Yesterday I emailed my mailing list (you can get on it by filling in the form to the right of this page) and told them about a new service I’m offering.

Sometimes you just need one answer for something that’s taking you hours you just don’t have to figure out. All the answers you find on the ‘net are gobbledygook geek speak and make absolutely no sense. You need a clear answer you can understand and do right away.

So I decided to offer a very small, inexpensive service for those times.

I’ll answer your question via email (PDF or short video) or via Skype Screen Sharing, provided the question isn’t too complex. If it is, I’ll get back to you and discuss what’s required to answer your question.

And since I’ve set aside an hour each day JUST for this service, you can be sure you’ll get your answer quickly.

For the next 10 people to sign up, I’m offering 30% off the actual price of the service.

Go here to find out more!

My family’s Greek, and we own an olive farm.

Recently my dad decided to start importing the oil as well as some other food stuff (honey, hand-made pasta) from the area where he was born and where the farm is today. So he asked me to put up a website for our new family business.

And of course I obliged! May I present: MalvasiaUSA.com.

I used the theme “Vigilance” by The Theme Foundry (yep, it’s an affiliate link). That’s the same one I’m using at this moment for WPChick.com. You can see how flexible the theme is and why I like it so much.

The header is a combination of an old public-domain drawing of Monemvasia and the logo that my sister drew. She also drew the olive branch that’s on the label. This is definitely a family affair!

Anywho, I do have an ulterior motive for posting this site here… I want to ask you to bookmark it or keep an eye out, or subscribe to the news so you can order my family’s olive oil when we start selling from the site. Ok?

It really is the best stuff out there (and I’m not just saying that).

If you haven’t been following me on Twitter, you won’t know that I have a guest post up on a site run by a delightful Aussie weirdo called Be Awesome Online. Go read!

And another thing. You may notice to the right of this page a very spiffy ebook cover created by this guy for a mere $5! Now, I’m no one to encourage cheap design, or cheap anything. But I couldn’t resist.

So I plunked down the $5 and waited to see what would happen. And I was very pleased. I had a great experience, the work was done quickly and it was perfect. I most definitely couldn’t have done better myself.

here’s the full-sized cover:

And as always, before you update back up your site files using FTP or your web host’s back up feature and your database.

I mean it. (insert picture of me staring at you with squinty eyes…)

Now on to the fun stuff.

Upgrading is as simple as clicking a button.

First, disable all your plugins.

Next, click the linky at the top of your pre-WordPress 3.0 admin that tells you there’s a new version.

And finally, click the “upgrade automatically” button. Look at it go!

You should now have Thelonius installed.

Here’s a video walkthrough of the new features to get you acquainted with what’s changed:

p.s. If you do encounter trouble don’t hesitate to contact me! I’ll be upgrading all my sites one by one today.

Since my new services are things I haven’t offered before (but have done with some of my clients during our WordPress coaching sessions) I want to see if anyone would be willing to be a part of the pilot programs.

I would like 2 Pilot Testers for:

The New WPChick Blog Strategy System

With my Blog Strategy System, I’ll show you exactly what you need to do to increase your exposure, position yourself as an expert and get search engines to love you*. All this will help you reach your right people and get more clients.

After a quick questionnaire and 30-minute phone conversation, I’ll come up with a personalized Blog Strategy that includes:

• an editorial calendar
• suggestions for building community and exposure
• design and layout recommendations
• unlimited (reasonably) email access to me for any questions or concerns you may have for 2 weeks

The New WPChick Social Media Strategy System

With my new Social Media Strategy System, you won’t be confused any more about how to use the three biggest social media platforms—Twitter, FaceBook & LinkedIn—to reach out to your ideal customers, gain exposure for your business and brand, and get more clients.

After a short questionnaire and quick phone consultation, I’ll come up with a personalized Social Media Strategy that includes:

• installation of all the plugins you need to be able to share your blog posts and pages easily with most social media sites
• a quick n’ dirty guide for each social media platform
• weekly calendar of to-do’s for each social media platform

Normally, these packages would cost $297.

I am offering them for only $99 for the first two to sign up for each system.

In return all I want is honest feedback and if you’re satisfied a good word or two as a testimonial or case study.

So, if you’re interested, you can buy right now by selecting which one you’d like and clicking the “Buy Now” button:

Pilot Programs

Blog Strategy $99.00 Social Media Strategy $99.00

E-Mail Address

*A note regarding Search Engines: I can’t guarantee results. However in the first few months of launching WPChick, using nothing but a decent theme, good titles and regular blog posts, I reached the first page of Google Search Results for “WordPress Coaching.” As of the writing of this page, I’m second on the Google results for the same terms.

I went to a meeting on Wednesday with the organizers of the WordPress conference called “The Business of WordPress” happening June 22 and 23rd at the Georgia Tech Research Institute in Atlanta, GA. A few others were there who may be presenting or volunteering and we got an overview of the event.

