and can go days without getting out and not even realise it!

nappentass

Morning all
Hope you all had a good weekend

itsnowtime - thanks for the tips it's reminded me to get my sitemap sorted out, I've made my own site & only want a blog & sitemap adding to it but got stuck trying to sort the blog out so have to get BB (best beloved) to help
I'm always on the lookout for free directory listings (or with reciprocal links) have found freeindex to be pretty good

TCM - I've had problems with the Qs & avail bal - so now have to have a contingency to pay rent if they haven't cleared in time :mad:

Horace - I'm a Bowen Technique practitioner which is a holistic therapy that is v.gentle hands on therapy, remarkably effective and works quickly - more on the college website http://www.thebowentechnique.com/ - I call myself a Bowen Therapist because there are a few derivatives of Tom Bowens work & I intend to study those also over time as professional development. The great thing about Bowen is that it works which is not so good for a new business because some clients only need a couple of sessions - though they will refer which will build over time..

Hi Lexxi I'm new too and find procrastination a problem esp with the internet

:j I've picked up a couple of regular hours at a place where I rent a treatment room - to act as receptionist (read responsible adult!) with IT/business analyst stuff thrown in so that'll help.

Hope everyone has a good day

monkeymonkey_3

Hi, is it ok if I join you? I've just recently set up a new online shop, but still have a lot more products to add, plus paperwork to catch up on, plus a million other jobs! I'm currently still having to work elsewhere as well, as not making enough to live from just yet. I'm temping full time, although this is likely to come to an end at the end of this month. I need to work still, so have started looking for something else but no luck so far - eek.

I have followed this thread since it started and have found you all very inspiring, and you've advised and helped me without knowing it. So seeing as I've been lurking around for so long, I thought it's only pollite to introduce myself!