One thing I found unique is that they’re curating the whole event. In other words, they chose the topics first and then looked for the presenters.

Each track is geared towards a specific level of WordPress user, no one person would be too upset that there are two sessions they want to attend at the same time. I’ve been to conferences before (although no tech conferences to date) and this is one thing that really ticked me off. So I’m happy that the organizers put so much thought into this.

There’s also an entire track of Q&A sessions all day for people who have questions and don’t necessarily want to bother with an entire session.

And something that I think is absolute genius is their “Boardroom” track. Only 25 tickets will be available for this, but it’s an entire day worth of exclusive access to and one-on-one time with WordPress experts in the Boardroom of the GTRI building.

Now all the above is just for the actual conference. The day before is a pre-conference workshop day where people can get hands-on WordPress training.

If you are interested and want to go to the conference ,I  have two things to share with you before you go off and buy your tickets:

1. I will be presenting. Not quite 100% sure on what, but I’ll let you know!
2. I will have coupon codes available for my followers/readers/clients who want to go. You’ll save at least $50 off the listed price AND help yours truly with small affiliate commission. What could be better? You help me, get a discount AND get to go to the conference!

I’ll be emailing my list with the coupon codes as soon as I get them, and they’ll be the first to know. If you want in, sign up for the mailing list on the right hand side of this page.

Wow, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?

Well, let me tell you that lots has been going on. New ideas, more work, shifting focus…

What does that mean for WPChick? Not much for now except maybe a renewed focus.

I added 2 more maintenance packages to the Packages page, and I’m working on making that page less cluttered.

And regarding the “Does my blog make me look fat” series… I started this with the intention of being informational with a bit of attitude (but not too much). Unfortunately the further I got into it, the more the tone became a little icky to me. It wasn’t “me” but some know-it-all that I thought I left behind when I was 10.

So I’m re-evaluating the series and may rework it, or I may just leave it behind completely.

Instead I think I want to focus on how to make WordPress, blogging and all sorts of other internet wizardry work for you – a small, heart-based business owner.

I apologize if I lost ya there for a while.

But I’m back now!

So, on to a new year and new stuff for WPChick!

Just wanted to let you all know that I’ve decided to add several packages for you to choose from. I figure it’s easier to to than just say “hire me…”

So if you look at the top right, you’ll see a new option, “Packages,” where you’ll find things like a kitchen sink and some security.

I have services ranging from just the basics to everything you need to get started blogging, to maintenance agreements so you don’t have to remember to update WordPress each time a new version gets released.

Yay. So go check ‘em out!

Please upgrade your WordPress installation to 2.8.4 if you’re still hanging on to an older version.

There’s a particularly nasty worm that will do awful things to your WordPress sites. It will infect your site and use it as a launching pad to find more sites to infect. Google and other sites will label your site as dangerous, your traffic will decline and on top of that you’ll most likely lose months worth of posts just like Robert Scoble did.

So, as in past update-your-site-now posts, please back up your database (Tools > Export is the easiest way to do so – it’ll get all your pages & posts), disable all your plugins and run the update.

DO IT NOW.

I urge you.

Keeping WordPress updated is so much easier than recovering from being hacked.

If you need help, don’t hesitate to ask. I check Twitter often & you can always email me.

How many times have you said “I hate the way my blog looks” or “Why am I not getting any visits” lately?

If you’ve said it at all, I feel ya! And don’t worry. Your blog doesn’t make you look fat… it’s just the mirror.

Although WordPress is an excellent, relatively easy solution for your blog, there are lots of other things regarding operation of a blog that do little more than make you want to pull your hair out or toss that shiny new computer out the 22nd floor window.

The things I’m talking about are how to make your blog exude your personality, how to attract and keep bringing in visitors, how to optimize it so Google and other search engines love it.

That’s where my new stuff comes in.

I’m starting a new blog on how to improve your blog – not the concrete how to use WordPress, but the more abstract how to make it work best for you.

This series is based on a new service I’m launching within the next few weeks.

The gist of the whole thing is this:

Ten Days. Ten Small Actions. One Great Blog.

So for each of the next ten days I’ll post one point and a few suggestions on how to improve your blog on that point. I promise it will be quick and easy if you choose to follow along.

However, with the service I’ll be offering, I will personally go through your site point by point and make recommendations that are tailored to your blog. I’ll give you specific things to do targeted to your blog’s needs.

I’ll also be making this series into an e-book and maybe some other fun stuff to help you whip your WordPress site into shape!

I’ll be starting this Monday. Subscribe to this blog to make sure you don’t miss a week.

If you want to get these by email, make sure to sign up here:

If you’re looking for the rest of the posts, here they are:
MYDMBMMLFPOSTS

photo credit: annapmagistra